Real Change

When I last posted a blog I started of apologizing about the long delay in posts.  I won’t even go there this time.

As some of you may know, our focus as a church this year has been in four main areas; Spiritual Health, Financial Health, Relational Health and Physical Health.  We have taken a “no-holds-barred” approach to these topics.

We kicked off our “Year of Health” with Biggest Loser.  54 people signed up and weighed in on February 01, 2009.  Almost 5 tons!  We designed our program so that each person could have a “personal trainer” to help them achieve their goals.  Our trainers were from Central Michigan University and most were seniors in the Dieticts program.   The trainers would evaluate our diet and activity levels, come into our homes and look over our food supply, go shopping with us and even help us learn to cook differently.  Additionally, each Wednesday night 2 trainers would each give a 30 minute presentation on various categories such as diabetes (causes, control, etc) heart disease, cholesterol, calories, exercise, etc.

Our goal in doing this was not dieting, but changing the way we live.  Developing healthy lifestyles that continue well beyond our competition.  Only time will tell if the participants really have changed the way they behave around food, I am confident that some have really learned a lot and are on the right road to good nutritional health.

Each week we would weigh in with our trainers and chart our progress.  This Sunday, April 26, 2009 is our final weigh in.  I am excited.  I am one of the 54 contestants.  So far, through proper eating and exercise I have lost 40 pounds.  I feel wonderful.

The great thing about this program is that I don’t feel like I am dieting, because I am not.  I really do eat what I want.  The difference now is that I am more aware of portion control and I am aware of what certain foods do to my body and my overall health and I choose to avoid them. 

What I have learned is that some foods that I used to love to eat now taste totally different to me.  For example, the other day I was eating with my extended family and we had burgers and fries.  I used to love this meal of grilled burgers and homemade fries.    The burger while very good was not the lean burger that we have become accustom to and the fries were deep fried.  Since February Deb and I have chosen to purchase lean burger and cuts of meat (we actually eat turkey burger a lot and enjoy it very much).  We still eat homemade fries, but we bake our fries and use olive oil to help them brown.

My pallet and body actually prefer the healthy food now.  When I think of the fat, calories, cholesterol and other things that is in so much food these days (especially fast food and typical restaurants) I don’t even want to put that into my body anymore.

I am not a health food nut.  I will not eat tofu.  I will eat smartly however.  I can influence how my life will be in the future.  I can influence how long my children will have a dad to be around.  I can influence whether or not I see and am able to play with future grandchildren.

I have dieted before and lost weight.  I put every pound back on eventually.  I am not on a diet.  I and other participants in the Biggest Loser have changed the way we think and live.

Real change and it feels good.  Do I still need to lose some more weight?  Yes, however, I am not on a diet to lose weight.  I am living and eating healthy and a byproduct is weight loss.

That is really what a relationship with Christ is supposed to be about.  To many people want to you to stop/start doing certain things to be or become a follower of Christ or a Christian.

The reality is that when we give our lives to Christ and invest ourselves into a relationship with him, things that were “unhealthy” spiritually and otherwise lose their attraction.  I can’t really be a good person simply by doing/not doing certain things.  Something needs to change inside of me and that change will produce positive or healthy behavior/actions.

Jesus Christ is who made that change happen in me.  Jesus is the only way to come to real change.  Every other change out there is simply a diet – it may produce a change for a little while, but lasting, real change of heart, desire and attitude only comes from real change – only comes from Christ.

That is all for now.  Hopefully, because of my change of heart on eating and exercise, you will continue to see less of me.

 

Don’t know what you got till its gone

I will start off with an apology for the delay in blog writing – you know the story, family, holidays, alien abductions.   It does not matter, I’m back now and will try to be more consistent.

Back in the day, I used to listen to this “glam band” or “hair band” called Cinderella.  They were supposed to be “heavy metal” music with the raspy voice and the loud crunching guitars.  Looking at their picture now, I think “heavy make-up”  or “heavy hairspray” might have been a better descriptor.

Pretty scary looking actually.  We can all hope that this style does not make a comeback.  At any rate, they had a song entitled “You Don’t Know What You Got Till Its Gone.”  Hardly the vocabulary power of Robert Frost or Charles Dickens, but, stll true in its own right.

That being said, it was my crazy and sometimes annoying ability to remember trivial things such as the above mentioned song and band that prompts to post this blog.  Let me take you back with me to the Saturday after Christmas.  It had been a wonderful Christmas and time with my family.We received wonderful gifts and just created good memories being together.  One of our favorite gifts was a new digital camera.  Here are some pictures I took of the kids snowboarding that Saturday afternoon.

 

I digress, back to the reason for the blog and the glam band song title….After a very good dinner (pork tenderloin, hot fruit, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole and pecan pie for dessert) I started to feel a bit odd.  More odd than I normally do.  I chalked it up to eating to much; I have a habit of doing that sometimes.  

Back to the story (sorry).  We played Wii Bowling and Wii Golf (it was Wii-ly fun).  After all the physical exertion of the evenings sporting activities the time to go to bed was upon us.  I started to feel even more odd.  I told Deb that I would go to bed soon, I just needed to sit down and relax for a Wii-Bit to help my stomach settle down.

Although sitting down and doing nothing was better than laying down, I just could not get that normal feeling in my stomach to return to me (I’d lost that normal feeling, oh, that normal feeling.  It was gone, gone, gone…).  So around 3 AM my body began to tell me that feeling odd would soon be a distant memory that would be replaced by the feeling of bubonic plague.

I found myself in the bathroom, placing my head where only my bottom should ever go. I became more familiar than I should be with the tile arrangement on the bathroom floor in my in-law’s house.   I felt horrible.  Now, mind you, I received this bubonic plague type disease from my nephew Caleb.How can someone so small create something so devastating to my system?  He had this stomach/bowel version of the plague for 1 day.  He evidently gave me version 2.0 as I had it for 3 days!  

Even writing about it makes me quiver again.  So, what is the point of this story you ask.  When I finally felt “normal” again I could not believe how UTTERLY and WONDERFULLY AMAZING, “normal” was!  I was so happy to feel normal again.  In fact, I had a brand new appreciation for normalcy that I had never had before (or least had not had since the last time I contracted the plague).

When I woke up Wednesday to the wonderfully amazing “normal” feeling the obscure and “odd” memory of the Cinderella song “You Don’t Know What You Got Till It’s Gone” came to mind.  Again, not literary genius by any stretch, but true enough.  It’s the old, stop and smell the roses line of thinking.  Something that we should all do.

We can all get so consumed with living life that things or situations or even relationships that are good somehow loose their proper place or appreciation in our lives.  If we are not careful, they go away and unlike a 24 or 48 or 72 hour flu, often “normal”  or “good” does not return. 

Enjoy and appreciate your life, your relationships – the good that you have.  It can always get worse, so be thankful for the good no matter how small.

I pray that your 2009 is filled with lots of good things that remain with you for a long time.  Take a moment and “Know What You Got Before Its Gone.”

Until Next Time.

Death. Life. Living.

Death.  I really don’t like thinking about it to much.  I know that it is simply a part of life, but when it comes to my own mortality, I can’t say that I enjoy thinking about my demise all that much.  It is not that I am scared to die, I mean after all, I know the Author of Life.  I know that allthough my physical body will wear out one day and I will die, that I have ever lasting life through Jesus Christ.  AND, because Jesus defeated death and was resurrected that my body too will experience a physical resurrection.  I know that all to be 100% true.

Still, I happen to enjoy the living part of life.  I enjoy looking at my three kids and watching them play, live and grow up.  I enjoy speding time with my family and friends.  I enjoy a good cup of coffee.  A great movie, a good joke.  The list is endless really.

However, every now and then we are forced to face the fact that death is a part of life.  This week was one of those weeks for me.  On Friday I received a phone call from Lux Funeral Home.  I was asked if I was willing to pastor a funeral service for a family who lost their mother to cancer.  Without hesitation, I said I would.

I was able to spend most of Monday afternoon and early evening with the family.  The woman who passed away was Carol Sampson.  You can read her obitiuary here if you would like.  Carol was simply a wonderful person as is evident by her family.  I really do wish I could have known Carol.  What her family, friends and co-workers said about her was inspiring.

As I learned about Carol through talking with her family and friends I learned that she was a selfless, loving and caring person.  Essentially, Carol lived her life by giving it away.  She never put herself ahead of others, but thought of those around her and what they were going through and poured her life into helping them.

This was not just what a few of her family or friends indicated, but this is what EVERYONE indicated.  She gave it all.  Not only did she live this way, but she loved and enjoyed life to the fullest.  While this may have been due in part to her personality, I believe that it was also due to the fact that she was able to let it all go. 

Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 16:25-26 “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Carol seemed to understand what was important in life.  She did not desire to see how much she could get for herself, but rather, how much of herself could she give away.  How much of herself could she loose?

I want to live in a way that I can give all of me away.  I want my life to be lost for Jesus.  Because when Jesus means more to me  than everything else, including life, then not even death means anything.

That does not mean that I can’t love livng life, in fact, it means that I love living life EVEN MORE!  It is just that real living comes by giving my life away.  Giving it away so that Jesus is seen in every part of who am and what I do.  Letting nothing own me and having the ability to let Jesus be all that I need to own.

Death.  It means nothing.  Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 15:54 -57:  ”When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”  “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

When we loose it all for Jesus Christ, we get it all.  Give it away and live!!

The Anti-Midas Touch

Do you remember the Greek mythology king named Midas?  You know everything he touched was to have turned to Gold.  We use that saying now to most often talk about those who either always make good decisions, or when it seems like whatever they do always works out for them.

Well lately, for us – that is Deb and I, it seems that we have the “Anti-Midas” touch, at least when comes to our vehicles.  We touch it, something goes wrong.

It started a couple of months ago.  We had gone to see my nephew for his graduation party in Belle River, Ontario (near Windsor, Ontario).  On the way down we had to take some evasive manuevers with our Ford Windstar to avoid another vehicle.

In the process of avoiding the other car, we did not avoid those nice white and orange construction barrels that were all along the road.  Praise God it was the weekend and there were no construction workers!

So, we are on our way home later that same day and just as we get back into the U.S. our overdrive light starts flashing on the dash and the van starts acting funny (funny odd, not funny ha-ha).

We pull into a gas station, where I don’t think they spoke any English, and as I pull in all the transmission fluid spills out of the transmission.  We are officially done moving now.  Oh, I should mention that we were traveling with my sister, her three children that still live at home and her adult daughter who had her two children with her and both my parents.  In our two vehicles we had a grand total of 14 people.  7 in my vehicle and 7 in my sisters suburban.  Oh yea, it was Sunday night at 9:00 PM.  Not much going on then.

God did send us an Angel who acted as our taxi in getting our van to a garage (letting us ride in his car while we followed the tow truck and then finding a hotel).  He said he went by the name Rabbit.  I later would check my Bible again for any Angels named Rabbit, but no luck.

The next day, a member of our church and a great friend drove to Detroit and picked up Deb, Ally, Trey and Zach and my nephew who had to stay with us in hotel room.  I stayed with the van in Detroit, because it should only take a day or so to get fixed.  Well, 5 days later and another garage later the van was fixed.  Thanks to Ken and Faye for letting me stay with them all week!

So, about a month after getting our transmission fixed in Detroit, Deb is in the van driving to Lansing with Ally, Trey and Zach for Ally’s soccer game.  As she gets to Lansing the overdrive light comes on again and starts acting funny (remember funny – odd, not funny ha-ha).  She gets it to the Ford garage and they keep it for a week!!  All I am thinking is that the garage saw us coming and they are wanting some new tools.

So after a week of all of us riding in my pickup truck, we get the van back and the garage says, “Sorry, we could not find the problem or even get the van to act funny (odd) again.”  So, we ended up not having to pay any money this time but we are not sure why our van seems to recoil every time we touch it!

Well, the van seems to be running okay.  It has been over a month since it was acting odd (funny).  Perhaps it was just in a mood or something. 

My nephew (the one that stayed with us in the hotel in Detroit).  His name is Auric (say Or-Rick).  He is a senior on the Mount Pleasant High School football team.  After a great season, the team made the playoffs and were playing in the second round in Grand Rapids, MI. 

So, get this, Deb, Me, Ally, Trey and Zach are all in the van driving to Grand Rapids to watch his playoff game.  20 minutes away from the stadium the overdrive light comes on AGAIN, but this time the engine light comes on and the van is driving FUNNY again (remember, funny odd).  We pull over to give the van a rest.  10 minutes pass, we start the van and all the lights are off!  It must have just needed a moment.  We start driving and 3 minutes later the van decides that it’s 10 minute rest was not enough and all the lights and funniness come back.  We however don’t think any of this is funny.

We “crawl” to Greenville where Deb’s parents live, only about 30 minutes from where we were.  We spend the night and Deb’s parents offer us one of their vans to drive home and use while our van goes to the garage in Greenville.  Now, we did not just get one of their vans, we were given the “M-GO BLUE” van.  Deb’s dad’s van.  Paul’s Van…My Father-in-law.  It is a big blue conversion van with Michigan stickers all over it.  It is sharp looking, and more importantly, my father-in-law loves it.  IT IS HIS BABY!  This was a big deal to not only get to drive it, but to keep it until our gets fixed.  HUGE!

So, in hopes of our van finally getting fixed we all hop in the M-Go Blue van and drive home.  The kids love riding in the van.  It has a TV, video player, XM-Radio,  separate radio for the back passengers with head phones (someone who had kids thought of that one).  It is fun to have for all of us.  Remember, we got the van on Saturday night, drove it Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and then on Thursday the M-Go Blue van won’t stay started or running (Kinda like the Michigan football team this year).  Once it starts it almost immediately stalls out!  We noticed however, that if we kept the accelerator pressed down it would not stall.  So I drove it back to Greenville to the same garage that still has our van (Oh yea, the part for our van was on back order).  I get back to Greenville and they give me a loaner van to have.  Thanks.

This van does not have as much room as our van does, however, it does run and that is a good thing.  So we now have two vehicles again.  My pickup and this loaner van.  That is until this this morning.

I go out early to start my truck so it can get warmed up and it will not start!!!!!  I seem to be getting a little annoyed.

Do you get what I mean about the anti-Midas touch?  At least when it comes to our vehicles?  If we ask to borrow one of your cars, you may want to make sure that it is still under warranty.  However, we do know that we have pretty good towing insurance.

On a positive note, the garage where we took my truck called tonight and my truck is fixed.  It was not as bad as we thought it was going to be, so thank You LORD!  And thank you Chris for the tow.  We talked with Deb’s parents and the M-Go Blue van is fixed and back in the driveway of my in-laws.  However, I don’t think we will be borrowing it again any time soon.  Our van, is still waiting to get fixed, but we should get it this week sometime.  By the grace of God our anti-Midas touch will run out before we drive our own vehicles again!

CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  However, when it all comes down to it, it really does not matter.  Not that we have money to throw around for car repairs, but ultimately what matters is my family and our faith.  We are all okay and God is still on the throne of Heaven and our hearts.

What happened to us is just life.  LIfe happens and sometimes when it happens it is not fun………….or cheap.  But during times like these I am reminded of two things that I have heard/read over the years.  One is from my dad, who despite what or how much is going wrong states the following:  ”This too shall pass.”  He knows that this all just temporary and Heaven is forever.  And then I remember Psalm 34:1 which states:  I will praise the Lord at all times.  I will constantly speak His praises. (New Living Translation).  

So, Praise God because this too shall pass…………and in the words of Forrest Gump…………………”That’s all I have to say about that!”

You talkin’ to me?

Our two boys, although 22 months apart in age, look so much alike.  In fact, the older they get the more they look like twins, at least to me.  Perhaps, the older I get, the more they look like twins, but I’ll stick with the first analysis.

Deb and I are always calling Trey, Zach and calling Zach, Trey.  I was at the top of our stairs looking down at the landing and I saw Trey playing with his Nintendo DS.  Just prior to this, I had looked in Trey’s room and it needed some work, so I turned around and said, “Trey, come here”….NO RESPONSE.  ”Trey!” I said a little louder and STILL NOTHING.

At this point I am beginning to get annoyned.  Had it been my dad calling me at this age I would have been unable to sit down for about an hour for not answering.  But, alas, I decided to try again.  ”TREY!!“, NOTHING STILL!  So I begin walking down the stairs to help my son understand the importance of listening to dad.

As I am making down the stairs, I said in my best “I am your father and you will listen to me ” voice: “Trey, when I call you, you answer the first time.”  At which point “Trey” turned around from playing his game and it was Zach!

Oops, sorry Zach.  Sorry Trey for wanting to BEAT YOU. 

This type of thing is happening with greater frequency.  I am about ready to give them name tags to wear.  I actually might be further ahead if they just looked different.  I guest I should have let Zach keep his Mohawk a few weeks ago.  It is probably why he wanted one in the first place, so we would quit calling him Trey.

So this morning, Trey (I am sure it was Trey) walked over to me and asked if he could take a large sea shell to school for show and tell.  We found it on the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama.  It’s not huge, but it is certainly larger than most you typically find.  

I responded with, “did you ask your mom?”  Trey answered back, “No, I’m talking to you.”    I could not help but laugh and thought his answer was so honest and clever that I said he could take the shell to school.

I have been smiling about it all morning.  Then while praying this morning I began to think about all the things that we face in life and how all to often our last resort is prayer.  We get into so many situations that we need help, yet keep quite.  We will try to figure out things on our own, and not seek advise.  We will put so many things in motion and not pray about it until they are about to fall apart or at least until they are well under way. 

I am sure that the reason I asked Trey if he had asked Deb about the shell was not because it is so special to us.  I probably asked that question because I either did not want to deal with the question or if the answer was to be no, it should come from DEB. (I love you babe).

But Trey asked me.  In our house, I am the spiritual leader.  I am the head of the household.  I am not saying that I am perfect at it or that I don’t need to work on it, but that is how we do it.

How often do we go to the Top first?  God won’t ask if we asked someone else first.  He won’t get us confused with someone that looks like us.  He will speak directly to us.   He will listen and respond and show us mercy, grace, correction, direction…whatever we need.

Have you gone to God first today? 

Do you seek out answers from everyone else, before God?

God wants us to talk to him.  Unlike “life” where we often have to work our way to the top, with God, we get to start there.

Have a great day and make sure you take some time to enjoy the conversation with Him today and every day.

A New Day

It is a new day!  Change is going to happen.  President-Elect Obama talks about all the change that is going to take place under his leadership.  I am sure change will happen.  The question for me, for all of us, is how are we going to change?

Obama received a little more than 7 million more popular votes than McCain.  Hardly a landslide, but not a photo finish either.

There are those who voted for McCain/Palin - and they will be disappointed.  That is okay, they should be disappointed, their candidate lost.  Then there are those who voted for Obama/Biden - they are happy.  That is okay too, their candidate won.  

For those of us who are disappointed this morning; our hope is not (and never has been) in a president or a party.  Certainly there may be values or ideals that are held closely, but our hope must be in Christ.  

For those of us who wake up excited this morning; the same holds true.  While there may be anticipation over what promises or ideas have been made, the success of our nation is ultimately not because of the president we elect or the party we affiliate with.

Those who followed Christ in the early church certainly did not enjoy the political climate.  Their faith in Jesus is what defined their view and guided their responses; and I don’t mean their political responses.  Their faith in Christ defined and guided their relational responses.  It defined their hope responses.  It defined their life responses.  It must be the same for us.

Certainly leadership is important.  We should desire leaders that embody good, moral and even righteous values and ideals.  The success of nations is often determined by their moral makeup.  The eternal life of those who make up nations however is determined by their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our nation, our world needs Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ called us to take His message to our nation and to our world.  Jesus is the only real message of change.  We wake up this morning sad or excited, but the fact of the matter is that the things going on in the world (especially politically) should not give us an exaggerated view of hope or of despair.

Changes in law don’t bring about eternal changes in peoples lives.  Changes in presidents, vice-presidents, cabinet members, or anything else won’t bring about eternal change for our nation.  While there are laws and situations that present more favorable conditions for change to take place, the laws of a land are not the same as having God’s law written on our hearts.  What changes our nation, what changes our world is Christ.  Our nation and world won’t succeed in God’s eyes because of leadership from the left, right or center.  Our world needs change that can only happen through a heart and life touched by Christ.  

There have been men in the White House and in Governors Mansions and in other political offices that have been all over the map in regards to faith.  Lasting change will not happen because they held office.  I am not saying that they don’t bring about some changes, but ultimately it is always a power struggle.   One side tries to get more power so they can change laws and sometimes they do.  After some time passes the other side gains more power and overturns laws.  Sides and power cannot and never have brought real power or real change.  What needs to change is the hearts of people so we do what God has called us to, to live as Jesus lived.  When Jesus changes the hearts of those that make up the nation, the law will follow.  When Jesus changes the hearts of those in a nation, the laws really begin to take a back seat because our eyes are focused on living and doing as Jesus did. 

So waking up excited or disappointed needs to be short lived.  If we truly believe that change is what our communities and nation needs, then we must live as Christ has called us to.  It is not about the political sign that was in your yard or your neighbor’s yard.  It is about the savior in our hearts and our ability to let Him govern our hope, our actions and our attitudes.  If we have been more concerned about how our neighbors and community votes rather than where they stand in their relationship with Christ, then we have really missed the purpose of what Christ has called us to.

Jesus did ask us to change the world.  Not with a political statement, but with a life devoted to Him.

I voted.  I am awake today and filled with hope.  I promise the hope in my heart is not (and cannot) be found in the words of President Bush, President-Elect Obama or even in the now defeated McCain/Palin ticket.

 

The hope for change that I have, the hope that I must speak and give to those around me is in Jesus Christ.  

It’s a Week!

Sometimes you have a week where everything just goes wrong.  Then, there are those weeks where everything goes pretty good.  This was one of those weeks.  it was full of activities and went by pretty quickly, but everything that happened went very well.

The week really started to pick up steam on Wednesday.  I already shared how a lot of us went out Wednesday night and handed out flyers for the fall festival, that was pretty fun. 

Thursday I had the privilege of attending the Central Michigan Pregnancy Services (CMPS) fund-raising banquet.  I actually was asked to give the invocation for the evening.  CMPS works mostly with young girls and women that find themselves pregnant or worried about being pregnant.  The staff and volunteers give insight and wisdom in helping these ladies not only make wise decisions, but also on making wise decisions in the future as well.  This is a great service that has literally saved and changed countless lives.

The night was AWESOME!  First of all, many of the youth and Chi Alpha students from our church participate in CMPS’s Willing to Wait program.  Willing To Wait is an abstinence curriculum program that includes interesting media, creative drama and real life application scenarios.  The students go into schools (jr-high, high school, and even some college settings) and present factual information on the importance of abstinence and the dangers of promiscuity.  The students gave a drama presentation that was amazing.  Everyone in the room (over 500 people) was moved by the performance.

There was also a silent auction.  I like silent auctions, especially if you know someone elses silent auction number, they can buy things they don’t even know they are bidding on .  No, I did not do that to anyone, but it did cross my mind.  I did bid and won some football tickets to see Notre Dame play Syracuse at Notre Dame.  Go Syracuse!

Mary Barz is the executive director of CMPS and her passion is to change the world.  She is doing what God has called her to do and you can simply feel her passion as she talks about the lives that she and staff have the opportunity to impact.

The speaker for the evening was Scott McKee.  Scott is the pastor of Mount Pleasant Community Church.  Scott gave a great message on the importance of grace, truth and time working together.  God’s grace, God’s truth and God’s time.  Scott, as always, was very funny too.  The evening was successful and over $5,000.00 was raised by the silent auction and much more given and pledged at the end of the night.

Friday was our Fall Festival.  There is so much to say, the Central Assembly of God family was WONDERFUL!  We were able to serve over 700 people during the fall festival.  Over 400 bags of candy were given out and over 600 hot dogs!  It was a lot of work, but it was even more fun.  We came together to simply give back to our community.  To provide a safe place for the Mount Pleasant community to have a fun night and hopefully experience the love of Christ.  The way I see it, mission accomplished.  Thanks Central Assembly!

After Fall Festival I walked across the parking lot of Mount Pleasant High School and attended the first round playoff game between the Oilers of Mount Pleasant and the St. Johns Red Wings.  I must admit it felt a bid odd cheering against the Red Wings, something just seemed wrong with that.  My little nephew Auric (6′ 5″ 280 lbs.) is a senior and plays for the Oilers.  They won the game 40 to 21.  I was able to watch the last quarter, it was lots of fun.

Saturday I had the privilege of performing a wedding for a really nice young couple, Ted and Lauri.  The wedding was lots of fun and it went off with a hitch, so all was well.

This morning was Sunday morning.  Any day that STARTS OFF with an extra hour of sleep has the beginnings of a really good day.  We started off this morning at 8:00 AM with prayer.  Over 20 people joined us for prayer this morning and almost half were  kids from Kids Church!  At 9:00 AM we jumped into Life Lines (Sunday School, but way cooler).  We had a great life lines class as we have begun discussion on church health.The class is “Heart Health…Discovering what gives us rhythm and the things that will cause us to flat-line.

The main services started at 10:00 AM and we had a great time of worshiping God with music and then the message.  Today was hungering and thirsting for righteousness.  It was a great day.

The exception being that my oldest (Ally) had to stay home because she was sick.  So the boys and I went to my sisters, ate lunch and watched football together.  At 8:00 PM tonight we will go to John O’s house and watch football with a lot of guys from the church. 

A good ending for a really good week.  What made the whole week good was essentially two things.  1 – I was able to spend so much of the week with my church family.  2 – I was able to spend so much of the week interacting with those that needed the Body of Christ to do what we have been called to do – interact and represent.

A good week.  Or should I say a God week.

Okay, so this is pretty cool.

Life.  I like life.  Not that it does not get tough and difficult and even sad, but for me I think I will do what I can to make the most of it.

I know what you are probably thinking.  I have not written a blog after all this time and now I make two postings in one day.  Slow down, there is lots of time.  I agree, but some things are worth writing down.  So after my first post today, and perhaps because of it, I noticed the stories in life.  The friends and family and even the strangers that share this life with me.  I was inspired.  I excited to look around and see how my life has opportunities to influence for the good or bad, all the other lives around me.

This is the Medical Care Facility.  It houses many senior adults who may be there for a short term or long term care.  It provides many different services.  If you walk through the front doors you can see a list of people are living there right now.  Many of whom don’t get very many visitors at all.  Lives that once interacted with many, now interacting with few.  By walking through the doors for just a few moments my life can make a huge difference to many people if I will put forth a little effort of time and compassion.

This is Earl.  He is currently staying at the facility.  Earl and his wife Virginia attend our church.  Earl has been here for a few days and I had the privilege of spending time with him this afternoon.  Earl was an Assemblies of God pastor.  I had no idea!  He even pastored two churches in Michigan.  He has a lovely family and an even more lovely passion for Jesus Christ.  I went to visit Earl, to hopefully let my life be a positive influence on him and what happened was his life made the impression on me.  It was my privilege to spend time with him.  I am sure more will come about Earl.  He shared stories of being at Bible college and his professors and many other things.  Slowing down my life for a few moments actually allowed Earl to invest into me without even knowing it.  Thanks Earl!

This is Gwen.  Her and her husband Matt are such wonderful friends.  I have known them since college.  Gwen’s husband Matt actually helped disciple me when I first accepted Christ and now I am their pastor!  The papers in Gwen’s hand are flyers for the fall festival that we are hosting Friday night at Mount Pleasant High School.  Gwen and several other church family members helped hand out over 200 flyers tonight!  Gwen is also a Life Lines facilitator (kinda like Sunday School but way cooler).  Gwen and Matt’s passion for God, the church and for life is inspiring.  I get to let my life be part of theirs and we see cool things happen.   And by the way thanks for lunch today Matt!

Certainly today was a good day.  It is easier to love life on good days.  However, by realizing that there is a lot to love about life and how we can live it out for Christ, then when the bad days come perhaps we can get through them a little easier.

So now I will make every effort to look at life and try to see the story.  How my life can impact the outcome of someones story for the good.  So even on my bad days, I can allow my life, who I am, who Christ is in me, to positively impact those around me – and most often when I do that their  life ends up impacting mine even more.  To all of you whose lives have impacted mine – thanks.  I pray that I can let God be such a part of my heart and life that my life impacts yours not only for the good, but for God.

Until I post again.  Thanks.

Let’s take this for a test drive.

Okay, so here is my attempt at blogging.  I have been told that you really have to like writing to enjoy this sort-a-thing.  I cannot say that I love to write, but I do enjoy giving my two cents worth, so maybe that will translate over.

I spent time at Church Planting and Church Health Boot Camp last week and met some great new friends.  Most of whom asked me two questions, do you have a facebook page and do you have a blog.  Until now, the answer was a sheepishly un-hip, “No.”  So to Trinity, Roger, Nic,  and MaryBeth – blogger extraordinaire, here is my feeble attempt to get with it.

If only a facebook page and a blog made me cool, then I could possibly retire now.

So, what has happened that I could possibly write about today?  Well, I got out of bed.  That is often a very important factor in having a good day.  I grabbed Trey and Z and headed off to Bob the Barber.  Z had been begging for mohawk, so I said OK.

Z-man and the mohawk!

We did not leave with the mohawk, but I told Zach that he could have one, so I had to stay true to my word and he was satisfied, especially since we took the picture.

So, I could bore you with the details of the rest of my morning, but I will stop there for now.  I will hopefully get back soon and inspire you with some more details of the life and times of Pastor Joe Wentworth.

Until then, remember that when we seek God, we find Him when we seek Him with our whole heart.  Seek away my friends.