trailblazer » 2008» October

I was cleaning out my office on Wednesday and came across a spreadsheet of names from my time in ministry @ Bethany Christian Church. On that list were the individuals who had asked me to take part in their baptism ceremony and public confession of their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. As I read back over those names, a number of thoughts occurred to me. First, how could time have flown by so quickly? Many of those names are students who have already graduated from college and are heading off into the world to make a life and career for themselves. At this thought, I was a little reminiscent. The second thought I had was that many of those names are now sold out followers of Christ and are making big impacts for the Kingdom. I am humbled to have been able to play a small part in shaping those lives for Christ. I am also excited to see what God will continue to do with them over the course of the next several decades. To have been able to witness the spiritual growth of some many up close and personal is a tremendous blessing. At this thought, I was elated, and almost emotional. My final thought was that some of those names, more than I care to admit, are presently living lives that don’t necessarily correspond with the freedom and acceptance they once found in Christ. Some have turned their backs entirely on their faith that was once so strong. Others plod along, only to be tossed and turned by the ocean of cultural currents and new ideas that constantly flood their lives. At this thought, my heart broke a little. I wonder if there was more that I could have done to prepare them, mostly students, for what the world would throw their way? I wonder if I was more concerned about their initial commitment than I was that they continue to grow up in the Lord? I wonder what great things the Lord would do with just the few on those pages if they would whole-heartedly turn themselves over to be used by Christ? Since we serve a God who changed the entire course of history with 12 misfits who followed a teacher who got Himself killed on a cross, and then rose from the dead, I have to believe that this same God can still change the world with a small number of people today. Then I shift to think about myself. Do I really believe my God has that sort of power? Am I sold out to Christ? What does that really mean anyway? Am I willing to do whatever, go wherever, love whomever, share whenever, and love forever in the name of Christ? Am I as committed as I like to think I am? Probably not all the time. And then, I take it one step further and think about Christ. If He knows all and sees all, then He certainly must have known when He died on the cross for me that I would struggle to lay myself down for Him. He also must have known that the people on that list in my office would also struggle to place Him ahead of other things in their individual lives. Yet, in spite of all this knowledge, the cross remains; a testimony to a love that is so deep and marvelous and beyond understanding that we can be nothing more but in awe when we even begin to grasp a portion of it’s implications for us. At this thought, I struggle. I struggle to understand. I struggle to appreciate. I struggle. I struggle because His ways are not my ways and the heavenly love that Christ has for us is a love that doens’t come naturally to people in this fallen world. I struggle because I want to love and live for Christ life He loved and died for me. I want the same things for those students on the list in my office and for everyone else I come in contact with. I struggle…and I ramble…so I’ll move on.

Our lovely dog, Sadie, is being weaned off of dog biscuits. She isn’t fat but we’re cutting her off. Seems in the natural world, one dog would never give up his food for another dog unless he was being dominated. As such, giving Sadie rewards, especially food rewards, creates a system in which she is dominant and we are her subordinates. I didn’t come to this conclusion on my own. In fact, www.theperfectdog.com is where we first learned about it. However, it makes a great deal of sense and probably goes a long way to describe why she feels like she can conditionally obey us and has the need to constantly lick our arms and hands as we pass, as though she’s top dog around the house. Melissa has decided to nip this in the bud, and it only cost us $60 to get the DVD to tell us how. So, in the coming months, our already trained dog will either become the perfect incarnation of “Lassie,” or I’ll be sending threatening notes to the founder of theperfectdog.com. We’ll see how it all pans out and let you know in a few weeks. Sorry for the delay between posts and I’ll try to do a better job. In the meantime, here is a picture of our now treatless monster!