Refuel

Matthew 7.9-11
Christmas season has left me “running on empty.” Do you know what I’m talking about? I think many of you do. Increases in get-togethers with friends, work parties, church and school functions wear us down. The stresses of shopping in crowded malls while trying to get our work done and avoid disappointing our kids, our grandkids, or our spouses and special friends, can leave us emotionally and spiritually depleted. But wait! Some of us feel like that MOST of the time!

Jesus points us folks who are “running on empty” in an important direction in the scripture that begins this post. Whatever we need to live well, God stands ready to give us—body, mind, and soul. Prayer is a critical way that we go to God to express our needs. The process of praying is also a primary way we grow closer to God…where we get to know God better. A great Christian theologian, J. I. Packer, observes that we become energized as we get to know God better.

I ran across this modern parable of prayer recently. A boy and his father were watching a documentary on military aircraft on TV. "Look at those two planes together," said the little boy. "It looks like one is towing the other."

"No," said the father, "the one plane is bringing more fuel, so that the other plane does not have to come down and land. Without the refueling plane the other plane would have to stop its flight."

Prayer refuels the soul. Prayer reenergizes us. Prayer restores our zeal and puts us on track to take care of our business. Prayer is key for getting in tune with God’s direction for our lives.

If you feel like your running on empty, may I encourage you to develop a new habit of prayer? God is anxious to refuel you. What’s more, God is the sole source for the life fuel you truly need.

Retreat time at the right time

I had the opportunity to experience a retreat after the manner of St. Francis of Assisi this past weekend at Covenant Baptist Church in San Antonio. Covenant Baptist is a unique place . . . baptists who practice contemplative ministry! This is also the home church of Gordon Atkinson, known to many as the Real Live Preacher.

This retreat came at the right time. I needed to think through a few things before resuming ministry after a three month sabbatical. We practiced the monastical hours of prayer and the retreat leaders encouraged us to write a rule of life. I was touched by many things . . . here are a few:

Hospitality--the Covenant folks are a most hospitable bunch. The meals were excellent and the setting is very restful. They made sure we retreatants had all that we needed to rest and refresh our spirits.

Availability--Gordon, Tim, Paul and the other leaders gave the gift of themselves for conversation and prayer.

Worship--The worship experiences were beautiful (Thanks Paul and Lexi for the marvelous music). I could have used more extended silences, but that is just my taste.

Interesting People--We were about as diverse a group of retreatants as you could assemble. I gleaned a lot from their stories, their struggles, and their insights.

I'm still working on my rule. I'm sure it will have something to do with stewardship of my time. I became really aware that what I value is not at all reflected in the way I allocate my time. My family, in particular, gets short-changed. I need to find a way of being where the way I spend my time reflects what I value more consistently.

Gordon said that he wasn't sure if they would continue offering these retreats beyond their own congregation. This was the third of three planned retreats to the public. He thought they probably would . . . I sure hope that they do. Such opportunities to withdraw for rest and reflection are great gifts to busy people in a chaotic world.

Sacred Places

I think just about anybody have places in their lives that are special. So special that they become sacred. My family visited Yellowstone earlier this month, a place revered by Native Americans for centuries. It's not hard to figure out why . . . it is an incredibly unique and beautiful place.

Jesus seemed to like hanging around the sea. A lot of his life and ministry occurred around the Sea of Galilee. Living in Texas, I've had a chance to walk the shores of the Gulf of Mexico on many occasions. I get why Jesus liked the sea. The sound of waves . . . the constant breeze . . . there is something about it I have found relaxing and soothing. Maybe the same things helped Jesus keep his head together and his spirit refreshed.



One sacred place for me, perhaps the most sacred, is my parents home in Minnesota. My parents built this house in 1970 and I lived in it for 12 years. It's on a large lot with a canal bordering the west side, a pond and marsh to the north, and woods to the east and south. My mother is a Master Gardener, so the place is landscaped beautifully. The picture above is from the yard looking north toward the pond. A day doesn't go by without deer, rabbits, wild turkey or a snapping turtle coming into the yard. It's a very peaceful place, full of life.

I've been spending most of my sabbatical here--working in the yard, reading on the back deck, thinking and praying. God has been very present for me here. My parents have been gracious hosts and have made this a very valuable time.

Where are your sacred places?

To Sophia--Angel of mercy

Sophia, at A T & T technical support, you were a Godsend yesterday . . . I hope you could tell. The internet problem at my church had been a thorn in the side of my sabbatical. Previous calls to tech support had not helped resolve the problem . . . until you. You were able to diagnose the problem and help me through the solution. It only took one try! You showed great patience and good humor (I've never had a tech support person laugh before). Sophia, judging from your accent, you live far, far away. You blessed me and aided the growth of God's kingdom. You were an instrument of God's mercy. Grace and peace to you. Namaste.

Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda

At last, a movie hero I can identify with! Po, the kung fu panda protagonist is made to fight for his dumplings by his Kung Fu master. That's a training technique that could get me motivated!

True to its martial arts roots, Kung Fu Panda (Dreamworks Animation, 92 minutes) is all about action. Whether training or in actual conflict with the evil Tia Lung, Po and the other Kung Fu masters are constantly fighting. Po, THE big fat panda is an unlikely and reluctant hero, having accidentally (and literally) dropped in on a kung fu contest to choose the next dragon warrior. But in the spiritual realm of kung fu, there are not accidents. Po's unlikely selection sets him on a journey to realize a dream he's held for a long time. It's also a journey into maturity and greater discipline. He realizes all of these, though that isn't brought out very clearly in the end.

Spiritual themes are lightly touched on in several places: the nature of one's calling in life, staying in the moment, perseverence, and believing in oneself. But this movie is definitely not trying to make any big statements. It's a fun romp with lot's of action and good humor. The animation is beautiful always and spectacular at times.

Some of the cartoon violence is over the top and I heard a few preschool children express some anxiety. My two kids (12 and 14-years old) had no such anxiety and seemed to enjoy the movie thoroughly . . . as did I.

Four out of six candles for Kung Fu Panda.

A lesson from my journal

Something struck me while journaling today . . . but the lesson came in an unexpected way. I take my journal with me almost everywhere . . . whether I am actively using it or not. I keep it open to the page holding my latest entry. My last choice for a journal was a wirebound spiral notebook. When I am not consistently practicing my quiet times the pages in my journal get worn, tattered and stained. Some pages actually get torn out because they have received so much stress. On the other hand, when I am actively reading scripture, praying, reflecting, and journaling the journal pages stay decently in shape.

My journal pages reflect my soul "state." When I'm not attending to my spiritual practices, my soul is worn, tattered and stained. I don't experience the peace and sense of wholeness that comes with regular communion with the Lord. When I notice the pages in my journal getting worn and stained it should be a sign to me to get back to the spiritual disciplines that keep me in touch with the soul-invigorating presence of God.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Psalm 51:10-12

Congested churches

I am doing a lot of reading during my sabbatical. One book that is stimulating a lot of thought and reflection is Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger. What's got my mind occupied right now is their statement:

Congested churches and stagnant believers are the antithesis of God's plan. (p.138)

Getting churches uncongested and helping believers stay vigorous have been significant challenges in my ministry. The authors advocate a clear, simple process for making and maturing disciples. They identify particular elements critical to a clear, simple disciplemaking process.

I've seen the kind of congestion and stagnation the authors describe in every congregation I've served. In every place it has been very hard to initiate change. Traditional programs and "ways of being" have a terrific inertia behind them. On top of that, I've never really had a frame of reference to effectively address the situations. More than anything else, I want to be a pastor who leads people consistent with God's plan. To think its possible I'm an overseer of believers whose ministry is the antithesis of God's plan is very convicting.

With that sense of conviction, I have a certain sense of grace in hearing that this is a common experience of pastors. And I have some sense of empowerment in that I am developing a frame of reference that explains what I have seen and some good ideas on how to proceed.

Now for the courage . . .

Taking the high route

Being on sabbatical gives me more opportunity to sit in the back yard and ponder basic truths. The opening prayer from my devotional book today was:

Loving God, clothe me in yourself and enable me to live and serve after the pattern of Jesus. Amen

--A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants.

As I pondered the pattern of living and serving Jesus lived out, I noticed the behavior of our backyard squirrels. Wherever the go they almost always choose to travel above ground, even when walking on the ground would get them there quicker and easier. There are two trees in our backyard that are far enough apart that the branches don't intermingle. Rather than walk from one tree trunk to the other, the squirrel chose a longer route along the top of our chainlink fence to get from one tree to the other. It seems to be deep in their character to choose the high route, even when a little longer and more involved.

There is a spiritual metaphor in this for me. That choosing the high route . . . Jesus' pattern of living and serving . . . become deep in my character. I pray I get to the place where the high route becomes my default choice . . . and that it happens so naturally I don't even notice it any more . . . I just do it.

I can't get to that place, none of us can, without God enabling us. I don't make high route choices on my own that often. The key, for me, is to stay consistently alert to God's voice and the Spirit's leading. Perhaps that is my greatest challenge on the spiritual journey.

Gospel of Judas scholarship dubious

Thomas Bartlett, of the Chronicle of Higher Education, has an article out this week on the scholarship behind the Gospel of Judas. Marvin Meyer, a Coptic scholar from Chapman University (affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)), was the first translator of the document. Unfortunately, he does not come off in a very flattering way. It seems that there was an agenda to find a more sympathetic Judas as the National Geographic project got underway. They found what they were looking for. The translation has many significant flaws in it, skewing the understanding toward a more favorable impression of Judas. The story and analysis of the scholarly debate are very interesting. I recommend it.

Really Late Movie Review: Terminator 3:Rise of the Machines

Since T3 is making the rounds on TV again, I'll take a stab at it.

I'm not a big fan of any of the Terminator movies, but I found the first two at least believable, with meaninful plots. So much of the violence and destruction lack purpose in T3. Example: In the chase scene with the T-X terminator driving the crane, what is the purpose of turning the crane sideways to start ploughing through the buildings? It impeded its progress toward achieving its mission. Something a terminator would never do. The scene became laughable to me.

Most glaring is where the plot leads. If Skynet does indeed become self-aware, it is like an infant becoming self-aware . . . not understanding that the action it will take will render itself incapacitated. Any nuclear blast produces large amounts of electromagnetic energy. These EM pulses fry everything electronic, particularly sensitive computer chips. If Skynet did exist as software on everyone's PCs and mainframes, as the plot indicates, the scale of the attack would have essentially killed off Skynet or isolated each computer from each other . . . like isolating every individual brain cell from communicating with each other. Any way you slice it, the people left would have nothing to fear from Skynet. The machines would have managed to kill themselves off.

If the Terminator movies have a point to pay attention to, it is that humankind must always be wary of our dependence on technology. An ironic point, I understand, as I compose this on my personal computer. And nobody can read this without the same. I find that we trust technology too easily . . . we are very willing to turn ourselves over to it without giving it a thought. Perhaps this is why it seems so hard to grasp a sense of the Divine. We have lost our ability to see and hear God. Something that will truly lead to our destruction.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

Psalm 20:7-8

You might be an alcoholic if . . .

. . . you put a DUI lawyer's phone number on the speed dial of your cell phone. Believe it or not, a DUI lawyer in San Antonio is encouraging this in one of his radio commercials. If this seems like a good idea to you . . . that it might be something you could use . . . in all sincerity and compasssion, see a counselor to assess the possibility that you are alcoholic. You are taking too many risks with yourself and with others on the road.

Super Bowl coaches and team owners who get it

I ran across this article on the internet which quotes Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy following the Colts' Super Bowl victory. Dungy, Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith, and Colts owner Jim Irsay are all strong Christians. Each made it clear that the most important thing in their lives is their relationship with Christ. It's nice to see some sports celebrities who keep things in proper perspective.

Add another blessing

Today is the day for our congregation's joint prayer service with the Lockhart Church of Christ. I preached about the significance of this opportunity during worship on Sunday. I got a good response from our community of faith. Most unexpected was the response of our CYF (high school youth fellowship). The youth group after worship focused on 1 Corinthians 12 . . . where Paul describes the church as a body. They talked at length about division and schism. In their conversation, they discerned an invitation from God to attend the prayer service as a group. I was caught wonderfully offguard by their intentions. It truly blessed me to see them open to God's leading and their willingness to embrace a worthy cause. They will kill me for saying this, but . . . "I'm likin' the way they roll!"

Restoration Movement internet resources

I am excited about a prayer service my congregation [First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Lockhart TX] is holding jointly with the Lockhart Church of Christ. This service was planned in the spirit of recent formal conversations between the three major "streams" of the Restoration Movement begun by Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, and Barton Stone. In 1906, the Movement fractured into these three streams: The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Churches of Christ, and the independent Christian Churches. Like most all splits within churches, each group believed they were keepers of the true vision of our founders. That led to further bitterness and disunity. In 2006, leaders from these three streams began formal conversations to thaw the relationships and return to some sense of the unity that was a hallmark belief of our founders. It's an exciting time, and I am most excited about our two congregations worshiping together.

I have not spoken or written much about the history of our Movement. Here are some great websites that have a wealth of information.

Restoration Movement Pages--a vast collection of biographies, documents and sermons from Restoration Movement history.

disciples.org--The official web presence of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Disciples of Christ Historical Society--interesting historical articles and a good variety of links.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. I ran across several websites that were interesting but had a bias against one group or another. I chose not to include them. I am looking for a website that deals specifically with the "three streams" conversation. I will pass it along if I find one.

I think you will find these three websites an excellent beginning if you are interested in digging a litte deeper into our Movement history.

90 by 50 update

My weight loss saga has been a mixed bag thus far. I'm only about at 50% of my loss pace thus far. I've lost a total of 25 pounds and have been holding there for several weeks. I haven't gained back what I have lost thus far. That is very good. There have been some unseen benefits that I have been very pleased about. I saw my doctor for a check-up on January 10. Everything looks very good. My blood pressure was excellent. Blood sugar and triglycerides in normal range. My cholesteral number was 155. So metabolically, I am also in really good shape. I was very encouraged by the visit and consider it a manifestation of God's grace that I am not suffering any serious consequences from my obesity. And it is all the more incentive for me to persevere with my exercise and diet disciplines. Your continued prayers on my behalf for discipline and the fruit of self-control would be much appreciated.

I received a little additional inspiration this week. Pam LeBlanc, "Fit City" columnist for the Austin American Statesman, featured the story of Jim Martine. Martine lost 200 pounds in 2006. He did it like I'm doing it--reduced calories and increased exercise. I didn't think one could lose that much weight in a year. It's given me new vision for the possibilities and reinforced the feasibility of my own more modest goal.

Prayer for the new year

I ran across this prayer by the great spiritual writer Thomas a Kempis. I shared it with our congregational board as an opening to the January board meeting. It seems like an excellent prayer to keep in mind as the new year unfolds.

Grant me, O Lord, to know what is worth knowing,
to love what is worth loving,
to praise what delights you most,
to value what is precious in your sight,
to hate what is offensive to you.
Do not let me judge by what I see,
nor pass sentence according to what I hear,
but to judge rightly between things that differ
and above all to search out and to do what pleases you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

May God go with you in the new year!

What "Twelve Days of Christmas" will cost ya

PNC Financial Services Group has tracked the actual cost of the items from the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" for the last 22 years. Click on this link for this year's Christmas price index.

Another sign of our voyeuristic culture

I read an Associated Press story about letters written to God found floating in the Atlantic Ocean. Apparently, these letters had been sent to a New Jersey pastor, or left on his altar, for him to pray about. The pastor and his wife have both been dead for a few years. The speculation is that someone cleaning out their house didn't want to throw them in the trash. They gave them up to the ocean instead, believing that they would never see the light of day again. Unfortunately they were found. The man who found them took the liberty of looking at a few. Some are comical, many others are heartwrenching . . . I'm sure the people who wrote them never intended anyone but the pastor to see them.

Here's the disturbing aspect. The man who found these letters is planning to auction them off on E-Bay. I think its clear that the letters were never intended for public consumption. This man is attempting to cash in on the voyeuristic tendencies of our culture. It is appealing to the worst tendencies in people. My prayer is that someone will buy the letters on E-Bay for the singular purpose of incinerating them before anyone else can see them. I might do it myself if I can afford it.

90 by 50 update

Well, progress has been a lot slower over the last couple of months. I have lost 19 pounds since I started . . . I had hoped to be 36 pounds lighter by now. But I am at the lowest point since I began and there is much time. I must be more diligent, both in regular exercise and in keeping up with my food diary. I am pleased that I have not gone backwards . . . and I recognize that this is about changing my lifestyle. That's the only way this loss will remain permanent. I'm going to work harder over the next six weeks and see what happens. I need to do this for myself, my family, my ministry . . . and now, I guess, for the world. Check out this article from the New York Times on how obesity contributes to global warming. It's a crazy notion, but the evidence is there. I guess I'm the person your parents warned you about!

Top Chef, Season Two

I'm not a big reality show guy, but one that has captured my attention is Top Chef on Bravo. A dozen up-and-coming chefs compete for a number of prizes including $100,000 in seed money to start their own restaurant. They compete, naturally, by cooking through several challenges. I really enjoyed season one, and was expecting a let down for season two. I've been pleasantly surprised.

The second episode of season two has won me over. The competitors and judges worked through an ethical dilemna. I won't tell you exactly what went on because they are still playing the episode this week. See for yourself. I was impressed by how seriously both contestants and judges treated the dilemna and how they ultimately practiced accountability. I recommend the show, particularly if you are a foodie. Here's a link to the Top Chef website if you are interested in learning more.