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2012-01-29T23:34:00.000-06:00

We talked about praying today. It's one of the most basic practices of the faith so why do we tend to struggle with it? Maybe you don't view prayer as a problem but it can become an obstacle. My point is that we often hear or read sermons and such on how to pray. That is not the issue. God knows we can always do more reading and thinking on prayer. One great temptation is to take in the information about improving as we pray yet feel less adequate to do it than when we began. A simple act of communicating with God was never meant to get so complicated or intimidating. Too often we use guilt to get people to pray more but that does not promise that we will pray better. Jonah reminds me that perfection isn't always the goal as we pray. Connecting what we say to what we do matters most of all.

Jonah will pray from the belly of a fish. I do not know when he started his prayer but my money is it took until the third day to get him going. His prayer in the second chapter is a wonderful one. There really is not a thing wrong with what he says. But you also have to put those words in relationship to his overall behavior in the book. Prayer begins first with God. It is our response to His activity in our life. We not only ask Him to do stuff but we also get to communicate with our God. What happens too much is we let guilt get the best of us before we even get underway. Guilt will never lead us to a deep connection to God. It will always nudge us further away from His heart. Jonah first needs to remember that grace of God which is present tense. It is that stirring of the soul which leads to his prayer. When we understand just how deep is God's mercy or love we will gain a far greater motivation to talk to Him. Don't we tend to enjoy talking to people who seem to care about what we have to say?

Sometimes we just offer up our best efforts with the wish that God hears us. We lack confidence in bring who we are to Him. Answered prayers are not the result of a cosmic accident. Jonah is a long way from being a model believer but he does remember just how amazing is God. He then builds on both his past experiences along with his present awareness of his God. Confidence for Jonah results from putting these parts of his life together. Now we can look both to scripture as well as our process of growth to guide us when we pray. Don't allow any problem or situation to determine your prayer journey. God is far beyond whatever may be happening in your world. Jonah knows how God is even bigger than the fish that took him inside. His heart moves from the internal organs of the beast to the very nature of God. This is more than wishful thinking but a concrete reality of God's providence. He has no guarantee of getting out of that stomach but he reconnects with his God. That remains at the core of Jonah's prayer.

Just be sure that God does long to hear from you. Also know that scripture is the record of His speaking to us. Praying need not make you feel inferior to any other person. It remains a cornerstone in finding out just how much we mean to Him.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-26T23:32:00.000-06:00

There is a wedding shower at our house on Saturday. It's for a bride who is marrying one of our church people in February. I get to do the wedding. Some weddings you look forward to doing and this is one of them. My very best hopes go out to them for a long, happy life. What is difficult now revolves around all of the preparation for the party. The last few weeks are one constant cleaning after the other. No house is probably ever spotless but we are coming close. Who knew that mopping could become a competitive sport? One good thing is that when spring cleaning time comes around we will already be ahead of the curve.

Throwing stuff out is also one of the regular chores of the last few weeks. I spent one day just gathering up stuff to take to the local dump. Our garage received two separate cleanings over the last few months. There were things that never moved from the day we arrived at the house. Filling up the back of my truck was easy once everything was culled out. I probably found even more to take to the trash at a later date. My needs are fairly simple. Holding onto items is not a great temptation of mine. My guess is there will never be a need for intervention for any hoarding tendencies. Everyone probably needs to make time to clean out that stuff from time to time. Some items may be treasures but sometimes we just let the junk pile up. Cleaning house may not be neat or easy but it does allow us to find what really matters.

You can see where this is going. Spiritual house cleaning is a basic part of being a mature believer. Stuff we may think is valuable may turn out to overload what God wishes to be doing. David would just live his life for about a year before confronted by God about the junk clogging up his heart. We tend to overlook or not share God's values when it comes to what matters and what does not. Busyness is often a substitute for actually being open to God's word. Even going to church is no promise of our heart being honest with God. We are learning about the life of Jonah lately. He is a successful prophet of God who fails to allow his heart to share divine values. His story is one of God giving him a good cleaning out of the mind and heart. It may not end happily ever after but we can learn from his mistakes. Learn to take your cues from what God deems as significant. He knows far more about your heart than you realize. You may discover that what you thought mattered really only gets in the way of growing. It may not be easy but it is always worth it for eternity.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-25T23:10:00.000-06:00

My puppy went to church tonight. Sounds like she wrecked havoc on most everything until I took her home. Nothing says small town church like having a hyper dog running loose on the grounds. Some students stopped by the house this afternoon to visit. What is surprising about this is that my daughter is away at Baylor. Pokey greeted them in her state of excitement as usual. My guess is she followed them over to the church rather than staying in the yard. I heard very little upon my arrival later but stories of her being friendly with everyone. Sure enough she came following me when I walked outside the building and whistled. We trudged back home through the rain to deposit her safely away from the crowds. Who knew that a typical Wednesday evening would become so animated just by her presence?

Church life can be thrilling enough without the added exposure to a very young puppy. We just tend to get all wound up for all of the wrong reasons. Far too much time gets spent trying to track down all of the reasons for turmoil. I think that having some detective skills comes in handy with being a minister. The one downfall is there isn't much one can do even when deciphering the reasons for an uproar. This is not to say that doing church stuff falls short in the excitement category. Scripture paints us a picture of a church that is never at a loss for thrills. They are always in over their head when it comes to being on mission. Sometimes we lament at how cold our services can become. It may well be that we prefer that to any discomfort from being radically engaged with God. Perhaps we get what we truly desire?

Think about this. Faith can be risky. Just ask Abraham about that call of God to offer up Issac. Faith can be weird. Just ask Moses about calling plagues, frogs and the like into reality. Faith can be dangerous. Just ask Paul about his physical pain from being thrown out of towns. Faith can break your heart. Just ask Peter about his road to recovery. None of these characters needed a puppy to create a sense of excitement. God acts in lives to move us to His purpose. Following Him will often create upheaval in our being. Boring is a word not associated with joining God in His work. One can only hope that our spiritual life will be thrilling for all of the right reasons. You may find it beats having a puppy on the loose in church.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-23T23:36:00.000-06:00

You may remember that one of my new favorite programs is Doctor Who that plays on BBC America. I remember the show from my growing up days but these are very different. It's a bit of science fiction along with other odds and ends worked into it. Reports are that it is now one of the most popular shows in England much less here in the states. I stumbled onto it about three months ago on what had to be a boring day. Not many programs grab my attention but when they do it is total. For me it is a time to escape into the exploits of the characters. Being a series about time travel means you can do just about anything in a plot. Being able to reserve logic is a huge factor in just accepting the storyline. It's just one of the many weird things about me it seems.

The series originate in England about forty years ago. It would run on PBS in my growing up years. I know that I tried to watch it then but gradually moved along to other things. 2005 is the year someone brought it back after a few years away. Much of the core remained but lots of bells and whistles were added. Now it is a global phenomena with fans across the globe. Remember that it is a British series with actors who speak proper English. Also recall that my native tongue is American with Texan thrown into the mix. One temptation is to think my voice can sound remotely British. That just will not ever happen. My guess is that even my attempts at sounding like a proper Englishman would still be tainted with that Texan twang. Surely that cannot sound remotely appealing.

One short point tonight in the post. No, it's not about the Doctor. How do we learn to speak God's language? This crossed my mind last week even though it was left out of the message. The answer is we learn to listen to God speak to us so we can discover how to communicate. Getting into God's word will help us talk more like Him. We learn what He values. We discover how He operates. Our very nature becomes more in line with who He is. God speaks our language if we listen close. What we gain changes who we are and then how we live. Programs can come and go over time. What we become because of God speaking to us lasts for an eternity. We could use a little more divine language in our world of strife. Just know that only those of us who know God can ever inject those thoughts into our reality today.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-22T23:22:00.000-06:00

We now know who will be playing in the Super Bowl in two weeks. It is a rematch from a few years ago between the Giants and the Patriots. Don't worry. This whole piece is not about football. But each team won very exciting games today. Both teams were only a few plays away from being out of the playoffs also. I will say that my expectations were for these two teams playing in the big game. You know the Patriots are going to be good. We also watched the Giants get hot over the last two months. Our major problem is we now have to live through the two weeks of hype before the game begins. I am reserving my final prediction for much closer to game time.

We mentioned that both teams won in very tough contests. Only a few plays separate the winners and losers today. One game ended with a rare mistake on a kick. The other game included some strange bounces of the ball. Sometimes you wonder how all of this works out. I do not know with any certainty whether or not God has a great interest in football. My view is that He has a few more things to deal with than the outcome of a game. But there are times that make you wonder about divine intervention in sporting events. Most famous football plays are labeled with a Catholic nickname. Baptists are left to refer to hockey fights for their vocabulary. My point is there do seem to be times when God has some role in the outcome of a game or event. I have no explanation as to why this may be true only that observation and experience tells me that things can happen out of the ordinary.

Providence is our term for how God works everything out for His good in our world. Not only does God see the future but He is radically involved in our present. He is not an occasional participant in the affairs of men. God's very nature says He is part of our every waking or sleeping moment. We may not always see this in action but be assured of its reality. Our hope in this life is much more than making wishes. We can trust God who is bigger than life no matter how out of control it feels. Our conditions do not dictate any limits on God's power. Our worst difficulties cannot sway God from being at His best. How we live in any given moment is largely affected by our vision of God as caring and powerful. He must be both in order to bring about trust.

Life is the laboratory in terms of our faith. Answers are easy inside the church walls. It's the rest of the week that tests whether what we believe matches what we may say. Jonah discovers that he really cannot run away from the presence of God. This journey will be a painful to say the least. We can learn from him so we avoid those same mistakes. There is much more at stake in our life than who wins or loses a game. You matter to God so be sure your life counts. God doesn't give up on any of us even when we give up on Him. That is what grace is all about. Failure does not need to be defined on whether or not we disobey. Real failure is missing His pursuit born of grace. Let's do what we can to allow that patience of God to work its way into our world. Our game of life is not ever over until our time is up. God is here and active if only you open your eyes a bit more to see it. Don't be like Jonah. He knew God was busy yet chose to ignore it. My guess is if you ask for His help then you will see everything in a whole new light.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-21T01:18:00.000-06:00

Life has a way of taking us to unexpected places. My plans to catch up with writing took a back seat to an emergency call this evening. All is well with my patient so that is good news. It's one of those people that I want nothing bad to happen to them. Part of me was sitting wearily in my chair just prior to the phone ringing. Any decent minister doesn't wait for more information before taking off to check on their people. My hope is my efforts at ministry were at least that. You try to find out as much as you can then pray with a genuine heart with those involved. God has this way of doing things like this when you least expect it.

Most of my reading this week is in the area of providence. Most of us know the word without much thought as to its meaning. We believe God is big enough to handle our world. We truly hope God will always be good in what He does. My usual example is how we have the second coming all figured out. We live with our theology about who will do what and when. Our problem becomes translating that faith into God giving us daily bread. This is when the God who is big enough to bring about the end of the world may not be enough to get us through our most common problems. Lots of people have faith in God's providence for something out there but struggle with it right now.

Jonah talks to us about providence. It tells us about a God who pursues us even when we fail to follow. It speaks to us about a God who can take our worst yet make it His best. We discover that even the worst moments of our life may be God's invitation to join Him. This will call for more than a few of us to have a real heart change along the way. We too often take God's guidance and His goodness for granted. We just move right along with our life without much thought as to what He may be doing in the present tense. Part of being able to worship is knowing God doesn't take time off from our life. We may think we do not matter but we do. Jonah tries all he can to get away from God yet it is His providence that ultimately saves him. Even the big fish works out the will of God for the wayward prophet. We can be assured that our God will indeed work things out to His good. Sunday night will be another chapter in this story. Remember that every question of why things happen really is not a problem. Just move further to ask God what He desires to be doing in making you who He wants you to be. This way you know life isn't just fishy.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-17T23:11:00.000-06:00

My daughter now has her own blog. It's part of her journalism class at Baylor. I read some of her work tonight. That may be a stretch as she now has only two posts online. Her work is really good so far. What made me proud is that her professor commented on her second piece. Blogging seems to be both the best and worst of times. You do get to put down your thoughts in one place. The problem is that anyone who finds a link can read them also. You know that I read other blogs related to church life. You also know that whatever is written here tries not to be negative unless absolutely necessary. Negative sites tend to get much more attention than what is attempted here. Just know my goal is to be helpful above being popular.

In other news, you may be curious to know that my predictions for football all came to pass last weekend. I went four for four in my predictions. This meant going against my heart a few times but my head told me something beyond my wishes. Football may not seem religious but it does affect how churches operate. People want to be out by noon so they can see the Cowboys play. We will deal with attendance issues the day of the Super Bowl. One of my former congregations set up to watch the game projected against a wall. Nothing says football like a really huge setup to watch it. I do not know yet who my picks are for this weekend. I do think the Patriots will win since they have a much better offense than the Ravens. Who they play is still up in the air. My mind is leaning toward the San Francisco team at the moment. Let me get back to you in a day or so for a final decision.

Does seem like it is shaping up to be Romney going against Obama in our next election for President. It seems very difficult to envision Mitt actually winning in November. He just has so many issues unresolved with social conservatives. No doubt you will find evangelicals who refuse to vote for Romney due to his being a Mormon. I have no claim to know what type of President we would get with Mitt Romney. What some believers miss is that sometimes what you do is vote for the one closest to your ideals. One wonders just what an acceptable candidate would be to social conservatives. My political views will remain between me and God. What can happen is that I pray, vote and follow my understanding of politics with hopes the rest of the country chooses wisely.

Tonight seems like a good time to just throw a few topics out there. Not every night begins with some great insight to elaborate on here. You probably wish there were many more evenings with any great ideas. My daughter will discover that inspiration may come from an odd place if it comes at all. Just being alive is enough some days to celebrate. God is busy in each day to tell us about Himself. This is not limited to just being religious. Listen to God in any area of your world and you may be surprised just how much He has to say. He may be saying far more than you ever imagined.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-16T23:20:00.000-06:00

John Adams was one of the founding fathers of this country. He served one term as President along with playing a huge role in the establishment of the states. Most people do not recognize his name as much as others during those days but he matters in history. His son would eventually become President also. The senior Adams was a remarkable man in so many ways. Words of his would shape our basic thought as a nation. He serves in other roles besides being President. The friendship between he and Thomas Jefferson is a remarkable story. Adams is probably a better man than his friend but still is overlooked. I do admire him for all of his behind the scenes efforts to secure the beginning of this nation.

One story about Adams stands out for some of the wrong reasons. Seems he took his son fishing one day when time was free. My guess is there were few days like that. The father would later write in his journal of taking the son out to fish. His conclusion is it was a wasted day. What he did not know is the son also recorded the day in his journal. John Quincy Adams would write that it was one of his best days ever. His time with his father was well spent regardless of the number of fish caught. Both will spend the same amount of time together that day. Neither view it in the same light. What we value always will determine how we see life unfold.

Making time for those closest to you matters. It is true that not all of our time can be expressed the same way. Part of having a full life means relationships that make you better than you are. Nothing can ever take away the good gained with my children. Simply running errands with my youngest are times loaded with joy. Being sure you reach out to others will always move your perspective beyond the selfish. Not every person may share your point of view but it matters. God can do so much in your heart when you find small moments to share with others. It may be a break from the stresses. You may hear God talk to you about your priorities. Drawing closer to people who matter pushes you past the selfish. It's a good idea not just for Presidents but for all of us.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-15T23:20:00.000-06:00

When we last left Jonah he was on the run from God. How silly does that sound? Here is a big time prophet of God trying to get away from His presence. No doubt that going to Assyria would bring along a set of dangers but this man seems to actually think God won't be able to find him. Not many of us get to the physical point of being a divine fugitive. Most of us just hope that God doesn't notice if we don't pay attention to Him. This is one of those things that can happen to any of us. We usually do not receive such a fearsome call as Jonah. We just go about our business without keeping God's daily direction in mind. Our call to follow may not be as dramatic as this prophet but it can be just as serious.

Jonah ends up in the middle of a huge storm while trying to escape. It say that God "hurled" a violent storm upon the waters. The language hints that it was thrown much like a hard fastball at the sea. What we see is that not even expert sailors know how to handle the calamity. One might suggest that perhaps God is unfair to put those men in danger when He is after Jonah. But what we see at the end of the story is these same pagans encounter the living God in a vital way. Our prophet may be stubborn but the sailors are shown as sensitive to God's activity. Jonah shows no indication that he is ready to obey God. He doesn't even seem to pray when the captain awakens him. You have to wonder just how cold is this heart that will not respond to the obvious? Yet we know that God's people display that awful tendency to remain in opposition to the divine direction even if it hurts. Jonah would rather take his chances in the turbulence of the waters than admit to his failures. This is surely no mild case of drift in the spiritual life. His theology remains in good shape though his heart is far from God.

The sailors behave in ways beyond their knowledge. Concern is shown for the prophet even when he gives them an easy solution. You even read of these men praying then doing an act of worship when all is done. Our writer is careful to tell us just how rebellious is this prophet. My guess is none of us never wish to be in his condition but we may see some of the symptoms. What we learn is the stilling of the sea was not the ultimate answer. Just asking God to fix your problems may not be enough if you are the problem. Jonah fails to realize that God is not letting him just go away. He has to learn again that God is not easily fooled if at all. We can be better than Jonah. Our heart need not be in such turmoil. Jesus would deal with a perfect storm of troubles. His friends would betray, abandon and deny knowing Him. He chooses obedience even if painful. To follow Him may mean the same for us. No one said it would be easy. Just be sure that living this way is far more eternal than being stubborn. Which do you wish to be?

Bro. Trey

2012-01-12T22:52:00.000-06:00

One question bothers us as human beings more than any other. It is the one that asks why do bad things happen to good people? Few of us get through life without posing that question at least once. Some use it as an excuse of sorts to deal honestly with God. Some ask it in the midst of a moment that brings more pain than we can bear. Most of us know the emotions involved that tear away at our core. We are not at all the first individuals to have such concerns. We are also not the first ones to wrestle with the ideas involved. I mention this as we look to Jonah this week. Here is a prophet of God being confronted with some very bad experiences in his journey. He once spoke to kings and now he is faced with storms then a really big fish. We would do well to learn from his crisis of faith.

There are times when our difficulties are self inflicted. You and I make mistakes or even sin in ways that lead to troubled times. Wanting those troubles are far different than our mindset going into making our choices. David didn't want problems but he did desire Bathsheba. Connecting the dots from that point really isn't too hard. Other times we may find our problems are situational. Perhaps we are innocent from those poor decisions or sin but someone else does it for us. How often do we get swept up in the wake of another individuals decisions? There may even be times they are satanic in origin. Job faces an overwhelming trial by fire that has such roots. Be sure that if you mature in your faith that times like these are coming. The last idea is that some are spiritual. Now it is true that a follower of Jesus would want God to lead, guide and the like in any moment. Just also know that God may work the circumstances of your life so your heart grows even more sensitive to Him. Those who grow in faith are also candidates for God to continue working in your life even when painful. Jonah is aware of most if not all of these reasons. His story helps us face our worst moments.

Every trial is an occasion to turn to God in ways you never knew before. Each problem offers great opportunity to become more of God's person. How we handle those times will tell us a great deal about who we are and where we need to be. Some of what we learn is opposite of Jonah's approach. His heart does not yield immediately to God's action. The storm comes upon his ship but he offers no evidence of repentance. Just remember that our problems are not always meant to be permanent. Some believers end up so wrapped up in their own world that they forget to look beyond the situation. Our great hope is not the end of our problem. Jonah reminds us that our best comes from a living encounter with God. This takes him a long time to learn. Let's hope our heart will be more open than his.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-09T23:31:00.000-06:00

Far too many of these posts begin by mentioning one day or the other. You can read too often about Sunday nights on here. Blame that on lazy writing. But be warned that this post will relate to Monday as the point of reference. Some of this is probably due to the already mentioned lazy aspect. Part of this is just because it is Monday. Today is my Saturday in relation to how most people live. It is another strange part of my job. Days like this one matter greatly in recovering a sense of balance. Getting older just means that having down time is even more important than in my younger years. My views on Monday is not that unusual. I heard a pastor of a very large church once mention how he limited his activity to a few isolated tasks due to the weekend push. My goal is to always find normal again.

Think about it like this. Sunday is the time when the minister speaks for God at least once. Most days there are important meetings between or before services. Your job is to speak a divine message whether or not anyone listens. You are asked to make big decisions that may arise without warning. Every eye is upon you for a few hours that day. By your own admission there are eternal decisions to be made by your words. All of the hours of research come together once if not twice. Every ounce of your energy is poured out in words or actions. All of this can feed the ego if not careful. Some ministers forget they are not God along the way. Monday is a good day to recapture your humanity. If you forget that you are a human being then you really are in spiritual danger.

My mind is usually blank after Sunday so it feels good to do the humdrum stuff of life. Today was a day to work on the house in preparation for an event later this month. Laundry called for my attention as usual. There was some time to do some reading but it was just for fun. Exercise is always welcome on a Monday. I try to do some running on Sunday afternoon like I did yesterday. People my age need to get out to stretch so gravity doesn't completely take over. It is not that there is a refusal to work on Monday. There are times when visits or other issues call for my attention no matter the level of fatigue. But if you can haul off the trash with a sense of duty then you may be better equipped for the big sermon or meeting. Every follower of Jesus needs to grasp the concept of renewing the mind and body so you can continue to grow.

One of my favorite authors wrote a book entirely devoted to keeping your life fresh. Some of my observations even made the final work which surprised me. His point is that even Jesus took time to step back from simply being busy. Another writer reminds me that Jesus enjoyed going to parties. You read of his being at various celebrations during his life. Obviously there are some who attend church that may not do enough for whatever reason. My point is not to applaud apathy but to argue for balance. Remember that is God who works through you. A broken down you does not leave much room for that miracle to occur. You may not need a whole day to recover but you do need time. Learn to enjoy the recharging of your batteries so your heart can expand even further. You may find the rest of your week having more room for God to work.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-08T23:04:00.000-06:00

My guess is that most people who attend church still have an image of their pastor as being practically perfect. Times may change but more than a few will carry around the idea that the minister borders on sainthood. He is neither too tall or too short. He is neither overweight yet he is not skinny. He speaks for hours while doing it in under thirty minutes. His suits are always expensive though they should not cost too much. He relates to every age in the congregation with ease. He is young to the old and old to the young. He is never out of the office while he is out visiting anyone and everyone. The sermons are extremely well researched while leaving hours for dealing with administration or the problems of people. You get the basic drift of these thoughts. We mostly imagine the minister as an example of perfection. But what do you do with a character like Jonah?

Jonah is one of those prophets who enjoyed success then crashed and burned. He once spoke boldly to the King but will later try to hide from God. His heart is not especially gentle toward the sinner. His emotions give the picture of a man who has unresolved issues with others. Jonah didn't need to be stuck in the belly of a whale in order to be rescued. His problem is mainly his problem with God. Jonah just doesn't seem to appreciate the divine commission to go offer compassion to a sinful people. He really is not a hero in terms of how we usually see our heroes. He is a mess. God will still use him but it will be with all of his faults in full view. He may be closer to our reality than he is to our fantasy idea of God's hero.

Nobody is ever perfect. Even ministers tend to fall short in regards to perfection. There are still a large number of skills or habits remaining for me to learn. I would like to believe that my intention is noble. This still will not automatically provide perfection. My sermons still drift when they should be right to the point. My efforts to stay in touch with people will never be enough for some. My approach to leadership may be too vague in a world that embraces convention. Jonah is a good place for me to study. His story reminds me that God knows how we really are yet chooses to use us anyway. No amount of past accomplishment can ever replace living in the present tense with God. Our prophet seems to forget that somewhere along the way. God will still call him to go carry a message to a people that he cannot stand. Not only is God patient with the sinners but He is just as patient with Jonah.

All of us have faults or weaknesses. We each live with unresolved sin to which we are blind. God still desires to see us through so His word is indeed the last one. His call will seldom lead us into an easy path. What we learn is our greatest obstacle may not be where we are to go but who we are on the inside. God will have to confront us about what we cannot see. We have to trust Him to be gracious in that challenge. Perfection may be an illusion but God's patience is as real as air itself. Jonah will learn how great that journey can be. Will we?

Bro. Trey

2012-01-06T23:51:00.000-06:00

Who would think that a Friday in January would include push mowing the yard? I actually did not push all of it but there were some places calling for attention. There will be a big gathering here in a few weeks so it was a good time to start the process to be ready. Saturday looks like there will be the final putting away of Christmas stuff which means making room for it. My allergies will be grateful for the yard work as well as being outside tomorrow. Winters can be strange around here. Warmer weather is usually a sign of a cold snap waiting to begin. But having to mow down weeds and such does seem premature.

I also helped pack my favorite daughter for her return to college tomorrow. She didn't seem to take my request for her to remain home as serious. Time flies when she is home. Seems as if she just drove up yesterday after the fall semester. Before long it will be time to move her back home for the summer. I may not have many skills but for some odd reason packing is one of them. Everything is loaded waiting for her trip tomorrow. It took me about 45 minutes to get it all put in order. She has friends who will meet her to assist in the unloading. Just know there is another adjustment period coming. But it will be good for me to let go once again.

Our house becomes extremely busy when she is home. Friends just pop over without warning at all hours. You can never be sure how many cars may be sitting in the front yard. The noise level also increases greatly during those times. What is good about that is it often is the sound of laughing. Good times seem to follow whenever the gang congregates in our home. This usually is preceded by trips to the grocery store for strange foods. All of this is very agreeable to me. Being a dad is an honor or privilege. I am grateful for both my favorite son and favorite daughter. Not sure what I could say if a third child was born?

I thought of how church should be somewhat like those times when my daughter is home. You can invite friends to share the time. You can be yourself since its comfortable. Nothing is off limits for conversation since people care about you and your feelings. No one is in competition to be noticed since everyone is the same. I fully realize the analogy breaks down in other ways. But it is a great idea that church should not feel strange in relation to the other parts of life. We are family by God's grace. Maybe we can be even more by sharing that grace to others.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-03T23:35:00.000-06:00

Life takes you by surprise sometimes. One never knows how the past may intersect with the present tense. My view is that fewer things are coincidence than we imagine. A follower of Jesus might wonder why things happen at one point then find the answer even years later. God doesn't always work on our timetable. This is yet another reason to absorb as much of His will in your current situation so He may direct your paths. People may come through your world with no immediate explanation. Circumstance may change without warning that are only a prelude for better things ahead. These are things you cannot catalog or organize in any given moment. Remaining sensitive to God's direction often leads you to new understanding down the road. Our initial question of why must lead to a what in terms of finding God's purpose.

I say all of this because of recent developments. You may or may not know of my attempt to earn my doctoral degree back in the 90's. Sure seems like a long time ago now. Everything was completed except for my final project. At least my grades do reflect that every seminar earned an A on my final report. Why it never came to pass is due to a combination of several issues. There was a move from that ministry setting. There was a change in style due to a new administration. My youngest also ended up being diagnosed as autistic. But one of the great things about my effort was spending time with the pastor of a larger church who served as an adviser. I cannot speak for him but my time was enjoyable at the least. Maybe there were some lessons learned during that time but most of my education was just getting out to see how things were done elsewhere. I lost track of him following that move and for several years after that. Last year began a new time of catching up in ways that were surprising.

He ended up working at Baylor University which is where my daughter now goes to college. I saw him during our Baptist state convention last year. Chemo was just behind me so I had to introduce myself to him. We got to catch up along with my finding out information on my daughter's future home. Let me make a long story much shorter. Our paths crossed a few times more over the last year. My most recent visit was at our high school playoff game down in Waco. What no one knew that night was a coming announcement that he would be nominated to take the job as Executive Director of our state convention. I impressed my daughter after that by calling him to offer congratulations. My many years of doing this job brought a few notables of our denomination across my path. This is the first time for me to have more than the slightest background on such a person. His job will not be easy nor filled with many thanks should it all come to pass. But he can do a great job if people get out of his way.

Our denomination is a mess. It's been this way for four decades now. We fought lots of enemies among ourselves. First we waged war on a national level with a clear winner and loser. Then my state became another battleground with new rules but the same outcome. You need to understand how my heritage is locked into being a Southern Baptist. I can and will not apologize for that. Many of my friends over the years fell among the various camps in the conflict. I personally went to meetings on either side of our disagreements. No matter what one group claims victory it is my opinion that everyone lost. My friend will be trying to lead a state divided by years of antagonism. He has my support regardless. I know him even though much of our friendship is in the past. I will not claim to be close friends but there is a friendship. Who could know back then how a connection would come full circle? It was good to catch up when the time came. Now my hope is he can be free to lead our state into better days.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-02T23:42:00.000-06:00

About six weeks ago we welcomed a new member to our family. It may actually be better to say now that I welcomed this addition. Someone dropped a very small puppy off in our area where she found shelter across the street. My family told me about it so I wandered over to check on her. Turns out she was barely weaned at that point. Seems like she was barely as large as my hand which isn't too huge. It's been awhile since we had a pet. Our cat ran off a few years ago without giving two weeks notice. People kept asking me what the new puppy would be called. My view is that a name has to grow on you so it fits. After awhile my mind remembered the name of Pokey from the old children's book. So our new resident became Pokey. This name does not fit her at all now. She is many things but pokey is not one of them.

What was once an adorable, tiny creature is now becoming a terror. Chewing up stuff is one of her primary hobbies. She also wants to attack anyone who simply walks across the floor. Her mind must think that just going through the house is an invitation to play. There is indeed barking involved also. Most of her noise is aimed at me while playing. Resentment must be a part of this since it happens when I refuse to let her dine upon my hand. No doubt the final straw is she is a walking bladder. Surely she has the entire yard as well as too much of the house marked as her own. Most days involve at least one good mop around the house. Raising a puppy does tend to make for exceptional housekeeping. I am now the only one who will give her attention. Everyone else usually just yells at her. No matter how much you remind the others that she is a puppy it goes unappreciated. She is just doing what puppies do.

The nature of a puppy is to be noisy, messy and a work in progress. Taking the time to train them often seems pointless. What we forget is a puppy is just doing what comes naturally. His or her brain operates on a far different wavelength than ours. We see old shoes while they see something to be fought. We see time as something for resting while they see our sitting down as an invitation to play. We see floors as important to stay clean when they see the need to mark their turf. Much of our time is spent wishing we could get them to view our world in our perspective. Our mind reels as to why they act as they do. Trying to communicate with this ball of energy is a one step forward then two step back affair. If only they would be more like us this world would be safer if not much cleaner.

You can probably see the point already. Our nature determines so much of our spiritual life. Who we are is crucial to what we do. The great struggle is much the same for us as for my puppy. What is our nature as followers of Jesus? Far too many react to those around them from that old personality unchanged by grace. Fingers get pointed. Accusations are tossed about. Messes get made from either our lack of activity or doing something in very selfish ways. Jesus told us in Matthew 25 that our behavior matters greatly to God as well as to others. He went so far as to suggest that our character is of far more significance to God than it often is to us. We already live in a world that usually operates at the level of the least common denominator. Our nature is to be shaped by the Spirit as our heart becomes new. We can either make our world a better place or just make messes. Too often we choose the latter over the former. Allow your nature to be remade in God's image. You need this just as much as do others who can be blessed by your efforts.

Bro. Trey

2012-01-01T23:08:00.000-06:00

We tried ringing in the new year with a bang last night. Fireworks are part of our celebration at the house. My youngest really enjoys seeing the bright ones that go high in the air with noise and lights. I bought a few then waited until dark to begin the show. Money is a limit so I got the most bang for the buck so to speak. He was quite the happy kid once we got underway. Nothing says the holidays like a backyard fireworks display. Our new puppy did not quite see it that way. She ran halfway out of the county at the very first explosion. My guess is puppies and fireworks do not have the same relationship as my son does with them. Ringing in the new year deserves some excitement along the way.

Now we begin our march into the heart of winter. Weather may not play as large a role as it does in our Northern states but reality still sets in our life. The holidays are behind us so now we are left with a few months before spring really gets underway. Most of my true celebrating revolved around taking down the decorations in the house. Most people can put their stuff away in a short amount of time. Our house takes several hours of work to get it done. Our current count is about ten buckets of varied sizes with a few more things left to be carted off. I will admit to using some of my obsessive nature to get the closet organized to hold it all. You need to know that there are other containers which hold decorations for other holidays or seasons. Making it all fit calls for a degree in engineering sometimes. Now the house looks almost drab compared to the last few weeks. This is another mark of winter setting in for the duration.

2012 will begin to write its own story now. Most of the news year is going to focus on electing a president. Every small step of a candidate will be examined down to minute detail. I don't think there would be any chance of me running in today's world even if it was feasible. We also have the Olympics coming up this summer. My son reminds me of this event almost every day. He also tells me that the world will end during this next year. I have my doubts but he saw the movie that spells it out. The world actually does not end in the movie but we are going to have to find a way to China to get on the secret ships. Anyway, the whole point of the paragraph is a reminder that finding our way in this new year needs to be more than what comes up in the news.

I usually make no resolutions for the new year. Perhaps that is my one constant resolution? Getting sick in 2010 made me even less likely to make big promises. One learns how fleeting life can be so you approach stuff in smaller pieces. Maybe this mindset does not work for everyone but it does for me. Goals are important and do matter. I probably should do a better job at setting them. My one resolution can be to do better with goals. Just be sure that each year will have its interruptions. Never forget that these may also serve as divine opportunities. Being sensitive to God will give you discernment each day. Keep your focus more on God than your goals. He may want to shape those targets into His design. Be sure you let Him do just that. Find that trust to grow in 2012 beyond your imagination. This can honestly be the best year ever. Allow God to have the first and the last word so you can be sure that whatever happens belongs to Him.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-26T23:45:00.000-06:00

Ever notice how a rainy day may be acceptable on Christmas but it lacks something any other time? The weather was well onto the dreary side today. Rain, cold and just the general yuck stuck around. It didn't seem to curb the enthusiasm on Christmas day but it was far less attractive today. Luckily there was no traveling to be done so indoors was the best option. Presents are slowly being put in their place for use. I was able to do a few housekeeping chores. Me and my youngest will probably head out tomorrow to start using various gift cards. That should go well but you never know. One can hope the crowds in the stores will all be back to work.

My son provided most of the entertainment during the opening of presents. We did that on Saturday night since my schedule called for work the next day. He was the one to organize the packages into stacks for each of us. At least he waited until the evening which called for a lot of patience for him. Once the gifts were distributed then it was his time. He did something different this year from other times. It appeared as if he was going through the obvious clothes boxes first. The usual approach is to open those presents that he knows contain the big gifts of the year. Maybe he is learning to save the best for last. He finally reached those last three boxes which made his night. All of this took less than seven minutes to complete. I know because my eyes were watching the clock. Weeks of waiting took only minutes to unveil. We all just sat back to observe his attack. Safety means not getting in his way.

We do tend to hurry through the holidays. I wrote enough about that to just leave it there. But just remember that what we celebrate is for more than one day. Our purpose is to discover what God does in Jesus for everyday of every year. He is as real in January as December 25. God's presence can reach us in the summer just as it did to the shepherds in the birth story. Peace and grace are part of our daily resource as we journey in life. You can read of Mary pondering all that she heard and saw in Luke 2. That is how we make the meaning of the holiday last. Learn to reflect daily on who God wants to be to us. Find what God has in store for each day. Stop long enough to listen for His voice. Joy is not meant to be occasional. It can guide your heart each day you let Jesus break into your world. It may not always be Christmas but it can always be a day where you find God drawing close. Surely that is worth celebrating?

Bro. Trey

2011-12-25T22:52:00.000-06:00

Christmas 2011 is just about behind us now. One can hope that it truly was merry and bright for more than felt it's uneasiness. Things turned out well at my house. Hectic is a good word to describe the last few days. We may actually eat our way through most of the groceries we bought. Having different parts of the family stop by sure helps put a dent into the refrigerator. Our lights tend to stay up for another week. We will see if they come down next Saturday. My youngest will probably be ready to put up the Valentine's decorations. He is rather insistent on being current with the upcoming holiday. What he fails to realize is just how much Christmas stuff there will be to put away. Undoing all of the holiday display is a job that takes a full day or more. I admit to feeling a tad melancholy during the process.

We did have church this morning. I do not want to sound like one casting blame on those who did not attend. My irritation at this passed along with my youth. A few brave souls did show up to spend a few minutes together. Being weird is part of my personality to be sure. It just seems to me that even a short time in worship is appropriate on Christmas. This seems doubly true when it falls on a Sunday. Carols were sung, words were spoken, prayers were offered in our gathering. Maybe one or two people would make time during the day to reflect on that manger scene. My genuine hope is that God was pleased through our efforts.

I did something unusual for me during the service. Normally, my scripture readings come from a contemporary translation. A more traditional version is used when it fits the moment better. But it felt right today to read from the old King James Version. It was good enough for Linus to quote so it was my decision to read from that old text. My mind sometimes has a hard time with the old language. Good thing that the story of Jesus' birth reads clear without much need to translate. It's not that I have something against that beloved version. God only knows where we would be if it never existed. But my mind thinks less in Old English and far more in the tongue of today. Just be sure that I truly enjoyed reaching back for my Bible in King James English. You can imagine that is not the point of this story.

I knew there were some Bibles of mine tucked away from that translation. What I opted to do is to use my oldest one in my collection. Turns out it was a gift to me in the year 1965. My grandparents inscribed it to me on Christmas day of that year. My mind does not recall the actual moment of receiving that present. Yet here we are 46 years later and it turns out to be still hidden away for safe keeping. So not only did I read the first Christmas story in the language of Linus but it came from a treasured heirloom. Let me also admit to a few bittersweet moments over the last 24 hours or so. Probably no one thought on that day so many years ago that the Bible would even be still in my possession. Surely no one could imagine it being used on another Christmas day so many years later. It was. I may have to use it again before long. How amazing that something so old can feel like new again. That's a nice feeling at the end of this wonderful day.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-23T23:32:00.001-06:00

It is as the song says, Christmas time is here. Just go for a tour of any major shopping area should you doubt that. My local area looked more like a very large bumper car game today. It's my good fortune that the trip was just a last minute check before all of the festivities. All of the groceries are in their place awaiting the next meal. Gifts are wrapped even though my youngest tends to sneak a peek through the wrapping paper. His impatience grows while wondering where his presents may be hidden. Dad reminded him that he tends to start a bit early on the opening of packages. Tomorrow he will find all of his stuff tucked away beneath the tree. He will still probably try to see what it is but we got this far at least.

Charlie Brown struggled with all of this holiday preparation years ago. His world was not far different than ours. Searching for an answer proved to be a time consuming event. Nothing seemed to answer his desire for something deeper during the season. I don't know if you understand that feeling. Emptiness is part of the risk of this holiday. Christmas can bring out the worst in us without warning. We may listen to the music all the while fuming about the lack of a parking space. You rush into the store with a warm heart only to have a cold salesperson threaten to take it from you. Even your home can lose its safe haven idea if people come by who may not be high on your wish list. I probably said it too much the last few weeks but just be sure that Christmas can be hazardous to your health.

Linus reminds us that Christmas is both eternal and cosmic. God steps into our world in that manger long ago. Shepherds would hear the very first announcement of the birth. You may not know that shepherds were a long way down on the social status ladder. They were outcasts in many respects. A shepherd could not even go into the temple for worship because of their job. Most people viewed them as unclean reprobates with no present or future. This makes the angelic appearance even more amazing. God's great gift at Christmas was good tidings for the shepherds also. Jesus would not be beyond their reach. God comes to embrace even the lowliest of people.

Remember that all of this activity is to celebrate Him. We give presents as an expression of God giving us the very best gift ever. Even the worst parts of the season can serve as a reminder of just how much we do need Jesus. Lapses of attitudes or actions point us back to our need for the peace angels promised. My hope is that we see through all the preparation to the heart of the holiday. Let's be more like shepherds who hear what God is saying. Don't be so overwhelmed that you leave no room for Jesus this weekend much less at any other time.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-21T19:28:00.000-06:00

Christmas is to be a holiday of togetherness and rejoicing. Mine is turning out to be more tiring than anything else. It's my job to keep the house together before any relatives begin to arrive. Who knew that using a mop could be a religious experience? Our new addition of a puppy does not make life easier that way. She seems intent on leaving her mark around the house when inside. The good news is our floors are cleaner than ever. The bad news is cleaning will be a constant. Tomorrow is the last big trip to buy groceries. There is little doubt that we will have more than enough to eat. My son and I made one trip on Monday that resulted in a full cart. Odds are good that tomorrow will see the same sight upon leaving the store.

No one came to church this evening. I was not surprised at all by this. Nor should you read any disappointment in that statement. People get very busy these last few days before Christmas. There are two types of houses in our area tonight. The first house is empty as everyone is on the road to celebrate the big day. The other house is buzzing with last minute preparations. I took some time to go through my desk to find out what may be hidden there. Imagine my reaction upon finding quite a few cards to me collected over the last year or so. Many of them were sent to me during my illness and treatment. Some of the cards went further back to many years gone by. A few arrived immediately following a funeral or other crisis. Some came out of the blue for whatever reason. Going back to read the thoughts of others can be sobering. You can only hope that your efforts truly matched the sentiments written. There is also a sense of being grateful for God's goodness in the worst of experiences.

Dwelling on the past is a dangerous habit. We easily become blinded to both the present and the future around us. There are other occasions when looking backward sheds some light on what really matters. People matter in the long run. Relationships make all of the difference in the world. Better to be shaped by others than locked into an occupation. Part of the holidays is about the key role our relations play in making us who we become. Jobs and other peripheral issues can limit our growth as human beings. We can become the sum total of what we do. Someone once wrote that God doesn't make human doings but human beings. Never forget that small comment. Refuse to be forced into a life without divine purpose. Know that God's will changes who you are first and then affects what you do. The peace of this season includes God being active in shaping our character. Discover this gift so you can enjoy everything else God does in you and through you.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-18T23:42:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our Sunday night ritual of doing a rewind on the weekend. I really try to be original at least by accident but it is tough after a full day at church. My brain gets tired with so much going on around me. Age seems to catch up with me far faster than past years. Adding music leading to my list of duties is no help in any of this. I will admit that it is enjoyable to lead the hymn singing. My talents may not include music but it can remain hidden when everyone else sings with me. Working our basketball tournament provided help in my being weary. I ran the clock during four games on Saturday. You may remember me saying that you have to concentrate on every second of the contest. Not only does your finger hurt a little but it drains energy from your mind and body. Part of the reward is just the fun of being in a different setting with other friends. Just be sure that I am looking forward to resting tonight.

We celebrated the season once again today in church. Last week it was our children who presented their musical. Today we heard from our adults as they led in worship. Christmas musicals are part of a lifelong heritage in my memory. Some of my earliest memories include my dad doing the narration for one program or another. My mother would either be playing or singing in the choir. You knew it was Christmas when you heard a John Peterson composition. We also enjoyed our annual Carols and Candlelight service. Our kids will read the story of Jesus birth as we sing a verse or two of familiar songs in between. Then we observe the Lord's Supper or Communion as others call it. Usually this service happens on the last Sunday prior to Christmas. Lights are turned down very low as we reflect on what this time of year is all about. My hope is that people let this time speak to their hearts. I constantly warn them of not being too busy to miss the real meaning of Christmas.

The last few days were so hectic for me that I forgot all about paying my water bill. It was due on Thursday but it totally slipped my mind. Even ministers need the occasional wake up call to pay attention. Service will not be lost since City Hall is on my list of places to go tomorrow. Staying busy can be an escape from dealing with reality. People will fill up their schedules so they avoid facing the current conditions. Being in a hectic pace may say we are simply overextended when it comes to our life. Our lives get stuck on a never ending cycle with no real place to stop and evaluate why we are so busy. It may very well be that if you even tried to cut back in one area that the rest would also come tumbling down. Do not get me wrong. There is nothing at all wrong with being busy. But do not allow the calendar to dictate your existence. Make time to recharge your heart in God's presence. Be sure that your activities fall in line with God's purpose for your life. I can make up paying my water bill tomorrow. Making up for missing God's purpose will cost us far more in the end.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-16T23:33:00.000-06:00

This may be the first Friday night in sometime that we have time to write. Football season ended last week so this day is now free for me. Our state championships are being decided this weekend in Arlington. A good piece of news to report is the team that beat us last week lost last night. That may not sound very charitable but the fan in me roots for the other guys at times like this. Schools and towns across our state will be celebrating for years to come should they win. Small towns will erect signs as you enter their town to remind you of their victory. The kids will forever be regarded in the highest of esteem for their achievement. You really have to be a part of such a journey to fully appreciate it.

My last two days turned to basketball. Our school holds a Christmas tournament each year with lots of teams involved. I volunteered to run the clock in our main complex during some of the games. My last time to do this was several years ago. One of our coaches gave me a refresher just before my first game. It lasted about ten seconds then he was gone. Another friend or two helped me out tremendously to keep me from making it a fiasco. You kinda get the hang of it after awhile but you cannot let your mind wander unless you desire to be in trouble. I keep getting to do this during the games of a pretty big school over in Tyler. They take the game very seriously there. Let me just add that my nerves reach a fever pitch during those contests. I get enough grief in my day job to add to more just trying to help out. I am being very polite to the coach from Tyler. Better to get ahead of any problem before it may or may not happen.

Let me admit to having an abundance of anxiety in this new hobby. Running a clock may not seem terribly scary but it was to me. The first cause was just learning again all of the buttons and such on the system. My brain doesn't work anywhere close to what it did prior to chemo. You really have to concentrate while watching the game. My other fear was just making a mess of things for coaches, officials, and the kids playing. They all work far too hard to have me over there not doing a good job with the time and the score. Maybe there was one more reason for being anxious. It is just something new for me. Feeling confident is tough when you initiate a new habit. The unknown can be a powerful motivation to stay in a rut. This is true for all of us.

Fear keeps most of us from every reaching God's desire for life. This is not a complex discovery. It is as old as mankind. Being afraid can be a great tool for us to remain safe from danger. But fear can also leave us far from our divine purpose. They say that the best approach is to just approach your fear to move past it. Advice like this may be true much of the time. God's people can look to the divine presence in facing fear. Just don't think that you will not have to eventually move past those feelings that can cripple us. It is moving past anxiety that you gain a new depth of God's help. Remaining in the comfortable will never bring about deep spiritual maturity. We may be content with the usual but it is probably far from God's best.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-14T23:23:00.000-06:00

Tonight is about some odds and ends from my day. I know that most of my writing is about that so it generally lacks much excitement. But you can also find the unusual and the meaningful among the mundane moments of life. Not everyone learns that lesson. Even my days of chemo treatment carried some measure of adventure. Looking beyond self interest is the first key in being able to do this. To focus on only what concerns you is an unhealthy approach to being alive. Adam and Eve learned this the hard way. It seems that humanity still struggles with that same core failure.

Time moved at a pretty fast pace for me all day long. I just finished now looking at a few of my Baptist blogs just out of curiosity. I ran into a friend of mine last Friday while in Waco. He was my doctoral supervisor more than a few years ago. We caught up last year at a Baptist convention where he represented Baylor University in the main lobby. Then our paths crossed on some of my trips to the campus with my daughter. It was last week when we visited during our playoff game. Imagine my surprise tonight when I discovered he will be the new Executive Director of my state Baptist convention. I can't decide if my request should be to put him back on my resume or offer to be an assistant in his office? My one concern is that with all of the turmoil among my denominational tribe that my friend will be undone by others who do not wish him the same success. My hopes and prayers are with him.

My daughter is home from Baylor for the holidays. Her first few days are taken up with visiting her classmates from high school. She did help me out by being home when her brother got home from school. I got to make a mad dash to town for shopping. There were still some items needed to be purchased. Thank goodness every thing I sought was found. Coming home meant more dad duty around the house and stuff. The son needed his meal and my new dog needed some attention. I crowded this all in before heading back to church for the dreaded church conference. Tomorrow is the day that the daughter and I go once again into town to visit my dad. He is down from Minnesota so we will spend a little time with him. I could tell you more of my upcoming activities but just reading all of this is wearing me out.

One thing was very odd while shopping today. My journey included a few stops for first one thing and then another. There was something strangely absent as I moved along. Very few people looked as if they were happy while they also looked for stuff. Lots of people were out in the stores but finding anyone smiling was hard. How do we let the holiday of peace and good will go by without feeling anything remotely close to happiness or joy? One store register was the scene of almost a brawl between an unhappy customer and a manager. It is true that this time of the year brings a certain amount of stress. You do not need me to tell you that. But it still seems to me that the presence of Jesus in our midst should and could transform our whole outlook on everything. Life does not always include incentive to be happy. We can agree on that. Just do not let the stress steal the joy of the season. Let's be better than that.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-13T23:49:00.000-06:00

And now for something completely different and off the wall. Being serious wears on me after a time. I just spent a few minutes reading some other blogs that are quite challenging in scope. They mostly deal with church issues which can be controversial. Living in a small town means that most of those issues seldom are significant to the work here. A few take on stuff that goes on within my Baptist tribe. My sources are down to about none so that will not bother me. Other blogs tackle church related stuff on a larger scale. The information is great but not always relevant to what goes on here. So we will just stick to the average run of the mill daily happenings around my world.

The totally unusual part of this evening is in telling you of my new found devotion to the program "Doctor Who." I do not know why this took place. The exact date of my new discover also escapes me. It is a British television show that runs on cable now. Its first airing happened way back in the 1960s. I remember the program being on public television when the budget was obviously very small. Nothing clicked with me back then to make me watch it again. Now there are very few things that keep me from watching especially since my television can record it. The budget is clearly much bigger now so the show is that much better. Science Fiction would be its genre should you look it up. What hooks me is that it is so much more than that.

All great literature is about the human condition regardless of its setting. This is true from the stories of Shakespeare to any contemporary author. You cannot care about plot or message unless you connect with the characters. This is how my new devotion came about. Whoever is writing the stories for the show does an amazing job developing the people portrayed. The plots may carry that science fiction name but they are really about how human beings relate to one another. Though the Doctor is a man of science you find him dealing with human issues constantly. He travels through space and time with companions who join him on his adventures. Even when traveling into alien lands and such you still find the basic plot revolves on who we are as people and our relationships. I enjoy laughing at the conversations but also feel tugged in the heart when things get serious. Not everyone will enjoy the program but I do very much.

Our lives are at our best when its about relationships. God is all about relating to humanity. This is the whole reason for Christmas. God enters our world through this child at Bethlehem. He tells us just how big is His desire to be involved in our life. Even our most favorite verse in John 3:16 is a simple comment on how God feels about us. God loves us no matter what. His heart never needed to grow as did the heart of the Grinch. You do not have to convince God to love you. He just loves no matter what. That is the simple message of Christmas. We would do well to remember it during these days.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-12T23:39:00.000-06:00

Our most recent sporting craze revolves around Tim Tebow. You know the name as he is a quarterback in the NFL with the Denver team. He plays nothing like the traditional quarterback in any form or fashion. That fact alone drives many in sports media absolutely crazy. Hours and hours are spent criticizing how he throws or other aspects of his game. The "experts" said he can never succeed as a professional. All he is doing is leading his team toward a possible playoff game at the moment. Anyone who spends much time listening to these people would think there is no way for him to be doing what he is indeed doing. You also probably know that what Tebow does on the field is not the only source of criticism.

Tebow is a very committed believer in Jesus. His parents raised him in the faith beyond just knowing the words. He is active in doing mission work around the world. Even his college coach gives Tebow credit for nudging his faith along. Most games will show Tebow praying or doing other religious stuff during the contest. It's not something he hides from at all. Interviews will be noted for his references to his faith as the guide for his life. Tebow says that God may not care who wins any game but this doesn't lessen his belief. Some people in and out of the game find all of his words or actions less than desirable. They want nothing of God in athletic events. Resentment is being expressed that this player is doing such a good job yet credits God for any success. It all just makes me wonder.

You read far too much about the famous athlete or person in any public field behaving badly. Then you will read of the critics finding fault with the behavior. Then you find a public person with sincere faith who doesn't have any mug shots or arrest record. Maybe we just are not happy no matter what as a society. Tebow is surely not the only believer in the public arena. Others avoid problems while declaring faith in large and small ways. You really begin to wonder what is the point or reason to being a follower of Jesus. It could be the fear or criticism that keeps most of us from going public. We see what happens on a larger scale while wondering if it can happen to us.

No one said being committed would ever be free from danger. Those first believers faced real physical trials from those in authority. Now our obstacles are more internal than fatal. Here is one of the real problems of doing nothing with our faith. We cannot begin to offer hope to others when our faith will not take the risk of rejection. Convincing others to believe is really not our job. Jesus told us that He would work on that with us as we express our faith. Stress is not needed to be spiritual in our world. Our faith may not be nearly as public as Tim Tebow. Just do not think that what we can do is not as significant as him.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-11T23:41:00.000-06:00

There are long weekends and then there are long weekends. This is one that is more the second than the first. I really do not intend to sound like a whiner on Sunday nights. Long does not mean it was bad if it's any consolation. My travels once again took me across Texas in two directions or maybe three. The good part is getting to see my daughter on Friday night. She returns home from college on Tuesday so it only added to the fun. Our local team lost but we did have a very good season. My youngest and I returned home on Saturday. We really have a good time when traveling. The drawback on this journey was hearing Justin Bieber sing Christmas for about two hours. But we arrived home even if some of my sanity was lost along the way.

Work was also on the odd side. Baptizing people is a great thing but it leaves me running around trying to find my place. It was one of those sermons that sound more like a chewing out than encouragement. My preference is to be encouraging but one does not quibble with God's direction. Maybe there were some practical ideas given since that is my goal. Our kids sang in the night service which was great. You know that children are high on my list of favorites. All of the music made this service even better. People need boatloads of patience when working with kids. My hat is off to all of those who spend hours teaching our most valued of possessions. They really are heroes in any church for their efforts to lead children.

Two weeks remain until the big holiday. My greatest wish would be for all of us to find that mythical Christmas spirit in its fullness. I fully realize that being a follower of Jesus opens the way for us to live in the Spirit constantly. What is usually missing is that realization of God's presence in our life. Some of the problem is the schedule during the holidays. Part of the problem are unrealistic expectations during the next few weeks. You can add the stress of finances to that list. Our troubles do not go on a vacation simply because it is the holiday season. How we understand God's great gift will play a huge role in how we respond to all of this. Never forget that the child born to Mary grew up to become our great Lord. He knows full well what we go through as human beings. Now our faith is in that unlimited power of His place in the universe. He is not a God who is aloof but is always present tense whether we know it or not. I can only pray we discover this truth lest we allow the holiday to leave us less than celebratory. Our hope for peace on earth will begin and end with knowing Him. Isn't that the reason for all we do in these days?

Bro. Trey

2011-12-08T23:39:00.000-06:00

Some nights are good for ranting or venting. What counts is listening to your words as you do this so you can measure the value of that behavior. Most people just explode without the discipline of hearing what is said. You may that your anger or frustration is far off base. You may be able to decipher what is at the root of all of the emotion. Anger is a dangerous force in human nature. It can become the beginning of great movements for change. Many of our current liberties are born of not being content with how things are at any moment. But we also know that far too often our anger is the fire that destroys all in its path. James will write about this in his letter to believers. He writes that sinful anger leads to decisions which wreck both the one angry as well as those it targets. Nothing good ever comes of that.

My mind is thinking on some of this on this cold evening. Perhaps it would surprise you to know that even I can get angry. Most think of me as withdrawn but be sure that such fire can erupt even from my personality. There are times in my past when someone is hurtful toward my children that caused violent reactions that I hopefully kept controlled. Sometimes it may be reading the news that stirs me up. Let me admit this occurred today while reading about the shootings at Virgina Tech University. We tend to get so focused on our little worlds that we overlook what goes on around us. We are content to sit and complain far more than we will contribute to our society in a positive fashion. Tomorrow will be the aftermath of finger pointing in the media over such a tragedy. But will anyone take the time to look in the mirror?

Church makes me angry way too often. We can say that it is to be a blessing but it also carries the temptation of being a burden. Don't misunderstand me on this idea. It isn't always people as individuals that causes the emotion. Most of the time my frustration is about attitudes or approaches to doing church. You do realize that the assumption is I am right to be angry about stuff? We often forget that our anger is as much about our values as it is the behavior of another person. Here is why sinful anger is twice as wrong in its outcome. My best suggestion is to filter your anger through scripture and God's presence. Let the voice of God speak to you about your heart as well as other people. Make sure you don't compound trouble by throwing your fuel on any fire. Anger can teach you as much about your heart as it can whatever ails our world. You may not get to fix the world but you can allow God to fix you.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-07T23:24:00.000-06:00

This was my night to be the church "principal." Our students needed an adult to hang around so I volunteered to do it. We also have our younger kids working on Christmas music for Sunday. It seemed a good idea to wander around to ensure the safety of the rest of us. I really enjoyed hanging with the students. Age is a factor for me now but it was still fun. Sometimes you can forget that you are half a hundred instead of being young. No amount of exercise will ever alter your birth date on the drivers license. Being older seems to matter less to the younger children. I do seem to be moving from a father figure to a grandfather figure though.

One of the students taught in the main group. He did a great job. I listened intently to the theology as well as the meaning of his message. Both were right on target. They do use the computer far more than me for putting up various photographs and the like. They tell me that it really is not that difficult to incorporate technology into messages. My guess is they don't know how little talent I have in that area. There was even a time to interact with the speaker. The good news is that you could tell some were listening closely. Others were off in their own world but it did seem like most were paying close attention. Guess students hearing studies or adults listening to sermons really are not that much different.

Our younger ones will sing on Sunday night. I suggested a bit of a dress rehearsal on Sunday morning so that will be fun. Maybe it will help them get over any anxiety from just doing it once. Teachers of young children in church should earn a special reward in heaven. Most of our kids are wonderful. My day is made brighter from spending time with them. I guess there will always be a few that God uses to keep us humble. My only issue is how many will grow up to become adults that try our patience? I sometimes wonder what childhood issues are at the root of difficult grown ups. There is a question that will keep you up at night.

Churches do not always appreciate ministry to those still in school. Kids of all shapes and sizes can be loud and messy. Almost none of them have any clue as to how a church should operate. I think that can be a good thing in the long run. Most of their theology is that God loves them so much that Jesus came into our world. They have many more questions than answers. All this means is that their minds are not made up or closed to new growth. Rules and regulations do not hinder their faith anywhere near to the degree that we adults tend to allow. We may fear raw honesty but they jump in with both feet at full blast. We should all live a faith so reckless and daring. I am glad my job was to wander around tonight. Sometimes my old, tired faith needs a new perspective. Thank goodness for the young.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-06T23:55:00.000-06:00

Last night my blogging was complete or so I thought. Technology can be wonderful but it can also be a huge pain. Half of my writing was lost due to no fault of my own. Maybe it was God's way of saying that the post was not too hot. Chances are it was yet another display of how all of our modern tools can still fail us at times. You know my stance on modern gadgets by now. They can be very useful but how often do they take over our life? I always wonder how we survived all those years without this fancy technology. Maps are still my friend. Everyone uses GPS now but I prefer the maps made of paper. They do not go on the blink or reset the directions without warning. Anyway, my original point was just to state why things went weird in last night's posting.

My goal in the last writing was to say that all of us can be examples along with being witnesses of grace. Just be sure that verbal conversation is needed in any approach. This does not mean our actions are irrelevant to our faith. I know some believe that the style of dress or length of hair is primary in appearance. One of the things the computer ate last night is that being a minister often is an obstacle to being normal. People expect certain things from you that can compete with just trying to be God's person in any given place or time. What this means is that the average believer may honestly have a better chance of being a witness than the paid professional. However you are best wired by God to share His story will always succeed regardless of how it seems.

Tonight will be short yet again. Wednesday approaches so it means finishing up stuff for Sunday. Doing music now along with my other work makes it a bit more complicated. I know what the topic will be coming up so the challenge is to match some music to it. I really cannot sing well at all. My great wish would be to have a good singing voice but it is just not to be. But one thing is in my ability range and that is to count the music enough to lead hymns or songs. It is always tough to balance singing all holiday songs without using our usual music. I am not happy so far with my efforts this week so we will keep trying. Our children will be singing so the service will be fun period. We also get to baptize two guys so that will be even better. Now we shall see if technology will work this evening. One can only hope!

Bro. Trey

2011-12-05T23:34:00.000-06:00

Now it is starting to feel more like winter around here. If anyone complains about the cold they just need to recall summer. My only regret about the colder weather is I have to be outside in it for a few hours on Friday evening. Much of my time in the fall is spent in press boxes of various sizes and settings. High School stadiums can differ dramatically from town to town. Our kids will play at a pretty good size complex in a few days. The film deck is outside so there will be extra clothes packed for the trip. I always hope that if the temperatures are frigid that our team wins so it is worthwhile. That may be a little on the selfish side but it is the truth. We start the year in August with temperatures in the triple digit range. We now are playing when it will drop to around freezing. This is what happens when your teams has some success.

I noticed some articles over the last few days about football and religion. Tim Tebow is gaining quite a following with his efforts in Denver. He is noted for his expressions of faith both on and off the field. Some take exception with his declaring faith in Jesus so often. You would be surprised at the anti-religion rhetoric by some in the media. They want him to leave his faith at home. Two other quarterbacks in the NFL also face how their faith plays into who they are on the field. Both are devout followers of Jesus but do not express that quite as publicly as Tebow. This does not make their faith any less important than anyone else but it just reflects their personality. We really are not that much different from them in that regard.

We are called to live out our faith daily. Some choose to do it with grand gestures. Others prefer a quieter approach. The real question is whether or not we do it at all?

Bro. Trey

p.s. This was originally longer until the computer ate it. We will try again tomorrow.

2011-12-04T23:33:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you but my weekend was far from par for the course. Change comes at us fast during the holidays. Routines are turned upside down to be replaced by the unexpected. Friday night was one of those wild football games that you needed to see to believe. Our guys finally won though it came down to the last minute in many ways. The best part was getting to see my favorite daughter for awhile. That was enough to make all of the driving worthwhile. Saturday included a trip to town for errands and some shopping. Some ideas look better on paper than they turn out in real life. My body was worn out by the time I made it home. Shopping is no way to find the Christmas spirit. Today went well even with the steady rain. Perhaps we were so grateful to get a good drenching that we opted to show up for church. I am getting tired again just reading all of that.

One church in my past had one holiday party after the other. I was on the road to some function most nights for about two weeks. After a few years of that it seemed wise to put a stop to it. What was odd is how most of the same people were going to all of the parties. It is stamped in my memory that my dread level during this time of the year went sky high. Nothing seemed normal between the decorating and all of the outings to attend. Confessing that my personality drifted toward a "scrooge" seems fair to admit. No amount of Christmas music could change my outlook. Something more drastic was needed to regain some element of inner peace.

Churches are often talking about the need for change as they move along. It is one of those hot topics we discuss in various meetings or other gatherings. We tend to forget that change is easier discussed than actually put into action. Most human beings are quite happy being comfortable with their surroundings. Our favorite chairs look worn for a reason. Clothes can be recognized by their wear as to whether or not they are most comfortable. Most of us may not be guilty of unhealthy hoarding but we will hold onto stuff long after the time of usefulness passes. Take a look on some Sunday at how worn many Bibles are yet are still important. Some of them appear as if they will fall apart but we just cannot part with them. All of this is to say that we just do not handle change well in our life.

This is why Christmas can be so stressful to us. Medical professionals state that it is a major cause of depression or other ailments to our mental health. Turns out that we are so set in our ways that we cannot fully celebrate the arrival of Jesus. Some face this time still absorbing the grief of loss. Others are trying to handle the economic realities with the expectations for presents. Just thinking about all of the stress causing issues is enough to depress us. So how do we sing "Joy to the World" when our hearts just don't feel it?

Somehow we have to allow the reality of Jesus to overtake whatever reality stresses us. God wants to be as involved in our world as He was at the first Christmas. Nothing will ever replace regular scripture reading or reflection for this to happen. We remember that the Word became flesh to dwell among us. Our hearts are then encouraged to move deeper in our praying. One huge suggestion goes back to the idea of watching kids during the season. Nothing can make a happy heart like spending time with those who still believe in the innocence of living. Does any of this promise to change our circumstances? There is no guarantee things will improve but there is a divine promise that our heart will be different. Besides, that heart change can be more than enough to last us through the whole year.

Bro. Trey

2011-12-01T23:21:00.000-06:00

Do we forget from year to year just how tiring Christmas can become? Maybe it is only me that tends to forget this. The holidays sure seem to move at a different pace than does the rest of the year. Maybe our wishes for peace on earth should be replaced with more rest between our escapades out and about? One of the extra pressures of this year is the success of our local school football team. You may recall that it is my job to video the games for the coaches to review later. They play again tomorrow evening which puts me again on the road. Our guys are in the playoffs so one loss means the end of the season. Maybe the main motivation for hoping we keep winning is that the final game will be played at Cowboys Stadium. It would be fun to crawl around the upper levels to get a great view from on high.

It does occur to me that much of my next few weeks will be in the hands of teenage guys who may or may not decide to give their best. That can be as depressing as it may be exciting. I will just continue to make my shopping trips fit into however the schedule goes. One good thing about traveling with my youngest during this time of the year is we get to sing Christmas songs together. We do make quite the duet while listening to the radio. Today was one of those days with a few errands to run so we did some singing along the way. It does lift my spirits when we enjoy our outings. My mind can even put aside another long drive to the game tomorrow.

Everyone needs to find ways to enjoy these next few weeks. There are too many underlying pressures that can stress us out if we don't. I like to watch people when out shopping. It does give me some hope that my weirdness is not so dreadful. I also enjoy watching kids get all excited when they see toys and such. The one problem with that is when the parents remind them of the need to wait until Christmas. Expressions of happiness tend to dissolve into an abundance of tears then. Another thing that helps me is to treat myself while getting presents for others. Just seems to me that if you fight the crowds at the store that you deserve some type of reward. Any attempt to be out this time of the year that does not end with a trip to the emergency room is worthy of some prize.

It may feel like our time belongs to others during Christmas. We may find that it is more than a feeling but a reality. Be sure you create time to get your heart ready for the holiday. How amazing is it that we end up being more exhausted than excited over the birth of Jesus? Money may not be the most important thing you use over the next month. Time may be much more valuable than anything else. God gives us the gift of each day for it to matter. Don't let your time become divorced from His heart. Remaining close to God may be the very best gift you can give yourself and others.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-30T23:21:00.000-06:00

Talking about the holidays is usually enjoyable. Christmas just consumes all of our energy and focus for several months. Television commercials for the big day start running sometime in September. The first day of November seems to be when all of the advertising kicks into high gear. I am grateful that my youngest still gets into the whole spirit of the season. He made a gift list for both of us last night. You have to give him credit for finding his catalog to be sure his wish list was spelled just right. My list includes ties along with some video games that really are not something I desire. But it was still fun watching him write it all down so it can hang on the refrigerator.

We tend to avoid talking about anything negative but this will not stop it from being a reality. Some families may actually dread the day from having to spend time with people they would rather give a lump of coal. I wonder at times how many people have a "grinch" or two in their family circle. We don't often admit that we do but it happens. There will be an individual or even several who just drain our holiday spirit simply by being present. Do not think that I am making light of this happening. Real pain occurs around far too many houses during this season. Some families are so fractured that the added stress eventually reaches a breaking point. Harsh words will be exchanged instead of warm greetings. How do we spend time with people such as this without becoming bitter among the lights and the warmth of Christmas?

I was reading in Psalms yesterday afternoon. People here know that my habit is to pick up a few of these to read on a regular basis. God seems to always speak to me as I let the words find their way into my heart. Psalm 59 opened up to me as a guide for handling difficult people. Many of these songs or poems of David give us real practical help in many areas of life. In this Psalm, he writes of being under attack from those who wish him real harm. He says that he knows this is not due to any evil in his life. None of this behavior is his fault so he takes the burden to God. What he writes will give us some help in our struggles.

Be sure that your heart is open and honest to God. Can you honestly say that how others act toward you is not due to your sinfulness? It very well may be possible that you are innocent. Just never forget to bring your life to God before you point fingers at others. Also, realize you cannot change others by yourself. One huge mistake we often make is thinking we have some power to change others. Only by God's grace will another person be made whole. So stop adding that extra burden to your issues. Then keep God's goal in focus as you move along. His purpose is to use negative people to deepen your character. David will say that his joy is in God despite the conflict around him. That is when you know you are maturing in life. When your joy is just as constant no matter the conditions then you are living with the right focus. You will be able to be whole even if others threaten to work against God's purpose in you.

You will never be free from those who are a detriment to your spiritual health. But be sure that you are never without all of God's resources to bring you into a greater joy. Learn this and you will receive a gift that lasts long after Christmas.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-29T23:29:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite things to do is to walk back to the nursery to visit with our very young children. This is a habit of mine for as long as I remember. You can learn much by returning to your roots. Our usual number of kids there now is two or three. Sometimes there may be more but this is a good average. It may be true that my intelligence level is down to theirs which is very possible. Most of it is that I just enjoy kids about the age of learning to talk or beginning to find their personality. My journeys to the nursery began before my children were born. I long ago lost any need for their services but my trips continue.

Last week our conversations revolved around playdoh, colors and goldfish. One of our little girls there is American Indian in background. Pink is her favorite color of playdoh. She also told me how nice it smells to her. Her shoes come off at the moment she enters the room. I was happy to see her sharing her goldfish with the other little boy there. He is a true redhead with tons of character. You may need to know that goldfish are small crackers. They are a staple of any true Baptist nursery. He and I ate some goldfish that our young Indian shared with us. We discussed coloring and puzzles while enjoying our meal. That may be about the most sane conversation I remember in any church. There were no agendas or egos just three people enjoying the moment.

Watching children during the holidays should be a positive experience for the most part. It always bothers me when parents are short tempered with kids while out and about. You would think we forget that a child tends to act like a child. Stores purposefully set up the big displays to catch their eye. Parents must forget what they were like when young. Then again, this problem affects far too many of us in general. Count me as one who never wants to forget the simple joys of childhood. I want to remember the smell of playdoh for what it means. Learning to color should include the option of going outside the lines if it feels right. Goldfish really should be a staple for any adult in their diet. Growing old is often not an option. Our problem is we grow up far past the age of just being alive.

We tend to forget the simple enjoyment of receiving gifts along the way. Our leisure takes us from relationships instead of building them. Being an adult is serious work to be sure. But when does being a grownup mean that we cannot be as open or creative as our young? Jesus told us to come to Him as children who have more questions than answers. Now we tend to present God with our agenda based on our ego while expecting Him to bless it. Or we get so wrapped up in being a responsible adult we leave no room for the spontaneous. God cannot even get through to us without an appointment. Do yourself a favor. Take a walk to a church nursery or spend time with kids from the elementary. It will keep you young. It may even make you buy some goldfish during your next trip to the grocery store.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-28T23:53:00.000-06:00

The decorations just keep coming around our house. You need to know that most of my garage closet is filled with buckets devoted to various elements of holiday cheer. This includes several trees, a shopping row of lights along with the incidentals. Just arranging all of this requires a degree in engineering. Madness does have a method in my system of keeping it all together. Some buckets go in certain places depending on the time of the year. Several hours will be needed to put things back in place when we wrap up the holiday. It is a full time job just organizing the chaos.

Today was getting the "big" tree up in the living room. My youngest strongly suggested putting it up last night but cooler heads prevailed. He did request that dad get with the program upon his arrival from school today. Now the tree is perched in its spot with lights shining bright. My task for Tuesday is to uncover the buckets with ornaments so they can be used. Of course there are more than a few of these containers required between uses. No one can ever accuse us of being a "grinch" when it comes to Christmas decorations. I am just glad that our roof was replaced a few years ago. Nothing says its the season to be merry like sitting on the roof dangling lights from the edge.

I never cease to be amazed at holiday light displays while driving this time of the year. Some houses are elaborate both in their cost as well as their light shows. Other houses look as if the weight of lights will cause it to fall to the ground. You wonder about the type of people who live in those homes as they raise their decorations in spite of appearances. Makes you wonder if they will appreciate their efforts far more than the person who can afford professional installers? It looks as if they take whatever money they do have to make a statement about their faith. I know it may not be faith exactly like the biblical kind but they do try. Surely we can admire and appreciate that about them.

It's the lights that are attracting my attention this year. There is no telling why this is true. But it is certain that all of the festive lights are catching my eye. Perhaps we hang them to make our tree look pretty. Our main tree will have both white and color lights. It could be we use them to get others to notice our houses as they drive by. Maybe it is that we just like being able to have a different look in our homes. Sometimes we remember that Jesus is called the ultimate light in scripture. You will always be mindful of how the light guides the wise men to their destination. All of us are now called light when we relate to God in Jesus. You do not have to wait until Christmas to let that shine. You may need to know your light matters all twelve months of the year. We need to be just as attractive through our living as our homes are for the holidays. So try to let your light shine both now and then.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-27T23:26:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving week is drawing to a close. One can hope that all of us had a very good week to celebrate with family and friends. Mine included more than a few miles of driving around my part of Texas. It was still good to see my favorite daughter for a few days. Our shrimp boil went wonderful with all of us being full by the end. A main benefit to doing this is a lack of cleaning up afterward. You really do not need more than two or three pots so there is no major mess. Everything can be thrown into trash bags for easy disposal. We took less than two hours from the beginning of the boil until the final cleanup. Even the first pilgrims took longer than that for their first holiday.

Now most of us will turn our attention to Christmas. We really cannot escape the big day no matter how hard we try. Commercials began playing after Labor Day around here. Most holiday catalogs arrive right about Halloween time. Decorations still need hanging around the house. My son is very much in a hurry to complete this. Looks like my job tomorrow is to dig out the big tree along with its lights and such. I adopted a puppy about three weeks ago. This means another chore for me is to guard the tree from her. It is amazing just how much work goes into enjoying our efforts. My goal for every year to to really take in all of the sights and sounds of the season. It feels as if my plans fall short each time. Perhaps this year will be better with getting into the spirit of it all.

Part of our thesis this morning is that we can be so overwhelmed in getting ready for the holiday that we neglect being ready for Jesus. Christmas becomes more exhausting than anything else. Our scripture text related more the the second coming than the first Christmas. We often need a reminder of the big picture of what this holiday is all about. Celebrating a baby is at the center of the day but this child will grow up to become Lord of all. God's power is on display in the manger that night but it did not end there. His glory will be revealed in His return but it continues on now. To remember that the holiday is more than pretty lights and songs is essential. So much of what we will do over the next few weeks seems directed at escaping reality. God involves Himself in the present tense of our existence no matter how good or bad it is.

Our lives become so isolated that we forget God is not just past or future tense. He is longing to engage our current condition. The return of Jesus is to unveil just how powerful He is now. He will overcome sin and evil to show His lordship. This is what He wishes to do right now. God will take on our darkest areas to declare His grace and mercy. We just need to allow Him to do that. Seems amazing to me that we celebrate the birth of Jesus with great fanfare. Then we sing or talk about the return of Jesus with passion beyond measure. But we then surrender our present tense to circumstance. Do we just forget who God is right now? Maybe we will recover that sense of awe with our Lord this season. This is my prayer for all of us for the next few weeks.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-21T23:39:00.000-06:00

Just to let you know that tonight may be the last blog post for a few days. Tomorrow is our departure day for Fort Worth, Texas to enjoy the holiday. My time there will be cut short due to our high school playoff game on Friday evening. Maps are showing that it is quite the drive from there to Lufkin. It will be my first time to see my daughter in a month or so. Everyone else saw her recently but I am having to wait until now. At this point, it really does not matter what the menu is on Thursday. Just having a day or two together is more than enough for me. My youngest will travel with me tomorrow as usual. What this means is that my radio will be set to his preferred stations for the duration. Funny how it works that way.

Many people have all kinds of set traditions when it comes to Thanksgiving. Our gathering is not quite as keen on doing it all just right. The already mentioned menu is still unknown. A very large pot is traveling with us in case we decide to go the boiled shrimp route. Not many people lean toward this meal as a traditional feast. What they do not know is just how easy it is to clean up afterward. You just take the newspapers laid across the table and throw them out in the trash. Neither do you need all kinds of pots and pans to do this. One big pot with room for all your shrimp is more than enough. I am not sure who first came up with the idea for a shrimp boil at our house but it is a great plan. Maybe our original pilgrims ate some shrimp along the way that very first Thanksgiving?

Maybe nontraditional is our new tradition? My family tended to do some of the same things every year. I am grateful for each and every memory. Most of our Thanksgivings were held in Louisiana. Seems like that is the place remembered the most. The actual Thursday celebration is a bit fuzzy now. What does come to mind is going to shop on Friday. One of the marine outlets would clear out room for rows and rows of toys. It seemed the size of an airplane hangar while growing up. You could see literally every toy or gadget known to man there. I don't recall ever getting anything big on that day but you could count on whatever you really noticed winding up under the tree in a few weeks. Every family seems to carry on various traditions of one type or the other. There is no one way of celebrating that is better than another. All of us are different so we carry on our traditions in our unique style.

Guess my point is that every person on the planet is different. We say that we realize that no two people are the same but we sure seem to resist anyone even slightly different from us. Paul would tell us in several places in scripture that God plans for life to be this way. No two people are the same when it comes to how God wires us. We all live with varied gifts, callings and abilities. What we do share is one purpose. Each of us is saved to reflect God's glory in our life. What any of us may do is no better than another. Rather than value this wonderful quality of grace our tendency is to resist any creativity in our experience with God. We are being robbed of a terrific sense of awe as God works in each of us. Let us try to give thanks this week for all of the many ways God works in us as well as through us. His life is kept fresh with the Spirit filling every one of us. That should surely be a great reason to give thanks.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-20T23:37:00.000-06:00

Well...this turned out to be quite the weekend. There probably is not another two days of the week that creates both anticipation and anxiety. I have no idea how normal people spend their weekends. Sunday is a work day for me. Some believe that my big day of the week should not be work. My view is that it is a day of labor even though dedicated to God. Now that song leading is added to my list of duties it seems the day can get even longer. Don't misunderstand me here. Everything done is enjoyable for the most part. Talking about lessons learned in study really is fun. Even leading hymns has a certain level of happiness even though my voice does not translate well to the hearer. Anyway, my original point was to talk about the weekend with all of its unique facets.

Friday night was another long drive to yet another high school playoff game. Our guys won the game but did provide some heart trouble for the fans. We live to play at least one more week. My favorite part of the evening was the great food in the press box. This is why I did not stop to eat on the way down. Saturday turned out to be the day for transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Yes...I realize we are not finished with the turkey but it was a good day to begin decorating. You need to understand that there are almost a dozen buckets in our garage solely devoted to Christmas decorations. I know this because the arrangement of said containers is of my doing. There are also buckets for fall, summer, Easter and Valentine's Day stuff. You can imagine that this means Saturday was long with unpacking and reloading all of the odds and ends. My body hurt upon awakening today. It was all so much easier when I was younger.

Now back to my day of work today. I knew with school out this week that the crowd would be fairly thin this morning. You learn to see these things coming ahead of time at my age. All seemed to go well despite the attendance. Getting in my afternoon run/walk was possible since the weather cooperated. Temperatures are back to early May standards for another day or so. Odds are good that my next operation will be replacing one joint or the other. It was still good to get out though. The night ended at the annual community Thanksgiving service in our town. My role was to bring the message so let us hope it went well. I always enjoy these gatherings with people from other congregations. Seems as if we don't have them near enough.

Why is it we allow more things to divide us as churches than we do bring us together? Pointing fingers at other believers seems like our number one interest. We talk well about all of us being part of God's church then begin our list on why we are right. We do not suffer from separation anxiety for the most part. My view is that whatever other churches do is their choice. I do not have to always agree but neither is there a call for criticism if the differences are minor. Minor is when those unique qualities do not affect the biblical truth of the saving gospel. Those who live in the light of salvation by faith may do other stuff different but that is their decision. Our call is not to spend our time debating what is right or wrong with how other congregations operate. The mission is still to focus on telling the good news in whatever packaging our church has. Doing that will leave us very little room for pointing those fingers. It may even work to defeat the selfishness of our faith. God knows we could use more of that along the way.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-17T23:42:00.000-06:00

You should know there are some things in this life that just do not interest me. People may make tons of money talking about such stuff but it escapes my imagination as to why. I do not get all of the excitement over the "Twilight" series of books or movies. My attempts at reading the books lasted all of about fifteen minutes. English was not my major but the writing sure seemed awful. It is true that my daughter and I did read the books that must not be named. At least J.K. Rowling had a creative imagination along with a positive message to unfold. My personal goal is to avoid all of the previous mentioned books and movies. What the appeal is to that just escapes me.

Celebrity gossip never appeals to me. However long or short a marriage runs is just not terribly exciting in my eyes. Do you ever wonder at how many people constantly purchase the magazines devoted to such information? Stores carry at least a half dozen periodicals that repeat the same story week after week. So now you can watch shoppers gather up most of those magazines to learn the latest scoop on people who have no idea who is reading their story. Now you can have entire networks to focus on such news. Add those programs to an unlimited amount of websites and you can imagine the overload we face. But all of that drivel may be distracting but it is hardly interesting.

Even the sporting world is becoming increasingly ignoble. Human failure is being spelled out every day in some form or fashion. Our once noble institutions and leaders are being revealed for horrific lapses in judgement and worse. Men often use athletics as a form of escape. We can lose ourselves in various contests or games. Trucks are adorned with stickers and such to identify our favorite team. Now our once safe place of refuge is crashing down in a heap of sinful humanity. Sports reporting now seems like a recital of the police blotter more than it tells us about our team. It is hard to get really involved in a team or sport when you wonder what will be the next piece of distressing news.

Human beings tend to use all manner of diversions to keep us from reality. We could probably scroll through history to find this being true since the start of time. What is odd is how we see biblical people as being a model of some strange reality other than normal. Maybe being involved with God is not the unreal but the natural outcome of faith? Perhaps people like Moses, David and Simon Peter were meant to be the norm for life? Escape is the province of the bored. Those who allow God to fill their life will have more than enough excitement to go around. It's like Jesus once said, what moves your heart will be your treasure. One can hope we rediscover the zeal of faith so our life reflects His presence and not His absence.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-16T23:54:00.000-06:00

Blogging last night was not possible due to the power outage we had after a line of storms. Electricity was out for about seven hours. Lights came back on around 11:00 p.m. after a long wait to have it restored. Reports say that several hundred homes were without power for at least a short while. Rainstorms moved through just before school let out for the day. I could tell something was going on when the lights began to blink. The next sound was one of silence as everything shut down in the house. Panic was the following reaction as the time drew near for my son to return home. He does like his electronic stuff so being without lights is not his favorite thing. Being creative is required in times like this. We did try to get through it.

My normal reaction to long term power issues is to send everyone to visit a relative who does have electricity. Ice storms and hurricanes made this happen a few times over the last decade. This time we knew the power was out for a short period but it would still be long for my youngest. We decided to go into town to eat. Surely they would have power in a larger setting and they did. Our only problem was in catching up with the storms that caused our initial situation. Traffic moved very slow as everyone tried to avoid the ponds of water on the roads. We ate then tried to decide the next action to take. I figured the power would be restored as our first estimate was early evening. All looked hopeful as we approached town until we reached the high school. Our town was almost pitch black including our house. This would not end well. I was amazed at how well things actually did go.

My autistic son took the darkness in stride. We decided to do his medicine so he could go ahead and sleep. It is striking just how quiet a world can be without all of the gadgets going. Surreal is almost the best word to describe our adjusting to quiet. You wonder how our ancestors would react should they wake up in our noisy society. My bet is more than a few people almost went through withdrawals last night with no access to television or computers. Can you imagine our teenagers trying to get by without video games, television or their computers? We really do not grasp how out of control our life becomes while depending on all of our devices to keep us sane. Let one of our tools be taken from us and we almost break out in hives. We are a peculiar generation.

I miss the quiet some this evening. Maybe it is good to have power enough to blog but the solitude was not a bad thing at all. Jesus would spend time alone away from the spotlight. Yesterday reminded me of how wise of a choice that it was. I may have to try it again but be sure my son can enjoy his stuff. That is a noise one can always do without.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-14T23:49:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is another trip to my doctor. It is just a routine checkup even though no visit is probably anywhere close to routine. All signs are positive but she does like making sure all is going well. This is one of those things that will be done for the duration. Sometimes it does feel a bit out of the ordinary but the price is small compared to being sick. Part of me often thought about getting a complete going over by doctors prior to my diagnosis. This is no longer a concern. My body will get scanned on a regular basis. Blood will be counted and studied every few months. I am totally confident in my physician with her care for my well being.

At least there will be no bone marrow biopsy tomorrow. There really should be shirts or signs made for those of us who endure those. You have not really lived until you felt a very large needle moving inside your spine. It truly is a religious experience. I am fortunate in that my process included two such procedures. The doctor stopped once to ask me if it hurt. My question to her was whether or not she was going to stop if it did. When she replied in the negative then my next words were for her to just go ahead to get it over with. This really is not a statement on my bravery but about just being hard headed. Some parts of our history just will not be worth any nostalgia.

I still get amazed over being in remission. You can read here in other places that may take the form of guilt over surviving my disease. Odds are good that it was only round one but some do not get that far. But there are other times when the feelings are just sheer gratitude. Words probably cannot convey what those emotions are really like. My usual approach is to just sit quiet to let that sense of blessing just wash over me. Being in remission is a reality that seemed so remote at the start. You wonder if there will ever be another normal day. Time is spent just finding some handle of hope. Praying sometimes gives way to just being very human with all of its good and bad points. When you get news of being past the disease for a time then you begin to adjust to a new normal. Life may not always be good but you do embrace what it is.

Every person must find more than circumstances to make life happy. Not everything is always going to be perfect. Lots of energy can be wasted trying to regain some sense of normal much less perfection. God is very real in the good news and the bad. Part of maturity is learning how to exalt Him regardless of the times. It is like most things in that it sounds simple but is not ever easy. But those who learn or continue to grow in this truth will be those who know the deepest joys possible. One can only hope more of us discover this.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-13T23:28:00.000-06:00

Sunday night usually reminds me of the Christmas carol where all is calm and all is bright. A fresh week awaits the morning. All of the effort to prepare for today is put aside. Maybe it is also like the eye of a hurricane where there is calm even though new storms are sure to follow. You know that is probably my most favorite night of the week. There is time to catch my breath. Calendars or schedules are mapped out with events. There are always going to be those unexpected happenings that come up for me much less anyone else. At least there is an illusion of control as we get underway.

One thing that will help this week is a return to Friday night football. Far too much seemed out of the ordinary with our trip down south on Thursday evening. Not even winning the game helped much to regain a sense of normal. More than a few people today told me that they needed to remind themselves that the day after our contest was not Saturday. My guess is that not much educating went on in our school hallways this past Friday. We all arrived home far too late to be much good the next day. It is good to have your comfort zone challenged from time to time. It is better to return to normal.

I spent my free night on Friday taking apart my son's room. It was to the unbearable point to me as a dad. He was away so there was no fear of panic as he watched what was piled up to be hauled away. He probably has more room than ever to roam now. There is one very sad reality to this serious attempt at cleaning. This was not the first time such an effort occurred. I wonder just how much stuff was stacked on each other before my recent efforts. One other painful idea came to my mind. There is no telling what the dollar value was in the varied boxes or bags to be tossed out, given away or just moved to a new home. I know that his interests change over time. We do much the same as we age. It still makes me cringe to consider how much money we can spend on stuff that will lose its value. My promise was to take a longer look at what he accumulates so we can avoid this same issue in the future. But he also knows that dad is a soft touch when it comes to his son. All that I can do is try.

House cleaning is seldom fun but often needed. We can say the same for our spiritual life. God knows what stuff is gathered up to the point it closes off the flow of the Spirit. I am sure that He attempts to get our attention so all of that yuk is cleansed. We allow sin to sit around without really tackling it head on. We live with attitudes that reflect our past condition far more than the present tense reality of God. We lack the guts to do what is called for in order for us to be whole. Revival is way more than our singing louder or doing more spiritual gymnastics. It often begins with us admitting how much we need His help. Schedules may be shifted as we yield to God's will. Stuff we thought was so essential is seen as it really is with a divine focus. No doubt but God's moving in our life may be tough at times. But what we gain as more room is cleared for God to work far outweighs that hurt. Let's hope we have the courage to let Him do what is needed so we can be everything He intends us to be.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-09T23:58:00.000-06:00

I tend to get in trouble for talking sports a lot. Let me admit that it's a very easy trap to fall into while talking or writing. Sports is such a huge part of my growing up as well as present day life that it becomes second nature. So let me try to promise we can move along from athletic related themes...after tonight. Please just allow me one more short thought that is tied to the big story of the last few days. Actually, this story goes far beyond football. It is a story that brings out deep emotion due to its nature.

Penn State fired its long time football coach this evening. Joe Paterno coached at one school for over sixty years as an assistant then as head coach. He is the paragon of virtue in many respects. His records will never be broken. He graduated students beyond their playing days. He was a walking statue to all that can be good in college athletics. No one could say much bad about Paterno other than his stubborn desire to continue coaching even at the age of 85. His assistant coaches remained loyal to him throughout the years. It may well be that his loyalty to them is what would lead to his downfall.

A former assistant is accused of horrific crimes against young boys over the last decade or so. The crimes are so awful that one cannot even put them into words. Paterno would fail in not reporting whatever he knew to the legal authorities. No one knows all of the reasons why this failure occurred. Both the college and the coach are not saying much in public. Odds are good that nothing can be said now with all of the legal troubles lying ahead of everyone involved. Lots of very good people are suffering from the mistake of not doing enough to protect children at risk. Even the very best of people can fall short though every intention is good.

We can learn that doing the right thing may come with a cost but failure to do right has a greater cost. We again learn that a lifetime of good decisions can be set adrift with even a single poor choice. Age may come into play as doing what is moral and good has no age limits. Never forget the idea that children matter much to God. Our world is doing far too much damage to the most innocent among us. If we cannot protect these souls then where will we ever find any humanity? Jesus does indeed love the little children. What are we doing to express that love to them?

Bro. Trey

2011-11-08T23:38:00.000-06:00

Having a game on Thursday night is throwing my week way off. I keep having to remember to adjust my schedule to make the trip. We do tend to be creatures of habit as human beings. I already mentioned that we tend to be comfortable in the same ruts we complain about. Every week during the fall has a game on a Friday evening. Playing a day early means moving projects up a day or so. It really is a long way from one of the major issues of our times but it still calls for a new approach.

One of our sports channels spent the day replaying some of the fights of Joe Frazier. You may remember me mentioning his passing in the last writing. I was amazed just relearning how relentless he was in the ring. He was Mike Tyson minus the tattoos or the psychotic behavior. Attack would be the best word to define how Frazier would take on the other boxer. Even the great bout with Muhammad Ali was replayed. It was 1975 when they met for the last time in Manila. Temperatures were over 100 degrees along with that tropical humidity. Both fighters gave along with absorbed quite the punishment. I'd forgotten that Frazier's trainers refused to let him come out for the last round. He threw every punch possible at Ali yet would fall short in the decision. This was a brutal boxing match where even the winner would suffer long term effects of the bout. Both men ended the event fighting for their lives. They just do not have boxing matches like that one anymore.

Ferocious is another word that came to my mind while watching that fight. They stood toe to toe exchanging blows for fourteen rounds. My thoughts wandered over the the verses in Ephesians when Paul tells us about our spiritual war with the enemy. I know that sounds a bit odd to do while watching boxing but that is what happened. Our enemy is not someone who is soft or easy going. He fully intends to cause as much chaos or damage as possible to the believer. We tend to forget this as we move through our spiritual life. This is not to say our attention needs to be focused too much on the enemy. Scripture presents the truth that God is our defender so that is where we center our heart. The believer may not be isolated from the attack of the enemy but we are secure with God. Our present tense faith leaves room to be as ferocious in our resisting our foe as any boxer. We are allowed to throw spiritual punches against the enemy. Defense is only one part of our efforts. Believers are often offensive in the worst definition of the word. One can hope we learn the better part of that strategy to thrive despite anything our foe sends our way. We often say that we win in the end as believers. My hope is don't forget to start with victories now.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-07T23:36:00.000-06:00

Perhaps it is fitting that one of the movie channels is showing the "Rocky" series of films. I just finished watching the intitial story when the news came of Joe Frazier's passing this evening. Frazier appeared in the first movie as himself seeing as he is a former heavyweight boxing champion. I realized that he is the first heavyweight champion in my memory. He apparently hid out his cancer diagnosis until the very end of his battle. Some of my sadness is due to this awful disease claiming another victim. Some of it is an age thing to be sure. Life keeps moving on toward a final destination. Both the movie and the news of a death will yet again give me reason to reflect.

I was in high school when the first "Rocky" movie was released. This is a film that no one wanted to make except for the lead actor. Few expectations were given when it opened to the public. Odds were good is it would be a sports movie that few would want to see. Studio executives really did not have a clue about what would happen. It made tons of money for those who took the risk to make it. Awards were abundant including the Academy Award that year for Best Movie. We would eventually be given five more installments in the story of this one forgotten boxer from Philadelphia. Guys would come out of the theaters showing off their best boxing moves. Girls would be swept up in that rarest of love stories between two people who were overlooked. It would take until the last sequel for the star to recapture that initial magic. "Rocky Balboa" would end the series much as it began. He would remain our hero.

One thing stood out to me tonight while watching this now 35 year old movie. This was no fairy tale despite our images over time. It was a raw and gritty movie in its day. Maybe some of the effects seem a tad cheap by comparison to today but it was very much an adult film. Every one of the characters has some flaw that besets them. Some will overcome those flaws or discover new layers to life. Some would remain forever trapped within those shortcomings. Some even forget that Rocky did not win the fight in the first film. He loses on a split decision to the champion. Punishment is delivered by both of the combatants. Neither character will be presented in that realism of the first movie ever again. We would go from honest and raw to the soft focus of illusion. But it seems that human nature prefers that over honesty.

I could write so much here that would reflect the dark side of church life. You can find other blogs where the focus is on negative issues even when the writer is a believer. Doing church stuff is a very real and sometimes ugly occupation. Words are used to describe other believers that you could not use on your children for fear of being abusive. Politics has nothing on the use of dirty tricks for some church members to gain that which they seek. Seems to me that when Jesus told us there would be wars or rumors of wars in the last days that He was not referring to churches. Ironic is a good word to describe how we conduct our business in private yet act as if we are in that soft focus of illusion in public. But we will let those private skirmishes remain under wraps. We will avoid being so genuine that it frightens us about what we do. This will keep us from dealing with those flaws we all have but it will allow us to guard that illusion of safety.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-06T23:16:00.000-06:00

This next week is going to feel a little out of balance. Routine will not be common among the days. It always seems odd to me how we complain about being stuck in ruts yet are scared to death of anything changing. I already know of meetings, outings and a high school playoff game that will be on Thursday rather than Friday. Cruise control is not an option for the next few days. Maybe this just goes to our human tendency to be unhappy no matter how life moves along. Ruts bore us. Change scares us. We just really do not often know how to react. There is one lesson learned when I was sick that stays with me. Each day is enough on its own to get through without adding stress over the unknown. Jesus tried to tell us that by saying that worry adds nothing to tomorrow but only takes away from today. Let's hope those words keep me company.

I have a new addition to the household since Saturday. A little baby girl came to live here without warning. You will be glad to know that it is a puppy. She was wandering around the second house owned by our church. It is a tiny pup that is barely past being weaned. She came home with me mostly because it did not seem right for her to be damaged by other animals or people in the area. We are working on our relationship now. Looks like we have a long way to go for us to reach some agreements. The first lesson always seems to be to get a new pet comfortable with the caretaker. She needs to learn my voice and know that it is safe for her. I hope she will trust me enough to know to feel important and such. The next lesson will probably be for her to clean up after herself. We will see how all of this goes but one can hope for the best.

Ezekial may be one of the oddest books in scripture. We studied part of it today in our services. The vision of the dry bones is a place where you can roam around while learning new lessons with each reading. It still says that God has more in store for His church than clunking around as spiritual skeletons. We are often guilty of counting or organizing our dry bones rather than asking God to give us life. We saw that the Holy Spirit is more than capable to bring life according to His purpose. Our trouble is we aren't always sure we want that purpose for our life. We do not mind agreeing with God's Word but we are afraid to take a risk to follow through. How many believers spend their days more afraid of losing what little they have without believing for better from God?

Make this week count for something or someone more than just you. Life is far richer when you give of yourself to another human being. One reason we are filled with the Spirit is to give away what we receive. When you spend time guarding what God gives you often discover how fast it is lost. Math works differently in the Kingdom. The more you give away will help determine how much more you gain. This sounds contrary to our human nature but maybe this is why it is something only God can do if we let Him.

Bro. Trey

2011-11-02T23:04:00.000-05:00

Let's move on to a topic totally unrelated to the last few nights. One can only reflect on deep thoughts for so long without being overwhelmed. I do advocate deep thinking but it also runs the risk of wearing you down. There is a certain quality to baring your soul but balance is still important. Just because you can work though the depths of spiritual life doesn't absolve you from being lighter on occasion. Laughing can be as good for the soul as serious reflection.

My youngest child never ceases to amaze me. I miss having very young children even at my age. But his presence seems to brighten the darkest of any day. We celebrated Halloween for almost six weeks around the house. Now do not go crazy on that remark. Dad sets limits on what we do and what is avoided. He knows the monsters or really ugly stuff is off limits. But it is also true that we enjoy going to the Halloween store for several weeks prior to the big day. Even the owners of this seasonal outlet know him by sight when he comes in now. We look at all of the costumes even though he is limited to cartoon characters. He will add to his toy collection with gadgets that light up or make sounds. Our time is spent walking around just taking in all of the sights and sounds. Dad does not get much out of it but it is enough that he does. The holiday came and went this week. His reaction was unique and memorable.

It was either Sunday or Monday night that he declared Halloween to be over. It is time for him to focus on Thanksgiving and Christmas. He would put up Christmas lights and decorations now if we allowed that. What was amazing is he gathered up all of his Halloween stuff, put it back into boxes, then carried it all out to the garage closet. He was simply done with it all. Dad said he would help but he was not waiting for that. It was time to put away all of the old stuff to get ready for the next celebration. All that I could do was stand back to watch him in action. He declared at the end of the process that Halloween was over. It is time to move on to what comes next. I wish more of us could be like that.

How many of us still hold on to the stuff of the past without ever moving on? I fully realize that some of the past is not really meant to be discarded or forgotten. However, we find people along with churches who never turned the calendar from some year gone by. What happens is we recycle the years rather than being fresh for today. Some will say they are looking forward though their gaze is behind them. That which cannot be changed requires a divine way of moving along. Confessed sin need not be a continuous presence in our life. Failures of whatever size are no match for God's present tense grace. Behaviors or attitudes that worked at one point may no longer be effective. My son reminds me that sometimes the best thing to do is just cart up the past and put it away. How else can we get ready for the new things God wishes to do?

Bro. Trey

2011-11-01T23:32:00.000-05:00

We began our journey into our latest topic two nights ago by asking if it is dangerous for us to be real with our life. Can believers honestly be open about what is taking place at any time along with how it affects us? I do not know if we are reaching any conclusions but maybe that is an indication of our answer. Words can be multiplied to hammer home the point that tough times happen to us. Knowledge of that truth is not what keeps us from being healthy. Sometimes it seems to me that we can even spend so much energy talking about how hard it is that we lose sight of our eternal reality. There is yet another danger to this scenario. Our mind or heart becomes so wrapped up in difficulty that we become blind to Gods greater blessings. It may be well with our soul but the rest of us hurts greatly.

Being depressed really is not a sin. Now it is possible that to remain in that condition becomes more about our carnal quest to control our lives so it becomes sinful. Grief in its various forms is part of our daily reality as we live. Feeling sad is acceptable when it is within the terms of the purpose of God. Some folks end up adding guilt to grief which is a deadly combination. Remember the experience of David who would write of his moodiness while penning the Psalms. He is brutally honest about his emotions but he also has the ability to look beyond them to God's best. It was never about simply escaping the situation as much as it was about growing in grace even in the presence of grief. He understood walking in the darkest of valleys but he would not lose his hold on God being with him. Sadness is less about where you are than it is about where God wants to take you.

Paul will write in 2 Corinthians of a despair that almost overwhelmed his life. I say this so you realize that even the greatest of God's saints faced awful turmoil. One of the things that made his world bearable was the presence of friends who came to encourage him. I also think David knew this gift as he was surrounded by people who listened to his heartache. Both of these amazing believers would deal with their sadness through the comfort of those around them. Let me restate my original point from Sunday night. We must be able to be real with others about how we feel in order to be healthy. Isolation was never God's intention for humanity. Relationships are at the core of how we are wired. But once we have moved past being alone then we must be able to trust others with something different than the schedule of any given day. Insulating our heart from further damage may actually cause more problems than it solves. Risk goes hand in hand with relationships. We often discover that our fears are unfounded as people gather around us.

All of this obviously includes a heart open to God's activity even when it feels painful. One aspect of this is doing all that you can to remain open to hear God. Intentionally blocking out other noise comes into play here. Easy does not come into play with this but it matters. Praying may sound like a grocery list of complaints but keep at it. Just listen to yourself when you are talking to God. Get to the root of what hurts for your benefit. We are often guilty of saying to God those things we think we should say. Learn to let it all out since God already knows more than you do about the moment. You are not going to take Him by surprise with your words. He can more than handle anything you have to say. The real questions is what will you do when you get to the core issues that trouble you? One can hope you will allow God to reshape your character along with any answers He may bring. Scripture tells us to throw all of our troubles on God because He cares about us. We may find His answers satisfy much more than our human efforts.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-31T22:55:00.000-05:00

It was Charles Dickens that wrote of it being "the best of times and the worst of times." Insight like this really isn't rare as much as it is seldom stated so clearly. We just have that very human tendency to focus on one reality or the other. Would you believe there are people who discount the positive in their world in order to focus like a laser on the negative? There are also those who ignore anything remotely unhappy in order to keep a smile going. Life is never totally one or the other. Human existance will always find us balancing conditions at either end of the spectrum. Being healthy calls for more than a better attitude or efforts to remake the moment into one of our choosing. God never says life will be easy. But it is also true that God says it must be so hard we lose our grip. How we manage the middle determines how we will do.

Being real means not overstating the negative nor underestimating the positive. God remains still far beyond the situations of our times. That is something to realize even when it causes problems along the way. I am thinking of the person who may say that God is firmly entrenched with all power but cannot find a way to connect to Him. My view is far too many church people sing of a God who is all powerful but is not related to daily events. Our faith becomes more about what we believe rather than having God's living presence become valid. Quotations of bible verses replaces the living capacity of the truth to transform us. Nothing changes in our world when nothing changes in us. We become like the popular monsters of our day.

Zombies are replacing the traditional scary creatures in our media culture. They are simply to be those who died yet are still moving about even if it is very slow. I don't get zombies myself. Surely even my slow body can outrun a shuffling partially dead thing. But my original point is these new characters are not truly alive yet neither are they dead. They stumble along trying to rob the living of their being. We will be confronted with the temptation to live in a similar manner. All of our trouble will accumulate until we cannot see past our pain. God's purpose is lost within us just from feeling so bad. Keeping up habits of spiritual growth will become unimportant in comparison to trying to feel better. It does not take long for us to be so isolated or insulated from God that we become wanderers rather than biblical followers.

Those negative emotions are contagious. Far too many congregations suffer from years of experiencing abuse or damage even when it is self inflicted. They sing songs but have no spirit. They hear sermons with no intent to apply. They meet in gatherings to talk about minute details of the organization with no idea of its spiritual loss. They can simply be referred to as walking dead. A miracle is required to bring new life to its being. When the pain of staying where you are is greater than the pain of going with God then you are ready for such a miracle. But are you there yet? What more will it take for you to wake up?

Bro. Trey

2011-10-30T23:26:00.000-05:00

It occurs to me that we as believers can struggle with being real or honest. Just to be open about where you are in life can be hazardous to your health. This was a rough week around here. It started with the death of a beautiful young woman with an entire life awaiting. Explanations will be hard to find. It is yet another of a long string of tragedies to affect my community. Then we added disease when the stomach bug woke me up on Thursday morning. Let me say that it was not as painful as others who were afflicted with this ailment. I am grateful for that. But here we are on Sunday night still waiting for my body to recover. We piled on top of all of this defeat as the Texas Rangers fell short in their bid to be champions. Pages will be written about how victory in game six was within the grasp only to be snatched away. All of this adds up to make this week a bummer as people say.

I could probably add more to the list of issues but my point is simply that sometimes our world does not turn our way. What we fail to see is how every obstacle that comes our way builds on others around us. It will not take long until we are feeling the damage from the sum total of stress. We become over extended in our activity without building the energy required to handle all of this. Our temptation is to burn down, burn out or burn up. Let me return to the original idea about being real. When most people ask us about how we are doing our usual answer is to just say that we are fine. Odds are good they may not really want to know about our troubles anymore than we want to rehearse them. We learn to stuff them under another layer of pretending all is well while dying a little more on the inside. Surely this is no way for a healthy person to live.

Insanity includes the denial of reality. Those who cannot live with the current condition tend to find ways out on the mental or emotional level. It is only my humble opinion that even believers fall prey to that trap when there is no outlet for pain. Maybe we need reminding of why the Psalms speak to us in ways beyond words. Even the great man David finds an outlet in times of uncertainty or loss. His words echo our questions on reality at differing points of life. Expressing our sorrows is one way God gives us to understand them. We get to see or hear what it is we are feeling rather than burying it under the guise of being correct. Letting it out can mean the risk of anger or tears but allow me to let you in on a secret. The anger or tears will be there whether you go public or not.

We are often told that we should be happy and smile no matter what. My problem with this is you never can let God work a miracle in your heart when you pretend it is not broken. There will be times when you feel like singing, "Victory in Jesus.' There are other times you sing, "It is Well with My Soul." Maybe we are scared if we ever hear someone answer with a word other than fine. Maybe we are anxious about letting our guard down to tell another person of our messes. I always wonder what in the world would happen in the usual congregation if there was an outbreak of being real? No doubt in my mind but that it would be scary at first. Imagine finally being free to be yourself with others and with God. New paths would be traveled should that occur. We would discover a whole new way of living. Maturity would not need to be faked but would become authentic. Maybe we need another night of reflecting on this topic. Let's sleep on this while hoping for some answers tomorrow.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-28T14:57:00.000-05:00

I heard about a stomach bug going around on Wednesday night. Seems as if more than a few people in my town spent time way under the weather. Thursday morning was when it arrived in my body. Every joint ached even beyond normal. I am lucky in that it did not have the same symptoms that are showing up in other people. Yesterday and most of today was still spent in trying to feel better or reach some point of normal. At least it is probably that a few pounds were lost over the last 48 hours. My guess is that the frito pie is still off the menu for me at tonight's game.

None of this was a help during the baseball game last night. My daughter and I stayed in constant communication during the four hours or more until the end. Some people are calling it a classic game. Try telling that to the fans of the team that lost. It is difficult to win with all of the self inflicted mistakes by the Texas Rangers. Some were physical errors but many of them were mental mistakes by various players. Few can doubt how the Rangers should be celebrating today but they aren't. Even fewer now believe that they will celebrate at the end of tonight's ballgame. I know that my hopes are slim for a win.

Let me put it simply in light of the last 24 hours. We face difficulty due to things we do not desire or even contribute to our pain. Viruses of all types exist in our world. Sin can be understood as the most harsh illness we face. My guess is that few people who follow Jesus just set out to become sick with rebellion. History shows us that it is still a reality. Then we deal with those issues we bring on ourselves. We often yield to sin as the door opens to even more bad decisions. We miscalculate the conditions or fail to hear our divine instructions in living. We end up with a mess beyond our ability to fix. Depression leads to discouragement which is its own form or defeat.

Remember that our game of life is not over until God says so. We either keep moving forward or simply stop where we are in the journey. Keep trusting in God no matter how bleak life appears. Setbacks need not be fatal. Jesus teaches us that at the cross. May we learn those lessons well.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-25T23:19:00.000-05:00

Eleven years in one town is a long time no matter how you measure it. It's long enough that you begin to forget some events that happened at the start. People will mention something to me that long since slipped my mind. Odds are good that age and the effects of chemo also contribute to this. Eleven years is also long enough to go through experiences both good and bad. It seems as if those negative times will always outweigh any positive. I cannot imagine many small towns having an abundance of crisis or tragedy as takes place here. People often take ill or even die but never does it seem to add up as much as in my town. It does not happen in the traditional cycle of three but seems never ending.

We lost yet another young person today at far too young of an age. I won't go into lots of details but it was a car accident. Death once again comes too soon in our community. Maybe it is me who is more sensitive to losses after going through an illness. Some of it is the leftover guilt that wonders how I survived when others do not. Logic tells me that there is no answer. But it cannot slow the question from crossing my mind. How do we find any semblance of sanity when events like this occur? My guess is there are many people asking that tonight in our town. The raw reality is there are few answers to that search. Accidents happen. Illness strikes us. Tragedy strikes. This is the human story.

Let me say at this point that one of the best things a minister can do is to spend time learning about death and dying. I don't mean just a few lectures during a semester but to do a separate study devoted to that topic. We will spend countless hours wrestling with issues that defy explanation. Not everyone gets their full allotment of years without difficulty. Sometimes the minister will be asked for more than superficial answers to questions. What may surprise you is even our biblical quotations may not be enough. Serious thinking is required to be effective in times of grief. A tragedy such as this one today does not evaporate in a few days or months. This is one that stays with you forever. Today makes all of life different for each one touched by loss.

May we not be so quick or glib in throwing cliched quotations around to those who hurt. Realize that simply being present can do more than what we say. People truly mean well but they don't hear how what they say can be hollow. We can be honest by simply answering that we neither know nor do we have all of the answers. I don't think we are to be above the hurts of others as much as we can share their sorrows. God doesn't mind our being truthful when we express genuine compassion. Nothing we say can make the pain ever lessen much less go away. That is God's job as He fills the broken hearted. We can pray with every fiber of our being. We can be there when others drift away. We can listen or even join in the sharing of tears. Jesus once wept due to grief around Him. So we can be sure that He knows what each person needs in their experience of loss.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-24T23:48:00.000-05:00

If you read here often then you know that watching the World Series is taking up much of my time. I was lucky that my daughter was home last weekend so we saw two of the games together. I wanted to drive to Waco if the Rangers were close to winning it all but life is getting in the way. We wanted to watch the team win together. Baseball plays a huge part in our relationship. It is not all we do but it is something we enjoy together. You know all of this but we sure are enjoying this chance for our team to be champions of baseball. It's still October and our team is still playing. Life does not get much better than that.

There may be one thing that would be better. Tomorrow is one of those new big days for me. It will be one year since my doctor officially told me that I am in remission. Those words still affect me today. Some of my emotion is thrilled with that hope. It very well may be true that my mind still doesn't totally wrap around that news. There is the other part of me that is increasingly sensitive to others in their times of illness. Some of this is due to that experience of guilt over surviving my disease. Not many people talk about that but let me assure you that it happens. So far my best approach is to just keep trying to live life to its fullest. God knows what He is doing so I just trust that His will can reach others with hope.

I am learning again how God intends to make His presence felt in our journey. This is not to say that I have all of the answers. Jesus told us how the Spirit will enter our life to make it a constant adventure. Ceremony or ritual can never contain all God wishes to do in and through us. We tend to settle for comfort rather than excitement. This is not meant to sound mean but it is just human nature. We do like the routine when the rivers of living water seem foreign to us. Crisis tends to define our lives far more than the reality of God being in the present tense. Maybe we can learn to celebrate God more than we dread another problem. God does intend to great things for His own. Just be sure He wants to start by working in us and not just for us.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-18T23:46:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow night is the beginning of the World Series. This is the final set of games to determine who will be the champion of professional baseball for the year. Spring training began in the middle of February so its been a long season for the two teams remaining. The first team to win four games will be declared the world champions of baseball. I started way back in 1968 watching these games. My memory is of getting home from school to watch baseball since they were day games back then. This makes 43 years of watching the World Series. I don't recall another one so hard to pick a team.

My very first experience was the year the St. Louis Cardinals were playing the Detroit Tigers. That was a classic series that went the entire seven games. You would want to know that the Cardinals are somewhat in my blood. My dad's side of the family were huge fans long before I was born. My love for the team grew from 1968 through the years. I even have a wall hanging from a few years ago with four of the Cardinal players featured. The one player that was my inspiration was Bob Gibson who pitched his entire career in St. Louis. He was a fierce competitor on the mound. I learned how to throw a high fastball at a batter from him. Maybe it sounds mean but it can be fun also. My point is that my Cardinals are once again in the World Series but my loyalty lies with the other team.

Who would ever imagine that the Texas Rangers would be in the World Series for two consecutive years? It seems more incredible than a reality. This team was absolutely horrible for most of its years. Now we have a real chance of winning it all. My daughter and I are enormous fans so that makes it even better. We should get to watch a game or two together while she is home this weekend. I don't know if they can beat the Cardinals but one can hope. They are my team even with my long history with the opposition. I will be rooting them on every game. Winning the championship would be so amazing given their long line of futility.

Baseball has little to do with the spiritual side of life most of the time. It is one of the earthly pleasures I enjoy. At least no matter who wins this year I can be happy about it. All that is left is for the games to begin.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-17T23:58:00.000-05:00

Don't tell anyone but I really kinda like Halloween. No, I do not approve or condone evil actions on any day. No, I will not allow my kids to dress up in anything remotely violent. No, I do not do satanic or other weird stuff for the holiday. No, my church will not being marking the actual day but we do offer alternatives. My enjoyment of Halloween is about old movies that try to scare you. Again, my personal preference has no room for violence or gore in any fashion. But what I do enjoy are the classic old movies that can still put a fright in you. Now all we seem to get are movies that try to make our stomachs turn from the visuals without any thought to plot or story.

Some fear is a good thing to have. What happens to far too many is that fear becomes a device for protecting self rather than taking a risk. We may even be afraid of what God may do if we act on His word. Scary is the idea of the person who talks of a trust in God while never taking any chances to obey Him. People often are critical of those who participate in behavior outside narrow or legalistic views. Part of following Jesus means we may be asked to do the radical. This scares us when we don't really trust God to keep up with His end of our choices. So it becomes safer to just stay comfortable than honestly obedient.

Church life loses much when people spend more time criticizing those who do believe God no matter how odd it may seem. We end up pulling back rather than pushing forward. Stones may be thrown by those who are fearful of anyone being different. Scary is a lot of different things. We should not fear being bold in our relationship with God. Don't let anyone get in the way of your growth. You can be better than the monsters that just do not understand.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-12T23:41:00.000-05:00

Lots going on lately in my corner of the world. My blogging time is taken up doing other stuff with work or at home. Most of it revolves around projects that call for my attention with the workplace. Home is doing much if not all of the daily chores. You can call on me for many of the tasks around the house. I could probably get a job as a housekeeper or nanny if this career falls short. Busy is a good thing. One thing to always guard against is allowing the schedule to crowd out your spiritual life. Religious activity is never an excuse for drifting away from the heart of God. Spiritual maturity is always intentional and not accidental. Make time to spend alone with God no matter how crowded life becomes.

My daughter and I are having to experience the baseball playoffs apart from one another. This is no fun at all. At least our team is doing well so far. They are not yet to the World Series but they are only one game away now. Most of the games are pretty intense. Close games may be fun to watch but they do little to settle the nerves. But one of the benefits is if your team does something exciting or wins then you feel even more emotion. The two of us do call each other when these moments take place. Sharing something in common makes it all so much better.

I get lots of time with son now. Something got my attention the other day. Dad did something for him that pleased him greatly. I enjoy doing stuff like this to surprise him. One day it may be a new game brought home for him to play. Another day may be to have a snack ready for him when he gets off the bus. On this particular day he thanked me in his usual way. He probably said thank you or something to that effect. Whatever he said or did just made my heart sing. It honestly brought a new sense of joy to my emotions. My mind then wondered if too many believers do not know the simple joy of just being kind? Do we get so wrapped up in our wants or needs that we forget our behavior with others? When was the last time your heart felt that simple joy of doing something unexpected for another person? Scripture tells us that service or ministry is just as important to our character as anything else we do. Bible study divorced from better behavior is incomplete. We will not change our world by remaining in holy huddles. God desires to change our world through our actions. That is enough to make both ours and His heart to sing.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-09T23:31:00.000-05:00

Today was all about what is true and what is false when it comes to theology. Covering the topic took two separate studies to deal with it. If only either one of them had been remotely close to being a good study. How we deal with truth determines much of how we live our faith. Some who claim to follow Jesus tend to drift into dangerous areas of falsehood. Others may hold to a set of beliefs that are technically correct but lack any spiritual fervor to make a difference. Yet there are some who seem to get both of these issues straight which makes one a healthy believer.

One of the first thing Jesus warns His followers about is the fact that false teachers would creep into their midst to distract believers from maturity. History proves Jesus to be correct. Several of our epistles tell us that false theology made gains even in the very first century of the church. It never ceases to amaze me that variations of that falsehood still pop up in our culture. Humanity has a way of just recycling the same strange teachings over and over. Simon Peter will tell his readers that man's tendency for the counterfeit does not change over time. Perhaps we remain the same as people no matter how the years go by.

Seems to me that those who believe in the truth of the gospel should be cautious in how they relate with those who do not. We tend to be somewhat arrogant in our answers rather than humble in our grace. It was just last week that a Baptist minister made headlines by denouncing the faith of a presidential candidate. My problem is not at all that I do not agree with the idea. What bothers me is how believers tend to come off sounding proud without explaining our stance. This may be just something that bothers me. I will never be asked to endorse anyone of any fame. There is little reason to expect that my comments or even my writings will be well known. I would like to think that my approach to issues like this would be flavored with some grace that comes from God. My faith is fairly secure but there is always room for more growth. Is it enough to be conservative if we sound callous in our pronouncements?

Not every friend of mine share every single detail of my faith. I may disagree with my Pentecostal friends on the activity of the Holy Spirit but I am grateful for them. My mainline friends may do things different that I do but my desire is for them to grow in faith. I even know some Church of Christ folks that mean the world to me but shouldn't there be room for encouragement without dissension? Truth is a reality no matter how loud we shout of how hard we bang the table. So much of our discussions seem aimed at proving another person wrong rather than discovering what makes each of us strong. I know this may sound odd coming from someone who tries to teach scripture for a living but it is where I am. My heart and mind is weary of all of our attempts to keep the truth in its purest form. God's truth is pure regardless of our opinions. It may need less defending and more discovering for our own journey.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-07T13:39:00.000-05:00

All of us go through times that we think will not end. To be honest, some people seem to enjoy going through hard times. They will tell you constantly of how much more difficult their life is than yours. You will never get me to understand that syndrome even though it exists. Some of us do go through truly painful experiences that seem to have no expiration date. I learned this the hard way in 2010. What surprised me is how resilient a person can become even when being poisoned as part of treatment. It just becomes something you do in order to be better. We do have a few of our people here in the church going through such experiences. But most of us face times that can be even worse because of its nature.

Having really huge adversity thrown at you is never fun but you can find ways to cope or survive. I think what can be more dangerous are the times when small things pile up without any relief in sight. What happens is one small or somewhat small obstacle rises up only to be followed by another. None of it is fatal but it becomes a huge weight on the soul. We are like the ancient story of pushing one boulder up a hill then having another come along right behind it. We may not be diagnosed with a terminal illness but we just don't feel well. Our finances may not be wiped out but it seems as if something always needs to be paid. Relationships may not be destroyed but there is a constant tension always tearing at our heart. No matter how hard we try it just appears we make no real progress to change things.

This is one of those moments for me. Work is hectic as we try to do a few new things along with our search for a new staff member. This is not all bad but it does take up time normally used for other things. Life at home is just as frazzled without my daughter who always is a huge help. Again, this is not all bad but it does offer more to the usual workload. Then my youngest had a bad day at school yesterday. He is my best buddy so it hurts me when things go wrong. Again, this is not totally bad as he learned a few lessons for the future. Maybe you get my point now. Most of this is just stuff that happens but when it builds up it does wear a person down. It's hard to see beyond all of the crisis or to keep a Godly focus.

What are we to do? Giving up is not an option. Way too many people just skip out on responsibility to escape the stress. No one ever said life is easy. It surely is never said in scripture that believers will take a comfortable path to heaven. Glib answers are not enough to really make things better. I am one who does believe God may give us more than we can bear on our own. My view is that He does this to clarify our priorities to give Him more room to operate. Why would we ever need to trust God if we can do it all ourselves? The believer can be sure that God does have a purpose for all of this. He is never finished with shaping our character. We always have aspects of our life in need of being refined to His image. My main idea during these times is not to ask when it will come to an end. We ask what will God do with these experiences to make us more like Him.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-05T23:40:00.000-05:00

Most people who know me or read this blog know how technology is just not my thing. Computers are way past my intelligence unless it is just hunting and clicking. If someone starts talking about the workings of technology they also will notice how my eyes glaze over. All of this is truly fascinating but I missed out on much of the information to understand its workings. My first awareness of a computer was years ago when they were barely in the infancy stage. It was about fifteen years later before one actually resided in my house. I had to take college classes just to begin to make any sense of how to use the machine. My skills are not much improved from those days. No one can doubt how significant these devices are now for daily life. We moved from personal computers to cell phones to other things that occupy our time. You just cannot imagine a world without all of this.

One of the driving forces behind our digital age died tonight. Steve Jobs founded Apple company back in the 1970s. It is amazing to watch or read the stories about his life. He was once let go by his original company only to return years later to save it from failure. There is no part of this computing age that does not bear his imprint in some form or fashion. Most people use a cell phone that is either one of his creations or similar to it. Many now use devices that can manage their life from a small pad. Even the use of a computer mouse can be traced to his innovation. Cancer and all of its symptoms finally caught up with him. I really hate this disease. But there is one upside to this story. Cancer may take a physical life but it cannot extinguish how a person lives.

If you read or watch stories on this man then one thing you will notice is how he makes an effect on our modern world. Technology owes him a huge debt of gratitude. I found it interesting that one of his motivations was to make all of this information easier to use for the average human being. You no longer need a college degree in science to use the average computer or other device. Most of what we take for granted on the modern computer is an invention of his. This is one of those rare individuals whose contribution to life or culture will be felt for decades. He once said that people are born to make a dent on the universe. I may not understand all of what he did in the technical sense but I can see how he made a dent.

My mind wonders why we as believers do not make our marks with life. I fully realize that not all of us are meant to be as big as Steve Jobs. But it seems to me that our life can still count as it helps others be better. Not all of us can lead big corporations but we can still matter to others. We may not get world wide attention upon our passing but we can still leave a legacy behind. Ours is the great gift of the Holy Spirit to make up for what we lack. Ours is a divine calling that starts upon our following Jesus. God knows that not all of us may be as famous as this pioneer but He intends for our life to count to eternity. I mourn Jobs passing for his family and his legacy. I also mourn how ever many legacies were not given because followers of Jesus resisted that call to follow Him. How much of what God is doing in our world would cease if you died? It's a good question that challenges us for an answer.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-03T23:46:00.000-05:00

Just a quick thought about life as it relates to baseball. Watching these playoff games can do a number on your nerves. My team won today even though there were more than a few moments of great tension. They were behind for a long time until scoring four runs in the seventh inning. Holding onto that lead was not easy. I wanted to watch but would also turn away just due to the nervous feeling that comes from a tight ballgame. You would think that such a game would be exciting to watch. Maybe there are times when the excitement becomes too much? You get wrapped up in every pitch or play. My heart would do the proverbial leap into the throat when times got tough. Winning the contest was a mixture of elation and relief. Now we get to do it all over again tomorrow.

Wouldn't it be easier to watch a game after you already know that your team wins? Sure it would be much less stress but where is the fun in that? Not knowing what may take place in sports is one of the reasons so many watch. Any team can beat another team on any given day. It's why we root for the underdog or why upsets capture our imagination. We never saw some outcome as even possible yet it happens. I like to watch old games that are shown on cable. Many times I already know the final score. It brings back pleasant memories but it is not nearly the same as watching it live.

Here is my spiritual point. Most believers will defend their faith in the return of Jesus to the top of their lungs. We do know what happens in the end even if we do not know the when. So why is it that so few actually participate in the action now? The same individuals who sing or state their faith in the second coming are sometimes people who do little now. It's as if knowing we win means we don't have to be involved in the mission now. Let me go one step further. Why does it seem like some who believe in the return of Jesus take such little time to get to know Him? Meeting a loved one after a time apart is far different than meeting a stranger. Jesus desires to be known and obeyed now. It may not lessen the tensions of life but it will make it all much more enjoyable.

Bro. Trey

2011-10-02T23:42:00.000-05:00

Let me confess to missing my daughter even more during these baseball playoffs. One thing done right in being a dad is turning my girl into a true baseball fanatic. We even get into the games when our team is not in the playoffs. You can only imagine how excited we were last year in going to two of the post season games. Nothing could ever be better than our getting to attend the fifth game of the World Series last year. It was November yet we were at a ballgame. Now we have to text or call each other at points of the games. We did that a lot on Saturday during the game. Our team won so it made for pleasant conversations. But there is still a feeling of disappointment in watching the playoffs without her.

Wouldn't life be easier if that were the only source of disappointment? You and I know how life tends to have more than a few moments like that. Disappointment is that emotion borne of unmet expectations. There is a sense that we are getting the short end of the stick. Sometimes it may happen because the behavior of others does not match our desire. You can have times like this when the events of your world do not come to pass as you wished. We end up feeling sad because our hopes or wishes just do not match up with reality. Anger may even play a role in disappointment. You may become mad that someone let you down due to the results of that action. Depression can follow should you feel helpless to do anything to change the situation. You move from just being sad to perhaps letting those feelings define life.

It is true that disappointment can be a self inflicted wound. This is not always the case but it is always possible. Your expectations may be out of line with reality in terms of people or even with your plans. It may also be valid that you expect more of yourself than is legitimate. One of the key steps of dealing with disappointment is to determine who is to blame. But just remember that the goal really is not to fix the blame but to fix the greater problem. Also realize that you may not be the best person to reach that conclusion. Your feelings may cloud a better judgement when it comes to these things. I don't know that anyone can face disappointment in a healthy manner without God's help. He sees and knows all so it is a given that His perspective will be much better.

Disappointment does not have to be a negative experience. You can use those times to evaluate why you live with particular expectations. Are your desires truly fair for others? Ask whether or not your wants are rooted in reality. Never forget that people tend to let other people down far too often. It may not seem right or fair but it is true. Let God work through your mind and heart to center your expectations in His reality. Odds are good that all of us could use some adjustment in how we view our world. Time may be required for getting past disappointment. Sometimes we need to wait on God to complete His work in life. What may seem a setback may actually become a springboard for greater grace. Remaining in fellowship with God is essential to see His purpose through until the end. And never forget that disappointments can be God's way to increase His presence in our life. We turn to Him in our hurts to discover a greater help in our time of need. The irony is that our greatest discoveries can be born of our biggest disappointments.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-28T23:42:00.000-05:00

We have time for something completely off topic for the blog. It has to be short since the clock is running out on today. Today is one of my least favorite days. Baseball season is over as far as the regular season. It is time for the playoffs. I spent much of the last six months following the sport on a daily basis. You may know from past writings that it is my favorite sport of all. There is just nothing better to me than the sound of a game on the radio or television. Perhaps the best thing is that most games are played in summer when nothing else is really on to watch. My satellite system allows me to see every game played during the season. This means every game played by any team from East Coast to West Coast. It is a dream come true for this lifelong fan.

My team is again in the playoffs. Last year we went all the way to the World Series. I don't know if that will happen again but we will hope. Two teams began September with huge leads in the standings for the last slots. Both of these teams lost this evening to finish out a collapse of historic proportions. Most sports programs will be talking about this for days. This was the type of disaster seldom seen in major sports. My brain is right now trying to even wrap around what happened. No doubt the tears are flowing in both Boston and Atlanta.

You have to put your money on the Phillies to win the World Series. Their team won 102 games this year. It very well may be that their starting pitching is the best in decades. Probably no other team in that league can compete with those arms. I am glad to see Arizona in the playoffs just because Kurt Gibson is a favorite of mine. But look for Philadelphia to be one team at the end. The other league is a bit more complicated. You just may see the Texas Rangers back in the World Series. But you also have Tampa Bay coming in with a huge winning streak. Detroit will be tough also as they have two good pitchers along with excellent hitting. I don't think that I can make a prediction on that one. Just be sure that the Phillies are going to be huge favorites regardless.

There is no great spiritual lesson to this. I am just sad about the regular season ending. But there is also anticipation for the upcoming playoffs. I am going to root for my team but will enjoy the remaining games no matter who is playing.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-27T23:00:00.000-05:00

Let the record show that we are over 500 posts on the blog. This brings a question to my mind. Why write a blog? There are blogs of all shapes on sizes out there now. All you need is a computer to start your very own. More than a few of these things started out small yet became very popular and profitable for a select few. You may want to know this is not the case for this one. Some political blogs turned their editors into media celebrities. The same can be said for blogs in entertainment and sports. Our religious world is not immune from this development. My guess is you could "google" religious blogs to be overwhelmed with the response. I have a few of these that are part of my regular reading. We do live in a very different world than we once did. Anyone is free to express their opinions on the Internet whether right or wrong.

It seems to me that most blogs begin not for information sake but to attack or argue some issue. This is obviously going to be true in the political world. Someone on either side of the political aisle will set out to defend their point of view without the usual restraints of journalism. You may be surprised to know this is also a reason for more than a few religious blogs. My denomination is riddled with men or women who take to this medium to put forth some point of view. These writings can and do many times become mean spirited or even ugly. Do not attempt to read some of these as they are not for the faint hearted. Some begin to criticize churches, pastors or even whole sections of a denomination. You will not have to read for long to understand why life seems so fractured today even in the church. The world of the blog allows for people to express themselves rather than keeping it under wraps.

None of the above has anything to do with my writing. My simple goal at the start was to use this tool as a means of putting things down that might offer some insight or even encouragement. Some of the posts were going to be information oriented in terms of current church events. I hoped to build or expand on sermons or studies beyond what is said on a Sunday. I enjoy writing whether or not there is any talent here. We started very slow with more than a few bumps along the way. Even the best of intentions are not always met with the same level of response. And so we took more than a little time away on a few occasions. Life got very bumpy for awhile. Perhaps it was just setting the stage for another and much larger hurdle to cross.

Being diagnosed with cancer was a jump start on using the blog for communicating about my journey. We wrote more here since that day back in May, 2010 than at anytime before. It really seemed a good idea to use this site to allow anyone interested to stay current with my illness. We also used to to connect as to spiritual lessons being learned along the way. Now we continue to write long after moving into remission from that disease. The original question was why do the blog? There is no single answer that comes to mind. I can only hope that my few discoveries or expressions of faith can contribute to another person. This is a reflection of where I am with God at any given moment. Sometimes that can be a messy thing to put out for public view. Maybe there are times when it expresses real hope as we move through life. I still hope it will be an encouragement to how God works even in the messiest times of life.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-25T23:47:00.000-05:00

I know that my tendency is to somewhat complain of being weary on Sunday nights. This is something that will hopefully diminish as the weeks go by. But you will need to bear with me at least one more time before defeating this habit. Today was the day for me to lead the song service along with speaking. You know we are without a music or student minister. I tried everything but had no luck finding someone for today. One time a really good idea came to my brain but neither did it work out. Guess it is a good thing that my background includes enough music training to know how to wave my hands. Most of the time I was able to almost keep beat with the hymns. The truth is my aim was to just keep in step with our musicians. They are way more talented than myself so perhaps they weren't too embarassed.

Another very good thing is the fact that my daughter was home this weekend. So what we did is I waved my arms while letting her lead out in the singing. Singing is a long way from a talent of mine. I do fair with music as long as no singing is required. She is the one with the talent for singing. I should also add that my youngest does pretty good with singing also. We did get through the morning service without too many ears ringing from my efforts. Talking is far more familiar for me. Speaking to groups never bothers me most of the time. There is something about singing that almost leaves me breathless. Maybe the best word to describe my emotions is panic?

God gives each person who trusts Him some measure of gifts or abilities. Giftedness is not an option for the follower of Jesus. Where we fall short is whether or not we use those gifts with His power. Some believers never discover those gifts for various reasons. Some believers may know their talents yet choose not to use them. Some may simply avoid joining the adventure of church life due to fears, guilt or some other internal reason. The result is too few people end up with too much power to be protected rather than being turned loose in ministry. Doing church was never to be about organization or power structures. There is honestly only one organizational chart in scripture. It's when God is in charge and His people all live out their gifts in life. It never changed from the Old Testament to the New Testament. We are all called to be servants of God. He makes us all equal partners in carrying out the ministry. And that does include me in that statement.

Somedays doing ministry calls for us to move from our comfort zone. This happened to me today. It may happen tomorrow in different ways. God calls us to serve Him first. Out of that relationship will come the times we intersect with others. We may get weary on occasion. We may find times our tasks seem uncomfortable. But is it worse to try and fail or to fail by never trying?

Bro. Trey

2011-09-21T14:25:00.000-05:00

Handling scripture calls for a blend of humility along with the holy. Too many people forget their humanity when it comes to interpreting scripture. We are at best still people prone to sin even with God's presence living in us. There are yet again two faulty approaches when it comes to dealing with scripture. The first says that it is basically a human book trying to explain some sense of the divine. We discount anything that comes close to the miraculous because our minds are closed to God acting that way. The second just dismisses any intelligent interest in grasping what God is saying. People like this will fall back on a few proof texts to defend a position unexamined. Neither way is going to allow us the full benefit of working our way through what the Bible says.

What honestly scares me about the latter approach is how often it is abused to define or defend ideas that really are not biblical. Selecting a few verses to build a position is often the method used by those who become false teacher or leaders. The uninformed really think they hear some new revelation from God while being led down a path of disaster. You will also find churches that claim to be in the evangelical tradition that dwell on some pet topic for reasons that escape me. Our very first church was breathed into life during a time of radical diversity. The gospel provided a freedom never known before in religious thought. God then moved their mindset beyond the local into the greater world which would take them by surprise. Expanding the message of the gospel often calls for us to have old beliefs challenged by our God. We will be called to move past our favorite verses into enjoying all that He says.

When you deal with a passage of some controversy just be sure it is there for a reason. God did not just smooth out every difficult place in scripture. Realize that people who truly love God and believe in the truth of scripture often reach differing conclusions with such passages. My ideas may not be lockstep with anyone else but the issue is primarily about my approach to the process. I believe God said what He wanted to say in scripture. Sometimes what is said may be uncomfortable or even difficult. This does not excuse me from wrestling with the text. God's word may be less about my agreement and more on my action to obey. Every believer must be submissive to God who gave us the Bible. Each attitude must be grounded in humility and submission. Scripture was never meant to be a weapon to attack other believers. We need it to guide us and to build us up in the faith.

Scripture does suggest that women are not meant to be senior pastors. This is not a knock against women but a continuation of how God operates in the Bible. It does not let us know what happens when the position is an assistant ministry role. It also does not say women should never say anything in church. The original words reflect the idea of women being open to teaching and maturity. This is no doubt in response to false teachers who would influence women as they enjoyed their new freedoms in Christ. Remember that both in Acts and other places that we do find women who teach or aid in leading local churches. We also cannot escape how different the world of the first church was in comparison to ours. Taking a verse out of context or ignoring cultural clues in interpretation are equally dangerous. You may find an answer but it may not be anywhere close to being genuine. This topic calls for real humility, patience and grace to those who may have strong opinions. Being right in your opinion is never an excuse for acting wrong.

I can only hope all of this rambling makes some sense. My prayer is that it gives you a reason to think or pray for yourself. We live in a world of real evil so it seems logical to me that we not waste time at odds with other believers. Looks like we will need another turn at dealing with this here on the blog. Just remember that we began on Sunday so this is day four of our musings. Please read one along with the others to get the full picture of what is being said. Until tomorrow...

Bro. Trey

2011-09-20T23:30:00.000-05:00

We greased the wheels the last two nights working our way to some measure of a finale. Now it's time to put some of the last two posts in perspective. Too long have we allowed biblical scholarship to be the domain of either the liberal or the fundamentalist. One wants to display their intelligence through their efforts to poke holes in scripture. The other just tosses their brain out in search of the simple or dogmatic statement of faith. One is like the far too fancy meal that leaves you hungry when you are done. The other is like junk food that gives you a momentary satisfaction but does nothing to make you healthy. Being a follower of Jesus was never meant to be easy or neat. A closer look at the gospels will tell you not everyone will pay the price for real maturity. It is one reason the church tends to remain in its anemic state.

We will never ever reach a consensus on women in ministry. My denomination is one that constantly fractures over this issue. Is there really a biblical balance to this? Be reminded that what follows is my view on the matter. My aim is to be short and to the point. You may question my conclusions but do not do the same to my approach to the Bible. It is true, eternal and not always as clear as we might like. I do believe that scripture resists the notion of a woman as senior pastor. This does not mean other churches are evil or doing the devil's work if they so choose. If another church employs or calls a woman then my aim to be show Christian cooperation with her and the congregation. If every church is truly autonomous then it lies in their decision as to who they call to be the leader. Arrogance is still unacceptable even when we disagree with the direction another person or church takes.

What about other areas of ministry? Can a woman serve in assistant roles such as music, students and the like? My answer again comes down to the nature of a particular local church. There is nothing sacred or holy in a church building. People who believe in the reality of the believer being the presence of God can still drift into wrong ideas. We will declare that the church is not really the building yet end up with a view of the platform as something sacred. Do we fail to miss the poor logic of such thinking? All of this is said with the idea that women can surely perform ministry that expands past the kitchen. We would be in dire straits if every woman suddenly stopped teaching our children or other significant ministry. One church may not be of a mindset that allows a female to serve in various paid ministries. Many solid or bible believing congregations do have ministry staff that is female. Their theology is as conservative as there is yet they go in different paths when it comes to this.

Tomorrow we will pick up with how we deal with the biblical text as it relates to this. Let me go ahead and say that proof texting is a dangerous way to answer these questions. You may quote a verse that appears to forbid this but there are also texts that can support it. Be very careful of anyone who just throws a single bible verse to answer a serious conundrum. That dog won't hunt as we say in my part of Texas. Serious people who believe scripture to be eternally true differ in their conclusions. We better get some humility before deciding that ours is the only approach worth taking.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-19T23:27:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a little revolution is good for everyone. Challenges can nudge us out of comfort zones into new horizons of spiritual life. Thinking is also a very good habit for believers to develop. Many who profess faith do not seem to want to strain the brain by giving deep thought. Reciting lines we hear from others takes the place of a cultivated faith. Jesus never said we would check our minds at the door when we became a follower. Now do not think that my point is that real faith is only for the educated or the smart. An academic may be educated but they are not always intelligent. Scripture speaks of wisdom as a quality to be desired. You usually do not gain wisdom without working things out in the heart and mind.

My personal disposition is toward being conservative in my theology. I believe the Bible is true from cover to cover. There are indeed places that seem difficult to interpret or grasp but it does not lessen its truthfulness. If something is in scripture then you begin by accepting its reality. God made no mistakes putting our Bible together. Human beings surely played a role in all of this but we can trust His word. I say all of this because of the passages where we are left with more questions than answers. We said last night that God never resolves all of the tension in some areas of scripture. One passage indicates His election of sinners to salvation. Another passage may sound very different but we live in the present tense with the tension. All of this calls for an abundance of humility from the believer. Arrogance is never an attractive character trait.

Anytime there is a biblical discussion where people begin playing the "what if" game is a call for being very careful with out convictions. I remember being in meetings where people tried to figure out how the number of weddings for a prospective deacon came into play. You also had these people trying to find out if a spouse had a living former spouse. You need to know my thought process checks out in the midst of all of the what ifs. Another big one for my denomination deals with the role of women in church life. Real live religious wars break out over that one. My problem is yet again on how many people get hurt in the friendly fire of such discussions. In our zeal to be proven right we tend to run over those who didn't deserve the pain.

All of scripture is true. It is eternal as it originates in God. Human beings just need to be wary against the temptation to choose up sides especially in the difficult passages. Someone may truly believe scripture who does not agree totally with me. That has to be acceptable. We have to recognize what does bind us together without being distracted by our differences. It is all part of growing up in the faith. Learning how to interpret scripture is a serious discipline. Allowances must be made for another person to reach a slightly different conclusion than ours. God never calls us to be robotic in our religion. Uniqueness is built by divine design into the body of Christ. That is what makes church so amazing. Reaching this point is yet again neither easy or neat. But be sure that we must get there in order to be fully mature.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-18T23:48:00.000-05:00

Guess it's a good thing there is no daily deadline to writing on the blog. We will just start over again this week with much better intentions. The problem is we all know where intentions can lead. So our last post was about growing up as a church. Turns out that can be a timely topic after all. Way too many congregations fail when it comes to dealing with issues. Our usual choice is between denial or disintegrating into anger. Experience tells me that our usual preference is name calling or dividing up groups. Having genuine dialogue seems alien to us. We absolutely must learn to face whatever comes our way in mature and holy ways. Failure is not an option.

Sometimes our troubles grow out of our sincere desire to understand scripture. The problem is here that too many believers subscribe to other's theories without really making them personal. Time is seldom made to work though or think through what we believe. One big area where this happens is how we view the end times. We make one approach the ultimate agenda for this theology. Many sincere and bible believing academics come to different answers to the same question. I only ask that a person holds to a literal, visible, personal and historic faith that Jesus will return. My theology is large enough to let God decide when that will take place. Yet, how many churches or believers simply quote what another says without really examining all of the meaning? Can't we do better?

Another problem shows up when we major on minors in scripture. We again have many academics or plain believers who live with certain issues that motivate their life. My own denomination fractures time and time again over things that are not at the heart of the gospel. Name calling is our prominent method of dealing with these differences. Scripture often displays tension in various areas of doctrine. What makes this worse is there is no attempt to solve those tensions. So we argue over how much God calls or elects and how much a human being can do in believing. Churches work themselves into a frenzy trying to count the number of weddings for deacons. Maybe they worry that the female gender carries to much weight in ministry. Doing biblical interpretation is not always easy or neat. It can be very messy. Let me warn you that some arguments really do not have simple answers. Some questions in theology remain beyond resolution since the beginning of scripture. It is just what it is.

What are we supposed to do? One thing is to just take a deep breath until you decide whether you deal with a mountain or a molehill. Just be sure that what is one to you will be the other to someone else. Another thing to remember is discussion may not lead to a change of mind. Trying to alter another person's belief can be perilous at the least. Never hide from honest discussion. It's one way we grow as human beings much less as believers. Always try to listen to the perspective of another person. You may not agree but you can show respect. I also find that accusing someone of not believing the Bible because of their faith is a sure fire way to mess things up. Be sure that doing this is an unbiblical behavior when it comes to relationships. Lastly, do not fail to love another person even if you think they are wrong. The whole point of growing up is to be a positive influence on people. Do not abdicate that role in the pursuit of being right. Life is hard enough without learning how much we need each other.

Let's stop there for now. We may pick up with this theme again tomorrow. May we all learn how to mature even when there are differences among us.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-15T00:17:00.000-05:00

My life is spent in the strangest business in the world. Church life is about the weirdest place to choose a career. I know that there is the element of being called by God but it still has bizarre moments. Do not think of this as a complaint. It is far from being a complaint but it is just the truth. Most business aims to find a single niche in its existence. Advertising companies advertise. A plumbing business fixes stuff. Doctors go into business to treat people when sick or injured. You get the idea. Also remember that you don't go to a plumber with an earache. Lawyers are probably not going to get you much help repairing your sink. But everyone seems to have their unique idea on what church is to be about. There is the beginning of our problems.

My shelves are lined with books on all aspects of church life. I went to school for years to do the business of church. You would think two degrees and almost a third would be enough to figure some of this out. Let me just say that education is a help but nothing does as good as banging your head against the wall. Most people in ministry will never tell you about the frustrations of being a church leader. You seldom get to hear or read of the horror stories that go along with congregational life. Trust me when I tell you that there are more than you could ever imagine. This does not mean that the church is beyond redemption. Nor does it mean my hope for a healthy church is forever lost. Whatever issues affect a church will never be solved by denial. We will always be better for healthy self examination.

My constant thesis is we will always be better as church when we are in line with God's vision. Our number one obstacle is that we view church in selfish terms rather than biblical. I don't mean selfish as the negative application. **** A fast update here. Just finished visiting with our departing student minister. Means today's blog will show up as tomorrow. My bad. **** Where were we? Churches would do well to take a long look at the biblical picture of who they are. I read over some Old Testament background this evening in our gathering. What becomes vivid is that God first intends for the church to be a gathering of His people. His call is to be a holy people for His pleasure. To miss this is to miss so much of God's purpose.

Church is first about people. It is about people who respond to His call to salvation. We are a prized possession to God. This is true in both Old and New Testament. There is more to the congregation than just being organized. Being the church is all about people. That is why the stories can range from triumphant to tragic. It is why church can be the best of times or the worst of times. God does desire greater things from us than recycling broken ideals. May we discover all that He has in store for us.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-12T23:50:00.000-05:00

There was one major task for me to accomplish today. It was one that would take all of my best abilities and focus. My years of experience would be put to the test in ways beyond anticipation. Morning came early knowing what laid ahead for me. What was this serious task of the day? It was...babysitting. Our student minister is moving so I got to watch their six month old son for awhile. Spending time with an infant must be like riding a bike. You never forget. We talked, played, ate and enjoyed a few hours together. He did not fall asleep which made the last bit of time more challenging. He was very ready to return to his mother for his nap. Things did get a tad messy at times but we are guys so we don't let it bother us.

Now we are again searching for a student minister. The last search took far too long so my hope is this one moves much faster. That was a rough time around here. Most of my grey hair came in during that time. What little sanity that was there went far away. I knew God's timing would always come about but not many others agreed with me. Waiting for God is not one of those things many believers do very well. Impatience always gives way to getting in His way. Amazing that the Psalms talk so much about that area of trust with God yet we just cannot seem to wait. We will do our part in this effort. I already started reaching out to some people for help. Praying is essential in all of this. Seems like our actions with God's direction go hand in hand here.

Learning how to wait on God is a huge part of growing up. It may not gain much attention but it is critical to maturity. Waiting calls for us to resist our natural urge to take over when we do not see anything happening. I sometimes wonder how many people settle for good when waiting on God might lead to great? Timing matters a great deal in the things of God. To see nothing going on never means God is not at work. He is always at work if we just know how to notice. Take in scripture on a regular basis in preparation for God to act. Spend time talking and listening to God discovering what He is trying to tell you. Keep a journal to record what you read or hear along the way. You will find those notes a source of guidance as you move along. Be willing to resist that sinful nature that wants to help God along. It's a lot like babysitting an infant. You know the time will pass where the child grows up. But just be sure it happens even when you don't see it. God's time will come to pass. Just make each day count as it does.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-11T20:13:00.000-05:00

We are moving into the afterglow of 9/11 observances across the country. Our church spent the first part of our service doing patriotic songs and such. It just seems impossible to really capture all of the emotion involved in one service. My view is that this is a painful yet helpful anniversary for us as a whole. Looking back into the pain is not easy but it can let us know how we are doing since that day. It is also true that television just does not convey the sights and sounds of this event. Count me as among the many people who never visited New York City. My mind cannot fathom the scenes of that day or this one. My hope is that our small observance is enough to keep the memory alive with honor.

Our country is just struggling so much now. I am not going to do a catalog of issues since most of us already feel the pain of the problems. It is enough to know that every area of our society is tested during these days. Business as usual will just not be enough to see us through. Believers tend to put too much stock into politics. There is an idea going around that God only uses people of a single political persuasion to do His work. Never forget that in the Old Testament that God had a way of taking pagan rulers to use them for His purpose. The prophets would speak often of divine direction being offered even when the bad guy seemed to be in charge. Turning to the New Testament reveals how God transformed people not by their vote but by His presence. History tells us that even the Romans could not eliminate the work of God through that early church. Maybe we would do well to remember that?

Divisions continue to define our country even following that attack on all of America ten years ago. Neither political party seems to know how to govern or lead this nation to real security. Blame should rest not just on whoever is President but on all who choose govern the land of the free and the home of the brave. I truly believe our founding fathers would wonder what happened to their original intent in the Constitution. My goal in saying all of this is to remind us that any real solution will first be spiritual. We live in a unique and distinct country. Our nation survived decades of conflicts across the sea. We also withstood this attack on our homeland. I don't think any final blow will come from outside our shores. We will lose our way when we become selfish or hollow on the inside.

I pray our vision will not be limited by tragedy or tyranny. May we seek to be His people in our present tense condition. Let us honor those who gave lives in service by living larger than our wants. God can take the worst of times to make them useful for Him. A real tragedy would be to let the horrible define us rather than God's grace. Let your light shine. It will always be enough to overcome any darkness.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-08T23:27:00.000-05:00

Ten years ago we were totally unaware of the impending disaster that was only days away. America went about life business as usual with no consideration of the dangers approaching. Most of us cannot recall what we did on September 9 or 10. We all remember where we were on September 11. Our memories are seared in terms of how we learned of the horrific events of the day. A simple yet odd story of a plane crash developed into four airplanes targeting significant sites in our country. Our entire way of life was forever altered that day. A nation that thought itself safe from such violence had that innocence ripped away. We felt confusion, despair and anger as time moved forward. Normal would never be viewed again the same way.

We now approach ten years since that fall morning. Can it really be a decade since those attacks? Perhaps our awareness of that day is similar to our grandparents and Pearl Harbor. Horrible events seem to find away to remain in the present tense. 9/11 remains a permanent marker in terms of how we view time. It defines us as a nation. You cannot imagine what life would be without its reality. Over 3,000 lives were violently taken away that morning. Many more lives were lost in the wars that would follow. Someone will also mention over the next few days about the number of injuries suffered by our soldiers in our efforts abroad. It will be years before every aftershock of this day comes to a conclusion.

I spent a lot of time this week reading over how churches responded in those days. We will take time this Sunday for remembrance. Words from those early days were raw without the insight that time now allows us. Many of the prayers or sermons focused on our grief as a nation. Experts were still in the process of understanding who it was that attacked us. Congress was unified for those first weeks until the usual partisan politics returned. Hindsight is teaching us about mistakes made in intelligence as well as in our war effort. Our focus remains on avoiding another calamity. We move forward while still having the memory of that occasion running through our mind.

It seems to me that church or the Christian life did not drastically improve for long after 9/11. Some congregations opened their doors for people to pray. Many churches saw attendance rise briefly in the aftermath. But the numbers tell us that our impact on society is no better now than it was then. Bad things are not enough to cause society to change. Our politics is worse than ever. The economy continues to grow worse every day. There is no need to continue with the list since you already know this. Changing a society calls for a supernatural power that comes solely from God. It requires obedience to the original mission given to the disciples over 2,000 years ago. We can still make a difference. But we will need the desire to be different ourselves by God's help.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-07T23:32:00.000-05:00

It is again one of those weeks where you lose track of time. Three day weekends seem to take more than two days to catch up. Most of my time is spent trying to recall what the day is today. My youngest enjoys it because it is one less day of school for the week. Probably most kids enjoy weeks like this one. The fires continue to rage all around here. I do not know what it will take to quell this outbreak. It is true that our normal East Texas country side will not be the same.

Our church is moving toward yet another transition. Our student minister is moving to the Dallas area to work with another congregation. We will and do wish him well. The ministry will be very different than here but perhaps new avenues of ministry will open. We will soon take on the task of seeking whomever God may wish to take up the call here. Our past history is not very promising in this. Our size and location seem to set limits on those who may have an interest in ministry. Sunday will be his last day here in someways. There is grief for his moving away. Many will need time to gain traction without his constant presence. My primary hope is for God to allow us to find a new person in far less time than average.

His announcement led to some odd questions along the way. A few people are inquiring whether or not I will be the next to go. That was my topic this evening in our Wednesday gathering. Some speculate if I would be moving soon to be closer to my daughter in college. Perhaps some ask as they wish my departure was immanent. My idea was to just be honest with the people gathered for our prayer time. Eleven years of ministry in one place allows some freedom to be honest even if it is rare. Some may be disappointed in my answers. Maybe some are pleased in my response. All one can do is tell the truth about a given situation.

There are two major reasons why the odds of my relocating are slim. The first major problem is in my being a cancer survivor. Not many churches are going to take a chance on me dying on them. I even had one church tell me they probably would not consider me because of how much money they would need to spend on insurance. That also soured my opinion of them as well. Another reason comes down to my being old. Fifty may not sound old but it is when churches talk to young guys. Most congregations will opt for the younger version rather than experience. This is not a matter of what is fair but it simply is what it is.

Some comment that part of adulthood is accepting your limits. You learn to find joy in what truly matters. Sometimes this means literally moving to a new place in life. It can also mean finding contentment where you are in the present tense. It is all part of being faithful to God wherever you are.

Bro. Trey

2011-09-06T23:20:00.000-05:00

The last few days turned out to be wild. This leads to yet another apology for missing out on writing here on the blog. Maybe its that time wasn't spent wisely to allow room for writing. Some of the absence is just due to the usual drain on the ideas. Our local school played the big rival last Friday night. Turned out to be a game that received statewide attention. We lost. Now the kids try to regroup for the next game. I also got to spend time with my favorite daughter over the weekend. Never thought the sounds of her phone going off with messages would sound so good. It was truly great to just be together for awhile. It was the drive home that really changed everything up around here.

You would think my son and I were seeing clouds as we approached our area of the state. I knew that it was anything but clouds. Wildfires are raging all across our area. Most of East Texas is affected by these raging infernos now. Thousands of acres are being lost on a daily basis. Some lives are already casualties of this act of nature. My hometown is at ground zero of some of the worst fires. Even where I live now is being affected by fires. Smoke covers my town much like fog. You can smell leaves or trees burning even when miles away. Scores of brave men and women are out in the woods night and day trying to at least make a dent in containing the blazes. We can only hope that time and effort will bring them success.

Summer continues to take its toll on us. Rain is almost a forgotten word now. Temperatures finally broke a tad but it is little comfort without rain. Now we are losing acres of trees along with the land. This is something never seen here before. My time in the Panhandle allowed me a view of how wildfires can grow out of control. Who would imagine that East Texas could ever become so dry that they would be an issue here? Our normal weather pattern is more like the tropics than the desert. Just about any small spark today would lead to a massive firestorm. I cannot begin to predict how long the fires are going to last. But there will be no real relief until rain falls for a duration.

Feeling helpless is never any fun. No one ever enjoys that frustration. This is why most human beings strive so hard to make life manageable. We crave that idea of being in control. Our actions toward others can often be directed by the need for control. We even do our religion that way. We claim our faith in God yet avoid any risk to our well being. Life happens on occasion to remind us that we really are not in control. But rather than lean upon God we tend to work harder to regain that illusion. We cannot wish these fires away. We cannot deny their existence. We surely cannot control them. We can seek God for help in times like this. We can do our part if called upon. We can learn to be grateful for His many gifts to our life.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-31T23:49:00.000-05:00

We are discussing love a lot on Sunday mornings lately. It was not my original plan but just one of those things that happened. Plan number one was to talk about some basics of the spiritual life through Labor Day. A funny thing happened on the way with that agenda. One idea led to another to where we are on week three of this topic. Let me go ahead and be honest to say we still don't get it as a general rule. We talk or sing about love but exhibit very few of its characteristics. We find it easy to work up a good sweat speaking against social ills but we seem to fail to think about our heart very much. You can get more than a few amens when speaking on the end times but you will get mostly blank stares talking about relationships.

Something is comforting when we can point our fingers at other issues in society. We do enjoy blaming other problems for our current condition. Jesus said much more about relationships or love than most any other topic we can imagine. So why do we still settle for relations that trend more toward evil than grace? Things like abortion, drinking, or being a democrat very seldom if ever cause damage in the congregation. We mostly just refuse to take scripture serious when it comes to loving others. Normally our troubles are not from being liberal but from just being lazy. We look for the easy way out when dealing with others. Our lives reflect the least common denominator rather than God's call to care.

Caring about other people means thinking about their feelings. Being blunt is not always a positive trait in human living. Our focus is more on speaking our view of the truth without it being flavored with love. People would rather be right in opinions than gentle in relationships. This happens in families, with friends and among people of faith. Criticism becomes a common indoor sport among churches. People live with wounds inflicted by those who do not understand. Far too much of our attention revolves around personalities and not what is the mission of the church. Jesus said we should love as He loved. That may sound so impossible that we just forfeit before we get into the game.

My hope for people to experience godly relationships is far less than in my idealistic youth. Years of the reality of dealing with broken people will slowly erode that hope. I still believe that if true revival were to ever happen it will be anchored in the grace and love of God. Jesus also said the world would know us by our love. My fear is that they do know us like that yet find us still yielding more to our human desires than our eternal nature. Maybe we will someday get real about becoming loving people rather than those who just want to be right.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-30T23:31:00.000-05:00

Let me apologize for this post before we get too far into it. It is one of those that may sound like complaining or even whining. None of us really care for people who whine so I try to avoid it. Think of tonight as just simply laying out some things that normally get very little attention. The part that will be misunderstood is that it is really about me. Being selfish is one of those things we do not easily confess. We usually just do not see our attitude or action as being self serving. It is one of our huge blind spots. But there are times when we need to address things even if we run the risk of seeming egocentric. So forgive me for just being honest here. Sometimes life is not easy or pretty.

Many pastors do work very hard at their job. One reason is that doing church work is always a challenge with the many crises that arise in any given day. Some ministers may work too hard if the truth were known. Far too many men lose credibility with their children by choosing to do the minor parts of church life rather than being present for the kids. One of my early decisions was that my children would not have to look at my picture to remember how I look. My goal was to raise them as normal as possible without all of the pressures that can develop when being a minister. That decision has not changed one bit over the years. I also will not apologize for choosing family or kids over work. This is even more settled since becoming a cancer survivor.

But one thing is very different now. My daughter is away at college so it is my task to be free for my autistic son whenever needed. Just today was a call from the school to come up and help out with something. It did not take long nor was he in trouble. But it was only one thing for us to do this day. We also took him to the doctor for an annual checkup. Other fun errands followed that adventure. Getting home just meant a few minutes of free time before doing homework for the night. He does a great job doing his assignments. Then it was all of the getting ready for bed stuff. We seem to be able to cram a lot of stuff into a small amount of time. Tomorrow carries the same expectation for the activities. The question is not if we will be busy but what will we be busy doing?

You may be noticing a trend developing. My daughter is a great help with him when she is home. Now it is primarily my job to be the dad whenever there is a need. So what am I going to do about my other job of being a minister? There are only so many hours in any day but it is my task to use them well. I did some administrative stuff today while in the office. I also am making a new effort to keep up with reading books related to church life. Two brand new works sit by my chair at home. So far we are aiming at a chapter each day. There is also the reality that taking care of myself is not an option. Exercise and rest are critical for my well being. This is more than my physical health but it matters for my emotional and spiritual life. I did the dying thing once already and that was enough for me.

There is going to be a balance between being a dad and being a pastor. It may take some time to find it but it is possible. Stress is the friend of no one. All of us have to seek a manner of living that is challenging without tearing us down. Jesus models that tension of being busy doing God's work while having time to stay fresh. He made time to spend with friends or be alone or just step away from being too busy. I am a long way from doing that but it's still a goal. Some will find fault with these priorities and I understand that. God decided to give me a special needs son. He also allows me to hopefully keep things going with other needs in home life. Failing at any of this is not really an option. Maybe my next writing on this will not be so stressed. Guess we will find out the answer to this together.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-29T00:30:00.000-05:00

My usual Sunday post will now appear on Monday. I got a late start then visited with some people for awhile in the office. The visit was great but now the time stamp will be off. I really do not know what a time stamp is but it does something here. Most sixth grade students know far more about computers than I ever will. This is something that bothers me not one bit. Pointing and clicking work just fine for me. Anything above that is way beyond my ability. Even my autistic son knows more about working these machines than me. He really is a whiz when it comes to technology. I even call on him to do stuff to our television when needed. I may not know much but even less is known about computers.

Anyway, my original point was just to say how the evening got away from me. Time has a way of doing that even with the best intentions. I took my son last week to see a kid's movie revolving around the issue of time. The film will not win any major awards but it wasn't all bad. The main characters needed to learn that how we use our time now matters greatly. We spend far too much energy wishing for more hours or days without really making our current measure count. I need to remember this constantly. You would think that being a cancer survivor would cure me of this ailment but it still happens. School begins its second week with me still wondering where did my summer go? Now there is a constant urge to get everything into each day.

It is true that some days may matter more than others. August 29 is always a huge day for me. It was nineteen years ago that my daughter entered the world. This is my first occasion of her celebrating her day without me. I told her that this does not please me at all. My hope is that her new friends at college will make her feel worth celebrating. I should get to see her next weekend if all falls right. We did spend much more time together than some parents get to do. This is one of the good things about my job. And yet is still was not nearly as much time as I could wish for now. Time matters greatly whether we acknowledge it or not. We all get the same amount of hours and minutes in a day but some of us use them more wisely.

Make the days work for you rather than just roaming through them. Be a difference maker for others so their day is brighter. Use spare moments to reflect or regroup spiritually in the midst of our busyness. Learn to be grateful for each day God allows. It is much more than changing your calendar. You may discover how it changes your life.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-27T01:39:00.000-05:00

It's that time of the year again here in Texas. Football season is underway in high schools across the state. People who are not from here just cannot fathom the depth of devotion given to the local team. Most of my life revolves around one local school in one small town or the other. Should there ever be a move in my future you can be sure the one thing missed the most is my decade long affiliation to the school here. I still try to keep current on the school of my graduation. I also still follow two other programs where I lived in the past. Friday nights are meant to be spent in some stadium or the other. It is just a way of life for me whether that is good or bad.

You may know my role goes beyond being a casual fan. I am also the designated person who shoots the video for coaches to use through the week. This task is one to be enjoyed even when it does get tiring. My travels range from Dalhart to Texarkana. I shot film in the Panhandle all the way to Waco or other points along the way. Texas Stadium was my home away from home for about three weeks during the 2005 playoff run. I've been at games so hot you lost weight even standing still. A few games were about as cold as one can remember in our state. Most of the kids who are in my camera range are just good players wanting to do their best for their team. I have gotten to film some young men who went on to very good college careers. I also can count two or three NFL players who passed by my lens. My part of their success is very small but it does feel good to be a minor part of their growth.

This evening began my fifteenth year of filming high school football games. I stumbled into the job years ago completely by accident. My attendance at a practice game led to a night of shooting video. My friend who was head coach then asked me to come back next week. That was two schools and many miles ago. Tonight was my 130th win over all. I was bored one night a few years ago so I counted up my record. The 20-0 win today brings my record to 130 - 44. I might be almost famous were that a coaching account and not just filming. What is my secret to winning? You just have to be at the right school at the right time. Those numbers are more about the coaches and players than my ability to shoot video.

There really is no way to make a spiritual spin on all of this. I would like to think it's something done as an act of service. Replacing my work would be no big thing for our team. Sometimes the drives or the weather can be a bit much. I do try to talk or listen if a coach or player needs advice or anything like that. We will have to wait to see what this year brings our team. Odds are good for another playoff appearance. How long that playoff run lasts is too far away to speculate. Football is like life in that respect. You only go a game or a day at a time.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-23T23:43:00.000-05:00

Today sure turned out to be a busy news day. Libya once again took center stage during most of the newscasts. I guess it will always escape me why those in revolutions fire off their guns after overthrowing a ruler. Looked like one guy nearly got shot in the head just by standing next to one of the rebels. Remind me to stay inside at any future revolutions. Then came the news that an earthquake struck on our east coast area. The good news is our historic monuments and such are not damaged. Business will be open as usual tomorrow.

One piece of news hit me harder than all of the others. Pat Summitt is the women's basketball coach at the University of Tennessee. This will be her 38th year in that position. She has more wins than any other basketball coach in history. This record includes even coaches in men's basketball. Her teams earned eight national titles through the years. She announced her diagnosis of early stages of dementia. It is indeed the type that leads to Alzheimer's later in life. She is only 59 years of age. Her plans are to continue coaching until it is impossible. Let me just confess that it really affected me when I read this.

Being a cancer survivor changes a lot in my outlook. Disease angers me more than before my journey. It is woven into humanity but it still just simply makes me mad. Maybe we do not often see illness as part of the downfall of sin. We just see it as something that happens in random fashion. There is a definite reason why our eternal glory is free of sickness. God will one day wipe our eyes from all tears. Horrific diseases are a very human reminder of our limitations. We discover how frail this body can really become. We realize just how dependent on God we truly are. There really is a land that is fairer than day but can our faith see it afar? When our problems have the final word in our life then we may miss the greater vision. Being sure of eternity is one way to see through every setback into the eyes of God.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-22T23:23:00.000-05:00

School started around here today. Most reports of the day are good so far. Only 179 more school days left until the next graduation ceremony. Technically it is still summer but at least we are moving back into the routine. My son rides the bus to and from school on normal days. He somehow was overlooked this morning by the bus driver. His ride came a little late but it was a personal drive in a big SUV. I don't think he minded one bit getting to school in an official vehicle. The bus did bring him back home after the end of classes. His few comments did sound as if he had a good time. I think he really looked forward to seeing his teacher and his friends.

My daughter also started her classes down at Baylor today. Most of last week was more like a college camp in the activities. Tomorrow is her busy day of school stuff. She has a very odd schedule in that she has Fridays totally free. You couldn't do that if you tried. All of our seniors from last year are now hard at work across campuses. Christmas break should bring quite a few stories as they return home for the holiday. My plan is to go see her on Sunday afternoon and Monday here in a few weeks. I usually feel a bit guilty not being here for all of Labor Day in terms of doing church. My bet is those feelings are gone in exchange for seeing my daughter.

Everything is changing just as predicted. Time will tell how my response goes but life is forever different. One constant will remain. I am forever a dad. It is the best job of my life. I could not remotely begin to thank God enough for this honor. You know this about me should you read here very often. It escapes me how some men just totally blow off being a father. No one can ever measure the damage that occurs when a dad fails to take his role seriously. Boys and girls suffer equally in this disaster. I do wonder how much of the crime, abusive relationships and other social ills are a direct result of this problem. This is doing much more than being around at home. A man can be at the house while still wrecking havoc upon those around him. Fatherhood is arguably the single most significant issue for children to become fully functioning adults. It is true that some children can still fail even with a good father figure. But it is also true that failure rate drops dramatically.

We could obviously turn to talk about God as our father. Time does not allow us to do that this evening. We will leave it with this thought. How we relate to God will determine every other relationship in our life. You and I will be as healthy with others as we are with Him. That is one thing that will never change.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-21T23:41:00.000-05:00

There was a moment today when my attention focused to tonight. It turned out be a long week with college, shopping, grass fires and the like. Guess you didn't know about the grass fire since it happened on Friday afternoon. Some power lines went nuts in the heat which caused sparks to fall in my yard. Now my once green grass is a nice shade of black. That was enough excitement to last me for awhile. My original point was my looking forward to this time to stop and catch my breath. Today went well so there is at least a content feeling now. My body hurts but that is constant at my age it seems. Walking and jogging ten miles in four days probably also helped with the aches.

Our focus today was learning how to love as Jesus loved. It was a follow up on what we talked about last Sunday. I wrote on Thursday how trying to say more on a previous topic can be hard. You are always tempted to mimic your earlier efforts. Seems like that tendency was avoided today. Emphasizing a different aspect of this idea carried its own weight to the process. The point is that we do need to learn to love as scripture commands. Divine love is not something natural to a human being. Our usual approach is to look no further than our own needs or wants in relationships. Odds are good that being serious about learning to love will come with pain. We will need to unlearn some ideas that damage us in the past, present and future tense. Putting our new insight into practice will also come with some discomfort. Moving from self serving to living out the heart of God may sound simple but it is not ever easy.

God reveals His love for us in Jesus. The old song still rings true that "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." He lays down His life in order for us to discover what true love or grace is all about. Most church people would answer yes if asked if they would give their life for even those they may not particularly like. It does sound like the right answer for us. The problem is that laying our life down is not just a one time experience. This is a priority for everyday living. We have to allow God to sever us from being selfish each day we live. Only when we realize His love can we begin to share it with anyone. Maybe what we consider to be love for those in our group is only a sense of being secure with people like us. We confuse loving others with feeling safe with our type of people.

God loves the world so much that He gave the Son away. He still loves us as individuals. It comes natural to Him. We will probably need to overcome self inflicted obstacles in order to even imagine loving others with that type of grace. Can it really be done? A better question is can we afford to miss out on receiving or giving that love to self and others?

Bro. Trey

2011-08-18T23:03:00.000-05:00

If last Sunday was unusually good as far as services go then this week will be tough. Everything just came together last week for a genuine service of worship. Every so often you can have one of those should you remain in God's guidance. Here is the problem for the next one. You can be tempted to duplicate all you did in the prior service in order to have the same experience. I know because it is one of those early pitfalls common in the early years of ministry. My tendency was to mimic whatever seemed to work in a service even though the results often fell very short. Now that problem is less but it does still exist as potential reality. You run up against a wall a few times and you learn the hard way what to avoid.

Another issue is the message last Sunday did seem to have more effectiveness than normal. I do not claim much credit for that at all. This does not mean my part wasn't important but you learn over the years where real credit is due. There is probably a real need to do some follow up on what was said. Several questions or issues are still needing to be addressed. We will try to do just that without appearing to just be reviewing old stuff. All of this is to say that this week is completely new and different than the last one. One can only pray for an attitude of openness to remain on Sunday morning.

Sometimes it does seem as if a service or sermon just writes itself. This week is not one of those times. To say that moving my daughter to college is a distraction just doesn't cover it. Every normal pattern of life is pulled up by its roots during such an occasion. This is no apology should it all fall flat this week but it is just an honest statement on reality. We live or work in one reality yet still declare our focus is eternal. How we put those two truths together determines our spiritual health. This is what God seeks to do each Sunday. It is part of my process each week. Let's hope that all of us meet at the same place when that time arrives.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-17T22:57:00.000-05:00

This was a long 24 hours. My daughter is safely set up in her dorm room at Baylor University. We finally gathered her belongings together yesterday afternoon after a day or so of final preparations. Getting to our hotel was a minor victory. Nothing was lost during a three hour drive. My son and I spent some time in the hotel pool before trying to get some rest. Morning was going to come early. Today was a reminder that summer may not end this year until Thanksgiving. At least the usual Central Texas breeze blew at a decent rate. I had enough coffee to at least get me going until the unloading got serious. You have to give credit to the school. They do have a pretty amazing thing going to help kids get into their new home away from home.

I pulled up to the street next to her dorm with my truck loaded with her stuff. A large group of college students then rushed to help me unload every box or bucket we carried. Each item was tagged with her dorm room and number. Most everything was up into her room before I could even pull away from the curb. This is the first year the school ran a shuttle bus from our parking area back to the dorm. Whoever thought of that idea should be nominated for a Nobel Prize. Thank goodness we rode back the half mile or so rather than walked across campus. It did take several hours to assemble or find a resting place for clothes and supplies. We finally pulled out of Waco close to 6:00 to start the journey to the house. Arriving home was a reminder that it just was not the same.

So let me draw to a close by saying that I do not like this one bit. Let me say that there is sadness but it isn't a sharp pain. My grief is more like the dull toothache that gnaws at you. But let me add that this is one of the things life is all about. We do try to raise our kids to go find their place in the world. We do try to pour our best into them so they discover their own grace. We do allow them to spread their wings to see what works best for them. Would I be content with her still home? The obvious answer to that is yes. But it is also true that both of us probably need to continue growing up. I will even pray she can do a better job of it than me.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-14T23:22:00.000-05:00

Today was a lot of fun. I got to baptize two adorable yet very giggly little girls this morning. One is a red haired cutie while the other is my Facebook friend. I am grateful to God for allowing me to have even a small part of that moment. It was a tough service in that two of our girls will be away at college next week. One of them is of course my daughter. We will honestly miss them playing keyboard during our worship. Times are changing fast around here. One can only hope these will be changes that extend God's goodness in the lives of others. Times like these tend to be too far and too in between. God tends to operate where He is invited. Being a part of good church services is something we can all celebrate.

There were lots of tears around my house today. I won't go into all of the details other than to say time is drawing near for college. Seems like there is one goodbye gathering after the other lately. My memory of going off to school was just getting in my vehicle and going. Part of this is because of the closeness of so many of the friends. That is a good thing to be sure. I admire how strong those relationships became over the years. Now each of them will be going their separate ways. Grief is a normal reaction to this. But we can forget how growing up often takes us in various paths along the way. It is the way of life. It is how we learn to be human.

No one really ever remains stagnant. Part of being alive means the constant growth in every way possible. You and I do not remain the same. Our hope is that we find God's help in our becoming who He intends us to be. This is true whether you are moving to college or you are half a hundred in age. Arriving at our destination will not ever totally happen until we are at home with God. Here is one reason for some sense of anticipation for each day. You know this is a day when God will do something to bring you closer to the target of maturity. Now you know why our earthly journey is one of constant shifting, growing or changing no matter our age. You may indeed have to move physically to get to the next step of developing. You may find times when it takes place right where you are. Being stable is never God's best word for us. Remaining the same is no option.

Faith includes the idea of treading into places that may be unfamiliar. We take the risk of moving with God rather than becoming wedged in the same old existence. This is life abundant. This is the definition of cutting edge living. Tears can be involved to be sure. Just remember the greater outcome is one of joy. Change can be painful but it is essential for healthy living. We tend to be most alive when our God moves us to new places. To remain in sameness is far more dangerous than taking the risk of faith. Pray for an open heart and a clear mind to uncover what riches of grace may be given to us each day.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-10T23:51:00.000-05:00

It is my firm belief that the heat is wearing how the few brain cells remaining. Thinking of ideas for writing just seems to get increasingly difficult lately. One or two flash across my mind but nothing seems to stick or excite the emotions. All of the blame for this falls squarely upon my shoulders. Second guessing myself is one of my daily habits when it comes to the blog. Many of the thoughts revolve around family but we write about that enough. We could talk about the weather but that may only depress us more. Sports is another typical fallback topic that is used too often. Politics is way too messy to be a constant thread. So we just keep aiming at being creative.

Staying fresh is never an accident. You will have to be intentional in order for the creativity to keep flowing. We usually think of life in terms solely of our efforts. Intentional discipline does indeed go a long way in staying close to God. Jesus never says we will somehow wander into abundant life by mistake. He will model how making time for God is not optional for any of us. Notice that the early church also spent lots of time discovering this new life. Luke says they devoted their life and their time to growing in the faith. Is it no wonder the outcome of their mission was an explosion of grace? We tend to spend most of our time planning strategies rather than drawing close to God. Choosing to spend time with God is one aspect of being creative.

It is also true that life or creativity flow from God into our lives. He is the source of abundant living. Just being intentional with no recognition of His part will leave us high and dry. It is the Spirit that blows new life into our being. Scripture brings its fire to our heart when we allow it to speak. We are always in need of receiving His presence to bring life to all we are. Doing the acts of discipline will allow us to be real with God so He can renew us. We learn what His will is concerning our journey. We also discover truth for becoming who He wants us to be. Then we realize our ability to do better is never enough without divine help. Being dependent upon God is a huge first step to being creative and alive. We not only learn with our minds but we are filled with His Spirit.

Being fully alive comes from God. There is much more to it than just finding inspiration for a blog. We find courage to live by faith no matter the times.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-08T23:32:00.000-05:00

I went book shopping last weekend. That is not a surprise given my tendency to read. This time I was able to find a few books on sale. Cheap reading can be the best of all. Two novels were added to my stack. One book is a work on the War in Iraq during the last two years of the Bush presidency. My plan was to go with the fiction first but it did not turn out that way. Bob Woodward often writes on behind the scenes issues in Washington. I have several of his works on my shelves. His access into the people and process behind the war effort is fascinating. There are few efforts to give his opinion on our struggle but what he reveals is more than enough to capture the mind. Learning about the private issues regarding an event that still affects us is sobering. We find that even the most noble of efforts can be polarized by imperfect people.

One of the lasting themes of this conflict will be how intelligent people allow decisions to be shaped by fairly dumb motives. Do not think of me as a critic or lacking support for our efforts. We lost good men and women in the cause of freedom. Neither should you think of me as someone who even imagines that he knows better than people who lead our war efforts. But just realize that even the most educated of individuals can miss the warning signs of failure. Also know that pride, deceit, and other sinful emotions can come into play wherever you are. Our best attempts at being fully human still fall prey to the most common of ailments.

Woodward recounts how arguments over who would be in charge of planning will lead to failures before and during the war. He writes of how pride will blind leaders from the evidence in front of them. There is an account of two men who carry great responsibility for the war and end up severing a thirty year friendship. One man takes the other to task for obvious mistakes made during planning and executing the conflict. He seems to be correct in his conclusions at first glance. Perhaps both people are in the wrong but the lack of listening becomes a final blow in the friendship. This is only one example of how facts are often secondary to personal ego when relationships fracture. The writer does not need to criticize what was done preceding or during the war. What takes center stage is the human tendency to self destruct from within.

Let me tell you a secret. Problems like this are not limited to those in public office or with people of great power. Everyday church members relive conflicts like this on a regular basis. Here is what we usually do. We will hold to the claim that we love others just as Jesus commands. But no one asks if that equates to actually liking the other person. We find room to harbor anger, resentment or grudges while still declaring our love for others. Our words may say one thing when our actions truly do say another. No wonder our efforts in taking up God's mission can fall short. Love is not just a noun but it is a verb. It is what we do not just what we say. We become our own worst enemy when we forget that.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-07T23:37:00.000-05:00

We are trying to deal with some elemental issues of the faith on Sunday mornings lately. 1 John is our point of reference. Reading those words may not sound very exciting but they are important. This one book may say as much to the contemporary church as any other in scripture. John's setting is very similar to ours in terms of the problems faced then and now. Ours is a day of mixed up faith. Some of this is due to a mushiness that exists in some places. People tend to believe what they want to believe without checking it against the truth. Then we have other people who are driven by performance without much thought to the divine relationship. You will never be as good as them if you do not toe their line. Just being a normal believer can get difficult solely between these two extremes.

First we tried to answer the question of who exactly is a believer? John's words are a reminder that sin or failure is still a problem even for the best of believers. Be sure that many who go to church or are even active will measure their maturity by a set of expectations of their own making. People like this are quick to tell you what "real" believer do or don't do. You will find that list often if not always deals with their peculiar sense of religion. John tells us that to say you are without sin is a sure mark of failure. The person who follows Jesus does not focus on their failures. We do not need to look or stress over our sin. We do have a relationship with God where He will be our advocate or defender. Being honest with God as well as yourself will go a long way to defining your spiritual life. There is no failure God cannot forgive except for those we do not being to Him in humility.

Today our topic was on the marks of those who are followers of Jesus. We again needed to address how we practice selective sainthood rather than being real with God. John says that the person who knows God will balance relationship with responsibility. There are indeed aspects of our faith that call for our attention. We also realize that much of being intentional is in response to God's amazing love. People often hear me say that we cannot be who Jesus was but we can do what He did. Praying, quiet time, taking in scripture are all part of the life of Jesus. They mattered to Him so we can be sure they are even more critical to us. But never forget that John reminds us that it is God's love that completes us. Beyond all of our best efforts is a God who desires our full attention. What is great is how that desire never changes in any condition of life.

Being a follower of Jesus may not always be easy but it can be simple. We still need Him no matter how long we are a believer. He still loves us regardless of our success or failure rate. Contemporary congregations are in desperate need of regaining the basics. They often get lost in the maze of meetings and managing the church. I think we forget why we became believers in the first place far too often. Remembering the motive of our salvation may help us enjoy being saved. After all, what good is it to be an unhealthy Christian?

Bro. Trey

2011-08-05T23:46:00.000-05:00

Ouch. Didn't realize the lack of writing this week until just now. Guess it can be blamed on the heat this week. Just absolutely saps the life out of you. Maybe we will get a cool spell so temperatures can just be in the high 90's for a change. Never thought that I would see readings at 115 but it happened a few days on my truck thermometer. Remember this weather should it ever get cold or snowy in the winter months. It may not slow us down from complaining but it may keep us humble.

Let me admit to being distracted by my daughter leaving for college soon. I fully realize this is part of life but it still bugs me. My mind and even my heart knows how good this is but facts do not always promise feelings of anticipation. We are not going to go on and on about this other than to let you know it's on my mind. You may need to know that God gave us this first child long past the usual age of parents. It was a difficult and painful process most of the time. I was already 31 when she was born. Maybe this is one reason for my trying so hard to be a decent parent. This is surely one reason why my attachment to her as well as her brother is as it is. It is her turn to continue growing to find her destiny. My role may change but my heart stays the same.

My family took off for Fort Worth this weekend. It was quite the scene as they crowded into the car to make their departure. My youngest collected all of his electronic stuff even though its only a two day trip. Turns out that he forgot the power cable for the video game system. A massive meltdown followed upon that discovery. Even his dad was not much comfort for him over the phone. So part of shopping tomorrow out west will be to purchase an additional power cable. Let us hope it's not terribly expensive. We tend to overlook small stuff that ends up being important. It is true that often the small things can be replaced. Just never forget that every big thing is usually made up of small pieces. Small things do matter. We just may never know it until they are gone.

Bro. Trey

2011-08-01T23:38:00.000-05:00

Let's go in an entire different direction this evening. Every so often it seems to be a decent idea to talk about things related to the ministry career that often go unsaid. This does not really mean its a good idea but only that it seems like it. One of the goals of my blog is to occasionally lay bare the thoughts or feelings of guys like me who do church work for a living. Such honesty can be dangerous to those who prefer to avoid it but it does matter. Ministers often write books or articles for other ministers but seldom do we remove some of the masks we wear for the general public. So let's talk about moving in this post. This is one of the areas of ministry no one usually discusses.

One of the girls who graduated with my daughter told me that some people figured that I would be moving soon now that college is near. She is a great kid who I would adopt in a heartbeat. This didn't give me much pause until someone else mentioned it since that occasion. Makes me wonder if they know something that I don't? There is no move in store for me as of this writing. There is not even a hint of a move nor any signs of one coming in the near future. Just wanted to get that out of the way whether it depresses or excites you. Moving is not easy among us in the Baptist tribe. I sometimes envy other denominations where moves are regular or the outcome of a higher up making the arrangements. Methodists have this approach which usually works out for all involved. Baptists are free agents who are at the mercy of tons of forces going into any move. It honestly takes an act of God for one of us to move to another congregation.

One thing we deal with is the various divisions in our denomination. You cannot really just be a good Baptist anymore. Identifying with some element in our convention may largely determine whether or not one moves to another church. Then you should know that some leaders or people in higher levels of work can focus on their guy getting into one congregation or the other. I do know that some state leaders on either side of our troubles can involve themselves into the search for a new minister. This does not mean it always happens but if it happens once then its too much. Baptists tend to pride themselves on being independent even when choosing a new minister. Outside influence cannot be a good thing for any involved. This is but one of the obstacles faced today when churches are doing their search.

I have a few unique realities that affect me now should a move even become possible. My years of experience also leave a trail of some who may not speak well of me. Younger guys don't have as much to explain or defend. All of my places of service were in settings of difficulty. There was never an easy congregation for me. I made and probably continue to make mistakes along the way. Odds are good those things crop up along the process. Also, now I am half a hundred years old. The trend is now toward those young whipper snappers who are beginning their career. Third is the issue of being a cancer survivor. One church contacted me out of the blue last year. I told them of being in treatment but also of being in remission. Their worry was about my insurance. I am still here. Odds are very much against me making another move unless there is divine intervention. God is welcome to do with me as He pleases but it may even be tough for Him. My response is to just keep focus on life in the present tense until or unless He works a way to move.

We probably should come back later to clear things up from this post. That will wait for another night. There is one last suggestion to give you. If you want your minister to leave don't be mean about it. Pray that God will so bless him that another congregation will take him. You will be able to live with obedience rather than negative emotion. God will take care of the rest.

Bro. Trey

2011-07-31T23:24:00.000-05:00

This morning was one of those sermons that may need explanation. Don't mistake trying to work through it with an apology. But don't think there aren't sermons that are so bad they deserve a request for forgiveness. I normally am not one to sound an angry tone while speaking. Far too many messages of my earlier years did take on such a note of irritation. When you are in one place for almost eleven years you find there is much more need to encourage or educate than lecture. Many people show up for church services having been beaten up during the week at work, home or other places. I think the faithful minister needs to remain energized without sounding like someone rubbed him the wrong way. God's word is more than enough to grant us insight or point out any correction needed in our life. I think we would do better by allowing Him to point out His truth without constantly beating up on the listeners.

My original point was to say that times may happen when even the most encouraging of preachers senses a need to be plain spoken. Our topic of the day concerned who exactly is a believer? It is very easy for us to get distracted from a biblical definition by trying to establish our personal code of conduct. Scripture points us to an understanding of being a follower as one oriented by God and much less our personal preferences. I find way too many church people who consider being a Christian with some element of perfection. We then add to this the idea that anyone who does life different than us cannot be a good Christian. The whole goal of this morning was to say that we define our faith not by our performance but primarily by how we relate to God. We forget that it is the grace of God that draws us to faith. We overlook the tremendous sacrifice of Jesus to bridge the gap between the sinner and God. Our focus tends to become humanistic or some level of legalism that fits our experience.

It seems to me that a believer is someone who very much knows their sinfulness. Such a person remains aware of the need for divine help in life. John writes in his first letter that to deny our humanity is to miss out on the truth of grace. We may not all sin in the same way but be assured we all still sin. Even church people are capable of some really dumb things despite their profession of perfection. Just when we begin to think we are beyond such behavior we step right into it. What we fail to grasp is our sin may not be something illegal, immoral or fattening yet still be serious sin. Sins of church people do not cause us to lose God unless we decide to handle it on our own. The believer is one who does not let failure determine how life will go. He or she is the person who returns to God for fresh grace even in the worst of moments.

Perhaps a believer is not one who has it all together. Maybe it is the person who knows God's infinite grace when things come apart? Instead of trying to feel better than others we might do well just embracing the God who reaches out to us first? Being a Christian is more than avoiding failure. It also includes knowing the God who forgive and restores far beyond our worst moments.

Bro. Trey

2011-07-29T23:28:00.000-05:00

One good thing about being half a hundred is the occasional lucid moment. Age seems to bring that out if you allow. This isolated moment of clarity took place while looking at the forecast for the next several days. I could not help but notice the high temperatures may be up to 105 or more next week. My plans for the day changed at that moment. Mowing the grass moved up from next week to this evening. Some clouds remained along with a nice breeze blowing. So my first step was a fast trip for a haircut which was overdue. I returned home to get supplies so the yard could be cut. It was one of the few times of escaping on my own. Let me admit to sneaking off without my youngest for a change.

It was indeed much cooler while mowing today. Much better to get out with some wind blowing rather than waiting until the heat gets unbearable. It was while riding my small tractor that I noticed my son in the garage. He was just standing there watching me do my thing. I waved while making a turn in the back yard. He looked at me then walked back into the house. My mind pondered on that moment while cutting what grass is left here. I reached the conclusion that he was just making sure dad did not go somewhere else without him. One time for his father to travel without him was going to be enough. I did ask him later if he was making sure of not being left behind. He answered in his own way to let me know that was the motive. Then he walked away to make plans for our errand running tomorrow.

Times may come in our lives when we feel neglected or even abandoned by God. You are not alone in this experience should it happen to you. Several of God's people in scripture talk about that process with blunt honesty. We may think mostly of Job as the prominent example but there were more individuals than he who went through this. Abraham surely felt this while taking his son up to the sacrifice. David will lament in the Psalms about God's distance to him during trials. Never forget that even Jesus would cry out His distress over God's presence at the end of the earthly life. We are not alone even when we feel lonely. Each of the above mentioned times serve as a reminder that God never does abandon us. Our sense of neglect is meant to fuel a greater desire for His presence. If you think or feel that God is not as close as previous times then you might even be glad. You will at least be able to recognize the absence of that presence. That is in itself a sign of life.

My youngest came looking for me because he could not find me. But do we go searching with a new hunger for God when it happens to us? Our answer determines who we become when we do sense His activity.

Bro. Trey

2011-07-27T23:24:00.000-05:00

My daughter and her best friend took off tonight to visit a youth camp. One of their friends is attending the camp during this week. Perhaps it is the thing to do as they are leaving for college in about three weeks. I mention sometimes how our house becomes a meeting place when the entire crew gets together. That is among the main things I will miss with her being in college. Few things can be more fun than hearing the front door open while waiting to see who is wandering into the house. Most of them drive now so the unexpected aspect of that rises dramatically. Life will be oddly quiet after her move. I don't expect any of them will run by just for old times sake.

The girls gathered quite the collection of photos over the years. I noticed a few of them on the refrigerator tonight. They go all of the way back to braces and glasses. We journey from the awkward stages right into today with prom dresses and contacts. My guess is that it's those touches that make a home worthwhile. The same can be said of my youngest even though there are far fewer pictures of him with friends. He is like his father in terms of being a solitary person. Photographs are memories to remain etched in our heart. They tell stories to those who know them best. One good thing is we live in the age of Facebook, cell phone texting and other tools to stay in touch. Friends may change but they have far less danger of losing contact than my generation. One may live in College Station while another lives in Waco but they can and will remain close. The future looks bright for more photographs on kitchen appliances.

We fail to talk much about friendship in church. Do you ever wonder about Jesus and if He truly had friends? My view is that He did indeed have people close to Him. Our tendency is to think of Jesus as distant or aloof. Thank goodness that He is not like me. Scripture records Jesus going to parties where people gathered around Him. He was close to Lazarus, Martha and Mary according to John's gospel. One follower is described as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." This does not begin to include the large number of references to friendships or relationships by Jesus. He was occasionally alone but it does not seem that He dealt with loneliness. So why is it that the church often skips over such passages to deal with other things? Let me just state that our failure to have mature or biblical relationships is one of the great drawbacks of church life in the present tense.

It was my treat a few years ago to hear a well known pastor speak about the life of his congregation. He began the work with a few families in a home. That church today will see about 20,000 people during an average week in attendance. I will never forget his words. He said that he wanted to start a church where he would feel comfortable bringing his friends. His books speak to that philosophy still being at the heart of all he does. I wonder how many people really know one another in churches. I know we may be able to say hello or ask how they are doing but do we really know who they are? Being a believer is about being a friend to Jesus. Being a healthy church is about being eternal friends with one another. That is something that will remain in my core until the day I stop doing this job of ministry.

Bro. Trey

2011-07-25T23:24:00.000-05:00

Reports of the horrific attack in Norway shook me up more than usual. Maybe it is because who would ever imagine that country ever being regarded by any terrorist as one for a strike? Some of it is due to the innocent children who were slaughtered while at a camp. Violence of such brutality cannot come from a stable mind. We are still unraveling all of the issues related to this event. The gunman was taken into custody and now wants to share his views in a public forum. I would guess most of us thought of it as another attack by fanatical people connected to Islam or those who pervert its teachings. Turns out that this man claims a far different religious background. He claims to be a "fundamentalist right-wing Christian." Wow.

No one would take me as a person who drives his views into public spotlight. My politics are private even though they are important to me. Some people may even think of me as moderate in some areas since my sermons are not always against something or someone. I take the gospel seriously. My theology always tries to anchor itself in the truth of scripture. There are those who may not get my view of the end times simply because it does not come in a box or with charts. My approach is that Jesus came to save us from sin which most times includes saving us from our own issues. Every true need in humanity finds an answer in the gospel. My reading of the early church is they are marked not by what they are against but what they are for. I believe the Bible from cover to cover but do not feel the need for violence in life. We would many times do well to examine where our heart is much less deciding if our heads are in the right place. All of this is to say that what this man is saying is as far from authentic faith as I am from Brad Pitt.

We who are believers often allow our passions to sway our actions. You can read back through history to see where far too many cruelties were performed in the name of God. I could go further but there is little reason for that. So let me just add that it is not just the infamous events that trouble me but also those that seem to fly under the radar. Anger, criticism, wrath and the like are mentioned over and over as sins of our human nature. They are sins not because they are big and bad but because they are outside of God's will. Churches may not deal with physical violence regularly but we do face the spiritual or emotional attacks on a far too regular basis. I suppose my next statement should be to say this must stop. That is pretty much an obvious conclusion. But it is also true that daily acts of selfishness seem to prevail more than we would want. We will live with lesser brutalities as long as we are human.

The anger or outrageousness of the attack in Norway is born of the same sinful disposition we see everyday. Pointing fingers achieves no success in stemming the tide of ugliness. We allow it to flavor too much of our attitudes and actions even if we never take another person's life. Gunmen such as this one will spend most if not all of their life in prison. This is only right. What we fail to see is the prison we create for our own life when we yield to those primal urges. Only we hold the key to our release. God gives it to us in the act of forgiveness. May we use it well so we do not fail to honor the name of our Lord.

Bro. Trey

2011-07-24T23:40:00.000-05:00

Wow. What a day. That is about all you can say about today. It started out wild and didn't slow down until the very end. Don't think that it was a bad day. It was fun but hectic. Those kinds of days were much easier when I was younger. Now my body doesn't realize what hit it until long after the initial contact. I got to baptize a young girl this morning. She is adorably cute which adds to it when she giggles all the way out of the water. Staying in the water was probably a good idea since we were down to one air conditioner unit in the main building. The end of July is no time to suffer a cooling malfunction. Let's hope it is in working order prior to next Sunday. We may have to bring in fans from the local funeral home if repairs fall short.

What can you say about the weather other than what is being said everyday. I remember the summer of 1980 when temperatures were much like this. Little can be done other than to be careful when outside. My common sense even kicks in during times like this. Perhaps there is little of that left for me but it still works on occasion. The heat is much like a brutal arctic winter in reverse. Numbness is the most common effect of being outside. Breathing is not easy when your lungs are seared by the air. We did get another momentary shower this evening that almost cooled things down a bit. We who live in the south know fully well there is little chance of better weather until September at the earliest. My hope is still for some tropical storm to come our way in August. That sounds awful but it is what it is.

I got out in the heat to attend the 90th birthday for one of my favorite people in all of the world. She was still a spry 80 upon my arrival in town. Now her residence in a retirement community in our neighboring town. All of her family gathered to give her a well deserved celebration. I remember visiting with her during various injuries or ailments both in her house as well as the hospital. Seems like nothing keeps her down for long. Our church gave her a recognition day upon learning she would be moving closer to family. What was going to be a small thing turned out to be quite the party. I remember her farewell speech during that service. She remains a model for anyone who wants to understand how to grow old with grace. I think the secret of her youthfulness is in her ability to laugh. It's the type of laugh that you remember because of its volume and sincerity. My hope would be to attend her 100th should we both last that long.

Tomorrow begins another week. May we not yield to the tyranny of the urgent or the hectic. We may not be able to control all that happens but we can remain open to God regardless of the times. I hope we all find the joy of life as we keep our eyes fixed on the eternal prize.

Bro. Trey

2011-07-21T23:45:00.000-05:00

Is it me or is there anyone who can get along anymore? Baptists still disagree today over things that sometimes do not really matter. Congress is stuck in the blame and hide mentality over most issues we face. Two of our major professional sports are in significant labor troubles. Tiger Woods just let his caddy of over ten years go this week. Entertainers are divorcing faster than they marry. Seems like everyone is feuding these days. Conflict seems to be the buzzword of our generation. Let me just say now that all of this wearies me. I am no fan of strife. Maybe it cannot be avoided at times but do we need to revel in it?

We usually fail to see where such behavior limits our options. Religious people tend to talk at one another but never to each other. Elected leaders continue to let huge issue go unresolved because compromise is now a dirty word. Sports groups cannot seem to get a handle on their multi billion dollar businesses. We can go on and on but you get the idea. What bothers me is how intelligent people can allow relations to deteriorate to this point. Rather than working toward a solution most want to avoid the appearance of being remotely cordial. So we read or see anger being spewed from one side to the other. Stalemate is the usual state of affairs today. We don't seek answers as much as we fix the blame.

What is even more troubling is how good people end up at odds with other good people. Churches never realize the damage done with conflict. I fully realize that there are times such action is inevitable due to the nature of the problem. But we do tend to argue sometimes for less than spiritual reasons. Some people just honestly do not like the people who are in their congregation. I know this is true from several ways of learning how it happens. Very few things are more tragic than this scenario. Conflict distracts us from doing what God asks. It discourages those who witness the behavior. It finally devours both those involved and those on the outside in a wave of negative experience. It always amazes me how we can refuse to let our biblical faith influence our daily attitude. We fail to see how being right with an issue yet behaving wrong can end up being destructive. It becomes the no win situation.

My only hope for better is with God somehow convicting our heart of our shortcomings. I do not know if another human being can fully translate the injuries caused by others. We cannot allow evil to penetrate our life even when we are in the right. Jesus says that only forgiveness levels the playing field. He would forgive those who violently oppose Him. Just remember that He calls on us to do the same.

Bro. Trey

2011-07-19T23:24:00.000-05:00

I came across a story last week that reminds me of how life gets out of whack. Before any of the pilgrims or explorers put down roots on our shores they sought a place of refuge. The new world offered them such a hope even though the journey would take several thousand miles. Risk was a given in taking such a trip. Fear of the unknown could not stall their vision of starting over. Settlements would be built with local governments established. All went well for a few years until one of the governing boards decided to start building a road through the forest. It does make sense that these people would want better ways to travel in their new land. But rather than being applauded for their work it turns out they were impeached by the local citizens. The moral of the story is that the same people who had vision to see beyond the ocean now could not see five miles down the road.

Vision is a peculiar thing. We throw the word around when talking about those who attempt or accomplish important acts in one field of the other. Very few works on leadership ever leave out chapters on how we view the present or the future. We tend to refer to those who achieve any level of significance as people of vision. Church life is not immune from such ideas. People ask me on occasion what is my vision for a church or mission. Let me say that how I view things may not be as critical as my vision of God. Do not get me wrong here. Vision does matter but it must be connected to our awareness of God and His will. It does little good for me to possess grand visions if they are not within God's desire. Just be sure that your view of God matters most in this thing of vision.

Leaders are most often tagged as people of vision. Maybe this is not because its for a select few but because many people are content to live without it. What usually happens in church life is the elected leader may have a divine vision but it gets lost among those who see no further than self. Every single follower of Jesus is a candidate for understanding God's design for their life. It may well be that it revolves around being a better parent. Perhaps it will be something you carry into your work. You may even gain vision for roles within a local congregation. Did you ever realize that you cannot be serious about scripture and not come away with new vision? God speaks through His word to let us know the divine will. You may not have to lead millions of people through a wilderness but you can be sure He has an idea of what He wants of us.

We may not think much on this topic but it does matter. Fear can keep us from living with this dynamic. Some are just afraid of what God might do if they capture His view for life. Vision can be lost when it collides with others who do not share your conviction. Moses lost out on vision when pride became a dominant factor in his thinking. Simon Peter went through the pain for rediscovering the divine vision after his failure. How you live with vision will determine your enthusiasm for God's purpose. If you miss the vision you will probably also miss out on the purpose.

Bro. Trey

2011-07-17T23:23:00.000-05:00

We are on the edge of another exciting week. At least that is what we can tell ourselves at the close of the weekend. Not every week is as exciting as my last one. But you can never be sure that God may have something up His sleeve to surprise or even amaze us. Some people seem as if they have God all figured out. I know that scripture gives us a good view of His character but even God seems to enjoy some mystery about Him. We know what He is like but we may not always know what He may or may not do. This is why we constantly look to Him for guidance as we live. Someone once said that none of us know the will of God for all of our life. Our hope of living with fullness remains in that connection He offers us on a daily basis. God may indeed be everywhere at anytime but that does not always mean we stay close to Him.

You may feel such a closeness at times yet also experience a distance in the relationship. Sometimes we are to blame for this. We allow our spiritual disciplines to drift until our heart cools toward Him. Just know there are other occasions when that sense of isolation may be God calling you to a new depth with Him. Spiritual growth always includes some of both. I always suggest that people read though the Psalms in order to grasp either of these emotions. You will find passages where the writer declares a closeness to God that may seem foreign to us. You will find other times when the writer cries out to regain that relationship that is cooled off for whatever reason. Building a life with God is not unlike any other relationship. Very seldom will it be all or nothing. We live the majority of our days somewhere in the middle as we discover more about ourselves and about Him. Sounds much like how we live with others.

Being around Jesus doesn't seem very boring for those original followers. They never knew from one day to the next what just might happen. One day could lead to some eternal insight as Jesus teaches them and others about God. Another day might see some unexpected miracle as He heals those with physical and spiritual issues. There were many days when all seemed great as they moved among the crowds eager to see or hear Jesus. You also recall the times toward the end when tensions with other religious leaders raised some anxiety about their future much less His. Why would we begin to think our relationship with Him would be mundane or boring? God's active presence in our life means you never know what a day or a week might bring. We really can sit on the edge of our next adventure.

My view is we may prefer some sameness in our relationship with God rather than move toward the edge. I think people view their life as out of control so they choose to set limits on spiritual life. We know what we believe and that should be enough. Just remember that this is God we are talking about. He is not tame nor always safe. His word to us may be dangerous in one way or the other. Just ask people like Abraham, Moses or even Paul. Also remember that as these and others follow God's will they discover far more about Him than those who waited out any disruption to life. The same will be true of us as we open our mind and heart to Him. Life is an adventure to be sure. But maybe God's activity in our life will make it one to celebrate and not manage.

Bro. Trey

2011-07-15T23:10:00.000-05:00

VBS is officially over. I told my youngest that tonight and he responded with a bit of sadness. I hope the other kids who attended feel somewhat the same way. We did have a great time this week. This will probably be short this evening so let me start by saying thank you to every worker or helper. I know most don't read the blog but at least it will be in public. All of them went above and beyond the call of duty. No event like this ever goes off without a hitch but we learned to go with the flow. I got to ram around most of the time since my son would come and go. I witnessed everyone just diving in to the work as well as the fun. People usually give their best during this week and this was no exception.

I am going to miss seeing the kids. Few things make me happier than getting to be silly with them. I already wrote on the many differences between our students. Some come from very good homes with firm foundations. Some come from less than desirable circumstances. All of our group showed up eager to have fun along with the learning. You know things are going well when children get that tired look in their eyes. Maybe we sent them home ready for bed. That is enough to score points with parents.

We gave out ten bibles to different children who expressed an interest in becoming a Christian. All of them spent time with workers or myself in working through what is going on in their mind and heart. I enjoy talking to kids when that happens. They are always smart in knowing what is happening. You cannot just fool them with stuff unrelated to their journey. We also make it a point to have them talk to parents. I talked a lot about this during our final celebration this evening. You want the parents to be sure we share their concerns during such a time. My hope is they appreciate our efforts.

VBS is one of the times you see the church at its best. It remains one of my favorite weeks of the year. Now we pray that what we tried to do will help kids and parents alike live in line with God's will. May our success continue until the next time we meet again.

Bro. Trey

2011-07-13T23:00:00.000-05:00

Part of the joy of Vacation Bible School is sharing laughter with the kids. It is a great mood enhancer to just be silly with these young ones. Something about seeing their smile just sets life in perspective. One reason for carrying on with them is because some of them probably don't laugh much at home. Statistics can be misleading at times but reality says that far too many children live with abuse. Some of this violence is physical in nature. Some of the behavior is emotional or verbal which leaves scars on the inside. I cannot speak to specifics without giving away too much but just know not every child who passes through our doors lives in happily ever after. Very few things hurt me as much as this truth.

Children are helpless against the onslaught of any type of violence. They cannot imagine what they did to ever deserve such treatment. What happens next is that many if not all children decide something must be wrong with them. Kids reach the conclusion that none of this would happen if they were better human beings. This one untruth will carry the lie into every area of their being. We have only so much time as a church to let them know just how much they do matter. Did you ever see the absolute hunger of a child craving some affirmation or attention? Look carefully and you will see their desire for such behavior worn like a shirt. It is there whether or not we understand it or not. What is ultimately sad is how these innocent ones will close their heart off as they move through adolescence. Perhaps at some point those who were abused become abusers themselves.

Forrest Gump once said so eloquently that he may not be a smart man but that he knew what love was. I wonder if we teach that to children? Don't get me wrong in this soapbox. Teaching the Bible does matter very much so. But it seems to me that a large part of ministry with the very young must include simply letting them know that we care. Adults can be very scary to kids. They can be pretty scary to me most of the time. What we wouldn't give to recapture some of that innocence and trust. Our social services workforce are overwhelmed with this struggle on a daily basis. All of them are overworked and underpaid. We who say we are God's people could go a long way in joining the cause. Our task is more than unloading information to these kids. We are to be an extension of God's heart to those we know.

Our heart must be melted by the grace of God. We must learn what it means to affirm rather than glare at children who know only that they need something more. Modeling what scripture says about love and acceptance is a non negotiable when it comes to children. We may even find our path crossing with those who are on the ugly side of life. I don't mean this physically but emotionally or spiritually. Forgetting what we might be like without the active grace of God will lead us to be distant or disapproving. It also will cause us to forfeit our claim to be a follower of Jesus. Like we said, He does love all the little children of the world. So the next question becomes do we?

Bro. Trey

2011-07-12T23:24:00.000-05:00

Our week of adventure continues even though most of the state is blowing away in dust. We just about doubled our attendance numbers tonight. Attitudes seem to be holding up despite the temperatures. Lots of good things take place during VBS. You get to meet new people as they bring children into our building. The kids themselves are always fun to be around. I know they can get wild on occasion but that's just what they do. Sometimes we can forget what it was like being that age. There are also times when we may wish we shared their wonder and excitement. One can hope our week continues to grow in spirit and number.

My public connection to Jesus took place during VBS many years ago. It was the end of a process of thinking, talking and learning about what faith means. I can recall with clarity stepping out of that pew to indicate my desire to become a follower of Jesus. Here is one reason this week means so much to me. This evening we heard of two of my favorite people doing just what I did a long time ago. Two of our young girls are talking with parents on what it means to become a believer. Perhaps this is the end of their journey into faith in God. We will follow up with them also. It makes the entire week worth it when lives are eternally changed. Dealing with young people like this can be a challenge but it is one we embrace.

My personal theology says that God does indeed love all the children of the world. He loves kids of every race, gender and ethnic group. They mean the world to Him as displayed in the life of Jesus. We wonder at times how grace works in their life. Reality is that some of this is a mystery throughout scripture. No single verse or passage tells us what age is the cut off for His care. Part of our struggle is we view grace as a single moment in time at conversion. We may forget that grace is God's offer over a lifetime. I tend to affirm any child who indicates their interest or desire to come to God in faith. Sometimes we discover their journey is still growing. We even find out that the child needs more understanding of what is involved. Many just want to go through baptism without the slightest idea of its value. We also may uncover a true faith or trust in Jesus for their life. Maybe the stack of sin is not quite as large as some people but they do know what it is all about. This is when I encourage parents to allow us to move to baptism to anchor their life to a moment in time. Some students later make a new affirmation based on years of growing but they can look to that moment when we took them serious as a believer.

Faith is never simple or easy for any of us. But many children seem to grasp it with a clear view of where their heart lies. No wonder Jesus told us to be like little children when it comes to our journey of faith. We could all use a dose of their trust in Him. Adulthood often seems crowded and confusing. Maybe trust is not something we ever were meant to forget. Don't let the scars of growing older keep you from rekindling your simple faith in God. He does indeed love all of the little children. He also loves all of us.

Bro. Trey