Dan's Musings

Brand Jesus

2010-09-14T12:50:00.001-04:00

These days in marketing and sales circles there is more talk than ever about “Brand Awareness”. What image or impression does you logo, trademark, or product carry and what can you do to nurture and protect it. Most celebrities are very aware that they themselves are a brand. Aston Kutcher conveys a very different image and cache than Bill Cosby. These impressions are carefully cultivated and they fiercely protect the image they want to maintain.

When a brand fails the results are dangerous and potentially long lasting. Usually a brand fails when the desired public image fails to meet up with the private reality. Safe, reliable Toyota has cars that accelerate uncontrollably. Squeaky clean Tiger Woods has a string of torrid affairs.

The original propose of a brand was to show ownership. Animals and possessions had the owners mark literally burnt into them so there was no questions about who they belonged to.

As Christians we carry a brand. We are stamped with the image of Christ...we are brand JESUS. What should it mean for us as carriers of this brand? What does that look like and more importantly what should that look like? For me the “what should it look like question” is answered with words like LOVE, GRACE, JOY and PASSION. The reality of “what does it look like” is much more troubling. In reality our human weaknesses and failings are seen all too often and His love, grace joy and passion are hidden. Brand JESUS is often represented loudly by people who show hate, judgment, bigotry and intolerance. Brand JESUS is co-opted by those with with political agendas who need Christians to support their cause. Brand JESUS is confused, distracted and divided amongst itself.

I humbly submit the following for those of who make up brand JESUS.

Love is everything.

We must first start by loving other Christians. Christ himself told us “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

We must love those we disagree with. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:43-44

Love your spouse. Paul tells husbands this in two separate passages. In Ephesians 5:28-29 he says, In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church. and in Colossians 3:19 he says Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Paul sums up the need to love this way in Romans 13:8-10 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

JESUS himself said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

The reality is that we live in a fallen world and there is a Deceiver prowling and devouring all he can. He is on a mass smear campaign to dilute and destroy brand JESUS. It is our mandate to fight him one heart and soul at a time. Our branding campaign is truly a grass roots movement. To be effective it cannot happen from top down but must be heart out. It is should be viral in nature spread friend to friend and neighbor to neighbor and its mantra is LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

In With The Smokers

2010-09-08T07:06:00.000-04:00

Note - The following was written by a friend of mine and I thought it was worth sharing. - Thanks for keeping me sharp Stephen D.

- Dan

At Bunker’s funeral, I found myself sandwiched between two men who smelled strongly of smoke. As I listened to the stories about Bunker, his family was confident that he was in Heaven and that they would be reunited some day.

Heaven or Hell? Either one or the other is our destiny after death. One is delightful “Paradise” and the other insufferable fire and smoke.

I pondered what funerals would be like if those heading for Heaven sat on one side of the isle, like in weddings, and those heading to Hell sat on the other side? One side would be pleasantly perfumed while the other would carry a heavy stench of smoke from the pits of Hell.

As one enters the church, there may be a sign that reads:

“Non-smokers please sit on the left.

Smokers please sit on the right.

If you’re not sure, sit on the right.”

It would be curious to watch people determine where to sit.

My itchy nose and eyes brought me back to reality and to another question. Would I chose to sit in with the smokers if I knew they were smokers - or thieves, gossips, slanderers, liars, adulterers, druggies… Would I choose to be uncomfortable with being in the midst of the self-destructive habits of others so that a few may discover God’s forgiveness and freedom? Do I have compassion for those who stink of smoke? Or do I simple sit with my other pleasantly perfumed brothers and not even notice those who are lost?

PS – I am using the terms “smokers and non-smokers” as allegories. So if you smoke tobacco, know that I am not labeling you a smoker heading to Hell. If you are offended, then I suspect the Spirit is putting his divine finger on something else going on in your life.

Him

2009-06-03T08:42:00.001-04:00

images felt more than remembered

flashes of memories drifting through the dusty corners of the attic of the mind

the hard newly fallen log under us

the smell of fresh sawdust

the thunderous calm of a just silenced chain saw

oily blue exhaust hanging in the air

this man, gentle, old yet strong beside me

loving me like he had such a long line of young boys

not always with words or touch but with time

working beside them, unknowingly molding them

the wagon is loaded, the tractor started

adding its own darker puff of exhaust to that of the chain saw

the ride back

feet stuck through the rear of the buckling seat

his strong back supporting mine – loved, wanted, safe, free

I stand beside another driveway now

the same tractor puffs into view and I see his son with mine

I know what he is feeling and smile

Just a reminder that your kids could be worse off......

2008-09-10T11:50:00.001-04:00

Someone passed this to me in an e-mail - couldn't pass it up!

WHY PARENTS DRINK
A father passing by his son's bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to 'Dad.' With the worst premonition he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter.

Dear Dad:
It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you. I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice. But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercings, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it's not only the passion...Dad she's pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone.. We'll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy. In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it. Don't worry Dad. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren.

Love, Your Son Cody,

P.S.. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the report card that's in my center desk drawer. I love you. Call me when it's safe to come home.

Return of the 17 Year Cicadas

2008-09-08T07:01:00.003-04:00

As a kid I loved hearing my dad tell me about the "17 year locust". The cicadas nymphs live underground for 17 years before they come to the surface to mature as insects. I love to hear the cicada song on those warm summer days. This year my kids found about 30 shells in our back yard and it was my turn to begin to tell the story. "God made this magnificent insect..."

An Important Story

2008-08-28T08:44:00.002-04:00

I read the Ethos blog by Randy Elrod regularly and he recently had a awesome post on a young man's conversion from Islam to Christianity.

This Is An Important News Story-Why Have We Not Heard About It????

Son of Hamas Leader Turns Back on Islam...

Mosab Hassan Yousef is an extraordinary young man with an extraordinary story. He was born the son of one of the most influential leaders of the militant Hamas organization in the West Bank and grew up in a strict Islamic family. continue on his blog here

Sunday School Class Week Two

2008-08-10T10:32:00.001-04:00

Showing my SS class Blogger!

Knowledge and Wisdom

2008-06-27T07:58:00.002-04:00

For my devotions I use some thing called a Life Journal. It combines a daily reading plan with intentional journaling. It is a great way to focus on God's word. I don't normally pulish my journal entries but today's kind of tied in with my post yesterday.

Knowledge and Wisdom

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:7 Always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

Observation: We are not to merely seek knowledge but truth. Some people spend their whole lives learning about stuff but never live out the truth of what they know. Like spending all you time reading about sailing and never setting foot in a boat.

Application: I need to do both - life is not an academic pursuit. I don't need to just know more about God I need to know God more. I do not need to just know all the answers I need to know the answer! My passion is for Him not knowledge about Him.

Prayer: Father - Keep my eyes on you and not the stuff I surround you with. May I run passionately after you and you only. - Amen

What are you chasing?

2008-06-04T14:33:00.005-04:00

I was listening to an interview on the Steve Brown Etc. Show the other day. They were talking to an actor named Eduardo Verástegui from the movie Bella. He said "Greyhounds spend their lives chasing a false dream." He went on to say that once in a while a dog will catch the rabbit and that when they do and discover that it is fake they will never chase it again. It made me wonder how many of us do the same thing. We chase wealth or pleasure or status or peace or comfort or any of the things that appear to have value and yet when we actually get them we find them fake and empty. Some times we get hurt so deeply we decide not to chase anything again - it must all be as empty as that fake bit of fur and metal.

Do you ever feel like you are chasing empty dreams? Are you ever suspicious that the pot at the end of the rainbow might be filled with fools gold?

Paul talks about the race in Hebrews 12:1-3 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Michael Card once said "What we need is not to do more for God but to love God more." We can get so wrapped up in doing good things and chasing good dreams and end up empty because we have lost sight of what we were created to be. We were not merely created to be servants we were created to be companions. We are the Beloved, the Bride and we need to keep our eyes on the bridgroom.

Father, may I pursue you desperately. May my soul thirst for you. May you be so fixed in my sight that the distractions of this world seem pale and empty.
Amen

Pursue Him desperately my friends.
Dan

Pastor's First Blog

2008-05-31T11:05:00.003-04:00

Well, at the prodding of some of us my Pastor has finally dipped his toe into the Blogosphere. While I have not been blogging as regularly as I would like (life tends to get in the way) I believe firmly in the impact and influence blogging can have. As a pastor it is a unique outlet for things that might not fit into the traditional role of preacher/teacher. Check out his first few posts at Crouch's Corner - http://robincrouch.blogspot.com/.

God Bless -

Dan

Fun With Trees!

2008-05-02T23:42:00.001-04:00

I've been playing with a new sevice Animoto. Very cool - check out this from our California trip in December!

The Reminder of a Fallen Soldier

2008-02-02T21:45:00.001-05:00

I was on a flight from Nashville to Detroit today on my way home from a conference (yes it is that time of year again). I was sitting next to a lady and we struck up a conversation - she saw the Nouwen book I was finishing and asked about it. Of course I was more than happy to share what God had been teaching me though it. (See my earlier post for more on Nouwen) As we spoke I asked where she had been and what had her traveling today. With a catch in her voice from obvious emotion she began to explain that she had traveled down to Ft Campbell, Kentucky for a memorial service for her nephew who had been killed in Iraq. She told of how wonderful the military folks had been in honoring him and how hard it was for the family. As we spoke and it became apparent that she was a Christian and you could see a bit of peace there in the midst of the pain.

As I thought about the reality of pain it reminded me of a quote by John Eldredge from the live seminar based on his book The Sacred Romance, "Have you forgotten - maybe you haven't heard. Your address used to be paradise. History did not begin with sin, it began with Eden - picture Maui at sunset with your dearest love. Your soul does not live in the habitat for which it was made." We do not live where we should and part of the reality of the fallen world is that life hurts. When we experience loss and death it hurts - it hurts because something in us that was created for something greater cries out against it say "THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE!" Just as pain in our body tells us something is wrong, when pain hits our soul it is symptom that all is not right. The effects of sin have once again hit and caused one I love to not be here with me.

The reality of sin in a fallen world is that death steals those we love. Sometimes it is death in a very real sense but other time it is the slow small death of hurt and betrayal, of cold and callous actions, of self centered decisions that slowly drive us from those we love. Years ago in a bible study a friend said the simple but profound phrase "death equals separation". As I look back that may have been one of the most transforming statements in my understanding of the affects of my fallenness. I will hurt those I love and they will hurt me. Death will take some of them from me. It will hurt. The hurt is OK. God is still working in it to create in me the person I am becoming.

Commit with me to focus on the relationships that matter. As we nurture them and care for those we love may the "little death" that comes from sin be overcome in our lives. May God work in our relationships that we may be his body and light in this world. May we truly be connected people. The enemy wants us lonely, frightened and scared. Christ came that we may reconnect with the Father and each other. It is what we were created for. It is the first step back to paradise!

God Bless

Dan

Father - be with the family of that soldier. Wrap them in your arms, bathe them with your peace. May they experience joy that passes all understanding and may the continue to be molded into the people you have created them to become. - Amen

Cletus Take the Reel!

2008-02-01T18:45:00.001-05:00

Got fish?

Keep Smilin'

Dan

The Gift of a Prodigal Son

2008-01-31T23:44:00.001-05:00

Every so often my pastor will ask me to teach during a Sunday evening service when he is away. Schedule permitting I always accept. It's a small informal service mainly attended by the core older members of our congregation. These are folks who are 30+ years older than I am. Most of them saw me grow up and a few of them had more influence than they realize on that process. I always come away humbled and blessed that these saints who have been walking with God longer than I have been alive will allow this young punk to teach them. They are gracious and eager to hear what God has to say. They are still learning and seeking him. It is incredible!

I had been sharing with pastor about some of the things God had been teaching me and he encouraged me to use this group as a sounding board and explore with them some of the things I am trying to tie together. They were wonderful and it was really helpful. The next week one of the gentleman gave me a book. He said "This is actually from my wife. I have another one coming for you." The book she passed along to me was The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen. What an awesome read!

I was peripherally aware of Nouwen. One of my professors in college was a fan and I had read one of his books on prayer (I need to go back and re-read that incidentally). He is a FANTASTIC writer! He is able to let the scripture speak so clearly and at the same time be achingly vulnerable and personal, letting you see how God has used this in his life. As I work through his book it is confirming and expanding some of the themes that I'm writing about but I also find my self longing to be able to communicate with such a clear voice and heart. To be as personally vulnerable as he is in his writing is a scary thing.

If you haven't checked out Nouwen please do. The Return of the Prodigal Son is a great place to start. Let me know what you think.

God Bless - Keep Growing

Dan

Writing is Hard!

2008-01-31T23:13:00.001-05:00

I'm working on a major writing project. It's an exploration of sin and grace and law with a focus on our relationships. God has been teaching me incredibly cool things about the centrality of relationships and how much the deceiver delights in damaging those relationships that are most central to who we are. But man, writing is hard! I am finding myself struggling with how to structure this puppy. I can write a blog post, a sermon, a paper an essay but trying to tie a lot of those together into something greater is a real challenge. I hope to be using this space to get a lot of working thoughts up over the next few weeks. Look for something today or tomorrow on Henry Nouwen - what a saint!

God Bless

Dan

Everyone Needs a Hug Sometimes

2008-01-21T03:10:00.001-05:00

This is the You-Tube description:

Sometimes, a hug is all what we need. Free hugs is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, A man whos sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives.
In this age of social disconnectivity and lack of human contact, the effects of the Free Hugs campaign became phenomenal.
As this symbol of human hope spread accross the city, police and officials ordered the Free Hugs campaign BANNED. What we then witness is the true spirit of humanity come together in what can only be described as awe inspiring.
In the Spirit of the free hugs campaign, PASS THIS TO A FRIEND and HUG A STRANGER! After all, If you can reach just one person...
Music by Sick Puppies. Their album is out April 3rd called "Dressed Up As Life". Go out and support these guys.
(Visit http://sickpuppies.net or http://myspace.com/sickpuppies for the music)

Logan and the Calf

2007-12-22T08:59:00.001-05:00

Some times kids can put it clearer than any of us "grown-ups". This was a real call into a radio station in Texas. You can find out more details at YouTube on the video's page.

Pointing High

2007-11-29T22:43:00.001-05:00

Some more big trees!

Those Trees are Gianormous!

2007-11-29T22:07:00.001-05:00

I have a conference in the Monterey Bay area of California every year about this time. This year Deb tagged along with me. We left a few days early and spent one night up at Sequoia/Kings Canyon National park before heading down to the coast. Here are a few pics of the awesomeness of God we saw there. (Man, those are a some big trees!)

We stayed at the Wuksachi Village in the Sequoia half of the Park. This is the Wuksachi Lodge.

We climbed Moro Rock these are a few of the steps on the way up (there are over 300). The picture below is from about halfway up.

Sequoias sometimes get top-heavy and fall. This is Buttress Tree. It fell unexpectedly in 1959.

Every want to drive through a tree?

My sweetheart and a big big tree!

Who is that cute couple?

This is the General Sherman Tree. The biggest tree in the world. It adds 50 cubic feet of wood to it's mass each year.

God sure does amazing work doesn't He!

The View From Up Here!

2007-11-20T10:59:00.001-05:00

I ran across this awesome picture this morning taken from the Space Shuttle Endeavour of the International Space Station. The land you see to the left of the Space Station is Italy - to get a real feel for what your looking at NASA has annotated the picture here. What an awesome world God has made for his children to enjoy.

Dan

Use the force young padiwan!

2007-05-30T15:23:00.000-04:00

Squirrel's with light sabers! Rock on!

- Dan

Dad & Tyler in the news.

2007-03-18T08:49:00.000-04:00

Dad's Tyler story was picked up by a local newspaper columnist. Here is the write-up.

Published August 20, 2004

Schnieder: Hunter's skills help Charlotte man find lost child

A half-mile down the hiking trail, the others gave up. No way, they said, could a toddler go that far that fast. But small footprints in the sand propelled Ron Wilson forward.

"I'm a deer hunter," said Wilson, who lives in Charlotte and runs the forest fire program for the state Department of Natural Resources. "When you're trailing an animal that might be wounded, you keep going as long as you're finding any little bit of sign. I had to keep going."

One mile farther down the trail, as night was starting to fall, Wilson heard the mournful sound of a child's fearful crying.

Missing child
Wilson and his wife were camped at a rustic site at the Rifle River Recreation Area, east of Rose City in the northern Lower Peninsula. The Wilsons were sitting down to supper when a family arrived at a nearby campsite. Apparently in the rush of setting up camp, the parents didn't notice that their 2-year-old, Tyler, had wandered off.

"They started calling for him," Wilson said. "They were becoming more and more agitated as time passed."

Others at the campground, including a park ranger, joined the search. Noticing that searchers had the immediate area covered, Wilson struck out in a different direction, following various trails to the Rifle River.

Coming up empty, Wilson chose another direction and spotted a small footprint in the dust of a gravel road. Of course, it was a campground, and there were lots of footprints, large and small.
Following a hunch, he crossed the road and came to a hiking trial, where he noticed another small footprint.

About that time, Wilson encountered other searchers who had started down the same trail, then turned back. They believed they had reached the outer limit of a 2-year-old's range.
Wilson wasn't so sure. "Something told me to keep following that trail," he said.

Sweet sound
The hunch paid off. After another 20 minutes on the trail, which cut through dense cover, Wilson heard Tyler's sobs. "I called out to him, 'Stay where you are; I'll come and get you.' "

For some reason, the boy had wandered off the trail and was 50 yards into a fir swamp.

"One of his shoes had come off," Wilson said, "and he was holding it in his hand. I put him on my lap and helped him put his shoe on."

The boy, who had wandered nearly two miles, had no interest in walking back. And he wanted to be carried only one way - cradled in Wilson's arms. He refused to ride Wilson's shoulders or even on his hip. "He was scared," Wilson said.

Contacted Thursday, park supervisor Steve Krantz called the incident an "amazing story."
"We were all happy, indeed, with how it turned out," Krantz said.

A friend of Wilson's, Barbara VanderMolen of Charlotte, tipped me off about this story. She noted that Wilson has a heart condition.

"I was pretty beat when I got back to camp," Wilson conceded. "He was a chunky little guy."
Beat, but joyful - as were all the campers. Especially Tyler and his parents.

"Finding that little tyke - that was the highlight of the trip," Wilson said.

What do you think? Call John Schneider at 377-1175, send a fax to 377-1298 or e-mail jschneid@lsj.com. Include your name, phone number, city, town or township.

My Dad and missing Tyler.

2007-03-18T08:37:00.000-04:00

A few years back Dad had a really great experience that had quite an impact on him. He wrote down his thought at the time - I ran across it today and thought I'd like to save it here.

Rifle River Camping Experience
July 29, 2004

Rifle river recreation area - Spruce Campground - arrived at campground early afternoon and set up camp. Margie and I were going to go fishing that evening. I think we fixed pasties for supper. A family came in to the campsite right across the road from us and were setting up camp. Saw they had two little boys, one riding a small bike with no training wheels; the other was just a toddler. They were together most of the time and had a walkie talkie keeping in touch with their folks.

We sat down at the picnic table and were eating supper when we heard the mother calling for Tyler. We thought he was probably somewhere in the campground. The older boy came to our campsite and asked if we had seen his brother. We said not for a little while.

The folks looked in various areas in the campground with other campers helping. The father went up to the park headquarters and reported the missing boy. The rangers at the contact station started checking all vehicles leaving the recreation area.

When we finished eating I told Margie I was going to help look for the little boy. She said to go look at the river first. I went to the river and there was no sign of anyone being there. Then I went back to the campsite and told Margie I was going out to the road and see if there are any footprints crossing the road. While Honey Bear and I were on the way out one of the park pickups was coming out. There was lady park ranger driving and two men were with her. They said someone reported they saw a small track on the hiking trail crossing the road, and they were going out to look on the trail. I told them I would come out there also.

When I got to the trail I saw a small shoe track in the middle of the road heading away from the campground. The state pickup was parked there and no one was around. I started up the trail with Honey Bear, my dog.

We traveled about 1/2 mile on the trail, seeing the little shoe print in the loose sand every so often. We then met the park ranger and the two men coming back on the trail. I said I had been seeing the track on the trail and they said they saw it some also but they didn't think a 2 year old could walk that far. I told them I was going to continue on the trail until it came out to the road by the swinging bridge. I continued on the trail. At the intersection with the trail to Devoe Lake campground there were a couple of the shoe prints definitely following the trail to the south. Where the trail branched to Lost Lake there was another little shoe print continuing on the trail to the south.

Every so often I would stop, look around and listen. I was continuing to see the shoe print in loose sand spots. I was probably about 1&1/2 - 1&3/4 mile from the campground. Honey Bear was acting a little different, like she does when she is interested in a squirrel. I stopped and listened, it was a spruce fir swamp area. I heard this little voice crying off to the right of the trail. I could hardly believe it. I called "Tyler" and the crying stopped for a second. I called "Tyler stay where you are and I will take you to your Mommy". He was on a little hummock in the swamp, probably 50 yards off the trail, with one shoe in his hand. I knelt down and put him on my knee and asked if I could help him put his shoe on. He didn't want me to pick him up, and he was really crying hard.

I picked him up and cradled him in my arms. He really didn't want me to carry him. We continued down the trail and shortly came to a wood walkway over a wet spot. I was talking to Tyler all the time trying to calm him down. Telling him about the trees and animals in the woods, telling him we were going back to the campground to his Mommy and Daddy and big brother. By the time we got to the road he had calmed down with just a catch in his breath once in a while.

He finally let me carry him on my hip. I was really getting tired. We started walking back up the road toward the campground. We passed a fisherman’s pickup with no one around. Came to a spot where the road was close to the river. I set Tyler down, even though he didn't want me to let go, and I sat down on the bank and rested. Honey Bear went down to the river and got a much needed drink, she was dragging also.

After a few minutes we got up and started back to the campground. At this time Tyler was calmed down and talking to me about lots of things. Some of them I could even understand. Tyler also let me put him on my shoulders, which wasn’t too bad to carry him. A little ways down the road two men on bikes came up behind us and asked “Is that the lost Tyler?” I said yes and also said they could ride to the campground and let people know that we could use a ride back to the campground. Probably about 10 minutes later a fire department 4X4 came up the road toward us and stopped. When I started to pass Tyler into the vehicle he started crying again and it just about broke my heart. But I was too tired to carry him the rest of the way back.

They then turned around and went back to camp. I walked on the road to where the trail cut off and followed it into camp. It was just about dark by then. I must have walked close to four miles and two of them while carrying a scared little boy but it was worth every ounce of effort. Every one was overjoyed when we got back to Spruce Campground. I was beat. Honey Bear was dog tired.

In ten minutes Tyler was running around like nothing had happened. What a joy to see the recuperative power of little children. I’m sure it will take a long time for the adults involved to get over the scare. I’m sure we will never forget it. I know I will look back on it thinking how God directs our lives so that we are in certain places at certain times. It is up to us to be open to His leading and be willing to do what we know we should do, and to give Him the glory.

When I was following the trail and seeing that little footprint in the sand, I knew I just had to keep looking. I equated it somewhat to following a deer. As long as there is any little sign you need to keep going. There is always that hope that you will find what you have been looking for. This time it paid off with big rewards. To know that that little boy wouldn’t be out in the woods by himself after dark. And who knows what might have happened to him. Gray Family- Tyler, Justin, Brad, Linda

------------

It's me (Dan) again. as I reread this I am reminded of the parable of the lost sheep. As much as having our child missing would impact each one of us - that is how God is impacted when we are away from Him. He searches and calls for us. He offers to carry us and we struggle and fight against Him but when we rest in His arms and listen to Him and obey His voice we are taken safely home.

Awesome stuff Dad - I love you!

I'm back!

2007-03-18T08:34:00.000-04:00

Wow it has been a long time since I've thrown anything up here. Maybe I can write some more these next few months. I'm on an extended trip for work right now. I'm trying to get my e-mail organized and archived appropriately. I think a few post are going to come out of that.

God Bless
Dan

Peekaboo!

2006-11-17T09:13:00.000-05:00

Tyler has learned to play peekaboo with a blanket. He was on Deb's lap last night and it made me smile! I thought you might like it too.

Keep Smilin'
Dan

Dominoes!

2006-10-26T19:50:00.000-04:00

As a kid I used to love to set up domino trains and knock them down - I ain't got nothing on this guy - Enjoy! Dan

Astronaut Gets Special Wake up Call

2006-09-19T11:10:00.000-04:00

On July 4, 2006 Mike Fossum was a rookie astronaut making his first shuttle flight. At 2:38 p.m. EDT, Space Shuttle Discovery and the crew of STS-121 was off and running in a blast of sound and fury. “Oh boy ... oh my goodness ... what a kick in the pants that is,” Fossum says. After reaching an altitude of 50 miles – and it doesn’t take long to get there – Fossum and the other rookies on the flight were “officially” deemed flown astronauts. At 8 ½ minutes into the flight, Discovery was in its initial orbit and rocketing through space at a speed of 17,500 mph. The shuttle docked with the International Space Station, it was up to lead spacewalker Sellers and Fossum to get to work. Their three spacewalks totaled approximately 21 hours. Asked if he could possibly begin to describe the view, Fossum says simply, “I’ll try.” “It was just almost overwhelming to see the Earth, to see the curve of the Earth,” Fossum continues. “My full vision, from one side to the other, was almost unencumbered by this large bubble helmet that we’re in. The view is so much clearer (than from inside the Shuttle). The colors ... the vibrant colors ... the layers in the atmosphere on that thin band of atmosphere that you can see on the horizon ... I could’ve sat out there for hours just watching the Earth come by.”

On the fifth day of the flight it’s hard to tell if Mike Fossum was already awake - probably so. Rookie astronauts almost always wake up early. There’s too much to see, too much to do. He had a space walk that day and the view out his window? Spectacular!Still, for years, it’s been a NASA tradition that its explorers receive unique wakeup calls. The all-Navy crew of Apollo 12 was awakened to a bugle and boatswain’s pipe on its November 1969 journey to the Moon. There have been more than a few college fight songs and pieces of classical music. This was Mike’s wake up call.

Thanks to WorshipTogether.com for the original article and the link to the NASA video clip. Let’s all worship the God of Wonders today.

God Bless

Dan

2006-09-06T14:43:00.000-04:00

Noah takes a photo of himself everyday for 6 years.

I just watched one of the most fascinating videos. Noah Kalina is a photographer in New York. He has been taking a picture of himself everyday since January 11, 2000. The video cuts these together over some great music and it ends by saying this – “Everyday, Jan 11 2000 – July 31 2006, 2356 days, a work in progress.”

We are all indeed a work in progress. Each one of us is in the process of being molded and changed into the people we will become. God is in charge weather we admit it or not – the question is will we choose to embrace what he brings into our lives or fight it. Will we seek to be molded into the person he designed us to be or will we try to figure it out on our own.

One of the podcasts I listen to is the Bald Worship Leader podcast by a guy named Phil Ayres. Recently he challenged his listeners to take a closer look at the parable of the talents. Reread it in Matthew 25 when you get a chance. The point come down to what are you doing with what you’ve been given. We’ve all been trusted with different stuff: relationships, finances, skills and more. There are only three possibilities for those things: they are deteriorating, they are maintaining or they are increasing. The only option the Father rewards is increasing. If we are not caring for and increasing what he has given to us we are ultimately failing.

The awesome thing about this is that we do not need to rely on our own strength or ingenuity to make the increases happen. Philippians 2:13 says “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” It is God’s Spirit which is, as Romans says, transforming us by the “renewing of our mind.” So where does this leave us. Do we simply sit here and allow ourselves to “become” – will we magically turn into super Christian? No Way!

In Phil. 2:12 Paul says “as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” It is only when we do our part that the Spirit come along side and does His. Not when the boss is looking over our shoulder but when he is out of town, when he is off for the afternoon are we diligently working to increase what he has entrusted us with!

God hit me between the eyes with this in the area of my skills as a worship leader. I must be working to increase what he has given me and not be content to show up and maintain what is there. Musically am I honing my craft, congregationally am I stretching where we are? I have been entrusted now with a congregation of worshippers – I am responsible to increase their “skills” and the richness of their experience as well. I am not alone, God will help but I do have a responsibility to grow what has been given to me.

Father,

I pray that when you return I will hear the words I long for “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Give me your strength to make it happen.

Amen

Keep reading!
Dan

All Tired Out!

2006-08-31T11:47:00.000-04:00

When I look back and see that I last posted here in June I'm amazed. It has been one busy summer - just look how exhausted Tyler is! Mom and Kim are both recovering well from the accident, I did a fair share of traveling for work and now it's almost time for school to start. We went camping last weekend and will be gone over Labor Day as well. It's been a great time and ultimately a great summer. This post was really just an excuse to post a cute picture of my boy. (a dad can be proud can't he)

One thing I'll be writing more about soon is the worship journey God has me on right now. I was asked to take over the leadership and planning for our worship team at church. It has been great to be in that role again - God has been teaching me some cool stuff that I want to flesh out into a post soon.

Keep Reading,
God Bless
Dan

The Body at Work

2006-06-19T15:21:00.000-04:00

Our family had a shock this weekend. My Mom and my niece and nephew were in a very serious car accident. (If you want to know details you can go to the update page I set up for them here but this post isn't really about that.) One of the things that has been so incredible to see over the last five days is the Body of Christ at work. We each have been given different gifts and talents and mine tend to be fairly public. I teach, I sing, I lead worship and people see me using my gifts. That doesn't mean that my gifts are more important than the next persons they are just more public. But this weekend it was the quiet gifts that we rarely see that made the difference. In the stress and confusion of the weekend simple things like someone bringing a bag of Taco Bell tacos up to the hospital meant so much. The hundreds of people praying has worked miracles. The folks who watched our kids for us so we could be where we needed to be. The people who chipped in and helped finish the Bible school projects my wife has been working on and the list can go on and on.

It is in the little things that Body of Christ can be truly seen at work. Jesus taught about the "cup of cold water given in my name" and loving your neighbor not hermeneutics and worship techniques or church grow methods. He knew that if we spend our time on building true relationships with those around us, both believers and unbelievers, so many of the other things would take care of them selves. We reach our world by loving it not by preaching to it. The body is healed by care not criticism.

In the midst of this our pastor is preaching on stewardship. Steward ship is being faithful in the little things. When this happens we will be trusted with much. I've heard it put this way as well, "When you watch the pennies the dollars take care of themselves."

Watch your pennies, mind the little things, do the good that is right before you today.

May your life be faithful - Dan

Moby

2006-02-24T16:06:00.000-05:00

It's official, we are insane! Yes the 2nd grader, the kindergartener, the preschooler and the infant were not enough. The Wilson's decided they needed to add a dog as well. Moby came to live with us last week. She is an English Springer Spaniel and is about a year old. We adopted here though the English Springer Rescue Society. She lived with a family that loved her a lot but didn't have enough time for all her energy. Well I'm not sure about time but the girls definitely have enough energy for her. She has been a great addition and we're having a ball.

Tyler!

2006-01-26T11:39:00.000-05:00

Man it feels great to write a little bit again. I’ve had to take a bit of a hiatus the last few months. Life has been CRAZY! There is a new baby at our house. Tyler Henry Lane Wilson was born on December 8th – he was 6 lbs 4 oz and 19 in long. He is awesome! I’d forgotten how much energy it takes to care for an infant though. I’m tired most of the time. Between midnight and 3 am feedings and chasing around three little school girls the rest of the time life has kept us hopping. But God is good and he keeps on blessing.

Perception or Reality?

2006-01-26T11:15:00.000-05:00

"They say that God is everywhere, and yet we always think of Him as somewhat of a recluse." - Emily Dickinson

I ran across this quote today and it got me thinking about our perceptions of God vs. reality. Reality is that God is indeed everywhere. Perception often tells us that he is reclusive because we don't "feel" his presence. We almost universally react not to what is truly real but our perceptions, our felt reality. Our actions are dictated not by what we say we believe or consciously would agree too, but rather by what we subconsciously believe - what our experiences have taught us is reality. Two of us may hear the same person give the same political speech and one may feel moved to action while the other distrusts the speaker’s sincerity and perhaps morality. How do we get our emotional/perceptual reality in line with our intellectual reality? Or actually the better question is “How do we realign to God’s reality?” In some ways I think this duality is reflected by Paul in chapter 7 of Romans when he talks about the good he wants to do and the evil that comes so easily.

One of my favorite artists is Charlie Peacock. He poses this problem this way in his song Heaven is a Real Place.

Oh for the eyes to see beyond this flesh and bone
To my final destination, to the city I’ll call home
Well it’s crazy to pretend and try and act like
I’m one of the locals
Every body knows that I’m really just a tourist
not by accident but by my own choice
Still so much of the time I live like this spinning
ball of land and ocean is my reality complete
Would you say a prayer for a change in me
This is what I want
This is what I need

I want to live like heaven is a real place
I want to live like heaven is a real place
In my everyday time and space
I want to live like heaven is a real place

God didn’t give up on the idea of Eden as
some misguided episode
The garden has given us place to the city where the
walk of God with man will be resumed
May my whole life reflect my belief that Heaven is
where I’ll spend eternity
That would be something, something to see
Till death is swallowed up in victory

So what is the answer? How do we experience this perception change? In the Old Testament we are told that when Moses went up the mountain to receive the 10 commandments He asked to see God’s reality and when he came back down he glowed with the fading radiance of God. In 2 Corinthians 3:18 Paul talks about this happening in our lives when he says "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. This comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." Tim Hughes puts it this way when he says "The more we gaze at Him as we worship, the more like Him we gradually become. BEHOLDING IS BECOMING!"

The answer brings us back again to Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” The solution is intentionally, daily focusing on the Father. It comes from daily seeking His face, His presence, His touch. It is in this daily focus we are bit by bit shaped, bit by bit molded, bit by bit changed into the people we were created to be. The reality of this world fades and his surpassing glory – the true reality takes it’s place.

Father, mold me and shape me. Cleanse me with your fire. Sanctify me and may my reality be your reality. Amen

Seek His Presence
Dan

My Dad!

2005-10-31T11:59:00.000-05:00

Wow what a busy month. I haven't got a chance to write much. God has been teaching me some awesome things I hope to get up soon.

Today I ran across a great picture of my Dad. This was taken several yeas ago when he was out west fighting a fire. I thought I'd put it here to share with all of you.

Keep Growing
Dan

Transformers - more than meets the eye

2005-10-05T10:35:00.000-04:00

God wants to transform your life. Did you know that? As I have let the Father step by step take over my life there are some areas that are very easy to let him step into and cover with his grace and his strength. There are other areas which I struggle with in a cyclical fashion. There is a Chris Rice song “Clumsy” that my heart identifies with every time I hear it.

I’m coming to grips with the reality of sanctification and regeneration as processes not as completed acts. I look at the ideals laid down in scripture and at time feel so unworthy and then I am reminded that God’s grace covers my weaknesses and I am strong because of Him not by myself – AND THAT’S OK! I am in the process of becoming the person I was created to be – I am not there yet nor will I achieve it on this earth. All I can achieve is to continue in the process and to revel in grace.

For many years Romans 12:1&2 have been verses I have tried to live my life around. Phil. 2:12&13 parallels it and the concept is this: by presenting my self as that living sacrifice daily (working out my salvation with fear and trembling) I am continually being transformed into what I was created to be (God works in me to will and to act according to his good purpose).

Transformation is real and it is possible but it is also rarely instantaneous. The scars of our own sins and the sins of others go away slowly (if ever in some folks). To be transparent, many of my scars come in a way from being raised in the church. I never felt I could be quite good enough to earn people’s love and respect let alone God’s and so I learned how to appear holy and yet lived terrified on the inside that people would find out that I was not this perfect person I tried to project. This irony is that as I began releasing the expectations of others many of the hidden sins began falling away. I was being held in captivity by my own self imposed isolation. The voids that the sin had once filled were replaced with relationships.

I think that while we are exploring the past and some of the issues that have brought us to where we are we must work even more actively on building the spiritual disciplines into our lives that will transform us. Our church worked through “The Purpose Driven Life” last year. I was not hit with new truths or lightning bolts form heaven but my life was refreshed and reinvigorated because I was reminded of the basics. I had learned Warren’s "purposes" years ago from a Navigators illustration called “The Wheel”. It depicts a life in spiritual balance. I think we underestimate the simple truth of things like the wheel, how having all of these things in balance creates the spiritual environment in our lives where we can grow and be transformed. Perhaps this is the real truth of Romans 12 and Philippians 2 – if our focus is on Christ it creates a spiritual openness to the transforming power of God in our lives.

May you let God’s transforming power run wild today!

Dan

The Million Dollar Home Page

2005-10-04T09:42:00.000-04:00

I ran accross a really fun web site today. There is a kid in Britan who is going to the college this year. His brother had just graduated with $30k in debt and he decided he didn't want to do that. Late one night he came up with a plan. He created a home page with 1,000,000 pixels. He is selling the pixels at $1 each (in 100 pixel blocks) to business as ad space. If you click on a pixel you are taken to the company's site. His site went live on August 26th - just over a month ago - and he has already taken in well over $250,000! Awesome man! Not only will he have paid for his school, if he plans right he will have seed money to start his own business when he finishes. To see his site click here.

Fun Stuff
Keep reading

Dan

The Culture on Us

2005-10-03T10:21:00.000-04:00

Culture, I've got culture on me!

A friend recently sent me an e-mail pondering our cultural influence on the issue of anger. As I was reading it mind flashed back to my theology professor in college. He said it very simply, “The core of sin is selfishness.” Madison Avenue and the marketing culture has perfected tapping into this “hidden” sinful selfish nature we have. “That’s nice” becomes “I want that” which turns into “I need that” which turns into “I deserve that”. We then break out our credit cards and buy the object of our desires because it will make us happy, fulfilled, smarter, thinner and (insert adjective here). Not only are we left with something that does not meet our true needs but we get to keep paying for it long after the item of our desires had been left by the wayside in a closet or the trash.

Madison Avenues messages are wrapped around “entertainment” on TV and in the movies that compound our problem. In years past TV and Movies tended to try to express the “ideal”. We saw perfect families, well groomed children, hard working moms and dads all in situations that were wholesome, moral and uplifting. Some people saw this and said I want that – if I only had that perfect situation I would be happy. Other people watched that and said this is not truth. I don’t see anything I relate to here. This doesn’t match my life. Many of the people in this second group are behind much or our current media. They have chosen to depict life “accurately”. We now see the broken, immoral, hurting existence that many of these people experienced. One of my wife’s favorite shows is ER. I hate watching it because each time one of the characters begins to find a healthy growing relationship the writers feel the need to tear it apart. I suppose it makes more dramatic television but it is also symptomatic of what I am taking about.

So what is the solution? What is the antidote to the messages we are bombarded with. We are told on one hand by our entertainment that life sucks and then you die and then Madison Avenue steps in and says but if you only have this, look like this, smell like this, drive this car and live in this neighborhood your life will be perfect. If “the core of sin is selfishness” the antidote is living outside oneself.

In Philippians 2:3 & 4 it says “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

There is something miraculous that happens when we get our eyes off our own situations and onto others. We begin to become the people we were intended to be. The selfish core of us begins to weaken and we begin to become the vessels of grace and love and hope that God intended. Sin keeps our eyes focus on us and separates us from those around us in the process. When we begin to focus on the needs of others along side our own we begin to find ourselves connected in relationships. We find that what really matters in not the stuff but the people.

God Bless
Dan

Rules for life

2005-10-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

A friend sent me a link to this it was good enough I wanted to repost it here. I don't know if this can really be attributed to Bill Gates but it's good none the less.

Bill Gates' High School Address

Bill Gates gave a speech at Mt. Whitney High School in Visalia, CA in 2004 about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1 - Life is not fair -- get used to it!

Rule 2 - The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 - You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 - If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 - Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping -- they called it opportunity.

Rule 6 - If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7 - Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8 - Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 9 - Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10 - Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 - Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Fall is here!

2005-10-01T23:19:00.000-04:00

Last night we went out to my parents and had dinner. My Dad is still a farm boy at heart and loves harvest time. For several years he has had a pumpkin patch. Last night Deb and the girls and I helped pick pumpkins and gourds and all those fall things. The girls had a great time as you can see by the smiles. It is so cool to see them building memories.

Go out and build some family memories of your own.

God Bless
Dan

A Life Lived Well

2005-09-26T13:29:00.000-04:00

Recently we had a family friend pass away. I've often told people that if given my choice between weddings and funerals - I'll take funerals every time. God can teach us so much when we look back at a life.

Bill was not famous. His name will not be remembered in a any book, there will not be monuments erected to him. He did not get elected to office or perform a public act of heroism. All Bill did was live his life, serve his God, love his family and reach out to those he came in contact with. When Bill died at the age of 60 as a result of a car accident - over 450 people came to his funeral. Family, friends, coworkers and aquaintances all came to honor a man who had impacted their life.

A year ago as a church we worked throught the Rick Warren book The Purpose Driven Life. This book is among a few that I think should be required reading to be a human. This idea of having a purpose was a part of Bill's life. This "purpose" was not a grand scheme or plan but rather a life quietly lived in harmony with how God had created him. It has been a challenge to me to make sure I am living my life to make a difference in the lives of those around me.

Live the life you were created to live and you will make a difference.

Dan

Connections 2

2005-08-12T10:11:00.000-04:00

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts today - Chuck Chat (I have a link to it on the site) - Chuck was doing an interview with a gentleman and they were talking about the sense of community that podcasting can create. As a posted earlier this week God has been teaching me again how important making connections with other people is. In that post I focused on what can keep us apart - namely sin - but what do we gain from connections.

We were created to be a part of other people's lives (remember the Adam and Eve thing). The author of Ecclesiastes says that two can keep each other warm and alone we're cold and overpowered (Dan's paraphrase See Ecc. 4:11-12).

Even Jesus surrounded himself with other people. He wept with them and laughed with them. His example of a fully connected life is awesome. He took intentional time to be alone with his Father. He took time to build into those around him teaching and mentoring his disciples. Living this way not only fulfilled him but it helped fulfill the lives of everyone he came into contact with.

Can we do less? We were created to be part of a body of believers. We cannot survive on our own. In John we're told that the branches that are separated from the vine are tossed into the fire. The question we have to ask is "Are we connected?" Are we connected to the Father and to those around us - or are we floundering around alone - cold, lonely, vulnerable and scared.

Thanks for reading - stay plugged in.

Dan

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!

2005-08-12T09:04:00.000-04:00

Several weeks back I wrote about a scare we had with my wife's pregnancy. God has taken care of the baby and every thing is fine - she's had to take it easy but other than that OK. Well we had an ultra sound last Thursday and to quote Deb "It's a boy and we've got the pictures to prove it!" Whoo Hoo!!!!

I'm the father of three wonderful, beautiful fun little girls. I would not trade them for all the riches in Asia but I am so excited to be having a boy.

Well just a quick post today - Keep Smilin'.

Dan

Connections

2005-08-10T10:34:00.000-04:00

I've been teaching a Sunday School class this month. One of the reasons I love teaching is that it forces me to grow myself. I discover and rediscover truth every time I prepare and teach.

This week God has been reminding me of the nature of sin. Sin always separates - it separates us from each other and it separates us from God. If we go back to the beginning God said "it is not good for man to be alone" and so he created Eve. God knew we are at our best in community - connected with spouses and families and churches and friends and co-workers. Part of the definition of sin is that these actions result in less than God's best for us. Part of the consequence of sin is that every time we sin - in big and little ways - it divides us from those people we love. It divides us from those people we need to be connected with.

The entire path of scripture - from Genesis to Revelation - is God's plan and path at restoring those relationships of reconnecting with Him and with each other. We were made for relationships and yet most of us spend our days very lonely. We feel alone, tired, scared and are hoping for someone to connect with. Someone who we can be real with and not feel judged or condemned for not being perfect. Even with our spouses - that person who we should be most real we can be guarded and hidden.

The hope is only found in Christ. His sacrifice grants us forgiveness in the eyes of God. It allows us to reconnect with our Holy Father and through the gift of his Spirit to live holy lives ourselves. When we are right with Him it frees us to live rightly with others.

Father,

Help me to connect with those around me. May I be a friend and a connection point for others. Help me be vulnerable and open to my wife and my friends and them to be. Give me the strength to make connecting with you a daily priority.

Amen

Thanks for reading

Dan

A Step of Faith

2005-07-25T10:43:00.000-04:00

For the last several years I have been working in various sales type positions but in my previous life I was a pastor. After a very painful parting at my last church I have spent several years doing other stuff. God has dropped an opportunity into my lap to consider a ministry position again. This is a scary place to be at.

The last time I worked for "church people" they hurt me - more importantly they hurt my wife and family. Part of me is so afraid - and yet I know the joy that ministry brings. The passion when I'm leading worship or teaching, the thrill of digging into God's word with people and seeing them respond is so awesome.

The question for me is "What voice will I listen to?" Will I listen to the voice of doubt and hurt or will I let God heal that past hurt and listen to His guidance in this process.

Father - give me your peace and let your will be clear.

Your Servant

What Defines Us?

2005-06-21T08:33:00.000-04:00

Like it or not, right or wrong, I have come to believe that most of us are defined by the tragedies in our lives. Last night this came back to me in a flood.

Eight years ago my wife and I lost our first baby. At about 11 weeks Deb had a miscarriage. The child we had wanted, hoped for, prayed for and already loved was taken from us. She was ripped from our lives and our hearts and while we have other children there is still a hole where Hanna Marie should be.

Last night Deb had some bleeding and immediately both out hearts jumped back eight years. Right now we don't know for sure if everything is OK or not but things look fine initially - only time will tell. What has struck me is how is how much my reactions continue to be defined by the pain of eight years ago. We are each a walking history. We respond to our daily triumphs and tragedies through the filter of our experience. As much as I intellectually know this time is different and this doesn't mean we are losing this baby, my heart is preparing itself for that.

There must be a balance between living bound by my past and living informed by them. I think it is only in community that this balance is found. Last summer I taught a class on the "one another" statements found in Hebrews. There are twenty-some statements that show us how to live in community. I think the culminate in Hebrews chapter 11 when we're given this great list of heroes of the faith and realize that there lives were filled with hardship and tragedy. It was there perseverance in spite of tragedy that got them listed in that "who's who" of faith - not the absence of hardship in their lives. I believe we need to share our stories of triumph and tragedy with each other right along side of those folks listed in Hebrews. Remind each other of the perfect hope we have that lies on the other side of our current darkness.

God, help me to rest on your strength and you eternal perspective not just my earthly one today. Help me to triumph over my tragedies and not be bound by them. Help me connect with others for my support and for theirs.

Thanks for reading,

Practice His Presence
Dan

Life Notes

2005-06-16T13:58:00.000-04:00

Well it's been a bit since I've posted. Life is busy as always at the Wilson’s. I've been on the road since we last talked - to Austin TX for a principal’s conference.
Right now what is really taking our time and energy at home is preparation for Vacation Bible School. This year ours will have a African safari theme. This has consumed out house because my wife (and by extension our whole family) is responsible for the decorations. We've been making paper mache rocks and outlines of wild animals.
The biggest project has tuned out to be painting the flats for the backdrop of the stage. We are painting a sunset scene on them with a dark horizon and silhouettes of trees and animals etc. IMPORTANT TIP - if you think using permanent marker to outline something you might want to paint over in the future is a good thing - IT'S NOT!
The flats were painted to look like a bookshelf at some time and the books were outlined with marker. Even with two coats of primer and three coats of regular paint the books are still coming through -this is not fun. Well we'll get though and the kids won't ask too many questions about why there are books in the sky in Africa I hope.

Until next time

Practice His Presence

Dan

Family Reunion

2005-06-02T10:28:00.000-04:00

This past weekend our family got together on the farm my Dad grew up on for a reunion. This was primarily my aunts and uncles (there are 7 of them) and many of my cousins (there are 26 of us) and their families.

Growing up we got together at the farm with this side of the family at least twice a year - in August for a family reuinion and at Thanksgiving (deer hunting don't ya know). I have such great memories of spending time with my cousins playing in the woods and the barns. It was awesome to see my kids playing with my cousins kids the same way we used to.

The farm has always had spiritual overtones for me as well. I count myself lucky to have a family who have modeled a life of faith for me. The bible says the Christ is preparing a place in a mansion for those who know him and one day will call us home to be with Him. I've always felt that that masion would look a little bit like that old farmhouse in Michigan. That one day I'll drive up the road and see Grandpa and Jesus wave at me from the driveway and say "Good to see ya. Your room's ready and dinner's on the table. Come on in." I'll walk into the dining room and see my family sitting down for one great big eternal Thanksgiving weekend. We'll play in the woods and sing on the porch. My uncle will be telling stories and grandma will be cooking bread in the kitchen and all will be right.

Thanks for permitting me a bit of sentimentality. God bless.

Dan

Just a Bloggin'!?

2005-06-02T08:43:00.000-04:00

I've been considering doing a blog for quite a while and thought that now was the time to start. I'm planning on using this space for a public thinking forum as much as anything else. I hope you find what I write entertaining if nothing else. Some postings will be personal, some will be spiritual, some will be a mixture. Here's a window into my life - take a peek and let me know what you think.

Dan