Lent Chapel video

I was given the opportunity to speak in Chapel and I choose to speak on Lent, of which I knew little about.  I had some trouble with my powerpoint presentation (I learned some important things from that experience for the future)  The speaking time went very well, and was well received.  I received a lot of feedback, especially people thanking me for presenting Lent in a fresh way for them, and helping them to consider using lent as a way to prepare for Easter and connect deeper with God, just like it is intended.  I also had a number of people tell me that they were mad at me for making them give up something.  Take that one up with God.  My prayer is that your walk with God will be deeper after this, and that resurrection will have fuller meaning.  The end result is lives changed and more Glory for God.

If you happen to be mentioned in this presentation, I thank you for your important part in my life.  I apologize if I offend you with my portrayal of you.  Please understand that you were a part of making this speaking opportunity hit home for the listeners.  God's blessing on you!

What are you giving up for Lent?

Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  Lent is 40 days, for Christians it is calculated by counting Monday-Saturday.  Sunday is not counted because we celebrate Resurrection on Sundays.  Lent is a time to postpone celebration of resurrection until Easter.  By postponing resurrection celebration, we mourn, and repent.  This causes us to yearn for Easter, and when it arrives, it is celebrated with renewed vigor!

I am giving up all extra internet and computer access on Mondays through Saturdays during lent.  This includes facebook, this blog, checking rss feeds with Google Reader, and anything other than school work, candidating for a pastorate position, or other important business.  I am doing this so that I can redeem the time for connecting with God.  Some people give up chocolate or desserts for lent.  This is a good way to practice self discipline, which when learned, can be applied to our spiritual disciplines as well.

I like the direct aspect of trading time.  If I give up something that uses time, than I now have some extra time.  I then choose to spend some of that time connecting with God through prayer, Bible reading, journaling, singing, resting, etc.

More of my thoughts on this in a next post.

Hello

I just wanted to say Hi.

Sermon at Hesston Mennonite January 25th

For a few of you that have asked.  I broke it into 3 parts, it was too large to upload all at once here.  Hopefully it is small enough to watch.

Sermon part 1 of 3

Sermon part 2 of 3

Sermon part 3 of 3

Friday is here

We are looking forward to some much needed family time this evening and tomorrow.  The girls recently learned how to play Yahtzee, and they love it!  Actually, I haven't won a game yet.  They have gotten pretty good.

Saturday will find us sleeping in, maybe, and hanging out as we go shopping and then play around in the sunshine and breezes of Hesston.

Saturday evening will include going to Catholic mass.  Oh, you didn't know I was training to be a catholic priest?  Actually, no.  We are supposed to take in a mass for Worship and Celebration class.

Sunday will be a relaxing first for a while with no responsibilities at church.  Sunday afternoon will find us at a Superbowl party somewhere, yet to be determined.

This is the end of week four of sixteen for the semester.  It is moving quickly.  Please pray for us as we sort through the possibilities of where we go from Hesston.  This has been especially weighing on my mind as of late.  Some of you, for example Dan Swartz, are praying for Ohio as the only possibility.  Keep praying.  God will give us discernment even when we pray for the wrong thing:)  Not saying Ohio is the wrong thing, just saying that there are other states in the United States, actually there are 50 from what I have been told.

We got snow (finally)

The last snow that I remember here in Kansas was just before we left for Ohio before Christmas.  Yesterday afternoon we started to get some snow and it started to stick and cause some slippery sidewalks.  Overnight it continued with wind and cold temperatures.  Right now it is about 14 degrees, and the sidewalks and roads are slick.  We have a very thin covering, about an 1/8 of an inch.  Nothing like the 40-50 inches of you Ohioians.  I really don't miss it as of this point.  Nor do I miss the sub zero temperatures.  Happy white days to you!

Sunday's Sermon

Thank you to those who prayed.  Sunday's sermon went well.  I was extremely nervous at the beginning, due to inexperience, the large crowd, the bold content, and well, speaking on God's behalf as best I know how.

I received a lot of feedback, and affirmation, along with a few critiques.  I will be having a followup evaluation with one of the pastors, along with some written evaluations by other church members.  I am looking forward to watching the DVD and critiquing myself.

The passage was Luke 12:13-34, about the rich man who decides to fill bigger barns instead of filling empty stomachs.  Also Jesus telling us not to worry about life, eating, the body, and clothes.

I felt the need to balance a pretty strong message of living on less than you have and being generous with as much of the extra as possible, against the trust that we can have in God.  I think we worry because we don't trust God to provide or we have too much stuff that occupies us.  God wants us to be free from both extremes.  He wants us to live in faith, so that we can be blessed by his presence and relationship.  These areas were where I received the strongest affirmation.

May God be glorified.

Practice what you preach

The last two posts are my own medicine.  May I complain for a moment?  Since noone said, "No."  I will continue:)  That is the beauty of blogging, no one can interupt you before it's too late!

This past weekend has been "occupied", this week has been busy.  It feels like every extra moment I have is filled with reading or writing or relationships related to college.  And then the moments beyond that are filled with writing and preparing a sermon for Sunday.  (I know Bruce Hamsher and all you great pastors out there are saying, "welcome to ministry.")  This weekend involves an all day Friday and Saturday class.   So there is my rant.  It actually isn't a complaint, it is a confession.  I am not the rested leader that I want to be.  I am busy, but if you asked me how I am doing, I would say "good".  And it is true, but I am just over the edge of my capacity.  I can't sustain this pace for too much longer.  I will have to make time for rest, relaxation, relationship, and reflection.

To that end, I am blowing off the next 30 minutes of productive time by going to the prayer room at HMC and being with God.  Followed by Supper with my family and a guys night out to see the WSU shockers.  All will be well.

The Rested Leader

Here is an article that I recently stumbled upon.  It speaks to me in relation to the post about How are You?

How are you?

Have you ever answered, "busy"?  Usually the question is meant as a feeling question.  Busy isn't really a feeling.  It brings feelings, such as tired, stressed, energized, etc.  It really seems like a good answer in our society.  We think it would be wrong to say, "at peace", because then the assumption is lazy, slothful, disengaged.  How can a Christian or any caring and productive member of a society not be busy?!  If I am not busy, and you are, then I may be afraid that you will give me something to do from your plate.  But maybe I'm not busy, because I have found rest, contendedness, and the assertiveness to say "no".

These thoughts are not aimed at anyone or even a certain situation.  In fact, they are self critical and self convicting.  Just some thoughts that have been rolling around in my head/heart.  If it speaks to you, then it is aimed at you.  I am releasing the arrow with my eyes closed, and my heart open...

Proverbs 27:6a