Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow. Here in the United States, we have set aside a day to purposefully be thankful. We give thanks for our freedom, our families, our communities, our bounty, and for the so many other blessings that God continues to bestow on us.

Last Sunday, I was talking to Jim Harter about a study group he and I were a part of… I had been trying to get the group to continue on together, even after we had completed the small group sessions. It just didn’t seem to be happening, and Jim was finally admitting to me that it wasn’t going to work out for him, either. I must admit, I had been pushing a bit to continue meeting with Jim; he’s an awesome study partner, has a strong faith, deep insights, and a quiet strength that allowed us to have lively study sessions, but also kept us on track and focused.

If you attend Messiah Lutheran Church here in Yorba Linda, you have probably seen Jim Harter. You see, Jim is our church’s Executive Director. Jim is the guy that manages the day-to-day operations of our campus. Every time I think I have a handle on all of what Jim does, I see him involved in something new. The same qualities of strong faith, deep insights, and quiet strength that he brings to a Bible study session, serve him well… as he serves our fellowship well.

Jim always has a smile, a friendly greeting, and a kind word for everyone. As he moves across our campus he usually has a purpose, but he always has time for conversation and laughter. He seems to effortlessly juggle a dozen different things, while dealing with the pastors, council, committees, ministries, and individuals. If there is an unlocked door, if there’s a water leak, if the copier stops working, or even if somebody pours soap in the fountain… Jim is the guy who is called; who responds. While thinking about how much time Jim spends on our campus, AND how much he serves this congregation, I realized that I don’t thank him near enough… let alone edify him as the Bible instructs us to lift up and edify each other.

Then I had another thought; a flash of insight, if you will. For every minute that Jim spends on our campus, he spends it AWAY from his family!

Later that same Sunday morning, I caught up with Jim’s wife Linda in the parking lot (where else; LOL). I told here how much I appreciated all that Jim did for the church, and what an awesome job he was doing. Then I told her that I realized that to perform at that level, Jim’s efforts for the church surely must impact their family life. I thanked her for being so supportive of the church by being so supportive of Jim. I let her know that I understood that family meals, family time, and family events had all taken a backseat sometimes, as Jim responded to one emergency or another. I told her I wanted to thank her and let her know that her efforts, her sacrifice, and her family’s patience helped make Jim so effective and made this place a wonderful fellowship. I told her I wanted her to know how much I appreciated HER.

Jim and Linda Harter are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to great servants here at Messiah. From pastors to child care… if I started, I’d be writing another 5,000 words. It’s Thanksgiving, so you can be thankful that I am not expanding on the subject. What I will do is challenge you:

Consider all the people who serve you at church, whether they are at Messiah or at some other church where you might worship. Give thanks for them this week. Let them know how important they are in the life of the church. Find their spouse or their family, and thank them, as well. Let them know that they are appreciated, too.

I pray you all enjoy family, friends, and fellowship as you give thanks to God for all the things AND all the people in your life.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Laughing Out Loud

Outside observers might say that events often seem to conspire to shape my blog posts. My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ might say that I seem led by the Holy Spirit. I’m more of the opinion that I’m just open and available to be nudged… from time to time… by God’s Spirit. Certainly, I’m alive, but I’m energized, creative, and more full of joy during those times when I’m “alive” in God’s Spirit.

This week, my friend Kathi Avarbuch sent me a link to a funny video. It was political, as a lot of her stuff often is, but it was clean and funny. So I decided to see if the comedian who made it had any other material; did he ever! The video Kathi sent me was called The Government Can, but I soon found dozens of other clips from this very funny guy: Tim Hawkins. I was intrigued. It was obvious from the clips that this guy performed in front of large crowds. He was as well received in a corporate function as he was in a church venue. Who was he? Why hadn’t I heard of him?

Well, I’m pretty good at researching stuff, so I did find out all kinds of stuff about this funny Tim Hawkins guy. There is plenty to see on his site, but YouTube is also awash in his videos; reposted over and over by a growing fan base. His Bio describes him as follows:

Tim Hawkins has been accused of being equally gifted and twisted. Whatever your take, he has indeed become one of the most in-demand comics in the country. His arsenal is unique: high energy stand-up, physical comedy, slick guitar skills, a thousand faces and voices, improvisational chops. It all combines to create an insane comedy experience. And yes, the guy can really sing. “People think I live a rock-star life”, said Hawkins. “Believe me, Mick Jagger never gets lost in a Hertz parking lot looking for his Ford Focus.”

With 4 kids of his own and a wife who is winning her battle with breast cancer, Hawkins gets new material daily from the perils of marriage and parenting. But it must be difficult to work clean all the time, right? “Clean comedy is easy. Funny comedy is hard.” So does Tim think he’s funny? “I'm not bragging, but one time I told a joke in front of a dead bird, and it flew away. And you can Google that.”

From the testimonials I’ve read, Tim is an awesome (and surprising) witness! Yes, surprising. Most people who are not Christian… and a good many people who consider themselves to BE Christian… find it hard to believe that Christians can be fun; let alone FUNNY! I’m sharing a clip of Tim Hawkins that is actually more of a public service spot. I think it’s hilarious! You men out there… take note!



At a time when so many of our churches are struggling with dwindling attendance numbers, Tim Hawkins is playing to sold out churches (and other venues). His on-stage witness is funny, and kind of drive-by, but it gets people thinking, and asking:

“Dude… seriously… you’re a Christian?”

Let’s see… which do you think will attract more people:

a) A bunch of rules and a load of guilt, or
b) A bunch of funny stories people can relate to and a load of laughter?

For all of you who answered “a)”, please check your wallet, because you are probably a card-carrying Pharisee. Jesus shocked and upset the religious norms of his day. Jesus calls us to bring the “Good News” to the world… not the “gloomy news”… not the “You-can’t-live-up-to-this news”… and definitely NOT the “boring news.” Laughter may not be joy, but laughter can bring people closer to experiencing joy than depression or boredom.

When people also ask me:

“Dude… seriously… you’re a Christian?”

And then they want to know more about this Jesus I’m so passionate about, then I know the Holy Spirit is alive in my life and my soul.

I may not be as funny as Tim Hawkins, but I am still…
Your brother in Christ,

Dave

BTW, you can find a bunch of videos (and plenty of other stuff) by Tim Hawkins on his site at:

http://timhawkins.net/

I Have No Friends

My niece posted something on Facebook this week which caught my attention. She wrote that she:

“…feels like she really doesn’t have any true friends. :`(”

Twelve hours later, she replied to her own post with:

“...and absolutely nobody says anything in response. Wow I love that.”

After several days, there was still no other response to her initial post. Now, I don’t feel like this is a betrayal of any trust, as posting something on Facebook is tantamount to posting it in the middle of the town square, shouting it from the rooftops, or broadcasting it on the BBC Radio Network.

Admittedly, Facebook is one of the hottest social networking sites on the web today. As for how hot it’ll be in six months, check with Myspace. Anybody still remember Myspace? LOL! Anyway, my point is that although the web is a great tool for the distribution of information, and though it allows almost instantaneous communication to occur, it cannot guarantee that information will be distributed fairly or correctly, or that communication will occur. Indeed, as people are discovering, the more Facebook friends you have, the harder it is to glean useful information from the flood of idle or useless chatter that pours in from all of your friends.

Facebook, in creating a clever bit of alliteration (Facebook Friends), has confused the issue of what a friend is for millions of people. Facebook friends… ha! Let’s take a quick tally of your friends… as defined on Facebook: relatives, acquaintances, classmates, co-workers, and yes… perhaps a good friend or two.

Let’s start with relatives. Few people count their relatives as friends. Relatives can push too many of our buttons. Relatives lay guilt trips on us. Relatives are the biological families we grew up in, and study after study reveals that most biological families are messed up. For most of us, we remain tied only by family obligations. We often feel forsaken or betrayed at times by family. Do you count family as real friends? Let’s be honest.

Then there are the acquaintances, classmates, and co-workers… as soon as the external pressure that holds you together is removed, the close friendship-like connection is removed, as well. Just think about all the close friends you had in school, in a club, or on a job. How many of those friendships survived very long after graduation, a move, or a change in job status? What kind of friend are you to your former best friend from high school who is now an alcoholic? What kind of friend are you to your former best friend at work who got laid off instead of you, and who is still out of work after more than a year? Let’s be honest.

Wait… what about all the members of my church fellowship that are also Facebook friends? We call each other brothers and sisters; we refer to each other as our church family. Although I must admit feeling closer to many in my church family, I also recognize that many are closer to being acquaintances than friends.

Real friends love you, support you, lift you up, encourage you, and sometimes… even challenge you. They love you even though they know all your imperfections. They see past your flaws, and see something more than what the world (or even our relatives) can see. Of course, real friendship is a 2-way street; otherwise it is just a type of hero worship. Real friends are ready to be there for each other. Real friends don’t count the cost. Real friends show the kind of love that Paul speaks about in his first letter to the church at Corinth:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

The world is full of people who are trying so hard to find a friend that they don’t realize that they aren’t doing so well at being a friend. You cannot force someone to be your friend by making them feel guilty… or by begging them to be your friend… or by nagging or bullying them into being your friend. Want to find a real friend? It won’t be through Facebook. Try volunteering your time and energy to your community. Enroll in a class or join a club in which you have a genuine interest. Go to church and ask how you can get more involved; join a Bible study, teach Sunday school, or see if they have a need that you can fill.

I fear that there are not very many of us that really know how to be a real friend; mostly, as with the Facebook entry, friendship ends up being centered all about us. And if a friend lets us down, as they might often do, then we are angered and we begin to keep a record of wrongs. If we think about it, if we are honest with ourselves, most of us are pretty self-serving friends. In the gospel of John, Jesus teaches us what it means to be a real friend:

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13

That doesn’t necessarily mean that we need to die for our friends. But that would almost be easier than daily laying aside our life-wishes in order to be a better friend. It’s easy to expect friends to be there for us. Being a real friend means not just being there for someone, but putting their needs first. Just a few verses later, Jesus boils the whole thing down to a 3 word command:

“This is my command: Love each other.”
John 15:17

While writing this post, the following song popped unbidden into my heart. I’m better with tunes than I am with lyrics, so I had to look it up on the web. As you read the lyrics, think about the scripture verses. Yes, indeed…

What a friend we have in Jesus

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

Original lyrics by: Joseph M. Scriven, 1820-1886.
Original music by: Charles C. Converse, 1832-1918.

Just click below to see a short YouTube clip of the gospel singer Odetta and the great Tennessee Ernie Ford singing this timeless gospel hymn.



Perhaps we all need to be reminded of what a friend we have in Jesus. Perhaps we need to pray fervently that we might open our hearts, let Jesus commune with us, and that we let the Holy Spirit guide us to be better friends… more Christ-like friends… to ALL we meet. Maybe then, we won’t worry so much about how many friends we might (or might not) have.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

THE ANT PHILOSOPHY

This week, I’m posting a secular piece that I like. Jeff Paymar is a good friend of mine and a brother in Christ. He is also a financial advisor based in Pennsylvania. Over the years, Jeff has given me great financial advice, and has helped grow my (admittedly small) investments… even in these uncertain economic times. He has a servant’s heart and is amazingly good with details. LOL… I guess you need to be, if you work with other people’s money; unless you’re the government. Anyway, Jeff sends out a monthly email newsletter, and the following piece was in the most recent one.

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THE ANT PHILOSOPHY by Jim Rohn

Over the years I've been teaching kids about a simple but powerful concept - the ant philosophy. I think everybody should study ants. They have an amazing four-part philosophy, and here is the first part: ants never quit. That's a good philosophy. If they're headed somewhere and you try to stop them, they'll look for another way. They'll climb over, they'll climb under, and they’ll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy, to never quit looking for a way to get where you're supposed to go.

Second, ants think winter all summer. That's an important perspective. You can't be so naive as to think summer will last forever. So ants are gathering in their winter food in the middle of summer.

An ancient story says, "Don't build your house on the sand in the summer." Why do we need that advice? Because it is important to be realistic. In the summer, you've got to think storm. You've got to think rocks as you enjoy the sand and sun. Think ahead.

The third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think summer all winter. That is so important. During the winter, ants remind themselves, "This won't last long; we'll soon be out of here." And the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, they'll dive back down, but then they come out the first warm day. They can't wait to get out.

And here's the last part of the ant philosophy. How much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All that he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the "all-that-you-possibly-can" philosophy.

Wow, what a great seminar to attend - the ant seminar. Never give up, look ahead, stay positive and do all you can.

To Your Success, Jim Rohn

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Did you like Jim Rohn’s piece? Although it is written in a secular voice, the ancient stories he is referencing come from the Bible. There is probably a whole Bible study that could evolve from correlating this one little story to Scripture.

The challenge for you, dear readers, is to see how much Scripture you can correlate to the story. Don’t forget to quote book, chapter, and verse in your references. Why not take 10 or 15 minutes, and see where the Spirit leads you with this? I’m looking forward to hearing from everybody.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave