Thursday Thoughts

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I missed last week's post.  It was a long week and didn't get a chance to. So, since I missed it last week, I am going to make up for it.  Last Thursday January 23rd was a big day for me. It was 30 years ago since I was baptized.  Let me tell you the story...

The summer of 1984, I attended a church camp in Pennsylvania. As the week progressed, kids would go to the pool at night and the whole camp would gather and kids would get baptized and give their lives to Christ.  I saw these kids and it made me want to be baptized too.  I went to the camp director  Brother Don and talked to him about it. After talking to me and my parents, he felt I was not ready and that I was doing it for the wrong reasons.  I was bummed and was upset.  He was right but I did not realize that at the time.

About six months later, I remember getting a call from Brother Don.  He told me that he was going to be in town on a Wednesday night and wanted to see if I still wanted to get baptized.  I said sure.  I remember going down on that Wednesday Night January 23rd in front of all those people and saying that I wanted to follow Jesus.  I remember doing down in the water, getting up out of the water. I remember the sound of the clapping by the crowd that had gathered. 

I remember getting out of my wet clothes, putting on dry ones, drying my hair with a towel.  I had looked foward to getting baptized and felt like once I did it, I would feel very different.  I would huunger for God. I would not want to sin.  I would want to read my bible. I would love church.  But you know what I felt?  I felt wet. That's all.  I was expecting a supernatural experience but it wasn't.

While I have since had some amazing experiences with the Lord, I learned an important truth.  The most important thing isn't seeking an experience;  it is seeking Christ, of putting yourself in a position where God can speak to you. I was responsive to the opportunity God brought my way when I was 14 and that was an important step in my journey.  Yet it was just a step.

Paul writes in Phillippians 3:14-15,  "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  All of us who are maure should take such a few of things."  My hope is that I continue to press on towards God's calling in my life.  My hope for you is that you may press on toward God's calling for your life too, with greater passion, intensity, and love. 

Thursday Thoughts

Well, I haven't given up my commitment yet.  If you missed it, check out the last post but I am endeavoring to write weekly to become more reflective.  I have some random thoughts at the bottom to share but must begin with this ...

If you heard my sermon this past sermon, you heard the story of our comforter.  In case you missed it, for Christmas Kate and I used some of the money we got to buy ourselves a new comforter for our bed. We have looked the past couple months but to no avail. Then the day after Christmas we found one we really liked.  It was white, hotel style, good material.  We brought it home and our bed felt great.  

Well the end of last week, one of the dogs puked on it.  Yes, on the new white comforter.  Kate got the spot out and washed it.  Apparently though, during the washing, something happened I still don't understand. Apparently because it was so big, on the top front of the nice new comforter, there was a spot that melted some and made several large brown spots on the comforter.  

When Kate told me about it, I was just finishing up my sermon for that Sunday on being grateful for what you have and don't have. not get caught up in what doesn't matter.  I must say my initial reaction was not as serene as I would have hoped but soon after I was ok and fine. Its just material right?

So the rest of the story ...

This week I spent time working on those spots but no luck. I washed them hard by hand. Instead of taking a risk with the dryer, I thought I'd let it air dry.  It was very thick so it took a couple days.  Today I got home a little early and decided to put it back on our bed.  Pierson helped me.  I turned it over to the other side and it looked nice. 

Over the course of an hour we ate some, did some wash, cleaned and I was going to get the laptop, sit on my side of the bed and type this blog.  Yet, can you believe this.  Just at the spot where I lay, it was wet.  I wondered what it might be. I bent down to see and found it to be pee. 

Seriously?  Pee?  The dog peed on my bed, through the comforter, and the sheets. Fortunately, we have something to protect the bed.  Needless to say, I was not happy. I took it off, washed it by hand and now it is air drying, Kate graciously made the bed.  I seriously wonder what this comforter did to deserve this.  

Random Thoughts

- Congrats to Ohio State on winning the National Title.  I think of my ohio friends from Lima (Bryan Bucker and Jen Shope) and am happy for you.  

- It's been a good week.  Enjoyed leading the guys group at Hillbilly cabin (for my non-morristown friends, yes, there is such a place), leading bible study at Laurelwood Apts and the men's bible study we started at church last week. Not only did the bible studies have more people than last time, i really enjoyed leading and teaching it. I had prepared but just went with flow. Interestingly, even though we covered the same material, both were very different lessons because of the makeup of the groups.  

- We are studying Phillippians in those studies and I had a thought while I was leading it I never had before. Paul wrote that letter in prison.  He probably wondered outloud at God why he was allowing him to be in prison. But did you know, if Paul didn't go to prison, In addition to the spread of the gospel being advanced, we might not have 1/2 the New Testament we have today.  Amazing reminder that God has a larger plan we cannot see.

- This weekend is a full one. I'm looking forward to joining the youth at Resurrection Friday night in Gatlinburg as well as joining the other 48 folks at Rez Kids Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  PJ and Anna also have their second week of Upward.  

Have a great weekend yourself!

Straining Forward to what is Ahead,

Scott 

Thursday Thoughts

The Blog is Back!!!  Yes, it is 2015 and I have decided to re-engage the blog.  Why?  I'm glad you asked.  It all begins with an experience in the shower ... 

On November 2nd, I was in the shower after some time reading that morning and this verse came to mind from Philippians 3:13, "This one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead."  I don't know about you but sometimes I can remember the stuff I want to forget and forget the things I want to remember.  I can also let life happen to me and not direct my life the way I want it to go.  I decided to think about how I can apply this verse to my life.  How can I strain forward to what is ahead? 

This past Sunday I preached on this subject and used this as an illustration. 

 

There are 52 balls in there representing a each week of the year.  This year will go fast.  Time is short.  The tragedy of life is not that it is short; it's that it's wasted.  I don't want to waste my time, let life happen to me.  I want to take advantage of each day God gives me. 

I challenged folks Sunday to decide things they need to let go of and what are some things they are to lean into in 2015.  I knew I was going to preach this sermon for about a month but still didn't know what exactly what straining forward would look like for me.  This is what I decided on: 

 

Straining Forward In 2015 

 

1) Be More Relational - I am a do-er.  I make lists.  I like to get things done.  Sometimes I can miss life as a result.  Therefore, I am going to make more time to chat, to visit, to call, etc. 

2) Read More - I have about 10 books next to my bed to read.  I want to work through them. I will read my Bible more.  I will make more time to read and be stimulated.  In fact, I actually read a small book the other night in bed. That was good progress. 

3) Write Weekly - I like to write but don't do it nearly enough. I speak more than I write.  I want to have more time to think and be reflective in life.  I plan on writing on Thursdays so I invite you to come back. 

These are my three things to strain ahead toward.  I invite you to join me in this journey this year.  Today is January 8th. Only 357 days to go this year. Make the most of your days!