stomach flu

so i got the stomach flu last week. I thought during my teen years that I had kissed those days goodbye. But since we've had kids, jocelyn and I both have had a once a year affair (at least) where we get reacquainted intimately with the bathroom toilet (she's escaped this one so far-God is VERY good).

Now I'm better and back to work except the memory remains... a STRONG memory. And i'm looking at every door knob and every approaching handshake like it might be harboring the next thing to turn my stomach inside out.

But then in a few weeks I'll have forgotten and be back to only washing my hands 5 times a day as opposed to the 50+ times i'm washing them now (only slightly exaggerating here). The fear will be gone.

On one hand this is reassuring-this relatively short memory I have- I won't become the next howard hughes (have you seen Aviator?) But I'm not convinced this is a good thing. Because this tendency applies to many more things in my life than just the stomach flu.

And so forgetting the agony experienced and the caution "learned," i get back up on my feet and go bounding back into life, blindly running into the arms of the next thing that will torture me.

Man, who will save me from this body of death? click here

peace

the poor and the alien

In my reading thru Leviticus, I came across these verses. (lev 19:9-10)
When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien.

the concern God has for the poor and the alien (foreigners) is incredible, he includes them all the time in his commands to Israel. These practices- not gleaning your own field (going back and picking up the leftovers after you do the main harvest) and leaving a border around your plot of land unharvested- are great examples.

And then i think about us. Not only do we harvest in such a way that NOTHING is left behind for anyone else (or for savings), we harvest what is in other people's fields! (the average american spends more each month than they make, going further into debt)

God was trying to teach Israel that he would give them enough, in fact more than they needed. This meant that they could (1) be content and (2) share their abundance with those less fortunate. In the richest country in the world, we don't do either very well. Agreed? But maybe the key is to start with #2, if we're waiting around to one day finally feel content, we'll be waiting forever. But maybe contentment comes when we start giving what is "ours" away, because then, and maybe only then, will we see for ourselves that we've got more than we think, and way more than we need.

blue monday

so all of us in metro detroit are waiting to hear the news out of Ford Motor Co. today about what plants will be closed and a little more on how many jobs will be cut. I last lived here in michigan in 2000 before coming back in 2004, a lot has changed. The economy here is so tough. Who would've thought? With three of the world's biggest automakers all piled up into the southeastern corner of our state and a glut of shopping malls way nicer than what 5 cities could match all put together (not to mention how compared to any other place in our country, our cars are on average about 3-4 years newer) it sure seemed like our prosperity was going to be indefinite. Today is just another proof that not much in life is certain and is a reminder to be really careful about presuming on the future.

None of what happens today will affect me directly (sure, it'll eventually hit us all) and yet i jumped out of bed this morning and clicked around online trying to find any early "leaks" of what would be said later today. Incidentally the white house and other govt offices could learn a thing or two about secrecy from ford...there hasn't been too much intelligent chatter on any of this.

My heart is already hurting for all the people for whom todays news will be especially personal. If any of you who are reading this are feeling these cuts directly, let me say that i'm really sorry that this is happening to you.

And yet, here's what i know for certain. God is still with us all. And he is a God who makes and keeps promises. One of those is that those of us who follow him need not worry about what we will eat or what we will wear, because he will provide. (Matt 6:25-34). The other is that he is always with us, especially visible to us in the bad times. (Isaiah 41:17).

So, in a little over 4 hours the mystery will be over, and i think the news agencies will forget the story about 48 hours after that. But here's one more promise to us who will feel these effects longer. God won't forget about this and abandon us in a couple of days or weeks. In fact, i think we should all be getting ready to see MORE of God working in the middle of our wounded and bruised region. He's got a special knack for doing miracles in the midst of desolation... and who knows, maybe under present circumstances, we'll be a little more willing to see him. Peace be with you.

church and money

this one is touchy.

i'm finding that in my personal faith walk, money keeps becoming a more important issue. For a long time i made excuses why God didn't need me to give my money to his work...

after wrestling with the whole issue for quite a while i've come to believe that our generosity toward God is a pretty important factor in our relationship with him, it can bring us to a new level of closeness with him. Or put barriers between us. I'm not making this up either...The bible seems to say the same thing.

but i know there are a lot of scum-bags out there who manipulate people into giving money "to god" so that they can become rich. So I'm sympathetic to the discomfort some feel when money is brought up in church.

and yet, i feel like I'm in a catch 22 sometimes because i believe that what we do with our money is so important in our walk with God. and equally important to helping God be known to those who aren't yet in a relationship with him. But I know it can turn people off in a big way...

so if there are any of you reading this, what are your thoughts on this? How does it make you feel when a guy like me starts talking about $$, while you are in a place of worship. And if you are willing, please share how giving (or not giving) has affected your spirituality? Feel free to publish comments anonymously if that's easier for you. When you go to the comments page, just select the "anonymous" radial button (then you don't need to register).

thanks... oh one more thing, Jesus talked about money more than anything else (except the "kingdom of God") in his ministry on earth... he must've thought there was something to it too.

encourage one another

as you may know i teach a bible study on the New Testament book of Philippians on sundays 9:30am (also online here)

In preparing for last sunday, I was reading Phil 1:20 and was struck with how important it is to encourage each other. There is a lot that can make us afraid or feel weak in this life, but encouragement literally means to put courage into someone. How neat is it that we can do that for eachother?! The fact that we can to me means that we should. But on top of that the Bible talks, all over the place, about being one who gives courage to others...So, I meant to really drive the point home during the study on Sunday, but I blabbed too long, we ran short on time, and i forgot.

I was sortof mad at myself for forgetting because i believe that in these days we need each other's support more than ever so that we don't get weary and quit running the race (i know i do). I felt like i missed a great opportunity to express this truth.

But then 2 things happened that made me wonder if God didn't get this message across anyway. I received 2 emails already this week from people in the St. Matthew community (i'm not even sure that they come to the bible class i teach) who wanted to do nothing but encourage me.

how cool is God? He is always moving, teaching us, nudging us to action for the good of his work in the world. This little thing shows me again that God really does know our needs and provides for them (he really does give us this day our daily bread)

but i wanted to stress again how important that we cheer one another on. So here's a challenge this week. Even if you don't feel like a particularly "encouraging" person, try to become an encourager (think Paula Abdul on American Idol!) find ways to cheer on your parents or your spouse- your siblings or your kids, clap a little for your coworkers and "put courage in them" to live for God this week.

I wonder how many people today are on the verge of losing heart, of throwing in the towel. not to sound too "chicken soup for the soul"-ish but YOU may be the one who can keep them going on. So don't be afraid to be a giver of courage. And let me know how it goes if you take the challenge.

White as snow

So I was reading the Old Testament Book of Leviticus the other day (don't ask) and was amazed at how much medicine the priesthood was responsible for. It's actually pretty interesting stuff! I got especially hooked on a section all about skin infections... how the priest would have to examine someone who suddenly developed a skin lesion or sore, and if it looked red or had raw flesh, he would quarantine the person for a week and then check it out again. I was especially surprised to read that when the sore turned white, the priest would then allow the person to come back into the community. That was because the whiteness of the sore meant that it was on its way to healing. if this is sounding gross to you, give me a minute before you quit reading.

Because it was at this point that something really hit home to me.

Maybe you've read in the Bible, or heard in songs, stuff about being "white as snow"... "though our sins are as scarlet, he washes them white as snow"... what that's saying is that when we are brought into a relationship with Jesus, our sins, our failures, our imperfections are covered over by his perfection and we become "white as snow." White is a color that represents purity, spotlessness. So God no longer sees our brokenness and rebelliousness, he sees the purity of Jesus that we are now clothed with. We are as "white" to him.

But this Leviticus thing connected something for me (WARNING: This is just a personal interpretation that I find neat). See, while God sees me as pure (though I'm not) because of Jesus, there is more to this "whiteness" Jesus is not just covering over it, but he's also healing me... so, yeah, the wounds are still there but they aren't as they were. They aren't life threatening, a worsening condition, but day by day God is healing me, making me "white as snow" from the inside AND the outside, working both together...

Man this is pretty gross, sores and scabs... what was i thinking? hope i've made at least a LITTLE sense to you :) If not feel free to talk back... feel free to talk back anyway, anytime. Peace.

entitlement

I don't live a difficult life. I don't have huge burdens to carry. I bet 90% of america has it harder than I do (BTW i don't think it's because God likes me better than 90% of america either). But let me tell you, it doesn't take much to get me all flustered with life.

a few hundred dollars of car repairs for example. maybe i should say several hundred (can you tell how annoyed i am?) even though it's not a missing kid, an infectious disease, or a lost job, I'm still finding myself asking the great unanswerable (and occasionally annoying) question, "why me??"

Next i try to explain to myself that this might be the suffering that Jesus promised his followers, "you will be hated by all nations because of me" and "if they persecuted me, they will persecute you also" it sounds good for a moment, almost makes my hardship sound noble. I like noble. But if i really think about it, the auto mechanic on the corner is not exactly Emperor Nero, and draining my checking account is hardly akin to being fed to lions.

Maybe the whole issue here is that i'm so used to life being easy, or as my good friend Joel O. would say, "blessed", that i don't know how to act when i don't get my way. I'm taking the good for granted, or worse yet, I'm feeling entitled to it, like i somehow deserve it and so i cry "no fair" whenever the flow of goodness is temporarily stopped.

as i'm writing this I'm thinking that entitlement must be the number-one enemy of grace.

Quite often, Grace (God's abundant love for us which is totally unearned and undeserved) amazes me, but other times i'm so unaffected by it, maybe that's because i can easily let grace become entitlement, and though i didn't earn my good standing with God, i can sure take it for granted like it's my right rather than my privilege (bestowed on me by a very kind and loving God)

I guess the opposite would be to look at the car repairs (and worse) as more in line with what i actually deserve... and instead of expecting blessing, I could celebrate it whenever it comes as a wonderful miracle from God... even when it comes more often than not. Puts it in perspective for me, thanks for journeying through this with me :)

One of the smartest things I'll do...

So maybe you know, we had a baby just 2 weeks ago, Dec 27, 2005, aria bess was born. She's a beautiful girl, sweet, a lot alike and yet so different than her big sister, ellie.

and this weekend I'm going to do one of the smartest things I'll ever do... let me explain. See, I realize that though i strive to be a good parent, i'll fail at it. I also realize that i've got about 18 years (more or less) during which my girls are under my watchful eye and after that my influence is seriously diminished. I also realize that as beautiful and smart and sweet as my girls are, that they are not perfect either, that in fact they've got this capacity for darkness and rebelliousness, not just against me, but against God himself.

So this weekend jocelyn and I will present our daughter to God and hand her over to his care through what we call "holy baptism" It's the smartest thing I'll do because it means that aria gets a new start, that God will cleanse her from her darkness and begin a new relationship with her that will last life-long. I can't give my kids much, none of us can when you really think about it... but i can bring her to God in the water of baptism and i get the promise that God claims her, gives her a relationship with himself, and gives her all the grace that his Son Jesus earned for her on the cross.

It seems weird, that I can give the gift of God to my daughter, but that's sorta what it is. God promises to work in that water by the power of his word... we bring her to it and stand back while the miracle happens.

If you're local, feel free to stop by and witness the miracle, this sunday jan 15 in the 10:45 service at St. Matthew-Walled Lake campus. You can get a link to a map on the homepage for St. Matthew. We'd love for you to join us and celebrate God's goodness

Creative Computer People, Do I Have a Place for You!

I need some committed, creative, computer people for a new ministry endeavor.

We at St. Matt have a new presentation software (MediaShout) and are looking for some people to create the computer presentation file for one of our contemporary worship services (this is what you see on the screen in worship).

There is not a great amount of time required, but this is a vital step in making worship happen. We will train you on the software and give you everything you need. All we need is your commitment and your love for God!

I thought this might be a good place to start since you readers of this blog at least know how to use a computer...drop a comment or an email to me for more info

good things are in the mix. Love for you to be a part of them!

For you locals- Starting Sunday Jan 8

TOMORROW (Sunday jan 8) we are beginning a new 5 week study at the Walled Lake Campus-Sanctuary Bible Study (9:30am)

Serving God When Life is Hard: Philippians.

I invite you to come. The book of Philippians is a wonderful letter written to a group of struggling people-in very tough circumstances- trying to live as God's people, by a leader (the apostle Paul) who is also in pretty desperate circumstances. I think there is a lot for all of us… especially if you show up and contribute!

Consider this a “grass roots” movement. Please come and check it out in the next few weeks, even if you can't make it this week.
thanks
Dion

template changes

I'm not a web programmer (though I learned a bunch of html in college while the web was still new) so i'm using a template that i'm trying to tweak for this blog. emphasize trying.
I already deleted one of my posts in trying to adjust the format of the page so slightly and lost my FIRST comment with it (sorry jill, whoever you are) and i've noticed a few other quirks along the way. I hope my shoddy work isn't too annoying, bear with it, unless it's really bad then please let me know.
cheers!

loopholes

a couple of nights ago i had the "sixth commandment talk" with our second year confirmation students... yeah, that's right...the one about adultery, SEX. They did a great job handling the awkwardness of the conversation and were quite mature but one thing really ocurred to me.

Most Christ-followers think that God is holding out on them.

I really think it's true. Most of the kids who will remain sexually pure until marriage will do so because they are afraid, of disappointing God or their parents. Or because they are afraid of getting pregnant or getting a disease. In otherwords they will do what God says out of fear or at best out of submissive obedience, which isn't a bad thing, but few will do it because they REALLY BELIEVE that God has in mind what is best for them. It doesn't really occur to most people (i admit often i'm in this boat too) that God's commands could actually be in our best interest... that life would be good if we heeded God's wise counsel.

Maybe the problem is that we don't trust that God has good in mind for us. We think that we (people from the ancestry of adam and eve who chose to eat from the only tree in the garden that would kill them) know what good is... and so sex, overeating, talking garbage about other people, cheating the system (i could go on) it all seems like the path to a great life. And all the while God's voice is calling us down another road. The road that is in fact good

unfortunately it is in our nature NOT to recognize God's way, his plan for us, as the GOOD way. Instead we see him as the "fun-take-away-er" standing in the way of earthly pleasures and bliss. And so we ultimately end up either resentfully following (sad that we're missing out) or looking for loopholes so that allow us to have (what we believe is) the best of both worlds.

It's such a great misunderstanding of who God is though. After all, he's the one who gave us his Son, freely he gave him, for OUR good. God never has and never will hold back his best from us. If we would believe that... man....