Lament as Worship: Michael Card

Here is the series on lament presented by Michael Card. Well worth the time to watch these.

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr3mNGtxd-I&feature=PlayList&p=296943C19E334A8A&index=0

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7UUz7j7JQw&feature=PlayList&p=296943C19E334A8A&index=1

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmsbTAg5Vk4&feature=PlayList&p=296943C19E334A8A&index=2

Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou17lPhzdAI&feature=PlayList&p=296943C19E334A8A&index=3

Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXBNwDOMMaA&feature=PlayList&p=296943C19E334A8A&index=4

Part 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igg51L1tMAw&feature=PlayList&p=296943C19E334A8A&index=5

Part 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwYsXe6BWeg&feature=PlayList&p=296943C19E334A8A&index=6

Presence not Presents

Hello Everyone! Don't pass out. I'm posting something after almost half a year of idleness. Sorry, but I've been extremely busy teaching and learning. Besides, I haven't felt like I've had anything worthwhile to say.

But this all changed with Christmas.

The tinsel. The holly. The family. The friends.

Everybody sing with me: It's the most loneliest time of the year!

Still wonderful, don't get me wrong. But for many people, Christmas can be very, very lonely.

This year, I --a single woman living alone in a foreign land (Elkhart, Indiana) --accepted an invitation for Christmas dinner at Nettie and Ed's. I thorougly enjoyed their hospitality.

However, for the last 19 years, I've spent Christmas alone. Perhaps you have experienced this. Spending Christmas alone is like the plague. Being alone on Christmas feels like a big bad disease eating you alive. And for those folks who spend Christmas alone, being alone on Christmas is ironically easier than being with people that are not close family. That is, except for Ed and Nettie.

Over my spending Christmas alone years, I've tried a number of cures. I tried working at the homeless shelter. I tried church hopping to Christmas Eve services. I tried sleeping all day. I tried positive thinking. I tried wallowing in self-pity. I even tried shopping, but the home shopping channels are off the air on Christmas! Even they are with family on Christmas. In one final desperate attempt to squelch the loneliness, I resorted to watching the special Christmas programming offered by the home shopping channels.

My conclusion: Nothing helps the flesh-eating loneliness that is part and parcel of spending Christmas alone.

Except for God.

As unexpectedly as the birth of a Babe in a manger, God helps Christmas alone loneliness.

I recently watched a video series by Christian musician, Michael Card. In this series, Michael teaches about lament, the deep sorrow and contrition one feels over life's painful circumstances. According to Michael, when a person prays, they often pray for God's provision. I know I prayed provision prayers many times throughout my 19 Christmases alone. I begged, I pleaded, I screamed, I cajoled. I asked God to do something to ease the loneliness I felt on Christmas. He never took the loneliness away.

Michael Card's teaching struck a cord with me. He suggests that when we are in a state of lament, provision will not comfort us. It is not provision we need. We ultimately need God's Presence. We would be better off not to seek provision for our need, but to seek our deepest need, God's Presence.

Provision fulfills human desires. Presence fulfills spiritual needs. God's Presence is what I find as I lay down my human desires over and over again. In fact it is only God's Presence that allows me to lay down my fleshly needs and desires.

The Christmas story speaks to this. Mary and Joseph needed a place to stay. They needed provision. There was no room for them in the inn. They were forced to settle for something less than desirable. They stayed in a stable. Damp shards of hay. But then Jesus Christ was born. God incarnate. God in human form. For Mary and Joseph, the Presence of God came in the form of a baby, and suddenly the provision mattered far less. They forgot about their circumstances because they were looking into the face of Christ.

Are you lonely at Christmas? The Presence of God came to Earth to heal your hurting human soul. Seek Him and you will find the greatest "Presence" of all.

Glory to the newborn King!

Blue Spruce Park in the Mist

The gardens surrounding the Peace Pole

A place for reflection...

To talk to God...

To listen to the "still, small voice"...

Close your eyes and pretend this is Heaven

For the beauty of the Earth...

"May Peace Prevail on Earth"

But my visit to Blue Spruce Park in the rain was prompted by a mission. Back in 2004-2005, when I lived in Indiana, PA, a group of community and nonprofit leaders gathered to develop Let There Be Peace: A Community Peacebuilding Event.

Friends from the local children's commission took part in the planning. We decided to obtain a peace pole, a wooden structure that encourages unity and peace. Twelve cultures are represented on the pole through 12 languages each saying the phrase, "May peace prevail on Earth." Here is a close-up of two of the 12 languages. I'm not sure of the language in the bottom picture, but the top picture has my favorite of all the languages--American Sign Language. Click on the picture to see a closer view of the phrase "Peace in the World" spelled out in ASL.

Let There Be Peace, or at Least a Peace Pole

On a recent trip back to Indiana, PA, I visited Blue Spruce Park, a place of beauty, as the pictures tell. Since it was pouring rain the day I went, it was also a place of serenity. I was completely alone in the park, the only person in the entire county who didn't mind getting soaked for a visit to Blue Spruce.

What Do You Think Belongs in Church?

My friend and colleague Bonni lent me a book on how to encourage people to volunteer. Close to the end of the book was this great poem by Ann Weems. We had discussed Ann Weems in Family Spirituality class last Winter. She has written a book called Psalms of Lament. It is a book of poetry on sorrow, grief, and loss. Weems lost a son at age 21. Not though illness, through senselessness. I suspect Weems may be empathetic to children and adults who hurt. Perhaps you have already read this poem. But for those who have not, here it is. It's a long poem and well worth the time it takes to read and ponder.

Balloons Belong in Church

I took to church one morning a happy four-year-old child
Holding a bright blue string to which was attached a much
loved orange balloon with pink stripes. . .
Certainly a thing of beauty.
And if not forever at least a joy for a very important now.
When later the child met me at the door,
Clutching blue string, orange and pink bobbing behind her,
She didn't have to tell me something had gone wrong.

"What's the matter?"
She wouldn't tell me.
"I bet they loved your balloon."
Out it came then, mocking the teacher's voice,
"We don't bring balloons to church."
Then that little four-year-old, her lip a little trembly, asked,
"Why aren't balloons allowed in church? I thought God would like balloons."

I celebrate balloons, parades, and chocolate chip cookies,
I celebrate seashells and elephants and lions that roar.
I celebrate roasted marshmallows and chocolate cake and fresh fish.
I celebrate aromas: bread baking, mincemeat, lemons . . .
I celebrate seeing: bright colors, wheat in a field, tiny wild flowers . . .
I celebrate hearing: waves pounding, the rain's rhythm, soft voices . . .
I celebrate touching: toes in the sand, a kitten's fur, another person . . .
I celebrate the sun that shines slab dab in our faces . . .
I celebrate snow falling . . . the wondrous quiet of the snow falling . . .
I celebrate the crashing thunder and the brazen lightning . . .
I celebrate anger at injustice
I celebrate tears for the mistreated, the hurt, the lonely . . .

I celebrate the community that cares . . . the church . . .
I celebrate the church.
I celebrate the times when we in the church made it . . .
When we answered a cry
When we held to our warm and well-fed bodies a cold and lonely world
I celebrate the times when the Church is the church
When we are Christians
When we are living, loving, contributing.
I celebrate perfect love . . . the cross . . . the Christ
Loving in spite of . . .
Giving without reward
I celebrate life . . . that we may live more abundantly . . .

Where did we get the idea that balloons don't belong in the church?
Where did we get the idea that God loves gray and sh-h-h and drab and anything will do?
I think it's blasphemy not to appreciate the joy in God's world.
I think it's blasphemy not to bring joy into His church.
For God so loved the world
That He hung there
Loving the unlovable.
What beautiful gift cannot be offered unto the Lord?
Whether it's a balloon or a song or some joy
that sits within you waiting
to have the lid taken off?

The Scripture says there's a time to laugh and a time to weep.
It's not hard to see the reasons for crying in a world where hatred is so manifest.
So celebrate!
Bring your balloons and your butterflies, your bouquets of flowers . . .
Bring the torches and hold them high!
Dance your dances, paint your feelings, sing your songs, whistle, laugh.
Life is a celebration, an affirmation of God's love.
Life is distributing more balloons.
For God so loved the world . . .
Surely that's a cause for Joy.
Surely we should celebrate it!
Good news! That he should love us that much.
Where did we ever get the idea that balloons don't belong in the church?

Ann Weems

FTT

"My initials are FTT," old Fred said to me last week, during one of our many discussions about life and faith. Fred and I work together at Menno-hof, the Amish and Mennonite Historical Center located in Shipshewana, Indiana. As a traveling tour guide, Fred comes to Menno-hof for about 4 months out of the year before setting sail for warmer climates in the winter months.

I have been blessed to know Fred since April, over the last 4 months. Fred is the father of one daughter whose middle name is "Anne," as Fred shares, "with an 'e.'" Fred also enjoys two grandsons and a great-grandson.

I am honored to know Fred. He makes me laugh because he is so funny. He makes me smile because he is such a story teller. And he makes me cry because he seems lonely. But most importantly, Fred makes me feel humbled, because Fred is a man of God.

Fred has his priorities straight. He walks circumspectly, but not so circumspectly that he is beyond human. Fred enjoys travel, but he offers service to others in his travels. He shuns materialism, except that he loves horns: trumpets, cornets, and other minature horns. He rides his bike all over Shipshewana, saving on gas and tags for his old truck. He lives simply and frugally.

Fred is a KJV man. For those readers who may not know, that's the King James Version of the Holy Bible. I do declare that if it would have been appropriate to do so, Fred would have fist pumped with the Baptist preacher who came into Menno-hof and mentioned his commitment to the KJV. Fred and the Baptist minister had something in common. You know, it was like the ritual that men do when they find out another man is a fan of the Cleveland Browns. This was one time when Fred made me laugh. There have been many other times.

Fred is unapologetically from Kansas. I asked Fred one time if he did drugs in his younger days. "Are you kidding," he questioned. "I'm from Kansas. We don't do things like that there."

Oh. Okay. How was I to know?

Fred enjoys storytelling. He tells true stories with a Fred flare. My favorite story is the one about the Dalton brothers who attempted to rob a bank in Coffeyville, Kansas in the late 1800s. He's on the road alot and he tells stories about the restaurants into which he has ventured over the years. Fred should be near his grandchildren so they can get to know him. He is a character, and I would hate to see his grandchildren and great-grandchild miss out on knowing him. His stories make me smile, and I am sure they would be a lasting legacy for his family members.

Fred loves people. Fred needs people. He is the ambassador of friendliness at Menno-hof. But there is another side of Fred, a side he tries to hide and deny. Fred seems lonesome and a bit sad. Fred lost his wife a number of years ago, when he was much younger, and his life has been one of adjustment to this "tragedy." Fred's word. When he speaks of his wife, Fred's voice changes to one of even greater tenderness than what is typical for him. She must have been a wonderful woman to have been loved so deeply.

Fred will be leaving Menno-hof in a few weeks. Time to move on. Time to make a mark on the world. I can tell you that I am not easily impressed by people. I love people and care about people, but I don't always think people live up to their own values and beliefs.

Fred does. Fred knows what is important to him, and he gives his heart and soul to the world and people around him. I am humbled by his character, his faith, his devotion, and his will to persevere.

Fireworks for Freedom!

Do you recall a blog that I wrote this past January? If not, you can find it on January 10, 2009, as you click through "Older Posts" at the bottom of this page. I'd been caught in the midst of the midnight fireworks on New Year's Eve. It reminded me of God leading the nation of Israel through the wilderness on to Canaan, the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey. God led Israel through a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night.

Well, today is July 4th -- another day for fireworks, another day to celebrate God's faithfulness, and goodness, but this time to a different nation -- the United States of America.

I've been trying to find similarities between Israel and the USA. Here are a few similaties I thought of, both good and bad.

1. Israel and the USA were both originally led by visionaries. God directed Moses, and God directed the USA forefathers. That's what the Bible and the Constitution say--for each country, respectively--and I believe that both documents are accurate.

By the way, where were the women of Israel and where were the USA's foremothers? I'm just asking.

2. Both nations had to bear the elements of their new frontiers. Israel was in the wilderness for 40 years, and early Americans had to forge a trail as they ventured westward.

3. Both nations have grown and expanded throughout their existence.

4. Both nations grumbled and continue to moan. Sorry, but it's true. Israel complained that they didn't like the food -- manna -- despite the fact that it was sent by God. My blogging friend, Hannah, also known as Mennogirl, likes the Christian music artist, Keith Green. When Keith was alive, he sung a song about manna, the wonderfully refreshing food that the LORD sent Israel every day while they were in the wilderness. But the people moaned about it.

I just came home from the grocery store. The person in front of me in the checkout complained loudly to the clerk about the cost of her groceries. She had plenty of food and plenty of money to pay for the food, but she was still moaning. I get it; food is expensive. But God provides.

If you'd like to hear Keith Green's song about manna, go to Hannah's blog, http://www.hannahshovel.blogspot.com/, scroll down on the right to a link "What Mennogirl Believes." Click there and find on her Keith Green playlist a song called "So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt." Give a listen. It's quite a funny song, and also a good message on complaining.

5. Both Israel and the USA had and have people that work with one another for the greater good. And both Israel and the USA had and have people who work against one another.

6. Similarly, both Israel and the USA obeyed and disobeyed God, regardless of the manner though which God showed and shows His ways to the people.

7. Both nations wanted a place they could call their own, and both nations took what they wanted from other people. Israel took Canaan at God's command; the USA took land from the Native Americans. At whose command is unclear. Oh, and in the taking of both nations, multitudes of people were slaughtered amidst tremendous bloodshed.

8. Both Israel and the USA longed for freedom.

And so I pose this question: Has either nation really found freedom? Are the descendants of Israel really, really free? Are the descendants of the USA's forefathers really, really free? I wonder how the lady in line at the grocery store would answer this question.

The 4th of July is a fun day. Enjoy your family and friends.

I Just Had To...

... post another picture of Joshua!

Scroll down and click to go to the next page of older posts. Find the post with the picture of Joshua from a few months ago. And then look at Josh now. He has grown so much in a few months. He is meeting all his growth tasks. He is the man!!

Josh's Mom, my friend, Lynn, says that Josh blows kisses and is so cute.

But what's this about Old Navy??? Dad is in the Army!!

New Life Has Arrived!

Here they are! The first goslings of 2009! Aren't they sweet? I love how they almost immediately know how to swim.

Something else I find interesting. I really enjoy watching the goose couple carry out their parenting duties. Pardon me for being old fashioned, but I love the way the mother goose teaches the babies how to eat, how to peck for food. While Mom is teaching them this essential skill, Dad stands guard against predators. Father goose is the family's protector. He stands straight and tall, sticks his neck out, and scans the surroundings. When he hears a sound, he begins to honk. I'm not sure but I think that is to warn the family or perhaps to ward off predators. While Dad is watching, Mom and babies confidently go about their tasks of teaching and learning how to survive.

I would be remiss if I didn't tie the goose family's sense of duty in with following Christ in our own families. I think we humans could learn something from the Gooses about fulfilling our duties before the Lord.

I just finished a project for the class I'm taking on Family Sprituality. I interpret sprituality in part as fulfilling our God-given destinies. What has God given us to do? Are we parents? Teachers? Doctors? Trash collectors? (This was my father's task while he was on Earth).

So how then are we to do our tasks like the Goose family? I Corinthians 10:31 gives us a clue: "... whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

He's Alive: Don Francisco

At the top of the playlist, I've added a few songs by Don Francisco. Some of you that are younger than 40 may not know Don Francisco. He is one of the original contemportary Christian singers coming out of the 1960s with other singers the likes of Chuch Girard, Nancy Honeytree, and others.

I've always liked Don Francisco's music. It is simple, acoustic, and scriptural. It is not just "feel good" Christian music. Like Keith Green's music, it has a strong basis. Don Francisco's music shows his humble spirit and God's power.

The most familiar of Don Francisco's songs is the very first one in the playlist, a song called "He's Alive!" Of course, the song is about Jesus' resurrection, but it is sung from a specific person's perspective. Listen to the song and see if you can tell whose perspective the song represents. This is a good song to ponder or a good song to share with your friends.

I share this music with the young readers of this blog. I know there are a number of teens who read, and I wish to add to your history of contemporary Christian music. Enjoy!

He is Risen! Alleluia!

Luke 24

Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, But when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened that while they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling apparel; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen...."

Good Friday

O sacred head, now wounded,
With grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded
With thorns, Thine only crown!
O sacred head, what glory,
What bliss till now was Thine!
Yet though despised and gory,
I joy to call Thee mine.

What Thou, my Lord, has suffered
Was all for sinners' gain:
Mine, mine was the transgression,
But Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
'Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor,
Vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

What language shall I borrow.
To thank Thee, dearest Friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever;
And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never,
Outlive my love for Thee.

----Bernard of Clairvaux

In the Shadow of the Cross

Welcome to Holy Week everybody!

This is a time of reflection on the most important event in Christian history--the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Some believers think that Jesus' birth on Christmas is the focus of our faith, and other people find Easter the main celebration in Christianity. But I think that Holy Week, the passionate steps leading to Easter, are central to our faith.

I am sure that you have pondered the importance of Holy Week within your churches and as individual followers of Christ. Each year, God offers me new insights into the importance of Holy Week, and this year appears to be no exception. In other years, God has shown me the significance of the skull (Golgotha), the journey down the road to Calvary (the Via Dolorosa), and the sacrificial lamb. I have also pondered what it may have been like to be Simon the Cyrene as he carried the Cross, Mary the mother of Jesus as she watched her son die, the Roman centurian as he realized his place in Jesus' death, and Peter's denial of Jesus.

This year, God is impressing upon me something that I hope you find interesting, if I can put the thought into adequate words for you. I have been meditating not on the significance of the Cross. That seems too logical a concept. God has shown me this year the importance of the shadow of the Cross, and this idea has given me great awe of God's ways and great comfort in my journey as a follower of Christ.

So here is my explanation of the significance of the Cross's shadow:

Have you ever sat in one place that is open to the sun--say while you were at the beach--and watched the shadow around you that was made and that elongated by the rising of the sun in morning until noon, and then shortening of the shadow occurring from the setting of the sun in the afternoon toward evening? It is a law of nature, a cycle that faithfully occurs each and every day, without fail. No matter where you move, as long as you are in the sun, you always are covered by a shadow.

The same principle applies to the rising and setting of the sun across the Earth. The sun rises in the East and gives light and shadow all across the world over a 24 hour period. The light of the sun is also responsible for the shadow. The Earth is enlivened by the light and protected by the shadow. In order for life to be sustained, we need both the light and the shadow, the heat and the cool.

Fast forward to Good Friday. The real day that Jesus died on the Cross. On the hill called Calvary, Jesus was nailed to the Cross. He hung on the Cross for hours until "it was finished." His body was removed. But what happened to the Cross? Was it taken down or did it remain on the hill?

I believe that the Cross remained standing, at least for a while, at least for one day, one complete 24-hour period. During this time, there was one complete revolution in which the sun rose and set. One day in which the shadow of the Cross touched the Earth. For one 24-hour period every corner of the world was protected by the shadow of the Cross.

The shadow of the Cross protects us even today. During this Holy Week, as you go about your activities, close your eyes and picture yourself hidden safely in the shadow of the Cross. Do you attend the Stations of the Cross? See your reflection in the Cross etched in the stained glass. Do you participate in foot washing? Envision the shadow of the Cross hovering over you in this act of service. Any other Holy Week tradition? Watch as the shadow of the Cross moves with you. Watch as the shadow protects you from sin, iniquity, and infirmities.

Very simply, watch.

Peedah Budda eh Jettie

It has been a long month or better since I posted anything of consequence. Well, except for the picture of Josh. Isn't he a masterpiece? I've been teaching a course online for a great university--Marylhurst University in Marylhurst, Oregon, about 10 miles south of Portland. I teach Nonprofit Leadership for Marylhurst, and I really enjoy teaching the students there. But I am really busy when I teach this course, so I didn't blog during the Winter term. Now the term is completed, and I want to return to "knocking." I have one more example (doesn't that sound like a teacher!) of what could constitute as "knocking" in the sense of perseverance.

Years ago, I had a friend who had a 2-year-old little boy who was just learning to talk. He was a strong-willed boy whose persistence and determination would put me to shame. This little boy loved peanut butter and jelly. He was just learning to talk, and called his favorite food "peedah budda eh jettie."

One day his Mom was taking a shower, and Dad was watching the boy. Dad, however, was not an acceptable peanut butter and jelly maker, so the boy began to knock on the bathroom door: "Mama, peedah budda eh jettie." "Peedah budda eh jettie, Mama."

Mom cannot hear him of course, nor was she in a position to answer his request right then. So the boy kept up the knocking, this time a little louder:

"PEEDAH BUDDA EH JETTIE. PEEDAH BUDDA EH JETTIE."

No response. Dad allowed him to persist just to see how long he would keep up the knocking.

"Pee dah bud da eh jettie, Mama!"

"PEEEEE DAHHHH BUDDAAAA EH JETTIEEEEEEE."

By this time, the boy is on the floor talking under the crack at the bottom of the door. Oh and the child is becoming frustrated. He cried, "Peedah (Sniff Sniff) Budda (Wail Wail) Eh Jettie (Sob Sob).

No response. So he moved on toward anger, pounding the floor and not the door. This is where Dad stepped in.

Isn't it awesome when Dad steps in? Because there is a place where perseverence can turn to demanding, and demanding falls into the category of self-control, you know a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Our 2-year-old friend didn't understand self-control, so Dad became his self-control for him.

Dad's message to the child was simple: "Ask nice." Mama will come out soon and make you peedah budda eh jettie, but you have to ask nice."

Nonetheless, the little guy's perseverence was evident. His is a story not unlike the Bible's story of the man who needed bread. Knock and keep on knocking. Don't stop knocking on the door for the spiritual and material things you need.

Need more of God's presence? Knock. "Lord, please be more real to me."

Need rent money? Knock. "Lord, I ask you to provide for me here."

Have a 2-year-old? Knock and knock and knock. "Lord, please help me teach him your ways."

For my little friend, it eventually happened: Mama opened the bathroom door, scooped up the little guy into her arms, and with a big hug made her way to the kitchen cupboard.

That is God's desire for us. He is faithful to open the door, He hears our desires, and He shows us His love. Even when we don't ask nice.

Sweet Baby: God's Masterpiece

My first picture has to be of Joshua, Lynn and Mike's sweet little guy.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Knock. Knock. Who's There?

What does knocking have to do with following Jesus?

I looked up the Greek word for "knock" as used in Matthew 7:7. Thankfully, in a blog, I don't have to be able to pronounce it. The word is "krouo." It means literally "to knock at the door."

Hmmm.... Surely it is a metaphor, don't you think? It has to mean something more deeply spiritual than that, doesn't it? Could it really be as simple as knocking at the door?

Well, I can't bend the definition. What good would that do in helping us follow Christ? So where else can I find knocking in the Bible. Oh look, here's knocking in Luke 11:5-8. Here a man needs bread for his guests and he goes to his neighbor at midnight and knocks on the door. Hmmm... But the neighbor tells the man to go away. "It's late, for Heaven's sake, and my children and I are in bed." Paraphrase.

But the man needs bread, so he keeps in knocking. "Oh, please get up. My guests will starve over night if I don't have bread." Paraphrase again. The man knocks and knocks and knocks until the neighbor finally gets up. Why did he get up? New American Standard, Verse 8: "because of his persistence."

The man knocked and knocked and knocked and the neighbor answered, not because of the man's need, but because he persisted.

Persistence. That is a character trait of a follower of Christ.

How badly this man needed bread to keep on knocking like he did. He drove home his point to the neighbor and the neighbor heard his persistent knock. In fact, the man's persistence was so important that it warranted an illustration in the Scriptures.

My friend Lynn and I were mentioning that neither one of us finds knocking to be our strong suit. It's not that we take the easy way out, but we don't want to intrude upon God, or upon the neighbor. We need the door to be opened immediately. Shouldn't the neighbor have gotten right up and given the man some bread? Shouldn't we get the first job we interview for? Shouldn't our children respond to our first call? Have you ever mentioned Jesus to your neighbor only to have him mock your Savior (and you)? So you stop mentioning Jesus. Have you ever been rejected for showing Jesus' love? So you stop showing love.

How is your persistence? Do you ever want to give up on following Christ? Look at the man's reward: He got as much bread as he needed (Luke 11:8). It's interesting that the man needed bread. There is something about a piece of bread. It is very satifying. It fills a need for nourishment that we barely know is there. The bread of persistence as a follower of Christ will satiate you, will satify your deepest longing.

Knock. Knock. Knock and knock. Who's there? It's Jesus. The bread of life (John 6:35).

Which One Are You?

I'm sure you know the verse: Matthew 7:7. Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. It's a significant verse, one upon which many Christians focus their spiritual lives.

Ask. Seek. Knock.

When I lived in Pennsylvania, I heard a leader in a church teach on this verse. He began by effectually saying "asking is the important part in this verse; seeking and knocking are secondary in importance to asking."

Whenever I am not totally convinced of someone's opinion, I generally pause and say "Hmmm."

So ... Hmmm.

I tend to think that seeking and knocking are equally important to asking.

However, I also tend to think that believers may lean toward asking, more than to the others. Some people (like the aforementioned leader, perhaps) may be more askers than they are seekers or knockers. Some people may be more seekers, and some more knockers, than either of the other two actions.

Have you ever thought about that? Have you ever considered the difference between asking, seeking, and knocking? Have you ever looked at your own spiritual life and examined which of these activities you participate in more than the others?

I think this is an important point to ponder. Knowing more about ourselves as askers, seekers, and knockers could allow us to more closely follow Christ.

Over the next few blogs I'd like to talk about these three actions of a disciple. What does it mean to ask, to seek, or to knock? As this little discussion progresses, please feel free to post comments. In that way, we can all learn from each other.

By the way, enjoy your loved ones this Valentine's Day.

To Market, To Market

A balmy 56 degrees on a February day in northern Indiana. A gift. Since I am not one to shun a gift, I decided to venture out into the sunshine. Every time I head down SR19, that's "State Road" 19, I notice a huge red barn-type building resting on a road-side crest. I had driven past in the dark, and had noticed that the building was completely outlined in little white Christmas lights. I thought to myself, "When did they move the Taj Mahal to northern Indiana?" A truly remarkable building, complete with three cupolas--you know, those towers on the top of really important buildings. I wondered what this building could be, when one day, Kevin the poker-playing maintenance man asked: "Have you been to the farmer's market?"

"No," I said, "but I enjoy fresh produce. Where is the market?"

I'm picturing an open-air market in the middle of some downtown street, closed off on Saturdays so that local farmers can sell their produce and wares.

"It's not downtown," remarked PP Kevin, "it's that big building on SR19, you know, the red one with all the lights and the three cupolas. The one that looks like a barn."

"That's the farmer's market?" I was astonished that the Taj was in actuality a place to purchase produce.

"You should visit it when the weather breaks."

Today, I did just that. I went to the Mahal, not the Mall, of produce. I wondered what vegetables and fruit they could possibly be selling in February, and found a few root vegetables and some imported lettuce.

But then I looked around, and as far as the eye could see, there were vendors selling everything from Girl Scout cookies (which I bought) to lavender goat milk soap with special healing properties (which I bought) to maple granola (bought it) to ground bison burgers (ah, no thank you).

The market has a food court with live entertainment. Today we were entertained by some guy on a guitar who sang a new last verse with a happy ending to Puff the Magic Dragon. So with Pepsi in hand, I took a seat on one of the sturdy Amish-built chairs. The goal was to listen, but really, the place was packed, and lent itself more to observing than to listening. A great spot for people watchin'.

And watch I did. I watched the elderly man lovingly push his wheelchair-bound wife up to the table where he fed her a snack. I watched the teen at the table next to me sit there with at least four of her friends, all of them feverishly texting God knows who, but paying no attention at all to one another. I watched as different groups of Amish and Mennonite folks came to take their shifts at the family-run stores on the second floor of the barn. (By the way, the barn has three floors, including a demonstration kitchen, and over 51,000 square feet of space available for you to lease.) There were many people, some old, some fat, some black, some handicapped. And all the others.

As I perused the people, I thought, "If there is this much diversity in Elkhart, Indiana, what must it be like in other parts of the country?" What was more amazing, was the politeness among the consumers. I heard more "excuse mes" as people lunged for the last of the hanging doo-dads.

You know, from the outside, you could be convinced that this building might take you back in time to the "general store" era, but inside it is rampant consumerism. Polite, but rampant, consumerism. I asked the guy who runs the speciality olive oil and dipping sauces store what it is like in the summer, when most produce is in season. He replied, "It is wall-to-wall, shoulder-to-shoulder people." By the way, I bought some of his dipping sauces.

The American Countryside Farmers Market provides opportunities for local entrepreneurs to expand their small businesses. I am 100% in favor of that, especially since at a 15.3% unemployment rate in Elkhart County, entrepreneurial ventures are just about all that's left. I would consider the market if I were to start a retail store for small consumables. But pushing and shoving turn me off. And overpriced merchandise turns me off.

People of all different varieties, now that's a sign of God's greatness, and that turns me on!

All opinions aside, tonight I'm going to bathe with my $5.66 bar of lavender-scented goat milk soap. May the healing properties begin!

To Worship God Alone

Hello!

What you are hearing is my contribution to your worship experience. If you scroll down to the botton of the page, I have added the To Follow Christ Playlist. Nachfolge Christi means "to follow Christ," or to be a disciple of Christ. The songs in this playlist point me to the Savior and Lord Jesus, and I hope they point you to Him, too.

With my blessings!

Here We Go!!!

It's 4:20AM here in northern Indiana on a Sunday morning. I couldn't sleep. It's an exciting day. First off, I get to go to church. No I don't HAVE to go to church, I GET to go to church. At church, I GET to worship the Lord. I GET to study the Bible. And I GET to enjoy fellowship with other believers. In a few hours, I GET to go to church. Here we go!!!

But please indulge me when I say that going to church is not the only reason I am too excited to sleep. And please forgive me because the second reason that I'm too excited to sleep is not really in line with the theme of this blog. My second reason is not about following Christ, although for some people it might be, depending on whether or not you believe God answers prayer. I'm sure some people have been praying for my second reason for being too excited to sleep. In fact, I would guess that some people may have been praying all season for this day.

What season, you ask? Why football season, of course. Today is SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!!!!!!! Now Superbowl Sunday is not the reason I am too excited to sleep. Recall from my profile that I recently moved to northern Indiana from the Pittsburgh area. You guessed it: I am a Steelers fan. A died-in-the-wool supporter of Big Ben and the crew. And what about Mike Tomlin? Hand it to the man. It is only his second season as head coach and look what he has done. Congrats, Mike! (Do you suppose Mike Tomlin is reading my blog?)

As much as I am a Steelers fan, I have a confession to make. I don't know one thing about football. Well, I take that back. I understand an incomplete pass. That's it. No first downs. Nothing about penalties. I just don't get it.

Even though I know very little about football, I root for the home team. I am a Steelers fan. Not a fanatic, just a fan. And despite what may look like a deviation from the theme, I think being a Steelers fan can be related to following Christ. It has to do with commitment, loyalty, and team spirit.

Disgraced and defrocked pastor Ted Haggard was on CBS's The Early Show the other day. I watched a clip later on the Internet. I am not here to discuss Haggard's sin and iniquities. But one thing he discussed on The Early Show made me cry. It was when Haggard shared that his wife lost her friends and supporters at their former church when his story came to light. Haggard's wife was alone in her pain. She was a member of the team, and the church did not support her. Even if they didn't understand one thing about her situation, commitment and loyalty to team members matters if we are going to follow Christ. I'm sure it was difficult for the church. I'm sure it was overwhelming for them. I'm sure people didn't know what to say. And that's where the team spirit comes in. The team Holy Spirit, who helps us be more like Jesus (John 14:26).

Jesus is honored when we support church team members in crisis. Support is the fodder for reconciliation and restoration. A few years ago, Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers' Quarterback, was dangerously driving a motorcycle without a helmet. He was seriously injured in an accident. The team rallied around him to nurture him back to health. But the team also held Big Ben accountable for his actions. Later, Ben apologized to his team members, to his coaches, and to the people of Pittsburgh. He also thanked the team for their support during his crisis. He was reconciled and restored, and today will lead the Steelers in this Superbowl game.

If the Steelers can do it, why can't the church?

The Steelers have a little jingle, perhaps you've heard it: "Here we go! Steelers. Here we go! Pittsburgh's going to the Superbowl. Here we go!"

That's the way it is in the family of God. When we joined team Jesus, we embarked on a journey together. There are times when we are winning the game, and times when we are trailing. But we are all in this together. To Mrs. Haggard and other strugglers on the journey, "Here we go!"

Enjoy the game!

Psalm 121 in Song

I couldn't resist.

This is a video of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir singing Psalm 121. That's not the title of the song, but it is the Scripture from which the song is taken.

I dedicate this song to Barack Obama, and to my friend Dwayne who loves mass choir music!

Turn up the volume and be encouraged!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_ocn7IxDCU

The Audacity of the Blessed, Living Hope

Hello! It has been a few weeks since I posted. Please forgive me if I don't blog very often. I am interested in putting into words what I feel "led" to write by the Holy Spirit. Many bloggers enjoy sharing tales of their personal lives. My life is just not that exciting. In fact, it might be to some downright boring.

But Barack Obama, now that's an exciting life. Did you see any of yesterday's inauguration? The pomp and ceremony. The grandeur. Michelle's clothes. Those sweet little girls. I cried all day. Like a wedding, it was just beautiful. Sniff. Sniff.

I must admit that I enjoy politics. Don't get me wrong, I am not political. I value being straightforward and I often think that politics hides things. Let your "yes" be "yes," and your "no" be "no," I say. Well actually, the Bible says that in Matthew 5:37. But I do think that politics and Biblical prophecy are intertwined. We are moving forward to something spectacular that God has planned for us and the progression toward this spectacular something is played out on the worldwide social and political scenes. My opinion.

Just think: A few years ago a fledgling politician named Barack Obama gave a speech and entitled it (and a subsequent book) "The Audacity of Hope." Through this speech, he tapped into a profound need of the American people, who had long before lost hope in the so-called American dream. Before you know it, millions upon millions of people were putting their trust in a solitary charismatic leader to bring to culmination their deepest hopes.

What do American people hope for? And is what we hope for actually going to fulfill us? And even if our hopes can be fulfilled, can Obama and his team accomplish that in a span of four (or eight) years?

I would like to offer a humble opinion that some of our deepest hopes can't be fulfilled by changes in public policy, regardless of how hard Obama works. Believe me, I would feel alot safer if I had health insurance, but I think better economic conditions are a temporary fix to what ails us. I, like you, want world peace. But I don't see where we have ever had that. War, conflict, and strife have always existed. I want violence to end, but I'm not sure it will. In fact, Biblical prophecy points us to a bigger war with the long-expected coming again of Jesus Christ.

Now that's something to hope for. In fact, some churches refer to the second coming of Christ as the "Blessed Hope," after the verse in Titus 2:13: "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."

In many ways, Americans are looking to Barack Obama to act as our "savior," to save us from our fears and from our pain associated with this world's realities. And if all goes Obama's way, he might meet some of the American people's expectations, and make some positive changes. But will it really be enough?

Consider this message of hope, a living hope:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (I Peter 1:3-5).

Let's be careful not to put too much hope on Barack Obama's back. He is only a man. He has limited power to help. Look toward God. His power is infinite.

Look at the difference in this perspective in Psalm 121:1-8:
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in,
From this time forth and forever.

Now that's hope!

A Pillar of Fire by Night

I'm not one to focus too much on myself. I prefer that my expression of following Jesus shows up in part when I pay attention to other people and to my community. But telling stories about God's goodness and giving testimony to His faithfulness is always important. So here is a personal story of God's faithfulness to me. I tell it in hopes that it strengthens your faith as you follow Christ in 2009.

A part of the story of the nation of Israel is told in the Book of Exodus in the Bible. This story illustates God's faithfulness to Israel as it was led by Moses. The nation was taking a long journey through the wilderness and God had promised to lead them. How did God lead them? In Exodux 13:21 it says that the "Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light...." This is taken from the Amplified Bible.

We can only imagine what it might have been like to follow a cloud in the day. What faith the nation of Israel must have shown to believe God's promise enough to simply follow a cloud. But what about the pillar of fire by night? What might that have been like? In those days I would expect God used actual fire to light the way. But I have a story of a modern-day fire-by-night adventure that I hope encourages you.

On New Years Eve a week or so ago, I was at a friend's house for a gathering. The celebration broke up about 11:30PM, a half hour before midnight. We all left for home and I had about a 45 minute drive. I knew I was going to be on the road when the clock struck midnight. In that moment and in that reality, I indulged in a little self pity. "Poor me," I thought, "I'm not going to be with anyone when the new year changes." Perhaps you have felt similar aloneness before.

I was driving down the local bypass which sits somwhat above the city of Elkhart. The road goes above the roof lines of the buildings. I was talking out loud to the Lord in my self pity: "How am I going to even know when midnight strikes, Lord? The clock in my car is not correct, and I can't see my watch in the dark. I'm going to spend another New Year turnover alone, oblivious to a year's passage."

My attitude in the doldrums, I suddenly saw what I thought was lightening in the sky. It seemed to be intensifying as I drove forward. As I followed the bend in the road, I was suddenly surrounded by FIREWORKS!!! They were before me and beside me and behind me. Huge sunburst designs. Little snapping and whirring forms. Reds and greens and whites and golds. Because the bypass sits above the rooftops, I felt as though the fireworks were at eye-level as I was driving my car. It felt surreal, like I was right in the middle of the lights and sounds of the New Year. The images reflected off the hood of my car, and I wanted to reach out and touch the lights. I no longer dwelt upon being alone. I knew God was with me in the majesty, beauty, and simple joy of that moment.

Later I reflected on Exodus, and especially on Exodus 13:22 which says that "The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people." As I move forward into 2009, I will be continually reminded that God leads His children in the ways they should go. And whether it be a cloud, a fire, or fireworks, He always gives us something magnificent to follow.

A Magnificent Obsession

When I moved to Indiana from Pennsylvania, I got rid of my TV. It was old-fashioned and was not going to meet those transition requirements that will take place next month. Besides, I spent a lot of time watching TV. In fact, too much time. So, thinking that a disciple should be disciplined (makes sense, right?), I decided it was time to forego the TV set for a while.

Man oh man am I having a hard time with being TV-less. There have been days in this past month that I have walked around in circles wondering what I could turn on. The computer? The radio? The cell phone? I've missed Letterman, and I'm wondering how I'm going to keep up with American Idol. Not until it was no longer there did I realize how obsessed I was with the TV.

One thing I've turned on since moving has been worship music. As I mentioned in my profile, I enjoy worship music. I especially enjoy the music of Mark Altrogge, who writes powerful worship songs. Perhaps you have heard of I Stand In Awe of You and I'm Forever Grateful. Both Mark Altrogge songs. Today I was listening to one of Mark's songs about following God: One Pure and Holy Passion. One of the lines in this song asks "Give me one magnificent obsession." All of a sudden, it clicked. What a better obsession than for Jesus to be my one pure and holy passion? Not the TV, the cell phone, or even the GPS. These are all ordinary obsessions. Only Jesus is a magnificent obession.

Thank you Lord for this lesson and thank you Mark Altrogge for such a wonderful song.

Links:
Mark Altrogge: www.sovereigngracemusic.org/artists/mark_altrogge, http://www.forevergratefulmusic.com/
One Pure and Holy Passion: www.youtube.com/watch?v=I17edLkBDCo