OMG! i can do that SO better than you!

Think about this:

We're not God (duh) but how often do we get frustrated when we have to wait on someone else to do something when we KNOW we could do it FASTER and BETTER ourselves?!?

True that, right?

Now, think about this...

• Jesus as a baby, unable to do anything for himself but allowing his mother to fumble her way through all the things first time Mommies fumble through.
• Or Jesus as a boy, going to school to "learn" about his ancestry and faith, when he had actually met (and created) the people his teachers were talking about!
• Or Jesus as a young man, listening to his father wax intellectual (like only Dads can do) about agriculture and carpentry, or friendship and the birds-and-the-bees, when Jesus already knew the difference between "that", as well as the difference between his dad's business and his Father's business.
• Or Jesus as the Savior, hanging on a cross as those who were taking his life were unable to see that Jesus was actually giving it, and he let them continue to think whatever they wanted in order to fulfill his love for them.

When Jesus said he came to serve, we need to remember that his service didn't start when he turned 30; Jesus began serving others - began enduring FOR others - the moment he left his rightful place in heaven to enter the broken reality of humanity.

Now about that Jesus graphic...
I ripped it off a church website. Seriously. Sadly.

I put it there to challenge us with this:

• Next time we get frustrated with how someone else is (or is not) doing something, will we love like the Jesus who hung on a cross or condemn like the Jesus in that graphic?
• Next time someone gets in our way or attempts to influence our anticipated outcome, will we serve them (or maybe endure WITH them) to show them the fullness of God's love, or will we convince ourselves we have no need of them and could do it better without them?
• Next time we speak about Christmas (especially if it's after Christmas), will we share what we were able to give or just about what we "got"?

Jesus was the Word that became flesh.
May the Word of Christ continue to become flesh in our lives.

folded underwear (and 99 other things)

Re-married life has brought with itself many unexpected splendors. One of the more interesting is folded underwear.

Some of you may recall my sharing with you a tradition I started several years back; the Thanksgiving week tradition of writing 100 things for which I'm thankful. This may sound trite or a even a bit contrived, or it could be an intentional discipline of exercising thankfulness and humility. I'll choose the latter as it sounds much more spiritual.

The first thing I'm thankful for this year is folded underwear. Seriously. The first time Christie did all the laundry after we re-married, I came home to a dresser filled with folded underwear, socks and t-shirts! You have to understand, though I kept a clean and organized home as a single man, I NEVER folded my underwear. As a matter of fact, I would throw and shove my underwear, socks and t-shirts into their respective drawers, and felt that was more than sufficient. So, I shared with my beautiful bride that she really didn't need to fold my underwear...

It so happened that I was the one to finish the laundry next time around, so I did what I always do... throw and shove. But sure enough, when Christie did the laundry the following week she folded and neatly placed all my unmentionables in their proper places.

Then last week, when I once again opened my dresser to a freshly replenished drawer of folded skivvies, I smiled, laughed, shook my head, and asked myself, "Why does she bother to do this?" I knew she didn't fold my underwear out of wifely duty or because they fit better folded than thrown and shoved. And, to be honest, I still don't know why she folds them but this is what the Lord placed on my heart when I opened that drawer that day:

your bride gives you her time and effort
to do something you feel is unnecessary
because she loves you
and wants to show you her love
in every little way she can

I still haven't asked Christie why she folds my underwear, but I hope she never stops. Every time I open my drawer to neatly placed and beautifully folded BVD's, I will thank the God of all creation for entrusting me with his beautiful daughter who thinks of me and loves me... even in ways no one else will ever know (except that I guess you actually do know now).

humbled. again.

Have you ever heard the saying "the road to hell is paved with good intentions"? Sometimes I think the same is true on the road to heaven!

There is so much that we CAN influence and control, and then there is ONLY so much we can influence and control. We can have the best of intentions, a heart in the right place, do our best to be humble, try our hardest to be a good friend in the faith... and still get it wrong. Or at least not right.

And this is EXACTLY why I removed words like right and wrong from my vocabularly years ago. They are divisive and arrogant, and if we are all part of the family of God then we must be careful not to let anything come out of our mouths that does not edify the body. Though I may be branded as a liberal for such a statement, as a father I have witnessed that my daughter chooses "less than the best" more often than she chooses "wrong". The significant difference between these two philosophies is how it plays out when we approach the other party.

If I approach Camille with the conviction that she is wrong, then I must be right and the only resolution - regardless of things I may be unaware - is that she submit to my rightness (which is not to be confused with my "righteousness").

However, if I approach Camille with the conviction that she has choosen less than her best, then I have the opportunity - a graciously difficult one, mind you - to seek to understand why she chose the way she did and then to partner with her in helping her choose more wisely in the future. This is much more healthy for our relationship and for her future. And, I believe this is how God, our heavenly Father, parents us, His children. Once we accept our position as one of his children, his sole aim is to lavish his love on us that we might lavish his love on others, more and more (keeping in mind that God is both love and truth).

Back to the "proverbial fan" story...
I found myself having a conversation today that started over 6 months ago. I, with the best of intentions, was trying to encourage, lead and challenge a brother whom I love. Unfortunately, my communication with and understanding of him was less than my best, though my intentions were good. Neither of us did anything mean or inappropriate, yet feelings were hurt, misunderstandings were had and the relationship suffered. However, each of us was willing to submit to our love for God and our love for one another MORE than to our desire to be right.

I may have choosen less than my best along the road (to heaven) but I am grateful to be the friend of a man who knew my heart and didn't declare me wrong.

It is humbling to live as one
who knows he is not innocent,
yet is declared "not guilty"
by the Almighty God.

new desk. same determination.

That is what
the Son of Man has done:
He came to serve, not be served
and then to give away his life ...

Matthew 20:28 (the msg)

I have excerpt from Oswald Chambers next to my desk. I have a new office and a new desk, but I pray the newness doesn't push out all that has brought me here. You know how newness can do that, right? Cause you to focus so much on what's in front of you right now that you forget, neglect or even leave behind what brought you to such a place?

This is the condensed version of Oswald's excerpt:

Paul's idea of service is the same as our Lord's: "I am among you as He that serveth"; "ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake."

This is Paul's idea of service - 'I will spend myself to the last ebb for you; you may give me praise or give me blame, it will make no difference. So long as there is a human being who does not know Jesus Christ, I am his debtor to serve him until he does.'

The mainspring of Paul's service is not love for men, but love for Jesus Christ. If we are devoted to the cause of humanity, we shall soon be crushed and broken-hearted, for we shall often meet with more ingratitude from men than we would from a dog; but if our motive is love to God, no ingratitude can hinder us from serving our fellow men.

When we realize that Jesus Christ has served us to the end of our meanness, our selfishness, and sin, nothing that we meet with from others can exhaust our determination to serve men for His sake.

Or you could say:
living Life... loving God and loving others.

i am not my own

I woke up yesterday with this thought ... ok, so it wasn't the FIRST thought after I woke up but it was definitely the one after that ... anyway, the phrase "your life is not your own" kept running through my brain. So, I looked it up to remind myself where it's actually found in Scripture:

Or do you not know that your body is a temple
of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?
You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.
So glorify God in your body.
(1 Corinthians 6.19-20)

I am not my own; my life is not mine to govern.
I was bought with a price; I was purchased, ransomed.
And I am now "in" my body; this means that which is "not my own" and was "bought" - both being the same thing, namely ME - is presently resident "in" my body but not eternally bound to my body (i.e. if I am "in", then I can be "out").

This would also mean I am not responsible for the CIRCUMSTANCES I experience. Though I am always responsible for MY CHOICES (the ones I make "in" the body), but NOT for the circumstances preceding or proceeding from those choices ... IF I am walking according to my understanding of God, His Word and His revelation to me thorugh His Holy Spirit.

(You may want to read that again...
AND, here's an example of what I'm getting at:
Think of the story of Joseph in Genesis. Josephs was not responsible for the myriad of circumstances he faced - both good and bad - but in all things he held himself accountable to his choices and was obedient to God)

So, here is the thought that developed, upon which I still ponder... so feel free to ponder with me:

• Why am I HERE?
  ("here" referring to my current position in the space-time continuum)
• If I am here because of OBEDIENCE,
  then I should never pray for less suffering and more blessing, but for more FAITH that I might continue in my body, in obedience, for God's glory (and because He is trusting me to trust Him).
• If I am here because of DISOBEDIENCE,
  then I shouldn't be surprised by any suffering and should also pray for more FAITH that I might become obedient and therefore give God room to prove His love for me. (side note: it's hard to prove your love for someone when they continually walk away from you, except that they're always there when you turn around... God's cool like that).

FAITH
=
(God's stated promises + faithful character)
x
(our humble trust + coherent action)

anyway... whatever.

These are two words we hear A LOT in today's colloquail conversations. They are the perfect way to blow off a comment, passively express your disgust in a person or topic, or insert yourself into a conversation to take it over. But recently, I saw them expressed in a letter being passed between two lovers:

lover 1 : thank you for loving me anyway
lover 2 : i'll love you whatever

Any one of us - or, all of us - could be lover 1.
Any one of us - or, all of us - could also be lover 2.
But, our amazing Heavenly Father is ALWAYS lover 2... He always loves us whatever may come, whatever we do, whatever the circumstance.

THAT is the kind of love we have received and as we have freely received, we are to freely give. And THAT is also our challenge as Christ-followers: to express the love and grace of God without any mixture of religiousity... to love in such a way as to remove all barriers to true friendship... to love in such a way that our beliefs are coherent with our behaviors... to love in such a way that we ooze Jesus everywhere we go.

Jesus loves me... Jesus loves you... and so do I.

If you didn't hear Steven Kirlin's message Sunday, click HERE!

God provides

As I shared the story of Christie and I this past Sunday, I can only hope and pray that God used it to encourage couples, challenge individuals and remind us all that God provides.

I closed with 5 points but I fear they may have gone by too quickly, so I'm going to list them again followed with a brief comment.

1) Expect God to test you (Gen 22.1-2)
God doesn't test us for the sole purpsoe of showing us our weaknesses - that's what a bully does. God will often test us so he can prove himself to us: to show us the depth of his love, the consistency of his faithfulness and beauty of his intimacy.

2) Make a covenant investment (Gen 22.3-4, 6-8)
We, like Abraham, often make decisions as if we don't really believe God will deliver on his promises. To test this selfish tendancy, God established a thing called a covenant. God never intended to be a distant-giver; he wants to be an intimate-sharer. In other words, God wants us to have some skin in the game of our relationship to him (and for Abraham, God meant that literally).

3) Focus on promises, not explanations (Gen 22.5)
When it comes to walking by faith - and not by sight - it can be hard to stay focused. Logic, rationalization and feelings can become our worst enemies, and temptation will always seem to make more sense than faith. The best tool to fight this is to focus on God's promises... What was the last thing God told you? What promise did he reveal to you in Scripture? And how has he affirmed this with you in your prayer time?

4) Depend on God's provision. (Gen 22.9-14)
So many Christ-followers' last words are, "I just can't do this anymore!" AND THEY'RE RIGHT!!! God never intended us to do anything alone and their cry of desparation should actually be a shout of epiphany! Don't just sigh and say, "Well, it will be whatever God intended it to be." Depend! Expect! Bank on! Know! that you will fail if God doesn't provide.

5) Anticipate God's blessing. (Gen 22.15-19)
By anticipate, I don't mean be anxious or impatient but be confident in God's faithfulness. Any person can say they trust God but it is only those who truly believe that God's love is better than life whom God can trust in return.

a big (and common) mistake

One of the most common and inhibiting mistakes believers make in their understanding of salvation and growing in their faith is looking at God through the lense of their own human experience (rather than looking at their human experience through the lense of God's character).

One of the facets of this mistake is the natural tendancy to think God can only do what we've seen him do before or what WE understand as possible (read that again and think about it). This a natural and even logical conclusion that applies to a large portion of our human experience; however, God is not bound to our human experience. On the contrary, God created and set in motion the human experience.

So why did He do it?

Here's my simple theology: I think God created our human experience for us to enjoy and share. First, for us to enjoy it with Him and second, for us to share with each other... and ever increasing "each other". The cool thing about these two dynamics is that they each play off each other. Enjoying this life with Him drives us to want to share our experiences with others (don't you enjoy sharing things you like with others?). And the best part of sharing is finding someone who has never experienced what we find so amazing and then watching them experience it for the first time. Isn't that fun to do? That kind of sharing, or a consistent sharing of such experiences (a.k.a. friendship), may just be what leads "others" to enjoying life with God, too.

feed me.

A man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, "Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like."

So, the Lord led the man to two doors, opened the first and motioned for the man to look inside.

In the middle of the room was a large round table with a large pot of stew set in the middle. The stew smelled so delicious the man's mouth began to water. The man also noticed the people sitting around the table were thin, almost famished in appearance. As the man studied further, he noticed each person was holding a spoon with a very long handle. The long handle made it easy to reach into the pot of stew but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The man felt compelled to go help the people but he was not allowed; he actually began to feel sick as he realized their misery and suffering.

The Lord said, "You have just seen Hell."

Then the Lord took the man to the second door and opened it. The man huffed and initially turned his head away as it was exactly the same as the first room! There was a large round table with a large pot of stew, which again made the man's mouth water. The people held the same long-handled spoons but this was where the similarities ceased. Here, in this second room, the people looked well nourished, even plump; they were talking and many were laughing. The man said, "I don't understand?!?"

The Lord replied, "It's simple, my son. The difference between the two rooms is not that one held people who were famished while the other held people who were well nourished, but that one held people who thought more of others than themselves."

stand... look... ask... walk... find.

STAND at the crossroads and LOOK;
ASK for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is and WALK in it,
and you will FIND rest for your souls.

~ jeremiah 6.16 niv

We don't know much about stages of development in our instant culture. We have someone else make our coffee for us. We no longer have to wait to have our photos developed - not even an hour - for now we have digital cameras that deliver back to us the image, instantly. We don't have to wait to get in touch with someone - we can email them, page them, call them on a cell phone, instant message them this moment. We don't need to wait for our leather jackets or our jeans or caps to age and get that rugged look - they come that way now, prefaded, tattered. Character that can be bought and worn immediately.

But God is a God of process...

~ john eldridge, fathered by God

dude, it SO wasn't me

I finished my book by Watchman Nee. Some amazing things in there and some humbling ones as I watched them play out in real time.

Nee said:
If you are simply a believer, you can act as you please, but if you are a member of the Body, then you must allow yourself to be limited by the other members... to be blended with other members... [because] the functioning of the Body is mutual. Every member has to render supply TO the Body, and fellowship and function IN the Body.

The Body of Christ that gathers and worships at wb is living out this reality more and more, and I believe the creative arts ministry is leading the way (not that I'm biased). With every Sunday morning, there is increased collaborative effort and stronger mutual interdependence upon one another. We are EACH rendering supply TO the Body (by cooperatively facilitating Sunday morning worship), while we ALL enjoy fellowship and friendship as we function the way God created us to IN the Body.

I'm seeing the beauty of limitation, the joy of living within my limitations. Stuart knows way more than me on the technical side of audio; Tod knows way more than me on the technical side of video; Therese offers a creativity, passion and organization to our drama ministry that otherwise was non-existent! And, they are each leading their teams whose members offer way more than me with respect to their individual functions. And Jeremy, the newest member of our lead creative team, has been collaborating with me and selecting Sunday morning music for the past 2 months!

In all of this, I have received more compliments and more encouragement over the past several months with regard to Sunday mornings ... and I give YOU the props EVERY time. For me, there is no greater pleasure or honor than to say, "Dude, it so wasn't me!"

You are blessing me with one of the most supernatural experiences in this life: seeing the Body of Christ.

stay

You know, the vast majority of churches in America don't even get to celebrate 10 years with their pastor. That is so sad to me.

Too often Christians, pastors and members alike, leave their church (and it generally doesn't matter the reason) and steal from themselves the opportunity to grow in their faith and love with God and with one another. Just like any other relationship (e.g. family), there is generally more to gain for all persons involved by exercising the disciplines of humility, endurance and listening than by leaving.

This is something God has been teaching me (and I won't tell you how long he's been trying):

If I'm walking in the Spirit and sense a point of frustration, it's generally God's nudge for internal growth or external ministry. If I'm walking in the flesh and sense of point of frustration, I generally just make myself and everyone else around me miserable.

And as I type this, I'm remembering something I shared in my Father's Day message:

Because God is perfectly right, infinitely loving, absolutely holy, inexhaustibly patient and inexplicably merciful... and because, as our Heavenly Father, he is more interested in our holiness (character) than our happiness (temporary pleasure) -as is any parent - his discipline of us is always the very least it will take to get our attention and communicate our need. The very least.

God knows what we need. He knows when we need it. He also knows what it will take for us to receive it. (ouch)

are you a Christian or a member?

Before you read this week's email, click HERE to read and watch last week's email. Very important...

So, I finished Craig Groeschel's book called "it" - what a great Kingdom, leadership, vision, fellowship, inspiring, affirming, challenging read! So, now I'm reading The Mystery of Christ by Watchman Nee and it's amazing how God is connecting "it", last Sunday (and if you still haven't read and watched last week's email, what are doing?!?) and Watchman's book.

Craig challenged his readers to celebrate what God is doing in other churches. Doing so reminds us that WE are collectively the Church, that WE together are the Body of Christ. Then, I read this in Watchman's book:

Being a Christian is something individualistic, whereas being a member is something corporate. Being a Christian is something one does for himself, whereas being a member is something for the Body. [Just as] there are many terms with opposite meanings, such as purity and uncleannes, holiness and commonness, victory and defeat, the Spirit and the flesh... In the same way, the Body is in opposition to the individual... Once a [person] sees the Body of Christ... he will no longer live for himself but for the Body.

At the inception of his "11" series, Dave said (and I believe he was quoting someone, just can't remember who), "There are two things no human being can do alone: get married and be a Christian."

Ponder this: If it was through the body of Jesus Christ that the fullness of God dwelt and was expressed for all humanity to see, experience and benefit, that we are called "the Body of Christ" must therefore mean we are the continuation of Christ's life and ministry here on earth (see Col 1.19, 2 Cor 5.20, 1 Cor 12).

One more: When you think of "the Body of Christ", does your mind think beyond wb?

The Body of Christ is not a doctrine; it is a realm.
It is not a teaching, but a life.
~ Watchman Nee

last sunday or lasting sunday

Last Sunday was an AMAZING day! We "got to"... worship as a family of believers, celebrate our graduates (WAHOO!!), listen to our student pastor bring it (a.k.a. "deliver the sermon" for you old-school folks), witness the declaration of 5 people's love and commitment to Christ, and enjoy a meal of fellowship and unity (supporting our east Asia mission team).

Willow Bend was ROCKIN' last Sunday...
and not just because we turned up the volume, either!

Do you know what made these experiences so special? Do you know what can make these experiences more than just a "last Sunday" memory? Check this out...

In all the churches in all the world, we are the only church that had US worshipping together, THOSE graduates to celebrate, THAT Student Pastor to bring it, THOSE souls to declare, THAT meal to enjoy and THOSE servants going on mission.

We are the ONLY church in all the world who has YOU... and US! Now understand, we don't have a corner on any part of the church-market; there is nothing we DO better than every other church in the whole world. BUT, there is no other church who can do what WE do because no other church has US.

YET, Scripture teaches us:

But God has so composed the body...
that there may be no division... that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. ~1 Corinthians 12.24-26

We may be the only church with you and with us, but we are not THE only church. We are only one part of the Body; we are only one fellowship within God's Church. And just as no other church can do what WE do, we can't do what any other church does... because God has sovereignly and uniquely designed each member (each church) to collaboratively, collectively and cooperatively make up his Body, the Church; the Bride of Christ.

We had a lot to celebrate last Sunday. So, if Scripture is true, I guess that means the whole Body rejoiced with us. How cool is that?!?

Here are some pictures from our baptism last Sunday and a video from a local church (and pastor friend of mine). Let's watch and rejoice together.

Click HERE to watch and be prepared to be moved...

still reflecting * bling *

I had a truly wonderful weekend with my family and a few very dear friends. It was so cool to see Camille and my brother's kids (Ty, Alyssa and JT) interacting now that they are all getting older. We celebrated my dad's 70th birthday (my mom bought him a Wii, how trippy is that?!?), we hung out, we went to the beach... we just enjoyed being together.

Family and Friends. Believe it or not, Verizon wasn't the first to market the idea. God was. And what I was reminded of this weekend ... or what I blessed by this weekend ... was the beauty of long-lived love.

The "very dear friends" I visited with were Gary and Sheri Webber (and their 4 kids). Gary is now the Sr. Pastor of the church he grew up in and we both interned in college. He and I served 3 churches together (the one he pastors now, one in seminary and another one between seminary and my coming to wb). As a result, we have seen A LOT of what I affectionately call "church crap" ... and have probably left a trail of it a time or two ourselves. But through it all, God's grace enabled us to hold on to our friendship, and as a result we have learned things about each other AND about ourselves that we otherwise may not have learned.

I believe the same is true with family. Long-lived love seems to be an endangered discipline. Maybe you, like I, have too many friends who merely endure their family visitations. Sure family can be annoying and sometimes even smell funny, but do you really want to challenge the Divine decision that made them your family in the first place? (count to 10 before you answer)

Which makes me wonder if the same could be said of church-life? Do we miss out on God's blessings, God's lessons, God's cool-sovereignty-thing when we bail on serving, leading or the church entirely? Just as folks run cycles in relationships and jobs, is it possible to run cycles within church-life, and dump our current church because it's just not fun anymore or to go date a younger and cooler church?
Long-lived love ain't easy but it may be one of the greatest tools God uses to create holiness in his children.

If I love God, I should also love others.
If I don't love others, I don't love God.
~ Craig Groeschel
(but I'm pretty sure Jesus said it first)

ponder these, you must

Connected are these statements?
Hmmmm, if so, connected they are how? Reply, if you wish.
May the Lord with be with you...


Faith never knows where it is being led,
but it knows and loves the One who is leading.
~ Oswald Chambers

Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
~ Paul, 1 Corinthians 6.18-20


We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.
~ some preacher I heard years ago... I'm sure I didn't think it up

the reVERBeration of life

I know it's "early" for a patriotic post but this is more than patriotic.

My full name is Christopher Albert LaRue. I was named after my grandfather, Sergeant Albert William Meyer, who was a member of Service Battery, 38th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy near Kunu-ri, North Korea on November 30, 1950, and died 122 days later on April 1, 1951. His remains were not recovered.

Last night Camille rang a replica of The Liberty Bell in memory of her great grandfather and in proxy for "Granny", her late great grandmother. She was able to do this at a presentation made by The American Fallen Soldier Project, which is an amazing organization (website).

After she rang the bell, we were encouraged to touch the "shoulder" of the bell (see picture) to feel the reverberation. The bell's sound was intense and audible from a far distance; it's movement, after only one hammer strike, would last for up to 2 minutes.
This was a very moving experience: to see other families dealing with their recent loss, to see Camille ring the bell in memory of her great grandfather in proxy for her Granny whom she loved so dearly, to remember the freedom I enjoy was paid for by a family member I never met. The weight of these realities hung heavy and as the memory of that experience continued to echo in my mind and heart, God challenged me.

Are the sounds of my words and
the movements of my life
a continuous reverberation of God's love and grace?
Or do they clash and fall to the ground
inconsistent, lifeless and unremarkable?

Interesting how God saw fit to put the word "verb" (action) in the middle of the word "reverberation" (sound).

ambassadors (still)

Jesus had the amazing ability to
be completely IN the world without compromising his love for God
or limiting his love for the world.

We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were actually making his plea to the world through us.

Do we get that?!?

cross-bearer (pt 3)

Must Jesus bear the cross alone,
and all the world go free?
No, there's a cross for everyone,
and there's a cross for me.
hymn, words by Thomas Shepherd, music by George Allen

This past Sunday we bore the cross together. Here is how I know:

I have to write to tell you how awesome today's service was. The message was spot on and the music perfect. Thank you ... (I know it takes a village to put it all together) ... for presenting an Easter celebration that was both uplifting and pertinent.
~ KG

Please pray for me to keep my commitment to have a closer relationship in following Christ and telling others about how wonderful God is in my life.
~ response card from Willie, who also rededicated his life

This is just a sampling of the feedback I've received over the past 2 days... there has been so much more.

God blessed us Sunday.
Easter is supposed to be us blessing HIM but our heavenly Father evidently couldn't help himself... and he blessed us anyway. He so loves to see his kids excited to worship, excited to serve, excited to be together. And what parent wouldn't want to bless his/her kids after being loved on? So how could he do anything less?

Our God is amazing.
Our family is blessed.
And our cross remains for there is still work to be done...

cross-bearer (pt 2)

I stand at the cross and wonder.

I stand before the cross and fear.

I kneel before the cross and weep.

I pray before the cross and rejoice.

To know the cross is to know Christ.

To feel the cross is to feel Christ.

To gaze at the cross is to gave as Christ.

To carry the cross is to be a Christian,
and not until then.

God, forgive us.


The Cross, by Lois A. Cheney

cross-bearer (pt 1)

You cannot make your own cross but unbelief is a master carpenter at cross-making. You do not choose your own cross but self-will would try to be your lord and master.

Your cross is prepared and appointed by divine love. Accept it cheerfully. You are to carry your cross without raising trivial objections. Do not be insolent, or trample it in vain glory, or fall under it in despair, or run away from it in fear. Take up your cross as a true follower of Jesus.

Jesus was a cross-bearer. He leads the way along the path of sorrow and you could not have a better guide. If he carried a cross, what nobler burden could you carry?

The cross is not made of feathers or covered with velvet... but the cross is not made of iron. It is a wooden cross and you can carry it because the Man of Sorrows knows its weight. Take up your cross and by the power of the Spirit of God you will soon be in love with it. Like Moses, you would not exchange the reproach of Christ for all the treasures of the world.

taken from Charles Spurgeon

friends

Two quotes I had in my study notes but didn't make it to the message:

Nothing among human things has such power
to keep our gaze fixed over more intensely upon God,
than friendship for the friends of God.
~Simone Weil

&

If we stick together we can see it through,
'casue you got a friend in me.
~Randy Newman, Toy Story

Read them again...as many times as it takes for them to sink in. Seriously, read them again. Go ahead... ;-)

Thanks for being friends.
To me.
To one another.

'Cause if we can't be friends, why would we expect anyone else to want to be a Christian?

spiritual exercise isn't an oxymoron

Many people you pass by today are in the midst of a 40 day spiritual exercise. And no, spiritual exercise is not some kind of oxymoron.

Right now, countless "high church" folks (Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans, etc) are observing the season of Lent: a 40 day observance of fasting and prayer. The biggest thing Lent is known for is "giving up" something. Most protestants don't observe Lent (we would fall into that category), yet most protestants recognize the value of spiritual exercise, or spirital discipline.

As you look ahead at your life, "at what" are you looking? Many times, looking ahead has more to do with getting past some negative in order to do what we really want. You know the "God, if you'll just get me past this, then I can..." prayer? (yeah, I'm with ya)

We can sometimes be like the little boy who "gave up" fighting with his brother for Lent. Half way through, his father asked, "So, how's it going, son?" to which the son replied, "Great, but man, I CANNOT wait for Easter!"

Spiritual exercise is doing something different in your life to give God room to share something new with you, so when you emerge YOU are different.

Get it? God already has all things under his control - we don't need to pray for 'things'. Our prayer is that we - individually and collectively - will walk steady in his grace and trust in him. He alone is God and he is true to his Word.

when polyphonic was EVIL!

There was a day worship music was a chant. Monophonic voices, without harmony and often without accompaniment. It was believed harmony was evil.

The chants were eventually incorporated into polyphonic music and over time, entirely new polyphonic compositions took center stage.

Music has always been a key component in worship and church life. In our life time we have gone from piano and organ to drums and electric guitars, from hymns in hymnals to brand new songs on screens, from suited ministers of music to untucked worship leaders. ;-)

I even served a fellowship where the pastor said the true worship of a believer is how he/she lives, not in the type of music he/she sings. I'm sure we woud all agree. But then he said we were starting a second service and the early service would offer traditional hymns and the late service would offer contemporary music with drums and guitars. How funny is that?!?

Pastor Dave said yesterday, "love is as love does." In like fashion, "worship is as worship does." Worship is giving something or someone worth and value. At the risk of sounding heretical, we "worship" those we love when we respect, honor and serve them over something or someone else.

And our worship of God is the same - we give Him worth and value and presence in our lives when we live the Christ-life, when we live according to the "praxis" of love we read 1 Corinthians 13 ... we worship Him.

There was a day when "Amazing Grace" - a traditional hymn in virtually every hymnal - was a NEW song. The first time it was sung by a minister of music, people in the pews sat and listened because they didn't know the melody and they didn't know the words and they weren't sure if they were going to like the song.

As the love song of your life is played, as you live your song of humility to THE Audience of One, remember there are listeners hearing your rendition of "Amazing Grace" (maybe for the first time, maybe for the 100th time). They may be unfamiliar with the melody, uncertain of the words, and they may even be trying to decide if they are going to like the song.

Worship is as worship does ... on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays ... every moment of every day. So play on!

i'm a dipolmat!

Merriam-Webster says an ambassador is a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign and appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment.

2 Corinthians 5.20 says we are "ambassadors" for Christ, that God is making His appeal to the world through us.

God wants so badly for all His creation to know His love, forgiveness, grace and friendship. But how is a God who can't be seen or touched or audibly heard going to convince a living human being of all these things? By sending resident representatives for a special and temporary assignment; by sending us as His ambassadors.

Last Sunday was our highest attended Sunday morning in MONTHS! We could celebrate that but I would rather celebrate that we received response cards with some of the deepest needs I have seen in a while...and they weren't from newbies, they were from regular wb'ers.

We are not only ambassadors for Christ to a lost world, we are amabassadors for Christ to one another.

no hurry

One barrier to full intimacy with the Savior is hurriedness. Intimacy may no be rushed. To meet with the Son of God takes time. We can't dash into his presence and choke down spiritual inwardness before we hurry to our one o'clock appointment. Inwardness is time-consuming, open only to minds willing to sample spirituality in small bites, savoring each one.

Intimacy with Christ comes from entering his presence with inner peace rather than bursting into his presence from the hassles of life. A relaxed contemplation of the indwelling Christ allows for an inner communion impossible to achieve while oppressed by busyness and care.

Holy living is not abrupt living. No one who hurries into the presence of God is content to remain for long. Those who hurry in, hurry out.
~No Hurry, Calvin Miller


Are you in a hurry this Christmas?
For that matter, are you in a hurry any given day?
How often do you use the word "busy" or say "I'm sorry, but I really have to go?"

Do you ever blow off your boss? (probably not)
But do you ever blow off your spouse? your kid? your friends? your God?
Who is more important? (think before you answer that)

Are you in a hurry this Christmas?

when was the last time you...

...invited someone to your home for dinner or dessert?

...brought something freshly baked to your neighbor (or just said HI to your neighbor)?

...invited your pastor over your house?

...invited someone to church?

...intentionally made someone smile or laugh?

...gave someone a big hug and whispered in their ear, "I love you."

...did something to help someone without being asked or without them noticing?

...listened to someone's story and offered to pray with them (on the spot)?

...introduced yourself to someone you didn't know at church, then asked if you could sit with them?

...prayed for your ministry leadership? (can you name each pastor and elder?)

christmas presence (little play on words there)

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. ~luke 19.10 Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve. ~matthew 20.28 I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. ~john 10.10 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. ~john 1.14

These are significant verses to me because they speak of why Jesus came. The final verse shares what I believe to be the most significant reason: he came to be with us.

I remember learning as a young pastor that one of the greatest ministries is the ministry of presence. I was coached to push aside fear, uncertainty and even other commitments in order to simply be there when people needed a pastor and friend. Being unsure of what to say and do is natural but not being present precludes any opportunity to say or do something. And sure enough, it didn't take long to see the amazing and supernatural effect of simply offering my presence, even if only for a few moments.

We, the Church, are the substitute flesh and blood Body of Christ on this planet; we are Jesus (with skin on) to this world. That means it is each of our privileges to seek people that they might find Him, to serve others that they might be blessed, to share life that others might be inspired...to be present.

Isn't that why we join churches and groups, plan parties and socials...to be with one another?

Presence is powerful and often speaks louder and more poignantly than our words ever could.

So, as you consider your gifts this year, be sure to remember your greatest gift just might be your Christmas presence.

Jesus in, through and even AS

Jesus said he came to serve. So, the closest thing we can do to be like Jesus is serve.

EACH of you serve our Lord and give of yourselves through the faithful use of your gifts, skills and all that makes you "you" week-in and week-out. By doing this you also serve your church family and our guests.

Thank you for being Jesus to them.

EACH of you also serve me. You encourage me in ministry, in life, in love, in family, in faith, in staying on the journey, in ways you will never know or see (or probably understand - I can be a little quirky, so I hear).

Thank you for being Jesus to me.

When we share a glance, flash a smile, offer a hug, recognize an entrance, offer a word of encouragement, say "thank you"...it's more than Jesus being in us or working through us. As odd as it sounds, it is really Jesus as us.

It's our eyes and our smile they see, it's our arms they feel, it's our voice they hear. Of course, we know it's only by God's grace we can do anything - but all they know is YOU did something.

Thank you for doing something.
Thank you for being Jesus.
Thank you for being you...because no one does "you" any better than you! ;-)

Camille and I are going to see my family in Florida (Tue-Sat). Wahoo!!! I pray that each of you has an amazing week of giving thanks!

'tis the season to be

Next week is THANKSGIVING! Wahoo!

I can't tell you how much I have to be thankful for...there is so much. And let me tell you, this email is not some manufactured "wahoo" kind of email - it has taken me the past few weeks to get through a very difficult emotional funk. I know...me? Emotional? (be nice)

I am SO thankful for my God and best friend; without you, Lord, I would be nothing.

I am SO thankful for my precious princess, Camille; there's nothing better than snuggling up with her, eating popcorn and watching "Phantom of the Opera"!

I am SO thankful for Willow Bend; without this church family I could still be wondering and wandering! You guys keep me hopping and I love it!

I am SO thankful for ALL the friendships I have through the years; from high school, from previous churches, my pastor, this team, the newly deepend friendships through my involvement with children's ministry transition, the old willow benders and all the new (and still to come) willow benders.

The list could go on and on... my parents, my brother, my past and MY FUTURE!

God is amazing and the coolest thing I've discovered about Him is that in all of his infinite-greatness, He really enjoys the simple things... like sharing life with His kids.

Spend some time this next week looking for ways to thank Him. And while you're at it, look for ways to thank your spouse, your kids, your friends, your co-workers, your pastor (let's all rush him after service!)... just be thankful. It could revolutionize your life!

just remember to breathe

Folks, there's a lot going on in the life of the wb right now... a lot. Maybe there is a lot going on in your life right now, too?

You know what though?!?
God is still in control! How cool is that?!?
I know, I know...it's crazy isn't it?!?

No matter how much the world throws at us or - to be honest - how much we throw at ourselves, God is never caught by surprise.

We'll never hear God say, "Oh crap! I didn't even think about that!" Nope, not from my God!

And you know what else?!?
No matter how much we learn and how much experience we gain, there are just a very few things that are life-worthy-sturdy. Everything else in life rests on these, one way or another.

*ahem*
Here is my life-worthy-sturdy list:
1) God is in control (I know, I already said that)
2) God loves me
3) God has a plan that includes me
4) Though His plan includes me, it is not always about me (but He still demands my obedience)
5) I GET to walk with Jesus and follow Him wherever He leads... sometimes we're in the mountains, sometimes we're in the valleys and sometimes somewhere in between... but He's always with me... always.

There's a lot I don't know but these are the things I do know and that I refuse to let anyone or anything take from me.

You might even hear me say,
"Oh crap! I didn't even think about that!"
But my heavenly Father just chuckles and says,"LaRue, you trip me out! But don't worry, I got ya covered."

And how cool is that?
What a great God and what a great family, ya know?

Life is good.

stewardship

Pastor Dave spent the month of September on stewardship and in light of current financial trends, I think we need to evaluate our stewardship as a lead-worshipers.

A steward is a person who manages another's property or financial affairs. As members of the Body of Christ, we are stewards of God's property and financial affairs here on earth. And part of our stewardship as members of the Body of Christ includes stewardship as members of Willow Bend.

If you keep up with your bulletin, you are somewhat aware that we have met our monthly budget only 4 months this year. As a result, by the end of September we had dipped into our savings for over $35k in expenses.

My personal focus is to get out of debt. I designed a budget plan and asked God to help me achieve his best - being debt-free. But, I realized I was not being faithful in the amount I was consistently giving to the ministry of wb. How can I ask for more of God's blessing if I'm not being obedient to what He has already asked me to do? Do I reward Camille for her disobedience? Don't think so (ask her).

Not only that, I wasn't being very cheerful about giving either!

So, I increased my tithe and started giving cheerfully and consistently, according to what God spoke into my heart, and turned it into a form of worship and faithful trust of His promise of provision to me. And you know what? Life didn't get any easier! BUT, God's economy of giving and receiving continues to amaze me because the bottom line reality is this... I'm not in need.

Are we being faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us (which is everything, by the way)? Are we being faithful & cheerful givers?

These are questions I am asking myself as a man, a father, a member of wb and as a pastor (in that order). I'll be talking to some of you over the next few weeks about some changes I'm considering in the CA Ministry to keep us faithful stewards.

It may cost us a little bit of comfort but I would much rather be obedient.

plastic is OUT!

A long-time friend of mine from the high school days is now a wife, mother and custom photographer (and blogger). She has such a sweet spirit and I want to share one of her latest entries and photographs. This is from my friend, Heather:

One of my favorite things in the world is when my girls picks flowers for me. I think it's because I vividly remember walking around the block to pick flowers for my mom when I wanted to express my love for her.

Emily, my youngest daughter, loves dandelions; I love how excited she gets when she finds one. Yesterday, she brought two dandelions to me as if they were the most cherished posessions on earth.

I usually put the flowers my girls pick in a little plastic cup, mainly because of the size ratio. But yesterday it occurred to me the size of the gift was in relation to Emily's heart, not the flower.

I decided at that momemt to start using the nicest vase I could find for all of the fresh-picked-for-Mommy flowers. It doesn't matter anymore if they fit or not.

I pray I might be like these tiny little flowers in a big vase. I am so small and weak but my heavenly Father is my vase. He makes me beautiful, He sustains my life and makes my smallness great. He can even take a weed like me and make me something to behold.

Thank you, Heather.

I pray we each learn to place our lives in the crystal vase of God's Spirit rather than the plastic cup of this temporary world. Even more, I pray we see each other as the fragrant Bouquet of Christ.

interdependence

Right after writing about spiritual gifts, Paul wrote:

...just as the body is one and has many members,
and all the members of the body,
though many, are one body,
so it is with Christ...
...God arranged the members in the body,
each one of them, as he chose...
...if one member suffers, all suffer together;
if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
Now you are the body of Christ
and individually members of it.
~ 1 Corinthians 12.12, 18, 26,27

The ability to be many, yet one, is a supernatural kind of thing. God's math is other-worldly, to say the least, and two of His most beautiful manifestations of this supernatural math are marriage and the Church.

Marriage is described as "one-flesh" - two people that supernaturally become one. The Church is described as "one body" - many members, each with specific and necessary functions, yet one body. This is interdependence. No member can function independent from another member, yet no member can function completely dependent upon another.

We have the amazing privilege to experience, learn and model this supernatural interdependence every Sunday morning. We need each other because there is not one thing that any ONE of us does that ALL of us aren't somehow connected to.

I have seen many of you on many occasions serve one another in order for the team to make it through a Sunday - that's interdependence, that's being Jesus. Even this past Sunday, Debbie left her seat to serve Cherie as the computer demons reared their ugly heads! Props to BOTH of you - and ALL of you - for serving one another. THAT is what the creative arts MINISTRY is about.

When one struggles, we all struggle together.
AND...when one rejoices, we all rejoice together.

And so it is with Christ...

synchronize

The word "synchronize" dates back to ~1624 and means "to occur at the same time" or "two or more processes that depend upon the occurrences of a specific event". In 1929, the word was used in a shortened form, "sync", with specific reference to the synchonization of soundtracks and pictures in the movies.

If life were only that easy to synchronize. Think with me for a second . . .

God is not bound by or influenced by what we know as time. When He looks at creation, He sees all; things we would call past, present or future He sees and knows as now (Jer 29.11, Ps 139.16). Jesus' death on the cross occured at a specific moment in time yet his sacrifice was for all sin, all humanity, all creation. Though I had yet to be born and exercise my free will, my sins were included in His grace. And, at the very moment I recognized God's existence and gift of salvation, I was transformed and made anew though no outward (or inward) disciplines and patterns had been changed.

So, if this is all true, it begs the question if WE are bound by time? If today we are redeemed and perfect children in the eyes of our Father, are our lives bound by time?

No, we're not but we are influenced by time and this is where we depart from being on the same plane as our Creator. Though I currently live a life that is eternal, I still count hours, days and years. Though I am cleansed, my feet still get muddy (John 13.10).

The challenge for us is to synchronize our spiritual eternal reality with our physical temporal situation as they are both dependent upon a specific event.

Remember, we are not human-beings having a spiritual experience but spiritual-beings having a human experience.

Think about it.

labor day

Do you know what year Labor Day was originated?
Do you know what year Labor Day was declared a federal holiday by congress?
Do you know why you labor?

Let's employ some logical thinking skills... everyone have their thinking cap on?

First, think about what you do that makes you labor. Then ask, "Why do I do that?" Then ask, "Why do I do THAT?" for each thing you do until you reach the ultimate cause of your labor. This could be a pretty interesting exercise!

Here, let me share one of mine.
I labor around my house. So I asked myself, "Chris, why do you labor around your house?" To which I replied, "I labor around my house because I plan to sell it next year and want to get top dollar for it."

So, this means I am putting more labor into getting rid of my house than I was to keep it for myself. How crazy is that?

What are some areas you labor? Do you labor in your walk with Christ? Do you labor at work? Or how about your marriage? With your kids? In your friendships? Do you labor paying your bills?

Labor is an unfortunate reality of life. Actually, it's part of God's curse on humanity as a result of the fall. I guess from that perspective, labor is the constant reminder that we need God.

Ooh, hang on...so, why do we labor?

remembering curtis (pt 2)

I'm home.

Curtis is in heaven.

I got to sit on the couch and love on my daughter.

Troy and Kim got to pack the bedroom of their son.

Doesn't make sense, does it? At times like this there isn't much to say other than "I love you." There isn't much to do other than just be there. And how blessed am I that I was able to do both. Thank you for giving me that honor.

This is the Body of Christ. This is the fellowship of believers. If one member suffers, we all do. If one rejoices, we all can.

Even if they go to another church. Even if we have differences. Even if we struggle with their personality, their spouse, their humor, their lifestyle.

We get love. We get to stay in this. Together.

What are we but former targets of the stones we are so often tempted to pick up and throw. How can we see each other or anyone as brother or sister unless the Lord removes the plank from our eyes? What can we offer - what do we have to offer - other than the grace Jesus has offered us?

We are the flesh and blood substitute of Jesus on this earth. The Son of God works in us and through us; He even works as us.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Gal. 2.20 esv

remembering curtis

From The Confessions of St. Augustine:

I tell you a great marvel. Amazement seizes me to think that men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty billows of the sea, the broad tides of rives, the compass of the ocean and the circuits of the stars. Yet they ignore the wonder found in themselves.

One of my most beloved friends, Troy, lost his 15 year old son Tuesday night due to a head trauma.

As much as this news broke my heart and threw me into a mixture of sorrow for him and the humblest of gratitude for the life and health of my daughter, I know Troy knows the wonder of God in himself and even more, in the unparalleled blessing of being a father to his son, Curtis.

There is so much we pursue, so much we assert value upon and therefore assume necessary to achieve; yet God still holds all things finite in his infinite hands. Regardless of our perspective or belief system, he remains Creator and we remain created. It is he alone who is in control, whether we agree with him, appreciate his choices or even like him - he remains God.

Life and death demand we face such truthful realities, superimpose our life over them and be transparent enough to see the result.

If faced with the decision to sacrifice your job or your spouse, your home or you child, your hobby or a deeper intimacy with your spouse - which would you choose? Or, maybe I should say, which DO you choose?

If your spouse, child, friend or anyone you dearly love was snatched from this life and your world, would they know everything they were to learn from you? Would they have experienced the wonder of God in you? The love of God from you? The grace of God as you?

Curtis did. I have no doubt about that. He knew the God of his father and he learned the character of God through his father. Curtis was in wonder of his dad and the God his dad served, but Curtis never wondered about either.

salt, anyone?

I'm in a bit of a contemplative mood this day. Could be for several reasons, of which I will spare you the mind-numbing details. I find myself meandering through the "why's" of me, ministry and associate pastor-ship - I know, a bit weird but hey, that's what I do. So, this email will a bit more like a stream of consciousness - or as Jill calls it, blogesque. ;-)

My desire is not to expand church activity but for us - the Body of Christ - to join together in God's tangible ministry to our church family and beyond.

My intent is not to write emails for exercise but to connect, communicate, laugh and spur us all on to good and better things in Christ.

My passion is not to coordinate volunteers but to serve with fellow disciples of Christ who are growing in their understanding of God's love for them, God's grace in them and God's ministry through them.

My hope is not to ask people to do things for me or for a Christian organization, but to share in the blessings of our amazing God as we serve one another according to the gifts and callings He has sovereignly placed in our lives and woven together in our families and church fellowship.

Lofty? Idealistic? Unrealistic? Maybe.

But if I ever grow complacent - if I ever lose my saltiness - then please, fire me. Really, I mean it. (then again, a preemptive conversation might well be appreciated)

I cannot accurately or fully express to you how much I truly love serving the Lord AND how grateful I am that I get to do it with each of you.

perceived images

St. Augustine, when writing about his memory, wrote this:

[Here] is a picture of that great harbor of the memory, which has numberless secret and inexpressible windings, where things are kept tobe brought out at need. Each enters in by itsproper gate and is laid up. But it isn'tthe things themselves that enter in,just their perceived images, for thought to recall.

Perceived images...there is a lot of truth to that, isn't there?

Experiences, by nature, are subjective and are therefore remembered as "perceived images" rather than objective truth. A very important thing to remember when it comes to how people remember their last experience with you... or your church.

stump the old man! (answers)

So, how did the old man do? How did YOU do?

Here are the answers (but you will need to refer to last week's email for the questions).

1. He should choose the room with the lions - if they haven't eaten in 3 years, they're dead.

2. The woman is a photographer and "shot" a picture of her husband, developed it (held it under water) then "hung" it up to dry.

3. Charcoal.

4. We were looking for yesterday, today and tomorrow.

5. The most used letter in the alphabet, "e", does not appear in the pragraph.

stump the old man!

Here are 5 questions to stump your old man (or anyone else for that matter)...

1. A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven't eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for him?

2. A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him under water for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be?

3. What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and grey when you throw it away ?

4. Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday?

5. This is an unusual paragraph. I'm curious as to just how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it. It looks so ordinary and plain that you would think nothing was wrong with it. In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is highly unusual though. Study it and think about it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out. Try to do so without any coaching!

Work on your answers and I'll fill you in next week!!!

i'm done!!! (oh...)

Do you remember graduating high school...I'll wait to give you a moment to think back. ;-)

I remember. I remember family, friends, ceremony, parties and feeling free!

It was much the same when I graduated college: family, friends, ceremony, parties and feeling free!

It was much the same when I graduated seminary: family, friends, ceremony, parties and feeling free!

Why do we feel free (or maybe why did I feel free)? I would assume it is because after attaining a new level of achievement, we anticipate a new level of freedom or reward. Seems logical. But what was that thing our parents always said?

With new freedoms come new responsibilities.

Yeah, nothing would ruin a happy moment better than parental statements like that, right? But that admonition was real and good and timely, because when I graduated all wanted was to be free and do nothing! At least for a little while. Didn't I earn it?

I find myself in that same mental process after God blesses me in life, even at the ripe old age of 35. I work hard at something, I pray and seek my Heavenly Father's wisdom and the counsel of my spiritual family, I walk through a ceremony of intentional thougt and decisions then experience the amazing grace of His hand moving in me and around me. Sometimes it's slow and difficult, and sometimes it's fast and obviously clear. Yet, after HE chooses to bless me (and it is HIS choice), I still find myself thinking I earned some new freedom or reward. Am I alone here? I sure hope not.

So, God - in His infinite wisdom and borderline annoying sense of humor - reminded of when His eldest child spoke of this. Wanna know what He said? Go get your Bible and read Luke 17.7-10.

Talk about being humbled...

walk around the block(head)

I just got back from walking around my block. Not my neighborhood, but the block of life in which I live. Ever have God take you for a walk around your block?

This is what happened: I've been facing a fairly big life situation that spills over into several arenas of my existence. I've been doing pretty good at acknowledging Him rather than leaning on my own understanding and have even been holding myself accountable by seeking wise counsel. Yet, obstacles were still presenting themselves and I just wasn't sensing peace; but I knew God was trying to show me something. I just couldn't see it yet, so my heavenly Father decided to take me for a walk.

On this walk, I was still processing, discussing and even pursuing; however, God put some "unexpecteds" in my way to jolt my brain, to get me out of my mental rut. As we continued to traverse familiar yet somehow new terrain, these "unexpecteds" started to impact my thinking and served to remind me (or teach me) of Him. It's not that I was wrong but that God wanted to share this leg of the journey with me, to reveal to me that my better was still short of His best.

As I said, I just got back from one of these walks and God was so amazing and faithful. Imagine that. This walk was about a 9 month walk - pretty big block, huh? But you know what? God is an affirming God. Each step I took was received with affirmation. Not affirmation like, "God job, son!" but affirmation of HIS best, even in the aftermath of my worst. If my step was in line with His best, He affirmed with peace, joy, sometimes tangible blessing and always with the opportunity for another step. If I stepped off-center to His best, He still affirmed but used difficulty, frustration or confusion to slow me down.

I'm learning more and more to enjoy walking around the block with my Lord. It's a lot better than be a block-head.

oh to be a beggar

Passing through the streets of Milan, I observed a poor beggar. Evidently he had a full belly that day, for he was laughing and joyful. I sighed and pointed him out to the friends around me.

We were burdened with all the sorrows of our frenetic lives. We were goaded by our ambitions to keep up. While I worked I drug along the baggage of my own dissatisfaction, which was only feeling heavier. We hoped one day to arrive at the same state of joy that beggar was showing in front of us. He had obtained, with a few coins he had begged from others, the same state of satisfaction I was planning to gain by many a toilsome turning and winding.

It was all the joy of temporary comfort. What the beggar had gained was not the true joy, but it was just as real as what I was trying to get with my ambitious plans. Certainly he was happy and I was anxious. He had no fears, while I was full of them.

If the beggar had asked me whether I would prefer to be in his merry state or my own fearful one, I would have answered that I would rather be merry. On the other hand, if he asked whether I would rather be a beggar like him, I should say that I would choose to be myself, even though worn out with cares and fears. But was that poor judgment? Was it the truth? Shouldn't I prefer to be like him? I had more knowledge than he but no joy in all my pursuit.

This new understanding was a bone-cracking blow from the club of Your correction. Certianly it makes a difference where a person finds joy.

~ from The Confessions of St. Augustine

innocent vs. not guilty

This morning in my small group Bible study we were asked the question, "What does the declaration of 'not guilty' found in Romans 3.22 mean to you?"

Romans 3.22 now God says he will accept and acquit us - declare us 'not guilty' - if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. (TLB)

One response was "freedom" and another was "I'm not innocent but I have been declared 'not guilty.'" And another was this, "God's willingness to do everything necessary to cover my sin is like Him saying to me, 'I love you too much to be without you.'"

God says that to all creation - I love you too much to be without you.

God says that to the entire Willow Bend fellowship - I love you too much to be without you.

God says that to you - I love you too much to be without you.

And the amazing privilege we have is to allow that love - His love - to flow into us then through us so we can say to one another - I love you too much to be without you.

excellence (for who?)

As we continue to give our best and serve our church family and Heavenly Father, I want to remind you of the awesome privilege we have to serve and the equally awesome responsibility we have to be lead-worshipers in all we do, especially from the stage.

We strive for excellence but not for excellence's sake. Listen to the words of Augustine (written ~400AD):

I have observed that a portion of the people will be suspicious of truth and [refuse] to accept it, unless it is delivered in a sophisticated and exuberant presentation.

I was saved from the speaker's charm because You, O my God, had already tuned my ear to truth in wonderful and secret ways. I believe You taught me, so that I could discern what is the truth...

From You I [have] learned that nothing is any more true because it is eloquent. Nor anything any more false because it is explained through inelegant lips.

I have seen people caught up in excellence, including me. I have seen people distracted by poor preparation and poor execution, including me. What I have never seen is God unable to work despite either. And what I have always seen is the amazing grace of God able to penetrate the heart of a true worshipper - whether that worshipper was standing on stage or sitting in the congregation.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
~ Colossians 3.17

We are lead worshippers to an audience of One.

i am subject (to change)

You light my candle, O Lord my God.
You cast a beam through my darkness.
You gave us of all that You are, and You are the true Light.
You blaze the way before every human that walks the earth.
In You we see no shades of gray.
In You are seen no shadows of change.

I pressed toward You, and was pushed back that I might taste of death. You resisted my haughty spirit. But what could be more conceited, than that I had the strange madness to imagine that I could be what only You are? That I was subject to change should have been obvious. I wanted to change...But I preferred to argue that it was You who were subject to change instead of me.

- The Confessions of St. Augustine

maundy thursday?

In the Christian liturgical calendar, Maundy Thursday (or Holy Thursday) is the holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Disciples.

On this day four events are commemorated:

• the washing of the Disciples' feet by Jesus Christ
• the institution of Communion at the Last Supper
• the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane
• the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot
  

The celebration of these events marks the beginning of what is called the Easter Triduum (or Sacred Triduum). The Latin word triduum means a three-day period, and the triduum here is the three days from the death to the resurrection of Jesus.

For Jesus and his followers, a day ended and a new day began at sunset, which is still the case in the modern Jewish calendar. The Last Supper was held at what most consider to be the evening of Thursday but what was then considered to be the first hours of Friday. The annual commemoration of Maundy Thursday thus begins the Easter Triduum of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. Collectively, these days of special devotion celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ, which are the central events of biblical Christianity.

So there ya have it...

but he was not there

...then I was told, "Go, stand in the sanctuary in expectation before God. God will pass by."

The band played a rocking tune, complete with a rippin' electric guitar solo; then they played a magnificent love song to God, but God wasn't in the music.

When the band was finished, the preacher got up and delivered an amazing sermon, with heart-wrenching imagery, but God wasn't in the presentation.

Then people walked to the front, knelt and prayed, and they led the congregation in communion. It was beautiful and captivating, but God was not in the ceremony.

After communion, there was a moment of silence - kind of an awkward transition, if you ask me - like the people on stage weren't sure what to do for a second. And in that moment I heard a gentle and quiet whisper.

The quiet voice asked, "Tell me, what are you doing here?"
-adapted from 1 Kings 19

Our response to that question is critical as it just might reveal what we really believe about God. Are we looking for a worship-fix? A sermon delivery worthy of being on TV? A ceremony that flows flawlessly?

God may choose to use music, a sermon, a ceremony. He may even choose to use something we would never expect.

Or, he may not.

Either way,the question remains: What are you doing here?

Will our worship ever allow Him to be enough?

FAT tuesday

This past Tuesday was Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday which begins the liturgical season of Lent. "Liturgical" simply refers to the church calendar which consists of the cycle of seasons within the Christian church.

The season of Lent is the 40-day season of fasting and prayer that leads up to Easter for the purpose of preparing the believer for the annual commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The 40 days is representative of the time Jesus spent in the desert where he was tempted by Satan.
Lent is primarily a season of self-denial, as in "What are you going to 'give up' for Lent?" The irony is that rather than discerning what to "give up" for Lent, I fear many people decide what to "hold on" to.

Fat Tuesday is French for "Mardi-Gras" and is the day set aside to indulge the flesh prior to denying it - it is also called "Shrove Tuesday" and "Pancake Day". Fascinating, isn't it?

Though I realize some of us (including me) were not brought up in a liturgical environment nor do we attend a church that observes the liturgical calendar, I wonder if we still hold personal observances of Fat Tuesday and approach spiritual disciples in a backward and ironic way.

Paul warned Timothy of people who will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, who will live in a form of godliness but are actually denying its power (2 Timothy 3.4-5).

And Peter challenged the church to live in the freedom of Christ but to not use that freedom as an excuse to do less than our best for God. Instead, we should, in our freedom, strive to live as servants of God (1 Peter 2.16).

let me die

Not really...I recently started reading "The Confessions of St. Augustine" and it has been pretty cool. So, this week I thought I would simply throw a quote your way and let you meditate and ponder its theological and life-practical significance.

In his article entitled "Confession of the Greatness of God", Augustine wrote:

Oh, have mercy on me and tell me,
O Lord my God, what You are to me.
Say to my soul, "I am your salvation."
Say it loudly enough that I may hear.

Behold, Lord, my heart lies exposed before You.
Open the ears of that heart and say unto
my soul, "I am your salvation."

After You have spoken,
allow me to quickly grasp You.

Hide not Your face from me.

Let me die, so that I will not only die.

light bulb days

There was this afternoon in Georgia when I wanted to change the headlight light bulbs in my truck to those new fangled super bright light bulbs. Long story short, it took me almost an hour and absolutely ruined my day! It was so amazingly frustrating!

A couple days later the Holy Spirit replayed that event in my mind then promptly reminded me of a verse:

No temptation has overtaken you that is not
common to man. God is faithful and he will not let
you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the
temptation he will also provide the way of escape,
that you may be able to endure it.

I was quite humbled when I realized the best I had to offer my God that day was changing a light bulb. How pathetic is that, right? Then the Holy Spirit chimed in again and said, "LaRue, God knew the best you had to offer that day was changing a light bulb, that's why He picked that day for you to change the light bulb."

Wow. How cool is that?

So, when you have a light bulb day (or if you have a day with a "real" challenge) remember that the challenge you are facing isn't catching God by surprise. Nope, his grace is sufficient for even that.

remember when's (w/ roc larue)

Do you ever get caught up in "remember when" talks with friends or family? It can be so much fun and sometimes, so embarrassing! It happens every time I go home for a visit. This past visit was no different...except for one thing.

I took my dad out for dinner one night for the primary purpose of getting him to share stories. He didn't know that was my goal which, of course, made it much easier to achieve. The fascinating part was that I didn't realize how much I would learn nor did I realize how much it would mean to him.

As he told stories of playing with people like Eddie Cochran and Carl Perkins (and others whose names I never remember), meeting Sammy Davis, Jr., playing at the Apollo, his band "Roc LaRue and His Pals" being the house band at The Wagon Wheel (located at 45th and Broadway, just off Times Square), meeting numerous movie and music celebrities, being on TV 6 nights a week and the radio several days a week, having a hit #1 single in a large portion of the northeast market and on and on... I found myself thinking, "Wow, do you believe this? My dad did all of this?!?" But the truly amazing part to me was that as he retold these stories, even HE was saying, "It's still hard to believe this really happened."

God is the perfector of the "remember when" talks! You can find them throughout the Bible - people recounting the infinite vignettes of our Lifestory Crafting God.

Have you ever had a "remember when" conversation with Him? A conversation where you remember back to some of the amazing (and embarrassing) stories of your life and journey together?

There is a story in John 11 where Jesus and Martha are having a fairly intense discussion. Martha is esseentially saying "Remember when you did all those amazing things for all those other people? Why didn't you do it for me? For Lazarus?"

Do you remember Jesus' reply? "I am the resurrection and the life. Do you believe this?"

Take time to reflect and "remember when" with those you love...including Jesus. Then take some more time to anticipate, to become confident in the God who has proven his faithfulness yesterday will prove it again as He walks with you today.

And tomorrow.

Do you believe this? Pretty amazing, I know!