On Thanksgiving

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Jason

Yesterday, I was reminded to be thankful.

During worship yesterday, our church family participated in “Mission Thanksgiving”, an effort to provide a Thanksgiving blessing to some impoverished families in our community. The Mayfair family brought in enough canned goods to supply Thanksgiving dinner for nearly 400 families in the New Hope area. In addition, we raised $20,000 to purchase turkeys and Bibles to distribute to these same families. And all of this for the glory of our great God. I am proud to be a part of such a compassionate, generous, loving church family, a group of believers who always respond to the needs of others. For 60 years, this church family has been focused on doing the right thing in these circumstances. And for that, I’m thankful.

This morning, another reminder to be thankful…

At 8:00 this morning, our ministry staff and a group of volunteers loaded up all these Bibles and bags of canned goods and took them to New Hope Elementary School. One of our humble servants, Wilson Mann, met us at church in a New Hope school bus, the same bus he drives every morning and afternoon. Wilson knows firsthand the poverty that runs rampant in New Hope; he sees it up close every day. We loaded these “bags of blessings” onto the school bus and drove the 16 miles from our campus to the school. Our team of servants distributed these tokens of grace discreetly, mindful of the dignity of these families in need. Along the way, we heard gut-wrenching stories of students who only eat when school is in session; we heard stories of abuse, stories of neglect, stories of young boys and girls whose lives are filled with nightmarish horrors that I dare not record here. We were shocked and appalled to find such circumstances just a few miles from our church building. My prayer is that the bags we distributed — green beans & Bibles & turkeys — can in some small way bear witness to the goodness of God in the lives of these children, lives that are drenched in so much sorrow and negligence and perversity. As we loaded up to leave, I was reminded to be thankful for the good family I was raised in and the material provisions I have always enjoyed. Family has always been a safe haven for me. But for many of these children, that’s just not the case. This morning I was reminded that I have much to be thankful for.

And this afternoon, a final reminder to be thankful…

Over the last few weeks, I’ve come to love and appreciate the Spears family. Luke and Carol Spears have been a part of our church family for well over 40 years. Luke worked with NASA here in Huntsville and his sweet wife Carol was a gifted writer and poet, a good friend, a horse lover, a devoted mother and grandmother, and a faithful wife. For the past several years, Luke has been standing watch over Carol — “Elizabeth”, as he calls her — as Alzheimer’s disease gradually invaded her body, requiring constant care and attention. In the final weeks of Carol’s life, I had the chance to pray with Luke and listen to him speak of his great love for his wife. For years, his primary concern has been for Carol’s well being; her death a few days ago has ushered in a new reality for Luke. This afternoon, Mr. Luke and I sat in rocking chairs in his living room and I listened as he spoke even more about the love of his life. There’s a palpable mixture of emotions moving through Mr. Luke’s words. In one sense, he is overjoyed that Carol has found her reward, that she is no longer in any pain, safe in the arms of her Creator. And yet — sometimes in the same breath — Luke acknowledges how much he misses her now, his sorrow still so acute, so raw that he simply has to pause to compose himself when he speaks of his beloved Elizabeth. And so this afternoon, I walked away thankful for the faithfulness of this good man. Mr. Luke, your faithful covenant love for Carol is a parable for us, an expression of the unrelenting faithful love of our covenant God. As a young husband and father, I can say I’m a better man for having known you and your precious wife.

All in all, my heart is welling up with gratitude and thanksgiving tonight. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Posted in Blessings, Church, Family, Huntsville, Love Others, Poverty, Social Issues | 2 Comments

Things I Want to Remember, Vol. 12

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Jason

I love listening to Jackson talk. He has all these little “Jacksonisms” that continually crack me up. When we’re driving home, he always asks if we’re going to “ours house”. If he cleans his plate, he asks if he can have “beezert”. He tells us what he “yikes” and what he doesn’t “yike”; he “yikes” to wear his pajamas all day but he doesn’t “yike” it when he has to wear khakis. Last night, as he and Sunny were cuddling before bed, he told her, “Mommy, I yike you da best.”

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I want to remember how excited my kids get at the little things. Last Friday night, we took them to Krispy Kreme to pick out a donut. When I told them the news, the sound they made was louder than a Justin Beiber sighting at Claire’s. Today we drove through the car wash and they were SO pumped. Truth be told, I still enjoy driving through the car wash myself.

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Last weekend, my mother-in-law kept the kids while Sunny and I attended a banquet in honor of a good friend. Nana was talking to them about prayer and she made the comment that God always answers our prayers. Abby Kate instantly spoke up and said, “Oh no, Nana. He doesn’t.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, I lost a toy the other day and I’ve been praying and praying that God would help me find it. And He hasn’t. So God doesn’t always answer our prayers.”

Looks like Abby Kate hasn’t learned that “No” still qualifies as an answer. Then again, I have a hard time with that one myself.

Posted in God, Kids, Prayer | Leave a comment

The Soul of a Church

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Jason

Yesterday I had the chance to worship again at my “home” church, College Hills in Lebanon, TN. In April, I wrote some of my reflections regarding our last opportunity to worship at College Hills on Easter Sunday. I guess there’s just something about being back home that puts me in a reflective mood. But yesterday, I couldn’t help but feel that same familiar feeling as I worshiped with the community that formed me spiritually at a very early age. I know this probably sounds dramatic, but yesterday it struck me that in worship, you catch a glimpse of the soul of a church. The moments of praise and prayer and communion are just dripping with context within the life of a church community. I looked across the aisle and saw the faithful widow, her husband gone for nearly 25 years, eyes closed and heart full of thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness in her life. I talked with an old friend I hadn’t seen in 15 years, catching up on life: kids, work, family. Sunny and I sat on the same pew with my sister and her husband and their children and it made me proud that we stand in continuity with our parents and grandparents and the faithful before them, a long line of faith extended to us and now to the next generation of our children. At the end of the hour, we honored the ministry of Johnny Markham, one of the “other men” who helped to shape and influence my life in more ways than I can possible recognize. As we stood to congratulate Johnny and his wife for 20 years of faithful service to our teens and their families, my heart just welled up with appreciation, admiration, and respect for this great man.

That’s the best way to describe what I felt as I worshiped alongside the men and women who changed my diapers and fed me Cheerios and taught me about Daniel and the lions den. These men and women taught me to sing “Jesus Loves Me” and “The Old Rugged Cross” and being in their presence again spoke to me at a soul level. I sat there just overwhelmed with gratitude that these sweet people — “salt of the earth” men and women, we call them — have been a part of my spiritual walk. I guess communion is always a little sweeter at home.

So today, I’m giving thanks for this church family, my family. The soul of this church has nourished my soul in ways that are far too numerous to record.

Posted in Blessings, Church, Faith, Family | 4 Comments

The Sermon on the Mount 22

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Jason

7 And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
— Matthew 6:7-13

A friend of mine has three young daughters. I love listening to him pray because he prays in a way that his daughters can hear and understand. His prayers are devoid of any of the flowery “empty phrases” that litter so many “adult” prayers. He prays in a simple, straightforward way and his daughters understand prayer as an authentic exchange with the Father in heaven. This is where Jesus’ teaching on prayer begins.

God-seekers invoke the hallowed name of YHWH in prayer, a confession of God’s holy character but also a plea for God’s eschatological activity (Ezekiel 36:22-23), a request for the Kingdom reign of God to permeate the present. This is the heartbeat of the life of prayer: a deep conviction to see the will of God win out on the rebellious earthly sphere as it surely does in heaven. And so we pray: “Let your Kingdom come, let your will be done, in me as in heaven.”

This cosmic eschatalogical prayer is juxtaposed with a request for daily sustenance, daily manna. With the future reign of God squarely in view, Jesus offers a lived-in appeal for today’s provision. The prayer for daily bread is a prayer for just enough to make it through today, a tease on Jesus’ teaching re: worry later in the sermon. This daily petition resides squarely next to two additional areas requiring daily attention: forgiving others and avoiding temptation. These constant reminders keep us grounded. We never want to stray too far from them in prayer, for we seek the deliverance only God can provide.

Posted in Jesus, Prayer, Scripture, Sermon on the Mount | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Things I Want to Remember, Vol. 11

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Jason

I want to remember how Jackson pronounces his brother’s name. For a long time, Joshua was just “Bubba”, but now he’s “Doshua” with a strong emphasis on the “w” sound toward the end. I love it.

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I want to remember Abby Kate’s mischievous streak. Here lately her thing is to swat me on the bottom as I walk by. I turn around quickly and she squeals and takes off running in the opposite direction.

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I want to remember how excited my kids get at the prospect of Christmas coming. I know this age will pass all too quickly and soon enough the magic of Christmas (and Halloween and all the other holidays for that matter) will change for them. But we’re at that special stage where they’re really into it and I want it to last as long as possible.

Posted in Blessings, Kids | 1 Comment

LOST: How It Should Have Ended

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Jason

LOST fans, whether you loved or hated the series finale, I think you’ll enjoy this little piece from the guys over at How It Should Have Ended. Hilarious. Who wants some eternity water?

Posted in Humor, Television, Video | Leave a comment

Love Begets Life

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Jason

On the first page of scripture, the Bible affirms this fundamental truth: we are created in the image of God.

Over the years, few things have captivated my imagination quite like this little phrase. The Imago Dei is rife with implications for our understanding of ourselves, our being, our purpose, and our world. I believe it to be one of the most important truths ever revealed from the heart of God.

One of the most profound indicators of the divine image we bear is our ability to love and to be loved in return. (Sounds very “Moulin Rouge”, I know. But it’s true.) God exists in eternal relationality – Father, Son, and Spirit bound together in love. Out of that eternal love, God chose to create. God chose to create a space uninhabited by Himself, which is the first grace. Out of nothing — ex nihillo — God brings “something”. And not just something — God creates someone. I AM creates being out of the ultimate reality of His eternal Being, the Person creating persons to share in His divine image. But all of this activity that is recorded on the first pages of Scripture, this activity that is encoded in the DNA of the universe, all this creating and sustaining and speaking forth light and earth and sky and sea and calling it “good”…all of this springs from the reservoir of God’s eternally defining characteristic: His love.

And so, too, in our lives. All our creating, all our sustaining, all our begatting and birthing and naming newborn babes and rearing them…all of this springs, too, from love. Today I held my youngest son in my arms and I looked deep into his eyes, blue eyes staring back at mine. And it struck me today that this little Image-bearer we call Jackson (or Jack, or Jack-Jack, or “Floppy head”, depending on the mood) only exists because his mother and I fell in love 15 years ago. From the wellspring of that love — an extraordinary love that was developed and refined in so many “ordinary” malls and restaurants and movie theaters and conversations and experiences over the years — comes another life, a soul whose existence bears witness to the love that preceded it.

Love begets life.

Surely we are more than bundles of neurons and tissue; we are more than voters and consumers; we are more than laborers and earners; we are even more than conquerors. We are bearers of the Divine Image, our love begetting life.

Posted in Blessings, Devotional, God, Imago Dei, Theology | 1 Comment

My Birthday Gift from Big Sis

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Jason

If you want to see what my sister got me for my birthday, click here.

Of course, the real gift was the surprise special delivery of said gift. Tara surprised me with a birthday lunch yesterday that was the highlight of my 34th birthday. Thanks, Tara! I’m blessed to have a sister like you.

Posted in Blessings, Blogging, Family, Tara | 1 Comment

Offseason

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Jason

And now we enter the long, cold, lonely offseason. As much as I love the playoffs, its always bittersweet when the season comes to a close. I was right in my prediction of the Giants, but I was off by a game. Also nice to see Renteria come up huge in the clutch, too. The guy’s a winner. And a former Card, which is always good in my book. This decade has really been kind to some of baseball’s long suffering franchises. The Red Sox, White Sox, Philly, and now the Giants all got off the schnide. Of course, the Cubbies are still hoping for that elusive championship.

Now that the season is completed, I guess I can get back to blogging about other topics. Look for a continuation of my Sermon on the Mount series, as well as some reflections on a few other topics as well.

Posted in Baseball, Sports | Tagged , | Leave a comment

World Series Prediction

Posted on October 26, 2010 by Jason

Well, I didn’t see this coming: a Rangers / Giants World Series. While I doubt this will be the ratings bonanza FOX was hoping for, I think this will be a really good Series. These two teams are very evenly matched and I think this one could go six or seven games. Here’s my breakdown of the 2010 World Series:

Games 1&2 @ San Francisco

Everyone who is picking the Rangers is doing so primarily on the strength of Cliff Lee’s left wing. And who can blame them? The guy’s been absolute money in the postseason so far. But you can’t forget that the Giants trot out the 2008 & ’09 NL Cy Young Award winner in Tim Lincecum to oppose Lee in Game 1. So really, the first game could go to either team. But you have to give the Rangers the advantage with Lee on the hill. I think the Rangers win Game 1 but I expect the Giants to win Game 2 quite handily behind Matty Cain. The Rangers have the more potent lineup, but I’ve been saying it all postseason long: the Giants have a veteran lineup and they just refuse to give away at-bats. The Giants will head to Arlington after splitting at home.

Games 3-5 @ Arlington

This is where it gets dicey. Game 3 looks like it’ll be Jonathan Sanchez vs. Colby Lewis. If good Sanchez shows up, SF wins this one easily. But lately, good Sanchez has been nowhere to be found. But I still look back to the last month of the regular season when he was lights out. I’m banking on a return to form and a Giant win in Game 3, especially in light of how hot the Giants have been on the road this postseason. Game 4 will probably come down to the bullpens, which I think favors the Giants. I’ll give this one to the Giants, too. That means the Rangers will have Cliff Lee on the mound down 3-1. I suspect we’ll see another vintage Lee performance to pull the Rangers to 3-2 heading back to California.

Game 6 @ San Francisco

As you can see, I’m not expecting this series to go seven. Big Matt Cain on the mound at home with a chance to seal the deal sounds like a winner to me. That’s two wins for Cain, who is my pick for World Series MVP. The Giants will finally have their long awaited first championship since moving West in the 50’s.

Posted in Baseball, Sports | Leave a comment