Monday, December 20, 2010

Don't Forget the Sermon

Don't forget the sermon from Sunday!

I hope you are keeping the notes that you are making for yourself on the outlines in our Green Room series. God is preparing you for great things and to be ready you need to be intentional and think about what you are hearing from the Holy Spirit and the Bible in our Sunday messages.

I hope that you are getting ready this week for a miracle that will soon arrive.

To hear the messages click HERE.

Weekend Rewind

Yahooooo! No cancellations this Sunday!

We did something different due to last weeks cancellation, we celebrated Christmas and communion on the same day. It was great to picture the start and culmination of Jesus' life in the same service. Great perspective.

After church we had lunch with friends at our house, and went to see the Narnia movie. I love the part when Aslan says to Lucy something like, you will know me as someone else in your world. I was surprised that the movie makers left C.S. Lewis' blatant reference to Aslan as a type of Christ figure in the movie. It was almost as entertaining to watch my kids watch a movie, as it was to watch a movie.

After the movie we had more friends over and ate Christmas cookies with coffee (honey latte).

Sunday, December 12, 2010

I Hate Cancellations!

I hate cancellations!

For over four years I have kept to a policy of, "We don't cancel church." Usually snow is frustrating and those who don't like to drive in it just stay home and a few of us die hard Jesus fans make it to church through the snow. Usually it is harder to cancel church than to have church with a lots of workers missing. Today was the exception.

Most of our first service workers could not get out of their neighborhood because of ice under a think layer of very dry and drifting snow. So, for the first time in over four years we canceled. If is 9:40 a.m. and I am still at church. Back in the days before the, "No Cancel" policy, when we canceled I always got news about a few people that would show up anyway. Besides, I always work Sunday morning and so I am getting things done in the quiet of the morning and empty office.

Here are some reasons that I hate cancellations.
1. Confusion. Whenever there is confusion there will be hurt feelings that follow.
2. Mis-communication. Same as above.
3. Schedule. I actually make a preaching schedule and these can mess up that schedule.
4. Giving trouble. For honest tithe paying people a snow day is irrelevant. For people who drop a little something in the offering when they attend, days like today set our church back pretty bad and set you back even further in your continual process of robbing God.
5. Deflation. I like to think that nothing can keep us down, not even the weather. The weather can even stop the US military, so I am somewhat consoled.

Let's make the best of it!
1. Stay home and get some extra rest.
2. Drink an extra cup of coffee or hot tea in honor of your Pastors.
3. Get ready for a great sermon on Joseph and Mary next Sunday.
4. Mail the church your offering on Monday.
5. Call someone from church that you don't usually call, and have a bit of fellowship on phone today. I did, 75 times. :)
6. Sit down with your kids this morning and read the Christmas story from the Bible.

Have a blessed day off! I love you all.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Cool Christmas Stuff

This is not very spiritual, but here are a few things that I have found this Christmas season that I think are pretty cool.

1. Schulte's Bakery, on 5th street in Washington, has been baking Christmas cookies the last two days and the place smells amazing! They are the only people I have found on Earth who sell Springele cookies. What are Springele cookies? Click to find out.

2. I found a great mobile tool box for Christmas at Meijer's online store. It is stainless steel and a great price. Unfortunately the shipping company sent it to New York City and some nice lady in Manhattan has my Christmas/Birthday tool box. We have talked on the phone twice and hope to get the box out of her office and into my house. Is this punishment for getting the free shipping deal?

3. Duracell makes an iPhone cradel for your car that has an FM transmitter and charger. You can listen to Pandora over your radio using the iPhone, and calls can be heard over your radio as well. Thanks Stephanie and John Jahnke for finding this one.

Stay warm!

New Look

It is always good to re-vamp the look of things. So, the blog has a new look. I had changed it recently in a couple of church marketing seminars, to simply teach blogging to some pastors and did not like the rushed look of things. Enjoy.