Last night I had the opportunity to sit in with my friend Chris' worship team. There is something about worship at night that I really love (maybe I'm simply more awake). Well I got to play some guitar which was cool but the main reason I was there was Chris asked me to sing the MatchBox 20 song, "Unwell." The chorus goes like this:
"But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see,
a different side of me.
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
and how I used to be...me."
Chris' message was entitled "You're Not Crazy" and he was speaking to the reality that people who follow Christ, people who are obedient to Christ's call, well quite frankly, sometimes we may be accused of being crazy. Giving your money away, giving your time away, believing in Someone unseen who is in control of the universe, pouring yourself into relationships with no promise of success, venturing out in faith to a new place to serve the poor, the lonely, the hurting, the broken – that's craziness in the eyes of many.
Consider Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 5:13-15:
“If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own."
Here's to the crazy life for God.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
It was enough to make a grown man cry - literally. And the grown man was none other than the All-Pro Steeler wide receiver, Hines Ward. I'm talking about Hines' reaction on Monday to the beloved black and gold's loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game this past Sunday. Believe me it was a dreadful game (I was there and most likely would have been crying but it was so cold my tear ducts were frozen). While Hines was lamenting the loss on the football field, his tears extended beyond the frozen turf of Heinz Field. His tears were for his teammates who had left it all out on the field that bitter Sunday day in January, especially his friend, teammate, mentor and leader, Jerome Bettis.
Speaking to the media after Monday's team meeting, Ward said:
"Everybody was crying. That's how bad it hurts. I felt sorry for Bettis because I learned so much from the guy. To me, he's always a champion - regardless of whether he played in a Super Bowl or not. He puts it all on the line. I'm disappointed for him more than anything because he deserves to be in a championship."
Now those are words worthy to be posted on locker room walls
This is what center Jeff Hastings had to say about this year's Steeler team:
"We honestly love each other. This is definitely the tightest team I've ever been on. It's a privilege to play with them. At the end I kind felt like I'd rather lose a game like that with this team than win a Super Bowl with a team I didn't even enjoy playing with."
It's pretty amazing to hear these kind of statements from professional athletes. Quite often I would much prefer to simply mute them. But we ought to listen and take note - remember, the Story unfolds all around us.
"If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance. You are Christ's body--that's who you are!" (1 Corinthians 12:26-27)
"This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples--when they see the love you have for each other" (John 13:35).
Speaking to the media after Monday's team meeting, Ward said:
"Everybody was crying. That's how bad it hurts. I felt sorry for Bettis because I learned so much from the guy. To me, he's always a champion - regardless of whether he played in a Super Bowl or not. He puts it all on the line. I'm disappointed for him more than anything because he deserves to be in a championship."
Now those are words worthy to be posted on locker room walls
This is what center Jeff Hastings had to say about this year's Steeler team:
"We honestly love each other. This is definitely the tightest team I've ever been on. It's a privilege to play with them. At the end I kind felt like I'd rather lose a game like that with this team than win a Super Bowl with a team I didn't even enjoy playing with."
It's pretty amazing to hear these kind of statements from professional athletes. Quite often I would much prefer to simply mute them. But we ought to listen and take note - remember, the Story unfolds all around us.
"If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance. You are Christ's body--that's who you are!" (1 Corinthians 12:26-27)
"This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples--when they see the love you have for each other" (John 13:35).
Friday, January 21, 2005
Freedom's been on my mind these days. What exactly is it? How do we get it? Would I really know it if it snuck up and smacked me alongside the head? Is freedom really "like the scent of a newborn baby's head" (u2's miracle drug).
In my younger days, I used to think that freedom was having the opportunity to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Fairly shallow thinking (but then again I have never been accused of being the deepest of thinkers), that may work on some level for some period of time, but as my life has unfolded I have come to learn that more often than not, the pursuit of that kind of freedom has led to nothing more than captivity and enslavement, along with a whole lot of pain and isolation.
My thoughts on freedom are evolving. Last year my friend and co-worker Marlaena returned from a conference experience and gave me a cherished gift - a copy of Erwin McManus' latest book, "Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul." Now, I can hear you saying, what's so special about a book (even a book by one of my heroes, McManus). Well, at the conference Marlaena had the opportunity to meet Erwin and she asked if he would inscribe the book for me (now that takes the gift thing to a whole new level). Here's what he wrote: "to Terry - that you might live free - Psalm 119:32."
I want to live free and am discovering that freedom, true freedom is not the ability to do whatever I want, but instead it is the opportunity to live according to the Creator's incredible design for my life. And I pray that by His grace and through His Spirit that might become more of a reality in my life and in yours as well.
"I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free. " Psalm 119:32
In my younger days, I used to think that freedom was having the opportunity to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Fairly shallow thinking (but then again I have never been accused of being the deepest of thinkers), that may work on some level for some period of time, but as my life has unfolded I have come to learn that more often than not, the pursuit of that kind of freedom has led to nothing more than captivity and enslavement, along with a whole lot of pain and isolation.
My thoughts on freedom are evolving. Last year my friend and co-worker Marlaena returned from a conference experience and gave me a cherished gift - a copy of Erwin McManus' latest book, "Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul." Now, I can hear you saying, what's so special about a book (even a book by one of my heroes, McManus). Well, at the conference Marlaena had the opportunity to meet Erwin and she asked if he would inscribe the book for me (now that takes the gift thing to a whole new level). Here's what he wrote: "to Terry - that you might live free - Psalm 119:32."
I want to live free and am discovering that freedom, true freedom is not the ability to do whatever I want, but instead it is the opportunity to live according to the Creator's incredible design for my life. And I pray that by His grace and through His Spirit that might become more of a reality in my life and in yours as well.
"I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free. " Psalm 119:32
Monday, January 10, 2005
yeah! a new season of "24" began last night. in my book it's must see tv (i think i broke the land speed record yesterday driving home from Columbus, Ohio to make it home by 8 PM). if you are not familiar with "24", the premise behind the series is that each year of the series takes you through one 24 hour period in the life of the United States (seen primarily through the eyes of Jack Bauer played by Keifer Sutherland). each episode is loaded with special effects, plot twists and turns, intrigue and plenty of surprises.
as i was thinking about "24" this morning i realized that the possibilities of one hour are endless: read a book, share a meal, bake a cake, pray for the world, watch a 47 minutes tv show (can you say TiVo?), write some emails to friends you haven't seen in ages in ages and on and on and on...
fox tv works hard to make each hour of "24" count - am i? are you?
as i was thinking about "24" this morning i realized that the possibilities of one hour are endless: read a book, share a meal, bake a cake, pray for the world, watch a 47 minutes tv show (can you say TiVo?), write some emails to friends you haven't seen in ages in ages and on and on and on...
fox tv works hard to make each hour of "24" count - am i? are you?
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
This morning in the reading from the Celtic Daily Prayer Book I spent time with these words from The Covenant Service:
Christ has many services to be done;
some are easy, others are difficult;
some bring honor, other bring reproach;
some are suitable to our natural
inclinations and temporal interest,
others are contrary to both.
In some we may please Christ and please ourselves,
in others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves.
Yet the power to do all these things is assuredly given us
in Christ who strengthens us.
Therefore, let us make the covenant of God our own.
Let us engage our heart to the Lord,
and resolve in His strenth never to go back!
This phrase hit me the hardest this morning: "in some we may please Christ and oursleves, in others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves." It was amazing that in the very moments I was grappling with these words, God was presenting me with an opportunity to put them into practice. In this situation, everything (and I mean everything) within me wanted to to cry out "NO!" - and yet I realized that the only path to pleasing Christ was to deny myself, my own self-centered attitude, perspective, and desires and say "YES!"
There is nothing like a timely word from God and the power that Christ brings to say YES!
"Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. (Philippians 4:13, MSG)
Christ has many services to be done;
some are easy, others are difficult;
some bring honor, other bring reproach;
some are suitable to our natural
inclinations and temporal interest,
others are contrary to both.
In some we may please Christ and please ourselves,
in others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves.
Yet the power to do all these things is assuredly given us
in Christ who strengthens us.
Therefore, let us make the covenant of God our own.
Let us engage our heart to the Lord,
and resolve in His strenth never to go back!
This phrase hit me the hardest this morning: "in some we may please Christ and oursleves, in others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves." It was amazing that in the very moments I was grappling with these words, God was presenting me with an opportunity to put them into practice. In this situation, everything (and I mean everything) within me wanted to to cry out "NO!" - and yet I realized that the only path to pleasing Christ was to deny myself, my own self-centered attitude, perspective, and desires and say "YES!"
There is nothing like a timely word from God and the power that Christ brings to say YES!
"Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. (Philippians 4:13, MSG)
Saturday, January 01, 2005
On this first day of 2005, a couple of things have been floating through my soul. The first is a song lyric by Brian Doerksen. The song is "Today:"
Today I choose to follow You
Today I choose to give my yes to You
Today I choose to hear Your voice and live
Today I choose to follow You
Today...
The second is a prayer by Brian Daper:
Today is a new start, and an old finish. A place where tomorrow meets yesterday, where the old and new gather, the point at which two great imaginary oceans meet. White water, undercurrent, danger, beauty.
Of course, from here we have the beauty of hindsight, a vantage point from which to see the past, to chart how very far we've come. And we can always try, at least, to peer forward into the mists of tomorrow, to plot our future course.
But what of now?
Do we have a vision for the here today, before it's gone tomorrow? A glimpse of presence? Can we see what... or who... today holds? Perhaps we have dreamed for too long in the darkness of the night, with our eyes closed shut. We have dreamed of far away things, beyond our reach, beyond our comprehension. As I open my eyes to the world of today, let me dream day dreams. Today dreams. For this is where I belong: right here, right now. I always will do. Forever becoming, forever being transformed into the likeness of Another. Of One who walked before me - who lived and loved before me. Who lived and died before me. Who stands before me now, as I stand before him: Alpha and Omega, the great I Am, who Is and was before the world was made. Who is, and who always will be. A presence that stretches from as far as the eye can see into the smallest detail of the most insignificant day. That stretches from Eden to Sodom to Calvary to God knows where and then right on to me. Here. Now. God is present. God is with us. God is present, and I am present with God.
May I live this day as if it were holy. May I love this day as if someone had loved me enough to die. May I cherish each waking moment as if it were my first. May I dream of transforming my relationships, my community and my world before they've slipped away. May I dream of tomorrow, while dreaming for today.
May it be so. Amen.
Today I choose to follow You
Today I choose to give my yes to You
Today I choose to hear Your voice and live
Today I choose to follow You
Today...
The second is a prayer by Brian Daper:
Today is a new start, and an old finish. A place where tomorrow meets yesterday, where the old and new gather, the point at which two great imaginary oceans meet. White water, undercurrent, danger, beauty.
Of course, from here we have the beauty of hindsight, a vantage point from which to see the past, to chart how very far we've come. And we can always try, at least, to peer forward into the mists of tomorrow, to plot our future course.
But what of now?
Do we have a vision for the here today, before it's gone tomorrow? A glimpse of presence? Can we see what... or who... today holds? Perhaps we have dreamed for too long in the darkness of the night, with our eyes closed shut. We have dreamed of far away things, beyond our reach, beyond our comprehension. As I open my eyes to the world of today, let me dream day dreams. Today dreams. For this is where I belong: right here, right now. I always will do. Forever becoming, forever being transformed into the likeness of Another. Of One who walked before me - who lived and loved before me. Who lived and died before me. Who stands before me now, as I stand before him: Alpha and Omega, the great I Am, who Is and was before the world was made. Who is, and who always will be. A presence that stretches from as far as the eye can see into the smallest detail of the most insignificant day. That stretches from Eden to Sodom to Calvary to God knows where and then right on to me. Here. Now. God is present. God is with us. God is present, and I am present with God.
May I live this day as if it were holy. May I love this day as if someone had loved me enough to die. May I cherish each waking moment as if it were my first. May I dream of transforming my relationships, my community and my world before they've slipped away. May I dream of tomorrow, while dreaming for today.
May it be so. Amen.
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