The Times They Have A'Changed

When I was 9 or 10 years old, missionaries that our church supported would visit and instead of our usual Sunday School class, we would have a presentation on their work. There would be rows of chairs set up in the basement of the church with what I would call a fairly respectable crowd of people. They would turn down the lights and the missionaries would show slides and talk about their work in whatever country they were currently serving. In my memory, the missionaries were always women and they looked like missionaries. They would tell us that if God wanted us to go to the far ends of the earth and be missionares, we would hear God calling us. I remember looking at them and watching their slides and my only thought was:

"Please God, please, please, please, I beg you, please do not call me to be a missionary."

And He didn't. At least I never heard it if He did.

What He did give me was a love for hospitals and healthcare in general. When I step into a hospital, I have to stop and take a good look around. I have to deeply breathe in as much of the atmosphere as possible. Not many people feel this way about hospitals and I understand that. Kind of.

So it's not a surprise that for some time now, ok years, I have had a strong desire to have more hands-on skills to work directly with sick people. I was talking with Monica about thoughts that would not go away about going on medical mission trips and to actually be able to contribute and she told me a medical assistant certification would be enough to do those kinds of things. So, with a minimum of research, I learned there's a school about 5 miles from my house with a medical assistant program and I can be finished in a little over a year. I think a year goes by in the blink of an eye. I can do that. So with more than a little bit of trepidation, I am now a student again. I started last Friday and we'll see how it all goes.

So I definitely feel like the joke is on me. Am I going to be a missionary? I suppose I will be. Will I go to the far ends of the earth and serve people living in conditions I can't even imagine? I hope so. Will I serve people right here in my little corner of the world who are suffering and have lost all hope? I hope so. Will I serve people without health insurance or access to care who need the help of free clinics? I hope so. Can I see suffering and keep it from effecting me? I hope not.

Never say never.


This Thankful Heart
1. Dena and Monica who listen to me, help me grow and are always my cheerleaders and encouragers.
2. Dinner last night with Greg and Dena.
3. Church services.
4. Garrett getting close to coming back home.
5. Silly movies after a less than perfect day.
6. Mom, dad and Carson here for my birthday.
7. Carson and Carissa here for Easter.
8. Easter brunch with the Aunan family.
9. Tea parties.

Supplication
1. Continued healing for Tate.
2. Mark, Cody, Elizabeth, Cody, Carson and Carissa.
3. Being a student.

Dena's Devotional

This was one of Dena's devotionals this week that I liked a lot.

The other night, Greg and I went out to dinner with friends. The bill came and Greg noticed that they hadn't charged us for my raspberry ice tea; so he pointed it out to our waiter, who asked, "Would you like me to change that, sir?" Of course, Greg said, yes. It's not the first time I've seen Greg act in an honest way. I believe that his parents raised him to be that way and as a follower of Jesus, he chooses to be honest. For several years, Greg went to Promise Keepers. It's is a "Christ-centered organization dedicated to introducing men to Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and then helping them to grow as Christians" If you go to their website, it reads: "Promise Keepers: Men of Integrity"

I know we are supposed to have integrity, but what exactly is it? Noah Webster says, "The entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty. Integrity comprehends the whole moral character, but has a special reference to uprightness in mutual dealings, transfers of property,and agencies for others" Another dictionary gives this definition:"adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty"

So, if a person has integrity, they are moral, pure, honest, ethical. What does the Bible say about integrity?

**"Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or volume. Your scales and weights must be accurate. Your containers for measuring dry goods or liquids must be accurate" ~Leviticus 19:35-36

**"The Lord demands fairness in every business deal; He sets the standard. A king despises wrongdoing, for His rule depends on His justice.The king is pleased with righteous lips;He loves those who speak honestly"~Proverbs 16:11-13

**"Good people are guided by their honesty; treacherous people are destroyed by their dishonesty" ~Proverbs 11:3

**"It is better to be poor and honest than rich and crooked" ~Proverbs 28:6

**"I know, my God, that You examine our hearts and rejoice when You find integrity there" ~1 Chronicles 29:17

**"Then the Lord asked satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth – a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you persuaded me to harm him without cause."

**"In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever" ~Psalm 41:12

** "And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching"~Titus 2:7

Who do you know that you would describe as being a person of integrity? What is it about them that sets them apart? How do you feel when someone you know professes to be a follower of Christ, and they act in ways that are dishonest, unfair, immoral or unethical? At some time or another, each of us will let someone else down. We will disappoint others. I think that's why we need to be aware of our actions and choose to be people of integrity. Every time we have to make a decision, we get to choose to be honoring to God and to others.

"Integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do"

“If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven played music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well" ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you" ~H. Jackson Brown

"I never had a policy; I have just tried to do my very best each and every day" ~Abraham Lincoln

“Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught" ~J.C. Watts

“You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them" ~Malcolm S. Forbes

"Integrity is doing the right thing--even if nobody is watching"

To read more from Dena, go here Dena's Devotionals

What To Think

Last Friday, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that gay and lesbian couples could legally marry. First thoughts are outrage, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, anger at how just a couple men who happen to be judges could make a decision that I have to live with, etc. Then I went to church Saturday night at Hope and Pastor Mike addressed this issue in a way that gave me a better understanding of how I am to think about this. This comes during Easter week and Jesus absolutely positively had the power to take over the church and government. He could have stopped his crucifixion. That was not His kingdom, his goal or His plan. Here is what I gleaned from Pastor Mike's words:

1. Jesus wants His followers to love everybody. Gay marriage is not the great cause of our day nor is it the mission of the church, in fact, it is a distraction to the mission of the church. The mission of the church is waaaaay bigger. Matthew 22:37-40: Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord you God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prohets are based on these two commandments." Pastor Mike told us that if we can't speak respectfully and with love, to quit talking. When we have hate over issues, we lose our moral center and mission. Jesus is much bigger than a law.

2. We are all sinners who need God's grace. Romans 3:23: For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Romans 5:16: And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free give leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. I need as much grace as people who disagree with me.

3. God's intent was for marriage to be between a man and woman. Marriage was established in Genesis and is repeated throughout the Bible. Mark 10, Matthew 19, Ephesians 5. This is a timeless law and God's laws don't change regardless of what politicians, judges or polls say. His Word stays the same. God wants His word and teaching on marriage to go out,

Pastor Mike told us the church doesn't follow the culture. He asked if we dance with God, who leads? We are to be the followers not the leaders. Remember our mission, what kingdom we are working for. Our mission is about salvation and Jesus, hearing the Good News and sharing that Good News. God's love poured out for me and for you is the central story of our faith.

Speak in love,


To hear the entire sermon go to: Lutheran Church of Hope - The King Is Coming