A Note From Tom: April 15th, 2011

Hey, everyone!

Hope you’re having a day that is as beautiful as this spring weather! While I’m thinking about it, I hope your heart is blooming with praise like this dogwood in front of me, hope your joy is budding and blossoming like these tulips I’m looking at, and I hope your spirit is singing like these robins chirping up in the tree beside me (and hopefully sounding better than the frogs croaking in the ditch across the street!)

I didn’t realize it ‘til the other day, but Tuesday was the 150th anniversary of the first shots of the American Civil War at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Wow. It kind of snuck up on us! Not on all of us, though.

Some folks have been looking forward to this for a long time.

There are thousands of people who love to dress up like Civil War soldiers from the North or South and spend the weekend pretending they’re fighting the real thing again. “Civil War reenactments” are huge this year! Hundreds are expected at Charleston for this week’s anniversary. George Wunderlich, a re-enactor and executive director of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, Md said, "Among a lot of re-enactors I'm talking to, this is it! This is the anniversary they have been waiting for!

It ain’t cheap to be a pretend you’re a twenty-three-plus-one-hundred-and-fifty year old Yank or Reb! $1,400 for the basic outfit is about as cheap as it gets. Some of those who tramp around old battlefields making believe it’s the first time all over again, are super serious about being as authentic as possible…down to the underwear of the period. Well, maybe not wearing the actual original under-drawers, but some just like ‘em. After a century and a half, the originals probably wouldn’t do you much good…

The reenactors who really try to be as authentic as possible are called, “progressives”, or “stich-counters”. I get the second name but “progressives” seems like a weird name for someone trying to live their great-great grandpappy. I would have thought progressives were folks who try to live like the Jetsons.

I don’t know how easy it is to be really authentic as a Civil War reenactor. I remember reading that over 60% of the deaths of Civil War soldiers wasn’t from musket balls but diarrhea. I guess the really serious reenactors have to put Milk of Magnesia in the ol’ field canteen before heading out!

I guess it’s a really fun hobby for those who like that stuff. But I bet if the ones who fought the first time, knew it was going on, they would think it was really weird. Or really sad. 6,000,000 Americans died. Misery and grief filled our land. There was almost no home or family untouched by tragedy. For them it would be unthinkable that, once the cannons stopped and peace prevailed, people would want to pretend, if only for the weekend, that Americans were enemies of Americans again.

Sometimes I think that Lent is a wonderful season. It’s a time to reflect and ask myself, “Am I walking this walk?...Am I taking my relationship with You, Lord, as seriously as you take Your relationship with me?...Is there anything You need to tell me…about me?” Any time is good for those questions. Folks just ask them more this time of year. But sometimes at Lent, churches are draped in black. Sometimes God’s people try to relive…reenact…the days and hours of our Lord’s suffering…Lent is a time to walk the “Via Crucis” that He walked with His cross through Jerusalem…a time to try to relive the darkness of the days and hours before our Jesus ended with His pain and blood our enmity with God….a time to remember what it was like before we were reconciled to Him.

Of course, it’s all so that believers in Jesus all over the world can relive…reenact…on Easter Sunday morning, the joy of knowing, believing, and having a risen Savior and a new beginning with Him!

It’s just that…I don’t know…

…I don’t know if we should ever have to pretend things so that we can recapture the feeling of surprising wonder and amazing happiness that Jesus is alive and ours! I think that’s supposed to be, not a yearly feeling, but a daily…an everyday…feeling! He IS alive! I want to celebrate that…and feel the joy of it!...every day of the year!

And I have enough trouble keeping out of the glooms without ever wanting to pretend Jesus hadn’t yet died for me and risen in light, power, and triumph! I don’t really want to ever relive…to reenact…a time when I wasn’t God’s own child, reconciled and in love with Him, my only hope in this difficult world!

Sometimes, on tough days, I have a hard enough time believing deep in my heart it’s all really true…I never want to pretend, even for a second, that it isn’t!

Plus, if I reenacted those sad hippy days when I didn’t know Jesus, the clothes I wore were more ridiculous than a Civil War suit!

A Note from Tom: April 7th, 2011

Hey, everyone!

Well? What are you gonna say about this day? Is this not AWESOME!! Having just driven home from…and all over…West Texas, I’m tellin’ you…AWESOME! Texas is great and everything…especially if you like…well, Texas. But East Tennessee in the spring…AWESOME!

The dogwoods would win the gold medal this year if there were the Dogwood Olympics! And amazingly we’re not the only ones with beeeaaauuutiful Cornus floridas!  In Missouri, the dogwood’s the state tree. In North Carolina, it’s the state flower! In Virginia it’s the state flower AND state tree! They almost voted it the state bird!

Did you know that the dogwood…which comes from the Celtic dagga, which was this kind of tool they made out of dogwood wood…is actually good for your dog? If your dog gets those doggie skin problems, just boil dogwood bark, and wash ol’Fido in the juice!

At Christmas, you put lights and stuff all over your house and yard to make it Christmasy. But in the spring you just sit back and…ahhh! AWESOME! And SPRINGY! Sometimes people shine lights and tie plastic Easter eggs on their dogwoods. But aren’t they beautiful…aren’t they the best… just the way God made them?

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the legend of the dogwood. The story is that once dogwoods were thick and tall, like oaks.  The story says that the cross that they made Jesus carry through the streets of Jerusalem was made of this tree…

”When Christ was on earth, the dogwood grew


To a towering size with a lovely hue.

Its branches were strong and interwoven,

And for Christ's cross its timbers were chosen…”

So, God decided that since the dogwood was used for the cross of our Lord, it would never be large and stately again, but gnarly and twisted…

“'The petals shall have bloodstains marked brown,

And in the blossom's center a thorny crown.

All who see it will think of me,


Nailed to a cross from a dogwood tree.'”

Only thing is…that legend isn’t true.

Really, there was no need to make up stuff about the dogwood to make them any more graceful and  lovely than they are already. Aren’t they beautiful…aren’t they the best…just the way God made them?

And the story of our Lord Jesus…Creator of heaven and earth…of rain and sunshine…of tulips, daffodils, redbuds, grass and dogwoods…born into a poor, poor family, growing to be, as the Gospel of Luke tells us, “the favorite of God and men”, dying for love of those who despised Him, rising to win their hearts and wills, living to help us walk through this world and to one day bring us home…

…There’s really no need to invent and add legends to this…to this life, this love, this walk, this gift of blood, and this heart for us.

The story of Jesus…isn’t it beautiful…isn’t it best…just the way God told it?

A Note from Tom: March 29th, 2011

Hey, everyone!

Wow! It’s dogwood time in Tennessee!! Technically it isn’t “Dogwood Arts Festival” time yet…We’ve got about a week to wait. But the dogwoods blooms didn’t! In Fountain City they tells us theirs have been blooming for a week! UT ag experts say they’re ten days to two weeks early! Seems like it was just Christmas!

Speaking of which…

It really was just a few weeks ago that folks were rushing, shoving, yelling, reaching, grabbing, sometimes boxing, just to get those mitts on the hottest toys of Christmas 2010. Seems kinda crazy now but remember when back in December in some households across the land nothing mattered more than having Squinkies under the tree! It seemed such a tragedy if someone you love had to face the “Day” with out the Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS Blaster, FurReal Friends Furry Frenzies, or little Kung Zhu Pets. One of the most shopped-for toys of this Christmas past was “Stinky the Garbage Truck…he can talk and tell jokes, sing or eat garbage, giving your child a sense of amazement as Stinky realizes whether he’s full or empty. That garbage your child feeds him can consist of anything from other toy cars to several tiny toys your child is sure to have laying around his or her room…”

If you kids can’t find their Kun Zhu pets, don’t forget to look in Stinky! (Wonder why he doesn’t stink just like ”a real garbage truck”?)

I guess I was thinking about last Christmas craziness because we got a letter from our Compassion child, Doreen, yesterday. Like so many of y’all, on our fridge there’s a picture of a child. Our Doreen is a five year old who lives in Uganda. We sponsor her for a few dollars a month so that the work of those who love Jesus in her district can provide her, along with dozens of other kids like her in her village, with daily food, clothing, medical care, school, and times each day to learn about, and sing to, Jesus, (as Paul says) “her Lord and ours”. Many of you have kids like this that you sponsor through Compassion. Your kids may live in Guatamala, India, Africa, Philippines, or another of the 27 countries where Compassion works.

Listen to the goal of Compassion…

“…In response to the Great Commission, Compassion International exists as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.”

Wow! That’s a lot for a few bucks!

Doreen was writing to thank us for the few extra dollars we included at Christmastime. She’s only five and her teacher helped her write it. “Doreen thanks you so much for her gifts she was able to buy with her Christmas money. She bought a new Christmas dress and shoes. She also bought socks, rice and one kilo of meat for her family. You enabled her to celebrate Christmas in a jolly mood…”

Wow! A jolly Christmas because they enjoyed extra rice and some meat!

Some kids in our country are playing with toy garbage trucks while other kids around the world would happily eat what the garbage man throws in our real ones!

When you support a Compassion child, and when we support our missionaries whose pictures are on the wall at Triple C, God is using you so that men and women, boys and girls, and babies, around the world,  can enjoy what others may never think twice about. Things like rice, socks, Christmas meat, a new dress (for 15,000 Ungandan shellings) and the message of the love of Jesus.

Dogwoods are blooming in the woods and yards of East Tennessee. The love of Jesus is blooming in hearts around the world because you give.

That should put us all “in a jolly mood!”

A Note from Tom: March 23th, 2011

Hey, everyone!

Hope you’re having an awesome, praise-filled, joyous, heart-full-of-thanks day! And if you’re not, maybe I can help! Just by reminding you that you are a child of the living God, the King of kings! And that He is working out a beautiful plan for you because He loves you so much! You’re His because He wanted you before the world was ever made! And what Jesus came to do was to buy you (that’s what “redeem” means) so you could be His! He really and specifically wanted you!

Feel better?

You’re welcome!

Seriously, don’t you just need from time to time for someone who loves you to remind you of how Jesus sees you?

You had a hard day at work and maybe got someone upset without meaning to…you remember something you shouldn’ta done but you done did…something you should’ve said but didn’t…maybe there’s an old memory rattlin’ around in yer noggin of something that somebody said about you that you can’t seem to shake…and we have an invisible enemy who doesn’t help at all, always trying to remind us of famous failures and flops of the past…

It helps when someone simply tells you how the One Who matters most sees you!

Y’all know Joni Earickson Tada, right? She became a quadriplegic at seventeen and has had a world-wide ministry to the disabled (and the rest of us!) for forty years. She is th’ bomb! Insightful…encouraging…She’s what the last book of the Bible calls, an “overcomer”!

One of the million ways God has used her is to distribute wheelchairs around the world in countries that are so poor, paraplegics and others who need them don’t normally have them. Once Joni and her amazing team were doing a wheelchair distribution in a tiny village in Uganda called Nyarushanje. A Ugandan woman explained that her husband, Sema, had fallen from a tree and broken his right leg and hip. He had also suffered a severe brain injury in the fall. While she told his story, he just sat there with his face pointed down, his chin sunken into his chest…silent. He was almost in a catatonic state, Joni observed…non communicative, ”shrunken and frozen”.

He hadn’t spoken…or been spoken to…in years. His wife didn’t even try anymore. She cared for him but didn’t converse with him.

“What’s the use? He isn’t talking back.”

One the team, a guy named Dana,  shared with them that those with brain injuries really need what they seem to care least about. They need someone to talk to. Or at least, someone who will talk to them.

Dana, the Joni and Friends volunteer, lifted Sema’s face and began to speak to him. He told him things everyone who loves Jesus needs to hear…

…that he was a man like anyone else…

…that he was an equal and a brother…

…that God loved him and that Jesus died for him…

…that he wasn’t disabled because God was angry or punishing him, but that God valued him deeply…

People thought Dana was nuts. Until…

Sema woke up! He began to move his hands, look around and smile at everyone! He even laughed! And he spoke! He broke his silence and spoke for the first time in years! The two guys were hugging and the tears were flowing!

As Sema began to try out wheelchairs, he reached over once more for a hug. He pulled Dana close and whispered in his ear in perfect English…

“You are my brother and my friend, and God loves me!”

Wow!

You know, Joni figured that initially, Dana spoke encouragement to silent Sema for two  minutes before the miracle happened. I was having a crummy day yesterday for a little while. Then on the phone somebody spoke encouragement to me and told me God loved me and that I was precious to Him.

Probably lasted two minutes. Best two minutes of the day! Which got decidedly better after that!

 It made me want to tell him, “You’re my friend and my brother…”

“And God loves me!”

A Note from Tom: March 16th, 2011

Hope you’re having an awesome week!

It’s harder to do this week.

How do we go through this week and not be so saddened by the suffering of so many thousands in Japan. So much misery. So much pain and grief. So much loss. So much gone. So many gone. We are so far away. It’s impossible to imagine what so many are suffering. We have brothers and sisters in Christ who are there and helping. Some feel this is a moment like no other to show the love of Jesus in the darkest hours. Can we help them?

What is helping me is the promise that our God is King of Heaven and earth. He sees from His throne. And He knows what He is doing. Psalm 33 tells us that “…the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations…. From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

He sees what is happening.

He knows what He’s doing.

He knows why this has happened.

And He cares about their suffering.

Even though nothing in all the universe happens unless the King of all allows it…and only He could ever understand why things must be as they are…I know His heart is broken for the pain of the suffering, even though it is a suffering He has allowed. For He loves them. He IS love. He gave our Lord Jesus to this world because He loved it. Not the world of trees, rivers, clouds, and grass. He loves the world of men and women, boys and girls, Chinese, Romanians, Norwegians…and Japanese. So many of them are lost. Japan has always had few…maybe 1%... who love and trust in Jesus. But He loves them. John says that “God so loved the world” that He sent Jesus so the world could be saved, not judged. Not talking about trees. It’s for people that He came. So that whoever believes could have new, ever-lasting, never-ending life. (John 3.16-17)

Jeremiah once wrote that even though God allowed so much suffering to come on some people…the people of Moab…for reasons He alone knows, He still was broken hearted for them.

Because He loved them.

“The valley will be ruined and the plateau destroyed…The fall of Moab is at hand; her calamity will come quickly…”

“Therefore I wail over Moab, for all Moab I cry out, I moan for the people of Kir Hareseth. I weep for you, as Jazer weeps, you vines of Sibmah…So my heart laments for Moab like the music of a pipe; it laments like a pipe for the people of Kir Hareseth.” (Jer. 48.8, 16, 31,36)

He sees.

He alone knows why.

He weeps.

He loves.

You know, this has been a difficult week for another reason. An influential minister with a church of 10,000 has written a book in which he wants Christians everywhere to understand that in the end, no one will be lost forever. Apparently he believes that even in hell, “no one can resist God’s pursuit forever because God’s love will eventually melt even the hardest hearts” and everyone will one day or other, make it to God.

They are talking about this book everywhere. In the New York Times. In USA Today. And thankfully, pastors and theologians who love the Scriptures are rightly and faithfully refuting this new book. They are defending the Word and explaining that the Scriptures truly, clearly, repeatedly tells us- warn us- that “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.” (2 Thes 1)

Faithful pastors are preaching, writing, and blogging that people everywhere have to hear and believe in our Lord Jesus or they will be lost forever.

Only thing is…

I’m afraid this is going to be a fight. I’m afraid that before a lost and dying world which has never so desperately needed to hear the Message of His love, this is going to get loud. I hope it doesn’t become an ugly argument on the news shows. In fact, it already has. It’s already become sometimes ungracious and unkind.

As people talk about this in the days ahead, I hope there is one thing added to all the arguing, debating, and reasoning.

I hope there is weeping.

For the ones who are lost. For those who will be lost forever unless in love someone tells them about Him.

More than anyone, our Lord Jesus spoke of the place where lost people go. He called it the place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth”. He once told people to their face, ““You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?”

Then four verses later, He wept. For them.

His heart cried “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Matt 23)

He saw.

He alone knew why they would be lost forever.

He wept.

Because He loved them.

 

He sees.

He alone knows why

Yet He weeps.

Because He loves.

A Note from Tom: March 9th, 2011

Hey, everyone!

Hope y’all are pumped and ready for this amazing and important Sunday coming up! It’s going to be so important! Not only is this the second Sunday of the month when we all bring delicious stuff from home and eat together after church (if I was in the “Sound of Music”, C3 fellowship meal would be one of my favorite things! “Whiskers on kittens”? Really?!) but also this Sunday is...

“Change-Your-Clock-And-Spring-Forward! Sunday”!

That’s right!

This Sunday at 2:00 am, we jump ahead into the future by one hour! It’s like “Back To the Future”! (I’m not sure how ‘cause I never saw it...) Many people just set the clock ahead before going to bed because you already lose an hour of sleep, so it makes it worse to have to wake up at two and turn your clock to three. But wouldn’t it be cooler to have the full experience and wake up at five to two!, get up! and turn your clocks  forward in on the minute! Just once!

There must be a very important reason for doing it, even though in Algeria, Singapore, South Korea, Swaziland, Venezuela, Burundi, the state of Indiana, and loads of other places, they just leave the clocks alone all year and snooze on. (Did you know China has only one time zone?)

Y’ know, it isn’t really called “daylight savings time”.  It’s “daylight saving time”. And it doesn’t really save any daylight. You get the same amount. I know springing forward and falling back time-wise, must be important...but I’m not really sure why.

This is an important week also because today is the beginning of Lent. Today is Ash Wednesday, when believers around the world begin to prepare their heart for Easter. For lots of folks, today is the beginning of a period of deprivation, when many choose to deny themselves pleasurable things for the next 40 days. I know it must be important, but...to be completely open about it...I don’t really get it (Wow! Did I really say that?) I mean, I’ve read tons about it. I’m just not sure if I understand why someone wouldn’t eat any chocolate until Easter. Chocolate is good for you. Dark chocolate has antioxidants, it can lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, and elevate mood. If you don’t eat a ton, and it’s a blessing, why not?

Paul wrote this to Timothy...”For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer...” (1 Timothy 4)

In Acts 14, Paul said that God has given a testimony of His existence, goodness, and love by “showing kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy!”

If it’s a good blessing from God, I’m not sure what the value is from not enjoying it on purpose just to put myself through it.

On the other hand, if there IS something that is in my life that isn’t good...that our Lord doesn’t want there... a habit...an attitude toward someone...an ugly way of talking...a bitterness and/or resentment you feel every time a certain face pops into your thoughts...a rut you’re in...a stubborn refusal to give a true, full-hearted forgiveness to someone who hurt you...This would be an awesome time to say, “That’s enough!” This would be an awesome season to get rid of it! To stop! And not for 40 days, but for good! What if not drinking Cokes or giving up playing “Angry Birds” on your iPhone for 40 days is a way to avoid facing something that is serious and something I need to admit and evict from my life forever?

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, yelling and name-calling, along with every form of hurtfulness and meanness.” (Eph 4)

“...Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles...” (Heb 12)

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind...” (1 Pet 2)

If something is a blessing, praise God. Enjoy! But if there’s something that you know needs to go, what better time than THIS day to say, “Ok. It’s time. I’m done with that for good!”

You would “spring forward” into spring with a heart that is light and free!

I know Lent is all about getting ready for Easter...but, Hey! Our Lord Jesus IS risen! He’s alive today! He lives! In you! You have all the power you need in Him to say “No!” to things that need to go!

What better day than today?

What better week to start over than this one?

Sure it might be a tough week to face serious things ‘cause you get an hour less to sleep, but as we’ll celebrate in 40 days, Jesus is alive! And He’s in you! What better day to begin again!

Don’t wait ‘til Saturday night!  Spring forward today!

A Note from Tom: March 4th, 2011

Hey everyone!

Hope you’re having an awesome day! Hope it’s one of those days where your heart is gently opening up to whatever God has for you, just like the daffodils outside our door are gently opening up to the spring sun one day (yesterday) and spring rain the next (today and tomorrow...a lot!). Hope your heart is full of hope and promise...just like the Wildcat baseball team, which started scrimmages this week with hope of the season ahead! So far...no L’s! ...Or W’s! Just hope and promise!

I kinda have baseball on the brain because Tina and I have been watching this documentary on PBS about the history of baseball in America. It’s about a kabillion hours long (OR baseball coach and math teacher, Tom Froning tells me “kabillion” is not an actual number...maybe I should’ve said “kazillion”) but we’re learning tons about baseball!

Did you know that Connie Mack, who was a catcher with the Pittsburg Pirates before he was a manager (longest managing career in history), could make a noise with his thumb and finger that sounded just like a ball lightly tipping a bat. When a batter was going to bunt, but saw that the pitch was outside the batter’s box and let it go by, Mack would make that sound when the ball crossed the plate and the ump would call it a tipped foul for a strike!

There was a player in the African American league named Josh Gibson who, during the ‘30’s and 40’s, hit almost 800 homers in 17 years! His lifetime average was over .350! Many called him “the black Babe Ruth”, although in the African American league, they called Babe Ruth, “the white Josh Gibson”! Once he hit a homer in Yankee Stadium that reached the wall above the center field bleachers...580 feet! They said another time, that he hit a homer in Baltimore that flew out of sight and never came down. The next night, he was playing in Washington, and a ball flew out of the sky into center field in the middle of the game. The fielder happened to see it and caught it. Gibson was called out...from the night before!

This documentary talked a lot about the single most controversial moment in the history of baseball...Babe’s “called shot” for a home run in the  fifth inning of the third game of the ‘32 World Series with the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

‘Course, Babe wasn’t a stranger to controversies. In 1930, as the Depression gripped the nation, he signed a contract that paid him more than any player ever. And more than President Hoover made! Someone asked him, “Aren’t you uneasy about making more than the President?” “Nope.” the Bambino replied. “I had a better year than him.”

Anyway, with the Yanks up two games in the Series, and the game tied 4-4 in the fifth, Ruth was up with the count two balls, two strikes That’s when he yelled something at the pitcher and made a pointing gesture. Some say he pointed at the Chicago dugout. Some say it was toward pitcher’s mound. Most say it was toward the center field wall...as in, “There’s where this next pitch is going!” And it did! 480 feet over the flagpole! Across the nation, folks heard Tom Manning yell, "The ball is going, going, going, high into the center field stands...and it is a home run!"

An unknown film of the 1932 “at bat” surfaced in the ‘80’s, but still it’s hard to tell if Babe was just pointing or predicting the impending home run. One reporter said that if all the people who said they were there and saw Babe call the shot, were put in one stadium, it’d have to hold 500,000 fans! Charlie Root, the one who threw the pitch, denied for the rest of his life that Babe pointed to center field. “If he’d pointed to center field like that, I woulda beaned him with that pitch in the ear!”

It would have been (or maybe it WAS) pretty outrageous for someone to be so confident in his abilities that he could predict what would happen to the next ball across the plate! But I read something yesterday that was a million times...even a kabillion times!...more certain! Check it...

“I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus...He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 1.4, 8)

Wow! Paul’s saying, “I KNOW you’re gonna make it to the end! I know God will hit a homer with you!”

Y’gotta remember that these believers were having problems! Couldn’t get along...some drinking too much...yucky sex messes going on...It wasn’t looking too promising!

But the apostle knew his Lord and King! He is able to change us! He is able to bring us back! He is able to make us grow! He is able to keep us strong and His! He is able and He is going to bring all those who love Jesus...home!

“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy...” (Jude 24)

“...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus...” (Phil 1.6)

“...You who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time...” (1 Peter 1. 5)

Before you ever were ever pitched His way, He knew He had a homer with you! He called that shot!

No Question!

“ ...going, going, going, higher, higher...and it is a home run!"

A Note from Tom: February 23rd, 2011

Hey, Everyone!

Wow! Guys!

I just saw daffodils by the side of ol’ Johnson Rd, O.S., TN, USA...blooming! Totally in bloom! I couldn’t believe it, but it’s true! I thought we were a ways away but...NOT!

Daffodils in bloom...coming to a theater near you! You heard it first right here!

I guess Tina and I weren’t jumpin’ the gun last week when we were planning where our veggies are goin’ to go in the garden this year. We were trying to figure the best way to keep our ‘maters off the ground. Y’know, trellises...stakes...those wire cages (what works fer you?) and some the articles we were reading said consistently that it depended.

“Are your tomatoes determinate or indeterminate?”

“Huh? Who knows? How do you tell? Where do you check?”

“I wonder what determinate tomatoes are?” Tina asked.

“Let’s find out! I’ll Google it!”

“Dear Google, what are determinate and indeterminate tomatoes?” (I didn’t actually put the “Dear Google” part)

BAM! There it is!

Determinate tomatoes are bush tomatoes and only grow to be two or three feet high. Good for pots. Indeterminate (Big Boys, Beef Steaks) grow continually to six to ten feet high. Need staking.

You’re welcome.

It’s amazing what you can find out nowadays! Ask your computer a question and...there’s the answer! Mostly...

I remember a girl trying to explain to her sixty-something aunt who had never even held a computer, how to Google something. “Go ahead, Aunt! Just type in a question!”

She wrote, “How’s my sister Mary Sue in Boise feeling this morning?”

Here’s some more info Google doesn’t know.

“What does God want me to do in this situation? How can I know what I should say? Should I talk to them about this or not? Would it be good to react or not? What is His will in this problem?”

How do you know what God wants you to do in a sticky...or touchy...or hurtful...or complicated situation? Maybe you’ve looked up all the Scriptures you could find and you’re still stuck. You don’t want to do nothing, but nothing’s better than the wrong thing. Here’s a suggestion...and a promise.

Ask God.

It’s simple, I know. Just ask God to tell you what to do or not do. What to say or not say. But I have a promise. Ready?

James 1.5 “ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

“Wisdom” is a word that means, “Just knowing what to do in a tough moment”. “...and it will be given to you”. If you want to know what He wants and you’re determined and decided to do that...nothing else...nothing less...nothing more...He’ll let you know in your heart what is best! That is an awesome promise!

So, if you want to know what’s the best for  you to do or say in a difficult or delicate moment, ask God.

If you want to know the population of Slovenia, ask Google.

A Note from Tom: February 15th, 2011

Hey, everyone!

Hope you’re having an awesome, joyous day! And how could you not? With spring almost bustin’ out all over! And supposably, it’s gonna be this way all week! At least that’s what Todd the weatherman sa…

Opps. I just saw a mistake.

“Supposably” isn’t a word. It’s really “supposedly”. I know this because I just read an article about 25 things people say that they shouldn’t…those things we say all the time that are not really grammatically correct. Y’know…things like “irregardless” when you mean “regardless”. “Irregardless” actually isn’t a word.

Maybe you’re thinking, “Well, to tell the truth, I could care less.”

Actually, that’s not right.

When folks say, “I could care less”, they really should say, “I couldn’t care less”, because apparently the point is that you care so little about it, that your caring could go no lower than that.

If you say you’re going to “try and do better” in your grammar, your grammer’s not going so well. What you meant to say is “I’m going to try to do better”, not “try and”.

I know someone might be thinking, “Well, who cares?”

Or is it, “whom cares?” (I think it’s “who”).

(If you say you’re trying to “hone in” on the right answer to that one, you meant to say, “home in”.)

This stuff ‘s on my mind because I read something this morning that Peter said when he was sharing the message of Jesus with a highly interested person, and I thought, “Are you sure you wanted to say that?”

This Italian guy named Cornelius in Acts, chapter 10, had a feeling that Peter was coming to see him and share Jesus with him. Actually, he had a vision about it. When Peter arrived, Cornelius was waiting on him.

“Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us,” he said.

So, Peter started in. “Let me tell you all about the One you need to know, Jesus of Nazareth!...how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him. We are witnesses of everything He did… They killed Him by hanging Him on a cross, but God raised Him from the dead on the third day…He was seen by us who ate and drank with him after He rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead…”

Wait! You sure you wanted to say that? Judge? Jesus? Didn’t you mean to tell this dude that Jesus is appointed to be the Savior? Didn’t you want to say that He has come to be our Good Shepherd? And the King of the world? “God with us”?

“Jesus the judge”? You’ve got one shot at sharing with this guy and you’re going with that, Pete? “Judge”?

Jesus gave His life so we can be clean and new and His! Forgiven and free! In fact, Peter continues right on to say, “…everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Apparently, Cornelius got the point, because he opened his heart to Jesus, judge of the living and dead!

Come to think of it, there could be no better judge to stand before. There could be no one sweeter to measure my life! What could be better than to be evaluated by the One Who gave His blood so that ALL of my failings could be wiped off my record! What better One to stand before than the One Who took all my judgment for me! And Who now says of me, “And you are clean!” (John 13.10) What a beautiful experience to stand before the Judge of all the earth Who informed us, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged…will not come into judgment… but has crossed over from death to life!” (John 5.24)

Now that there is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8.1)…and since being declared already and freely righteous by faith, we have peace with God (Rom. 5.1)… all I really care about is how He sees me!

For some of us, it is suuuch a new, amazing feeling to think that for the first time in my life, I love folks, but I’m not worried about what they think of me. Or how some one might judge me.

In fact, irregardless of what someone supposably might or might not think, I could care less!

Jesus, the Judge of all, loves us!

Let’s just try and remember that!!

A Note from Tom: February 8th, 2011

Hey Everyone!

Hope you’re having a fantastic day! Hope your day started a little “fresher” than ours did! You know that feeling when you’re really totally asleep and all the sudden…you’re dreaming about…what is it?...”Why am I dreaming about…coffee? Why is this coffee so strong? In fact, it’s so strong…and I like it strong…it’s just a little much for me…” And then you’re awake and you know where the java smell’s coming from…

SKUNK UNDER THE HOUSE!!

So, picture this. Or better…get a whiff of this. It’s 4 am… your eyes are watering… you feel close to almost throwing up… both of you…and you look at each other and ask, simultaneously, “What do we do now?!” Sleep isn’t an option. We made coffee, but frankly I felt like I’d already sniffed a whole pot.

Then I remembered what we did last year when a skunk snuck (and stunk!) under 834 Johnson, O.S…

I went into the living room, turned on the Mac, clicked the itunes thingy, put the speakers on the floor, facing down and found my anti-skunk play list. Actually it’s my double-strength, no-kidding, straight-up, turbo-charged traditional bluegrass play list. I like Nickel Creek, Rascal Flatts and all that, but they’re not on that list. This is my Lester n’ Earl, “Shuckin’ the Corn”, Bill Monroe, “Goin’ Back to Ol’ Kentucky”, Stanley Brothers, “Uncle Pen”, Martha White Flour play list.

Cranked it up, and went outside to make sure it wasn’t rockin’ the ‘hood. And we let it play. As the yodels, high lonesome harmonies, and banjo breaks rolled, the piyew-iness diminished. After a while, we were convinced it’d worked. Ol’ Stinky had gone back home.

Funny, but apparently skunks don’t like bluegrass. Who’da thunk it? I would’ve thought they’d have liked it. Maybe all the singing out the nose makes their favorite defense less offensive. We love bluegrass and don’t like skunks under the house at 4:00. So …it all works out!

Y’know, one thing the Scriptures say that it sometimes is hard to remember, is that we are in spiritual battles everyday. It might not always seem like it, but those who love Jesus have an automatic enemy. He’s mean and wants to keep you discouraged, frightened, and/or upset. I like how the Message puts it…

“So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way…

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.” (Eph 6)

One of the weapons we have to stay encouraged is praise! Praise music and praise singing! In the chapter before the one we just read, Paul says that praise…and singing it…are the best and easiest ways to keep your heart full! And here’s another tip: The enemy of our hearts…you know, the one who wants to steal your joy…he hates to hear praise about as much as skunks hate bluegrass! Get your “praise on”! There’s someone who can’t stand to be around it!

Ahhhh! That smells better!

A Note from Tom: February 4th, 2011

Hey, everyone!

Hope you’re having an awesome, joy-filled day! You know, the other day I was…

“So...what if I’m not? What if I’m NOT having an awesome, joy-filled day? What if I’m having a yucky day? What am I supposed to do about it?”

Well, there are some things you could do if you’re having a yucky day, depending on the reason for the yuckiness.

1) If you’re having a yucky day because of the weather, there ain’t a whole lot you could do about the wet, cold, is-it-going-to-snow?-iness except to remember...

…that tons of folks have had tons (literally!) more snow than we have...

…that whatever the weather, “God says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ (Job 37) and “lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds do his bidding...” (Psalm 148)...so, we pretty much have the weather God chooses for us!

…that no matter what the weather, in your heart, it can always be spring! 

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon... they will always stay fresh and green” (Pslam 92)

2) If you’re having a yucky day because of the things you see on the news...if it’s because of the suffering of so many people who have a difficult life that just got more difficult...like in Cairo, for example...there is something you can do! You can lift them to the throne of God! We could pray for brothers and sisters in Christ who are there, trying to be faithful, brave, and true to their Master in a tough situation. There are many believers in Jesus in Egypt, and their numbers are growing, even though they have been discriminated against, and persecuted a lot in the last twenty years. Many of them are strong and courageous! There is a church right there in Tahrir Square, where all of the demonstrations are. It’s called the Kasr El Doubara Evangelical Church. If we lift them up, we’re an active part of what God is doing in all of the confusion there.

I saw yesterday that some angry people were throwing fire bombs at others there in the crowds.

In Revelation 8, there is this amazing scene where an angel takes this golden incense ball full of fire from the altar of God and “...hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake!” In the golden ball, this angel had collected and included “the prayers of the saints” (Rev 8.3). In the middle of hate and animosity in the troubled places of the world, the prayers of the people of God become a bomb of love, goodness, and strength in God for those who are struggling to walk with Him!

If you pray, you have an important role there!

Amazing!

3) Maybe you’re having a yucky day because there is someone in your life who is driving you nuts. Maybe it’s because they have something going on that isn’t right and that God doesn’t want. You know it, but they don’t. Or maybe it’s because they just have some annoying ways that kind of make you kooky. You know how sometimes all of us can be irritating at times.

To have a brighter day, maybe you need to talk to someone about that something in their life that isn’t good. Especially if it’s something you know ain’t God’s will for them! We all need someone with the courage to confront us from time to time!

Or maybe you just need to ignore and put up with their little irritating ways, knowing that we’re all annoying to others at times!

“So how do I know if I should talk to them or just put up with them? How do I know if it’s something to confront or something to forget?”

Why not try the “Esther 4.16 principle”? She had to get the courage to face the scary king about a situation and decided that, before she made a move to confront, she’d pray about it for three days. Somebody breaking your heart? Or driving you nuts? You can’t tell whether it’s wrong or just annoying? Just pray about it for three days. Ask God to tell you whether you should speak up or shut up!

“Yeah, but...let’s say...someone cuts in front of me in traffic. If I wait for three days to decide whether or not I should tell him/her off and possibly point out through my gesticulations their short-comings, my opportunity would be gone!”

Yes, it would.

Have a joy-filled day!

A Note from Tom: January 20th, 2011

Hey, everyone!

Wow! I had an awesome morning! I had three cups of coffee and three fresh reasons to have a heartful of thankfulness before the sun came up!

Speaking of which…

One of my “thankfulnesses” was for the moon! I was out jogging early and the moon was beautiful and super-full this a.m.! Did you know that the gravitational pull of the moon is like a kind of brake on our earth’s rotation and it keeps us at just the right speed as we spin? If we didn’t have the moon, the earth would be spinning so fast, there would be major hurricane winds over the surface of the whole world, 24 7! Today the winds are variable and about 3 mph…So thankful for our moon!

And…when the moon’s full, it’s easier to see skunks nosing around by the side of the road! All you have to do is slide over to the other side and trot on by! Apparently, if you mind yer own beeswax, skunks are cool with that. Passed three during my route today! By the time I reach the house, I only smelled sweaty! Thankful for that!

And…I came across an awesome Scripture before I tied my running shoes on…Remember how a few weeks ago, it seemed like all across the country, and all around the world, folks were finding whole flocks of various birds dead in the middle of the road?  In Arkansas, thousands of blackbirds crashed into houses and each other, and dropped dead into yards, parks, and streets. Then they found hundreds dead on the highway near Baton Rouge. Then in Italy and other countries, there were loads of…not bird droppings, but birds dropping. In one place they were cowbirds. .In another, it was red-winged blackbirds. As they say, birds of a feather, croak together.

Some scientists say this isn’t really unusual. 5 billion birds die in American each year. Without smoking. Red-wing blackbirds have flocks that grow to 2 million. 5000 is a small group in that cloud of birds.

I guess the thing that kind of made an impression on me was that, you heard a lot about this for a few days and then…nothing. They say that’s how the news works. It has “cycles” and folks lose interest. So birds might still be flopping down to the earth but you just don’t hear about it.

Only thing is…if it were only one starling or swallow a day somewhere in our world, God knows. Here’s my early morning Scripture…

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” (Matt 10.29)

In Luke, the same thought is put this way…

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.” (Luke 12.6)

Did ya catch the diff? In Matthew, it’s two sparrow for a penny. In Luke, they’re so cheap you get five for two pennies! Two for one penny or four for two…with an extra thrown in!

But God cares about that little bird! It doesn’t fall without Him knowing and caring!

And even better...our Lord adds,  “Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!”

Y’know, when Luke quoted our Lord, he was writing in the Greek language and translating what Jesus said in His Aramaic language. The word Luke used for “worth”…as in, “your worth more than sparrows”…comes from the word “diaphero”. It means, “to carry through”. You’re precious to Him! So precious, He knows when sparrows drop from the sky, but He’s going to carry you through! He’ll carry you home! You won’t flop, drop, or stop without Him! You’re in His hand! He’ll carry you all day and all the way!

It may not make the news cycle, ‘cause the populous in general may not care, but He does! He cares about you!  And that’s awesome news!

A Note from Tom: January 12th, 2011

Hey, everyone…

Hope you’re having a blessed week so far!

I’m passing through this week with a heavy heart, feeling the sadness that has filled our nation because of what happened in Arizona.  It has filled my heart, too.

A little girl celebrated her ninth birthday. She won’t have her tenth.

A couple celebrated their fiftieth anniversary of love. Only one of them will be there for the fifty first. How do you remember a wedding anniversary by yourself?

An astronaut is wondering if his mate will ever speak to him again. Or see his face again. Or take a walk with him again.

A young man had just become engaged. But he won’t be at the altar waiting.

I’m asking God to heal the wounds of those still left in the hospital, especially Congresswoman Giffords. And I’m asking God to heal, with time and love, the hearts of those left behind.

In listening to the news, so many are wondering if this sadness and pain left by bitterness and hate, is just the final word of a new way of talking to each other and about each other in America that has become increasingly bitter, angry, and hate-filled. The sheriff of Tuscon received unexpected attention in remarking that  “the anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous," Some say the bitter, hateful ways people talk about others who disagree with them, on the news, on the radio and TV, and face-to-face, has finally led to this. Others say that, even though words in America are more aggressive, angry, and accusatory than before, there is no way to prove these are related to this that has happened.

Probably no one knows for sure.

But I do know that there is a reason why people are talking about this. Words in America are more aggressive, angry, and accusatory than before. And I also know that our Lord Jesus has strong feelings about this.

He doesn’t like it.

I know this because He also had strong words about the way people talk about and talk to each other.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘you stupid’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You moron!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matt 5)

The Message puts it, "You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder… Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a brother and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.”

Whatever else others may say… and however else others may talk… followers of the King of kings don’t talk in angry, hateful ways. Let others talk however they want. But He doesn’t want it from us…He doesn’t want it from those who love and follow Him.

Whether or not it caused a national tragedy, angry, hateful talk isn’t right.

In Tuscon, they are trying to know what they can do to begin to heal the city. Some believe kindness and consideration are the answer. At a rally yesterday, a speaker said, “Say ‘hello!’ Say, ‘I hope you’re having a great day!’ Do it from your heart! Starting tonight! And for the rest of your life! Maybe it would have made a difference years ago n the life of this young man. Maybe not. But we can do better, going forward…”

Could speaking to each other with kindness and compassion have prevented this dark, sad week? Probably no one really knows.

But it is the will of the Lord God for those who love Him.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen…Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love…”

(Eph 4.32-5.2)

It doesn’t matter if folks don’t talk that way anymore. It’s what our Savior wants from us….from those who love and follow Him

Whether or not it would have prevented a national tragedy, kind, compassionate talk is right.

A Note from Tom: January 6th, 2011

Hey, everyone!

Hope you’re having an awesome and blessed beginning of 2011!

We made it!

It took all of us 365 days 6 hours 9 minutes 9.54 seconds to do the loop! One lap ‘round the sun was almost 600 million miles! No wonder you’re feeling a little tired!

Almost everybody is agreed…2010 was a tough one! And it may get tough in ways we don’t even anticipate in ’11. One person said that if global warming continues the way it’s going, the only opportunity we’ll have to observe a real, live polar bear will be at the zoo! Doesn’t that sound terrible?!...Opps. I forgot. That IS the only place I have ever seen one.

But, still…we do have serious problems ahead to think about…

But I read the most beautifully hopeful verse…almost tripped over it without noticing it…in the Gospel of Mark. Here it is…”After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God” Mark 1. 14)

One version puts it like this…”Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God…”

The ol’ King James puts it…”Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God…”

Notice the diff? They put some extra words in there (“…of the kingdom of…”) to make it make more sense…but in this case, “less is more”!

The King James says Jesus was telling everyone about the good news of “the kingdom of God”…which is awesome news! God reigns! And the kingdom is coming!

But what Mark wrote was that Jesus told everyone “the good news about God”!!

HEY! GOOD NEWS!

GOD!

God is GOOD!

God is awesome! And no matter what happens, He reigns! And He loooooovvvveeeeesssss yyyyoooouuuuu! And in love and in 2011, He rules over all that will happen to me and to thee!

In nice and bad, happy and sad, God is good…all the time…no matter what!

That’s Good News!

Here’s something else I almost missed the other day…

I was chattin’ it up with an older gentleman, and he said, “Well, have a happy New Year!”

Did you get that!?

He didn’t say, “Happy New Year!”…as in, “I wish for you a Happy New Year!”…but, “HAVE a Happy New Year!...In 2011, you can have a happy one or a less-than-happy-one. HAVE a happy one! Make your decision! Decide to have a happy one! Have one! The choice is up to you!”

If God is good and loves me and is working out an awesome plan, in and thru all that happens to me in the coming year (that’s the good news about God!), than it just makes sense that I should, could, and can be happy all day…every day!

Here’s how two of my favorites put it…

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (Habakkuk 3)

How ‘bout making THAT your verse for 2011?

And then there’s this...

 “Habakkuk teaches us that joy is not dependent on circumstances but can be embraced at all times. Happiness doesn’t happen; it involves an act of the will…Happiness is a choice. Rather, it’s a series of choices, a series of steps taken one after another in the same direction. You, no matter where you are, can take one of those steps right now….While suffering in inevitable, misery is optional. Pain can’t be avoided, but joy can. If you don’t believe in the power of choice, you won’t experience it…It would be cruel to expect anyone to be always happy apart from God. But in the Lord-why not? Who wouldn’t be overjoyed with a God who ‘has given us everything we need for life and godliness’ (2 Peter 1)? In the words of a Christmas carol, ‘Why on earth should men be so sad, since our Redeemer has made us glad?” (Mike Mason)

So, I’m not just gonna wish y’all a “Happy New Year!” in this first CCC Email of 2011.

Instead…

 Since, no matter what happens, good or bad, nice or sad, no matter what the news brings in ‘11, the Good News that trumps all other news is this: God! He’s always good! All the time!...

…and since the choice to have joy in Jesus, no matter what, is yours and mine to make…

As far as new years go, I’m going to encourage you to choose to have a happy one!

That’s the Good News about God (Mark 1:14)!

A Note from Tom: December 29th, 2010

Hey, everyone!

Hope you’re warm and toasty on this freezing day! Especially in your heart! Wouldn’t it be awful if your heart was like the weather map on the news…and they were showing a bitterly cold Artic system coming down from Canada… and Todd the weather dude was telling us to brace for subfreezing temperatures coming in overnight… INTO YOUR HEART!…and you just couldn’t do anything about it except get ready to shiver on the inside?  Psalm 148 says that the “lightning and hail and snow …do his bidding” so if He sends us an Artic blast with snow, that’s His beautiful and perfect plan for us! And we accept whatever temperatures He sends us!  But the temperature in our heart…bitter and frosty or warm and joyful…well, we have some say in that!  Romans 12 says, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor…” Or as the “Message” puts it, “keep yourselves fueled and aflame…” The word for “fervor” the Apostle used when he wrote this, is the word for “heat ‘til you see bubbles!”  “Praise until good, warm, and bubbly!”  If it’s chilly in there, adjust the praise-astat!

Speaking for praise and “snow doing His bidding” we wanted to let y’all know about our snow policy. Sometimes there are cancellations due to snow, even on Sunday. At CCC we have the “two-or-more” policy.

“You mean you only cancel if there are two or more inches of snow?”

Nope.

The “two-or-more” policy means, just like Jesus said… “If two or more are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.” No matter how much it snows, there are at least two…and more!…who will walk up to the hill to praise Him at Triple C!  So, if it’s slick and dangerous, PLEASE don’t put yourself at risk!  Stay home and praise! But…

Folks will always be there…same time, same place… singing and worshipping! And we won’t be just the few of us.  There’ll be more than you can see!  I love how Hebrews 12 puts it…”But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven!” Besides everyone in other nations and across ours who worship Him every week, there are always the “unseen” praisers, worshipping before His throne! Those who have gone to heaven already and angels who’ve been there the whole time!

Oh, yeah. I almost forget. Jesus promised (“wherever two or more…”, remember?) He’ll be there too!

Let it snow!

A Note from Tom: December 22nd, 2010

Hey, everyone!

“Merry Christmas!”

Or, if you really want to get spiritually committed, “Happy Holidays!”

I just found out that “Merry” comes form an Old English word, “myrige” that comes from an old German word, “murgijaz” which means “to make shorter”…Apparently the idea is that if something is “merry”, it’s a pleasure and makes the time go faster and the day shorter. So…if you wish someone a “Merry Christmas”, you’re hoping it’ll go by faster!

But “holiday” is really short for “holy day”. “Holy” means “belonging completely to God, preserved whole or intact for Him, never transgressed or violated”. So…a “holiday” is a day dedicated to God…praising Him, loving Him, and loving Him!

That means, if you say, “Happy Holidays” (plural!) you’re saying, “May you have many days that are totally for God! It’s awesome you love Him so much!!” If you say “Merry Christmas” maybe in a way, (in the Old German way) you’re kinda saying, “May Christmas be fun and get over soon!”

Maybe.

Kinda.

This has been a tough week for certain kids across the nation and around the world. I’m thinking about all those boys who have to be the innkeeper in their church Christmas pageants. It’s not the coolest part for young dudes (that would be “Joseph”…duh!)  You wonder how it effects kids in the pre-formative years to have to be the one who tells the Holy Family that you have no room for them. Hope it doesn’t mess them up! I remember one kid who was so mad he didn’t get to be “Joseph” that he decided to highjack the whole thing. When the Holy couple reached the cardboard inn in front of the church, the ten year old innkeeper said, “Sure! C’mon in! Shoot! We got tons of rooms empty up in here!”

The li’l Joseph was so flubberghasted, he didn’t know how to handle it! Then he thought…took a few steps in…looked around…stepped back and said, “I can’t bring my wife into this dump!”

Ever heard the inn keeper’s song from one of the greatest Christmas records of all time?..(The Statler Brother’s Christmas, of course!)

No reservation at the inn

Didn't know that you were coming in

We're all filled up you see

We got no vacancy

No reservation at the inn

Yes I understand it sir

It's only you and her

But I'm sorry to admit

We overbooked a bit

No reservation at the inn

Excuse me sir what did you say

She's in a family way

Of course out back we have a stable

We'd do more if we were able

No reservation at the inn

No reservation at the inn

Didn't know that you were coming in

You have our apologies

But we have no vacancies

No reservation at the inn.

It’s funny but when you look for the innkeeper in the Christmas stories of Matthew and Luke, you don’t find him. He’s not written about anywhere. It just says “there was no room in the inn.” (Luke 2.7) To find the innkeeper you have to look somewhere else. I found him in the mirror. John, in the first chapter of his book wrote, “…though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to his own, but his own did not receive him.” (John 1.10-11)

Nobody naturally had room for Him.

I didn’t for a long time.

In the book of Job, when Job’s defending himself against all the mean and accusing things his friends are saying about him, he said he hadn’t done anything wrong. Some stuff that he said about himself wouldn’t really be true of that innkeeper…or me!

In chapter 31, Job said,

 "I haven’t withheld anything that the poor desired. (31.16)…

I haven’t seen anyone perish for lack of clothing…

the needy have been warmed with the fleece of my sheep (31.19-20)…

...but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, 
  

for my door was always open to the traveler (31.32)…

…the contempt of families hasn’t terrified me,
 to the point that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors (31.34)…”

But if we didn’t have room for Him…if all of us like the innkeeper had no place in our heart for Him (and I sure remember when I didn’t!), then, we did leave Him outside…

We did “withhold from the poor”, from Him!

We didn’t “open our door to the traveler”…we did let Him “spend the night in the street”. Thankfully they found a stable!

We have been afraid of what the families would think and “we keep silent”. We didn’t go “out of doors to Him”!

I remember when I played the innkeeper. Not in a church play. But lots of other times.

Job said, “If I did any of those things…then let my arm be separated from its socket (31.22)

If I did have an indictment against me, I would carry it on my shoulder!

I would wear it on me as a crown…” (31.36)

But I have done that stuff!

And that’s why my Savior was born at Christmas!  I left Him outside in the street.

And amazingly! He was born and Bethlehem and grew in Nazareth to one day, carry my guiltiness and my indictment of HIS shoulders through the streets of Jerusalem! He wore it like a crown…of thorns!...on His head! When His (my) cross was slammed into a hole in the ground with Him nailed to it, His arm was separated from the socket!  (Ps 22. 14)

He did it all for you! For me! For the ones who left Him outside! For those who had no room in their inn…or their hearts! He did it for those innkeepers everywhere that He loves so much!

He does!

He really does!!

That’s why, at this Christmas time, I have room for Him!

Merry Christmas everyone! We love you!

A Note from Tom: December 17th, 2010

Hey, everyone!

Hope you’re having an awesome, carol-singing, hall-decking, joy-to-the-world week of Christmasy-ness!! And with folks getting stuck in the frozen, frigid, treacherous, icy winter wonderland, it’s an awesome opportunity to show the love of Jesus and do something really Grinchy for someone, somewhere near you!

Well, this has been a …

What?

Oh, sorry.

“Doing something Grinchy” means doing something kind and helpful, for peace on earth, goodwill toward men.

“But I thought the Grinch was the meanest, coldest, most hateful, most spiteful creature ever!”

Yeah. But only at the beginning. Not in the end! In the end he wasn’t that way! He was different! He’d changed! His heart grew three sizes in one day! He brought Christmas back to Whoville, after risking his life on the top of Mt Crumpit! And he, the Grinch, carved the roastbeast!

I wish folks would remember him for what he became, not what he had been!

That song still says, “You’re a mean one, Mr Grinch!”

It should say, “You WERE a mean one”!

Even worse, it goes on to say stuff like,…

“You’re a nasty wasty skunk

Your heart is full of unwashed socks,

Your soul is full of gunk

Mr. Grinch…

You’re a rotter Mr. Grinch

You’re the king of sinful sots

Your hearts a dead tomato splotched with moldy purple spots

Mr. Grinch…

The 3 words that best describe you, are as follows, and I quote

Stink, Stank, Stunk”

Maybe he WAS those things (“the king of sinful sots”…wow!), but not by the last page!

If you met him today, he’d be the sweetest creature you’d ever know! To do something “Grinchy” is to do something loving with a heart full of Christmas! Because that’s who the Grinch is now! (Except that he doesn’t actually exist.)

Take ol’ Scrooge. Sometimes folks say, “What a Scrooge!...You ol’ Scrooge!”” It’d be an awesome world if everyone were like Scrooge! What if everyone was what he was at the end of the story?“…as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world... and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.  May that be truly said of us, and all of us!”

It’s not about what you WERE! It’s about what God is making you now! The past is gone! It’s past! That’s why they call it that! You’re not who you were! You’re new! Our God doesn’t see the mess of before! He looks at us and sees saints! (Eph 1.1) Sons and daughters! (Rom. 8.14) Holy ones! Whole ones! His choice! Beloved! (Col 3.12) Beauties! (Song of Songs 1.15)

One psychiatrist wrote, “I could never see why people were so happy about Dicken’s Christmas Carol because I never had any confidence that Scrooge was going to be different the next day.” In other words, “I don’t think people really change for good…or even for long. It happens in stories, but not in life.”

Sad.

Because it DOES happen!

And not just in stories!

All because of a story!

The Christmas story! That story is different than the Grinch story…or the Scrooge story. It’s a true story! It’s a “story” in the way they talk about a “news story” in the paper or on CNN…the story of something that really happened! As Linus reminds us each Christmas, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people…That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” The words “bring good tidings” translate one word from the Greek language. “I euangelizomai you!”…which means, “I tell you good NEWS! Something has happened!”

It’s true! A savior has come! He really has! We’re not who we were! And a heart really CAN grow three sizes in one day!

Makes you just wanna sing with all those Whos down in Whoville, the tall and the small…

“Fah who for-aze
Dah who dor-aze
Welcome Christmas
Christmas Day!

Welcome, welcome
Fah who rah-moose
Welcome,welcome
Dah who dah-moose

Welcome Christmas, fah who rah-moose
Welcome Christmas, dah who dah-moose
Christmas Day will always be
Just so long as we have He!

Welcome Christmas
Dah who dah-moose
Welcome Christmas
While we stand
Heart to heart
And hand in hand

Fah who for-aze
Dan who dor-aze
Welcome welcome
Christmas, Christmas Day!

A Note from Tom: December 9th, 2010

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I know it’s a little early to be saying it, but someone said it to me (the girl ringing the Salvation Army bell outside Kroger’s at Cedar Bluff) and it was still November!

“Thanks!” I said. “That’s the first Merry Christmas of the year!”

But you could tell it was already getting Christmas-ish over there in West Knoxville. You could see it on the faces. You could feel it in the air. You could hear it in the horn-blowin’ holiday  traffic. There was a lotta Yuletide…grumpiness!

You know how it is at Christmas…it’s the season of love, giving, “peace on earth, good-will towards men”. I praise God so much for every ounce of that! How we need it, now and all through the year! As Scrooge’s nephew, Fred put it, “… I have always thought of Christmas time, when it comes round…as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time…”

But with the shopping pressure, the baking pressure, the financial pressure, the time pressure, well, folks just get pressured!  Seems like they could have been making steamed Christmas pudding with all they were letting off! Somebody said Black Friday should be called Black-and-Blue Friday!

I guess Christmas stress and pressure have been around a long time. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote a Christmas story (before she finished “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”), where someone says, “Oh, dear! Christmas is coming in a fortnight, and I have to think up presents for everyone! Dear me, it’s so tedious! Everybody has already got everything that can be thought of…It’s impossible to decide what presents to get for people who have more than they know what to do with now…” She said that in the old days, a child would have been “perfectly delighted with a single piece of candy…Nowadays things are different. There are worlds wasted, at this time of year in getting things nobody wants, and nobody cares for after they are got!”

One ad in a Boston magazine in 1823 said..

“ ‘There is a time for giving’, says Solomon the king, and had that preacher lived in these days, he would have acknowledged that there is no time like the present and never a better assortment of gifts. If he could have just peeped into the Bookstore of Monroe & Francis, he would have found a book for each of his wives and all of his concubines, and each of their children!”

The Ghost of Christmas Presents has been haunting us a long time!

It would be awesome if the remembrance of the coming of the Prince of Peace was a time of peace…if during the whole season, and not just for one night, “all was calm, all was bright.” Sometimes folks get so compulsive, I feel like they need to go to  Deck-the-Hall-ics Anonymous meetings!

What if we decided that this year would be the Christmas of Going Slower!...Singing More!…Spending Less!...Baking More!...Buying Less!  (Average American spends…$750 at Christmas! Each person! Wow! In some countries, that’s more than the average income per year!)

Sometimes, it makes my heart so sad that Christmas is not about the “retelling of the story”, but the “retail-ing of the stores”.

I’m not trying to be a Scrooge about Christmas. But really Scrooge was the one who wouldn’t stop buying and dealing, in order to (as Bob Cratchit, quoting Tim, said..) “remember upon Christmas Day, the One Who made lame men walk and blind men see”.  All Scrooge cared about was buying, deals, savings and profit. If you say, “I’m not going to get carried away with it all this year!”, you’re not the Scrooge.

In a world of Christmas Scrooges, you’re Bob Cratchit!

“God bless us, everyone!”

A Note from Tom: December 3rd, 2010

Hey, everyone!

Wow! What an amazing morning! This a.m. early I was out jogging. You see so many wonders early in the morning in the “Springs”! When it’s really dark, horses I can barely see are galloping in the fields beside me…at first I thought it was me going faster than I thought I was! Lately the moon has been so bright! There’s a little bit of woods I run through and the moonbeams shining through the trees…well, it’s just out of a poem somewhere! I’m not sure which poem (don’t know much about them!) but you probably remember which one! (The one about the woods and the moon…?)

I’m learning that skunks standing by the side of the road will let you jog past unbesquirted if you just mind your own beeswax and trot on by. At least for the fall season, I’m about seven-for-seven! Hope my record holds up! If it doesn’t we’ll all be holding our noses!

Wednesday morning I ran through…snowflakes! December 1! Unbelievable! It was sooooo cool! (Cold-as-all-get-out, actually!) I almost burst into singing, “Christmastime is Here!” from “A Charlie Brown Christmas”…but I didn’t. The cows in the fields thanked me for this!

I love my running time! All alone…under the stars! And flakes! But before I left the other day, I read an amazing scripture. It was in Acts 16, when Paul and Silas were arrested for talking about Jesus. They were not only thrown in the “slammer” for their faith, but they got really beaten up for it as well!

Somebody apparently didn’t like to hear about how much God loves us! Go figure!

But they weren’t discouraged or down-hearted! All shackled down and locked up, they just started “prayin’ it up” and singing praises! “…and the other prisoners were listening to them.”

It must have really been an unbelievable thing! To hear two bruised and abused brothers in Jesus, talking and singing to their Lord, Who was invisible to their eyes but more real than air to those two hearts!

Then the next unbelievable thing happened. Suddenly, at the stroke of twelve (mas o menos), there was an earthquake! The jailhouse rocked!

Then the next unbelievable thing happened! All the doors of the jail flew open and the chains on guys’ ankles “disenshackled”! They were all free to go!

Then the next unbelievable thing happened! None of them went anywhere! They all stayed right there! With Paul and Silas!

“Startled from sleep, the jailer saw all the doors swinging loose on their hinges. Assuming that all the prisoners had escaped, he pulled out his sword and was about to do himself in, figuring he was as good as dead anyway, when Paul stopped him: "Don't do that! We're all still here! Nobody's run away!"

I wondered why. Why didn’t they “hightail it” down the road towards home? Free after all this time…and they just stood there!

Amazing! Maybe…

…Maybe, Paul had shared with some of them in between praise songs, the Message of how to trust in Jesus! The guard was asleep so Paul wouldn’t get in trouble for it. Maybe, those dudes opened their hearts to Jesus! And maybe, when they had the chance to run or stay, they hung around because they realized, “I need these guys! I just accepted Jesus, and it won’t be easy on my own! Friends who love Him too, are my greatest treasure right now! I’d rather be in the “pokey” with brothers around me, than outta here without ‘em!”

We really need each other! There’s a war going on out there for your heart! We need each other to stay encouraged and strong. There are guys who meet at CCC on Saturday morning at 7:00am for that purpose. There are folks who meet at other times. There are community groups and small groups. There are people who get together because they need each other. And they need you! And you need them!

Got friends?

A Note from Tom: November 24th, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Hope you have the most beautiful day ever! Hope your day is as stuffed with thanks and joy as your turkey is stuffed with stuffing! And a big thanks goes out to Abe Lincoln! We owe so much to him! Lincoln Logs, LMU, one country instead of two, and…Thanksgiving Day! He was the one who decided that we really needed a day for nothing but thanking God!
 
Actually, it wasn’t his idea…

Sarah Josepha  Hale, editor (she liked to be called “editress”) of Godey’s Ladies Book (as well as the author of the epic poem, “Mary Had a Little Lamb”) thought that we reallllly needed a day to thank God for how much He has blessed us all. And she thought the idea needed to come from the top! So she wrote to President Zachary Taylor, saying, “Y’know, we really need a day to give thanks to God in America!”

No answer.

She wait ‘til he was gone and wrote the next Chief Exec, Millard Fillmore. “We really should have a national thanksgiving day!”

He didn’t write back either.

So, she waited ‘til there was someone else in the White House.

Franklin Pierce didn’t answer either.

Her next letter was to…

 “President James Buchanan

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC

(they didn’t have zips yet!)”

Nada.

It wasn’t until the 6’5” Kentuckian from Illinois was sitting in the Oval Office, that she got an answer back! As he leaned back in his chair at the desk and propped those huge boots on the desk (as he usually did) he sliced the envelope open, puffed into it, pulled the letter out and read…

“Philadelphia, Sept. 28th 1863.


Sir,

Permit me, as Editress of the "Lady's Book", to request a few minutes of your precious time, while laying before you a subject of deep interest to myself and -- as I trust -- even to the President of our Republic, of some importance. This subject is to have the day of our annual Thanksgiving made a National and fixed Union Festival.
 For the last fifteen years I have set forth this idea before the Governors of all the States and Territories -- also I have sent these to our Ministers abroad, and our Missionaries to the heathen -- and commanders in the Navy…it has occurred to me that a proclamation from the President of the United States would be the best, surest and most fitting method of National appointment.
…Thus the great Union Festival of America would be … forever secured.
 


Excuse the liberty I have taken.

With profound respect


Yrs truly


Sarah Josepha Hale,”

So he did!

In his 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation, he wrote..

“…It has seemed to me fit and proper that God’s blessings should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. … In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington, this 3d day of October, A.D. 1863, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

A. Lincoln

But, it wasn’t really his idea. It was hers.

Actually it wasn’t her idea, either.

The Apostle wrote long before that…

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

“Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,  always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“I pray…that you will be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,  and giving joyful thanks to the Father…”

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

I think those Scripture say our Lord wants us thankful every second! Even tho’ I’m super thankful tomorrow is one of my favorite days of the year, maybe one Thanksgiving Day a year isn’t such an awesome idea after all!  Every day is supposed to be Thanksgiving Day! …(The menu can vary)

One wise person said,…

“If you’re so low that you only have one prayer, let it be a prayer of thanks. It is the easiest way to pray and often the most powerful…In some circumstances, thanksgiving, like forgiveness, is both the quickest and the only route to joy…Imagine yourself in a meadow gathering wildflowers-violets, let’s say. When you’re finished, do you have a fistful of stones or twigs? No, you have a bouquet of violets. If you’re looking for reasons to be grateful, you’ll find them! …Give God a standing ovation every day. It’s what He’s waiting for. It’s what you’re waiting for too…Years ago, realizing I needed to develop gratitude, I began the practice of saying thanks to God for five things before I went to bed. I still do this whenever I feel the least bit low.  Looking for reasons to be thankful, instead of focusing on worries or fears, is like putting on a new pair of glasses. Life looks better through the lens of thanks.”

Being thankful…It’s God’s idea!

It’s the best idea!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

(By the way, we’re super thankful for you!)