Been a while since I posted, I see. Well, moving and taking a new call and getting your bearings can consume lots of time. But here I am, eyes fixed on screen, looking to share some thoughts.
I'm preaching this weekend. It happens to be All Saints Sunday. We remember those that have gone before us and perhaps most importantly, what they left behind. One of my favorite life words and the topic of my sermon this coming Sunday is legacy.
When those saints go off to be with Jesus, they leave behind a new expression of themselves. It is everything they invested themselves in; their time, their talents, their love, and their gifts. Legacy is the continuous ripple that spreads from a single point, from a single life, through close family and friends and outward into the world. I'm always both encouraged and convicted that in this life we are always in the midst of legacy building. Every interaction we have, every conversation or chance meeting leaves an imprint of our legacy. Are we increasing joy? Are we sharing the love? Are we embodying the Faith? Or are we sharing our cynicism, our negativity, our despair? Every day is a chance to establish our legacy. How will we be remembered? Sometimes we get a year, sometimes a lifetime, sometimes just one chance to be remembered and impact someone. What will your today contribute to your legacy? We'll see you this Sunday for some more thoughts on legacy.
Blessings,
Pastor Luke
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Life Overwhelming?
I was recently at the Mall of America with the family and these visits offer such good observation times. Watching people, trying to pick up on snippets of their stories, trying to figure out how that person ended up with that other person, things like that are just captivating to me.
First of all, a confession. I don't like crowds. I think God made me tall so I wouldn't get completely claustrophobic when in crowds, but I still get anxious and somewhat irritable. So yes, I know going to the MOA on a Saturday isn't a recipe for relaxation.
That said, and after a scolding to get my head in the game, I decided to focus on the happiness of others and see how that looked. Not good at all, it turns out. I was amazed to find so many people bickering, frustrated, fronting, lonely, or just disengaged. I'll write some of that off to Minnesota winters and SAD, but the rest just comes from something missing. Now I know that you don't go looking for hope at the mall, that joy doesn't necessarily flow out of the place, but even at Disneyworld last December, the happiest place on earth, people had similar frustrations written on their faces.
I really hope that the public displays I see so often are an anomaly, that people are truly happy and that I just happen to catch (all of?) them at their moments of weakness. Perhaps their lives at home are full of joy and sunshine. I'm guessing not. So why is this? I can't say I'm immune to this, even as I write about others, they may see this in me as well. What is and isn't in our control?
Here is my stab at a few things that I, and others, need to keep in mind on our end.
1. Stop caring what other people think. Half of the time I see frustrated parents, they seem more concerned that other people see their kids having a fit than they are that this is a chance to parent and teach. Those disapproving looks stay at the mall, but you take your kids home with you. Has the most recent outing been a win or a loss?
2. Model patience. This is tricky for me. I have a book called "Love as a way of life" and it talks about developing your daily life to exude love. Chapter one is Kindness, I loved it. Chapter two is patience. Who has time for that? Needless to say, the bookmark is still stuck there for me. But, do I want my kids to be impatient? That certainly makes for more difficult plane rides, times in line, or times waiting for mom to meet us in the van to go somewhere... I say this all the time; our kids will turn out to be little versions of us. What are we teaching them to be? Model patience...
3. Smile and treat people nicely. This should be easy. It isn't.
Is life overwhelming? It can be if we try and do it on our own. My two cents? Give up the things you can't control, trust God to have your back, and focus on stewarding, taking care of, the gifts of life and family you've been given. Let's do it right, we've only got one chance at this...
First of all, a confession. I don't like crowds. I think God made me tall so I wouldn't get completely claustrophobic when in crowds, but I still get anxious and somewhat irritable. So yes, I know going to the MOA on a Saturday isn't a recipe for relaxation.
That said, and after a scolding to get my head in the game, I decided to focus on the happiness of others and see how that looked. Not good at all, it turns out. I was amazed to find so many people bickering, frustrated, fronting, lonely, or just disengaged. I'll write some of that off to Minnesota winters and SAD, but the rest just comes from something missing. Now I know that you don't go looking for hope at the mall, that joy doesn't necessarily flow out of the place, but even at Disneyworld last December, the happiest place on earth, people had similar frustrations written on their faces.
I really hope that the public displays I see so often are an anomaly, that people are truly happy and that I just happen to catch (all of?) them at their moments of weakness. Perhaps their lives at home are full of joy and sunshine. I'm guessing not. So why is this? I can't say I'm immune to this, even as I write about others, they may see this in me as well. What is and isn't in our control?
Here is my stab at a few things that I, and others, need to keep in mind on our end.
1. Stop caring what other people think. Half of the time I see frustrated parents, they seem more concerned that other people see their kids having a fit than they are that this is a chance to parent and teach. Those disapproving looks stay at the mall, but you take your kids home with you. Has the most recent outing been a win or a loss?
2. Model patience. This is tricky for me. I have a book called "Love as a way of life" and it talks about developing your daily life to exude love. Chapter one is Kindness, I loved it. Chapter two is patience. Who has time for that? Needless to say, the bookmark is still stuck there for me. But, do I want my kids to be impatient? That certainly makes for more difficult plane rides, times in line, or times waiting for mom to meet us in the van to go somewhere... I say this all the time; our kids will turn out to be little versions of us. What are we teaching them to be? Model patience...
3. Smile and treat people nicely. This should be easy. It isn't.
Is life overwhelming? It can be if we try and do it on our own. My two cents? Give up the things you can't control, trust God to have your back, and focus on stewarding, taking care of, the gifts of life and family you've been given. Let's do it right, we've only got one chance at this...
Friday, January 28, 2011
Ordinary...
A snippet from my message on Sunday, some folks had asked about it...
Matthew 4:18-22 (The Message)
18-20Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, "Come with me. I'll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I'll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass." They didn't ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed.
21-22A short distance down the beach they came upon another pair of brothers, James and John, Zebedee's sons. These two were sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their fishnets. Jesus made the same offer to them, and they were just as quick to follow, abandoning boat and father.
Life is always moving. God’s mission is constantly flowing, weaving in and through our lives. We can observe or we can participate. I’ve heard the excuses, most of them I’ve made myself, My wallet isn’t fat enough, my mind isn’t sharp enough, I’m too far gone for you to use, I’m too young, I’m too old, I’m scared. Pick yours, and put it to rest. God doesn’t need the wealthiest, the smartest, or the most eloquent. God needs you and me, not just needs, but wants. God wants to put us in the game, he wants to get us off the sidelines of life and give us a chance to shine. We are exactly what God wants when and where he wants us. And it isn’t a mistake. God isn’t leaving it up to chance.
I’m not a betting man, but if I was, and you told me this Gospel story and then asked if I thought these fishermen had what it takes to change the world, I likely wouldn’t bet the house on them. But Jesus did. Jesus bet his life on them, and on us.
God doesn’t require the best of the best. He creates it. God takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary. So rejoice in your shortcomings, stand strong in your weaknesses. God wants you just the way you are. What he desires is your willingness to follow Jesus.
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