When three year old David got to church yesterday morning, his mother told me he had some new pet goldfish.  Awesome pet for a three year old.  Easier than a dog and certainly more tolerable than a cat…goldfish are a perfect fit for little David.  Patti, David’s mother, informed me that he named his two new goldfish, Pastor and Mrs. Sonya.  What an honor!

Honestly, that makes my heart feel good.  I want to make an impact on the lives of everyone.  Especially, on the younger generation, I want to touch their lives for the glory of Christ.  To have a goldfish named after me is possibly a sign of a deposit that I have made in David’s life.  I love this kid.  He is full of life and excitement.  He also has an incredible knowledge of vacuum cleaners.  He can name almost every brand and type.  Sharp kid and will certainly make a good husband some day.

By the way, I am glad they were goldfish.  I might have been offended if a cat was named after me

Hannah had her first Thanksgiving play at school today.  She was nervous to say her line but she did great!  Couldn’t tell she was nervous.

Sonya and I had the opportunity to get away for our 20th anniversary.  We had a great time in a borrowed convertible corvette (Thanks Mike and Donna).  Not sure if Sonya enjoyed being with me or the Corvette more  We went to Russellville to stay in the Prophet’s Chambers (Thanks Pastors Don and Susan Nordin).  The house was nestled in the mountains outside of Russellville.  Beautiful and quiet, the house allowed us to relax and enjoy a couple of days away from the busyness of life.  On the way home, we drove to Lake Dardanelle and to the top of Mount Nebo and what a beauty to behold.  It was an awesome getaway!

All the freedoms we enjoy in this nation came at a price.  The expense was paid by brave men and women who have served our country faithfully to ensure that our homeland is safe.  They have fought foreign wars to rid other nations of tyranny and to bring freedom to other lands as well.  These veterans have served within our borders to secure our land and to protect it from those who seek to harm us. 

For wages that are not comparable to the risk of their lives, these veterans have served faithfully out of a call to patriotism.  They make less than most of those who enjoy the benefits of our military’s sacrifice.  Yet, they serve proudly and humbly because that is what veterans do.

They have gone to foreign lands and left behind their families so that they could bring peace to other families in far away lands.  They have stared in the face of danger yet not showing fear.  With courage they become all they can be for a people who often take for granted the freedoms.

This group of veterans is often overlooked but they still cherish their service to our country.  Veterans, thank you!  You are my heroes!  You have exemplified the words of Jesus, “No greater love has a man than he who lays down his life for a friend.”  Thanks for being willing risk your life for our freedoms.

I would have never dreamed that time would fly by so fast.  20 years ago today, Sonya and I exchanged vows.  What an amazing journey!  We were 19 years old.  Too young to realize that we were “too young” to get married.

Through these years we have been through many valleys and we have even spent time on the mountaintop, yet through the years we have grown.  It has always intrigued me how God created such a thing as love and then gives us the capacity to learn to love and then to grow in that love.  Certainly, there have been challenges in our years together, but through it all we have grown closer.

Now, after 20 years, we say the things that the other is thinking.  We respond to one another, knowing what the other one needs.  As the years have passed by, we have learned what it means to become one.  God’s intention for marriage was that the two would become one flesh.  He didn’t say that would happen overnight.  Love is cultivated by sacrifice on the part of each spouse. It is learning to make concessions while also knowing that, sometimes, you receive much more than you deserve.

That is how I feel with Sonya.  I have received much more than I deserve.  She has made many concessions in this marriage that resulted in her becoming a pastor’s wife.  I wasn’t called to ministry until 2 weeks after we were married.  She didn’t sign up for life in ministry, but she has embraced it with poise, grace and sacrifice.  She has shared me with others in crisis.  She has graciously encouraged me to participate in ministry needs, even when it meant it would cut into family time.  Sonya has been a counselor to many and a friend to all.  She has ministered to people and served in ministry for the last 15 years.  Always willing to pick up the slack and be all things to all people.  She has kept silent, when it would have been much easier to “speak up” and defend herself or her husband.  God could not have created another “helpmeet” that would be able to walk in this life of ministry with me.

Taking that a step further: As we raise our 17 year old and 5 year old, she tries hard to balance ministry and her family needs.  Sonya is a wonderful mother to her children and will sacrifice everything to make sure their needs are met.  When we were married 20 years ago, I would have never dreamed that she would be so selfless and giving to her children and her church.

Cheney, I love you!  Here’s to another 20 years!

Do you need glasses? I always thought that when you turned forty (which is only a few months of for me) that you were officially over the hill. No one told me what to expect when I turned thirty. I noticed, however, something drastic change when I turned thirty. Everyday when I came home from work I had a terrible headache. Without fail, my head was exploding so of course I blamed it on the lack of caffeine. Then when that theory was shot down I thought, “Maybe I am studying and reading too much”. Then the thought hit me that maybe I ought to see the eye doctor.

Finally one day I decided to go to the eye doctor to see if I could get some reading glasses. The doctor laughed and told me, “You do not need reading glasses but all the time glasses. Your vision is not as good as it used to be.” I had vision impairment and I hadn’t noticed that my total vision was going bad. I never even realized it. The only way I could tell was by fixing my vision. After I got glasses I could read the road signs and everything else alot better.

This is the way it happens in our Christian lives. We once had a fire and vision for the Lord and His ministry but somewhere down the road our vision became impaired. Our vision is not as clear as it used to be.

Sad to say, many people once had great vision and dreams for their work for the Lord, but over the years it has faded. They once had great plans and goals of what they wanted to do for God’s Kingdom, but now they cannot see ahead.

It may be the case that they don’t realize that their vision is faded. It could also be that their dreams were crashed on the rocks and discouragement and frustration has impaired their vision. All they can see is their failure and can’t think of trying something new.

The fact is that God has a great plan for all of us, young or old. He has a plan for all of our lives and He wants us to carry His vision. Even if you have lost your vision, we can find a pair of glasses that will help us to see again. God has great things in store for us and He wants to give us 20/20 vision once again.

If your ministry was once flourishing but now you cannot seem to get the fire started, ask God for a renewed vision for your ministry. Without a vision the people perish. We must have vision or else we will die on the inside. Our ministry around us cannot live unless we have a vision for it.

If you have lost your vision, look for it. If your vision is impaired, look back to the days that you had vision and passion for what you did. Rekindle that flame and let God’s vision burn in you once again.

The enemy desires to block your vision because He knows that your ministry cannot go forward with your eyes dim. Satan desires to thwart the ministry of the Lord by discouraging, frustrating and making the people of God feel inadequate. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. Go to the eye doctor (Jesus) and ask Him for a pair of new glasses to see His heart for you.

Do you have a problem judging others?

I find it interesting in life that it is easy to condemn others without regarding our own faults. If you watch the news enough, you find a host of people who are quick to point out the speck in one man’s eye and yet he cannot see the log in his own eye. If you think that I am referring to politicians you are right. (we are moving into election season after all)

This is not only a problem in the political world or the corporate world only. It is the problem of Christianity. If it was only exclusive to the world, the apostle’s would not have written about it to the church. In fact, I dare say that Christian people can be just as critical and judgmental as those of the world.

Now before you stone me, let’s reason together. In our spiritual pursuit, we look at our spiritual lives and think everyone should be just like us. In our denomination, our church, our Sunday School class, if someone does not act or believe like we think they should, they are wrong of course. We look down at others who have not been able to walk in victory like we have. God forbid if anyone fall from grace and then come looking for mercy from a Christian.

My grandfather once said, “Christians kill their wounded.” This is true, but Christianity is not all that bad.  All types of people and religions struggle with this, but there is a remedy. Giving mercy as Jesus instructed us.

Luke 6:37-38, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

This text of Scripture has been somewhat misrepresented over the last couple of decades. We like to focus on verse 38 and think that if we give money then we shall get back good measure, pressed down, shaken together and our finances will be running over as men give into our bosom. This, however is taking it out of context. This text is on giving mercy and not judging others harshly. We are not to judge others lest we are judged ourselves. Jesus said, “The measure you use it will be given back to you.”

The harshness you and I judge others with will be the same harshness we receive in judgments. If we condemn others then we too will be condemned.

The promise here is to those who give and show mercy. Give mercy and it will be given back to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over shall men give mercy to you. If you will show mercy you will receive it. Love covers a multitude of sins.

Next, time you see someone trip up or fall in sin, don’t condemn them, restore them. If someone doesn’t behave or act as “good” as you do, do not judge them, pray for them. If they do not believe like you do, search the Scriptures for yourself and see if you might be the one that is wrong.

The ultimate judge is the Lord. I want to show mercy, so He will show me mercy.

Saturday afternoon, Sonya, Hannah & I went to Hobbs State Park and hiked the Sinking Streams trail.  It was beautiful!  The stream was pretty well dried up, but other than that, it was a nice hike.