The Missional Side of Halloween

I was a perfect parent. Until I had kids, of course.  I know most churches frown upon the idea of letting the kids go trick-or-treating or giving out candy. I appreciate the sentiment and the message churches are sending.  We have always participated in it. Here's why.  The more I look into Scripture, the more I find God is calling us to be His "sent" people .  Everywhere, in all places, everyday.  Even at Halloween, where I would not want to waste an incredible opportunity to meet a neighbor, build a friendship, invite someone over whom I want to get to know better. unfortunately, i don't gather with my neighbors as often as I should. sometimes Halloween is the only time i see some of them. I don't want to be the house where the kids say " Here's that pastor's house that didn't want to give out any candy." I want my door to ALWAYS  be open and a safe one. If a kid ever needed a place to go that was safe, I want them to know they can come to my door.  As a matter of fact, we met one of our neighbors, built a friendship with them, and my husband performed their wedding ceremony. They also invited another couple to their wife's 30th birthday party and introduced us to another couple who was interested in hearing more about our church and its values. All this for participating in Halloween.  

So, that's my side of the situation. I respect all opinions on it and their reasons behind it.  You may not like my take on things. That's ok.   Then again, they didn't like much of what Jesus had to say either.  I guess i am in good company. 

gallon donation

So, I did my 8th  donation at a blood drive  near my house- making it my gallon donation! I obviously couldn't ignore the symbolism as I'm watching my blood gush from arm to bag.  What a beautiful picture, on the one hand, and a messy, painful one on the other.  She bruised me three separate times - and that is just from one needle! I can't even imagine nails in my hands....

It's hard not to have a new appreciation for Jesus's death on the cross.  

I always get a little anxious before my donation- will I faint or feel sick afterwards? What if my iron count is too low and I can't even donate?  It's hard to even wrap my head around sweating blood  praying to His father to " remove this cup."   It's hard to fully comprehend.

Yet, I always feel grateful, lucky, even, to know I made the difference in someone's life when they need it most. Perhaps I will see some of  them in heaven because of my momentary selflessness.  To think how many billions of lives have been saved by Jesus's bloodshed......

Follow You

As usual, one of my favorite groups , Leeland, has had some thought provoking lyrics on their  song "Follow You". Here are some:  

All my needs,

 You have supplied, 

When i was dead, 

You gave me life, 

How could I not 

Give it away so freely?

If we have the love and salvation of Christ, why don't we give of ourselves more freely?

The second reference that John uses to refer to himself as " the disciple whom Jesus loved" is at the crucifixion.  Jesus tells his mother that that John is now her son and she is his mother. the fact that Jesus refers to him as his brother is HUGE.  When Jesus refers to Peter and reinstates him  back into the fellowship, he uses 2 forms of Greek word for love: phileo and agape. The first two " feed my sheep" commands are agape, but the last is phileo, or brotherly. Jesus is basically saying to John " You get it". You're are my disciple. He entrusts his own mother, to John. The Scripture follows by saying  John , from that time on, took her into his home. John's life is changed by this statement. He took Jesus's words seriously. 

Do we?

Pears

I was just reading this in a magazine. " The pear is one of the few fruits that does not ripen on the tree, but rather ripens after it is harvested." It makes me think about all of the references to fruit in the Bible.   Jesus talks about us being fruit numerous times . But, it normally refers to us bearing or producing fruit  and then being harvested.  It is interesting that pears ripen after harvested.  Many of us form our character with the goal of heaven in mind.  But, how many of us  acclimate ourselves to the circumstances around us, and still choose to ripen?

Ok, ok, so I missed a day in my blog.  I almost missed today, too.  The only reason why I'm writing today is because I made a commitment to myself that I would write everyday. I figure if i can make a commitment to write everyday, then if or when the opportunity  arises where i am asked or inspired to write   words that may change  the person reading them, I'll be prepared. It's in these moments when I am too tired or too busy or too wrapped up in this thing called life that I am reminded of the words of Hebrews 12:1 .." and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."   

 And so I put on my running shoes....

Reclining against Jesus

So, I've been searching the scriptures to find out why John considers himself the disciple whom Jesus loved ( he writes this about himself 4 times).  The first time he uses these words are at the last supper. Peter asks " the disciple whom Jesus loved" who will betray him. Then I notice something interesting, John, who is LEANING against Jesus turns to him and asks him. This denotes an intimate relationship with Jesus that John had that no other disciple had.  Otherwise, why else would  he recline against him?

Do we have an intimate enough relationship with Jesus that we feel comfortable reclining against him?

 I sometimes feel like charlie Brown when I'm writing these posts. You know, the part where he sticks his head in the mailbox and says " Hello in there! " Then ,after his realization there is no mail, he says " Rats!"   Is anyone reading these? Does anyone care? Who's really seeing this anyway?  Well, if my calling to write a book  is going to happen, I hope the person who sees this has the word publisher after his/her name...

So, I'm going to try my hand at  writing a blog. It's something I have always wanted to do, but never took the leap of faith to start one, because I am not the greatest in the discipline of journaling. but, if I want to become more like "the disciple whom Jesus loved" referenced by John in his own gospel account, then I have to change my old ways of thinking and  renew my mind with new things. 

I was reflecting on John 21, where Jesus asks Peter " do you love me?"  I never understood why Jesus asks him this until now. Peter had lost sight of what is important- loving God above all else, and loving his neighbor.  This is spiritual formation.  If we say we love God, we need to feed the sheep and put or words into action. Peter talked a great game, but he never put into action.  He missed the point. Have we?