What do we need saved from…

Yesterday at camp was Christmas, and in adult bible study time we talked about Advent and Christmas.

What we are preparing for and how we can better keep or get Christ in Christmas. And one of the things that was said was that Lutheran’s aren’t good at inviting others to church, because we have nothing to be saved from…

And I thought this went along with the gospel passage from Luke 12 we read this past Sunday. Most of us have succombed to believing the gospel the culture feeds us, that money and things are where the good life is found. We think we can secure our future with an abundance of stuff or wealth. Now don’t get me wrong, money and things aren’t bad. It is how we let them influence our lives that could be bad. Like the farmer from Luke 12, who makes provision to secure his future by taking care of hinself, with no thought for anyone else, no thankfulness of the blessing of the abundance, and no mention of God.

The truth of the matter seems to be that we need to be saved from ourselves, and have our eyes opened to the fact that our very existance is a gift from God, and everything else we have, the stuff, the money are tools to use to further God’s kingdom.

So be a wise steward, not a rich fool, and live in the gift that God has given you.

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Monday at camp…

It is the first morning of family camp. I woke up early this morning and went for a walk around the path of the cabins here at Chrysalis. Last week I started going to the YMCA and walking, and walked 6 days and averaged about 3 miles a day. It really does make a difference in my day and helps me focus. Plus this morning it is beautiful. As I wallked under the stars, in God’s creation, watching as the sun comes up. In the stillness it is easy to see God.

My prayer for all of you today is, that in the busyness of life and the hussle and bussle of business, that you will see, feel, and know God is with you. Calling you to go and do, knowinh that He is always with you!

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What about the poor…

There is a lot of talk about the poor, and how there is plenty of resources to go around.

We in the United States of America are some of the wealthiest people in the world.  The homeless people in this country are better off than soem working folks in other countries…

So why are we not working harder to change this, eradicate the poor!  NO NO not get rid of the poor people, why are we not working harder to get rid of poverty?

Maybe that is not what we are called to do… Jesus told us, “you will always have the poor with you…”  We will always have the poor with us regardless of what we do.  It is not our mission or our calling to get rid of poverty.  It is our calling to love, and to serve in love.  Not to try and change a political/economical situation so that all the world has what we have…  That is judging and saying we are superior, and our ways are better than what you are living in…

Paul tells the Romans and he tells us, to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, to give up our lives and this is our spiritual worship! This is our following what God has called us to do…  Follow God, love yourself and love your neighbor!  Do not think you will change the world, or even your neighbor, that is God’s job, and if you are lucky He might just use you to do something!

Hypocrite Song eLi

Yesterday I took my oldest 2 daughters and dropped them off at camp.  Camp my favorite place in the summer or for a retreat.  I went last week, my oldest 2 daughters are on their 2nd week of camp this summer, and in 2 weeks, we will go to family camp… but I digress…

I was listening to my iPod and a variety selection of songs as we drove. We heard Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman, Hold on to Jesus by Erin O’Donnald, and many others, but the song that stuck with me was The Hypocrite Song by Eli…  You can find the lyrics here: Hypocrite Song Tabs – eLi Praise and Worship Lyrics & Chords by Higher Praise.

This is a great song, that helps us all remember that we are not perfect.  The final verse says:

“I can’t wait to see my Savior and look Him in the face shake His hand and plainly thank Him for forgiving my mistakes and for helping me remember that even when I’m right I’m wrong. Then we’ll rejoice and sing this hypocrite song.”

Another great line from the song is “I thank the Lord that there’s a heaven full of hypocrites like me.”

We are all so ready to tell everyone else how they need to live, yet fall short of even taking our own advice.

Thank you Jesus for forgiving me, and loving me as I am. Help me to be more like you and to not judge others, but love them.  Help them to see the right way to live, but not point fingers in judgment.  Give me your love and help me to love others…

Great Article on Leadership

http://www.arenewalenterprise.com/2010/07/good-leadership-books.html

The link is to A Renewal Enterprise blog. This one gives the reading list from a class on leadership and 3 movies that were recommended for the students. The best part about this thought is the quotes from the students about leadership.

Maybe if we all saw it is not about power or control, and about what we’ve been called to do through our gifts and how we use them together we would go farther.

Thank you ARE for the work you do!