Gun Control

Okay, I am going to say this as clearly as I can.  I do not think that guns are evil.  Guns are inanimate objects.  They have no ability other than being manipulated by the hands of man.  There is no one in this world who feels any worse about what has happened so many times in our country when it comes to innocent children losing their lives at the hands of evil people.  But that is the problem, evil people.  No inanimate object can be evil in and of itself.  It can be used in an evil way, or it can be used in a useful and productive way.  It is the mind of a man that takes and turns something into a tool of evil.

Now, do there need to be restrictions?  Yes.  I am all for making our public safer.  Do we need to make it more difficult for evil people to acquire weapons like those used in Newtown?  Yes.  I believe we do.  We also need harsher punishment for selling weapons without registration of those guns.  This goes against a lot of the conservative thinking but I am all for making it more of a crime to use any weapon to kill another human being.  It isn't the weapon that killed it is the person wielding the weapon that cause the fatality.  We need to be more strict in acquiring guns.  But, it does not need to punish those who are law abiding and caring citizens by banning any weapon. 

Stricter applications and licensing for all guns is perfectly fine with me.  But, you will take my guns out of my home under major protest, and major being I wouldn't want to be in the shoes of those who walk up to my home to take my guns.  As long as I am alive, I'll be the last one in America to have their guns taken away.

I am sorry for the tragedy we have seen over the last week and the 69 other school incidents involving guns and schools since 1994.  It saddens me and makes me ill to think that anyone would hurt another human without provocation.  I am reminded daily of a personal situation in my life where no guns would have allowed someone I thought a lot of to live.  However, the evil of the other person allowed them to steal the gun they used to kill with.  Evil in a person turns a gun against the innocent, not the gun itself.

I'll see you later.

Holidays

Bah...Humbug! 

Yes, that is the way I felt for years about the holiday season.  I didn't dislike the holidays as much as I realized how many times in my life that was the time that I felt so inadequate as to what and how to treat this special season.

I have always enjoyed giving gifts and seeing my children open their gifts has always been a wonderful experience.  Now seeing my grandchildren doing the same thing also brings a special feeling of joy.

My problem has always been the world's view on the "commercial aspects" of Christmas and the entire holiday season.  When this time of year is motivated by the purchasing of items and the guilt they spread for not purchasing the "best gifts" for those you love.  I am not good at picking out gifts.  I guess that is one of the things I inherited from my dad.  He always gave credit to "Nay", JoAnn,  his wonderful bride of over 30 years.  And he is right in doing so.  She is the gift picker for that family and does a great job.

My wife also does most of our gifting.  I am thankful that she does.  She is good at it and can filter some of the things I feel are special for the season and special for our children and grandchildren. 

I love giving gifts, but there is an underlying aspect I want you to think about.

My greatest gift has never been as important to me as it is now.  The greatest gift I have ever received I was given by God.  His Son!

I want Jesus to be the gift I share with my family above all other gifts.  I want to keep Christ in Christmas. I want more than anything to see my children and grandchildren be faithful loving children of God so that they may receive the gift of an eternity in heaven with God.  If I can give that gift to my children I have given the best gift I believe has ever been offered.

Then it will truly be a holiday and it will last through all the season.

I'll see you later.

I Can't Do It!

Have you ever said the words, "I can't do it"?

I have, and it hurts my pride, ego (whats left after 53 years) when I have to admit that I can't do everything. 

I don't know it all! Now that should grab my children's and my family's attention.  But I admit it.  I have come to realize that not only do I not know everything, I can't know everything.  I can't do everything.  There are limits that are on me as an aging adult with many flaws that keep me from being able to believe I can do anything.  Knowing and doing are just as important in the realm of knowing to admit "Can't" as fighting the hatred I carried for those few words all of my life.

I hated admitting that I couldn't do it all.  I refused to make the statement that I didn't know something.  It was a war in my life that I, admittedly, still have to fight on occasion. 

But there is one thing I do know.  I know that because of the grace of my God and the sacrifice of my Lord Jesus, I have eternal life within me.  I know that there are no spiritual boundaries in my spiritual walk with the God I love.  I am not perfect and I get angry when I choose to sin, but I know my God is a forgiving God who searches our hearts and minds to know us and lead us toward Him.

When someone says that they "can't" do something, I am not as critical anymore.  When I hear someone say "I don't know" I am not as flippant about their remark as I once was.  I have a lot more patience with others and myself as I have matured (term used in expectation).

When you find yourself not knowing, it is okay to admit it.
When you find yourself not being able to do, it is okay to say, "I can't do it!"

Just make sure that when you are faced with the spiritual challenges in your life that you say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"   Philippians 4:13

I'll see you later!

Black Sunday

I found the following article and just had to share it with the family here.  Be blessed.

Wow! I found the best deal ever and I want to share it with everyone I know. Forget about “Black Friday!” Forget about “Cyber Monday!” The REAL deal is something most people haven’t figured out yet. I am about to give you the best savings tip ever! I promise you will not find a deal this good at any retailer. Just read a bit further to find out about this amazing deal!

We’ve all heard about Black Friday. It is a day that retailers look forward to all year. It has the name Black Friday” because, traditionally, this is the day that many retailers go from being “in the red” (an accounting way of showing that expenses exceed revenue) to being “in the black” (revenue exceeds expenses). Black Friday, and the relatively new Cyber Monday (Internet sales), are generally the most profitable days of the year for many retailers. So why would you shop on a day that literally gets its name from the fact that companies are getting their greatest profit from YOU?

I HAVE A BETTER IDEA. Why not go somewhere that YOU profit from the expense of someone else! You see, the best deal isn’t Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but something we might call “Black Sunday.” About 2,000 years ago, Jesus went to the cross on our behalf. Corporate humanity was in debt for our sins. Rather than offering cheap deals, Jesus offered the most costly expense imaginable, His blood. And if that were the end of the story, then expenses would still exceed revenue and we would still be “in the red.”

But Sunday came, and with it, the greatest profit ever…the risen savior! Because of “Black Sunday,” we now benefit from His profit – salvation. That’s right. We get the profit, not some corporation! You don’t have to camp out all night or wait in line this Thursday. Christ rose on Sunday, and you can receive His gift TODAY! If you want to receive His “profit,” turn away from a life of sin, confess Jesus as the Son of God, and be baptized for the forgiveness of sin. Then begin attending a bible believing, New Testament church where you can learn more about walking in the light! What a deal! A true savings!  By Greg Wanderman.

 I'll see you later!

Does Time Heal All Wounds?

I have heard the statement that "Time heals all wounds." I have even used it on occasion until one day when I stopped and thought about the ramifications of this statement.

Time does not heal all wounds!  Time can heal wounds of a physical nature, but what about wounds that are inflicted with the desired interest of painful, lasting jolts of insult, hurt, and the ultimate destruction of the soul.

"Surely," you may ask, "no one would deliberately hurt someone to give them lasting or permanent pain?"

Yes, we see it everyday.  My sermon this past week was called "The Big Lie" and I spoke of the way we use our words and that the old saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is a lie.  Words hurt and there are those who are out there viciously hurting others with their words.

Many reasons are at the root of this attitude.  I remember a sermon I heard from one of my mentors, Jim Hackney.  He told of the children in the sand box playing together until one of them became upset at how the playing had progressed.  Ultimately all play stopped and words were slung with the savagery with the power that even adults will many times avoid.  One of the children who had a sand shovel and pale decided she/he didn't like the way things were going and so left the group vowing never to return.

We, as adults many times, do the same thing in our relationships and wounds are created and over time begin to fester and even bleed in an emotional mess.  Words can maim, wound and yes, even kill relationships and even total groups of people.

Time can't heal all those wounds.  It is impossible for them to go away, even when healed, without leaving the visible scars that torment us for the rest of our lives.  Words, used in anger, jealousy, hate, etc. are better left unspoken, because time does not heal all wounds, but scars remind us for the rest of our lives.

Be careful to choose slowness of speech as you are confronted with the situations in life that bring about the desire to sling the arrows of disgust, hatred, and anger.  Words do hurt and time can never heal all wounds.

I'll see you later!

The Political Side of Me

I was sitting at my desk and reading some of the political junk that is floating around.  There, I said it.  I think it is junk.

Look, as a Christian I have to do what I can to inform and encourage those around me who might not be as morally motivated as I am.  So, let me make just a few statements that will let you know where I come from on my political views.

First...I believe in doing things the way I believe the Bible teaches and I always try to ask the question "what would Jesus do?"  I really believe that this is a great start to any decision. 

Second...I will not vote for someone who is affiliated with or believes in a platform of acceptance to abortion, same sex marriage, or has a lack of moral fiber based upon the establishment of this country through its constitution.

Third...I will not vote for someone who wants to make bigger government. I think that the "fathers of our country" wanted us to be governed by men of the community not career politicians.

There, I said it.  These are the three things I think about the most when it comes to my vote.  Where a man stands on my issues will determine my vote.

I'll see you later!

Time to Go!

Ready? Set? Go!

My granddaughter said this over and over as she would run from one side of their living room to the other.  The only thing is she would begin running before she got to "Go!"  I laughed and told her to not leave before she said go.  Quick as a flash she answered me, "NO!  I got to go fast!"

How many times are we in such a rush in our lives that we start running before it is time and before we get to "Go!"?  I have found myself in those situations so many times I can't count them.  You get ready to do something but you are too ready and you jump the gun.

In track, if you jump the gun too many times you are disqualified for trying to gain an unfair advantage.  In life, if you jump the gun, you are just not doing your part with as much thought as you probably should have in the process.  I wonder if our lives are lived trying to gain an unfair advantage. 

My granddaughter wasn't trying to defeat anyone in a race, she just wanted to get where she was going "fast!"  The mentality that we have in our society is that getting there first or the fastest means we are better than those behind us. 

In Christianity, it isn't who finishes first, it is just finishing.  "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." Acts 20:24.

But it is important to run to win the prize "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24 But we never jump the gun or run in a way to cause others to question our motives.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..." Heb.12:1

I need to plan my future but I need to run a good race.  I need to plan it out and live life as to win the prize at the end of the race, but I also need to run the race cleanly so that others watching will realize I have not "jumped the gun" or run in a way that could cost me the prize.

Run to try to win, but run with the intent of finishing, and never jump the gun or make others question the motive behind your race.

I'll see you later!

You Say There Is No God?

I have faith that there is a God, so much so that I do not doubt at all His existence nor His work in my life. You have faith that there is no God and I am sure that your faith is just as strong. The outcome of this is that my faith looks forward to an eternity in heaven because of my acceptance of my God and His teachings. Yours is that there is nothing after this life. If I had your faith, I

look forward to nothing. If I have faith in my God I look forward to everything. Which has the better faith?

Proof is in the faith because we don't have people coming back from the grave never to die again. That only happened once. My question is, your faith enslaves you to the laws and regulations of this world. My faith frees me from the outcome of this world. My faith is hope. Your faith is...well, I don't see the world getting a lot better in my lifetime. And if I had your faith, why would I care?

Just curious

God's Purpose for Music

I found this today and wanted to share it with you.  Thanks for taking time out of your day to see what I have to say.

 

What is the biblical approach to music in the church and in the life of the Christian? And why does it matter to the Holy Spirit.
Throughout the New Testament as well as the Old, biblical music and singing is vocal, joyful and respectful to God and finds its origin with God (Exodus 15:1,21; Acts 16:26; Rev. 5:9). The use of a concordance to find verses that contain the words: "song," "singers" and "singing," will confirm that God has purpose in music.
Notice particularly the special assignments given to singers and the special provision for singers in 2 Chronicles and Nehemiah. God also uses trumpets, harps, and other musical instruments for His purpose.

Satan also instigates the use of music amongst God's people to enhance his deceitful influence. Obviously, he has accomplished his agenda amongst many well intended Christians. Particularly, we see a weak endeavor to know what kind of music comes from the heart of God and what derives from the mind of Satan and little desire to discern the difference.

The music pattern and methodology of your church is very revealing about the intent and motive that drives that ministry. The fact is: what motivates us, conforms us, thus, methodology is conceived. For many Churches, the devil has a manipulating strong hold in the area of music that is emotionally driven. Churches across all denominational lines have been seduced to a false and vain obligation to provide a non-convicting environment through the use of musical enhancement and entertainment.

Charles Spurgeon, the great English Baptist preacher, declared with conviction:

"The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them... providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church...The need is biblical doctrine, so understood and felt that it sets men of fire."

The character of Biblically based music is distinctly different in its origin and purpose. It is not intended to draw the world... it is separate from the world. Unlike biblical music, worldly methodology in music with religion sprinkled on it, is at its core a predator for the emotion of the vulnerable and carnal believer... while biblical based methodology in music compels devotion to the one and only true God... The Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 3;16). Amen!

Sincerely, Dr. Arthur Belanger

How Do I Feel About 8-1-12

I want everyone to know that I do not hate anyone nor do I believe we should hate anyone.  I believe that you have the right to your life and I have a right to mine.  My beliefs are based upon the word of God and I will stand for that as long as I live on Face Book, my blog, or anywhere else in my life.

You may not agree with what I believe and God gave you that right and I will accept and honor that right.  I may try to persuade you to see through God’s word how I believe if it seems that our understandings are different, but I will try to listen with an open mind to what you have to say. 

You have the right to your opinions as does everyone else on the face of this earth.  I will not condemn the person that I differ with in my beliefs unless it harms me or my way of life.  I will not picket, nor will I stand and scream at you for what you do with your life.  I will differ with your opinions and stand against them if they violate, or seem to violate the word of God.

However, I do not understand how standing up for something I believe in makes me an enemy or judge of men.  I can only state what I believe and as long as it is legal in this country to do so I promise I will do just that.  I believe that God gave us all that right and it is our right in the constitution of our country.

God gave mankind His word that we call the Bible.  It is written to those who believe in Him and want to follow Him.  In His word he gives us the examples of how we are to live and how we should share that with those in our world.  Not everyone is going to accept this way of life and there is nothing I can do about it. I will, however, love and respect you as a creation of God and hope and pray that we will remain friends.  I will never disown someone who holds a different belief than me, unless I am compelled by God’s word to do so.

I may not spend as much time with some as I do others because of these differences, but it does not mean that there is no love for them in my heart.  I believe in my heart that I try to love every person I meet with the hope of getting to know them better so that I may allow my beliefs to be shared with all men.

I will continue to stand for what I believe and what I understand the Bible to say.  If your opinion is different than mine, so be it.  We will just have to differ.  I still care about you and your stand with God and that is my primary reason for standing for what I believe.  May God grant us the ability to share our thoughts with anyone who asks us about what we believe in.

May He bless us all in our lives.

 I’ll see you later.

Grounded!

Grounded was a term that started sometime when I was a kid.  I don't remember being grounded.  I remember getting what we called a "whoopin", which we deserved most of the time.  "Whippings" got my attention and I believe that they filled the need of discipline in my life anyway.

Then we grounded our children.  There is nothing to do but go to your room and sulk.  Think about what you have done (in reality figure a way to do a better job of not getting caught next time ) and  consider what you did that made you have to enter that solitude and desolate place called your bedroom.  Parents then quickly forgot their children, and the children made sure that they would do better (yes, a better job of not getting caught.)

I am calling for making a change!  Let's do something that will make our children and grandchildren realize that when they do something wrong they are going to have to receive something that disciplines them into understanding that they don't ever what to do that again.  I don't know what that is but let me give you some thoughts on this.

First, when your children need discipline...just do it.  But what ever you do, don't make it something that they will quickly forget the ramification of.  It needs to be a memorable experience.  They need to know that certain behavior is not acceptable and will "cost" them something for behaving in an unacceptable way.

Second, love them through it.  You can discipline without your child thinking you hate them.  They are not even capable of understanding the amount of love you have for them when you are disciplining them.  I know I didn't, and I don't think my children did either.  But, I do know that my children, for the most part, understand that I loved them more than they knew at the time.  Why?  Because I made them understand there were repercussions to certain actions that caused them to think about what they were doing and why.

Finally, pray for them.  Pray with them and pray for them.  Let them hear you talk to God concerning them and their actions.  They will get it at some point if you are sincere in your prayer life concerning them.  They need to know that God is that important to you.  Never give up your faith and your faith will never give up on you.

Think about it!  What if God grounded you?

I'll see you later.

How Far Do We Go?

I have a question.  How far do we go before we reach the point that states our intentions where we get as far away from what we know is right before we are unable to realize it may be too far for us to come back?

That was a mouth full.

What I am thinking is this.  So many of us get out on our own, making our own decisions and we realize that we  may have overstepped the limit of where we feel comfortable with our past decision making guidelines.  Before, we had our parents and our church friends, but then we find there is a whole other world out there that doesn't hold us to those guidelines anymore and we can pretty much do what ever it is we want.  We don't have to really answer to anyone at all.  At least that can "make" us do something we don't want to do.  It starts off small with little resistance or even discipline if we do something out of the ordinary.  But then, after a while of doing those things without repercussion, we find ourselves venturing further and further away from what we thought were our limits.  We may even realize we are able to make our own decisions, but the repercussions are now upon us when we do something that could or does cause us to find ourselves away from what we have always known.

Moms and dads, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, friends and church family, we will find, aren't with us nor do they mean as much to us as the did in the past.  We have walked away from what we have known and away from the people who have known us.  We do make new friends,  but they are not really a part of who we have been.  Now, let me say, this is a freedom of choice that God has given us, but it is one that can lead us to loneliness, heartbreak, and a failure to be in the most important relationship we could ever have.  A relationship with God can be lost because we walk away from what we know into an unknown world that is accepting and easy.

Through this rambling my question still remains, "How far do we go?"

Don't let a funeral be the time to say, "I wish I had been strong enough to stay with God and His family", though difficult and burdensome.  Swallow some of the desires you have and never walk so far away that you can't see those you love and so far that you completely walk away from God.

I'll see you later!

City on a Hill

“I don’t know what to do,” she stated as she sat in my office crying and looking for answers. “I’ve tried praying, begging God to take the pain away.  Why is this happening to me?” Her life was falling apart.  Her husband had found someone else at work to spend his free time with.  He left her with their two children and a house payment along with the bills to pay and left his family to be with his new found friend.  Her children didn’t understand why daddy hadn’t been home in weeks. “What do I do?”

This story is so familiar to so many of us.  It has either happened to our family or to someone we know.  It may have even happened to you personally.  I personally know that the pain of that type of loss, separation,  and the feeling that there is no love to be found can be overwhelming.  I have lived through it as a child and was blessed enough to have my dad “find Jesus” and show us the way to a better place than where we were.  Through a man, who knocked at our door back in the mid 1970’s, named Buck Bloodworth my dad found salvation through Christ Jesus and brought the message he had heard back to my mom and ultimately to his entire family.  Many of those my dad shared that message with became born again Christians.  Some that he shared that message with decided to continue in the lives that they had chosen beforehand.  Not everyone accepts the message that I believe will help them cope and deal with the situations that seem to tear their families apart.

Yes, I believe that Jesus is the answer to our problems.  For the young lady whose husband had walked out on her, Jesus was the answer.  She was immersed into Christ and gave herself to becoming the child of God she is today. With this decision she remarried a great Christian man who had suffered the loss of his wife and has led her children to know Jesus as she does. I know of story after story of people who have turned their lives around by deciding to follow in the steps of Jesus.

There is a "City on a Hill" that shines as a beacon pointing the way to a better life.  I hope you will search it out and find it. Search it out and find the answers that you are looking for and that God is trying to show you.  Your story, once shared, can help others find the answers that they are looking for.  Don't let the bad things of life swallow you up and hide the wonderful story of Jesus from you.  Too many times we give up and take the easy route.  I pray you take the right route and work at your life to be who and whose you are supposed to be.

I'll see you later!

Where are Your Treasures?

I am amazed that we are so wrapped up in this world.  So much so that we worry about it.  We fret over the years to come that we are not able to control.  We worry about the future here and what will be left.  We are concerned with the here and now and the things we want to do.

Don't get me wrong, proper planning is a good thing for our future in living on this rock that is spinning and flying through space through the grace of God.  We need to look to care for ourselves and nature without just dumping everything and not doing anything.  But worrying?  Please folks!  Wake up!

"This world is not my home, I'm just a passing thru.  My treasures are laid up some where beyond the blue; The angels beckon me from heaven's open door, And I can't feel at home in this world anymore."

Don't you think its time to believe this song and the scripture of Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."


I believe it to be time to stop and realize that our treasures are truly in heaven and that is what our focus in this world needs to be about.  Not what we have, but what we are living toward.

I'll see you later.

Change

Somethings never change.

"What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9

Change for the sake of change is usually a preemptive strike against the things that haven't changed in a while.  Change in worship styles is one of the things I have seen over the last few years.  I am amazed at our thinking that change is the answer.  It is!  What needs to change is not necessarily our worship style but our hearts about worship.

We need to begin to realize that when we come together to worship it is about God and not us.  We are not the recipients, nor should we be, of the blessings that come from worship.  We are blessed because we have worshipped and honored our God and Father.  God should  be the center of our worship and the blessing we should receive come from understanding that we are there to worship Him, praise Him, and honor Him above all else.

Can I receive a blessing by worshipping?  Absolutely!  But, when my worship focus is on how worship affects me, then we are wrong.  We are always going to be affected by what we do, but the focus of our spiritual worship as a church family should always be to promote our thankfulness, love and devotion to our God for the gift of salvation that He poured out on us through His son.

It is time for us to change our focus and look to God the inventor and perfecter of our faith.

I'll see you later.

Sometimes!

"Pappa, why do some people stay upset all the time?" asked the little boy about someone he saw become vocally upset because someone annoyed them for some reason or another.  "Do they know that what they are doing is what they are angry about others are doing?"

Talk about out of the mouth of babes!

I was amazed at the insight this young child had as they viewed the reality of adulthood's most difficult aspect, living in harmony with each other and allowing others actions and reactions to be overlooked out of love for them just being there.  This is difficult for us as humans to understand, on either side of the situation.

My answer?  "Sometimes!"

I'll see you later.

How Long Is Enough?

There are so many things that I have done in my life that have been hobbies and fun ones at that!  Over the years I had to start making concessions and giving them up.  Let me share just a few of those with you that I have done.  Some I still participate in but then there are many I have given up.  I'll indicate the ones I have given up with an  in front of them. Now this is participation hobbies.

These are a few I have given up: Baseball,  softball,  bowling,  skating,  water skiing,  snow skiing,  motorcycling, umpiring baseball, officiating basketball, trapping wild game, and raising hogs (literally).

These are a few I still participate in: Fishing, hunting, swimming, camping, radio broadcasting sports, golf, hiking, playing music on my mandolin, singing, did I say hunting and fishing?

Why do you think I gave up some of my hobbies.  There are several reasons!  First, I became incapable of doing some.  Physically was unable to perform these to the point of enjoyment.  Others I gave up because of health reasons.  Still others I just became to old to do, which I never thought was possible.  Those were the things I gave up, yet there are some that I still participate in and enjoy.

Life does this to us.  There are things we would really love to continue in our lives, but there comes a time when it has been "Long Enough."  We have done our time and we need to move on to other things.  We may not want to, but it has been long enough.  We may feel we can still perform in some ways, but it has been long enough.

I have several friends who over the years have talked with me about this and I understand better now that I am getting older how they feel.  Many of my peers are having to give up things that they really don't want to give up but realize that it is necessary to listen to those around them who care about them and want nothing but the best for them. 

This very thing is happening at the church where I serve as the pulpit minister.  Several of our elders who have served for so many years have said "enough."  Not that it was a problem that caused them to leave, but the came to realize that it was time to step aside and listen to their bodies and hearts to know what to do.  I admire their desire to be honest with themselves and understand that they will never stop leading others in Christ.  I pray for them in their transition. 

Think about your life.  Have you reached a point to where you have had to say, "Enough?"  Have you come to the point where you have understood it was time to give up some of the things you really loved?  It is okay to give up the things you can't do physically or spiritually, as long as you don't give up doing what is right for God. It is time to become a blessing for others by allowing yourself to stand back and enjoy watching and listening to those who have come after you and be there to give them the wisdom and encouragement they need to do what it is they do.

I'll see you later.

Sometimes I Wonder

I love social media!  I love being able to keep up with all of my friends without, sad to say, picking up the phone and calling them to talk.

I know it is not as personal, but considering every one's time and memory, mine because I'm getting old, keeping up is a lot easier.  There are those who don't like social media and they have their right to not participate, or to complain about those who do. God gave us the right to feel how we want to anyway.

Some times I wonder, however.  Why is it that you see things on social media pages from someone that you know they would never say with their mouths or in your presence?  Folks, what is written is no different than what is verbally spoken.  It hurts my heart to see foul language and innuendo placed upon the computer screen that is blatantly done without thought.

I am not talking about virus attacks or share's that you were unaware of. (I have had plenty of those myself)  But, to willfully use language that is unbecoming of a Christian is just above and beyond my comprehension.

So, I wonder!  Why don't we just use the idea of WWJD when writing on Facebook, My Space, Twitter, etc.?  Wouldn't that solve the embarrassment issues?

I wonder!

I'll see you later.

Today the Music Died

I write this after learning that an hour ago my mother left this world.  It is hard to put into words how I feel other than to say that at the same time I am sad and feel the void growing, I know that there are a myriad of reasons to rejoice.

My mom was a Christian.  She was a faithful follower of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  She has a home in heaven because of the forgiveness offered by God's gift of His Son's blood.  She re-enacted the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus in baptism for the forgiveness of her sins as so many have done through the years.

My mom was not perfect.  She was human.  She made mistakes and some that she lived to regret.  The one thing I am thankful for is that she knew she was forgiven of those mistakes and that her family grew in spirit because of her ability to overcome her mistakes and be a Christian example to the best of her ability.

The one thing I have missed over the years as an adult and living away from her for so many years was her singing.  She could sing, and I could write for days about those times. I have missed her singing and will continue to miss singing with her.  It is a blessing she handed down to her children and grandchildren, and even her great grandchildren, the love for music of all kinds and the enjoyment of singing.

Today, the music died in her life, but lives on through the lives of those she has left behind.  I would have loved to have sung once more with her.  But I know I will in heaven.

I love you mom.

I'll see you later...Wow, that will be neat.

Easter

Easter!  This is a special day throughout the Christian world, a day that many celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  This has always been a special day as we look at it through the eyes of a world that has walked away from the truth the Bible speaks of.  So many in our world have not taken time to honor God with a true understanding of what Easter is supposed to be about.  To many it is a time of gathering eggs and candy for children.  For others, it is one of the only days that they attend worship to thank God for the blessings they have received in their lives.

I am not sure why the world hasn’t gotten the grasp of what the resurrection celebration is supposed to be about.  When Jesus was crucified and placed in the tomb after His death, God raised His body up three days later from a cold and lonely grave.  Jesus came back to life and we have called that day Easter.  We are able to calculate, according to the days and weeks of the Jewish calendar, when that Easter day, that resurrection morning occurred. But that isn’t the main point of why this day is special.  It is a special day because the people of the world stop and recognize, for the most part, that Jesus actually did come back to life.  It was a first day of the week.  It was a Sunday!  But what makes the celebrating even better is that we serve a risen Savior.  We don’t serve a dead God!

For me, I celebrate this wonderful and blessed day each and every Sunday as I come together with my family and worship God thanking Him for the resurrection of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The reason we are to come together is to remember His Death, His Burial, and His resurrection from the dead.  We partake of communion each and every week to remember that sacrifice and the blood that was shed for our forgiveness of sin.

No, I never get into a rut when I partake every first day of the week.  This is my focus!  This is my sign to God that my heart is His each and every week as I come to worship, praise and thank Him for all He has done in forgiving my sins and giving me the opportunity to join Him in heaven.  It is not something to be taken lightly, but thought out, remembered, and practiced as often as we come together.  I am proud that I am a Christian and proud to have Him as my Savior.  I am proud to remember Him, not only today, but every time I come into His presence and into the presence of my spiritual family.  I love Him and want to remember Him all my life.

                                                                                                                                       

Sometimes I Wonder!

I had a terrible experience this morning.  I really feel badly about it, but it just really got under my skin.  I know I shouldn't get angry with folks, but when they basically call you a liar without a reason, it makes me wonder!

I was at a local eating establishment, McDonald's, to order Lisa and I some breakfast items. I order off the dollar menu because if you get the meal deal they charge you more.  I placed my order for two sausage burritos, two cinamon melts, and two large diet cokes.  (I order this twice a week most weeks, but today was a little different.)  When my order was ready, I looked at what was given to me and it was two burritos, two cinamon melts and two small diet cokes. 

I politely told the "guy behind the counter" that I had ordered two large drinks.  He began to argue with me that I had ordered small drinks with my meals.  I tried to tell him that I never order the meal deals because they are higher in cost than the dollar menu for the same amount of items and that way I could order "large drinks" and not have to pay the extra for the meal deal up charge.

Well, that went over like a lead baloon! 

I left upset because the guy made me feel guilty (or I felt guilt for getting him upset, which made me upset).  I hate confrentation.  I love people and most of you who know me that I usually try to be nice to everyone I meet.

Sometimes I wonder why the devil has so much influence on the people I come in contact with.  He puts me in some very procarious situations in life at times, where anything I do can be manipulated into someone being upset with me or what I have done.

Sometimes I wonder about how many times I have stood "behind the counter" and allowed an "upset person" to be right?  I just know what I asked for, and wouldn't be so concerned if it had been someone who just acknowledged that they had misunderstood what I ordered and calmly changed my order without making it into his mission of the day to make me feel guilty.  I do!  He won!  I feel bad! 

Sometimes I wonder.

I'll see you later.

Fun Isn't it?

This week I preached a sermon on fellowship and worship from Hebrews 10:19-25.  It is hard to believe that we, for years, have understood that the reason we should come to worship God is to be right.  I don't believe that.  I believe that when we come to worship God as a church family it to bring Him glory and honor.  It is about us doing something that glorifies God, not about what we get out of being in worship.  Worship is not about me but about what I bring to our Father as a time of thanks and love.

God asks us to come together and praise Him.  I don't hear or read anything that says worship and fellowship times are to benefit us.

Now, I am not saying that I don't receive a blessing from being in worship, but I am saying that it is about me bringing something to God.  I do receive a blessing from being with my brothers and sisters. There is nothing I enjoy more than being in worship and remembering what God has done for me. 

What God wants is my heart, not my attendance without it.

I'll see you later.

Time was...!

Time was when you could walk down the street and be greeted by everyone who walked by.  Now, if you even get a glance from some you feel like you have accomplished a monumental feat of social elitism.  People just don't want to be bothered with the menial things in life.  Some don't even want to be recognized as those who walk among the living.

That is why I am so glad that I still speak and greet most of the people I come into eye contact with.  Today as I drove away from dropping my wife off, a lady was taking her morning walk down the street and as I stopped at the signal to wait I caught her eye and nodded "Good Morning" and she smiled and waved.  It broke me into a smile and the thought that not everyone was raised on dill pickles and some even don't mind sharing a smile and a warm greeting now and then.

How can I as a Christian do better?  I believe it is possible if I will just keep smiling and greeting.  It reminds me to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."  It still works!

I'll see you later.

Happy Faces

I am amazed at the use of Happy Faces. :)  Still!  They aren't old to me yet.  How long have they been around?

I don't know about you but somethings never change. I can still remember when I took a quarter to pay for lunch with an extra milk.  Oh well.

I am getting old but that is okay.  I am enjoying it with Happy Faces. 

I'll see you later.

The Time is Now

How often have you found yourself wondering when you will be able to get the things done that need to be done?  This has been a fascinating year for me, simply because I am striving to re-invent myself to a point.  There have been many times in my past where I have procrastinated getting the things done around the house that need to be done and waiting till the last minute.  Silly to many of you I know, but to me, it just took too much of my time to think about what to do and how to get it done.

I am not saying that I have conquered the desire to put things off completely yet, but I do believe I am getting better.  Last year at C.T.C.C., the church camp I direct, our theme was, "It's Time!"  I was convicted of needing change in my life as well as needing to see others do the same.  It is time for us to do what we know we should!  We need to stop putting off the things, even though they may not be as important to us as to someone else.  It's time we started thinking about others first and making sure we let them know how much they are loved and appreciated by the things we do, not just the words we say.

There!  I said it and I meant it.  Does it mean I have done it perfectly?  NO!  But I am working on it.  Why?  Because the time is now!

I'll see you later.

Tebo Mania

Why is it that so many have been critical of the way Tim Tebo plays football? Why is there is there so much discussion on Sports radio talk shows about his inabilities to perform at a level consistent with "True NFL quarterbacks"?

I can only relate as an onlooker that, no, he isn't a prolific passer and he doesn't have the greatest arm. He doesn't seem to see the field, at this point of his career, as well as some of the other quarterbacks in the league. He has been called a "Rookie" quarterback, even though he is in his second season.

On and on we could go discussing Tim's inabilities. They are many on the field and in his life he is just a man.

I was watching a program that was made that showed him all the way from his senior year in High School to the present. Somewhere in that time period he became cognizant of having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. I noticed how much he enjoyed praying and praising God while he played. He is not the greatest singer in the world, but he sings and uses his spiritual emotion out in the open no matter the situation. I appreciate the way he takes time, because of his position in life, to spend money and time offering himself as an encouragement to seriously ill children. I love Tim Tebo and his openly showing his apparent love for Jesus Christ our Lord.

But that isn't what I am most curious about. The thing I am most curious about is why is it that so many misunderstand the place God has in this situation.

God doesn't care who wins an NFL football game. The blessings of ability that Tim Tebo has is no more or less important than anyone else in our world. I am just as impressed when someone goes out and strives to honor God when they share with someone less fortunate.

No matter where we are in life, we, as God's children, need to be just as open with our relationship with God and his Son. We need to use the opportunity we find ourselves in to honor and praise our God. There are Christians in the NFL. More of us are not in the NFL or in the limelight that brings us into the public spotlight like Tim Tebo, but are you any less blessed to perform in your life with the talents you have been given, and have we sometimes forgotten to honor God during those times.

May God bless us as we are all blessed to use our abilities to honor him and not as an opportunity to accept the accolades that come with the limelight. Honoring God is not a fad, it is a lifestyle and many times it is misused. Some misuse it by making it a show and others misuse it by not showing it at all.

Where are you in your openness to honor God?

I'll see you later.

I Am Somebody!

Sunday I preached a lesson on the topic of "I am Somebody" taken from an idea from a powem written by William H. Borders. The following is the poem and I hope you enjoy it.

I am Somebody!
I am Somebody!
I may be poor,
But I am Somebody.
I may be young,
But I am Somebody.
I may be on welfare,
But I am Somebody.
I may be small,
But I am Somebody.
I may have made mistakes,
But I am Somebody.
My clothes are different,
My face is different,
My hair is different,
But I am Somebody.
I am black,
Brown, or white.
I speak a different language
But I must be respected,
Protected,
Never rejected.
I am God’s child!

God bless you all. I'll see you later.

New Beginnings! I am so thankful to be able to begin preaching again after a short 18 month Sabatical. God has so richly blessed me. Thankful is not an applicable word for the way that I feel toward our Father. I am so deeply endebted to Him.

"Where do we go from here? Which is the way that's clear?" Those words are to a song that has been running through my mind over the last few days. I know that the song is talking about a girl, but it really speaks to me when I stop and think about my life right now. The future is so bright that even shades for my eyes can't dim the brightness of God working in what I am doing here.

Where do we go from here? To the future. Toward heaven.

Which is the way that's clear? God's way. The only way!

Where are we headed? Home!

God bless us all.

I'll see you later.

Britt