Then her server brought her a strawberry sundae!

That wrinkled face suddenly broke into a wonderful smile!

Her smile gave me an insight to what she looked like when she was younger. There was a precious girlish grin that was as sweet as her sundae! Ice cream became a time machine for her and I was invited along for the ride back in time.

I LOVE ice cream, but I don’t think I could have experienced anything sweeter than being in that time machine with her.

I looked over at her as often as I dared but that smile remained until the last bite was gone.

It’s never too early to think ahead.

Mark

I illustrated this truth in a practical way.

I said I have to wipe the drool off my chin when I drive past Captain D’s.  I LOVE fried seafood.  I know they serve other stuff – but my flesh craves anything fried! When it’s time for lunch “I set my mind” on that which isn’t good for me. Practice moderation, you say. Great advice. I don’t want moderation and my taste buds have been properly trained for clams and shrimp.  It would sure help if their entire menu wasn’t so affordable!  It’s not my fault!

Back to Captain D’s.

I’ve lost about 10 lbs. primarily by walking and eating right – yes, even at Captain D’s. I’ve started eating a baked potato (butter only), one skewer of grilled shrimp, and unsweet tea.

Since I know everyone behind the counter on a first name basis, the manager put an extra skewer on my plate on Tuesday. More is good.  I accepted it as a reward for doing the right thing.

Then the lady sitting at the table next to me got her dozen fried shrimp and fish dinner. She had too many to eat so she offered an older couple near me over half of her shrimp!  I’m sitting there hoping she will offer me some – the craving was working in me at full throttle.

She didn’t.

Here I go again – practicing on Monday what I preach on Sunday.

Mark

The question I posed as I was handing out the “money” was “Are you more happy or less happy with an additional $100 in your pocket?” Or, are you unhappy you didn’t receive anything?

Of course the point is that happiness is largely dependent on external things (more money means more happiness, etc.) and joy is internal (not dependent on what happens).

And joy isn’t just the choice to be happy(ier)!

One of the greatest challenges Christians face is keeping the difference between joy and happiness in focus. Our joy is anchored in our identity in Christ – who is unchanging in every imaginable way.

Even things we don’t fully understand (or don’t like) don’t need to rob us of our joy.  We might not be happy about the negative situations (loss, sickness) or we may be happy about the positives (raise at work, more grandchildren, project going right) – but joy can remain the same day in and day out.

Now I don’t want to imply that in our humanness (even as Christ-followers) we don’t experience signs of sadness and unhappiness.  I’m just saying that our identity in Christ keeps us from sinking into despair.

Joy is constant even when we don’t feel it.

Stop by Union Chapel next Sunday.

We’ll be handing out new Dodge Chargers!

Mark

Dinah and I like the TV show “Code Black”.

A recent episode included a teenage girl brought to the ER who had a badly broken leg and needed immediate surgery. The father storms into the ER shouting “No Surgery!” because his family believes God will heal in every situation if you have enough faith.  This was a little tough on the girl, whose leg is swelling and not having surgery may end her life.

The girl is 16 years old meaning she can make her own decision if she can be persuaded.

So a young resident volunteers, introduces herself, and states she comes from a church background and then says: “Even Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John couldn’t always agree.” 

Do you ever yell at your TV?

I did that night!

Now if you’re not a Christian/church attender, the four gospel writers not agreeing sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?  After all, you’ve been told most of your life (in words and by example) that church isn’t important and Jesus was just another religious teacher. The writers of shows like this must pride themselves in not doing one ounce of research, otherwise they would know:

• The four gospels are referred to as the “synoptic” gospels (meaning a bird’s eye view; seeing and viewing together; to see together with a common view). Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit about their perspective of the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
• Matthew speaks of the birth of Christ while John says nothing of the nativity.
• Only Matthew and John were disciples of Jesus.
• Matthew, Mark and John were Jews. As Jews, they would not have used the phrases “kingdom of God” or “son of God”, as Jews didn’t say the word God – so they wrote “kingdom of heaven” and “son of man”.
• Luke was a Gentile/Greek who travelled with St. Paul and also wrote the book of Acts – the history book of the New Testament. His primary audience was non-Jewish so he used the “kingdom of heaven/son of God”, as did St. Paul in his epistles or letters.
• The writing of these four books wasn’t like updating Facebook. Matthew very likely didn’t sit down each day and journal what would become the first book of the New Testament. After the death and resurrection of Jesus the writing begins and the four books were probably written/completed before A.D. 70 because none of the gospel writers mention the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
• Mark was written first, John last.

While any good agnostic or atheist will say what’s stated above is reason number 674 for not believing anything the bible says and there are people a LOT smarter than me who have written about this – what I’ve written here is easily found on the internet.

While the line in Code Black sounds reasonable and believable – it’s neither.

Pastor Mark

Many people had an outside TV antenna on a pole that you could turn to get 7-8 channels and better reception. Some had “motorized” antennas but in one house we lived in there was a bolt through the antenna pole and if we wanted to adjust the reception we went outside and physically turned the pole.  I remember being out by the pole in the winter and my brother saying “a little more to the right, yes – that’s better.” My grandfather bought one of the first color TV’s and the highlight of my week was going to his house on Sunday nights to watch “Disney’s Wonderful World of Color”.  Watching it on our black and white TV was anticlimactic, to say the least.  If someone had tried to explain satellite TV in the late 60’s we would have looked at them and thought their brain marbles must have hit each other way too hard.  150 channels?  On-demand movies?  Yea, right.

I remember going to Lima with the same grandfather to buy Lee’s Chicken and stop by Burger Chef (where the eastside Lu-Lu’s is now) to get 15 cent hamburgers to eat on the way home.  All the burgers had the same condiments – ketchup, mustard, and pickle. You couldn’t have it your way and no one would have thought to ask for anything else. 

Basketball shoes?  Fred Taylor Converse canvas and your options white or black, high-top or low-top.  My senior year we wore blue suede Converse low-tops – the first leather basketball shoes I’d ever seen.

If you went to a movie, you went to a movie theatre that showed one movie. No options and none expected.

I miss the days when my uncle Ethan offered me a stick of gum and I knew it would be Wrigley’s (like Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs) Juicy Fruit and it was a long time until I knew there were other flavors.

While I like having lots of options and choices today, I find myself ordering the same meal at Cracker Barrel (spicy grilled catfish) or Captain D’s (kid’s shrimp meal and a side of clams).

My point is this: fewer options are less stressful. Too many options can easily create discontentment. If there are 35 kinds of candy or gum, what am I missing? 

I think it’s interesting that McDonald’s recently starting offering fewer options on their menu.

No wonder I feel totally relaxed in their drive-through!

Blessings!

Pastor Mark

Today, I am sharing a blog post from a young lady named Laura.  She grew up as a missionary in Papua New Guinea with her mom, dad, and two older brothers.  She is currently attending Bethel college and for 5 weeks this summer, felt called to a short-term mission trip in Indonesia.  Below is her most recent blog about what is happening in her life.  She is a young Christ-follower that impresses me and I wanted you to read what she wrote and pray for her and with her.    

Thanks!

Pastor Mark 

Cravings

JUNE 5, 2016 / MISFITSANDMIGRANTS

Have you ever craved something so much that you felt it in the marrow of your bones? Been so completely consumed by desire for something that you felt like the last fleck of paper combusting in a fire?

I have never been so consumed by my craving for pancakes.

Buttermilk pancakes. Heaps of butter. And enough syrup to swim in. That’s all I want. But at the end of the day that craving goes unsatisfied because I have yet to find a good place to get pancakes in Surabaya.

On a slightly more serious note, this week has been one of craving health, home, and change. Let me break it down –

Health: for a few days this week I’ve felt horribly nauseous. The nausea contributes to the exhaustion I already feel from the heat every day and really knocks me out when it’s time to sleep and unfortunately at every other moment throughout the day.

Home: though I’m not 100% sure where home is, I’m sick for it. This past week friends in PNG attended “prom,” friends and family in the USA got engaged, others celebrated birthdays, and still others started jobs for which they felt unprepared but excited. And, though I am thankful to be in Indonesia, part of me wishes I hadn’t missed out on all those special and uncomfortable moments in the lives of those I love.

Change: this week I spent the majority of my time with kids and communities in poverty. I traveled to different places with the Smart Car, helped with courses in English, helped with events at an elderly home, and visited with a woman who is being kept in an insane asylum. I’ve seen a lot this week. And I’ve felt a lot too. Part of me is excited to be participating in all the activities run by Pondok Kasih. Part of me is sad and frustrated that I can’t do more to help. I long and even crave being able to see these families walk out of poverty and into a “better” life. But I’m not sure I even know what a “better” life looks like for them and I certainly don’t have the steps for how to get there. So at the end of the day, that craving goes unsatisfied.

And today I’m just not sure what to do with all these cravings and feelings except offer them to the you so you can help me offer them to the Lord in prayer.

Next week I’m starting to help out at the orphanage run by Pondok Kasih. I’m excited, I’m nervous. I mostly hope I can remember all their names. And I’m hoping the Lord gives me an extra measure of joy and hope to share.

Prayers and praises:

• Monday begins Ramadan. A month long fast for our Muslim friends. They fast from sunrise to sunset, and I’ve been told Pondok Kasih has events where we break the fast with Muslims in our community. Prayers appreciated for events, relationships, and the Holy Spirit’s presence.
• Continued prayers for my stomach and also my throat would be appreciated
• Praise that I’ve made it almost 3 weeks!

I ate the chicken and left the bones, meaning I took the counsel of the letter as from the Lord and left the stuff I thought was over the top.

I prayed several times about this situation. I really struggled with the letter. I don’t like to fail anyone.

I laughed so hard and was happy I wasn’t the ding-dong I sometimes think I am.

I play practical jokes and tease people all the time and my church family dishes it all right back.  We’re a healthy group overall or maybe we’re nuts and just don’t know it – either way, we love each other are doing fine!

But all this does reinforce two basic principles of life.

• Women never forget.
• Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you!

Blessings!

Pastor Mark

I’ll confess that some of what was said seemed a little stronger than was warranted and if it had been signed I could respond.

However, there was constructive criticism that was good for me to hear.  I am receiving this as from the Lord.  The individual stated they were offended and there may have been others who were offended.  I don’t want anyone offended except for the message of the cross!

St. Paul said in Acts 24:16 – “So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.” That is my goal as well.

It’s my desire to live a life pleasing to God and in a recent message something evidently went sideways. I am truly sorry that happened, I am taking full responsibility, I’m asking Jesus to help me be more careful, and conform more perfectly to His image.

Blessings!

Pastor Mark

P.S.  I  encourage people to sign their letters or better yet, talk the pastor, teacher, manager, etc. face to face in order to 1) read their authenticity and 2) give them opportunity to make things right and/or ask for forgiveness.

A friend of mine recently shared a story about his father and his failing health.

One day my friend was leaving his father’s home and gave him a hug. His father had on a tee shirt so the hug revealed that weight had been lost and how frail he had become.

My friend commented “I could feel his frailty.”

I had an instant picture of his father’s situation.

I believe the first step of revival is feeling the frailty of people who haven’t surrendered to the saving grace of Jesus. We don’t just know about their brokenness – we feel it. We share it.

 “For the love of Christ controls and

Blessings!

Pastor Mark

We found stained glass, windows of all sizes, lots of history, and in all conditions imaginable.

Two things caught my attention.

First, the word “re-purposed”. While it’s certainly possible to use items in ways they were originally intended (windows in a new addition), re-purposing something means to use it in ways it wasn’t originally designed for.  In our case, we were looking for windows to be used as windows.  But since we began our search we found lots of creative uses for old windows other than looking through them and keeping the weather out.

Second, many of the windows we looked at had real beauty on the inside and were weather beaten on the outside. But with know-how and time virtually anything can be made usable again.

My application?

When an individual submits to Jesus as Savior and Lord, they get re-purposed!  They are made into a completely different person – “new creations in Christ” as St. Paul states in II Corinthians 5:17.  Yet, as the inside is made new – we find the weathering processes of life continue!

The Good News?  Jesus alone has the know-how to fix our inside and keep repaired the parts the world beats on and weathers.

God is amazing!

Blessings!

Pastor Mark