Crossroads Celebration Church

On Tuesday, April 27th I will be sharing the last chapter in our Ethics class on environmental ethics.  I will ask the students what they do to help keep the earth green.   Most students have some things they do and on occasion there is one or two students who can’t think of a thing they have done to conserve energy or clean up the planet.

Today I installed our first ever rain barrel.  For the last two years it has been on my list to do and I even wanted to make my own.  A few weeks ago the big lumber store I frequent had a 55 gallon one on sale.  Maybe the next barrel I will make on my own.  I built a frame for it so it is high enough to have gravity push the water out to my wife’s garden.  And to my good fortune, it was sprinkling when I finished putting it up and then it dumped rain about two hours later.

I can’t wait to see how it fills and then see how it drains out to the garden.

The one thing that amazes me about people who say they don’t do anything for keeping the earth clean and green is that usually it saves them money.  And for some of my college students paying off school loans one of these days, saving some green for the wallet just makes sense.  The other thing that makes sense is that God created this beautiful world and we are given authority over the earth [Genesis - creation story]. We should be good stewards of the earth around us.  It just makes sense if you are a person of faith or not.

So if you didn’t do anything this last Thursday, which was Earth Day, it is not too late.  Plant a tree or a shrub or some flowers.  Pick up some trash.  Put up a rain barrel [save on your water bill this summer and do some good for the earth].

I would love to hear from you and see what you are doing for God’s creation.  I am adding to my list yearly and would like to get some new ideas.

What an absolutely amazing God we have.

We just finished the Lent into Easter season and we had a great sermon series.  I am not patting myself on the back.  If it were just me, it would have been a disaster of a series.  But God was pumping out his Word despite me.  Then we turn around and start this Transformation series to really celebrate new life of Easter.  I started out really hesitant and looking over it I was sure I made the wrong choice in doing a four week series on Transformation.  Today I am again totally convinced that it is a powerful series and again there is no pat on the back for Mark.  God is just simply amazing.

I will be introducing some new things this week as a result of my interview with my superintendent yesterday.  I am telling a story about a Bible character that I really don’t like, because he takes so much away from my hero.  But it is going to be a good story anyway.  This and that and another thing just fell into place and wow another great sermon is shaping up for April 18th.  You will just have to hear it once it’s posted next week or come and hear it live at Crossroads Celebration Church this Sunday, April 18th, 2010.  Then again it just might be me.  But if you are open to the work of the Holy Spirit, then some of the most simple things can become amazing when God is at work in your life.

There is obviously more to this story for me.   But what about you?   Are you allowing the transforming power of Jesus Christ to turn your life around and change?  Seek the Word!  Don’t hesitate on the transformation.  We are so comfortable in our old world and ways that we don’t trust that Christ has something even better for us if we but trust.

I hope that you will find God absolutely amazing.

I may have given the wrong impression on my last blog about being at UNI and playing tennis.  I was not on the tennis team.  It was a PE course.  Tim Grover was my partner at class and a couple of years later I was the pastor at his parents church.  I baptized some of my tennis partners kids and officiated at his brother’s wedding.  I also took archery as a PE class.

I did earn my life guard license at UNI also and was a church camp life guard for two summers in Cedar Falls.

I know that it doesn’t seem like I am very athletic now that I am pushing 50.  But back in the day I played high school basketball and football.  I intercepted the ball in one game as a tackle just as the other team was about to score a touchdown.

My real claim to fame at UNI was not about sports, but the field I graduated in.  I was one of the few to have an undergraduate thesis and I am certain to be the only one with a BA in Traffic and Industrial Safety.   LONG STORY!

Any way UNI was a fun time and some of my greatest challenges.  I learned to drink at UNI [something I am not proud of] because I also learned the hard way the foolishness of getting drunk.

I also became engaged and married to my wife during those early years.   We will be married 30 years this summer.

My final emphasis for now is about the Men’s Basketball team who lost to Michigan St last Friday.  You played a great game – sorry for the loss – but there is no shame in the way you played!   GO PANTHERS!

Yes, I am an alumni of UNI in 1983.  I have had a niece graduate from there and several young friends as well.  Ran into a classmate and friend yesterday from UNI.  He and I played tennis together there.

So I just have to give a shout out to UNI who won against KU last week.  It was like David and Goliath.  Nobody thought UNI could beat the number one ranked team.  Even my devout ISU neighbors were cheering on the Panthers.

Here’s praying that the UNI Men’s Panther Basketball team goes all the way!   I will be cheering them on tonight.

We are so close to Easter and the miracle of Jesus resurrection, that I just am believing in another miracle.  Victory is always so sweet.

I was at the crossing guard corner this morning that I have worked for seven months.  I had this sense of community.  What is your idea of community?

I took some kids across the street that I happen to now know by name.  I have a few details of his life and find the kid very polite and pleasant.  I also happen to know his parents vehicles now.  His dad drives the Skinner Carpet Cleaning van.  He waves every time we see each other.  One day I got his attention, he rolled down his window and I reminded him that I appreciate the politeness and friendliness of his son.  I think a parent needs to know they are doing a good job and their children are respected out there in the community.

I wave at five or six bus drivers.  Most wave back except one.  I might think he is a grumpy driver, but I will just believe that he is very dedicated to his driving and wants both hands on the wheel when driving kids to school.  I have a couple of high school students who wave.  I have a retired guy, a couple of ladies and the real estate mom taking her daughter to school who are all faithful to make a friendly wave.

Then there are the junior high and senior high students who visit with me while waiting for their bus.

With time I have become somewhat acquainted with insurance agents, real estate agents and carpet cleaners.  Bus drivers and students and the occasional Ankeny citizens have been my acquaintances.  I have two who are the Flemings friends who also make regular contact with me.  What an intricate web of community that passes each morning for 45 minutes.

That sense of community was kept in mind when I moved into another community in my day.  College students.  Two former students and I had conversations today.  It was good to catch up.  And there was the present class that was just coming back from spring break.

So community might not just be the city we live in.  It could be this circle of friends and then the work clientele and the neighborhood.  We might have three or four communities that we interact within during any one day.  Some of those communities have other interactions that overlap.  An example: a college student is now in my church community.

So what is my point?  Many people are friendly.  A few are too busy to be friendly right now.  I was thinking about being the city on the hill, the light that shines for Christ and not hidden under a basket.  Recognize your community or communities and be a light that shines for others.

Thursday was warm enough I almost had my shorts on to be outside.  It was in the sixties in the middle of an Iowa March.  I got the lawn mower out to bag up the dead leaves and things ready to get the lawn ready for spring.  Two days later, I am wearing my long johns and using the snowblower to clear off my driveway of what was said to be six inches of snow.

Is it spring or not?  Today is the official first day of spring and my lawn mowing is really short lived!

God is full of surprises!  And I am confused.  But that isn’t anything new for me.

I wonder what the robins thought?!

What are the signs that it’s spring?  Someone told me this week that they had some early variety flower breaking the ground.  Today we spring forward with our clocks – to arrive tomorrow morning with the sun rising an hour later, but also the sun setting an hour later.  I am still waiting for my first sighting of a robin.  I think they were afraid of the snow we’ve had.  And then we have had major snow melt this week and with that flooding.  The temperatures are rising and the forecaster was hedging on announcing a day hitting 60 degrees in the five day forecast.  Of course as soon as Valentines was over, the Easter candy and baskets were up on shelves in the stores.

But for me the real sign of spring is the real Easter story! No, not bunnies laying chocolate eggs in your back yard.  Jesus rising from the dead to a resurrection life.  We typically see spring as a sign of new life, the trees budding and animals bearing their offspring.  But we have the hope and promise of new life in Christ Jesus.  I know it’s early to be sharing an Easter message, but part of the message is the hurt and the waiting and the death of Jesus’ crucifixion.  It is like seeing the barren trees and brown lawns of winter that help us appreciate spring.  It is Jesus’ suffering the pains of this world, our world, that help us appreciate the new life Jesus offers in the resurrection.  So watch the signs with me during this season of waiting.  Watch as things turn and change.

Tomorrow I will share a sermon on one of the sayings of Jesus on the cross.  It will help us understand how Jesus took on our sin and abandonment [separation from God] and how he is revealing himself to us his mission as Messiah or Savior.  If you are not with us in worship tomorrow, March 14, wait and listen to the podcast on Crossroads Celebration website.  We need to understand the events of the cross to appreciate the  power of what happens out of the tomb.

We have to endure winter to appreciate spring!

It started on Thursday.  I sang a funny short birthday song to a young lady waiting for the bus.  It made her day.  Then in the Ethics class I teach at college half of the class didn’t show up.  They started spring break early.  So the half class that did show up got an extra five points for being there.  We then had a great discussion on capital punishment [sounds odd doesn't it?].  And then since we had one of the best discussions of the semester, I let them go early.  They liked it and so did I.  After class I called my son to see what he was doing and we went and bowled four games [not our best scoring, but we had fun].

You know it wasn’t really anything big, but by the end of the day, I knew that it was a great day.  It isn’t always about what was accomplished that is the success.  There was however great relationship building on that day.

Today is Saturday morning and that great day on Thursday spilled over into Friday and it is looking like today will be just as great.  Our family celebrated last night the progress of our son’s new business.  My daughter is going to show me how to use a different brand camera than I am used to.  Who knows what the rest of the day will bring.

Ecclesiastes talks about our work and our days as a gift from God – so eat, drink and be merry.  I like that idea.

Are you having a great day?   Stop and think about it for a moment…what has gone well?  what accomplishments [even minor ones] have you made?  what conversations have you had?  are you singing birthday songs to people you hardly know?  AND if today wasn’t so great, there is always tomorrow.  It is a clean slate to begin again.

I do have a little philosophy that I want to pass on from the comics this week.  Mutts was doing a series with the cat or dog dressed up as the all knowing Sphinx.  The question was posed,  if you attempt to fail, but succeed, what have you done?

Life is good!  and God is Greater!  May today be a great day with you and God!

Yesterday I was at Rochester Minnesota for some friends in the Mayo clinic learning about their options for cancer treatment.  It meant that I was away from my regular post.

In the mornings I  am a crossing guard at NW 13th and Irvinedale.  During the harsh winter months I haven’t really had elementary kids cross my corner to go to school, but I get out of the car and visit with the Junior High students and one High School student who wait for the bus.  I don’t have to stand and wait with them, but I do just to get acquainted with them.  I know most of them by name and have been learning a little bit about them.

Well since I was gone yesterday, I heard about it today.  My substitute just sat in their car, I was told.  ”So you are not annoyed by my presence?” I asked them.  ”No” they like having me visit with them.  I ask about their weekends and what game they watched and how their local high school teams are doing.  I hear about their shopping expeditions and if they get grounded for things.

I felt special this morning.  They missed me.  And after I told them about my friend Emma [age 18] who is struggling with cancer, they said they would pray for her.  It was unsolicited.  It gives you hope for our future generations.

Now if they would just lighten up on the bus driver!

This word strikes me hard.  I used it a few weeks ago to begin our ascent to Easter.

Jesus hanging on the cross says, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  Luke 23.34  And I suggested that Jesus words of forgiveness was an extension to the following.  Father, forgive Judas [his betrayal] for he really didn’t know the extent of what he was doing.   Father, forgive Peter for his denial.  Father, forgive Pilate for his part in the trial and even after his wife’s warning, washed his hands of the whole deal.  He didn’t know what he was doing.  And I include Jesus forgiveness of the religious leaders who brought him to trial.  The crowd who cried, “Crucify”.  The Roman soldiers who persecuted him and finally nailed him to the cross.

Here’s where the word extension really matters.  If Jesus is forgiving these, then why not include King Herod.  Who in Matthew’s [Christmas] birth account sought to have all boys age two and under murdered because Jesus was a threat to his kingship.  Father, forgive Herod, for he knew not the extent of his actions.  And we could go back in extension to Adam and Eve.  Father, forgive Adam and Eve for they didn’t know what they were doing eating from the forbidden tree.

And if the extension goes back in time.  Why not forward?  Does his extension of forgiveness also include you and I?  For our sins.  Are we not just as guilty of nailing him to the cross or crying out, “Crucify”?

And that is exactly what the savior does.   Extend his forgiveness to us.  To all of the world, from beginning to end of time.  And he extends his love.  Extends his grace and mercy.

This is my new favorite word, “extension”!

Salvation [God's plan to restore our broken relationship to Him] is extended through the extended [and nailed] arms and hands of Jesus dying on the cross for you and me.  Some say it’s a stretch, but I say it’s a reach.  What a glorious God we have to extend Himself to us.

Join us at Crossroads Celebration Church in Ankeny, Iowa as we celebrate the extension of God’s love for us through Jesus Christ this Easter!  Pray for those who have not felt the extension of that great love!