Last Sunday was our first real taste of Winter here in Nebraska. I was hoping that the weather man would be wrong with his forecast as I loaded up my five year old to head to Holdrege (to drop him off) and then to Kearney for Minister's Retreat. Snow began to fall just as we left Omaha which had me wondering how much had fallen on the interstate going west. My first hour and a half was pleasant considering the amount of snow falling. The wind was drifting the snow lightly over the road and visibility was fairly clear. It was sort of cool to watch as I was driving and listening to "How to Train Your Dragon" and a sermon cd simultaneously.
But when I reached the Grand Island exit, things worsened considerably. The outside lane began to disappear under the coating of tightly packed snow. I slowed from 70ish to 55-60 mph and many other drivers did the same. After about 15 minutes, visibility reduced dramatically and I started seeing vehicles on the sides of the Interstate - some with people trying to dig themselves out. Those who chose not to slow down were paying a heavy price for their carelessness.
The most challenging element of this drive though, was the semis who continued to barrel down the interstate at 65-70mph. The majority of the traffic had slowed to 45 and the result of these semis passing you on the outside was terrifing. With each one, I gripped the steering wheel and waited for them to pass. But even after they passed, the worst was yet to come. The semis woul leave behind a giant cloud of snow that would last for 5-10 seconds (it seemed much longer). In effect, with each semis passing, you were driving in complete white out. I would slow down briefly, wondering if someone ahead of me would stop abruptly. There was no way of knowing what was ahead of you. I simply had to hold my breath and move forward.
After arriving safely in Holdrege and then later in Kearney, many fellow ministers recounted the same fears and anxiety of driving in this type of weather and we all had our own opinions of the semi drivers who were wreaking havoc on others. Oddly enough, those same semis piled up in a multiple (20+) vehicle accident that shut down the interstate near Gothenburg farther west.
I reflected back on this drive this week as I read 2 Corinthians 5:7, which states, "...we walk by faith, not by sight." In other words, following Christ will at many times be like driving in white out conditions. There will be dangers and the destination may be hard to recognize, but with faith and obedience, He will get us there. The great thing is, because of His power, love and grace, we don't have to be afraid. As Paul stated in Philippians, we can "press on with confidence." The journey of faith is not easy, but the best part is that we don't have to travel it alone, and yes, Jesus will take the wheel (cue Carrie Underwood music). Ok, that's my first and last country music reference in my blog. But seriously, I'm so thankful that I made it through the storm, but I am equally thankful that I am walking by faith in my journey with Christ.
Official blog of New Creation Church of Omaha
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
"A date which will live in infamy"
Whenever December 7th rolls around, I stop and think about how much the world changed on that date. On that morning, our country was at peace and doing all that it could to stay out of the evergrowing World War. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor changed the course of countless lives. Thousands were killed in that attack alone and thousands of Americans would die for our country in the following four years. One family lost all three of their sons on the USS Arizona as it sunk to the bottom of the Pacific.
If you ask someone who was alive about the attack on Pearl Harbor, they will immediately tell you where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. Moreover, they will likely explain the flood of emotions that were created by this horrific news. Veterans of WWII will pause to remember what happened on this day. Others may do more to remind as many as possible the significance of this date.
But what I realized today is that with each and every new generation, dates like December 7th are remembered less and less. Part of the reason for this is that new dates - like September 11th - replace older ones since personal experience plays a huge role in our memory. The risk for future generations, however, is that the lessons learned and sense of appreciation for who we are as a country can and will be lost if a date like December 7th becomes just another event in a history book.
I know that as a parent, I must do all that I can to remind my son and daughter of the importance of these dates. Even more, it's paramount that I impart the spiritual knowledge and understanding that surrounds these world changing events and, more importantly, the events and people found in scripture. I desparately want my children to grasp the lessons learned from dates like December 7th and with it the relevant truth found in the Bible.
All of this reminds me of a passage found in Psalm 78.
"I will teach you hidden lessons from our past -
stories we have heard and known
stories our ancestors handed down to us
We will not hide these truths from our grandchildren
we will tell the next generation about the glories deeds of the Lord
about his power and his mighty deeds."
Let us not hide the truths from our kids and grandkids. We must pass them on. So, tonight, my son will learn about "the date which will live in infamy."
If you ask someone who was alive about the attack on Pearl Harbor, they will immediately tell you where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. Moreover, they will likely explain the flood of emotions that were created by this horrific news. Veterans of WWII will pause to remember what happened on this day. Others may do more to remind as many as possible the significance of this date.
But what I realized today is that with each and every new generation, dates like December 7th are remembered less and less. Part of the reason for this is that new dates - like September 11th - replace older ones since personal experience plays a huge role in our memory. The risk for future generations, however, is that the lessons learned and sense of appreciation for who we are as a country can and will be lost if a date like December 7th becomes just another event in a history book.
I know that as a parent, I must do all that I can to remind my son and daughter of the importance of these dates. Even more, it's paramount that I impart the spiritual knowledge and understanding that surrounds these world changing events and, more importantly, the events and people found in scripture. I desparately want my children to grasp the lessons learned from dates like December 7th and with it the relevant truth found in the Bible.
All of this reminds me of a passage found in Psalm 78.
"I will teach you hidden lessons from our past -
stories we have heard and known
stories our ancestors handed down to us
We will not hide these truths from our grandchildren
we will tell the next generation about the glories deeds of the Lord
about his power and his mighty deeds."
Let us not hide the truths from our kids and grandkids. We must pass them on. So, tonight, my son will learn about "the date which will live in infamy."
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Can I eat now?
About four months ago, my wife and I sat and talked with an Orthopedic Surgeon (the one who operated on my knee a few years ago) to find out the damage inflicted on her knee from the car accident last April. After he wiggled and pushed on it for a few seconds, we heard the dreaded words - "you have a torn ACL." We later scheduled her surgery for 7 weeks after delivery of our little girl. At the time, I knew that it would be interesting for us to have an infant, 5 yr old and a mommy on crutches. Little did I know, it would be more than interesting!
As doable as it sounded, the first 10 days after the surgery proved that I didn't always have enough hands, time or energy to keep up with the needs of three people. I remembered how to do laundry, cook and say "Yes, dear" more times in a day than I can remember. Because of this experience, I've gained a new perspective on being a dad and a parent. What surprised me is the effect it has had on my faith.
A few days ago, I fixed a meal for my son and a lactose free meal for my wife as well as helped set my daughter up for a nap. After I thought everyone was settled, I sat down to eat my enchallada meal only to be asked for to more things from my wife and son. Once I completed my tasks, I sat down again to eat and asked in frustration, "Can I eat now?"
With my belly full and some time to myself later that night, I realized my selfishness and reflected on Jesus words, "if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Most Christ followers would recognize and be able to quote this passage as it is central to the teachings of Jesus. But, as I discovered, quoting the passage and living it are two very different things.
A friend of mine recently commented on this passage and described the challenge as "intentionally putting yourself at a disadvantage." So, this would be like us constantly allowing others to cut in front of us while we are waiting in line for our wants and desires. In other words, denying yourself is admitting your wrong before the argument starts, making your "me time" into "her time," voluntarily giving up the remote control (yeah, that's tough), and asking "what can I help you with" BEFORE you have to say, "yes, dear."
This isn't easy for anyone but that's because its not natural. Normally we listen to ourselves first and wouldn't dare let someone ahead of us. Our needs, time, money and wants come first. Our culture drives that into our heads, and we have to - with God's strength - do all that we can to drive it back out. That's the battle. Self vs. Others. At some point we all want to be first in line. We all want to stop serving others and serve ourselves. We all want to just sit down and feed our own face.
Yea, we all have to eat and I needed nourishment from my enchalladas that night. But what if I would have sat quietly and reflected on the many three times my wife served me after surgeries? What if I would have shown my son an example of a joyful servant?
Obviously, I have a long way to go in this area. Most of us do. Even during our best days, its only a matter of time before our wants and desires push others out of the way. Just like shopping on Black Friday, our wants and desires want to be at the front of the line to get the best for ourselves. But, as Jesus taught, and more importantly, lived out, we have to be willing to push ourselves to the back of the line and let others go first.
As doable as it sounded, the first 10 days after the surgery proved that I didn't always have enough hands, time or energy to keep up with the needs of three people. I remembered how to do laundry, cook and say "Yes, dear" more times in a day than I can remember. Because of this experience, I've gained a new perspective on being a dad and a parent. What surprised me is the effect it has had on my faith.
A few days ago, I fixed a meal for my son and a lactose free meal for my wife as well as helped set my daughter up for a nap. After I thought everyone was settled, I sat down to eat my enchallada meal only to be asked for to more things from my wife and son. Once I completed my tasks, I sat down again to eat and asked in frustration, "Can I eat now?"
With my belly full and some time to myself later that night, I realized my selfishness and reflected on Jesus words, "if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Most Christ followers would recognize and be able to quote this passage as it is central to the teachings of Jesus. But, as I discovered, quoting the passage and living it are two very different things.
A friend of mine recently commented on this passage and described the challenge as "intentionally putting yourself at a disadvantage." So, this would be like us constantly allowing others to cut in front of us while we are waiting in line for our wants and desires. In other words, denying yourself is admitting your wrong before the argument starts, making your "me time" into "her time," voluntarily giving up the remote control (yeah, that's tough), and asking "what can I help you with" BEFORE you have to say, "yes, dear."
This isn't easy for anyone but that's because its not natural. Normally we listen to ourselves first and wouldn't dare let someone ahead of us. Our needs, time, money and wants come first. Our culture drives that into our heads, and we have to - with God's strength - do all that we can to drive it back out. That's the battle. Self vs. Others. At some point we all want to be first in line. We all want to stop serving others and serve ourselves. We all want to just sit down and feed our own face.
Yea, we all have to eat and I needed nourishment from my enchalladas that night. But what if I would have sat quietly and reflected on the many three times my wife served me after surgeries? What if I would have shown my son an example of a joyful servant?
Obviously, I have a long way to go in this area. Most of us do. Even during our best days, its only a matter of time before our wants and desires push others out of the way. Just like shopping on Black Friday, our wants and desires want to be at the front of the line to get the best for ourselves. But, as Jesus taught, and more importantly, lived out, we have to be willing to push ourselves to the back of the line and let others go first.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
In Awe and Wonder
So there I am, standing in the delivery room minutes after my wife has delivered our second child (delivering faster than Dominos as a friend remarked). Watching the nurses check her over, the fact that I was a Dad again was just beginning to soak in. Then, little Haven was placed in my arms and it really hit me. This beautiful child, who will forever be part of me and my wife and an awesome creation of God, is really here!
I watched my wife carry this little heartbeat and kicking machine for 39 weeks. Moms have the unenviable task of laboring and sacrificing for nine months but also the privelage of bonding in a way that Dads will never understand. Us guys are excited and supportive but our jaws don't drop until that beautiful creation reaches our arms (in my case, it was a watery discharge building up in my eyes). It's an unforgettable and irreplaceable experience to fully realize in just a few moments what you have taken part in creating and will now be responsible for.
As I looked upon my daughter's face, I found myself filled with an incredible sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of this new life that I was cradling. God already knew Haven before she was born and had protected her and my wife during an intense auto accident. This moment was a special one for our family, and I was infinitely thankful for God's grace and provision.
My sense of awe and wonder reminded me of the many times those words are used in scripture. Wonder is a word used throughout the OT to describe extrodinary and hard to explain things (pele'). Many times it is used to desribe God and his masterwork. We find this word in Psalms 89:5, "The heavens praise of your wonders." Just as explaining God and his love are difficult to put into words, describing what it feels like to be a Father of a daughter for the first time is next to impossible.
As for the word "awe," it is used in the OT (such as Ecclesiastes 5:7) and is from the root word Yare' which means to fear, revere, or in this case, "to stand in awe of." This word is in some ways the action form of wonder as it refers to our feelings and attitude of respect and awe before God and his creations. I hope that I never lose my sense of awe for the work that God has done and will do in Haven's (and my son Jackson's) life.
Just like the worship song, "I stand in awe of you," yesterday's experience in the delivery room is a vivid reminder that I have two incredible wonders in my life that I can be thankful for and stand in awe of. Today, I will join heaven and praise God for His newest wonder!
I watched my wife carry this little heartbeat and kicking machine for 39 weeks. Moms have the unenviable task of laboring and sacrificing for nine months but also the privelage of bonding in a way that Dads will never understand. Us guys are excited and supportive but our jaws don't drop until that beautiful creation reaches our arms (in my case, it was a watery discharge building up in my eyes). It's an unforgettable and irreplaceable experience to fully realize in just a few moments what you have taken part in creating and will now be responsible for.
As I looked upon my daughter's face, I found myself filled with an incredible sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of this new life that I was cradling. God already knew Haven before she was born and had protected her and my wife during an intense auto accident. This moment was a special one for our family, and I was infinitely thankful for God's grace and provision.
My sense of awe and wonder reminded me of the many times those words are used in scripture. Wonder is a word used throughout the OT to describe extrodinary and hard to explain things (pele'). Many times it is used to desribe God and his masterwork. We find this word in Psalms 89:5, "The heavens praise of your wonders." Just as explaining God and his love are difficult to put into words, describing what it feels like to be a Father of a daughter for the first time is next to impossible.
As for the word "awe," it is used in the OT (such as Ecclesiastes 5:7) and is from the root word Yare' which means to fear, revere, or in this case, "to stand in awe of." This word is in some ways the action form of wonder as it refers to our feelings and attitude of respect and awe before God and his creations. I hope that I never lose my sense of awe for the work that God has done and will do in Haven's (and my son Jackson's) life.
Just like the worship song, "I stand in awe of you," yesterday's experience in the delivery room is a vivid reminder that I have two incredible wonders in my life that I can be thankful for and stand in awe of. Today, I will join heaven and praise God for His newest wonder!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Old Friends
I went home to see family this weekend for the 4th of July. But I was also able to see some old friends too - which was nice. Well, it was more than nice. Seeing old friends that I went to elementary, middle and high school with is rewarding. To reconnect with people that you haven't seen in years and have the ability to just pick up where you left off is something very rare outside of your family. This only works with the people you spent your formative years with. Old college buddies seem to have only a limited connection. And people from your previous employment - if that was your only connection - seem to drift apart too easily for us to reestablish a meaningful friendship.
Not so with our friends from 8th grade. These pals know more about us than some of our current friends. And the stuff we went through with them - like puberty, peer pressure and our first dates - those are experiences that produce bonds stronger than any super glue.
All of this reminded me of a line from a movie about this kind of friendship, "Stand by Me." After the narrator has taken us through a two hour retelling of a powerful journey he shared with three of his 12 year old friends, he concludes his story and the movie with this quote: "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. But who does?"
That about sums it up for me. But this line of thought led to the spiritual reflection concerning our friendship with God. For the spiritual giants of scripture, friendship with God was very real. Abraham is recognized in scripture as "a friend of God." And David was "a man after God's own heart." Then there's Jesus' famous line, "Greater love has no man than this - that a man lay down his life for his friend."
This amazing friendship is not lost in the words of scripture. It can be found in real life today. And interestingly enough, we can discover it by applying our 12 year old habits. Start telling God everything. Just like we shared our biggest dreams and deepest secrets with our friends at school, God wants to hear them from us. If you want examples, check out David's Psalms. To keep these conversations going, we need time with God. The kind of time we spent with our friends hanging out every chance we had after school. We all have interesting stories to tell from when we were 12, and just think about the stories we could share if we hung out with God in prayer and scripture for a fraction of the time we spent with our buddies in school. Boy would we have some good ones.
Friendship is a universal need, and yet so many people are living without it. There are people we come into contact every day who would love to have just one friend right now like the one they had at Summer camp when they were 12. But it doesn't take a class reunion to have a friend like that again. It just takes a willingness to open up to God and spend some time getting to know the One who desperately wants to be your friend.
Not so with our friends from 8th grade. These pals know more about us than some of our current friends. And the stuff we went through with them - like puberty, peer pressure and our first dates - those are experiences that produce bonds stronger than any super glue.
All of this reminded me of a line from a movie about this kind of friendship, "Stand by Me." After the narrator has taken us through a two hour retelling of a powerful journey he shared with three of his 12 year old friends, he concludes his story and the movie with this quote: "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. But who does?"
That about sums it up for me. But this line of thought led to the spiritual reflection concerning our friendship with God. For the spiritual giants of scripture, friendship with God was very real. Abraham is recognized in scripture as "a friend of God." And David was "a man after God's own heart." Then there's Jesus' famous line, "Greater love has no man than this - that a man lay down his life for his friend."
This amazing friendship is not lost in the words of scripture. It can be found in real life today. And interestingly enough, we can discover it by applying our 12 year old habits. Start telling God everything. Just like we shared our biggest dreams and deepest secrets with our friends at school, God wants to hear them from us. If you want examples, check out David's Psalms. To keep these conversations going, we need time with God. The kind of time we spent with our friends hanging out every chance we had after school. We all have interesting stories to tell from when we were 12, and just think about the stories we could share if we hung out with God in prayer and scripture for a fraction of the time we spent with our buddies in school. Boy would we have some good ones.
Friendship is a universal need, and yet so many people are living without it. There are people we come into contact every day who would love to have just one friend right now like the one they had at Summer camp when they were 12. But it doesn't take a class reunion to have a friend like that again. It just takes a willingness to open up to God and spend some time getting to know the One who desperately wants to be your friend.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
What We Learned - Part 5
In the week following my wife losing her job and then her getting into a car accident, I talked and prayed with lots of family and friends. Obviously we were in the middle of a trying time and eagerly accepted the kind thoughts and words from others.
One of the conversations that has really stuck with me is the one I had with a friend and fellow Pastor. I explained to him that we were both pretty exhausted but that we were finding strength in God, and He was carrying us through. His response really summed up how much we take this strength and presence for granted. He said, "It makes you wonder how people get through this kind of stuff without God." Now, the long answer to that statement is more than this blog can handle. But the short answer is, all people struggle big time when they go it alone in this world, and sometimes they don't make it through.
The fact is, without God we all struggle. Its just that sometimes we only notice our struggle when life throws us a curve ball, or as we just experienced, when life knocks us down completely. I am grateful that we had God's strength during this time. Honestly, I don't want to imagine going through crises, or life for that matter, on our own. Instead of scrambling or panicing (which I have done in the past), we waited for God to carry us through. Certainly reminds me of Isaiah 40:31. "Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint."
One of the conversations that has really stuck with me is the one I had with a friend and fellow Pastor. I explained to him that we were both pretty exhausted but that we were finding strength in God, and He was carrying us through. His response really summed up how much we take this strength and presence for granted. He said, "It makes you wonder how people get through this kind of stuff without God." Now, the long answer to that statement is more than this blog can handle. But the short answer is, all people struggle big time when they go it alone in this world, and sometimes they don't make it through.
The fact is, without God we all struggle. Its just that sometimes we only notice our struggle when life throws us a curve ball, or as we just experienced, when life knocks us down completely. I am grateful that we had God's strength during this time. Honestly, I don't want to imagine going through crises, or life for that matter, on our own. Instead of scrambling or panicing (which I have done in the past), we waited for God to carry us through. Certainly reminds me of Isaiah 40:31. "Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint."
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
What We've Learned - Part 4
I remember it like it was yesterday. My wife called me on a Friday morning four weeks ago and notified me that her company would not be able to continue and would be closing its doors. Later, she dropped my son off at the church and with tears in her eyes went back to her office to pack up her belongings. I finished off what work that I could concentrate on and headed home.
That evening my wife and I were treated to Pizza Hut delivery with my in-laws. We had a good time discussing how our son had little idea about how big a deal this situation was. After hearing the news about her job, my wife cried in the car for a while with Jackson in the car. A few minutes into the tears and sniffling, my son asked Candace if she could get a tissue and blow her nose as her crying was "a little to loud." If only we could handle life's hard knocks with the ease of a child.
As my wife downloaded her day with her mom, I went to the bedroom, shut the door and spent some time reading the Bible. I went back to Mark 5, which I had read a few days earlier and was happy that I did.
After waiting for Jesus to arrive at his home and heal his daughter, Jairus receives news that she has died and that Jesus shouldn't bother. But Christ responds with great words of encouragement for the father - "Don't be afraid. Just have faith." As I read those words that Friday evening, I wept a little as the peace that only God brings came over me. Later on that evening, I read it to Candace before bed. Such a simple message, yet it carried so much power with it. Even though our life had become very unpredictable, we knew that God was with us and we didn't need to be afraid.
That evening my wife and I were treated to Pizza Hut delivery with my in-laws. We had a good time discussing how our son had little idea about how big a deal this situation was. After hearing the news about her job, my wife cried in the car for a while with Jackson in the car. A few minutes into the tears and sniffling, my son asked Candace if she could get a tissue and blow her nose as her crying was "a little to loud." If only we could handle life's hard knocks with the ease of a child.
As my wife downloaded her day with her mom, I went to the bedroom, shut the door and spent some time reading the Bible. I went back to Mark 5, which I had read a few days earlier and was happy that I did.
After waiting for Jesus to arrive at his home and heal his daughter, Jairus receives news that she has died and that Jesus shouldn't bother. But Christ responds with great words of encouragement for the father - "Don't be afraid. Just have faith." As I read those words that Friday evening, I wept a little as the peace that only God brings came over me. Later on that evening, I read it to Candace before bed. Such a simple message, yet it carried so much power with it. Even though our life had become very unpredictable, we knew that God was with us and we didn't need to be afraid.
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