How do you know when something is good?

We say in the church all the time that “God is Good”.  What does that mean?

It doesn’t matter whether if we are talking about God, a work of art, a movie, a restaurant or the newest fashion design – how do we decide that something is “good”?  How do we decide if God is good?

When we talk about God, we read about the things that God has done for us, and continues to do for us in the Bible.  We learn more about our faith by attending church and talking with others.  This enables us to think about our faith and discern what is good and what is bad about what we believe.

Some people however just listen to the authority in their lives and not really think about what they personally believe.   They follow certain rules because some authority figure told them to do it, but they never took the time to think and pray about it for themselves.

Living a life based on second hand values isn’t living at all.  Saying the right things and doing the right things is nice but that can lead to simply “existing.”  To really live out our faith, we  must trust our own instincts and take the risk of stepping out of line now and then.

Questioning our values might seem like heresy to some.  However, we all do it at one point or another in our lives.  For example, when I was in college I questioned my faith.  I started to look at my life and I realized that I was baptized a Lutheran when I was a baby, I was raised in a Lutheran Church, I went to a Lutheran summer camp and I was attending a Lutheran College.  So was I a Lutheran because of my history or did I really want to be a Lutheran?  While I was questioning my denomination, I  also started to question my faith, did I really believe in God?

My answer to all my questions was “Yes!”

“Yes”, I was Lutheran because I was baptized and raised in the Lutheran Church, “yes” I did believe in the teachings of the Lutheran Church and I did embrace them as my own, and “yes” I did believe in God, I knew that my life would be unbearable if I did not believe in a loving God who was always there for me and who carried the burdens that seemed so hard for me to carry on my own.

Even though I have come to that conclution, it doesn’t mean that sometimes life is hard, that sometimes faith is hard.  Even recently when I look at the death and destruction in our world, I ask myself “where is God in all of this?” Then I see it…..I see God in the people,  dropping everything, traveling thousands of miles to help those in need, I see God in families giving up time in their busy weekends to help a stranger….I see God in my children as they run and play and make me smile…..I see God in the beauty that surrounds my world.  I see God in these places and many more — this is why I think, why I know that God is good.

My prayer is that when we say that we think something is good, when  we  like something, when we think something is “good”  we should think about the reasons.  This applies even when it comes to our faith.  We should not listen to the authorities blindly, but we should stop and think why we believe what we do, we should ask questions, talk with others and look…..where do we see God in the world, and think about how our faith impacts our lives.

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What do you think when you hear the phrase:  “You are a failure!”

More often than not we are afraid of failure, we don’t want to fail.  We may think that if we are going to do something and we are not going to succeed, why waste our time?

But we do fail….we are not perfect — But do some people fail more than others?  If so, why?

Perhaps the problem is that we are not afraid of failure, but somewhere deep inside of us we are afraid of success?

We see this in the Bible:

The Prophet Jonah chose to turn away from the great things God had planned for him.   Jonah eventually found himself eaten by a whale.

Most people who fear success find themselves consumed by regrets for things that might have been.

There are many reasons why we might turn away from the challenges that could bring us success, but it is usually because we just don’t believe we have what it takes to pull it off.  We don’t have the self confidence to really believe that we have the knowledge, skill set, or ability to get the job done.

But like the old saying says “you can do anything you put your mind too.”  That’s the key!

What does our mind say?  If we believe that we can’t get it done, then we won’t. However, if we believe that we not only can get the job done, but we were put in place for a reason, then we will get the job done with excellence.

They only way we can make this happen is to take “baby steps.”

For example, I am not really that handy around the house……well that’s the impression I have of myself right now.  I have been watching many hours of the DIY Network channel.  I have been learning alot about home projects.  I have a little more confidence in myself when it comes to projects around the house.

But before I start to build my outdoor room, or before I rip down my back porch and build a bigger and better one…..I am first going to start small and switch-out the shower head, and maybe build a bookcase in the kids room.  I am going to start small and start to have many small victories, build my confidence and learn more and more everyday.  I am going to take on risks and then gradually – step by step – up the ante.

So instead of going into a project, or going into life, with a negative view, with a mindset for failure, I believe we can all turn our thinking around. Believe in ourselves, know that we are called to be where we are, to do what we are doing and that believe that God will always be with us.

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Does your feelings about yourself have any influence on the way your body feels?

Don’t get me wrong,  I am not saying that modern medicine doesn’t have a place in our life.  However,  I do believe that our attitude has an impact on the way we feel mentally and physically.

Here in CNY we are getting close to the 100 inch mark for snowfall.  I accepted the fact that living in this area we are going to get a lot of snow, and I decided in the fall that I was not going to complain about snow from Thanksgiving to Easter.  I have a positive attitude about snow- I love snow between Thanksgiving and Easter!!  but after Easter, all bets are off!

So far, I have not become depressed because I have to clean off my car…….again!  The fact that it snowed almost everyday during the month of January did not bother me, because I accepted that snow is going to come.

When we are sick, and we have the mental model that our illness is only going to get worse then it is only natural that our body gets a strong death message. Next thing you know, we start going downhill fast.

However, when we educate ourselves about how to fight any illness, and we surround ourselves with support and love we have a better chance of getting better, faster.  That in addition to following what the doctors say (about medicine, diet or whatever else they suggest)  and affirm our healing constantly with words, pictures and emotions, I believe leads us not only on an easier road to recovery, but a quicker road as well.

I also believe that our faith plays a big part in our healing as well.  When we pray we are asking the one who created us, the one who knows our bodies better than we do; for healing and wholeness.  God, our creator is there for us in the good times and in the bad.

I have seen more and more, the people who reach out to the church in their time of need, are often the ones with a positive attitude.  They are the ones who look for the positive indications in their sickness or illness that things are going to get better.  I think one reason they are able to do this is because they are able to pray to God and let all their cares, all their worries in God’s hands and they trust that God will watch over them, protect and heal them.  Then they are able to live their lives in more of a positive and reassuring way.

I don’t think that it is coincidence that there is a connection between our ability to get better quickly and stay healthy longer the more that we have a hopeful and positive attitude about our health, and our reliance on God.

In the end we are the final authority on our bodies, and it is up to us to conclude what is best for us.

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When I was a youth director, I had a poster on my wall that said “You are already a role model, the question is what kind are you?”

Like it or not we are all role models, from the person living on the street to the top professional athlete.  By role model I mean that we all have influence on the development of children – for better or for worse.

The way we see ourselves and the world is what decides how we will behave, and how we behave determines, what will happen to us.

Role models serve as living, breathing mental images that help us visualize the way we would like to live.

For example, if a child sees a homeless person sleeping on the street, this most likely will stimulate negative images in their mind and will direct them in a way where they will not want to end up there.  The same kind of image can happen when they see their favorite super start throw the winning touchdown, or shoot the winning basket.  They will want to act like the best, to be the best.  No matter how many times an athlete may say that they are not a role model, they are.

However, the more important role models are the ones children come in contact with on a daily basis.  While it is helpful to read about a significant person in a book or a magazine, or watch an inspiring life story in the movies or on TV, it is much more powerful when we can actually interact with someone who shows us possibilities for ourselves.

When we can do so on a daily or regular basis, as we do with parents, grandparents, teachers and pastors just to name a few, this has the most powerful impact of all.

It is not only what we say that matters, kids will learn from our actions as well, so the best role models do not only need to say the right things but they need to live a good example  as well.

Of course we cannot control everything.  The best thing that we can do is to tell them and show them the right way to live and let the kids figure out the rest for themselves.  They will make mistakes, we all do.  But hopefully they will remember the positive role models in their life and follow their example.

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So this year has not gone as I have planned so far.  There have been many set backs and there have been many times  that I have wanted to give up and quit.  But I am still here and as I move forward I want to spend the rest of the year thinking positive and I want to get back on track with my new year resolutions.

In order to do this I started with scripture:

And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither at once?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea”, it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.’ Matthew 21:19-22

These verses might not seem the most appropriate for someone who is having a rough year.  But this scripture tells me that my thoughts are not always about healing, saving, restoring, redeeming, etc.  Jesus tells me  in the verses above that faith is a force that can build up or tear down.

Positive thinking is a powerful thing, we move toward and become like what we think about.  We automatically behave in ways that match the image we have of our ourselves.  When we focus on what is going wrong, we tend to experience more of the problem. When we  focus on what is going right, many times we can come up with a solution.  Therefore, when we focus on health and wellness we move toward it, we are attracted too it.

All of our words spoken in faith, have the power to build and power to destroy. God gives us the power of words, it is up to us to determine how we use them.

So what happens if we find ourselves speaking negative and destructive words?

First, think back about all the destructive words that have been spoken to you over the years. Then release the negative and destructive words over to God and ask God to reverse each one of them into a word of praise over you.  Words can be destructive, they can hurt even more when they come from inside of you.  They are a constant source of hurt when your internal duologue is running constantly and is brining you down.  But they can build you up when they are used int the right way.

Second, start speaking to yourself and to people all around you with words of life and healing.  The more we are able to do do this the easier and more natural these words will come.  When we dream it, when we envision it the more likely it will become.  Then truly we can say that we have faith, and hope in ourselves and in the one who created us and who loves us.

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2010 has not been all it is cracked up to be.

We celebrated the new year in Vermont hanging out with my parents.  It was a nice quiet evening- the boy was the only one who really made it to midnight.   Congrats to him!

Then we came home to CNY and found lots and lots of snow.  It has snowed for the last 6 days, and in some parts of the area there has been more than 40 inches of the wonderful white stuff!  This has not been so bad, granted it would of been nice to have one or two days of no snow to catch up with all the shoveling but that would be just silly.  Oh, and speaking of shoveling, Monday night when I was trying to clear off the back poarch for the dog, I broke my back — I have been in immense pain since Monday night and things are not getting better.  I had to cancel out on two meetings this week because of it and I am not looking forward to Sunday, I don’t know how I am going to get through service at this point, but I am going to try.

I saw a chiropractor today and he said that the outlook is not good at this point.  It looks like he and I are going to become good friends.

The only positive to having a hurt back is that this weekend is the first weekend for the NFL playoffs.  I am excited to watch the action, especially Sunday as my boys the Patriots go at it against the Ravens.  I have high hopes for the patriots even though we have had an up and down season.

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Since we have come to the end of another decade I would like to take a look at the last 10 years and point out some highlights in my life.  I found something like this on my friends blog Adventures of the Called. Enjoy!

2000: I was working at Camp Calumet.  I spent the summer as CIT trainer.  One of the best summers of my life.

2001: I spent the summer as program director for family and adult ministry at Camp Calumet.  Continued to work at Calumet year round as retreat specialist.

2002: I spent the summer as program director for family and adult ministry at Camp Calumet.  Left Calumet after the summer  to work as a Youth Director/After School Director/assistant music minister at Hope Lutheran Church in Reading, PA

2003: I graduated from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN with a degree in Youth Development

2004: Birth of my son Logan, married the love of my life.  I left Hope Lutheran church and started my graduate degree at The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

2005: Started to work as a part time youth director at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Southampton, PA.  I continued my studies at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.  I Spent the summer as a Chaplain at Cooper Hospital in Camden NJ.  My brother got married.

2006: Moved twice, found out that we were going to have our second child.  Started my internship at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Red Hill, PA. My nephew Evan was born

2007: Witnessed the birth of my daughter Addyson.  Finished my internship, started working at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Telford, PA as a part time youth director.  Started my last year at The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

2008: Graduated from seminary, moved in with my parents in Vermont while I went through the call process.  Was called to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Baldwinsville, NY.   My niece Maddlyn was born.

2009: See previous post

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What are you afraid of ?

I remember reading as a kid many Bible passages where Jesus (or an angel) would appear to someone and they were afraid, then he would say something like “peace be with you” or “do not be afraid” — Come on Jesus!! You appear right in front of me with no warning and you don’t wand me to be afraid!?!!?

Today is Friday the 13th – which strikes fear into the hearts of some people. But there are also bigger fears in the world…..

I believe that most of our fears are learned not genetic.  That means we can learn to not have them!  I also believe since fears are learned that communities can develop a commonly shared fear.

Look at churches…..nothing blocks change quite the way fear does, and when its power is greater than our power to push through it, fear can prevent any change from happening.   Perhaps that is why it takes FOREVER to make changes in the church.

We want that stability in the church because we have constant change in our lives.  For example, we live in a mobile society so people are moving all the time, some lose their job, or they change jobs, and kids grow up.  The one thing that we are crave in our lives is stability – and we are looking for that in the church.

We want a church that is the same from the time we are born until the time we die.  So the question is what does fear prevent us (the church) from doing and what do we do about it?

If we are afraid we tend not to take chances, to take risks and to think outside the box.  We are afraid of having the wrong answers or making mistakes.  We convince ourselves that things should not change and in turn we end up not really knowing what we want or need.  It warps our perception of our community and prevents us from trying to make it better.

Instead of asking what do we want as the church, we should be asking — what does God want us to be as the church?

Fear also keeps us from asking for help when we need it or benefiting from the emotional support offered to us.  Churches can be amazing supportive communities.  We all need help in our lives and we are sometimes afraid to ask for help when we need it.  That’s when the church can step in.

As a pastor want to be there to support people when they are hurting or in pain — emotionally, physically, spiritually or any other way.  I might not have all the answers but I can be there.

However for many people, instead of looking towards the church for help they develop unhealthy habits and behavior patterns….because of fear.

Whey if they (the church) don’t like me, what if they don’t accept me, what if they can’t help me?  These are the questions that we ask, this is the fear that enters us when we need help and then we turn away.

Fear can control our lives if we let it. But we can push through it if we begin to develop a habit of taking well-chosen risks – small ones at first, then bigger ones.

We also can get into the habit of vividly seeing ourselves achieve success, we can overcome the effects of fear and move confidently into the good life we deserve.

What types of fears do you have that are preventing you and your community from positive change?

What steps, even if they are small ones at first, can you take today, or this week?

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If it wasn’t for the Blog-off that I participated in earlier this summer, there is a high possiblity that I would not of touched my blog all summer.  I really got out of the routine of blogging and twittering over the summer (except at the national youth gathering).  I must say that I have missed posting and I do have a number of posts started but not complete.

I can’t believe it is September already, not only is it September but we are half-way through September!!

Anyway, I am back and I have lots to share over the next several days so keep posted.

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Today is day three of our trip to New Orleans.  It has been exciting to say the least!!

We got up bright an early to see Tangled Blue at worship this morning.  It was great!!  They remembered us from Vanderkamp just a few weeks ago.  To our surprise another Lutheran Church from our conference (King of Kings) was at worship with Tangled Blue.

We then proceeded to have a sit down breakfast.  Now for those who know me well – if I could have just one meal a day it would be breakfast.  I LOVE breakfast!!  This place had a buffet and I was SUPER excited when they had my favorite – Biscuits and Sausage Gravy!!!  Needless to say this was a start to an awesome day!!

We proceeded to the Interaction Center after breakfast.  At the Interaction Center there was a setup of satations that the kids could go too.  There was stuff to get them to think about Justice in their lives and then there were things they could do as “hands on” projects.  It was HUGE and included a zip line.

We stayed there for a few hours and then we came back to the hotel.  Everyone was saying that they needed a break so we chilled for a bit and then went to the Super Dome.

We had another amazing experience at the Super Dome (again I will reflect more on these after I return home).

We finally came back to the hotel and had devotions and going to bed.  We are getting up at 5am to be at the Super Dome by 6:30am to leave for our Servant Project.  We really have no idea what we are doing at this point, but whatever it is I hope it will be fun and I know that it will have a major impact on a community and the lives of many, many people.  Thanks be to God.

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