I am the first to admit that life is not always perfect....
Pastoring provides many disappointments...
However amid all of those there is absolutely nothing that compares with the good things that happen in the Kingdom of God....
Take this for instance...
Last weekend we had over 400 visitors in a single service at CUPC....
This week we are counting 5 new families.....
Amid a disappointment or two....
There are so many things to be joyful about....
Joy is a choice....
And when embraced the days become so happy....
Job had it figured out...
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh, blessed be the Name of the Lord....
Therefore today as I reflect this evening upon the events around me the last few days....
I have nothing to be sad about and so very much to rejoice in....
I have chosen joy....
And somewhere along the way....
Joy seems to have chosen me.....
Think about it....
Make the choice to rejoice in your blessings and pretty soon joy just takes over....
Sis Opal Keen will forever be an inspiration to me....
She had buried 3 husbands and her only child....
Yet she was the absolute most happy person I have ever known....
Oh, how I miss her sweet phone messages telling me what a sweet pastor I was....
I will never forget her joy for living....
So today....
This pastor chooses joy.....
Care to join me?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Faux Mess
So my baby girl Doni decides a room upstairs needs to be painted....
Her mother agreed....
That normally does not bode well for the MAN OF THE HOUSE....
So an after 9 trip to Home Depot ended with the 2 against the 1 for the room to be Faux...
What in the world is Faux?
After debate and even arguing the decision is made and Faux it is....
Why didn't somebody just say that Faux was sponge or rag paint?
Anyway, last night the event was to transpire but our attempt was pathetic....
So another late night trip to Home Depot and a new technique...
And the girls were finally satisfied with the final result....
However, it was not that easy....
Somebody had to go and repaint the base color back over all the mess the girls made....
And Daddy Did It....
So this morning I repainted the wall that was Faux'd nearly to death and now it has been redeemed back to its rightful base color...
The girls tonight will take on the project with renewed vigor and lesson learned....
This is kinda like me and Jesus....
I mess it up and he cleans it up and gives me a second or third or fourth chance....
Has HE worked out that way for you?
I knew it....
Her mother agreed....
That normally does not bode well for the MAN OF THE HOUSE....
So an after 9 trip to Home Depot ended with the 2 against the 1 for the room to be Faux...
What in the world is Faux?
After debate and even arguing the decision is made and Faux it is....
Why didn't somebody just say that Faux was sponge or rag paint?
Anyway, last night the event was to transpire but our attempt was pathetic....
So another late night trip to Home Depot and a new technique...
And the girls were finally satisfied with the final result....
However, it was not that easy....
Somebody had to go and repaint the base color back over all the mess the girls made....
And Daddy Did It....
So this morning I repainted the wall that was Faux'd nearly to death and now it has been redeemed back to its rightful base color...
The girls tonight will take on the project with renewed vigor and lesson learned....
This is kinda like me and Jesus....
I mess it up and he cleans it up and gives me a second or third or fourth chance....
Has HE worked out that way for you?
I knew it....
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Could This Be Our Moment?
If you could capture a single moment of your life what would it be?
Would it be a particular moment in the past?
A moment of regret?
A moment of a great decision that propelled you into the future with success?
Or the missed moment of a decision you failed to make and opportunity passed you by?
Imagine yourself presented with a divine moment....
That moment when the past and future collide....
That moment you stand between your yesterday and tomorrow with opportunity unfolding...
That moment when “the cloud” begins to move...
That moment you come face to face with a scared king and a big giant...
That moment you are told by God to extend your hand and you must make the decision...
To hand him the twisted hand or the good one...
Nazareth was presented with one of those divine moments and let it slip by...
Jesus read from the Torah and then handed it back to this...
This day his said, this is revealed to you!!!
They viewed the moment as the mundane asking this question...
Is this not the carpenter’s son?
No matter how mundane the moment may appear, the miraculous may wait to be unwrapped in it (McManus)
Twas but a mundane moment....
When the lad shared his lunch....
When the wedding party ran out of wine....
And when those little kids were invited to sit on Jesus' lap....
Moments move in a timely manner and times waits for no one!
Twas such a moment when Samuel was sent to anoint a new king....
Jesse recognized the opportunity and lined up the boys....
Overlooking and maybe neglecting to bring the least of them....
But the mundane forgotten one was the one God was after.....
Samuel rejected the first 7 boys and asked if there was not another son?
He then said “ We will not sit down til the king comes”....
This past weekend was such a moment....
600+ here on Sunday morning with an incredible day....
I feel that we as a church have grown and now are faced with a “moment in time”....
Will we seize the moment…
Or will we get stuck in time…
And never get past the big day and not build upon it!...
Are you stuck in a moment?
A moment from yesterday you keep fighting to live in....
Are you hanging on with all your strength to yesterdays victory/revival?
Was there an event in your yesterday that you have hung up on and still live in that moment?
Understand this…
There is always a future and there is always a hope....
Yesterday’s dilemma cannot force fear on your tomorrow....
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.....
Bartemeus found his moment, Jesus thou son of David have mercy.....
Twas his single chance for it was the only trip the Lord made to Jericho...
Last year we had one of those moments when things went out of control and got crazy...
We baptized 200 homeless people...
Things did not make sense....
We fed thousands with little to nothing to show for it....
But along about the end of that moment....
Jason & Casey Ballman came into the Church.....
That moment last year was for us….
That moment definitely belonged to Jason & Casey….
Therefore we must move forward and live this moment to the fullest in HIM....
The last thing that needs to happen is.....
For us to let this moment pass and we be left with the memory of a big day and opportunity let slip....
Would it be a particular moment in the past?
A moment of regret?
A moment of a great decision that propelled you into the future with success?
Or the missed moment of a decision you failed to make and opportunity passed you by?
Imagine yourself presented with a divine moment....
That moment when the past and future collide....
That moment you stand between your yesterday and tomorrow with opportunity unfolding...
That moment when “the cloud” begins to move...
That moment you come face to face with a scared king and a big giant...
That moment you are told by God to extend your hand and you must make the decision...
To hand him the twisted hand or the good one...
Nazareth was presented with one of those divine moments and let it slip by...
Jesus read from the Torah and then handed it back to this...
This day his said, this is revealed to you!!!
They viewed the moment as the mundane asking this question...
Is this not the carpenter’s son?
No matter how mundane the moment may appear, the miraculous may wait to be unwrapped in it (McManus)
Twas but a mundane moment....
When the lad shared his lunch....
When the wedding party ran out of wine....
And when those little kids were invited to sit on Jesus' lap....
Moments move in a timely manner and times waits for no one!
Twas such a moment when Samuel was sent to anoint a new king....
Jesse recognized the opportunity and lined up the boys....
Overlooking and maybe neglecting to bring the least of them....
But the mundane forgotten one was the one God was after.....
Samuel rejected the first 7 boys and asked if there was not another son?
He then said “ We will not sit down til the king comes”....
This past weekend was such a moment....
600+ here on Sunday morning with an incredible day....
I feel that we as a church have grown and now are faced with a “moment in time”....
Will we seize the moment…
Or will we get stuck in time…
And never get past the big day and not build upon it!...
Are you stuck in a moment?
A moment from yesterday you keep fighting to live in....
Are you hanging on with all your strength to yesterdays victory/revival?
Was there an event in your yesterday that you have hung up on and still live in that moment?
Understand this…
There is always a future and there is always a hope....
Yesterday’s dilemma cannot force fear on your tomorrow....
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.....
Bartemeus found his moment, Jesus thou son of David have mercy.....
Twas his single chance for it was the only trip the Lord made to Jericho...
Last year we had one of those moments when things went out of control and got crazy...
We baptized 200 homeless people...
Things did not make sense....
We fed thousands with little to nothing to show for it....
But along about the end of that moment....
Jason & Casey Ballman came into the Church.....
That moment last year was for us….
That moment definitely belonged to Jason & Casey….
Therefore we must move forward and live this moment to the fullest in HIM....
The last thing that needs to happen is.....
For us to let this moment pass and we be left with the memory of a big day and opportunity let slip....
Monday, August 23, 2010
No Trash Zone
Squalllllkkkkkk sccreeeeechhhhhh......
Yeah, I'll take a tall caramel frap decaf with extra vanilla and a tall Pike Place with sweet & low and half & half.....
Squuueellelelklllllellellel.......
Don't you love those speakers?
Anyway....
Out comes two coffees and in goes one debit card and the transaction is complete....
But then the visit to Starbucks took on a completely different dimension...
Ma'am I asked, could I trade out my trash with you as I tried to hand her my water cup from earlier....
No sir, we are not allowed to accept trash.....
Inspiration came and I told her...
That is good, and whatever you do do not take any trash in any area of your life....
Laura stuck her whole body out of the window and said...
Yes sir that is good advice and I do not intend to....
Good Laura...
You stay in the no trash zone from here on out....
By the way I asked....
Do you mind if I use your name and this conversation on my blog....
You see I pastor a church and I write lots of little stuff....
What church?
I thought you wouldn't ask.....
Laura, go to www.conroeupc.org and find the personal page for the pastor and follow the links to my blog....
Do you mind if I use your name....
Sure, if I can help somebody or be an inspiration...
So to my friend Laura....
You inspired me tonight....
Blessings....
rks
600+
Out Back to School Bash resulted in this attendance and I am ecstatic....
70 or so workers....
2300 bottles of water.....
2500 pieces of literature.....
And a faithful God who helped with all of this....
This was a big day for us here at CUPC.....
Thanks to every team member....
Thanks to Tracie who coordinated the event....
Thanks to the Lord for his anointing....
And if you were one of those 600+....
Thanks.....
Sunday, August 22, 2010
I Don't Preach Today
Today I do not preach....
The people pictured above took care of that....
And today....
Today they will facilitate hundreds of visitors in our sanctuary....
I am awed at the unity of this group....
70+ people gave their Saturday yesterday to change our city a little bit more....
So while I do not preach....
I will weep as kids and parents walk into CUPC for the first time....
Saturday, August 21, 2010
I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E
The outreach event for out Back to School Bash was phenom!!!!
71 Revival Makers joined us....
2300 bottles of Conroe UPC water were given away....
Hundreds of blue snow cones produced thousands of very happy little blue teeth....
Some happy big blue teeth too....
2500 pieces of literature were distributed....
What more can I say....
So now....
The dye is cast....
The invitations passed....
We are tired but tomorrow we go in faith.....
Increase will come...
And tomorrow @ CUPC we know we will see many many many new people....
I rejoice in faith....
71 Revival Makers joined us....
2300 bottles of Conroe UPC water were given away....
Hundreds of blue snow cones produced thousands of very happy little blue teeth....
Some happy big blue teeth too....
2500 pieces of literature were distributed....
What more can I say....
So now....
The dye is cast....
The invitations passed....
We are tired but tomorrow we go in faith.....
Increase will come...
And tomorrow @ CUPC we know we will see many many many new people....
I rejoice in faith....
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