10.23.08

Loving the Children

Posted in General Blog Post at 10:26 am by Pastor Don

23 October 2008

Dear Friends,

Here’s a picture of one of my favorite people here at Church.  I even had the blessing of baptizing her as an infant.  I’ve had the blessing of being able to pray for her and many children like her.  I’ve had the blessing of watching her grow up as her family regularly worships here at Normandale Hylands.

I love children.  They keep me young.  They give me honest answers and love me unconditionally.  If I listen just right, I can hear God speaking through them to me.  I am blessed…for I have met, talked with, and laughed with children all over the world.  God is good.

As I look at this picture, I am reminded that I have a responsibility to help care for the children, to help prepare a world daily that allows them to be what God has planned for them to be.  That means that, as a citizen of my country, I need to exercise my blessings of freedom.  One of the ways is certainly to make time to vote, to do the best that I can in my exercise of freedom.  This also means that when I vote, I vote not just for what’s in it for me, but what’s in it for the coming generations, the children of the world.

I love BWCA canoe trip camping in northern Minnesota and Canada.  Our motto, whenever we move through the wilderness area, is to leave it better than when we found it.  I want to do the same for the children of my country and for the children of the world.  Somehow, I want it to be better for my having been here.  I want to do it for God, who placed me here, and for the children.  Certainly one of the ways to do that is to exercise my freedom and vote in the upcoming elections.  I hope that you will also, as each of us celebrates our freedoms, as each of us loves the children, and as each of us serves God.

Let me know how you’re doing with all of that.  Hey, feel free to stop by.  The coffee’s fresh, and the lights are on.  Blessings to you.

Your friend, Pastor Don

10.10.08

On Seeing Burning Bushes and Hearing the Call

Posted in General Blog Post at 10:56 am by Pastor Don

Dear Friends:

I’m standing by a plant in our garden called a burning bush. It’s in the autumn process of going from green to red, thus the name burning bush.

Moses, when he was called by God for a special task, heard God as God spoke through the “burning bush”. God called Moses to a special task…to be God’s messenger and to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Does God still work that way today? Does God speak to us in special ways? Where have you felt the “Call of God”? Where have you had a “burning bush” experience? For me, it’s been through the Bible, Bible studies, and through people. To see a need, and know that you have capabilities to help fill the need, I believe, is a call. It may be a call to be speak God’s word, to physically help someone who cannot, to give a smile and hope to someone without either.

The “burning bushes” of the world are as numerous as we let them be. Perhaps we simply need to pray for eyes to see them, ears to hear them, and a heart to feel them. I believe that God calls all people for special tasks in this world. All are needed and wanted by God to be a part of the “plans of God”. Are we letting ourselves see? Are we letting ourselves hear? Are we letting ourselves feel?

Enjoy your “burning bush” as you celebrate the “call” of God, and are faithful in responding to it. Let me know about it. Stop by. The coffee’s fresh. The light is on.

Your friend, Pastor Don