Where's the Sunshine?

What a cold and dreary day and night…I must say I really need the sun to shine tomorrow! There is something about these drab cold days with the darkness settling in early that disturbs me. We haven’t even got our homework done, let alone had supper, and it is dark. Well, when I had just about given up the evening when I found a Christmas classic on television! No, it wasn’t a religious program, though it was written by a man whom I do consider to be a theologian. We watched Dr. Seuss’ “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.” Now, I’ll confess that I would have rather seen “A Christmas Carol” or “It’s A Wonderful Life,” but since my sermons for Advent deal with growing our hearts and it’s based on the Grinch having a heart that was two sizes too small, it was a treat…for both me and the girls! So, as we listen to the rain fall and I know there’s a chill in the air, we found a piece of the Christmas spirit tonight. However, the Shrek Christmas special that followed was a bust. Now I may have to go find my dvd of “A Christmas Carol” for a late night holiday fix!

First World Problems Rap

Seems appropriate for Black Friday in America...listen carefully, this is both funny & sad (cause much of it's true!).

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, the excitement level is high at the Quick house right now. The cooking has begun for our Thanksgiving feast at grandma’s house and we are discussing the imminent holiday. This year at school McKayla learned about turkeys…Bella learned about Pocahontas and Squanto…and Anna learned about why the pilgrims left England and settlement in America. Now as we cook we are talking about what we are most thankful for. As you might imagine, the answers vary widely…from being thankful for a dolly (McKayla) to being thankful for life itself (Bella). And in our conversation we came to the conclusion that we are truly blessed. That may be the understatement of the century! We live in a world where every 60 seconds a child dies from undernourishment. In our world, the average income of each person is just over $7000 per year. We have clean water, electricity, sufficient heat, a sound home, an automobile, and live in a country where some lack all of these things. We also have more freedoms than I could list in this blog. Yes, God has indeed blessed us, but the fact is, if all of these things should disappear we would still be blessed because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ! So I challenge you this Thanksgiving to contemplate your blessings…talk them over with your children and grandchildren. I think you may even discover unknown blessings…and be thankful for them.

November 22, 1963...A Day that Changed History

The past few days I have watched several documentaries on the assassination of JFK. This is the first “national event” that I remember as it unfolded. I was only 8 years old, and I am not qualified to speculate on whether or not JFK was a good or great president, but I remember the teachers at the parochial school I attended gathered the student body for a time of prayer for our then wounded president. I remember rushing home to tell my mom the president had been shot, only to find her, my dad, and two uncles in front of the television watching “live” newscasts on the unfolding tragedy of the day. And while my young mind did not yet realize it, that was a day that changed history. These past few days I have contemplated on other days I can remember that changed history. Aside from the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon and the fall of the Berlin Wall, most of the days involved the death of someone…either natural or tragic. However, the most important day I can remember was not a day of death, but of new life…the day I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. That is that day that truly changed my history!

It's Beginning to Feel Alot Like Christmas...

As I write this I am listening to “Silent Night” being plunked out on a piano, while slightly out of tune, nevertheless a catalyst for the Christmas season here at the Quick household. This is causing a conflict in my soul as I refuse to “do” anything Christmas until after Thanksgiving…in fact I was memorizing my Thanksgiving sermon when she started playing, but she has a recital to prepare for so I listened. As I listened my mind drifted to what that holy night might have actually looked like. I can hardly imagine the stillness of the night in the country as the shepherds watched their sheep. The twinkling stars, the quiet of the night, the absolute shock they felt when the angel appeared and told them not to be afraid…bet that was hard! Then, out of nowhere this heavenly chorus appears praising God. What a sight! Still that must have paled to the sight of a baby Messiah lying in a manger. Inconceivable…that God would come to us, for us, but He did…all because He loves us so. I’ve got to get past Thanksgiving first, but I must tell you, I can hardly wait for Christmas!

To the Glory of God!

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

“Paul’s exhortation to “do all to the glory of God’ is more than pious idealism. It is an integral part of the sacred revelation and is to be accepted as the very Word of Truth. It opens before us the possibility of making every act of our lives contribute to the glory of God. Lest we be too timid to include everything, Paul mentions specifically eating and drinking.”

The above sentences were taken from AW Tozer’s devotional, The Pursuit of God. Think about Paul’s words…whatever you do, do for the glory of God. I suppose many have thought it just a pious thought, but we are called to use every act, every breath for God’s glory. How’s that working out for you? I would confess that I have days that are “not so much.” Still, by God’s grace He sees fit to give me another breath to try again…and again…and again. Praise His holy name! My prayer for you (and for myself) is that we become better at doing all we do for His glory every day he gives us breath.

Advent Conspiracy

If a picture's worth a thousand words, here's your reading until Christmas.

Life is an Adventure!

Was today a full moon? It sure felt like it here at the Quick household…or perhaps it was my world and not everyone else. After I spent 1 ½ hours in the dentist chair I was starving, so I thought I would treat myself to a drive-thru taco on the way home. Have you ever tried to eat a taco (or anything for that matter) with half of your mouth still numb? Well, I got enough down to curb my hunger. On my way home I decided to wash my truck, and since I had a hospital call to make I did the automatic deal, which is a poor excuse for a carwash, but I felt better. That is until I was forced to detour down 2 miles of gravel & mud from the church because a truck was stuck in the ditch…but I was thankful I wasn’t the truck driver! So now I am back at home with a recently washed truck that has the bottom third covered with Lawrence County mud. Not to worry…it is fresh, I am home, and I can hose it off before it dries. As I am washing the mud off I notice the new end I put on my garden hose is leaking profusely down my right leg and shoe. Then I had the honor of helping with just over two hours of math homework (which Anna loathes…that is a new vocabulary word for the week). So here I sit, wondering what caused my day, which started out with a promise, to go south. Thankfully I can echo the words of Job…who by the way had a much worse day than I…and proclaim, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth.”(Job 19:25). Now, I wonder what adventure God has for me tomorrow?

Please Pray!

I was working on a post and this came across my desk…felt it was much more important and urgent than what I was contemplating. Please be in fervent prayer for Luis, and continue in prayer until you hear different.



Prayer is requested for Luis Alvarado, 26-year-old son of Rev. Sonia Alvarado, pastor of Moline Bethel-Wesley UMC, and Rev. Julio Alvarado, pastor of Moline Bethel-Wesley and Silvis UMC's, who is stationed in Afghanistan. Earlier today, Luis and his squadron encountered a roadside bomb while on patrol. Luis took the brunt of the bomb's detonation, sustaining internal injuries. Surgeons have amputated both of his legs. Luis will be transported back to the United States as soon as his condition stabilizes. The Bethel-Wesley UMC congregation is holding a prayer vigil tonight at the church on behalf of the Alvarados and invites the wider IGRC family to join them from wherever they are. More details will be shared as they become available.

Just An Observation

I am not a sports fan, you know that, but one would have to be stranded on a desert island, in a cave, not to have heard about the Penn State football program disgrace this past week. Football assistant Jerry Sandusky was arrested for sexually assaulting what is now several young boys…Coach Joe Paterno, the winning-est coach in college football, fired after 60+ years. But sadder yet is the response of many at the college and the news networks, whose focus is upon Paterno and whether or not he should have been dismissed in such a way. All the news stories focus on the fact that Paterno was fired though he did nothing illegal. Perhaps not, but according to what I’ve read I would certainly question his ethics, though I am not qualified to be his judge. Regardless, a crime was committed here and I’ve not yet heard of any concern for the victims aside from the action of the Board of Trustees at the college. Whether they are trying to do damage control, or they believe Paterno’s inaction was as bad as Sandusky’s crime, I think they did the right thing.

Daylight Savings Time

I had a friend post this yesterday and had to share it. It rings with so much truth…and the sad part is the government is just as deceptive today.

 

2011 AC Promo

As we turn our thoughts toward Christmas...well, at least Christmas shopping, it is time once more to have a reality check. Here's the 2011 promo from Advent Conspiracy. I pray it provokes thought!

[AC] Promo 2011 from Advent Conspiracy on Vimeo.

Is That You, Lord?

As I work thru next year’s schedule of those yearly events we do largely out of habit, I’ve focused on January, my traditional month of prayer and fasting as we seek God’s will for the New Year. As I worked on it, this thought entered my feeble mind, “What if, instead of having regular Sunday services in January, what if we cancelled those services and entered into a time of fervent prayer and fasting for our community? What if we completely cancelled the morning services in January and instead went to the unchurched with our personal invitation and prayers on Sunday mornings?” Understand that I am not ready to suggest this thought came from God…not just yet…because my first thought was I would probably be fired just for suggesting it! But it was quickly replaced by the thought, “if they won’t come to us, why don’t we go to them?” Now, I know God doesn’t want everyone to attend Beulah…not even everyone in the area. But, are we really trying to reach them? Really? Seems God put a big emphasis in Scripture on “Go make disciples” and never once told us we were to set aside an hour of any day waiting for them to come to us. Unfortunately another thought I had was, if I were to do that, I would be shocked if over a handful would commit to “go.” It seems much easier for most to carve an hour or two out of their week to go to a comfortable, warm church in January to “do their God thing” rather than surrendering their life and investing themselves in Jesus’ ministry. Perhaps Pogo was right when he said, “We have met the enemy and he is us!” Right now I am thinking some of these thought are from God and others from satan…either way, I think God wants to move at Beulah in a powerful way in 2012.

Read!

As we sit here doing homework, specifically early American History, I have become painfully aware that my daughter thinks I experienced the settlement of Jamestown firsthand! She’s reasoned since I know at least some of the answers to the questions without reading the text and because I express interest in things that happened, as she puts it, “so very long ago,” well, obviously I must have been there. You see, Anna hasn’t yet grasped the fact that history does not change…once written it remains. The same is true of God’s word…and I suppose some people struggle with the same issue. They do not realize Scripture is not being re-written today to suit our wants or needs, although it is constantly being re-interpreted, for the Bible speaks to us just as directly and profoundly, even though our times are very different than the times in which it was first penned. They cannot grasp that an ancient text remains relevant to us. Perhaps they do not realize we struggle with the same sin nature as Adam and Eve, and every subsequent human being except Jesus. And sadly, they fail to accept that God has provided the answers to all the questions we face. So, what can we do? Seems to me the answer to both problems is the same. As I constantly tell Anna, “READ!” You should never guess at the answer or assume you know it when it is there in the text. So read…read the Bible…it’s there you will find the answers to the questions that plague you…I promise. But now, it's back to my childhood at Jamestown!

Without Prayer We Are Powerless

Today in discussion with other pastors, a common thread was the lack of some parishioners to take prayer seriously. So many people approach prayer so casually, if they approach it at all. Do they not realize the power of prayer? Are they not in relationship with Christ, or do they think the efforts are fruitless? Do they not believe in Jesus’ own words, “Ask and you will receive.”? I will confess I am blessed and have been at several churches I’ve served, as there are prayer warriors there and it makes all the difference in the world for the pastor…for the entire church! I can tell you from personal experience, not that I know much, but prayer can sustain you and empower you in any situation. The toughest thing I will likely ever do is bury a child and it was personal and intercessory prayer that not only got me thru the situation, but brought me through it stronger, more assured that my Heavenly Father listens to my every word. I wish there were a way for others to experience what I experienced without having to go through the valley, but perhaps I would have never learned except for the valley. Nevertheless, we must, if we are to grow spiritually, realize the value of prayer and put it into practice…fervently. If we are ever going to impact our world for the Kingdom, we must pray for the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.