It is Tuesday. I have spent the day in the hospital with my wife as she had a procedure done. She did well and now we wait for the results which can take about one to two weeks. There are times that the waiting is actually more anxious than knowing. This is the time when faith is so important. For we all of us waiting for something better in our lives that occur after our life here on this earth is over. Until such a time and in the midst of the anxiety, we depend on faith to see us through.

Tuesday is also a time when I receive my Serving strong. Once again I found it pertinent to what I have been reflecting on.

Serving Strong eNews A Tuesday morning minute just for you because you care for others.
Underminers
Undermine. The term comes from the act of digging under a castle wall in preparation to breach its defenses. You are under - mining it (digging a mine under it.)

This metaphor can be applied to our calling as people-helpers. There are things, circumstances, attitudes, and people who can act to breach our defenses and weaken our posture of strength.

YOUR UNDERMINERS

What is breaching your defenses and undermining your ability to serve strong? We each have them. They are unique to each of us. Some are a product of our making. Others are imposed on us. The first step in dealing with them is to identify them. Here are a few Underminers to nudge your creativity:
That chronic complainer you know
Going too long without sleep
Being overdrawn in your bank account
Personal criticism
The state of the global economy
A personal bad habit
Gripping a grudge or failing to forgive
Interpersonal conflict
Too much to do in too little time
Little-to-no space to think, dream, reflect, and plan
Hit-or-miss relationship with God
Once you identify them, determine exactly how they are keeping you from being strong and why you are allowing them in. When undermined, you aren't firing on all cylinders... your span of care suffers... you aren't at your best.

Now, carve out 1 or 2 positive next steps you will take over the next 7 days to positively address a couple Underminers from under your "castle walls."


photo credit

I'll "see" you right here next week.
FORWARD THIS ISSUE TO A COLLEAGUE

I finally figured out my email dilemma. Apparently what happened was that somehow the auto reply for being on vacation got turned on and the message was added. So anyone who wrote me on my hotmail account would get this. Whoever did this was able to uncheck my contact list as well. I have turned that off and will be monitoring it in the future. I will still be using my gmail account at reveldon@gmail.com.
Holy Week is fast approaching and with that several services and special activities. With the sermon series coming to an end, I plan to look at future series to deal with our daily lives such as families and parenting and not just being biological parents. We are all parents to one degree or another. So stayed tuned.

For those who read my blog. An update my hotmail email account has been compromised. I will be switching to reveldon@gmail.com It seems with the burglary, my wife's health issues, and now this one more thing. i will be writing later but wanted to make sure that people are aware also that I did not email a new business adventure that I supposedly sponsor. I did not and it is a scam.

It's Friday of what has been quite the week. Between visits to hospitals and dealing with the after effects of last weekend, time had a way of getting away. Sometimes when one is discouraged we need those opportunities to remember that we are a family and a loving community. I received a comment which readers can see about what it means to be a family especially to those who are in school or serving our country. Thank you for helping me to remember that no matter what events may discourage and dishearten us, we are in ministry and serving not only our adults but reaching out to others. I have also been deliberately praying for the individuals who came into our church as I hope others have also.

I am going to talk about call this Sunday and that we are all called to ministry. It is not the whole responsibility of the ordained clergy to do all the ministry. We are all ministers. Sometimes one can wonder whether or not God is calling them to do something or to say something. I have had people wonder if what they are feeling is coming from God or from their own ego or some dark place. I respond to them and to myself by stating is what I am hearing compatible with scripture and with the tradition that I ascribe to. I also keep in mind that I believe God wants us to build each other up in love. That does not mean we do not hold each other accountable but it means that we need to allow God to work in relationship and not determine that it is up to us to fix people or to save them. We cannot do that only God can. So if I feel that God is saying something to me about someone else, I first look to myself to determine if maybe what is being said is more towards me. Then I pray for God to direct me. If I am approaching someone in regards to accountability, I need to do this in love and with the idea of not just criticizing them. I will ask if they want to hear what I have to say and then I also need to have some ideas of what is the alternative. Too often people are easy to criticize but offer little in ways of changing. Than is not building up disciples but destroying them.

Call is like that also. We are so gifted by our Creator. We are to use those gifts of time, talent, and treasure to build the kingdom not ourselves. The question I have to ask myself is how am I using the gifts that God has given me to glorify God. How about you?

It's Tuesday and I received my serving strong newsletter. Thought I would share it with you.

Serving Strong eNews

A Tuesday morning minute just for you because you care for others.

	Serving Strong eNews has been named a "2008 All Star" by Constant Contact. This prestigious award is granted to companies who communicate regularly with their subscribers and who are clearly interested in hearing from them. Serving Strong maintains sound permission-based email marketing and list management best practices. Be assured Serving Strong will uphold this honor.

Your Own Bailout

Ever grip a grudge? Ever harbor a hurt? Someone said something to you last week and you just can't get past it. You want to get even. You want to display how hurt you are in front of them.

ANATOMY OF A GRUDGE

What really happens when we hold on to hurts? How does it effect us? For starters, it holds hostage a portion of our mental space. This is space we need to devote to our jobs and ministries. Without mental freedom our focus is limited. We are unable to be in the moment when needed. It can also have physical downsides effecting heart rate and blood pressure.*

ANATOMY OF A BAILOUT

It's in the news. The US is engaged in a season of bailout. A bailout is a forgiveness of a debt. When we forgive someone of their debt (i.e. their hurt against us), we bail them out. Doing this, we free up our mental space for a more fulfilling life. We increase our opportunities for professional success. We serve with greater intensity and purpose. And we are actually contributing to our own physical health.

Here's a 4-point ACTION LIST:

1. List the hurt(s) you are harboring this very moment.
2. Draw an imaginary line on the floor.
3. Slowly step over the line, saying to yourself, "I choose freedom. I choose to forgive."
4. If you need additional professional help to get over the line, seek it!

So what's it gonna be? What are you going to build into the fabric of your life: A begruding spirit or a bailout spirit? I guarantee, your answer will directly impact your ability to serve strong.

* Some thoughts generated from a WebMD article.

photo credit

I'll "see" you right here next week.

This has been quite the day. This Sunday I was going to talk about stretching our faith and relating it to the story in Luke 15 about the prodigal son. Today my faith was tested as I discovered that our church was burglarized. In talking to the deputy and crime scene investigator and with news reporters, I felt the mixture of feelings that come with this event. I was initially hurt, angry, dismayed that someone would rob us. Now that I have time to reflect on this I realize that my faith is in need of stretching. I know that God loves all people even those who would steal from His place of worship. I know also that God is a merciful God and willing to forgive us no matter our sins.
I was reflecting on the younger son and his faith journey. One of my staff stated who would he be today. Would he be an addict? Would he be a thief? And to realize that this young son came to a point in his life recognizing his sin and his willingness to face the consequences of his choices and knowing that he risked the rejection of his Father. So when he came home and his Father ran out to him, hugging him crying not out of judgment but out of mercy that "he who was dead is alive, he who was lost was found." So too must I come to that point of forgiveness and ask others to pray for him or them. My faith is being stretched and I pray for God's spirit to guide me.

Tonight we met for our communion service as we continued to talk about the seven days during Holy Week. I often am touched by the people who gather and share with one another. I am also amazed at the ways that spirit touches us. There has been such a commotion in the news about AIG and the ways that they took advantage of others and their mismanagement of their company and awarding their staff with bonuses that came from the bailout. I marvel as to how any one would be willing to do that and believe that it was OK. As we reflected on the scripture from Mark 14:3-11 about the woman anointing Jesus and Judas betraying Jesus the contrast of what one can do with money.

What is happening today is similar to what happened with Enron and others in 2001. We did not learn anything about our immorality, greed, and lack of concern for those who place their trust in their corporations. The same is true with these banks that are failing. As liberal as I am, there is a point where maybe these banks needed to fail rather than be awarded money for their incompetence. Though lest I be the first to cast stones, I know that in my life how difficult it is for me at times with the way I treat money. I guess that is why Jesus had more to say about money and the attitudes we have towards it than almost anything else.

So as upset as I get when I see such corruption I need to look to myself and to ask God for help in my struggles. I pray for God to hold my accountable for my sins as I learn to forgive others. At the same time others also need to be accountable and I pray that God will guide them to being willing to allow Him into their lives.

I wanted to share with you this article. despite others thinking that I always need to be creative sometimes what others say can inform us.

Your SPIN Cycle
As you read this, you are the sum total of all the times you've said "yes" in your life. Every "yes" is equivalent to a plate spinning on the top of a pole. For example, when you said "I do", you started a marriage plate. When you gave birth to a child, you started a parental plate, etc. And so we go on spinning everyday.
Here's the deal: We are finite. Our time, energy and resources have limits. Therefore, each "yes" has a corresponding "no" (Example, if I say yes to helping a friend clean out their garage, I am saying no to a concert.) We simply cannot be at 2 places at the same time.

SPIN SUCCESS

We are successful when 3 things are happening:
The right plates are spinning.
We are able to give each plate the attention it requires.
No plates are spinning at the expense of the others.
Where do we begin toward a successful SPIN cycle? Start by taking inventory of all the plates you are currently spinning. Then take a long, hard look at each plate and determine what needs to be done. You will renew your commitment to some plates (like your marriage) or purge some plates that aren't a good fit for you anymore. The key is wisdom. God has all the wisdom you need if you ask Him.

I trust your SPIN cycle runs smoothly. If not, you can make it better starting today!

I'll "see" you right here next week.

I have been thinking about what plates I have spinning not only spiritual, relational, and personal but also as a pastor with responsibilities to the local church and to the conference. Time to reflect on the plates that I have spinning.

Just got finished with our Monday bible study. We have been studying the seven days of holy week as seen through the eyes of the gospel writers. I am always touched by the conversations that we have regarding what we are reading. Today we were discussing the Wednesday of holy week. The two stories from Matthew and Mark dealt with the anointing of Jesus by an unnamed woman and Judas agreeing to betray Jesus.

In our discussions, we began to focus on the amount of money that the oil would have cost which would have been equivalent to a year's salary. We compared that with the amount of money Judas was to be paid for betraying Jesus which would have been only a month's salary. The discussion focused on regardless of the extravagance of the oil the woman was worshiping Jesus who is soon to be put to death. What struck me was a statement I had made in worship on Sunday and the application of that in the story tonight. Sundays I have been talking about the importance of spiritual disciplines in building our discipleship. Sunday we talked about making our being disciplined a priority in our lives.

In the talk, I stated that we all have preferred values regarding our personal choices, relational choices, vocational choices, and spiritual choices. Sometimes what we say we prefer and what we actually do may be different. I stated that I could tell what one really preferred by following them for a week. I noticed several people come alert. I stated I could tell what one's lived out values were by what they spent their time on and what they spent their money on. This story tells so much about what the woman's value was and that was Jesus Christ. In Mark, Jesus states that we can always help the poor but we also need to remember to worship God.

I pray that God help me remember priorities in my life. And to help balance my spiritual discipline with personal and relational values. For when I can do that I find that I can do so much more in my life.

We just finished a time of fellowship with a wonderful group of people from our church. I am reminded how important it is to surround oneself with positive people and people who are dedicated to service to others. It was a time of laughter, sharing, and caring. So thank you for making this day a special one for myself and my spouse. There are just times one needs to let down some and not take things so seriously for a time.

I did want to share something that happened once again at our Weight Watchers meeting Thursday. The leader talked about a friend of hers that decided to give something up for Lent. This friend wanted what she was giving up to be meaningful and something that she truly wanted to succeed at. She thought about it quite a bit and came up with the perfect sacrifice that she wanted to do for Lent as well as after. She decided to give up excuses! What a wonderful idea that would be for all of us. I was listening to an interview with Michael Phelps about the incident with him smoking marijuana. Here is an iconic person who made a huge mistake in judgment. I was impressed that Michael did not minimize what he had done and was willing to take responsibility for this lapse of judgement. He did not blame others. I do not in any way condone what he did, but I am impressed that he was willing to be accountable.

Too often in this world of ours, I find that people would rather offer excuses for their behavior and choices rather than being accountable for their decisions. I too have made some serious bad choices in my life. I would love to blame my parents, my environment, my government, my education, etc. I learned that if I make a mistake I need to own my choice. If I mess up, it is not my parents who made me do it, not my friends, not my church, not anyone but myself. And it is only I who can make a change so that I do not mess up again. I can do this with God's help and God's empowerment. I still need to be willing to make a difference in what I do. So I am asking God for help in not offering up any excuses and pray for His guidance in my life.

I had once before printed an email that I get for serving strong. Today's email was something that I wanted to share so here it is.

Serving Strong eNews A Tuesday morning minute just for you because you care for others.

Ever Bark At Someone? A friend or colleague says something to you. Youbark back in anger. It surprises them. It surprises you. Your reaction was way out of proportion. It was unnecessary. You didn't mean it. It just came out. Ever been there? I have. It's embarrassing. It leads to an awkward apology. Not a fun place to be. As I reflect back on my experiences in these situations, I can think of one common ingredient present in every case: I was on my last nerve. How did I get there? Why did I let myself reach such a deficiency in my reserves? EMOTIONAL BANK ACCOUNT I allowed my emotional bank account to get dangerously low. I gave and gave and gave of myself without taking in proper rest and recreation. I used up my reserves without replenishing the supply. Interesting. I don't do this with the gas in my car. I keep it fueled for service. But I have been guilty of assuming I am an infinite wellspring of energy and resource. Guess what: I'm not. Neither are you. So, how do we keep the account full enough to handle the stress of people-helping? Here are 3 things you can do this week: 1) DISENGAGE. Do an activity not related to the work you do in serving others. For me, it involves playing the guitar, fly fishing, doing yard work. Whatever is outside the confines of people-helping, build in a healthy dose of it on a regular basis. 2) LEAN INTO COMMUNITY. Learn the fine art of conversation with a friend. Take the conversation slow. Sip your coffee. Learn what brings them joy. Listen fully. Lean into their life with no attempt at fixing anything for them. 3) REST. It may be an overused topic, but one worth mentioning again. You need sleep. You need the kind of rest where your body truly unwinds and gains physical replenishment. If you have trouble sleeping, consider getting help from a professional. Keep your emotional bank account high. Take it from me - no one likes to be barkedat. I'll "see" you right here next week. Don't know about you but there have been many times that I have found myself in a similar situation. Hope this gives you some ideas about what one can do before you come to the end of your rope or the rope breaks. Eldon

I wanted to share something that we talked about at Weight Watchers today. The topic was change and the stages of change. The leader was talking about that change begins with pre-contemplation, goes to contemplation, discovering information, taking action and finally maintenance. The idea was that each of us when facing change begins even before we know what it is that we need to change. Once we become aware we spend time thinking about what it is that we need to change in our lives. From there we explore how we are going to go about that change. We need to take action for changing something means we have to change something. The last step is determining what we want to keep doing. The leader was focusing on our weight loss journey.

What struck me was that we could use the same process talking about our spiritual journey. The pre-contemplation stage would be similar to what Wesley stated was God's previenent grace. God's grace is extended to us even before we are aware of that grace. Over time we become aware of our sinful nature and we begin to work on understanding what it is that we need to do to restore our relationship with God. This leads to a conviction of our spiritual life and finally to repentance. That would correspond to the contemplation stage and some to the discovery stage. We then have to ask for forgiveness by taking action through confession which can occur privately between us and God. When we do that, God grants us justifying grace and forgives our sins. That is the action stage. Because of that grace we become transformed and seek to continue to grow into our relationship with God. That is sanctifying grace or the maintenance stage. What was interesting we also talked about relapse. Rather than seeing it as an all or nothing part of our journey, we can look at that as the need to see what stage we are at and begin to focus on that. Our spiritual life is like that. When we fall, we need to focus on the stage of repentance and to ask for forgiveness. At that point we can continue our journey to perfection.

I find it interesting how God can use so many opportunities to remind me of His grace even at a Weight Watchers meeting.

I have been spending time reading others blogs mostly photographers. It is amazing when one can appreciate the artistic talent of others. I am amazed at how they are able to do what they do. I want to thank them for bringing in beauty in this world.

We all need a moment of beauty in our lives. Something that strikes at our very core. One can find that in certain novels, music, art, and photos (which by the way are art also). There have been many times that a certain song or poem will strike me and for the moment I quiet myself. I no longer find myself caught up in the world around me. I often state that those times are my God moments when God speaks to me through others. I am able to find within me a calmness and a connectedness to creation.

After all that has gone on this week, I need to find those moments of connection. Times that I can let go and take time to be with God. Those are the times that it is so important to be able to say to someone that you love, how much you appreciate all they have done for you. It is also time to let go of the hurts that you feel others have caused you. It is at those times that I need to turn to God and allow His Will to dominate me. Lent is that time to stay a moment with God and to pray for God's Will in our lives.

I wanted to write about what I had read in my devotion today. This comes for Disciplines for today based on the scripture Genesis 17:5-7, 15-16. The writer is Curtis Ackley. This scripture is about the renaming of Abram and Sarai. The author talks about how important it is to embrace a name. How we name something gives that meaning and purpose. "God claims us: I have called you by name, you are mine. (Isa 43.1). We claim the best in children when we shape them by naming their good qualities and behaviors. We claim parts of ourselves that we want and own by naming them. There is real power in saying, 'I am competent and caring,' instead of using negative words like, 'I am simply no good at this, and I can't do it!'

Might a Lenten discipline emerge for you from this line of thinking/ What is your most positive aspiration for yourself? If you could select a name for yourself what would it be? Can you imagine being called that name by God?"

What struck me about this devotional thought was how many times we do not claim our gifts and strengths that God has given us. Sometimes it borders on false modesty which can be as destructive as being self exalting. If you feel you are a failure, would that be what you believe God would call you? Or rather does God see the purpose that lies within all of us and calls out to us to claim and use those gifts? This Lent as we travel the season maybe it is time to humbly use what God has given us to do God's will.

I have been doing some catch up with emails and work so here I am on a Monday evening late writing my blog. I have been working on sermons and ideas about living a more disciplined life. Tonight in bible study we were looking at the last week prior to Easter and discussing Monday when Jesus entered into Jerusalem for the second time and went to the Temple and disrupted the temple's business by chasing out the moneylenders and those who were selling the animals for sacrifices.

In our discussion, we looked at what Jesus was doing as compared to some of the prophets of old had said about misusing the power of religion to hide behind.  We could identify that even today there are many instances that people will misuse power to support their personal agenda and not worry about being faithful to God.

In further reflection, I want to look at the idea that the Temple can also refer to our own bodies and the relationships we have with others.  Jesus referred to our body being a temple.  Maybe one aspect of this scripture can also apply to our personal lives and how we treat ourselves and how we treat one another.  As a therapist, I encountered many people who would misuse relationships so that they could exert power over others.  I also witnessed many people misusing themselves, actually harming themselves.  Somewhere I believe that we need to remember that we are created in our God's image and that not only should we treat ourselves in such a manner to respect that image but also remember that others likewise are created in that same image.

What a world we would live in if we would not only live our lives in dedication and praise for God but in loving one another.  That truly would be the Kingdom.