Captain America, Alfred Hitchcock and Jesus

I went to see the new Captain America movie with some friends recently.  There are several “insider” things that accompany the Marvel superhero movies.  You can tell those who know the “insider” stuff because they don’t leave the theater when the credits run at the end of the movie because there is always a “sneak peak” of the next movie after the first few minutes of the credits run.  Those that leave… well they just don’t know what they are missing (or care probably, but that’s another discussion).

                Another “insider” event in each Marvel movie is the cameo of Stan Lee.  He is one of the creators of the Marvel universe and he plays small parts in each of the movies.  So the “insiders” watch and then elbow each other (at least I do because I think I’m so cool for knowing these things) when he shows up.  He isn’t the first to do these cameos.  Alfred Hitchcock did them in his movies a generation ago.  If you don’t know Hitchcock or his movies, you need to look them up.  You are missing out. 

                I was reading a book called “Landmarks” by Bill Delvaux.  He talks about the landmarks of our lives as our story plays out.  We each have a story to live, understand and tell.  Here is an incredible truth: Jesus wrote himself into our story.  But it wasn’t a cute or funny cameo.  No-he wrote himself in as the One who would suffer.  He was the One who would take the punishment, the pain, and the rejection.  It is a terrible part really-mocked, beaten, degraded and killed.  Not one I would ever write for myself.  You?

 

                Yet, Love prompted Jesus to do exactly that.  Love for me.  Love for you.  He invites us to live, experience and share in His love- His love becomes our story.  His love intertwines with our days bringing hope.  We are invited to be “insiders” in this love story.  It isn’t just a cameo Jesus plans for our story.  It’s an ongoing starring role.  I’m in.  How about you?

To the Banquet

              Tonight is my middle daughter’s end of year banquet for her dance team.  It’s her senior year so this is our last one.  I didn’t plan on it happening so fast.  Not the banquet, but the whole thing.  Last time I looked she was 5 years old and dancing in the living room in her princess costume.  Now she is a young lady getting ready for college.  I know.  I’m not the first or the last parent to suggest time moves quickly.  I know.   “Smell the roses” is so clichéd.  But this one is for me, I guess- a reminder to myself.  (BTW – I turn 50 this year, so it won’t be the last time I spend some time reflecting J)

                We don’t think much about the future or the passing of days.  We tend to get buried in the moment.  But the future comes quickly.  My friend Craig says, “Days move slowly and years go quickly.”  Very astute observation and I have found it so true.  The Bible teaches us to value our days.  I need to do a better job of that.  How about you? 

Well, I’m off to the banquet.  It will be fun but don’t think for a moment, that I won’t spend at least part of it back in our living room watching my 5 year old dance the dance.  And I will end the day thanking God for another good day.

A Gift For Valentine's Day Part 2

              Happy Valentine’s Day!  I think this is a great day to remember and celebrate the love that God has placed in our lives, especially when it comes in the form of a husband or wife.  I am writing part two on a gift for Valentine’s Day, so if you missed the first one, you might check it out since it will help you with this one.  In a nutshell, I’m thinking about the premise that God has given my wife to me as a wonderful gift.  When I view her that way and embrace a thankful heart for that gift, it has the potential to revolutionize my marriage.  This idea of my wife as God’s perfect provision for me comes from Genesis 2:22 – “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.” (check out the chapter on Relationships written by Don Meredith in Joe Gibbs’ “Game Plan for Life” for a more complete thought on all of this)

                Now, you may be thinking (hopefully not out loud), my spouse isn’t that great a gift, in fact I’ve got a list of 37 problems with this particular unit, that God should take a look at.  You aren’t alone.  Because of our human nature, most of us don’t always see the “gift” part after a few laps.  Here are a couple of reasons for the conflict we sometimes experience and very real reasons why he/she is truly a gift.

                First of all, we tend to think that this gift was given to us to make us happy, when God’s greater intent is to make us holy.  This is a big difference.  It is not my spouse’s job to make me happy.  God is using that person to make me holy.  More patient.  More gentle.  Kind.  Self-controlled.  More like Jesus-which is the overall goal anyways, right?  What better way to develop these, than to give us a spouse who doesn’t view or do things exactly like we expect and or demand?

                Second, we focus on changing them, while God is focused on changing us.  We think they are the ones who need changing (and if they are human, they do) but God is more interested in changing us.  The Bible doesn’t tell us to go around changing people.  It directs us to look in the mirror and worry about that person.  When we feel it is our call in life to change our spouse, we will be constantly frustrated and disappointed. 

                My final thought on this gift thing is that sometimes a loving parent gives a child what they need not what they want.  No good parent gives a child ice cream and donuts every meal instead of healthy foods.  A loving parent provides what the child needs.  God’s gift, in the person of your spouse, is what you need.  You may not see it or understand it.  Can you trust him? God knows me much better than I even know myself and he has given me a wife so that I will become the person God knows I can become.  What a gift!

                So Happy Valentine’s Day?  Treasure your gift and thank God for them!

 

A Gift For Valentine's Day

                I like Valentine’s Day.  I don’t love it but don’t hate it.  My wife is very practical as well as being very easy to love.  She gets excited about small gifts and expressions of love.  She isn’t looking for You Tube worthy expressions of love each year.  She doesn’t like to go out on Valentine’s Day because she doesn’t like the crowds – that’s her practical side.  So we are able to celebrate the holiday whenever it best fits the schedule and if I show any effort with gifts or flowers, she appreciates it.  That takes the pressure off and makes it a lot more fun for both of us.  So I like Valentine’s Day.  I know I am blessed and that she is a true gift.

                I know that many people don’t like Valentine’s Day – too much pressure to find the right gift, some women don’t like the cliché gifts of flowers, candy etc.  Sorry guys – that would certainly dampen my enthusiasm as well.  (Ladies, if your guy tries, give him some props.  It will encourage him to do more the next time.  We men are really simple creatures.  Tell us we “did good” and we’ll try harder.  Complain about what we tried and we are prone to give up.  Just a thought…)

                I read a thought by Don Meredith in a book called “Game  Plan for Life” and I think it could revolutionize most marriages!  He discusses Genesis 2:22 which says, “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.”  The point here is that instead of creating Eve right beside Adam and having them both wake up next to each other, God apparently took the rib and created Eve somewhere else and then “brought her” to Adam.  Why?  So that Adam would know that Eve was God’s gift to Adam.

                Wow!  Eve was God’s gift to Adam. I love that - applied to us - our spouse is God’s gift to us.  God has given us an incredible gift – a husband, a wife.  That is a great thought.  I have to admit, I haven’t always thought of Kim that way.  In my selfish moments, I am pretty sure her job is to make me happy.  Sometimes she hasn’t filled that role and so I am frustrated, disappointed etc.  Selfish, to be sure.  But when I begin to see her as a gift that God has given me, everything changes, especially if I choose to be thankful for that gift.  God knows me so well and loves me so much, that he has given me an awesome gift.  A wife to love, serve and be with.  That is a blessing.  That is a wonderful gift. 

                How do you view your spouse?  Someone with lots of faults?  Someone who holds you back? Or God’s incredible gift?  It makes all the difference in the world.  It can change your marriage.   It can change you. 

                Just a thought…

(check back for A Valentine’s Day Gift Part 2 on why your spouse is such a great gift!)  

A Gift For Valentine's Day

                I like Valentine’s Day.  I don’t love it but don’t hate it.  My wife is very practical as well as being very easy to love.  She gets excited about small gifts and expressions of love.  She isn’t looking for You Tube worthy expressions of love each year.  She doesn’t like to go out on Valentine’s Day because she doesn’t like the crowds – that’s her practical side.  So we are able to celebrate the holiday whenever it best fits the schedule and if I show any effort with gifts or flowers, she appreciates it.  That takes the pressure off and makes it a lot more fun for both of us.  So I like Valentine’s Day.  I know I am blessed and that she is a true gift.

                I know that many people don’t like Valentine’s Day – too much pressure to find the right gift, some women don’t like the cliché gifts of flowers, candy etc.  Sorry guys – that would certainly dampen my enthusiasm as well.  (Ladies, if your guy tries, give him some props.  It will encourage him to do more the next time.  We men are really simple creatures.  Tell us we “did good” and we’ll try harder.  Complain about what we tried and we are prone to give up.  Just a thought…)

                I read a thought by Don Meredith in a book called “Game  Plan for Life” and I think it could revolutionize most marriages!  He discusses Genesis 2:22 which says, “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.”  The point here is that instead of creating Eve right beside Adam and having them both wake up next to each other, God apparently took the rib and created Eve somewhere else and then “brought her” to Adam.  Why?  So that Adam would know that Eve was God’s gift to Adam.

                Wow!  Eve was God’s gift to Adam. I love that - applied to us - our spouse is God’s gift to us.  God has given us an incredible gift – a husband, a wife.  That is a great thought.  I have to admit, I haven’t always thought of Kim that way.  In my selfish moments, I am pretty sure her job is to make me happy.  Sometimes she hasn’t filled that role and so I am frustrated, disappointed etc.  Selfish, to be sure.  But when I begin to see her as a gift that God has given me, everything changes, especially if I choose to be thankful for that gift.  God knows me so well and loves me so much, that he has given me an awesome gift.  A wife to love, serve and be with.  That is a blessing.  That is a wonderful gift. 

                How do you view your spouse?  Someone with lots of faults?  Someone who holds you back? Or God’s incredible gift?  It makes all the difference in the world.  It can change your marriage.   It can change you. 

                Just a thought…

 

(check back for A Valentine’s Day Gift Part 2 on why your spouse is such a great gift!)  

A Good Day!

A Good Day!

 

                Yesterday was a good day.  It was 70 degrees outside.  I got to spend some quality time with my daughter playing basketball in the driveway and I got all of my bushes pruned at the right time of year for the first time in history.  Today the wind chill is registering 0 degrees outside.  0 degrees outside – that’s a 70 degree difference for those of you in Hawaii.  But the weather isn’t why yesterday was a good day.

                Yesterday was Sunday.  As a church we had been fasting for 21 days – focusing on healthy foods like fruits, veggies and grains and not meats and sweets.  Yesterday we broke the fast together with a Breakfast – donuts and bacon everywhere.  It was a youth fundraiser.  Parents brought casseroles, students served, everyone cleaned up.  It was a good meal and a good time together.  It was good to eat bacon too.  But the bacon isn’t why yesterday was good.

                Last week, I spoke to the church body about how God has planned for each of his followers to use their gifts and abilities to serve him and each other.  I used the illustration of Jenga, the game where each player pulls out a block of wood on their turn until ultimately the whole thing falls down.  I gave everyone a block of wood from the Jenga game just to remind them of their importance to the body.  When they are missing or not using their gifts, the church gets weak and unsteady.  Each person is incredibly important as they serve.   Yesterday, I got to see the real life version and it was a good day!

                I didn’t speak yesterday.  Our pastoral intern spoke and did a really good job explaining God’s love for us.  Our worship leader did an incredible job applying the message and closing the service.  It was excellent teamwork and a powerful message.  We had several people with significant health issues present.  They have been out either in the hospital or at home on doctor’s orders.  While we’ve prayed for them, we haven’t seen them for a while.  There were hugs, smiles, handshakes, and all manner of encouragement.  After the service, one couple connected with a young couple who were first time guests.  They introduced them to several other young couples.  Meanwhile, a member of our prayer team was praying for healing for one of those facing health issues.  A group of ladies gathered to talk and plan an event to strengthen marriages- later a couple of them encouraged and prayed for a mom who had a tough week with a teething baby.  The body of Christ caught in the act of loving, serving, and caring for others.  It was a very good day.

                And I am thankful. 

Every Story

              I have to confess that I am kind of a numbers guy.  Not a “sit in a room by myself with spreadsheets” kind of numbers guy.  But I like looking at the numbers for the big picture.  I like trying to figure out what the numbers are saying – what story do they tell?   I can get motivated by numbers too- I like number goals.  I know most people aren’t really motivated by numbers or goals, especially if you talk church.  It is too corporate and CEO ish and it doesn’t go with the whole organic, earthy vibe we have going on.  Cool.

                I read something a while back that connected the dots for me and I hope for others. It makes the connection between numbers and the church in a rather elegant fashion.  I don’t remember who wrote it or where I read it but here it is:

 

                “Every number has a name.

                        Every name has a story.

                                Every story matters to God.”

 

                That is the real essence of numbers that I think we can all agree on.  Every story matters to God.  And every story should matter to me.  Every name.  Every number. 

                In the book of Luke, Jesus tells the story of a shepherd with 100 sheep.  One of the sheep gets lost.  The shepherd goes to find the one.  Why?  Because every story matters to God.

                I try to remember that each time I walk through a store.   Each time I stand in line at the bank.  Each time I pull out into traffic.  Each Sunday as we gather for worship.  Every number has a name.  Every name has a story.  Every story matters to God.

                What’s your story?