Legacies

My friend and college pastor, Tom Westbrook went home this morning.  By the time I saw the post from his wife, Jill, on Facebook, there were well over 100 comments.  While there were a fair number of names that I knew or at least recognized, there were far more that I didn’t.  This speaks of his and Jill’s footprint, ministry, and impact in this world.

For me personally, he challenged me in my faith in ways I didn’t think possible; and showed me how to do ministry in ways I would have never considered before.  I know I am but one of many that he did this for.  There are also those who came before and those who came after.  There is a legacy that is most likely greater than even he realized.

He recognized gifts and abilities in people that others didn’t; then challenged me to use them for the glory of God.  There was laughter.  There were tears.  There were songs, There were jokes. There was even a reference to a Christian Counselor when I needed it.  He spoke truth even when it hurt.  He accepted truths spoken to him as well.  I hear his voice in my head from time to time when I needed a spiritual kick, recalling things he taught.  There was joy... not just happiness, but joy, and the knowledge that there is a difference.

I knew I was a word geek early on, but he showed me how to dig deeper into the meaning of words and their effect on those around us.  I don't think I ever thanked him for introducing me to the Strong's Concordance, or Vine's or any number of other Bible study reference materials. 

Thru the college ministry he led in Austin, TX, I made life-long friends, in addition to him and his wife, who are part of my eternal family.  There are so many feelings and memories right now, that it’s overwhelming even though I know I’m not alone in these feelings as evidenced by things others have posted and a couple of messages.

I can’t even imagine how many have been discipled, housed, fed, loved on and encouraged by Tom.

I have full faith that he has been told “Well done my good and faithful servant”. 

You can rest now Oh Captain My Captain.  Til we meet again.

Rambling Podcasts - NOT

My friend, and author, Elisabeth Wheatley suggested I should start a podcast.  I laughed.  It started with her posting a GIF from “Last Man Standing” with a caption that says “Talking: It’s one of my favorite hobbies.”  In all honesty, I do resemble that; and I found the GIF funny.  I get it from my mom’s side of the family… more specifically the Hidy branch.  There is a family joke about communication methods… Telegraph, Telephone, Tell-A-Hidy.  Yes, we’re a bunch of talkers.

To make a short story long, because that’s what I do, my response to Elisabeth was “Another rambling podcast?... I think there are too many of those already. Not like yours with cool stories.”  Suffice it to say, I will not be adding to the plethora of rambling podcasts, and stick to the occasional blog post.  I’ve given up on promising regular posts as my track record reflects that I’m not that consistent in spite of intentions.

If you want a fun podcast instead of a rambling one, I recommend Elisabeth’s Broken Enchantments Podcast based on her Argetallam Saga books.  If podcasts aren’t your thing and you still want a good fantasy story (not all are kid friendly), check out her books on her website and/or Amazon.

I Get To Because…

There are so many ways this phrase can be completed.  The original thought for me comes from a card I got on my 40^th birthday from my friend Chad Zepernick.  14 years ago. and it’s still my all-time favorite birthday card.  It says “I get to because it’s my birthday”.  Here’s the card: 

Chad did a great job picking this one out, knowing that my favorite color is purple, and that I can be kinda offbeat at times, which partially explains the friendship. And the shoes are sparkly.  It's still on my refrigerator.

One of the things "I get to because it's my birthday" is have Corn Flakes & vanilla ice cream for breakfast. We were at grandma & grandpa Welch's for my 5th birthday and grandma said that I could have anything I wanted for breakfast.  She was most likely thinking something like pancakes, waffles, or some other "breakfast" food; but me being me and having a massive sweet tooth as long as I can remember, said "ice cream". Mom said I couldn't have it, but being the brilliant, and somewhat precocious & manipulative child that I was, I replied "But grandma said I could have a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g [emphasis mine], and grandma doesn't lie". The compromise was that I could have the ice cream if I put cereal on top of it. All grandma had for cereal was Corn Flakes & Grape Nuts - and since Grape Nuts was the 'old people' cereal, Corn Flakes it was... and a tradition was born. After that grandma was more careful about how she phrased things.  I also heard a comment that I wasn’t meant to hear.  Grandma told mom, “You’re gonna have your hands full with that one.” As I look back, she wasn’t wrong.

I use the card with the sparkly purple shoes as my Facebook profile pic on my birthday.  My cover photo, however, is reserved for Flag Day, which also happens to be today. Side note: I grew up thinking they put the flags out along Main Street for my birthday.  For those who may not be aware of what Flag Day actually is, it commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.  It ties into another “I get to because…”  I get to have the freedoms of this country because one of my ancestors moved here from Germany, and his son fought in the Revolutionary war.

 

There are so many other “I get to because” statements, but the most important one is “ I get to have eternal life because I accepted Jesus as my Savior”.  It pretty much makes them all possible, so I’ll leave you with that statement.

Unc Always Whistled

When I was growing up, my Great Uncle Leo lived in the same small rural KS town as we did.  He was known simply as “Unc”.  He loved to fish, was a wiz at repairing electronics, and was generally quite a handy man.  More than once I went with him to check fish lines, but he always cleaned the fish so I didn't have to.  Also because he was much better at it.  

Unc with a decent haul of catfish... Not an unusual sight during the summers. 

You could always tell when Unc was walking down the street because you could hear him whistling.  I never really thought anything about it, because he whistled all of my life.  It wasn’t until later in my life that I heard his story.  He used to sing; and had a great voice.  In 1935 he recorded several songs at the Rocky Mountain Recording Studio in Denver Colorado.  Because he lived in the Ozarks at the time and it was during the Great Depression, in order to travel there and back, he would sing in roadhouses for tips and the occasional beer to make money for the trip.  It should also be noted that this was also during Prohibition.  On the way back after recording the roadhouse he was playing in was raided.  He managed to get out without getting caught and hid in the bushes.  He prayed that if God would let him escape this situation, God could use him however He wanted.  After that Unc couldn’t carry a tune anymore.  But because he loved music, he would whistle.  Unc didn’t think God really used him; but he was respected and loved by many.  He was kind to everyone he met; and strived to be as Christlike as he could.  Almost 60 years later, he was at church in Hutchinson, Kansas, but there was no special music for the service.  The pastor asked if anyone had a song they would like to sing.  Unc stood up in the aisle and ask the organist to play “Old Rugged Cross”.  He sang it beautifully, in perfect tune, and from memory.  Aunt Maureen said that when he finished, there was not a dry eye in the building.  The lesson in this is that you never know when, or in what way God will use you; but don’t think He isn’t using you even in everyday life.  

Unc & Aunt Maureen in 2007 after my brother's funeral:

I’m telling the story now because was recently going thru some things and found a cassette with my dad gave me with the songs and this story on it.  I converted the songs to MP3 format so that I could share them with others in the family including his granddaughter Kaycie who used to come spend the summers when we’d have marathon Monopoly games.  This one’s for you Kaycie! 

If there are family members who want the file with the songs, let me know and I'll get it to you.

Something Resembling Normal

When our daily lives go along looking similar day after day, we tend to take it for granted.  It’s not until something vastly different happens that we wish for something resembling normal.  Not many people know this, but I just got back from an impromptu 2 week trip to Kansas to help take care of dad after back-to-back accidents.  First he was hit in the chest with an 8 inch tree limb while cutting a tree, which contributed to him crashing his pick-up into another, larger, standing tree.  So… trees-1, dad-0.  By the grace of God, nothing was broken. He did, however, bruise his sternum and ribs as well as having some broken blood vessels resulting in fluid in his abdomen.  He is doing better, but still has a long road to full recovery.

During my 2 weeks in Kansas, I managed to work some remotely, but mostly I talked to hospitals, the VA (dad is a Veteran), and insurance companies; as well as sorting through multiple years of legal and financial documents, tossing and shredding the ones no longer needed.  

There were some good things about being there.  I got to attend Easter Services at the Florence United Methodist Church where I grew up, so I got to see several people that I hadn’t seen in a few (?) years, including Linda, one of my favorite Elementary School teachers; and her family.  I also got to spend a few minutes catching up with my friend Stephanie and her mom Twilah.

I’m thankful that my work allowed me the flexibility to be able to go to work remotely and be there to help my dad.  Also, that my sister could tag-team with me, and is able to be there to help him get back to being able to do things on his own.  The other thing I’m thankful for is the prayers for my dad after the accidents by those I did choose to tell about it at the time.

By the time I got back, however, I was desperately wishing for something that resembles normal.  My first “normal” thing was attending my church at Northwest Fellowship this morning.

As I’m writing this, I’ve got one more day before I go back to work, then hopefully, it won’t take too long to get things back to something resembling normal.

As Time Goes By - Quicker and Quicker

When I was a freshman in college someone told me that the older I got, the faster time would move.  I didn't believe it the, but boy do I believe it now; and it seems an appropriate topic at the start of a new year.

When I was home over Christmas, I got to see friends from high school (Sharon, Rick, Nancy & Kim), and I found it interesting how the topics of discussion change over time.  There is the standard questions now are "How did we get to be this old?" & "When did we become our parents?"  Along with them come the topics of work benefits, retirement (4 yrs until I'm eligible for early retirement), etc.  (What happened to majors, exams, and such as standard topics?) The more fun of the conversations were about this year's Marion High School Class of '84 Reunion (35 yrs... really?); and reminiscing about HS & college  - including Ochampagh stories. 😄 Several people should have had burning ears.

I tried to ignore time's quick march for years, but over the last couple of years have come to embrace the age, even though my knees pop when I stand, my back hurts more than it used to, and the other effects of time (and the stupidity of youth) on my body.  This is because it's also brought life-long friends, the ones who know me (sometimes a little too well), and accept me for who I am; repaired relationships; increased wisdom in some areas, and accomplishments that I'm proud of.

So as time continues it's double time march, embrace it, learn from it, and may your 2019 bring you growth, joy, and new adventures.

Thank God for Tetris!

An amusing thought came to me this morning… Thank God for Tetris!

When I was in grad school at the University of Texas (Hook Em Horns!), my mom got me a Tetris watch… yep, you read that right… a Tetris watch.  Of course now it’s on my phone. 

She also got one for Auntie Linda (Linda Creamer Kidd – she home a few years ago), who adopted me as part of the ‘Adopt a Student’ program at University Baptist Church.  Because the church’s choir loft was above and behind the baptismal and stage, most people couldn’t tell that Auntie Linda and I had an ongoing Tetris tournament in the choir loft during services.  Yes, Tom Westbrook, I know you knew… and you called us on it… but it didn’t stop us.  I was going on the theory that if I could read a text book and watch TV at the same time, and comprehend both, I could play Tetris and listen to a sermon at the same time.  At least we turned the volume off. LOL!

The point of that story is to show that all the time playing Tetris came in handy when trying to load Christmas gifts, birthday gifts (for Sharon Ratzloff Terrel & Kerry Sandwell), luggage, and other things to take with me into my car. It’s really full, but I can still see out the back window, and it all fits.

I’m thankful that my neighbors watch my house when I’m gone and that I can get everything in my car.  Again, thank God for Tetris!   

Till We Meet Again

I've thought of several ways to start this post, but they all seemed a little too cutesy for this topic.  So I'm just going to start.  Please bear with any random 'stream of consciousness' thoughts as I've got a lot of thoughts running thru my head today.

We had our last service at Northside Church Austin today.  There.  I said it.

While I know that God is in control, and He has a reason for everything, it was still a hard morning, closing this particular chapter of my life.  I think the hardest part is the thought of not seeing people on a regular basis.  We've become family, and I will miss them.  I'm trying to be positive, reminding myself that it's not necessarily 'goodbye', just 'see ya later'.

I've left churches before, and still maintained friendships, as it should be; but this is the first time it's been because the church closed. I know that churches close for whatever reason, but this is a new one for me; and I have to be honest, I don't like it.  Actually, I hate it.  I find myself disappointed, mad, sad, and about a bazillion other emotions today.  And it didn't help that I've been deleting the church's website, Twitter account, Facebook page and the Women's Ministry Facebook group page. 

Meanwhile I'm trying not to listen to the lies such as we didn't do enough, and we failed, or more accurately I didn't do enough, and I failed, but it's hard. And it seems that sticking my fingers in my ears while saying "Na na na na na, I can't hear you!" doesn't work as well as it did when I was a child.  I also have to fight the urge to blame others, saying that people weren't as committed as I was and bailed on the church.  This is a hard fight because if I'm being honest, I have felt this way for a while, and still feel this way.  So basically I'm trying to be an adult while wanting to be totally childish about it... child-ish, not child-like; and yes there's a big difference. This adulting thing really sucks today. 

I have to remind myself that God is in control, and that lives were changed through this ministry.  Mine included.  This sounds simple, but isn't.  Not really.  I know I can't do it on my own.  God has to help me and remind me.  Because, like I said, I want to be really childish today. 

Back to the idea of being positive and looking on the bright side... by not having church leadership/admin duties, I have time to put into project management and professional development classes for this next year.  Because I'm taking classes, I'm purposely not going to jump headfirst into a new active ministry like I'm prone to do when I start going to a new church.  That doesn't mean I will not be going to a church or participating in church events.  It just means that I won't be in charge of anything, leading anything, or planning anything for the time being.  While I'm taking classes, I will also be praying about my next active ministry.

In the mean time, this hymn has been going thru my head all morning.  This is for you Northside Church Austin:

God be with you till we meet again

By His counsels guide, uphold you

With His sheep securely fold you

God be with you till we meet again.

These Things

Pastor Bob’s sermons at Northside Church Austin the last couple of weeks included John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

It’s very appropriate for Holy Week.  Jesus was talking to the disciples in the upper room, giving them last minute information as He knew He what was coming, mainly the crucifixion and resurrection.  He was reassuring them for the upcoming hard times, letting them know that His leaving would bring better things for them and the world.  He wanted them to remember ‘these things’.

We all have had discussions with family and friends, regarding things we want them to know while we are not together.  We want them to remember, and they want us to remember ‘these things’.

For me that verse brings back memories of worship with K-State ICTHUS when I was a college student.  We used to sing a song titled “These Things” which was this verse.  I found myself singing it in my head during the sermons. .  It is still the song that comes to me as a dream when going through really tough times, letting me know that it will get better.  The funny thing is that it’s not me singing it in my dream, but my friend Rob Wood, who was on worship team with me.  I learned a lot during those years.  Wisdom that was imparted to me from fellow students:  Lori Hanes Howie who was the first person to disciple me. ‘Uncle’ Brad Boyd lead worship for years, followed by Brett Hersma. Bob Diehl was the speaker my first night there, and I still remember his talk. A guy I had several classes with, Mike Nichols, kept inviting me to come, and even took me on that first night.  Laura Keefer Lawless, joined us, and later became my roommate.  Needless to say there were a lot of things to remember from her.  These are just a few.  There are still ‘these things’ that I remember from all of them.

Later, in another campus ministry at UT, I learned more that have stayed with me for years, including words of wisdom from the college minister Tom Westbrook (“Oh Captain, My Captain”), and his wife Jill.  Many of the students from that ministry will say that they learned from them, as well as each other.   We all remember ‘these things’ as well.

Some of ‘these things’ are not as happy.  Easter weekend, and the beginning of April are bittersweet for me.  Easter day of 2002 was the last day I spoke with mom, as she passed away later that week.  Easter day of 2007 was the day my brother passed away.  I remember calling him that morning, and at the end of the call I told him “I’ll see you here, there or in the air” (a sentiment I plagiarized from my friend Travis Fell).  I started packing as soon as I got off the phone with him, knowing I’d be driving to Kansas within a day or two.  And yes, I still remember ‘these things’ too.

I’ve held on to all of ‘these things’, and many more; and used them in daily life and in ministry.

What are you ‘these things’?

Old and New

There are umpteen-dozen quotes out there about old things, and new things, and old things becoming new... and that's not even including what the Bible says about it.  One of my favorites is "That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done.  So there is nothing new under the sun."  Ecclesiastes 1:9.  It's always fun when that comes in the form of renewing old friendships.  I got to hang out with my friend Rick Gonzalez last night.  However, this time it was in my living room instead of at Kanakuk Kamps or a restaurant in Branson MO on a night off from kamp.  We talked about old stories, and old friends, and about newer things.  There should have been several ears burning last night... TR, West Brazelton, Al Thomas, Skipper, Leslie Tijerina, Whit Roberts, Lee Roberts... and various others.  For the record, I'm totally enjoying renewing this friendship (as if there were any doubt about that).  

Also, there have been multiple times in the last few weeks that I've found myself writing side notes tying past things to current things going on, especially what I, and others, call "Kitchikomo verses". Point of clarification for those who may not know the term, the girls who work in the dining halls at Kanakuk are called Kitchikomos; and the verses are about serving God by serving others.  

Pastor Bob's sermon today at Northside Church Austin, included a Kitchikomo verse: " Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9. Sometimes it's easy to get frustrated and give up, but we shouldn't.  We should ask God to help up continue to do what He has for us to do.  This is something that was ingrained into me in the Kanakuk kitchens, usually while washing pots and pans.  That's what made it easy to make the connection between old and new.  I'm thankful that Kanakuk stays with me even years after I stopped working there.

So my lesson of today is that since there is nothing new under the son, we should not become weary, and keep doing good as we used to.  

Slow on the Uptake

Have I really not posted anything since last November?!?  Kinda fitting for today's topic.  I had an epiphany during church this morning... well, actually I had 2 of them.  But let's go backwards... second epiphany first.  By the end of today's sermon on Psalm 23, I found myself thinking, "Wow, I am really slow on the uptake!"  Let me be clear, this is not an indication of Pastor Bob's preaching... this is me.

Now the first epiphany that lead to the second.  As Pastor Bob was finishing the sermon, and addressing the first part of Psalm 23:6, he commented that King David could write "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life" with confidence because he had seen how God had worked throughout his life.  At that moment, I remembered something that my college pastor, Tom Westbrook, told me 25 years ago in response to a question about how do you know that God is working in your life.  His response has stuck with me to this day.  He told me "I know He will because He has".  Only today did I make the connection between that response and Psalm 23:6.  I don't know if he was intentionally paraphrasing that verse, or if the verse was just ingrained in him so much that it was a natural response.  Knowing him, I suspect both.

Yes, it took me 25 yrs to connect his response to scripture, just phrased so that a semi-clueless college student could understand it.  Oh, and another point of clarification, this is not an indication of Tom's teaching either.  Like I said, it is me being slow on the uptake.  He will probably shake his head if he reads this because he always told us to check everything against scripture.  In my defense (jokingly, facetiously, sarcastically... take your pick), he didn't say to do that immediately, but I'm sure he meant quicker than 25 years.

So, yes, I really am slow on the uptake.

Zion Revisited

Was working on my Bible Study, "Living Brave" by Kat Cannon, on 2 Corinthians 4 & 5 and found an old song going thru my head:  "Born in Zion" by Wayne Watson, from the album "Giants In The Land" (1985). Great song & great album.  I listened to the whole album (cassette tape, then CD) a lot in college, and even had the performance track for this song.  

Anyway, the lesson was talking about what waits for us in Heaven, including a new body (hallelujah!) and a judgement that has no condemnation.  While I was working through the part about judgment with no condemnation, the chorus for this song kept going thru my head:

     This one was born in Zion
     Make no mistake, this one is Mine
     This one was born in Zion
     This one will never, this one will never,
     This one will never die
    
It encouraged me then, and it encourages me now.  I hope it encourages you too. And if you have a chance, listen to the whole album.       

Being Brave enough to find my Ezer-ness

I got to spend Friday evening and Saturday at the5th annual BRAVE Women's Conference. The conference was created by my friend Kat Cannon and is a ministry of Austin Oaks Church.  Our church was privileged to be a partner church.  I learned a lot during the weekend and was encouraged.  


When God creates Eve as a helper for Adam, the Hebrew word used for "helper" is "Ezer". It appears in the Old Testament several more times, but as a military term.  Carol Custis James asserts in her blog post Return of the Ezer, that "Based on the Old Testament's consistent usage of this term, it only makes sense to conclude that God created woman to be a warrior."

To be a warrior requires bravery.  To help people also requires bravery.  The same people that you help may reject you, turn against you, or even take credit for your work.  And sometimes trying to help people may not have the results you are aiming for.  Then you have to deal with the failure to help and the consequences.  Basically putting yourself out there as a helper, an ally, or even a warrior involves risk, and yes, bravery.  It also involves a choice.  In order to be an Ezer, you have to make a choice to be the person God created you to be.

As I continue to learn more about the person God created me to be, I hope I am brave enough to live out my Ezer-ness.

Things Old and New

So the silver lining in having water in my storage closet is throwing out things that should have been gotten rid of long ago, along with motivation to switch to plastic document & storage boxes instead of cardboard.  Of course this, in addition to the interior de-cluttering means my house looks like a tornado went through it and/or I just move in. While I've been going thru things I found things that I haven't seen in years and brought back both happy & sad memories... pictures, cards, letters, and other things from different seasons of my life. The sappy, sentimental side of me is still probably keeping things that should be tossed, but, one step at a time.

Now on to the new thing... that is totally unrelated to the old things, and maybe a little silly mentioning it in the grand scheme of things. While I was at the grocery store last weekend, they were doing samples of items like they do most weekends.  I don't stop at the little stations that often, but there was one that had what looked like guacamole.  Seeing as I'm a big fan of guacamole, I stopped.  Imagine my surprise to find that it was not guacamole, but avocado hummus, especially given that I'm not a fan of most types of regular hummus. They also had a coupon for it, so I decided to try it at home, and yes, I still like it.  It's not the first time I tried something without knowing exactly what it was and ended up liking it. Sometimes being clueless helps in being open to new things... dontcha think?

Turning Questions into Statements

Yeah, it's been a while since I've posted.  "Why is that?" you may ask.  Not sure if I have an answer for that, or at least not a decent answer... got busy, got lazy, you name it. However, it does lead into what's on my mind... questions.  There are a lot of them in life.  Some have no answers, some require and answer and some beg to be turned into statements of truth.

I used to drive my college pastor crazy with questions.  Occasionally, I think I should tell Tom Westbrook that I'm sorry about driving him crazy, but then I realize, it was part of the learning process. So, no Tom, I'm not really that sorry.  Some of the answers have stayed with me, and are still true today along with other truths we learned back then.  The one that struck me the hardest was when I asked him how he knew that God would work in his life in certain situations, as a prelude to asking how I would know God would work in my life.  His answer, which I will never forget:  "I know He will because He has."  As a result, I've stopped asking if God is working in my life and started stating that He is working in my life.

There are other questions that come up that I pray will become statements as well:
"Am I brave enough in my daily life?"  "What does being brave look like in my life"  I know that God made me to be brave, but that truth hasn't quite fully sunk in to a practical place yet.  And I'm not the only one in this situation.  That's why The Fellowship at Scofield Farms is a partner for the BRAVE Women's Conference this fall.  With God's help I will stop asking "Am I brave?" and state "I am brave."  Thanks to Kat Cannon, the creator of the BRAVE Women's Conference for reaching out and allowing our church to partner with you.

Changing questions into statements is sometimes as easy as changing the order of the words and the punctuation.  For example, "Am I smart enough?" becomes "I am smart enough."  The trick, however, is yo stop wondering about the answer to the question and start believing the truth of the statement.  Then comes the blessing.  Yes, there are areas that God's still working on this in me, and that I'm still learning.  How do I know this?  I know He will because He has.  Thanks Tom.  And thanks be to God for taking my questions and turning them into statements.

Milestones and Memories

This is my last day in my 40's.  Yes, I admit it.  I turn 50 tomorrow... or more accurately, 29 with 21 years of experience.  (Thank you again Lisa Mayfield!)  So I'm asking myself: 'Self, how the heck did I get to this point in my life?'  Standard responses in my head are: "Time" (duh), and "The Grace of God" (double duh).  Other than the totally obvious just stated, I have no clue; especially since I'm not anywhere thought I'd be when I was younger. However, even though I never saw myself where I am now, or doing what I'm doing now, I'm really happy.  Even more so when I think about places I've been and things I've done that were not in "my" plan.  Sometimes not having your plans for yourself work out can be a good thing... sometimes it can even be a great thing.

And as it frequently does, reaching a milestone brings introspection & memories.  On my Facebook page I share my post from 1 year ago which lead to memories of a college student ministry retreat from 25 years ago. It was a little freaky thinking about the fact that it was half my life ago.  However, those memories brought a smile to my face.

Recently there have also been family memories both, good and bad, leading up to a family reunion in Kansas next month.  Family can certainly be difficult at times.  You still have to love them though... even when you may not actually like them at that particular moment.

I know this is sounding a little cheesy and maybe even a little sappy; but as I start the next decade, I'm looking forward to the new memories than may come from my plans not working out.

Kindred Spirits

From time to time God surprises me with a new kindred spirit friend.  For those who don't know what a kindred spirit is, Dictionary.com defines it as "a person who shares beliefs, attitudes, feelings, or features with another".  Some people use "soul mate" interchangeably with kindred spirit.  I personally don't agree with that because I have kindred spirits who are not my soul mate - and in one case I'm sure Jonathan's wife Rhoda is happy about that.  I know who my kindred spirits are.  I do not yet know who my soul mate is, or even if I have one.  While they can be similar, they are not the same.

Sometimes it takes a while to realize that we are kindred spirits. Sometimes we know after a short amount of time.  Even so, I have been surprised that after only 2 weeks, I have a new kindred spirit in Moses, the new interim pastor at The Fellowship at Scofield Farms.  It's nice to have another kindred spirit to do ministry with, and bounce ideas off of.

Having a kindred spirit in ministry can make it easier, and often more fun; or help you make it through difficult times.  Kindred spirits are a resource... a prayer supporter...  they help you grow, and grow closer to God.

I hope you appreciate and pray for your kindred spirits like I do mine.

Bittersweet Madness!

So I'm sitting here watching the NCAA Selection Show even if K-State isn't in it this year. It's the only time of the year that I'll cheer for KU. Yes, I know I'll hear it from both friends and family, but I recognize, and even admit, they are a good basketball team.  At least my 2nd school, UT is in at a #6 seed... Hook Em Horns!  I should also point out that 70% of the Big XII Conference is going to the dance; and what's good for the conference is good for K-State.  I'll let you know how soon my bracket is blown.

The Tournament Selection is fitting for this day that is bittersweet from beginning to end.
This morning at the end of the service at The Fellowship at Scofield Farms, we said goodbye to Pastor Russell and sent him and Brooke off to their next ministry.  

They are following God's call and aren't leaving the Austin area, which is good, but I won't get to do ministry with them on a regular basis which is sad.  And for those who know me... of course I cried, not as much as expected, but I still cried.  However, I was by no means the only one crying.  I had plenty of company in that, including Brooke and Russell.

Just because we said goodbye to the Pastor doesn't mean the ministry of the church will stop.  It won't.  We'll have an interim Pastor until a full time Pastor can be found, so we'll be in transition for a while.  It's been a while since the transition has been because of the Pastor leaving while I stayed.  The last few times, it's been me leaving a ministry.

Now that the Selection Show is over, I need to finish this and go fill out my bracket(s).  

Needless to say this day has been up and down, happy and sad, bitter and sweet... in other words total madness!  

Of Faith & Flutterbies

So we are 4 days into Lent - preparing for Easter.  I have not given anything up for Lent again this year, as I've promised friends and co-workers that I would never give up chocolate or caffeine again. It was ugly... don't ask.   

However, to prepare for Easter, I'm doing Margaret Feinberg's Lent Reading Challenge again this year. It's still soon enough that you can get caught up on the readings. [Hint, Hint] The daily readings are the books of Luke & Acts. I've added my own twist, and have started a journal to record insights as I read.  

Even though I've read both books before, I still learn new things each time I re-read. One of the things that have struck me so far is how Elizabeth and Zechariah each reacted when they found out that Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist.  Zechariah was struck dumb because he didn’t believe it when the angel Gabriel told him that Elizabeth would have a child.  Elizabeth, however, commented that “The Lord has done this for me”.  I find it comforting to realize that the women of the Bible had more faith than the men at times.

This week the Small Group at The Fellowship at Scofield Farms started the War Room Bible Study.  It promises to be challenging.  One of the things suggested is to create your own War Room (Prayer/Study Room).  Given the size of my condo, I'm using my back yard as it is also something of a sanctuary for me.  My sister helped helped me re-design the back yard a few years ago, and it turned out really well.

As you can see from the picture above, my backyard is decorated with butterflies, or as I called them when I was a child, "flutterbies".  Part of the reason I love butterflies is that they are a wonderful picture of how God can take a caterpillar, something that most consider ordinary at best, an ugly pest at worst, at turn it into something beautiful and graceful.  

It's also appropriate as we approach Easter.  This is the ultimate example of God's ability to take something ordinary like a human body and turn it into something extraordinary: a resurrected Christ who paid the price for our sins, and thru which we have salvation.  My faith in Christ is what gives me ultimate hope for the future.

My prayer is that we all become more aware of God & Christ's sacrifice during this Lent season.  Happy Lent!

I'm listening

"I'm listening."   It's what everyone wants to hear when they have something to say; and hopefully something we're willing to say when others need to talk.  However, listening isn't always a good thing.  The trick is in listening to the things that are beneficial to us, and ignoring the things that are false and/or harmful. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Yeah, it's not. I admit I've struggled with this off and on for years. (decades?)

The thoughts have bounced all over the place about where to go from here.  I didn't want to sound too "preachy", but I also didn't want to sound like it shouldn't be taken seriously. Listening to the lies that are all around us can cause more damage than we realize.  I'm still learning and struggling with this.  I used to think that when I got older I'd have this under control, but now I know this is a life-long struggle.  Some lies cause more damage than others.

However, the solution is the same as it's always been: Faith. When we hold on to those things we know to be true; the things that come from God, the easier it is to tell what is a lie. I confess that I've forgotten that more often than I care to admit.  But I got a reminder today at church.   The sermon was on the Supremacy of Christ in Colossians 1:15-23; and being reconciled to God thru Christ.  However, there is one phrase that struck me as also being helpful in combating against the lies that Satan wants us to believe: "if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel."  Part of being reconciled to God is Him helping us to not listen to the lies.

Thanks to Pastor Russell for the message.  He'll be happy to know I was listening.