Todays Quote

Let
us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open
heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands
as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the
pouring into a sick world the healing medicine of love which has
transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years. . . .
Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart.

— George Matthew Adams

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picking a new bible reading plan

here I sit looking on line for printable bible reading plans for the year.



I'm glad to see there is such a variety out there,

so I will print some off and have them available for people in church sunday.

One of the best sites is www.heartlight.com that offers a good variety.



I am siting here tonight with two countdowns taking place in our home. One for Christmas and the other for going to Florida for the gathering conferance !



Thinking about countdowns I watched people count down my sermon yesterday which wasn't fun, My topic was getting the wonder of the season reawakened in our lives again. Cool title and idea I thought.



Now one has called to tell me today it happened to them but it has for me !



Last night 25 of our church people went caroling ( me included) and concluding the event we had a Pizza Party planned at a local Pizza Shop, and he provided all the pizza to us and hot choclate for free.

The wonder of good cheer was given to me .



Then Today I watched a male phesant go throug our yard doing his ever so cool strut.

The wonder of Gods creation was given to me.



And we had no wind today which is rare here , and I watched 'my' lake stay perfectly calm all day with the ripple of a fish .

The wonder of this place was given to me.

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The Weekend is Gone ....

Here I am on a Monday Night and Glad to be here.

Our Church had its annual Sunday School concert which went over well , we had a lot of non- church people with us wihich is a plus .

The kids did well as well as the teachers, the only thing that was lacking was our offering , it was suggested we not pass the plate but just leave it by the door so people could put their money in.
Not the best Idea at least for me. My theory is if you come to church know you will be asked for money politely. So lets hope people make up for this day next sunday.

So why did I let it happen , well it was presented to me as I was on the platform before the beginning of the service. So with no time to say " thus says the DS. or the Discipline or get a consenious or..." that second before the start of the service my mind is on things other than offending people with an offering.

But as I have been arouind I know this is a hot beded issue with some that with guest we don't take an offering. Truly there next pay isn't dependednt on what goes in the plate....
Enough ranting on that I guess !!

Then It was off to watch my son play an excitting hockey Game which he had a goal in and helped his team win.

Yes you read it right I went to a game on Sunday ... I did it because one of the core values I have in life is commitment . So he's on the team so he goes to practices and plays ! He's committed ( well I am , because from the pulpit I know what it is to have a team of un committed players.) So I get him there, in fact I lose sleep over un commited people they just bug me.

BUt sunday wasn't the only part o fthe weekend we went to see the nativity on saturday . I had had been given 25 free tickets to hand out in church so of we went to the movies. It was my first time in our new theater it was impreesive. One man in my church hadn't been ini a theater since 1946 and did he ever see a lot of changes.

After the movie my family went to the Yarmouth Branch of the Nova Scotia Musem to see the orginal drawings by Dr. Seuss of his book How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It was the draft that the book was printed from in Dr. Seuss's own hand work frame by frame.
It was cool to see how he detailed every little thing what a mind he had.
This is the first showing of this in North America!

My wife told me today that we are less now than a month to going to the Gathering in Florida,
I have never been there before , nor have I been on a plane so this will be an adventure.

Later

Zone Ministerial

Today began with a great sunrise over the lake as I spent time with the Maker of the Sun . Reading my way through Revelations thus completing the one year reading N.T. plan.
Which I am excitted to be almost 90% completely done to date.

Also Today I attended our zone ministerial with a guest speaker
Dr. Wilson who was inspiring as always and a great guy.

From this morning of total enjoyment I rushed home and finished putting up my christmas lights , and back to town for my wife after work and home again to only be off to our church christmas supper which I think just about all were happy with their meals.
To making a visit and bringing home a bag of lobster for our enjoyment tommorow.

So now I am on a fast so I can get my blood work done in the morning I have put this off to long and I know the Dr. won't be happy when I see her soon.
The hardest part of this fast is going to be no morning coffee !

Fasting isn't natural to me at all, and I wonder who finds it easy.
But as we are celebrating advent I wonder If there is anything I could go without to celebrate in a season that emphasies getting.

Later

Today's quote

Give us, O Lord,

thankful hearts which never forget Your goodness to us.

Give us, O Lord,

grateful hearts, which do not waste time complaining.

— Thomas Aquinas

My morning radio

I love putting on the radio in the morning ! Its something I remember my Mom doing and I have grown up doing it as well.
And every once in a while they play real music like this morning it was Brian Adams song "summer of 69" now that's a classic in my opinion. Plus he's Canadian!

Yet besides the music there is always the Marine Weather Forecast , and there is the morning chuckle with 'Jimmy the Janitor' whose jokes are old and well used.

This all goes well with a good pot of coffee setting the day in motion.

I can't believe its December first and we have no snow and its more like March than Nov.
So Now its time to make sure we have the Christmas spirit in our house.
With that I am proposing a new tradition in our home this year that every night we read a advent devotional and light a candle.
So I have talked to the kids about doing this every night till Christmas .
Now My son thinks its weird and at 11 just about everything I suggest is weird these days.
Now my daughter is all for it, So I have dug out our homemade advent candle wreath that we've had for years from my Uncle and put the right candles in it and now I am ready to Go.
The goal I have in this is that we Catch what the real meaning of Christmas is...that its About Our Saviour not our wants.

Before I leave I have posted my Sister -in- laws link to her blog under the links, welcome Brenda to the world of blogging.

Later

Resume part 2

I finally have completed updating my resume ( actually my wife typed it and edited ) !!

And while we worked on my original resume draft did we ever laugh...
at How way back in my post college days at how I described my self.
It was full of the 90's language of success.
I described my self as Highly Motivated and a Visionary leader.

Well in updating the resume those words have been omit ed , not that I'm not to a degree its just they are not a part of the fuel that drives me.

Perhaps what word works best is Passionate.
What am I passionate about.
My passion isn't in creating a new vision, that will carry my current church beyond the mega church realm...
My passion I think isn't in the new but doing what God wants Done.
Helping his people to be conformed to the image of HIS Son.

I have to wonder if in this current church age is this preaching wanted anymore ?
Because the more I see being conformed to His image means giving up all of me.... Not hugging a tree.

Conforming means calling things for what they are... sin instead of a sugar treating it.

So here is where I appreciate our doctrine that we can be cleansed of our old nature so we don't always have to let sin reign in us causing us to sin every day.


Later

Today's Quote

He that serves God for money will serve the devil for better wages.
Roger L'Estrange

Today at the beach

Thursdays

On my last Blog I mentioned that I was on a 3 day quick fix lose 10lb diet.
It worked !

This is Thursday my day to visit ...
It started with a great breakfast with a buddy . then running into another buddy at staples and off to the the hospital .. I don't mind hospital visits as long as there is no blood or exposed parts poking out ... One of my visits requires me to put on a gown, gloves ,smock and a mask to see this person. The first 100 times is cool but now its very depressing to the patent to be locked away from the world.

I wonder what I would do locked away from life, csi reruns can't make a man entertained forever.
While I love reading after awhile I think I would get board with that.

While I am glad I am free to roam.
Here is what I have observed with this situation...

The simple act of putting on a few extra articles of clothes really stops people from going in to see a person which show who really is and isn't a true friend.

While I am amazed at this lack of " Christian love "
I am convinced there is one man that would and He is the very one I due it for and that is Jesus.

Tonight I started reading

A WOMAN RIDES THE BEAST by Dave Hunt.

Its csi Time and its not a rerun :)

Later

Wednesday means Bible Study Night

Tonight's meeting had a bit of excitement with it because we had somebody new with us.
This lady took part and read her bible which was a little different.
then after the meeting she proudly told me she attended the Church of Scientology.
But she isn't the first to be in a service we had a married couple in with us this summer who as well told me they attended the church of Scientology..
I with both sets of people never pursued them , they just came to church and liked it.
Now I am not sure how that should make me feel.
* Hopefully we are so loving that all feel welcomed.
* Hopefully our people are so like able they create a warm and comfortable place to come to.
* But what are they Hearing in the message and songs ?
* Do they view the Wesleyan church as a potential mission field ?
* And what do I Know about them ?
* I have my assumptions but are they right ?
* Could God be working in their lives and we for the hour are a part of God's plan ?
* or Should everyone wear a label that identifies the church they attend so if they come into my church I can tell by their label if they are or are not one of us then preach right to them against them if they are not a Wesleyan ?
* Should we have guards at the door so we can protect ourselves.
* Maybe the best answer is too , just not make a big deal about it,
and be more convinced that I am right and they are wrong.
So many questions ??

Here is what I do know
Tonight will conclude my three day "lose 10 lbs quick fix diet" that is put out by some group.
I know I am not good for the 10 but I hope at least 8 lbs . Because I have given in to my dark side of snacking upon cookies the odd time in the last three days.... and I even had the odd " Social Tea " cookie .

Well I must Go and fight over the t.v.Tonight its either gonna be " dancing with the stars " or Glenn Beck followed by csi reruns.

later

Quote of the Day: The Lonely Preacher
"The Old Testament prophets were lonely men. Enoch walked alone in a decadent society as he preached judgement. His compensation was the presence of God. Jonah was alone in vast Ninevah, a heathen city of a million souls. The loneliest preacher today is the person who has been entrusted with a prophetic message ahead of the times, a message that cuts across the temper of the age." J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership pg. 118

A new look has arrived !!

I hope every one likes the new look here on my blog.
With all its new features .

So now its Nov. 13 and today I have hunted up my resume.
I think its time to update it ( with my wife's typing help) to see how it looks after not needing one for 8 years.

But this hasn't been my only challenge of the day I have also been rewriting my personal calling statement .

Its interesting to me that I am the easiest person I know to criticize
and the hardest to praise at times.

I have an example of a Personal calling statement that is long compared to mine and wordy which is cool.

But I am not all that complex I am what you see. (I think)

So Today while working through Calling statement I have sensed a need emphasize more about my life's role as Pastor .
So I love preaching ! With a goal in mind that what is heard will be applied and lives will be transformed.

Also I like working as a team in the church because I am no dictator.
I have no problem in letting people talk and do as they are gifted.


But now I need help on what kind of leader am I ?
I did a little search and found kits that will help me starting from 89.00 - 129.00 or more .
So who do I ask ? For such wisdom ?
Leadership is so important these days as i see now church's are looking for lead pastors.
And Leaders to do so much that I wonder if Jesus could fill their request.

But until now I have never really had to think a lot about my leadership style before.

But here is what I do know for now....

is there a name for doing what needs to be done!
is there a name for promoting a revival in the church!
is there a name for visiting people in the hospital?
is there a name for making and folding bulletins ?
is there a name for shoveling snow?
is there a name for knowing how to operate a sound board ?
is there a name for answering phone calls to lonely people ?
is there a name for worrying about church fiances ?
is there a name for knowing secrets no one else will know?
is there a name for spending long hours writing sermons?
is there a name for arriving first and last at church?
is there a name for remaining cheerful when life stinks?
is there a name for inviting new people to church?
is there a name for fixing broken pipes, leaky basements, overhead projectors ....?
is there a name for telling someone who needs money sorry ?
is there a name for someone who has to hear the same old stories repeated?
is there a name for some one who hopes more will come out to mid week
and some days do it all...
what do you call a person who does all this a Leader ? or a Shepherd ?



well must go watch csi reruns

later

November 11

Today is the day we Honor Our soldiers of Both World Wars and our Peace keepers in various ways.
In my community the local legion has a a short service and over the past badly organized ones but this year some what better :) and then a march to the local cenotaph where every one lays a wreath on behalf of a business or church like me.
Then its time to eat and talk to the Vets which is cool. And even more cool to see them talking because they share a bond that only they know.

Then its home to what ever my wife has planned for me. And today it was yard work in preparation for the annual stinging of the Christmas lights.
It was such a great day here my son mowed the lawns.

This week I was asked to join the local legion which is a dry one. So now I have a wonderful opportunity to play darts or pool once a week . Already the local Baptist Pastor is a member and their chaplain and another Baptist Pastor is getting ready to join. So there is some pressure on me ( self imposed) to join to get my two cents in there.

While I like to Remember our vets . Where I like to put my energy is in remembering those who are being persecuted for Christ on the 12 of Nov.
As I cleaned the church tonight and thought of how people in persecuted places would love (maybe)just once go to church legally anywhere.
While our people are abandoning church, maybe the tide of persecution is turning on us here in North America as I read an article titled this week "Persecution is coming to the west" which the author says is coming in the guise of tolerance.
I have a sneaky idea he is dead on.

Tolerance is killing us ! And we are letting it kill us because no one is saying anymore what sin is and isn't sin only reducing sin to dark areas in our lives .

And in the guise of tolerance when someone like me steps out and says Thus says the Lord..... Then I am a bad guide for not tolerating people and thus setting my self above them. This reasoning is a cop - out to me I think.

Well must go and finish my order of service.

Later

The first Sunday back after vacation

What a great Day. Now that its almost over.

Saturday I was excited to learn that the song service would be lead by someone else on Sunday which meant a little less pressure so I thought.
I knew the reason buddy was going to lead the service was because our piano player was under the weather.

so Saturday night comes everything is ready to go in the morning till 10:15 pm when I learn that buddy was in the Hospital with a heart attack. So I went immediately in town to see him.

I knew that by 12:00 midnight I couldn't call in anybody so I left it with the Lord.
knowing that in 8 years here if we had one Sunday with no music it would be good.

So now its 9:00 Sunday and I need to call the lady who normally plays and let her in on what happened to buddy.

So I wasn't sure how under the weather she was - but I knew she couldn't be any worse than him.

So I said right off the bat I didn't want her to feel guilty but buddy was in the hospital.

And she said without a word from me that she would play the music for me !!

Yeah... But my music is always ready by Saturday and put on the pulpit and piano and sound board. But not today.

Well I got the songs picked and We had church !

And I preached on the Highway of Holiness !

And God Blessed us with a great service.

Later

Vacation time is over !!

Well I arrived home today after a week away in NOAA for vacation.
What a great week it was!
We spent the time between my parents and beulah camp!
My Parents even kept the kids a couple of nights so we had some kid free nights.
So what did I do on vacation?
I went for my very first go-cart ride against my son and lost.
But it was a life time dream come true to ride one of those go-carts. Although early I had our car over 140 km to pass a car so these seemed slow.

I also did some used book shopping at frencys and got three great deals.

And a couple of visits to a tackle shop.

And I stocked up on some coffee beans to grind and enjoy.

Plus I did a lot of reading.

Thought I might get some over due journaling in but it didn't happen.

I picked up a book I read a beulah camp in a book store called the Heavenly man. which was a real life changing book.

I also took in via the T.V. 3 bluejays games with my dad that was cool.

And today we traveled home via the mall route getting ready for the expensive start of school.

While waiting for my family I sat on a bench and listened to the 80 + crowd discuss life. Which was really interesting especially when Religion came up.

While these men were not religious (church -goers) they had church figured out -
and I was sad to hear their comments about those who go to church because they didn't see any difference in them at all - they were not doing anything more or less than they were with out going to church.

Maybe what that area needs are some Wesleyans to go in there and set up church and show them what real Christians are or its time that we really start no matter what church we attend to start being like Jesus - instead of re-inventing the gospel if
we could live the one Jesus gave us - people would be changed !
Hey it worked in the book of Acts it can work again!

Later

Turning 12

My son this week turned 12 !
And for his birthday he wanted a mp3 player.
No problem with friends like wal-mart!
So now we are in the mp3 down loading thing.

Now to spare him one of those "talks" I'll post it here.

I remember when I was 12 that stereo's not mp3 players were Big.
I can even remember our family's floor model stereo complete with 8 track storage space. That thing as I think about it now was the size of a coffin.

Big Speakers -- Big stereos -- meant big out put...

But Not now... Its gotta be small.

So we are now entering the age old argument of turn it down.
And putting Christian music in his head not worldly stuff.
But at 12 the radio tunes sound better than my (praise)music that I listen to.
Even the groups I liked years ago are like me "old men" now and "un-cool."
So what are some groups that are Christian and rocky or Rappers ??

I wish at 12 Barney still sounded cool with his sing along tapes but if they were then there would be different kind of worries.

Turning 12 means Jr. High this year....
Now we need to get him interested in a youth group to attend.
Sadly our church doesn't have one and he has learned its boring with the seniors crowd a long time ago.

Turning 12 means I think that there will be some new challenges ahead that make handling board meetings a picnic.

But I will Remain Faith to being a father and see him through it.

Later

still here!

Its the last sunday of July and I have been absent from my blog for a while.
my life has included these last fews days... funerals, Beulah camp, life,reading books, Pastoring, being glued to cnn as its covering the mid-east crisis, trying to get a grip on my own mid life crisis, school being out, and fishing plus a million more things.

This morning I preached on being ready for the lords rerturn...and now as I am preparing for tonights service I am wishing The Lord HAD COME.

Tonights topic is willfull sin. My inspiration for this came from tossing a snake out my boat this week as big as the one that tempted Adam And Eve in the garden from the book of Numbers 21:1-9


Later

Monday at the office May 8

There were a lot of smallies who came calling while I was at the office making the morning FLY..

the season has BEGUN !

Sunday was A great day to start the BBQ tradition....