May 11, 2008
MOTHER
Mother You filled my days with rainbow lights,
fairytales and sweet dream nights,
A kiss to wipe away my tears,
Gingerbread to ease my fears.
You gave the gift of life to me,
And then in love, you set me free.
I thank you for your tender care,
for deep warm hugs and being there.
I hope that when you think of me,
A part of you, you’ll always see.
~Author Unknown to me~
May 7, 2008
Saturday Night Live From Louisiana
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May 7, 2008
It’s Nurse Appreciation Week! I wanted to post this writing that expresses in a neat way appreciation for the work you do. It gave me some tears! I think all of us can take for granted the special work you do…until we need your help. So on a day when I feel healthy, let me thank you … I appreciate the added dimension of nurses who are believers bringing Christ into the medical field.
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When the Lord made Nurses…
He was in his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared and said ” You’re doing alot of fiddling around on this one.”
And the Lord said, ” Have you read the specs on this order? “
” A Nurse has to be able to help an injured person, breathe life into a dying person, give comfort to a family that has lost their only child, and not wrinkle their uniform.
They have to be able to lift 3 times their own weight, work 12 to 16 hours straight without missing a detail, and console a grieving mother as they are doing CPR on a baby they know will never breathe again…
They have to be in top mental condition at all times, running on too-little sleep, black coffee and half-eaten meals. And they have to have six pairs of hands. “
The Angel shook her head slowly and said, ” six pairs of hands..no way”
“It’s not the hands that are causing me the problems,” said the Lord, ” It’s the two pairs of eyes a Nurse has to have.” “That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. ” One pair that does quick glances while making note of any physical changes, and another pair of eyes that can look reassuringly at a bleeding patient and say,”You’ll be all right, Ma’am.” when they know it isn’t so.”
“Lord,” said the angel, touching his sleeve, “rest and work on this tomorrow.”
” I can’t,” said the Lord, ” I already have a model that can talk to a 250 pound grieving family member whose child has been hit by a drunk driver…who, by the way, is in the next room uninjured..and also be able to feed a family of five on a Nurse’s paycheck.”
The angel circled the model of the Nurse very slowly.
“Can it think?” she asked. “You bet,” said the Lord,” It can tell you the symptoms of 100 illnesses; recite drug calculations in its’ sleep; intubate,defibrillate,medicate, and continue CPR nonstop until help arrives…and still keep its’ sense of humor.
This Nurse also has phenomenal personal control.They can deal with a multi-victim trauma, coax a frightened elderly person to unlock their door, comfort a murder victim’s family, and then read in the daily paper how nurses are insensitive and uncaring and are only doing a job.”
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the nurse. ” There’s a leak.” she pronounced. “I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model.”
“That’s not a leak,” said the Lord, “It’s a tear.”
“What is the tear for?” asked the angel.
“It’s for bottled-up emotions, for patients they’ve tried in vain to save, for commitment to that hope that they will make a difference in a person’s chance to survive, for life”
“You’re a genius” said the angel.
The Lord looked somber….” I didn’t put it there” He said.
Happy Nurses Day everyone.
May 4, 2008
This generation has more access to more data about the universe and human personality than all previous generations combined. High School Graduates have been exposed to more information about the world than Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza or Benjamin Franklin. With all of our knowledge, society today is peopled with a bumper crop of brilliant failures. Knowledge is not enough to meet life’s problems. We need wisdom, the ability to handle life with skill.*
Graduation time is a good time to reflect on the things that help build a great life. (There are too many examples of those who crash and burn - we need some wisdom for building a strong faith.)
Here’s one person’s list of the qualities of a great life:
*Self-Control
*Knowledge of how to understand sayings with deep meanings
*Doing what is right, honest and fair
*Gain knowledge and good sense
The one who composed such a list is a man who was given wisdom from God - Solomon. The theme of the Proverbs is wisdom… getting it, using it (1:2-5). Proverbs are sayings that are generally true. There may be exceptions, but not normally. Many of the proverbs relate to young people.
Wisdom isn’t always natural to us. We tend to choose unwise paths. (Proverbs 4:1-4).
Notice Three Wise Ways From Proverbs 4:
1. ALWAYS SEEK GODLY WISDOM (4:5-13). No matter the cost (7). It doesn’t take any effort to drift downstream. Pursue godly wisdom! Three results of seeking wisdom in your life: (1) Wisdom exalts and honors (8-9), (2) Wisdom brings a Longer Life (10), Wisdom leads to a less troublesome life (11-13).
2. PAY ATTENTION TO THE WARNINGS (4:14-22). Stay away from Wicked Pathways (Proverbs 4:14-15; Psalm 1). The Plight of the Wicked is not a pretty picture. Their life is consumed with hurting others (Proverbs 4:16). They are violent (4:17). They walk in the way of darkness (4:19).
We especially need to pay attention to the warnings and avoid the Path to sexual sin. We do this by finding a mate and keeping him/her (Proverbs 5:17-19 “…may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.”). Proverbs 7 describes the youth who lacks judgment in this regard (7:6-10):
*Walking toward temptation (8 )
*Walking toward darkness (9)
*Followed the seduction (10 )
*Sexual sin is a highway to Hell (7:22-27)
There is no question that the way of wisdom is much better. It is a pathway that grows brighter as it goes (Proverbs 4:18 ) and brings about better health (Proverbs 4:20-22).
3. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING (4:23-27): Guard your heart. This is to be done above all else. The heart is the wellspring of life. We guard our hearts by guarding our…
*Lips (4:24).
*Eyes (4:25)
*Steps (4:26)
*Direction (4:27)
Don’t wait until a later time in life to try to pursue wisdom. You will go down many a poor path between now and then. Decide today to let your life be led by wisdom. The life you really want is to be found there. Remember to fill your mind with Scripture and surround yourself with Godly men and women who will also join you on your path.
A Parent’s Prayer: Proverbs 22:5-7 In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
*Hadden Robinson, from the foreword to Robert L. Alden’s Proverbs: A Commentary on An Ancient Book of Timeless Advice.
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I have a short article suitable for bulletin or newsletter here.
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May 1, 2008
Greetings! This post is just an assortment of thoughts. No rhyme, but I think there’s lots of reason.
AMERICAN IDOL
Brooke. Goodbye to Brooke. I like Brooke’s voice when she’s doing her piano thing, but that’s really all she does well. Her ‘happy songs’ are off key, her dance steps remind me of someone walking on stilts … she’s a piano songstress. And that’s not all bad. I’d buy a CD of her piano ballads because I love her voice. She’s a beautiful lady, and a wholesome lady. I genuinely like her but she is not a pop star. It was just a matter of time.
Jason. Same for Jason Castro who really has had a bad couple of weeks here. His ability to move beyond his favorite genre is very limited. He is a likable young man who needs a haircut… those snakes hanging off of his head really take away from his appearance (although I’m sure some would argue that they add to his appearance, but they would be wrong and have to express that on their own blog!). Even though this is a singing competition, appearance matters.
David A. And now for my first public negative comment about David Archuletta. First, everyone knows in their heart that he is the big winner, and the others are just biding their time until they are dumped from the show. But last night when Ryan Seacrest proclaimed him safe (duh, everyone already knew that) … he acted like he couldn’t believe it. If he had offered a horrible performance the night before (as did Jason Castro) … then I could believe his surprise at being safe. However, this was an obvious put on … and he over did it … it made him look creepy to me. I hope he will dump that “I can’t believe I’m still in it” act. He’s never been in the bottom two (well, actually there’s only one ‘bottom’ slot open, Syesha Mercado has a permanent place in the other slot).
Paula. Paula’s snafu on Tuesday night where she critiqued a song that actually hadn’t been sung yet was weird. Most suggest that she was drunk … but there are better explanations. First, the ‘review them all at once’ plan - a first for the show- was thrown on them at the last second. Second, she had heard the other performances as they were being practiced. Third, she’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But who doesn’t love Paula? She is the heart of the judges panel. There was a lot of effort on Wednesday to make her look better. Anyway…it’s live TV … someone’s going to goof up sometime or another.
POLITICS
Jeremiah Wright has officially become the punchline to many a joke. He has spoken with such outrageousness that even Obama had to sever his ties. One has to wonder what took so long for Obama to do this. I would say about 19 years ago would have been a good time. If Obama is this slow to make a decision that is fairly clear, what can he do in 4 years…even 8! There is no doubt that Obama is bright … and he has an overload of charisma, but this Jeremiah Wright thing might be the very thing that sidetracks his campaign … and it will be what we remember about him. Think about it, he could join the ranks of memorable political trainwrecks remembered by association. What names come to mind immediately when you read these catch phrases: Chappaquiddick, I am not a crook, no new taxes, monkey business, jeremiah wright. He’s making history, folks!
Hillary was on Bill O’Reilly’s program last night. This was a brilliant move. First, because Obama has refused to be on the program. Second because if anyone can give Bill a run for his money, it’s Hillary. And I have to tell you, she was engaging, funny, personable … I liked her in this interview. If I had no knowledge of Clinton history, I might would even vote for her. The second part of that interview airs tonight on Fox News Channel.
McCain is finally talking about the economy. And there are many suggestions as to who his running mate could be. I’ve heard all kinds of guesses … but all I can think is that he better choose someone dynamic, young, and interesting.
Obama, Clinton, and McCain are all equally boring to me. I’m not alone. Bloggers are even suggesting television characters for President! I don’t know who I would select to run as President from among TV characters … who would you choose?
Well, this is too long … thanks for reading if you’re still with me!
JD
April 30, 2008
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
In preaching a trilogy of messages through the great commission, I’ve been asking some questions. I started off with “Why does the word ‘GO’ seem so big?” It’s a little word, we all know it’s meaning, there is no confusion as to it’s intent … but there’s very little going. It is a little BIG word. Another question I asked was this: “Why do the lost seem so far away?” When we think of missions we tend to think of continents far away, but isn’t there a mission in your back yard? And why do we find it hard to enter into the world of our neighbors and friends in order to advance the gospel?
Maybe there’s a misunderstanding of what the Great Commission is all about. Notice some things the Great Commission is NOT:
*It is not a church growth plan. Church growth can result from carrying out the command, but that is not our goal. We are not trying to outgrow our church neighbors. We are not looking to build the team … nor to expand our borders. All of that is to be left to God … because whether we ever gain a new attender at our church or not we are still to carry out the Great Commission. (Now this is not to say that we would reject church growth! It’s just that the PURPOSE is to share the Gospel, not to fill the pews.) The danger of thinking that it is a church growth program is that if it doesn’t “work”, then we’ll want to do something else … and Jesus’ plan is best!
*It is not a method of spiritual advancement. God is not going to love us more if we convert 20 people to Christ. He is not going to up our spiritual status. We will not be spiritually super sized when we immerse someone into the flow of the Kingdom. This is not about us.
*It is not a numeric bragging right. Bragging on God is good, bragging on self is sin.
*It IS an advancement of the kingdom Jesus announced, created, and reigns over.
Maybe a good question to ask as we conclude this trilogy of thoughts is… What does King Jesus want us to do? Within the Matthew text Jesus presents to us a kingdom process: Teach, Baptize, Teach. All must be present to fulfill Christ’s vision. If we take any of the three out, we leave something unfulfilled.
1. TEACH: Take Good News To Our Neighbors. We are to help people find repentance and remission of sins. There is no good news without the release of sins. Ultimately this is what all people need to know … that the regrets and mistakes of their past can be wiped away never to return … before the only One who is capable of making them vanish. Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28).
2. BAPTIZE: The Means of Identification with the Cross. We are to help people know Jesus deeply by dying and being raised by Him. Romans 6 is key to understanding this. Notice again what Jesus said in Matthew 26, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”. Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected 2000 years ago … how do I make some connection with that event? Romans 6 tells us that when we are baptized we are participating in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. A baptism that is driven by faith and repentance is the means of identification with the cross and the resurrected life.
3. TEACH: There is more to learn. This is the ongoing goal of discipleship. And by continuing to learn together we grow in our love for one another by learning together. Discipleship is an ongoing effort, not a gift.
4. DIVINE PRESENCE: We help others in the presence of the Risen Christ. We are not doing this alone, or on our own power. A sense of the divine presence brings us several powerful tools:
*Motivation - The Lord we love is with us always, we should be about His work. Jesus is everything to us … and so must His purpose be ours. And He is by our side in this work.
*Power - Jesus is alive and He is at work. He is drawing seekers unto Himself. He is using you to answer prayers you’ve never heard.
*Unity - Our common bond is the blood of Jesus. We should work together for the common cause of Christ. In all of our diverse backgrounds, understandings, education, races, and religions, the one common binding thread is the blood of Christ. Jesus draws us all together through the Holy Spirit. When unity is destroyed the Great Commission suffers.
*Purpose - This is not for someone else, it’s for me! God has given me a job, a purpose, a goal. The presence of Christ keeps our focus on Him, not on kooky gimmicks or manipulative schemes. The purpose is to allow Christ to change us, and share with others how He can help them be changed.
*Assurance - we’re doing this God’s way. Christ is guiding us through His word. Essential concept for those committed to Jesus.
What does Jesus want us to do? Teach, baptize, teach. How will we do that? No guidance is offered. But we do want to honor Jesus Christ in all we do.
April 26, 2008
Yesterday while turning a corner near my Monroe apartment, I saw a most beautiful rosebush that was overloaded with big orange blooms. It was simply stunning. I didn’t stop to take a picture, but I did drift back in time a bit to a church service … maybe when I was a child. A familiar tune slowly came to mind. It is a simple melody but the words speak of promise, hope, and something yet to come.
I began to sing small parts of stanzas of the song Where The Roses Never Fade. I was actually surprised that they were so clear in my memory as I began to sing them. I reckon this song will not find new life, it’s message and melody are much too old fashioned. There are no stirring theological terms here. In fact, there is an over abundance of repeated lyric.
But there is something in the uncomplicatedness of this song that stirs my heart. The transitory nature of life … the moments we never get to relive … the hope of the resurrection and subsequent life of beauty and peace are all themes to be found here. And after a lifetime of replacing the worn out, buying new and improved products, starting our spiritual lives over yet again, watching those we love pass away from our grasp, there is the promise of a place where eternity reigns. There will be no more goodbye and no more loss. In the place where we are going there is rediscovery of those who have passed before us, and the glow of beauty to be found where roses never fade.
Where the Roses Never Fade
Music by Robert Metzgar
Words by Janie West Metzgar, 1929
I am going to a city,
Where the streets with gold are laid;
Where the tree of life is blooming
And the roses never fade.
Chorus:
Here they bloom but for a season
Soon their beauty is decayed.
I am going to a city,
Where the roses never fade.
In this world we have our troubles,
Satan snares we must evade.
We’ll be free from all temptations;
Where the roses never fade.
Chorus:
Here they bloom but for a season
Soon their beauty is decayed.
I am going to a city,
Where the roses never fade.
Loved ones gone to be with Jesus,
In their robes of white arrayed;
Now are waiting for my coming,
Where the roses never fade.
Chorus:
Here they bloom but for a season
Soon their beauty is decayed.
I am going to a city,
Where the roses never fade.
Thanks for reading,
John
April 26, 2008
Greetings! Hope your weekend is going well. Blog readership usually sinks over the weekend, so thanks for stopping by!
In this morning’s News-Star, our local Monroe paper, there is a story about the new priest at the Greek Orthodox church that is interesting. I mention this because our church buildings are next door to one another. In fact, if you look at some of the pictures on their website you can see our building in the background. I haven’t had a chance to meet the priest yet, though I’ve seen him sometimes when I’m going into the building for worship, he’s doing the same.
Yesterday was a day for feasting and celebration! Jason Barnard and I took our secretary, Linda, to lunch at Copelands for Administrative Assistant Week. Linda does a great job and we wanted to express our appreciation for her. Jason’s birthday is Sunday, and last night I joined his family and one other at a Japanese steak house in West Monroe for a birthday dinner. It was a lot of fun and we enjoyed watching the chef and eating the food!
Also yesterday we had someone take a look at our home for the first time. Are you people praying for the sale of our house? I hope so!
A few weeks ago an announcement was made at Forsythe about a men’s gathering at Wild Wings. Now this got me excited because I love some wings! However, this is not a restaurant, but a shooting range in a nearby community. So that’s on tap for this afternoon, barring any rain. I believe we’ll have a devotional, followed by a walk through the shooting range, and then we’re going to have some grilled food. Sounds like a big afternoon!
Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will conclude my trilogy on the Great Commission. Response both online and on site has been very encouraging. Implementing the Great Commission into our daily life, however, is the goal. In my adult Bible class I’m using Dan Williams’ discussion guide through Philippians, which is very good I think. It is currently out of print but I hope it re-emerges somewhere sometime.
Yesterday was granddaughter Claire’s 10th birthday. I hated to miss her party with her friends and family, but it couldn’t be helped. Maggy and I did take her to see the Horton movie earlier in the week as a birthday treat. Ten years is quite a mile marker. She’s growing up from being a cute little toddler … to a curious bubbly little girl … to an intelligent and lovely preteen … and it won’t be long before she’ll be a beautiful young woman. Anyway, I need to stop this before I get all verklempt.
Today is my niece Abigail’s third birthday. She is such a cutie…I hate that I only get to see her a few times each year.
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Stumble Upon: Stumble Upon is a neat little application that lets you surf the net in predetermined topics. In using their little gadget to find out what other friends I have who use Stumble Upon, they managed to e-mail my entire Yahoo addressbook. I feel sure I’ll get some grumbles about that, but I do apologize. I did not recognize that it was going to do that. Bah. Still, it’s a neat little deal … I just wouldn’t have sent out something like that to everyone. Even internet geniuses goof up sometimes. Sorry!
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What’s going on in your world?
Thanks for reading,
john
April 24, 2008
May 1st is National Day of Prayer.
Do you plan to participate?
How important is this day to you?
Would you share this video on your blog?
Thanks for Reading,
John
April 22, 2008
I really did not know what a special night it was going to be, but several conditions brought about a special blessing.
It began back in February when one of our members, David Burkett, read a story in the Christian Chronicle about the ongoing trials and struggles of the church in New Orleans. I know as well as anyone that the recovery from Katrina is far from over. If you travel anywhere from Bayou LaBatre, AL to New Orleans, LA you will find evidence across the entire coastline of Katrina’s wrath. Katrina came ashore August 29th, 2005. It seems like a long time ago. I’m sure many in our nation believe that the damage is all cleaned up. But when you step into the Katrina zone, the wounds are still fresh. David went down to New Orleans to survey the situation. I’m glad he did. This set the stage for opportunities to begin to arise.
Kirk Garrison moved from Abilene into a struggling and dangerous New Orleans in order to minister with the Carrollton Avenue church. Charles Marsalis is from New Orleans. Together they began not only to rebuild what had existed in the past, but also to dream about reaching out in this unique environment. Opportunity (providence) presented itself in the form of a church building in the Hollygrove community - one of the most dangerous communities in New Orleans. In faith, Carrollton Avenue purchased the building. The dream of starting a new congregation in an area that needed the presence of God was beginning to be realized. But it was not without challenges. They are currently in need of raising Charles’ salary, and also raising a part of the purchase price. Please contact them for details if you have the ability to help. (And feel free to share this with your church’s leaders … it’s an incredible story.)
So this past weekend Forsythe Avenue Church of Christ hosted a luncheon for area elders and ministers to come and hear Kirk and Charles speak about their work. Sunday morning they were able to speak at the Whites Ferry Road Church of Christ. Sunday evening, back at Forsythe, about fifty brothers and sisters from Whites Ferry Road joined us for a time of worship and hearing a message from Kirk and Charles. This was followed by a dessert fellowship. And that was our special night. For a lot of reasons. I think it was a special night because Kirk and Charles did a great job of sharing the “heart of Carrollton” and why they were so intent on winning the lost to Jesus in the Big Easy. It was special because of the shared time of worship. Tommy Inman, Alan Robertson, and Mike Kellett, all from WFR, participated in leading songs and prayers. Ken Dorsey, myself, Jason Barnard, and Micah Harper, all from Forsythe, participated in leading songs and prayers. I think it was special because it was obvious that old friends were re-connecting. I could see so many hugs and handshakes. It was great to see fellow blogger Royce Ogle there with his wife Carol. I think there were still conversations going 90 minutes after the service was over!
One thing to understand is that Monroe / West Monroe is not a huge place. While White’s Ferry Road is by far the largest congregation in our area, there are several great churches in our parish. None of us believe that all of the evangelistic work is finished … not by a long shot. There is so much to do. We can accomplish so much together! Sometimes churches, even when located near one another, can lose touch and become focused on their own works to the neglect of keeping lines of communication and love open. I want to join with the other ministers in our parish to recognize our common bond and work in Jesus Christ! Every congregation has it’s distinctions … but every one has it’s commonalities. The greatest commonality, of course, is the Spirit of God that lives within us. This is emphasized when we love and support one another.
It is my hope that the churches in our area will band together to help bring about some needed resources in New Orleans. This includes not only needed financial resources, but also work crews and prayers. Having been on the receiving end of this kind of support, I know what it feels like to have to ask … it’s no fun. I know what it’s like to need something and scramble to get it. Not enjoyable. I know what it’s like to be in need and have someone come through for you in a big way. Praises to God!
In such a way, a need in a far away place brought together brethren in the twin cities, and created a special night. It is my prayer that this is the beginning of a movement of unity and sharing together of the delightful partnership in missions. Thanks for letting me share this special night with you.
John
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