Kingdom Hearts

Hello to all:

What a busy and hectic 2 weeks this has been for my family.  We are now officially moved.  It took two 26-foot U-Haul trucks to get all of our stuff to a storage in Longview, but it is done nonetheless.  Thanks be to God for friends and family who were willing and able to help us.

We are now getting settled into my in-laws’ place.  Cody’s family has been gracious enough to allow us to come into their home, so this is where we are staying for a little while, at least until Cody finishes up with her Masters degree work in December.  Meanwhile I will begin studying soon for my LPC exam, which I will need to take by the end of this year.

I start my new job at the psychiatric facility for inmates tomorrow morning.  I’m excited.  I’m nervous.  I’m sad.  I’m happy.  I have a lot of emotions right now.  Yesterday was my last day in La Grange and it was extremely hard for me to say goodbye.  I was very sad.  I have grown to love the people there dearly and wish them nothing but happiness and success in their labors for God’s kingdom.  I think there will be a grieving process for me to go through as a significant part of my identity (full-time preacher) is gone. 

I do plan to continue with my blogging.  But please bear with me for a little while.  I don’t know how long it will be until I can consistently pick it back up.  Not only am I trying to get settled in but so is my family.  This is a big adjustment for the boys and I need to be there for them and help relieve Cody when I get home from work.  But my plan is definitely at some point to get back to blogging…and soon, hopefully.  I have been missing it.  Meanwhile, Aaron is starting Cub Scouts this week and he is very excited.  Chase is starting soccer here soon and he also is pumped.  And we are currently looking to get Aaron into a new Tae Kwon Do class as he loved it in La Grange.

God is so good.  He has blessed me and my family richly and continues to do so.  I seek your prayers during this time of transition for my family and me, as you all continue to be in ours.

Love to all!

As I am sure everyone knows by now, me and my family will be moving to Longview soon as I begin a new career as a therapist in a psychiatric facility in just less than 3 weeks.

This weekend while on the road, my wife and I were talking about what kind of things we will and won’t miss about preaching these past 11 years.  So as I was thinking about it more this morning, I thought I would post some of the things I will miss the most about my life as a preacher:

1. The brethren here in La Grange.  Incredible group of people that I love tremendously.
2. The feeling of fulfillment I get during the day from sitting in my office and spending several hours at a time studying my Bible.
3. The relationships I established in the community here in La Grange.  Great people here, for sure.
4. The time I was able to spend with people in need of encouragement.
5. Having the time to do things for others that actually matter.   
6. The personal satisfaction I feel when people tell me that my lessons benefited them in some way.
7. The opportunities to teach people God’s plan of salvation and seeing the happiness that accompanies their response.
8. The flexibility of schedule that allowed me to sometimes take the boys to the office or on visits with me.  Cody will probably miss this more than me, even.
9. The flexibility of schedule during the day to take care of personal business that a “9 to 5″ job will not afford.
10. The people who feel like they need to take the preacher out to eat all the time.
11. The enjoyment of teaching on a consistent basis.
12. The time that preaching allows me to spend blogging.
13. The camaraderie and fellowship I have with other preachers.
14. Being only an hour away from my parents in Victoria.
15. The amount of time I get to spend on facebook during the day, which is way too much. LOL!

I am quite positive that there are other things that I will miss that I just don’t realize yet or that I am not thinking of right now.  And yes, some of these I will still be able to enjoy doing to a degree, but not as part of my every day work as a representative of the congregation here. 

Peace!

Well, the eventful weekend was great.  I am going to spend the day recuperating.  I’m exhausted.  After spending Wednesday and Thursday in Longview, taking care of business and preparing for our move (renting storage, getting a post office box, opening bank account, etc), on Friday we went to Dallas to meet the family.  We stayed at a beautiful facility called Willowood Ranch in Bells, TX, which is right outside of Sherman.  You can see more pictures of the facility here. It is the perfect place for a weekend full of wedding events. There is a ranch house, where we stayed.  There is also a chapel and reception hall where the wedding and reception took place.  It was so much fun to spend the weekend out there with family and friends that I haven’t seen in so many years.  And then on Sunday we came back to Longview and spent all day Monday continuing to get things done in preparation for our move, which will be in about 2 short weeks from now.  I had forgotten how much work it is to move.  I am looking forward to getting all of this done.  We haven’t even started packing the house here in La Grange yet.

So that was our weekend in a nutshell.  It was extremely busy and hectic, but a lot of fun.  So, back to the main event of the weekend–Megan’s wedding.

Megan was stunning!  It was as beautiful and happy as I have ever seen my little sister.  And I am so proud of her and couldn’t be happier with her choice as a soul mate.  Matt is a great man who I know will love, cherish, and take care of Megan and I am looking forward to enjoying him as my brother-in-law.  It was a lot of fun (not to mention an honor) to get to officiate her wedding.

It was so good getting to spend the weekend with some friends of the family that I have not spent a lot of time with in recent years.  I had forgotten how much I missed them and enjoyed being around them, but at the same time was also reminded how awesome it will be to one day be reunited in Heaven with my loved ones.

Another thing that struck me through all of this was how happy Matt and Megan were.  They were absolutely “giddy,” almost to the point of being cheesy.  Even when doing their vows, Megan was so stoked she got tickled a couple of times, which really was great.  Of course, stumbling over one of the lines of the vows was classic Megan…and provided a great laugh for everyone.  Megan being Megan is part of what made the wedding so great and I think every one knew that at some point she would manage to put a “touch of Megan” on her wedding.  It really was great.  And I am glad she is who she is.

So looking at Matt and Megan and their happiness, I can’t help but wonder, “what happens to that?”  I mean, what is it about a marriage that causes that happiness and excitement and “giddyness” to fade away?  Is it time?  It is it the monotony of every day life?  Is it age?  Is it that we just begin at some point to take each other for granted?  I don’t know, really.   I suppose it can be a combination of all of these and more.  I remember how excited Cody and I were when we got married.  Sometimes we still enjoy that excitement, sometimes I think we get too caught up in the rigorous circumstances of life that we forget how blessed we are. 

My sister and her husband taught me something this weekend.  When I told them during the ceremony to remember how they feel right now and try to never lose it, I think I also presented a challenge to myself, and to everyone of us who were present and married.  When Paul discussed Christ’s relationship to the church in Ephesians 5, the effects of Jesus’ love for the church are continuous.  He continues to this day to love, cherish, and protect His church.  And hopefully the church continues to love and honor Him.  May it never stop!  And may the happiness and love in our marriages never cease.  May the desire to renew our commitments often to one another be steadfast.

So once again, I congratulate you Matt & Megan, and I thank you for your realness, love for eachother, and example set forth.  Keep on doing it! Don’t change a thing

I love you both!

This afternoon we are headed to Dallas for the weekend.  My sister is getting married on Saturday and I am blessed with the honor of officiating it .  It is something special about seeing my little sister get married.  I am looking forward to her special day.

I probably won’t be back until Monday or so.  So I will be taking a few days off from blogging.  I am sure I will have plenty to say about the weekend upon my return.  God continues to bless me and my family.  Keep us in your prayers.

Peace!

Do you think America needs a drug problem today?  I do.  Most definitely, I do.  Here is a small article that I thought was very interesting.  I do not know who wrote the article but perhaps this is at least somewhat indicative of what we need more of in our society today:

I had a drug problem when I was young. 

• I was drug to church on Sunday mornings.   
• I was drug to weddings and funerals.
• I was drug to family reunions.
• I was drug to Grandpa’s ranch to work during summers.
• I was drug out the door to go to school every week day.
• I was drug by the ears when I was disrespectful to adults and teachers.
• I was drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents.

Those drugs are still in my veins.  And they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think.  They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin.  And if today’s children had this kind of drug problem, America might be a better place.

—Author Unknown

My parents, in raising me, were not perfect.  I can say this with little apprehension because I think they would tell you the same thing.  But they were faithful and loyal parents.  And for that I am grateful.  They laid down expectations for me, although I did not always do a very good job in meeting them.  But one thing that was consistent, was when I was disrespectful, there was a consequence.  When I was disobedient, I was fully “informed” that such was not acceptable.   When I did not want to go to church, I was “drug” anyway.  I was expected to call friends of theirs, “Mr.” and “Mrs.” and to say “yes ma’am” and “no sir.”  And if not, I was “drug;” sometimes even by the ears.

Parents, let us make sure that we are providing our children with the upbringing they need.  It is our responsibility: not the school’s or daycare’s responsibility, the babysitter’s responsibility, nor the church youth leader’s responsibility.  Parents must take it upon themselves to teach their children right from wrong, through both instruction and example.  God has placed that responsibility upon us as parents (Ephesians 6:4).  As a parent, I try my best to let my ”kids be kids.”  However, I also believe that it is my God-given responsibility to guide them into their adulthood.  Sometimes that makes me the proverbial “bad guy.”  But hopefully in the long run, these precious boys will see me as at least a “pretty good guy.”

Our children are not only the future of our society, but they are the present!  It has to start now.  Solomon told us, “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

Sunday morning after worship services here in La Grange, I had an exciting, yet difficult announcement to make.

As many of you know, since receiving my masters degree a little over a year ago, I have wanted to get my license in professional counseling (LPC).  The downside of this exciting goal is that I have known that at some point, if I ever decided to pursue this, I would have to take at least a 2-year hiatus from preaching in order to accumulate the 3,000 supervised hours I need to be awarded my LPC.

The opportunity has been presented.  After much prayer and deliberation with my wife, I have decided to accept an offer to work as a therapist at a psychiatric facility for inmates near Tyler, Texas.  I will be working for University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB).

This decision is difficult on so many levels.  My heart is in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It always will be.  There is not a more important work in the world, and I will miss it immensely.  I am going to miss the congregation here in La Grange.  I am indebted to you in more ways than you will ever know.  I love you brethren dearly and cannot express in words how much you mean to me, Cody, and the boys.  The elders, as well as membership as a whole, have stood behind me, and have supported me in my growth not only as a preacher, but as a Christian.  This is extremely hard to walk away from.  This will be a tough adjustment for me, for sure.  I love my work as a preacher and it is all I have known for 11 years now.  I am so thankful to my wife for allowing me to do what I love doing. 

But it is time to move forward now.  And I have so much for which to still be grateful.  My family’s last Sunday here as La Grange residents will be Sunday, September 6^th.  We will be moving to the Longview/Tyler area.  I do not know what the future holds as for 2 years from now once I obtain my license.  Perhaps I will come back to a career in preaching.  That option will certainly exist.  Perhaps I will stay where I am if I like it there and enjoy what I am doing.  At this point, I simply do not know.  Or maybe I will even one day have a private practice as a therapist.  That opportunity will also exist.  I thank God for the doors of opportunity He has opened for me and my family. 

I covet your prayers.  I am convinced that this is the right decision for my family and me right now but it is still painfully difficult.  This will be a big adjustment for me as well as for my entire family.  I need your prayers for strength, courage, faith, love, and grace as I continue my partnership with Christ in His kingdom.  Please say a prayer for me, that regardless of what I do in life, I will be the husband, dad, Christian brother, friend, kingdom citizen, and now co-worker that God has called me to be.  And may I always remember, regardless of whether I am a preacher or not, that I belong to and have responsibilities in the greatest kingdom that could ever exist.

We love you all!

I had a great weekend; one of the more memorable ones I have had in a while for sure.  Saturday was my 20 year high school reunion.  It was really good getting to see so many familiar faces.  Many I had seen a few times since graduation, but most I had not seen since I graduated in 1989.  It actually made me realize how out of touch I have become with what all is going on in my hometown of Victoria.  I also found it fascinating that while much stays the same, a lot changes too.  The cliques seem to be gone.  It was neat watching people converse and hug who may not have been the closest of friends over 20 years ago.  People just seemed to be happy to see each other.

It makes me think of another reunion one day, where those who are in Christ will be reunited with one another for an eternity with God.

On another note, I would like to ask for prayers on behalf of my step dad, Elroyce.  He got dizzy yesterday morning while at church and had to be taken to the emergency room.  From there, they admitted him for some tests.  He is feeling much better now and will likely go home today.  Hopefully we will know soon what happened and why.  But there does not seem to be anything to worry about currently. 

In any event, I hope you will still say a prayer today on his behalf.  He means a lot to us.  Sometimes little “scares” like this really puts things in perspective and reminds us how dearly we love people.

I hope everyone had a good weekend and has a good week.

Peace!

Chase, our youngest, a 4 year old, is going through a lot of phases right now.  One is asking questions.  He loves to talk.  Often times, I wonder to myself, “will this kid ever just shut up?”  We were going fishing Friday and so earlier in the day, I was outside putting line on the poles and getting the hooks on; basically getting everything “ready to go.”  There was a bombardment of questions. 

“Dad, is this your pole?” “Where is my pole?” “Dad, am I going to fish?” “Hey Dad, is this pole brown?”  “Hey Dad, are the trees blowing?” “Hey Dad, are those birds up there?” “Hey Dad, are we going to eat hot dogs” “Dad, where’s the bait?” Dad, are Aaron and I going to have to share?” “Dad, when are we going?”  Are we going tomorrow too?” “What time do we have to come home?” ”Dad, do we need rain?” 

Just question after question after question.  I love this kid and I am glad that he is curious enough to ask questions and desire conversation with his daddy.  Even if it does drive me crazy and make me want to scream at the top of my lungs at times.  Another phase he is going through currently, and I don’t take as well to this one, is taking my things.  He means no ill will; but he wants to be like daddy.  He doesn’t want his toy keys.  He has no desire to play with his “toy” wallet.  He wants the real thing.  So he takes mine and apparently forgets to put it back where it belongs.  So a couple of times this week, I have had to go on mad searches through the house, looking for my wallet.  After finding it yesterday, Chase and I had a little “talk,” and I can only hope that this little “phase” is nipped in the bud.  However, I have my doubts.  As irritating as it is though, thank God He has blessed me with a child that loves me and wants to be like me.  Now let’s just hope I can fulfill my responsibility and give him a good example to follow on the important matters.

But here is another phase Chase is currently experiencing that I have taken very well to.  In fact, so much so, that I realize that I need to do a better job adopting it myself.  He loves.  And he loves unconditionally.  In the midst of all his questions and talking, he consistently stops to say, “I love you.’  Not just to me.  Not just to Cody.  Not just to Aaron.  He says it to everybody.    Last week when we were at Walmart he walked up to a stranger and said it to someone he had never seen.  Saturday he said it to our neighbor.  He loves.

I remember my parents telling me about a similar phase I went through in life.  Now I am left to wonder, what happened?  What changes as we grow from innocent childhood to adulthood?  As an adult, I go through a lot of phases too.  Hopefully love will be a phase I can adopt again and hold on to it. 

There’s no wonder Jesus tells us to become like little children (Matthew 18:1-4).  He also reminds us as kingdom citizens that we are identified by our love for one another (John 13:35).  Our love is how people know we are Christians.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  In this  the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God, but he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:7-11).

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends… (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Lord, be with us all as we strive to adopt this phase of love and maintain it.

Peace!

I am sitting here in my chair with the TV on and reading.  Makes a lot of sense, right?  I know, I know.  It’s a guy thing, I think.  Anyway, a commercial came on that got my attention.  It used to be one of my favorite commercials but I hadn’t seen it in a while.  It has a grown man and at first all you can see is his face.  And he is making these funny noises; sound effects.  And you can tell from his movements that he is emulating a sword fight of some type.  It is hilarious looking.  Then the screen expands to where you can see the whole picture and what he is doing is pretending to sword fight with his little boy in the front yard, who looks to be about 5 or 6 years old.  Then there is a caption at the bottom of the screen that says:

“IT TAKES A REAL MAN TO BE A DAD!”

Awesome commercial!  So that made me start thinking of things I love to do with Aaron and Chase.  Here are a few:

• Fishing
• Throwing the ball around outside (and inside when mom’s not home).
• Wrestling
• Playing Wii.  This is a relatively new one but we are having a blast.
• Making cinammon toast with them at night time after Cody tells them its bedtime.
• Tickling them.  This is for purely selfish reasons on my part.  There is just nothing quite like listening to the laughter of little boys….especially when they laugh so hard they lose their breath, snort, or…. well I won’t go there.
• Reading the Bible with them.
• Singing and praying with them.  I especially love to listen to them pray.  Wonderful!

And all of these are definitely things I don’t do with them nearly enough.  As a dad who has so much to learn, I would be curious to hear some things you enjoy doing with your kids.  I’m always looking for new and more creative ideas as I strive to be a better dad.

I have been unable to blog on a consistent basis here of late but hopefully things will slow down for me in just a little over a month from now. Summer time is always the busiest time of the year for me. Maybe some time soon I will be able to share some of what else is making life so hectic for me right now.

Things are going okay here. Cody and the boys left yesterday for their annual trip to Wisconsin. They should be be back around the middle part of next week. It is always nice up there this time of year and I would love to have gone but there is just too much going on here that will not allow me to get away.

This past Sunday, I began a series of lessons on heart flaws; ones that are especially difficult for us as Christians. And Sunday’s lesson was specifically on worrying too much and negativity/pessismism. The funny thing is of the 150 or so in our assembly Sunday morning, it was probably me that needed to hear the lesson more than anyone. I hope I was listening.

Of course, not all worrying is bad. I think it is commonly agreed that a little stress keeps us going and can be a good thing, so long as we don’t allow our worrying and anxiety to deprive us of the joy that we should have as Christians. But think about some of the things we worry about. We worry about things that have already happened. We can’t live in the past though (Luke 9:62). Or we tend to worry about things that will inevitablly happen. Or worry about something that will never happen. Again, yes, some of these are examples of our natural human reaction to life, and to a degree that is just the way we are, but the point is that God does not want us to allow these things to rob us of the overall happiness we should have as kingdom citizens.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:19-34 provide a great text about this very subject. Notice what we can learn about being overly anxious from this text:

• It is unneccesary (v.32)
• It is a lack of trust (v.26, 31)
• It is prohibited (vv.25, 31, 34)
• It is pointless (v.27)
• It is what those that do not belong to God do (v.32)

So what can we do to overcome this tendency among us?

• Follow Joshua’s lead in Joshua 24:15. Determine in our minds that we are going to conquer our penchants for being negative and pessimistic. Make the commitment that we are going to follow God regardless so there is little room for overly worrying about things. Afterall, God is in control.
• Follow David’s example, and when we fall, get back up. Paul charges us to be steadfast in our labors, knowing they are not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
• Accentuate the positive (Philippians 4:8).
• Trust in God and stop trying to rely on ourselves (Isaiah 26:3-4; Philippians 4:13; Romans 8:28-31).
• Get busy for the kingdom and do something good for someone else (Matthew 6:33).
• Pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Peter 5:7; James 5:16).

I hope to write more soon. Peace!