Has it really been since last Thursday since I last updated my blog?  Wow!  It is not because I am losing interest it has just been that kind of weekend; full of events.  Fridays, as some of you know, is my Sabbath day.  I try not to do anything "work" related that day (I put "work" in quotes because I really don’t consider my calling as a pastor to be work even though it may feel like it some days).  Friday just happened to be a beautiful day so I spent it working in my yard and garden.  I won’t bore you with those details…I have written about that enough. 

Saturday I spent the day at Shetek Lutheran Ministries (check out their website in the left side bar).  Shetek was hosting their annual quilt auction to raise money for summer camp programs. Since I am on the board of directors I was helping serve lunch.  The quilt auction is a huge fundraiser and very important to the camp.  Sports have become such a priority in the lives of so many people that camp has taken a big hit (but let’s not get me going about sports, otherwise this could be a long blog entry).  Kids are being so pressured to perform in sports that they "have" to attend sports camps or leagues if they want to keep up and compete.  Sports have become their life and everything else gets left in the dust…including their faith (Sorry, I wasn’t going to get off on that topic today…maybe later). Anyway, we had a beautiful day at camp until just after lunch when a storm moved in; so we had to move quickly and get everyone inside so we could continue the auction.  I had to leave before it was done so I am not sure how they did, but when I left they were just over the $12,000 mark.

Sunday morning was..well…you know…busy as usual.  Everything went fine.  The afternoon was relaxing spending it with my wife.  We then went to Spirit Lake, IA to spend some time with friends.  We grilled and played some games.  It was a great evening.

Now we are at today.  It is Monday morning and I am in my office re-grouping and getting ready for the week ahead.  A week from this Thursday (July 6) I leave for Nashville with 5 senior high kids for the Youth Encounter national youth event called The Edge.  I will be writing about this while I am down there so check out this site for fun details.

But with all that going on the one thing I need to remember is not to lose touch with what is REALLY important…and that is relationships.  First and foremost is my relationship with Jesus.  When life gets busy God can easily get forgotten.  We take God for granted because God will always be there and forgive us.  Don’t forget about God…God does not forget about us.  Next I need to remember my wife.  She is the most important person in my life and she needs to be told that everyday.  She sees things I don’t and keeps me from getting a big head when things are going well; she reminds me that it is not about me.  Next I need to remember my family.  Being a few hours away from them it is easy to lose touch, but thank God for email…now I can send those quick notes to say that I am thinking about them (I just need to send those notes).  Next I need to remember my friends.  This is tough because life situations change so often and with that, sometimes friends.  But there are some friends that do not change. 

My wife recently lost a friend to a brain tumor last week.  His Celebration of New Life service will be on Tuesday.  She is struggling with this because she feels she lost touch with Adam and thinks she was a bad friend.  But then a mutual friend said that true friends are connected not through how much time they spend together or through how much they talk (or communicate); true friends are bonded together in a way we cannot adequately explain with words, but God is somehow involved.  Connie…you are a good friend because you and Adam were and are friends through Christ…and Adam knew that.  But here is the best thing, through Christ, you and Adam and everyone else will be reunited again in the great circle of friends.  And that is exciting. I am looking forward to meeting Adam someday; he sounds like a neat guy.  I wish I could give you a more accurate picture of what heaven is like, but know that Adam is at peace.  No more tumor; no more treatments; no more suffering.  Adam is at peace, so take comfort in that.  You and we WILL see him again.

There you go…that is my heart for today.  Let’s not lose touch…I promise I will do better.  But know we are always connected through Jesus.  And that is a bond that will never be broken; and praise God for that.  See you later Adam…enjoy your New Life.  I am looking forward to seeing you someday.  As for you, my friends, who are reading this, you are cherished.  Have a blessed day!  Amen! -EDH-