It is all about God and changing how we think

And so another day begins. Another 24 hours – some in sunshine, some in darkness – just like our souls, for there are moments throughout this journey that we could find our minds slipping on icy matters. It is dangerous to begin to believe what we start to hear about ourselves. Complimentary laurels wrapped around our shoulders can hook our spirits and before we know what has happened our spirit is hooked into believing that we are something that we are not.

It is all about God!

It isn’t about some distant issue. It isn’t about fighting another cause. It isn’t about our church, our denomination, our faith … or even about our country. Oh, we can love all of them … commit ourselves to the life within them … but when all is said it still has to be about God. Does it matter to God … really, really? Or, is it something that simply has become our political issue? Is it more about our religion instead of our faith-walk with God?

An observation: When an individual challenges some of our assumptions about faith or our feelings about church the tendency is to become defensive. We don’t like to be challenged. And, we don’t like to be stretched. We find our comfort zone and pray that no one invades our little world. If they do … God forbid … we immediately put up a defense as to why they are wrong. That should be the first warning sign that something unhealthy is going on. Actually our first response should always be, “Hmmm, let me think about this or about that and see where God might be revealing a new thing for me, about me.”

Remember, it is all about God – it isn’t about us or our faith or our church. It is all about God.

Therefore, it becomes our responsibility to ask the deeper question: What does this say about God and how does it affect our relationship with God? Everything else is small potatoes as in “don’t sweat the small stuff … and everything is small stuff.”

Sometime ago I discovered the freedom to place everything on the table when it comes to faith, Bible, Christianity, church … even my preconceived notions about God, Christ and Holy Spirit. It is kind of scary because what begins to happen is the discovery of some prejudices and old ways of thinking (fences of the mind and spirit) that was keeping spiritual growth at bay.

It all started with a simple question from a spiritual mentor: Do you still believe everything that you believed last year, last month, yesterday? If you do, you just might not be growing with God. While God is the same yesterday, today and forever … nevertheless what we know of God is less than 1% and by holding onto old ways of thinking and believing we are denying ourselves new possibilities, new horizons, new friendships, new experiences. Another word for all of this is CHANGE … our faith should be in a constant state of change. If it isn’t changing then it isn’t growing …

Or, at least that is my thinking as I begin this new day! Happy journey!

Could this be the start of something new?

“I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message)

Could this really be the start of something new?

Who could really believe what is happening, especially when we take a chance that we never believed in … never understood why we are opening our hearts to an uncertain future … uncertain at least from our limited perspective of our future. It is true that we have never felt this way before, but now it is possible to begin to accept the reality that anything can really happen.

Could this really be the start of something new?

It makes us feel that we are in harmony with God and in the middle of the divine universe. Can we really start to trust what our heart seems to be saying to us? Can we really begin to believe in the impossible? Can the world really look this much different than it did just yesterday?

Something has changed, but what? How? Why? Is it just me? Is it something deep inside? Could our eyesight … spiritual, heart, soul sight … make this much difference?

Could this really be the start of something new? Or is it just our imagination? Is it true that with God all things are possible? Does God hold out a fantastic future for us? Does God have plans that cannot be measured by human standards? Will God really take care of me?

Well, we will see won’t we.

Just have to start to trust God, placing all of our hopes and possibilities into his care. As the popular and much over used phrase states: Let go and let God. But is it really as easy as that seems to state. Letting go is very hard.

Remember the old story of the mountain climber who fell over the cliff and was able to grab hold of a small tree at the last minute. He began to cry out for help when a voice comes out of nowhere asking if there is something he could do to help. “Yes,” responded the climber in peril, “please send down a rope and rescue me.” “Well,” the voice said, “I’m God, just let go and I will catch you.” After a long pause the climber cried out, “Is there anyone else up there?”

Letting go is hard … but that is the start of something new … a love affair between us and God … a future we can believe it … a trust that is unbelievable, especially in the crude reality presented to us by the world in which we live … letting go is hard, but my word, what God holds for us who are willing to abandon all hope, let go and trust God to catch us!

In celebration of Daughters' Week

This is DAUGHTERS' WEEK. I count among my many blessings the gift of two precious daughters. While they are now adults and one a mother herself to a daughter and a son, nevertheless there is a part of me that still looks upon them – much to their chagrin – as my little girls. I want to protect them, keep them from harm, guide them away from painful situations, establish a wall of protection around them all while celebrating their successes and future.

Have I always been a good father? Absolutely not. I would be the greatest of fools if I dared believe that. Would they be willing share my many failings? Absolutely, but only in the presence of select company. I could have only wished that I could have been a better parent, but you cannot turn back the clock. Did I make the best decisions based on the information that I had been given and the skill level that I had acquired? I believe I did, most parents do.

There are many fond memories of our Friday Family Nights, vacations to the Great Smoky Mountains, playing one of the many board games and Saturday morning Chocolate Chip Pancakes. There were trips to Disney, Busch Gardens, and Kings Dominion. There were tubing trips down a very cold springs, as well as dance and piano and violin recitals.

And so, I celebrate Daughters' Week with a glad heart for the two gifts from God that illustrate for me on a continuing bases the reality of his grace and mercy!

Here are some quotes about daughters that you might find special … especially if your life has been blessed by a daughter.

To a father growing old nothing is dearer than a daughter. ~Euripides

A daughter is a gift of love. ~Author Unknown

A son is a son till he takes him a wife, a daughter is a daughter all of her life. ~Irish Saying

Certain is it that there is no kind of affection so purely angelic as of a father to a daughter. In love to our wives there is desire; to our sons, ambition; but to our daughters there is something which there are no words to express. ~Joseph Addison

Watching your daughter being collected by her date feels like handing over a million dollar Stradivarius to a gorilla. ~Jim Bishop

A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart. ~Author Unknown

A mother's treasure is her daughter. ~Catherine Pulsifer

A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend. ~Author Unknown

A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future. ~Author Unknown

A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer. ~Author Unknown

He that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin. ~English Proverb

Reflections on a spiritual journey ... be prepared to be surprised by God!

“You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 (The Message)

Spiritual journeys are fascinating because we can never really know where we will end up. Such has been the journey that I have traveled these last 14 months.

When our growing family brought us to Bradenton, we discussed the possibilities that were set before concerning finding a church home. There were 7 United Methodist churches within a short driving distance from our new home, but which one should we choose. We knew the pastors at three of them and knew of great reputation of the work and outreach of a fourth church.

The decision, so I thought, was made that first week when one of the pastors, that we had known for 32 years, invited us to a clergy-spouse luncheon. During this luncheon he laid out his concerns, challenges and hopes for the church he had just been assigned to. It was his hope that he could enlist our support and participation in trying to lead the congregation. So, I volunteered to give him 10-hours of my time per week thinking that I had discovered what God wanted me to do now that I had retired for the second time.

Those 10-hours quickly grew into 25-hours doing something that I really felt that I neither had the desire to do nor the gifts and graces to accomplish for the kingdom. I am a people person, I enjoy visiting (especially in hospitals and during emergency situations), I like discovering new things about people, but an ongoing, every month kind of shut-in ministry to the same people over and over and over again was not something that I do well nor have the patience for. God had blessed my ministry with gifted retired clergy who loved this kind of ministry and/or committed lay people.

The challenge of the huge number of shut-ins was quite overwhelming, but I was encouraged that they had a long standing group that were concerned in reaching out to the shut-ins. Through many efforts to refocus this group’s energy and outreach, as well as enlist more volunteers to participate fell flat. In frustration, I approached a couple of the other retired clergy to see if they could pickup some of the responsibility. If nothing more than just to give them a phone call during the week. At every turn I received the same answer, No!

No, was a new and unexpected response. Over 40-plus years of ministry I’ve never had the experience of failure to enlist or motivate laity and/or clergy to participate in various kinds of ministries. This was a new and very frustrating experience.

I have long believed that God blesses what he ordains. Question: if no one is participating (or very few) and/or no one is willing to step forward (especially retired clergy) then is God blessing this effort? Conclusion: Evidently not.

Back to the drawing board. Had I stepped ahead of God – I’ve been known to do that occasionally? Did I get involved before God was ready for me to be involved? Had I taken the time to listen for his voice and his direction?
God blesses what he ordains!

It was time for a spiritual journey of sorts. Our 2010 vacation provided the vehicle for such a journey. We were going to be driving out west. We would be gone for 6-weeks. As my wife will painful bear witness to I am not a great conversationalist. Oh, I participate in discussions, but seldom ever take the lead unless it is church related. Six weeks behind the wheel of the car will give me a lot of quiet time to think, pray and contemplate.

Upon returning to Bradenton, the senior pastor met with me and offered the possibility of a paid position on the church staff. He offered several ways that it could work, some of them very interesting, but it wasn’t about money, it wasn’t about the position, it wasn’t about having dedicated time off … it was about doing what God was blessing. After some lengthy sharing I had to decline the offer. The 6-week spiritual journey had convinced me that God wasn’t going to bless my efforts in the area of ministry the church was asking me to fulfill.

And so, I continued to pray – month after month after month. I was beginning to wonder, but I continued to pray. I was getting frustrated, but I continued to pray. I was beginning to look around and think up other opportunities, but I continued to pray. I even took a very-part time job at the local movie theatre just to get my mind off my frustration, but I continued to pray.

Then a call came from my pastor concerning an e-mail from the District Superintendent (DS), resulting in more prayer. Then e-mails were exchanged between the DS and myself and still more prayers. There was a church, a small membership church, that was in need of a pastor and still I prayed. Was this it? I said, yes.

It dawned on me that God was starting to prepare me for taking on this responsibility even before we moved to Bradenton in September 2009. God was preparing me as I served a small membership Congregational church for 5-years as their “interim” pastor – there are some unique opportunities and challenges in a small membership church. God was preparing me as I volunteered my services to the Bradenton church – to help me clarify my gifts and graces for ministry. God was in charge.

After I agreed to step out of retirement and take on the responsibility of leading a congregation I began to have an overriding sensation that much about this church has the same “feel” to it as First, Hudson when I went there.

Starting this week I am now the pastor of the Palmetto Drive-In United Methodist Church.

In my spiritual journey I have been reminded that it is not about me, it is not about the United Methodist Church, it is not about the uniqueness of the Palmetto Drive-In Church … it is about Giving God the Glory in all things and at all times … and then to be amazed at what God does with what he has to work with.

If you go on a spiritual journey be prepared to wait for an answer, be ready to be surprised when you arrive at God’s destination and be eager to serve the cause of Christ wherever God plants you. I know that I have been and will continue to be!

Reflections on "pointing a child in the right direction" after spending time with my granddaughter

“Point your kids in the right direction - when they're old they won't be lost.” Proverbs 22:6 (The Message) … or, as most of us know it, “Raise up a child …

Yesterday was an “Ava and Pappa Day”. One day on or near the 25th of the month each month my granddaughter and I spend the day together doing something special. It is her Love Gift from Pappa.

Love Gifts are a long-standing Christmas tradition in the Martin household, but that is another story for another time.

Yesterday we went to Mote Marine and Aquarium in Sarasota to look at, in her words, “The little tiny, tiny sea horses and the crabs that go snap-snap.”

Ava was down on her hands and knees looking at an eel resting among the rocks when she got literally pushed aside by a group of children from a church kindergarten. I know that they were from a church because of their bright blue T-shirts that declared which church, etc.

Ava turned to me and said, “They weren’t nice. They didn’t even say excuse me.” When we turned to leave two of the group’s leaders were standing watching over the students. I simply said, in passing, that their children’s behavior was not very polite to which the adults responded with, “Well, after all they are only children!” “But,” I shared, “if they don’t learn now good manners, when?” and I pointed out the observation that my 30-month old granddaughter made.

“Point a child in the right direction …”

I’m very proud of the way Ava’s parents are raising her. When we have been out individuals have shared how polite she is. There are a lot of pleases, thank yous and excuse mes. They have done a marvelous job. Is she perfect … well, only in our eyes, but still …

Later that day, over lunch at one of her favorite places … Burger King (it’s the only hamburger that she will eat) … there was another family consisting of a mother and three children, one about Ava’s age. The one Ava’s age was very vocal and very loud. As they were leaving Ava leaned into me and said, “He doesn’t know that he has an inside voice.”

“Point a child in the right direction …”

Over the past month we have been traveling and eating out a lot. On more than one occasion there have been families with young children in the restaurants. These children simply ran around, made a glorious mess on the table, chairs and floor and made it very hard to speak because of their loud behavior.

In at least one situation the parents constantly asked the children to stop, but then continued to sit there and have their “adult” conversations as their children continued to disrupt the dinning room.

“Point a child in the right direction …”

Receiving children into our homes and into our hearts is a heavy responsibility. The wisdom of God is seen in that he gives to young people these children to be directed and shaped. It is a full-time job and takes an incredible amount of energy. And, if God is gracious, then he permits the influence and reinforcement of one or more grandparent, as well as aunts and uncles.

A new favorite quote is: “I realize then that we never have children, we receive them. And sometimes it’s not for quite as long as we would have expected or hoped. But it is still far better than never having had those children at all.” (page 395, “My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult)

We should never take our responsibility of directing the path of the little minds, personalities, and behavior lightly. Nor should we, as the leaders of that group at Mote Marine suggested, dismiss bad behavior as them “just being children.”

“Point a child in the right direction …”

Prayer requests and the wisdom of a prayer warrior

Whenever I stop to ask God for something through prayer I am reminded of these words by Chester B. Emerson under the title: The Quest

I asked for bread!
Life led me to a plain,
And put a plough at hand,
And bade me toil until my bread I earned.

I asked for drink!
Life led me to a sand
As dry as tearless grief –
Forced me to find the springs of sympathy.

I asked for joy!
Life led me to a street,
And had me hear the cries
Of wayward souls who waited to be freed.

I asked for words!
Life led me to a wood,
Set me in solitude
Where speech is still and wisdom comes by prayer.

I asked for love!
Life led me to a hill,
And bound me to a cross
To bear and lift and to be hanged upon.

Over the years I have had prayer warriors in my churches. These individuals were unusual and their prayers always seemed to be answered. It wasn’t until I was sitting in one of their living rooms that I discovered the truth about prayer warriors.

They never ask anything for themselves – ever. Their prayers are always lifted up for the sake of others in need.

What the warrior shared was, “Why would I ask for anything since I already have everything? I have my Bible, a chair to sit in and read it, and a Savior who cares what I think. I have everything, so I just sit here and pray for others.”

A prayer warrior is unselfish in their prayers and spiritually directed in their intentions.

Maybe this is the truest meaning behind the scripture found in Matthew 22:37-39: “Jesus said, 'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.'”

It is all about our focus. When our focus is outward – towards God and others – then we cannot see ourselves. Passion and compassion takes over.

The world and the church need more prayer warriors.

The other thing that I’ve discovered about prayer warriors is that they are not bothered by criticism – of the church or of themselves. Again, they know of what they believe and it matters not what others might say or think. Their relationship with Christ is rock-solid, they shall not be moved.

As one dear old soul shared, “When I hear negative comments I just bow my head and say, ‘Jesus you take care of that because I’m too busy talking to your daddy about the sick’ and then I just move on. Time is too precious to worry your head about all that stuff and get caught up with all that foolishness.”

Wise words from someone who has lived a long life … wisdom does come with age and spiritual maturity comes with practice … and lots of it!

God's solutions are just waiting to be discovered

Quote for today: As a rule man is a fool, When it's hot he wants it cool, When it's cool he wants it hot, Always wanting what is not. ~ Anonymous

What did we do before we had air conditioning?

The answer: We were hot … very hot …

During the summer I wore as little as possible – just a pair of shorts – no shirt, no socks, no shoes … just a pair of shorts. At night we slept with the windows open and a fan blowing on us. We changed the sheets often because of the puddle of water we would wake up in each morning. … We were hot!

When I became a teenager and moved into the back bedroom I felt that I had hit the jackpot because now I had two windows – one on the east side and one on the north side of the house. I positioned my bed at an angle between the two windows hoping for a crosswind.

It was then that I discovered the magic of what a little fan could actually do.

My older brothers shared the efficiency that mom and dad use to rent out. There was a very small kitchen that they decided to tear out and turn into a room. In the kitchen was a little exhaust fan they didn’t think that they would need. I began to put two and two together and wondered.

I asked for that little exhaust fan. BINGO!

Into the upper portion of one of my windows it went. At night I would plug that little fan in and open the other window about 2 or 3 inches. It created a draft. Plus, with the high humidity of Miami, I had created a very efficient a/c system. For the rest of my stay at home I slept under a light blanket every summer. I was the only person in the house who was cool in the evenings.

Who says that all you can do is talk about the weather?

And so it is with life. We can either bemoan our life’s situations or we can do something about it. We can either find fault with others as in “it is all your fault” or “if you had only done this or done that” or “you took away everything that was meaningful and left me with nothing” or a hundred other excuses … OR, we can do something about it.

“Jesus looked hard at them and said, ‘No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.’" Matthew 19:26 (The Message) … “all things are possible with God!”

It would be wise to hold onto this promise from God as if there is no tomorrow.

No matter what we are facing, no matter how heavy the trials, no matter how difficult the relationships, no matter how meaningless life might seem, no matter how challenging just making it through another day is, no matter how hot our situation might be … no matter what we are facing, everything is within God’s reach … everything has a solution … everything and everyone has a brighter tomorrow waiting for them … there is an answer for everything and everyone.

God’s solutions are just waiting to be discovered.