More Like You

More like you, Jesus, more like you
Fill my heart with your desire
to make me more like you.

- More Like You, Scott Wesley Brown

We sang this song today in worship. We have sung it before. It's just a simple praise chorus but for some reason it really hit my heart today. I felt as if God was trying to speak to me on a deeper level through this song. As I sang the words, I found myself in a very focused prayerful state of being. I almost didn't want it to end because I felt like I was connecting with God in a very intimate way as I sang my praise to my Creator.
Now that I think about it, this is really a scary prayer to pray. Because if I'm really serious about becoming more like Jesus then I've got to really get rid of a bunch of baggage. I need to be able to love more deeply and forgive more readily. I need to be willing to do what God wants in my life and not what I want. I need to be willing to walk difficult paths and trust in God to guide me.
I'm definitely not there yet. I've made some progress but for every step forward it seems that I take about three steps backward. I ask God to make me more loving and then God always seems to put people in my path who I find it difficult to love. I ask God to give me more peace and then God seems to allow the storms of my life to flare up and I become consumed by stress and worry. I desire to be more holy so that others may look upon my life as an example and then I say or do something that is far from holy. The truth is, I mess up because I am messed up by the human condition of sin.
While it would be tempting to just throw up my hands and forget it all and wallow in my sin. I know that is not the life God wants for me. So, I boldly and humbling continue to pray "More like you, Jesus, more like you." And each time I pray this prayer, God works in some new way in my heart. God moves me to do something I wouldn't normally do. God reveals to me something that I had not seen before. God shows me again the path of holy living and promises to walk with me.
So, tonight I'm giving God thanks for this moment of prayer, song, and praise to the One Who calls me by name. I'm giving thanks to Jesus who leads me and sometimes carries me when I don't have the strength to make the journey on my own. I'm filled with gratitude for my loving God Who molds me and shapes me into a new creation. I'm blessed by a Savior who calls me to follow him and be more like him every day.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

House Dedication

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
- Psalm 121, NKJV

I participated in a house dedication today in Rising Sun, Indiana. The Habitat Partner Family's parents donated a parcel of land from their farm on which to build the family's house. It is located on the top of a hill with views of the Ohio River and the hills of Kentucky across the river.
I had the privilege of giving the devotional for the service and I decided to use Psalm 121 as the basis for my devotional. It was extremely fitting given the setting for this house. I talked about how the house placed on top of that hill is truly a blessing from God. I reminded the family that most Habitat families don't get the privilege of a view like they have from the top of that hill. Whenever the family lifts up their eyes to the hills, they will be thinking of home and the many ways in which God has blessed them.
The Psalmist also reminds us that our true help comes from the Lord. I reminded the family and everyone gathered there that this is true for us today as well. This family could not have done this without God's help. God was with them and watching over them as they waited and hoped for this day to arrive. It is only by God's help that they will have a safe, decent, affordable home.
I also pointed out the verse: "God shall preserve your going out and your coming in." I invited the family to remember that every time they go in and out of the doors of their new home that God will be with them. That while there are most certainly new challenges ahead of them, God will never ever leave them alone. They are loved by God and nothing will ever change that reality.
The other wonderful part of the service was the dedication of a tree planted in the yard of this home. It was donated by volunteers in memory of one of our volunteer construction site leaders who died of cancer several weeks ago. He had volunteered on several homes before this one and started out helping to lead this build as well. There is a stone engraved with the volunteer's name, the years of his birth and death, and the Habitat logo.
It was a great day of celebration and another reminder of why I love this work and ministry. I am truly blessed.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

An Answer to Prayer

I wrote earlier this month that I have been feeling nudged. One of the specific things that I have been praying about is my need to be involved in some kind of small group through my church. I wasn't sure I wanted to join a Sunday School class right now. I also wasn't feeling led to participate in a Disciple Bible Study at this time. I really felt like I wanted to be a part of a Christian accountability or discipleship group.
Well, on Sunday, there was an insert in my church's bulletin about all of the new classes and groups the church plans to start this fall. They listed about 25 new classes on various topics. Last on the list was a line about discipleship groups that they hope to launch. These groups would meet together for prayer, support, accountability, study, and service. This is exactly what I had been praying about. I was so grateful to see this listed and to learn that my church was going to launch these new discipleship groups this fall. It was a true answer to prayer. I signed up on the card and dropped it in the offering plate when it came around.
I am really looking forward to learning more about these new discipleship groups. I look forward to meeting the people that will be in my discipleship group. I know there are some amazing people who also feel called to be a part of a discipleship group. God will allow our paths to cross and in doing so allow us to grow and be nurtured in life and faith.
This was just another reminder of how God answers prayers. God allowed me to sense this nudging and then put the opportunity to be a part of a small group right in my path. While God gave me the free will to decide whether or not to fill out that card and drop it in the offering plate, God also paved the way for me to link up with other Christians in a safe environment that I know is going to be a wonderful next step in my journey. I am already praying for the people that God will bring together in my small group. I can't wait to meet them.
So, today I'm giving God thanks and praise for answered prayers.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Mission and Ministry

Today was a really good day of worship at my church. Bishop John G. Innis of The United Methodist Church in Liberia was our guest speaker. It was wonderful to hear about the ministry of the church in Liberia and how God is working through the people there.
We also heard a report from the Awaken the City mission program that is sponsored by my church. It brings church groups from the region and other parts of the country to Cincinnati for a week at a time. The groups volunteer at inner city soup kitchens, food pantries, senior centers, and churches.
We also had an impromptu prayer for one of our pastors who has been receiving treatment for cancer. According to the doctors, his cancer is now in remission. Several congregation members came forward to lay hands on the pastor and his wife and pray for them.
On my way home after worship, I said a prayer of thanksgiving for my congregation and its many ministries. I really feel like I need to get more involved and I felt like this morning was just another sign from God that I need to move forward in taking a more active role in using my gifts to build up the Body of Christ.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Matt

I received word today that a man who was a part of the last congregation that I pastored in Indiana had passed away today. When I received the news, I started to cry. I received the news at the end of a particularly hard day and so I think the tears flowed more freely than they might have on another. Yet, even as I cried, I also felt a kind of deep assurance that even though this was the end of Matt's life in this life, it was not the end of Matt's eternal life.
When I first met Matt, I'm not sure he wanted much to do with me. At least that's how it seemed to me as a pastor who visited his hospital room. I was asked by a friend of Matt's wife to visit Matt in the hospital. I was always a bit uncomfortable doing this. Being the introvert that I am, I always felt weird barging into a stranger's hospital room. I was never sure if I would be welcomed or not. Some people would enjoy having me visit. Some people didn't want to have me anywhere near them. Some people would politely tolerate me. Still others would get very agitated or upset when they saw me. I guess they thought that if the pastor was coming, they were going to get bad news about their medical condition.
Matt suffered from diabetes. It was the kind of diabetes that caused Matt to eventually lose both of his legs. At the time that I first visited him, I think he had just had a surgery and was recovering in the hospital from that. Our conversation was brief and consisted of only few words.
I don't remember if I prayed with Matt at that time. This was often a confusing thing for some people to know how to respond when I asked if I could pray with them. Matt was not really a church person, so I'm certain if he did invite me to pray with him, it was not the most natural thing for him to experience. I remember thinking that if I was in Matt's position of having my body parts amputated that I'm not sure I would want to talk to God. In fact, my guess is that Matt was pretty mad at God at that time. At least that was my perception.
I remember that I visited Matt again several months later when he was in the hospital for another surgery or procedure. While he was still kind of gruff around the edges, he seemed to tolerate my visit better than the first time. I remember that our conversation was a bit longer and he seemed more cordial. I was also probably more at ease because I had met him before.
While I believe that God was at work in Matt's heart and life through all of his health problems, I'm not sure that Matt realized this and I'm not sure I really could see it happening. I think I was going to visit Matt out of a sense of obligation to Matt's wife's friend who was one of my congregation members. I still felt uncomfortable doing it and I think Matt was uncomfortable having me visit.
Several more months later, I visited Matt again in the hospital. He had fallen and broken a bone in his leg. This was not good. I think the doctors were trying to figure out a way to save his leg. During this visit Matt seemed both discouraged and more open to my visit. We talked more and I remember praying with him and he seemed to really appreciate it.
After this, Matt went to stay in a rehab facility for an extended period. They tried to build up his strength and help him to keep his leg. One day during this period, I had a craving for Chinese food. One of my favorite Chinese buffets was over near the rehab center where Matt was staying. After eating some wonderful Chinese food, I felt like God was nudging me to stop in and see Matt.
On this day Matt seemed really glad to see me. He smiled as we talked. His spirit seemed really light. He had a real look of peace about him. He shared that he had been attending a Bible study at the rehab center and that he was learning a lot. He had a lot of questions about the Bible and wanted to learn more. He then shared with me that he felt he was ready to accept Jesus into his heart. He asked if I would pray with him as he did that.
I was both humbled and filled with joy as I joined him in this most holy of moments in his life. When we were done praying, he said he felt a peace like he had never felt before in his life. He looked as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Whatever was happening with his physical body didn't seem to matter as much any more. He was truly a new creation in Christ.
After that, I got some men from the church to go with me and we would hold Bible studies in Matt's room at the rehab center. We would talk and discuss life and the Scriptures and I learned and grew as did the others who joined us. Matt always seemed eager to learn and grow in his new found faith in Christ.
When Matt got to finally go home, we moved the Bible study to his house. I remember that he lived on the other side of county from where I lived and it was quite a trek to get to his house. I would sometimes grumble about the time and energy it took to do this Bible study. However, I always felt renewed after I attended these Bible studies. Matt's willingness to learn and grow always reminded me of why we were doing what we were doing.
I realize now that those were times when I really felt like the church was at its best. We were being the church to Matt but he was also a vital part of the Body of Christ as we talked and joked and studied together. He was in ministry to and with us. This was exactly the way the church began. Those first Christians met in people's homes for study, worship, support, and fellowship. In fact, I often got more out of these home Bible studies at Matt's house than I did leading Sunday morning worship for a congregation made up of many people who were more focused on preserving irrelevant traditions than truly living as disciples of Jesus Christ. Matt was definitely Jesus to me in some deep and abiding ways that I don't think I will fully understand until I see him in heaven.
When I received the email telling me about Matt's death from my friend Mari, she quoted our friend Kathy who said about Matt's passing, “We all know where Matt is now because Kevin led him to Lord.” When I read those words, I used about three tissues as I broke down and cried some more.
I don't know how much leading I really did, but I do feel that God allowed me to get a craving for Chinese food and then led me to stop in on that most important of days in Matt's journey in this world. I do feel God was able to use me in some way to reach out to Matt and offer him the unconditional love of Jesus Christ. It was a day that forever changed Matt's heart and life. It was a day on which all the company of heaven was cheering him on and celebrating his new faith in Jesus.
As I write this blog entry, I am filled with a sense of gratitude for Matt and his life that helped to change my heart and life. It was truly an honor to journey with him for the short time that I did. I know there is a big celebration going on in heaven today as Matt is welcomed into the presence of God. I can just see him running on new legs into the loving arms of Jesus as he hears the words "Well done, Matt! My good and faithful servant!"
Thank you Matt for showing me the power of God's life-changing grace! I look forward to the day when we meet again at the feet of Jesus.
I invite you to join me in praying for Matt's family as they journey through this time of grief.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Late for Church

This morning was weird. I overslept and didn't have enough time to attend the 9:30 AM worship service at my church that I normally attend. "No problem," I thought. "I'll just attend the 11:00 AM service." What I didn't plan on was being held up by a major accident on the Interstate that I take to church. Two of the three lanes were blocked as the police, ambulances, and tow trucks did their work. Traffic was backed up for a couple of miles. By the time I got to my exit, it was time for the service to start and I was still about fifteen minutes away from the church.
I almost thought about turning around and going home. I hate to be late to anything. I always used to wonder when I was a pastor why some of my congregation members were chronically late for worship. It just seemed like it wasn't really important to them or that they were poor planners. While that may be the case for some, I realize that sometimes being late just can't be helped. Sometimes there are barriers in our way and we are doing the best we can to get where we need to go on this journey of life.
As I was stopped on the Interstate, one thing I did manage to do was to take time to pray. At first I prayed for myself that I would not be so frustrated about being late to church. Then I prayed for whoever was in the accident. I prayed for their safety and for their healing if they were hurt. I also prayed for the rescue workers and police as they went about their jobs. I also prayed for the doctors, nurses, and other hospital workers as they prepared to receive patients.
On my drive home, I found myself wondering if maybe God didn't allow me to be late so that I could learn something. It's the lesson that I never seem to really learn: It's not all about me. So, while I felt embarrassed when I wandered into the sanctuary as the service had already begun, I once again was reminded that that the world does not revolve around me. I think that in many ways this was the sermon that I needed to hear.
The good news is that God continues to pour out grace upon me even when I'm so clueless and self-centered.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Call to Ministry

Today we had a guest speaker at my church. Alesia Smith is the Principal of Rothenberg Preparatory Academy in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. If you don't know, the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is considered a high-crime neighborhood and many of its residents live below the poverty line. While there is some redevelopment taking place in Over-the-Rhine, it is in many ways a very under served neighborhood. Many people in the Cincinnati would be afraid to travel to Over-the-Rhine out of fear of the crime that takes place there. I have been to Over-the-Rhine and while there are certainly signs of urban decay but there are also some really wonderful things about Over-the-Rhine. It has a rich history and some beautiful architecture. Also, one of the things that I have learned over the years is that no matter where you go, people are people.
Principal Smith challenged my congregation to pray for Rothenberg Academy. She also called us to pray about what we might do. She said that they don't need money. What they need is time. They need people to spend time with their students. They need mentors and prayer partners and after-school program leaders. They need people to be present.
Principal Smith's challenge spoke to my heart. I'm not sure what God is calling me to do. I don't have to make any decisions now since school is almost done for the summer. However, in the fall, my church is asking for 35 volunteers to serve as mentors for the second graders. I am going to pray about this. I have served as a mentor in the past and really enjoyed it. I know that it would be really rewarding and I would learn much.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Mother's Day and Birthday Celebration

I was so glad to be back in worship at my church this morning. I was grateful to hear my pastor preach and grateful for the music. The children's choir sang along with the adult choir and they were both wonderful. We sang Love Divine, All Loves Excelling which is one of my favorite hymns. It was just a good morning to worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ.
In his sermon this morning, the pastor shared the following list of things that you would never hear your mom say:


1. "How on earth can you see the TV sitting so far back?"


2. "Yeah, I used to skip school a lot, too"


3. "Just leave all the lights on ... it makes the house look more cheery"


4. "Let me smell that shirt---- Yeah, it's good for another week"


5. "Go ahead and keep that stray dog, honey. I'll be glad to feed and walk him every day"


6. "Well, if Timmy's mom says it's OK, that's good enough for me."


7. "The curfew is just a general time to shoot for. It's not like I'm running a prison around here."


8. "I don't have a tissue with me ... just use your sleeve"


9. "Don't bother wearing a jacket - the wind-chill is bound to improve"

I definitely never heard my Mom say any of these things and probably never will. Oh well, happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you!

I also want to wish my nephew Cameron a happy eighth birthday.While his birthday party this year was slightly calmer than the year we went to Chuck-E-Cheese's or Pump It Up, it was still pretty loud and very sticky. I hope that he had a great day. Happy birthday Cameron! I love you!
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Wonderful Day

Today was a wonderful day! I wasn't sure how it was going to go when I woke up this morning. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night and I had a hard time prying myself from beneath the covers when my alarm clock went off. However, I got moving and thanked God for the sunny cool morning as I headed to Northern Kentucky for the wall raising service for one of our Habitat Partner Families.
The wall raising service was great. We had a lot of people including groups from a local Firestone plant and a Catholic high school. This week is also National WomenBuild Week for Habitat for Humanity International. It's the week when women are encouraged to volunteer with Habitat and participate in our mission of ending poverty housing in the world.
The Partner Family was so excited as we raised the walls. The mother especially got a bit choked up when she was thanking everyone. She offered gratitude to God, to her church, to her family, and to everyone gathered there for helping to make her dream of home ownership a reality. I must admit that I got a bit teary-eyed when she began to speak. I have the humbling honor of knowing a lot more of the details of families' stories and this family, like many of our families, has had a rough road. So, today was a huge milestone and a great day of celebration.
This afternoon I attended a workshop in Springboro, Ohio that focused on how to get published. It was a good class. I think I come away from the workshop feeling a bit overwhelmed by the whole idea of publishing my writing. I don't know if I have what it takes to really do it. I enjoy writing but one of the points that the presenter really drove home was that publishing is a business and to get published you have to think like a business person. That is hard for me to do when it comes to my writing. It is very personal and hard to think about like a commodity to be bought and sold. I know that's what the reality is. I just don't know if I have the energy and entrepreneurial spirit to take the next step. I guess this is something I need to really pray about.
I'm really looking forward to attending my church tomorrow. I also am looking forward to spending some time with my family for Mother's Day and my nephew Cameron's birthday.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Busy Weekend Ahead

I am hoping that sometime soon I am going to have a nice quiet weekend with absolutely nothing to do. This will not be one of those weekends. Instead, my weekend is full of activity.
Tomorrow I'm attending a wall raising service for one of our Habitat Partner Families in Northern Kentucky. It looks like the weather is going to cooperate and the rain will hold off in the morning. I am looking forward to this day. This is the first family that I worked with through the entire process since I've been with TriState Habitat for Humanity. We had other families approved or who were already in process when I started with THFH but this family is the first family that I did the initial application review, worked with them to get their application complete, and then finally saw their application approved by the Board of Directors. So, this will be a very special day for me.
In the afternoon I am planning to attend a writing workshop in Springboro, Ohio. The workshop is led by an author who is supposed to take class participants through the steps of getting a book published. I am looking forward to being a part of this. I think some of my writing class participants are going to attend the workshop.
On Sunday, my family has a two big celebrations. Of course, it's Mother's Day and I will get to spend some time with my Mom. Also, Sunday is my nephew Cameron's eighth birthday. It's hard to believe he's eight-years-old. It will be fun to celebrate with him and my family.
I am also really excited to be able to get back to my church. I have not been able to attend for the past three weeks and I really miss it. I am looking forward to the worship service.
I know there are probably a lot of people who have busier schedules than I do, but for me this will be a lot. This is especially true since I would like to just nap and watch Netflix. Oh well. Let the weekend begin! Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Youth Sunday

Today was Youth Sunday at my church. The members of the youth group led the service. The youth choir sang. Four youth spoke. Some of the youth ushered. Others read Scripture and one boy played the piano. It was probably one of the best youth services I have ever attended. It was well organized and the youth all did a wonderful job. I was particularly touched by the four speakers. They gave brief testimonies and talked about how the church and the youth group had made a difference in their lives.
I was never very good at youth leadership when I was in the local church. I tried but it was not where my gifts really are. I was better one-on-one with youth. I think this is one of the reasons why I was so impressed with the service this morning. While none of the youth leaders of the church said a single word or were even sitting up front with the youth, I know all of those youth are participating because there are people in the church who are passionate about youth ministry. I know that God is moving in some huge ways in my church through the youth ministry.
It's a blessing for me to be a part of a church that takes youth ministry seriously. It's obvious that youth are experiencing the love of Christ through the church.
I'm off to Atlanta tomorrow morning.  I will be there all week for the national Habitat for Humanity conference. I am really looking forward to the week. I am hoping to learn new ideas and ways to serve families better.
Thanks to my sister Stacey, I will be able to keep up with my blogging. Stacey loaned me her old laptop computer for the week. Cameron has been using it to play games. The keyboard was a little sticky, but I got that cleaned up.
I hope you have a great week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

O Taste and See

O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.

- Psalm 34:8, NRSV

I have a confession to make. I did not really feel like attending worship this morning. I overslept and then was rushing around trying to get ready to leave. I knew that I probably was going to be late and I hate being late for worship. It's ironic that for fifteen years I was usually the first one at the church and the last one to leave the building. Now, I usually fly in at the last minute. So, when I thought I was going to be late, I wanted to just go back to bed and forget the whole thing.
However, thankfully I decided to head to worship. I made it there just in time. The organist was playing the prelude as I walked in.
The sermon was great and spoke to my heart and life. The choir was awesome again today. The most powerful part of the service for me was the celebration of Holy Communion. I heard the words of the Great Thanksgiving again and with new ears. The liturgy made the reference to Psalm 34:8 - "O taste and see that the Lord is good." Then we sang the song Taste and See from The Faith We Sing hymnal supplement. It was a holy moment for me.
I am so grateful for God's grace that gave me the nudge to join my brothers and sisters in worship today. I felt renewed and empowered and ready for another week of work and ministry. Communion was truly a time for me to communion with the living God. Once again Jesus invited me to His table of love and forgiveness. It was a welcome means of grace for me to experience in my life.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Star-Child

We sang a hymn today in worship that I have never sung before entitled Star-Child. It's from the United Methodist Church's The Faith We Sing hymnal supplement. There are many beautiful songs in this supplement and Star-Child is certainly among the most beautiful and touching songs I've sung.
The hymn is certainly appropriate for Christmas and Epiphany but today in our worship service it was also quite appropriate as we continue through this season after the Epiphany. The theme of the service related to God's justice and the ways in which Jesus turned the order of the world upside down with his ministry and presence on earth.
I found this You-Tube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTD_Zz829So of a girls choir singing Star-Child but they omit the verse that I think is the most powerful and the one that really touched my heart as we sang it today in worship. It speaks to the sad reality that there are so many children in our world who have had their innocence stolen by the neglect and abuse of others. There are so many places in our world where children will not be given the chance to simply be children because they are dealing with the harsh realities of the brokenness of this world.
And while these lyrics were very difficult for me to sing this morning, I also found power in them as they left my lips. They challenged me to do what I can to be an advocate for those children who are continually marginalized by our society. In my role as the Family Services Coordinator at TriState Habitat for Humanity, I have the opportunity to bring change to the lives of children living in poverty through the reality of safe, decent, and affordable homes for their families. This is one way that I can remind families and the communities in which Habitat works that God is Emmanuel - God with us.
Here's the verse that's not in the video and that touched me so deeply:

Street child, beat child,
No place left to go,
Hurt child, used child
No one wants to know:
This year, this year
Let the day arrive
When Christmas comes
for ev'ryone, ev'ryone alive.
- lyrics by Shirley Erena Murray

May this year, this new year, be the year when Christmas comes for everyone alive. Amen!
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Sunday Night

It's Sunday night. There was a time in my life when I didn't really like Sunday nights all that much because I dreaded Monday mornings at work. However, that is certainly not the case for me now. I love my job. I love the work that I have the privilege of doing every day. I get to serve the poor and help families to realize their dreams of home ownership through the mission and ministry of Habitat for Humanity. I enjoy the people with whom I work. I am blessed to be in this place at this time. While I'm still not a morning person and probably never will be one, I don't mind Mondays. In fact, I look forward to getting back to the work to which God has called me.
As I sat down to make this blog entry, I began thinking about other times in my life when Sunday nights were a totally different experience for me. When I was serving in the local church, Sunday nights often meant youth group meetings at the church. After being exhausted by the events of Sunday mornings, I would make my way back to the church for youth group. I was never a very good youth leader. I was better one-on-one with youth. I tried my best but I often messed up a whole bunch in relating to youth.
In college, Sunday evenings were worship time at the Ball State University Wesley Foundation campus ministry that I attended. It was a time to connect with friends, hear the Word proclaimed, and sing praises to God. We also often had a Bible study after worship. Sometimes we would get together and go out for dinner after worship. I have a lot of good memories from those days of just hanging out with Christian friends.
Sunday evenings when I was a teenager were always filled with youth activities. Our church youth group usually had Sunday evening meetings. We had a great youth group and I rarely missed a youth meeting. We would do all kinds of fun things and even learn stuff along the way. It was a great time to connect with my friends and it was this youth group that helped me to grow in my faith and understanding of who I am and Whose I am. After years of serving as a youth leader, I am even more grateful for those patient youth leaders who gave of their time (and my guess is some of their sanity) to lead our church youth group. I know there is a special place in heaven for those folks.
I also remember the years before I was old enough to attend youth group. Sunday night was the night for watching television shows with my family like The Wonderful World of Disney, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Hardy Boys, Mork and Mindy, and CHiPs. These were the shows we would talk about with our friends on Monday mornings at school.
Some of my best memories of Sunday nights when I was growing up were of Sunday evening dinners. It was the one night of the week that we got to eat with the television on. The rest of the week, we all sat at the dinner table together as a family and we were not allowed to have the television or radio on during this time. However, on Sunday nights, these rules were thrown out the window and we often sat at TV trays on the couch and watched TV. The menu was usually something like pizza or hot dogs with French fries. I always thought I was so cool to be able to eat with the television on. Of course, now, I seem to eat most of my dinners with the television on. In fact, I'm pretty sure my parents also eat in front of the television now. I guess the old rules have gone out the window in their retirement years.
Sunday nights have been a mixture of business and blessing, entertainment and engagement. Right now in my life Sundays nights are not too exciting. I usually watch a movie on Netflix or read. Sunday nights are a time to prepare for the coming week. I now get to lay low and enjoy the blessings of rest that are a part of my weekends since I left parish ministry. And, like this evening, I am grateful for time to remember the good memories of Sunday nights gone by.
I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday evening. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Winter Weekend

It sounds like this is going to be a cold, snowy weekend. Of course, the amount of snow we are supposed to get will be very small but snow in general seems to put all of Cincinnati in a state of anxiety. It snowed today and I drove by the grocery store on my way home from work and the parking lot was full. I guess people are hoarding food again in case they are trapped in their homes by the additional dusting to inch of snow that we are supposed to get.
I am going to use this winter weekend to stay in as much as possible and simply enjoy the weekend. I do need to run some errands and plan to go to church on Sunday, but beyond that I want to try a new crock pot recipe, read, watch some Netflix, and do some writing. I also need to do some walking as a part of my pre-marathon training.
I come to this weekend after being back to work with a real sense of gratitude It is a time to do stuff I need to get done. It is also a time to do stuff that I want to do. It's down time. It's quiet time. It's worship time. It's cleaning time. It's laundry time. It's writing time. It's movie time. It's time to pause and give thanks to God for the gift of work and the gift of rest.
I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

New Year's Confession

We celebrated Communion today at my church. It was a good service and Communion is always a great way to start off the new year.
As a part of the Communion liturgy, we prayed together a prayer of confession. As we prayed together as a congregation, the words really pierced my heart. I thought I would share this prayer of confession with you.

O God, as we begin a new year, we confess our sin in the year that is past. We have often sought our own welfare and not the welfare of others. We have complained about the state of the world while doing little to change it. we have spent time worrying and talking that should have been spent praying and listening. We have invested energy in our appearances that should have been invested in the renewal of our hearts and minds. Forgive us, we pray, and make us new persons in Christ. Let the new year be what the old year should have been. Amen.

It's back to work for me tomorrow. I'm hoping to find a lot of applications for home ownership to process. I hope you have a great week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Covenant Prayer

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, adapted the Covenant Service for use in among Methodist Societies. Central to the service we the Covenant Prayer that requires a person to commit oneself to God. In many Methodist churches today the Covenant Service is most commonly held on New Year's Eve or Day and is sometimes called a Watch Night Service.
I invite you to pray with me this Covenant Prayer as we prepare to ring in the New Year:

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

2010 Blessings

As 2010 winds down, I've been thinking a lot about the past year. I have much for which to be thankful in this past year. It has been one that has been filled with many blessings. I thought I would share a few of those blessings with you.

• Work: I continue to be blessed by my work at TriState Habitat for Humanity. I work with an extremely gifted group of people who are all committed to the goal of eliminating poverty housing from the face of the earth. I wake up every day grateful that God has led me to this place at this time.
• Friends: I have some of the most wonderful friends. They laugh with me, listen to me, sometimes feed and house me, encourage me, and push me to be a better person and more faithful Christian.
• Family: My family continues to be a source of stability in my life. I'm so proud of my nephews and grateful for the blessings they bring to my life. I am thankful for the love that my parents and sisters show me.
• Church: I am just getting to really know my church and becoming familiar with its ministries. I am grateful for the hard work of the staff who give their very best to serve and honor God. I am grateful for the worship services that challenge me and give me the opportunity to praise my Creator. I am anxious to become more involved in the church's ministries in 2011.
• Faith: I continue to be grateful for God's presence and power in my life. My faith defines who I am and Whose I am. As I study the Bible, serve those in need, and connect to other Christians, I continue to discover new things about God and God's amazing love made real in Jesus Christ.
• Writing: I rediscovered how much I enjoy writing this past year. I have had the chance to express myself through the written word through this blog; however, I have been able to expand this creative spirit within me by taking a creative writing class. While sometimes it was really hard, I also found myself feeling more alive than I have in a very long time as I spent long periods writing and creating a short story for my class. I am looking forward to enrolling in the next two sessions of this creative writing class series. I know God is up to something good in all of this.

These are just a few of the blessings in my life. God has been and continues to be so good to me. As 2010 comes to a close, I am grateful for the opportunity to look back and see all of the many ways in which God has blessed me. I look forward to the new challenges and opportunities that are before me in 2011.
Thank you for being a part of my journey!

Christmas Eve, Chinese Food, and the Children of Abraham

I had an interesting Christmas Eve tonight. I have been home all day and decided only to venture out to attend a Christmas Eve service at my church. However, my plans got changed just a bit when my sister Stacey called me in the late afternoon with a most excellent invitation. She invited me to join her family for dinner at my favorite Chinese buffet. Of course, I could not pass this up. It was a chance to re-enact the scene from the movie A Christmas Story. Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra!
So, at the appointed time, we showed up at the Chinese buffet and it was packed. There was about a half hour wait before we could get a table. While we stood in the entry way admiring the juxtaposition of the Christmas tree and the koi swimming in the fountain and the Santa Claus statue and the Buddha statue, I noticed that my fellow Christmas Eve diners were quite a diverse crowd. Beyond the restaurant staff who were all wearing Santa hats, I also noticed most was that there were several people of Middle Eastern descent. Most of the women had their heads covered and several were speaking languages that I didn't recognize. There is a rather large mosque and Islamic center near the restaurant and so this didn't completely surprise me. However, I thought it was interesting that so many people who appeared to be practicing Muslims were out on Christmas Eve for dinner at a Chinese restaurant.
It got a bit more interesting when in walked some of Stacey's friends. The family has a boy who was in my nephew Cameron's class in school. Later on in the evening, Stacey shared with me that her friends were Jewish. I immediately recalled Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan's response to the Senator Lindsay Graham's question during Kagan's confirmation hearings about where she was on Christmas Day last year. Kagan responded, "You know, like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant."
So, the Christmas Eve service was beautiful at my church. We sang all the beloved Christmas carols. We heard the account read of Jesus' birth from the Gospel of Luke. We got to light candles and sing Silent Night. However, I think I what I will most remember about this Christmas Eve was that for a brief moment, I was united with my fellow children of Abraham for a delicious Chinese buffet.
I hope you have a very Merry Christmas. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Ten Days Off

I have the next ten days off work. I get tomorrow off as a holiday and then I'm taking all next week off. I am looking forward to doing not much of anything. I plan to attend Christmas Eve services at my church tomorrow night. I'm not sure which service I will attend. There are five from which to choose and each one looks like it will be different. Christmas day looks pretty low key. While I had planned to stay in my pajamas all day, I have been invited by my sister Stacey over to her home for dinner later in the day. Stacey suggested that I might want to shower before coming over. I guess I will oblige her on that point. The rest of the week will involve me taking naps, watching Netflix, reading, working on my new writing project, and possibly visiting with friends. I really just want to rest and relax. I am grateful for the opportunity to have a break.
I hope that you find time over this holidays to rest and relax and enjoy those things you love to do in life. Thanks for being a part of my journey!