the last day????????

WHAT? This can't be. I know they are right - my calendar says this is the last day of the year... the newscasters said this is the last day of the year... but this does not seem possible. Can another year have flown by?

Yes. It has - and what a year it has been. This morning as I have reflected on the last 365 days there have been many emotions. There have been some of the most exciting things happen in the last year. There have been some of the hardest - almost unbearable things happen in the last year. Joy and pain, laughter and tears, gain and loss... I'm sure you know all of these as well!

I don't know about you - but I am thankful for 2007 - in some ways I am glad it is over. What I needed this morning were those good words from a simple preacher - "Consider it pure joy my friends when you face all kinds of trials. You can know this for sure - the testing of your faith develops perseverance. If you hang on that will make you mature and complete - not lacking anything!

Consider - it really matters how we think about things.

Perseverance - so often what we need is to hang on... to hang in there... to not give up and not give in.

Mature and complete - I long for that day!

Not lacking anything!

Today - thank God for all the good... and consider it joy that He uses the rest to help us grow!

Merry Christmas

I hope your Christmas will be, is, or was great (depending on when you read this!). We are about to head over to spend the rest of the day with our extended family. I've spent the morning opening gifts (that was fun), watching Sonya and the girls open presents (more fun) and sharing Merry Christmas wishes with lots of friends. I wanted to let you know - I am grateful for you today. Thanks to all of you who have enriched my life in so many ways - many of you I have not even met - but the Father has still used you to bless me - THANKS.

Today... remember... give thanks... and eat all you want! New Year's resolutions are coming - so don't worry about weight loss today!

this is a test...

I can't get to the preset buttons or the volume quickly enough. When that sound starts I burst into action... you know that sound. The one they use to snap you back into the moment. You are driving down the road and all of a sudden this horrible screeching sound comes over the radio. I immediately turn it down... check the skies... listen for the first few words... and usually change the station.

In just a few words it is clear. Either "the National Weather Service..." or "this is a test of the emergency broadcast system... this is only a test, if a real emergency..."

Many of you know this has been a rough year for me in lots of ways. (I have to acknowledge that in many ways - in more ways than the other - this has been a really good year - the dilemma of the living.) This mornnig I was thinking about the present struggle and reflecting on what many of you good folks have said on my blog, in emails and face to face - and that line came to mind. I hate the noise, the pain, the frustration... but in the midst of our trials and tests we need to remember "This is a test, if a real emergency were taking place...!"

I don't know what sound is frustrating you... I don't know what struggles you are facing... remember "this is a test." I'm not sure all of the ways we can turn down the volume... I don't know exactly what all it means to change the channel... I do know we can... we must.

Today... I am helped in remembering "this is a test."
Today... I am especially grateful for these words: "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the genuiness of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Today... is a new day... a God day... a testing day... a proving day!

Lord let the light shine...

I love reading the Psalms... they really help me. I guess I always need help, but there are times when I REALLY need help.

There have been somethings take place in my life this week that are better not blogged about. I actually thought about blogging them - I just would have needed to start a new blog - or change the name of this one! I guess I could have gone with "A Ray of Catharsis: A little darkness to burden your day" or something along those lines. I told Sonya Tuesday morning - "I don't want you to feel sorry for me. I would hate for anyone to think about this long enough to feel compassion or sympathy - cause that would mean you had to imagine what it was like."

So... I have spent a few days on a "roller coaster." I will be doing pretty well, and then... YUCK! This morning I was reading the Psalms... I ran across David asking God to let the light of His face shine upon us. I stopped... thought... then started flipping through for several of the places where David made such a request.

I know I need that light shining all the time... but especially today. "Many are saying, who can show us any good? Let the light of Your face shine on us, O Lord."

Today... Lord shine Your light into my pain.
Today... Lord shine Your light so I can see clearly.
Today... Lord shine Your light so I can see what I have not seen already.
Today... Lord shine

the prodigal...

I don't know if you have read Luke 15 lately... please take/make time to do it... even right now.

What do you think of the prodigal? Not that one... not the son... the other prodigal... the one the story is about. I thought for a long time the story was about the son. It is not... the story is about the Father... the one who welcomes tax collectors and sinners (15:1).

What an amazing Father. Can you imagine how he felt? Your child comes and says - I know I should wait until you are dead... but I don't want to wait that long... can we act like you are gone... so I can take my $ and be gone. Who could blame a father if he "straightened him out" or cut him off... kicked him out... but not this father... not our Father.

Our Father let us go... chose our own path... make a mess out of our lives... in other's lives... knowing, yet still letting us waste what was His.

THEN... when we were in the pig pen.. broke and broken... when we remember where we have been and want to come home... He is waiting... He is watching... He is running... He is compassionate... He is loving... He is welcoming... He is celebrating...

Not even worthy to be slaves... made children because of His grace. What a prodigal our Father is. He is extravagantly wasteful.

does it matter?

About the middle of October I made a new resolution... I'm not going anywhere else to preach until 2008. Since May I have been traveling/preaching somewhere nearly every weekend. I was worn out - still am to some degree :( I did take one more preaching opportunity in November - it's a hard habit to break! I have preached at home a few times in these months. Of all the places I preach home is the most challenging... There are several reasons for that... the one that is hardest right now is this - I can't remember what I have preached here and what I have preached somewhere else. I am preaching in Denver City Sunday. What I have done the most is read... get excited about preaching something... the realize - I preached that already.

I know... I could start a record of what I preach where... that sounds like a good idea - but it is of no value today! It is Thursday... and Sunday is coming... if you know me, and the way I like to prepare for sermons, you know this is not a good thing. I like to have the sermon in almost ready to preach state by Monday afternoon...

Here is the genesis of Sunday morning's message. In the Christmas season... with a few nativity scenes still being used... and some folks thinking about Jesus... the sermon will be about the way we see Jesus... a baby... a fighter... a lover... a savior... the Christ... the Lord... the teacher... the way... the truth... the life... We will work with this question - Does it matter how we see Jesus?

Today... how do you see Jesus? When you stop and focus... think... what do you come up with? Who do you see? What do you need?
I'd love to hear your comments... who knows? You may make the sermon!