11.30.07
Posted in General Blog Post at 6:09 pm by Pastor Don
ADVENT GREETINGS:
Here at Church, we’re prepping today, by putting up all kinds of greenery and other Christmas garb. That’s a bit of Advent, isn’t it? Prepping? Preparation, strictly for the outer, or is there an inner prepping that I could also be doing?
John Wesley, founder of Methodism, was fond of asking others, How goes it with your soul? In other words, How ya doin’ spiritually? For me to answer, I need to do a spiritual gut check. What’s really going on in my life? Am I closer to God than I was a year ago? Am I open to Christ coming into my life in new and special ways? Would Christ find my heart a good place to hang out? If not, why not?
Advent (a season of preparation) calls us to be open and ready for Christ’s coming. That coming may come in worship, or at a homeless shelter, at Perkins, or over a home cooked meal. But like a prayer that we sometimes use at a meal, I need to verbally pray, Come, Lord Jesus, be my guest. That may take a little discipline and some creativity on my part in order that I can be open and desirous of Christ breaking into my life in new and special ways, even this Advent season. I need to prep so that I can extend to you the greeting, May the Christ in me greet the Christ in thee. Happy Advent, prep with God in mind, that it might go well with your soul!
Stop by. The coffee’s fresh, the light is on. Let me know how you’re prepping.
Your Friend,
Pastor Don
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11.16.07
Posted in General Blog Post at 3:43 pm by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
One of my favorite movies is “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles,” starring Steve Martin. It’s a story of a man trying desperately to get home for Thanksgiving. There’s something about Thanksgiving that makes one want to be with others.
While it is a good thing to sit down and count one’s blessings, and do so in the presence of special people in one’s life, the idea of thanksgiving was never meant to be a once-a-year ritual. It’s a style of living. The Bible calls us to daily wake up and say “This is the day that the Lord has made; l will rejoice and be glad in it.” This is called maturing in one’s faith. To move from, “I deserved this” to “To God be the glory.” God lives in the heart of grateful people. I hope that God lives in yours. May your Thanksgiving transform into a Thanks-living.
The coffee’s on as is the light; come on by; let’s count our blessings together.
Your friend, Pastor Don
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11.09.07
Posted in General Blog Post at 11:15 am by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
I’m standing here outside the Church getting a snow job. Actually, it’s just a little bit of something that eventually will cover the grounds in a few months.
However, have you ever been snowed under? That happens, doesn’t it? Work loads, stressed relationships, and other circumstances sometimes just pile on. That’s when I need to say, God, my plate’s getting full. Let’s work at some of these events and experiences together. Believe me, prayer always helps.
How about the snow jobs? So many ideas, some good and others not so good, come at us each day. That’s why it’s good to be in the Bible. The Bible helps me to discern and apply God’s thought to the snow jobs that come into my life.
How about you? How do you handle getting snowed under? How do you handle snow jobs?
If you’d like me to pray for you, let me know. I’ll do it. If you’d like a Bible, or some Bible verses for getting at a snow job, let me know. I’ll help you.
Meantime, stay warm, enjoy the weather, come on by; the coffee’s on and the candle’s lit. I don’t see Frosty the Snowman yet, but who knows…..?
Your Friend, Pastor Don
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11.05.07
Posted in General Blog Post at 9:24 am by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
Every now and then I have someone say to me, “If I only had a burning bush experience like Moses, then I could be sure that God is looking for me to be doing something special.” I can’t always promise the experience, but I can still promise you the burning bush right here at the Church garden.
Actually, I believe that God calls us everyday to venture out of our comfort zone and get involved in someone’s life. It may be by listening to them, buying them a meal, inviting them to church, or reaching out to someone in another unique way.
I believe that if you’re reading this today, and then pray, God use me in a way this day to be of service to you, and to make this world a better place, and myself a better person, God will honor that prayer. Do you believe me? I dare you to pray the prayer. Go ahead, make my day! When convenient, come by, the coffee’s on. Let me know how God answered your prayer. I suppose that you could just comment on the blog here, but you know, I’d rather have a cup of coffee with you and listen to you tell me about it. God bless you in your prayer and with the burning bush.
Your Friend, Pastor Don
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