Nemo and Marlin

As I am writing this, my daughter is fast preparing for tonight's festivities. Tonight is Halloween, and she, like many children around the world, is getting ready to dress up in her favorite character and go out trick or treating. This is one of her favorite holidays because she gets to dress up like her favorite characters. Her first costume was that of an angel. Then she Hannah Montana. Last year, she was a cheetah girl. For those of you without young daughters, that's not an animal, but a TV show. I've been exposed to so much since she was born.

This year, she's going in her karate school uniform. Her mom and I were pretty surprised because she usually wants to get dressed up as one of her characters in one of her shows. We prodded her so much that she said, "OK, I will go as Nemo." Ecstatic that she changed her mind, I said that's great sweetheart. Then she continued, "daddy, you will be Marlin. Mommy can be Coral, aunty Mo will be Dory and uncle Lind will be Nigel." These were all the characters from the movie Finding Nemo, one of her current favorites. Needless to say, she will be going as the karate girl because we couldn't find a Dory costume for her aunt. She probably figured this was the only way to make us stop asking her to change her mind.

A friend recently shared her frustrations about her husband who believes that Halloween is the devil's holiday. He doesn't believe they should celebrate it. My friend says that the problem is, they have three children who love Halloween. What should she do? It seems like they have this argument every year. It brings up and interesting question for us Christians. There are many churches that believe this, that we shouldn't celebrate Halloween because it has pagan roots and seems to celebrate the devil and evil spirits. On the other hand, it has become such a national holiday that to deny our children the opportunity to celebrate is hard on them.

I am reminded of one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Paul said to the Corinthians that "everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial." Our church holds a Jesus Treat, where we encourage kids and families to come out for a night of bible games, food and trick or treating. We think it's a safe environment for the kids to come and enjoy fun and fellowship and also to learn about Jesus.

I don't believe in dressing up my daughter in a devil costume or a ghost costume. But I do believe that we can turn this pagan holiday towards the glory of God by allowing families to come together and fellowship. As long as I don't have to dress up as Marlin.

Making plans

We continued our study of the book of James in our Bible Study last night. This book is so rich and full of life lessons. We have taken a chapter a week. And often times I feel a week is not sufficient to cover each chapter. Tonight we looked at chapter four. James has so many valuable insights that I'll just cover one of them that we had discussed. Perhaps I will cover another one tomorrow.

One of them is life's certainty is its total UNcertainty. James reminds us that 'we do not know what will happen tomorrow.' We often go through life expecting that we'll wake up in the morning. We think we're in the middle of the race or the beginning. But you never know. I shared a few months ago about a soldier here in our community who survived two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan only to come home and die while on a picnic with his family at a lake. God holds all our lives in the palm of His hands and He decides when our race is over.

We love to make plans about our lives. We plan everything. We plan our day. We plan our week. We take long term plans and short term plans. We also set goals way down the line. Again, it's very presumptuous of us to do this because God hasn't promised us tomorrow.

That often leads to disappointment when our plans and dreams don't materialize. James tells us our disappointment is rooted in assuming our plans and dreams will be fulfilled. We think just because WE have prepared and WE are ready, then the plans should fall into place. We sometimes forget to run our plans before God for His approval. In every aspect of our lives, we ought to say, 'If the Lord wills it, we shall live and do this or that.' There's nothing wrong with writing plans. Just make sure you write your plans in pencil, then give God the eraser. Be blessed.

Letting go

I spoke with someone recently who was having trouble forgiving someone from her past. She was still holding on to anger and bitterness towards that person. Her trouble was that she knew that as a Christian she is commanded to "forgive those who have transgressed against her." But it was just too hard. She felt that if she forgave, she was letting her tormentor get away with their actions all over again.

I reminded her of Paul's words to the Ephesians to 'be kind to one another, forgiving each other as God in Christ forgave you.' Paul told the Ephesians that it was essential for their Christian walk to be able to forgive each other. After all, Christ died to forgive all of us.

Forgiveness isn't forgetting, excusing or smoothing over the past. When you forgive someone, it doesn't mean you have to forget the past. It doesn't mean you have to be best friends with that person. Instead, forgiveness breaks the cycle of anger and bitterness.
It is love's toughest work and love's biggest risk. Forgiveness isn't about the person being forgiven. Forgiveness is about the person that was wronged. You aren't letting them off the hook. They will have to answer to God for their actions. To forgive is to set a prisoner free. And that prisoner is you.

Our purpose

Do you sometimes feel burned out? You may want to run the good race and stay on the course, but you often feel beat down by life. I spoke yesterday about my pastor's message about running the good race and staying on the course. One person texted back about being burnt out. They wanted to run for the Lord, but people got in their way. Their spiritual walk was inhibited by people, often people who were fellow Christians.

The words of Zechariah 4:6 may offer some encouragement: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.' We often rely on our own power, our own abilities, our own wisdom. We often elevate ourselves and devalue God. It needs to be said over and over: It's not what we do for the Lord, but what He does THROUGH us that gives purpose to our lives. God has called us to be witnesses for Christ.

God has a plan for each of us. Some He has called to be teachers. Some He has called to be farmers. Some are called to be encouragers, others to be warriors. The secret to contentment is to know what purpose God has called us for. No one calling is more important than another.

So live out your purpose, whether you're a light in the corner or a lighthouse on a hill. Each of us has an important purpose that God wants us to fulfill.

Keep running

Our pastor's message yesterday was about running the good race. He said too often we treat life as a sprint, wanting to speed things up with little patience for delay. He talked about the different stages of life. We go through all the early stages rushing to get to the next one. And before you know it, you're sitting there wondering where all the time went. When you're 14, 16 can't come soon enough so you can get your license. Then it's 18 that can't come soon enough with your freedom. But then he said, when you get to be his age, 58 on Wednesday he reminded the whole congregation, you sit back ask where did all the time go.

He said instead of looking at life as a sprint, we should treat life as a marathon. Its a long journey where there will be peaks and valleys. There will be days when you want to divorce your wife, quit your job and want to move away. He said there will be times when you feel the climb is too steep, when you hit life's bumps. It may be an illness, getting laid off, or a problem your children are going through. There will be times when we have to slow down, crawl if we have to.

But the important thing is to keep running. Keep working on those relationships. And when you feel your breath catching, ask God for a second wind. God always grants us a second wind. And a third, a fourth. How many ever we need. He will constantly renew your strength when you ask. Stay on the course and run the good race. We won't stop running until we stand before our creator and give an accounting for our lives.

Just as you are

A person asked me once what kind of people went to my church. I answered sinners. The person was surprised. I don't think that was the answer they had expected.

There's a story about an artist who wanted to paint homeless people to highlight their struggles. He found the perfect model on the side of the road. He pulled over and asked the man if he could paint him for his project. The homeless man agreed and the artist gave him some money and said to be at his studio tomorrow morning.

The next day the homeless man arrived, all cleaned up with new clothes and his beard shaved. He was, after all, having his portrait drawn. When the artist walked in, he was so disappointed He told the homeless man, "I can't use you now, I need the you from yesterday."

Jesus takes the opposite approach. He asks us to come to Him just as you are, admitting that we're sinners deserving judgement. It's humbling, but it's the only way we can receive the forgiveness that Christ died for on the cross. Jesus didn't die for the righteous, He died for the sinners. If you need to be forgiven and restored to Christ, come to Jesus just as you are. Remember, sinners are the only people that can be saved.

Life's unfair

Our Constitution says that all men are create equal. But experience teaches us that life treats some people better than others. There was a story in the local paper about a drunk driver that hit a car with a woman and her three kids. The woman and two of her kids dies. The drunk driver walked away without a scratch. The woman was on her way to pick up her husband from work.

Some work hard yet remain poor while Paris Hilton seems like everything is handed to her. Why do some people get born rich while others are almost subjected to a life of poverty and struggles. If looking at the circumstances of others makes you resent the unfairness of life, change your focus. Look to Jesus and think of the unfairness He went through. He died for the very people that wanted Barabbas to be freed. He died for the people that had shouted hosanna on Sunday, but crucify Him on Thursday.

Life's unfairness is temporary. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, perfect fairness will be ours to enjoy forever in heaven. Resentment comes from looking at others. Contentment comes from looking at God.

Teaching lessons daily

We celebrated Children's Sunday today. Our pastor's theme was that children are a heritage from God. He said it's frightening sometimes to realize that our children mirror the way we speak and act. I learn that lesson all too well everyday when my wife and I forget our daughter is in the backseat and we say a "bad" word like stupid or hate. She has no problems reminding us.

Children don't learn to love and obey God only by what we say. They also learn by watching what we do. Children have a sixth sense about hypocrisy and can spot it right away. They know exactly when our "talk" doesn't match our "actions." They can spot it a mile away. We are teaching lessons, good and bad, every day we live. When we teach our kids about right and wrong, yet see us run that yellow light or tell them to fudge their age to get a cheaper price at a restaurant or theater, we are giving them conflicting messages. What are lessons are we teaching with our actions?

We can't be perfect parents, but our children must see our desire to serve the Lord. When we fall short, they must see us repent and ask for God's forgiveness. One of the hardest thing for a child to do is to admit they were wrong. But when they see us do it, it tells them it's OK. We're also teaching them that our God is a forgiving God and He's ready to forgive if we ask. A godly parent is a child's best guide to God. Be blessed.

Yellow belts

An update on our taekwondo girl. I wrote last month that my daughter was taking taekwondo classes. This is something that's really got her interested. She looks forward to these classes every week. And she's always willing to show you her new moves. It's given her a sense of confidence that she didn't have before.

Today was her big test day. This is the test that determines whether she gets to go to the next level, signified by a different color belt. Since she started about six weeks ago, she's been a beginner white belt. She's already memorized the sequence of belts and has been looking forward to getting her yellow belt. She's worked hard in memorizing her rules and learning her different kicks and blocks. Even though she's four, she mixes it up pretty well with the older kids. (Alert, that was my proud parent, bragging moment. There may be more of those. LOL) She invited her grandparents and aunt and uncle to see her test. She was so excited.

Her mom and I were a different story. We were nervous wrecks. What if she didn't pass her test? Would that crush her? How would she handle that type of disappointment? She was taking it all in stride. At her test, she was loose and did well. As she stood with all the other kids and went through her test, I was so proud o her. That she saw something she worked so hard for come to a successful end.

As I looked at her today, I can't imagine loving anyone or anything more in this world. I didn't know my heart had so much love in it. She is our only child now. And she may be our only child ever. I shudder to think what my life would be like without her. And then I think of God. One thing we share is that we only have one child. How in the world could He have sacrificed His one and only child for me? For a sinner. For people who hate Him. I know I couldn't do it. If God asked me to sacrifice my daughter, I wouldn't be able to do it. Which makes His sacrifice even more real to me. In a way, my daughter has expanded my capacity to love. Not only her, but God. Another gift she has given me.

Beyond expectation

There have been millions of words written about happiness. How to get it, and more importantly, how to hold on to it. The world says that happiness is found in acquiring things. The Bible has the opposite view. It says that what we give, not what we get, brings lasting joy to our lives. Hoarding never produces true happiness. True joy comes in seeking the good in others and giving away what God has given us. Find a way to make someone happier today. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive.

I saw this first hand this past weekend. Our church had planned a tsunami relief fundraiser this past Saturday. We had stories about it in our paper and on tv news. We had advertised it on our website and on social networking sites. And off course we lifted it up in our prayers. But none of us, to be honest, knew how it was going to turn out. Our church does fundraisers real well. We are an extremely generous church and our faithful tithers. But we had never taken on an endeavor like this.

The usual way we raise funds is to have a family night. This is where we have Samoan dances and each family donates a certain amount for their dances. This is how we tithe. Some churches put their tithes in an envelope and into the plate, we add a cultural aspect to it and have dances. But there were no dances for this fundraiser. It wasn't a real festive mood. But we had food sales and a car wash. Again, the usual way we do food sales is to sell tickets to ensure that enough people come to buy the food you've prepared. The aim is not to be stuck with a lot of un-bought food or not prepare enough for people to buy. But we had no tickets. We just went on faith alone that God will provide.

And boy did He come through in a big way. The outcome was more than anyone expected. But it began within our church. People volunteered their time for the effort. People donated for this that have never donated for anything else. We had so many car washers and cooks that many people didn't have a job to do. And we had people coming from all over Texas to donate. We had people from Austin, San Antonio, Houston. We had all nationalities, religions, you name it, they were there. And in the end, we raised $10,000 for the tsunami relief fund. Praise God.

And all I could think of was the generosity of these people. I don't know if they were all Christians, but many of them were. They really proved Jesus' command, it is better to give than to receive.

Seasons of life

When we're young, we can't wait to grow up. I remember when I was about 15 or 16 I just couldn't wait to drive. When I first got my license, I volunteered to drive everywhere. To the store, to church, anywhere. That lasted for about 6 months.

When we're older, people always say that they wish they could be young again. The elders of our church are always saying that they wish they could have their strength when they were young. It seems we yearn for things that are out of our reach.

God wants us to be happy at whatever "season" of life we're in. He made us physically strong in our youth. Our beauty and strength when we're young is based on our physical beings. When we grow older, our beauty and strength is based on our spiritual beings, as we mature in our spiritual walk. We gradually lose the physical beauty and strength, as we focus on what is eternal, our spiritual beauty and strength.

Are you in life's "springtime" of youth? Trust God's timing to fulfill all of your dreams. Are you in life's "summer or autumn" of middle age? Determine to face life's challenges head-on. Are you in life's "winter", or twilight? Draw closer to God. Make sure that we enjoy each season of life. God made a time and a purpose for everything. Don't year for things in the past or in the future. Enjoy the here and now. You only get one shot at it. Be blessed.

Moving on

A relative of mine had a post on his Facebook page. He lives in Samoa and had been through the tsunami. It was an understandably traumatic time. Many people had lost their lives. Some of whom he had personally known. A few days after the tsunami, he heard his children play with some of their friends. Then he heard something that at first, seemed out of place. He heard laughter. The children were actually laughing and having a good time.

I remember the week of 9-11, the NFL had cancelled all their games that Sunday. There was debate around the country about this. Some felt that it was a mistake for the NFL to do this, that we should resume as normal a routine as possible. That to change our routine would be to give in to the terrorists. The deeper question, to me at least, was how long should the mourning period last? When is it ok to resume our normal activities, to move on with our lives if you would.

And that's the question that faces us today. Is it bad to feel joy or happiness when we know so many people in Samoa and other parts of the world are devastated? And how long should that period be? At our church luncheon today, there was much laughter and dare I say it, joy. I think back to the story of David when he learned of the death of his son Absalom. He grieved for him. But after a while, he got up and moved on with his life. The key for us is not to be paralyzed by traumatic events, while at the same time, not taking taking the necessary time to grieve. In other words, moving on too fast. There are no hard and fast rules. It's just one of those things that each person has to do on their own. You will know it.

A sousou le vasa

Our community in Texas had a prayer vigil last night for our homeland and her people affected by the tsunami. One of the hymns that was sung was the LMS classic 'A sousou le vasa.' It's a song that talks about when the seas of life are rough, when you feel like giving up, cling to God. The song was sang with much emotion as the people truly felt the poignant lyrics of the hymn and how it was so appropriate for the moment.

The irony is that the tune is from the classic hymn 'Count your many blessing.' The English version of the song says that when times are hard, sit down and count your blessings. You will be surprised at what the Lord has given you. It's so hard for people in Samoa to count their blessings. But they must. We all must. No matter how bad we think we have it, the blessings will far outweigh the burdens. Learn to count your blessings. It will make the burden lighter. Be blessed.