A Smile and Mother Teresa

I was thinking today of authentic Christianity - what that looked like and specifically what my part would look like. Some were talking to me of my wife Jill and how she has the ability to light up a room with a smile and great banter. Then I found the transcript of Mother Teresa's acceptance speech related to the Nobel Peace prize of 1979. This is only a portion of the transcript - but it is poignant. Enjoy - be blessed!

And so let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love, and once we begin to love each other naturally we want to do something. So you pray for our Sisters and for me and for our Brothers, and for our Co-Workers that are around the world. That we may remain faithful to the gift of God, to love Him and serve Him in the poor together with you. What we have done we should not have been able to do if you did not share with your prayers, with your gifts, this continual giving. But I don’t want you to give me from your abundance, I want that you give me until it hurts.

The other day I received 15 dollars from a man who has been on his back for twenty years, and the only part that he can move is his right hand. And the only companion that he enjoys is smoking. And he said to me: I do not smoke for one week, and I send you this money. It must have been a terrible sacrifice for him, but see how beautiful, how he shared, and with that money I bought bread and I gave to those who are hungry with a joy on both sides, he was giving and the poor were receiving. This is something that you and I - it is a gift of God to us to be able to share our love with others. And let it be as it was for Jesus. Let us love one another as he loved us. Let us love Him with undivided love. And the joy of loving Him and each other - let us give now - that Christmas is coming so close. Let us keep that joy of loving Jesus in our hearts. And share that joy with all that we come in touch with. And that radiating joy is real, for we have no reason not to be happy because we have no Christ with us. Christ in our hearts, Christ in the poor that we meet, Christ in the smile that we give and the smile that we receive. Let us make that one point: That no child will be unwanted, and also that we meet each other always with a smile, especially when it is difficult to smile.

Leading or Walking Along Side

I find myself in a place within ministry that is fairly unfamiliar territory in my current church position. As I think, pray, seek to understand it is definitely a new place for me. Now, I have been in the 2nd position on a church staff before where the Senior Pastor has left the church and the church (the people) look to me for accomplishments of task but here at Southside it just really seems different. One significant difference is probably that I am 10 years older than the last time this took place and 21 years older than the first time this dynamic happened. Our church is just a wonderful grouping of people wanting to talk, share and minister to others and themselves but at the same time really open to support its paid staff in either leading or walking-along-side of them on this spiritual journey.

Currently we are preparing ourselves for the Easter season. Our facilities have been built and designed to hold 150 people (in a traditional sense.) Our Easter preparations are going to be for 800+ it looks like and this is going to take some work, planning and admininininining. (That last word is probably not a word.) This is kinda cool to see people light up at reaching out to others that have either never consider their spiritual life or it has been a long time sense they consider spirituality. I am looking for myself some inspirational "stuff" that will help me help others in this process. "Unchurched" that is, don't know if I really want feedback on "The Shack".
My daughter, Erica's church is doing a bit of a study on the book Unchristian so I am in a read of this literature. Just finishing up "The Shack" and it challenged me in many ways and yes, I found it enjoyable. If you are reading or have read this, give me your thoughts.

American Idol - What are they thinking!?!

I will admit I am a watcher, laugh er, "ooo & ahhhher" of American Idol. I still just get baffled at the personalities, talent (or lack there-of) that gets placed on national TV. Even watching the judges (whom do appear a bit less drunk this year) gasp at what comes out of someone's mouth is just very humorous to me.

Now - let's get a bit philosophical. Knowing full-well some just want the attention, let's skip over them and look at the ones that honestly have a perspective of themselves that is not shared by the mass public. What are they thinking? Am I so in my own little paradigm that my understanding of their perspective is not rational? For me to laugh, sometimes giggle for minutes, stop then giggle again and still just not believe that someone can have such a poor, clear understanding of their abilities in vocalization.

Well - now here I am questioning being philosophical over American Idol. I need a break and my desk certainly needs some attention.

Finally Back

Since mid-November the holidays have been all over the place along with additional "happenings" that kept sucking up time, energy and sometimes a spirit but 2009 is here and I think I'm ready. Just a couple of thoughts then I hope to be regular at this blogging stuff beginning next week. This Sunday our church says "good-bye" to our lead pastor of almost 7 years. He has been an amazing component to the literal transformation of a Family of Faith here in Brownwood. He (and Becky) will certainly be missed by many, including myself.

Our family just got back from a Christmas Trip/Vacation to Wichita, Kansas where my second father and mother (my wife's parents) live. After the initial travel which also happen to be on Christmas Eve following a candlelight-worship-communion service we arrived at our destination at 5:00 AM and I was TOAST! Thursday was physically rough but emotionally very rewarding. It snowed while we were there, we celebrated Dylon's 17th and Erica's 21st birthdays which was a joy. We got to rekindle some great family moments, worship at the church were Jill and I were married almost 25 years ago and just had a great time. The pictures are of that little trip. I know that Christmas for Christians is about the birth of the Savior and I don't want to minimize that at all - but, how wonderful it was to love, laugh, travel, eat, play and worship with family during this season. I am Blessed!