lessons from a boo boo

Leah talks quite a bit with our grandsons on the phone.  Isaiah is getting more words and Eli is just having fun.  They both love talking with gram-gram.  Eli had to get one of his routine I'm-growing-up-and-don't-wanna-be-sick shots the other day.  I heard Leah talking with him about his boo-boo on his leg trying to get more than the word "boo-boo" out of him.  As she talked with Lynsee, after his attention span wore off (he is my son's son), she found out he was pointing at his leg where he got the shot.  He was showing gram-gram where the the boo-boo was.

In their mind if they can hear the voice they assume the voice can see them, even if they can't see where the voice is coming from.

I wonder if that's part of the child-like faith that Christ called his followers to.  "There will be times you won't be able to see me, you may wonder where I am, it might not make sense, but if you listen to the voice..."

I want to have the faith that points to the pain assuming that my God loves me enough to care about that pain, and is able to help.  I want to be able to be honest enough that I can point to the source of the problem and know that He understands.  I want to listen to Him say, "I love you."  I want to know that there is no such thing as God having to say, "good-bye."  I mean, I know that, but I want to remember it.  Remember it at the right time.  Like now.

As our grandkids grow they will figure out that gram-gram can't see through the phone.  As our grandkids grow I want them to know God doesn't need one, but wants to talk about the boo-boo's.

Pointing to Spots on My Soul, Hoping You Do the Same,

Pastor Dave

Recall

I listened to the latest report about Toyota recalls (another reason why my next car should be a Harley Davidson).  

I received a recall notice for my car (a Buick, because I'm old and don't have a Harley). Apparently there's a problem in the engine compartment and should be fixed.  It's about something silly like the engine catching on fire.

A recall is all about a manufacturer slapping itself on the forehead saying, "Oops, we made it wrong!  You paid for it assuming we didn't, but we did, so we'll fix it."

I've tried to do this with things I've said.  

Words are harder to recall than cars.  Once they have left my pie hole and found their way to their intended target they can't be recalled - the damage is done.  So the best I can do is to attempt damage control.  By the way, have you notice that when we attempt to do damage control over words spoken we usually make it worse?  Words are hard to recall.

Words damage innocent people too.  A brake pedal that doesn't work can obviously impact an innocent person, but so do words that are not thought through.  Most often the damage that is done is more devastating to the innocent then it is the intended.  Exhibit A - children who have to listen to sewage coming out of their parents mouths that are intended for each other.  Words hit the innocent too.

Words that can't be recalled and damage other people are really expensive.  Toyota can measure precisely how much it will cost to fix a steering problem with a car.  Know the number of vehicles sold with the problem, calculate the cost of repair, make sure you have 3.2 zillion dollars in the checkbook.  How much does lost trust cost?  What is the price of no respect?  How expensive are words that find more homes than they were intended to find?  Words can cost more than I'm willing to pay.

Words that can't be recalled and damage other people that are really expensive have two tools that have more power than the biggest checkbook and the most intelligent engineer - a sincere apology and a changed behavior.  God has designed it so that His power would flow through those two human actions.  

In religious terms, as it relates to a relationship with God, we call them confession and repentance.  They unlock the door to healing the relationship between God and those created in His image.  

In human terms, as it relates to damaging words I have said, sincere apology and changed behavior also have unlimited power and can unlock doors to healing and provide room for God to touch lives.      
  
Or, we could just spend our time and energy figuring out how to recall the words from people's minds, erase the damage they caused, suck them back into our mouths, resend them to our brain for adjustment or elimination, and then redeliver them repaired.  

Yah, if you come up with anything on that let the rest of us know - until then we're sticking with apology (confession) and change (repentance).

Harleyless,

Pastor Dave

Being Done & Placing On

Let us be done!

The things of this world have grasped for our attention and too often they stand victorious.  We clamor for success and worry more about an income to provide what we don't really need than we do wisdom to show us what we can't live without.  Let us be done with those.

The attitudes of pride and "self-esteem" have become banners of life until we have lost all sense of a call to humility and forgotten who we are in light of the God we serve.  As a result, the message we hope will penetrate those who don't know God has had a hard time sinking through our own souls.  Let us be done with those.

The government of rights and opinions has taught me to demand that I be constantly massaged with what I like and free to shun what doesn't please me.  Consumerism is in the church as it is in the grocery store, for too often our tastes take priority over our needs.  It's hard to serve God when I have to be served while doing it.  Let us be done with those.

The actions of anger and frustration ride checked within our spirits until the moment when release seems justified and victims stand deserving.  Bitterness hides ripening and waiting for excuses to set it free.  When it is free Christ is not honored, but our load is lightened.  Let us be done with those.

Let us place them on!

The robes of righteousness have been provided by our Creator.  They have been tailored to His Son and His Spirit longs to dress us in them.  They bring wholeness and cleansing with them, they at times may seem heavy, but the empowerment they provide is daily and supernatural.  Let us place them on!

The fruit of the Spirit are attributes of a life surrendered to the Lover of our souls.  They bring with them the taste of God and find ways of touching the hearts of those we come in contact with.  They seem to always grow when provided the soil of surrender and the nutrients of obedience.  Let us place them on!
  
The eyes of holiness cause us to view life in a way that impacts even those bad situations that refuse to change.  The holiness of the One we worship brings a tint of His presence to every fiber of our existence, and in turn changes us enough to be a channel of His holiness to those around us.  Let us place them on.

The wings of revival are held in the hand of our Savior and allow us to soar to places that are beyond what we can ask or imagine.  They take us to the heights of God's grace and propel us through the most violent storms. They are affixed to us through hunger and repentance and are stronger than any scheme hell has invented.  Let us place them on!

Being Done & Placing On,  

Pastor Dave      

A fly on the wall

Have you ever heard the expression, "I would have loved to have been a fly on that wall?"  The point is that something took place that we wanted to be part of, or most often just listen to.

Problem: Originally I think the fly came from Egypt.  They don't even understand English!

Problem: My luck – someone would see me and just before they started talking about what I wanted to hear and squash me.

Problem: Flies never seem to be able to leave a room.  I'd hear the conversation, not understand it because I only understand Egyptian, then I'd find a window, bump into it three thousand times, fall on the window sill and get all stiff- I'd never get to tell anyone what I heard. 

Somehow I don't think that's a good saying.

But, I was thinking about being an English speaking fly on my office wall this week.  You would have loved it. 

It would have been great to hear the conference calls I was part of as we discussed some really exciting things for the East Michigan Conference of the Free Methodist Church.  There are some great things happening – even if some are hard.

It would have been a blast to listen to some of the plans for new ways we will be able to do and live ministry as we get closer to Spring and the building project.

It would have been fun to hear as someone talked about the future and how excited they are to be part of the church and what God is doing.

It would have been a blessing for you to hear the conversation about the person who is experiencing a peace in their heart for the first time that is changing their countenance and outlook.   

It would have been interesting to watch the pastor dig through the Creator's love letter and find more verses than could possibly be used and watch the Holy Spirit whisper in his ear.

 It would have been unique to hear about some trials that are resulting in growth and a new confidence in God's plan.

You would have seen a great big smile as the pastor read another testimony of how God is using the Unifier as a tool to bring people together.

It would have been a good week to be an English speaking fly on the pastor's wall.  Sunday I'll be glad I'm not a fly on the wall, I am created in God's image!  I want to worship God and hear His Word.  I'm excited about being a Dave in the chair!  That's how God made it!

Coming to Church Ready for a Soul Miracle,

Pastor Dave