What I FUSS Over - Part Two: Faith Stone

If you haven't already read my post from last Thursday, you may want to go back and check it out. In it I explained what the FUSS meant to me and that each of the Four Unused Smooth Stones I have remaining represented something to me as to how I should live my life as a man saved by grace through faith.

This week I'll detail a little more about the FAITH stone, the first of the 4. To begin, remember there was that 5th stone, the Living Stone, the Cornerstone, Jesus the Messiah that slew the Goliath that was my sin with his death upon the cross. I was saved by that stone, by grace through FAITH. I believe that I am a poor miserable sinner made clean and holy only by Jesus' actions, his stepping up and taking my penalty. I carry the FAITH stone then to remind me of the stone already cast. It represents my confidence, my belief in Him who rescued me. Faith is not merely saying it though. Faith is an ACTION word. There was only one action, one work required for my salvation and that was Jesus the Messiah's work and action in his death upon the cross. There is NOTHING I can do to earn my salvation. And yet, Faith is an ACTION word!

James 2:17b-19 (NIV) states: "faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder."

This is not works theology. This is not about earning your way in. The only work required for my salvation, for your salvation, is already done! It is the stone that was already cast. James is saying faith is not a dead word. It isn't about saying "I believe," its about LIVING "I BELIEVE!" My actions don't result IN salvation, they result FROM salvation. Because I am saved...not so that I might be saved.

That is what the FAITH stone represents to me. A call to action. A call to live out my faith as one who has been saved by grace, through faith.

Next week: the Courage stone

Community Means Family

During my time in the Marine Corps, I had the opportunity to live in Hawaii and learned the meaning of a word called ohana there. When I now watch the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch with my kids, much of the emphasis is on that word and its meaning of family, "no one is forgotten or left behind."

As Christians, we have a similar word, drawn from the Greek and anglicized into koinonia or fellowship as it is used in Acts 2:42-44 (NIV) "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common."

At our last Saturday night's community group after worship. We talked alot about how our "community" was more like a family. The discussion had me thinking about Acts chapter 2 and the notion that the family of believers is just that, a family. During our times together on Saturday, we often sit in the pews together and worship alongside each other. We break bread together, both in the Lord's Supper during worship and with a meal after worship is over. We devote ourselves to the apostles teaching both during worship and in our further studies/discussions of the evening's lesson after our meal. We pray together both during worship and again as we conclude our time together each week, offering our petitions of thanksgiving and concern as a group. We enjoy our time together just as a family does and long for each Saturday to come. I think it is something that many churches and churchgoers today lack and even our group has had to work on this for close to two years now to get where we are. It truly is a blessing to us all that participate...from our oldest right down to our youngest infants & toddlers...we are more than a community, we are a family of believers.

Song and Dance

Having been born without a musical bone in my body and being remarkably under-gifted by God when it comes to singing or playing an instrument, I would hardly expect my boys to be "musical." When dad has a hard time just clapping on the right beat, you don't have high hopes your sons will somehow master the art. Of course, back further in the gene pool is my maternal grandfather who was an accomplished musician, so there may be some hope yet. Maybe someday I'll try learning an instrument again, but for now, I just enjoy watching my boys. Both of them love to sing and dance and play instruments (both real and imagined). Hardly a car ride goes by without one of the singing and getting the other one going and often now they will actually sing duets with one singing one part of a verse and the other then picking it up and finishing the verse. They can hear a song once or twice on TV or a CD and the next thing you know they not only know most of the words they know the rhythm and inflections and notes and can sing-along or even go A Cappella. They often can just erupt into a song without any seeming prompt or cue. I'm often struck as to where does it come from? Why do children simply love to sing and dance and then as adults, unless we are truly gifted, we seemingly lose that passion for the same?

James 5:13b (NIV) states: "Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise"

Maybe that's all it is, the children are so filled with joy and happiness that it can't help but burst forth from the lips and hips and as we lose that most precious child-like faith, we lose some of that joy and comfort in just abandoning ourselves to singing praises. I pray that God would make me like a child in that respect in the days ahead so that I too might erupt into song as my sons do.

In Absence Survive-In Presence THRIVE

My sister--my bride spent several days of this past week hundreds of miles, and about 60 degrees warmer in temps, away from me and the boys. It is something that happens once or twice a year and the boys and I have found ways of adapting to her absences. This past one was no different as we once again muddled thru our days knowing each was a day closer to having her back. Our boys are not all that old, but as they are getting older by the second, this was the best they had ever done in mommy's absence...and that helped make it more manageable for me. We actually kept the house as clean as it was when she left and that included dishes and laundry! We never ordered pizza or hit a drive-thru and never made a trip to an emergency room (or even opened the medicine cabinet for that matter) and despite the sub-zero temps, we even managed to stay warm and remain nightmare free at night. You might even say we got a little cocky about how well we did without her.

Of course, we are not cocky. We are not proud. We are not even confident that if she left again next month we could repeat our stellar bachelor-dom performance. We know how much we miss her when she isn't there. We know we don't like to have her gone. We know that the best part of the whole week was the moment of her return as she came up the stairs for the first time in several days. Our focus was on getting through those days. It was basic and fundamental. The joy came when she got home. As surviving goes, we could do it, but when she's with us we can go beyond mere survival.

We survived without you, yes. We THRIVE with you, most definetly!

Exactly Whenever

I admit to having eaten my dessert before the meal. I admit to showering after I've shaved. I admit to signalling after I've already changed lanes. I admit to asking permission after I'd already done it! I also admit to failing to capitalize on countless opportunities to witness. Oh, I've got my excuses: I was in a hurry; I wasn't prepared and didn't want to do a lousy job of it; I wasn't comfortable with the person or place; I, I, I, I, I...

It's funny how my other routines don't seem to mind a bit of disruption, but witnessing would somehow throw my whole machine out of whack!

John 7:6b (NIV) "for you any time is right."

Jesus has a way of getting right to the point. As one who has been saved BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH, ANY time is the perfect time for me to share the wonderful news of God's saving grace. With the Holy Spirit, I am ALWAYS ready, ALWAYS prepared and if I just get out of the way and act when the moments arise, God will do the rest. The right time to witness is exactly whenever! What if Philip hadn't seized the moment with the Ethiopian on the desert road (see Acts 8:26-40)? What if? What if? What if? That's a question I hope I won't have to ask this year. God please help to be a better a witness each day this week, this month, this year.

Making Up the Mind of the Mob

As a historian myself, one of the most enjoyable books of the Bible for me to read is the book of Acts. It is a great social history of the early church and one of my favorite little bits from it is the 19th chapter where Paul is in Ephesus. While he is there, the local craftsmen get upset at his preaching as many were involved in the making of images of Artemis and Paul was converting the population at such a rapid rate, they began to fear a decline in demand for the work. A riot ensued and within that context, a little verse sticks out to me, another one of those funny little verses from the Bible when you remove it from its context.

Act 19:32b (NIV): " Most of the people did not even know why they were there."

It always reminds of the hidden camera shows where they get a few people to just line up at a door and see hom many passers by will just stop and get in line without having a clue as to what they are in line for. Its amazing how that seems to never fail to attract people! Or when you look at old pictures of yourself and wonder what ever made you buy/wear THOSE clothes or get THAT hairstyle. Or when I look at the college students I see everyday who don't want to read or attend class or do any of their assigned research and yet are raking up an incredible amount of college loan debt to be in school!

Actually, I'm most reminded of that verse when my son asks from the backseat on a Saturday evening, "why do we have to go to church Daddy?" Do I even know why I am going there? Do I have an answer for my son? Thankfully, the answer is yes to both. But the explanation will have to wait for a later post.

What I FUSS Over

Before you read today's entry, you probably want to start by reading my last Sunday's devotion entry: What's the FUSS? That entry leads directly into this post. Once you've read that, then read on here.

As a Christian man, saved BY GRACE, THROUGH FAITH, I strive to live out my life as God wills me to. To remind myself of all that God has called me to be and do in this life, I think of the FUSS, the Four Unused Smooth Stones left in my pouch as Jesus the Messiah, the cornerstone, has already slain the Goliath that is my sin through his death on a cross and I emerge, just as David did, with four stones left. I've labeled my four stones as further reminders of what God would have me be and do.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14(NIV) states: "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love."

FAITH - COURAGE - STRENGTH - LOVE

Those are my four stones. Over the next four Thursdays I'll detail each one as I view it.

Lukewarm Coffee...Yuck

I like a hot fresh cup of coffee. I've also been known to enjoy an occassional iced coffee, although usually in the midst of a summer swelter when the hankering for a bit of Joe overwhelms me but my mind encased in a head beaded with sweat thinks the better of ordering up a hot cup and goes for the iced variety instead. That's all well and good. But as I sit here typing up this blog entry, I occassionally reach over and take a sip of from my coffee cup. When I poured, it was a steaming hot. As it has sat next to the keyboard though, I've ignored it and now it is luke warm. No longer is it hot enough to enjoy and yet it isn't cold enough to be a refreshing change either. It is in that state of flux I call YUCK! The only thing to do is either pour it out or "freshen it up" with some fresh hot refill.

It reminds me of the church in Laodicea. You know the one, that infamous seventh church early on in Revelation that God deems lukewarm and is about to spit it out of his mouth. (see Revelation 3:14-22) The hot church is the one ABLAZE! On fire and excited about the Savior and spreading the Word. The cold church is just the opposite, and though it may not be ABLAZE, it knows it is cold and the body oftens begins to find ways of restoring the heat, turning up the thermostat. The lukewarm one is neither. And the big problem with that is they aren't ABLAZE and active but nor are they cold and concerned about heating up!

One of the tremendous blessings I've had in the body of Christ is our community group after Saturday night services. We gather for fellowship and food after service but when the plates are empty and everyone is caught up on the activities of friends and family during the past week, we delve further into the sermon message from that evening's worship. We open our Bibles, and with the Holy Spirit, our hearts and minds also, and we share our thoughts and experiences as they relate to that week's message. This past week was no exception as we had one of our best discussions ever. It was a powerful night and as I drove home after spending close to 4 hours at church, my thoughts drifted to lukewarm Laodicea and how thankful I was that I belong to a congregation that is anything but lukewarm! I can't wait till this Saturday already! Our God truly is an Awesome God!

Overcoming Fear

With my wife and I painting our basement guest bedroom this past week, we made the decision to convert that room to a playroom so it could be used more than once or twice a year. We were both skeptical as to the result though as neither of us could picture our oldest actually WANTING to go to the basement (where he thinks there are lots of spiders and scary stuff) to play and furthermore we didn't think he'd ever do it by himself without one of us having to be down there with him.

Well, we got the room painted and all the furniture shifted and then had the boys help us start to bring down all their toys, organizing them (and thankfully getting all those pieces back together from their resting places in different rooms) and let the boys start playing down there. To our amazement, both boys willingly go down to the basement daily and stay in that room for hours playing. It has also meant that their bedrooms are cleaner as is our living room and they so far are actually cleaning up the toys they play with. Granted it has only been a week, but it has been a great week for us...although we wish we had kept that baby monitor so we could keep tabs on them down there...hmmm, maybe mommy and daddy have some fear they need to overcome too...like worrying about the kids playing together in another room of the house. Is that crying or laughing?

Oh well. Thank you God for granting our boys the courage to face their fears and may you grant some of that courage to my wife and I to help us let them fact those fears. Amen

Fresh New Year-Fresh New Rooms

Since New Years Day, my beloved and I have been "freshening up" our domicile. As we are about to enter our 3rd year in our house we decided it was high time we got about painting those rooms we had always intended to when we first bought the place. We started by painting the kitchen on New Year's Day and that blossomed into painting the bathroom, the hallways, the master bedroom and the basement room. We also converted the basement room from a rarely used guest bedroom/storage site to a fully functional playroom for the boys (and they've been down there everyday since!) Painting the bedroom also involved shifting of furniture into a whole new fresh look. We are by no means finished. The basement bathroom will be remodeled this spring with new fixtures and flooring and the boys rooms may be due for a coat of paint also.

No structural changes mind you. Just a bit of freshening what is already there. A new color here, a new arrangement there but all still the original stuff. That is how my wife and I like it. We are constantly tinkering with the arrangement, with the colors and adornments, but never with the structure. Same as in our marriage. We like it to be fresh. Trying new things and new ways of doing old things, but never outside of that original blessed structure that God has joined. We are like minded in that we both love to rearrange constantly, and yet the one arrangement neither of us would ever think of redoing is the one God has so richly blessed us with...our lives together as one. I love you my sister--my bride!

What's the FUSS?

A favorite Bible story of mine, and perhaps many a young boy is David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. It wasn't till recently though that something about the story struck me that had never occurred to me before.

1 Samuel 17:40 (NIV) "The [David] took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine."

1 Samuel 17:49 (NIV) "Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground."



We all remember that David was triumphant as the Lord handed Goliath over to him in victory just as a faithful David had claimed God would do. But what we forget is that David walked off the battlefield with four stones left in his bag! That's right, Four Unused Smooth Stones, or what I like to refer to as the FUSS. Was David's faith in God limited? Was he unsure that God would require more than one stone, so therefore he grabbed 5 just in case? No. David's confidence in the Lord was steadfast at that moment. To me, the fact that he left the field with 4 stones served as a reminder that slaying Goliath was only the beginning of his journey, not an end.

It serves as a reminder to me too, that though, like David, my Goliath has been defeated by the first stone, Jesus the Messiah and cornerstone defeated my sin through his death upon the Cross, I too stand triumphant with Four Unused Smooth Stones in my bag. A reminder that by Grace, through Faith I am saved and that God requires no works for my salvation and yet God requires me to live out my faith as an action word! God does in fact require works (the Great Commission alone is a call to action), he just doesn't require them FOR SALVATION. Salvation we received as a gift, the rest is just an outward expression of what we rejoice each day in. So I carry my bag of four stones each day as reminder of to whom I belong and for whom I live out my life. Every morning I ask myself, "What's the FUSS?" and I strive to live each day for God.

Of course, I've taken it a step further, and labeled each of my four stones as a reminder as to how God wants me to live my life for his glory. I'll share that on next Thursday's "Men's" posting.

Lost In The Translation

Several years ago, we had a Lutheran missionary visit our congregation on a Sunday morning describing his experiences working in a small farming region of Africa. In relating to us the great work the Lord had accomplished through his and his family's ministry in Africa, he shared a humorous anecdote about the struggles of communicating.

One day as they worked to translate Luke chapter 8 into the native tongue for that area in Africa, the locals were struggling to understand the text. It was the parable of the sower that gave them trouble, so the missionary tried to see which particular word or phrase they were having difficulty translating but it turned out not to be the words or their meanings that were giving them trouble. It was a community of farmers, who had farmed for generation after generation and they were struggling to understand the full meaning of the parable of the sower, (you know, the farmer sows his seeds and some fall on the path, some among the thorns and some on the good fertile soil). It seems the native translation group was convinced that the farmer in the parable was drunk, as no farmer would actually sow seeds in such a manner!

Coming from an urban background, that aspect of the parable had never struck the missionary before, and it always amazed him (as it does me) how some things seem to get "lost in the translation"

Which Way Are You Headed?

Another challenging message this morning in Men's Fraternity. The challenge of recapturing God's definition, God's plan of manhood in a 21st century world seemingly opposed to it. One of the great bits of scripture shared this morning was 1 Corinthians 11:3 (NIV): "Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."

Did you catch that last part? The bit about God being the head of Christ. Yes, I know, kind of hard to get over the preceding phrase about man being the head of the woman to get to the last bit. It's a powerful phrase, that last bit you know. As Lutherans, we are embedded with a right understanding of the Trinity--We sing in Holy, Holy, Holy "God in three persons, Blessed Trinity"--and grasp Father, Son, and Holy Spirit from confirmation onward and reaffirm every time we profess the Creed. So do we see an "inequality," perhaps a "discrimination" in that last bit? Does God as Christ's head make Jesus less than God? For me, the simple answer is no, not at all. So why is it that when you look at the preceding phrase we somehow assume that it is discriminatory and inequitable? Why is it that woman is somehow inferior if she is not the head? Could it be that for too long we men have taken it to mean just that and treated women as inferiors? Could it be that for too long we men have failed as spiritual heads and not only allowed, but actually forced women to take over spiritual headship in our lives and in our churches because we weren't willing to step up ourselves?

If you keep reading in 1 Corinthians 11, you come to verses 11-12 (NIV): "In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God."

We live in a 21st century of "independence," of "individual," of "what's in it for me?" Our challenge then becomes one of overcoming a worldview and culture that says headship = inequality, inferiority, and discrimination while reacquiring, recapturing, and reaffirming God's plan and will for us as men and women, both created by God in His image, where headship leads to fulfillment. Oh what a challenge lies ahead for Christian men and women. I pray God gives us all the strength, wisdom, and courage we require in carrying out His will.

I Can See Clearly Now The Plank Is Gone

Oh, how hard it is to gently nudge thy neighbor! Yet as brothers and sisters in Christ we are called to do just that when we see that speck in our neighbor's eye. Oh, I know what you are thinking, here comes a self-righteous tirade on how I am doing it right and someone else is doing it wrong. You are all ready to throw out Luke 6:42(NIV) and say, "How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite," but unfortunately, that is where most of us, including myself, stop reading (or remembering) that passage. We keep that plank blinder in our eye so as not to notice the speck in our neighbor's eye for fear of being a hyprocrite!

Oh the pitfalls of sinner/sainthood...Christians are all living hypocrits. I love it when non-Christians and church-haters jump on a Christian leader caught sinning and say "hyprocrit!" Of course if they understood what it means to be Christian, they would know we are all hyprocrits from the word go. We all seek to live without sinning and yet we all fall short and sin. Jesus the Messiah died to pay the price of my sins and so now I live a life of one saved by grace through faith and yet I still stumble, as do my brothers and sisters in Christ.

So, the rest of Luke 6:42 says "first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." There are times I need to look to myself and work on MY plank and yet there are times where I can see clearly and help remove the speck in my brother's. That can be simple encouragement, a gentle nudge like when you get one of these handed to you:

It might mean a heart-to-heart, a challenging confrontation, possibly an intervention, but always with prayerful concern and compassion for a fellow believer.


I got my round "Tuit" recently. And finally started to do something about my weight, thanks to a combo of encouragement and nudging from my wife and especially her sister who has been de-planking herself and encouraging the rest of us to de-speck in regards to our weight! Thanks Sis! I needed that!

And lets keep those non-believers and church-bashers in our prayers too! They may delight when we are down but I hope and pray they too will come to know Christ and rejoice and worship their Lord and Savior alongside me someday

Dad the Encourager

Colossians 3:21 (NIV): "Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged."
As a child growing up in the faith I always liked that verse. It was that little trump card against overbearing parents whose mission in life was to stifle my fun! Now that the tables are flipped, and I'm on the father side of the equation, I have to look at what that means for me raising up to boys in dire need of discipline. I've seen both boys get discouraged. Watch them play for a while and you'll genuine frustration when they can't get the wooden railway together right or put the puzzle pieces together correctly--LOOK OUT!--as a toy goes flying or something gets smashed. That leaves dad with options:

A) Punish the transgressor for throwing the toy

B) Calm the child, jump in and just solve the problem

C) Encourage the child to try-try-again!

Now, I admit to having done all three of the above, not to mention the fourth option of ignoring the problem till mom deals with it, but option C really does work. Yes, there are times I need to offer assistance too but the boys always let me know when I'm overdoing it (as in, "OK DAD, I CAN DO IT NOW!". Encouragement can be proactive discipline as you encourage positive behaviors & activities. I don't want to embitter my children, but I do want to discipline them. I must remind myself daily to be an Encourager, and pray that God will give me the strength and wisdom to be just that for my sons.

My Sister, My Bride!

To some, the title of this post may seem offensive, as they might see something incestuous in the phrase pairing sister and bride. I however do not. Infact, the phrase is drawn from that great song about love from the Bible:

Song of Solomon 4:10 (NIV) "How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!
How much more pleasing is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!"

I think it fits together perfectly. My wife is of course my cherished bride, a tremendous blessing bestowed to my care by the Lord himself. But she is also my sister in Christ. A fellow believer, a fellow worker with me in the Kingdom and that I also cherish as a tremendous blessing. So my wife certainly is my love, my sister, my bride!

Today, I ask that you all keep her in your prayers as she undergoes some medical testing and diagnosis. That God may guide the medical care givers and lay His healing hand upon her, if it be His will. I love you sweetie, everyday and always and always until we stand before the throne, no longer as husband and wife, but as fellow worshipers singing praises to him who sits on the throne and the lamb, forever and ever.

French Fries With Ketchup

Have you ever made a list of your favorite foods to eat? (I have recently in terms of what I am MISSING as I begin my weight watchers trek). Many lists would have old standby's like pizza, hot dogs, ice cream, burgers, steak & potatos, maybe just a good ole PB & J sandwich. My list though, would probably be topped by French Fries. Whether they are thick cut steak fries or skinny fast food ones, I just love 'em! I (used to) eat a pile of chili cheese fries, or a greasy brown bag full of plain ones lightly seasoned. Perhaps I'd have a cup full of soggy cheese fries with a fork, or skin-on shanks of fried potato dipped in sauces ranging from nacho cheese, salsa, greek cucumber or yellow mustard. Of course though, the absolute best way to enjoy french fries is with a generous helping of ketchup (or catsup if you prefer) poured all over them! Some people prefer the little plastic cup of ketchup, dipping each fry as they go, but I like to saturate the whole pile with a deluge of the sweet red stuff that smothers them all! Not that is (or at least was pre-diet) good eating. And you know, every time I enjoy french fries with ketchup, I am reminded of my baptism

Now, you are probably wondering how a plate of fries could possibly remind me of baptism. It is not that certain fries on the plate end up perpendicular to each other, taking on the shape and appearance of the cross upon which Christ Jesus died for all or our sins. Nor is it that the redness of the ketchup reminds me of the blood shed by Jesus upon that cross for the forgiveness of my sins. Those these are wonderful things to remember about Christ Jesus' love for us, it is something else about fries and ketchup that leads my mind back to my baptism when I open that ketchup bottle next to a plate of french fries.

Titus 3: 3-7 (NIV) "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

Did you figure out the connection? That's right, it's the pouring out of a generous helping of ketchup that reminds me of the generous amount of Holy Spirit that got poured out upon me during my baptism. You see I was smothered in Holy Spirit when I received the washing of rebirth and renewel through Christ Jesus at my baptism. And when you were baptized, the same can be said of you. So as I sit and eat my ketchup soaked fries, I think about how much Jesus loves us, so much so that he was willing to die so that we might be saved. Then I look down at my shirt. By now, there are several red spot stains soaking into it as my generous helping of ketchup has made its way onto my fingers, my face, my clothes, the table, maybe even the floor. That's the problem with generous helpings, they tend to get all over everything. So I wonder, when I am walking around in the world each day, going to work or school, sitting at home with my family, or hanging out with friends, is my generous helping of Holy Spirit getting all over everything and everyone I come in contact with? Do those who live, work, and play around me instantly recognize the tell-tale stains of one who was saved by Christ Jesus and had that generous helping of Holy Spirit dripping from my actions, my words, my witness?

So as I sit and enjoy my fires, I remind myself that God poured out a generous helping of Holy Spirit on me for a reason. Now that I've been renewed through my baptism, he wants me to help spread his abundant love to others. And so each day I strive to spread God's love all over as many people as I can, knowing that there is always a generous supply on hand! May God bless each and every one of you, and keep you in His peace. Amen.

Venus & Mars?

Luke 24:11 (NIV) "But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense"
Yes, out of its context, this is one of those humorous verses of the Bible. It always reminds me of the whole Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus book/lecture series/program etc. I'm always half tempted to read that verse aloud to my wife during those moments of frustration we have from time to time, but my better judgement usually helps me refrain from such silliness. Even at work where most of my coworkers are female I've been tempted to have that verse engraved on a desk plaque or something, but again, better judgement wins the day in the end. Perhaps I'll have my boys read that as they approach dating age, but if I had a daughter about to approach that age, I'd absolutely tell her that EVERYTHING A BOY SAYS IS NONSENSE, DON'T BELIEVE A WORD! Yes, I'm sure reason will win out then too and I'll just not bring up this verse.

Oh well, in the end, men are not from Mars and neither are women from Venus; both are created by God and though out of context, the verse sure does sound funny, in the end (with the verse in context) it was the women who were right and the men's disbelief was the actual nonsense!

God Bless you and keep and have a great weekend, be sure to Go To Church!

Reactionary Manhood

This past fall at my church, many of the men started gathering bright and early on Thursday mornings for Men's Fraternity, as we are beginning our journey with the Quest For Authentic Manhood materials. This morning we met again and set about "Saddling Up" for the 2nd half of that course. Since my day on Thursday's begins with a focus on manhood & men's ministry, that is why I have chosen that as the Thursday topic theme for this blog.

What struck me most about this morning's meeting was (a) all of my small group made it back after the long break since we last had met and (b) the notion that modern men often live without vision, simply reacting day-to-day rather than shaping their own lives (which was much of the focus of today's message as presented on DVD by Robert Lewis)

As far as the small group being back, it just supported the notion that we are not in this alone and though faith can and should be a personal journey, it should never be a private one. God has truly blessed our small group and blessed me personally through that group. Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) states "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another"
I sat there this morning as Robert Lewis laid down the law to us about our manhood plans and the need for vision and thought about just how reactionary I was. My vision was limited to the immediate. I react in the moment. How can I possibly get to where I am going when I limit my self to seeing only the next step. How do I know if that step is in the right direction? Vision and a plan are necessary. It is funny that just two days ago I started this blog with that very thing in mind. If I just started the blog and hoped to return to it each day and write an entry, it would have died quickly, like so many others I've started and so many others I've seen. One or two excited early entries and then nothing. So when I started this time I knew I had to lay out a plan. I knew if I didn't have a well thought out and organized plan, I wouldn't be successful this time around either. Of course it is way to early to tell if this plan will work, but having a set goal, a clear vision of what lies in the distance and not just under my next footstep is a positive influence, a guiding force if you will. And even if I veer off the path, or lose focus at somepoint, I'll always have the plan to get me back on course. Still, I shall not forget the wisdom of Proverbs 16:9 (NIV) which states: "in his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."
My goal then is to live as a visionary man, no longer as a reactionary one

Speaking Into The Air

An appropriate bit of verse to open this blog to me is found in 1 Corinthians 14:8-12

...if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. (NIV)

The context here is Paul addressing a church body eager to prophesy and speak in tongues. I to am eager to blog and share what is within my heart but Paul's guidance is simple. Is what you are doing edifying? Does it build up the church?

My Wednesday focus is on the Body of Christ, and from the outset I must sound a clear call. That is why today, the first Wednesday of my blog journey I am compelled to relate a personal story about my own mountaintop experience.

You see, in the Marines, my occupational specialty was that of Korean Linguist and that took me to Korea quite often. I spent many winters in the mountains of South Korea working and living alongside South Korean soldiers. One Christmas, I received a gift from one of the Korean soldiers, a framed bit of Korean text. So here I was, on a mountain in Korea, spending Christmas away from family and friends back home and just trying to forget it all as to avoid the pain of separation. The soldier who gave me the gift spoke a little english, more than most of those I worked with there and I spoke enough Korean that we could have conversations, but we were still foreigners to each other and our communications often lacked clarity and true meaning. Alas, here I was. A Chistmas away from home and a framed bit of Korean text to share it with me(the soldier had duty that night). I set out with my dictionaries to translate the passage. It was all about love. Everything to do with love. It turns out it was a Korean translation of 1 Corinthians chapter 13, which most of us have heard time and time again at wedding services. Yet here it was, in Korean, and in my hands on Christmas. The trumpet sounded a clear call that night, and since that night I have strived to ready myself for battle. I was raised up in Lutheran church you see. Baptized as an infant, Sunday school, confirmation, a solid home with parents actively raising me up to know and seek out Jesus the Messiah, but until that point, it was a private journey. It was about me. My relationship. My faith. Me! Me! Me! My faith was strong as long as it was protected under the umbrella that was my family's faith. Out from under that umbrella, I faltered and by keeping it private, no one knew I was falling. No wonder I was full of sorrow on a mountaintop so far away from what gave me comfort (my family, my church, my friends). And yet, as I read and reread that passage, presented in a foreign tongue, I realized how selfish my faith was and how selfless it should be.

The Body of Christ is everywhere. I was with family & friends even if I was thousands of miles away from my comfort zone. I'll save 1 Corinthians 13 text for a later entry, but it's message struck a powerful chord with me that continues to resonate some 20 years later, even though it came packaged in a foreign tongue in a foreign land. I can only hope and pray that if it be God's will, this blog may likewise edify and build up the church. I am forever thankful for the Communion of Saints, that wonderful Body of Christ that is the holy Christian Church. It is a warm and loving family, that supports and edifies its members while keeping its focus on Jesus the Messiah. Thanks be to God!

How Do You Organize a Heap?

Well, to get things rolling I've decided to prompt myself into actually blogging by laying out a schedule to follow. Each day I'll post a blog entry related to (and I allow myself to interpret related very loosely mind you) that day's topic. I propose this to myself to accomplish two main things. First, to give me a starting point each day for something to focus on and second, to allow readers (I know, probably just me) to follow tracks they have interest in.

So, I'll start each week with a bit of Sunday Sonshine, as I focus on Christ through a devotion I've written. I'll follow up on Monday's with an entry focusing on my wonderful wife and the joys and challenges of our relationship. On Tuesday's it'll be parenting and peaks and pitfalls of raising up two boys as God intended. On Wednesday I'll focus on my Christian family, the communion of saints and fellowship of the faithful. On Thursday, it'll be on Men's ministry and my experiences living as a Christian male. On Fridays it will be fun day, where the focus will be on finding something from the week to look back and laugh about. Saturday's, I'll honor God and His instructions in Exodus 20:8 and remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. (No, I'm no seventh day adventist, but that is the day I worship at church and participate in community group so I'll use that day for purposes of this blog).

So to recap,

Sundays = Devotions

Mondays = Spouse

Tuesdays = Parenting/Kids

Wednesday = Body of Christ/Fellowship

Thursday = Men/Men's Ministry

Friday = Fun/Humor

Saturday = no blog...focus is on worshipping my Lord and Savior

In The Beginning...

Welcome to Prairie Home Compost, a discarded pile of organic thoughts & musings from a son of the Prairie State beginning here in 2008.

A little bit about me, True Dat, I guess should form the base of this heap. I'm 40 and happily married with 2 young boys and living smack dab in the heart of Illinois. I'm a 4th generation LCMS-Lutheran of Prussian descent and a Marine Corps veteran (an old "Cold Warrior" I work in an university Archives by day and teach history as an adjunct at the local Comm College by night. I also teach a weekly Bible study on Wednesday nights and lead a once-a-month small group study and participate in a weekly community group at church on Saturday evenings.

I fish but don't hunt, I prefer baseball to football, and non-fiction to fiction. I believe the best part of vacation is the getting there and that is why my wife and I love to drive instead of fly and we always check out the roadside attractions! Capra movies are my favorite films and U2 my favorite tunes, and James Herriot books my most enjoyable reads after the Bible. I am obviously a Garrison Keillor fan too, when it comes to radio, and on TV I like PBS the most, but I do watch CSI regularly & on weekends I like the westerns & mysteries on Hallmark.

With the boys, my wife and I don't get to to many movies but we plan on seeing Juno this Friday and taking the boys to see Veggietales The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything after church on Sunday.

Well, that is enough to form a base I guess, I'll be back tomorrow with more to throw on the heap.



God Bless you and keep you,

True Dat