Dreams

Have you ever had a dream that felt so real that you started reacting to it in your sleep? Well, that happened to me last night. My kids started karate a little over a year ago. They have worked very hard at it and some have already reached the level of brown belt which is quit a significant accomplishment. My little college girl, Rebekah, broke a board in half with her bare hand. I was very impressed! And my 13 yr old, Malachi, broke every board in sight!
I have always been intrigued by karate and even took it for a little while when I was a teenager. So it thrills me to watch my children do it. But a few weeks back I got this crazy notion that even though I'm in my mid forties it was not to late to take karate. After all, I need to lose a few pounds, ok many pounds, and I could be a little more flexible.
So I did it! I started karate. Yes, I'm very sore. Yes, I have along way to go. Yes, my kids laugh at me and my side kick that is only high enough to kick a 5 yr old in the knee (although I'd never do that). Yes, I love it! I love it so much I'm dreaming about it. Last night I was dreaming that this big harry faced growling guy was coming after me and I promptly roundhouse kicked him in the head.
And then about ten seconds later I woke to this incredible pain in my toes. In my sleep I had kicked the wall and about broke my toes! And now not only did my toes hurt but I had this adrenaline rush from being in a fight that I felt was real. And because I was asleep and now instantly awake I was extremely disoriented. I got my bearings, slowed down my breathing, and rubbed my toes while thinking what in the world was that all about.
It dawned on me this morning that my experience is exactly what living the Christian life is all about. No, not breaking your toes in your sleep. First, we are in a Spiritual battle. The big harry faced growling devil is coming after us. But because it's a Spiritual Battle we feel like were in a dream. We feel like that it's not real. But before we know it life has gotten all out of wack. We find ourselves disoriented trying to figure out what's true, what's right, and what's wrong. We find ourselves breathing hard as we try to get our bearings in life. And we find ourselves rubbing our hurts from kicking things that aren't even there. And before we figure out what in the world is going on Satan is winning the battle we didn't even realize we were in.
We have to WAKE UP and realize that we are in a Spiritual battle! It's time we get ourselves oriented to this fact and make a plan to battle Satan the rest of our lives. It's time we slow down and make time for God everyday. We can't win without Him! It's time to fix the hurts and stop wallering in self pity or denial or or whatever it is that's keeping you from letting God fix your hurts. And it's time to really live! To live a life that loves justice, shows kindness, and walks humbly with God.

Clinch Time!

Ok, I know this is another blog talking about sports so all you people who root for the clock at sporting events hang in there not all my blogs will be sports based. Look beyond the sports to the spiritual meaning. Now with that said, how about them Cardinals!
It could have happened Wednesday but it didn't. It could have happened Thursday but it didn't. It could happen today!!! That's my prediction and expectation. I think it will happen today. But if it doesn't happen today, it will happen very soon.
What am I talking about? Those of you bleed Cardinal red already know and so do you very very sad people who have been misled and like the poor Cubs do too. I am talking about when the Cardinals clinch the Central Division! There will be hootin' and hollerin' heard around the world.
Cardinal fans have an excited expectation about them. They are talking about it at home, at work, in the gym, at wal-mart, at church. They make facebook post about it and blog about it. Well I know of at least one blog. Some fans are wearing their lucky Cardinals jersey with Edmond's name on the back because they think today is the day the Cards will Clinch!!! Ok, that's me with the Edmonds jersey.
We are expectant and excited. It occurred to me that it exactly how we are to be about Jesus return. The Bible says it is near. It says we are to be ready. It says we are to be expectant and excited about it.
Yet, so many Christians think yea, I know it's going to happen in the near future. Yea, I know we are in the last days. But because we don't feel like it could happen any day like we do with the Cardinals, we don't have an expectant excitement about Jesus return.
Yea, it's exciting to get to the playoffs and win a World Series. I'll never forget some of my experiences with that. But have we forgotten what happens when Jesus returns? Wrongs will be made right, justice will roll, tears and sadness will disappear, fear will be gone, we will live with the loving creator of the universe that gave his life for us so that we could celebrate the day He comes again!!!
I know we don't know when Jesus will come but let's have an expectant excitement about it. Let it show in our church attendance, in our small groups, in our singing, in our praying, in our study of his Word, in our service to others, in living life. Jesus is coming to clinch it! Jump on board.

Right Under My Nose

Six is a magic number weekee weekee. Ok, so I'm not that good at rapping. Those of you who are Cardinal fans know that when the Cards score six you get drinks at Mobil on the run for 25 cents.
There is a Mobile station in Washington, MO that I went to and said, "Where are the 25 cent drinks?" They replied, "I'm sorry we are not a Mobil on the run, just a Mobil. The Mobil on the runs say Mobil on the run." I was so sad. Six was not a magic number for me because there were no Mobile on the runs close to me.
There is a Mobile a stone throw away from our church in Union, MO, which is where my office is, but it just says Mobil not Mobile on the run so I never went in and did the six is a magic number dance. Then one day I'm sitting in church and I hear someone say they are going to the Mobil after church for their quarter drink because the Cards scored more than six.
My ears perked up and I couldn't help but interject myself into the conversation. I said, "Where is there a Mobil on the run around here? My heart was beating fast. I thought maybe six is a magic number for me after all! They replied, "the one by the animal shelter." I said, "the one like right here?" Yes was their reply and they looked at me like I was an idiot. Ok, no remarks please. Me being an idiot or not is not the point of the blog, focus!
I said, "It only says Mobil not Mobil on the run." They said, "well it's a Mobil on the run." I said, "you mean to tell me I drive by a Mobil on the run nearly every day and didn't know it?" The replied, "It looks that way and laughed."
I was not laughing. A Mobil on the run was right under my nose and I discover it when the baseball season is about over! Are you kidding me!!!
How often are we so busy doing life that when God sends us blessing after blessing we miss it? We think man I just want to feel the magic of God and dance but think He is no where to be found. He's not around here today. And we just keep living life when the blessings of God are right under our nose.
Look around today. Notice God's blessings. Look for the Magic of God and dance today! By the way, the Cards scored seven runs last night. I stopped at the Mobile on the run, got my 25 cent drink, and did the six is a magic number dance.

Send Your Kids To Camp

Our Senior Pastor, David Beaty, preached an excellent message on creation yesterday. After a message like that there was nothing else one could do but go to Pizza Hut, so my family and I did. As I was eating my meat lovers with cheese in the crust pizza (Yum!) my daughter, Rebekah, who is a freshman at Hannibal LaGrange College made a very interesting comment.
By the way, I only had two pieces of pizza for I am on a diet. Anyway, back to my daughters comment. She said, "did you know that in Genesis where it says God took a rib from Adam and made Eve that it actually may not have really been a rib?"
I said, "what you talkin' about Willis?" Ok, not really but it makes for good blogging. She continued and said, "the Hebrew word for rib can also be translated chromosome, so in reality God took a chromosome from man and made woman."
I said, "that makes a lot of sense. which class in college did you hear that in? She said, "I didn't hear it in college but at church camp this summer. They brought in a creation expert and that is what he said." I said, Gooo Camp!
As I've said a couple times how often do we just take things for granted. Now could have God taken a rib? Absolutely. But doesn't it make much more sense that he took a chromosome. Keep your mind open to what new things God might be trying to tell you. Each morning pray God show me something new today, something I didn't know today, something I need to change my mind about. Open your mind and heart to the incredible Creator of this world and let Him rock your world each and every day! Just something to think about.

Flip the Switch

Yesterday was my first blog post and on Facebook I asked my Facebook friends to comment on it. Thanks for your comments Facebook friends. I found the comments very interesting which sparked my thoughts for today. Most of the people who commented got the point that God desires that we don't judge people to quickly but accept them where they are.
However, most of the comments focused on the fact that I mentioned beer. Whether drinking beer is OK or not was not the focus at all. I could have said my brother in law asked for coffee and I could have thought you can't drink coffee you are Mormon (if he was). And I could have went and bought my first coffee, which I have never done yet, and the point would have been the same. And I would venture to say that there would not have been one comment about the coffee. Why? because coffee is not a hot subject while drinking beer is definitely a hot subject.
You see certain subjects trigger all our preconceived thoughts and they explode into our thought pattern and often consume our thoughts even if the explosive subject is not even the point. Depending on how you were raised or taught the subject of drinking brings forth certain automatic thoughts. If you were raised extremely conservative or even in a legalistic environment, drinking is taboo and ranks at the top of sins. If you were raised in a little more open setting, drinking is fine as long as you don't get drunk and you think nothing of it. And of course, there is every position in between.
I want to challenge you to flip a switch when it comes to your preconceived ideas. God has been challenging me with this lately. Instead of automatically allowing certain preconceived ideas to take your thoughts captive, ask yourself is this a preconceived idea of mine or is it absolute truth? Absolute truth comes from God only. Ask yourself is my positions, thoughts God's position, thoughts?
Take drinking for instance. What does God really say? He says do not get drunk. Does He give any absolutes beyond that? There has been lots of interpretation, preconceived thoughts beyond that but I don't think there are any absolutes beyond that. Again, I don't drink because I don't like the taste for one, and that is my conviction for two.
But do I have the right to take my convictions, my preconceived thoughts and teach them as God's gospel when Scripture doesn't have the same absolutes as me?
My point is this. I don't think God wants our main focus to be on side issues that have become hot topics in the world we live in. I think what God wants us to focus on living a life that develops an incredible relationship with Him. And on loving people right where they are and letting God use us to lead them into an incredible relationship with Him.
So my something to think about for today is do you ever challenge your own preconceived ideas or just accept them as fact?
Robert

A Night of Firsts

Everyone loves to be a winner and some of us love a chicken dinner! I decided I wanted to start blogging to record some of my winning thoughts. And I thought maybe others could benefit from my thoughts or at the very least get a good chuckle or belly laugh at my strange and unusual thoughts. So here we go...
Last night was an interesting night for me. It was a night of first. Can a 45 yr. old man have a whole night of firsts? This one did! Through some odd circumstances I ended up sitting in the front row in right field at the Cardinals game. I've never sat in the front row so that was my first first.
I got on TV. When Rasmus hit his 3 run homer I was right there. I was the big guy in the white if you watch the highlights on Stlcardinals.com That was my second first.
My brother in law, who will remain nameless to protect his guilt, ask me if I wanted to play a game. He said, "you pick three players and I pick three players and whoevers player gets the first hit of an inning wins that inning and the other person has to buy him an item from the concession stand." I said, "sounds fun. Let's play."
He had Skip the shoeman and he led off with a hit. So off to the consession stand I went. I said, "what do you want?" He said, "a Bud light." I froze in my tracks. Stunned I mumbled no you don't and thought you're Baptist you can't have a Bud light. And besides that I've never bought a beer in my life! He reaffirmed that he indeed wanted a Bud light. So off to the consession stand I went to buy my first beer. Remember it wasn't for me. Now, I don't think having an ocassional beer is a sin. I just think it taste like crap. I put beer and coffee in the same catagory.
A funny thought occured to me as I was carrying the Bud light back to my brother in law. What if someone who knows me saw me but I didn't see them and they thought I can't believe a Pastor would have a beer at a Cardinals game! And yet I didn't.
How often do we assume things that aren't true about people? How often do we assume people mean one thing when they really meant another? How often do we label and judge people with out knowing the facts or their heart or their intent? This made me realize that God doesn't wants us to judge or stick our noses up at people or make wrong assumtions, but that He wants us to love people for who they are and right where they are. I'm glad God loves this non beer drinking first time beer buyer that way!!!!!!!!!!!!! Something to think about:)