Today I did an amazing funeral. I celebrated with others the life and death of a 26 year old woman. The funeral was amazing because of the love reflected by the women's husband. You see, a few months back I was called to perform a wedding. The wedding took place with no music, no guests, flowers or candles. The setting was at the hospital, in room 315 of the ICU.
The woman who's life we celebrated had a rare lung disease and was very ill and unexpected to live. Her boyfriend and her desired to marry, but realized their chances were diminishing. One of their good friends knew me and asked if I would perform the ceremony in the ICU! What a privilege I thought.
The love and commitment these two showed for one another, especially the groom, made it tough to get through the vows. I couldn't help it, but in my mind I kept wondering why this guy was sticking around. Most guys would have been long gone with the first sign of a terminal illness. Some guys would stick it out and maintain the friendship, but how many guys would marry a girl knowing that death was certain?
That wedding day reflected to me the amazing depth of love people can have for one another and was reiterated again by a broken husband during the funeral celebration. There are not to many incidences that allow you a glimpse of what the love of God looks like for us, but the wedding and this funeral provided me a peek. Paul prays for us in Ephesians 3:17-19, "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Today, I believe I have grasped a little deeper understanding of how wide, long, high and deep God's love is for us! I am glad love is a part of this great adventure called life.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Give it a Rest
Do you ever have a day where it's challenging to think of anything creative. You want to get some details in life and job done but the mental capacity to think it through and be excited about the outcome never comes! There are times when I need to just give something a rest and pick it up later in hopes a new idea springs forth.
I question sometimes if this is procrastination from pushing through a tough moment. This is an important question, since many of us, me included dislike hard moments. But I don't see laying something down and picking it up within 24 hours as procrastination. At times it's being productive. I can sit and stare at the computer for a long time and not have anything happen. I could be getting some manual labor done which refreshes my mind and come back to the computer with rested and creative thinking.
In the great adventure called life there are times we need to "give something a rest" and pick it up later. For me this describes this day, so I am leaving the task of being creative and replacing it for now with manual labor...picking up props for senior high games! By doing this I expect new inspiration for carrying on and completing the creative part of my life.
I question sometimes if this is procrastination from pushing through a tough moment. This is an important question, since many of us, me included dislike hard moments. But I don't see laying something down and picking it up within 24 hours as procrastination. At times it's being productive. I can sit and stare at the computer for a long time and not have anything happen. I could be getting some manual labor done which refreshes my mind and come back to the computer with rested and creative thinking.
In the great adventure called life there are times we need to "give something a rest" and pick it up later. For me this describes this day, so I am leaving the task of being creative and replacing it for now with manual labor...picking up props for senior high games! By doing this I expect new inspiration for carrying on and completing the creative part of my life.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Growing Pains
Psychologists state that by their mid-thirties most people stop growing in every area of their life! Looking down at my waist line I can't agree with this statement 100% but I understand fully what they mean. We are creatures of comfort. Anything that is going to stretch us or take us out of our "worked hard to establish" comfort zones is likely going to be by-passed.
I deal with this in my own life as well. I have convinced myself of my weaknesses that I stay comfortably in them, and never try to raise the bar. Deep down I want to raise the bar but I have this psychological battle going on in my mind of whether I want to go through the pain or potential failure just to move a weakness towards a strength. Why not just highlight my strengths? I wish I could, but what I realize is my weaknesses affect my performance and affects the team around me. It's the old saying, "You can run but you can't hide." So with this truth I have set out on a continual mission to be open to growing in areas of weaknesses while still growing my strengths. Paul said in Philippians 1:6, "God who began a good work in me will bring it to completion in the day of Christ Jesus." I assume this work and the completion has to do with both my strengths and weaknesses. So bring on the growing pains, it's all part of the great adventure.
I deal with this in my own life as well. I have convinced myself of my weaknesses that I stay comfortably in them, and never try to raise the bar. Deep down I want to raise the bar but I have this psychological battle going on in my mind of whether I want to go through the pain or potential failure just to move a weakness towards a strength. Why not just highlight my strengths? I wish I could, but what I realize is my weaknesses affect my performance and affects the team around me. It's the old saying, "You can run but you can't hide." So with this truth I have set out on a continual mission to be open to growing in areas of weaknesses while still growing my strengths. Paul said in Philippians 1:6, "God who began a good work in me will bring it to completion in the day of Christ Jesus." I assume this work and the completion has to do with both my strengths and weaknesses. So bring on the growing pains, it's all part of the great adventure.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Three Services: Life is Never Static
Whenever we think we've arrived, something changes. I have traveled enough to know that once you arrive at a flight gate you are not guaranteed the flight will leave on time. When transferring flights it is always a guessing game if your flight has arrived yet, is waiting, or has left. Recently, I went school shopping with my girls. Throughout the great day together they kept telling me I needed this particular shirt and those shoes and these jeans. In my mind I thought I had already arrived along with the new fashions, but then remembered that I was wearing last year's clothes! Still, to me I looked cool.
When it comes to church life, it seems "static" can be applied. Research shows that the church is typically 20-40 years behind the current culture and has a very hard time with change. Honestly, the church does have a hard time with change but it's more because we as individuals have a hard time with change! You get a bunch of us together to make up a church and right away the church becomes "static." Because of this known challenge, it is critical for churches to keep the word "change" in daily conversations, reports, meetings, and mentioned behind the pulpit. It's more important to apply change. The slaying of sacred cows, the big "X" over the phrase "we always did it this way," needs to become a part of church culture.
Here at New Hope, we have gone through a lot of change and are heading towards more. Starting September 9th, 2007 we are going to three service options on Sunday morning. We believe God wants to keep expanding our territory and we are excited to see all He will do. Will it be easy, hard to tell, but it will be a great adventure and that is what life with Jesus is all about! "Carpe Diem"!
When it comes to church life, it seems "static" can be applied. Research shows that the church is typically 20-40 years behind the current culture and has a very hard time with change. Honestly, the church does have a hard time with change but it's more because we as individuals have a hard time with change! You get a bunch of us together to make up a church and right away the church becomes "static." Because of this known challenge, it is critical for churches to keep the word "change" in daily conversations, reports, meetings, and mentioned behind the pulpit. It's more important to apply change. The slaying of sacred cows, the big "X" over the phrase "we always did it this way," needs to become a part of church culture.
Here at New Hope, we have gone through a lot of change and are heading towards more. Starting September 9th, 2007 we are going to three service options on Sunday morning. We believe God wants to keep expanding our territory and we are excited to see all He will do. Will it be easy, hard to tell, but it will be a great adventure and that is what life with Jesus is all about! "Carpe Diem"!
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