Getting Shot

My family and I got shot yesterday. More specifically we got our H1N1 vaccinations. I have never done something like this before, and I was pleasantly surprised at the calmness of the crowd. No one seemed to be “in a hurry”, no one seemed to be in a bad mood, and I did not notice anyone getting upset at the wait time. Although I was getting tired of waiting by the end of it, but waiting 2 hours was better than waiting 7hours, has some people have had to wait.
Seeing all the people in line yesterday reminded me of Jesus. I said to my wife, something to the effect of “this line brings to life the life of Jesus.”
You see, over and over again in the New Testament, sick people were brought to Jesus. People heard where Jesus was and they took their sick relatives and friends to where He was. In one case, people even removed the roof of a house because the crowds were so long.
I began to wonder, If Jesus was present in our day, physically, as He is here today in His Holy Spirit, and would we stand in line to see Him, to touch Him, to let Him heal us?
I believe that He still heals today. I believe that He wants to heal today. I believe that He can heal today, I just wonder if we don’t ask Him enough. Now I don’t understand, and can’t completely explain why some people are healed and other people are not healed, but I do know this… Jesus is willing to touch all people. We just need to stand in line and ask Him to fill us with all that He is and all that He wants to give us.
I don’t know if the H1N1 shot will keep me from getting sick, but I do know that asking Jesus to come in my life was the best decision I’ve ever made. I wonder if you will allow Him to heal you… as the prophet Isaiah once said “By his wounds we are healed.” (Is. 53:6, NIV)
Let me know what you think!

Worry

I've been doing some thinking lately, sometimes this is dangerous, but sometimes it's not.
It's good to think, and it's actually is a gift from God to be able to think and share a thought process. but sometimes overthinking is a bad thing.
Sometimes I over-think things. I over think my work, I overthink why people arent coming to church, I over think most all things.... You know what the bible says about over thinking--- dont do it! Actually, the correct words are found in Philippians 4:6--"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (NIV)
God doesnt want me to worry about things that are beyond my control-- He simply wants me to Trust that He is in control and that He knows what's going on. Jesus said this in Matthew 6:"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" the obvious answer is we can't add anything to our lives by worring, we can only subtract from them. and when I worry, I do exactly that, I subtract from my life, I think of all things that are not good. what I need to do in those times is think about good things--> Paul continues this thought in verse 8: "...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things." (NIV)

God does not want me wasting my time thinking thoughts that are potentially destructive. He wants me to think about this of heaven, not on earthly things. ( See Col. 3) This is "easy" to do when things are going fine, but when things are harder, it is somewhat more complicated. But with God as my helper, I will resolve to think good thoughts-- just like the thoughts that He thinks about me.

Thanksgiving

This past weekend was thanksgiving, and while i may be late with this posting, it's as the old wise man once said "Better late than never" {to which (or so I imagine) his wife responds "better never late"}

Allow me to state a few of the things i am thankful for:
1. the Lord Jesus Christ. wihtout His changing me, I would not be where I am today. His Grace has saved me, and He is, little by little, each day changing me into the person I need to be.

2. I'm thankful for my parents. They did the best they could with what-- or who-- they had to work with. I was reminded of their hard work this past weekend when I took my kids to thier house for supper. what a riot! Emma was crying and crying and crying, (and I wasn't to chipper either! It made me wonder how my parents did it! I am thankful for them.

3. My Brother. even though he's a flames fan, I still love him.

4. My Wife. I don't really need to say more, becasue she's my better half, or as Pastor Karl Ingersoll says about his wife, "she's my better 3/4". True!

5. My kids. even though they may irk me form time to time, I love them. Like when Emma goes to school and comes home and gives me a big hug that could make the worst days feel like they are the best days. Or when Erica goes to bed and I give her a kiss she always says "Lick Kiss?". I am glad that they have thier mother in them!

I could go on and on becasue I have much to be thankful for, the Bible says: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever" (Psalm 136:1)

I am thankful.

Are you thankful for something-- or someone. Let them know right now!

Idea

I was talking to my brother the other day, and he said to me 'you need to update your blog' I said to him, “oh yeah, to say what?” “I don't know” he said, “I just like reading it!” Cool! I have at least 1 reader!

I've been thinking off and on about what to say, and while I have no direct ‘revelation’, I do have an idea;

I'm in the God business. Each week I write a sermon for the good folks who come to our church. I love to do this, hard, tiring, yet very rewarding process.

When I’m not writing a sermon, I’m doing my best to represent God in my every day life. Eph 5:1&2 Says: “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (NIV)

I’m trying my hardest to represent God to this world. I'm trying my hardest to live for Jesus, who was, God in the flesh.

Now, I’m human and I stumble and fall from time to time, and don't always do what I’m supposed to do, (when this happens, I confess it and trust that God’s grace will cover me) but because I'm in the God business, I want to live a life that pleases Him.

Romans 12:1, in the Message, which is a paraphrase of the Bible says: “…here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering…”

I’ve given God my ordinary life and He’s done some extra ordinary things with it. It makes me want to ask….won't you join in the God business, too?