Laughter Brings More Laughter

From time to time, I often encounter moments of laughter with thanks from my friends and family members.  As is my custom, I laugh out loud.  Laughter has played a HUGE role in my life.  Laughter is my outlet for frustration, anger, disappointment, success, happiness, and joy.  Thanks to my family, I’ve had many occasions for laughter.  Usually at my own expense, but still laughter.

I love to laugh.  No matter if it’s a story, cartoon, movie, sitcom, or conversation.  Laughter is wonderful.  I love the subtle humor found in movies like:

O Brother Where Art Thou? “What a coincidence, me and Pete just got saved!”

The Outlaw Josie Wales “I ain’t yer Pa!” (I know some of you bewildered, but I LOVE this movie)

Pink Panther (original movies) - all the lines spoken with a terrible accent that most have a difficult time understanding.  Gold.
Home Alone - all scenes after they arrive to break into the house.
Support Your Local Sherriff - this is a classic.  Love it!

Just to name a few, but they all evoke a great memory.  My mom played a great role in helping to define laughter.  She would laugh at the cartoons we watched, regardless if she had seen it once or a thousand times.  She introduced my daughter to Tom and Jerry and still laughed at the appropriate times.  As do I.

Even in the darkest of times, she displayed a sense of humor that brought laughter.  My, how I miss hearing that laugh, but I’ve got it recorded in my brain so I can hear it along with my own.  It’s hard to believe that one year has come and gone since she graduated to God’s kingdom, but my grief is replaced with hope.  My sorrow is replaced with joy knowing that I’m headed to where she is now.  One day, I shall step into the chilly waters of the Jordan River, and see my Savior and Redeemer.  Then I shall see my family.  Hear laughter.  Share hugs.  That, will be a grand reunion…until then, take care.

First pic: Nancy and Dean sharing hug and laugh

Second pic: Nana and Mary getting ready to go

Third pic: Lisa and Mary self pic

Fourth pic: Nana and Mary "silly faces"

Emotions

There are times that I often feel so inadequate.  I feel like a failure as a husband, father, minister, and friend.  Feel.  Ah, there is the explanation: emotions.  Our human emotions cannot rule our hearts and lives.  They are fleeting.  They are incomplete.  They are troublesome.

Remember as a teenager, when we would say, “I love you, forever and ever!”  Then the next week, month, or year, we have moved on to someone else and expressed the same sentiment.  Emotions.  I heard the story of a young couple talking about life during the first year of marriage.  The young man asked, “Would you love me if I cheated on you?”  His new bride replied, “Yes.”  He then asked, “Would you love me if I lost my job?”  “Yes,” she replied.  “One more question,” he asked, “what if I was in a terrible accident and could not walk again, would you still love me?”  She smiled at him, and spoke with great compassion, “I will love you always and forever, because of my obedience to God, not because of your abilities or inabilities.”

She has learned that emotions cannot be trusted, but obedience will always trump emotions.

Don’t let the world sway you; choose obedience to God in seeing you through those terrible days that always leave you questioning your faith or existence.  In the big picture, God is with you desiring to move you out of your comfort zone to strengthen your faith and bring glory to Christ.  Yet, you still have to make the choice to allow God to do that in your life.  Trust me, I’ve constantly experienced the pitfalls of emotions, and the only remedy is obey and trust God.

Carpool. 5 year old. Passion.

This can be dangerous, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately.  Why does carpool take so long?  Why does a 5 year old possess so much power to make or break your day?  Why does free speech bring out passion in folk?  Why do we (and I mean we) neglect God’s Word so much?  Why are we so prone to make poor choices?  Not that I have any answers to these questions, but it’s worth pondering.

There are many things in life that can stir the passion in me, just to name a few: un-sportsmanship behavior, greed, selfishness, ignorance, and disrespect.  However, how about we look at our spiritual well being?  How do we measure our selves in respect to God’s Word and His desire for us to develop and mature in our walk of faith? 

Sadly, too often we have developed a “good enough” posture in the church.  (Let’s donate this to the church since we bought a new one…its good enough for the church.) 

We only want “just enough” of Christ to save us, but not to change us.  (Easy pastor.  I’m not going to serve in the church.  I just want to come once a week and throw a few dollars in the plate, hear some music, preaching, and then go home.  No commitment and no more time.)

No where in scripture do we find such thinking, so then where do we find this?

We have allowed Satan to quiet our passion in following God.  We’ve bought into an entitlement of our spiritual journey.  Looks similar to this:

                        I deserve this because____________.

                        I should be recognized because ____________.

                        I earned this because ___________.

The passion to follow God is not paved with emphasis on “I.”  Rather, it’s paved with self-less attitudes and behavior that bring glory and honor to Him and Him alone.

Just thinking a loud.  Hopefully, you too are now thinking. 

Carpool.  5 year old.  Passion.

Blessings,

Jack

Men Of Conviction

Where are the men of conviction?  Where are the women of principle?  Too often in our culture, people are accustomed to lurking in the shadows passing judgements without investing personally.  This ought not to be.  We need people to take the point and lead.  I'm reminded of my childhood.  I grew up in Logan, WV and my backyard was Chief Logan State Park. 

We lived close to the entrance, as did many others, and we spent many hours walking the trails all through the park.  Since most trails were narrow, it was necessary for someone to take the point.  The point man would look carefully for spider webs and spiders as well as snakes.  Rattle snakes were not an issue, since they would make that specific noise, but alas the copper heads...a different story all together.  Thankfully, none of our group were ever bitten, but we had plenty of spider encounters where one of us would walk right through a large web...with the spider centered perfectly in the middle.  Yuck!  Still hate the thought of that.  Hence, the point man was responsible for taking care of others and looking out for every one's well being.  If one person became sick or injured, then we all had to safely return home for care.  Not much fun in going back home, so we all had to look out for one another.

So, are you looking out for someone?  Are you a point man for others?  Stop lurking in the shadows.  Get to the front and make a difference.  I once saw a poster that read: "He who never goes into battle, never will win."  Get out there and make a difference in the life of someone.

Yet another first...

Yesterday was a HUGE day for the Lee family.  Mary started kindergarten at Willow Springs Elementary School.  Wow, where did the time go?  How did we get here so quickly?  It seems that the other day I was holding her for the first time, and now she is waving good bye as she talks with her teacher Mrs. Alala.

I had my moment of tears a few weeks ago when she had her last chapel service, so this time it was for Lisa to have a tear filled moment.  Over all, it was a wonderful day!

Amazing Wonders Aviation

A few weeks ago, we celebrated a great week at Pleasant Grove with Vacation Bible School.  It was a fabulous time with terrific decorations that depicted a wonderful world that God created, plus we were able to travel to see them through imagination (remember "Sponge Bob" saying "imagination" while using his hands???).  The children has a grand time too while playing with friends during recreation, getting crafty, singing, exploring mission stories, and learning about God and His great love exhibited through Jesus Christ.

Absolutely, positively a wonderful week!

Many thanks to the people who worked tirelessly to ensure this would be a successful week.  Those who deorated, delivered snacks, nursery duty, teachers, craft leaders, sound technicians, recreation, and general flunkies.  Because of the sacrificial work, children heard the Gospel where seeds were planted and watered, and hopefully one day we will see the harvest.  However, we were faithful to God in doing our part.  Thank you!  Not many churches were able to hold a VBS because it's time consuming and requires many workers, but thank you for taking the challenge and exceeding it.

On another note, the children collected an offering each night to assist with the Appalachian Regional Ministries to help with school supplies.  We were able to collect over $1156.  Wow!!  Double WOW!!  Mucho gracias to all the families who participated and gave that week.  Indeed, a great week where God was honored through teaching His Word.  Thanks to you all!

Zing!

I have always desired for Mary to take after Lisa in all ways, except for one...I wanted Mary to have my sense of humor.*  Well, further proof arrived yesterday this week.  While driving out of our subdivision, I spotted a large rabbit while feasting on the grass of vacant lot.  I then called to Mary's attention to look over at the bunny, only for her to not see it.  She then asked if it was a baby rabbit or a mommy rabbit or a daddy rabbit.  I told her it was fairly big, so it probably was a mommy or a daddy.  She proudly heralded that it was a daddy rabbit.  Then she waited for about 3 seconds...asked if that daddy bunny also had a large belly.

I nearly wrecked!  I had to laugh, it was too funny not to enjoy a hearty chuckle.  I had just been zinged by a 5 year old.  Not new, but usually we tag team against mom.  It was so funny that I immediately called Lisa to share in the moment.  I wonder how long she had been planning that zing.  Well played my angel, well played indeed.


As for the asterisk...I shared with the congregation about desiring Mary to take after my sense of humor, and one young 9 year old heard this.  He spoke to his mom, "Why?  Pastor Jack's not that funny."  And he was serious.  Dead serious.  Oh well, at least MOST of the congregation appreciates my sense of humor.  Guess he was assuring me to not quit my day time job.