Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. – Galatians 6:1-3 (The Message)
What does it mean to you to “live creatively”? How much work do you need on forgiving others? What does it mean to share another’s burden? Why does sharing burdens complete Christ’s law?
This is an old fable:
A man set fort on a journey, driving before him an ass and a mule, both well laden. The ass, as long as he traveled along the plain carried his load with ease, but when he began to ascend the steep path of the mountain, felt his load to be more than he could bear. He entreated his companion to relieve him of a small portion, that he might carry home the rest; but the mule paid no attention to the request.
The ass shortly afterwards fell down dead under his burden. Not knowing what else to do in so wild a region, the man placed upon the mule the load carried by the ass in addition to his own, and at the top of all placed the hide of the ass, after he had skinned him. The mule, groaning beneath his heavy burden, said to himself, “I am treated according to my deserts. If I had only been willing to assist the ass a little in his need, I should not now be bearing together with his burden, himself as well.”
Like any old fables there is a moral to the story, but perhaps Paul said it best. “Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.” Sometimes we think we have so much to do ourselves, we fail to recognize that there are others who are in much more need. Somehow we are all in this together so we need to help each other. Maybe that is why Jesus ended up on the cross, to show us that God is in this together, with us no matter what. Pray that we complete Christ’s law.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Laws of Life
The following was written by a teenager from First Pres Bainbridge and needs to be shared.
Laws of Life
by Holly Barber, 12th grade BHS winner
Character Trait: Thankfulness
“Have a Blessed Day!”
The words “thank you” are words we hear and say every day. We say them when a gentleman holds the door open, or when we receive presents on our birthday. These acts are often unappreciated; saying thank you is just one of the routine mannerisms that parents teach their children. Last February, I had the pleasure of meeting several children and adults who truly knew the meaning of the words “thank you.”
One cold Saturday last February, my church’s youth group crawled out of our warm beds early in the morning, piled in the church van, and drove to a Presbyterian church in Albany, Georgia where we were able to experience volunteering in a soup kitchen. Members of the community gathered and showed us the basics for preparing the meals. After hours of hard work over stoves and ovens, we finally put together over one hundred Styrofoam boxes filled with barbeque sandwiches, spoonsful of baked beans, cups of coleslaw, and peanut butter cookies. Our youth group carried the boxes to a table set up outside the church. There were already dozens of people: men, women, and children, waiting in line for a hot meal. For some, this would be their only true meal for the day. After serving person after person, we started complaining. “I’m cold,” “my feet are tired,” and “I burnt my hand,” were phrases that were often heard. But toward the end of the line, there was one man who changed our outlook on the situation.
Most of the people receiving the plates looked the same. They looked dirty. The women were wearing grungy, ripped clothing. The children all had the look of hunger on their faces. The men had long, matted beards. But while they all looked basically the same, this man had a feature that the others did not. He had a huge smile on his face. Not only did he smile, but when he was given his plate of food, I could tell that he wasn’t just going through the motions of saying thank you; he truly meant what he said. When I handed him his plate he set it down and grabbed my hand for a moment. He smiled and said, “Thank you so much. Have a blessed day!” I could see that this man was genuinely grateful for his meal and the hands that prepared it.
Seeing how little this man had made me wonder why he was so thankful. He had no home and no job. Why was he telling ME to have a blessed day? But when I continued thinking about what he said, I knew the answer. He was alive and well, and that alone is enough to be grateful for. This man helped me to realize the important things in life, such as family and friends, caring for others, and appreciating what you’ve been given. I am grateful that this man came through the food line that day and shook my hand. He not only changed my attitude for feeding the homeless, but he also changed my outlook on life.
Laws of Life
by Holly Barber, 12th grade BHS winner
Character Trait: Thankfulness
“Have a Blessed Day!”
The words “thank you” are words we hear and say every day. We say them when a gentleman holds the door open, or when we receive presents on our birthday. These acts are often unappreciated; saying thank you is just one of the routine mannerisms that parents teach their children. Last February, I had the pleasure of meeting several children and adults who truly knew the meaning of the words “thank you.”
One cold Saturday last February, my church’s youth group crawled out of our warm beds early in the morning, piled in the church van, and drove to a Presbyterian church in Albany, Georgia where we were able to experience volunteering in a soup kitchen. Members of the community gathered and showed us the basics for preparing the meals. After hours of hard work over stoves and ovens, we finally put together over one hundred Styrofoam boxes filled with barbeque sandwiches, spoonsful of baked beans, cups of coleslaw, and peanut butter cookies. Our youth group carried the boxes to a table set up outside the church. There were already dozens of people: men, women, and children, waiting in line for a hot meal. For some, this would be their only true meal for the day. After serving person after person, we started complaining. “I’m cold,” “my feet are tired,” and “I burnt my hand,” were phrases that were often heard. But toward the end of the line, there was one man who changed our outlook on the situation.
Most of the people receiving the plates looked the same. They looked dirty. The women were wearing grungy, ripped clothing. The children all had the look of hunger on their faces. The men had long, matted beards. But while they all looked basically the same, this man had a feature that the others did not. He had a huge smile on his face. Not only did he smile, but when he was given his plate of food, I could tell that he wasn’t just going through the motions of saying thank you; he truly meant what he said. When I handed him his plate he set it down and grabbed my hand for a moment. He smiled and said, “Thank you so much. Have a blessed day!” I could see that this man was genuinely grateful for his meal and the hands that prepared it.
Seeing how little this man had made me wonder why he was so thankful. He had no home and no job. Why was he telling ME to have a blessed day? But when I continued thinking about what he said, I knew the answer. He was alive and well, and that alone is enough to be grateful for. This man helped me to realize the important things in life, such as family and friends, caring for others, and appreciating what you’ve been given. I am grateful that this man came through the food line that day and shook my hand. He not only changed my attitude for feeding the homeless, but he also changed my outlook on life.
Laws of Life
The following was written by a teenager from First Pres Bainbridge and needs to be shared.
Laws of Life
by Holly Barber, 12th grade BHS winner
Character Trait: Thankfulness
“Have a Blessed Day!”
The words “thank you” are words we hear and say every day. We say them when a gentleman holds the door open, or when we receive presents on our birthday. These acts are often unappreciated; saying thank you is just one of the routine mannerisms that parents teach their children. Last February, I had the pleasure of meeting several children and adults who truly knew the meaning of the words “thank you.”
One cold Saturday last February, my church’s youth group crawled out of our warm beds early in the morning, piled in the church van, and drove to a Presbyterian church in Albany, Georgia where we were able to experience volunteering in a soup kitchen. Members of the community gathered and showed us the basics for preparing the meals. After hours of hard work over stoves and ovens, we finally put together over one hundred Styrofoam boxes filled with barbeque sandwiches, spoonsful of baked beans, cups of coleslaw, and peanut butter cookies. Our youth group carried the boxes to a table set up outside the church. There were already dozens of people: men, women, and children, waiting in line for a hot meal. For some, this would be their only true meal for the day. After serving person after person, we started complaining. “I’m cold,” “my feet are tired,” and “I burnt my hand,” were phrases that were often heard. But toward the end of the line, there was one man who changed our outlook on the situation.
Most of the people receiving the plates looked the same. They looked dirty. The women were wearing grungy, ripped clothing. The children all had the look of hunger on their faces. The men had long, matted beards. But while they all looked basically the same, this man had a feature that the others did not. He had a huge smile on his face. Not only did he smile, but when he was given his plate of food, I could tell that he wasn’t just going through the motions of saying thank you; he truly meant what he said. When I handed him his plate he set it down and grabbed my hand for a moment. He smiled and said, “Thank you so much. Have a blessed day!” I could see that this man was genuinely grateful for his meal and the hands that prepared it.
Seeing how little this man had made me wonder why he was so thankful. He had no home and no job. Why was he telling ME to have a blessed day? But when I continued thinking about what he said, I knew the answer. He was alive and well, and that alone is enough to be grateful for. This man helped me to realize the important things in life, such as family and friends, caring for others, and appreciating what you’ve been given. I am grateful that this man came through the food line that day and shook my hand. He not only changed my attitude for feeding the homeless, but he also changed my outlook on life.
Laws of Life
by Holly Barber, 12th grade BHS winner
Character Trait: Thankfulness
“Have a Blessed Day!”
The words “thank you” are words we hear and say every day. We say them when a gentleman holds the door open, or when we receive presents on our birthday. These acts are often unappreciated; saying thank you is just one of the routine mannerisms that parents teach their children. Last February, I had the pleasure of meeting several children and adults who truly knew the meaning of the words “thank you.”
One cold Saturday last February, my church’s youth group crawled out of our warm beds early in the morning, piled in the church van, and drove to a Presbyterian church in Albany, Georgia where we were able to experience volunteering in a soup kitchen. Members of the community gathered and showed us the basics for preparing the meals. After hours of hard work over stoves and ovens, we finally put together over one hundred Styrofoam boxes filled with barbeque sandwiches, spoonsful of baked beans, cups of coleslaw, and peanut butter cookies. Our youth group carried the boxes to a table set up outside the church. There were already dozens of people: men, women, and children, waiting in line for a hot meal. For some, this would be their only true meal for the day. After serving person after person, we started complaining. “I’m cold,” “my feet are tired,” and “I burnt my hand,” were phrases that were often heard. But toward the end of the line, there was one man who changed our outlook on the situation.
Most of the people receiving the plates looked the same. They looked dirty. The women were wearing grungy, ripped clothing. The children all had the look of hunger on their faces. The men had long, matted beards. But while they all looked basically the same, this man had a feature that the others did not. He had a huge smile on his face. Not only did he smile, but when he was given his plate of food, I could tell that he wasn’t just going through the motions of saying thank you; he truly meant what he said. When I handed him his plate he set it down and grabbed my hand for a moment. He smiled and said, “Thank you so much. Have a blessed day!” I could see that this man was genuinely grateful for his meal and the hands that prepared it.
Seeing how little this man had made me wonder why he was so thankful. He had no home and no job. Why was he telling ME to have a blessed day? But when I continued thinking about what he said, I knew the answer. He was alive and well, and that alone is enough to be grateful for. This man helped me to realize the important things in life, such as family and friends, caring for others, and appreciating what you’ve been given. I am grateful that this man came through the food line that day and shook my hand. He not only changed my attitude for feeding the homeless, but he also changed my outlook on life.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Because He Lives
“Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” – John 14:19 (NIV)
What does it mean to you that because Jesus lives you also will live? What kind of freedom does that offer you? How do you live in that freedom?
I’ve heard the following story about Frank Luke Jr. and it is often called, “The Day the Lilies Bloomed”
Frank Luke Jr. was an American fighter pilot in World War I and is considered one of the heroes of the Great War. He was twenty when he joined the army air corps and was accepted into flight training. After his training he was commissioned and given a brief leave before going off to war.
While at home he was going to leave with some friends one afternoon when his mother, Tillie, stopped him and asked, “Frank, I was hoping you would plant some lily bulbs for me. Would you mind doing that before you left?”
Frank did as his mother asked, and then went off with his friends. A couple of days later he went to join the war in France.
Quickly Frank became one of the stars of American fighter pilots. Between September 12 and September 29 Frank was credited with shooting down 18 German balloons and planes.
Back home in Phoenix, on September 29, Tillie stepped outside to discover that the lilies Frank planted were in full bloom. Lilies typically bloom much earlier in the year so this was strange. They had been planted in the shape of a cross, like one of the side of a fighter plane. Frank loved airplanes and was a devout Catholic. When his mother saw this she was nervous that something was wrong.
Two months later word reached America that Frank had been shot down and killed. He died on September 29, 1918, at the age of twenty-one, the day the lilies bloomed.
It makes sense that Frank’s mother was nervous. The bonds of love often will let us know that something is wrong with our beloved, even if oceans and continents separate us. However, the symbolism cannot be ignored. The Easter lilies stood bloomed in the shape of a cross. Paul remembering the prophet Hosea once wrote, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” And we recall that Jesus said, “Because I live, you also will live.” This Easter will be a day the lilies bloom. Go somewhere, anywhere and celebrate the victory of our Christ!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
What does it mean to you that because Jesus lives you also will live? What kind of freedom does that offer you? How do you live in that freedom?
I’ve heard the following story about Frank Luke Jr. and it is often called, “The Day the Lilies Bloomed”
Frank Luke Jr. was an American fighter pilot in World War I and is considered one of the heroes of the Great War. He was twenty when he joined the army air corps and was accepted into flight training. After his training he was commissioned and given a brief leave before going off to war.
While at home he was going to leave with some friends one afternoon when his mother, Tillie, stopped him and asked, “Frank, I was hoping you would plant some lily bulbs for me. Would you mind doing that before you left?”
Frank did as his mother asked, and then went off with his friends. A couple of days later he went to join the war in France.
Quickly Frank became one of the stars of American fighter pilots. Between September 12 and September 29 Frank was credited with shooting down 18 German balloons and planes.
Back home in Phoenix, on September 29, Tillie stepped outside to discover that the lilies Frank planted were in full bloom. Lilies typically bloom much earlier in the year so this was strange. They had been planted in the shape of a cross, like one of the side of a fighter plane. Frank loved airplanes and was a devout Catholic. When his mother saw this she was nervous that something was wrong.
Two months later word reached America that Frank had been shot down and killed. He died on September 29, 1918, at the age of twenty-one, the day the lilies bloomed.
It makes sense that Frank’s mother was nervous. The bonds of love often will let us know that something is wrong with our beloved, even if oceans and continents separate us. However, the symbolism cannot be ignored. The Easter lilies stood bloomed in the shape of a cross. Paul remembering the prophet Hosea once wrote, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” And we recall that Jesus said, “Because I live, you also will live.” This Easter will be a day the lilies bloom. Go somewhere, anywhere and celebrate the victory of our Christ!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Minister's Minute from the April's Journal of Hope and Joy
There is little doubt, that in the history of our grand religion, no holy day is as important as Easter. The day of resurrection that occurred on the first day of the week nearly 2000 years ago. So important was this event to our understanding that we refer to Sunday as, “The Lord’s Day.” Every Sunday contains some element of joy and beauty that sits apart in our conscious because of what happened one morning long ago.
The very notion that God defeated death still boggles the mind. Those who consider themselves to have evolved beyond such childish beliefs suggest that we hold onto superstitions and magic if we continue to believe such things. Yet I would let them know that our beliefs begin at a more ridiculous place. While Easter may be the most important of our holy days, Easter can only be because of Good Friday. The two belong together and cannot be separated. One does not exist without the other. Therefore at this time of year, we remember that we hold onto the notion of which Paul made clear so long ago, “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Cor. 1:22-23).
The basis and foundation of our faith is utterly ridiculous, it is still a stumbling block and it is still foolish! We preach that a man with a small following was crucified by the Roman Empire, abandoned by his own followers, and mocked by his religious leaders. We preach that in that act of dying he somehow saved us from that which separated us from God. Then when Sunday rolled around, a stone had rolled away from a tomb, and that man, who died utterly alone, was vindicated by the One he called “Father.” “He became obedient unto death… Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him” (Phil 2:8,9).
O yes, it is still foolishness to say aloud. I invite all those who wish to mock me to do so. Call me a fool if you will, but know that it is a title I relish! For I am a fool for Christ who is a fool for me! There is nothing I’d rather be called than a fool by one who thinks I’m foolish, for my faith does not stand on what I see, or what I know. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). And this is the gospel of which I am not ashamed to be a fool.
It was with this faith that I ventured into the foreign lands of the Deep South believing that I would encounter other such fools, and that together we would be foolish enough to believe that a God who raises the dead could raise our little church from the dead! On my fourth celebration of our greatest holiday in this place we still rise up. Death is far behind us, but God is not done giving us life! In the first three months of this year twenty people have joined our church. Twenty others have declared themselves fools for the Christ who is a fool for them.
Together now we declare to a city and a place that wonders what hope there is, that the God who raises the dead is working in Albany. I was told that our church had no chance. I was told that if we wanted any chance at all we’d have to leave the downtown. I was told that the only way to grow a church was to abandon our liturgy and music. I was told that I was a fool for leaving California to come to a place so saturated in death. And I stood firm in my Easter foolishness, because it is:
On Christ the solid Rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
Riding the Wave of the Holy Spirit,
Garrett
The very notion that God defeated death still boggles the mind. Those who consider themselves to have evolved beyond such childish beliefs suggest that we hold onto superstitions and magic if we continue to believe such things. Yet I would let them know that our beliefs begin at a more ridiculous place. While Easter may be the most important of our holy days, Easter can only be because of Good Friday. The two belong together and cannot be separated. One does not exist without the other. Therefore at this time of year, we remember that we hold onto the notion of which Paul made clear so long ago, “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Cor. 1:22-23).
The basis and foundation of our faith is utterly ridiculous, it is still a stumbling block and it is still foolish! We preach that a man with a small following was crucified by the Roman Empire, abandoned by his own followers, and mocked by his religious leaders. We preach that in that act of dying he somehow saved us from that which separated us from God. Then when Sunday rolled around, a stone had rolled away from a tomb, and that man, who died utterly alone, was vindicated by the One he called “Father.” “He became obedient unto death… Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him” (Phil 2:8,9).
O yes, it is still foolishness to say aloud. I invite all those who wish to mock me to do so. Call me a fool if you will, but know that it is a title I relish! For I am a fool for Christ who is a fool for me! There is nothing I’d rather be called than a fool by one who thinks I’m foolish, for my faith does not stand on what I see, or what I know. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). And this is the gospel of which I am not ashamed to be a fool.
It was with this faith that I ventured into the foreign lands of the Deep South believing that I would encounter other such fools, and that together we would be foolish enough to believe that a God who raises the dead could raise our little church from the dead! On my fourth celebration of our greatest holiday in this place we still rise up. Death is far behind us, but God is not done giving us life! In the first three months of this year twenty people have joined our church. Twenty others have declared themselves fools for the Christ who is a fool for them.
Together now we declare to a city and a place that wonders what hope there is, that the God who raises the dead is working in Albany. I was told that our church had no chance. I was told that if we wanted any chance at all we’d have to leave the downtown. I was told that the only way to grow a church was to abandon our liturgy and music. I was told that I was a fool for leaving California to come to a place so saturated in death. And I stood firm in my Easter foolishness, because it is:
On Christ the solid Rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
Riding the Wave of the Holy Spirit,
Garrett
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