Falling away from what you love

Yesterday I spent three hours driving, six hours making myself sore; and it was just want I needed.  It would have been easier and more natural not to, there was a side of me which was resistant, but I'm so glad I did - and doing it made it more likely that I will again.

I went up to "The Woods."  Our six acres of wilderness 90 miles northwest of here.  We are building a cabin, so after discovering I had to walk in due to a bit more snow than expected, I spent hours fighting with insulation, installing vapor barrier, and framing an interior wall.  The physical activity is good for me (my muscles today are saying I don't work them regularly enough), the time at our get away is refreshing, but the best thing is the freedom to think.  Pounding nails by myself is my time to process what is happening in my life, to reflect on what God is doing, to mull challenges others who I care for are facing, and sometimes not think at all.

I don't have any music on as I work, there is no one to talk to, once I plan out the project the measuring and building is not mentally taxing - so it is a time to let my brain get caught up like no other.  It is really good for me - I try and have time like this once a month.

However, it is disturbingly easy not to have it.  I know it is good for me.  It is progress toward a desired goal. The resources are available.  My wife is supportive (mainly due to the common goal of a family cabin).  But I only have so many days off in a month - and there is always something else to do.  It is easier to do what is in front of me, or do nothing at all.  And how often do we fall into this trap in so many areas of our lives?

As a pastor I see it with troubling regularity.  Individuals and families who value gathering with others for worship, know it is good for them, but don't make it on Sunday.   Or they value serving others, but don't make it happen.  Want to get into physical, spiritual or emotional shape, but it is easier to stick with what's in front of them, maintaining life rather than making the choices for the best life.

This season - what is a break from the norm which will bring you the life you know is good for you?

Amazing church

Delmar Reformed Church is an amazing church.  Yesterday we were privileged to host the General Secretary of the Reformed Church in America (the head of our denomination), and what he saw was a church which I could share with pride.  Not pride in what I have done, but pride is a history of God's work.  DRC is a wonderful church - far from perfect, but wonderful.

• We needed volunteers to usher due to some miscommunication and the openings were filled in minutes.
• There were visitors, and I watched them be warmly welcomed.
• The adults who returned from Nicaragua at 3am, were together with us in worship a few hours later.
• Our Elders met in the afternoon, not out of obligation, but for the strengthening of the church.
• We are seeing God's hand at work of providing the right people at the right time.
• Piles of Lenten reflection guides have been taken home for daily devotional use.
• I could share with Gen. Sec. so many hopes and dreams for the future.
• People welcomed a message of unity based clearly on Christ.
• Infants and elderly, unemployed and CEO's, Democrats and Republicans, etc - all together in one body.

As I welcomed the head of the RCA to our church, it reminded me again what a wonderful place DRC is.

This probably isn't a very good blog - it seems like bragging.  I guess it is, but I don't feel like all these things are my doing, or the doing of any one person.  Everything that is DRC is a result of God working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.

Those of your from DRC - what could you add to the list?

Taking a good walk

One of the metaphors of life I appreciate the most from the Bible is the idea of walking.  Ephesians 4:1, "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called."  Micah 6:8, "walk humbly with your God."  Most of the time when I think about walking, and our spiritual walk, my focus is on the relational aspect of walking.

Those thoughts are in this blog: Go for a Walk

Today as I read Ephesians 4 again, the adjectives hit me.  Walk with: humility, gentleness, patience, bearing each other's burdens...how we walk really matters.  It isn't just about forward movement, it isn't just about who we are with, it is our attitude in our walk.  An attitude which puts us in the right place with God, and helps us stay united with others.

True Friends

Last night we were able to get together with some good friends, today we will say good bye to some good friends, tomorrow we will get to worship with some good friends, and then there are some good friends we have not seen in years, will not see in years, and some we will not see in this life time.

At our church there is a phrase: "true friends in Christ."  It is a way to express the biblical idea of spiritual siblings.    Jesus is the bond which can extend our family.  When we are adopted as God's children (Ephesians 1:3-6), we have one Father, and Jesus is our brother, and we are a family.  In this we can have friendships of another kind.  We can be "true friends in Christ."

What does this mean for me personally?
There are those who say a pastor should not have close friendships within their congregation, and while there is great worldly wisdom in this, and it does simplify things greatly - I can't personally imagine it.  How can I not form deep, mutually supportive friendships with the siblings I spend the most time with?  Was there a friendship between Jesus and the disciples - it feels that way.  And as troublesome as this might be, Jesus had an inner circle of those who he spent more time with, trusted on a deeper level, laughed with harder and cried with more easily.

I so value the true friends in Christ in my life.  Those I spend time with weekly, and those who I must wait until death to reunite with.  The bonds within families are often messy, but they are also so very rich.  This is true with my biological family, and even more so with my spiritual one.

Life is Complex

In reading a reflection on Luke 9:57-62 the complexity of life hit me yet again.  On some levels it is true that following Jesus "is simple, but not easy."  But it is not easy because actually living out the simple is very complex.
Simple ideas do not equal simple decisions.

Simple Idea - take care of the poor.
          Complex Decisions - why are they poor, what do they really need, do you give until you are poor?
Simple Idea - if someone is in need, help them.
          Complex Decisions - which of the billions of people do you help, what if they don't understand their true needs, who am I to think I might have a clue what their true needs are?
Simple Idea - don't have more than you need
          Complex Decisions - I need food, shelter and relationship.  That is all we really need, yet even those who take a vow of poverty draw a line somewhere beyond this - so where does one draw the line?  What do I need to minister in my context?  Are these actually necessary to effectively minister in a suburban context or is it just rationalization to have things I want?  What's good for my family and mental health?

And then this morning I struggle with the larger complexities of life.  A family, one of the most amazing young families I know, who is hit with hard time after hard time.  They love God deeply, love each other beautifully, serve others graciously, make the world a better place, yet I have seen few families deal with as many hardships as they.  It isn't how it is supposed to work.  How come I see others receive blessing after blessing, yet not this family?  I want God to give them simple beautiful blessings!

But
If life were simple, where would the trust in God be?
If life were simple, where would the thought and choice be?
If life were simple, where would the nuanced beauty be?
If life were simple, would it really be life?

Life is not simple.  There are simple truths which combine to make a very complex life.  In the complexity we find the passion, the beauty, the power - in the complexity we find God.

Lent - what to give up?

People give up things for Lent.  A family at church is giving up meat, Jen is giving up coffee, others give up chips, sweets, or other desirable things to heighten the time of preparation before Easter.  40 days - what to give up...what to gain?

I have a problem with this.  Not that I don't think people should fast from something during Lent, it is a great practice, but the problem is me.  I have a hard time determining what to give up.  My wonderings this morning take me to birthdays and Christmas.  It is hard to buy for me because, for the most part, if there is something I desire, I buy it.  I don't want much which can be put in a box, but if I'm in need of a new shirt, I typically don't wait for someone to give it to me.   Sometimes I remember that my wife is trying to figure out what to get me and purposely don't buy something which can later be given - but more often than not, I take care of it as the need arises.

I'm wondering if this is a slice of my Lenten dilemma?  If there is something which is controlling my life, I've probably already dealt with it (or I'm in denial about it and won't consider it for Lent).  I'm not inclined to wait for a special season... but then again, maybe I shouldn't dismiss it so quickly.  I am truly thankful for any gift I'm given for a birthday or Christmas, and some of those gifts have become treasures.  What gift does God have for me this Lent?

"Rend your heart and not your garments.
Now return to the LORD your God, 
For He is gracious and compassionate, 
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness"
Joel 2:13