Thanks Melba (and Paul)

It's that time again. It's the time of year wheen my mailbox is stuffed with graduation announcements and party invitations. And while my schedule doesn't allow me to attend very many, it does remind me of my own graduation. It was May 28, 1977.

But more than the date, I'm reminded of who was there with me. Melba (Wilson) Mastin and her late husband, Paul Wilson. They were there instead of my parents. My dad was undergoing open heart surgery in Houston TX the very same day so my parents couldn't be there.

But that wasn't the only day "they were there". My mom and dad were pretty "wishy-washy" in their faith back then. But I was very active in the church youth group, and was planning on attending Bible college. Paul and Melba were youth sponsors. But they were also in many ways surrogate parents for me.

I probably spent more nights in their home my senior year than I did my own. It was at their home I met some guys from Moody Bible Institute. And that wound up being a big part of the reason I attended MBI. Two years later they drove the 400 miles to Freeport, IL to attend my wedding. I could go on for days talking about the impact this couple had on my life.

Twenty years ago Paul went home to be with the Lord. I remember my friend Tom (his son-in-law) calling me and saying, "Paul went home today". I remember at his funeral the passage used by Pastor Faulkner - it was a passage about Barnabas and he attributed it to Paul Wilson - He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. (Acts 11:24 NIV)

Few people have affected me as much as these two did back then and even now. I am forever grateful.

So the question I have for you is this. In 33 years who will be remembering what you did for them today? Who will be reminiscing about the impact you made on their lives.

Thank you Melba and Paul for being Jesus to me and so many others!

What can we learn about power outages?

So you know the drill. A storm is raging and all of a sudden the lights go out. Sometimes for a moment, sometimes for hours. When it's back on you have to do some things. You have to go back to work on the computer (hopefully you had saved what you were working on). You have to reset the clock on the stove and microwave and maybe another clock or two. You have to do something with the VCR (or just live with the blinking like I do).

But sometimes the power outages have nothing to do with a lightning strike, sometimes it's some unfortunate driver hitting a pole, or some equipment failure... but the results at your house are the same. You have to reset a bunch of stuff.

But what about the spiritual power outages in your life? What about the times when God doesn't seem very near. Or you realize you have drifted away from Him? What causes this?

Sometimes it's just apathy - you lose that first love, your relationship with Jesus has been on autopilot for some time and then bang - you realize the power is out.

Sometimes it's sin - you have let some unchecked transgression get a hold on your life. And now you realize you are "on your own".

For whatever reason you find yourself far away from God in this relationship - so what do you do?

Well - just like resetting the clocks in your house you need to do some similar things.

1 - You need to know what time it really is. Spend time in the Word, and prayer - get in touch with God again.

2 - Reset your life's "clock" - Begin again living according to God's time line, His direction, His Lordship.

3 - In some cases damage has been done - I had to replace a whole lot of stuff in my house once because we took a direct hit. Maybe there are some things in your life that just have to go. And be replaced with other things. Maybe there are some relationships that need to be mended.

"For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." (Mat 24:27 NIV)

Remember Jesus is coming again (and maybe soon) - don't let him come and find your "clock" blinking!

Weekend Reflections

Wow - what an amazing weekend!

Friday - Mel-O-Day!!!!! We went to Kroger and spent almost $200.00 but saved $148 using coupons - whooo hoooo! Friday evening wedding rehearsal for Rachel Owens and Brian Putty. I normally don't like doing weddings - this was an exception big time!

Saturday - Wedding and receptions at Circa 1840 - amazing place and food - and got a hug from Daniel Harrison!

Saturday night - Worship at HCC. Jeremy Zeller and his crew were amazing. Three baptisms and the "altar" littered with people letting God have His way in their lives!

Sunday - Two more awesome services at HCC. More lives rocked by Jesus Christ!

Sunday evening - Beth, Dale, and the girls come out for steaks and to celebrate Mother's Day with the most wonderful woman in the world - MY WIFE!!!!

And somewhere in there my fantastic neighbor fixed my push mower, and sharpened the blade on my riding mower. Only downer - I discovered why my yard is not being cut even... a bent blade.....

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Pet 4:8 (NIV)

How this happens?

4 1/2 lb large mouth bass caught on Friday April 30 at Williamstown lake. Rod - 7' Loomis crank bait rod with a splatter back 200 bandit crank bait.

So how does this happen? Well it's all pretty simple in theory. You figure out where such a fish might be (in this case on a wind blown point with fairly shallow water close). You figure out what she's hungry for. (a shad type bait that would match the shad she was used to eating). The kind of presentation needed to mimic a natural food source. (slowly running the bait through the area where she might be). And last, some really sharp hooks! Oh, and one more thing (at least in my case) a little bit of dumb luck.

So why post this? To brag? OK, maybe a little. But more for the spiritual application. Because while not everyone is jazzed up like I am when it comes to fishing. Everyone is being sought after by a much better predator than me. We are all being "fished for" by the enemy of our souls. You know who - the Devil.

And he catches us using some of the same methods I used to catch this fish.

He knows what "bait" to use. And for each of us it may be different. Maybe it is pride, money, sex appeal, or a thousand other things.

He knows what presentation to lay before us. Maybe it's when we are tired, lonely, or feeling sorry for ourselves.

He knows what we are "hungry" for. Maybe it's some medication to take off the edge, or some thrill that we just "can't live without".

And he uses some really sharp hooks!

Now after I caught this fish and took the picture I let her go. Maybe I can catch her again some day and she will be even bigger.

The Devil does not believe in "catch and release" though. Once he gets his hooks in you - he will not willingly let you go.

So consider this verse and take it to heart! Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Pet 5:8 KJV)

If I were to paraphrase this using fishing terms it would read like this. "Be awake and alert because he Devil, the angler from Hell, like a crafty fisherman is throwing his whole tackle box at you, hoping to have you for dinner!"