Lurking

The Shade Of The Damning Tree

2007-05-24T08:42:00.000-04:00

I love hammocks. Almost every time that I go to the Mexican market in Cuidad Juarez I look at them and desire to get one, but both the times that bought one for myself it was donated to the Mexican Fiesta. Looking back I remember my Nea (my mothers mom) and Bepaw (my mom’s dad) had a hammock in their back yard. It was the kind that had the green metal frame that needed some paint with the canvas type rope netting that you lay in. getting into it was always a challenge and once you did, well it was a little slice of Royal Oak heaven. When I was young and it was hot out, I wanted to be on that hammock. Lying in the backyard shade of an plum tree, drinking a cold lemonade.

That was the life. That was then.

Today, unfortunately, there is little time for lying in the shade. Most of us need to take more time and do that whole bunch of nothing, except enjoying life for a while. But many of us, in the midst the hyper busyness of our lives, are lying in the shade of a totally different kind of tree, the damning tree. This tree offers no comfort or rest it only condemns, it only indicts us. It always lives to make the past our present. Our mistakes and rebellion are forever on its wrinkled critical lips.

“You are loser.“

“You’re such a sinner.”

“How could God ever love you?”

“He may love you, but he’ll never forget what you did to her!”

“You’re unqualified for everything.”

“That sin that you constantly engage in, that proves he has rejected you!”

On, and on, and on, the damning tree drones. As you lay in its shade you are never refreshed, constantly exhausted from guilt, regret and shame.

It’s time to move out of the shade of the damning tree and into the sunlight of God’s truth and as we bask in that certainty this cool refreshing reminder whispers in our ear:

“Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

In Christ, You Are Free, and that is way better than a hammock in the shade.

The First Time I Killed Me

2007-05-23T10:43:00.000-04:00

I was looking forward to the hunt with all of the eager expectation a twelve year old could muster. I had loaded the pristine weapon with 25 rounds of brand new ammunition. The shinny bronze balls glittered in the mid morning sunlight as I placed each one in the loading tube. These were brand new .177 steel balls of death, not at all like the plastic wimpy balls of today. I was now ready to do as I pleased as I sought out some prey of the flying variety.

I must admit that in my daydreams I was a much better shooter that in reality. So over the years I contributed many pounds of steel to the environment around my parent’s property near Onaway, Michigan in the attempt to see what it was like to hit a live target. On this particular sunny June day I went out seeking a mark, knowing that my grandmother had purposely told me over breakfast not to kill any birds. Hiding behind the barn, out of site from my grandmothers prying eyes I sought my prey. To this day I can see the dark blue barrel lowered toward the branches of the old twisted apple tree. With my trigger finger poised to release the compressed air that I had pumped ten times in the barn out of earshot from the birds, I drew down on a lonely sparrow perched on a branch. I picked out a feather on his chest and released the steely little messenger of death from its prison. Out of the barrel with a whisper and a pop to my amazement the bb struck the bird exactly where I had aimed and it fell over dead onto the ground.

At that moment I felt several things at the same time. I felt like I had closed my eyes while batting and hit a double in the all star game after never having a hit before (which I had experienced a couple of years previous to this occasion) and then when I saw the bird up close and personal I knew what I had done was totally unnecessary and pointless. Then, immediately, like the voice of God himself, I heard my grand mothers voice cry out “Craig your not shooting at those birds are you?” I don’t remember if I answered her or not, but I know I ran and got a shovel and buried the little guy beneath that apple tree on that sunny day in June and with it a little piece of me died too.

We want so many things that on this side of getting them, seem so attractive and exciting, but in the end, leave us guilty and empty inside. I don’t know what you are seeking today but I have a question for you: Is it Jesus? Do you need the Holy Spirit more and more to touch you, guide you, and move in you? I do. Come Holy Spirit revive this dead life again!

Obedient Believers

2007-03-22T17:24:00.000-04:00

A picture of Carson my Grandson sleeping taken by my daughter Jennifer>>>>>

In the context of a church where everyone was accepted and freedom was strewn about by the boatload, regardless of how one lived, one young, brave, German Pastor spoke into the wilderness of an impenitent people, these words:

“Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was hanged in the concentration camp at Flossenbürg on April 9, 1945 for his participation in the small Protestant resistance movement about one month before the Allies won the Second World War in Europe.

http://www.dbonhoeffer.org/node/3 for more on DB.

"Parentalness"

2007-03-05T11:05:00.000-05:00

A thought raced through my mind the other day and today I hope to spend a few moments concentrating on it here…

Most of you probably know from the last post of this blog about Carson, our cute and cuddly grandson that was born a week ago today. Holding him has caused me to reflect on the difficulties of parenting. Seeing my daughter Jenni and Greg, her husband, adjust to the demands of having a newborn in the house, (the sacrifices of sleep, convenience, money, priorities, to name a few) has me asking, and wondering, and trying to remember the time when our children were young.
You see I was just 18 when we were married and Connie was only 16. We were in High School and we were pregnant. We married in March, two months after finding out about our coming baby. It was the right thing to do for us, we confessed our sin and then adjusted our lives to the consequences of our actions. We also loved each other very much, so on a rainy March 7^th, 1981 we promised before God and family that we would be committed to each other for the rest of our lives. That was a great day. In the months that followed I finished high school, then we bought our own place in Harrison Township, MI and then on July 11^th, 1981 our daughter Jennifer Lynn was born, She was beautiful and full of life and so tiny! I loved the idea of being a father, that I was responsible for a little human life was cool. Then the stark reality of being a parent gripped me and I failed. The reason that our children were loved and nurtured was primarily my wife. I look back and don’t remember too much involvement. Yes there were some sleepless nights and the like, but I worked. There was no FMLA. Connie now 17 was alone most of the time to care for our child. In those early days we only had one car that worked so she was stuck. I can’t explain how we made it other than the hand of God so firmly gripped us even before we recognized it.

So my thought the other day was this:

My wife Connie really amazes me and I almost never tell her about it. My selfish way of life always gets in the way of me reminding her how much she means to me and how much she has done in the life of our children. She pours her life into others and it began with little Jennifer over 25 years ago. Connie, I cannot begin to thank you enough for all that you have done in our lives.

Carson Matthew DeGlopper!

2007-02-26T21:45:00.000-05:00

What an amazing day for the Coon clan! At 3:42 p.m. little Carson Matthew DeGlopper was brought into the world. He weighs in at a robust 7lb 13oz and is a whole 20" long. He is really cute and seemingly very content, which is a huge bonus for mommy and daddy. The birth process was long and somewhat harder than expected primarily since the epidural didn't really work for Jen. But they got through just fine with the help of many prayers along the way! We certainly Thank God for his provision and protection in bringing Carson to us. New life truly is miraculous. I was reading Psalm 139 while in the waiting room:
"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be".

Slow Death

2007-02-25T23:35:00.000-05:00

"When Christ calls a man he bids him to come and die."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Death is painful. The older I get, the more afraid of death I become. Not the general idea of dying and going to heaven - that sounds great and will be awesome beyond compare. It's the avenue that we travel in death that will often scare me. The method of the dying that gives me pause. Even harder still, is this dying to oneself. The older I become the more I realize what a hopeless scumbag I am. The things that need to die in my life seem to be growing like a "honey do" list of a vengeful wife. Dying sucks. Most days I'd rather be comfortable with how I've always been, rather than going through the death of me, but alas, that is our call.

God, today, help me to see the part of me that must die, not so I can have a funeral for it, but so I can rejoice in the knowing that you are still moving in my life as you tear this old selfish me from my heart!

Resurrection Work.

2007-02-24T17:42:00.000-05:00

"I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live,
even though he dies;
and whoever lives and
believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?" Jesus

In the middle of grief over the loss of her brother, Jesus asked a young Jewish woman this question. At the appex of her pain he wanted to expose what she really believed and to her credit, even though racked by waves of emotion, she says "Yes, I believe you Jesus." Do we believe this in the midst of our comfortable lives? Has the resurrection done it's work in you today? Has it dealt a death blow to the old you so the new you, now empoered by the living Christ, can spring forth? May we all live in it today.

Me-and-e-rings

2007-02-22T16:50:00.000-05:00

Are you tired constantly?

Do you think that we are simply running in a little cage that in the end never goes anywhere?

Almost like wandering down a road with no apparent direction.

Do you have friends that would buy you lunch? Or mow your lawn or bail you out after you’ve fallen off the wagon again?

Is there an angst brewing inside of you that you just can't seem to pinpoint it’s origin?

What is it about following Jesus that is so, so ordinary, so plain, and yet so arduous?

What are we creating?

Who are we becoming?

Who are we loving and why?

Is the Cross closer to your heart today?

just some thoughts of a wandering mind.....

Hope:Rebuilt

2007-02-08T22:54:00.000-05:00

2005 was a hot summer in Anapra, Mexico. The children had been out of school for a few weeks when we arrived at a pallet house owned by Cecelia and inhabited by three grandchildren. Somewhere in her two year wait for a new home they saved enough money to purchace concrete for the floor, which is better than what many of the neighbors could do. Cecelia was a proud Mexican grandmother who had been trying to make ends meet for her family in this dry, hot and to use her words "ugly" place to live. It was a great build, as builds go. The lot was located right next door to a church, where the family was attending occasionally. This meant that we had access to a toilet and electricity for the tools. The team was able to build the home and dedicate it to the glory of God and the benefit of the family by Wednesday evening. Three days and lives were transformed in real, practical ways by the love of God being demonstrated through the lives of caring people.

We visit the families that we build for almost everytime we go, just trying to connect with them once again, bless them with some food, prayers and a little hope too. So in 2006 we reconnect with Cecelia, it was our final stop before leaving the country and as we pulled up we noticed that the house that had brought such hope was now a shell of burnt embers.

What a tear-filled reunion with Cecelia that was! She was weeping confessing her "sin" of not tearing down her first home like she had promised. She felt that God was punishing her for her stubborn refusal.

Just a few days ago we were able to rededicate a brand new house for Cecelia and her family. that was quite a scene to behold. Come to find out, Lorena Nowakowski (young white girl from Mich-i-land) and Cecelia back in the summer each had taken a nail from the burnt shell, crying while they did. Then at the dedication they brought those nails back (one all the way from Michigan) and used them to attach the Casa Por Cristo nameplate, which is the final act of building by the team.

We were so blessed to be able to witness the grace of God being poured out on this family not once but twice. The team was so determined to make this happen for this family it was truly inspiring to watch! Thanks to all who prayed and gave and went!

The Rest Before The Drive

2007-01-24T11:49:00.000-05:00

Soon and very soon we are entering the twilight zone portion of our 2007 Mexican Adventure in Missions, that being the 36 hour driving marathon. In order to prepare for this bodily punishment, that begins Thurday night, I have been trying to rest more. A week ago I was struggling to sleep at all. Several nights I was kept awake by the four billion things my brain was processing at the same time. That makes for restless times staring at the dark ceiling. Just ask my wife! However, as the day draws near I am happy to report that I have been sleeping much better. Two out of the last three nights I was able to log about 11 hours of sleep each night, ahhhhhh! Hopefully tomorrow I can accomplish that feat again.
Thank You God!
Once again the Lord is providing for the trip. Hudson Taylor has a great quote: "God's work done God's way will never lack God's supply." As of this post we are only $700.00 short of our financial goal, which a week ago we were $6,000.00 short of the money we needed to accomplish our goals! We are rebuilding Cecelia's house that was burned to the ground last summer and we are attempting to get the bunkhouse to the place where teams can use it, including finishing the bathrooms, drywall, outside trim, etc.
My prayer is that we are doing God's work God's way trusting His supply!

“What Must I Do To Be Loved?

2007-01-21T23:57:00.000-05:00

In Erwin McManus’ book “Soul Cravings” he has an interesting entry called “What Must I Do To Be Loved?” His position is that first we humans long for love and second we are convinced that all love is conditional.

We all want to be loved or to find love. It is written into our genetic code and is the basis for most of what we do with our lives. We want the human experience of love so we do what we deem to be necessary to gain the affection of someone to whom we are attracted. Flowers, candy, long walks, dancing lessons, whatever it takes, we jump through so many hoops that we could be mistaken for leader dog trainees.

Lets not kid ourselves into thinking that this is the only arena in life where this takes place either. We relate to God the very same way: praying five times a day facing east, praying the rosary, giving enough money, lighting the right candles, using lawn statues for luck, bottom line we are looking for acceptance from God. McManus says “the reason religion “works” is because we believe in conditional love.”

What would happen if we began to live like we believed in the real message of Jesus, his unconditional love for us? “What would happen if we began to realize that God was not, in fact, waiting for us to earn his love, but that he was passionately pursuing us with his love? What would happen if the word got out that Jesus was offering his love freely and without condition?”
Indeed!

Horseradish

2007-01-18T22:25:00.000-05:00

The picture is of my youngest son Ryan at his first birthday, cute little guy. The other day I came home and noticed this picture was now the background shot on our computer and Ryan himself had scanned it and put it in. That was a little odd, I thought to myself. But now that I have taken some time to reflect maybe it isn’t weird at all. So many of us humans (maybe all of us) want those warm fuzzies when we think of “home.” We love to remember (or dream of) a place where we are loved just as we are, embraced for being us, not some made up veneer that we play at work. So why not go back to some early memories when everyone thought that we were cute, and listened to all the dumb things we said and liked it. Our world is such a harsh place to live, believe me I work with students all the time, that we enjoy thos little escapes to "home".

So I was putting together our devotional for Mexico the other day and (we will be making our way through 1 Peter during our ten day trip) this “horseradish” verse reaches up and grabs me by my throat:

“The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.”
1 Peter 4:7 (Try a forkful of horseradish when your nose is plugged up and you’ll get my drift)

Lord grant us that perspective! Help us live not only in the fuzzies of yesteryear but in the cold mountain-air reality that this is almost over, that the REAL fuzzies are yet to come because you are our home!

Monthly Update?

2007-01-15T10:02:00.000-05:00

All right this is ridiculous! I haven’t written for a whole month now, I think that is the longest I have gone without posting - ever! So I am going to try and be a little more diligent.
Life has been good and busy too. The holidays were quickly upon us and over in a blink of an eye so here is a quick update on my family:

My daughter is getting huge =] with the baby just about six weeks away from being born into our world I still have a hard time conceiving the fact that I am going to be a grandfather, it’s just so weird! They have finished Carson's room and it looks great. Perfect for a baby boy to destroy!

Matthew is still in California and we haven’t been able to talk to him since Christmas morning when he called, which was a very nice Christmas gift for the whole family. We have an ongoing ordeal about trying to get him a phone which it now appears the post office has lost!!! URGGG! He apparently is working everyday now and loving all the snowboarding. I told Connie the other day that he is going to be so good at riding when he comes back that he won't want to ride the puny snowpiles in Michigan anymore.

Ryan got into an accident and we are trying to get his car back on the road before I leave for Mexico on the 25^th. He's back at SC4 for the spring and is in the process of applying to OM to leave hopefully in the fall for one-two years on the minsitry ships that travel the planet helping people.

While in Mexico we are going to rebuild the house that burned down last summer and work on the bunkhouse project, trying to make it finally functional for the summer building season!

Eight Year Old Letter

2006-12-15T00:40:00.000-05:00

I found these on another site and they are powerful, written by elementary children. They seem to have nailed it! The Link is on the bottom.

Dear Soldier,

Happy holidays. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. I feel very bad that you have to be in the war during the holiday, but the one thing we’re all happy about is that you’re fighting for our country.

Dear Soldier,

I dedicate this letter to you because you are fighting for the U.S.A. Is it hot in Iraq? I do thank you for keeping us little kids safe. I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Dear Soldier,

Merry Christmas to you. Thank you for serving our country. You are so brave for going across the ocean. I am so proud of you.

Dear Soldier,

How is it going? You know if I was there I would be scared. I’m sure I would miss my family and friends, but you are doing the right thing. You’re saving a lot of people. You people rock! I hope you have a wonderful merry Christmas.

Dear Soldier,

I am in second grade and I live in Tennessee. I like how you are fighting for me and my family. You and your buddies should get to come home when Christmas comes.You are brave to go out and fight. All of you are real brave. I like you.

Dear Soldier,

I wish you could spend the holidays with your family. I appreciate your dedication to serving our country and fighting for our freedom. Our whole class of 25 students is writing letters. I’m the only one who wrote two. I know you don’t want to be there right now. I hope you come back in one piece.

Dear Soldier,

I like the army. I almost read all of the army books. We just moved here a week ago. The old school I went to ws good, but this school is better. We are glad you are doing this. Thanks for making the world a better place. I know I want to join the army. I had fun writing this letter and I will write another.

Dear Soldier,

I appreciate what you have done for our country. I have written a poem especially for you.

Heroic, brave

Fight, protect, guard

Thank you for everything

Fighter

the Link:

http://themediansib.com/2006/12/11/from-tennessee-children-to-our-soldiers-in-iraq/

He That Hopes

2006-12-05T10:56:00.000-05:00

As I was praying and walking this morning I happened upon an overwhelming moment: I miss my son Matthew (tear, tear) and I know how much I love him, yet immediately I knew that Jesus loves him more than I ever can. How many of his children who are far away from him, walking there own path, break his heart? I am thankful that His love is so much greater than mine. I am so thankful that He is God and I am not!

“He that hopes dances without music” George Herbert

A Comfortable Escape

2006-12-04T22:45:00.000-05:00

The question for me today, has been: Am I operating my life by faith, or have I settled for something way less like the comfortable and the familiar? I know I mention my quote wall too much and yet almost everyday that I really look, it speaks to me. Today?, Simple, Romans 1:17b, "the righteous will live by faith."

Thanks Peter, for the incredibly bold sermon yesterday on Revelation 11. In the shower today I was considering some of what you said and I am beginning to believe that we Christ followers have become much like our first century Jewish brethren. They had a definite opinion about what the "Messiah" would look like and do, that developed over the centuries. He would free them from Roman oppression and reinstate the Davidic prominence of the nation and God's rule on earth. They wanted release from their pain and hard lives, avoiding the curse. Many of us have adopted the same attitude today. We want the end times to benefit us. We want Rapture and no pain, a comfortable escape from persecution and we are willing to give the "sinners" another chance after we are gone, just as long as we are NOT persecuted, or taken advantage of in any way! But how is that living by faith during these end times?

"Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention." Matthew 7:13-14 The Message

Are you? Am I?
Faith on dudes!

Thanks Steve Gura for the cool barn picture!

The Nativity

2006-12-02T00:37:00.000-05:00

I saw a movie with Connie today. I cried. For Hollywood to do a film on the birth of Christ I was pleasantly surprised. I would recommend that everyone see this movie this year, make it a huge success so more will be done like it. Mary and Joseph were portrayed as real people, wrestling with the issue surrounding the birth of Christ. I cannot imagine the stress they faced in their culture where Mary could have been stoned for apparent unfaithfulness to her betrothed. Joseph, the fear and uncertainty he faced by taking the hand of what appeared to be an unfaithful woman in marriage. Connie and I faced some of that pressure with the choices that we made early in life, but nothing on the scale that even approached this. Can you imagine the wonder and awe of knowing, (how long did they need to even begin to understand what was taking place?) that the chosen one of God, who was God himself, was born to them, in the flesh? People came and worshipped the child in their midst. This had never happened to anyone before, where was the manual for dealing with it all? There was only simple trust in God each and every day to get them through. Sounds like good advice.

“Good Bye, I Love You.”

2006-11-29T13:15:00.000-05:00

He’s off, our son Matt that is. In a series of very fast decisions he left his job at Belle Tire and decided to move to California so he could work at a Ski Lodge and Snowboard for free, all winter long. He has been so excited for the last few days he hasn’t been sleeping much and has been pacing around the house in between saying his farewell’s to family and friends.
Now he is gone. As I am writing this his plane is landing in Reno, Nevada.

I know that it is good for him to go and spread his wings.
I know that God will care for him wherever he lands.
I know God has a purpose in all He does.
I know all of this and it still hurts.

It pains me to know that 23 years have gone by so incredibly fast and I was way to busy for most of those years.
I read a book recently entitled “Six Battle Every Man Must Win”, by Bill Perkins and I have added a saying to my quote wall from within it's pages of wisdom:

“There Is Nothing Your Children Need From You More Than Your Blessing.”

God bless you Matthew.

So What Have You Been Doing Lately, Craig?

2006-11-14T23:50:00.000-05:00

umm lots actually!

much to do with the garage addition and not very much on the blogging front, sorry.

pics for all ya'll.

ID'd

2006-10-23T20:10:00.000-04:00

Gleaned from surveillance cameras….

It looks like we have finally indentified the crooks that have goose napped Lucy from our front porch.

The three criminals have rap sheets as long as your arm. This picture was taken from a hidden camera behind a two-way mirror. The crimi-gals must have thought that they were so cute too.

On the left is Roselyn “Boom-Boom” Pooter wanted in ten states and four providences in Canada, she even looks like a Goose-napper! She is infamous for her milk bag thievery and cow tipping.

In the middle is Adrianne “Pow-Wow in the Tepee” Wilton, we are not certain what her role in the Goose-Napping ring is. But we do know that the FBI wants to talk to her about an illegal locker-boxing ring that she is involved with as well as countless petty theft charges.

On the right, with the hat is Brittany “LuPita” Bennet. Bennet is wanted across the country for posing as a basketball player. She is also wanted in California for pretending to be Dakota Fanning during a scam trying to sell fake autographs of the child star. What got Bennet busted was her finger prints were discovered on the crayon that was used to forge the signatures. It is estimated that $153.00 was stolen from old ladies attending a church bazaar. She is a heartless criminal of the worst kind.

Keep your eye out for these criminals. more to come!

Goosed!

2006-10-15T19:55:00.000-04:00

Hey this is serious! Our family goose, “Lucy,” was goose-napped last night by a band of sadistic criminals. They left a ransom note but no picture. So what may help is if everyone who reads this blog please call the goose-nappers and plead for Lucy’s life to be sparred. I’m not sure how they wrestled the 100 lb cement goose into their car, which mysteriously had Canadian plates on it! Maybe it’s all a mistake and they thought Lucy was a Canadian Goose, but no she was made in good old china, like everything in America these days! Return Lucy Alive For Goodness Sake! Please everyone call the goose-nappers and leave a message at 1-810-334-0872

LET LUCY LIVE! LET LUCY LIVE! LET LUCY LIVE!

Above Picture of Lucy - modeling some new clothes, taken recently.

Weird "Fall Colors"

2006-09-30T09:39:00.000-04:00

I woke up today to some really weird fall colors all around my house!
Thanks "Smalls," "Poot" and the rest of those responsible!
You know what the Bible says ... "Vengenance is mine..."

ME!
It reminds me of some dirty wickman tricks!

the gods we worship

2006-09-16T22:44:00.000-04:00

Here's a scary thought: "What you believe about God’s nature will largely determine how you live."

Most of us don’t live like we are free because we don’t believe in a God that loves us enough to give us the gift of freedom. Were bound, were grumpy, we hate so many things and we project that back onto God. Many see God as grumpy and angry and really angry at those who aren’t grumpy and angry. We have, and still, believe in false gods that rob us of our freedom and I would like to point out three:

The First Freedom Robbing God: Santa Claus god: This god is the one we believe in that will always keep us safe and that will always keep us happy, that will always keep us warm and well fed. The people who worship this god constantly try to appear happy, praising Jesus at every turn and often have a lot of cheep clichés to go along with it. That is until something real nasty happens in their lives. Many Christian teens worship this one particular false god.

Lord if you love me then you’ll do what I want. The reality is that God is sovereign and we need to accept his will for us no matter how we feel about it.

If god exists just to “bless us and our dreams” we will eventually turn away and create a new one. This leads to worship of the Child abuser god. The Second Freedom Robbing God is the child abuser god: this is the angry god that takes great delight in messing up your life. This is the God who gives sinners AIDS, and cancer and all kinds of diseases. There is much motivation by guilt when serving this god.

In Dan Allender’s book “Cry Of The Soul” he tells of Maria and her older brother that sexually abused her for eight years, and often sold her to his friends. The abuse stopped only when he was killed in a car wreck. Maria told her mother and her mother responded in anger telling her that if she ever spoke of it she would no longer be her daughter. Disappointment is real!

If we believe that God is my Father and He loves me without reservation and he knows exactly what he is doing it allows us to live in freedom.

The Third Freedom Robbing God: The absent god: This god is supposed to have started everything and walked away. Wind up the top and leaves. Deists believe this about their god.

If god walked away then just who was Jesus? Some crazed fruitcake that we should run from!

“No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.” _{John 1:18}

In Christ we receive Jesus’ perfection the fancy name is “imputed righteousness” and the idea is that Jesus takes our sin and we get his perfection. In practical terms it also means that if you are a Christ follower God will never be angry with you again!!

So I have a question for you: If you really believed that God was good (not safe, but good) and that He had this mess under control, and that in Christ he never will be angry with you again, how would you live?
What kind of things would you change?

Live in Freedom! Follow Jesus Christ!

This entry is adapted from the second chapter of “A Scandalous Freedom” by Steve Brown and what I spoke on to the awesome students at the Cornerstone Church.
Thanks Kyle, Sean and Ryan for the pic. =]

Forgiveness On The Quote Wall

2006-09-14T22:55:00.000-04:00

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” C.S. Lewis

A couple of Sunday’s ago Peter spoke very bluntly about forgiveness from Matthew 6. I personally know someone who is struggling mightily with this, so much so that they know they are going to spend eternity in hell, separated from God and everything good because they will not forgive people that have hurt them and those they care about. I wonder about all of the turmoil that must live inside people who cannot forgive. I guess I have either never experienced pain on the same level that they have or maybe I am wired a little differently because of the grace of God. Forgiveness seems to be not only the right thing to do, but also the best thing to do. Why hang on and let the hurt done to you continue to hurt you, day after long bitter day? I love the Lewis quote above, it has made it to the famous “Craig’s Quote Wall Of Fame” (pictured above) because I need constant prompt that I am a sinful puke that incessantly needs the reminder of how much blood of Christ has set me free from!

New

2006-09-10T22:05:00.000-04:00

I must be honest I like new things. I like new cars, new movies, new resturants, new chances and even new experiences. This evening we had our baptism service down in beautiful Lake Huron. this day happened to have a strong northeast wind and about 60 tempature. It was way warmer last year for sure. This year I was able to baptize my daughter and son-in-law which was very special for me and for them too. I was also baptized by my friend Peter which was great. Like i said I like NEW! New beginnings that I get with Jesus everyday i must say are the best!

Saved For Disappointment

2006-09-08T15:24:00.000-04:00

Alright, I must have hit a bit of a nerve saying that God is happy with us. We must like to be miserable in some ways, maybe it gives us a sense of control. But in being so miserable we let our sin, sin that has been, through faith, paid for on the cross by the suffering and death of the son of God, we let that sin run our lives. It commands our thinking throughtout thae day and leads to our loathsome attitudes. Another Brown quote from “A Scandalous Freedom” says:

“I believe that, from an existential viewpoint, one of the greatest sin Christians can commit is a constant focus on their sin.”

We say that we trust Jesus to forgive us and save us from sin, death and the Devil, then we act as if the rest is up to us! No way. We are God’s workmanship, we are God’s project and he’s happy about it! He likes you! As a matter of fact he’s nuts about you! All of us need the reminder to quit the constant self-focus and turn to Christ. He is all we need, he is everything we could ever desire to be! He is not disappointed in you, child! Even when he has to take you out to the woodshed for a "straightening out" he still likes you!

“A Scandalous Freedom”

2006-09-06T23:16:00.000-04:00

I am reading a new book called “A Scandalous Freedom” by Steve Brown. One of the quotes I posted yesterday is from that book. “There really is something neurotic about Christians who spend most of their time trying desperately to please a God who is already very pleased.” Do I think that God is pleased with me? I mean do I believe that He is? Do I live like he is very pleased with me because I am in relationship with Him through faith in Christ? Thinking in those terms can bring a revolution to our lives we could quit “playacting” like we have it all together and simply be. I want to believe it, Lord help my unbelief! I want to live in the freedom of an unmasked life. God loves you and me AND he likes us too! Chew on that! Thanks Steve Brown!

Quote-age.

2006-09-05T23:47:00.000-04:00

"God's work done God's way will never lack God's supply."

- Hudson Taylor -

"I long to accomplish a great and noble tasks,
but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks
as though they were great and noble.”
- Helen Keller -

“There really is something neurotic about Christians who spend most of their time trying desperately to please a God who is already very pleased.”

- Steve Brown -

“Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being.”

– Augustine –

¹²Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
_{Colossians 3:12-14 NIV}

Screaming Into An Empty Cave

2006-08-28T11:24:00.000-04:00

I just returned last week from a hiking trip to my favorite place, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, near Munising, Michigan. This time I had along with me four young men who will be going into seventh grade in a couple of days and one of their dads. Now normally getting through to people at this age can be somewhat like screaming into an empty cave, the only response you get is your own voice ringing in your ears, but this was not the case. We talked about and experienced so much together during those four days it makes me wonder why anyone would send thirteen year old males to traditional school, ever. So many teachers are frustrated at the middle school level because the students appear to be brain dead, and they are! AND the way we teach boys at this time in their lives needs to be much more like apprentices rather than, “Sit and read this book Johnny.” I feel for all of those teachers and administrators who find themselves forcing all of these young square pegs through round holes, because they are screaming into empty caves. Young men are sponges waiting to be filled with the water of life if we would adjust our methodology. I have heard it said by someone (who?) that we should “take all middle school boys out of school and teach them how to build a boat.” In so doing they would learn much more than they currently do.

We had a great time together exploring Jesus, humility, humanity, and God’s creation. Memories that will last a lifetime were made, discoveries about how hard life is and where they fit in, were applied in real ways. I had a great time and I didn’t have to scream into an empty cave doing it! Go ahead and pick someone and live this life of following Jesus near them for a long time.

the mystery of time travel

2006-08-26T12:25:00.000-04:00

Time travel is one of those nagging questions mankind has yet to answer. The goal would be to travel back or forward in time and see or affect the things that happened in the past or will happen in the future. Most of us have watched at least part of the Back To The Future trilogy, [another highly rated movie on the "Craigscale"]. Most of us have a few moments in time where we wish that we could go back and make some different decisions.

As I age I believe that I am discovering a form of time travel. You see, yesterday it was June 1st and today, well, I woke up and it’s nearly the end of August! How can this be? I experienced so much this summer yet it has passed me by at light speed. I drove about 6,000 miles, backpacked 23 more. Went 124 miles an hour on a roller coaster soaring to 420 feet. Jumped in Lake Superior form a cliff and walked on a dusty Mexican hilltop. Cried and laughed ‘til I cried. Felt close to God and in the center of His will and have felt alone, far from Him. I’ve slept in tents, on floors, in vans, on the couch, on a beach, on a mountain, under a zillion stars on a bluff. I met some great people and got to know many more along the way. Been to weddings and the hospital several times. Played baseball and kissed newborn babies. I broke and fixed lawnmowers, cars and a computer along the way. To top it all off I was only with my wife at home about 12 days all summer.

All of these things happened to me, I was there, I’m sure of it. But where did it go? I guess the mystery of time travel is still a mystery after all. Happy Fall.

Hope Is Just A Distant Land

2006-08-07T00:18:00.000-04:00

Amazed is a good word, but not a complete one. Disturbed, ripped off, ticked, are other emotions that followed. The woman was in her mid fifties and tears streamed down her anguished face.

“Please forgive me,” she begged. “God has punished me for not doing what I told you that I would do, please forgive me.” At this we were all crying without shame.

“We forgive you’s” and "there is nothing to forgive you for's" were launched from all around the circle of tears, along with many hugs.

Imagine the emotion this poor woman has been through over the last year. From living in a shack in a place that she said was “ugly and hopeless” to getting a new home built for you and then given to you, for free! Then eleven months later having her dream destroyed in an early morning fire. Yes, she knows that they were very fortunate not to have suffered loss of a loved one and yet, it is still a crushing defeat in a place ripe with agony. She now lives with her sister, they lost everything in the fire a month ago, and hope is just a distant land located long over a horizon of constant guilt. These are real people, in a constant war against the reality of a hard life. It’s no wonder that so many of them bail on life and escape to a numb place where guilt only punishes them while sober.

Please Pray for Cecelia and do something to help the Cecelia’s of this world.

Back and Out

2006-08-03T19:07:00.000-04:00

Mexico July 2006 trip is now over, we have returned safely and have accomplished most of our goals for the trip. And I am beat. Like down for the count. So a couple of days rest should help me recoup!

Anyway, news from the Anapra Mission:

#1. Chila is sick. She suffered an issue with her heart in May. She has high cholesterol and partial blockage of her arteries. She is on some very expensive medicine right now and is applying for medical insurance this week to help with the costs. Please pray for her. She is certainly not herself. Her family has opened an account that people can donate to help her with her costs. Let me know if you are interested in doing this.

#2. We built two houses. One for Maria. She is a grandmother with several kids and grandkids roaming about and the second for a family with four kids who were all very shy. Everyone worked real hard both weeks to accomplish this.

#3. We also built a new roof system for Pattie and her family that included a peaked roof for better water run off. We also insulated her ceiling to help with the intense heat. This is a very poor family.

#4. We visited everyone that we have built homes over the last three summers and brought them food and hope.

#5. We donated clothes to Verdad Y Vida which Chila and others distributed to people in the neighborhood. It was cool to see old Cornerstone baseball shirts walking around the streets on Mexican people.

#6. The Last house we visited (just before we left the country) was the first house we built last summer. What an emotional visit. On June 29 of this year the “house” that they had lived in before the Casas house we built caught on fire and burned to the ground. As it burned it caught her new house on fire and destroyed it as well. As Cecilia told us the story she wept and asked us to forgive her for not tearing down the old house as she had said that she would. She thought that God was punishing her for not doing what she told us that she would. There will be more to come on this story as we explore what can be done.

As we left Anapra with tears in our eyes over the unfairness of life, hope in Christ still stirs our hearts to continue the mission!

Old Friend?

2006-07-12T23:39:00.000-04:00

Old Friends are a rare reality these days. I just got in the mail my invitation to my 25th high school reunion and at first i thought that it could be cool to see everyone again, then the more I thought about it the question that nagged me was: "who is everyone?" I mean I have seen almost no one from my graduating class in those 25 years. I use excuses like well I was married BEFORE I graduated and had to grow up quick. But the pattern is what haunts me. It's been my mode of operation for way too long, to take old friends for granted and before long you realize you haven't talked in two years. I know that we grow apart from some as our values and seasons of life change, but I could do so much better to cherish old friends. I am traveling to Mexico tomorrow, along the way some old friends will cross paths with me. Pastor Kevin from New Mexico, Ron the clerk at the Econolodge in El Paso ( I found out Mary Lou from the Econolodge passed away last March), I'll see Patie and her family, some youthworks people, Chila and all those whom we have built homes for. I rejoice in all of those relationships and I miss some old friends too.

Pray for us as we go. We will be gone from 7-13 through 8-1.
thanks.

Gracias!

2006-07-10T00:08:00.000-04:00

As it turned out we were not $3,950.00 (as reported in the last post) short of our goal for the two

Mexico

houses we were actually $4,100.00 short before today’s services at the C-Stone. We asked God for a miracle again, we made the announcement and even had a bake sale going on (it alone made $755.00). and at the end of the day $4,200.00 came in. Another Miracle!

Thanks everyone and Gracias to our gracious Father!

“Please Pass Another Miracle!”

2006-07-08T02:18:00.000-04:00

I almost feel somewhat guilty this time of year. For the last several years while preparing for our annual Mexico Mission trip to Anapra, Mexico it almost always seems like we won’t make the financial target needed to build two homes and whatever else we are doing. So this year is no different, we were $4,000.00 short with three weeks to go and now we are only $3950.00 short and we leave next Thursday!

So God, it’s me again, asking for another miracle. Another chance to change the lives of some poor people in Mexico, for the Kingdom of God.

Please, can we have another miracle God? We come like the lady who just knew that if she touched your clothes she would be healed from her many years of suffering, knowing that this is nothing for you to do Lord. Please, can we have another miracle God?

Maybe you can be part of the miracle to help two poor Mexican families?

Lord, please, can we have another miracle?

Out of LEFT Field!

2006-07-05T00:16:00.000-04:00

Well I'm back from a "vaca" up to mom's near Harrisville. While there I was blindsided by news from our daughter Jennifer and her husband Greg.
Before the news, you should know that Jennifer is one of the very worst at keeping secrets, (taking after her mom on this one) We rode up north with each other and not even a hint. we spent almost five days together, not many signs given. Then on Thursday Greg comes up and Jennifer gives us a gift wrapped in a little box. The gift is a book, on how to be GRANDPARENTS! I thought she had given us the wrong box or something. Me a grandpa? It still isn't real to me at all. Maybe it will sink in sometime toward the end of February, when the real present is due to make it's arrival.

For the DL on the vaca: I worked around the house for mom, I read three books (90 minutes in Heaven by Don Piper, Donald Millers new book To Own A Dragon, Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas (not yet done with it) and also a great book that I'm savoring called The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard) sat on the porch and talked with many folks, took some much needed day hikes to break in new hiking boots, played lots of volleyball, went Kayaking for a day that ended in a thunderstorm. Anyway, thanks for caring...

The Dust Bunny From Hell

2006-06-22T00:23:00.000-04:00

The other day Connie says to me that the refrigerator is leaking under the freezer side. I hopped right on it - after about two days and two more mentions by her. So I roll out the fridge, which was new just over six years ago, and I begin to check it out. It had been a year or so since I last had pulled it out to clean beneath it. It was a bit dusty so I pulled out the vacuum cleaner and within a couple of minutes it was taken care of. But then realizing that the “leak” was from the frontal region I, for the very first time, pulled off the front lower plastic grate and was totally amazed at what was starring at me. A king sized dust ball had formed over the last six years all around the cooling element. It took me a half an hour to vacuum and pull and wedge all of the dust out from the radiator. It was gross. (My wife will really be impressed with this entry)

As I lie there on my side pulling the nasty out from under the fridge, it occurred to me that I had never addressed this issue before. The machine had to work way harder than necessary to keep our food cold and with the recent heat it seemed like it was constantly chugging away. I think that our lives can be just like this. Areas left unattended suddenly begin to suck the life right out from underneath us, sapping our energy and freedom in Christ. A creepy little sin that we ignore for years all of a sudden rises up and bites us in the butt. We find ourselves thinking in ways that are not right, or taking extra long glances, or wondering what kind of life we would have with that person. Left unchecked, unaccounted for, these seemingly harmless “habits” will one day kill us.

Get help.

Seek someone out to trust with your “dust bunny from hell”.

What we really need is Jesus.

Nothing else even comes close to satisfying our soul.

6318

2006-06-05T20:23:00.001-04:00

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

Dead Eye

2006-06-01T13:47:00.000-04:00

Have you ever looked into the eyes of someone and noticed a difference? Eyes that normally have been full of life and twinkle, but now are deadened by life’s harsh realities. It is almost as if life itself has been sucked right out of them. Deeply saddened eyes where hope is gone and their reality is strangled with a cloud of despair. On occasion, for a moment, the pain is forgotten by a smile or the visit of an old friend, then the certainty of the pain returns as quickly as it departed. Guilt follows with its grim reminder that you don’t deserve to be happy. Confusion abounds. The once easy life is gripped with indecision on every front.

The question you find yourself wallowing in is “why?” Why me? Why now? Why this? Of course there are other lingering thoughts like: How long will this last? Can I go on another day? Will I ever feel normal again? Grief is weird.

It was hard last weekend going back to my father-in-laws place near Harrisville. The drive was fine for the most part but as mom, Connie and I got out of the car all of the emotions came racing back in. Mom almost took an hour before she could go back into the home she has known for almost ten years. We all cried and remembered outside while we were looking at flowers that had sprung up around the yard, occasionally pausing to wipe our saddened eyes.

Reconciliation:

2006-05-23T00:08:00.000-04:00

"23Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and remember that you brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and and be reconciled to your brother; then come offer your gift." Matthew 5:23-24

Last night I went to a service of reconciliation between two churches. Rarely does reconciliation happen between two people let alone two churches in the same town. Well last night it did happen and it was beautiful. The grace of God evident through out our time together, many tears flowed freely all evening.

Someone who came to the service said that they didn't belong to either body of believers but came to witness what took place and he was in awe of the humilty and forgiveness and love that was displayed. So much so, that he was going to describe what happened to his Pastor.

Who has something against you? Did you read that Matthew 5:23-24 verse above. Not when you have something against them but just the opposite, when they have something against YOU; GO! It will be like a breath of fresh springtime air for your soul!

The Flying Joe

2006-05-17T23:30:00.000-04:00

I’ve been parasailing beforeand i loved it. a couple of years ago on vacation with my cute little wife I talked into going with me. She wasn’t too sure about the whole thing but she went anyway and I must say she was scared out of her wits. Not that she said anything but her legs were so stiff during the whole time her toes were pointed and her knuckles were white until we landed, which was just before we crashed into the Mackinaw Bridge.

Alex, in Florida, heard that Captain Billy’s Watersport was offering parasailing for the low, low, low price of $35.00 for a one mile ride she was all geeked about having Joe take a ride on the wild side. So we made the appointment and went to the beach and waited for about two hours in the baking hot sun. Apparently an appointment is not really an appointment just an estimation, I thought for a moment that I was in Mexico. We waited and waited. The more we waited the less confident we became about this whole thing.

This parasailing company had a different set-up than the one in Mackinaw. This Captain Billy’s Watersport used a “Banana Boat” that the victims, I mean people, would ride on like a horse, complete with a rope to hang on with. Now the Banana Boat was pulled by a wave runner out to the parasailing boat. From there you would have to climb off the banana onto the parasailing boat, across the platform that you take off from and find a seat. Sounds easy enough, that is unless you are unable to walk.

Hot, tired and pretty nervous we unloaded Joe from his custom sand wheelchair into the middle of the banana boat with Alex, Marla, Andy and me surrounding him to make sure we didn’t repeat the whole diving with the Dolphin thing. Of course, at this time, the wind and the waves decided to pick up again and getting Him on was hard because of the up and down of the boat. If you read this just remember the boats never stopped going up and down, up and down, up and, well, you get it.

Off we go out to the parasailing boat (PSB). As we pull up captain Dave, a really cool guy, decides that the wind and the waves are a stirring and we drive out, way out, to try and get an area of some calm. No luck. Captain Dave stops the boat and reaches over and grabs a hold of the banana boat and we quickly strategize on moving Joe onto the boat, which goes pretty smoothly. We get Joe onto the flat rear deck of the PSB. This is the part of the boat that everyone takes off from to their brief and expensive flight into the skies. As the deck is heaving with the waves it is very hard for us land lovers to get Joe over the deck to the stairs. Andy steps in a hole that the rope for the parasail comes out of and falls backward like he is going to go overboard but catches himself as we drop Joe on his back. Everyone is fine, we laugh, even Joe, and try again with success.

The helper on the boat, I can’t remember his name, put Joe in the harness with some help. Up until this point we all just knew that Joe and Andy would ride together, as would Alex and Marla. That is, until Captain Dave said that with the winds the way that they were, everyone would have to ride separate, even Joe. Gulp. The only way that this would work is if we “stand” Joe up to hook into the harness and then “catch him” and “hold him up” while he is unhooked after the ride is over. Remember the up and down waves thing, yeah, that’s a big deal now. Deep down inside I wanted to ask for a refund and hop back on the banana boat and go home at this point.

Joe was going to have to go first so Andy and I could help him “stand” and get hooked in. Even Joe didn’t seem to be all that excited about this one. So the guys get the sail deployed and then we moved Joe to the lift off deck and struggle against the sail, the waves, and gravity itself to get Joe hooked in.

Then it happened.....

Joe was off. Flying above the Gulf of Mexico all by himself, held on by just a rope to his only place of rescue. It was beautiful. Beneath my sunglasses I cried watching Joe fly. All of the work, the waiting and the sweat was worth it, a thousand times over, just to watch Joe fly.

Jet Ski Joe. Part Three

2006-05-11T22:25:00.000-04:00

This in continued from the two posts below: "Jet Ski Joe"

As Eric and I began to turn Joe around so he was facing the front of the ski a second unexpected wave hit us hard and all three of us went into the Gulf. This time on the way in both Joe and I swallowed some sea water and came up coughing. As I was once again holding onto Joe, Eric pulled himself back on the Ski. About this time a small bright yellow Jet boat pulls up and the two tan guys in it offer to help us, as it turns out they are off duty firemen from out of state. As they get close a wave knocks the Jet ski into the boat, the problem with that was I was between them and was holding my arms out, one on each watercraft so I didn’t get crushed and desperately trying to hang onto Joe.

Finally we moved Joe behind the small yellow boat and begin to coax his 180 pounds on the boat. Thankfully this time the waves aided us in the effort and the two firemen pulled him into their boat after much effort and care. All during this time people were yelling different instructions to Eric, to me, to who knows, the reality was I didn’t hear many of them at all. For what ever reason, in the next moment, I am being dragged behind the bright yellow boat so I can get closer to my jet ski as the fire guys yell "Hang on!" and things like "Are you all right?". Eric bailed and went to get his ski.

Exhausted, I climb up again to my seat, now without Joe, the seriousness of the situation begins to set in. My hands were shaking so bad that I had a hard time getting the plastic safety switch that was on my life preserver back under the kill button so I could start my ski. The whole time the waves were relentless and very close together causing all of us to bob up and down at a pretty fast pace. At last, key in and engine started, I realize that I have lost my favorite hat, a Detroit Tigers hat that my daughter bought me for fathers day somewhere in the gulf. Hats are cheap compared to what happened today.

As I race to catch up to the little yellow “firemen” boat that is holding Joe, I see the Coast Guard boat and their flashing yellow lights in the distance. It’s getting darker now as we race off to meet the black and red boat. Pulling up to the Coast Guard ship I notice that they are yelling at Eric. Come to find out later, someone had mistakenly called in that Joe had been paralyzed from this accident, and that his leg was broken too! So the Coast Guard was thinking that it had a real mess to deal with. It’s a good thing that Alex, Joes aide, wasn’t long in getting there, she was able to talk her way onto the Coast Guard boat and ride back to the dock with them and Joe, who by the way, laughed the whole way back!

As I drove back to the resort that night I cried, thanking God that he had spared again the life of Jet Ski Joe.

The next day we took Joe parasailing, which is a whole other story!

Jet Ski Joe. Part Deux

2006-05-10T23:18:00.000-04:00

Continued from the post below: "Jet Ski Joe"

The sun was getting low in the sky as we roared away from Shell Island heading directly into the blindingly bright sun, which made it very difficult to see the ski ahead of you. Combine that with the salt water splashing on your sunglasses and seeing became a relative thing. As we approached the inlet to the Gulf of Mexico the seas became much rougher. Joe and I flew through the sky a couple of times over ever increasing waves. But I got to tell you he held on just fine. By the time we caught up to the rest of the group they had all stopped to watch a bunch of Dolphins jumping out of the water towards the sky. We had several Dolphins swim within a few feet of our watercraft. They were amazing to see up that close. There were other people watching them from a huge catamaran. We crept out further into the gulf following the Dolphins fins. The waves were now about six feet in height and we were about a half mile off shore, bobbing up and down in the surf.

Then it happened. As the group pulled away in front of us, Joe started to slip to the left as a wave hit us from the right side. My first reaction was to gun the Jet Ski and get us righted. As I gunned Joe’s death grip was holding onto my life jacket, and that, combined with the power of the wave, we both went into the ocean. Now normally that may not be all that bad. Joe has a special life jacket that by design keeps his head above the water because he cannot do that by himself. For whatever reason we didn’t have that jacket with us. As I hit the water my first thought was “I have to get to Joe!” We were close enough when we fell in that I was almost right next to him. His face was under the water as I grabbed him and he was starting to panic. “Joe, you’re alright”, I told him. “You’re alright.” The task for me at this point was to make sure that his head stayed above water. Why I didn’t have immediate flashbacks to the Jaws movies I don’t really know, because I have been afraid of swimming in the ocean ever since I watched those flicks. So hear we are, in the Gulf of Mexico, trying to hold Joe’s head above water and what does Joe do? He starts to laugh, at which time I accuse him of wanting to fall off the jet ski so he could swim with the dolphins, which brings more laughter. As we joke, we make our way back to the jet ski and I hang on to Joe and to the ski, rising up and down with the large rolling waves. It was at this moment that I notice the sun was beginning to set; the bottom of the sun was touching the water as Joe and I were in it. It was beautiful.

The brief moment of chaotic peace was suddenly interrupted with the arrival of Eric, our tour leader. I tell him that we are OK and we spend the next few minutes trying to figure out how we are going to get Joe back up on the ski. Finally Eric ditches his ski about ten yards from us and swims to our ski. He jumps on and with the help of the waves I push on Joes butt as Eric grabs below his arms. We manage to get Joes rear end on the rear footpad of the jet ski. In doing so we pulled his swim trunks down off his behind. I can sense that Joe is concerned about it so I try to get them righted. At this point other members of our group are beginning to drive too close and crowd around our ski so Eric stands up and screams at them to all back off and give us some room. The catamaran is also coming very close asking if they can help, and giving us advice, which would be great if Joe could walk, but he can’t. Eric tells them that Joe is paralyzed and to move off. By now Eric has gotten Joe on the seat but he was backwards, so I pull myself out of the water and get on the Jet ski with them. The plan was for me to help can turn Joe around, then I would move in front and we will be on our merry way.

But that isn’t what happened. To be continued…

Jet Ski Joe

2006-05-10T01:48:00.000-04:00

My friend Joe is 18 and back when he was seven he was hit by a truck as he crossed the street near his home. That accident has left him severely handicapped; most professionals never thought that Joe would live through the injuries. Today, Joe is in a powered wheel chair and has very limited use of his hands and struggles mightily with communication, for which he relies on sign language.

Joe has been coming to our church for about the last three and a half years.

Three years ago Joe went to Florida with the youth group and had a good time at our annual Student Leadership Summit during Easter break. He has taught me so much that I almost feel like I should pay him to go. He is a very compassionate, thoughtful, young man who longs to be “normal”.

This year he was very ready to go again to Florida and we left on Easter night, driving south to near Panama City Beach, to a place called Laguna Beach, Florida. We had great weather the entire week in the 80’s which was a real treat for us Michiganders.

One of the many highlights of the Florida experience is our Jet Ski trip and this year was going to be great because we were able to get a deal that would allow all 24 of us to Jet ski out to Shell Island and back a two hour tour!

It was a beautiful day that April 20^th and all twenty four of us were on twelve Jet Ski’s with two additional skis that held the leaders who would guide us through our afternoon journey. As it worked out Joe was with me and we were both good with that. To put Joe on a Jet Ski was a task that required four of us lifting Joe from his wheelchair and someone in the water holding the jet ski still. First we tried to get Joe to sit in front of me on the ski but my arms are too short. (Former co-workers used to call me T-Rex for this very reason.) So, instead, we tried Joe on the back of the ski holding on to me, he has a great grip and it seemed like it was going to work out. To be honest, I was somewhat nervous, not sure if he would have the stamina to make it for the whole two hours hanging on with his death grip.

We were the first ski loaded and were trying out the arrangement in the lagoon as everyone else loaded up. We took the last position in the single filed line as we motored through the “no-wake” zone. Finally, about a mile out, we got to hit the gas and go. Joe seemed to like to go fast over the warm Gulf waters. We often caught up to the ski in front of us then we had to slow down because the leaders wanted us to remain in a single file so it would be easier for them to keep track of us. Every five or ten minutes I had to slow down and adjust Joes hand grip because through all of the bouncing his hand migrated too far south. We had a great time hooting and yelling over the waves. The path that we took out to the island was very smooth since it was guarded by the island on the south and the mainland on the north. We made stops for people to hunt sand dollars in the bay and then at the island I got a break after about an hour of riding. I was wondering about my stamina at this point not Joes! Alex, Joes awesome caregiver, sat with Joe as the rest of us hunted sea shells on, go figure, Shell Island.

The last bit of the journey for us lay ahead; little did we know that it would be the most dangerous part of the day as well. To Be Continued...

When A Hug Is Enough

2006-05-03T14:37:00.000-04:00

My father In Law was killed in a fishing accident almost two weeks ago. Both him, and his fishing buddy Al, apparently got caught by a Lake Huron storm that laid claim to their lives on Friday April 21^st. We have spent the last week or so (after they found the bodies) going through all the emotions and motions of grieving including all of the arrangements that must be made after someone is suddenly gone. One evening with my mother-in-law on her front porch near Harrisville, she was crying as we hugged when she said that it all had no meaning anymore. Without her partner, her lover, her “best” friend, as she called him, life in that house had lost its meaning. There was nothing said, no words could heal this gaping wound to her very life. The hug was enough.

Thank You for all of your prayers.

Home, Again

2006-04-14T09:47:00.000-04:00

Weakness sweeps me away in a torrent of familiar.

The trap encloses my mind as I seize deception.

Slowly, I fall down the tunnel of failure.

Old wounds rip open as scars ooze new blood.

The comfortable dank pit welcomes me home again.

Escape has no name here.

Heaving with laughter the eyes glow red.

Conquered again they scream relentless.

The mire has thickened with time and offense.

I’m lost beneath the bog of collapse.

Surely, I am home again
.

Death
.

Yet, I still feel pulse throb my neck.

A thunderous clap pierces my ears.

Swirling headlong I am plucked from the morass.

The gentle scarred hand bodes familiar.

I am Home, Again.

Free.

100

2006-04-11T22:55:00.000-04:00

In my life I have always been known more for the things that I start rather than the few that I finish. I have had it as somewhat of an unofficial goal of mine to get better at finishing. Things like books, projects, even simple tasks. I am giving a bit more attention to finishing. This blog journey has been cool, I enjoy it most of the time and I like interacting with all of you but,

But nothing.

This is my 100^th post and God-willing not my last. So today I stretch my arm around my back and pat it for sticking with it for these 17 months. Here’s to 17 more! Hip, hip hooray!

Go Tigers and Red Wings and Pistons.
What a nice time to be a fan from Michigan.
Now if only them Lions would get their act together....

Dirty

2006-04-06T18:37:00.000-04:00

I was propositioned for sex once by a prostitute. I was driving my truck ( I was a truck driver for 7 ½ years) in downtown Detroit, on the eastside, and as I pulled up to a stop sign near Warren Avenue, a scantily clad woman asked me if I wanted a date. A wave of emotion rolled over me, it was fear. I “sped” away as fast as I could make the truck move as I yelled over my shoulder: NO!

I was repulsed by her looks, by her “profession”, by the thought of disease and just by the idea. I was “grossed out” by her presence just outside my window.

36One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to come to his home for a meal, so Jesus accepted the invitation and sat down to eat. 37A certain immoral woman heard he was there and brought a beautiful jar filled with expensive perfume. 38Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. 39When the Pharisee who was the host saw what was happening and who the woman was, he said to himself, "This proves that Jesus is no prophet. If God had really sent him, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!" 40Then Jesus spoke up and answered his thoughts. "Simon," he said to the Pharisee, "I have something to say to you." "All right, Teacher," Simon replied, "go ahead." 41Then Jesus told him this story: "A man loaned money to two people--five hundred pieces of silver* to one and fifty pieces to the other. 42But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?" 43Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt." "That's right," Jesus said. 44Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You didn't give me a kiss of greeting, but she has kissed my feet again and again from the time I first came in. 46You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 47I tell you, her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love." 48Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven." 49The men at the table said among themselves, "Who does this man think he is, going around forgiving sins?" 50And Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." _{Luke 7:36-50}

At the time of the "proposition", if I had been in this story, I’m afraid that I would have been Simon the Pharisee. Considering only the woman’s reputation, dress, looks and lifestyle I would have forgotten her, the person. The mixed up, struggling lost soul that mattered to the Son of God should matter to me as well. Who have I looked at like this lately?

Scum

2006-04-01T21:54:00.000-05:00

I used to work with this guy who was, well, I'm not sure, slow, I guess. His name was Tim and his job was to sweep the plant. All night long (we worked afternoon shift) Tim would sweep and smoke cigarettes and collect pop bottles. Tim was about 6'2" and weighed maybe 150 dripping wet. Many of the guys in the steel factory were not nice to Tim. He walked funny, kind of a stride with his cigarette dangling from his mouth, his long nappy hair and nasty beard flowing in the breeze. Tim rode a bike to work and it was an old bike with baskets for his returnables. Tim had bad breath and chunky stuff caught in his beard from his previous meals. Tim was weird. In the beginning I was mean to Tim. I would drive my Hi-Lo at top speeds through his just swept piles of dirt, laughing all the way. I would break my bottles rather than give them to Tim, just out of spite.

Then this guy got a hold of my heart and stories like:

¹³Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that gathered around him. ¹⁴As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax-collection booth. "Come, be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him. ¹⁵That night Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to be his dinner guests, along with his fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners. (There were many people of this kind among the crowds that followed Jesus.) ¹⁶But when some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees* saw him eating with people like that, they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?" ¹⁷When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor--sick people do. I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough." _{Mark 2:13-17NLT}

Tim would have been eating with Jesus.
Eating, laughing, picking food out of his own beard and being loved by the son of God at his table.

…..I was such a scum.

Enough?

2006-03-26T22:16:00.000-05:00

When is it, my friends, that you know you have had enough? What is enough? Connie made some great Fajita’s today for dinner and I devoured two of them puppies, like now. It was enough…. Or was it? A couple of hours later I needed two, ok make that four, cookies. I thought the fajitas from the hand of an angel were enough? Why is “enough” so based on condition? Enough is rarely ENOUGH when it come to us humans. There always seems to be room for more dissatisfaction. We have enormous capacity for discontent.

Throw God into the mix. He is supposed to be the end of desire, the answer, the only piece that fills the empty hole in our lives, in short, enough. God is supposed to be enough! Where my, and perhaps our, struggle lies is that we are so absolutely dependant. Everyday we need to find our fill in him. Every breath we draw is because of him. I play at this following Jesus thing way too much. Some days I am frustrated with all of my shortsightedness and simple desertion. Other days I am eying up the big screen HD/LCD TV’s at Sam’s Club. (Now I don’t want you to think that I am picking on you for having one, I am not, but my 32” old tube TV works just fine, so why the discontent?)

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” _{Jeremiah 17:9} and that deceit runs very deep. Enough Already!

More Mexico Photo's

2006-03-16T12:51:00.000-05:00

Sunset over the Pacific.

One of the pools.

Our Room was the second from the left on the top floor.

The View From Our Balconey!

Well That Was Fun

2006-03-14T00:30:00.000-05:00

Mexico, as a honeymoon 25 years after the initial fact, (instead of a mission trip) was a great experience. The weather was 80-85 everyday and sunny all of the time. The sun came up over the mountains and set over the ocean. Puerto Villarta was beautiful. We did a lot of sitting by the pool and swimming and eating and eating and eating some more. It was a great time together. There is so much to tell you all. We went snorkeling, saw hump backed whales, dolphins, man-o-rays, kayaked, watched sunsets and a sunrise, read, but our main goal was to relax. We did that with great success. Thanks for everyone’s kindness and prayers that made this trip possible for Connie and I, we appreciate it so much!

Mountain Shelters

2006-02-27T17:00:00.000-05:00

I often come home from mission trips with my emotions in tatters. I stare off into space. I am sapped of strength. I cry at nothing. I sleep a lot.

I cannot get the images out of my mind of the latest experience, of the people and of the time that we have shared. The way that God has wired me is with a deep desire to help people on a real level and the kicker is that I am powerless to effect change or real growth inside of people. This part of me is “balanced” on the other hand with my innate drive for non confrontation. We read through 1 Peter together during this ten day trip to Anapra and Peter reminds those Christ followers to be ready to give an answer for the hope that they have. I love the fact that the Holy Spirit has the job of changing us. I am humbled at the thought that I get to participate in the action of the faith life expansion.

There is not too much that compares - so don’t mind me if I pause to build three shelters on the top of this mountain while I am visiting.

Mexico Again!

2006-02-15T23:03:00.000-05:00

Here we go! About 24 hours and we head out again to my second home, Anapra, Mexico. It is such an honor to be involved in a Church that loves "all nations." God once again provided all the money that we need and once again it was at the last second. Three weeks ago we had raised about $100.00 of the $5,000.00 needed, last week we had about $2,200.00 and between Sunday and monday all of the money came in plus $500.00. So in all $5,500.00 will be used to continue construction on the Bunkhouse and fixing a house and food for the poor!
Thanks to all who gave and please pray everyday from the 16th through the 26th for protection from the evil one and for open hearts, ours and others!

Jesus’ Creed

2006-02-11T14:12:00.000-05:00

I’ve been using Scot McKnight’s book “The Jesus Creed” as a devotional recently and it has been good. Jesus’ knack for taking the things that we wish to complicate and making them simple is demonstrated again in Mark 12. Someone asks Jesus what the most important commandment was. In other words, what is central to being a God follower? Jesus answered with the “Shema”, which was the twice daily prayer of any Jew. Every Jew in Jesus’ world would have recognized Jesus’ responce immediately from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ““Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.” But then Jesus adds one verse from Leviticus 19:18 “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And says: “There is no commandment greater than these.”

Why are we so good at complicating what it means to follow Jesus?

Love God with all you have and love others. In theory it almost seems too easy, in practice it is the hardest of all things. Keeping things simple always helps me!

White Grace

2006-02-08T00:09:00.000-05:00

I like winter. I have been sad that we have had only about four weeks of it so far this year, the weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Then last weekend we got a good storm it went from rain to snow and dumped about 8 inches in my yard. What was so beautiful was the fact that the snow from this storm stuck to everything. Everything was painted white and bent over from the weight of it all.

What a picture of grace. Our ugliness gets exchanged for the pure righteousness of Jesus, by faith. Have you ever been stuck with the immensity of the grace of God? Has the beauty of the Everlasting One taken your breath away recently? Have you been dumbfounded by the love of Jesus? On some days the tears flow freely and God blows me away again, granting me another view of Him that I had yet to experience. Those are the white days that make the cloudy mess that we call life, bearable.

Still Laughing

2006-02-06T01:22:00.000-05:00

The SuperBowl was in Detroit this year and living an hour northeast I took interest in the stuff that was going on around the area. One event was the “Celebrity Flag Football game” being held this past Saturday at the Pontiac Silverdome. My son Ryan had received some tickets because our team won the flag football league championship here in the Port Huron area. So we went to the game, there were 10 of us, guys and their girlfriends, my wife and I. So sitting through this terribly lame game we were at about the 50 yard line ten rows up from the field. With about two minutes to go in the game a guy without a shirt comes running across the field through the players and I’m thinking what is this shirtless guy with “I Love Flute” written on his chest doing? Then I realize it is one of the guys that I brought! I almost wet myself with laughter right then. What is worse he climbs into the seats and starts to run up the isle way on which I am seated on the end. As he is running by I say to him “keep running right on by Nick!” which is exactly the wrong thing to say because he stops and hugs me. At that moment I thought that we would get tossed out of the SilverDome into the raging snowstorm, which we didn’t. The only thing that happened (Other than Nick almost getting taken out by one of the players - Cory Redding) was the PA announcer came on and said for everyone to stay in their seats.

I am still laughing.

Fall-Owing

2006-01-31T00:38:00.000-05:00

My youngest child owes Connie and I some money (not much new about children owing parents cash, is there?) One of the ways that we are having him pay us back is by reading some books. I look at it as a great opportunity to build into his life, which, in my opinion, is way more important than money. I can see that he is enjoying a couple of the books so far and they are at least making him think. I wish that I had done similar things when I was younger and perhaps I wouldn’t still fail so much of the time. I know that I have to walk my own path, I just wish that less of my following Jesus was a stumbling, bumbling mess.

When I pause to consider the love of God in my life I am in awe and it helps me to take a few more steps along the way. And maybe in my fall-owing Jesus I get to walk with a few of you for a time and you in turn get to walk with someone else, showing them Jesus as His brilliance is displayed through your failings, your cracks and your shortcomings. Paul once said that he would only brag about the cross of Jesus, because not much else mattered when compared to its glory.

So stumble along my friends, the glory of the cross will light your way breaking through your weakness.

The Picture is (from top down) Matthew, me and Ryan home goofing around.

God Moments

2006-01-24T00:29:00.000-05:00

Well I’m back from a Jr. High and High School winter retreat. We did a lot of hanging out, tubing, sweating, laughing, singing, eating, walking with not alot of sleep, or personal hygiene applications or unused muscles. Did I mention NOT a lot of rest?

How do you put 15 of us in a van for 5 hours each way, interject many noisy bodily functions and laughter and come out with anything short of a chaotic murder scene I’ll never know. Yet in these things, for reasons unknown to me, God seems to show up. Great memories are formed, friendships developed, tongues burned from overzealous hot chocolate consumption and God seems to show up. Not always for everyone and not usually at the same time or the same way. We simply invite Jesus to join us, (I beg like a starving, lost little puppy) and He does, in His time and in His way, to whom He chooses. Hearts are stirred and new commitments are coming out of peoples mouths that you didn’t expect to hear. For some you just pray for the seeds that have been sown to one day take root and for the others the evidence is in the new lives that they want to live.

Thanks Jesus for the God Moments this weekend and for rest too, yeah.

Re:Call

2006-01-16T22:12:00.000-05:00

1 “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. 3 Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. 4 We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future.” _{Ephesians 4:1-4}

"Relying on God has to begin all over again everyday as if nothing yet had been done." C.S. Lewis

These two statements have impacted my life today.

Born Into Brothels

2006-01-10T23:03:00.000-05:00

I have just stopped crying, well maybe. Connie and I just watched "Born Into Brothels" and I can't say enough about it. Basically a photographer goes into Calcutta, India to photograph the women involved in prostitution. Well what she discovers is all the children of the prostitutes. She begins to teach them her skill and love them in real and practical ways. The kids are given cameras and begin to give us a glimpse of their world, through their eyes. A camera man follows them around and for 1:20 minutes we were mesmerized. You really should see this movie. One woman who doubts her ability and skills lays it on the line for the least of these and the story is unforgettable.

They have a website: www.bornintobrothels.com

It Just Is.

2006-01-10T09:27:00.000-05:00

This is a place that I am arriving at lately. So much of life is reacted to with hatred and disdain, a blame victim must be sought out and properly tagged with the offense, and with any other offense that they have ever committed, placed in a position so that everyone can easily read. Blame. I have spent so much time on that road, hopping on people’s backs for a time, affixing responsibility to them, when in reality it just is.

It just is.

Life really is 10% what happens to you and 90% how we react to it.

It just is.

Maybe The Rain

2006-01-07T23:27:00.000-05:00

Sun scorched Tree stands

Lifeless leaves blistering sun.

Tree trusts Life grants no more

has no plans above the daily din.

In the shadows

gently pours Stream.

Every ripple whispering

I am life, drink deeply.

Disregarding the undertone

Tree determines to

simply survive the day.

Maybe the rain will undo my pain

But with this wind it’s gone again

And I still lie in thirst.

Maybe the rain will undo my pain

But with this wind it’s gone again

And I still lie in thirst.

Still lie in thirst…

Longing slowly ushers death...

Yet Stream still flows.

Craig M. Coon December 2005

Ravaged By Your Beauty

2006-01-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

Ravaged by your beauty

My life is laid bare

Who am I laying here

my shame face brightly on?

Clothed in self displeasure

and draped in a covering,

of unending embrace.

How can this be,

this, this, twisted reality?

Gouge out current eyes

their truth replaced

by your devastating splendor.

Then I’ll finally see

The old new

Worthless valued

Dead reborn.

Breathe out your loveliness

And give me new life.

A life ravaged by your beauty.

_{Craig M. Coon}

_{Dec 31st 2005}

The Neighborhood

2005-12-27T11:03:00.000-05:00

"The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood."

John 1:14, The Message

I saw this verse on another Blog and it made me consider:
Has Jesus moved into my neighborhood through me?

Brother Pain And Sister Soul

2005-12-23T00:29:00.000-05:00

Enter life.

I’ve stumbled across pain in my life, we all have.

I know what a piece of sand in the eye feels like.

I understand banging your head hard enough to need stitches.

I have had a concussion and been in fights.

I’ve looked into the weeping eyes of people I’ve disappointed.

I’ve had torn flesh and had my heart ripped open with injustice.

People have accused me of untrue things and willingly lied.

I was told that my son had died.

I’ve tasted blood and sweat.

I’ve felt the burn of acid on my face and in my lungs.

I’ve had teeth knocked out in an accident.

I have taken part in screaming matches with those closest to me.

I have felt strong and weak on the same day,

as well as deep desperation and loneliness.

Yet, I am not better than anyone or very different either.

Enter God.

God dresses himself with flesh and blood.

God had baby soft skin and later rough calluses.

God felt the burn of the sun and the sting of winter’s cold.

He experienced thirst and disappointment.

Tasted injustice and temptation like know one else.

He had passionate friends and deliberate enemies.

He was overlooked and underestimated.

He was a pawn of some and scapegoat to all.

He sought guidance from his father during weakness.

Jesus was tortured without guilt, torn into pieces.

He knows pain, he understands difficulties, firsthand.

He knows your story, cried your tears and prayed for you today.

He is our brother in pain.

Enter Christmas.

The waiting is over.

God is here among us like no other time.

And this God understands, cares, acts on our behalf.

The Breaking Season

2005-12-21T16:39:00.000-05:00

I was in jail yesterday. For two hours I visited a friend who has some issues of the legal variety that is costing him some time away from his family during this holiday season and maybe a few more seasons after that. He is sad. He is in many ways a broken man. During our time together were able to have a face to face meeting with no glass in-between us. We hugged, shook hands and even held hands while we prayed together. He is sorry for what he has done and most guilty about the people he has let down. I sat with another friend last week, another today, a single mom a few weeks ago. All of whom are in the breaking season. They all hate it and want it to go away, yet all of them somewhat understand that these ugly things in their lives are going to, somehow, at some future point, in some way, make them more like Jesus. It’s a mysterious painful beauty of unknown dimensions and length that is steering their lives at this moment. For them it’s the breaking season… Pray for compassion, compassion for you to pass on to those who are living in the middle of the excruciating pain of life. Pray that you and I will be the lovers of the breaking people that orbit our lives.

Suffocation

2005-12-17T00:50:00.000-05:00

Wednesday night I jumped on an inner tube and said to some kids standing there to jump on. “Let’s get six of us on this thing!” I’m not sure how many jumped on the tube and my back, but it was at least that many. Just then we started moving over the side of the hill and gaining a little speed, however with all of the weight compressing my back and the snow being jammed in my face and mouth I, suddenly, couldn’t breathe.

The whole “remain calm, Craig,” in my brain, lasted about two tenths of a second and I panicked while the tube was still gaining a little speed. Instantly in an act of self preservation I reared back and rolled over sending several middle school bodies crashing off the tube, which began a chain reaction and we all fell off the “Craig face plant choke and die” tubing run.

Later, I realized that I hadn’t experienced that sudden grip of fear in a very long time and I must admit I didn’t like it, even though I was never really in any grave danger of dying.

I wonder how many people live in the clutches of real fear on a daily basis? I would hate to have fear have power over all of my thoughts and actions.
I’m afraid that I wouldn’t survive that very well either.
Still tubing ..... and breathing!

Picture Of Grace

2005-12-13T02:32:00.000-05:00

So we had this big weekend with my niece Gwyn getting married on Saturday and we were all wiped out afterward. So I plugged in the digital camera in the computer to check out the shots my wifey got during the blessed event and I was really surprised and pleased at how many good shots she got. I think the one that activated the bladder behind my eyes almost the instant I saw it was this one of my three kids. I can’t believe it! They are all grown up in so many ways it almost wrecks me to think about all of the time that I wasted on frivolous things instead of with them.

I am a very proud dad, humbled that God would bless Connie and I so much through them. I read my daughter’s blog www.jdeglopper.blogspot.com and all the praise that she has for her family is awesome. Thanks Jesus for this undeserved grace in my life!

Elude

2005-12-10T12:24:00.000-05:00

Afraid to love, silenced by tradition

encased in stagnation, I fail to move.

Clouded by life’s position and guilted into grace

I go through the motions.

Shallow, lifeless and lacking in devotion

the fear of my own hunger,

arouses the selfish desires.

I am numb to their pain,

but hey, I’m comfortable again.

Can I ever elude myself?

Drown the sorrow of my wealth,

and finally see through

this fascination I have with me?

_12-6-98

_{by Craig M. Coon}

Gut Busting

2005-12-08T18:26:00.000-05:00

I really love working with students. I woke up this morning and my stomach hurt. Hurt like from doing too many sit-ups hurt. Not that i was doing situps it was from laughing way too much last night. At both our middle school and high school hour we paid homage to Dave (our Intern) and his fiance' Gwyn who are to be married on Saturday. We did all kinds of things to them as we celebrated "A Wedding Gone Wrong." I am still laughin at some of the things that the students had them do with various things found at a wedding. as soon as i get some of the pictures available i let you in on the secrets!

Peace!

LifeWorship

2005-12-05T11:58:00.000-05:00

I have recently listened to a “talk” on cd given to me by my ministry partner Peter. It was awesome. I don’t know the name of the guy talking but he works with George Barna and was talking about a “Revolution” in the way people are looking at “Church.” (It is also the name of the latest Barna book)

One of the points that he made was people really are beginning to desire to expand the definition of worship in their lives from 30 minutes on Sunday into a 24-7 lifestyle. Worship is a great deal more than music, it is a life lived out in honor to God. Can we worship God with all of who we are rather than just voices or hands lifted in the air? I remember early on in my following Jesus adventure I was in a setting that people just didn’t lift their hands up during the singing of songs and hymns. I really wanted to many times but chose not to because of the culture, which is a whole other discussion. Now, looking back, lifting up or not lifting up my hands has little value if I’m not lifting up my life in sacrifice to God. Romans 12 says …”in view of Gods mercy to offer ourselves up as living sacrifices this is our spiritual act of worship.” Life lived out in worship in every moment is much more important than if we simply lift up hands when singing, which by the way, I still feel moved to do. But a Life lived out is way, way harder to do. Anyone can learn to lift up their hands, but will we offer our lives?

Get To The End

2005-11-30T10:23:00.000-05:00

A question has been rattling around in me brain today, almost since the moment I woke up: What do you find when you get to the end of yourself? When you have traveled down the road to self for so long what does life look like when you get to the end of yourself? For many I would think that the end isn’t until the end. But if that is true, then that person would have spent their entire life wrapped up in themselves, if the end of themselves isn’t found until the end of life (literally the end of themselves).

I think that perhaps one of the keys of this following Jesus thing is to get out of the way of myself long enough to see others. To see their needs, to cry their tears, feel their pain, and then to intentionally put their needs ahead of mine. I might be beginning to understand that we all have to die many deaths to get to the end of ourselves.

Isaiah said “Generous people plan to do what is generous and they stand firm in their generosity.” _{Isaiah 32:8 NLT}

I think that takes getting to the end of me.

Connecting Dad

2005-11-21T14:11:00.000-05:00

Hey I have been away for a few days, ok a week and during that time away I was able to spend some time with my dad. It was great to get away and even better to spend time with my dad. As it worked out we got a day and a half alone together (along with more time with others around). We caught up on a lot of stories, played some cards, ate a lot of my mom’s pre-arranged meals. One of the things that I didn’t know was as a boy of 11 or 12 he used to spend time with his maternal Grandfather helping work on the railroad during the summer. This wasn’t a paid thing, just a hang out with his uncle and grand dad. My dad described his grandfather as a huge guy of seven feet tall and quite a scrapper. He said that with a name like “Pearl Longberry” he had to be. He said that he witnessed Pearl carrying two railroad ties on one shoulder for almost a quarter of a mile. I really think that it is important for people to know who they are, where they came from. It gives us a sense of connectedness with history, with family with a certain reality. I have been blessed to have parents that are still together (53 years) and still alive. I know that I haven’t been the greatest kid a keeping the relationship up and yet I have had so much more than many. We have lost almost all sense of connectedness and roots in our day and age. We need to eat together, laugh together, cry together, sit quietly, share stories, hunt, play, be. Get off of the jet liner and begin to walk a little in life. Invite someone over, turn off the TV, put down the book and live your life together!

Thanks Dad!

This Present Dying

2005-11-11T02:11:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I didn’t come home on Friday night… well I didn’t come home because I was at a lock-in for high school students. At 8:00 Saturday morning after being up all night I limped home kinda tired. As I rolled out of my car, stumbled up the driveway and into the house my well rested bride met me at the door with a big smile and a statement/question: “You’re getting too old for those lock-ins?” My body was definitely agreeing with her assessment as I curled up and went to bed, but my mind going to protest until it realized that it had been shut down at 3 am in a fog of exhaustion.

And then (later in the week) I read this:

“…And as God's grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. ¹⁶That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. ¹⁷For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! ₁₈So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.” _{2 Corinthians 4:15b-18}

Ahh! As Tony Compolo says: it’s Friday but Sunday’s a coming!

Farting In The Pew

2005-11-07T02:11:00.000-05:00

My youngest son has a knack for falling asleep ANYWHERE! I have found him sleeping on the grass by the bushes, (at about 3) on the toilet (he recently told about a couple of classes during his senior year where he got quite a bit of rest that way) and, of course, in a church service almost every week of his young life. Once, during one of those church services, sitting on wooden pews, at about four years old, Ryan was sawing logs hardcore. (Drool would often drench my pant leg like a slow dripping faucet.) In this older traditional gathering we would often have to suddenly stand up while he was still sleeping which would bring about much confusion for the little guy as he struggled to stay in sleep mode. On one occasion he was leaning up against his Mom and during a particularly quiet moment he lets a LARGE burst from his shorts rumble off the wooden seats. I’m sure everyone heard it. While Ryan slept through the blessed event, his mom and I slithered down the pew to the comfort of the floor, covering our laughter and sudden embarrassment with our hands, (we sat near the front).

This past weekend I farted in the pew, so to speak. We were having a High School lock-in, (yes, at almost 43 I am a real idiot!) during which we have a small campfire outside. It was great. We laughed, told stories, had marshmallow wars and attempted to roast frozen hot dogs. Then someone reminded me that I wanted to burn an old broken couch so the students rushed in, got the couch and threw it on the fire to roast. Instead of roasting it roared, melting the vinyl siding off the building before we calmed it down. Well, this was a first in twenty some years of working with students, and to highlight the occasion Sunday Peter renamed me Pastor Pyro and we are planning on nailing the remnants of the siding up in the still standing Student Room! Ummmm, thank you God!

Dumpster Gifts

2005-11-04T02:11:00.000-05:00

The gift came wrapped in maggot infested newspaper. The stench was unbearable causing gag reflexes to spring to life. You immediately place a hand to cover your nose and mouth as massive revulsion takes over the senses. Yet, amazingly the draw of the gift is unrelenting, even in the midst of the reality of the circumstances. Forced onward like an enemy combatant, you begin to peel back the wet layers of newspaper shaking the fetal flies from their gooey beds. Your eyes water as you swallow hard struggling to keep your lunch inside your body. Layer after layer slowly peels back from this hidden treasure. “I hope this is worth it,” you mutter under your breath. You have been digging for days, sitting in a dumpster mining for gifts that elude you. Trying just to understand this drive to open this unknown question. “I need to know, I need to understand, I need to get through this madness!” has been your driving force. Which on a minute by minute basis alternates with thoughts like: “I hate this crap!” “Why, God?” “Why can’t I have any peace?” “I can’t understand what is happening to me?”
All these questions have haunted you ever since it all began..... pain can make you crazy.

“there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

epic

2005-10-31T02:17:00.000-05:00

I went on a journey once it was a backpacking journey in which I hiked 63 miles in 6 days. Yet, in reality, the journey also included the almost 500 hundred miles we drove in our cars and a sea plane ride of almost 40 minutes just to get to Isle Royale. But we couldn’t exclude from the journey the long ride home after another plane ride. Also, I spent about six months getting into shape for this trip as well. Lifting weights and walking, planning. If I thought about the previous years that I gained experience, gathered equipment and grew in desire for such an adventure. And back even further in my life, somewhere a seedling was planted that grew a desire to spend time outside. All of that time too was part of the quest.

If you would consider for a few moments with me, I would like to propose that the whole of your life so far has been a journey of moments that build upon past experiences that brings you to this very time in your life. People, places, time, all have intertwined to create your reality. You didn’t start your journey someone else did. You had no say in its creation. Beautiful or tragic, happy or miserable, everyone conceived makes a journey. Some for a few seconds, some for a hundred years. We have different start times. We have different ending places. We live in different locations around the globe. Yet we all journey through this life. Why is this concept so crucial to get a hold of? I do believe, more and more, that none of the days that we encounter, or live through, is a waste. They all have impacted us somehow on this journey.

Furthermore if I consider throughout this journey an intertwined spiritual reality, that I come to a place where I believe that the One who started my life, has a purpose for it, a reason for me being, rather than a collection of random molecules, that spiritual journey started somewhere as well.

The Bible says that this work of spiritual awakening is the job of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God at work in the world, on the people of the world, through the people of the world, everyday. Everyday the Holy Spirit guides people’s lives by tugging on hearts, providing opportunities, and life situations on an individual, personal level throughout the world, through out time. Molding people like a river forms the riverbanks sometimes with a trickle, or drought, and other times with a roar. I happened to have been given early exposure to Jesus through the Holy Spirit which led me to other experiences that chiseled some of the places that needed to be moved. I have plotted against God working in my life, which God knew that I would. I have spent time cooperating with the things God desires for me and have walked way too many miles in circles, refusing to learn in this gift of time.

I am not worried that there are people around me in my life today that could give a crap about what I am saying, that could care less about God. On one level I am ok with that. I guess that I am learning to be O.K. with that primarily because I am not responsible for your journey with God. I am but one little, barely remember able speck in your life’s trek.

I am less at ease with the idea that you many don’t care because they cannot see the big picture. I’ve been down the road a while longer than many of you and I want more for you than I had. I want to help you awaken to God’s reality sooner in your life. It’s like your floating headfirst down the river where around the bend in your life are some rough waters, some falls and rapids that will test you beyond what you can bear on your own.

You are on an epic journey called life. Enter the journey and awaken to the possibilities today!

The Sacrament Of Pain - part III “Amputation”

2005-10-28T02:11:00.000-04:00

"If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” Matthew 5:29

Wow, Jesus, you really are out there aren’t you?

If your eye causes you to sin gouge it out…. Yikes!, in other words suffer pain here to get a grip on the depths of your sin before it’s too late. Jesus says that we should cause pain to our body to rid ourselves of the idea that sin is sweet or even tolerable. Gouge out an eye. Dig it out of your head. Rip it from its nerves rather than believe that rebellion is ok. Is Jesus saying that we should use self inflicted pain to help us to become more like him?

Yea, I think he is.

Yes, I understand that he is effectively using hyperbole and we ought not be cutting of our limbs in some ritualistic manner, yet when was the last time you or I have intentionally and voluntarily caused pain in our life so that we could embrace Christ? When was the last time we have given up a comfort just to help someone? Have chosen “less” so someone else could have “some”? Have decided to make due and not pursue the American dream so others will be somewhat relieved. Maybe instead of grabbing for the gusto we change our thinking in real and practical ways that will impact others through our small dyings.

Recently I have instructed students to get practical in the way that they follow Jesus by serving people. I used the S.N.O.T. analogy service plan. Serving should be Simple, Needed, Ordinary, Today kind of stuff. Simple things need to be done all of the time in everyone’s life. Take out the trash, clean the toilet, etc. Not only simple things, but needed things, things that make a difference in someone’s life. Ordinary is a great way to serve, you don’t have to fly to the other side of the world to go on a mission trip for goodness sakes, start in your ordinary world and start Today!

Yes that will leave a mark!

Man do I have a long way to go!

Sunset Reflection

2005-10-25T02:11:00.000-04:00

I was given the high privilege of seeing another sunset just the other day. I will assign it the number 2106. I was on a beach in Canada playing football with some acquaintances and some friends. It was cool and a bit windy as the sun burst through the many clouds. The waves gently rolled onto the shore. It was a beautiful burnt orange and pinkish sunset, swirled with a host of other colors glimmering off of the cool October waters. I didn't pause long enough to appreciate it because we were involved in a heated man-game of foozeball and that my friends, is a glaring reflection of my life.

The Sacrament of Pain part II “The Curse”

2005-10-18T02:11:00.000-04:00

For whatever reason hunting season brought me injury. It wasn’t any hunting accidents that caused the hurt, but for three years in a row, when my dad went up north to hunt white tail deer, I got injured. One year a couple of friends and I were chasing a classmate around the huge school yard of Angell Elementary School in Berkley, Michigan. As he ran around the outside fence I climbed it to cut him off at the pass. This was a six foot high, chain link fence that encircled the entire grounds at Angell. As I was hopping over the barrier my shoe lace became entangled in the bent-over wire at the top. I plunged to the small strip of grass between the fence and the curb, landing on my head. I don’t remember too much after seeing the speeding grass approaching my face, but I do remember the headache for the next couple of days. The doctor said that I had received a concussion from the fall. My father got the wonderful news when he called home from his week in the north woods. I never climbed that fence again.
This cycle of learning has been true through all of my life. I believe that most of humanity has a very similar learning pattern and the root of this goes way back to the beginnings.
“… the LORD God asked. "Have you eaten the fruit I commanded you not to eat?" 12"Yes," Adam admitted, "but it was the woman you gave me who brought me the fruit, and I ate it." 13Then the LORD God asked the woman, "How could you do such a thing?" "The serpent tricked me," she replied. "That's why I ate it." 14So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you will be punished. You are singled out from all the domestic and wild animals of the whole earth to be cursed. You will grovel in the dust as long as you live, crawling along on your belly. 15From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." 16Then he said to the woman, "You will bear children with intense pain and suffering. And though your desire will be for your husband, he will be your master." 17And to Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate the fruit I told you not to eat, I have placed a curse on the ground. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. 18It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. 19All your life you will sweat to produce food, until your dying day. Then you will return to the ground from which you came. For you were made from dust, and to the dust you will return." Genesis 3:11b-19 NLT

In essence the creator loudly proclaims that our birth, our life, our redemption and our death will all be grown in the fertile soil of pain. Pain is part of the curse of the beginnings. Pain, real pain, is still very much a part of this veil of tears.
Yet our great God has even molded pain for our ultimate benefit. The thought that pain is a grace of God is hard to swallow. We long for relief, we consume, we numb and we insulate ourselves from the possibility of suffering. The fear of prolonged agony often warps our realty and we salve our conscience into believing that the abatement of pain at any cost is a prudent and reasonable goal. It’s as if we believe that the curse was meant to banish us from God Himself, so we fight the pain. What if the curse that came as a result of rebellion, was intended for our good? What if, in the new reality, pain is an indicator that the creator still cares for you? Further, what if the lack of pain speaks more of our condition than the searing iron of the ache? Maybe it’s people without pain that truly have been banished from the presence of our caring Father into the desert of comfort? To continue….

The Sacrament of Pain - Part I

2005-10-12T02:11:00.000-04:00

One thing that I do remember about childhood was that I did not like "getting the belt." No one that I know of actually liked the spanking across the butt with the dreaded belt. It was because of this fear I did my best to avoid that particular form of discipline at all costs. Since I was the third child and my brother Jeff (the second oldest) was seemingly always asking for a beating, I slipped under the parental radar much of the time.
This pattern of avoidance of pain at all cost has negatively imprinted my personality. Avoidance of pain is not the goal of life. As a matter of fact I have a developing thesis that I am becoming more convinced of. That thesis is that pain should be considered a Sacrament by the church. The Sacrament of Pain. In the church of my youth a sacrament was defined as having been instituted by Christ, using visible elements (like wine, bread, water) and being a means (or portal through God’s grace in Jesus flows) of grace. Everything that I am learning about the pain that is experienced in our lives fits the description. The Sacrament of Pain.
Even further I am coming to believe that pain is holy. God understands the pain in your life and somewhat harder to grasp, allows. Even further, on occasion, He authors it himself, sent like precision guided munitions to destroy a part of our lives for the greater glory of God. Whether he caused it or not isn’t the question, the fact is that pain is God’s very effective tool.
It kinda changes my outlook on the things that I consider crappy in my life. Knowing that I need the pain that I am experiencing to make more like Jesus Christ can make it somewhat easier to swallow – somewhat. Yet most days, like a little child, I still want to avoid it. I have very stubborn areas of my life that I refuse to surrender. Areas that need the door kicked in and the immaturity rooted out like a terrorist hiding behind a human shield. The difficulty is that immaturity is a comfortable, familiar place to exist and The Sacrament of Pain is designed to destroy that familiarity and replace it with desperation. (to be continued….)

Core Power

2005-10-10T02:11:00.000-04:00

We in the west have a power in this world that many do not have. This power can drive us and possess us. This power often causes us to do things that we would normally not do if we didn’t have it. This clout moves our society like nothing else. It is woven into the fabric of who we are. We use it as a drug, as an anti-depressant and as leverage over the masses. This influence has many names and most recognize it immediately: it is called purchase power or income beyond basic needs. Virtually all of us experience it to one degree or another. We buy, we spend, we shop, we gather. We do it for pleasure, for therapy, for acceptance and even for sex. I’m sure you can recognize this tendency in your life somewhere. I have fought (lost) this battle many times, I feel down so I buy something like a movie, ice cream, a worship CD or a book.... There we go, all better now!

The picture that I am beginning to see a little more clearly in my life is that I approach God with this perverse consumerist mentality all the time. I’m down so I “buy” a little bit of God in prayer. I’m feeling guilty so I read the Bible more. I fail and I sing a praise song or two..... There we go, all better now!

Am I just a consumer of God? Do I seek him for what he can do for me? Do I follow him because he “fixes” me? The whole mindset is corrupt to the core. I know I run to the religious store on the corner to “buy” a little of God far too often. Jesus, please take this from my life. You alone are Holy and Good and Powerful and Kind. You are not another commodity to possess in post modern America. I am so in need of you, at the foundation of who I am Lord. Help us, help me, to lay it all down everyday.

Acid Test

2005-10-07T02:11:00.000-04:00

Ok so I took this silly little “Politics Test” online through a link from a friend’s blog site. You put in your basic information and answer 20 or 30 questions. Then, before it tells you the results, it asks you four exit questions. The final questions were on divisive subjects like abortion, gun control, capital punishment and something else, that I can’t remember. Then you wait for your “label”. This test labeled me a “Totalitarian.” The first thing that pops into my head when I read that word was Joseph Stalin. The test then lines up how you answered with famous people. I was way too close to Stalin, but in reality my axis was right on the heart of the Pope, which was cool with me, unless the Pope is a commie. Am I a commie? Wow, I guess I didn’t know! Upon further observation of the people in the picture, in the absolute middle, was the ever famous “centrist” Senator John Kerry. Ummm. Well anyway, it was so obvious to me which way the test was leaning that I literally laughed out loud.
It’s amazing to me that we as people have this insatiable need to label everyone. In five seconds we all make character judgments about people. We decide, in essence, if we are going to like them, if they are our kind of people, if they are acceptable to us. While I know we cannot possible be friends with everyone, why can’t we give people A LOT more time before applying a label? Why can’t I see everyone through the grace of the cross and not just the homogeneous? Why do we put everyone through an acid test of our own making?
Help us LORD! People deserve so much more, you thought so by sending Jesus!

Be Patient With Difficult People

2005-10-04T02:11:00.000-04:00

Do you ever deal with difficult, even pain-in-the-booty type people? Well I hope this smashes your face like it did mine:
22 “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. 23 Again I say, don't get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 The Lord's servants must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone. They must be able to teach effectively and be patient with difficult people. 25 They should gently teach those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will believe the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the Devil's trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.”
2 Timothy 2:22-26 The New Living Translation

Holding Our Little Breath

2005-09-30T01:53:00.000-04:00

Have you ever witnessed a young child hold their breath in defiance of their parents? Like holding your breath is going to force your mom to capitulate her demands. We’ve all done it. We demand our way, attempting to impose our will upon any (and many) given situation. We stomp and curse and plead to be heard. We are right! We deserve our “rightness” to be recognized! Listen to me, I’ve been taken advantaged of, I’ve been hurt, I’ve been dishonored and I AM RIGHT!!

I think God chuckles like many parent do under their breath, turning away suddenly to conceal their smile. Is life really about being right? Your temper is showing little boy, my distant mother’s words whisper in my memory.

Do I have to be right? Do you? Is that life’s most important purpose or are we just using it (our rightness) to cover up our insecurities? Can I be right and loving, motivated by grace? Can I be wronged and love?
Often our righteous finger quickly point out the thoughtless choices of others.

Let us grow up in love for all people, especially those who have wronged us because it defines who we’ve become so far.

Vacation Tyme

2005-09-28T02:56:00.000-04:00

Well I had a few days off and my bride and I slipped away for a time away in the wonderful little “Bavarian” Village of Frankenmuth, MI. (See Picture) We had a good time hanging out together and eating and "fo" shopping. "Fo" because we didn’t really buy anything, unless you count a couple of Christmas presents and my Popular Science magazine. (I bought it for the “NASA’s Secret Space Plan” article.) We also managed to see a flick - “Flightplan” and it was better than I had anticipated, which always moves movies up in the rating department for me. I score all pictures on a ten point system and Flightplan gets a 7.1 “Craig Points”. Now we are home and things are “normal again,” well, today anyway.

ceNTer

2005-09-19T02:33:00.000-04:00

We’ve made the celebration of Communion one of the centerpieces of what we do on Sunday mornings, every Sunday morning. Someone asked me this morning before our celebration time why we had made that decision, they were seemingly uncomfortable with the move. I explained that the celebration of the Eucharist was central to who we are as Christ followers and vital to spiritual formation.
For this particular assembly Peter (He's the lead Pastor) had decided that we were going to set the cross in the center of the gathering place with the chairs around it. Cool Idea. The communion elements were set on the two tables that the eight foot cross was on top of, with candles aglow all around. The invitation was given for people to come up to the cross, if they liked, during a song to reflect and pray. Dozens of people came and prayed and wept and sought God. It was very moving for me. Tears streamed down my face as one man helped a wheel chair bound man receive the meal. People were all over silently crying out for Jesus. People are crying out for love. All around the cross the wounded came and received. I was blown away. Thanks.

A Listening Funeral

2005-09-17T20:32:00.000-04:00

There aren’t many times when we as a people will stop and really listen. No, I mean, REALLY LISTEN. Life is lived at such breakneck speeds and our ears aren’t tuned for this kind of pace. We need to slow to hear. Slow to hear from family, to hear from friends and to hear even from those we don’t like all that much. Slow especially to hear from God.

I think one of the unsurpassed ways God uses to get our attention, to slow down in life, is death.

I was in a Roman Catholic Church today for a funeral. I was encouraged by all of the ways that this particular community had for people to hear. The art on the walls, scenes in the stained glass windows, the Priest that spoke with compassion, the many symbols in the gathering time - all aided thirsty ears. I cried when the alumni from the school came forward to sing and honor their former classmate who had suddenly passed.

Funerals are such a great opportunity to be awestruck by the love of God in Jesus.

My friend and co-worker Peter said to me recently that no one wants to hear a sermon at a wedding but everyone listens at a funeral. I like the statement so much I have adopted it into my life. From now on my wedding messages are going to be happier and short! And funeral talks will speak so aching ears, that have slowed for a moment, can experience the love of Jesus, maybe for the first time.

Dreamland

2005-09-11T02:52:00.000-04:00

I have always been a curios person. Wondering how things work has consumed many a day in my life. I loved letting my mind wander to great and glorious adventures with my newly created inventions that often saved mankind from the brink of another disaster. It’s hard work being a super smart, super strong, amazingly attractive, super hero! Every once in a while my mother rudely burst that bubble telling me that I was living in a dream world, which, by the way, I loathed hearing. But she, in her infinite wisdom was right, as moms often are and I was clueless as to where that mindset would lead me. Throughout my life I have had a difficult time moving between those two realities and that has caused a fair amount of pain for me and those around me.

On occasion, when I was very young, my two brothers and I would get invited down to my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Bill’s house near Toledo, Ohio. My aunt always seemed happy and excited when we would come down greeting us with big juicy kisses on the cheek. She would let us play in there very big house that had a really cool barn out in the back with gigantic horses. There property, allowed the horses room to run, bordered up to the Maumee River where we boys discovered hours of fun along it banks.

My Uncle Bill was a cool guy he was paralyzed in World War Two and confined to a wheel chair for the rest of his life. I guess it was caused by shrapnel that had somehow pierced his spine. However his handicap did not keep him from enjoying life. He would drive his specially equipped Cadillac convertible at high speeds over small hills to give us boys the feeling that we were going to be thrown from the vehicle, grabbing our stomachs that had filled with butterflies, giggling and thanking God for gravity the whole time. Uncle Bill also had a six wheeled off road vehicle that could instantly turn a complete circle and go effortlessly from land to water. We had great times chasing his horses in that buggy. My Aunt, as it turns out, was a thrill seeker in her own right, because one of the reasons that we would go to Ohio was to experience the thrill of Cedar Point, which I am still hooked on to this day.

As we gathered around the table for dinner on one of our exciting visits to their house I distinctly remember easing into one of my dream modes during adult conversation. I started wondering if my Uncle Bill was faking it. Maybe the entire time he had been back from the war riding around in a wheel chair he was really just pretending. Hey, I was six or seven and I had no clue as to what that would actually mean. In my dream world, I saw people congratulating me for exposing the faker and helping their lives. I could be the hero, again!

So my plan was not to speak out against the man, but instead I would just test him. So around the table we all gathered, my parents, my brothers, Aunt Kathy, Uncle Bill and me. I positioned myself next to Uncle Bill and was laughing along with everyone else, but secretly I was on a covert mission with worldwide implications. While I was laughing with my face, my hands under the tablecloth were secretly moving closer to his wheelchair. I had obtained a pin from somewhere in the house and when the moment was ripe I reached over and stuck him in the leg. I have to say, much to my surprise, nothing happened.

It felt really weird to poke someone with a sharp object and not have them move. I had done it to my brothers before and later in my life, I made blow darts and torpedoed them into the back of a classmate’s leg. In all of those instances they had reacted completely different. I guess he wasn’t faking after all and I wasn’t going to be saving the world from anyone. Just then a surge of panic washed over me like the air on a roller coaster. What had I done? What if I had stuck my handicapped uncle in an artery, could he bleed to death? Instantly I observed myself in handcuffs, going to jail forever, or even worse; the death penalty! I told myself to stay clam as I quickly excused myself to the bathroom and flushed the evidence down the toilet, never telling anyone what I had done. Surely I had escaped the watchful eyes of my parents and I was in the clear.

At first dreamland seems significantly easier than reality. It’s warm, comfortable and to our making. We get to be the master of our universe. We get to be in control. We get whatever we want. In our mind it is perfect. The real problem is that dreamland can be a lot of things, but it can never be real. The world that we currently occupy is a soberingly real world. Maybe, in truth, dreamland is a dangerous dimension for our mind to live in, while our body clearly occupies this reality. This is a life lesson that I have had to repeat countless times, and all the while hearing the distant chorus of my mother’s tender voice about the dangers of living in dreamland.
Over thirty five years later I would like to tell my Uncle that I am sorry, but in this real world he died about fifteen years ago. I know that He died with a real pin-pricked scar in his left leg from a little boy who spent far too much time living in dreamland.

One Fine Day

2005-09-09T01:46:00.000-04:00

The weather is beautiful and sunny. The clear water reflects the blue of the sky and the wind gently rustles the trees on the white sandy beach. The hammock that I lay in gently rocks while my right foot drags through the cool sand and grass. The book that I am reading has fallen off my chest and my hat is covering my eyes. I am barely awake. Children are laughing in the water and my wife is laying in the sun trying to coax her burn into a perfect bronze tan. Ah, summer.
Now that it’s gone, do you miss it?

How many people will pass through our lives like those long past summer days? How many times have I ignored someone or simply didn’t take an extra second to notice them, until they were gone? I cringe to think at the countless number of people that I could have, should have, loved with a smile, an open door or with a simple conversation. I ran into a young woman a few weeks ago at a local super-store. I had met her before but I couldn’t remember her name. I thought that she was someone else and I felt awkward. She was selling multi packs of toothbrushes and I wasn’t in the mood for any. With some small talk I went on my way in search of, well, I don’t even remember what was so important. What I totally missed was the purpose for that encounter and more importantly, the person in it.
Being a Monday morning quarterback is easy, isn’t it? All those things in life that we could have done differently, but didn’t are easy to change after the fact, but we can’t.

God could you afford me the grace of being more aware of people because, after all, they are the reason that Jesus came. They are the reason that Jesus suffered that gruesome hell. Yet far too often, like a warm summer breeze, they are gone before you realize and they aren’t coming back anytime soon.

A Question

2005-09-06T23:27:00.000-04:00

Here is a question for you all: What are some of the ways that you have experienced the biggest growth in your faith?

Quote-A-Matic

2005-09-02T03:45:00.000-04:00

Archbishop William Temple said in response to being accused of holding certain beliefs about God because of the way he was raised (as many claim to be the source of religion's continuing impact upon societies), he responded, "That is as it may be. But the fact remains that you believe I believe what I believe because of the way I was brought up, because of the way you were brought up."

Of Disappointment And Daisy’s

2005-08-31T00:10:00.000-04:00

Life is strange. There rarely seems to be pure moments. Maybe that’s the way it’s supposed to be. It seems as if even when everything is great there is always something that could be better. Even on vacation, why do I fight with my wife? Or doing something that I love, thoughts about past failures enter in and seemingly ruin the purity of it all. On top of that, put in the mix humans and things really get messy. We disappoint each other often. We can so easily go into “protect mode” when around people with whom we are having disagreements. It seems like the longer that we are in a friendship, the greater the potential for conflict. Because of that we intentionally remain superficial, at arms length with many people. The attitude is that the further away I keep you the safer I am. While on the surface that seems logical, it could only be beneficial if the purpose of your life was to be shielded from all conflict and trials. However, as a Christ follower, my calling is to love God and the most practical way that happens is when I love people. I “prove” my God directed love is genuine and not merely theoretical when I love people. Most of the Ten Commandments and half of the new covenant says that I love and follow Jesus by loving people.
My problem is that I want to love people that are the most like me. Not the idiot who cut in front of me, stole my wallet or was mean to my kids. Surely Jesus wasn’t talking about those type of lost souls, was he?
So when people disappoint us we have a dilemma: scream out for our rights, our view point to be heard, our protection, stomping our feet, or we could chose to wave our rights by seeking the best for the one that I am in conflict with. It seems to me that makes sacrifice real and living the gospel - genuine.

Sunset

2005-08-22T23:35:00.000-04:00

I love sunsets and sunrises. (Actually sunsets are better because I am a night person) I figure that you only get so many in your life and then: poof it's gone. This one was taken in Anapra, Mexico about four weeks ago. Today is day number 15,588, for me, and how many of these magical moments have I experienced? Maybe I have witnessed almost one thousand of them, that's not very many considering that 15,588 days is 42 years eight months and 4 days!

So maby you should enjoy a few real soon, before the poof!

Uncle Jake

2005-08-17T02:04:00.000-04:00

I was very young when I first remember Julius. I couldn’t have been even five or six when he was working in the basement of our house on Greenfield road in Berkley, Michigan. Julius was a friend of the family and man, could he put in drop ceilings. My mom and dad had decided to finish the basement of our small three bedroom home so we could host the annual Jacobucci-Coon Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Birthday parties and, I suppose, so we could have a place for our toys. They had built a small bathroom and a closest on the west wall, a large laundry room in the southeast corner where the stairs emptied into the basement and two open areas for entertaining the guests. On this day Julius was working on the drop ceiling with the young version of me watching every move he made and asking all of the standard boy type questions. As I watched him on the ladder, hanging the metal rails that would hold the white panels, for the life of me I couldn’t figure out how he was going to get one of those panels around one of the always cold metal stanchion poles that ran across our basement. Julius, always the joker and cigar smoker loved to tease with us kids. He and his wife Helen were a little older than my parents. They had met just after my parents tied the knot in August of 1952 when they rented an upstairs apartment from Julius and Helen in a tree lined suburb of Detroit, aptly named Ferndale. They were instant friends. Julius and Helen had no children and at that early point in my parents married life they were child free too. They quickly became close, often enjoying each other’s company. Even after moving out of that Ferndale apartment on their own, my parents had maintained their relationship with the Sebastians and still do to this day, although Helen passed away a few years back. Sometime in the eighties Julius and Helen moved to the clean, dry air of Sante Fe, New Mexico and my parents have driven out many times just to visit.

I remember some of the parties that they would have together, especially around New Years Eve. New Years Day was special because that was Helen’s birthday, January 1st. They would all laugh and laugh among Julius' cigar and Helen's cigarette smoke all night. Uncle Jake, as we all called him, would often tease me about wanting to take me to Vietnam for a vacation (the Vietnam War was being fought at this point) and I would always say no take me to Australia! He would come back with the idea that his friends, the Viet Cong, wanted me to come over there and meet a man named Charlie. I laughed until my side hurt.

I think that I may have learned to laugh and tease from Uncle Jake. He always was laughing, smiling and encouraging to me.

That day, in the basement with Uncle Jake looking down on me from that ladder, he went into a long story about how he was going to get a ceiling tile around that pole in my basement. He had arranged with the Coast Guard to come with one of there huge helicopters and lift the house up with a chain so he could put that tile in. He wanted me to go outside and look for the chopper.

Thanks for the laughs Uncle Jake.

Pray For Kelly

2005-08-16T00:30:00.000-04:00

Please Pray For Kelly (on the right), she is a young woman in my youth Ministry that fell 15 feet from a tree about ten days after returning from our Mexico trip. She broke a vertibrae and had to have emergency surgery. She is in good spirits and is desperately struggling to regain her ability to walk.
Please pray for complete healing.

Blogging For Cheese

2005-08-16T00:11:00.000-04:00

If I were a mouse, I would blog for cheese.
If I blogged for my cheese lately, I would be dead.

The last six/seven weeks of my life have been somewhat busy.
I took a little tripperoo to Anapra, Mexico with 35 friends and worked our butts off.
We built two complete homes for two different families, (House number one is in the pic)
We built a 75 foot long by six foot high, cement block retaining wall to hold back a hill next to a church
And for good measure we put a second story (floor, walls and roof) on the bunkhouse that we began in February. (4,200 miles ~ 19 days.)

Then for kicks Connie and I went on vacation back east: Lake Placid, New York, Bar Harbor, Maine, Boston, Massachusetts and Washington D.C. (3,300 miles ~ 14 days)

I don’t really want to drive anymore.
I don’t remember what my routine used to be.
I do remember now that I like my own toilet because I don’t have to wipe it off and put all the paper protection on it before use. The nastiest one was in a Kmart in Maryland, gag me.
I like, no love, my own bed, it’s just right!

Random Question:
How do you know that you have had a spiritual experience???
Please Answer.

Mexican Prayer

2005-07-06T02:30:00.000-04:00

Hey it's been awhile since the last post and much has been happening!
In about 48 hours our summer trip to Anapra, Mexico is go for launch. Over the following 19 days (July 7th thru 26th) 36 people will travel, sweat, work, laugh, cry, create, pray, sing, climb, dream, live in a context and culture that for some will be unlike anything they have ever experienced before. This annual trip is the highlight of my ministry year.

This experience will never be forgotten. If you go you are changed! God comes close and breathes life into the dust of that place and those who venture there.

Please Pray for us as we travel and work and cross into Mexico.
Pray for clear sight and open spirits to experience the embrace of Jesus.
Pray for us as we have much work to do.
Pray for many in VBS to hear, trust and follow Jesus.
Pray for the projects: Two houses, a second bunkhouse floor, a retaining wall.
Pray for relationships with new families and old friends.
Pray for safety and good weather. pray for our devotionas and prayer times.
Pray for Shelia.
Pray for Meguel.
Pray for Silvia.
Pray for the church that gathers at Monte Santo and Verdad Y Vida and Johovah Provides.

Thanks for the Mexican Prayers!

Paddle Grace

2005-06-23T15:46:00.000-04:00

The Student Ministries interns and I led a canoe trip down the upper Black River today. Along with us was a young man, 17, who about ten years ago was in an accident that severely limits his ability to move and communicate. He is a great kid who loves life for the most part and desires to be accepted as normal. There were 12 of us on the river, including Joseph, seven high school students and five adults. Two of the adults were aides that care for Joseph. What I witnessed today was a dramatic display of the goodness of God. The mercy and grace that God pours out into our lives moment by moment was clear as the blue summer sky.

Joseph is dependant on people around him to give him care, protection, nourishment. Students who don’t really know him all that well were carrying him by the arm, talking to him loving him. At one pressure filled moment when his canoe tipped people were diving in the murky river to stabilize his watercraft. His head was lifted out of the water, his canoe was kept from sinking, he was carried up the bank and then a long way to his special van. He was burned from the sun, coughed up a little river water, lips chapped from the ultraviolet rays and wind, smelly yet he was laughing. He was laughing! And for some reason beyond my understanding, a group of American teenagers got beyond themselves and loved, really loved. Loved like Jesus would love Joseph and I witnessed it all. At the end of the day I sat in the van getting ready to load the canoes for the trip home and I cried. Thank you Jesus for letting me see you today.