I'm here in the Kansas City area for my Doctor of Ministry program. It didn't start out too well. Two days before I left, the hard drive on my laptop computer crashed. This would ordinarily be cataclysmic, but I had backed up my hard drive shortly before and I was only missing a couple of weeks worth of work. Fortunately, I have drafts of most of the missing work because I e-mailed the office or in the case of sermons, I have the podcasts.
I packed very carefully, and I was proud of myself that I had forgotten nothing. Then, when I got to the TSA screening at the airport, I was horrified to discover that my laptop was missing! I had packed the power cord, but forgot the computer itself!
A call to my wife was to no avail. She had already gone to her hula class and the calls went to voice mail.
Fortunately, I called my assistant, who agreed to pick up the computer and deliver it to me. I am so incredibly grateful to him!
Backing up a computer is very important. But also knowing that you have people who will back you up is a great comfort.
And knowing that Christ is backing me up at all times is the greatest comfort and blessing of all.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Father's Day Article
I'm in the L. A. area today. but I wrote an article for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. They asked me not to post the article here, but here's the link: http://starbulletin.com/2007/06/16/features/onfaith.html
Happy Father's Day!
Happy Father's Day!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
A Real Man
Since I am going to be traveling for a few weeks, I'm not sure when I'll be able to post on the blog. So here's something I wrote a few years ago you might find interesting:
"REAL MAN"?
I read in a newspaper about a man who burst into a restaurant in New York, shot two people (fortunately, none were killed) and while brandishing a shotgun, began dousing the patrons with gasoline. He pulled out a fireplace lighter and apparently was about to ignite the people, when two brave women rushed at him and stopped him. Police arrived and in a struggle wounded the man.
In the initial interview with the police, he explained that he had hoped to be shot and killed by the police. It was also discovered that he had been living with AIDS and he said, "A real man chooses when he is going to die."
This is just another example of an unfortunate trend: people willing to die in the act of killing others. I think the answer boils down to this: they had lost a sense of the sacredness of life, and they had lost hope that living in the world was better than death.
A truly "real" man lived to show us a truly better way, truth and life. I believe what many people have been saying: that the church is the hope of the world, because we carryJesus' message of faith, hope, and love. This is the importance of sharing the message of Jesus Christ. I hope that this will be our growing conviction in a world that needs it so much.
"REAL MAN"?
I read in a newspaper about a man who burst into a restaurant in New York, shot two people (fortunately, none were killed) and while brandishing a shotgun, began dousing the patrons with gasoline. He pulled out a fireplace lighter and apparently was about to ignite the people, when two brave women rushed at him and stopped him. Police arrived and in a struggle wounded the man.
In the initial interview with the police, he explained that he had hoped to be shot and killed by the police. It was also discovered that he had been living with AIDS and he said, "A real man chooses when he is going to die."
This is just another example of an unfortunate trend: people willing to die in the act of killing others. I think the answer boils down to this: they had lost a sense of the sacredness of life, and they had lost hope that living in the world was better than death.
A truly "real" man lived to show us a truly better way, truth and life. I believe what many people have been saying: that the church is the hope of the world, because we carryJesus' message of faith, hope, and love. This is the importance of sharing the message of Jesus Christ. I hope that this will be our growing conviction in a world that needs it so much.
Paris' Conversion?
Paris Hilton had a conversation from jail with Barbara Walters, saying that the dumb act is no longer cute, and she wants to make a difference. Then she said, "God has given me a second chance."
It's hard not to be skeptical. Is this just another way to hype Paris' image? I hope not. Of course, only time will tell.
Actually, Paris' change of heart is pretty common for people who go to prison. Many also make jailhouse confessions of faith. The proof of the pudding is when Paris gets out, and she's back into the familiar setting of money, fame, and control over her life.
I think the critical thing will be if Paris decides to align herself with a faith system, rather than some vague sense of spirituality. Just as alcoholics (which, if Paris is honest, is what she is--no one gets stopped that many times for driving under the influence if they don't have a serious problem with alcohol) need an accountability group, so does everyone who has a soul. Souls weren't meant to function alone. God meant for us to connect with each other and with Him.
Hope that's true for Paris Hilton...and each one of us.
It's hard not to be skeptical. Is this just another way to hype Paris' image? I hope not. Of course, only time will tell.
Actually, Paris' change of heart is pretty common for people who go to prison. Many also make jailhouse confessions of faith. The proof of the pudding is when Paris gets out, and she's back into the familiar setting of money, fame, and control over her life.
I think the critical thing will be if Paris decides to align herself with a faith system, rather than some vague sense of spirituality. Just as alcoholics (which, if Paris is honest, is what she is--no one gets stopped that many times for driving under the influence if they don't have a serious problem with alcohol) need an accountability group, so does everyone who has a soul. Souls weren't meant to function alone. God meant for us to connect with each other and with Him.
Hope that's true for Paris Hilton...and each one of us.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Setting Aside the Time
Yes...I'm still alive!! I realize, rather embarrassedly, that it's been a month and a half since my last blog. By this time, I fear that most who used to follow the blog have stopped looking for it.
I have many reasons for this: we've had a transition in the office where we were without an office manager for a couple of months, and I decided to fill in and be both the pastor of the church and the office manager. When we finally did get a new office manager, I have been spending extra time training her and getting her acquainted with the systems and routines of the office.
I'm getting ready to continue my Doctor of Ministry program, and there is a lot of preparation that goes into that, so that's kept me away from blogging.
There's a joke about how pastors work only one day a week and have the rest of the time to play golf and fool around. I wish that were true. There was an article I read where "Peter Drucker, the late leadership guru, said that the four hardest jobs in America (and not necessarily in order, he added) are the president of the United States, a university president, a CEO of a hospital and ... a pastor." ("Pastors often succumb to job burnout due to stress, low pay," by Rev. Dr. Dan Chun, Honolulu Advertiser, November 18, 2006
Of course, being the father of twin preschool age girls is a tremendous challenge.
So, I'm sure that you understand why I haven't blogged for awhile.
BUT WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!!!
These are all legitimate and excellent reasons why I haven't blogged for so long. But when it comes right down to it, legitimate and excellent reasons are nothing more than excuses that make me feel smug and better about the fact I haven't done something which makes a connection with people, perhaps with some I'll never meet, which means a lot.
If I'm honest with myself, the real reason I haven't blogged for so long is that I've not set aside the time to stop long enough and think deeply enough to put something down that you might find worth reading.
And if that's the case, it also must mean that I haven't really been thinking very deeply about the spiritual life, because that's what this blog is all about.
Oh yes...I've been praying, and yes, I've been reading the Bible and devotional material all along. But most of the time, it's been for "business" reasons, or in the case of the daily devotional material, it's been out of guilt and to make sure that if asked, I can say that yes, I've been doing my daily devotionals.
For me, this blog has come to represent the state of my spiritual life, or as John Wesley, the founder of Methodism might ask, "How goes it with your soul?" You can bet that if there are long gaps in my blog, that it usually means that I'm only connected to God on the surface.
I've been preaching a series of sermons on the grace of God. It's a tough concept for many. It's first and foremost the unconditional love of God. It's not earned, or in most cases, deserved, but we get it anyway.
It's also the gift of discovering what makes life special, what makes life worth living. And that's the key...it's a discovery or a new appreciation.
One of our delightful and hard working members of the church shared a bumper sticker style quote: "Today is a gift. That's why it's called "the present." A little too cutesy? Maybe...but it's absolutely true.
Grace is something that requires setting aside time to experience it. Sometimes we live so much of our lives on the surface, just making it through. That's not life at its best.
I don't know...am I the only one who hasn't been setting aside time for God?
I have many reasons for this: we've had a transition in the office where we were without an office manager for a couple of months, and I decided to fill in and be both the pastor of the church and the office manager. When we finally did get a new office manager, I have been spending extra time training her and getting her acquainted with the systems and routines of the office.
I'm getting ready to continue my Doctor of Ministry program, and there is a lot of preparation that goes into that, so that's kept me away from blogging.
There's a joke about how pastors work only one day a week and have the rest of the time to play golf and fool around. I wish that were true. There was an article I read where "Peter Drucker, the late leadership guru, said that the four hardest jobs in America (and not necessarily in order, he added) are the president of the United States, a university president, a CEO of a hospital and ... a pastor." ("Pastors often succumb to job burnout due to stress, low pay," by Rev. Dr. Dan Chun, Honolulu Advertiser, November 18, 2006
Of course, being the father of twin preschool age girls is a tremendous challenge.
So, I'm sure that you understand why I haven't blogged for awhile.
BUT WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!!!
These are all legitimate and excellent reasons why I haven't blogged for so long. But when it comes right down to it, legitimate and excellent reasons are nothing more than excuses that make me feel smug and better about the fact I haven't done something which makes a connection with people, perhaps with some I'll never meet, which means a lot.
If I'm honest with myself, the real reason I haven't blogged for so long is that I've not set aside the time to stop long enough and think deeply enough to put something down that you might find worth reading.
And if that's the case, it also must mean that I haven't really been thinking very deeply about the spiritual life, because that's what this blog is all about.
Oh yes...I've been praying, and yes, I've been reading the Bible and devotional material all along. But most of the time, it's been for "business" reasons, or in the case of the daily devotional material, it's been out of guilt and to make sure that if asked, I can say that yes, I've been doing my daily devotionals.
For me, this blog has come to represent the state of my spiritual life, or as John Wesley, the founder of Methodism might ask, "How goes it with your soul?" You can bet that if there are long gaps in my blog, that it usually means that I'm only connected to God on the surface.
I've been preaching a series of sermons on the grace of God. It's a tough concept for many. It's first and foremost the unconditional love of God. It's not earned, or in most cases, deserved, but we get it anyway.
It's also the gift of discovering what makes life special, what makes life worth living. And that's the key...it's a discovery or a new appreciation.
One of our delightful and hard working members of the church shared a bumper sticker style quote: "Today is a gift. That's why it's called "the present." A little too cutesy? Maybe...but it's absolutely true.
Grace is something that requires setting aside time to experience it. Sometimes we live so much of our lives on the surface, just making it through. That's not life at its best.
I don't know...am I the only one who hasn't been setting aside time for God?
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