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Tid bits from a busy September week

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

September is here
It seems like an eternity since I have been around.  Actually it has only been Tuesday since my last post, but I usually don’t go that long.  I think what happened is that September snuck up on me.  Does anyone else feel that way?  I mean…I remember looking at my September calendar back in August and thinking, "Wow…this September doesn’t look as bad as past years."  I guess I brought it upon myself.  Why couldn’t I keep my big mouth shut?  Now I look at my September calendar and think, "Now that is more like it."  But, in all seriousness, I would have been worried if it were not busy in September…so I guess I should say, "Thanks God?" 😐

Scary envelop
I went to get the mail on Friday and a certain envelop got my heart beating a little faster than normal.  The return address said, "Court Administrator".  I remember thinking, "Oh crap!…what did I do."  Then I really got nervous thinking maybe I was being summoned for jury duty.  So I hesitantly opened the envelop and held the single piece on paper in my hands.  I almost didn’t want to open it.  Eventually I did and found out that somehow, someway I got put on the Jackson County Domestic Violence Awareness Council.  The first meeting is coming up on Sept. 10.  The letter was signed by the judge of the district court here in Jackson.  I guess maybe I should go.  At least it is not a parking ticket or jury duty.

Ray
This past Sunday I asked you to pray for Ray and his family.  Ray suffered a stroke two weeks ago this Sunday.  On Tuesday Sept. 4 Ray died.  Without a feeding tube I expected Ray to hang on a lot longer than 5 days, but I guess Ray was ready to go and God was ready to receive him.  Ray was 89 years old and had lived a long, fruitful, fulfilling and busy life.  When I read his obituary last night I was blown away by how much Ray was involved in the community and the church.  The years I knew Ray his health had declined to such a place where he could not really communicate with me.  I have learned more about Ray this past week than I have in the three years I knew him.  I am going to miss Ray.
P.S.  The Celebration of New Life service (funeral) is today, Saturday, Sept. 8 at 1pm.

LaMar
On Tuesday of this week I wrote a post titled Kicked in the butt by God where I told the story of a man name LaMar.  Well…LaMar called me yesterday.  He told me that he contacted the Catholic church in town, where he left his dead car, and told them he was coming to get it fix today.  LaMar was then told by the church secretary that his car had already been towed.  He was blown away.  Now…I am not exactly sure what happened.  LaMar claims he had something worked out with the church and the police, but apparently there has been some miscommunication.  If it is not one thing it is another.  I feel for LaMar.  I hope he figures something out.  And I hope that if God needs me to help in someway that I will respond.

Scripture
The scripture verse I have taped to my computer is this: "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.  Discipline yourselves, keep alert.  Like a roaring lion your adversary, the devil, prowls around, looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:6-9)

Somehow those verses seem fitting this week.  Take care and God bless.
-edh-

Post number 200

/ The Pastor / 8 Comments

Wow…number 200 is here…hard to believe.

I began this blogging adventure on May 4, 2006.  At that time I was mostly excited about having a "web site" for people to read.  I really didn’t have a real focus or purpose and that would eventually bite me in the butt.

I had grand plans, though, that people from the congregation I serve would take breaks at work to read the beautiful devotions I would provide for them.  I had visions of people reading something I wrote and then responding — engaging in a faith conversation with me.  I was excited.  For the first three months I wrote an average of 21 posts per month.  But as the months went by it became clear that the only regular readers of my blog were my mom and sister.  I began to doubt MY ability and started to lose interest.  August’s total was 12 posts and then it dropped to 6 in September and down to 4 in December.  I began to comtemplate ending my blog and moving on.

But in March of 2007 something happened.  I had just finished a two weekend evangelism trainging school in the NW Iowa synod.  When I returned home I started processing the evangelism school in relation to my call and ministry and how I could be a better evangelist.  I then started to realize what I had been doing wrong with my blog.  I didn’t have a real focus, but more importantly…I was being selfish.  I was writting this blog for me and definitely not for the glory of God (even though I gave that outward impression).  So I started some re-tooling and re-focusing.  This blog needed to be an evangelism tool.  And things began to change.  I found a new energy in blogging because for the first time I realized that I am no gifted writer (I know, I know…hard to believe), but I am not.  Now…instead of trying to impress people with my so-called ability I began writing for God…to glorify him.  Now I post an average of 15 times per month with no signs of slowing down.  Now…instead of searching my brain for something to write, it comes from the heart.  Hence the title of this blog (ironic isn’t…that I start writing from my brain and not the heart).

Anyway, 200 posts down and hopefully many, many more to go.  I feel I have grown in my faith and in how I reflect upon the world around me.  I hope I have been faithful in sharing the Gospel in the best way I can.  I hope I have not been selfish.  I have met new people through this strange world we call the blogosphere.  And I feel I have developed relationships with people I haven’t even met face to face.  Two hundren posts ago I had no idea any of this would happen.  But our God is ever so amazing and faithful…and for that I am thankful.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.  Thank you for challenging me and encouraging me.  And if you are reading this blog for the first time…welcome and I so glad to "meet" you.

God bless!
-edh-

A matter of perspective

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

This past weekend I made a monumental decision…I decided to CHANGE my normal morning running route.  I know, I know…a Lutheran CHANGING something…wild, I know, but I needed to spice things up a bit. 

We have a trail system that lines the Des Moines River in Jackson which is really pretty to walk, run or bike on, but even that was not enough to prevent me from deviating from my normal course.  So…I left the trail and hit the road.  As I was running I came upon Bluff Ave. in Jackson.  This street is not very long (about a block and a half), but it does have a hill.  I have driven it many times and never really thought much about it…until I arrived at the base of the hill.  As I looked UP the street I thought to myself, "Who tampered with this street and made the hill steeper?"  My run up that hill was interesting.  I made it, but I was puffing pretty hard by the time I got to the top.  Of course no one tampered with the street, but that hill sure looked bigger outside the confines of my car.

This morning I decided to alter my route once again, not because the Bluff Ave. hill scared me, but because a friend of mine challenged me to run along Springfield Parkway.  Dan said he runs this street and the long gradual hill is quite a workout.  My first thought was, "What hill? (I need to tell you here that I have lived in Jackson for over three years so one would think I would know this town pretty well by now…a town of 3,500 people).  As I thought I realized that there was a little incline to that street but no big deal.

<Insert chuckle or laughter here>

As I left the trail and turned onto Springfield Parkway this morning I was once again blown away.  "Who tampered with THIS street?"  Springfield Parkway is quite a bit longer (just over 1/4 mile) than Bluff Ave but not as steep, but the hill still look monstrous because of how long it was.  I made it to the top, but once again I was puffing a lot of air.

After my experiences with Bluff Ave and Springfield Parkway I realized something.  For the first time I was looking at those two streets from a difference perspective.  In my car I hardly noticed the hills because my car is doing all the work.  My car doesn’t even down shift to tackle those hills.  But outside my car, those hills looked like mountains (O.K….I may be exaggerating…sightly…but they WERE big).

I then started reflecting:  This is a lot like our relationship with God.  When we turn things over to God, life seems more bearable, but when we try to handle things on our own, little problems look like mountains that are far beyond our capabilities.  It’s really a matter of perspective.  God seems to make big problems (or mountains) manageable.  God doesn’t take them away, but is our source of strength.  And when we can’t do it anymore, God is the one carrying us.  I think that is why I like the poem "Footprints" so well.  When the person walking on the beach could only see one set of foot prints in the sand, during the most difficult times in his life, it was then that God carried him.

So God showed me something today.  Even though I can run Springfield Parkway and Bluff Ave. without keeling over dead, I would not want to do that day in and day out.  I am glad God is my God.  I am glad that I don’t have to walk this life alone.  I am glad that I will always have someone who cares and understands me.  God knows my strengths and weaknesses.  God knows when I can handle things (with His gentle nudgings and encouragements of course) and Gods knows when I can’t do it.  And when I can’t do it, it is then that God carries me UP that hill.

It’s a matter of perspective:  With God or without God.  It’s really a no-brainer…isn’t it?

-edh-

I35W bridge collapses

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

Many, if not all, of you know by now that the Minneapolis/St. Paul area was struck by a terrible disaster that has effected my people far and wide.  The I35W bridge collasped on Wednesday around 6pm (peak rush hour).  My wife and I were with some friends at the Mall of America yesterday when we heard the news, but the magnitude of the event did not totally strike me until I arrived home and turned on the TV.

First and foremost, please pray for the victims and their families, the rescue workers and all those involved and/or affected by this terrible tragedy. 

I live over 3 hours away from the bridge but as I sat watching the intro to The Today Show this morning, I could not hold back the tears.  Its amazing…one minute you are driving on a bridge minding your own business and the next blink of your eye your in the river wondering what just happened.  I can’t even begin to fathom what that would be like.  You don’t expect things like this to happen.  Bridges are not suppose to fall from underneath you.  Hopefully authorities can figure out what happened and work to prevent this from happening again.

But it is in times like this I am even more grateful for our awesome and loving God.  God is our strong tower.  God is our mighty fortress.  And God will never tumble, fail or fall away.  In times such as these I turn to and hold on to God who comforts me.  And I know that God will comfort those who have lost loved ones.  God will be with the rescue workers.  God will be there among the rubble until the last survivor is found and the last body is pulled from it and laid to rest.  God is awesome and God is faithful. 

Loving God, comfort us in our time of need.  Be with the victims, families, rescue workers and all those involved with this tragedy.  Words cannot adequately express our feelings now, but we know that you are faithful.  Thank you God for always being faithful and for being with us always.  You never desert us and you never leave us to fend for ourselves.  Thank you God!!!  Through Christ we pray…Amen.

-edh-

My smelly problem

/ The Pastor / 5 Comments

No…it is not what you are thinking 🙂

Yesterday morning my wife and I were getting ready for our workouts.  She uses our elliptical trainer that’s in the basement and I go for a run along the river trail in town.  As I was getting ready my wife yelled for me to come into the kitchen.  As I arrived to see what the problem was she pointed out the window toward the church and said "look!".  There, by the rain gutter that drains into the tile, were a pair of young skunks wrestling and frolicking in the grass.  I had smelled skunks around the house before but had not seen them – until yesterday.  We stood in the kitchen watched them play and wrestle.  Then they would stop and run down into the underground drain that goes into the tile.  A minute or so later they would re-emerge and continue their frolicking.  It was quite a scene.  I then snuck outside and got close enough for a couple pictures.  They were really cute…

…but of course they cannot stay…

…so when I got to my HOT and HUMID office I called the police and relayed my problem to them.  They told me that I could come and get a live trap and when I catch them I could call them back.  The police then would come and "dispose" of the skunks and then take them out into the country.  I did not like the term "dispose" because I knew what he meant.  The officer did warn me that if they were to "dispose" of our cute, uninvited guests that it would smell for quite awhile.  I did not like that either.  So I was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Cue my brilliant idea…

…I stuck a hose down the drain tile and turned on the water.  I figured this would flush them out.  When I returned from turning the water on a skunk was fighting its way past the hose to get out.  Of course I kept my distance and let him/her get out.  Only one came out so followed the "drowned rat".  I "chased" our cute little friend around the church (once again…keeping my distance).  It turned a corner and then I lost it.  I am not sure where it went.  I did hear some rustling in the street storm sewer so maybe it went down there.  Either way…our cute little "drowned rat" is gone…for the time being at least.

After the exciting events in the high humidity (I am dripping with sweat by now) my custodian and I placed a wire mesh down the drain tile to prevent our little visitors from entering it again.  We’ll see if this works.  The rest of my day was spent dealing with the heat in my un-air conditioned office (I did not get out to do visits…I guess the heat index zapped me of all my energy — except for the energy I had chasing a skunk around the building).  I still laugh when I think about that.

Even though I did not get anything really constructive done today I believe I did save one life.  It my not have been a contributing member of this congregation but one more of God’s creatures is alive when I had a chance to kill it.  Of course this attitude may change if they come back and create a nuisance, but for the time being, I feel pretty good about myself…

…but…part of me DOES hope our cute little friends do return to frolick in the grass again because there’s not enough frolicking done in this world.

-edh-

I’m back…

/ The Pastor

I am back from vacation…

…and it is a little weird.  I haven’t watched much news for the past few days; I haven’t checked my email much and my blog has gotten a little breather.  In a way I feel a little lost.  And now I find myself trying to get my barrings so I get get back into the swing of things.  But even that is difficult today.  The dew points here in SW MN are suppose to be in the 70s (I could definitely feel it on my run this morning).  The heat index is suppose to climb over 100 degrees and here’s the worst of if…I have no air conditioning in my office.  So in addition to finding myself a little lost today I find myself in my secretary’s office typing this post (she has air conditioning).  I guess today is a good day to do visits with people who have air conditioning.

Worship attendance
Well…just as I expected…worship attendance this past Sunday (when I was gone) dropped off considerably.  We average around 85 on a Sunday but when I am gone we average less than 75.  This past Sunday we had 52 in worship.  Some people tell me that is a credit to me, that people only like coming to worship when I am there.  But I say, "Hog wash!"  Attendance drops off because people feel guilty otherwise and this way they know that I will never find out they weren’t there.  Honestly people…don’t come because of me, come to worship because you want to worship our God.  Don’t come out of guilt, but come out of respect and awe of our creator; come with thankfulness; come with praise.  Come and worship, don’t just come to "check in".

Harry Potter
Don’t worry…this won’t be long, but I just have to share this little tid bit.  On Monday Connie and I went to Sam’s Club with her sister and brother-in-law (Mary and Matt).  As we walked into the store there was a huge Harry Potter display.  As we walked by Matt grabbed a book and started to read the last couple pages.  Of course I asked him if Harry Potter died like so many people are speculating and he told me…

…just kidding…I won’t say anything.  Now I know how book #7 ends and the thing is I really don’t care 🙂

Oh…my vacation…
Vacation was really fun.  I spent the weekend at Shetek Lutheran Ministries (see link on left side bar) at family camp with Connie’s family.  It was fun to be at camp again as a camper (my first time in 21 years).  I spent 8 summers at various camps (3 of which were as a full time program director) and now I am a board member at Shetek serving on the program committee.  So it was a little difficult just being a camper and not an evaluator.  Of course I would do things differently but I still had fun.

Sunday and Monday were spent in Sioux Falls at my in-laws.  By Monday evening I was ready to come home (thank goodness my wife had to work on Tuesday).  And as Forrest Gump would say, "that is all I have to say about that".

…back to normal?
…whatever that is.  I am looking forward to some sermon prep this week but then it is off for some continuing education next week.  I will still be around but not in the office.  Next week is the Okoboji Lakes Bible and Missionary Conference.  Okoboji/Spirit Lake, IA area is about 20 miles from me so I will be driving back and forth.  The conference is free and has a lot of big time speakers including Ken Davis.  I am really looking forward to hearing Ken and the rest of the presenters.

So it is good to be back.  Vacations are nice, but I would go crazy if I were on permanent vacation.  So here I am…doing what I love to do…serving God with some renewed passion and energy; ready to get back at it and ready to rustle some feathers.  Because as Paul says, "…I am not ashamed of the Gospel…" (I just wish others felt the same way).  Well…I guess I need to start rustling some feathers with my August newsletter.  This should be fun (in a nice, Christian way of course). 

Take care and God bless.
-edh-

Musings from a weekend

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

Sonshine
I am back!  I returned from the Sonshine Christian music festival Saturday around 8:30pm.  After two nights of camping (I slept outside under the stars), listening to great Christian music, keeping an eye on 15 middle and high schoolers, and cooking, my body was shouting to me…"ENOUGH!"  As soon as my head hit my pillow on Saturday night I was off to la la land.  The problem was that 5:45am Sunday morning came way too quickly.

My favorite group at Sonshine was the Newsboys.  They can sure put on a show, but its not all show for them.  The lead singer spoke for a while and shared his faith.  For them (and for many others there at Sonshine) being on stage is about serving and worshiping God.  I think sometimes our kids miss that so I really appreciate it when these popular bands stop and talk for a while.  I know some people get testy and want them to sing, but the reason they are doing what they are doing is because of Jesus, so why not talk about him.

One of my favorite parts was when someone got up to talk about sponsoring a child through Compassion International.  After talking about the difference we could make in a child’s life they asked who would like to help save a life.  A number of hands went up in the crowd (not as many as I would have liked to see), but my favorite part was that half our kids took home information and are going to talk to their parents about sponsoring a child (I have been sponsoring a child for about 2 years and it has been very rewarding for me).  I just hope and pray that our kids follow through.

Sunday
My wife and I had a great time hanging out together on Sunday.  Connie was unable to go to Sonshine with me so we had a happy reunion yesterday.  Later that night we spent some quality time with some close friends.  All in all it was a really good day.

Vacation this week
Starting on Thursday I go on vacation until next Tuesday.  I know it is not long but it will be fun and relaxing to have some time off.  This weekend we are going to Shetek Lutheran Ministries for a family camp weekend (I am on the board at Shetek).  This will be the first time in 21 years that I have been a camper at Bible camp.  This will be great. 

The funny thing is that my mother-in-law is having a fit that I am taking vacation on Thursday and Monday and Tuesday next week.  "How much vacation does he need!" she said to Connie (don’t worry, my mother-in-law does not read this site).  If only she knew that I still have about 2 1/2 weeks of vacation left this year 🙂  Maybe I will have to egg her on a little this weekend (but in a nice and Christian way).

Anyway…
That is it for know.  I will have a more theological and "deeper" post later.  Right now my brain is still recovering from being baked in the Sonshine sun.  I hope you all had a great week.  Take care and remember to bask in the glow of God’s glory (and don’t worry…you don’t need sun screen).  God loves you no matter what.  Take care and God bless.
-edh-

Reprise: Childlike wonder

/ The Pastor

Childlike wonder was a post I wrote on June 27, 2006.  June 27 was the day after my first round of golf for that year.  Being a person who loves to golf, that is a very late start date for me, but this year was even later.  This past weekend was my first weekend out and let me tell you, I felt like a little kid golfing with my dad for the first time in a couple years (I didn’t golf with my dad last year).  It was a moment of "childlike wonder" that I haven’t felt for awhile and it is something I don’t want to wait another year to experience.

My dad taught me the game of golf and I have many, many fond memories of my dad and I golfing on various golf courses.  I still remember the lessons he taught me about golf (and life for that matter).  And my dad still knows how to get into my head.  He tried doing that on the ninth hole (of my first round of the year), but this time I was ready.  He said, "You know, you and I are tied".  This use to get to me.  I would dwell on the fact that I have a chance to beat my dad and would usually end up messing a shot or two up and therefore lose to my dad.  On Friday my dad’s ploy did not work.  I cracked off a good drive; stuck my next shot just short of the green; my chip shot stopped just short of the hole and I tapped in for a par — my dad and I tied (we each shot a 44).  You can about imagine the "childlike wonder" I experienced at that moment.

[Side note:  The next day I shot a 43 but my dad shot a 41.  No mind games there, I just fell a little short, but the "childlike wonder" was still there.]

Imagine if we could always have this "childlike wonder" in our faith as well…

The late Michael Yaconelli (founder and former president of Youth Specialties) wrote a book called Dangerous Wonder: The Adventure of Childlike Faith.  It is a book I have read many times and a book I will be reading again.  Childlike faith is something that too many people grow out of but Mike would argue that childlike faith is something we need to reclaim.  So I commend this book to your reading.  It is short book of 145 pages — a fun and quick read.  But by the way of a short synopsis:  Childlike wonder is like the wonder and fascination of a two year old experiencing a soft and fluffy snow for their very first time.  The experience is so awe inspiring that their senses cannot take everything in fast enough and therefore nearly "short circuits" their brain from information overload.  How much more AWESOME is God. 

The danger for the church is the loss of this "childlike wonder" of God.

Now…imagine how fast and big the church would grow if more people had a "childlike faith"…<pause to ponder and dream>…a "childlike faith" that drove people to pursue God in order to attempt to "take everything in" to a point where our brains (and hearts) would go into overload because of the AWESOME love and grace of God.  Just imagine…

…it is time for me to start reading again.  Take care and God bless.
-edh-

Anniversary time

/ The Pastor / 7 Comments

Good morning!  It is another Monday morning.  A busy weekend is done and another one is lurking around the corner.  Monday morning is a low key day for me as I wrap things up from the weekend.  I proof my Sunday sermon to get ready to post to my sermons blog.  I return some emails.  I do what I am doing right now (typing this post) and I usually field a number of those "Monday" phone calls.  So far things are quiet…but just wait.

Oh…another thing I guess…today is my three year anniversary of my ordination.  It is hard to believe that it has been that long.  I still remember that day very vividly…how could I forget…It was mine and Connie’s wedding weekend.  Oh ya…tomorrow is mine and Connie’s three year wedding anniversary.  We figured that since we had family traveling from some distance for the wedding we might as well have the ordination the same weekend.  It also gave my mom something to do.  Since Connie’s mom was in charge of the wedding my mom got to organize and host my ordination party.  Once, Connie’s mom started getting her fingers in the ordination part of the weekend and my mom told me (and I quote) "You tell her (Connie’s mom) to back off.  She gets the wedding but your ordination and it’s reception are mine".  Got to love my mom.

So as I try to focus on the work of the day I find my thoughts drifting slightly (can you blame me?).  Actually I am trying to make reservations somewhere for me and my wife for tomorrow.  So far no luck but Is till have a couple things up my sleeve.

Anyway, I hope to focus pretty soon on the ministry God has brought me here to do.  Three years and counting and who knows how long this will last.  God has been faithful with Connie and I through three years of marriage.  God has been faithful in guiding me in this ministry.  And I know God will continue to be faithful as He leads me (and Connie) into the great unknown.

Thank you, God, for being faithful. Amen!
-edh-