My Beloved

This afternoon I led two services at nursing homes in town. During the services I focused on Mark 1 - the baptism of Jesus. The part that stuck with me, and what I centered the service on, was where God spoke from heaven and said, "This is my Son, the beloved, with him I am well pleased."

It stuck with me because this is the same thing that God says to us - this is my child, my son, my daughter ... this is my beloved, and with you I am well pleased.

And he is pleased with us not because of what we have done or not done in our lives, but rather he is pleased with us because of who we are - his children. This love of his is so great that he will always be our God, and even when we make mistakes, when we falter and fail, he still loves us. He loves us because we are his and always will be.

So listen again as God calls to you - you are my child, you are my beloved, and with you God is well pleased.

52 Weeks of Joy - The Frog Tongue

Yesterday Scarlett and I had a Daddy/Daughter day. Jen was out shopping and Sierra was at school so the two of us took of for the day.

Our first stop was, surprise, surprise, Starbucks. Yup, with a day filled with Scarlett, I needed my coffee. So we had our drinks and snacks (she had apple juice), we then took off to the mall for a little play time.

And that is where the joy of the frog tongue comes into play. In this play area (as you can see above in an older picture) there is a frog tongue that spans a 10 foot area. It is a great toy to play on, and it burns energy like crazy.

So as I was watching Scarlett run and play I had one of those moments of pure joy. Seeing her laugh and smile, watching her jump and squeal with delight. It was one of those times when everything seems right in the world

Now I will admit, not all of life is like that, there are the struggles and times of darkness. And I guess that is why I treasure these moments of pure joy even more.

When was your last moment of pure joy?

Mark 1 - Healing

Below is an excerpt from a sermon a few years back on the Gospel lesson for today: Mark 1:29-39.

Healing is something all of us need at one time or another in our lives. We need healing from infirmities, healing from broken hearts, healing from grief and loss, just to be made whole once again.

Throughout this Epiphany we have encountered a number of healing stories in the lectionary. They are stories of Jesus casting out demons and strengthening the afflicted. Today, we continue on that journey of healing with Jesus, and this time it gets personal, at least for one of the disciples.

In the first healing story in this lesson we see that Simon’s mother-in-law was sick and in bed. When Jesus is invited over to Simon’s the first thing he does is go in and care for this woman. He takes her hand, takes her fever, lifts her up, and makes her whole once again. One interesting point in this story, the mother-in-law never says a word. There is no confession of faith, no showing of belief, only receiving the gift of healing.

…

The healing stories in the lessons for today spoke to me because of where I walk with people in their lives, and because of where my life has been before and will be again at some point. You see, we are all broken, and we need Christ to come to us. We need Christ to heal, forgive, and love us. We need Christ to make us whole.

And it is throughout Scripture, throughout our lives, we see that God does exactly that. Yes, God comes to us in valleys of life, in times of sorrow, despair, and need. And he embraces us with loving arms. No, God doesn’t require us to climb mountain to find him, but instead comes to us in muck and mire of life. And it is there there, in those deep valleys, that we have those God moments, those healing touches we so desperately need.

Healing

Today I have been thinking about healing, especially the healing touch of God in our lives.

As humans, we all know that there are times when we need healing in our lives. It may be minor healing - such as bumps and bruises. It may be major health issues healing. It may be emotional or spiritual healing. It may be healing from bitterness, be judgmental, or jealousy. There are many areas and parts of our lives that need healing.

So what do you need healing from today?

Take a few minutes and ask God for his healing touch in your life. Offer up to him all that is hurting you, all of your pain, your sorrow, your illness, whatever it may be. And as you offer it to him, allow him to take this pain from you and shower you with his gift of a healing touch in your life.

52 Weeks of Joy - Love

O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

                                                            Psalm 136:1

As I read through this psalm not too long ago, my eyes were drawn to the word “love.” Love is a powerful emotion, and it has enhanced my life in mind-boggling ways. Thinking about love pulls me to my family – my wife Jennifer and our girls, Sierra and Scarlett. These three give me life. They shower me with love and hugs and kisses every day. It is near impossible to have a bad day when a little girl climbs on my lap, kisses me on the cheek, and asks to have a book read to her. Yes, love is powerful and I experience it in this gift of family.

So today I am celebrating the joy of love and family. I am thankful for the blessings they have given me, for the support and nurture that I need. I am thankful for the difficult days that I have with them, because in the struggles the bonds of love grow stronger and the celebration are all that more joyful. I am truly blessed with this family, and thankful for them.

"Firsts" in our lives

We all have a number of "firsts" in our lives. The picture is of Sierra's first time driving, sort of. The car was on a track which made dad a lot more comfortable.

"Firsts" are important, to both us and to those around us. First steps. first time on a bike, first time behind the wheel, first love, first heartbreak, ... and the list goes on and on.

Firsts are significant milestones and there are times that they help to influence different aspects of our lives for years to come.

In today's gospel lesson from Mark we hear Jesus performing his first miracle. Now when I think of the first miracle from Jesus, I think of something big, maybe even Moses-style big. But what Jesus does is not what I expect. Jesus' first miracle is an exorcism, the casting out of a demon from a possessed man in the synagogue.

Now this is significant, because as we read through Mark's gospel we see that at the heart of Jesus ministry is the removal of all things, all boundaries, that separate us from God, and turn our focus away from God. This first does set the tone for the rest of Jesus ministry.

So what are some significant firsts in your life and how have they impacted you?

Free Book Friday

To celebrate the official release of my book, tomorrow will be Free Book Friday. What I am going to do is give away two books, signed and mailed to you.

So how do you qualify for such a great gift? It's easy. All you need to do is "like" the "Blessed in the Midst of Trial" fan page on Facebook. Do this and you are qualified. Tomorrow at noon I will randomly pick two people who "like" the page and I will send books to them.

So there you go - Free Book Friday is tomorrow.