Some Serious Trouble in River City

"There's bound to come some trouble to your life, that ain't nothing to be afraid of...that ain't no reason to fear...reach out to Jesus, hold on tight. He's been there before and He knows what it's like. You'll find He's there. There's bound to come some tears up in your eyes and that ain't nothing to be ashamed of...that ain't nothing to be afraid of. People say "maybe things will get better, maybe it won't be long, maybe you'll wake up tomorrow and it will all be gone" But "maybe" just ain't enough when you need something to hold on to. Reach out to Jesus, hold on tight!" Rich Mullins

I'm looking around at all the various troubles: mass exodus of people from Parkview, many people tired and discouraged, so many complaints ranging from small to large. I am not even sure how to view all of this trouble. Is it my fault? It is Satan's fault? Is it God at work....ripping through us like a wild fire, consuming, in order to create once more?

Eugene Peterson says that the Hebrew word for "create" is never used with humans, only with God. "Create is a word that is used in the Bible exclusively with God as the subject. men and women don't create. But God does. When nothing we can do makes any difference and we are left standing around empty-handed and clueless, we are ready for God to create. When the conditons in which we live seem totally alien to life and salvation, we are reduced to waiting for God to do what only God can do, create." (p. 64, Christ Plays...)

Can God, when will God, does God, bring something new out of this turbulent water of chaos? What else besides Jesus can we hold onto when the waters have risen up to my neck. "Save me, O God, now as the waters have risen up to my neck" (Psalm 69:1)

Some Serious Summer Reading

At the beginning of the summer, I set a goal of reading 10 books. (A self-impossed summer reading program) Here are the books I read and for those of you are purists, please forgive me for include audiobooks as reading (and most of these can be found on my library thing): Renovation of the Heart, by Dallas Willard; Assimilating New Members by Lyle E. Schaller; Talking the Walk by Marva Dawn; The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini; Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster; The Choice by Nicholas Sparks; The Substance of Faith: And Other Cotton Patch Sermons by Clarance Jordan; The Shack by William Young; Lady Killer by Lisa Scotilline and the Good Guy by Dean Koontz. Now, I am working on Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson. Three Cups of Tea is also on the "to read soon" list. Many of these have been over the top good. (Not sure I even want to pick favorites, but, if forced to do so: Renovation of the Heart and Kite Runner and The Shack)

If I didn't have so many new ones on my "to be read soon" shelf, I would take a season and read back through some books that really changed my thinking, 'cause that might be a tangible way of reminding myself who I am. It might sound kinda strange but maybe returning to those familiar pages might remind me how I got to this particular place in my life and give me some resources for pressing on.

Some Serious Summer Activity

Will and I are celebrating one year of being in Vandalia. Reflecting over the last few months, I realize that July was actually the first time since I moved here that I felt seriously busy. Now, there are a few pastors that I know who wear "busy-ness" as a badge of honor, or as a sign that the world just cannot live without them. Admitadly, I am a pastor who likes activity almost to a fault. Through the years I have had to learn the "unforced rythms of grace" as Eugene Peterson puts it. My identity as a person and as a pastor must be rooted in my being claimed by God as His beloved child. For me, this means that I do not have to prove to myself or anyone else that I am important, running around like a chicken with my head cut off. The world could really live without me! Hallelujah!!! I am not in charge....even of my congregation....God is and I am trusting at this very moment that He reigns supreme. Resting and retreating into the quietness this past week restored my soul and allowed me an opportunity to re-adjust my compass, making sure that Jesus was still at the center.

An added thought: I have been a bad blogger! I must appologize to my 3 faithful readers! Please do not give up on me. Summer buzy-ness is pretty well over and I am at home now and loving it. So, I will fill in some details that have been missing: What have I been so busy with? How was camp? How was VBS? What have I been reading and did I actually complete my goal of reading 10 books this summer? Stay tunned....I will post more later. I may even have more pictures of flowers!