I Wonder What's Out There

Every so often this picture of my four grandsons comes up on my computer screen and right now it is my screen saver. It was taken last December at Daytona Beach. There's just something about it that really makes me pause and think about what their futures may look like; something about the fact that they are running toward the vast Atlantic Ocean hand in hand.

Along with my two lovely grand daughters, I pray for them daily. I can not begin to imagine what the vast ocean of the future will look like for them. I have journeyed over 50 years since a similar picture of me might have been taken and what a different world it is today then it was in the 1950s. I don't even want to get into all the changes I have experienced in those years. Chances are that it will be even more staggering for these children.

How important it is that we, who are parents and grandparents, do our best to provide a stable backdrop as they run head long into the waves of life. And how important is it that they as brothers and sisters stay hand in hand; supporting, encouraging, and strengthening each other. I pray that they will always be close, always be connected, and that for them THE BEST IS YET TO COME.

Ripping Out and Bringing Down

It has started in earnest. The heavy equipment has arrived and the initial steps toward constructing a new building has started. Before the week is over much of what has been standing will by piled up and laying on the ground. That includes sheds, buildings, and trees.

Once the entire 16 acres that comprise the building site are cleared we can begin to see the foundation of the new facility laid. Somtimes life is like that, before we can make any real progress in building a new life we must first of all take care of the things that are tied to the old life. For the believer that is exactly what happens when we, through repentance and faith, become a Christ-Follower! That's why we read in the Word that "all things pass away and all things become new".

You see the old and the new cannot co-exist. It would be impossible to build our new building with old buildings, concrete slabs, and trees on the building site. They must be removed.

It is exciting to watch the heavy equipment rip trees out of the ground, roots and all. It is exciting to see them knock down and remove those things that stand in the way of building our church. But I can tell you with assurance that, as exciting as these things are, I know THE BEST IS YET TO COME.

It is exciting to watch the Lord rip sin out of someones life, roots and all. It is exciting to see Him knock down and remove those things that stand in the way of that new believer becoming a "sanctuary" for His Spirit. But I can tell you from experience that, as exciting as these things are for the new believer, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

"Fightin' Waves"

We just returned from South Carolina where we took our five year old grandson, Christian, on his special vacation with grandfather and grandmom. A great time was had by all.
He spent allot of his time "fightin' waves" . He saw them as a challenge, an adventure, something to be conquered and enjoyed. Time after time he would pick himself up and go after the next wave hoping that it would be the biggest and best one yet. I would stand close by in case he needed me but didn't rush in each time he went under the foam. I think it made him braver just because I was near. He taught me a lesson.
I have gotten too old! When the "waves" of life come against me I see them as dangerous and threatening. I have determined to accept these billows as challenges and adventures, as events to be conquered and enjoyed. I have determined to pick myself up and wait on the next "wave" with great faith that my Heavenly Father is standing close by in case I need rescued. I know He won't rush in each time I seem to be going under but I'll know He is there just the same. I think I can be a little braver knowing He's close and that THE BEST IS YET TO COME.

A Wonderful 60th Birthday Present

Yep, I'm 60, six oh, the big 60! Not 40, not 50, but 60. That used to sound so old. I don't feel 60 (well not all the time). Sometimes I feel 70. But it's just a number, right? And I guess I really turned 60 about nine months ago anyway so what's the big deal. So what'd I do on the BIG day? Spent nine hours in the office, ate dinner at Red Lobster with my "younger" wife, fielded phone calls from family and friends, watched some TV, surfed the net, and went to bed at 9:30 p.m. Just another day like most of my other 21,915 days.

But on day 21,916 I got a great present! I finally was able to sign the papers that will get the permitting phase on the road and the dozers on the site. We could be beginning the site work by next week.

So this seventh decade of my life begins with a brand new adventure. They say these kind of things keep you young. We'll see! Regardless, I know one thing for certain...for both the Metro West International Church of the Nazarene and for me, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

"It's Only Just Begun"

The Carpenteers sang a song some time ago called "It's only just begun". That title came to my mind this week as I watched truckloads of building materials being unloaded at our Apopka Vineland Road property.

They started arriving around 8 a.m. and are still a day later unloading and moving things around. It finally looks like a work site! Oh, we still have some "permit" issues to take care of but it is now only a matter of time until the building that lies on the ground right now becomes the building in which we will one day worship. I am excited to see things start to happen but I know that "the best is yet to come." And I give thanks.

When the Church Throws Dirt

In case you were looking for something controversial you'll have to look elsewhere! We're talking about the Ground Breaking Ceremony we had last Sunday (June 8, 2008) for our new church facility! It was a wonderful day as we remembered all those who have paved the path for us to get to where we are and dreamed about where we'll be a year from now.

One of my very first acts as the new pastor of Metro West International Church of the Nazarene was to sign papers purchasing 30 acres of new property. That was 46 months and a 100 meetings ago. Now we move from the selling property, raising funds, and worshiping in a school phase to actually constructing the buildings phase.

These have been good months with plenty of blessings, a great deal of struggle, and a a bunch of promise. Faith has brought us to this place. Yet, as good as it felt to gather on site, worship the goodness of the Lord, and turn a few shovels full of dirt, I need to be certain you understand that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!!

Friends, Five Irons, and Fairfield Glade

, and hittin

On Memorial Day six friends met to play some golf and make up for lost time.

Fred Hall, Gene Smith, and I grew up together going to church camps in Eastern Michigan and to college together at Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois.

That's where we met Bryan Solomon and we all became close friends.

Mike Adams just thinks he went to Olivet but the truth is he came into the picture in the late 1970s. The final member of our group that day was Don Smith, Gene's "little brother" who tagged along at those church camps.

It was a great time of renewing friendships, enjoying the beautiful scenery on the Cumberland Plateau around Crossville, Tennessee, and losing not just a few golf balls. Gene and Fred now minister in Michigan, Bryan pastors in Indiana, Don and I pastor in Florida, and Mike travels around the nation as a full time evangelist.

We seldom see each other but when we do, we pick up right where we left off. True friends truly are friends forever! We laughed, we cried, we competed, and we told stories of days gone by. As far as I am concerned it was a 9.998 out of 10!

But as good as it was, as beautiful as it was, I can't give it a perfect 10 because it will pale in comparison to that great reunion day that is yet to come. There, amidst the beauties of Heaven, we will be joined by so many good friends and family that we haven't seen in quite awhile, we will tell stories of days gone by, and we will laugh. We won't cry and we won't compete but we will say that it was true; THE BEST WAS YET TO COME!