Tonights film:
Thanks to Charis for the film.
Speaking of film, betachurch.org suggested churches hosting a film festival.
I think that sounds like a lot of fun. They suggest buying a camera or two, and an iMac and let kids make their own movies. I don’t know if I’d be that trusting, but I think with kids, teens or adults it would be a fun and good community draw.
What do you think?
I can’t remember where I found this originally, but its a picture of Mrs. Billy Graham listening to the book of Psalms being read by Bono at the Graham farm in North Carolina. (circa 2001)
Michael Robinson sent me a story We Aren’t Monkeys, about an upset waitress.
Ever stop and think while you’re in a restaurant, that there might be other people there needing help too?
Sunday after church we visited a local restaurant where only two ladies were waiting tables.
I felt sorry for the two ladies who were definitly working their tail off to make sure everyone had everything.
Sure, it was annoying to have to wait a while to get a menu and my water and what not, but you can only expect two waitresses to do so much.
But I’ve been in places and seen ridiculous demands put on wait staff.
And unfortunately the friends I have that wait tables or have waited tables always tell me how much they hate the Sunday crowd.
They all say its the worst time to wait tables.
The church crowd is more demanding, less merciful, complains that the wait staff is working on a Sunday and not worshipping with them — and they’re usually the worst tippers.
And then they want to leave a tract to tell the wait staff how much God loves them.
That makes me want to join a church right away.
And they will know that we are Christians by our tips.
Originally published as Church Flowers in The Belton Journal
A pastor in St. Paul, Minn. blogged this week about a flower garden planted in front of his church.
First of all, I love pastors that blog regularly. It gives a lot of insight into the ministry and what they go through and see throughout the week.
Some even give insight into how their weekly sermon progresses.
Fellowship Church in Dallas has a blog set up for their entire church staff to post notes and journals on. (UPDATE: While Pastor Ed Young still blogs, I can’t find the blogs for the entire staff anymore.)
It gives you a connection with the staff that you might not otherwise have.
But I digress…
Pastor Pat Kahnke of St. Paul Fellowship Church writes that he noticed a bunch of kids bustling around in the church parking lot earlier this week.
As he walked closer he realized that a number of his church members had taken the initiative to plow up a weedy section of their church lot and plant a flower bed in its place.
While planting the flower bed, one of the church members knocked on a neighboring house door to ask to borrow a water hose.
The church neighbor said they could borrow the hose that day and year-round to keep the flower bed looking healthy.
And as a result, another member volunteered to plow the man’s backyard for him.
What a great sign of ministry on so many levels.
No one sat around and waited for a church beautification committee to tell them what needed to be done. No building committee hired out work that church members could easily do.
People took responsibility for their church and went the extra mile to be sure their place of worship was taken care of.
What if each of us looked for areas in our own churches or work places where we could go the extra mile without being asked?
What if we quit shrugging responsibility for things in our offices or church and stepped up and said, “This needs to be done — and I’m going to do it. Even if it’s not in my job description and even if I may not be an expert on the subject.–
One of the things I love about this story is that it involved people in the neighborhood.
Now granted, with a little planning they could have brought their own water hose, but think of the ministry opportunity they would have missed. In the process, they made sure that a neighbor of the church knew what was going on at the church and then found a way to meet him at his need.
Wasn’t that Jesus’ entire ministry was about? He met people at their need.
If we are passionate about what we do, or wherever we do it, it can be contagious – people will want to be a part of it.
A business cannot grow without new customers and a church cannot grow without new members. We must rid ourselves of being exclusive or selective in who we reach out to. We must bring outsiders in.
A few months ago I wrote about George Masters who was so passionate about Apple’s iPod, that he spent several hours designing a complete television commercial based on his favorite toy.
“Why would a school teacher spend a good chunk of his free time, for five months, crafting a really slick ad for no money? For no real recognition other than a, ‘Hey, that’s cool,’ from a few friends? Because he really, really likes his iPod,– wrote blogger Andy Havens. “Masters frankly admits that he partly worked on the project as a way of teaching himself some computer animation basics, and to be part of a portfolio. That being said, why pick the iPod mini as his subject? Because he’s a huge fan. And let’s remember that ‘fan’ is short for ‘fanatic.’–
If we can get people passionate about our product or message, people will become a part of the message and share it with them where ever they go.
Third, as Pastor Kahnke wrote in his blog that he was blessed and ministered to by seeing their effort and the beautiful flowers left by their effort.
A pastor who was worn down was encouraged and blessed by a small effort by members of his congregation.
I can’t imagine that this group of church goers would have realized the impact their thoughtfulness had on their pastor, or the impact it would have on a newspaper editor some 1,113 miles away.
You never know what impact your willingness to serve will have on others.
Looking for something to liven up your church bulliten or publication, check out cartoonchurch.com. They have a number of great cartoons, including my current favorite, Born Again.
Tomorrow I’ll be showing clips from Bruce Almighty in Sunday school.
For some reason my sister’s death has really hit me while talking to my mom late tonight and then watching clips from Bruce Almighty.
I don’t believe we can ever understand why God does what He does. But He does it no matter what. I want to be bitter and upset, but then I see how horrible people can become even when they have all they want.
I think Bruce Nolan realizes that throughout Bruce Almighty. He realizes that while it might be easy to give everything to everyone who asks, there’s a greater plan involved.
While he may want everything to go his way, God’s way is actually greater.
I have to believe that with my sister’s death. I want her back in my life so badly, yet I know I’ll never be able to see her again until I join her in Heaven.
It makes me want to sing along with the Los Lonely Boys singing “How far is Heaven?” even more.
But even more, several other songs come to mind that helped me through the week of my sister’s funeral.
Home Free – Wayne Watson
I’m trying hard not to think you unkind
But Heavenly Father If you know my heart
Surely you can read my mind
Good people underneath the sea of grief
Some get up and walk away
Some will find ultimate reliefHome Free, eventually
At the ultimate healing we will be
Home Free Home Free, oh I’ve got a feeling
At the ultimate healing
We will be Home FreeOut in the corridors we pray for life
A mother for her baby, A husband for his wife
Sometimes the good die young
It’s sad but true
And while we pray for one more heartbeat
The real comfort is with youYou know pain has little mercy
And suffering’s no respecter of age, of race or position
I know every prayer gets answered
But the hardest one to pray is slow to come
Oh Lord, not mine, but Your will be done
and also:
Beautiful Road – Wayne Watson
If I had my way, I must admit
If I called every play of the game
I’d pray for good times, blue ky and sunshine
And I’d avoid with a passion any pain
But with every blow from an engry windAnd with every dark shadow that falls
There’s a better view up around the bend
Where this puzzle makes some sense after allMistakes and misfortunes will come and go
For you to try and still fail is no disgrace
Sometimes a rough and rocky road
Is gonna take you to a beautiful placeIs there anyone out there looking back through you rfaith
That can deny that your Father knows what’s best
Oh but at the time and place for the life of you
You saw no reason, no good for the test
But now remembering as you watched His hand
Put the color to your black and white dreams
Maybe one more time past what you can see
Oh the trouble of the moment ain’t as bad as it seemsSometimes the unspoiled beauty of the wisdom of God
Is lying there in the wilderness
Up there beyond the easy reach
Where the journey takes a little more,
just a little more faith I guess
Bruce Nolan says “Things happen for a reason” is cliche.
I sure hope its not cliche.
Paul writes, “That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” (Romans 8:29 MSG) or the NIV translates it as, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
If things happened by chance, it would make Amy’s life and death meaningless.
I hope, believe and know better.
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.