Michel Nostradamus was a 16th-century physician and astrologer. Many people today say that he was a prophet, even a psychic. He made predictions about the future, but not like you would expect. He didn’t use Tarot cards or palm-reading or crystal balls, he wrote quatrains – four-line verses. To the people in his day, the verses appeared to be a bunch of non-sense, but people today say that they were actually predictions of the future. The verses were muddled and obscure before the predicted event, but became crystal clear after the event occurred. Here are two of the predictions he made:
The year 1999 seven months / From the sky will come the great King of Terror / To resuscitate the great king of the Mongols / Before and After Mars reigns by good luck.
Sounds like nonsense to us, but his followers say this was a prediction about John F Kennedy’s plane crash in July of 1999. Here’s another one and this one’s kind of freaky:
In the year of the new century and nine months / from the sky will come the great king of terror / they sky will burn at forty-five degrees / fire approaches the great new city / in the city of York there will be a great collapse / two twin brothers torn apart by chaos / while the fortress falls the great leader will succumb / third big war will begin when the big city is burning…
This is supposedly Nostradamus’ prediction of 9/11. If it is, it’s kind of weird. But, it’s been confirmed that this one was a hoax. Whether it was a hoax or not, Nostradamus has been hailed as one who knows the future.
Sometimes I wish I could know my future. The Bible tells us that God has a plan for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans for a hope and a future. That’s great, but why’s it such a mystery? Can’t I just see what’s going to happen this year or next year? Can’t I just have a little peak? Unfortunately, the answer is “No.”
We’ll never know what our future holds until we get there. But, what we do know about the future is that it’s coming. And, knowing that the future is coming, we can begin to plan for it. Are you planning for your future? What are you doing? Are you stuck in this mode of wondering what’s after college or your career? Has your future even crossed your mind? Do you have a five-year or ten-year plan mapped out? How are you planning for your future?
Your future is coming and you need to have a plan for it. And, I can tell you, not to be a downer, that chances are your future isn’t going to be easy. I’ve lived long enough and have heard enough life stories to confidently say that most people never predicted how difficult their lives would be. I have a friend who got married four years ago, but last year his wife told him she didn’t love him and never did. He couldn’t predict that. I have another friend who married the man of her dreams, but he cheated on her. She couldn’t have predicted that. And another friend has had treatment for cancer twice now and he’s only thirty-two. He never could have predicted that. There are twists and turns in life that you will never be able to predict, but you can plan for them. You can take steps now to plan for your future and that’s we will spend the next several weeks studying the tactics of the great biblical leader, Nehemiah. Next week we will look at the first thing Nehemiah does to plan for his future.
30 January 2008
13 January 2008
Running Water
Following the tradition of the Church, this week we celebrate the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. Three of the gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) recorded Jesus’ baptism, but John did not. This post focuses on the baptism as recorded by Mark.
Tonight I’m drinking water bought from a store. This is not normal for me. I usually fill my Nalgene bottle from the tap and that’s good enough. I can’t bring myself to buy bottled water. Tonight, however, I’m drinking bottled water because I have no other choice. One of the main pipes under the house busted and the water had to be shut off. A crew worked on it all day today, but they scattered like cockroaches when the clock struck five. Who knows when we’ll have water again – hopefully soon. But, as for now, I’ll have to go to someone’s house for a shower tomorrow, like I did today (Thanks, Toby!). I really want to use my own shower. It’s so much more convenient. I miss having running water.
It’s fitting that the same day our well runs dry, I’m writing about Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. Mark wrote, “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan” (Mark 1:9). I have images of the Jordan in my mind from slides shown by some of my seminary professors. Their pictures captured the sparkle of the river and the green shrubbery that covered it banks. John baptized Jesus in this running water. He dunked him under the water and when Jesus came up, “He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending on Him…” (1:10). The Spirit in the form of a dove (an animal used for sacrificial worship) descended on Jesus (who would become the ultimate sacrifice) anointing Him specifically as Messiah. He was empowered by the Spirit and authorized by the Father whose “voice came out of the heavens: ‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased’” (1:11). The words of this voice, of the Father, teach us so much about Jesus. One of my profs at seminary wrote in his online commentary that because of this verse, “…the reader of Mark’s Gospel knows God’s authoritative evaluation of Jesus. This evaluation becomes the norm by which we judge the correctness or incorrectness of every other character’s understanding of Him” (Thomas Constable, www.soniclight.com). In other words, this phrase is God the Father’s confirmation that Jesus is His Son. God doesn’t say this about too many other people. In fact, no other person on this planet has received the title Son of God. As far as other people in the Bible, we know they are Christ-followers if they recognize Him as the Son of God, and they are probably not His followers if they call Him otherwise. This man Jesus who was baptized in the running waters of the Jordan River is the Son of God.
Jesus’ baptism, and this verse in particular, impacts us in three ways. Initially, it calls us out on how we perceive Jesus. In many religions, and even in some Christian denominations, Jesus is known as a prophet or just a very good man. These religions over-emphasize His humanity and forsake Him deity. A.W. Tozer wrote, “What comes to mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” I’d like to change the wording here a little and say, what comes to mind when we think about Jesus is the most important thing about us. Jesus is fully man, but He is also fully God – we cannot forget or abandon that fact. What is your understanding of Jesus? Jump in the running waters of the Jordan and meet Him.
Tonight I’m drinking water bought from a store. This is not normal for me. I usually fill my Nalgene bottle from the tap and that’s good enough. I can’t bring myself to buy bottled water. Tonight, however, I’m drinking bottled water because I have no other choice. One of the main pipes under the house busted and the water had to be shut off. A crew worked on it all day today, but they scattered like cockroaches when the clock struck five. Who knows when we’ll have water again – hopefully soon. But, as for now, I’ll have to go to someone’s house for a shower tomorrow, like I did today (Thanks, Toby!). I really want to use my own shower. It’s so much more convenient. I miss having running water.
It’s fitting that the same day our well runs dry, I’m writing about Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. Mark wrote, “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan” (Mark 1:9). I have images of the Jordan in my mind from slides shown by some of my seminary professors. Their pictures captured the sparkle of the river and the green shrubbery that covered it banks. John baptized Jesus in this running water. He dunked him under the water and when Jesus came up, “He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending on Him…” (1:10). The Spirit in the form of a dove (an animal used for sacrificial worship) descended on Jesus (who would become the ultimate sacrifice) anointing Him specifically as Messiah. He was empowered by the Spirit and authorized by the Father whose “voice came out of the heavens: ‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased’” (1:11). The words of this voice, of the Father, teach us so much about Jesus. One of my profs at seminary wrote in his online commentary that because of this verse, “…the reader of Mark’s Gospel knows God’s authoritative evaluation of Jesus. This evaluation becomes the norm by which we judge the correctness or incorrectness of every other character’s understanding of Him” (Thomas Constable, www.soniclight.com). In other words, this phrase is God the Father’s confirmation that Jesus is His Son. God doesn’t say this about too many other people. In fact, no other person on this planet has received the title Son of God. As far as other people in the Bible, we know they are Christ-followers if they recognize Him as the Son of God, and they are probably not His followers if they call Him otherwise. This man Jesus who was baptized in the running waters of the Jordan River is the Son of God.
Jesus’ baptism, and this verse in particular, impacts us in three ways. Initially, it calls us out on how we perceive Jesus. In many religions, and even in some Christian denominations, Jesus is known as a prophet or just a very good man. These religions over-emphasize His humanity and forsake Him deity. A.W. Tozer wrote, “What comes to mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” I’d like to change the wording here a little and say, what comes to mind when we think about Jesus is the most important thing about us. Jesus is fully man, but He is also fully God – we cannot forget or abandon that fact. What is your understanding of Jesus? Jump in the running waters of the Jordan and meet Him.
The next way this verse impacts us is that it gives us hope for eternal life. God the Father said, “You are My beloved Son…” John wrote about this beloved Son, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Belief in God’s beloved Son is the only way for us to experience eternal life. We can’t just know, we must believe that it is true. What is your understanding of Jesus? Splash in the running waters of the Jordan and believe in Him.
Lastly, this verse speaks of the price that was paid on our behalf. The Father said, “…in You I am well-pleased.” This passage doesn’t say it explicitly here, but if we understand the dove as a sacrifice in the old system, then we understand Jesus as the well-pleasing sacrifice in the new system. It seems to me that this verse is pointing us to Jesus’ death on the cross. God the Father was well-pleased through Jesus’ death on the cross on our behalf. This means we don’t have to make dove sacrifices to God for our sins. Jesus’ death well-pleased the Father for all who believe in Him. What is your understanding of Jesus? Dive into the running waters of the Jordan and experience Him.
Get in the Jordan and understand who Jesus is today. He is the only Son of God, which makes Him our hope for eternal life as He well-pleases the Father on our behalf.
The water is back on in my house. When I first turned the faucet on, it spit at me as if it was angry. The water wasn’t running like it was supposed to. It burped and gurgled for a few minutes, but eventually it smoothed out. Our lives are like that – we burp and gurgle our way through the day, but we begin to smooth out when we join Jesus in the Jordan.
Lastly, this verse speaks of the price that was paid on our behalf. The Father said, “…in You I am well-pleased.” This passage doesn’t say it explicitly here, but if we understand the dove as a sacrifice in the old system, then we understand Jesus as the well-pleasing sacrifice in the new system. It seems to me that this verse is pointing us to Jesus’ death on the cross. God the Father was well-pleased through Jesus’ death on the cross on our behalf. This means we don’t have to make dove sacrifices to God for our sins. Jesus’ death well-pleased the Father for all who believe in Him. What is your understanding of Jesus? Dive into the running waters of the Jordan and experience Him.
Get in the Jordan and understand who Jesus is today. He is the only Son of God, which makes Him our hope for eternal life as He well-pleases the Father on our behalf.
The water is back on in my house. When I first turned the faucet on, it spit at me as if it was angry. The water wasn’t running like it was supposed to. It burped and gurgled for a few minutes, but eventually it smoothed out. Our lives are like that – we burp and gurgle our way through the day, but we begin to smooth out when we join Jesus in the Jordan.
06 January 2008
Joy
What gives you joy? What delights you? The popular Joy of Cooking cookbook tells us that joy is found in cooking. I don’t think it’s the cooking part that brings us joy, but the eating! You might find joy by spending time with your friends or family. Maybe joy for you is sitting down with a steamy cup of coffee and a good book. Joy might also be found by cuddling with your wife or husband, girlfriend or boyfriend, while watching your favorite movie – Elf, The Holiday, Pirates of the Caribbean III. Or, perhaps you are the most delighted when you’re outside riding your bike, taking a walk, or working in the yard.
These things make us happy. We enjoy them. But, honestly, they don’t give us long lasting joy. We get tired of them. We love to be with our families and friends, but eventually, they need to go home. That steamy cup of coffee will eventually turn cold. The good book will end. The credits will roll on our favorite movie and the cuddling will be over. It’s great to be outside, but doesn’t it always rain when we try to get out there? I realize that I’m being pessimistic here, but the point I want to make is that these things that give us joy, make us happy, and delight us, don’t/won’t last. Let’s look at something that can give us unending joy.
Traditionally, twelve days after Christmas (January 6) is the anniversary for when the magi, wise men who practiced astronomy, astrology, and natural science, first saw Jesus. (They probably didn’t see him 12 days after his birth, but more like one to two years - this is just the tradition.) Their story is in the book of Matthew, chapter two, verses one through 12. The story tells us that Jesus was born in a small manger in the town of Bethlehem, one of the towns of Judea, over which Herod ruled. Herod was the acting king of the Jews, but the magi came to him asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” referring to Jesus. This question troubled Herod because he was the king and there could be no other. He sent the magi on to Bethlehem so they could report back to him the exact location of the child. The magi followed a star to the place where the Child rested. When they saw the star, “they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Then they saw the baby with his mother Mary; “and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him.”
I love the magi’s reaction when they saw the star – “They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” The star brought them joy because they knew that it was a sign that their Savior had come into the world. They had been waiting and watching for so long for a Savior to come and this star brought them to Him. This Savior that entered the world for them also entered the world for us. He is our Savior.
These things make us happy. We enjoy them. But, honestly, they don’t give us long lasting joy. We get tired of them. We love to be with our families and friends, but eventually, they need to go home. That steamy cup of coffee will eventually turn cold. The good book will end. The credits will roll on our favorite movie and the cuddling will be over. It’s great to be outside, but doesn’t it always rain when we try to get out there? I realize that I’m being pessimistic here, but the point I want to make is that these things that give us joy, make us happy, and delight us, don’t/won’t last. Let’s look at something that can give us unending joy.
Traditionally, twelve days after Christmas (January 6) is the anniversary for when the magi, wise men who practiced astronomy, astrology, and natural science, first saw Jesus. (They probably didn’t see him 12 days after his birth, but more like one to two years - this is just the tradition.) Their story is in the book of Matthew, chapter two, verses one through 12. The story tells us that Jesus was born in a small manger in the town of Bethlehem, one of the towns of Judea, over which Herod ruled. Herod was the acting king of the Jews, but the magi came to him asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” referring to Jesus. This question troubled Herod because he was the king and there could be no other. He sent the magi on to Bethlehem so they could report back to him the exact location of the child. The magi followed a star to the place where the Child rested. When they saw the star, “they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Then they saw the baby with his mother Mary; “and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him.”
I love the magi’s reaction when they saw the star – “They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” The star brought them joy because they knew that it was a sign that their Savior had come into the world. They had been waiting and watching for so long for a Savior to come and this star brought them to Him. This Savior that entered the world for them also entered the world for us. He is our Savior.
The magi show us that joy is not a gift, but a response. It is not given to us and then we take it in. Rather, it is in us and we give it out. The Holy Spirit has placed within every believer the ability to express true joy. It comes easier for some, but more difficult for others. Some people wake up joyful and share it throughout the day. However, for other people that same joy is covered by dust and junk from the past. A lot of digging needs to happen before it’s uncovered. If that is your situation, keep working at it. Keep digging and you will find that joy. Why do we want to find the joy that the Holy Spirit has placed in us? Because we, like the magi, are to respond the birth of Jesus Christ with great joy. He is our king. He is our savior. We should worship Him as such.
24 December 2007
Christmas
There was a time when the birth of Jesus was proclaimed loudly and joyfully, but that doesn't seem to be true now. I have heard more frequently this year than in years past people's refrain from using the word "Christmas." Early in the season, I heard that one home improvement store was not selling Christmas trees, but "holiday" trees. I can understand this. The name "Christmas" reflects Christian beliefs, which not everyone holds to. I can understand when a company wants to respect everyone's beliefs. This refrain was personalized last night after dinner. We said "Merry Christmas" to our waitress on our way out the door. She responded with "Merry Christmas," but also with, "You don't know who you can say that to anymore." Are companies telling their employees to not say "Merry Christmas?" It seems like it. One final comment that really got to me was a personal phone call the other day. As I was saying goodbye to my friend on the other end he said, "Is it okay for me to say Merry Christmas to you?" I said, "Of course." But seriously, this is rediculous. The refrain of using the word Christmas has infiltrated personal friendships - and I'm a pastor for crying out loud. What's the deal???
There's two ways we can look at this. On the one hand, we might feel that our nation is losing touch with its Christian roots. We're letting go of our faith and our Christian holiday and replacing it with the static "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings." We might feel that when people say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" Christ is dishonored because His name isn't in the phrase. Or, just because tradition requires us to say "Merry Christmas."
On the other hand, we can take another look at the faith of our nation. The United States has some Christian roots, but it was not founded on Christian beliefs. We're a pagan nation just as much as any other country in the world. We are a "melting pot" of a thousand cultures and religions. Only in America can you find a Buddhist Temple next to a Baptist Church. All this to say that just because a company says "Happy Holidays" doesn't mean we're losing our faith. If our faith is based on a phrase, maybe we didn't have faith in the first place. Our faith is not in a phrase, but in a person. Maybe the more frequent use of the phrase "Happy Holidays" can open our eyes to the fact that people around us - at work, in the stores, restaurants, neighborhoods - are lost. They don't know the "real meaning of Christmas." I think that it's more dishonoring to Christ that we don't explain the real meaning of Christmas to people that getting all worked up that someone said "Happy Holidays."
We celebrate the birth of Christ, but we're far from doing it right. When He was born in that little town of Bethlehem, the angels proclaimed, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." I don't see us doing this. I don't see us praising God for sending His Son into our world to change our lives for eternity. Instead, it seems that we're more concerned about the words "Holiday" or "Christmas." Celebrate Christ this Christmas with the phrase "Happy Holidays," the story of Christ's birth, and joyful praise to the Father.
There's two ways we can look at this. On the one hand, we might feel that our nation is losing touch with its Christian roots. We're letting go of our faith and our Christian holiday and replacing it with the static "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings." We might feel that when people say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" Christ is dishonored because His name isn't in the phrase. Or, just because tradition requires us to say "Merry Christmas."
On the other hand, we can take another look at the faith of our nation. The United States has some Christian roots, but it was not founded on Christian beliefs. We're a pagan nation just as much as any other country in the world. We are a "melting pot" of a thousand cultures and religions. Only in America can you find a Buddhist Temple next to a Baptist Church. All this to say that just because a company says "Happy Holidays" doesn't mean we're losing our faith. If our faith is based on a phrase, maybe we didn't have faith in the first place. Our faith is not in a phrase, but in a person. Maybe the more frequent use of the phrase "Happy Holidays" can open our eyes to the fact that people around us - at work, in the stores, restaurants, neighborhoods - are lost. They don't know the "real meaning of Christmas." I think that it's more dishonoring to Christ that we don't explain the real meaning of Christmas to people that getting all worked up that someone said "Happy Holidays."
We celebrate the birth of Christ, but we're far from doing it right. When He was born in that little town of Bethlehem, the angels proclaimed, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." I don't see us doing this. I don't see us praising God for sending His Son into our world to change our lives for eternity. Instead, it seems that we're more concerned about the words "Holiday" or "Christmas." Celebrate Christ this Christmas with the phrase "Happy Holidays," the story of Christ's birth, and joyful praise to the Father.
20 October 2007
the story
Where do I begin?
It was Wednesday night of a pretty hectic week. I had been trying to write a sermon for class, but it wasn't going well. I couldn't think. A week earlier I had bought a beautiful diamond ring for my unsuspecting girlfriend. So, for seven days all I could think about was the ring, proposing, changing the course of this woman's life, and then planning our future together. With all those thoughts running through my head, the last thing I wanted to do was write a sermon. I was way too excited!
Anyway, I bought the ring a week before I was to propose, but they had to make it. They told me it wouldn't be ready until Wednesday, September 26. That made my nerves a little more agitated - that was the day I wanted to propose! Nothing special about the day - it just felt right.
The week passed by really quickly. Faster than I expected. Over the weekend I made plans with Amanda to go out for dinner on Wednesday night. It worked out well because we went out the previous Wednesday and we weren't going to see each other on the upcoming weekend because we were both going out of town. So, it made sense for us to go out on Wednesday again - a nice mid-week date! Gotta love those!
On that special day I worked at the church in the morning, had lunch with my buddy Joe, went to class, and then had to pick up the ring. I drove as fast as I could to that little jewelry store. I was supposed to pick Amanda up at 6pm, but I wasn't getting to the store until 5pm. When I arrived, the salesman, George, wanted to chat. We sat in his office for a half hour before he had the ring brought out. I don't think he knew what kind of pressure he was putting me through! He had the jeweler bring the ring out and it was gorgeous. I couldn't believe my eyes. At that moment, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen - perfect for Amanda!
I skipped out of the store, riding on cloud nine, zoomed to my house, threw on some different clothes, and headed off to pick up Amanda.
She was ready to go. We went to Macaroni Grill, had a great dinner, and finished our meals earlier than I expected. I had been telling her that we were going to study after dinner, but I had other plans. I wanted to take her to a park, but I wanted it to be dark. But, because we finished dinner so early, I had to find a way to stall. I said, "Can we go to Starbucks and get some coffees before we head home?" She obliged.
We hung out at Starbucks for a few minutes and then we went out to my car. On the way to the car I said, "It's such a beautiful night, can we go drink our coffees at a park? I can read my sermon to you there." Again, she obliged. It was now dark, the moon was big, the air was cool. It was perfect.
We got to the park, I grabbed my bag with my "sermon" in it, and headed to a bench. There was one bench under a light right next to a little pond. We sat there and talked for a few minutes. Then I said, "Can we go over my sermon now?" She said, "Yep." I pulled out a folder and acted like it wasn't in there. I pulled out another folder and acted like it wasn't in there either. Finally, I pulled out a photo album and said, "Oh, but I have this." It was short album full of pictures of Amanda and me. On a card on the last page I had written the words, "I LOVE YOU." That was the first time I ever told her I love her. Under the card were the words, "WILL YOU MARRY ME?" At that point, I got down on one knee. Pulled out the ring and said, "Will you marry me, Amanda?" Without wasting a second, she said, "Yes!"
That was the best day of my life. Amanda means the world to me. I feel so blessed that the Lord would give me such a beautiful, kind, loving, intelligent woman to spend the rest of my life with.
The wedding will be in Dallas on May 24, 2008. We just secured the church and will have many more wedding prep stories to share with you in the weeks ahead. Blessings!
It was Wednesday night of a pretty hectic week. I had been trying to write a sermon for class, but it wasn't going well. I couldn't think. A week earlier I had bought a beautiful diamond ring for my unsuspecting girlfriend. So, for seven days all I could think about was the ring, proposing, changing the course of this woman's life, and then planning our future together. With all those thoughts running through my head, the last thing I wanted to do was write a sermon. I was way too excited!
Anyway, I bought the ring a week before I was to propose, but they had to make it. They told me it wouldn't be ready until Wednesday, September 26. That made my nerves a little more agitated - that was the day I wanted to propose! Nothing special about the day - it just felt right.
The week passed by really quickly. Faster than I expected. Over the weekend I made plans with Amanda to go out for dinner on Wednesday night. It worked out well because we went out the previous Wednesday and we weren't going to see each other on the upcoming weekend because we were both going out of town. So, it made sense for us to go out on Wednesday again - a nice mid-week date! Gotta love those!
On that special day I worked at the church in the morning, had lunch with my buddy Joe, went to class, and then had to pick up the ring. I drove as fast as I could to that little jewelry store. I was supposed to pick Amanda up at 6pm, but I wasn't getting to the store until 5pm. When I arrived, the salesman, George, wanted to chat. We sat in his office for a half hour before he had the ring brought out. I don't think he knew what kind of pressure he was putting me through! He had the jeweler bring the ring out and it was gorgeous. I couldn't believe my eyes. At that moment, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen - perfect for Amanda!
I skipped out of the store, riding on cloud nine, zoomed to my house, threw on some different clothes, and headed off to pick up Amanda.
She was ready to go. We went to Macaroni Grill, had a great dinner, and finished our meals earlier than I expected. I had been telling her that we were going to study after dinner, but I had other plans. I wanted to take her to a park, but I wanted it to be dark. But, because we finished dinner so early, I had to find a way to stall. I said, "Can we go to Starbucks and get some coffees before we head home?" She obliged.
We hung out at Starbucks for a few minutes and then we went out to my car. On the way to the car I said, "It's such a beautiful night, can we go drink our coffees at a park? I can read my sermon to you there." Again, she obliged. It was now dark, the moon was big, the air was cool. It was perfect.
We got to the park, I grabbed my bag with my "sermon" in it, and headed to a bench. There was one bench under a light right next to a little pond. We sat there and talked for a few minutes. Then I said, "Can we go over my sermon now?" She said, "Yep." I pulled out a folder and acted like it wasn't in there. I pulled out another folder and acted like it wasn't in there either. Finally, I pulled out a photo album and said, "Oh, but I have this." It was short album full of pictures of Amanda and me. On a card on the last page I had written the words, "I LOVE YOU." That was the first time I ever told her I love her. Under the card were the words, "WILL YOU MARRY ME?" At that point, I got down on one knee. Pulled out the ring and said, "Will you marry me, Amanda?" Without wasting a second, she said, "Yes!"
That was the best day of my life. Amanda means the world to me. I feel so blessed that the Lord would give me such a beautiful, kind, loving, intelligent woman to spend the rest of my life with.
The wedding will be in Dallas on May 24, 2008. We just secured the church and will have many more wedding prep stories to share with you in the weeks ahead. Blessings!
25 September 2007
week: fourteen
Here's a funny story that will give you a good chuckle:
Last Thursday I was feeling pretty good. Two days prior I had been offered a position as Assistant Men's Pastor at my church and this was the day that I would give my two weeks notice of resignation to the hospital. On top of that, I had just picked up a copy of the Seminary's quarterly magazine The Kindred Spirit. I had been looking forward to the magazine's release because I knew they were adding a bit about the leadership study I did this summer with a group of people at Texadelphia restaurant. It was exciting to see my picture in this magazine and to read the little article they wrote. It made me feel good. So, I had a few things going for me on Thursday. Not to mention that just before leaving campus I popped into the campus bookstore to see my beautiful girlfriend, Amanda. And, seeing her always makes me feel ten times better than I did before seeing her. After taking a moment to say hello to Amanda, I dropped by the coffee shop to pick up an iced coffee for my drive out to the hospital. An iced coffee (any kind of coffee for that matter) is like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae. It's the perfect topping on an already perfect day!
I headed out to the parking lot with my head held high, a little bounce in my step, and my iced coffee sweating my right hand. I probably even had a little smile on my face as I thought about what God was doing in my life.
The parking lot is brand new. Well, it's an old parking lot, but the Seminary just had it renovated and expanded. It's twice (or maybe three times) larger than it was before. It's surrounded by beautiful black iron fencing and incredible landscaping. It's a pretty impressive looking parking lot and it's not even finished. They're still putting on the finishing touches.
On Thursday, the day I was feeling so good, a crew was in the lot laying sod and putting in shrubs. The lot was a little dirty because of the work that was being done. Patches of dirt were scattered throughout the lot. Some of the patches were actually mud because a second crew was working on the sprinkling system for the lot.
As I approached my car, I came across one of these patches of dirt and I stepped over it. The heel of my right foot didn't quite clear the dirt. I began sliding through and flying over it. It all happened so suddenly and slowly. I remember looking across the lot into the window of "Jack in the Box" to see if anyone was watching. They were getting the show of their lives. I also remember feeling sad (almost crying) as my iced coffee rolled from my hand into the air. I almost had to duck to avoid being decapitated by my book bag that was flying through the air like a giant Frisbee.
There I was. Flat out on the parking lot. Watching my iced coffee roll away from me. Feet in the air. Pride broken. I popped up and started laughing hysterically because I couldn't believe that I had just fallen while walking to my car. Immediately I looked around to see if anyone had seen this happen. I looked across the street to see if anyone was in the yard on campus. No one. I looked down the row of cars to see if anyone was around. No one. I looked to see if the work crew was looking my way. No one. Then, I started looking through windshields, knowing that many students sit in their cars between classes to do some reading, etc. No one. This was just between me and God. I don't think He did this to me, but I think He got a good laugh out of it.
I still had a good day. I still felt good about what was going on, but I think I needed to fall to help me have the right perspective - to keep me in line lest I become prideful. Good things happen and they make us feel good, but we can't let ourselves become prideful because of those things. We can rejoice in them and thank God for how He provides and blesses, but we need to remember that it's all about Him and not about us.
Last Thursday I was feeling pretty good. Two days prior I had been offered a position as Assistant Men's Pastor at my church and this was the day that I would give my two weeks notice of resignation to the hospital. On top of that, I had just picked up a copy of the Seminary's quarterly magazine The Kindred Spirit. I had been looking forward to the magazine's release because I knew they were adding a bit about the leadership study I did this summer with a group of people at Texadelphia restaurant. It was exciting to see my picture in this magazine and to read the little article they wrote. It made me feel good. So, I had a few things going for me on Thursday. Not to mention that just before leaving campus I popped into the campus bookstore to see my beautiful girlfriend, Amanda. And, seeing her always makes me feel ten times better than I did before seeing her. After taking a moment to say hello to Amanda, I dropped by the coffee shop to pick up an iced coffee for my drive out to the hospital. An iced coffee (any kind of coffee for that matter) is like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae. It's the perfect topping on an already perfect day!
I headed out to the parking lot with my head held high, a little bounce in my step, and my iced coffee sweating my right hand. I probably even had a little smile on my face as I thought about what God was doing in my life.
The parking lot is brand new. Well, it's an old parking lot, but the Seminary just had it renovated and expanded. It's twice (or maybe three times) larger than it was before. It's surrounded by beautiful black iron fencing and incredible landscaping. It's a pretty impressive looking parking lot and it's not even finished. They're still putting on the finishing touches.
On Thursday, the day I was feeling so good, a crew was in the lot laying sod and putting in shrubs. The lot was a little dirty because of the work that was being done. Patches of dirt were scattered throughout the lot. Some of the patches were actually mud because a second crew was working on the sprinkling system for the lot.
As I approached my car, I came across one of these patches of dirt and I stepped over it. The heel of my right foot didn't quite clear the dirt. I began sliding through and flying over it. It all happened so suddenly and slowly. I remember looking across the lot into the window of "Jack in the Box" to see if anyone was watching. They were getting the show of their lives. I also remember feeling sad (almost crying) as my iced coffee rolled from my hand into the air. I almost had to duck to avoid being decapitated by my book bag that was flying through the air like a giant Frisbee.
There I was. Flat out on the parking lot. Watching my iced coffee roll away from me. Feet in the air. Pride broken. I popped up and started laughing hysterically because I couldn't believe that I had just fallen while walking to my car. Immediately I looked around to see if anyone had seen this happen. I looked across the street to see if anyone was in the yard on campus. No one. I looked down the row of cars to see if anyone was around. No one. I looked to see if the work crew was looking my way. No one. Then, I started looking through windshields, knowing that many students sit in their cars between classes to do some reading, etc. No one. This was just between me and God. I don't think He did this to me, but I think He got a good laugh out of it.
I still had a good day. I still felt good about what was going on, but I think I needed to fall to help me have the right perspective - to keep me in line lest I become prideful. Good things happen and they make us feel good, but we can't let ourselves become prideful because of those things. We can rejoice in them and thank God for how He provides and blesses, but we need to remember that it's all about Him and not about us.
24 September 2007
update
I have added some new links on the sidebar to the right. The new links are "The Grotes" (thegrotes.blogspot.com) and "Naima Lett" (http://www.naimalett.com/). Check out these sites. The Grotes work with missionaries and Naima is in the performing arts. Both are good friends of mine. I'm excited to share their sites with you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)