Read that again.

I have been thinking lately and I can not figure out why we seem to make things harder than they really are. We seem determined to read more than there really is into a lot of situations and then continue to repeat that little exercise until we get to a point that we can not really explain why we believe what we say we do.

Our explanations are usually something along the lines of...its always been that way...or we have been told that's what something means so many times, that we just believe it without any "real" study or understanding. I am frustrated with the whole debate over Women's roles in churches.

We seem to read the Bible through what ever "tradition" that we were raised with and hardly ever seem to read the Bible as it is really written...as a story. There I said it. It is not a rule book, sorry to all my church of Christ folks, it is not a puzzle where you find the verse you need to solve a problem. It is the Story of God through History. I think we need to read the Bible along side of tradition not through it.

There is a difference. When we read it along side of tradition the Bible will remain the source of truth...and at times traditions must change. If we continue to read it "through" our tradition we tend to make the Bible say what we want it to say.

Let me offer a great book to you if you are interested in this idea. Scot McKnight wrote a book titled " Blue Parakeet" it is a great book that deals with this subject of rethinking the way we read the Bible. We need to rethink our out dated interpretations of some issues. It is really not as hard as we make it...Remember it is GOD'S story, not ours.


Peace.

Meg at her best

I could not help but post this. This is my sweet little 9 year old, Meg performing at the Jackson Theatre awards....Oh yeah she won best actress that night for her role as Mary Lennox in Secret garden. I hope you enjoy...

Peace.

Oh the smell of Popcorn..

The smell of popcorn brings back so many different memories. I remember when my grandma would make it, she would make it on the stove in a little pan with oil...can you remember that? Then I remember when "jiffy pop" came out. You still made it on the stove but it was in a little pan and as it heated up the foil would grow into a big popcorn looking ball...remember. Then there were the popcorn poppers....what a great invention. But the greatest....microwave popcorn in only a matter of a few minutes..BANG you had a bag of popcorn.

Everyone of those ways could get you the same results...cook it to long and it burned. Oh, I can still remember that smell...what an awful smell. It seem to stay with you a long time. And no matter how you cooked it not every kernel would pop. No matter if you used oil, jiffy pop, the popcorn popper, or even in the microwave...not every kernel would pop....I have always wondered why. Oh and it always amazed me that several kernels would pop almost instantly...others it would be a few more seconds..others longer..and still some would wait until it was going to burn to pop..then finally some just would not pop.

By now you know I am trying to get to a point...I see church the same way as making popcorn. We try so many different ways..and each congregation settles on its own way to " pop the corn"...and no matter what you will always have some that will never pop. So why get upset when people don't like one thing or another, and decide to try another way to grow..or get popped...by going to another congregation? We spend to much time worrying on why people leave..The Christian Chronicle had a big article on the decline of the "churches of Christ." that people are leaving..well maybe they just need another way to grow... and some that complain about everything and hate any change and are always concerned about the old paths...they may be the kernels that will never pop.

Peace.

I don't like that.

Now there is an interesting Church sign. Do you believe it? Is criticism really a sign of guilt and shame? I have been pondering that thought and the more I think about it the more interesting the question becomes...I think it might be right.

That might help explain why people get all worked up at church when something happens during a worship gathering that does not appeal to them ( or as they say it .."I didn't like that.") I have often wondered what people really meant with that comment. How can you like or dislike worship that is intended for God? I must confess that at times the thought has gone through my mind to offer that person an apology..." I'm sorry _________ I didn't realize that we were worshipping you today, I thought we were worshiping God."

What makes us criticize others and especially others as they worship God? Is it really because they themselves may feel ashamed or guilty about some thing and cannot worship with the freedom that they have seen by others? I wonder...

Father free us from guilt and shame so we may be able to offer you the praise and worship that you alone desire. Holy Spirit place in our hearts the desire to worship you with praise that is new every morning like the love that you have for us. Jesus may you come and fill us the compassion for others as we worship together that you had for people when you walked among your creation....

Peace.

Slow down..take it easy..What's your HURRY

I love this. Thanks to Joel for having posted this on Facebook. It reminds me of a lot of things...that can and do happen at church. PLEASE spend 4 minutes watching and enjoying this...and you have to see the end, its great. I do wonder if the music set the tone of this service...let me now what you think.

Peace.

When friends are over 50

These last few months and the start of this new year has made me think...a lot....about getting older. Several of my friends have either just turned 50 or are going to turn 50 very soon. 50 that just sounds like a lot. I mean I know its not, but it just sounds like a lot.

I think about the 45 years I have had and think.."man 45 years...and I am still_____" I look at my relationships and wonder why they are a little shallow, why my goals are not reached or why they have not grown by now. I wonder why I keep having the same issues to deal with, and why church seems to be the same with it's same issues...45 years is a lot too. It is a lot when it seems that very little has been accomplished.

I know that there are things in my life that have been accomplished and goals that have been reached. I do understand that, however if you really think about the amount of time I have spent and the amount of time that I realistically have left I realize that 45 years is both a lot and a little.

It is a lot that has gone by but a little that is left. I really want to enjoy and use up every minute of every day this year. I hope my friends have 50 more years of joy and excitement in their lives. And I hope that we can all look at each day that God gives us as a true gift, and understand that it is for Him that we are here and that we are to be about His kingdom.

Will you join me...let's live each moment of each day to the Glory of the one who gave us the day.... "For yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory, forever and ever....Amen."

Peace.

New year ...New look

I thought it was time to change the look of the blog. It was hard trying to decide which one I liked best...you know I have had the old look since I first started blogging. I had never changed the look before. It was exciting, but then it became frustrating because I would like one look but the colors were all wrong, or I liked the colors but the layout was not to my liking.

Does any of this sound familiar?? We do this all the time. If it's not about a blog, what about the furniture in your house, the color of your walls, the window treatments. Oh what about the new styles of clothing, the colors, the fit and design of the clothes...it is in every part of our lives..change is exciting and hard.

Is our relationship with God any different. I believe that God is calling us to change, don't you? Then why are we so surprised when church changes as well? Can people change without the church changing? Some would say yes...I hope the answer is no.

Why could people change and it not effect the way that we worship and the way that we interact with the people around us and the people that are not even with us.

Father with this new year...change us..change our minds, change our attitudes, change our hearts, change our lives and please..please..change the way we worship and honor you. For Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever and ever...Amen.

Peace.