Influence

If you haven't seen the series from Focus on the Family called "So That the World May Know," I would highly recommend you get it and watch it. Ray VanderLaan (I think that's how you spell his name??) narrates and leads a series through the Holy Land. He takes people to the places out of the way and makes wonderful lessons out of them.
One we watched Sunday, he talked about a place in Canaan called Tel Gezer. It's on the main north/south road out of Egypt called the Via Maris and the main west/east road to Jericho that links the region to Mesopotamia. It was literally the crossroads of the world at the time. Whoever controlled that crossroads could control the world. God gave the Israelites that area, but they chose to live in the mountains and let the Canaanites to live there at Gezer. God wanted His people to influence the world, but they chose not to. Instead, they ceded that responsiblity to the Canaanites.
Here we live in a land of plenty. We could yield a lot of influence with our communities, with our governments, with our country, but we have chosen to sit back and allow others to have their say. Consequently, God is being written out. Now more than ever, we must work to influence our culture by being salt and light. We cannot cede that responsiblity to anyone. Let's not move into the mountains, but instead be in the marketplace with the good news of Jesus. Have a great day! JW

Is Soccer Worth Watching?

Please don't misunderstand me. I've tried. I tried to watch it yesterday and I fell asleep. (That's not so unusual!) But after playing a game for 90 minutes and to have the score at 1-0 or 1-1 or 0-0. Then you play another 15 minutes (or is it 16 minutes because you really don't play 15, you have some leftover time. I never could quite understand that!) Then you have penalty kicks. Now I like that. Let's start the game with that. Or better yet, let's play a whole game of penalty kicks.
And the flops! Oh, my goodness. One guy sneezes on another and the other falls down and clutches his legs. Now I used to flop some when I was playing basketball, but these guys deserve an academy award. They flop, hold themselves for a minute or two, then hop up as if nothing ever happened.
These guys are incredible athletes. They are in unbelievable shape. To run as they do for as long as they do is just phenomenal. Their ball handling skills are also wonderful. I admire them for that. But I'm sorry, it the game of soccer just doesn't work for me. Give me a good high school or college football game. Let me watch the Razorbacks play basketball.
There will be some who question my sanity because I don't appreciate soccer. But then again, those people don't enjoy watching golf. I say, to each his own, but don't make me watch soccer again. Have a great day. JW

Where Has Time Gone?

It's going too fast. This is July already and school starts next month. Nate's last baseball game was yesterday. He leaves for camp (to counsel!!??!!) on Friday. When he gets back in a couple of weeks, the entire family and two others will go to camp at Green Valley Bible Camp in Arkansas. As soon as we return from that it will be time for school to start. Once school starts, the weather starts to cool down. Once it cools down, it gets cold. Once it gets cold it snows.
Meredith's already been married for a year. Nate will be a junior in high school. I'm not ready for this. Oh, this is what I've been working for all of my life is to work myself out of a job. But time marches on with a vengeance. I've been warned about this. I just wasn't listening.

"What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14

"Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath..." Job 7:7

"My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy. They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey." Job 9:25, 26

Once you hear these verses, you could become depressed. I chose to see the bright side of passing time. Each day I'm one day closer to forever be with those I love. Besides, this is the day the Lord has made (Psalm 118:24). Can He create anything that isn't good? And Paul tells us that we are being renewed day by day (II Corinthians 4:16). I translate that we are being renewed daily. Each day is a new day, a new challenge, filled with new opportunities. There is a song I love that we used to sing. It's one of those songs that has gone by the wayside. But listen to these beautiful words:

One sweetly solemn thought comes to me o'er and o'er:
Today I'm nearer to my home than e'er I've been before.

Nearer my Father's house where many mansions be;
And nearer to the great white throne, nearer the crystal sea.

Nearer the bound of life where falls my burden down;
Nearer where I leave my cross and where I gain my crown.

Savior confirm my trust, complete my faith in Thee;
And let me feel as if I stood close to eternity.

Feel as if now my feet were slipping o'er the brink;
For I may now be nearer home, much nearer than I think.

Come, Lord Jesus! Have a great day! JW

Ken Lay is Gone

I have been going through my somewhat normal routine today. Even though it's Wednesday and I didn't work Monday or Tuesday. So I'm doing Monday things on Wednesday. Anyway, I cranked up the internet to find that Ken Lay, founder of Enron, died of a heart attack. After all the stuff that went on, all the corporate raiding, the depletion of other's retirements for the filling of the pockets of another, he died. He was a wealthy man...at least from the world's perspective. But I couldn't help but think of the passage, "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, yet lose his own soul?" I don't know what Ken Lay's ultimate destiny is. God knows and I trust His judgment. But it did help to think about what is really important in my life. Shall we pursue worldy wealth and treasures or take Jesus at His word? "Don't lay up treasures for yourself here on earth where moths destroy and rust corrodes, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." (MOV--My Own Version) Wherever he is, I imagine that none of this world matters to Ken Lay now. Maybe it would be a good lesson for us to learn. Have a great day. JW

Worth Keeping

I'm getting quite a collection. Whenever I go somewhere, I'll try to buy something that reminds me of that trip; then I place it on my credenza. Others will bring me things from trips they have made and I'll place them there, too. Here is a short inventory:
1. A wooden hippo from Africa
2. A crystal eagle--a gift from a Hispanic friend
3. A bust of Abraham Lincoln
4. A piece of the Berlin Wall
5. A rock from the beaches of Normandy
6. A bronze rose given to me from the corner of my mother's casket
7. A wooden piece my grandfather carved
8. A model of the Eiffel Tower
9. A model of the Chicago Water Tower
10. A rock from Green Valley Bible Camp
11. An urn from the Dominican Republic
12. A bracelet given to me by a man I baptized in Russia
13. An rock elephant from Africa
14. A paperweight from a college club reunion

This isn't all. There are a number of other things from various trips and circumstances over the years. Bibles from relatives, pen sets, a variety of old items from my Mom and Dad's house, watches, etc. It doesn't take much for me to reminisce over these items. My mind goes quickly back to the places and circumstances these were given. But they're all objects. One day they will be gone. I imagine that most of these items mean nothing to anyone else but me. But, oh, do they mean a lot to me. But not as much as my friends. You see, you can never destroy my memories with them. You'll never be able to take any of that from me. That's what made Paul's life worthwhile. Read about his friends at the end of Colossians. See who was with him when he wrote the letter to the Romans. Read Romans 16. But his best friend was Jesus. "For me to live is Christ..." he would say. Keep those memories. Make friends who will help you get to heaven. Better yet, take them with you. Have a great day. JW

The Lord is My Shepherd

I call the Holy Spirit the Holy Prompter. For the last several days, I have gotten into my car in the mornings and the song that came to my mind has been "The Lord's My Shepherd." Now why has that song come to mind? I don't know, but I don't think it's an accident. I do believe the Spirit has placed that song in my heart. Especially since I've heard so many songs the last several days. Why would that song come to mind in the mornings unless it had been placed there? Perhaps God is trying to get me to realize His control of all matters. He's in charge, He's sovereign. However:

The Lord's my Shepherd I'll not want,
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green He leadeth me.
In pastures green He lead me
The quiet waters by.

I haven't always been a fan of the Psalms. It's just been in the last several years that I have grown to love them. I don't like Peterson's "translation" from the Message of the Psalms. There are some things that retain their beauty without paraphrasing them. I really can't describe what I mean without an example. Can you imagine translating Robert Frost's Walking By Woods on a Snowy Evening like this?...I think the guy who owns this acreage lives in town. He won't care if I sit here and watch it snow. Rather, "Whose woods these are I think I know, his house is in the village though. He will not see me stopping here to watch his woods fill up with snow."
But back to my original point. Why is that psalm on my heart? I don't know. Any of you have a holy prompting? I prayed that God show me the heart of Jesus today. So far, nothing. But God is faithful. Have a great day. And maybe He'll show me why He's laid that song, that psalm on my heart. JW

Commercialized Jesus

My wife and I were able to spend a quick day and a half in Springfield, IL, home and final resting place of Abraham Lincoln. I would recommend the trip if any of you are interested in Honest Abe. There are truly some remarkable things to see. I, of course, encourage you to see the Lincoln home, the Lincoln Library and museum, and the Lincoln Tomb.
But what was interesting to me was the commercializing of Lincoln. You could buy a Pez type thing with the likeness of Lincoln with a gaping mouth. There were a number of students putting on Lincoln masks and Lincoln top hats and getting their pictures made. There were Lincoln chocolate bars, Lincoln pens and pencils, and you could even get a Lincoln penny pressed with the image of Lincoln on it. (Why in the world would you do that when the penny already has Lincoln's image on it????)
After hearing all of the talks about the Lincolns' foibles, their little idiosyncrasies, and habits, kind of as a side bar the tour guides would say something like this, "But as you leave today, make sure you think about the changes Mr. Lincoln made to the society he lived in." It was more like, "Spend all the money you can--and by the way, he lived an incredible life."
I wonder if we do this to Jesus? We commercialize His life, we try to cash in on the Jesus market, and we do what we can to show the "human" side of Jesus, but we forget what an impact...what an impact He had not only on our lives, but the world. Our very date, June 26, 2006 A.D. Anno Domini--in the year of our Lord. Our lives have been transformed. Yet, so many times we want to commercialize Jesus. The word I have been reading lately has been "transcendence." Christ coming to us. Being involved in our lives. Being a part of who we are, where we are. Not just a passing fancy or movie star, but Immanuel...God with us. May Jesus be personal, real in your life today. Have a great day. JW

A Mother's Grief

It was one of the most moving and remarkable things I have been able to witness...the tranformation of a life. You have heard me talk of a young 16-year-old girl from our congregation who was murdered. That happened one year ago yesterday. That, in and of itself, is amazing to me. The murderer still has not been apprehended, yet life goes on.
Our small group met last night at the grave of this young girl. The polished marble tombstone is like none I've ever seen. There are so many symbols of her life on it. There's a chess piece, her picture, a Scripture from the gospels, an inscription about one of her nicknames. She loved to play softball and so when I arrived three of her teammates were there. Decorating the grave site were three signed softballs, two animal figurines--a turtle and a raccoon, and several flower arrangements. As you look south from the grave there is a beautiful view of the Nebraska rolling hills.
After several contemplative moments, we prayed together, hand in hand, asking for peace and healing. We then proceeded over to her mother's house where we were treated to her testimony. If your child had been murdered and the murderer still loose, what would your reaction be? Frustration? Anger? Joy? What? Did I just say joy? That's what we heard last night. Her mother told us of mistakes in her life. She told us of her selfish ways giving in to God's will. She told us of change in her life, and I have to tell you, I believe it. Because I have seen it. Next month I have been in Omaha for three years. The person I saw giving her testimony in her apartment last night was not the same person whom I met three years ago. I watched on television as the reporter asked about any bitterness. She said, there's just no reason to go there. Wow!
God has taken a tremendous personal tragedy and made something good come out of it. Was the murder of Sarah God's will? Absolutely not! Any notion of this thought is beyond unreasonable. But God has acted and accomplished His will in this horrible circumstance. And so I read these words to the group gathered last night.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, to that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also throug Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, wo also you share in our comfort. II Corinthians 1:2-7

Have a great day...and count your blessings. JW

My Friend

I'm getting a little scared, a good friend of mine is really starting to show it's age. Frayed around the edges, I'm not sure how long the binding will last. I'm not talking about a human, I'm talking about my Bible. I've departed with one before, but there's something special about this one. I was looking at the worn edges of the pages and I could see where I had spent a lot of time studying. There are little notes written all over it and I don't want it to retire. I've even bought another one in anticipation, but I just can't make myself change over.
I've been told I can rebind them. But I just can't bring myself to even be parted with it long enough to have that done, and then, will they do a good job? Will it be better than before? Friends come and go, but a good Bible is for life. At least I hope this one is. Have a good day. JW

God Speaks, Even When I'm Not Listening

God moves in mysterious ways. Yesterday as I was dealing with a particular situation, during a time when I usually try to keep silent and listen to God, I placed my earpieces in and listened to my iPod. The randomly selected song was by Twila Paris--"He Will Never Give Up on You." The song continues, "and neither will I." Maybe I was trying to block God out, but He spoke clearly anyway.
Today, after dealing with a heart-wrenching marriage counseling session last night, I tried the same technique. Perhaps I could block everything out, even God, and just drive to work. With ear pieces firmly in place, the randomly selected song came on..."Healing Rain" by Michael W. Smith. That's what this couple needs right now, some healing.
After arriving at my office, I read this passage from Isaiah, "Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine. When you're in over your head. I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, yhou will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end--Because I am God, your personal God, the Holy of Israel, your Savior...I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you." (Isaiah 43)
Thank you, God, for noticing I needed to hear your voice. Thank you for speaking in spite of me running from you and plugging my ears. Forgive me when I try to hide from you. You are Holy. You are Mighty. And I know You love me. Have a great day. JW

I'm A Little Emotional, Jim

Kendyl was a young lady who worked with me one day on the prayer walk in the 9th Ward in New Orleans. We struck up an immediate conversation because she was from Little Rock, AR, not too far from my home in Searcy. She was a student at LSU in Baton Rouge and had come over with the group from the Christian student center there. My problem was I couldn't remember Kendyl's name at first. "Emily?" I said at first. "Kendyl." Well, then it became a joke. I called her everything from Alice to Betty to Celeste...anything but Kendyl. And she returned the favor.
She was good at the prayer walking. She just had a knack for getting to the heart of the matter so quickly. At the final place, she got onto the van and I looked at her and said, "Well, how's it going, Marge?" She looked at me with a tear in her eye and said, "I'm a little emotional right now, Jim." No jokes. No smile. Just reality. I knew I had crossed the line and it was time to be serious.
As we talked, she told me she absolutely hated the prayer walking. I had already revealed to her that I had wanted to muck houses, but had been assigned this task. She identified. And although she was very good at it, it pulled at her heart deeply. It was Kendyl who visited with the lady I talked about yesterday. Remember? The one who had lost $40,000. Kendyl had the kind of rapport with her that she would tell a perfect stranger her story of how she lost so much money.
I wish I had that kind of heart. I was able to keep emotionally detached. Maybe it's because I'm a guy and I've been taught not to let the feelings show. I think the word is "compassion." When Jesus saw the crowds, that they had no one to follow and they were sick, He had compassion on them. Compassion isn't just a feeling, it's the feeling that motivates to action. That's what I want. I want to have compassion...to feel as Jesus felt.
That's the feeling we're all striving for. Not just a sad heart, but one that moves to action. Kendyl, you just keep caring. I learned a great lesson that day. It's not enough to be touched, we most be motivated to really do something. Have a great day. JW

$40,000 and Ice Cream

I drove up to see a squad of kids holding a little African-American boy. He had to be two or three years old. They were all laughing because they had just bought some ice cream for everybody and in the 90+ degree heat and 100% humidity, the ice cream was dripping like a leaky water faucet. The little boy was taking his hand that was covered with sticky, gooey, ice cream stuff, and rubbing it on the young man who was holding him. They came up to the van and asked if I had a paper towel. I only had Klennex's, but that sufficed.
A few feet in front of them was where the serious conversation was going on. Our worker was kneeling down talking to the mother of the little boy. I didn't know what the conversation was, but the squad had told me that they wanted to talk outside of earshot of the little boy, so I knew it had to be something they didn't want him to hear.
As it turned out, the young, single mother had paid out over $40,000 to a "contractor" who was going to repair her home. The only problem, the money was gone and so were the contractors. No repairs, nothing to go home to. The young mother and her little boy were sleeping on the floor of her beauty parlor. That's the only place they had, which was more than many had in New Orleans. We took her to the Outreach Center where she met Nate Johnson, the man who ran the center. I'm sure he gave her some food, some care, and some hope.
You know what the young mom kept saying to our workers? You think she wanted to retrieve her $40,000? Sure she did. But that wasn't what was at the top of her list. She just kept saying over and over, "I just want to go home." Amen, dear sister! Amen! So do I! Have a great day! JW

The First One

I'm convinced that he was God-placed. You see, I wanted to muck houses, not prayer walk. I wanted to get dirty and get my hands covered with dust. But I received a call from those in charge and they asked me to help with the prayer walking for the week. Knowing that I needed to be where I was needed most, I agreed. So I entered my task with not only some fear, but also with some regret. But the very first man I talked to in Ward 9 was sitting on some steps. He was a Hispanic looking man who was looking as if he were taking a short break from some work.
I walked up to him and told him who I was. I asked him where if he was here during the Storm. Most people didn't call it a hurricane or even Hurricane Katrina, they just referred to it as the Storm. "Yes, I stayed here. I lived down in Chalumette." He went on to tell me about having to go up into the attic of his house because of the rising water. Eventually, he said, he had to cut a hole in his roof where he waited for several days with his two dogs. Finally, someone came with a boat and took him to higher ground. He had lost his job, but he and his brother had started a new business. We prayed together on that spot. There was hope. It wasn't so in most people with whom I visited. I found him, as most people in the area, ready to share his story. As I left, he said to me, "You all be careful out there. This isn't a very good neighborhood." Good advice. I think I'll give the same advice to you. Be careful out there. This world is not a very good neighborhood sometimes. Have a great day. JW

It's Good to be Home!

I sat in my office this morning sipping my chai and enjoying the 58 degree weather of Omaha, Nebraska. I couldn't help but think what a contrast it was from last Monday morning. I was given a map of the 9th ward of New Orleans with a large yellow square. In the middle of the yellow square was an orange square. "This is your area of prayer-walking," I was told. What I've seen and heard and smelled in the last week has been phenomenal. I was asked by my wife, "Do you feel as if you have made a difference or do you feel that you've just chipped off a small piece of a large rock of granite?" The answer is "yes."
I'm back to being comfortable again. My air conditioning works. My bed is soft. I have no threat of my house being bulldozed. I have no threat of robbery. And though I am comfortable here at my desk, there is a nagging, persistent feeling that I can do more. I can do more to show Jesus' love. I can do more to be His eyes, His feet, His Spirit. My thought today is if we can do Jesus In New Orleans (JINO) and drive over 1400 miles to serve, why can't we be Jesus in Omaha? It's right in our backyard. There are needs to be met here.
Over the next several days, I'll relate some of my stories. You will never hear some of the best stories. There were 21 other people who went with me. Half of them teenagers. Their lives were forever changed. We got them out of their comfort zone and into a realm that few of them have entered--that of doing something for someone other than themselves. And their lives have been permanently changed. I love to see their faces light up when they tell their stories. My son hasn't even told me all of his. But I know it has made a difference. Praise God. Because when we serve, we become more like Jesus and we indeed change. It's good to be home. Have a great day! JW

Trip Tomorrow

Today has been a day of buying, packing, washing, preparation. Tomorrow twenty-two of us will begin our journey to New Orleans to work with the Tammany Oaks Church and help with Jesus in New Orleans (JINO). What a story of faithfulness you'll find in this congregation. They have done so much and God continues to bless them. As about 500 of us, young and old alike, converge on this work, please remember us in your prayers. Pray for safety, opportunties, and growth. Pray that New Orleans will truly see Jesus in us.
My experience with this kind of work is we go down to be a blessing. We return by being bless far more than we blessed. I pray that will happen again.
So I'll not be blogging for a little over a week. Check back in on June 12 and I'm sure I'll have plenty to write about. God bless you in what you are doing today and this week. JW

P.S. May I also ask a personal pray for my family while I'm gone? My son is going with me, but please pray for my wife, my daughter and her husband. Thank you more than you'll ever know.

$25.83

We had small group at our house last night and we needed something to eat. My wife was finishing up the last bit of cleaning so she asked me to go to the grocery store to buy something for snacks. I was certainly up for the task because if there is anything I know something about, it's snacks. She did call out that we needed a gallon of milk, but other than that...snacks.
I bought one of those pre-decorated cakes that are at the stores now with icing about an inch thick. We needed some "real" drinks because all we had at home was diet. So, a liter of Coke and a liter of Dr. Pepper. (In the south both of those would have been called "cokes." But up here, it's "pop.") We needed some ice cream to go along with the drinks and cake. So I got a half gallon of low-fat and a half gallon of high fat. It didn't say "high fat," but since it said "low fat," you have to make the assumption. I didn't forget the milk.
So there it was, everything we needed for a feast. I went to check out and the total was $25.83. What's the significance of that? When my wife and I married almost 30 years ago, we had no money. We lived on a shoe string budget. We had $25 a week to get the essentials. It was so tight that we would take a calculator with us to the grocery store and add everything up. If there was a little left over, we could get a "treat." My how times have changed. I spent more on junk last night than we could spend on essentials in one week. I couldn't help but think how good God has been. I know I've written about God's goodness before, but it really came home in a real way last night. Times have changed, I know, but the reality of it is I can afford to do things like that now when I couldn't have 30 years ago. So the question I ask of myself and a question I would like to ask you is, "Am I using what God has given me to His glory?" Praise be to God. Our God is an awesome God. He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love Our God is an awesome God. Amen! Have a great day.

Time

Driving to work today, there was a guy in a Lexus behind me at the light coming out of my subdivision. As soon as the light changed, he roared past me. I guess he was in a hurry. Funny, because at the very next light, at the slow speed I was going, I caught up to him. He sped on as soon as the light changed and swerved in and out of traffic and...yep, you guessed it, at the next light I sauntered right in behind him again. We got on the interstate for really less than one mile where we both got off. I have to admit it, he made it through the yellow (really red) light on the street where I was turning. I noticed he got stuck in the traffic at the next light. I didn't catch him this time and I'm sure he made it to his destination, perhaps 10 seconds before I got to mine. But what was his state of mind when he got there? "The traffic was horrible! I couldn't believe how much traffic there was! Everything was moving so slowly!"
After this gentleman had sped on, I came up behind another car. This time it was a real nice convertible. I can't tell you what kind it was, but there was an older lady with bleach blond hair. When she turned her head I could see she had the leopard patterned sun glasses. The top on the car was down, she was in the left lane, and she was driving very slowly. I chuckled to myself as I thought about the other guy in the Lexus. Now here was the way to drive--convertible top down, enjoying the 71 degree weather, and who cares if the wind is blowing your hair!!
The Greeks had a god named Chronos. You can see where we get some of our words from this Greek root. Words such as chronicle, chronic, chronometer. This god was a cannibal. He ate his children. He devoured the things that were most precious to him. Let me ask you a question. Do you devour time or does time devour you?
There's another word for time in the Greek. As best as I can spell it, it's kairos. It's the enjoyment of the time we have. A time and a place for everything. Kind of like the time mentioned in Ecclesiastes.
Enjoy your time. Don't hear the ticking of the seconds going off the clock. Hear the laughter of the moment, the birds in the trees. Be still and know God. Have a great day.

Widespread Panic

I don't usually blog this quickly in the mornings. It's usually read my Bible, catch up on the mail, see what's on the internet, then get to blogging if I'm not too busy. But I just can't pass up today's thoughts.
Recently I purchased (birthday gift) a new iPod nano. I'm sorry, these are the coolest things around. Anyway, I digress. I was listening to my iPod this morning. Glad (Glad: The A Cappella Project) was singing On Christ the Solid Rock. I love the song, I love the tune. The chorus: "On Christ the solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand." While I'm listening to that marvelous chorus, a car pulls up next to me and on the bumper it says, "Widespread Panic." Now I'm naive and old. So I don't know if that's some rock band or what. But I couldn't help but see the contrast. Christ, the solid Rock. Widespread Panic. Yeah, it is widespread panic without Jesus. I love the passage in Colossians that talks about the supremacy of Jesus, and then Paul says, "He is before all things and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:17) See where I'm going? Outside of Him, all things fall apart...widespread panic. The peace promised by God is only found in Jesus Christ. When everything is going wild all around you, there is a place, a solid Rock, a peace that passes understanding...only in Jesus. Have a great day! JW

Found!!

Omaha has been hit with a number of disappearances. Recently, a little girl by the name of Amber Harris was discovered after six months of being missing. She was found in a shallow grave in a park not too far from her house. Another woman was found in the Missouri River. She had not been gone too long, but nonetheless, she had disappeared. There was an article in Sunday's Omaha World Herald about all the missing people from this area. There were literally hundreds. People were stunned. One would think that everything would be done in our power to find these people. Our hope is that they never disappear from our conscience.
However, there are many who have disappeared from our church families. They have slowly, not suddenly in most cases, but slowly vanished. They quit coming. They may receive a phone call. "Oh, I was sick," or "I was working," or "I was out of town." Our minds soothed by the fact that we checked on them. But then they completely disappear. Slowly, they die a spiritual death...and we do nothing to find them. Shame on me! Jesus said it was more important to leave the 99 to find the 1. Contrary to the case of Amber Harris, even if these are found dead, they can be made alive again. Paul said, "As for you, you were dead in your transgression and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is not at work in those who are disobedient...But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when were were dead in transgressions--" (Eph. 1:1,4)
Let's make it a practice to search those who have left. Let's go and find. Let's have the courage and the love for those who have left, those who need to be found. JW

Mixed Up World

I read today where Barbaro, the horse that won the Kentucky Derby and broke a leg in the Preakness had surgery to repair the break. In order to ease the pain from the surgery, the horse was lowered into a swimming pool so that there would be no pressure on the back foot. There are news reports about it. I even read where the horse was flirting with other mares.
We protect turtles, owls, and other endangered species, we'll even make sure the horse is not hurt when awakening from surgery, but we won't do what we can do to save a baby from abortion. I've even read where PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) will throw fake blood on those who wear real fur because they protest the killing of these innocent animals. Yet the same people, I'm sure advocate the killing of innocent fetuses. What a crazy world we live in.
Isaiah said, "Woe until them who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Truly it is a crazy world we live in. Excuse me, now while I get off of my soapbox. Have a great day. JW

Marriage

I just read where Paul McCartney and his wife are splitting after four years. Nobody is expressing sadness over the divorce. Instead, what I keep reading is how much money Paul will lose in the settlement. Up to $380 million some predict. As I drove to work today, I saw a small, Honda convertible sports car with a license tag that said "PRENUP" on it. I laughed audibly, but then realized the sadness of the situation.
It seems that marriage is not based on mutual love and relationship anymore, only in mistrust due to how and when the marriage will end. The words "til death do us part" means nothing anymore. Jerry and Lynn Jones were here at our church in the fall and Jerry begins with a session on unselfishness. Other than Jesus, which there is no other foundation that Him, the next principle of marriage must be unselfishness. When we quit with the "what's in it for me" attitude, our marriages will work. And strangely enough, when we do that, our marriage becomes extremely satisfying and there is something for "me."
Sorry. I had to vent. Have a great day. JW

God is so Good!

Everything today has been yelling out, "God is great!" As I got ready for work this morning, the radio was playing, "How Great is Our God." It brought back recent memories of Pepperdine's lectures. We sang it several times there. Then my son and I walked out into the crisp morning air. Brilliant blue sky, sweet smell in the air, wonderful temperature. My prayer with God today was especially meaningful to me as I asked Him to show me what His plan was today.
I'm getting ready to preach another sermon about prayer. Jesus begins with, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." It's all about Him. It's about His kingdom. It's about His will. Once we get our selfish little selves out of the way about everything, we'll live much more peaceful lives. Our worship will be more meaningful. Our lives will be more evident of His grace. The stress of everyday life will disappear. In His kingdom, everything always...always turns out right. He's in control.
Then, with all of these thoughts roaming through my mind, I turned to my Bible reading. Here's what was in my reading today. "Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him, alll his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created...Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children." If they can't help but praise His name, neither can I! Praise God!! Have a great day. JW

Kimball

Amytrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. If you're a sports fan, you'll know who Lou Gehrig is. Tom Watson's caddie, Bruce Edwards, also had ALS. This is a disease that's supposed to happen to someone you read about in the news. But yesterday I received a phone call that changed all that.
The first time I remember meeting Kimball Matkins was when I was Vice President for Enrollment Management at York College. President Wayne Baker and I drove over to Des Moines, Iowa to meet him. His young wife had just died of cancer leaving him with two children; one had just graduated from York College, the other just entering. We wanted to hire him because he was older than most college admissions recruiters and also because we felt that we could help him in a difficult time for him.
He came and was a wonderful recruiter. He traveled a lot. He talked to a lot of students. Eventually, he met another lady who had three little boys. They decided to marry. Several times he came into my office asking if he could apply for another job on campus because he didn't want to travel as much now that he had another family to look after. I told him I understood, but selfishly I didn't want him to get another job because he was such a good recruiter. He never did get another job. He spent his tenure working for me. (Recently, they made him the director of financial aid.)
We didn't always agree on everything--theologically or from an admissions perspective. But Kimball was always full of grace, never rude or hard to get along with, or dogmatic. He would smile that Kimball smile and everything seemed fine.
I had heard that he had some nerve damage, but it wasn't fully explained. I saw him in Kansas City and he explained that he felt that his legs, his arms, even his chest, were not as strong. My wife saw him walking and it broke her up. He told me about his upcoming visit to the Mayo Clinic. In fact, our conversation was about a lady who works at the Church of Christ house in Rochester who has known me since I was a baby, probably before. He was going to see her on his pending visit.
Yesterday I received a phone call saying that Kimball has been diagnosed with ALS. He has been given two to five years to live. That's not fair. Had he not remarried, I could have understood it. But now there are three boys and a wife who look to him for guidance. I can't get him off my mind right now. So when you pray today, tonight, whenever you prayer, please keep Kimball in your prayers. Pray for God's will to be done. And thank God for the blessings that you receive everyday. Thank you.

Akeelah and the Bee

I haven't seen the movie yet, but there is a lot of rave reviews for the Akeelah and the Bee. Starbucks have evidently helped to produce this movie because you can't miss their advertising any time you go into one of their stores. What caught my eye recently was a sign.
Now you have to realize that Starbucks want you to buy their products. So they have a little advertisement featuring their "drink of the day." Or sometimes there is a recommendation from one of the baristas. What caught my eye was the advertisement for Akeelah and the Bee and a recommedation from a barista. The recommendation was for a Tripple Soy Latte. Now, I spelled it just like they spelled it. I thought it was funny that they were advertising a movie about a spelling bee and couldn't spell "triple" correctly.
I had a coach several years ago who was trying to teach me how to shoot a basketball. I would try and try to shoot it as he wanted me to. Finally, in frustration he took the ball away from me and said, "Here, like this." And he shot the ball. The ball bounced off the rim. I said, "Just like that, huh Coach?" Dumb, dumb, dumb! You never say things like that if you want to play. His response was telling. He said, "Do as I say, not as I do."
Isn't that the way we often live our lives? We'll tell people what they should do, but we aren't willing to heed our own advice. We advertise tripple lattes and expect perfect spelling. We'll tell people how to shot the ball, but won't make the basket ourselves. We'll inform people how they ought to worship or live their lives, but won't follow Jesus. Let's face it and let's call it what it is. We are hypocrites. But praise God, he loves us anyway!
I think the good advice would be the advice that Paul gave. He said, "Follow me as I follow Christ." He didn't say, "Follow me." He did put the caveat, "...as I follow Christ." Good advice. Good words. Have a great day. JW

Happy Mother's Day

My brother wrote this poem in honor of our mother back several years ago. And although our mother died a little over a year ago, I think this tribute poem expresses our love for all the mothers out there.

THIS DAY

This day, those many years ago,
This day, I did not watch you go
Alone into the vale of death,
Alone, to breath the dark wind's breath.

But I was there, and from the night
Your struggles brought me to the light.
Your pain and tears afforded me
To taste the gift of life: to be.

You'd walked that lonely path before,
You were to tread it two times more;
Four times into the night you went,
And reappeared, your spirit spent.

Four times a son you brought to day;
Each time you gave yourself away.
Each time you set your brick to ground,
To build the wall, to make it sound.

The "heaven-sent" that 12th of May
Was you whose heart was filled with day;
And from your heart I've learned to live,
To sing, to pray, to laugh, to give.

The son who writes these words tonight
Remembers you with sweet delight,
And whispers in his other's ear:
"I LOVE YOU MOM, MY MOTHER DEAR!"

--Charles White

It says it all. Happy Mother's Day! JW

God Does Weird Things

We were sitting on home last night, ready to retire, when my son said to me, "God sure does weird things sometimes." What was going through his mind? What brought that on? Being the astute father I am, I said, "What do you mean?" "I don't know," he said. "He just does weird things sometimes," repeating what he had just said.
I told him that God sees the whole picture and not just the little bit we see everyday...and then the conversation was over.
You know, he's right. God does weird things. He does a lot of things that just don't make sense. If I were God for a day, I'd sure do things differently. You know, if the apostle Paul had been sitting in my living room last night, he might have said the same thing as Nate did. Instead, Paul said, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." Translated, "God sure does weird things sometimes."
I'm glad Nate noticed that at the ripe old age of 16. I hope my answer was sufficient to make him think. With 16-year-olds, you take what you can get. I think he heard it. Now if I could just understand it. Have a great day. JW

Seeds and Helicopters

I walked out my front door this morning to a see of those little helicopter seedlings that fall from trees (I'm sorry, I have a bachelor's degree in zoology, not botany. I don't know what kind of tree it is.) Instead of being the usual green, it is almost a yellowish-white because of all the seedlings that have fallen. When I was a kid, I used to pretend they were helicopters and would drop them from height just to see them spin to the ground. Ahh, the good old days.
Now I don't have just one of these trees in the yard, but three. Not just my yard, but the entire neighborhood is infested with these little chances of growing more trees. Now what are the chances of any of these seedlings becoming a tree? Probably not very large. Most will be swept away, mowed away, raked away into oblivion. Knowing that, do the trees stop producing these seedlings? Next year when I come out about this time will the tree be free from these little helicopters? No.
All right, here's the application. Jesus said to go into all the world and preach the gospel. He didn't say to go and baptize the world, but to preach the gospel. We measure success in ministry and in missions by the number of baptisms there are. If our mission is successful, then we've had baptismal biceps. But before can come the results, must come the seed sowing. I think we've forgotten about the latter and push the former. Jesus said the field was "white for harvest." Before the harvest, however, there had to be sowing. Maybe it's time we get the seed bag back out and start sowing seed again. And you know what, let's allow God to determine how successful the harvest is. Have a great day. JW

Pepperdine

Where do I start? Everyone asks, "How were the Pepperdine lectures?" I can't point to any one thing and say, "That was the defining moment or lecture or comment for me." But what I got was spiritual renewal, a time for great visits with great friends, and a time to get away from the madness of the ordinary life.
The singing was beautiful. I do have one complaint. Karen and Brian are laughing as I speak. Here's my gripe. We spent all day walking up and down the hills (mountains?) of the Pepperdine campus attending classes, lectures, receptions, lunch, and praise team concerts. Then we would get into the auditorium for the evening lectures and what did they want us to do?.....Stand up! Stand up for this song. Stand up for this verse. Be seated. Stand up! Sit down! Invitation? You can't sit down for that? By the end of the day the old thighs were hurting along with other strategic parts of my body. Hence, the Scripture was true, "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."
I saw people I hadn't seen for 30 years. I met people that I didn't know, but who knew my brother in France. I met people whom I knew by reputation. And I saw people I don't get to see enough.
The trip home (on my birthday) was uneventful. But I did get into town at 6:34 and had to be at my son's high school for a 7:00 performance. I think I only missed one number. By the time we really got home, it was after midnight. But to be home with family was very good. All in all it was a good trip. If you haven't been, you need to go. I'm still trying to catch up. Maybe by the end of the week. Have a great day. JW

Mixture

Two or three things for today. First, this is my daughter's 23rd birthday. Seems like yesterday she was born. But now she's an old married woman and I still get to take her out to dinner tonight.
Second, this is my last blog for a few days. If you've read David Underwood's blog, you'll know why. It's a tough assignment, but I'll be back in several days to report.
Third, I laugh at the bizarre in life. The other day I saw a guy riding a bicycle down the street. He had a helmet on and was smoking a cigarette. A little irony there.
Have a great week. I'll be back on Monday. JW

Bridges

Sunday my thoughts drifted back to a day over 35 years ago. I was between my sophomore and junior year in high school and I was driving my first Cadillac across the causeway spanning Lake Ponchartrain in Louisiana. Seems that my friend Charles Ganus and his father Dr. Cliff Ganus, president of Harding at the time (I'm not dropping names by the way. Charles is still a friend and Dr. Ganus is one of my heroes.) James Ganus, Charles' uncle, and Robert Ganus, his cousin put a 20 foot boat in the White River near Searcy and floated all the way down the Mississippi to New Orleans. I was asked to go with Mrs. Ganus and drive the Cadillac down with the boat trailer behind. After several days in New Orleans eating at three or four of the Ganus cafeterias, we flew home on the school plane. I was in high cotton. I had never been to Lousiana before, let alone go all the way to New Orleans.
Thirty-five years later, I was driving north on the same causeway crossing Lake Ponchartrain to get some training for a trip we'll take with our church group in June. Indeed there was a lot of water under the bridge! I thought about my life, things that had happened since that day in 1970, and wondered where the time had gone. I finished high school, went to college, married a wonderful woman, had two kids, worked as a youth minister, worked for four Christian colleges, got my master's and doctorate, preached along the way, and now here I was crossing the same bridge years later. So much has changed. I'm heavier, grayer, older, hopefully wiser, slower, on and on ad nauseum. But the one consistent in my life has been my Lord. He has never left me. He has never forsaken me. He will always be there. I know. He promised me. And because of that, even though all else may change, I know that he will be beside me.
One day I'll cross another bridge. This time it will be for good and I can continue my road on eternity's path. And once again, He'll be right there by my side. Praise God!! Have a great day. JW

Hurricane Katrina

Several have asked me how my trip to New Orleans went. If you've read my previous blog, you'll understand kind of what is going through my mind. I told them, "I'm excited, I'm depressed, I'm sad, I'm hopeful, I'm just about every emotion you can think of. The reality of this really hit home.
But I want you to pray for the Tammany Oaks Church of Christ. I want you to pray for all the people of New Orleans. I want you to pray for all the Christians in New Orleans. I want you to pray for all who have worked, who are working, and who will work in New Orleans.
Why did this happen to New Orleans? Some will tell you because of the evil, wicked city that it is. I've just met a long of wonderful people who love God and are doing their best to spread the name of Jesus in the city...and they live there. Why did it happen to them? (We could get into a major discussion of the book of Job here!).
It happened because of warm fronts and cold fronts, merging in such a way and crossing into the warm waters of the gulf. It's the world we live in. It happpens because of atmospheric conditions. It has nothing to do with punishment or anything else other than it's the way the earth works.
But once again it does bring up the importance of using every opportunity--including a hurricane--to show God's love and what He will accomplish. Have a great day. JW

Ward 9

Sorry I haven't been here recently. I just returned from New Orleans. Right now my heart is heavy as I had the opportunity to see just a little of the suffering that has gone on in that city. There is trash everywhere, piled up by the houses, along the interstate, on the street corners. It looks like a third-world country. Two things really brought all of this into something that is very real: 1. Seeing the spray painted X's on the house giving the date when it checked and the numbers indicating the number of bodies or pets found, and 2. Seeing the water marks on the house. Being able to see just how high the water made it up on the houses and buildings.
Ward 9 is a ghost town. You drive through and you see through the houses, empty, some "mucked" all the way down to the studes. We'll be working down there in about six weeks, me and 21 others from Southwest. I don't think we even know what we're about to face.
What I did see down there was hope. There have been over 4000 people who have come to the Tammany Oaks Church of Christ just since Katrina. Many have been members of the church. Some haven't. But all come with the willingness to be salt and light in a community that lives in darkness in so many ways. There are stories of giving, stories of discovery, stories of love and sacrifice. Soon there will be another 500 of us converging on the city for JINO (Jesus in New Orleans). And I hope that's just what it will be.
I'll write more about some thoughts on this trip later. Right now I'm just glad to be home. I hope you've had a great day. JW

April 20, 1920

He would have been 86 years old today had he lived. But God in his mercy took him from us in 1993. I used to call my mother on this day and talk to her and anything she wanted to. Then at the end she would say, "You know what today is, don't you?" To which I replied, "Of course, that's why I called." Now I can call neither.
I have visual reminders of him in my office. There are pictures that are part of my screen saver of him when he was a young preacher. I have another on my credenza of a young Meredith, probably about 2 years old, no hair, with Dad holding her. She's is serious and pointing at something. Dad has his mouth open in a wonderful laugh. Another picture sits on my desk. This time Meredith is about 10 years old and she's hugging Dad as I remember him so well. He's got on a white shirt, a tie, he has his plastic pocket pen holder in his shirt pocket full of pens. On the other side is Nate, a little 3-year-old holding Granddad's hand looking up at this tall man.
I can't help but think a metaphor here. Here's a little boy looking up to this man. And I, even to this day, look up to the man who molded my life. I miss him. But I know that he's enjoying his time with Mom and with Jesus. And even though he doesn't celebrate birthdays anymore, he's celebrating with the King he so faithfully served. Happy Birthday, Dad!
Have a great day. JW

Whatever

I was going through the mass of e-mails that come in everyday. I use a filter, but they still find a way to leak through. So I was looking at each one determining which were valid and readable and which ones weren't. It was a weeding through process.
It got me to thinking, we do the same things with all the stimuli that come into our lives. A temptation comes along, we decide whether we want to deal with it or let it go. Unfortunately, we do the same things with the people who come in. We either visit with them or just ignore them, pretending to be busy.
What causes us to do this? Hopefully, we have trained our conscience to know what is good. But many of us (me included) allow things into our lives that shouldn't be there. We may think this is a modern problem. The introduction of the computer has made us this way.
Paul said centuries ago, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Most of the times, we're lucky if we stop at the first thing. "Well it's true!" we might say when a piece of gossip comes our way. But did we hear the rest of the words? Noble, Right, Pure, Lovely, Admirable, Excellent, Praiseworthy. If it meets all of these criteria, then we are to think about such things. Wonderful advice from a man who never knew what a computer was. Have a great day! JW

Free

Sometimes I just have to be hit in the face to see something. I call it "God's Holy 2 X 4." Let me explain.
Yesterday, I was able to get a free venti no-water chai from Starbucks. The last time I had been in, I was randomly selected to do a survey. There was nothing in particular that I do or did to deserve receiving this freebie. But you can rest assured, I was willing to receive it. I answered a few questions, wrote down some verifying number, returned the receipt, and "voila!" a free drink.
At lunch, we were celebrating one of our colleagues' birthday. It's tradition. We go somewhere, birthday boy/girl's choice, and we all chip in for a free meal for the celebratee. While we were eating yesterday, one of our members came by the table and asked who was working at the church office. We laughed and explained that we were all enjoying a birthday party. Soon after, the waiter came over and told us that this person had paid for all of our meals. Another freebie. What a great stroke of luck!
In the middle of the night last night, it hit me. (Remember God's Holy 2 x 4?) A perfect example of Easter's wonder. I did nothing to deserve anything and luck had nothing to do with it. Yet I receive God's free gift everyday. Although it doesn't match up to the wonders of God's free gift of eternal life, it's a wonderful earthly example of spiritual concepts. In fact, God's grace is an every day gift, not just one in awhile. God's mercy, God's goodness, God's love...every day, all the time free gifts.
And who says Starbucks isn't good for you!! Have a great day.

Life!!

As you already know if you read my blog regularly, I preached about the resurrection yesterday. As usual, I didn't do it justice. But I rely on the fact that in my weakness, God's strength comes through. What hit me this week was how much we focus in on the suffering of Jesus. The entire movie The Passion of the Christ was about Jesus' suffering. With the exception of the last 30 seconds which dealt with his resurrection, it was all about His suffering. We go to youth retreats and we play the sounds of death, the mockery, the ridicule. We shame people into following Jesus. I remember coming out of Mel Gibson's movie saying, "I did that to Him."
But for once, I would like us to focus on the resurrection, not His death. Please don't misunderstand me, I am grateful for His death. It is an important fact that He came and died. It shows God's justice. Isaiah talks about Him being led like the lamb before slaughter. When you really look at it, you'll see that the emphasis intended was our changed life as a result of His resurrection.
Jesus said, "I came that they might have life." Paul said, "I'm crucified with Christ, but I live!" In Romans 6, Paul says that we imitate Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection in the form of baptism. And we do so to be raised into a newness of life. It's the life we have now, the changed life as a result of what He did on the cross. Instead of guilt, burdens, feelings of dread and sorrow, we have life.
If Jesus were to walk into your office, your home, your presence today, what would He want to see or hear from you? Would He try to shame you into thinking about how your (my) sins killed Him? Or would He want you to show Him the difference He has made in your life? I think it's obvious. Have a great day. JW

Driver's Ed is Over

Today is a bittersweet day. First, I'll get to pay a whole lot more money every month. By making that declaration, let me also issue you a warning. My son is getting his driver's license today. Stay clear on the streets, I have ridden with him. When I called the insurance office and told them my son was getting his license, the lady began laughing. Now I don't know about you, but I don't know if that was a laugh of consolation or if she was beginning to count the money.
Nate's been 16 since December. He's got the permit. But frankly, he's been too busy to take driver's education. Since this is spring break, he's finally got a break in his schedule and he is driving his final driving test as I write these words.
There's a side of me that looks forward to this. I don't have to drive him here and there to everything he's involved in. But there's the freedom thing that says, I can't be with him at every moment. I know this is every parent's dilemma and Martha and I are not exempt. I wonder about God allowing us the freedom to live. He could have made us robots, but instead he made us (as we used to say all the time) free moral agents. I never really understood that term. It just means we are free to choose. God made us free to chose. Free to believe. Free to accept. Free to live His life or not.
Paul tells us in Ephesians that we are in all things to grow up. God wants us to grow up much like we want our own children to do the same. Only, I have this pit in my stomach. Will he make the right decisions? Will he be safe? Will he come home at a safe hour at night? I take some assurance in the fact that God has felt the same about me. And now, His celestial arms embrace me with a knowing smile and He says, "I know how you feel."
Pad your cars. Get our schedule so I can tell you when he'll be on the street. Pray for me to let go. And have a great day. JW

Spiritual Coach Potatoes

We've recently been in a youth minister search at our congregation. For some reason, the words seek and search popped into my head. There are those who think we (the youth minister identification team--great name isn't it? I would have called it the search committee, but that sounds so much more official) have just sat back and allowed the resumes to come in. They haven't seen us calling Christian schools, talking to others about those who might be interested, handing out job descriptions, and advertising the position. It has truly been a search.
Jesus told us to "seek and you will find." He also told us to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." There is something to be said about the effort made in seeking.
I'm afraid that we have developed into spiritual couch potatoes. We haven't searched much. We certainly haven't sought out the spiritual disciplines that are evident in so many spiritual people and groups. Instead, we (and I truly include myself in this group) have sat back and hoped and wished that we would become stronger spiritually simply by laying back. There has been no study, no prayer, no fasting, nothing. Only sitting back with the spiritual channel changer hoping God will allow us to grow stronger in our faith.
In high school, we had to run. Dr. Wilt Martin, I still call him "Coach," said we had to be in shape to play the game of basketball. It was discipline and effort. Was it pleasant? No, not most of the time. The gratification came when we were prepared in difficult situations to face whatever came our way. Why do we think our spiritual lives are any different?
I'm not advocating a salvation by works. I'm saying that if we intend to grow, it will take effort on our part. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," Paul said. I think we all agree that anything worthwhile will take some planning, preparation, and effort on our part. Otherwise, we will indeed become lazy and unfruitful. Let's put the effort in to grow in our spiritual lives. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. Have a great day. JW

Beneath the Cross of Jesus

I've been thinking of the resurrection a lot lately. And, yes, I am going to preach an "Easter" sermon this Sunday. Like Christmas, we seem to want to give the obligatory, "We really don't know when...." But the death of Jesus, his resurrection came around the Passover, which is about this time of the year. Very similarly to the same time frame as we know today.
One of the things I've been thinking about is how much the resurrection dominated the apostles' lives. That was the theme of Peter's sermons all throughout Acts. He gave the classic three point sermon: 1. Jesus was born of God. 2. You killed Him. 3. That's all right, God raised Him from the dead. Then he had them sing "Just As I Am" for 30 minutes and they had a first century revival.
Paul said, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." He even said with tears that many live as enemies of the cross. Donald Miller says that in baptism, we identify with Christ. Romans 6:1-6 reiterates that sentiment.
The resurrection really is the Christian's high water point. It is his victory. It is his battle cry. It is his life. We should live in the shadow of the cross every day. Jesus even encouraged us to take up our crosses daily to follow Him. Crosses are for dying. And Paul reminds us that we are to be crucified with Christ. What I love about that passage is he doesn't stop there. He says, "Yet I live." Do you wonder why you struggle with life sometimes? Do you not have the peace that passes understanding? Perhaps you haven't been raised with Jesus.
One of my favorite scenes in the movie The Passion of Christ lasts only about 30 seconds. It isn't the beatings, it isn't the depiction of Satan, it isn't Judas dying, it isn't carrying the cross, it isn't the relationship between Son and mother, it's the end. There was no fanfare, just a risen Jesus with holes in His hands. The fanfare was and continues to be in our heavenly home.
Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand. The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land. A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way. From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day. I take, O cross, they shadow for my abiding place. I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face. Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss. My sinful self, my only shame, my glory all the cross! Amen! Have a great day! JW

Making History

I just finished a biography written by my good friend John Williams with Eloise Muncy on the life of her husband, Ray Muncy. It's entitiled Making History. I've never read a biography where I knew the person being written about and his family. David was their only child I really didn't know. I went to school with Marc, I knew their daughter Kandy, and Zac was a friend of mine when I later lived in Searcy. I never had Dr. Muncy for a class, but he and Eloise travelled to Harding University in Florence with my dad and mom. I knew the people involved in the book and was familiar with many of the places. It was also amazing to see the lives touched and what an influence one life can have for eternity. For example, Dr. Muncy baptized John Clayton. One life changed to change many, many other lives.
What struck me about the book was the sheer honesty of the lessons learned. They didn't cover anything up. They showed their family for what they were, people who made mistakes. And, frankly, Eloise depicted him in an almost heroic fashion. I asked my wife if I were to die if she would do the same. "Sure, honey," was her reply.
It was a wonderful illustration of what our lives are...they are good times and bad, happy and sad, a perfect illustration of Satan's destruction and God's healing. I remember going to visit Dr. Muncy at the hospital in Springdale just weeks before he died. I've seen his family experience some of their ups and downs. Yet in spite of it all, Dr. Muncy worshiped God. Same thing Job did. Same thing we should do. He lived a good life and his influence continues even to this day.

Renewal

It's slowly happening. The weather is slowly warming. The flowers are coming out. The trees are starting to bud. Tornado warnings are in the air. This morning, I heard the birds chirping. It's springtime! I love this time of year. I just wish we had some redbuds and dogwoods in Nebraska.
There's something about renewal that gets to me. Everything that has been dead, dreary, dull, is now coming alive. And although I'm not a fan of mowing grass, there's something about the green of the yards, the smell of freshly mowed grass.
Everyday, God renews us. He forgives. He makes whole. Whiter than snow. Pure. My favorite Bible verse, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." What a tremendous thought! Happy Spring! Happy Renewal! Have a great day! JW

Music Video--Could Be My Big Break

This fall you need to look for a music video by Mannheim Steamroller. "Why?" you may ask. Because Martha and I are in it!! We spent an hour or so down at the Orpheum last night filming. I won't give it away, but we were a crowd watching a movie. We had to react to the movie and act like we were screaming. Frankly, that's all I know anyway. We were looking at a big green screen, the camera shot the back of our heads, and we got money for the Westside High School Music department.
Chip Davis was there and had a lot to say about the filming of the clip. He was very involved. This is probably my 15 minutes of fame. Oh well, it was fun anyway. Martha and I got to go downtown and have dessert!! That was the highlight. I hope you have a good day...and be watching for me in October! JW

Cult Headquarters--The Church of Christ

If you have watched any of Nancy Grace and CNN this week, you'll have learned that the Church of Christ is a cult. Now I find it interesting that she asked someone else about us, took one opinion, and if you really look at it, he never really said, "cult," and after that she didn't want to hear anything else.
Now if she were being fair, almost any church group in America could be defined as a cult. The Catholic church is extremely exclusivistic. Many Baptist churches are. And what about the Islam faith? I don't hear anyone going around clanging the cymbal and calling them a cult.
Now maybe I'm a "glass half-full" kind of guy, but I see this as an opportunity. It's the opportunity to say, "Come and see for yourself." Come to worship and see what we talk about. Follow me for a day. Paul said, "Follow me as I follow Christ." It seems to me he was saying, "Watch me." Why can't we issue the same challenge? Why can't we say in our newspapers, in the streets, on television, "if you think we're a cult, we invite to you services this Sunday. We promise there will be no brain-washing, we'll not have Kool-Aid to drink, and you can see that we are Jesus believing, God fearing people, who want to make this world a better place.
My experience has been that when you're with people who believe very differently than you, they think you're going to blast them in a judgmental way. When they find out you're a regular person and nice and not obnoxious, they're actually surprised. Peter said to "Live such good lives among the pagans that they are ashamed." Maybe we've forgotten those lessons and carried our soap boxes around with us. Perhaps it's time to say as Philip did, "Come and see." I hope you have a great day! JW

Tornado of Life

We had a tornado come through Omaha last Thurday. It was an F-0 on the tornado scale. I've heard some interesting stories. My son and I were getting out of the car at our house when the sirens went off. There was no rain, not really a terribly dark sky. We looked at each other with some confusion. Were they testing the sirens again?
One of my shepherds had some damage. His insurance agent asked how fast the winds were going. I know there are a lot of good insurance agents out there. But that has to be one of the dumbest questions I've ever heard. As you drive through town, you can see some of the damage. Some windows blown out here, some debris there. All in all, we were very fortunate.
We had a tornado at church also. Oh, it wasn't the type I was just talking about. In fact, the damage was even worse. You see, we have marriages struggling, we have people dealing with illnesses, we have other strained relationships. The damage done by our tornado last week can be fixed. But in so many cases, relationships that are damaged are many times damaged beyond repair. Lives broken and scattered. Wounds that go far beyond the flesh.
I wish we would have some kind of warning system similar to the tornado sirens that go off when danger is imminent. When a relationship is about to go under, the alarm sounds. Instead, what happens is the relationship slowly dies and we don't find out about it until after it is seemingly beyond compare.
There is hope. David said, "Create in me a pure heart, O God." Create. Make something from nothing. Many times we can't heal the hurt, but God can. When the tornadoes of life come through and do their horrible damage, it may seem as if there is no hope. Ah, but there is is. As Mike Cope often says and as I like to sing, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness." The next time you see one of those tornadoes coming, head to the shelter of Jesus' arms. There you'll find peace. There is safety. Have a great day. JW

Remembering Tulsa

I want to regress a little and talk about the Tulsa Workshop. I don't know how many times I've gone, but it's been a lot. Since twice in my life I only lived 90 miles away, it was a highlight of my year. Many times I went to represent a Christian college where I was working. But there are some intangibles that are there every year.
First, the preaching is always terrific. I can't think of a single year where I came away and said the preaching was awful. Marvin Phillips and Terry Rush have made sure that we had some of the best and brightest speak every year. Bob Russell, the senior minister from the Christian Church in Louisville, KY, mentioned that our preachers were the envy of the Christian Church. Isn't that amazing? Yet, so many of them take the arrows of my "brethren" for being too liberal, too entertaining, too (you fill in the blank). I have to admit, there is a side of me that covets being able to speak. But then when I come away from each workshop, I know that God has placed the right person in there to speak and I don't need to be that person.
Second, the singing is always heavenly. Last Friday night, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I closed my eyes and sang like there was no one else but God listening to me. One of the best arguments for a capella singing is just that, the beauty of thousands of voices togethter praising God's name. Some of the songs have changed, others haven't. If you were there, did Our God, He is Alive make chills run up and down your spine?
Third, it's fun to go into the Expo Hall and look at all the goodies. I came back with so many new books, three new Bibles, and several prints. I remember a time when we were still doing the Joy Bus thing that they used to drive buses right into that hall.
Fourth, I saw so many friends. It was so good to talk to Rubel, Jeff, Mike, Steve, Carroll, Connie, Larry, Buddy, Dub, Nancy, David (I didn't forget you, DU!!), Sue, Larry, Troy, Carolyn, Jim, Kay, another David, Sue, Bob, Mike, Gay, Mark, Anne, Amy, Trish, Jackie, Mackie, Marshall, Kristy, and a host of others I already knew. But I also was able to meet new friends like Franklin, Tracy, Fischer, Jim, Carson, Kristin, and others.
Can you imagine what heaven is like? It's going to take the first part of eternity just to meet everybody!! Tulsa just helps us get prepared for it. "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you. I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to compoletion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God." Amen, Paul. Amen!
This is a verse for all of you out there whom I know and love, not just those I saw at Tulsa. By the way, this year was really a double joy for me. Not only did my wonderful wife get to go with me (this has been two years in a row), but my son also went. I think he'll be back. Now my old married daughter is complaining she didn't get to go. That's a nice problem to have. Have a great day. JW

One Year Blogging Anniversary--Random Thoughts

It's basically been a year since I first started blogging. What a year it's been, full of triumphs and tragedies, silly and sublime, fun and faults. But as I looked back over some of the blogs I have written, it helped to reminisce about what has happened. Of course, the death of my mother, the death of one of our teens at church, divorces, tragic world events. But there has been some fun, too. I've written about mowing grass, watching my kids grow up, and other silliness.
I was bemoaning the fact to someone the other day that I don't write in a diary like my dad used to do. I have his diaries all over the place. The person replied to me, "What do you call a blog?" He was right. This is an electronic diary. Not one that will likely be kept for a lifetime, but it is a daily recording of my thoughts.
Someone asked me the other day why I blogged. "What's the purpose?" they asked. It helps me see God. It forces me to look for Him in everyday life. Before I blogged, I just kind of trudged through life. Now I seek God in everything, every day. I look for things to write about and it has opened my eyes to another world. (Sounds like a soap opera!)
Blogs are different from diaries in that you invite the whole world to come and look into your life. That's all right. I don't have anything to hide. I just wonder why you read. There are times when I think nobody does read these words of mine. But just about the time I get discouraged and think I'll not write anymore, someone comes up to me and says how much they appreciated what I said. I don't write it for accolades. If it helps, then so be it. I write it to clear my head, to talk to God, to record my thoughts, and to keep me looking for God everywhere. Here's to the next year, God willing. Have a great day. JW

Uncle Jerry

My Uncle Jerry is the last of my mother's siblings. If you've read my blog before, you know that my mother, the eldest of the four Garloch kids, died last year. My Uncle Russell died the year before. And my Uncle Leslie (whom I'm named after--James L.(eslie)) died in 1994. Not only is my uncle the last of the family left, he holds a distinction in our family.
According to my parents, and I remember this very well, Uncle Jerry left the church. Now mind you, Jerry is a preacher. But he's a preacher for the Christian church. Recently I discovered a tape he had made answering some of my father's questions. I sensed some angst and some tension in the tape. I see my Uncle Jerry only at supremely special events, i.e. funerals.
After going to Dallas a year ago last fall and listening to brethren discuss our differences in the Church of Christ and the Christian Church. And after going to Tulsa this year and hearing messages from both sides of the keyboard, I decided to call my uncle.
I think he was somewhat surprised to hear my voice and he wasn't sure what I had called about. "I just want you to know that I don't feel about you as my mom and dad did." In the course of the conversation, I learned that he preached for two Christian churches--one an independent Christian Church, the other a Disciples of Christ. He loves Jesus deeply. He loves the word deeply. He is a good, spiritual man who makes mistakes...and I make mistakes, too. He told me several times how much he appreciated my call. The conversation closed with an acknowledgement of how much we both missed my mom and dad.
I may not be able to reconcile the entire Church of Christ and the Christian Church. I may not be able to convince my own brethren of the importance of doing just that. But I can reconcile a precious uncle of mine who may have thought I looked down on him. The bond is now stronger and I'm sure we'll both be better for it.
How about you? Can you make a difference in just one? If so, that will go a long ways. Have a great day. JW

Tulsa Memories

I looked around the arena. This arena hosts hockey games and monster truck events. Rodeos and roundups. If the walls could talk, they would probably tell of some of the colorful language used as the bull bucked off the cowboy or the hockey player was checked into the wall.
But what I heard was praise. Songs of praise. Words of praise. Hearts of praise. Nearly an hour before Max Lucado and Bob Russell spoke, the arena was nearly full. The excitement, the anticipation. The Tulsa Workshop was everything I expected and more.
I sang. I sang so loud you couldn't hear me. By that I mean, the singing was loud enough that I could sing as loud as I wanted to and not be embarrassed. Holy, Holy, Holy. We Shall Assemble on the Mountain. All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name.
God was pleased. I know He was. While I saw those whose arms were crossed, who carried their frowns on their faces and their feelings on their sleeves. As I've read the reports saying, "We cannot fellowship with the Christian church brethren until they repent of their sin." I think of Romans 5:8--"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Why is it we hold a higher standard for others than we do ourselves? And who says they are the sinners?
We sang "When We All Get to Heaven." I'm sure there were some who refrained because they didn't believe it. But for some reason, it took on new meaning. Bob Russell, preacher for the largest Christian church in the U.S. requested we sing 728B, Our God, He is Alive. I think the place shook.
I think it was a pivotal moment. It was one of those moments, similar to Cane Ridge, that we will point to in the future and say it was a key moment in our movement. There will be many who will be able to tell their grandchildren, I was there. I look forward to it.
More to say later. Karen is fussing at me because I'm not blogging fast enough. Too much on my desk and too much to do. Have a great day!! JW

Legacy

My screen saver is a conglomeration of pictures. Pictures of my family, pictures of our trip to France, old pictures of relatives. Today as I sat at my desk reading, the screen saver kicked on. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my grandfather and grandmother as newlyweds. No smiles, but eyes looking right at me. The next picture was a picture of my father looking as he did later in life, hat on his head, suit and tie, looking right at me. Mom. The other set of grandparents. All looking at me as I read. It was if they had all gathered to see what I was doing and looking at me as if to give their approval.
My eyes welled up in tears as I thought of the legacy they have left me. My Grandmother and Grandfather Garloch. He an elder in the St. Joe Church of Christ. She stricken with multiple sclerosis at a such a young age that I don't ever remember her without her bent legs struggling to get around holding on to furniture as she made her way around. They were victims of the Great Depression who struggled with the lack of jobs. My grandfather worked at a brick yard where he handled bricks so much that he had a grip that never left him. He eventually became a coal miner, broke his back in the mines, and died of lung cancer and black lung disease. They raised my mother, a coal miner's daughter, to love God. She was able to travel the world and see things she never imagined.
My Grandmother and Grandmother White weren't affected so much by the Depression because they owned a farm. But they ate what they grew, drank milk from cattle they raised and ate pork from the pigs they were able to purchase. They ate by the sweat of their brows. My grandfather was a deacon at the Bearwallow Ridge Church of Christ. My grandmother, one of the original liberated women. She eventually ran an old country store and pumped gas on Highway 681 near the big cities of Ohio. Cities with names like Floral, Alfred, Darwin, Hemlock Grove, Tuppers Plains. They were a little ways from my favorite, Coolville. I learned of my grandfather's struggle with the loss of his infant daughter, blaming God. Yet he raised a son who was the one and only to go to college, who preached for many years, who became an English professor in Christian schools, whom I proudly called my father for 39 years of my life.
Legacy. It's so important. As I sat there reading today, I couldn't help but feel the legacy they left for me. A legacy that says to love God, serve others, and teach those around you to do the same. What a wonderful legacy I have! You don't have that kind of legacy? Yes, you do. If your family didn't care about spiritual things, Jesus did, your spiritual family does. And you can begin your own legacy...today. Have a great day. If you're going to Tulsa, I'll see you there. I'll be writing next week. JW

Control

It's quiet in the house. I got up to check the weather and to see if school would be cancelled. It's not supposed to be snowing now. It's spring. The forsythia are supposed to be blooming. Jonquils are to be pushing their way up through the ground.
But a lot of things happen in life that aren't supposed to. Little babies aren't supposed to die. Car wrecks shouldn't happen. And mothers with children aren't supposed to have to have chemo treatments.
What I do know is that God is in control. Twila Paris' song "God is in control. We believe that His children will not be forsaken." With all the uncertainties in life, all the pain, all the struggles, there is one constant. God is there and He is in control. He knows the big picture and He has a place prepared. Ah....there's peace. Have a great day. JW

Snow, Snow, Snow

Back from a few days in Branson. Nate's show choir (The Amazing Technicolor Show Choir or ATSC) won the Grand Championship at the FAME Competion at the Tri-Lakes Convention Center in Branson. They also won:
1. Best Band
2. Best Male Vocalist
3. Best Male Presence
4. Best Diction
5. Best Chorals
6. Most Original Song
7. Best Looking Kid named Nate

(I threw that last one in there because it was my award!!). We were proud!

Came home to Nebraska to a coating of snow. Looks like about 4 or 5 inches right now, expecting another 8-14 today. It reminded me of this passage from Job 37 taken from The Message.

Have you ever traveled to where snow is made,
seen the vault where hail is stockpiled,
The arsenals of hail and snow that I keep in readiness
for times of trouble and battle and war?
Can you find your way to where lightning is launched,
or to the place from which the wind blows?
Who do you suppose carves canyons
for the downpours of rain, and charts
the route of thunderstorms
That bring water to unvisited fields,
deserts no one ever lays eyes on,
Drenching the useless wastelands
so they're carpeted with wildflowers and grass?
And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,
the mother of ice and frost?
You don't for a minute imagine
these marvels of weather just happen, do you?

No, these don't just happen. And God takes this wonderful moisture and makes springtime. I can't wait. Have a great day. JW

P.S. Going to Tulsa Wednesday. Will I see you there?

Think About These Things

I'm one of these kind of people who thinks of a song when someone says a certain phrase or I pass a certain place. This morning, the old mind was flowing. I was driving down the road thinking about God's leading me. I thought of "The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want." I passed the Krispy Kreme place and saw the Hot Donuts Now sign. My mind went to "Yield Not to Temptation." In Starbucks, one of the baristas asked me where I was from. My mind thought, "This World is Not My Home."
Now you may think I'm crazy and I'm making this all up. I promise you, that's how my mind works and those are songs I thought of this morning during my regular stuff.
But think what happens when we fill our minds with garbage. What comes out when situations come up? When I was a kid there was a song by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap called "Young Girl." Here are some of the lyrics:

Young girl get out of my mind.
My love for you is way out of line,
Better run girl, you're much too young, girl.

Now I ask you, what was on the guy's mind? I have to admit, I didn't know when I was a kid singing those words at the top of my voice. I can only imagine what my parents were thinking. They were probably in the other room clutching their chests. But to this day I still remember those words. Scary isn't it?
I had an elder tell me one time that A Capella (the singing group) was one of the worst things that had ever happened to the church. I told him I would rather sing "Angels watching over me," rather than "I want to sleep with you baby all night long, yeah, yeah, yeah.!" He smiled and agreed. He never knew that I had slammed him.
In my roundabout way, I'm trying to say, "Let's be careful with what we listen to." Our mind is amazing and it absorbs amazing amounts of information. Information that tends to come out at weird times. Let's be filling our minds with good, wholesome, thoughts of grace and mercy. What is it Paul said, "...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admireable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Have a great day. JW

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I'll be out of the blogging world for a few days. Going to Branson with my wife and son. My son will be performing at a show choir competition at the Tri-Lakes Center in Branson. We'll be home for a few days and then off to Tulsa for the Soul-Winning Workshop! Can't wait. See you then.

JW

Victory!

I know, I know, I'm a little late blogging today. You know how it is...the tyranny of the urgent. It wasn't until after lunch today when I could sit down and have my quiet time with God. Sick son. Lunch appointment with someone who I'm working with on a project. Tired from getting home late from an elder's meeting.
But refreshment is coming. A few days of R and R begin Thursday. Then next week is Tulsa. I can't wait.
I read this verse on a teenager's xanga today. What a great quote!
"You who made me stare trouble in the face,
Turn me around;
Now let me look life in the face.
I've been to the bottom;" from Psalm 70--The Message

Have you been to the bottom? Have you turned your face away because life is too ugly? God says, "Come here! Look life in the face. It's nothing to be afraid of." God never said problems wouldn't come. What He did say was that He had overcome the world.

When I read that verse I think of that wonderful song, "Faith is the victory. Faith is the victory. Oh glorious victory that overcomes the world!" Amen. Thank you, Lord, for Your victory. Have a great day! JW

The Relational Context

In his book Searching for God Knows What, Donald Miller said this, "Biblically, you are hard-pressed to find theological ideas divorced from their relational context. There are, essentially, three dominant metaphors describing our relationship with God: sheep to a shepherd, child to a father, and bride to a bridegroom. The idea of Christ's disciples being His mother and father and brothers and sisters is also presented. In fact, few places in Scripture speak to the Christian conversion experience through any method other than relational metaphor."
I like what he says. Everything in the Christian life must be placed into a relational context. Here's the problem:
Sheep to Shepherd--How many of us can relate to this? Have you ever owned sheep? Have you ever been around sheep. What do you know about shepherding outside of the context of Scripture?
Child to a Father--Some understand this, but others have no clue. If your father was abusive, ungodly, or worldly, how will you understand the relationship of a loving father and son?
Bride to a Bridegroom--Depending on whom you listen to, nearly 50% of marriages end in divorce. Many are living together without the benefit of marriage. The marriage state is being attacked on a daily basis.
So if these are the metaphors used and these same institutions are non-existent or rare, how do we learn of the true relationship that God wants with us? We have to search for mentors who can show us the correct examples. We have to work at our own relationships. We must search for God in the most unlikely places. But oh what a journey it is. The relationship with God is one that we can treasure. One that we can bask in. One that we can enjoy.

_______________

Friday I was golfing in the 60s (degrees, not golf scores). Today we have snow on the ground. Everywhere I have ever lived, I have heard the phrase, "If you don't like the weather, just wait 30 minutes." It's kind of like life.

_______________

Go Hogs! Beat the Bucknell Bisons! Congratulations to the Track and Field Razorbacks. I believe it was their 42nd national championship. Woooo Pig Sooooiieeee! Razorbacks.

Have a great day! JW

Relationship with God

I'm still contemplating the greatness of God. While thinking today, my mind went to other relationships I have. I thought of my best man, Pat. Bobby, the 6'7" giant who is not only a giant physically, but also spiritually. Then there is Rodney, my camp director friend who uses all of his talents beautifully. Of course, there's David, my old prayer group friend (whom I'll see at Pepperdine!! I just had to include you, David, because I know you read this blog.) All of those relationships, even though I may go some time without talking to them, start up where we left off. I can call Pat and even though we rarely see each other, we'll talk about something and laugh as we did in college.
But when it comes to our relationship with God, when we let it go, it's not the same. Yes, we can come back and yes, God will forgive us, and yes, He is always the same. But there's an emptiness there that must be repaired. I know when people say that they don't feel God is as close as He used to be, my common reply is, "Who moved?" The journey back is not always an easy one. It's not because God is standing there wagging his finger, arms folded with a "I told you so" attitude. It's because in order to return, I must submit myself to the reality of my own foolishness. It's guilt that destroys.
That's why it's so important to have that every day, every hour, every second relationship with God. To know that He's right here with me. That I reach out and talk all the time, at any given moment, often. And instead of the bond becoming weaker through my own sin, I feel His arms around me protecting and blessing and being my friend. Is that trivializing God? Oh, I don't think so. It only makes Him greater to know that the Creator of the Universe would even be willing to call me "friend?" No, I think that makes Him even greater. Have a great day. JW

God's Will

Let me tell you what I'm struggling with today. My sermon for Sunday is about God's will. Henry Blackeby says that too many people ask what God's will is for them for their lives. Instead, they should be asking, "What is God's Will?" Then go do it. I can handle that intellectually. But there are too many passages that talk about God having a purpose for us. Isaiah was set apart at birth. One of my favorite passages of Scripture is found in Jeremiah 29:11 where it says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declared the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
So there must be something, someway to know that God doeshave a will for us. I hope you have the answer because I don't. Have a great day. JW

Fly to Jesus

One year ago on a Monday night (just like last night) my Mom went to bed. When she awoke, she saw all of heaven's glory. I just imagine that Dad was there to wake her up, along with all the other people who knew her and loved her here on earth. Technically, the one year date March 9th since she wasn't discovered for at least a day. But still, it's been a year.
First of all, I can't believe it's been a year. Time has a way of slipping by so quickly. If we learn nothing else, we must learn to treasure our time with each other because it goes so quickly.
Second, this has been a difficult year because I do miss her so much. I want to hear her voice. I want to hear her laugh. I want to know the assurance she always gave me of how proud she was of her boys.
Third, I can't wait. The longer I live, the more people I know who have gone on. And I can't wait to see them again.
Last night, as Nate and I drove up into our driveway, I switched over to the Christian music channel and got in on the last verse of Chris Rice's Untitled Hymn. "Fly to Jesus," he sang. It was as if Mom was saying, "I'm all right. I'm doing fine. I have flown to Jesus."
I hope your day is a good one. JW

He/She/It

I was at a women's studies conference on Saturday (if you really want to know, I'll tell you) listening to some students reading papers. I was amazed at some of the things I heard, i.e. God shouldn't be referred to as He but He/She or It. There were other things I heard that absolutely frightens me about what's being taught in American universities today.
I kept hearing about equality. Men and women are equal and everything should be done to make that happen. The session I was in had a somewhat Christian turn to it. But as I left, I couldn't help but think, "They don't get it." It's not about me. It's not about equality. It's about Jesus. He is the firstborn from the dead. He is the image of the invisible God. All things were created by Him and for Him. He is the exact representation of God.
To the world, it's all about rights. My right to this and my right to do that. A few years ago a preacher friend of mine showed me a book with the title something like, "We Have No Rights." The premise was that as members of the(a) Kingdom, we are mere servants who can only submit ourselves to the Lord of all. Fortunately, we have a God who loves us and delights in us and who gives us good things. But I think I finally have it figured out. Now if I could just live it. Have a great day. JW

My God and I

I had to be at the office early this morning, then return home to take my son to school. As I drove home the sun was just coming up over the horizon. It made me think of how faithful God is. There it was, just like it always was and always will be until He comes back. The sun in all its glory. Then I started thinking about the song we used to sing in chorus, My God and I. The words are enough to make you think and appreciate our Father. But I remember we used to say a poem as we hummed the verse. It went like this:
The stars shine over the earth
The stars shine over the sea.
The stars look up to God.
The stars shine down on me.
The stars may shine for a million years,
A million years and a day.
But God and I will live and love,
When the stars have passed away.

Beautiful words we used to make fun of. But now I see them for the beautiful sentiment it is. God is faithful and He will always be here. Have a great day. JW