Lasting Impressions

 I’ve attended dozens of funerals and memorial services but never has one made as lasting an impression as the service that commemorated the life of our friend Tom Paden.  The chapel was filled to overflow with standing room only and some stood for the entire service in the back and in the hall.  I don’t how how many attended but I would guess in the hundreds.

 

From his Pastor’s opening remarks, it was obvious that Tommy’s spirit was in that very room spreading infinite energy and enthusiasm and putting a smile on everyone’s face just as he did in life.  His mother-in-law shared how Tom loved his God and his family and how he was always ready to pray with or for someone.

 

His son-in-law told how he and Tom were in the kitchen alone one day and Tom showed him his prayer list that included a prayer for a husband who loves music and would love his daughter unconditionally.  Then Tom drew a line through the prayer request:  Prayer answered.

 

As his friends took the microphone to tell stories, it became obvious that the stories about how Tom brought laughter and even disruption to marketing events, meetings and general discussions around the office could go on for ever.

 

Toward the end of the service, Tom’s daughter sang his favorite song and it felt as though no one breathed while through her tears she sang “Misty” with meaning, strength and love for her Dad while her husband stood by her side in support.

 

The sheer numbers at the service, the loving support for the family and the benefit show that followed weeks later demonstrated that sub-communities like our hospitality and entertainment community can and do bind instantly and selflessly together for the good of others.

 

Most importantly though, I think that most left the service with renewed motivation, with a new found belief that one person in the everyday world can make a huge difference in his or her community and touch people in surprising ways.  I wonder how many new prayer lists have been started and how many people are making concious efforts to spread smiles each day.  Most of us knew Tom only 5 or 6 years and he had just turned 50 when he passed but Tommy left a mark way bigger than his time on Earth.

 

For those of you who read this that didn’t know our friend, I hope you can sense the power of coming together, of love for one another and a love for God.

 

A Short Serman/I Was a Child Today

I was a child today.  Mommy gave me corn flakes and peaches for breakfast.  They were really good but corn flakes are funny: I wonder where corn flakes come from.

After breakfast, I took off my pajamas and put on my dirty jeans, my red shirt and my tennis shoes.  I couldn’t get one of them tied but it’s OK.  I played in the dirt and built a road; I wonder where that road goes.

My dog Butch always wants to play.  I threw a stick and he brought it back to me.  I wonder why Butch is always so happy.  Then Butch and me chased the chickens for awhile.  I wonder why we have chickens; they are really dumb and don’t do anything but eat rocks and lay eggs—Yuk!

Mom made tomato soup for lunch.  I didn’t really like it but I had to eat it.  The crackers made it better but I wonder why I have to eat something that tastes bad.

After lunch me and Butch went hunting for wild animals.  I really wanted to find a mean ol Lion or a skunk.  Skunks are pretty.  But all we saw was a rabbit.  We chased it but we didn’t catch it cause I fell down and cut my knee.  I wonder why rabbits have long ears; they look really silly.

On the way home, we petted the horses.  Horses are really big and I wonder how they sleep standing up.  I’d fall over if I went to sleep standing up.

After supper I was so tired from building roads and chasing that stupid rabbit.  I put on my pajamas and said my prayers and fell asleep.  I don’t know what I will do tomorrow.

But wait a minute–I’m not a little boy.  It must have been a dream. 

 

Do We Truly Reach Out????

Are we ready to to spontaneously reach out to a person who doesn’t fit our mold, who doesn’t look like us, is unsure what he’s looking for but knows he needs something in the worst way.  Our words may say “yes” but I am coming to believe that it’s yes only if it’s within the planned events of the “brick and mortar” church and I believe that God showed me reality and said that “you need to change this” (meaning all of us).

I was late for choir practice one Wednesday and took the last seat on the back row right in front of the door.  As our director was talking, I felt someone enter the room.  When I and a few others turned to see who it was, we saw a bearded man wearing a hooded coat.  He said he had been playing poker earlier and saw lights on in the church as he walked by.  He said as well that he was looking for something to do and thought we were having a service.

A voice from the middle of the room told him we were having choir practice.  I stood and repeated that tonight was rehearsal but that we would have three services Sunday and he was certainly invited to come.  I also told him we have Wednesday night services starting in January.  He said he couldn’t stay and he left.

A few minutes after he left the building,

 

Hauling God’s Water

 

 

In Western Kansas, drought years seemed to come along entirely too often. After the ponds and wells dried up, we would haul water from town to stock tanks in the pastures where the dry ponds and wells were located. The first trip, the cattle wouldn’t recognize the old truck with a 500 gallon water tank strapped to it’s bed as it crawled ever so slowly over the rough pasture ground. They hung back on the hillside not realizing the truck they watched held the very thing they needed.

 

 As the water poured into the stock tank, they came a little closer but still watched from a safe distance. They knew they could usually find water here; but what is this strange vehicle doing? Eventually, part of the herd gets brave enough to come to the tank and drink. The rest of the herd slowly follows one by one and their physical need is satisfied until the next load of water arrives.

 The similarity among living creatures is amazing

 

A New Song of Joy in Your Life

There’s nothing new in this statement……………..Life can and does get heavy.  In fact it can get scary.  Not scary like a Stephen King movie; that goes away shortly after the movie is over.  Life’s fears are with us all day, every day.  When we go to bed, when we get up, when we’re at work, when we’re trying to make sense out of what’s going on around us.

Not so many years ago, “what’s going on around us” meant in our town, our neighborhood, our work place and our family.  That life was fairly easy to handle but technology has put the entire world  “around us.”   The viciousness of abuse, war, economic fears, and hate, all affect our personal sense of well being; and most of us can unknowingly get lost in this insidious jungle of confusion.  We struggle with job security, health  costs, personal relationships and before long, we are filled with fear and apprehension.  The World affected us and we just didn’t see it happen.

There is hope, light and relief in the all new LIFESONG CHURCH  in Branson West/Reeds Spring, Missouri.  Lifesong Church is being born as we speak.  Pastor Rob Barringer and his wife Rebecca are working to establish a fresh, enlightening and saving worship experience.  This young, vibrant couple is dedicated to bringing hope, peace and fullfilment to all of us through Jesus Christ in a way we can understand; a way we can embrace God in our own life through Jesus with music, relaxed discussion groups, individual conversations and always with an open heart and open mind.

Please call or email Pastor Rob if you are looking for answers that don’t seem to exist or if you just have questions.  He will answer you with compassion and his natural joy for helping others.

Pastor Rob:  417-527-0108                  rob@lifesongumc.org

If more convenient, you are welcome to leave your contact information, questions or comments at the end of this post and we will forward them to Rob.

God will bless and save us all.

 

Controversy Not Accepted

If argument and controversy is what you  want, this is not the place for you.  If you want common sense thoughts and insight into your problems, then check us out.  Most problems can be solved by looking at everyday life and the way we live and interact with others.  The answer to what troubles us is usually in our past and the way we were raised. If we were raised with strong values, we need to renew them.  If we were raised with no values, we need to learn what’s missing and fill in the blanks with the help of those with strong values. 

Do we dwell on what we can’t control? 

 

The Bible in Branson

Sight and Sound theaters of Lancaster, PA has opened their Branson theatre.  We attended the performance of Noah the Musical a few days ago and as expected the sets and production are incredible.  I’ve worked in the entertainment and hospitality community in Branson for several years and was fortunate enough to see the “back side” of Sight and Sound before it opened.  It is absolutely incredible how they house and care for the animals and construct the massive sets.    They offer a tour of the operations side and based on what I saw it should be as entertaining as the performance.

Everything about the production is strong but it lasts longer than most of us wish to tolerate.  It will be sold out a lot so get your tickets early.  It is truly something to see.

 

 

 

Messages from the Movies

Last night I told my wife that I’d been thinking about a Sunday school story I had used for our Salt and Light Wednesday evening service several years ago and that I was going to use it again this week.

She said that was OK but she’d been thinking too….about ducks.

 

Somebody’s Mom

When we were 8, 9, 10 years old or so we went to Sunday School and our teacher was usually somebody’s Mom.

 

Problems of the Ages

 

One week our youth group conducted the Wednesday evening service.  In a very moving fashion they shared with us how God works in their lives