Something to think about

Jean Vanier, in his book From Brokenness to Community, writes about his experiences living with and learning from mentally and physically challenged people.

"Community means caring: caring for people. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says: ‘He who loves community destroys community; he who loves the brethren builds community.’ A community is not an abstract ideal. We are not striving for perfect community. Community is not an ideal; it is people. It is you and I. In community we are called to love people just as they are with their wounds and their gifts, not as we would want them to be. Community means giving them space, helping them to grow. It means also receiving from them so that we too can grow. It is giving each other freedom; it is giving each other trust; it is confirming but also challenging each other. We give dignity to each other by the way we listen to each other, in a spirit of trust and of dying to ones self so that the other may live, grow and give."

Think about it...

First Semester Reflection

Tomorrow afternoon I will get together with some of my peers and our mentor to talk about seminary life, work life, home life, and all the happenings inbetween. Between now and then I am suppose to reflect on my first semester in seminary and impart some gracious words of wisdom from my reflections. So far I have nothing. I feel as though the "happenings" in daily life do not allow for reflection or for time to think about the important things in life. Really it's a shame that I feel I don't have enough time to consider how to apply what I am learning on a daily (or weekly) basis.

The rule I have tried to live by during my first semester in seminary has been to manage a sustainable pace. What is a sustainable pace? First, I feel as though I have the appropriate amount of credit hours, which in turn provides me with just the right amount of homework each week. I don't think I would do very well with more work at this point. Second, I consider how things are at home. My family is one of the reasons I'm here and they are the most important people in my life. In light of the amount of school work, I have to ask myself is my family getting enough of my time? Third, do I and my wife have adequate time to establish friendships and develop relationships with those around us?

As I reflect on my first semester in seminary I would say that overall I have pretty well managed a sustainable pace in the first two areas of my life and that I definitely should make more time to develop friendships. As a new year quickly approaches, I should make a purposeful resolution to see this through.

Extreme Ironing...not Irony!!

As some of you know...I am pretty good at ironing. I have been ironing my own clothes for 10+ years. In fact, I do all the ironing at my house--I iron my clothes, my wife's clothes, and my kid's clothes. I'm not ashamed to admit that I rather like to iron. It's something unique (or quirky...or weird if you will) about me.

I have found the perfect club to join! The Extreme Ironing Club!! Sounds exciting doesn't it? I think I would fit right in. Here's a picture of me ironing at the bottom of the Gulf.

(Just kidding! It's not me!)

Rrrrrribit!

The Community of a Church -- Food for Thought

Theological professor, Cornelius Platinga, Jr. wrote, "Thus the summit of church membership is being membered with others not only by common love or loyalty for the same Lord, but also by having the divine mind--the servant mind, the deferring-to-others mind. Membership in the church implies the high goal of imitating the divine life by glorifying and exalting other and so doing by "taking on the form of a servant".

Philippians 2 says, "Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which you have in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likenss of men".

It's All Greek To Me

I have completed my first two weeks of class at seminary -- whew! -- two weeks down and many, many, many more to go!!! I should share that I am in four classes this semester, and I think that four (10 credits worth) is a good number for me. It seems, so far, I have enough work to keep me busy learning yet it doesn't take away too much from my responsibilities at home or else where. My four classes are:

1. New Testament Life & Witness
2. Introduction to Greek
3. Introduction to Theology & Worship
4. Practice of Christian Ministry (which is essentially a practical internship experience)

For the last two weeks, I have enjoyed my NT class the most. Greek is Greek. And it's all Greek to me. I'm making my way through Greek class well enough, but I am a little bogged down. I hope in the next couple weeks, the fog of confusion will become clearer.

You Have To See This!!!

Really makes me wonder if the last guy really had no idea what he was getting in to before he signed up.

http://glumbert.com/media/tonguetwister.html

Words of Wisdom

"Never violate the principles of God

in order to gain the blessings of God."

-- Andy Stanley, Senior Pastor,

North Point Community Church in Atlanta

The Kids

(She loves to swing!!!)

(He loves being loved!)

Job Update, Part 3

In retrospect, it is evident God has been at work regarding our employment situations. It started when I was hired as a personal trainer at a local fitness center. And now, my wife has a wonderful job as an executive assistant to the President of a major lumber distributor in the area. She enjoys her job so much that she has said that she misses her family during the day but that she is not worried about being away from them.

Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us in this area of our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your encouragement and prayer support have made a tremendous impact on our lives.

I thought you might like to see where we live.
(We live in the basement!)

Job Update, Part 2

Yesterday, we had a couple encouraging phone calls. Before I get to the phone calls, my wife had a second interview at a nice hotel in the area for the position of front desk supervisor. The interview went very well in her words, and we should hear back from them by the end of the week.

Now, yesteday afternoon, my wife received a call from a temp agency regarding a data entry position for the County Mental Health Clinic. My wife accepted the temporary position and she could start working as soon as tomorrow. Then, around five o'clock last night, the missus received another call. This time from the CEO of a major lumber distributor in the area, and he wanted to meet with her this morning. Now we don't know the specific nature of this meeting but this will be the third time these two have met to discuss openings within his company. We are greatly encouraged by the calls and interviews we have had recently and I hope and pray the Lord has made a plan for us and is slowly revealing His work.

Job Update

I want to take a few minutes to update you on how our job seeking and searching is going. We moved to Michigan almost four weeks ago (hard to believe) and we have learned that it is really tough to get a job right now in West Michigan. This is especially true for my wife, who is competing with hundreds of others for customer service type jobs. She has patiently been waiting for over EIGHT weeks for a local printing company to decide whether or not she is right for their customer service position. She has taken many many computerized tests in math, grammar, and Microsoft Office operations, and she performed incredibly on these tests -- yet no job. Thankfully, she has a second interview next week Monday for a front desk supervisor position at a reputable hotel and conference center. She is extremely excited about the position and your prayer support during this time is greatly encouraged and appreciated.

Although I have not officially started at my new job -- I got a job last week at a local family fitness center. I expect to work 10-15 hours per week as a personal trainer, and I am really exicted about this opportunity. I will keep you posted as my wife continues to look for work and I begin my new position.

Bit of a scare last week

Last week Wednesday I received an e-mail from the Registrar at the seminary. The Registrar was following-up on how I was progressing with meeting two pre-requisite requirments to admission (ie. completion of Western Civ. and Philosophy). In the e-mail, the Registrar said I could not attend class this fall until these two courses were completed. Needless to say -- I was in shock.

When I was accepted to seminary months ago, I had been operating under the assumptuion that I had to meet these requirements before ordination which would be 3+ years, so I figured I had some time to complete these two courses. I guess I misunderstood this and these classes needed to be fulfilled before enrollment.

Since my acceptance to seminary, I have been preparing to CLEP out of Western Civ., and I am scheduled to take the Western Civ. exam on August 17. No worries there. But as for Philosophy, I explained to the Registrar that I tried to get into an online philosophy course, unfortunately it is filled until spring 2007. Thankfully (after a phone call and a visit) the seminary is giving my one year to complete undergraduate Philosophy. That is a great relief.

I believe that the graciousness of the seminary to give me a year to complete Philosophy is a gift from God and in a sense another road block has been averted.

One Red Paperclip...

This is an intriguing story of Kyle's quest to barter for a house.

This may be a handy sermon illustration some day.

http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com

Manlaws

I am intrigued by the Manlaw commercials on television. One day these "laws" may be useful for a humorous sermon illustration. Here are some of my favorite "manlaws":

1. Under no circumstances is a man allowed to sing along to a song sung by a female vocalist.

2. Whenever possible a man must not use the urinal or stall next to another man.

3. Regardless of the name, a man does not visit a manicurist.

4. Under no circumstances shall a man say the words "Let's take my scooter."

5. In an elevator a man shall never face anywhere but toward the doors.

6. Acquire tans by accident, never by credit card.

7. At no time may a man touch another man's BBQ or BBQ accessories.

8. Regardless of searing pain, no man shall alter his stride over hot sand.

9. Under no circumstances should a man ride "shot-gun" in his own ride (I thought of this one!).

Estimated Time of Departure

ETD is two weeks away... As I think about where I have been and where I am headed, I am encouraged by Proverbs Chapter 3 -- "Trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Trust is a hard thing to do sometimes, especially during a difficult transition like the one my family and I face, but it is refreshing to know that God is the one at work to make my path straight.

"Unstuff" Your Life

Spring is upon us and it is that time of year when we think about one thing – okay two things -- spring cleaning and garage sales. Ever notice how many garage sales are posted in the paper? It's obvious from the papers we’re not the only ones doing a little spring cleaning this time of year.

Every spring we clean the house top to bottom, inside and out. We have a small house, but we sure do have a lot of “stuff” in our little home. In an effort to keep our “stuff” to a minimum, we sift through everything in our house -- boxes in the basement, clothes in the closets, and junk in the garage. Normally, this spring cleaning process takes us the better part of a week or so and it’s a time were we set aside “stuff” we no longer use or need. When we have cleaned enough “stuff” out of the house, usually we will host a garage sale. We sell the “stuff” we don’t want, hoping others will have a use for our “stuff”. What ever doesn’t sell gets donated to Goodwill. It seems so purposeful and helpful, right? Well, I wonder how did we end up with so much “stuff” anyway?

I think there is a "spiritual" connection between us, as humans, and the amount and the kinds of "stuff" we have. I wonder if the more "stuff" someone has makes them happier or more satisfied with life? To answer my own question -- I would argue no. Personally, I must say that it feels really good inside to get rid of extra "stuff" in my life. I think it's a freeing feeling when I'm able to unclutter my life from my possessions and just get rid of "stuff" because I don't need it around anymore. I think in some ways this is what Jesus was talking about when he said to his diciples, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where theives break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy...for where your treasure is there your heart will be also."

Attitude by Chuck Swindoll

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for the day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have -- that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.

Avoiding Financial Hurdles

We had some great news Saturday! A letter from the seminary arrived and it said, "I am pleased to inform you that the Financial Aid Committee reviewed your application and awarded a grant of $4500 to you for the 2006-2007 academic year." This is such a blessing. We know seminary education costs a lot of money, but we are encouraged by this letter. I'm confident the Lord will provide for our every financial need.

Get Over It?

I am an ESPN Radio junkie. On my way to work each morning, I listen to Mike & Mike. When I am on the road two mornings each week, I listen to the soap box rants of Collin Cowherd. While I'm traveling to my high school each afternoon, I tune in to the Dan Patrick Show. It's undeniable...I'm an ESPN Radio fool. I tune in whenever I can to get the latest on sports talk, scores, rumors, and more.

The other day, I dialed in to the Dan Patrick Show and he was discussing the topic about how coach Mike Holmgren of the Seattle Seahawks was still upset and bothered by the Super Bowl officiating which ultimately (in many opinions) cost them the championship. In addition to Coach Mike's comments, the NFL announced that in the future, referees cannot make a call unless they see it happen for sure. (This is an attempt to reduce the dreaded "phantom call" -- where an official thinks they may have seen something but then again...maybe not). And many callers called in to the show to tell Seahawk fans and Mike Holmgren to "get over it," the Super Bowl is over, you lost, see you next year. But if you really think about it, something like that just isn't that easy to "get over." We're talking the Super Bowl here. It's the biggest sporting event of the entire year in the U.S. It just doesn't get any bigger than that. So, it's understandable that Coach Holmgren is still upset by the outcome of a clearly controversial game.

Perhaps you, as a former athlete, remember losing the "big game" in high school and every once in a while you reflect on the details of the game to this very day. It's not something you can just get over easily. Or perhaps you were due for a big raise this year, but due to your boss' admitted accounting error, you received very little in compensation for all your hard work this year. Would you be able to "get over" that? Or more personally, maybe you have been burned by a girlfriend or boyfriend who left you for someone else? These are very real feelings of hurt, distrust, and it is very difficult to "get over it."

Is there something that you (or even I) haven't been able to get over because of a grudge or because we haven't been able to accept or receive forgiveness? The Bible doesn't come out and say things like "get over it" but it does tell us that we should love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, forgive others when we have been wronged, and try as best we can to forget about the past (even though it's a difficult thing to do).

Offically Accepted!

Today I called the Director of Admissions at WTS because I couldn't wait any longer... Two days prior to this phone call, the admissions committee met to review applications and rather than wait for an official letter via mail, I called instead. I was too anxious, I needed to know either way what the results of the meeting were. Admissions was pleased to inform me that I had been accepted to WTS provided I fulfill two "minor" requirements before graduation. Hallelujah! My wife and I are thrilled with this decision and in a small way confirms where the Lord is directing us.

Progress!

Last week, my wife and I visited two other prospective seminaries in the west Michigan area. We were both pleased and disappointed. Disappointed because both visits went very well. We were hoping one would stand out above another, but both GRTS and WTS are fine institutions of theological training. After sifting through the details, we have at last made a decision to attend...WTS this fall pending my acceptance into the program. This is a relief. Now we have the arduous task of preparing ourselves and our family for this major transition. I worry about so many things which could make this difficult, but my faith and trust in the Lord to provide and "work behind the scenes" to make this happen have not waivered. If indeed this is the Lord's will for our lives, He will ultimately make this happen.