Added vocation

/ The Pastor

This pastor/new daddy hasn’t been writing much here recently, but because of my new vocation, I have been posting more at my adoption blog that I write with my wife called:

Adopted as an Heir at www.adoptedasanheir.wordpress.com

I guess this new vocation of mine is making some changes in my life.  There are a few things I used to do a lot but don’t do much anymore (i.e running). But I am still doing my “normal” pastor things:
~ I am preaching sermons and leading worship.
~ I am doing home visits with Holy Communion.
~ I am visiting the sick.
~ I am conducting premarital counseling session.
~ I am attending church meetings.
~ Etc, etc, etc…and those things aren’t going to change or fall by the wayside.

And neither will this blog fall by the wayside…but it might change a little bit.  After all…I do have a new vocation.

And as I reflect on my new vocation I have noticed a few other changes:
~ Sermon prep is different now as sometimes my comfortable routine gets interrupted or changed.  But more importantly I have another lens to look at the world through.
~ Worship leading is different especially when I look out there and see/hear my little girl.  I also wonder what she will think of worship as she gets older; will she grow to love God as her mommy and daddy do?
~ When I do visits, Mayah sometimes tags along…and I have yet to get a complaint about this 🙂
~ Counseling sessions…they go on as normal but now I have a daddy role to draw wisdom from when working with couples preparing for marriage.
~ Church meetings…this is where I need to leave Mayah with my wife so I can focus on ministry matters, but I usually don’t linger too long afterward as I am always excited to get home to be with my family.

Basically…I have a new “normal” (whatever “normal” means now).  And this new normal includes the most beautiful, precious little girl.

So…you will have to put up with this “new” pastor and his new vocation.  After all…this vocation is a part of me that cannot be separated…

…therefore…

…everything that I do has changed (and I believe for the better), since the heart of this pastor has been changed forever.

And praise be to God for that 🙂

The pastor -|—

Changes and adjustments

/ The Pastor

I must admit…this new daddy role has taken some getting used to but it is sinking in more and more with each passing day.  There are many things I knew would change and others I didn’t know exactly how they would change.  I guess that just goes with the territory.  I keep learning and keep adjusting.  Eventually I will develop the illusion that I know what I am doing 🙂

Anyway…

One of the big things I have been trying to get use to is working from home.  The congregation gave me the gift of working from home during the month of May so I could spend more time bonding with Mayah.  A couple days a week (when my wife is home) I do go into the office.

When this schedule first started I got a little frustrated because I didn’t anticipate how difficult this working from home would be.  I had big plans on how much I was going to get done while Mayah was sleeping.

Silly daddy…

The biggest problem was that I didn’t plan very well; so the first couple days at home not much work got done.  Now…I have planned my week out better and have set more realistic expectations for myself.  I have also adjusted my hours so I can get done everything that is expected of me by others and myself.

Wednesday was worship prep and sermon prep day from home.  I planned worship for Sunday and did some sermon prep reading and research.  Today (Thursday) I am home again but this time I will be fully ready to write the sermon while Mayah is sleeping…despite the fact I didn’t get much sleep last night.  Oh well…that’s what coffee is for.

So here we go…another day at home bonding with my little girl and doing ministry here in Jackson.  The best of both worlds.

The pastor/new daddy -|—

Holy boldness

/ The Pastor

Happy Pentecost Sunday!

May the Holy Spirit rush into your life and lead you to boldly speak the name of Jesus without holding back.

May the Holy Spirit give you courage to face the world as the world is so much stronger.

May the Holy Spirit remind you what Jesus taught that you may teach others.

May the Holy Spirit lead you to places that you would never dream of going.

May the Holy Spirit be your guide as it did for those first disciples.

Let us pray…

Holy and Mighty God, it is difficult to admit that we are powerless and weak.  It is scary to think we are nothing but sheep in the midst of ravenous wolves. Oh God, restore our hope in you through Jesus.  Strengthen our faith that we may know your peace.  Open our eyes that we may see your power.  And send us forth in your name.  May we not rely on our ingenuity, creativity or intelligence but may we seek your wisdom in order to bring your peace into this world.  Loving God, you are the restorer of creation, not us.  May we be your instruments and give glory to your name.  Now may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, Oh God, our Rock, Redeemer and Restorer, Amen.

God bless you this day and always 🙂

The pastor -|—

A Mother’s Heart

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

A mother’s heart is:
Loving
Kind
Compassionate
Forgiving
Empathetic
Lost without you
Reflective (referring to God’s love)
Strong
Patient
Generous
Godly
Healing
Safe
Humble
Wise

And…I could go on…but you get my point.

I have always known these qualities about my own mother but I think I have taken these qualities for granted.  Not anymore…not since I have seen a brand new mother in my life (my wife) reflect these qualities to our new little girl.  I have now gained a whole new appreciation for mothers as I see my wife in action in a brand new role; a role that just seems natural for her.

Thank you, God!

Thank you Mom 🙂

And thank you to all moms out there.

God…what can I say but thank you for my mom, my grandmothers, my wife and all mothers.  Thank you for using them to shower us with your love; to keep us safe; to raise us to know you.  Bless all mothers this day and always.  May they continue to be faithful to their calling and may your love continue to shine forth through them.  In Jesus name, Amen!

The pastor (and new daddy) -|—

Daddy

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

Wow, it has been a while since I have posted here but believe me ~ I have a good reason:

I’m a daddy!

On April 26 my wife and I adopted the cutest little baby girl you will ever see.  We received a call on the 23rd that this baby was born on April 18 and that the birth mother has selected us to raise her daughter.  We were overjoyed, scared, nervous, thankful and a host of other emotions.  My wife and I packed up and left for Houston on Wednesday, April 24 at 10:30 p.m.  We drove through the night and arrived in Houston on Thursday afternoon.  Our daughter was placed in our arms on Friday night.

Her name is Mayah Jo.  Mayah is a Hebrew name meaning “close to God“.  And considering the ups and downs and ups we have been on, Mayah’s name is very appropriate and meaningful to us.  Our prayer is that Mayah grows up to realize this for herself; that God is close to her.

My wife and I will be sharing more about this amazing experience on our adoption blog ~ Adopted as an Heir.  We haven’t updated there for a while but it is coming.  And because of some privacy issues with adoption I will not be posting pictures of Mayah online (but like I said, she is cute).  I may sound over-protective but I am O.K. with that.  So I hope you understand.

Wow ~ daddy ~ it just boggles my mind that I can be referred as that.
God is so good!
God is so awesome!
God is so faithful (even when I’m not)!

Let all people praise and worship Him.

Let’s prayer together…
Loving God…you are so good.  You are so awesome.  Even when times are tough and the road looks bleak, you are there.  Even when the valley is dark and long, even when the storms rage oh so strong, you are there. Even when the hurt hurts so bad and the outlook looks so dim, you are there.  On the highest mountain top and lowest valley, you are there.  Satan would have us forget your goodness in the midst of despair; trying to convince us that you are some cosmic bully.  Satan would have us forget you in the good times; trying to convince us that we don’t need You.  But the Good News is that you reign supreme and you have chosen us.  We belong to you and Satan has no claim on us.  Help us to see you near us in the dark and tough times.  Help us to see you near in the bright and joyous times.  You are close to us always and forever.  God, Oh God, you are so, so good and we praise your holy name.  Through Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

The Pastor a.k.a. Daddy -|—

Feeding time

/ The Pastor

Feed us O God as you have called us to feed others with your Word.
Comfort us O God as you have called us to comfort others with the Good News.  Speak to us O God as you have called us to speak words of hope.
Heal us O God as you have called us to heal others with your amazing grace.

As we enter this time of worship may our praises be pleasing to your ears and may our hearts be filled to overflowing.  May we leave our worries behind and be strengthened with your promises.  We enter this place to praise you and may we leave this place doing the same.  All glory and honor to you, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

This whole thing about feeding others has been on my heart this week as I reflect on the bombing at the Boston Marathon and the massive fertilizer plant explosion in Texas.  So many questions but only one answer will suffice…God.  I don’t know many of the “whys” of this world but I do know the Good News of God through Jesus Christ.  And sometimes, like a newborn baby, we simply need something as simple as “milk” ~ that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that all who believe in him may not perish but have eternal life.”  So let’s not theologize (Yes…I know that is not a word but I like  it) too much but rather let’s remember the basics.

God loves you!

Have a great and blessed day 🙂

The pastor -|—

Boston: Continued prayer

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Loving God…

I continue to cry out to you for those injured in yesterday’s bombing in Boston.

I continue to cry out to you for those mourning the death of loved ones.

I continue to cry out to you for the emergency workers, law enforcement personnel, doctors, nurses and all involved in providing care and security.

But through my prayers I have realized that I forgot to cry out for the person(s) responsible for this tragedy.  Even though I don’t understand what was going through their minds or what is in their hearts, it seems clear to me they need some understanding of your love through Jesus Christ.  Please bring healing to them.  Convict their hearts.  Turn them to you that they may seek to do the right thing.  It is easy to be angry with them and even harbor feelings of hate towards them, but please do not let Satan gain a foothold in the midst of this tragedy.  I am not relieving them of responsibly but desiring them to come to faith in Jesus Christ. Satan may have caused some damage yesterday but you O God have won THE victory through Jesus Christ.

Healing God, please continue to working healing in anyway you see that we need and may you be glorified through this.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen

The pastor -|—

Boston: A prayer

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Dear God…

In this time of confusion, fear, sadness, anger, uncertainty please make your love known to us.

Comfort those who have been directly effected by the tragedy in Boston.

Bless the emergency personnel on the scene and elsewhere helping victims.

Grant peace to those who witnessed the explosions.

For loved ones far away, wrap them in your love as they wait for news on their loved ones; struggling to be so far away during a time like this.

For those with no personal connection, we still shutter at the sight and thought of what has happened; trying to make sense of the chaos.  And even though there are no answers to the “Why” question, may we find comfort and peace in the “Where” question ~ that you are with your hurting people.

Loving God, during a time where it is difficult to find the words to say please receive the groanings of our hearts and souls.  May your Spirit intercede with ours. And may we rest in your love.

Bring healing in anyway you see that we need and may we have the faith to receive that healing.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord and Savior I pray.

Amen

The pastor -|—

Hungry sheep

/ The Pastor

A prayer for you as you prepare for worship this morning.  May God be glorified in your song and may you be fed by the Word:

Holy God, we enter this place as lost sinners; those who have denied you through our selfishness and sin. We, like Peter and the other disciples, have fled from you when given a chance to proclaim your Good News. We are lost sheep, but you have come looking for us.  Through the cross you have brought healing.  Through your grace you have restored us.  Through your command you have sent us.  We come now to offer our thanks and praise to you.  Hear our song.  Receive our worship. And feed us at your table that we may go out and feed the lambs and sheep you bring to us.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior we pray, Amen.

And…as we leave worship let’s remember Jesus’ command to Peter (and us) to feed his lambs; take care of his sheep and to feed his sheep.

May God bless your day 🙂

The pastor -|—

Questions in need of an answer

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

This will be short and to the point…at least for now:

Why do you attend worship with the Body of Christ (that is if you are one who does attend worship)?

Is there anything that would keep you from worshiping with the Body of Christ?

I am curious.  Please leave a comment here.  I will not judge you.

More to come about this later…

The pastor -|—