PET PEEVES

I have really been missing out.  I haven’t had a pet peeve for an incredibly long time.  I couldn’t manufacture one no matter how hard I tried.  Maybe it’s the mellowing of older age where things just don’t really bother you anymore.  But then out of the blue a pet peeve stood right in front of me in big bold, letters.  CAN’T PEOPLE LEAVE THEIR CELL PHONES ALONE FOR EVEN 5 WHOLE MINUTES?  You’re in a conversation with someone and a little ding goes off that a text has arrived.  The cell phone has to be looked at.  It’s like Pavlov’s dog.  The cell phone is the stimulus that controls human behavior.  The current conversation with a human being who is looking at you and interested in what you are saying gets put on hold and the cell phone takes priority.  Cell phones, as great a tool as they are, have become intrusive.  We don’t own them, they own us.  They have such a grip on us they entice us to engage in dangerous activity, like when we drive.  So I say, “Hallelujah for the cell phone”.  I finally have a pet peeve.  But I still I say it’s time to say dang to the ding and let the texts wait their turn.  

I feel better now.

HEALTHY

Here in southwest Ohio we are enjoying a beautiful rebirth of creation.  Spring is popping out all over in the form of blossoming trees, golden forsythia, hyacinths, tulips, and lush green grass.

I have made an observation many times over the years.  Every spring there are lawns that are lush and thick without a weed in sight, and then there are lawns that have been overtaken by dandelions and crabgrass.  Personally I much prefer the lush, thick, weedless lawns.  We all realize that lush, thick weedless lawns don’t just happen.  The those lawns get measured fertilizer, timely watering, and loving care.  The others not so much, if at all.

It struck me how similar this is to our spiritual lives.  To have a life where dandelions and crabgrass are minimized requires focused commitment just like our yards do.  The fertilizer of the Word of God, the water of the Spirit in us, and the heartfelt love of Jesus all create a lush spiritual life that keeps the weeds of the world from overtaking it.  It may be a challenge, but let’s be as intentional with our spiritual lives as we are with our lawns.

REACHING OUT

If you have been to CCC recently you have seen a new look in the atrium.  The Center has become a focal point and our mission motto can’t be missed.  It is written in big cursive letters on the wall.

The short motto of CCC’s mission is, “Love God, Love People”.  We believe that the deeper our love for God, the deeper our love will be for His people.  The deeper our love for people, the more committed we are to bring the love of God to them in practical and impactful ways.  So we offer support groups, like Divorce Care and Celebrate Recovery.  We also seek to engage the needs of people in our community through Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets and gift cards.  We ministry to prisoners’ families through Angel Tree, and send shoe boxes with goodies to all parts of the world through Samaritan’s Purse.  In addition, a group meets monthly in the church’s commercial kitchen to cook food for The Castle and Joe’s Java.   We are also involved with providing weekend meals for school aged kids through the Food2Go program as well as meeting kids’ needs through Shoes for the Shoeless.  

Helping the needy and hurting is deep in the heart of God.  Good deeds open up opportunities to share the Good News of Christ’s forgiveness and the gift of everlasting life.  To love God well, we must love people.  So let’s keep reaching out in the name of Jesus and let people know how much He loves them.

MEMORIZATION

As a kid in Sunday School I remember having to learn memory verses each week.  With the encouragement of my mother (being made to sit in a chair at the kitchen table and recite it until I had it memorized to her satisfaction before I could go out and play on a Saturday morning) I memorized a large number of verses during my elementary aged years.  

But I must admit as the years went by verse memorization went by the wayside as well.  One year, while pastoring in Newton, Iowa, a friend from church and I decided to memorize verses and passages of Scripture, a new one each week.  And each week we would recite all the previous week’s verses as well.  Toward the end of the year that was a significant amount of verses.  That was back in the 1980’s.  I have memorized very few verses since.

Is there value in memorization?  Today we really need to memorize very little.  Our smart phones become our memory bank.  All we do is pull a name up and push call.  No need to know phone numbers anymore.

But I wonder if we have lost something with the “memorization is too much work” mindset.  Ps 119:11 reminds us to hide the Word of God in our heart so that its instant recall can guide our decision making and lifestyle choices while increasing our understanding of God and His Word.  Memorization really helps us get intimate with the Scriptures.  And even if we can’t retain verses and passages word perfect the core truths still remain with us. 

I think memorization is a good discipline for the Christian life as well a good use of our brain power.  Who knows but that the exercise thereof may keep us from the early onset of brain shrivel.

EASTER'S LOVE

What we believe about God comes from two primary sources.  One is the creation around us that speaks of intelligent design and power.   The other is the Bible, the 66 books authored by God but penned by the men God chose to put His truth into written form.   God has chosen to reveal Himself to us, and we see in the pages of Scripture a self-description.  In Ex 34:7 God tells us who He is.  “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin, yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.”  

The picture is of a God who leads with His loving heart, affirming His affection for mankind, demonstrating it all the way to the cross of Calvary.  Through His sacrificial death He offers gifts of incomparable grace and worth to those who will believe in Him and put their trust in Him.  He offers forgiveness of sins, His Spirit to indwell us, adoption into His forever family, life without end, an inheritance in heaven that will never be exhausted.   There is no good gift that God will withhold from us.  We are co-heirs with Christ.  Make no mistake about it God loves us more than we can fully comprehend.  

As we enter this Easter season, our hearts should be so filled with thanksgiving and love for our God that worship should burst forth from us like flavor from an Easter ham.  

Make sure you thank Him this Easter season for His indescribable love!

LOVING BIG

I live 12 minutes and 22 seconds from my grandboys, Owen and Griffin.  (I’ve timed it).  I have made some observations about myself regarding them. 

Owen just finished his Upward Basketball season.  As a six year old he is learning all the nuances that come with playing basketball on a team.  Offense.  Defense.  It’s fun to watch him out on the court.  In fact when he’s on the court my eyes follow his every movement.  He doesn’t have to be the star, the big scorer, he doesn’t even have to have the ball.  When he is on the court I just love watching him.  I even like watching him when he’s on the bench.  The same goes for Griffin.  If I hear that Griffin is down in the church pre-school area, I go on the hunt.  No matter how many kids are running around, I look for Griffin and love watching him at play.  I can’t take my eyes off him.  It doesn’t even matter how unexciting something may be, I love to watch my grandboys.

It probably seems obvious as to why.  They are my family.  They aren’t just any boys.  They are my boys.  They are related to me.  I am their grandpa.  As such they own my heart and I love and care about them in a big time way.  If you are a parent or grandparent you know what I mean.

I imagine that is how it is with God.  We are family through Jesus Christ.  We are His children.  He loves to keep his eyes on us as we go through life, encouraging, applauding, and letting the hosts of heaven know, “That’s my kid”.  We don’t have to be the super star,  or even in the playing rotation.  We may be on the team, but on the bench.  Easter reminds us of the love God has for us, all of us.  I hope you know how true it is.  As big as your love is for your kids and grandkids, so is God’s love for you!

SO BEAUTIFUL

We had snow in the neighborhood overnight.  And what a snow it was.  8 inches of white stuff that covered everything, driveways, streetways, cars parked in either, houses covered from foundation to roof top, and trees bowing to all the beauty they were dressed in.  White, winter wonderland everywhere.  It was spectacular.  Cameras come out on days like these.  Pictures are taken and you just can’t seem to stop.  They are popping up on Facebook and who know where else.  The beauty is everywhere and it just grabs you.    

There is something about the abundance of white pure snow hanging all over everything that captivates us.  It is so different from anything else in our weather patterns.  It excites, awes and amazes.  It invites play and imagination.  God loves the whiteness of it all, too.  It’s just His way of cleansing and beautifying.  When we are cleansed by our faith in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, He describes us, by the washing away of our sins, as being whiter than snow.  I like to think that we as Christians have that kind of beauty to where people are awed, amazed and captivated by God’s work in us.