7 Lessons from my "Reading the Bible in a Year" Experience

I have read the entire Bible before, however I had never done it in a year.  So I decided in December last year to make 2009 the first year I read through the entire Scriptures in a calendar year.  As I blogged in January, I decided to read a certain amount of pages per day.  If my chapter didn't end at the "3 1/2 page mark," I would keep reading until the end of the chapter.  Then on my monthly spiritual retreats, I would usually read double or triple (or even more).  This method allowed me to complete the entire 66 books last week.

Here's what I gained from this experience:

1. I saw things in context more.  Context is important to me.  I was pleased to see how much my understanding of the context of a passage improved by reading three-and-a-hald pages each day.

2. I grasped the bigger story. This goes along with the previous idea.  By reading larger portions each day instead of just a chapter or a section, I could see the bigger picture more clearly.

3. I couldn't avoid the troubling passages.  Many times this year I hit passages that really challenged my theology or seemed to grate against other passages.  I'm glad I had to work through these sections and not just skim over them.  Some have been resolved, but some still are bugging me (which I actually think is a good thing).

4. I had motivation to read.  Having a goal to read the whole of Scripture in twelve months increased my desire to sacrifice the time to read.  I found myself eager to get to the Word daily, and if I missed a day, I gladly read 7 pages to make up what I had missed the day before.  But I realize my motivation only stayed high because I stayed disciplined to read regularly.  If I had gotten a couple of weeks behind, I might have lost motivation.  Thankfully the most I ever got behind was two days.

5. I had to persevere.  I'll admit - I started to get a bit antsy to skip to the New Testament while trudging through some portions of the Old Testament.  Parts of the Pentateuch got long.  The first half of Ezekiel was brutal.  The Minor Prophets weren't filled with very many "happy-warm-fuzzy" verses.  But I am VERY grateful I read each word of these portions. Many of these tough sections helped me see and appreciate the amazing grace of God more than I had previously. Plus, James 1:4 tells us that endurance/perseverance is good for us.

6. I realized I forget too easily.  My 12-year-old has been reading through First and Second Kings.  One day she was telling me about what she had read.  I couldn't recall much of the story she was sharing! I had read that section just months before, but I couldn't have repeated the story to her if my life had depended upon it.  This was convicting! (And ever worse - I almost forgot to include this point!)

7. I worshipped God. This isn't unique to reading the Bible in a year, but it was a wonderful experience I feared might not happen.  I had an unconfessed worry that reading the Bible in a year would feel more like a duty than a delight.  Yet day after day, God continued to impact me.  I was regularly humbled, in awe of Him and His plan for me and His Church.

If you have never read through theScriptures in a year, I recommend you do it at least once in your life.  With a new year just around the calendar corner, why not make 2010 the year you gain your own seven lessons on reading the whole Bible in twelve months?

Posted via email from erin bird's web nest

New Blog

A short post for anyone following the feed of this blog I infrequently keep up...

I am "moving" my blog to Posterous. Because Posterous is so web-connected, whatever I post there will automatically load here. However, I will be making my posts for Posterous, not for Blogger, so I can foresee some occasional issues arising. If you want to ensure you are seeing and reading what I have posted, then head over to http://erinbird.posterous.com. If you don't want to bother with resetting up a new RSS feed or changing your bookmarks, you can continue to visit this site - I'm 95% sure you'll get 95% of the content I post. :o)

Catching Up to the 21st Century

Another Catch-Up post:

• I'm catching up to the 21st century. On Sunday, I had my first Skype video chat ever. I'm doing premarital counseling for some friends who are currently in California, but coming back to Iowa for their wedding. Our first couple of "sessions" were over the phone. I must say it was much nicer having our conversation via Skype. Other than the occasional visual freeze, audio worked consistently, and we could hear each other just fine.
• Last week on 9/9/09, I watched The Nines for most of the day. The premise? What one thing would various church leaders/pastors say to other church leaders/pastors in nine minutes or less? I really enjoyed the format (and I'm not even ADD!) and some of the 9-minute speeches really challenged me, some encouraged me, and I found my faith inspired and my prayers going to another level. I missed the last couple of hours, so I hope to go back and catch some that I missed and rewatch some with my wife.
• During The Nines, they were giving away some books, curriculum, and other items during their short breaks. But the only way to have a chance at winning a giveaway was to Twitter. However, I didn't have a Twitter account. I complained via their feedback system, but heard nothing back. :o) And this isn't the only time this has happened - I've seen other giveaways that are only for people who tweet with a specific hashtag. So I've been left out of the party. Therefore, I've decided to join what I thought would be a passing fad (it may still, but it's lasted longer than I expected). I have no illusion that the masses are just waiting to know what I'm eating for snack with my boys and other such drivel, but I hope to be challenged and learn from some others in ministry as they tweet various thoughts about faith, life, and ministry. If you have any suggestions of who I should follow on Twitter, leave me a comment.
• I upgraded to Snow Leopard on both my laptop and iMac at home. Two years ago when I upgraded from Tiger to Leopard, I had very few "hiccups", which exceeded my expectations. With this upgrade, I had very high expectations, and unfortunately the upgrade hasn't been as smooth. Things don't feel that much faster, and while I save a ton of gigabytes on the iMac, I didn't see the same savings on my laptop. My printer at home no longer works. I had a half-day trying to figure out how to get email working again on my laptop (which was confusing since Apple was touting the improved Exchange support). I'm running smoothly again most places (except the printer still isn't working at home), and Snow Leopard seems like a great OS, but I was surprised at the bumps I encountered. I should have known better than to place my expectations so high, but hey - I've drunk the Kool-Aid.
• My daughter is truly in the right family. She came home and complained today about the fact that her school switched to all PCs.
• My wife is also entering the 21st century with me. She now has an iPhone 3G. And she is thinking about signing up for Facebook (but for her to find more than 5 minutes to spend at the computer might be hard to do).
• I've not read any blogs in a LONG time. But my input strength has been satisfied by the books I've been reading lately. Right now the book in my bag is Made to Stick. I've also read Love is an Orientation, Case for the Real Jesus, Living the Cross-Centered Life, and When God Writes Your Love Story in the past 2 months.
• I'm preaching October 18th. I have a VERY creative idea, but if I'm going to pull it off, I have to work on it now. I sure hope it works out! (If you want to know what the idea is, you'll just have to come to New Covenant that Sunday, or listen to it on the web the week after.)

Well, that should do it for now. Guess I should go Twitter that I posted a blog which will import into Facebook. I feel so "hip" and important all of a sudden. Or maybe that feeling is just being out of breath trying to catch up to the current century.

A Simple Tribute to Grandpa Rice

Teachers rate pretty high with me.  Maybe it's because my mom was a teacher for most of her adult life.  Or maybe it's because my wife has a math ed. degree.  Regardless, I have always admired teachers who can take complex things and explain them in simple terms.

Carl Raymond Augustus Rice understood complex things.  He worked on the Manhattan Project.  He shared a patent on an ion separator.  He retired as an Industrial Engineer with McDonnell Douglas.  He could talk about Pascal's Line as easily as many people talk about their children.

But when I met Carl Rice in the summer of 1993, I did not immediately think of him as a complex man.  The manner of his handshake, his greeting, and immediate acceptance of me (even though I was romantically pursuing his granddaughter at the time!) led me to believe he was a genuinely simple man, one worthy of being called "Grandpa" by many, even by a non-family member like me.

Grandpa loved complex things, but he always found simple enjoyment in them.  For instance, he could identify many species of birds, whether by sight or sound alone, something that seems complex to me, but it was simply enjoyable to Grandpa (maybe that is why two of his granddaughters married men with the last name of Bird).

Grandpa could take a complex meal of meat, potatoes, vegetable, salad, bread, and more and make it simple - just mix it all up into one mash on his plate.  "It all goes in the same pit!"

This amazing mind that could see through logical fallacies better than I could see through clean windows loved coming back to simple sayings designed to elicit laughs - "I haven't eaten since the last time!"

Games were a favorite for Grandpa.  Just when you thought he was winding down late at night, he'd suddenly say "How about a game!"  And it was always the "Bound to Win" team against the "Can't Be Beat".  Yes, Grandpa was a simple man in all the right ways.

Because he possessed such a great mind for complex things, and yet had a simple enjoyment of life and people, Grandpa couldn't help himself - he had to teach.  He taught Physics and Math for a couple of years, but the teaching environment he thrived in most was his 6th grade Sunday School class.  Grandpa loved taking the complex ideas of theology and Scripture and making them simple enough for budding young minds to grasp.  For over 25 years, Grandpa taught the 6th grade boys Sunday School class at the Greenville Free Methodist Church.  But he didn't just teach the class and pass them on.  He stayed involved in the boys' lives.  He knew where they went to college.  He attended their weddings.  He told corny  jokes to their kids.

There were other teaching environments, as well.  Grandpa and Grandma hosted a college Bible study for students from Greenville College at their lake home for many years.  Grandpa loved taking a grandchild or great grandchild out on the lake in the fishing boat where they would be a captive audience to his stories of growing up in South Africa and the lessons he'd learned through life.  And of course, there were always teaching moments at the game table - whether it was Skip-Bo, Five Straight, or Boppity-Bop-Bop.

People can be complex.  Their pasts, personalities, and passions can deeply affect who they are.  Yet Grandpa loved them.  If you were breathing, Grandpa wanted to like you.  You weren't complex to him - it was simple.

As I sat through Grandpa's funeral on Tuesday laughing with my wife's extended family at the stories told, or tearing up over a touching moment, one thing became very, very clear about Grandpa.  This complex man who knew so many complex things had many passions in life (if alliterated they would be family, fishing, friends, food, and fun) yet one passion rang out over all of them.  The center of Grandpa's life was simple - it was Jesus.

Greg Groves, the minister who gave the message during the service used 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 as his key passage.  It was very fitting to have Greg speaking because he had been one of those 6th grade boys so many years ago learning under the teaching of Carl Raymond Augustus Rice.  And now Greg is the youth pastor at the church where one of Grandpa Rice's great-grand-daughters is in the youth group.  Greg saw Grandpa throughout the years living out 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8:

"[W]e were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us."

Grandpa truly share his life.  Whether it was with his wife of almost 65 years, or leading a group of 6th graders to Chicago, or hosting a collection of college students, or engaging his grandkids and great-grandkids in another game, Grandpa shared his life.  And in the process of sharing his life, he shared Jesus.  Grandpa loved to tell people the gospel, but he didn't have to.  He lived it.

There is so much more I could share about Grandpa, but that would make this post too complex and deny the message I want to convey.  Grandpa possessed an amazing mind and a capacity to learn that he held onto until the very end before a heart attack and stroke claimed his body.  But it is not his complexity that will be remembered.  It was his simplicity.  His "simpleness" had a power to it - a power that could befriend you, encourage you, rebuke you, and forgive you, all in one sentence.

Carl Raymond Augustus Rice:  husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, teacher, game player, fisherman, engineer, mathematician, reader, but most of all - disciple of Jesus.

Jonah echoes

It was kind of fun reading a brief article about Jonah after preaching about it myself this past Sunday.  For anyone who missed my message, this article can serve as a short summary - then you don't have to listen to me for half an hour! :o)

Catching Up by Coughs

I woke up about 30 minutes ago coughing horrendously.  I feel like I'm doing everything I know to suppress it so I can sleep (humidifier in the room, drank tea with honey before bed, sucking on a lozenge, took a cough suppressant before turning out the light, etc. - about the only thing I haven't done is drink cayenne pepper), but this tickle in my throat just won't quit.  Perhaps sitting up and blogging will help since nothing else seems to be working. (I'd hate to see what I would be like without doing all that other stuff...)

It feels like years since I've last blogged.  I kind of miss it, but then again it's not like I've had any deep profound thoughts.  So here's another "catch up blog" that will probably be as random as the timing and intensity of my coughs:

• About 3 weeks ago I got the 24-hour stomach flu that's been going around.
• Right on the heels of that, I got a horrendous cold that decided to camp out in my throat and I COMPLETELY lost my voice for 4 days.  And I do mean completely.  It's pretty hard to pastor people, talk on the phone, or discipline your kids when you can't make a peep.
• This past Sunday, a very generous and kind friend took me to see Iowa wrestle Minnesota.  My voice, although back for over a week, wasn't a 100% yet, so I told myself I couldn't do any yelling or screaming.  But the referee was so bad...
• Thankfully my voice recovered enough to speak at Watershed last night.
• I did a 3-week series at Watershed on the same topic (praying to be like Christ) as my hopefully-one-day-I'll-finish-writing-but-probably-will-never-publish book.
• These past 3 weeks have been the first time I've been back at Watershed since stepping down from leadership last year.  It was kind of fun to be back as a guest speaker.  I expected more of a "nostalgic" feel inside of me, but it only felt like I'd been gone a couple of months, not 8.  Yet, as much as I miss Watershed, I also have a deeper inner peace that stepping down was the right thing to do.
• I was so convicted last week about the length at which I can sometimes speak.  I went WAY too long - I really was passionate about the topic and completely lost track of time.  But I thought that was a one time anomaly.  Going back and seeing the length of some previous messages I've done at Watershed in the past year revealed it wasn't as great an anomaly as I thought.  Big bummer.  (Needless to say, I tried to do much better last night.)  Obviously, I'm not taking this Bible verse seriously in my speaking.
• The most exciting news in our family - S, my 5-year-old son, called me (with help) Sunday evening while I was away at the wrestling meet to say, "Daddy, I believe in Jesus!"  There had been some recent conversations started by S around the house about believing in Jesus, the cross, forgiveness, etc.  Sunday evening as my wife and kids were sitting down for supper, S blurted out, "Mommy, I really want to believe in Jesus."  After a great conversation, S prayed all on his own the most precious prayer you could ever hear, and smiles and hugs proceeded.  S really knows something happened in him, and he even told his class Wednesday night at church!
• One of the cool things about S's salvation is that he and M had a significant conversation the day before.  M brought him upstairs thinking he was ready, but within a few minutes it was obvious S was done talking and just wanted to go back to playing.  That reminded me of just 4 years prior it was older sister K getting Mommy to join a spiritual conversation in the basement with M.
• My church family is getting ready to do a series called Just Walk Across the Room, inspired by the book of the same name by Bill Hybels.  For over 3 years now, our church family has been talking about living lifestyles of prayer, care, and share with those around us in our neighborhoods, workplaces, etc., and this series will help us look at that topic once again.  So I thought it was pretty cool when avowed atheist Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller fame) talked about a Christian who was kind, friendly, and just "walked across the room."  Even if my neighbors who I deeply care for never come to Christ, I hope they can say some of the nice things Penn said about that guy...
• We are currently back in the book of Romans on Sunday mornings after taking a few weeks off.  I didn't realize how much I missed being in Romans until we started again in chapter 9.
• We are getting ready to launch a new ABF (Adult Bible Fellowship) designed specifically for single twentysomethings.  During January I met with a leadership team, and then in February we've been meeting with a "core group".  Things have been going fantastic!  The new group has been named BE[cause] and launches March 1 at 11:00 am in Room 128 in New Covenant's building.  I'm really excited about the group because (or is that BE[cause]?) God is clearly up to something with this new community.
• I have no idea if I'm ahead or behind in my read-the-whole-Bible-in-a-year plan, but I'm set to start Deuteronomy today.

Well, I've been working on this for the past hour (in between hacks and preparing (and drinking) some tea with honey (but the tickle is still there, grrrrr....)) so I think I'll try and head back to bed.  Hopefully I'll have something meaningful to say on here before the next time I'm awakened by a coughing fit.

The Fuzzy Life of Michael Clayton and Me

Last night, LeAnn and I watched Michael Clayton as part of our weekly date night. Other than the crude language, I thought the movie was absolutely excellent. A very fine film.

One of the techniques the directors and screen writers used effectively was what I'm going to call the "fuzzy" technique. Not fuzzy like a teddy bear. Fuzzy as in "hazy, difficult to see or perceive clearly." The overall film, like many good flicks, is "fuzzy" throughout, but slowly begins to crystalize and become clear by films end. However, there were many smaller fuzzy moments. From the very opening scene which leaves you a bit confused and lost, various parts begin to take shape and make sense. It was sort of like a puzzle that has many different elements in its image - each section of the puzzle begins to make sense as you put it together, and as each portion comes together, the whole puzzle moves from fuzziness to clarity.

I've notice that God sometimes does this in life. As I read through Genesis right now, I see God giving "fuzzy" moments to some of our ancient heroes of the faith:

• I expect life seemed fuzzy to Abraham and Sarah as they aged with no son being born to them like God kept promising.
• I'm sure it did not make sense when God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the promised son.
• I'm confident Joseph felt life was quite fuzzy while sitting in prison when he thought God was going to have his brothers bow down before him as told to him through dreams.

While serving as the worship director at a church in the Denver, Colorado area, I felt God calling me into a more pastoral role. But the picture was fuzzy. I knew it was to be in the midwest. I wanted to be part of a church staff that had a strong team. I didn't want to be the "lead" guy, but I knew I needed to teach, counsel, and lead others. And I didn't think any church would hire me without a seminary degree, but I clearly felt God saying not to complete my degree. Things were VERY fuzzy, to say the least.

But everything crystalized. I am now the young adult pastor at a fantastic church in the midwest where the Equipping Staff isn't just a team, but family. I have had many opportunities to teach the Scriptures, to counsel young adults, and lead various ministry teams. And while I still desire to go to seminary, I am growing, learning, and being used by God in the lives of others.

I find this memory immensely helpful as I find myself in another fuzzy situation. Right now in one particular arena of life, a lot doesn't make sense. I keep trying to figure it out, seek counsel from trusted friends, read the Scriptures and other books, and pray about it. But just as I think something is beginning to crystalize, the fuzziness returns.

Do you find yourself in the midst of a fuzzy situation? Maybe it's your job. Maybe it's in a relationship. Maybe it's in your identity. Maybe it's in a specific ministry role. I don't know where it is. But I do know this - God is not surprised at your "fuzziness". And it isn't fuzzy to Him. He sees exactly what is going on, what will be accomplished through this time, and where you will end up.

I can't guarantee that everything will make sense in the end, but usually God allows us to emerge from the fog and see things clearly. Because when that light goes on in the dark of our minds and we see clearly, we can't help but be in awe of God and His plan and worship Him for His sovereignty.

"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12 (English Standard Version)

Miscellaneous Thoughts

• I'm frustrated with Safari right now. Ever since upgrading to Mac OS 15.5.6, Safari on my MacBook Pro won't keep me logged in on any site, which basically makes Facebook, Gmail, Blogger, SXC, and other sites requiring you to be logged in basically useless. The Apple Discussion Forums reveal others are experiencing the same thing I am. I've switched to Firefox for the time being, but to me, Firefox seems a bit slower and bloated compared to Safari. (Safari works just fine on my iMac at home, which also is at 10.5.6 - go figure...)
  
• The water bottles were a hit last night at Celebrate! Glad I got to contribute the logo that went on them.
• Need to work through GTD again...
• Can't decide if I'll stick with Things (it's now out of Beta, so I have to pay for it), or go with Reqall.
  
• As a Christian nerd, I am thrilled to find this page, and yet scared and overwhelmed by it all at the same time...
• Been enjoying Matt Chandler's sermons lately...
• Tried a new podcast that combined faith and Mac computers, interviewed "famous" Christians using Macs, gave the latest insights or tips on Mac or iPhone usage. I was all excited when I downloaded it - and it was the worst podcast I've ever heard in my life. I couldn't even last 2 minutes - and I'm an extremely patient and grace-filled guy! When I could do a better podcast, you know it has to be bad...
  
• For the first time in my life, I'm going to read through the entire Bible in a year. Was going to use YouVersion, but I really like sitting down with a paper copy of the Bible, so I'm planning to use the "Tommy Nelson Method" of reading the Bible in one year. Simply see how many pages your Bible has, then divide by 365. The answer is the number of pages you are to read each day. Mine is about 3.5.
• I have a horrible long-term memory. I'm getting friend requests on Facebook from people I went to high school and college with, and I'm struggling to remember who they are. It's embarassing. I can remember someone's name I met last week just fine, but someone I grew up with is like a stranger to me.
• Speaking of forgetting, I had one more thing I was going to put on here, but I've forgotten...
  

Appearances

It's been WAY too long since I've posted.  I've had too many thoughts that I wasn't able to get recorded, and with my horrible memory, I'll never recover them.  Oh well.

Since it's been so long, I'm going to do another "catch up" post (which means it will be entirely too long!), with a true "blog thought" at the end.  So for my family and close friends, read the first portion.  For those who don't care about my life and just want to read my thoughts on an issue, skip to the non-bulleted section at the end (it's okay to skip, I won't be offended - the first part is mostly for me anyway).

• Got back last Saturday from taking two weeks off.  Just moments ago I handled the last email that had piled up during my absence, so I'm celebrating by allowing myself to post here.
• The two weeks were WONDERFUL.
• Week #1 - went to Cedarly Pastors Retreat.  Andy and Nancy are incredible hosts.  Mike is an amazing chef.  The other couples there are awesome people.  The environment was perfect for having time to read, reflect, and pray.  And getting to sleep in each day and then having time to do things like read and write was almost too good to be true!  The week really was refreshing.  (Thank you, Tom Pietz, for your strong recommendation!)
• I had decided before going on the retreat that I would spend time writing a book.  I've never done that before, but I heard Pastor Ray (the pastor who was here at New Covenant when I came on staff 6 and half years ago before going home to Christ after a battle with prostate cancer) say once that he thought everyone should write at least one book in their life, even if it would never be published.  The discipline would be good for them.  Since I always learn so much when I work on sermons, I thought I would get just as much out of writing a book.  I had WAY more fun writing than I ever thought I would.  Who knows what I'll ever do with the book, but it's been fun and educational (or maybe I should say transformational) for me.
• After coming home from the retreat, we got to celebrate S's 5th birthday with a "Bird Family Night" style birthday party.  The 5 friends he got to invite (plus their families) all piled into the middle school room in New Covenant's building to watch a LarryBoy cartoon, eat popcorn and munchies for supper, play games, and enjoy controlled chaos.
• On the Sunday we were home between the retreat and Thanksgiving week, I enjoyed watching and helping with the cardboard testimonies in the worship services (click here to see an example of what we did).  There was some very powerful ones.  As someone who grew up in a Christian home, it was difficult to come up with my own cardboard testimony, but the more I thought about it, the more God truly has changed me.  I thought of what I'd be like without Christ, and I'd probably be a "nice guy", but I'd be incredibly selfish.  While I am still selfish, I'm sure my wife, kids, and friends are glad I'm a Christ-follower!
• Watching the cardboard testimonies fueled my desire to see even more people's lives changed by the gospel of Jesus.  I'm realizing that I'm a bit addicted to changed lives - I rarely am moved to tears, but when I hear of how Christ has changed someone's life, I find myself choking up a bit.  And the weird thing is, I want to choke up more.
• Week #2 was spent in Bellevue, NE to celebrate Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family.  As usual we had a blast!
• My family got to help serve at my brother's church's Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday night.  The church bussed in over a thousand people, fed them an incredible meal, and allowed those who needed a new winter coat to select one before being bussed home.  This was the second time we got to do it.  This time around they had TOO many volunteers, but the evening still went well.  We got to serve as table hosts.  Two years ago when I got to do this I had some great spiritual conversations with the people at my table.  This year I only got to host one table, and it seemed that everyone they sent me either was already a believer or didn't want to talk.  Oh well.  My wife and sister-in-law had a good conversation with one gal - hopefully the lady will pursue Christ and not simply religion.
• I enjoyed the Nebraska game - well, I only enjoyed it cause they pulled out the win (and got to watch it with my brother, dad, and one cousin).  I didn't enjoy the fact that they allowed Colorado to score 3 easy touchdowns in the first half.  Nor did I enjoy the fact that the Husker offense seemed to move the ball at will until they got within the 20 yard line.  But if you like dramatic football games, this one was for you.
• LeAnn and I put up new blinds on Monday this week in the eating area and kitchen - finally!  The old ones were in horrible disrepair - they were so bad that I think it embarrassed some of our neighbors.  But no longer!  Now instead of cheap, broken, "alabaster" vinyl blinds, we have cheap, non-broken, white blinds.  Huge thanks to my dad for helping me out!  (Hanging the blinds went much smoother by having someone who is actually handy helping with the job.)
• Now that the blinds are up, all young adults (and those who help serve and lead them) at New Covenant are welcome to our annual Christmas Open House tomorrow night from 6-12.  If you are on Facebook, here is the "Event" a friend set-up for the party.

And now my blog thought (at least the one I've hung on to the past couple weeks...)

While at the pastors retreat in Wisconsin, LeAnn and I met 5 other really neat couples.  One of the couples was newly married and instantly likable.  But they were also unemployed.  The husband had recently resigned from his Jr. High youth pastor position at a church.  He and his wife were at the retreat to seek God and his direction for their lives.

Over the course of the week, we learned more about each couple.  The reason he had resigned from the church was due to unhealthy boundaries.  As a single guy, he didn't notice these unhealthy boundaries, but as a married man, he began to see that these issues would keep him from being a great husband, which in turn would keep him from being a great youth pastor.  What were these "boundaries" being crossed?  He was regularly working 80 hours per week.  He was overseeing two youth groups at two different campuses (their church was "multi-site").  He would receive phone calls from his superior at 2 or 3 in the morning to talk about "business".  The final straw came when he was told he had to lead one of the youth groups on Tuesday night instead of Wednesday night, the same night his small group met.  His small group was the one thing that was actually helping him, encouraging him, and strengthening him to make it through the week - the thought of losing that on top of everything else was enough to open his eyes to these unhealthy patterns.

One evening during our week, this particular young adult couple mentioned the name of the church they had resigned from.  We didn't have Internet at the retreat house, so I looked up the church when I was back home and could hook the Internet I.V. back into my digital veins.  I wanted to see this "horrible" church that abused it's staff like this.

To my surprise - the church looked great!  As I perused the church website (I tend to read other church websites - it's what us pastors do), I found myself thinking, "This looks like a GREAT church!  I'd go there based on what I'm reading!  The site is beautiful.  The vision and mission is compelling.  The appearance of this church's site makes this look like a great church."

Had I not talked to someone on the inside, I would have believed the appearances.  But the story of what was lying underneath was completely different than the website indicated.  Staff were leaving in droves.  Relationships among the staff weren't emotionally healthy.  And a fantastic young Jr. High pastor with an incredible heart for Jesus left.

I feel so sad for this church.  They lost a great guy.  LeAnn and I found ourselves wishing there was some way New Covenant could hire this twenty-eight year old.

But I'm also excited for this young man and his bride.  They did the right thing by stepping down and they are doing the right thing by seeking God in all of this.  They are living by faith, willing to do whatever HE wants for them.  And I know that God will do great things through them for His Kingdom.

As I pondered all of this after seeing the church's website, I couldn't help but think - what appearances am I giving off that aren't true to what is really underneath?  Are there things that need cleaned up, corrected, or improved in my life?  Am I saying one thing with my mouth, but doing another in my thoughts or actions?

All I know is that I don't want to be like that church - giving the appearance of being one thing, when underneath a completely different story exists.  To live like that is to live unlike Christ.  However, it is my prayer that God would daily continue to change me to be more like Jesus in how I think, talk, act, and love.  Jesus didn't put on appearances, so neither should I.

It's been a long time...

...since I've rock and rolled... er, rather... posted.  My blog has probably been feeling quite lonely.  I've been having lots of thoughts and lots of activity, but either haven't had time to post or not quite sure how to share the thoughts I was having.  So finally the crowd of thoughts is rushing in, and the blog isn't so lonely for the moment...

• I helped out 2 days last week with Eight Days of Hope.  While I am extremely unhandy, it was a blast to help out.  In one home on Ellis Blvd. I helped rip out plumbing and old electrical wire that was still in the house 5 months after the flood (the photo here is from that home - you can see more photos on Facebook if you are one of my "friends") .  The next home (in Palo) I helped frame a bathroom, rip out old drywall screws, and do whatever they needed me to do so the rest of the team that actually knows what they are doing could do their job. :o)
• My friend and executive pastor, Kim Pagel, posted about each day of Eight Days of Hope.  Each post is worth reading. And if you click on each of the photos, you'll see some great photos of each day.
• So much work was done in just 8 days.  But not only physical work was completed.  Spiritual things happened as well.  At least two people we know of crossed the line of faith this week (they found the "Stairway to Heaven")!  And the couple that I got to help on Tuesday and Wednesday who hadn't darkened the door of a church in quite a while were at New Covenant this past Sunday! Kim said it well in his Day 6 post:

Who ever thought that people would come to Cedar Rapids from all corners of the United States with a common mission to bring hope and healing? Our city has been blessed, our lives have been enriched. Thank you for caring! Thank you for sharing! Thank you for coming!

• I was sharing with my best friend in Michigan over the phone about some of the work we were doing in the homes, and how we had to tear rotten wood out before we could begin framing the bathroom in the home in Palo.  He responded with a smile in his voice, "sounds like a song I've heard."  He was referring to a song I wrote 8 years ago in response to a prayer he had been praying.
• I played that song on Sunday, Oct 26th in all 4 services at New Covenant's 46th St. Campus and in the service at our Wash Campus on the 19th.  It fit really well with Bob Westfall's sermons from Romans 7.
• The chorus of the song is:

Take me apart

Remake my heart

I don't care what it costs

I just want to be like you

• I'll warn you - don't pray that prayer unless you are ready for God to rock your world! :o)
• I just heard another song today that rocked my world.  Here it is:

• Well, I slowly typed this as I watched election results tonight.  And now that Obama's been declared the winner (and my wife is asleep on my shoulder) I should head to bed.  I have more to share, but will do that at another time.
• And since I've slipped in a couple of Led Zeppelin references throughout this post, I'll end with one more...
  

All my love,

-E

Present-ing the Blog

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks, so I thought I would bring my blog up to the present...

• LeAnn's X-ray on Thursday showed everything was fine - the broken bone is no longer broken!  Good-bye boot!
• In her excitement at my return home on Sunday night, M misjudged the bottom stair in the basement and sprained her ankle.  So we still have one Bird girl on crutches. in the house.
• I preached 4 times on Sunday.  Thanks to anyone who prayed - it went well.  I really didn't think the sermon would be all that great or memorable, but several other people seemed to think otherwise.  I get the privilege of sharing the same message this coming Sunday at Encounter Christian Church.
  
• I loved the video shown on Sunday of an interview with Chad and Amy Sauser.  That was awesome!
• Proof that miracles still happen: Despite my incredible ineptness at handyman projects, I managed to stop the drip in the bathroom faucet on the main level.  (I just won't tell anyone that this 30 minute project took me over 2 hours...)
• Friends had a baby this morning - it was fun taking our whole family on our weekly "Family Night" to go visit them and greet their new little one.
• Our family gets to "star" in a comedic sketch this coming Wednesday night at our church's monthly "Family Night".  We get to be the "unified" family (K was bummed, she wanted to be the "disunified" family since the sketch is called "Family Feud")
• I've had some really big projects as of late (other than preaching).  We are doing a custom mailing inviting the community to be a part of our fall Impact Series - I ended up doing the design for it and most of the content layout as well (with great input from the rest of the staff).  We are also doing our own small group study guide for the Impact Series - again I get to do the layout.  However I've never done a booklet like this before so I had to call in help from the professionals (thanks Jeff!).  Next project - a wedding guide for "everything a couple needs to make their wedding ceremony successful at New Covenant..."
• I finish up pre-marital counseling with one couple this coming Sunday.  LeAnn and I are doing pre-marital counseling for another couple on Tuesday nights - it's fun doing it with my wife.
• I'm reading It right now and I'm really enjoying it. It has really affected my prayers lately.  Seems every Craig Groeschel  book I read helps me get my priorities back in order.
• I really wished I could have seen more of the US Open.  I only got to see bits here and there.
• I really hope I get to see a Cornhusker football game on TV at least once this year before the Colorado game.
• LeAnn and I finished Lost season 4 last night (seemed like a great way to wind down from a busy day).  Part of me wants season 5 NOW, and another part of me is ready to just be done with it.  If I were a single guy and a girl treated my heart like Lost does, I'd have given up and moved on by now...

That should do it for now.  It seems there was one other "bigger" thing I had thought about including on here, but I can't seem to remember it.  Oh well...

Prayer Requests

Need to make this quick, but I have two important prayer requests for you if you are willing to pray for these things:

(Please don't offer up half-hearted prayers. If you are going to do that, then please just move on to the next thing you were planning to do. But if you are willing to genuinely pray about these things before our Father, I appreciate it!)

1. I preach on Sunday at New Covenant. Pray that I will be prepared, share exactly what God wants me to share, and those who need to hear it will not only be present, but will make changes in their life accordingly.
   
2. The father of a college classmate sent the following email to friends, and thankfully it got forwarded to my inbox:

Dear Friend,

The King of Busoga (our tribe) died on Monday, 1 September 2008. This is a major, major event in our nation. He is being accorded a "state funeral"; Monday, 8 September 2008, the day of his burial, has been declared a public holiday in Uganda. From today up to tomorrow his body will lie in state in the Parliament of Uganda and there will be a special session of Parliament in honour of the fallen king tomorrow. This is a major, major event that has gripped the whole nation, and I as Bishop of Busoga am at the centre of the funeral services. I will be heading the special church service for the whole nation in honour of the fallen king on Sunday, 7 September 2008. I will further be heading the the funeral service for the king on Monday, 8 September 2008, which the President of Uganda will attend, and "who's who" in the whole nation and thousands of people. I have written to you, friend, because I want you to pray for me. I am going to share The Gospel. It is an opportunity of amazing proportions.

Yours in Christ,

Michael Kyomya

One day just wasn't enough...

My wife's birthday was yesterday.  We celebrated with brownies and ice cream and gifts as part of our weekly Family Night.  But I felt like one day just wasn't enough to celebrate this incredible woman's birthday.  So I surprised her Sunday night with a "schedule" for the entire week to help celebrate her birthday all week long.  Clothes shopping, a massage, conversation with friends, time with me, and more are all on the docket this week.  We already accomplished the clothes shopping, but it's fun to know she has more things ahead to remind her how special she is to me and the kids.

I have been so blessed to be given such a faithful, loyal wife, who is not only passionate about me and our relationship, but even more passionate about a relationship with Christ.  I marvel at how she makes just about everyone feel accepted, and how she accomplishes so much with 4 kids to care for.  She truly has been, is, and will continue to be a wonderful gift from God.  And when something this wonderful comes along, you just can't celebrate it on only one day.  And so our family has declared this "LeAnn Bird Week!"

Happy Birthday, Le.  I love you!

Summer Blessings

With school beginning in just a few hours for my girls, summer break has officially come to a close.  As part of our family night this past Monday, we each shared highlights of our summer.  I thought I'd share some of my highlights here, but I'm going to share them in two sets - the "expected" highlights, and the "surprise" highlights of the summer of 2008.

Expected Highlights/Blessings

• Our trip to Topeka over the 4th
• Our trip to Indianola the first weekend of August
• Seeing K use her birthday as an opportunity to serve
• Officiating 4 weddings
• Celebrating T's 2nd birthday with lots and lots of balls
• Celebrating 14 years of marriage in June
• Swimming laps almost 3x per week
• Leadership Summit
• Some good family time

Surprise Highlights/Blessings

• The Flood of 2008 (because it allowed the Church to shine and serve this city like never before)
• LeAnn's broken leg (because it showed me I'm not as great of a servant as I thought I was - and gave LeAnn time to actually sit and read)
• Tsion's mysterious infection in July (because it forced us to rely on God)
• Officiating a funeral for a 5-month old (because I got to minister to his parents, who are also my friends, in a way I never would have otherwise)

In each of these surprise highlights, I think I would gladly give up the "blessing" so that others could have back their homes, legs, and children.  Yet I can't help but realize that even in the darkest of times, there are still linings of God's grace and blessing.  Romans 5:3-5 (which was just preached this past Sunday at church) encourages us to rejoice in sufferings, because of what they can lead to in the long run - endurance, character, and hope.

With this thought in mind, I'd like to close with a Franciscan blessing I've had hanging in my office for several years, and I heard shared at the Leadership Summit a few weeks ago.  It has a similar sentiment as my "surprise blessings" of this summer:

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

And like a good neighbor...

Last Saturday night, we hosted our almost-annual neighborhood BBQ.  We had a GREAT turnout!  Everyone brought their own meat to grill, a side to share, and a chair to sit back, relax and enjoy the company of great neighbors.  When LeAnn and I moved into the neighborhood 6 and a half years ago, only 1 neighbor intentionally welcomed us to the neighborhood.  Since that time, almost every home around us has since sold and gotten new owners.  These new neighbors have all been eager to not only get to know one another, but also help each other.  It is common to see one neighbor snow blowing another neighbors driveway, to know one neighbor is taking care of another neighbors pets while they are gone on vacation, or to see different neighbors out on a walk together.  In our neighborhood the ages range from baby to grandparent; but what truly matters is people truly are friendly and we can trust one another.

LeAnn and I had our first neighborhood gathering 5 years ago, and the whole neighborhood looks forward to it every summer.  If your neighborhood or apartment complex doesn't do something like this, I'd encourage you to consider recruiting some neighbors to help you start one.  And it doesn't have to be an outdoor barbeque - you could host something around Christmas, or do something around a football game.  I know one person whose whole neighborhood gets together a couple of times a year to watch a movie - they hang a big sheet on the back of their house, set-up a projector, and enjoy treats everyone brings to share.

So get creative!  It will be worth it.  I know - I spent 6 hours in the yard Saturday just getting ready to host the event in our side yard, and don't regret a minute of it.  Because I can't let State Farm be the only good neighbor!

Two for One

To save my time and yours, here are two posts in one!  (And "two" is very significant as you'll see in a moment...)

T Turns Two

Today, T woke up from his nap chanting to himself "Aboo Day Day Do Di-un" (Translation: "Happy Birthday To Me").  Yes, the youngest Bird has entered the Two-Year-Old Zone.

The theme was balls and balloons.  The afternoon was filled with the fun of kicking 12 balloons around the family room with no purpose except to kick and make boy-noises while in the process of swinging his foot.

Before we ate, each child prayed to God, thanking Him for something about T.  Then after a great supper (provided by the wonderful Paulson family to help care for us while LeAnn recovers from her broken foot), we opened presents.  Each sibling presented T with their respective gift, which was followed by play with that gift.  The highlight gifts were the basketball hoop from the Bird Grandparents (T is surprisingly a really good shot!  But then again he is the grandson of Larry Bird!), and the blow-up football-ballpit from the Wojakowski Grandparents.

T is a special little boy, and it is such a blessing to have him part of the Birdnest.  "Abu Day Day" T!

Thoughts and Updates

• LeAnn finally put weight on her leg Sunday, and used it even more yesterday.  It's nice to have her mobile, but we'll all be glad when the cast is off.  But we are thanking God right now that it is only one bone.  My uncle was in a car accident last week where the woman who hit him died, and he was left with a broken foot, ankle, leg, and arm.  It's going to be a long road to recovery for him, but as I read an update from my aunt, he is very positive, joking around with the staff.  He got my grandfather's personality, and if I were in that situation, I would hope I would respond like my uncle has.
• We registered K yesterday for school.  Hard to believe I am the father of a middle school student.
• Had an AWESOME weekend in Indianola, IA visiting an old friend.  He and I played together in the church nursery when we were infants, and this past Sunday our youngest kids played together in the church nursery.  But not only did my family get to stay with his family, we got to see several other old high school friends on Saturday night as well.  I couldn't help but remark to my friend after everyone had left, "we sure have been blessed with some great friends".  Makes me wish they all lived closer to Cedar Rapids.
• Weekends like this last one make it hard to meet my weight-loss goal. :o)
• I'm going to Leadership Summit this week.  I'm also taking a college friend who is pastoring a young church in the Des Moines area (Dallas/Grimes area to be exact).  But I have to hustle home Friday for a wedding rehearsal.
• The more I work in my yard, the more spiritual lessons I learn.  The latest - I had noticed on Monday that some crabgrass had starting growing in my yard.  I knew I needed to kill it as soon as possible.  So on Thursday before we left for the weekend, I ran to Menards to buy some crabgrass killer.  I thought I had just a few spots in the front lawn and along the street.  Boy was I wrong!  The stuff was everywhere!  As I sprayed and sprayed and sprayed, I couldn't help but recall the first "character assassin" in the book Deadly Viper Character Assassins: Character Creep. When you allow your character to "creep" away from integrity, it starts small, but it just keep going and going and going, until you are doing something you never thought you'd ever do.  Rather than having a "pure" lawn of a life, you have the crabgrass of dishonesty or deceitfulness growing everywhere.  Thankfully, God is a God of radical grace, and his forgiveness will kill the crabgrass-sin we've allowed to creep in and spread, but it means submitting to His discipline.
• I'm way behind on everything - email, tasks, mowing the lawn, etc.  There's no way I'm going to get it all done before I have to leave early Thursday morning for the Summit.  I have GOT to get more organized to handle all of this!

And the last thing - I finally figured out why these "catch up" posts are good for me personally.  Last Tuesday, we had an all-day staff meeting (it's not as bad as it sounds - they're actually quite fun!) and one of our assignments was to share about the last 6 months of ministry.  But I can barely recall last week!  However, never fear - the blog is here!  My memory was jogged by going through my old posts, and I could complete the assignment without looking like I was brain-dead.  I think I may finally be understanding why some people journal...

God In the Tough Week

This has been a tough week. On Monday, LeAnn sprained her ankle (or so we thought) while hiking out at Palisades. X-rays revealed yesterday there is actually a hairline fracture on the fibula (or is it fibia?). So LeAnn is confined to an equalizer boot (or is it a stabilizer boot?), crutches, and the couch (or is it a sofa?). Alright, I'll stop with the parenthetical questions (or will I?).

On Tuesday, my friends, the Dolezals, lost their little 5-month old son. I just got done officiating the funeral this morning. Nate and Emily really put together a beautiful service that both honored the short life Rowan lived, and reaffirmed that God is still God, He is still good, and they will praise him, even in the midst of this storm. It was an honor to be with them this week and be part of this tough time with them, but I'd gladly trade this experience with them if it could get them their son back. He was such a precious little guy who had battled so much and overcame so many odds - and then to have it all end during a nap.

It's been tough trying to be there for both my family and for the Dolezals, and try and get other work done too. And as I type this, my wife is at the clinic with my youngest son to have a spot on his backside checked out for possible infection.

But what I said in my message during the funeral is true and it's what I'm clinging to right now. A couple people said the message was really good and meant a lot to them, so perhaps it might be meaningful to at least one of you, as well.

------

I have been acting like a 2 or 3 year old lately. At least that’s what Emily indicated on Thursday as we sat together to plan today’s service.

I was telling her and Nate that my wife badly sprained her ankle (which we just learned yesterday is actually a hairline fracture on her fibula) while hiking at Palisades on Monday, so she has been laid up all week. One afternoon, she pulled out my laptop to do some things online. She has used my laptop many times, but for some reason when I saw her sitting on the couch, leg propped up, using my Facebook account to write friends, I inwardly thought, “hey, that’s mine! That’s my laptop!” Thus, Emily’s implication that my inner 2-year-old was coming out.

On Tuesday afternoon this week, I connected by phone to a tearful Nate and learned Rowan was not breathing. Emily was in an ambulance at that moment, and I could hear sirens in the distance. Not much later as I was on my way to the hospital, I got a phone call from Steve, today’s worship leader, telling me Rowan didn’t make it. As I hung up the phone, I found my prayers suddenly changing. I went from begging God to allow Rowan to live, to asking the question “why”. My inner 2-year-old was coming out yet again.

I think all of us are feeling a little bit like a question-filled 2- or 3-year-old in our grieving process. We think about Emily’s pregnancy with Rowan and his 5-months outside the womb, and our lips keep uttering “why”. Why did someone so precious and who overcame so many challenges in so short a time die so young? Why would God allow the sound of Rowan banging his plastic keys against his leg casts to be silenced so soon? Why does a nurturing 4-year-old brother have to now wrestle with the concept of a little brother who’s gone? Why do Nate & Emily have to be put in the difficult place of explaining to Rilynn that she can’t help with the baby’s baths anymore? Why would something like this happen to such a great family and to such awesome parents? Why couldn’t Rowan be resuscitated? Why would God allow this to happen?

As a pastor, I am frequently put in the uncomfortable position of being expected to have an answer. Whether it’s a theological question or a relationship question or just a life question, I am expected to have the perfect response. Unfortunately, I have let many people down.

If you have come today looking to have your Why questions answered, I am sorry that you now join the ranks of “people Erin Bird has disappointed”. I cannot give you an answer. I don’t know why God would allow this precious little boy to be born with the physical and genetic disorders he was given, (and which he was making great progress through) only to leave this life during an innocent nap. I don’t know why God would allow this to happen to such great parents – Nate and Emily are an incredible dad and mom. The day I got to visit Rowan in Iowa City just a couple of days after his birth, it was very evident that Emily was the right mom for him. She just knew how to care for him, even as he had casts on his hips, and tubes running everywhere. And Nate is simply amazing as a father. He is so involved with his kids; knows how to truly care for them and not simply be just some guy who lives in the same house. I can’t imagine a better father for Rowan, so I can’t answer why God would allow Rowan to leave these great parents at such an early age.

And so my inner 2-year-old keeps repeating “why, why, why”. But there is also something my inner 2-year old wants to do that I think will be helpful to all of us.

My youngest son turns two in a week and a half. He’s a sweet little boy who, much to my delight, loves to wrestle. As I wrestle him, I have the strength and power to hurt him deeply. He knows I’m bigger and stronger, but he trusts me to be gentle and play with him, as a good father should. When I throw him in the air, he completely trusts that I’m going to catch him. When he plunges into the water at the pool, he completely trusts that I will pull him up. He lives with a child-like faith that I, his father, will be there for him.

Jesus instructs us to have that same type of faith in our Heavenly Father. Mark 10:13-15 tells us the following story about Jesus’ view on child-like faith.

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

As I prayed with Nate and Emily and some of their friends and family in the hospital room Tuesday night, I heard that two-year-old type of faith in Nate’s prayer. I saw that complete trust in Emily as we planned today’s service and she shared what songs they wanted included.

Psalm 9:10 says, “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

Nate and Emily know God’s name, they know Jesus Christ, and so they trust him. You and I need to do the same. We may be filled with questions like a child, but we need to also have faith like a child. If anything is going to help us grieve properly, it is a complete assurance that God has not forsaken us at this time. We must place our complete trust upon God through Christ.

But notice in Psalm 9:10 that God says he never forsakes those who seek him. If you are not seeking Him, if you do not understand the significance of the cross of Christ, then you cannot fully trust Him. And you are left to mourn the loss of Rowan through human means alone.

Seeking the LORD does not happen through doing good works or saying the right things. Seeking the LORD is something of faith. And it is not placing your faith in what you can do, but rather in what God has done. Mankind is separated from God by sin, and there is nothing mankind can do on its own to cross the spiritual breach that exists between humans and God. But God, in His mercy, created the path upon which mankind could walk to cross the divide. Jesus tells us in John 14:6 that HE is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one can come to the Father except through Him.

If you have not placed your complete trust in God by placing your faith upon the cross of Christ as the payment for your sins, I invite you to step across, to place your spiritual feet upon the solid foundation of Jesus. Rowan was blessed to be born into a home that lives with faith in Christ. Emily was telling me a cute story about Reece and how he as a soon-to-be 4-year-old is just beginning to comprehend the idea of Jesus, the cross, and heaven. The story involves a bird’s nest, baby birds, and a trash can. You’ll have to ask her about it later. While the story brought a fun laugh in the middle of our grief, it gave me a glimpse into the home and the great job Nate and Emily are doing spiritually in parenting their children. Had Rowan grown to adulthood, he would have understood what I just explained to you, that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins, but you have to accept that forgiveness by placing your complete faith, your complete trust, on Jesus. I can’t help but think that one of the greatest ways we could honor Rowan’s memory is to live with a child-like faith in Christ, completely trusting him, even when our “why” questions aren’t answered.

The verse you find inside your program comes from Psalm 139, one of my favorite chapters in all of Scripture. And the verses Nate and Emily selected for today are perfect for the occasion. However, I would like to point out the verses that come prior to verses 13-18.

In verses 1-10, David writes: "O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence. If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

Just as my 2-year-old has faith that I will be there when he jumps in the pool or wants me to throw him in the air, God wants us to know that know matter where we go, no matter what happens in life, He is there with us. Notice the psalm talks about heights and depths – joy and sorrow. It doesn’t pretend that life becomes easy when God is with us. David experienced the best of life and the worst, which included the death of his own newborn son. But through it all, David knew God was there.

King David is known for being called a “man after God’s own heart.” But he is also known for his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, which led to the birth of a son who died shortly after birth. When David’s sin of adultery was revealed to him by the prophet Nathan, David cried out to God, and penned the song that we now know as Psalm 51.

In verses 10-12, David pleaded to God:
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Emily used to sing these words every night to her little “Punky Pie” as she put him to bed, therefore it seemed very appropriate to include "Create In Me A Clean Heart" in today’s service. But if you are sensing that you need to place your faith fully upon Jesus, I encourage you to use this next song, as you listen, to pray to God, confess your sin to him, asking Him to create in you a clean heart, and to give you the joy of His salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Light on Serving

Last week I mentioned that my now-11-year-old daughter K was combining her "birthday party" with a friend (daughter of our Middle School Pastor) by inviting their friends to make sandwiches for Meals on Wheels and the Salvation Army.  Originally it was scheduled for Tuesday, July 8th, but on Monday the 7th, Meals on Wheels called to say they didn't need the kids to come in - the order had been cancelled for the day.  I told the cheerful woman on the phone that this news posed a bit of a problem because they were coming to serve for a "birthday party".  The wonderful lady on the other end of the phone said "oh - well then, give me a half hour" and she rearranged plans for the kids to come in on Friday.

And wow did she rearrange plans!  Instead of the kids showing up quietly to make sandwiches, they were greeted with T-shirts at the door, a live jazz band was playing, Channel 2 was there to cover the event (it aired on the 6 o'clock news that night), and even the Gazette carried a great story in the Saturday paper (although they said the girls' birthdays were in June, not July!).

LeAnn and I were already proud of K for the way she wanted to use her "party" to make a difference, but we were also quite proud of her and her response to the attention.  Rather than get prideful about the light being shined on what she and Lindsay decided to do, she was actually a little bit bummed.  K, who normally loves attention, felt like the joy of serving quietly was stolen.  Her mom and I are thrilled to see that sort of humility already in our tween's heart.  That's the best present we as parents could receive on our daughter's birthday.

Another "kethup" post

What I thought would only happen one time is beginning to happen more frequently - the irregular "ketchup" post. I probably don't need to worry about doing these since most of the blogosphere couldn't care a lick about my life, but for some reason it helps me - so to catch my 3 readers up, here goes...

PERSONAL

• Had a GREAT trip with my family to Topeka, Kansas to see LeAnn's side of the family over the 4th. LeAnn and I are so blessed to have the extended families that we do. I am so thankful to God that both of us have parents that love Christ and siblings who are leading their families to follow Christ as well. It is always so enjoyable to be with any of our family. The only regret was not getting to go boating/skiing/tubing one day due to weather (that and not getting another day or two with everyone!). Otherwise, the week could not have gone better.
• K turns 11 today. We have a small family party tonight with the annual "birthday-party-with-friends" event on Friday.
• I've been swimming laps almost every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday since the pool opened. I've lost 13 pounds in 2 months, and hope to lose about 9 more by the end of August.
• LeAnn and I just booked a week away together (not just a weekend) on a "couples retreat" in mid-November. We get to hang out at a house in the middle of Wisconsin reserved for full-time pastors and their spouses.
  
• I'm addicted to the game "Scramble" on Facebook (it's pretty much the game "Boggle"). I'm up for a turn-based game with anyone!
• I'm enjoying our "eXchange" series on Romans here at New Covenant. But I need to get caught up on last week's sermon since we were out of town...
• I read "Deadly Viper Character Assassins" on my spiritual retreat June 27. It was fun, a great reminder, surprisingly "non-Christian" coming from two pastors, and something I'm giving to the leaders I get to co-labor with to encourage them to be men of radical integrity.
  

MINISTRY

• I have a bunch of stuff to do for a conference we are putting on here at New Covenant on mid-sized groups. What started as a conference for the leaders of our Adult Bible Fellowships has spilled into an event we are inviting other churches too. I got to design the promo materials, and now need to get those mailed out to various churches.
• I have 2 weddings in one day on July 19th. I've never officiated two in one day, but I'm honored that I get to stand before Jonathan & Mallori and Dustin & Josie as God makes the two into one as they exchange vows. But because I have 2 in one day, I should probably get to working on at least one of them this week...
• I'm still trying to figure out what exactly to pour my time into now that my time with Watershed is pretty much over. I have a couple of different missions trips in mind, plus a "leadership development group" that's been swirling around in my head. If I'm going to do something on the leadership development thing, I better get going on it since the idea is a 9-10 month class, so I need to get going in September. Any young adults in CR that read this and have an interest, email me...
• We have an opportunity at New Covenant to reach out to some international students studying business at Kirkwood here in Cedar Rapids.
  

THOUGHTS THAT DESERVE THEIR OWN POST

• One disappointing moment on our Topeka trip last week: LeAnn saw a friend of her parents' at church Sunday after the service. He asked the typical "so where are you these days" and she answered "Cedar Rapids" just as I was walking up to join the conversation. He immediately remarked about the floods, having heard about it on the news. He even clarified: "your city government buildings were built on an island in the river, right?" After our affirmative answer, I could not believe my ears at the next statement to slip from the lips of this "wizened Christian man".
  
  "Well, you'll get no sympathy from me".
  
  The same attitude that I saw in the New York Times article on the Cedar Rapids flood was pouring out of this man in front of me. I tried to help him understand the magnitude of the flood, but it was useless - his opinion was that if someone builds anywhere close to water, they should expect to lose everything in a flood someday.
  
  After I realized he was stuck in the conclusion he had jumped to concerning the flood, I chose to point the light on Christ and share about all the great things God has been doing in the city, especially through His people. The man before me seemed amazed at this and was somewhat pleased, but you could tell he had come to a firm opinion and was not going to give any pity whatsoever.
  
  I couldn't help but think about this conversation the entire 6 1/2 hour trip home. One thought I had was that perhaps this man shouldn't receive any mercy if his home was destroyed by a tornado since he had the hubris to build it within the state of Kansas. But I knew that wasn't the right response.
  
  But the overwhelming thought I had was this: Even if the entire city of Cedar Rapids had intentionally built near the river with arrogance and ignorance, the Christ-like response is not only sympathy, but compassion in action. The Scriptures tell us that while we were sinners, while we were arrogant and ignorant thinking we could do it better or differently than God, Christ died for our sins. He entered in to our problem, put compassion into action, and rescued us through the cross.
  
  And so having a Christian man (whose wife has been very active in her church's missions committee which has aimed to put Christ's compassion into action all around the world) respond with such an uncaring attitude just hit me below the belt emotionally. I could not believe a self-proclaimed Christ follower could come to such a "logical" conclusion of unsympathy.
  
  
• I have several magazines and articles waiting to be read, one of which is an AP study on the consumption of news by today's young adults.
  
  
• I finally saw Rob Bell's "Everything is Spiritual" sermon/DVD. I liked it much better than I anticipated. I used to listen to Rob's sermons via podcast, as well as own every Nooma film he has taught in. But so many of his sermons and Nooma films began to come to the same conclusion. "We just need to go out and do good in the world." It felt like a rehashing of the social gospel of the 70s. Christ seemed absent, and good works was enough. Obviously I am all for doing good in the world as you can tell by my praise of the flood relief efforts, but to only do good without the knowledge that Christ gave us the example seemed empty to me.
  
  I expected the "Everything is Spiritual" message to come to the same conclusion - just go do good things because it is all spiritual. But that wasn't the message. Rob had some EXCELLENT illustrations and ideas in his message, and I've already used his Flatland illustration in conversation twice. I'm going to lend it to a friend, but this is probably a message I should relisten to (which I rarely do).

FINALLY THE END

Okay, this is WAY more than enough. I'll be surprised if even one of my three readers makes it this far. And that counts my wife. :o) I know I would probably have given up reading this far by now - probably because of the info in that AP study...