I've taken a long enough break, and it's time to get back into the swing. The Thanksgiving break was outstanding. We were able to hang a bit with 2/3 of our kids and all the grandkids. We celebrated Thanksgiving with friends and family at the church gym - 40 in all. We had a great time. It was interesting watching Deurty hobble around on the basketball court, trying to guard Dan "the Family Man" Seaborn.

It seems that the older I get the longer it takes to get back into the flow of things after a four day break. I'm finally hitting my stride. That's one small stride for man, one giant stride for the emerging church.

I'm diving into Matthew right now, so I'll be sharing some things I'm learning over the next couple of days.
DOM

Recently, I spent some time in Central's chapel to get away from the busyness of a day in the office, and to spend some quiet time alone with God. My desire was to prepare for a devotional I had to give to a group of married couples on the final evening of a ten week journey, called - Refreshing Your Marriage.

As I sat in the front pew of the empty auditorium, I focused on the large cross that was mounted on the front wall. I was drawn to the cross because that evening, we would be celebrating communion together. I'm not proud of the fact that I seldom take the time to sit in silence and reflect on what Christ has done for me and what He means to me. The cross, a simple Roman execution tool, represents Jesus Christ's love, grace, and forgiveness to a degree that I cannot comprehend.

As I focused on the cross that afternoon, I was reminded over and over of the last words of Christ on His cross, as recorded in John. - "It is finished." Jesus, God incarnate, gave up everything that He could enjoy in Heaven and entered our neighborhood for one purpose - His death on a cruel instrument of death, and then 3 days later, His resurrection. This was His sole purpose for becoming man, and He was fully obedient every step of the way. Because of His radical obedience, He could confidently look death in the face before taking His last breath, and say to His Father - "It is finished."

My mind and heart was then directed to the couples who would be sitting side-by-side in the seats of the chapel - some currently enjoying a season of the fullness and joy of marriage, others just muddling along - same old, same old, and still others moving further and further apart with very real thoughts or words saying - "It's finished, I'm done, I can't do this anymore."

Isn't it amazing how a phrase: "It is finished" can be spoken by two people, with totally different mindsets, desires, and attitudes. Jesus spoke these words as a servant, obedient to the death- not for Himself, but for others! A husband or a wife speak the same words as selfish individuals. Clearly, the focus is on the individual who is speaking the words alone. In fact, there is no regard for anyone else, or for that matter, room in their mind for any other thought at this point in their marriage.

Servanthood versus Selfish desires. Distinct differences. The choice is mine. The choice is yours. The end result - our future - hangs in the balance.

It is finished....
DOM

UGLY!
That's the word that best describes what took place at the Palace, with 45 seconds left in a game in which the Pacers were thrashing the Pistons.

It started with Ben Wallace losing his cool after he was fouled by Ron Artest. Ben went after Artest and seemed to be shoving and strumming Artest's face with his hands and fingers. What's up with that Ben? Is that basketball? Is that the kind of action that brought you to an allstar level of play in the NBA? I don't think so!

And what's up with Ron Artest and his buddy Jackson, charging up into the stands and trying to take on, literally 100's of fans at one time? Gutsy? No way...just plain ignorant. They crossed the line and the NBA and the law has to make them pay the price for it.

Then there's the fans. What an ugly display from the city that has had a bad name for years. Now, that bad name has been confirmed and Detroit's reputation is solidified. What a bunch of angry punks. A mob scene...swinging arms and fists, sucker-punching, beer tossing, ice throwing, popcorn tossing, chair hurling, taunting, pointing derisively, spitting, obscene gesturing, yadayada.

These are the fans of Detroit Basketball in its finest hour! We must realize that the true character of people is displayed in these situations.

Maybe the NBA should bench the Pistons and the Pacers for the rest of the season, and let the two teams setup tag-team wrestling with those Piston fans who think it's cool to throw their drinks and ice on people. Or maybe we could have them all lace up some skates and fight...ahhhh I mean play Red Wing Hockey.

Actually there are two words describe the scene at the Palace last night: Disgusting and Ugly.
DOM

It's been a rough week. I was unable to bag a deer. I'm hoping that maybe next year will be the year of conquest. I'm beginning to think that it may help if I buy a gun, ammo, license, and even spend some time in the woods. Like I said...maybe next year. More on the application of this later.
DOM

A new week brings with it a sense of freshness, new beginnings, and new opportunities. This morning, as I look at the scheduled events of the week, I see some meetings and appointments that will provide potential opportunities for me to make a positive difference in people's lives. But, I also see alot of open time. My prayer for the week is that I will not miss or squander opportunities that are God-arranged.

I have a rock-solid confidence, that it's completely unnecessary for me to begin a week with my fingers crossed - wishing and hoping for such God-arranged opportunities. God is at work all the time and all around me, and I simply have to be alert and ready to join in. No more beginning a week with the fingers crossed as my youngest grandson, Hudson, is demonstrating in the posted picture below.

Hudson_edited.jpg

DOM

Just a quick note...I have enabled comments from all readers, even if they are not blogspot members, so...go for it.
DOM

Aitchie Wants You Now.bmp - click and check

The little Aitchie wants YOU to be a fully devoted, soldout follower of Christ!
Here's a challenge for the week: Pray today, and each day this week that God will give you a wide-open, "I can't believe this", opportunity to share the hope you have in Christ, with someone this week!

Additionally, let me know what you're thinking about Aitchie right now....

...and a little child shall lead them.

DOM

Is the emerging church a movement or a conversation? If it's a movement, where is it going, does anyone really have a clue? If it's a conversation only, is there an outside chance it could become a movement in the end? Two more questions: Is this a subversive conversation? Is it a converging conversation? I would love to get your emerging thoughts on this....
DOM

Dibs Emerging 

Books I'm reading right now:
The Present Future - Six Tough Questions For the Church
by Reggie McNeal

Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas

The Shaping of Things to Come by Frost and Hirsch

The Complete Marriage Book edited by David and Jan Stoop

Sheet Music by Kevin Leman

Music I'm listening to:
Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden
Passion
Robin Mark
Kathryn Scott
and, of course, The Byrds

DOM

The changing seasons....temperatures are dropping, cloudy skies, the cold winds are picking up and they penetrate layers of clothing, leaves are dropping and then blowing around in minature tornado-type funnels, the green growth of summer has become pale yellows and light browns. Some leaves have not yet dropped and they are clinging to the branches to avoid their eventual fate - the dreaded landfill.

God has created and designed our seasons and their methodical changing...spring and fall, summer and winter, day and night. Even the writer of Ecclesiastes (Ch. 3) speaks of the changes in life - a time to laugh and a time to cry, a time for birth and a time for death, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build up....

Changes all around us, yet God never changes! His creation is about change, He is about sameness...yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I'm thankful for that and the secure feeling that brings. How about you?

DOM

I met with a couple of guys yesterday, regarding our men's ministry deal. I am really getting fired up to get something together to train and equip men to be all that God has called them to be- as husbands, dads, sons, workers, kingdom builders, as well as investors in other men. There are too many mature men just standing on the sidelines with their thumbs stuck in their ears, and feeling inadequate. This has to change. I think I'll call this group - Men In Leadership Development - or MILD. I can almost hear the bugle...reminds me of Nam.
The emerging future is now...
Dibs

The local newspaper published a story today about county parks which also included a picture of my son-in-law, Bif, and daughter, Savannah. Check it out.

I've been working through the book of James again, while doing an online study with my friend Dan, and some family members. This small book hits me like a George Foreman right hand fist, right in the center of my gut. And then, just as I stagger to catch my balance and stand erect while gasping for air, I take a shot right on the chin and realize I really need some work to stand in this ring! Thanks James!

Here's a verse that rocked my world today: "You adultresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." James 4:4 (NASB)

Basically, if I put more value on the things of the world than God, I'm guilty of spiritual adultery. This could be sports, money, stuff, friends, self...go ahead, fill in the blank. God desires for me to be 100% faithful to Him, 100% of the time. This doesn't mean that I cannot enjoy life in this world. It means that I cannot allow the world to move a rung up on the ladder above my relationship with God, in Christ.

It's an every day, sold out faithfulness. Think about it...if I told Gayle, my wife, that I loved her with all my heart and I was going to be faithful to her on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and a halfday on Saturday. How do you think she would, or better yet, should react? Yet, this is the very same level of faithfulness I am often extending to Christ. Somehow, being called an adulterer doesn't seem so far off base.

In it, but not of it,
DOM

Here's the final installment of the politician of the week.
Because it was so difficult determining a winner, I have decided to award both of these gentleman, as co-winners! Please join me in congratulating, both of these gentlemen:

Mayor Al McGeehan from Holland
and
Mayor Robert Utz from Effingham, Illinois
Congratulations Mayors!

It's Wednesday and all I can say is: DEEEEEEEEEETROIT BASKETBBAALLLLLLLLLLLL!
The Pistons successfully began their defense of the NBA championship last night against the Houston Rockets. The Pistons began the season as they ended last season -firing on all cylinders and showed Yao and T-Mac what a champion team looks like.

One more musing... The last number of weeks, as I made the 15-18 minute trek to work each day, I noticed more presidential election yard-signs than I can ever remember. I even blogged on this phenomenon a few weeks back. For every 10 signs stuck in yards and in public green spaces, I found that 6 of them supported Bush/Cheney and 4 supported Kerry/Edwards. Today, as I drove to work, I spotted the same multitude of Bush/Cheney signs and only one lonesome Kerry/Edwards sign. I'm not really sure what this means, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. Are the Kerry/Edwards supporters more tidy and ready to move on?

DOM

It's election day and this one promises to be a real close one. The only people going out on a limb with serious predictions on the winner seem to be the diehard supporters of each candidate. All I know is that tomorrow morning, God willing, the sun will come up at it's prescribed time and life will go on. I will continue to strive with all of my heart to follow after God and encourage others to do the same. I'm reminded of the lyrics to an old song: "Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, but there's something about that name - Jesus!

My trust is in God...not governments or politicians.

DOM