One Good Hour

No I'm not talking about church, we all know I preach too long to keep us down to an hour anyway. I'm talking about an hour I spent not very long ago.

Rachelle had some time so she and I went and ran a few errands and gulped down some Chik-fil-a. I am reminded of the blessing of my marriage. I am a fortunate guy to have married such an incredible woman.

What I enjoyed was just talking about nothing. With the demands of ministry and parenting, it seems like so much of our talk is directed at some type of need to have a directed conversation. But at least today for one hour, we just enjoyed each other's company not for any other reason than we wanted to.

My Grandpa always talked about the "want to" of marriage. For my grandparents, marriage was a big want to. After 40 plus years of marriage they wanted to hold hands, they wanted to spend every moment they could together. I know they couldn't think of not having that desire in their lives. I have seen that same passion played in the lives of many over the years, and I have seen the other side.

How few of those broken marriages took time to enjoy one good hour with one another? If I had a challenge for any of you blog readers out there, it would be to take one good hour for no real reason and enjoy it with your spouse.

One man + one woman + one God + one hour is a perfect, can't miss recipe.

Turkey on the mind

I have been thinking about turkeys a lot the last couple of days. Yesterday, we made plans to get our turkeys for our church dinner. This morning, we put a new bulletin cover for our mini-sermon series for Thanksgiving: No Jive Turkeys Allowed. Rachelle and I have to decide between turkey or ham for the holliday. Personally, we both prefer ham but turkey can be really good as well.

My first turkey experience as an adult is a fond memory of not knowing what to do with the frozen bird. (Where was the food network when I needed it?) So I did all I knew to do and chased my young bride around the house with the turkey neck. Why do they even bother to give you the neck in the first place?

The first wedding I officiated was done for a young lady who grew up on a turkey farm. I've seen wild turkeys in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and California which isn't bad for a guy who doesn't hunt. When I bowl three consecutive strikes on Wii bowling, I get a turkey. We know that Ben Franklin wanted to make the turkey the national bird, and I guess by the way we act sometimes that would have been more than appropriate.

So turkey is on the mind...any point to this? Let me stretch my neck out for one...I often hear people ask why we don't eat turkey more often...it has been relegated to a Thanksgiving and Christmas meal. How often have I been guilty of relegating God to a "special occasion only Lord" in my life. I have tasted and I have enjoyed the goodness of God only to forget about for seasons of my life. In my mind, that makes me the turkey. Don't be a turkey, let God do His great work in your life this day and every day.

A Win

Hey the ads won't be all over television anymore for a while. Sadness and joy fill this day for most Americans. 62 million or so are happy; 55 million or so are sad. Some in the world rejoice, others are concerned about the possibility in a radical change of foreign policy.

I have read blogs today from friends about not over-reacting if it did not go the way most people of faith had hoped. I have had conversations with people who are certain this is the beginning of the end.

I know this...I spent time on Tuesday night watching Rocky II...the inspiring story of an underdog. If you have seen the movie as many times as I have, you remember that Rocky doesn't seem to want to fight the rematch because he doesn't have the support of his wife. Its only when she comes out of her coma and utters that word "win" that his heart gets into the fight.

I wonder how many times we want someone else to fight for us...a pastor, a teacher, a lawyer, a parent, a politician. We don't seem personally interested in a fight, and I don't mean a political fight unless you know you are called to such a task. I mean the fight spoken of in Ephesians 6...the fight against the unseen.

Jesus has drawn us close to himself and whispered to us, "WIN!" I am inspired to do just that. Winning begins with one person reaching one person. No president can help that or hinder that. No law can stand against the Spirit of God at work in a person' life. So no matter how you feel, remember to do one thing...win.

More on the Rabbit I Chased

Yesterday's sermon on the life of Samson led me to chase a rabbit ever so briefly: Samson is in Timnah, a Philistine stronghold checking out the ladies when one catches his eye and he decides she is going to marry him. He heads home to tell his parents who are less than thrilled.

Judges 14:3-4 (NLT) 3 His father and mother objected strenuously, "Isn't there
one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry? Why must you
go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife?" But Samson told his father, "Get
her for me. She is the one I want." 4 His father and mother didn't realize the
LORD was at work in this, creating an opportunity to disrupt the Philistines,
who ruled over Israel at that time.

Verse 4 is so curious. Was Samson merely following God's will, and are we even right in talking about his poor decision-making process. I pointed out that there are 2 portions of God's will; one part is what God has pre-determined and the other part is what God permits. There are times I don't like either of the two because they don't go the way I had hoped. At other times, I find great encouragement in knowing that it is in God's hands I rest.

What we hate to acknowledge is that God permits certain things to happen in this world. We must face the consequences of a fallen world. We must face the problems associated with our decision-making. Samson is quite possibly history's worst example of how to live your life. His calloused approach to allowing God to direct his path led him down a difficult path and only through the grace of God did he finish well and complete his pre-ordained task.

As we go through this week, let us all consider the decisions we make in light of God's calling in our lives. Let us understand that God's plans for us are greater than we can see and let us draw to Him in utmost obedience. Catch the sermon: