Have you ever noticed that when you have either no desire to purchase anything or no time and money that you find all kinds of stuff at the mall? Today I went shopping with the intentions of purchasing something with my Christmas money and found absolutely nothing. The same is true of the day after Christmas when I ventured into the vast landscapes of the Houston metro area malls and stores. Frustrated, I dug deep to find some spiritual application to this phenomenon. Sure there were a few cute tops and possibly some bottoms and dresses that could pass inspection. Certainly a couple purses jumped out at me and some shoes were shiny on the racks and in their boxes, however, none of these items met both the joy and financial factors. Since I am frugal both intentionally and of necessity, items have to pass inspection. They either need to bring a lot of joy to my life to justify the money spent, or they need to be really cheap and too good of a bargain to pass up. None of of the more expensive items were deemed life changing and all of the cheap clothes looked cheap and picked over.

Since I am a psychologist and follower of Jesus, I often find meaning in bizarre places. Bathroom stalls can bring forth epiphanies and sometimes a dumpster isn't just for trash. I reached the realization in the mall today that my life can sometimes be compared to my shopping trips. I have a zest and zeal for both life and shopping. I love living and try to capture each day to the fullest, just as I love the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. How often does my life and spirituality measure up to my shopping trips? Am I lacking both joy and finances? A shopping trip for me is not complete without the marriage of the "wow" factor and price factor. Am I selling my life with Christ short because I refuse to allow my joy to be tied with my finances?

Don't be spiritually bankrupt. Don't walk out of God's marketplace without your bags full. The psalmist David said it best when he penned the words "my cup runneth over". Many times the blessings of God are not in a financial form but are bagged in goodness and mercy. However, we can't get these intangible blessings without opening first our hearts and secondly our pocketbooks to the kingdom. Luke 12:34 (For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.)

New Years Capabilities

I am sitting here today reflecting on 2008 with a mixture of emotions. What a crazy ride it has been! We have successfully bought and sold our first home, bought and wish to sell our first 5th wheel, bought and are hoping to eventually discard our first Ford F-350 Quad Cab Dually, resigned our first pastorate and led the pastoral search for their new pastor, and are hoping to successfully plant our first church from the ground up. 2009 will hopefully not compare to 2008 in the whirlwind of life. Our boys have grown in wisdom, favor, and stature and Jonathan and I as people have exploded in knowledge and growth. (Thus the weight loss resolution. Just kidding! Not the type of growth I'm referring to). God has been so good to us. We have been through numerous tests and trials of our faith and I think have come out proven as gold in the fire. We have endured not just attacks from the enemy, but many rounds of friendly fire from well meaning and not so well meaning people. We have endured scrutiny that ranges from justified to absurd and yet, we stand stronger, taller, prouder, and more convinced than ever of the task that God has called us to do. We have also been the recipients of endless friendship, brotherly love, charity, and Godly armor bearers. For this, I am humbled.

My life the last several years has been abundantly blessed, but not easy. My reflections of 2008 have proven to me that money, possessions, and worldly materials have no hold on me. While I am grateful of this, I really didn't want to have to prove that point! I would consider myself an overcomer, trail blazer, comforter, and friend in 2008. These characteristics have defined me this year.

Trying to come up with a list of New Years resolutions, I have pondered things that are status quo and will fall off my list in no time. The obligatory resolution to eat less, exercise more, and achieve Goddess like health and good looks is, as always, at the top of my list. My resolution to be a patient, Godly, loving mother and wife is and always will remain my passion. Above all though, I desire 2009 to be a year of authentic Christianity. This term has become popular recently and I don't wish to be cliche, but I'm tired of fake people going through rituals and routines. It is time for me to be authentic. I will be who I am in Christ unabashedly without shame, regret, or glances over my shoulder. Gone are the days where a tiny part of my soul desires to please people. Popularity is a fleeting thing, but authentic, real, divine impartation is forever.

Did you know that the term resolution means level of clarity, detail of image, as well as the subsiding or termination of an abnormal condition? We always think of it in terms of a formal declaration and statement at the beginning of a new year, but don't really resonate with the term that we find in daily life. How many times have a seen the word resolution on my digital camera and not even thought of it? This year, I want my resolutions to have clarity and detail. I want my resolutions to end any abnormal conditions in my heart and life with the light of the word of God. My prayer is that I can see myself for who I am and become who I should be in Christ. I want to be divinely and truly His.

The Boys

Just a quick update on the family. I want the world to know that Reese Bentley Buckland is finally potty trained! Yeah....He has been wearing big boy undies for almost two weeks now and hasn't had an accident in almost a week. He is even dry at night. This was a long time coming. Now I know how God feels when he is working on us about the same mistakes over and over again. He gives us spiritual stickers and reward blessings and yet we keep having accidents. I know that in my spiritual life I want to give God, my father, a reason to celebrate and not be frustrated everyday. If I feel this great and proud about Reese and the potty, imagine how God feels when we overcome addictions, fears, and failures.

Gentry turned 1 on December 11 and is as precious as ever. The boys are best friends and love on each other and play together all the time. I'm so thankful for my boys.

Thanks to everyone that has followed my blog this year and supported me financially, spiritually, and emotionally. I pledge in 2009 to try to be more consistent with my blog. This time of year has just been crazy, hectic.

Spiritual Forecast

Wind is a multi faceted thing. With speeds and intensities ranging from the calmest breeze to the most raging tornado, hurricane, and tsunami, simply identifying a day as windy is not good enough. Politicians bursting with enticing words are often called wind bags, air headed individuals are said to be balloon heads, and quick tempered people are called full of hot air. Wind has a central location in all of our lives. We have seen the devastation of tornados numerous times in this decade, but yet have felt the calm, cooling power of an evening summer’s breeze. The power and intensity of wind and air has the ability to bring peace to our situation, stir up the ground in our yards, or completely alter the landscape of our cities.
I began to think of the changing power and element of a wind. There is nothing more refreshing than wind when you have been outside in scorching temperatures. There is nothing more beautiful than watching the wind as it descends upon the beach and causes the waves to lap up upon shore. The bible makes many references to wind and the changing elements. One of our most familiar passages of scripture when it relates to wind can be found in the book of ACTS.
Acts 2:1-4
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

With the life changing power of wind in the secular realms, as Christians we need to tap into the refreshing, cutting, powerful, life altering power of spiritual wind. Many Christians and people walk around depressed, however, wind is a substance that lifts things up. In the midst of a tornado, no one is concerned about things staying low and down, the concern is the “pick me up” force associated with these high powered winds. If we could get in the vein of the wind of the spirit, being downtrodden would be the least of our concerns. We need to get caught in the eye of the storm and allow God to do the things that wind does. It breaks things, it uplifts things, and its calming breeze can comfort and cool.
Many of our lives and cities need shaken up and we have what it takes to do so. We have the wind of the spirit moving in our lives. God is calling us with the breeze of his word and we must respond to him to be caught in the flow of what he is doing. We have to seek after God to find him and he will be an agent of change. The use of wind in the scriptures gives us a word picture of strength and ability. Get caught in the weather today!
John 3:8
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. KJV

Happy Thanksgiving

I just wanted to wish everyone a blessed and happy Thanksgiving this week. I pray that everyone has family and friends to share this holiday with. Let us never forget the religious roots of this holiday and remember to give thanks. God rarely, explicitly tells us in his word anything mystical about his plan for our lives. One of the only times that God speaks clearly about a path for every individual is when he mandates for us to give thanks in EVERYTHING. I know that I have nothing to complain about this year and only many blessings to give to God and to my friends and family that have been so faithful in prayer, financial, and emotional support.

We will be spending thanksgiving with Josh and Jessica Froese in Belleville, Illinois. Jessica grew up in Marietta and is the daughter of Dave and Karen (Schaad) Dayton. Many of you know her. Reese, Gentry, and I are going to leave Friday to go to Cleveland to be with my mom Dec. 1 for her major milestone 60th birthday. We are excited to be with her and celebrate this day. We'll be back with the wonderful hubby by Wednesday, December 3rd to meet him on our trek again.

God bless and eat lots! At this point I have ballooned so much that I have no pride left. I will happily indulge in gluttony a little more this week. Love you all!

Expelled

Recently I watched a documentary that I feel every Christian should watch. Although not a religious documentary or movie, Ben Stein's "Expelled" is a very poignant look into the atheistic society that is trying to be created in our country and world. The movie explores the issue of evolution versus intelligent design and shows the systematic way in which science has suppressed any opinions other than the opinion of evolution. Darwin's theory has so many holes in that can be filled with intelligent design, but scientists are refusing any discussion of this.

One of the most interesting interviews on the documentary was with a man who wrote a book called "The God Delusion". His book uses supposed scientific fact to prove that anyone who is religious or believes in God is delusional and insane. I had a major "go God" moment when I looked this book up on wikipedia. This book increased amazon.Com's sale of religious books by 50% and increased sales of the bible by 120%! God will not be stopped. Our freedoms are being suppressed and it is time that we get our head out of the sand and fight for our cause as much as they are fighting for theirs. The theory of evolution if embraced fully will never stop future Hitler's and Stalins. If in fact natural selection is the way of the universe, nothing is stopping abortion and euthanasia. In fact, planned parent, the biggest proponent of abortion, was birthed out of the theory of evolution. This blew my mind!! Planned parenthood is one of the biggest political machines and agendas behind feminism and the liberals. This movie will inspire you to move out of your comfort zone and start proclaiming Christ. What we have is truth and truth will endure!

Update

Here is just a quick update on our life. we are currently still in Illinois. We have had a great time here and have seen God move wonderfully in our services. We have mainly been basing out of the St. Louis, MO area on the Illinois side. We have, however, been able to be in northern Illinois some and enjoyed a day of sight seeing in Chicago while in the area ministering. Gentry is now saying "uh oh" and continuing to work on his Gerber modeling career. Reese is still rambunctious and feisty and an instant celebrity everywhere that we go. After Illinois, we head to Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana. Although we have seen snow flurries already, we are hoping to get down south before our sewage tank freezes. I have heard this is not a fun experience=) I'm not sure if it would be good for our marriage for Jonathan to be chipping away at my sewage with an ice pick. haha.

I have to drop a quick note on politics. First of all, I was glad the election was over because I was sick of hearing about it. secondly, why in the world are we already discussing 2012?! I can't handle 4 more years of straight campaigning. When did being president become the same as winning an Oscar and being a celebrity? Where is the respect and solemnity for the highest seat of government in the world? While downtown Chicago I didn't know if I was in Stalin's Russia or the USA. There were literal monuments, signs, plaques, and billboards of Obama down there that are literally reminiscent of communist Eastern Europe. I'm not kidding, I've been there and I've seen it both in Europe and here in the USA. I'm not knocking Obama with the statement or endorsing him either. He's my president elect, therefore I respect and pray for him. The same is true of the Republican side too as well anyway. i saw a photo of Sarah Palin in a bikini in a newspaper today at the Republican governors meeting. Knock it off Obama and Palin. You are vying for respectable and high places of authority, not for the winner of the teen choice awards.

I'm off my soap box now. Love and Kisses!

Life Lessons

Recently I was sitting in Chipotle restaurant giving thanks to God for allowing someone to invent burritos the size of a human head, and I was struck with inspiration. For those who don't know, Chipotle is fast food Mexican, but I feel almost like a heretic to place it in a fast food category. It actually has been a Buckland doctrine since we started living on the road. (Shameless Chipotle plug that I wasn't even paid royalties to endorse) On my soda cup in chipotle was a quote from a man that invented a specialized form of agriculture that said something to effect of, "If you can fulfill your life's work in one lifetime, then you're aren't thinking big enough.". This quote really inspired me to sit and reflect on my own life. Are my goals lofty, or are they just self centered and simple? Can all of my dreams and desires be fit into the span of one lifetime?

Oftentimes so many people aspire for wealth, possessions, and even fame and these are all fleeting ideas and doctrines. Wealth can be obtained in a nano second if you are lucky enough to win the lottery. Almost any possession can be purchased with the right amount of credit, and fame can be forced if you pursue your 15 minutes. Have we all been striving for goals that are mundane and even meaningless? Maybe your pursuits are bigger than that. Maybe you want to help feed the hungry and clothe the poor. However, even these pursuits can be done rather quickly if you fit them into your schedule.

What can you do with your life that will live beyond your physical existence? Many people do estate planning and buy life insurance policies so that they can bless their descendants with an inheritance beyond their current means. This is a phenomenal blessing and gift that you can give to your children and grand children. Oftentimes only a few dollars a month can buy you a several hundred thousand dollar policy. This is not an investment made for you, but an investment made for others. You can also purchase endowments where you buy a life insurance policy in life to bless a non-profit organization in death. Many gorgeous churches have been built buy someone having their church be the benefactor of their life insurance policy.

Certainly though there must be more to life that we can give in our death than just money and inheritance. Matthew chapter six gives us the cure for anxiety. It gives us the cure to trying to find our legacy. We spend too much of our lives worrying about things that have no eternal benefit.

Matt 6:25-34
25 " For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 " Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' 32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.NASU

Dr. Martin Luther King never saw the fulfillment of his dream and his life's work, yet his legacy is living on in a way that was deemed impossible 4 decades ago. His life was about more than his earthy gain. The Apostle Paul said to live is Christ but to die is gain. John the revelator will never see the prophetic fulfillment of his visions, and yet he left us with a word and a guide for which to chart the course of our lives and the end of days. Jesus Christ only ministered for 3 years on earth, and yet the man who was God clothed in flesh has made a global impact that despite persecution, war, and hate still remains. Could Henry Ford have even conceived a Hybrid car in the deepest recesses of his imagination? Probably not. However, Henry Ford's legacy lives in every second we turn the keys in our ignition regardless of the brand of car we drive. Could Thomas Edison have ever anticipated an i-phone, a blackberry, or a combination TV/computer/phone? It is highly improbable, yet his work and imagination lives on every second that we text message and call to stay in touch with family and friends.

Not all of us are genius inventors, mavericks, and crusade fighters, however all of us can leave a legacy. If we can come into contact with one person and change the course of their destiny, our life's work will live on into death. Every church that we visit while on the road represents a man and often a man and his family entering into a city with a passion and a burden to share the truth of the gospel. Many of these churches are no longer pastored by their founder, however, every one of them echo of a dream and vision far beyond one lifetime. The men, women, and their families that speak into the lives of others will be remembered no only in a heavenly eternity, but on earth beyond their lifetime as long as earth remains. What can you do today that will make your life's work live beyond your lifetime? An abundant "purpose driven" life is a life that goes beyond expectation and duty and steps into the realm of charity and sacrifice.

John 10:10
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
NKJV

Lessons from the Play Place

As a mother to two young boys living in 32 feet of space, I am familiar with play places and parks all around the country. In a desperate attempt for them to run and crawl off all of their excess energy, we cart them to different places and let them play with reckless abandon. In some ways I feel like my full time job is to be an event organizer for a small pre-school consisting of 2 children, my own. While sitting and waiting for them to be ready to leave one day it dawned on me the consistency of some things I observe. Whether in the east coast, the south, or the mid-west I notice things about children and their interactions with each other that we could take to heart and learn from. Herbert Hoover was quoted as saying, "Children are our most valuable natural resource."

The Bible has several clear passages about children. These truths I have observed as a mother. There is a passage about the faith of a child that I have seen demonstrated in Reese numerous times. Any ailment, hurt, or disappointment simply passes with a "in Jesus name Amen". Gentry also loves to yell Amen from the top of his lungs. If only I could have faith that every negative experience in life is immediately gone without a second thought simply by calling on Jesus. The Bible demands this type of faith from us in the Gospels. We are to receive without question. Here are some lessons in life we can learn from children that are also spiritual principals.

Mark 10:15-16 15 "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." 16 And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them. NASU

#1: Small Children do not Discriminate and neither should we

When I watch my boys play with other children, they have as much fun and invest as much energy into playing with every child regardless of race, gender, and religion. Basically the only thing children discriminate on is the basis of "My dad is bigger than your dad." Children do not see color or gender as an obstacle to friendship. In doing this, children also do not minimize their difference. Oftentimes adults feel that to be colorblind or not sexist we must deny our differences. This is not accurate. Rather than deny our skin color or gender, we must embrace it and all play together.

#2: Small Children do not know a stranger

While this may invoke fear in mothers, small children do not know a stranger (unless they are the painfully shy hide under mommies skirt type) This is a great quality in life. We should play with all people and treat them kindly. Children are accepting and we should be too.

#3: Money has no value

Where children are concerned, they'd rather have 5 pennies than one quarter. Children do not judge others based on how much money they have. Reese also loves to share(with everyone but Gentry that is). If we give him a gum ball, he wants to buy another for his friends. As adults, we struggle buying for our friends because it is money out of our pocket.

#4: Children love to have fun

While this is a simple and basic point, adults take life too seriously. Many events in our life are out of our control. Sometimes we need to embrace that and enjoy life. If events are out of your control, no amount of worry, fear, pondering, or begging will change them. Enjoy what you can.

#5: Dance

When music is playing, whether in the mall, in church, or in the car, it is time to wiggle your hips, twirl your wrists, and roll your feet. My boys are dancing 24/7 and dancing is not only good for your hip size and health, it brings laughter.

Say So

Recently a very popular song has emerged by Israel Haughton entitled "Say So". The essence of the song is to ponder the meaning of salvation and our role as believers in declaring the gospel. I have thought of this song several times. The faith and excitement that occurs in a congreation when this song is sung is palitable. We get so excited about saying so, rising up, and being salt and light to the world. The most climactic moment of the song is when the congreation sings " I am redeemed". This song is very powerful because it should stop and make us think about what we are doing currently as the body of Christ. Are we really "Saying So", or do we just get excited about being at church and patting ourselves on the back for our good sense to come to Christ?

Another thing I have pondered on this topic is are we really salty? Are we really lit up for God, or are we just a 10 watt bulb on the verge of burning out? The Bible talks about salt that has lost its flavor. It is good for nothing. Also, a lamp that is burnt out or hidden produces no results.
Matt 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Could it be that many of us hide behind tradition and thinly veiled Christianity because our salt is not savory and our light is burnt out? Could we be so caught up in our so called separation from the world that we forgot to be IN the world? What good is a lamp that is not plugged in or salt that is not shaken?

Social networking sites like everyonesapostolic have somewhat turned me off. Why can't we be on facebook and network with people that are not of our faith? Should we really group off into elite communities and leave behind those we attended school with, work with, and see at our local grocery stores? The only harm in sites like facebook and myspace is the user. If you don't have the self control to avoid looking at and ingesting things that are sinful, then you quite possibly aren't the salt that God called you to be. We should have the patience to venture out into the world and the perserverance to affect our world without it tainting our personal walk with God. We should have the fortitude to stand for what is right without alienating those that don't share our current set of values and beliefs. Do we accomplish a lot for God by being dogmatic and judgemental, or is salt tastier when sprinkled on bits at a time? The same is true with light. Light is powerful and eye opening, however, light in too strong of a dose just leaves us tired and sunburnt.

I recently found an interesting product online that I had no prior knowledge of. I found a product called a salt crystal lamp. This product for me is the embodiment of what God has called Christians to be. The product is described like this: "Salt crystal lamps promote comfort, relaxation and a healthy environment. They act as air purifiers by neutralizing harmful pollutants and emitting health promoting ions through a process only possible with the mineral salt. It is well known that chemical salt is essential for bodily functions. The illuminated salt crystal lamps work as natural amplifiers for these good vibrations so necessary for our health and well being."

We are to be a combination of salt and light spreading good will and the gospel to those that are lost. Be encouraged to "Say So" this week.

Who am I?

The sentiments of finding oneself are echoed in numerous modern, popular worship songs. "Who am I that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my pain, care to know my hurt........", " I am a friend of God, he calls me friend.........", " I know who I am, I know who I am, I know who I am, I am yours...........", and " I am not forgotten, God knows my name" are just a few that come to mind. We sing these songs with great fervor in our hearts and spirits and a sense of pride and belonging wells up from deep within us. We no longer have self-esteem issues and concerns of loneliness, but we have the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Why is it then that so many Christians are defeated, alone, depressed, discontented, and friendless? I began to ponder this issue and it dawned on me that it could possibly be because the church world has one mold. Many groups of spirit filled churches seem to attract the same type of person and you can identify them in public. While an identity in Christ and identification with a group of believers is a good thing, we need to strike a balance between the core of who we are as individual believers and who we are as a body. Far too often I have seen people not be interested in Christ, or leave the body because they have never found their place. Every individual has their own strengths, interests, and desires. Every individual has their own personality. God has not called us to fit a cookie cutter, but to be disciples of him.

We can all find our identities in Christ, and we should be identifiably separate from the world in our lifestyle, attitude, and choices. However, beyond that, God gets glory in our individuality. He created us all with a free will and with the ability to make different choices. Everyone has a different personality. Some are shy, some are outgoing, some are smart, some are not so smart, some are talented in music, some are talented in computers, and others still, are leaders and others are followers. God has no desire for us to all become the same shape of cookie in his kingdom. Too many people have chosen no identity in Christ because they are afraid of losing who they are. They don't want to be someone that wears suits. It is ashamed that we have tried to "institutionalize" the body of Christ. The arm and the leg don't look alike. They are identifiable as being from the same body, but they perform different functions and look differently. If you are white, your arm and leg are both white, if you are black, your limbs also match, however, beyond that, they are distinctly different. This same thing can be said for the body of Christ. We should all be identifiable as part of the same body. We should have some characteristics that immediately identify us as believers, but beyond that, we should be comfortable in our individuality and different function.

I guess I want to say, don't let another soul be lost because they don't want to wear a suit to church. Allow them to express their identity in themselves and be plugged into the body. Somethings that God asks us to do require us to lay aside our own desires and selfish will, however, more often than not, God gets delight in our creativity and differences. Remember, we serve a creative God. He designed and created the world we live in. He has a sense of humor. (This is very obvious when we look at some people. haha) He gets glory when we express who we are. We need to find our identity in Christ without sacrificing our interests and pursuits. Obviously, there are some human interests and pursuits that are contrary to the Word of God. These are called principals. We can teach people principals of the Word of God and use that as the guide that we live by. We get a new name and identity when we are born into the body of Christ, he transforms our thinking and choices, but he doesn't take away your sense of humor, goals, and abilities. Celebrate your diversity within Christ!

God wants to change our sinful nature and have us die out to our sin man, he never asked us to lay aside our personality and creativity! We are the expressed image and likeness of God. God is creative, true, and just. God is friendly, kind, and loving. Let us fit our self within the principles of God and delight in his creative powers.

Rom 6:6
6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
NASU
Eph 4:22-24
22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you A lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
NASU
Col 3:9-10
1 A Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him —
NASU

Update

We are back in the Hoosier state once again after spending 6 days in North Carolina for General Conference. There were several amazing "God" moments at the conference that I wanted to share. Almost 400 people received the gift of the Holy Ghost, 2 women got up from their wheelchairs to walk, and a deaf ear was unstopped. God is still performing the miraculous in our generation. We need to stop looking to the past and experiences from yesteryear and keep our eyes focused on what God is doing now. The Bible says that the latter rain, or outpouring in the end times, will be greater than the former rain. Our faith should not be shaken by circumstance, but should hold strong in the truths that we know and demonstrations that we see. The Bible talks about not always seeking for a sign and not always basing things in signs and wonders, however, God encourages us to act on our faith and see the miraculous performed. The only thing that will bring the lost souls of the 21st century to their knees is an apostolic demonstration. Don't fear holding to the truth in this day and age. The truth of the mighty God in Christ, the infilling of the holy ghost, apostolic giving, fellowship, and doctrine, and the miraculous will shake our cities and bring our generation to a knowledge of God. In an era where humanism and politics are our God, theories, ideas, and marketing will not make us stand out. The only thing that will make our truth relevant is its life changing abilities.

Music

I decided today that I would post on my blog the statement that I had on our previous church's website. I replaced the terminology New Life Church for the Bridge Church, but my theories and vision for a worship ministry remain the same. As the Worship Ministry Leader of our church plant, The Bridge Church, I wanted to begin thinking about, planning for, and striving towards excellence and the mind of God. Music will play an integral role in attracting new peole into our church. I may change some of my vision and tweak my statement when we are on location, but for now, I'll post what I've done in the past. If it isn't broke, why fix it?

Verse: "God’s Kingdom is like a perfect, flawless pearl. When a Jewel Merchant sees it, in his excitement and joy he sells all he owns to buy this one treasure” (Matthew 13:44 paraphrased)

Life can often feel like a busy, fast-moving journey. We have to keep running onwards, and get little time to look around and take in the scenery. But every now and then, we arrive at a bend in the road, or reach the top of a hill or mountain. In that place we have to pause, take in the view around us and decide which direction and path we will take next. We must also choose who and what governs our decisions and priorities in life.

Music is an important part of the ministry of the body. It creates a time for us to relax, breathe, think about the priorities of this life, and be ushered into the presence of the Lord. Through the ministry of music, we are given hope, washed in faith, and prepared with a spirit of expectancy.
Music is the end to the days spent searching for God and waiting for his next move. The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of his people. If you are struggling with the decisions of life and feel that God can not be found, engulf yourself into an atmosphere of worship and praise and be surprised, even delighted, when God shows up. He will answer your prayer, heal you, and give your life the meaning that you so desire.

Music, worship, and praise were the weapons that God used many times in the Old Testament to defeat the army of the enemy. Even now as the enemy of our souls preys on us and we are drawn by the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, we can lift our hands in surrender and worship to the Lord and conqueror the enemy.

Here at The Bridge Church we strive for excellence in our music ministry. The book of Psalms states that we should play skillfully for the Lord. However, we always keep in mind that the meager talents we possess are a direct gift from above. Through lively, passionate worship and praise we endeavor to uplift the down, give salvation to the lost, and most of all glorify the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The Music Ministry, which sets the tone for worship services and provides music for special events, includes the Ensemble, Soloists, Small Groups, Sign Language Team, and the Worship Team.

Members of the music ministry meet each week to practice and to lead worship in the services. We also have a big practice once a month.

The music ministry is involved in a number of activities. These include:
Rehearsals (including teaching, training, and coaching)
Concerts for the community and church
Serving as worship leaders for all services
Social events for members
Come experience the talent and anointing of our Worship Ministry
Jessica L. Buckland, Worship Ministry Head

Pennies from Heaven

After a couple of weeks in Michigan, we pulled into Indiana today. We are basing out of Indianapolis where Jonathan's one remaining, living grandfather lives. It is a blessing to be able to spend time with him as well as his grandmother with Alzheimer's. We cherish the moments our boys get to know their great grandfather. I don't really have any deep thoughts to share today, really I have just more of a testimony. The last couple of weeks have not been very easy financially. Between the funeral of Jonathan's other grandfather in Chicago, the lack of a full schedule in the Michigan district, and the sheer cost of life on the road/ living by faith, things pile up. I was checking our online banking against the check book registry I keep, and there is a $250 deposit showing up on our online banking that I literally cannot account for. The only thing i can think of is that someone has been sensitive to the voice of God and has allowed him to use them to bless us. In the day of modern technology, God rarely sends actual manna from heaven or has pennies rain on us, but he can use someone to make a deposit into our checking accounts that we find out about via the world wide web. whoever did this obviously wishes to remain anonymous, but to them , if they read this, I say thanks. We all want to experience the blessings of God and have stories of faith to share, but the truth is, to create the environment for God to provide miraculously sometimes it requires discomfort on our parts. I have the personality where I don't like to ask people for anything. I am a self starter and have always worked for everything that I have ever had. With hard work, perseverance, principles of stewardship, and following God, I have built my life. It is so foreign for me to live on the road at the mercy of others instead of just getting a job, clocking in and getting a pay check that way. God has proven once again that if we will do what he asks for us to do, he will go exceeding abundantly farther for us than we could dream. This is just one of many stories like this that I have since we have walked out in faith to start a church in the Cleveland metro area. Nothing will stop the direction, focus, or vision that God has imparted to us. Not all of our stories involve money, but I don't want to fail to give God thanks or glory for what he has provided. I also don't want to miss the chance to say thanks to whoever listened to God. If we don't listen to his word, he can't move. We are the hands and feet of his body on earth. Do what he tells you to do!

New Beginnings

Yesterday Gentry finally got his first official tooth! He has been teething for a seemingly endless period of time. He got his breakthrough. It is a bottom front tooth. It was barely poking out yesterday and today it is big and shiny and visible for all to see. I guess the endless screaming, moodiness, and diarhea are all explained. He is 9 and 1/2 months, so it is time for his pearly whites to shine through. Everyone is doing well. We are back in Michigan on deputation now again. If you get a minute say a prayer for my sister in law. Shortly after Grandpa Hilderbrand's funeral, she got a call on her phone that her 56 year old aunt passed away in a surgery with a 98 % chance of survival. Needless to say, the family was not prepared for that loss. She and Matthew Buckland drove late into the night following the funeral to be with her family during this tragic time.

We will be in Indiana in a couple of weeks and we will also be driving to North Carolina for General Conference. Crazy times!

God is Pro-Choice

I chose this title because I knew that if somebody were to check my blog, it would catch their eye. The very title of this goes against what everybody knows what I believe to be true. In an earlier posting, I discussed the topic of birth and stretched our minds to think of the possibilities that we may be born predisposed to certain types of sin. This blog challenged Christians to think and compare things in light of the word of God. It isn't always good, prudent, or wise to dismiss people and lifestyles that we deem sinful. These are the very people that we should be reaching out to the most. These are the people that we need sitting in our churches.

In the process of birth, there is a 9-10 month gestation period. I, for one, was dismayed to find out that we truthfully aren't pregnant for just 9 months, but our pregnancies are based on 40 weeks, which is technically 10 months. Pregnancy begins when the DNA of a man and a woman meet to form a new, living creature. Perfect babies are not just one day dreamed of, thought of, and created, rather there is a very long, sometimes painful process that occurs for new life to enter the world. There are months of preparation, caffeine elimination, nausea, moodiness, and growth. The growth occurs in both the mother and the baby. Sometimes the creation of human life is even more intense. The simple concept of the "birds and the bees" isn't sufficient. Numerous couples undergo rigorous fertility treatments, painful operations, and financial devastating tests in order to produce life. Even further yet, many people experience miscarriages,still births, and sometimes women chose to end a life that has begun through abortion.

I began to think of these things in relationship to our walk with God. I am particularly keen on this subject now for many reasons. One, I have given birth and been pregnant twice in the past 3 and a half years Two, many of my friends are currently expecting babies. Finally and third, we are in the process of starting a new church. Brand new churches are referred to as church plants. I prefer to think of them as nursery's and birthing wards. The new birth experience is mentioned time and again in the Bible. It is something that God desires for everyone. He doesn't want anyone to perish in the spiritual sense, but have everlasting life. This can only be achieved through regeneration. I have heard the church referred to as a hospital my whole life. You don't go to a hospital well, but you go to receive treatment and healing. God is the great physician and the church body is his hospital. If this is the case, then my analogy of a new church being the birthing ward is completely accurate.

I chose to title this blog "God is Pro-choice" because I have seen too many churches never get off the ground, too many established churches stagnate, and too few people fulfilling the great commission. (The great commission being to go into all the world and preach the gospel, to seek and to save those who are lost.) The Pro-Choice argument in the secular world is an argument that women should have the choice when they will give birth and what they will do with their bodies. This is completely incorrect terminology. The politicians are not pro-choice, they are pro abortion. Being pro-choice truly should mean that you chose before you copulated either to use birth control or not use birth control or that you made the choice to remain abstinent or not abstinent. That is where the choice should end. If you chose incorrectly, you should live with the results.

In the spiritual world, many Christians choose to terminate a new birth before it really becomes the baby in Christ that He desires for it to be. When new people come into our churches, we prematurely try to change them and force lifestyles and beliefs onto them. This would be like taking a month old embryo and asking it to ride a bicycle. When it fails to do so and dies, we just judge the embryo and say that it must not have a desire to ride the bike. In the spiritual world we say it must not really be hungry for God. They don't truly desire truth. It is insane for us to think that new people who have no knowledge of God or his principles should adhere to a certain lifestyle or that they should worship the way that we do immediately after encountering God. These are people who are just gestating in Christ. We need to nourish them, watch our mouths ( I know when I was pregnant I was very careful not to ingest toxins and caffeine), hold them, and allow them to grow at the pace they are capable of. Just like in the natural world, some babies are born premature and thrive outside of the womb at just 28 weeks or so of gestation, while other babies need the full 40 weeks to survive and thrive. We have all seen "road to Damascus" conversions where people find God, change all their wicked ways, serve Him hard core, and are used in ministry almost over night. This is very exciting, however, for the most part, people take time to learn the Bible, learn God's word, have God prove himself, and have the body of Christ minister to them. Sometimes people that jump in too soon crash and burn, just like some preemies initially thrive only to have developmental delays later in life.

God is Pro-Choice. He is for us making the correct choices. He doesn't want our churches to commit spiritual abortions and sabotage people searching for Christ. He desires for His church to be filled with healthy, thriving, growing, nourished babes in Christ. He desires for these Babes in Christ to reach spiritual maturity and consequently have their own spiritual births. None of these desires can come into fruition if we prematurely cut people off, judge them, and kill the birthing process before they are ready to be released. People are searching for love, acceptance, guidance, and belonging. If they can't find these things in the body of Christ, then we are not the Christians that God wants us to be. In addition, as a pregnant mom grows with her baby, we as established Christians should be continually growing in our walk with God as we minister to others and share the bread of life. If we aren't growing, those around us won't either. None of us are perfect. We are all on a journey and in need of expansion.

John 13:34-35

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

35 " By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." NASU

Another Day in the Life...........

Here is another check up on the Buckland journey. We are currently parked in Troy, Michigan and we will be in the Michigan district for 2 weeks before we head to Indiana. Our schedule will be somewhat crazy while here. Unfortunately, my husbands grandfather, a Pastor in the Chicago area, passed away from a long battle with cancer yesterday. Due to this, we will be headed to Chicago at some point in the very near future for the funeral and to be with family. Keep all of the Buckland's in your prayers. We pulled out of Ohio yesterday and we will not be back for a very long time. We are headed to infinity and beyond for now.

Our life has been an insane roller coaster these past couple of days. All of the men in my home have been passing each other some sort of illness. It began with the midnight vomiting adventure that Reese started on Tuesday night. He had 2 colossal throwing up occurrences. While this is somewhat normal for moms of small children, most women have access to a washing machine. I had to strip Reese's bed and clothes TWICE and give him a bath TWICE in the middle of the night. I hadn't even gone to bed yet. Jonathan was outside with a super powered garden hose to rinse off all the residue and I proceeded to wash pillows, bedding, and clothes in my bath tub. I didn't realize how powerful the spin cycle in a washer was until I tried to ring out all the excess water myself with heavy pillows and blankets.

Wednesday night, after church, poor Reese was hit again. This time with diarrhea. This occurred in the church building, in his church pants, and proceeded unto one of the church's benches. The pastors wife went to a neighboring house to get him some clean clothes. Wow, how embarrassing!

To make matters worse, last night both Jonathan and Gentry began some throwing up episodes. I am moments away from going to the laundry mat. I learned from the first night that I can't realistically wash heavy clothes in the bath tub. I cleaned them to the best of my ability so that they won't stink forever.

Hopefully, this blog wasn't too graphic or disgusting. I also don't want it to be embarrassing for my family. However, to fully understand the truth of my life, you must know!! In the midst of all this, Grandfather Hilderbrand passed away, and we blew a fuse in our trailer. One thing I have learned in the midst of this all is that I am still blessed far and above a majority of people. I have determined that I will give thanks daily for living in a travel trailer. 32 feet of space with 2 small children and a husband is a blessing far and above what many people have. I still have heat, air conditioning, running water, a roof, and a toilet. Nothing spells christian like someone that can wash vomit out of sheets by hand at 2am and still be thankful =)

How was I born?

How was I born? If a child asks this question, then parents may pause, turn red, and rack their brains on how to answer it. Did the child simply want to know where he came from? Does he want to know how he got there? Does he just want to know how babies go from big bellied mothers into their loving arms? I know that when Gentry was born, Reese didn’t want a full explanation on the facts of life, he just wanted me to repeatedly tell him that Gentry came from my belly and that the Doctor took him out when I was in the hospital. We all know that babies are not literally in your belly, rather in the womb, and that doctors don’t just reach in and get the baby out and everyone smiles and it is all nice, but a (at the time) 2 year old doesn’t require a full scientific study complete with anatomically correct diagrams. Reese didn’t care how Gentry got in my belly; he just said that Jesus put him there. We know that in part, that is true. A baby is a miracle from heaven.

Beyond the act of conception and birth, the question of birth has been a huge debate in the media recently and has been for a while. The debate has been raging as to whether or not people are born “gay”, born “alcoholics”, and more recently, as to whether or not people are born with a “cheating” gene. I recently saw a news review stating that scientists are telling us that monogamy is not possible for some people; they are just wired to cheat. Tyra Banks, a talk show host, recently wanted to test relationships for potential cheating and whether they will go the distance. Couples went on the show citing that when they got married, they actually reduced the amount of quality time they had together, arguments began, and issues like washing dishes, crumbs on the floor, and making the bed became make or break sources of contention in the relationship. In the “infinite wisdom” of television and talk show hostdom, Tyra gave these couples 24 hours off of their commitments and sent them out on dates with other people to see if they had feelings for others and if they remained faithful. The audience, Tyra, and the wife were just so shocked to see that in the video that followed the husband, he kissed the other girl he was on a date with and was making sexual advances towards her. What kind of world are we living in? If these people really were concerned with their relationship and testing its longevity, the absolute last thing you would want to do is take 24 hours off and date other people. In marriage, life is just life sometimes. Sparks don’t fly 24/7. There are poopy diapers to change, dishes to wash, and beds to be made. How you divvy up this responsibility is up to you. The Bible doesn’t list for us the specifics in roles of husband and wife. People traditionally think that the Bible backs up their idea that men work outside and women do 100 % of the child rearing and household chores. I don’t find where the Bible is so specific about this. The Virtuous woman in proverbs took care of her family and took care of household responsibilities, but she also worked with her hands and was business savvy. The Bible speaks of her buying a field, planting vineyards, and considering whether merchandise is good or not. It sounds as if her husband and children trusted and honored her because she gave her all to everything that she did and did it all with excellence. She and her husband had boundaries worked out and divided marital responsibilities to where it pleased them both. Being business savvy as a woman and knowing how to help provide for your family is a very Godly thing. This being said, when marital problems arise, you need to go back to the drawing board and consider what the values and goals of your marriage are. The answer is not to seek solace in the arms of another. The answer is not that my "cheating gene" got in the way.

In our society people want to make excuses for every type of sinful behavior. We just simply say, “We are born that way.” Many Christians deny this fact. We want to say that homosexuality, alcoholism, and adultery are a choice. While this is true, I want to play devil’s advocate and state that I agree with society. I believe that we can be born with a propensity towards lust, greed, drugs, alcohol, and violence. I do agree that some people fight with homosexuality and some don’t. You are either born with this leaning, or you had a home environment that pushed you that way. I am not by any means condoning sin; I am just setting a stage for Christians to learn how to deal with people better than we have in the past. Don’t write people off and be rude, mean, and unaccepting of them if they battle lust, adultery, homosexuality, anger, and other types of outward sins. We need to accept people where they are at, get to know them, and invite them on the Christian journey with us. God loves everybody. If we spew hate and unacceptance from our pulpits and congregations, we will never be a light to our community.

This is not to say that these issues are not sinful. They are. However, why should we treat an unsaved adulterer any differently than we treat an unsaved homosexual. It is almost as if we have categorized sin, especially sexual sin. We were all born into sin. The sins that we deal with may be different person to person though. You may struggle with covetousness and materialism but feel justified because it may not be as obvious as the sin that the alcoholic struggles with. Our brains and genetics are wired towards sinful behavior and activities. I don’t think that too many people would choose to be homosexual or choose to be alcoholics if they were given the choice and knew the end result of their behaviors.

Here is proof that we are born with “genetic mutations”.

Ps 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.KJV
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. KJV
Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. KJV
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. KJV
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.KJV
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. KJV
1 Cor 6:9-11 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. NASU

We all have the ability to commit sin. The Bible talks about not judging because we could also fall into temptation. With this in mind, we need to treat all people the same and treat them with a spirit of love and acceptance. It is not in our power to change people or to free them from the sin of their choice. Our job is to lead them to Christ and give them the opportunity to be born again. Like Jesus said to Nicodemus, the same is true for the 21st century church. We need to lead people to a new birth of both water and spirit. The spirit has given us the power to overcome. We have the power to become whatever we want in Christ. The power of the Holy Ghost gives us ability to not just witness and feel good about ourselves, but the power to overcome any sin that we have in our lives. We have the strength to turn our back on whatever “genetic mutation” that we were given in our fleshly birth.

The good news about this is that we can be born again!! The birth from our mothers brings us into this world and exposes our flesh, but the birth through our heavenly father is with incorruptible seed!! We are born again and have newness of life. All can drink from the water of life. It flows freely to everyone. It is not just for people who live good, moral, clean lives before they come to Christ. The power of the Holy Spirit working in us is not to reform us, but to transform us. All of us have the ability to do a 180 degree turn in our lives. We just need a spiritual birth. We need to die out to our flesh and our natural instincts. This doesn’t happen in one “come to Jesus” moment, but Paul instructed us to die daily.

Finally Here

Hello to one and all. I have not fallen off the face of the earth, just off the face of cyberspace. We were having Internet issues and had to return our USB Internet which allows us access to the Internet anywhere while on the road, even places where there is no wireless Internet, and wait for our new one. Once that happened, I have only had brief glimpses of time to check my E-mail.

We are currently in the good ol' Buckeye state on deputation. We are parked in Rittman, Ohio and will be headed to the Columbus and Cincinnati areas for the next two weeks. After that we are in Wolverine country. My only hope is that I have enough OSU clothes for my boys to wear everyday while in Michigan=)

Gentry is so adorable. While we celebrate and remember a horrible day in our nations history today, September 11, Gentry marks the 9 month milestone in his life. He is hilarious. What 9 month old do you know that says "Amen" and "Thank You". I think we have him in church too often. He raises his little hands up and shouts out Amen quite frequently. Even a photographer at JcPenney portrait studio commented on Gentry's verbal abilities. She gave me quite the compliment though and said that he must be from a very polite family to already be able to say "Thank You" at 9 months old.

We were in the Cleveland area the first couple of days this week. What a joy to be able to spend time in the city that God has called us too. While there, we made several contacts and really enjoyed the friendliness of all the citizens. I had to chuckle to myself while thinking of the book "How to win friends and influence people". I know that every moment and second of every day in Cleveland will be a strategic time for me to pour of myself into some body's life, build relationships, and hopefully lead them to a full walk in Christ. I was teasing my husband on my friend building and witnessing techniques and thought I would share them with you.

Technique #5:
Rear end somebody with your car. This will force you to have common ground to discuss and build a relationship where one might not have existed before. Think of all the contacts you can get with this technique. You can meet the driver and passengers of the car, the police officers, the insurance adjusters, rental car personnel, and body shop technicians.

Technique #4:
Plant a small insect into your food at a neighborhood diner. This technique will draw attention to your table and cause numerous customers to comment on your situation. Again, this creates common ground and an open door for communication. You can befriend the waiter, the customers, the health inspector, and possibly even a lawyer.

Technique #3:
Acquire Parking Tickets. This technique we actually tried while in North Olmsted unfortunately. We were not strategic in using this idea because my mother, a current resident of North Olmsted/ Cleveland, assured us that parking on the street was perfectly legal and we wouldn't get a ticket. We came out the next morning and had to flush $15 down the toilet. Oh well, at least it is $15 invested into the community of our calling. After this, we were able to meet several people at the police station and the idea of parking illegally became a soul winning technique.

Technique #2:
Grow really long hair, a shaggy beard, wear no shoes, yell things at people, and eat locust. So many churches are invested into old fashioned, traditional techniques that have little bearing on 21st century people that I thought why not go really old fashioned? Adopt the John the Baptist lifestyle and surely you will win friends, be offered jobs, and lead folks to Christ.

Technique #1:
Unleash the power of Reese. Reese has the uncanny ability to meet everyone at every place that we go to. Reese's very presence somewhere goes noticed by everyone. I theorize that if I completely stop disciplining him and let him do whatever he wants and be left to his own devices I would open many doors for our family. We may come into contact eventually with planned parenthood, juvenile services, local psychiatrists, the school principals, and possibly through those contacts grow our church.

Disclaimer: These techniques are for joking purposes only. Any attempts to use them in church growth planning, job hunting, or friend winning can and will be used against you in a court of law.

The role of a Parent

With all of the recent press on Sarah Palin, the republican Vice Presidential Candidate for office, it has come to the attention of the media and the American public to judge the parenting skills and marriage of this Alaskan Governor. With 5 children ranging in age from around 20 to newborn, obviously the Palin's have a lot on their plate. Those of us with children understand that you can't control every decision and choice that your children make. My oldest is 3 years old and already, for quite some time, he has asserted his own free will and ability to make decisions and choices. Even with consistent discipline and daily prayer, Reese has to make the correct choices for himself. Believe me if I had the power to choose between loud, rambunctious behavior and quite obedience, I would choose the latter. However, no parent has that option. Not even God, our heavenly father made us to be robots in response to His will and desires. Governor Palin has been facing scrutiny over her down syndrome infant and her pregnant, unwed daughter. My question is why are we focusing so strongly on her family issues when I am sure that hundreds of male presidential candidates and politicians have children that have made incorrect decisions? I'm assuming that the American people aren't as ready for a female executive as they think they are. Although, a female perspective is probably what this country needs.

The role of a parent is to lead, guide, instruct, love, rebuke, accept, and pray for your children. Whether the parent is a mother or a father, the role is huge and is the most important role that a human being can fill if they choose to have children. Just like the Bible speaks of nothing gained if you have the whole world and lose your own soul, a life well lived only truly matters if your own children are prepared for heaven. In spite of this major life truth, there comes a time when every person chooses their own way and you can't force someone to make the correct choice.

Parents, recognize the importance of time spent together as a family and understand that it doesn't matter if you are the father or the mother. No one role is more important than the other. A child ideally needs both parents to experience the full understanding of who God is in their life. The Bible says that God created man in his own image and in His image he created male and female. Both males and females display the attributes of God and children need to see that as well.

As the World Turns

Last night was confirmation to me that the world continues to turn, things continue to succeed, and life goes on without me. Of course I knew this to be true already and have continued to grow and change myself. I am entering a new season of ministry and anointing in my life that I feel to be a direct result of following the call and am experiencing new levels in my personal and spiritual life that I never would have been blessed with if I had become complacent.

We returned to New Life Church in Marietta, Ohio last night as "guest" speakers. How strange it is to be a guest in your own home. I grew up in Marietta and have been part of New Life Church since my birth. I continue to be part of New Life from a distance and have a definite interest in its success and growth. This blog is not really insightful or humorous, just more reflective of a life well lived and an era of new beginnings. Having been a bittersweet week for me, I enjoyed rekindling old friendships and seeing familiar faces in my home last night. This week marks the anniversary of my fathers death and the passing of another one of his birthday's without his presence on this earth. Because of this fact, visiting my "home" church was especially interesting for me last night. The years that I didn't live in Marietta in the past, coming home was natural. My dad was the pastor of the church and I was able to visit my parents. Now, I no longer have any blood relatives in Marietta, Ohio, however, the family ties that I have here go deeper than blood. I am thrilled to see the great things that God is doing in Marietta and at New Life and look forward to hearing the great reports. I can be happy with the fact that I know that through the work, pastoral dedication, and sacrifice of my parents and our work and organization as the pastors there, a foundation and structure exists in the hearts and lives of souls in the mid-Ohio valley and seeds have been planted in other lives that will germinate and grow. The law of the harvest is that some plant, some water, but it is God that brings the increase. No human structure or person can do what only God can do.

As God continues to perform miracles in our lives and blesses our church plant in Cleveland, Ohio, it is a success story that those at New Life can rejoice in. God called us and sent us and it is exciting to do his bidding. It is just too bad that the house we lived in in Marietta is no longer saved. The new owners are flying a Purdue flag and we all know you have to be a Buckeye's fan to go to heaven=)

Politics and the Church

With all eyes on the Democrat National Convention this week in Denver and the impending Vice Presidential selection announcement from John McCain, I have been thinking a lot this week about politics and the church. Unlike other Christian writers and commentators, I have not been thinking about politics in terms of who I feel is right or wrong for a christian to vote for, but rather about the lessons that politics can teach the American church about what Americans are desiring and striving for. Whether or not you feel that the church is an appropriate platform to voice political views and endorse candidates, we are all affected by the countries choice of leadership. In a monumental race where history has been made with both an African-American presidential nominee for a major party and a woman almost being nominated, I feel that it is time for the church to take a serious look at the platforms of both political parties and what it can teach us about making our churches a place with a message that will attract the American people. Regardless of which side of politics that you stand on, the speeches and strategy employed by both parties can teach us all a lesson.

Just a few nights ago, Michelle Obama gave a speech highlighting her role as mother, wife, and advocate. It seems that in both parties political strategies, family values and perceived family strength is a huge factor that Americans are looking for. Even political families that have been torn apart by infidelity and scandal continue the public image of strength and unity. Women stand beside their politician husbands that have been caught in prostitution scandal, affairs, and philandering. In the real world, many women would not publicly go to support a husband caught purchasing prostitutes. However, in the political world, we have an image to live up to in the American dream. People desire a strong family bond in the 21st century. It is still the ideal for children to live in a home with both a father and a mother. Regardless of which side that you stand on, both republicans and democrats agree in speeches that being a devoted parent and partner is realizing the American dream. The church should create a place where families can be strengthened, taught, supported, and ministered too. If both major political parties feel that it is necessary to at least attempt to have an image of the strong family unit, it must be a pretty important political strategy. How much more should the church strategize to not only have the image of strong families, but be the place where families grow together, stay together, pray together, and reach out to our communities together? The church should be the place where we not only have the image of strong families, but where faithful, devoted families actually exist.

Another monstrous political platform is the economy. Again, it doesn't matter what side of the political coin you are on, a strong or struggling economy affects us all. while we have different views on how to strengthen the economy either through big government, tax cuts, tax hikes, or smaller government, every American desires for this country to be prosperous and for children to have the opportunity for education and success. The Bible has a lot to say on economics. The church should be a place where God's economic laws are taught and where the principals of stewardship are preached on and practiced. If every person in America is concerned with the price of gas, the price of food, and the employment rate, shouldn't the church be a place where people can find answers to these dilemmas? Churches shouldn't be afraid to talk about finances and the economy. The Bible speaks numerous times on money and how it should be handled.

And finally with all of the different things that this presidential election is riding on, global warming seems to be a huge issue. People are pushing for a "green" nation and a "green" economy. Whether you believe in global warming to the degree that it is being pushed on us or not, God commissioned humanity to take care of the earth, the animals, and the environment. When God gave humans dominion over the earth in the garden of Eden it was with the stipulation that we would care for the earth. Churches ought to be the leaders in community service activities that promote recycling, caring for the environment, and seeking new ways to be energy efficient. Not only would churches saving money on their utility bills if they watch their electricity usage and take small steps to preserve the environment, but they would become stand outs in the community.

Everyone desires to be part of a system that cares for family, finances, and the earth. These are the reasons that people come out in droves to support their candidate of choice. Even though churches are not political vehicles, we can learn a lot about the aspirations of our local citizens and the dreams of people through political strategy. Don't cater to every "wind of doctrine" or new political view that comes around and root your church in Biblical teachings and principals. However, don't get so "spiritual" that you fail to meet people where they are. The Bible says to be all things to all men.

Lessons Learned from the Laundromat

As a new inductee into the laundromat "hall of shame", I have spent many hot, boring hours making observations about the people that use laundromats and how they interact. Since I do have a degree in psychology and love to "people watch", the potential drudgery that is a coin operated washing machine has turned into somewhat of a social experiment for me. Here is a very non spiritual blog about human nature.

Lesson #1: People do not know how to handle money..........

I already knew this lesson based on the current state of our economy, the high bankruptcy rate, and the excessive credit card debts that Americans have. However, my lack of faith in peoples ability to budget correctly has been confirmed. Unless a laundromat is a necessity (i.e. you live in a tiny little space with 4 people and it is impossible to have a washer and dryer, you live in a college dorm, you have items too big or too numerous to wash at home, or you are temporarily in hock with a broken appliance), laundromats save you absolutely no money whatsoever. It typically costs us around$20 every time we go to a laundromat to wash and dry our clothes. Maybe it would save you some money if you were a single person, but I figured even if you didn't have the straight up cash to purchase the washer and dryer, most appliance stores and furniture stores have 90 plus days same as cash and other payment plans. Even if you only went to a laundromat twice a month at $20 a pop, you could put $40 a month into a payment for a washer and dryer. Sam's Club has a good quality washer and dryer for $300 each. It would take you 15 months at $40 a month to pay both a washer and dryer off if all the money you had was your laundromat money. This saves you bunches of money considering the life of your machinery is at least 10 years and 10 years in a laundromat at $40 a month would cost you $4,800. Also, it is not economical to spend $2 on a tiny one time use box of off brand detergent. Buy your detergent at Wal-Mart and bring it with you.

Lesson #2: People would prefer to pretend like they are blind rather than acknowledge that other people exist

A majority of the people that visit the laundromats that I have frequented must have an extreme fear of others because they literally won't even look at you. Is it any wonder that so many Americans are on Prozac? People might possibly be happier if they acknowledged other humans and had interactions that brought them out of their comfort zone. I have had very few things said to me in the laundromats that I have a visited with the exception of one warning from an employee that it was too late for someone like me to be out walking the streets with laundry. Hey, at least one person cared. For the most part though, people live their lives full of complete indifference and mysterious unconcern.

Lesson#3: People are embarrassed of underwear

Shockingly enough, in a world of thongs and butt cracks hanging out of low riders, people at laundromats do their best to hide their underwear when putting them in the washer, transferring to the dryer, and folding. I find this quite interesting considering the fact that people have no modesty of shame in most public places. I daily see breasts, butt cheeks, and thighs that I have no desire to look at because people wear clothes that don't fit. But for some reason, people would rather die than have their tightey whiteys exposed at a laundromat.

Lesson #4:Cleanliness is not a Virtue

Believe it or not, in a place where you are trying to get all of your stuff clean and rid your life of stains, dirt, and baby poop smears, cleanliness has little or no value. I would think of a laundromat as sort of a temple to worship the soap God. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It is very scary to imagine the sorts of creatures and fuzz that live in the washers and dryers of a public laundry facility. I deeply inspect every machine before I let it touch my clothes. Beyond that though, the floors are sticky and filthy and you better not even walk near the bathroom. You may be accosted by a sea monster or some other species that lurks in the sink and toilet. Definitely don't wear the same shoes in your house that you wore in the laundromat. I have encountered every type of sticky goo plastered on the laundromat floors, stools, benches, and tables.

Lesson #5: Capitalism is King

There is power in the concept of capitalism. As enticing as it sounds to make sure that everyone has an opportunity for equal financial status, the laundromat has shown me that competition and supply/demand still work as a basis for financial growth. The amount of money I have spent at any given laundromat has varied considerably from the North East to the Mid-West. The towns with only one laundromat cost excessively more than the towns where free enterprise reign. If you offer a good product and a good price, they will come. We don't need too many regulations on that, we just need entrepreneurs to stir the American spirit. I have used the same machine in two different places and in one place it cost 8 quarters to run and in another place the identical machine was 15 quarters. While this would make some people upset, it only serves to remind me of the freedoms that we have as Americans to succeed or be duped. It is up to you which end you sit on.

Lesson Learned: It is amazing what sitting and watching clothes spin around will due to your psyche. Go outside more often =)