Notes from the Trail

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Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13.7)
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13.17)
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (I Peter 5.2-3)

I suspect some poor, harried pastor somewhere concocted Clergy Appreciation Month. Yet, I’m supremely grateful for it. In nearly 15 years of ministry, I’ve never quite experienced the outpouring of love and creativity that I have this month. I hesitate to share it, for I know that there are a myriad of clergy who were not and are not appreciated this month, or at all. It’s a shameful sign of the times that most church members attend for what the church/pastor can do for them rather than considering the abundant and joyful opportunities through which “average” (is there really such a thing?!) saints can advance and extend the kingdom of Christ.

The people of Journey have overwhelmed my family this month. We arrived home on Saturday to find a gift basket full of goodies, including all kinds of cheese and crackers (we suspect they removed the wine, dadgummit!). Small things have created surprising impact: a Dad’s Place gift card, an Amazon.com gift certificate, a Wal-Mart gift card, a new Hummer H3 (just kidding, but wanted to check your envy level), cash for books!, an Old Navy gift card just for Carolyn, food, lunches, smiles, emails, and the list goes on. Really. At one point we even received a washing machine when they heard ours was broken; however, after plugging ours back into the wall, it’s worked fine ever since… (but the thought was a beautiful agitator of warm emotions).

I’ve continued my Friday Friend Challenge, and I plan on using several Bics over the course of this week in thank you notes.

However, the greatest reflection I have is not some Sally Fieldish declaration about how much I am liked. It’s simply this: I’m deeply grateful. It has never been about me. I know the real me all too well. To be appreciated by people is simply another affirmation to me of what incredible transformation can be wrought in an average 38 year-old earnestly seeking God’s glory daily. Being a part of a biblical community where love is practiced rather than talked about, where God is glorified passionately rather than gawked at passively is not just refreshing. It’s exhilarating.

Many thanks, church family. We love you dearly.

I just love it when someone else’s blog gets the heat for a while. After my post about the Southern Baptists and their love/hate relationship with private prayer languages generated such a flurry of comments, it’s been a relief to kick back and watch Jim’s blog be the epicenter of Monticellonian comment fury these days.

Swing by and catch up.

Now what can I stir up next?

I came home to the strangest sight yesterday. Carolyn was throwing something away. Yep. For all you omen-seekers, it may be time to sell high and move to higher ground. My wifey throws nothing away. Nada. Zilch.

However, as documented here by my trusty Sony Cybershot DSC-W7, the old cups are in the trash, and we have some nice? new ones. They’re, uh, red. Very. With matching bowls. Come Christmas time, we are gonna be rather festive. Right now, all our cereal milk looks like it’s been Strawberry-Quicked.

By the way, you might recognize the mixer in the background…

While she’s in the mood, I better go pad-lock my t-shirt drawer.

I couldn’t be more excited about our church’s upcoming Journey to Financial Freedom month. A recent study showed that the average American family carries $7500 in credit card debt. This is true for Christians and non-Christians, unfortunately. For those of us wanting to honor God with our finances, it becomes exceedingly difficult to build His kingdom because we’ve tried to build our own first. In 1 Peter, the apostle reminds us that we are “aliens and strangers” here, that this world is not our home.

(Listen to Sunday’s message about Financial Fredom for background.)

Unfortunately, everything around us looks so darn good. We are urged and even expected to make our homes like movie theaters, our cars like a retreat center, and to upgrade, upscale, and one-up. The cultural momentum of our society is hard to resist. However, the Christian must stop and reevaluate his/her use of money.

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,
and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with
much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? (Luke 16.10-12)

Who gave you what you have? Really. Who gave you your health to be able to earn what you do? Who provided the opportunities for you to be where you are today? Who chose your parents for you? Who determined your personality and your abilities? For those who would deny the existence of God, at the very least, you must answer an ambiguous fate or chance to these. For those who acknowledge the reality of a personal, loving Creator, these questions are a humbling reminder.

So what are you doing with your money? Are you using it for your own comfort and security? Are you pouring every last resource into your own life? Or are you apportioning your money in such a way as to reflect eternal realities and a God-centered perspective?

Decisons. Our church will be making some tough decisions as individuals and families this next month. If we are shown through scripture a different way to live, invest, spend, save, and give than what we currently are doing, then we must change. It’s either change or announce to the world that we’re hypocrites, professors of faith without being possessors of it.

Erwin McManus says in Seizing Your Divine Moment, “The most spiritual activity you will engage in today is making choices. All the other activities that we describe as spiritual - worship, prayer, meditation - are there to connect us to God and prepare us to live. While moments are the context within which we live, choices chart the course and determine the destination.”

Money. It’s your choice how to use or abuse it. In doing either, you reveal your true spiritual priorities and condition. It’s your choice.