Redundant

Often I find that someone else writes the exact same words that I have in my head and heart.  I do not know how or why that is.  I have strange little creatures milling around the dungeons of my brain!

Sometimes a person even writes something downright beautiful and brilliantly captures what I wanted to have said but didn't think of it that way before.  I wish I was that creative!  I wish that I was able to put words to paper to so effectively capture an idea.  Either way, my world is made brighter by reading the article or book.

That situation happened today.  And it was while I was reading the Banner.  Gasp!  I know!  Maybe you feel the same as me about this.  There are times I find that my reading of the Banner is another 15 minutes of my life wasted that I can never get back.  But that is why this article grabbed my attention.  It was short, to the point, about a topic that is totally relevant to me and our culture. Maybe the biggest reason this spoke to me is that he was daring enough to use a book of the Bible that is often avoided: Song of Songs.

I don't think that I could improve on the author's thoughts about love. So, to keep from being redundant, I will direct you to read the article yourself. I think that it will be well worth your time.

http://www.thebanner.org/features/2012/05/love-lessons-from-the-song-of-songs

Mr. Mom

I  have never tried to take the job of my wife.  She does a great job with managing the home and I am grateful for it! I felt that I could do the job for a very short term but that the damage grow exponentially if the length of time was extended.  We have never tried to prove it until this week.

This week confirmed what I have thought all along.  I could do it as I proved this week but I am sure that this was not the best use of my talents. There are some that are snickering with the thought that I actually do have talents.  Yes, I do have some talents and they are quite varied.  However, to use a baseball analogy, this week was not my "sweet spot".

I know without a doubt that my kids will be soooo glad to see Carla come home tomorrow night.  They will run to her and tell her they missed her and love her.  They may even pick up her luggage and carry it to the car.  Then they will state quite plainly say, "Mom, it was fun to have dad do the work of home management but could you never ever ever go away again!"

More than once we had this exchange, "Mom doesn't do it that way." followed by "Oh, you must be confusing me with Mom?  That is the way we are going to do it when mom is gone!"  Or "Why can't we do it?  Mom let's us." followed by "Mom probably lets you play with sharp knives too.  We aren't doing that today!"

I know that it is a parent's job to permanently scar their children in every possible emotional way.  Most find ways to live with the damage that was unintentionally inflicted.  I think that I added to this trauma this week!

So, Carla, we are looking forward to your return.  See you soon!

Your admiring and loving husband!

Beat Up By God

How does God get our attention? We know that sometimes God speaks in a still soft voice in our heart. We love this way because it is a great conversation with God. However, sometimes we are a bit thick and the "ears of our hearts" are plugged. That is when the “God stick” comes out and things get really interesting!

For example, I know a guy who has been struggling to find a reason to stay at our church. He is a great godly man who honestly wants to do what God wants. It has been an ongoing conversation for a few months whether he will stay or find another place for God to use him.

Yesterday, this past Sunday, the newsletter comes out and the secretary wrote an article about commitment to the body of Christ. She said that followers of Jesus need to “set down roots and grow” with other Christians. THUMP! The man came up to the secretary before church and said, “If you wrote that article for me, it doesn’t change anything!” Then, part of my sermon had to do with having others in your life who have permission to speak into your life and help you stay close to God. He talked to the secretary after church and said, “Yeah, I heard it. It still doesn’t change anything!” THUMP! THUMP!


Just before he left for the day, this woman approaches him. She has been coming to church for a short time and is presently in the middle of a relational mess. She gives him a hug and says, “I am so thankful that you were here today. I needed to see a friendly and familiar face.” THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

This morning, the man drives over to the secretary’s home and says, “OK. I guess God is telling me to stay at church.”

I love it when God finally get’s our attention!