Mike's Summer - Looking Back/Looking Ahead

Since it's officially football season, I'm going to go ahead and call it "Fall". Even though I'm still dripping with sweat from a trip to the mailbox, it is about 10 degrees cooler than a week or so ago. So as I look forward to another great fantasy football season for my team, the "(Paper) Clippers", (and hopefully a great real season for the Texans), I would like to reflect back on our summer. It was good - hard, but good.

Mostly it's been about Mike:

Mike got let go from the nursery as anticipated at the end of their Spring season. He was hired as a "seasonal employee", after all. He was ready for it. It was just too hot and too exhausting. Plus the timing was perfect because the next week he started teaching a Sunday morning Bible class at church (with a reprise every Wednesday) and attending his first Bible college class on Monday nights.

The class he taught centered around Simon Peter, but like all good Bible Studies it was really about how to study the Bible, the life-changing power of the gospel, understanding the Christian worldview, and how to apply it in your own life. And of course, Mike is in love with Power Point and baseball analogies. Which worked out pretty well with a group heavy on Astros fanatics. He never does anything halfway, so he spent hours and days studying and searching for the perfect visuals. He did a great job. And finished up by doing his presentation of "Simon Peter:I Witness" for the last Sunday. There were well over a hundred men, women and children in attendance. It was great to see him glue on the old beard once again.

He had a love/hate relationship with his "Hermeneutics" class, struggling with the teaching style of the instructor, but really getting a lot out of the class in the end. He hasn't seen his grade yet, but anticipates a B+ or an A. Not bad for an old guy. Last week he started his next class on "An Introduction to Systematic Theology". 5 required books! He's really excited about this one. The ultimate goal is a Masters in Biblical Studies. Yes, that is a Masters in B.S. Appropriate, yes?

And lastly, he's been involved with an advisory team at our church which is really going through some difficult times (the church, not the team). He's getting to know the pastor and some of the other guys, and is taking it all very seriously (for him, anyway).

The hard part in all this has been the no paycheck thing. He gets embarrassed when people ask what he "does". And even when he can explain it, they generally ask something to the effect of, "does that pay well?" So God seems to be "refining" my husband through a season of humbling. It's been tight, but we're squeaking by. I'm actually extremely excited about the direction we seem to be going now.

Mike has always told as part of his "testimony" the story of being called to be a pastor when he was first saved. He was literally called by the Church of the Brethren, and he pastored a couple of little churches for a few months (he was still a teenager and a baby believer!). The Church, of course, had every intention of providing him with a seminary education, but Mike ran from that idea as fast as he could. And he's shunned and disdained the idea of seminary "credentials" ever since. However, 30 years later, he's realized that the church did not call him, but God did. And even though he's ignored that call, it's still what God has called him to do. So, he's going to give it a try. What God will do after that, only He knows. But I can't wait to find out!

Dez...Really?

Dear Dez Bryant,

As a Dallas Cowboy fan, I have been reading a lot about you lately. Obviously, your achievements to date are impressive. Having you on the team will give us greater depth and a hopeful future for even more post season play.

However, we really weren't doing too bad without you. You could be a nice addition to the team, but only if you can remember that you aren't the team - you've joined a team. You can't win by yourself. Ask T.O.

Arrogance is ugly on anyone. But coming in as a rookie with so little respect for the veteran players around you and the whole team dynamic is just sad. I don't wish bad things for you, but it's my opinion you need to be taken down a few pegs. Anything else could be really harmful to the organization. Maybe you should find some humility on your own before you're made to find it in front of everyone.

I'm just sayin' -

G

Lesson from Ruth

I've been studying the book of Ruth this summer with a study guide by Kelly Minter and some friends from church. (Kelly does great studies - even includes recipes!) The overarching theme of the study is that Boaz redeeming Ruth is a representation of how Jesus redeems us.

What I came across this week was a concept I had not considered before. Boaz announces at the city gates in front of the elders and many townspeople that he will marry Ruth the Moabitess widow. He is completely unashamed and quite delighted by this.

So I just realized that Jesus redeems me knowing full well that I would be considered unworthy, unattractive, and beneath notice of anyone else; yet He is not ashamed - in fact He is delighted!

It never occurred to me that Jesus might actually look directly at my sin and shame, my unworthiness, even announce it, and be delighted to take me in, to cover me with His protection, to bless me. I hadn't really thought of it before, but somehow assumed that He redeemed me with a different attitude. I guess I thought He just secretly stepped in out of duty and honor, cleaned me up, and then presented me as His, shaking His head when I stray and trying to ignore my shortcomings - maybe growing to love me eventually. I don't know, it sounds dumb when I put it into words.

I know (the Bible says!) He loves me. And yet so often I behave as if I don't really know that. So which is it? Does He love me or not? He does. Do I believe it? I'm working on that part.

How bad Habits Create Boring Stories

How bad Habits Create Boring Stories

The above link is to an article by Donald Miller. This says something I've been trying to put into words for some time. Even better, it confronts me with my own bad habits. Will I have the drive to change them? That is the question.

Ladies Tea 2010

The Ladies Spring Tea was held at the church on Saturday. I'm not much of a girly-girl, but I really do enjoy attending a tea.

This time I hosted a table, so I could make good use of my great-aunt's china. The tablecloths, treasure chest and Bible were provided by my friend Thelma Norwood. The Bible was the one her husband carried with him in the army. It's not easy to see in the picture, but it's leaning up against the treasure chest.

This angle is better:
I borrowed the bronze flatware from my brother (it was given to him by our great aunt also) - it's from Thailand.

The tea was very nice - great chicken salad! The guest speaker was Jeannette Clift-George, Christian actress, author, director. She shared her testimony and some words of encouragement; she was very enjoyable.

My favorite part, though was the "opening act" - Chelsea Holmes. Chelsea is a member of our church (20 year old drama major at U of H). She so moved me last year with her monologue about the woman charged with adultery where Jesus says, "Let those who have never sinned throw the first stone". And everyone leaves. Then he tells her, "Go and sin no more." This year Chelsea went with a comedic monologue about women and the many hats we wear. It was hysterical! She did a wonderful job! Great "range"!

The theme of the tea was "Treasure" and that we should treasure God's word about all else (the verse is from Psalms). All the decor focused on things we treasure - memories, family, riches, and most importantly His word and our salvation.

So I have a bunch of pictures of the different tables (still learning this camera). Someday I might take pictures of people, but I'm not ready for that yet.

Random Easter Musings

Easter celebrates the most significant event in human history - Christ's resurrection. It is something that Christians celebrate in their hearts every day, but Easter is the one time a year when we focus on nothing else. The Easter bunnies and bonnets and all that never really distract from the point - all that Jesus said is true. I love hearing, "Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!" He keeps His promises - and there are a lot of them.

I understand being angry with God. He lets things happen that are painful - like death. If He's so all-powerful and good, why would he let people suffer? The answer has to do with the world being cursed, and the gift He has given us of free will. And it isn't that He can't, but that He won't - which sounds like He's really mean, and that is not true, either. We all know that parents who really love their children must say "no" sometimes, maybe even lots of times. It's difficult, if not downright impossible, to see things from a God perspective. We have no idea what the big picture is - what good He is really working in the world. But He did provide a future and a hope.

Christ died painfully; God sacrificed His only Son. And then Jesus came back to life on the third day - death has been conquered. FOR US! We are forgiven and accepted by God because of what He did for us. Life can be hard, but we don't have to worry about that. God is with us.

Yes, churches and church people can be disappointing - they should but rarely do behave any better than anyone else. But a believer is meant to be with other believers - living and learning life together. I drift toward solitude, but find it brings me to a self-centered and depressed place. I am so much happier when I'm in the group focused on something besides myself. Anyway, I'm thankful for Easter that brought hundreds of people back to church to celebrate. I hope they stick around.

Check out Mike's Passion Vine - the first bloom was on Good Friday -

Reflection on the Number 40

Well, I've been 40 for almost a month now, and I'm kind of getting used to it. It's not like it feels any different - I've been having those aches and pains for a while now. And I started my forgetful phase a couple years ago. (I've always been at the head of the class.) But the number 40 is a really big number!

If life is a bell curve, I guess I think of 40 as the number on the top of the curve. Literally all down hill from here. Now, I enjoy down hill. Much easier bike ride; and with no brakes, it can be very exciting! But it also means the end of the ride is coming - and it seems to go by so much faster than the uphill part - same distance, but at high speed.

I'm not saying 80 is the end. And I honestly don't think I want to live that long anyway. I love life, but I have an inkling that what comes next will blow this life away. So, I'm not that concerned with hanging on here indefinitely.

No, it's not a fear of death that has started my melancholy reflection on the number 40. I'm just wondering how 4 decades have gone by, and I don't have a whole lot to show for it. I'm not even sure what I mean by that. I don't know what I expected to "have" to show. I have a great family; wonderful husband; roof over my head; a cat. Oh, and a lime tree!

Check out what my wonderful husband got me for my birthday!

Anyway, I'm 40 now. I can handle this. "Hi, I'm Gena, and I'm 40." See? No problem.