Archive for December, 2009

The end of the year

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

We’ll be with about 40 Christians tonight to pray in the New Year. Sounds like a great way to bring in 2010.

2009? Well, although I loved certain days, there were some pretty rough times right in the middle of it. Bad news and sad news seemed to fill up the Spring and Summer, and I may never get over that. But I have faith.

BTW, I was comparing faith in the New Testament, checking out ways the inspired writers use the word… "Past" faith looks at all that Jesus did to bring redemption and Kingdom. "Future" faith is that God will keep his promises (think of the encouragement given to the Hebrew Christians). And "present" faith? It’s persevering from day to day.

I know you’ve welcomed Christ in as Savior and Lord and that you firmly believe in the promises our God has offered us. My prayer is that you persevere in faith, hope and love, and that God’s goodness will truly shine on you in 2010.

Posted in Prayer, Thanks, Time | 1 Comment »

Jesus talk and growing up

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

There are at least two "church" sentences that tend to scare me. The first is: "Jesus spoke to me." That one always gets me, not because I don’t think that Jesus can speak to folks, I’m just not sure that he does. An older man from church told me he is writing a letter he wants to read to the assembly saying that Jesus had talked to him so he wants to share the message. I told him I’d think it over, but would love to read the message beforehand. (Actually, I’m just hoping he will forget about it, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.)

The second sentence is "I have grown so much this last year" or its sister phrase: "I have really matured as a Christian…" I hear this often, especially when said person wants to tell me what I’m doing wrong. Now I know I do a lot of stuff wrong (see my Evendays_confession_just_kidding.org), but it seems obvious that if someone has grown in Christ significantly the last few months, that they wouldn’t have to tell me how much they’d grown. Rather, I would see it and tell them how radically they’d changed.

It gets even more interesting when someone comes to you and tells that Jesus told them how much they’d grown.

Be humble my friends. Do listen to Jesus. But be discreet about all the stuff. At least try to be discreet.

Posted in Faith, Jesus, Pride | 4 Comments »

A job

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

These last two days, I have been working in a company that is laying off employees. It’s the first time they’ve taken these kinds of measures in their 100 year history and it has been painful for their whole "family". 

I’m amazed: People are tough and have resources that go deep. The HR people have been extremely caring and "un"-professional: sharing tears and hugs. By the time the laid-off folks get to the team I’m with, where we talk about the future and processes we’ve set up to help them get a new job, they are worn out but still able to look to the future and see something other than black.

Of the 8 employees I saw yesterday, one had been there 33 years. Another 25 and another 23. They were doing their best even though the foundations got rocked. When our time finished together, I would open the door and there would be standing another of their colleagues ready to take them to their car, or call a taxi, or spend some time talking. It all helped, even if it gave the opportunity for even more tears.

Posted in Friendship | 3 Comments »