One Pastor's Perspective

Well, here we are . . . This coming Sunday is the first of our Capital Campaign. So much work by a BUNCH of people at Ebenezer has brought us to this day. And the most pressing question now is will we be ruled by FAITH or by FEAR??

Fear is the opposite of faith. Much has happened in the last few weeks that could give us good reason to fear (in our minds). I liken it to Peter stepping out of the boat and walking on water . . . He was fine UNTIL he looked at the wind and the waves, and he became AFRAID. And then he sunk into the water. What has really changed about this project in the last few weeks? Is it any less important today?

NO. The only thing that has changed is that the waves are a lot rougher. The wind is whipping and whistling. But God is still on His throne, and this world still needs Jesus Christ. And we still have a job to do.

Man, all of this posturing is getting old. It means nothing to me as I watch my retirement disappear . . . Should the Great Debate happen tonight?? FIX THE ECONOMY (or, at least put the bandage on). THEN, debate to your heart’s content, boys!

(BTW, don’t even bother to comment on this one. What I have shared is a challenge to both parties and that is where it will stay . . . I am not publishing anything on this one.)

Okay, one would think with my recent discovery that the days would get a little easier. But this is just a sign that God really IS looking out for me, because yesterday was significantly tougher than days before . . . It was kind of one of those “Murphy’s Law” days, but on MAJOR STERIODS. And to top it all off, knowing that I would have to get up at 5:30 to go cook prayer breakfast, I did not sleep much last night.

I was too hyped up for words. Have you ever been so tired you could not hold your eyes open, but so hyped up that you could not go to sleep?? Doesn’t happen to me often, but of ALL nights, it happened last night.

So I will go cook in just a few minutes and then I will walk through the day today like a zombie. And at 8 pm tonight, I will DROP. I hate days like this.

I am task-oriented. Have been that way all of my life. Ministry IS retraining me, because I cannot always (in fact, almost NEVER) break my day down into a group of tasks. One of the things about ministry is you NEVER know what is coming next. Ebenezer is especially that way.

I have also been guilty of taking too much small stuff on and not allowing those around me to learn anything. I have been caught too many times in the “it is easier to DO this than to train someone” trap. Tommy Dowling has scolded me over the years for that.

Yesterday, I REALLY did try something new. We needed some new network wiring, and I PRIDE myself in the fact that we support our own network. I have been slowly teaching Hooss about all of that. So yesterday, I turned him loose (HEHEHEH – I turned Hooss loose) on a pretty major network wiring project. And I left him alone . . . (Bill had to help him, because there was some major drilling and routing to be done). And I did not stand there, grab the drill, OR check on them every 30 minutes. I just left them alone.

HOURS later, I did check to see how they are doing. It thrilled my heart to see wires run, EXACTLY HOW AND WHERE I WANTED THEM. And a new feeling washed over me . . . I can actually turn this stuff over to them, do the PASTOR stuff that I need to and WANT to do, and THEY GET IT DONE!!!!

HEAVENS TO MURGATROID!!! That is AWESOME!

Co-ed softball is over. And I am glad. No, I didn’t play this year but Krissy did. So we would go to the games. Last night we finished out our part of the tournament by winning the first game against Hoffmeyer Road. They are fun to play. Good sports.

THEN, we had to play another team that I won’t name to save a little embarassment to their church. They are not so fun to play. Like to get drunk in the parking lot before the games, and then come in and act like complete jerks . . . They have done that for years, to the point that I don’t ever like playing against them and they are part of what I don’t miss about men’s league.

And they beat us. We had it in our hands in the last inning, but couldn’t pull it through. Well, c’est frommage!!! ON TO BASKETBALL, where some churches act like complete jerks. But if they think they are gonna drink in my parking lot, they’ve got another thing coming.

Why did I use this title for my blog?? I am not sure . . . I heard one of the SportsCenter guys say it on Saturday, and it reminded me of Snagglepuss (the old school cartoon). You might say I am a trivial person . . . My mind is like a vat of useless information. Diana hates playing Trivial Pursuit with me.

And on another note, MAN the Dallas Cowboys were clicking last night. And I am not a fan of the ‘Boys, but you’ve got to give it up for them: Their offense really looked good. Defense didn’t look too bad, either. My grandfather would have LOVED it.

And if Snagglepuss was here, he WOULD say Heavens to Murgatroid! I think I just complimented the Cowboys!! Somewhere, in Heaven, my grandfather is laughing about that.

There are several things in this life on which you can rely. They will come no matter what. Of course, death and taxes make that list. Let me add another: Discouragement.

If God’s people are doing what He wants them to do, the devil will ALWAYS be there to whisper little statements of discouragement to attempt to misdirect them. That is one of the things he does. One of his bread and butter moves. And men & women fall for it all of the time.

He will tell you that you cannot possibly do it. He will make the situation seem bleak, hopeless, and dark, and then tell you there is not enough light. He will make it terribly cold and tell you that it cannot possibly be heated. He will make the hill jagged, rough, and tall, and tell you it cannot be climbed. And when we look into ourselves and agree, he smiles.

We forget what Peter forgot as he walked on water to Jesus. We take our eyes off Jesus and look around at the wind and the waves and think “We cannot possibly be doing this.” And the devil smiles as we sink.

The mistake Peter made, and the mistake we make, is when we TAKE OUR EYES OFF JESUS. When we forget that sometimes the devil tells the truth: Sometimes we CANNOT make it . . . on our own. And Jesus stands by knowing that if we just trust Him, He will shed light on dark times; He will warm the coldest places; He will show us how to climb the most rugged terrain. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH HIM.

God often calls us to tasks that we cannot possibly do on our own, and He NEVER calls us to a task that He is not ready to help us complete!! He IS awesome! And THAT is the ULTIMATE THING you can count on!

Today, I called my pal Tommy Truluck (after his hernia surgery) and told him I would buy his biggest property (Tommy is in commercial real estate) IF he could do 100 pushups right now.

Yeah, that was mean.

YOU MIGHT BE A PASTOR IF…

~ You hesitate to tell people what you do for a living.
~ You’ve ever dreamed you were preaching only to awaken and discover you were.
~ You’ve ever wondered why people couldn’t die at more appropriate times.
~ You find yourself counting people at a sporting event.
~ You’re leading the church into the 21st century, but you don’t know what you’re preaching on Sunday.
~ A church picnic is no picnic.
~ You jiggle all the commode handles at the church before you leave.
~ You’ve ever spoken for free and were worth every penny of it.
~ People sleep while you’re talking.
~ Instead of getting “ticked off,” you get “grieved in your spirit.”
~ You’ve ever been tempted to take an offering at a family reunion.
~ You read sermons to your kids at night instead of bedtime stories.
~ You’d rather talk to people with every head bowed and every eye closed.
~ You’ve ever wanted to “lay hands” around a deacon’s neck.
~ You often feel like you’re herding cats rather than shepherding sheep.
~ Your greatest joys (and biggest heartaches) have been in the church.

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