Relay for life (June 18-19) is much more than a “nice charitable event”…it’s a way families remember, support, and honor family members and friends who struggle with the disease by serving others.   If you have a friend or family member suffering with cancer,  you are not alone.

In Support of:

Jimmy  Clark     Susan Smith    Julia Kauffman   Maggie Carr

In Honor of: 

Chuck Schaller   Jimmy Stephan   Gretchen File   

Christine Straubel    Tammy Raab     Sammy Blakemore   

Elaine Krout    Lulu     Paul Brubaker    Jason Gish

In Memory Of:

Dan Resser    Sharon Buoehl    Margue  Rite   Della Stump  

  Sharon Buehl    Judy Krapf     Adelle Kornfeld   Jim Bailey  

 Wendy Gangwer    Issac Smith    William Marsh   Steve Royer 

Rete Stough   Geraldine Fife    Grandma and Grandpa B.  

Joan Grean    “Newt” Snyder    Baron Snyder    Wayne Robinson  

Donna Waters    Johnny Podkul     Mary Podkul    Virginia Wiles   

Beverly Kendig   Joseph “Skip” Youcheff    Dick Kenney

Norman Swanson   

You can add you can add your names in the comments or by emailing info@actionchurch.com.  

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Sunday before church our six-year-old plasma tv blew up.  Suddenly the most expensive piece of consumer electronics we’ve ever purchased, turned into the heaviest piece of garbage I’ve ever had to get to the curb.  

That’s the problem with stuff…

⁶ Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. ⁷ After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. ⁸ So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.   1 Timothy 6:6-8

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Mothers Day is Sunday.  If you need a little inspiration or reminder to honor and celebrate the mothers in your life, I think this ad for a European department store pretty much does it.  (Warning:  whenever I watch it “something gets in my eyes” and they water a little.  YMMV)

Now go tell Mom how much you love and appreciate her.

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I love playing games on our Wii system with my six year old daughter.  We have one conflict.  Both of us want to be “Player One”.  We race to activate our controllers first, so that we can chose the games, click through the options, and “be in control”.

My daughter loves to be “player one”…wants to be in control…even though she’s a first grader and can’t read or comprehend all of the directions and options.  She wants to be “in charge” even on new games that she has NO IDEA how to play.  My daughter is so much like me…

When people say that God wants to “be in control of our lives”, I think they miss the point.  I don’t think God wants to “grab the controller out of our hands”.  I don’t think God ever intended to play this game of life alone…without us.  In fact, I’m pretty sure scripture shows us that God’s reason for creating mankind was so that he could spend time with us…enjoy our company…be our loving father.  God DOES WANT to be “Player One”.   For our own good he wants to direct our “options”.  For our own benefit he wants to guide us through the difficult games that we don’t fully understand.  Because he loves us he wants us to direct us as we “play” together.

  I have experienced how much better life can be when my Father is “Player One”.  I fully admit that when he is in control the “game” of life is so much more fulfilling.  …but sometimes I’m still a six year old fighting for the controller number one.

How about you?

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 I know for some of us this is truly the “Most wonderful time of the year.”   For others, this can be a really painful reminder of loss…or a  time of dissapointment when the season and those we love don’t exactly live up to what we expect from the “magic of Christmas”.  Whether you’re feeling like “jing-jingle-belling” or “cussing and yelling” because of this season I just wanted to remind you of two things…

You’ve given the gift of Joy to others.   Over 500 kids in York City schools were surprised with a new coat from someone they had never met…completely unexpected…no strings attached-because of you.  Two other families facing very tough circumstances were given coats and gift cards that will allow them to have a much brighter and less worrisome Christmas.   I personally received a lot of Joy from being part of a church that had a giant dancing Santa and a lighted “yard deer’ on Stage..not to mention you gave me a pie.    Just sayin’…

We’ve been given the gift of Joy.  No strings attached.  No matter what our current circumstances are. 

 ⁶ For a child is born to us,
      a son is given to us.
   The government will rest on his shoulders.
      And he will be called:
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
      Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 ⁷ His government and its peace
      will never end.
   He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
      for all eternity.  Isaiah 9: 6-7

Good wins in the end.  Justice and fairness will prevail.  Peace will someday be the rule instead of the exception.  Jesus has come, and an un-stoppable plan has been set in motion.   If for no other reason this Christmas season, we can take joy in that!

This sort-of-jolly fat man is looking forward to some time off to enjoy family, pie, and totally dominating my six year old in “kittens corner” on her new DS. shhhh!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

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We’re talking about  the movie Marley and Me on Sunday.  What is it about the ‘worst dog ever” that generated a best seller and and hit movie?  Why do we remember and laugh at our “worst date ever”, our “worst DAY ever”, or the “worst thing our two year old ever did”?   How do things that seem “the worst ever” turn into things that we later laugh about…and learn from?

Two words (along with the passage of time) seem to make all the difference in whether we view something as an “amusing anecdote” or a disaster.   Acceptance and Forgiveness.

Accepting that “disasters” happen…and forgiving  the “disaster prone” dogs, two year olds, spouses, teenagers, and clumsy delivery people etc. can change anger into laughter…   Two words can make life enjoyable instead of just “bearable”.

Try them.   Today, if possible.

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Don’t forget to Honor your Father this Father’s Day weekend.  If you still haven’t picked out a gift may I suggest the 400HP BBQ.  (I wouldn’t mind having one myself…hint hint.)

I am so thankful for the example my Dad has shown me over the years.  His actions and “Dadism’s” such as ”Try again, then go back and try again”, and  ”Somebody had to do it the first time”, and even  ”Never give up until you need a clean pair of pants” still influence me in everything I do today.  (Okay, some of his “wise sayings” were a bit disgusting but they certainly got his point across to a thick headed son like me.)

What have you learned from your Dad?  

 Have you told him how much he has influenced you?

See ya at actionchurch on Sunday morning for a totally Duderiffic/Dadriffic episode of “the Resistance”.

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I’ve been having so much fun biking with our five year old.  She’s too big for the “baby seat” on the bike…and too small to “keep up” on her bike… so when our neighbor gave us this “bicycle trailery thingee”,  it was the perfect solution.  Even though my old schwinn is now almost as long (and as heavy) as a semi-truck…we’re having a blast.  (Pray for my 40 yr old cardio system).

When we’re on the bike together, her “job” is to hold on, pedal when she can, and just spend time with me.  My “job” is to keep the bike moving, keep from steering into a tree, and watch out for cars, dogs, and other “dangers” as we ride.  We both look forward to talking, laughing, and enjoying time together each time we get on the “bike for two”.

I was thinking this morning that my life with my Heavenly Father, God-should be a lot like my daughter and I on our bike “built” for two.  Maybe God is not so concerned about my ability to “pedal” as he is just spending time with me  (and us).  Maybe life would be much better if I would abandon the “front seat” altogether and just let him steer.     Maybe I should worry less about ”where we are going” and just enjoy being on the ride…and know that my Father in Heaven will never steer us into a tree…   

Best of all…I know that my Heavenly Father God never “runs out of steam” on a big hill and has to stop and pretend to look at a bird while he catches his breath.  Yeah, riding with someone who is All-Powerful and All-Knowing is good…

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Someone in our family passed away this week.  She lived a good long life and died peacefully in her sleep.  We will miss her terribly now, but look forward to seeing her again someday in Heaven.

I was asked to speak at the Memorial Service.  Generally that would terrify me…but this time I was glad to say “yes”.  Although it’s never “easy” to speak at a funeral, it will be easy to find nice things to say about her.  I won’t have to be “creative”.  I won’t have to “make stuff up”.   I will simply have to tell the story of someone I admire and respect.  It will be easy to find examples in her life of her faith and her values.  It will be an “easy” eulogy.

So sorry in advance for the “downer” question…but this has got me thinking.  How “easy” would it be for someone to write my eulogy?   How about yours?   Would it be “creative writing 101″…or “the greatest story ever told”?  We are “writing our own eulogy” every day…will it be an “easy” story to tell?

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⁹ Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.   Joshua 4:9

I’ve been noticing lately in reading the Old Testement how many times God’s people piled up rocks to commemorate something great that God did.  God saved us from our enemies…”time to pile up some rocks to remember”.   God parted the Jordan river so we could walk across on dry land… “let’s make a pile of rocks in the middle of the river so we can remember how they got there.”  God spoke to us here…”time to start gathering the rocks”.  Even though rock piles must have been difficult to mow around, it still must have been amazing to  be constantly reminded of the miracles God had done in the past by “rock pile memorials” their ancestors left behind.

I think we need to make more “rock piles” to remember the great things God has done for us in the past.  Things that remind us of the unmistakable presence of God here on earth.  Just yesterday something reminded me of all of the incredible ways that God has protected and blessed our family over the years.  I had to stop and thank him…remember crisis’ averted…”impossible” situations made possible…prayers answered…acts of kindness and mercy that were often completely undeserved.

So what are some “rock pile” things God has done for you?  “Game changer” moments in your life when God “showed up” and saved the day.  Take some time to remember those things today…maybe build a few “rock piles” of your own…

⁴ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ⁵ Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.  ⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4-7

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