I need to ask all the cheerleaders I've known in my life to forgive me.
I realized this the other day as I was sitting there watching my 11 year old daughter cheer.
She went to a one day cheer camp and then had the opportunity to cheer at halftime with the middle school cheerleaders. As I watched her smile and jump, wave her pom poms and cheer, I all of sudden became a fan of cheerleaders; well, at least of one cheerleader! And as I saw her cheer and then saw how much she loved it, I all of sudden was filled with guilt; as though I had possibly offended every cheerleader I ever knew in life. Hopefully it wasn't that many.
So, officially, I apologize for: saying that cheerleaders were not athletes. The fact is that most of them are more athletic than I ever was; saying that cheerleading was not a sport. I'm not sure I could make a great argument for it, but I have decided to make no more arguments against it. Does that count?; joking that cheerleaders are so clueless that when their team is losing by 20 points with 2 minutes left in the game, they are still doing cheers such as "we're number 1, we're number 1"! Perhaps it was me that was clueless. Could it be that they knew some psychological secret about believing in the future, encouraging us to believe as well, and never give up...perhaps...
O.k. My conscience is clear.
So, here's to you cheerleaders:
Raise your pom poms high in air
Kick your leg, bind your hair
Show your smile, make quick strong moves
When you cheer for others, you never lose!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
HONKIN MOSES
I'm not sure when I first said it. I was pretty cautious not to swear and that included anything close to swear words. But one thing I did say as I was growing up, and I have no idea where I learned it (or if I made it up) was this strange phrase: "Honkin' Moses"! I would use it in many different instances where I suppose others might use the swear words, or words close enough to it. Since no one knew what it meant, including myself, I guess I never got in trouble for it. I guess taking Moses' names in vain seemed less offensive than others. By the time I got to college, I must have learned to control myself, and perhaps not wanting to be embarrassed, I think I stopped using it.
But, this past week I was thinking about this term and I'm not sure exactly why. Then I realized that perhaps it was because I have been thinking about the biblical character Moses recently. It wasn't long ago that I preached through the book of Exodus and Moses was a key character. Then, this week I was preparing a message on John 3:16, perhaps the most well known verse in the Bible, and I noticed that Moses' name appears just 2 verses prior.
This all made me consider how I am like Moses and how I want to be more like Moses. I feel like Moses in that he, too, felt incompetent to be used by God and to fulfill God's will in ministry. I have no idea why God would want to use me in service for Him, when He already knows all of my sins and weaknesses. But, He chooses to anyway; and just like Moses, I am doing my very best to serve Him with all of my heart.
There are some things Moses did that I would not want to do; but there is one thing that Moses was praised for, by God, that I want to be a part of my life as well. It is not so much something to do, but to be. In the Bible, Moses is known for being the meekest man on earth. That doesn't sound all that great, at first mention, but once I studied what it meant, in the Bible, I realized that it was an amazing character quality to have!
"Meekness is not weakness" I have heard often, and that is right. Even Jesus was known as meek, but He certainly wasn't weak. And Moses, although unsure of himself, was a man of strength as well. And what made him really strong, in God's eyes, was that he showed meekness. That is: he was not about personal power and control; he was not a brawler; and was not out for His own glory. He was humble and lived only to please God.
That is what I want to be known for. I don't care if I never write a book or have a large church, or am known for being a great preacher. But, if others know me, and in particular and most importantly, if God knows me as a person of meekness, then I will be satisfied. It will mean that I had humbly served God and others, regardless of the challenges or trouble that came my way. It would mean that I would lead and serve in whatever way I believe God called me to; even if that meant I would not be the most popular person around.
Perhaps, the greatest compliment I could receive one day is for someone to exclaim: "Honkin' Moses! That Greg guy is meek!"
But, this past week I was thinking about this term and I'm not sure exactly why. Then I realized that perhaps it was because I have been thinking about the biblical character Moses recently. It wasn't long ago that I preached through the book of Exodus and Moses was a key character. Then, this week I was preparing a message on John 3:16, perhaps the most well known verse in the Bible, and I noticed that Moses' name appears just 2 verses prior.
This all made me consider how I am like Moses and how I want to be more like Moses. I feel like Moses in that he, too, felt incompetent to be used by God and to fulfill God's will in ministry. I have no idea why God would want to use me in service for Him, when He already knows all of my sins and weaknesses. But, He chooses to anyway; and just like Moses, I am doing my very best to serve Him with all of my heart.
There are some things Moses did that I would not want to do; but there is one thing that Moses was praised for, by God, that I want to be a part of my life as well. It is not so much something to do, but to be. In the Bible, Moses is known for being the meekest man on earth. That doesn't sound all that great, at first mention, but once I studied what it meant, in the Bible, I realized that it was an amazing character quality to have!
"Meekness is not weakness" I have heard often, and that is right. Even Jesus was known as meek, but He certainly wasn't weak. And Moses, although unsure of himself, was a man of strength as well. And what made him really strong, in God's eyes, was that he showed meekness. That is: he was not about personal power and control; he was not a brawler; and was not out for His own glory. He was humble and lived only to please God.
That is what I want to be known for. I don't care if I never write a book or have a large church, or am known for being a great preacher. But, if others know me, and in particular and most importantly, if God knows me as a person of meekness, then I will be satisfied. It will mean that I had humbly served God and others, regardless of the challenges or trouble that came my way. It would mean that I would lead and serve in whatever way I believe God called me to; even if that meant I would not be the most popular person around.
Perhaps, the greatest compliment I could receive one day is for someone to exclaim: "Honkin' Moses! That Greg guy is meek!"
Friday, January 14, 2011
Traveling Mercies
My brother was joking the other day about being 41 years old and still not understanding what "traveling mercies" meant. The context is that as we were growing up, when a group of people would pray, they would often pray for "traveling mercies". There seem to be many things that we pray about, using words that may or may not make sense, but that focus on health and safety issue, physically, rather than the spiritual issues that the Bible says we should pray about. However, perhaps someone was praying for "traveling mercies" for me the other day?
On Tuesday night, I had just finished (or so I thought) a long trip home, with 4 other guys, from a conference in New York. It took us about 6 hours rather than the normal 5, because once we hit Pennsylvania, it began to snow. I was driving the whole way, and for much of the way home, I had both hands tightly wound around the wheel, praying our 15 passenger van would not go careening off the highway. I was very careful not to get too close behind any vehicle and I took it much slower than I really wanted to.
Once we got off the highway ramp, near the church, I was careful to slowly approach the stoplight and come to a safe stop. I was excited that we were almost there, and that I would soon be able to rest my eyes and stretch my legs. And then it happened:
CRASH! I felt my back buckle, although it did not hurt. We had just been back-ended by someone who claimed to have been "pumping the brakes" all the way down the ramp. Our back bumper was dented in pretty good and the front grill on her new car had some unintended holes in it now. But, no one was hurt, we were able to get the information needed, and then get everyone home fairly quickly.
Whatever traveling mercies are, perhaps that is what we experienced Tuesday night.
Thank you Lord that no one was hurt. Thank you that the damage to the vehicles was minimal.
Thank you for the time away at the conference, where I was able to get closer to these guys, and where we were able to be challenged to move forward in reaching others for you. If traveling mercies are those things that help people draw closer to you, then bring them on!
On Tuesday night, I had just finished (or so I thought) a long trip home, with 4 other guys, from a conference in New York. It took us about 6 hours rather than the normal 5, because once we hit Pennsylvania, it began to snow. I was driving the whole way, and for much of the way home, I had both hands tightly wound around the wheel, praying our 15 passenger van would not go careening off the highway. I was very careful not to get too close behind any vehicle and I took it much slower than I really wanted to.
Once we got off the highway ramp, near the church, I was careful to slowly approach the stoplight and come to a safe stop. I was excited that we were almost there, and that I would soon be able to rest my eyes and stretch my legs. And then it happened:
CRASH! I felt my back buckle, although it did not hurt. We had just been back-ended by someone who claimed to have been "pumping the brakes" all the way down the ramp. Our back bumper was dented in pretty good and the front grill on her new car had some unintended holes in it now. But, no one was hurt, we were able to get the information needed, and then get everyone home fairly quickly.
Whatever traveling mercies are, perhaps that is what we experienced Tuesday night.
Thank you Lord that no one was hurt. Thank you that the damage to the vehicles was minimal.
Thank you for the time away at the conference, where I was able to get closer to these guys, and where we were able to be challenged to move forward in reaching others for you. If traveling mercies are those things that help people draw closer to you, then bring them on!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Choosing Joy Today
Is there any good reason I cannot have full joy today?
- What if I'm not feeling well?
- What if things are not going so well at work?
- What if my child is struggling with school?
- What if my finances are low?
- What if the weather stinks?
- What if I am the topic of gossip/slander?
- What if I am having an argument with my wife?
- What if someone I love is dealing with a life threatening illness?
- What if the government doesn't seem to be making God honoring choices?
I'm sure I could add to this list, and if anyone out there reads this entry, you would have some circumstances to add as well: things that we all go through at one time or another. And, sometimes, it seems as though we are going through it all at the same time. But, one of the things God has been challenging me with, is His command to pursue joy at all times, and in all circumstances.
If my focus is on Christ and all He has done...if I am focused on what is eternal rather than temporal..if I will focus on God and not on myself; then I can, indeed, choose joy today! Here are some of the verses I am focusing on today:
Lamentations 3:22,23 - "Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Habbakkuk 3:17,18 - "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."
Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"
I Thessalonians 5:16,18 - "Be joyful always...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
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