From time to time, the issue of prayer in public school comes up in discussion, or in a random Facebook post, or some other place. It is a touchstone among many Christians and Christian groups that points to the moral and spiritual decay of the American society.
As a Christian, I believe in prayer. I also believe in the right to pray which cannot be revoked, regulated, restricted by anyone. In fact, I hereby confess that I did, on numerous occasions, offer prayer while a student in a public school, even though official prayer in public schools had already been discontinued. In fact, I regularly prayed in school. Especially, but not necessarily only, before exams. In fact, I frequently prayed a prayer that went something like this: “Dear Lord, and Heavenly Father, please help me on this test today to remember the things that I learned, and help me put them down correctly on this test form. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” (Or words to that effect). I suspect that nobody around me had any idea that I was actually praying at the time. I wasn't noisy about it. Call it "stealth prayer" if you want to. The Person to Whom I was talking heard me just fine, and that's what mattered, then and now. Should I expect the FBI, or even the NY State Board of Regents, to launch an investigation surrounding allegations of unauthorized and illicit prayer while a student in a public school?
The above, of course, is written in an ironic tone, though it is factual. Prayer is not illegal. Prayer cannot be suppressed. So what’s all the noise about prayer in public schools?
Oh, I see. There is no official, formal prayer offered at the beginning of the school day over a public address system by a school administrator or designated representative. Or even a moment of silence to allow time for students and faculty to pray if they so choose. Does that stop a Christian from praying? If it does, that Christian doesn’t really want to pray very badly.
I wonder how many advocates of putting prayer back in public schools really understand what they’re asking for. Who will offer the prayer each day? Will they make the prayer up extemporaneously, write it out the night before, or read it from a book of prayers? Will the book of prayers be pre-approved? If so, who gets to approve the book of prayers to be used? The Superintendent of Schools? The School Board? The State Board of Regents? A Blue-Ribbon Commission appointed by the President of the United States to study and approve prayers acceptable for use in public schools? I'm sure that there are any number of pastors and other religious leaders who would be glad to volunteer to write prayers for use, or better yet, come to schools and offer the prayer themselves, in person!
C’mon, here. Think it through. Do you want to be told when, where, how, and to Whom you will pray? Do you want this for your children? Do you want to let someone else decide this for you? They will, you know. How about at 5 specified times each day, facing in a particular direction, out-of-doors if possible, kneeling on woven mats, bent over and touching one’s forehead to the ground, and reciting a memorized litany of sentences? Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) were sentenced to death in a fiery furnace because they WOULD NOT pray when they were ordered to pray to an idol (Daniel 3). Daniel was sentenced to death in a den of lions because he WOULD NOT STOP praying when forbidden to pray to his God (Daniel 6). In both cases, God protected His faithful followers and did not permit them to come to harm. Sounds like God takes the matter of prayer—when to pray, how to pray, and to Whom we pray—rather seriously.
No. We don’t need to legislate to put prayer back into public schools. That is not going to fix what is broken here. People do not need permission to pray. What we DO need is the willingness TO pray. We need to teach our children to pray any time, anywhere, and using whatever words are appropriate for the occasion. We need to show our children that prayer works. We need to model what it means to be prayerful. Maybe what we do need is for parents to learn how to pray, so that they can teach their children. We don’t need prayer in public school NEARLY as badly as we need prayer in private homes!
And while we’re at it, let’s bring prayer back into our churches, too.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
"Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas"...what's the fuss?
If the activity on Facebook is any indication, it appears as if a lot of my Christian friends are in an uproar--AGAIN!--this year about the use of the holiday greeting "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." The indignation appears to be focused on the idea that some businesses allegedly have insisted that their employees use a "generic" greeting instead of a "religious" greeting, so as to avoid offending any customers who do not observe or celebrate Christmas. I'd like to weigh in on the discussion here. I am using the "Mutterings" blog instead of my "Shepherd's Scrawl" blog to take my opinion out of the "church leader" context (non ex cathedra) for a minute.
First, let me say that I don't intend to tell you, my reader, what you should think, say, or do. That is not my right nor my intention. On the other hand, I hope that I may stimulate your thought and perhaps even influence how you think, and what you choose to say and/or do.
Is "Merry Christmas" a Christian greeting? It does, in its favor, include the word "Christ." I think we will all agree that just including the word "Christ" does not guarantee that the speaker is using the Name appropriately. Even so, when we say "Merry Christmas," are we ALWAYS speaking with reference to the birth of the Savior? We people of the Church know all too well that Christmas as a holiday is a two-headed chimera. One head is depicted with the classic manger scene, complete with Joseph and Mary, a Babe in a manger, shepherds and Wise Men, a few assorted animals, and a star overhead, while the other version features the fictional Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty, the Grinch and other cartoon personalities. So, when someone DOES wish me a "Merry Christmas," I usually smile and return the greeting, without troubling myself to ask, either aloud or in my mind, "which Christmas are you referring to?" No, I just work it out in my own mind generally according to my own preference. I assume, because it best fits my worldview and pleases my sensitivities, that the person actually meant what I wanted them to mean when they offered the greeting. Now, that's because I am a "glass-half-full" kind of a thinker. Another person, of the "glass-half-empty" variety, will assume that the person meant the opposite, or worse yet, is mocking him or her, and so take offense.
It does seem to me that an awful lot of us Christian-types, with Jesus as our Founder, Leader, Redeemer, and Example, easily ignore some of the things that He said and did, and walk around like Robert Conrad, with a chip (battery) on our shoulder, daring one of those "ACLU-types" to knock it off. We are so quickly and easily offended! (Likewise we Americans, so quick to take offense when someone dares to speak a language other than English on American soil! Hey, I'm a veteran, too. I love my country and what it stands for--all of what it stands for! Just back off the rhetoric a little bit, okay? It's no wonder we have a reputation as being wild-eyed extremist bigots!)
Back to my point. Somebody got the idea that using the word "Christmas" might be harmful to their commercial interest. It might be offensive to non-Christians. So what if it is "Christmas shopping" that their customers are doing? I might be wrong, and pardon me if this offends, but neither Hanukkah or Kwanzaa are known for gift-giving as a part of the observance, right? Certainly the atheist has nothing to celebrate! Do non-Christians shop for Christmas presents? If so, why? So, merchants are counting on Christmas shopping, and therefore, Christians, to rescue their bottom line--thus, "Black" Friday. Is my logic flawed here? (Of course it is. That was a rhetorical question!) So why not be honest about that and greet your customers with an earnest "Thank you for doing some of your Christmas shopping here!" kind of a greeting? Too honest, I guess.
I drag myself back to my point again. If someone wishes me a "Happy Holidays" greeting, I can smile and receive the greeting as a social pleasantry, and return it if I choose, without making it a theological or moral line in the sand, can't I? What if I just perform the same mental conversion and translation operation that I do when someone offers me a "Merry Christmas" without qualifying whether they mean "Merry Christmas-Sacred" or "Merry Christmas-Secular?" Suppose I translate "Happy Holidays" to mean "I-hope-you're-enjoying-this-season-of-wonder-and-by-the-way-did-you-buy-that-PlayStation-3-to-offer-the-newborn-Baby-Jesus-and-are-you-also-giving-Him-a-High-Definition-TV-and-a-portable-generator-to-power-them-both-and-do-you-think-He-would-actually-play-Halo-3-anyway?" and just walk away content?
Nah. That's a "bridge too far."
So, if you decide to greet me verbally over the next 24 days, you can say "Merry Christmas." Or "Happy Holidays." Or "Seasons' Greetings." or even just "Hi." I will do what I always do, and decide for myself what you mean by it.
And for the record: I wish you a heartfelt "peace on earth and good will toward all humankind, because unto all of us has been born, in the city of David (that is, Bethlehem in Judea), a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
First, let me say that I don't intend to tell you, my reader, what you should think, say, or do. That is not my right nor my intention. On the other hand, I hope that I may stimulate your thought and perhaps even influence how you think, and what you choose to say and/or do.
Is "Merry Christmas" a Christian greeting? It does, in its favor, include the word "Christ." I think we will all agree that just including the word "Christ" does not guarantee that the speaker is using the Name appropriately. Even so, when we say "Merry Christmas," are we ALWAYS speaking with reference to the birth of the Savior? We people of the Church know all too well that Christmas as a holiday is a two-headed chimera. One head is depicted with the classic manger scene, complete with Joseph and Mary, a Babe in a manger, shepherds and Wise Men, a few assorted animals, and a star overhead, while the other version features the fictional Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty, the Grinch and other cartoon personalities. So, when someone DOES wish me a "Merry Christmas," I usually smile and return the greeting, without troubling myself to ask, either aloud or in my mind, "which Christmas are you referring to?" No, I just work it out in my own mind generally according to my own preference. I assume, because it best fits my worldview and pleases my sensitivities, that the person actually meant what I wanted them to mean when they offered the greeting. Now, that's because I am a "glass-half-full" kind of a thinker. Another person, of the "glass-half-empty" variety, will assume that the person meant the opposite, or worse yet, is mocking him or her, and so take offense.
It does seem to me that an awful lot of us Christian-types, with Jesus as our Founder, Leader, Redeemer, and Example, easily ignore some of the things that He said and did, and walk around like Robert Conrad, with a chip (battery) on our shoulder, daring one of those "ACLU-types" to knock it off. We are so quickly and easily offended! (Likewise we Americans, so quick to take offense when someone dares to speak a language other than English on American soil! Hey, I'm a veteran, too. I love my country and what it stands for--all of what it stands for! Just back off the rhetoric a little bit, okay? It's no wonder we have a reputation as being wild-eyed extremist bigots!)
Back to my point. Somebody got the idea that using the word "Christmas" might be harmful to their commercial interest. It might be offensive to non-Christians. So what if it is "Christmas shopping" that their customers are doing? I might be wrong, and pardon me if this offends, but neither Hanukkah or Kwanzaa are known for gift-giving as a part of the observance, right? Certainly the atheist has nothing to celebrate! Do non-Christians shop for Christmas presents? If so, why? So, merchants are counting on Christmas shopping, and therefore, Christians, to rescue their bottom line--thus, "Black" Friday. Is my logic flawed here? (Of course it is. That was a rhetorical question!) So why not be honest about that and greet your customers with an earnest "Thank you for doing some of your Christmas shopping here!" kind of a greeting? Too honest, I guess.
I drag myself back to my point again. If someone wishes me a "Happy Holidays" greeting, I can smile and receive the greeting as a social pleasantry, and return it if I choose, without making it a theological or moral line in the sand, can't I? What if I just perform the same mental conversion and translation operation that I do when someone offers me a "Merry Christmas" without qualifying whether they mean "Merry Christmas-Sacred" or "Merry Christmas-Secular?" Suppose I translate "Happy Holidays" to mean "I-hope-you're-enjoying-this-season-of-wonder-and-by-the-way-did-you-buy-that-PlayStation-3-to-offer-the-newborn-Baby-Jesus-and-are-you-also-giving-Him-a-High-Definition-TV-and-a-portable-generator-to-power-them-both-and-do-you-think-He-would-actually-play-Halo-3-anyway?" and just walk away content?
Nah. That's a "bridge too far."
So, if you decide to greet me verbally over the next 24 days, you can say "Merry Christmas." Or "Happy Holidays." Or "Seasons' Greetings." or even just "Hi." I will do what I always do, and decide for myself what you mean by it.
And for the record: I wish you a heartfelt "peace on earth and good will toward all humankind, because unto all of us has been born, in the city of David (that is, Bethlehem in Judea), a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
Friday, October 22, 2010
I'm thinking about putting together a workshop...
I'm thinking about putting together a workshop along the lines of "Expanding the Reach of Your Ministry Using Today's Tools". It will look at ideas like PowerPoint presentations (that aren't really new in churches), social networking including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others, blogging, podcasting, and mass telephone notifications. Every one of the things mentioned above is free to the user (well, there is the expense of hardware to consider for those people who don't have a computer, or a projector or projection screen) but the software applications themselves are free-or there are free versions available for the start-up user.
Once I put this workshop together, I'll market it to churches, ministries, clergy associations, and other non-profit organizations. I'll put together a package that includes the workshop and some consulting to help people get started, and figure out a reasonable compensation scale. I'll have to make it affordable for small churches and organizations that typically haven't considered this in their budgeting process.
Anybody have any feedback for me on this idea? I'd love to hear from you...
Once I put this workshop together, I'll market it to churches, ministries, clergy associations, and other non-profit organizations. I'll put together a package that includes the workshop and some consulting to help people get started, and figure out a reasonable compensation scale. I'll have to make it affordable for small churches and organizations that typically haven't considered this in their budgeting process.
Anybody have any feedback for me on this idea? I'd love to hear from you...
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Changes...
Change. Most of us fear this word, and what it represents. We live by the maxim "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Another of our mottoes is "I've always done it this way." Or again, "if it was good enough for [insert appropriate name here] it's good enough for me." We long for the "good old days" and wish we could go back to "the way we were." (Thanks, Barbra Streisand, for the song running through my head right now!)
I like routine. Routine produces a sense of security, and helps me cover all my bases. For example, I have a shower routine. I do the same things, in the same order, every time I take a shower. Rarely, I will forget a step, or, if I am distracted in my thoughts, I may mix things up. Usually, the mixup is harmless, even refreshing. However, recently I put my shaving gel on my toothbrush. Unpleasant! I hadn't even said any naughty words, thus deserving to have my mouth washed out with soap!
Routine, however, is just that. Routine. It is easy to become numb and just go through the motions. From time to time I set out in my car for a short trip--maybe to the library, or to get the oil changed in the car. My mind, accustomed to the routine trips I make on a nearly daily basis, settles into a routine, and before I realize it, I have turned in the wrong direction. My "autopilot" had taken me in the routine direction, and I had to manually override that part of my brain that follows my routines.
A friend from church shared that she had been training her brain by forcing herself out of her routine deliberately. One of the ways she was doing this was by wearing her wristwatch on the "wrong" wrist. Another method she was using was spelling as many words containing exactly five letters as she could while she washed her hands. I tried the wristwatch thing, and didn't like it. Felt too foreign to me. I guess I really don't like to change!
The past four months of my life have brought a number of significant changes. A few of them include graduating from a postgraduate program which had consumed much of my attention and energy for the past three years; seeing my oldest son married and out of the house; and taking my youngest son to the Army Recruiting office and saying goodbye as he "shipped out" for basic training in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Did I mention losing a significant income stream? People who get government grants to study such things report that I have accumulated an impressive score on the stress scale in the last 120 days.
Am I unhappy? Good grief, no! Don't upset my shower routine, okay? But the changes I have experienced have all been positive in many ways. Okay, maybe that's a stretch when you remember what I said about the loss of income. Even so, that particular happening was God's doing, very clearly in my mind, and so I'm sure that it is, or will eventually be revealed to be, a change for my good.
I like change. I think of myself as an adventurous person. This spring one of the ladies in our church was facing the difficult change of a long-distance move. She had lived her entire life in Orange County, New York, and now had to move four hours away by car into a tiny apartment in a retirement community. We prayed for her in the course of her preparations. As I prayed for my friend, I prayed that God would give to her a "spirit of adventure" that would allow her to see this traumatic change as an opportunity to gather new experiences, to meet new friends, and to grow as a person.
I said that I like change. Don't get me wrong--I am content to remain as I am. However, I know that I am not yet the man I am supposed to be, the person I was intended to be, designed to be, created to be, called to be. So, there are bound to be some more changes ahead. May God give me the courage and the spirit of adventure required to embrace the changes that He crafts for me.
I like routine. Routine produces a sense of security, and helps me cover all my bases. For example, I have a shower routine. I do the same things, in the same order, every time I take a shower. Rarely, I will forget a step, or, if I am distracted in my thoughts, I may mix things up. Usually, the mixup is harmless, even refreshing. However, recently I put my shaving gel on my toothbrush. Unpleasant! I hadn't even said any naughty words, thus deserving to have my mouth washed out with soap!
Routine, however, is just that. Routine. It is easy to become numb and just go through the motions. From time to time I set out in my car for a short trip--maybe to the library, or to get the oil changed in the car. My mind, accustomed to the routine trips I make on a nearly daily basis, settles into a routine, and before I realize it, I have turned in the wrong direction. My "autopilot" had taken me in the routine direction, and I had to manually override that part of my brain that follows my routines.
A friend from church shared that she had been training her brain by forcing herself out of her routine deliberately. One of the ways she was doing this was by wearing her wristwatch on the "wrong" wrist. Another method she was using was spelling as many words containing exactly five letters as she could while she washed her hands. I tried the wristwatch thing, and didn't like it. Felt too foreign to me. I guess I really don't like to change!
The past four months of my life have brought a number of significant changes. A few of them include graduating from a postgraduate program which had consumed much of my attention and energy for the past three years; seeing my oldest son married and out of the house; and taking my youngest son to the Army Recruiting office and saying goodbye as he "shipped out" for basic training in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Did I mention losing a significant income stream? People who get government grants to study such things report that I have accumulated an impressive score on the stress scale in the last 120 days.
Am I unhappy? Good grief, no! Don't upset my shower routine, okay? But the changes I have experienced have all been positive in many ways. Okay, maybe that's a stretch when you remember what I said about the loss of income. Even so, that particular happening was God's doing, very clearly in my mind, and so I'm sure that it is, or will eventually be revealed to be, a change for my good.
I like change. I think of myself as an adventurous person. This spring one of the ladies in our church was facing the difficult change of a long-distance move. She had lived her entire life in Orange County, New York, and now had to move four hours away by car into a tiny apartment in a retirement community. We prayed for her in the course of her preparations. As I prayed for my friend, I prayed that God would give to her a "spirit of adventure" that would allow her to see this traumatic change as an opportunity to gather new experiences, to meet new friends, and to grow as a person.
I said that I like change. Don't get me wrong--I am content to remain as I am. However, I know that I am not yet the man I am supposed to be, the person I was intended to be, designed to be, created to be, called to be. So, there are bound to be some more changes ahead. May God give me the courage and the spirit of adventure required to embrace the changes that He crafts for me.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
One of my Best Days...
Sunday, July 13, 2008: one of my best days. Not a perfect day (some people weren't able to share the day with us, so it wasn't quite as good as it might have been--but I don't want to go negative here).
Kelly and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. We (Kelly, actually) had carefully planned a four-day event for us, but circumstances changed and we had to postpone the first two days of our extended weekend.
On Saturday Kelly and I drove to Norwich, NY to help celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of some friends: Marv and Lucy Maxson. The Maxons' daughters Dawn and Sharlene are good friends of Kelly from high school. It was great to see them all. Marv and Lucy loaned us their pop-up camper for a week 25 years ago so that we could have a honeymoon--we camped at Southwick Beach State Park for a week.
Also at the party were Kelly's three brothers and their wives and most of their children. Every chance to get together with family is precious, and this was especially good.
From there, we drove to Afton and had dinner with my sister Debbie, her husband John, and their daughter Katy. Then we went on to Maple Shade, NJ--arriving at 1:00 a.m. at our hotel.
Sunday morning I got up early and was able to "talk" for 3 hours with our son Ryan via AOL Instant Messenger. Ryan is in Iraq with the 812th MP Company, and chances to communicate are few and usually brief. This time, however, we got to talk for a long time!
We then dressed and made our way to Immanuel Baptist Church in Maple Shade to worship with our friends from Philadelphia Biblical University (formerly Philadelphia College of Bible). Vince McDonald was a classmate and we shared many experiences together while in college, including the PCB Chorale and Chorale tour, three years on the PCB soccer team, and an unforgettable summer touring together on the PCB Sports Camping Team (or whatever it was called).
The morning worship service was exciting--the music was energetic and uplifting. The environment of Immanuel Baptist Church is friendly and enthusiastic--Vince McDonald is a perfect fit for this congregation! He and his brothers Dan and Tom all were at PCB while I was there, and they are all a part of the worship team there. We had a GREAT time in worship. I love my own church and would choose to be home every Sunday, but if I can't be at First Baptist Church in Newburgh, Immanuel Baptist Church in Maple Shade would be my next choice! Kelly and I were warmly welcomed and made to feel as though we were part of the family there.
After church Vince and Greta took Kelly and I to lunch, where Jim Beerley, his wife Mary and their 3 children joined us. It was great to see Jim again, as well as meeting his family for the first time. The Beerleys are missionaries in Monaco, where the ministry of the Gospel is needed. Remember the words of Jesus--"It is harder for a rich man to enter heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle!" There are many wealthy people in Monte Carlo--it is famous for being a playground for the very rich. Who needs God when you've got piles of money! Well, money can make you comfortable, but never truly satisfied or happy. The Beerleys have it good, some people may think. In fact, the Beerleys have been assigned some of the hardest work of all in the kingdom of God.
In the evening, Jim Beerley showed a video report of their ministry in Monaco. Also featured in the evening was a "reunion concert" of the renowned "Beerley Boys" (though Jim reported that the concert was actually "The McDonald Men, with a Guest Appearance by The Beerley Boy). We also did a couple of things that we used to do at summer camps the summer we toured with the PCB Sports Team. Dave Knox, our Team Leader, was there and we had a good time together doing the crazy skit we used to do. Dave's wife/our friend Karyn (Lunde) Knox was there and played the piano. I was insulted by a midget named Chester, but it was all in good fun. I shot some amatuer video of the event with my brand-new digital camcorder, and if I can figure out how to do it, I hope to post some video from the event on YouTube.
The concert was also an informal reunion of PBU/PCB alumni (the 25th anniversary of the Class of 1983). We got to see several friends from PCB/PBU that we haven't seen since graduation, or even before. Matt McAlack spoke about PBU's Youth Ministries department, and Todd Mangum talked about Biblical Seminary in Hatfield.
After the evening service we stayed and enjoyed pizza and Italian Ice from Rita's--a treat we used to enjoy during Kelly's first pregancy. Wow--the memories! We lingered long in the Fellowship Hall. I didn't want to leave! I really hope it doesn't take me another 25 years to reconnect with these amazing friends again.
After this long day, Kelly and I returned to the hotel, where we collapsed into bed, completely exhausted, but spiritually recharged. It was one of my best days.
Kelly and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. We (Kelly, actually) had carefully planned a four-day event for us, but circumstances changed and we had to postpone the first two days of our extended weekend.
On Saturday Kelly and I drove to Norwich, NY to help celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of some friends: Marv and Lucy Maxson. The Maxons' daughters Dawn and Sharlene are good friends of Kelly from high school. It was great to see them all. Marv and Lucy loaned us their pop-up camper for a week 25 years ago so that we could have a honeymoon--we camped at Southwick Beach State Park for a week.
Also at the party were Kelly's three brothers and their wives and most of their children. Every chance to get together with family is precious, and this was especially good.
From there, we drove to Afton and had dinner with my sister Debbie, her husband John, and their daughter Katy. Then we went on to Maple Shade, NJ--arriving at 1:00 a.m. at our hotel.
Sunday morning I got up early and was able to "talk" for 3 hours with our son Ryan via AOL Instant Messenger. Ryan is in Iraq with the 812th MP Company, and chances to communicate are few and usually brief. This time, however, we got to talk for a long time!
We then dressed and made our way to Immanuel Baptist Church in Maple Shade to worship with our friends from Philadelphia Biblical University (formerly Philadelphia College of Bible). Vince McDonald was a classmate and we shared many experiences together while in college, including the PCB Chorale and Chorale tour, three years on the PCB soccer team, and an unforgettable summer touring together on the PCB Sports Camping Team (or whatever it was called).
The morning worship service was exciting--the music was energetic and uplifting. The environment of Immanuel Baptist Church is friendly and enthusiastic--Vince McDonald is a perfect fit for this congregation! He and his brothers Dan and Tom all were at PCB while I was there, and they are all a part of the worship team there. We had a GREAT time in worship. I love my own church and would choose to be home every Sunday, but if I can't be at First Baptist Church in Newburgh, Immanuel Baptist Church in Maple Shade would be my next choice! Kelly and I were warmly welcomed and made to feel as though we were part of the family there.
After church Vince and Greta took Kelly and I to lunch, where Jim Beerley, his wife Mary and their 3 children joined us. It was great to see Jim again, as well as meeting his family for the first time. The Beerleys are missionaries in Monaco, where the ministry of the Gospel is needed. Remember the words of Jesus--"It is harder for a rich man to enter heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle!" There are many wealthy people in Monte Carlo--it is famous for being a playground for the very rich. Who needs God when you've got piles of money! Well, money can make you comfortable, but never truly satisfied or happy. The Beerleys have it good, some people may think. In fact, the Beerleys have been assigned some of the hardest work of all in the kingdom of God.
In the evening, Jim Beerley showed a video report of their ministry in Monaco. Also featured in the evening was a "reunion concert" of the renowned "Beerley Boys" (though Jim reported that the concert was actually "The McDonald Men, with a Guest Appearance by The Beerley Boy). We also did a couple of things that we used to do at summer camps the summer we toured with the PCB Sports Team. Dave Knox, our Team Leader, was there and we had a good time together doing the crazy skit we used to do. Dave's wife/our friend Karyn (Lunde) Knox was there and played the piano. I was insulted by a midget named Chester, but it was all in good fun. I shot some amatuer video of the event with my brand-new digital camcorder, and if I can figure out how to do it, I hope to post some video from the event on YouTube.
The concert was also an informal reunion of PBU/PCB alumni (the 25th anniversary of the Class of 1983). We got to see several friends from PCB/PBU that we haven't seen since graduation, or even before. Matt McAlack spoke about PBU's Youth Ministries department, and Todd Mangum talked about Biblical Seminary in Hatfield.
After the evening service we stayed and enjoyed pizza and Italian Ice from Rita's--a treat we used to enjoy during Kelly's first pregancy. Wow--the memories! We lingered long in the Fellowship Hall. I didn't want to leave! I really hope it doesn't take me another 25 years to reconnect with these amazing friends again.
After this long day, Kelly and I returned to the hotel, where we collapsed into bed, completely exhausted, but spiritually recharged. It was one of my best days.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Twenty-Five to Life
My wife, Kelly, and I just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. Unbelievable! Where has the time gone? We're hoping to celebrate this anniversary with a cruise next winter...
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