Prayer Request

Hello friends. I hope that you do not mind that I am posting a prayer request here. My little one (Bethany) needs some prayers. Her spirits are very high; so I am not worried about that. However she has scolosis and it is severe - 41%.

However, we have her up at the Cleveland Clinic and they are doing a fantastic job. We have gone through the x-rays, the test and have been fitted for a cast. It will be a cast from the pelvis to the arm pits. She will have to wear it for 16-20 hours a day - most likely for the next 8 +/- years.

We have been hit with a lot in the last few months.

I was in my patient room in Methodist Hospital at Mayo Clinic last January.
I was in a state of hopelessness, and hope is the most precious of treasures.
At that moment I had no faith. I didn't belief God could make a difference.
Then Michelle Cobb called to see how I was and prayed with me. And boy did she pray.
She cried out to God really expecting God to do a good work with my body and situation.
God did. My situation slowly began to change and hope entered my heart like water filling a dry hole.

A follower of Jesus trusts that God is both powerful and good. The only thing we should be concerned about is the business of the kingdom while allowing God to take care of our wounds and our worries. But I'm here to testify that once in a while our faith and trust can take a hike. In those times we need a friend to carry us to the feet of the Father. Here's a version of the prayer Jesus taught.

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is
and that shall be. Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice
be followed by peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another,
forgive us. In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great
to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign
in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.

Chesterton Quote

I just wanted to share this great quote from G.K. Chesterton:

Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found
difficult and not tried.

It Is Good

Joy Ellen and I went to see my mom and dad yesterday. My mama had a touch of the flu or something. So when we got there, they were both back in their bedroom each laying in their own bed. I started kidding around with mom right away. Joy and laughter seem to go a long way with them these days. Then I laid down in the bed next to mom for a little bit...sweet moment.

Papa and I then went to the grocery store together. I can't tell you what a wonderful feeling it is to make sure the olds have food in the house. It rocks! By the time we got home, mom was up and dressed and Joy had cleaned the house. Usually when we come it is enough to get mom up and going.

Then we went for a long drive to Bluffton and ate in an elegant little restaurant called The Ritten House. I chose it because my little mama has always been an elegant lady. We had a nice meal, but I get sort of anxious in that setting because dad's talking can wear you down a little because of his alzhiemers.

But on the way home there was a great sunset on my dad's side of the car. He was absolutely amazed by the beauty in the sky. It was like the one and only sunset he had ever seen in his life. He is a thankful man and sees life through eyes of wonder.

Joy and I go once a week, and like the Creator said at the end of each day, it is good! This year has taught Joy and I that Jesus' words are true that, as we do our part, God's power and love is sufficient for the mission at hand.

Bible

If you're coming to Shalom Community Friday night at the LaSuer's, please bring a Bible. And keep in mind these words which I saw on a bumper sticker the other day,"If it ain't King James, it ain't a Bible!"

Interview With God

Yesterday, the wife, I and the three kids went down to the library and relaxed for a few hours before I headed back to church for council meeting. I am reading various books and materials lately; that cross all over the board. I came across this in a book from unknown authors and it "resonated with me". I placed this on my personal blog as well. May it sing to your heart; like it did mine.

"Come in," God said. "So, you would like to interview me?" "If you have the time," I said. God smiled and said: "My time is eternity and is enough to do everything. What questions do you have in mind to ask me?"

"What surprises you most about humankind?"

God answered: "That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again. That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health. That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such as they live neither for the present nor the future. That they live as if they will never die and they die as if they never lived .... "

God's hand took mine and we were silent for awhile, and then I asked ...

"As a parent, what are some of the life's lesson you want your children to learn?"

God replied with a smile:

"To learn that they cannot make anyone love them. What they can do is to let themselves be loved. To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in their lives, but who they have in their lives. To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others. All will be judged individually on their own merits, not as a group on a comparison basis! To learn that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but it is the one who needs the least. To learn that it only takes a few seconds to pen up profound wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them. To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.

To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings. To learn that money can buy everything but happiness. To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it completely different. To learn that a true friend is someone who knows everything about them .. and likes them anyway. To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgive by others, but that they have to forgive themselves."

I sat there for awhile and enjoyed the moment.

Shalom Community

Shalom Community is meeting this Friday night at 5:30 at the LaSuer home in Marion. We hope you can come! We'll start with a meal. Let us know if you can come, and if you can, if you can bring some food for the table. Joy is planning to make spaghetti with fresh garden tomato sauce.

Peace!

The Way

The Way of Jesus

* One who loves and is in relationship with God.
I love you God of the Universe. You are Light and Peace and Power. You make the beauty of sunrises and sunsets happen consistently on the horizon as well as in our inner being.

* One who seeks to do God's will and further the rule of God's love in people's lives and on this planet.
Once a week, Joysie and I go to Ft. Wayne to see my parents. Today we took them to the Botanical Gardens, went out to eat, and bought groceries. Sometimes it ain't easy but it always feels right and good.

* Those who trust that God loves and cares for us, has Power to give us and those we love, and desires us not to freak out so much. (even though we humans can freak out good!) He said quite often, "Where's your faith dudes!"

* Folks who are servants.
Herb would park further from the church doors than anyone so that others could park closer.

* Healers.
Pray-ers. Listeners. Nurses. Touch-ers.

* Those who are in a God community on a mission.
Lutherans, Baptists, Folks in AA, teachers, Jews in the synagogue, Monks............

* People who forgive and are merciful.
When possible this forgiveness, which in some cases can take years, should lead to reconciliation. He taught us this as he was dying.

* Those who confront that which is wrong or not part of His rule of love.
Christ, MLK, Ghandi, Lincoln, and maybe us in little ways now and again.

* We teach(mostly through story) and demonstrate(through the story of our lives) the Way of Jesus and the Way of the Kingdom.
Once there was a man who had two sons......
In a galaxy far, far away...
Today in the botanical gardens....

To this Way, I can give my life.
Amen.

Hopes and Prayers This Evening

Tonight I pray for Becca. I lift her to the healing of God and the doctors.
I pray for my friend Steve who desperately seeks to do God's will
and it is so damn hard. Make a way for him Lord.
I consider my two wonderful children who go back to school and send them off to grow in knowledge and wisdom and good relationships. (Such a fun card Trev that you sent to David.)
I sing a song of love and power out to the churches I know that desire to have unity and health and new beginnings. May it be so sweet Spirit.
I am so thankful tonight for life , all of it, so absolutely amazing...
sight, sound, dinner with the the family, this movie I'm watching, the air that I breathe and the lungs I use to get it done, purpose, dreams at night and visions of a better tomorrow.
And thoughts for the world tonight.
Your will be done. Your kingdom come.
I told someone I was sorry today. That was a good thing.
I love you all. I truly do.
Abundant blessings be upon you and given through you.

heresy

A definition of heresy is "It's not that something isn't true, it's just not THAT true." Here's some things that fit this definition of heresy for me tonight.
1. The church is what it's all about.
Well, I love the church and it is indeed a source of inspiration in many beautiful ways, but there is also your job, family, continued learning, poetry, compassion, and tonight's meteor shower.
2. Suffering is bad.
Well, it is a drag, but so many good things come out of it like the caring of others, hope and trust in God, and the joy of coming out on the other side.
3. Death is something I'm scared of.
Well, for sure that has been the case for a long time, but as I recently read an amazing "near death" account it has opened up at least a little bit of an understanding of just how the adventure of "living" might continue after this particular earth existence. I shall continue to explore and ponder.
4.That so and so will always be the same and never change.
Yeah, that does indeed happen, but I also choose to believe in the existence of the possible transformation in people and institutions. That God and the universe can line up just right with our hope-full-ness and rattle someone or something into a new creation.
5. Brian McLaren is the answer to the world's problems.
Uh, I don't think so, but he has been my mentor for quite awhile(along with Marcus Borg) and he's coming to Goshen IN something like May 9th and 10th and I would like some of us to read his newest book, go to the event together, eat and drink and take walks, and see what kingdom action comes out of it.
6. The hokey pokey is what it's all about.
OK,this one's true.

2 Intriguing Books

Just a heads up and maybe a late heads up on some books that I am reading / have finished up this week. I am reading 2+ books a week now - I am kinda in a "groove". Anyways, here are the books:

Mark Driscoll: Confession of a Reformission Rev: Hard Lessons From An Emerging Missional Church.

I may disagree with some of his theology and may not approve of his in-your-face-approach HOWEVER, it is a very good book on his life and how he and the church has grown. Two of the things that I enjoyed about the book is his authentic approach and the reflection questions at the end of each chapter. I think churches across the board need to be examining themselves and asking those questions.

They Like Jesus But Not The Church by Dan Kimball.

It is a phrase that I am hearing alot lately and Dan took the topic and produced it into a book. I first heard the phrase in 1991 by some inner-city kids that I was playing some b-ball with.

Anyways, I think he does the book great justice and divides the book up into the why / what / how.

These are two books that I would recommend for reading. HOWEVER, you may want to throw Mark's book out the window (or worse) a few times because of his different interpretation than most stances here ( from a theology standpoint )

shalom

So, Shalom Community gathered in our home last night. Dianne, Dan, Joy, Craig, Kevin, Jennifer, Pahdmae, Dave, Linda, Greg, and Becca. It was good. We shared a meal, talked in twos about what is most important to us in the faith at this time, discussed Marcus Borg's different definitions of faith, told stories, and prayed.

Oh God how I love you and your people. Life is all a miracle. Even the tough stuff draws us closer to you and who we are all meant to be. So on this Sabbath morning I praise and honor you, and I tell you that I love you and all the manifestations you take in the people, creation, and existence that surrounds and envelopes us.

I love you all, and I pray peace and power to you and those you love.

Back home.
Oregon is sweet.
Rented a mustang convertible and drove to the coast where it was both cool and windy.
Saw a whale from a distance and harbor seals as well.
Drove up a long, kind of scary, single lane road into the mountains
and walked a beautiful trail.
Saw a dear old friend and went to to a museum seeing bodies preserved by Plastination.
Went to a place called The Living Room Theater where we watched
a wonderful independent film called Broken English and were served a meal.
Almost finished the book Middlesex which is very excellent.
Was with my sweetie the whole time.
Back home. Re-created. Ready to get back to the mission.
OK, just came back downstairs to tell you I finished Middlesex. So good.
Next book is Thousand Splendid Suns....sequel to Kite Runner.
Also reading Jesus by Borg....excellent.
Goodnight!