The Trip

Sorry about my slowness in producing another post. Have had some difficulties in gaining net access here on Anna Maria Island. I'll not say from where I am blogging right now!

Some road trip observations:

• Public restrooms gross me out. At one stop I had to close my eyes while doing my thing in order to avoid a panic attack.
• You can buy a food called "Banana Planks" in the south. I don't know either - I was afraid to try it.
• Palm trees are da bomb. I wish I had one in my backyard. Or living room.
• There is a lot of heat and humidity as you travel closer to the equator. I had forgotten that I really did have sweat glands.
• Even the brightest of people can make a mistake whilst on the road. Let's say - just hypothetically - that a certain 41 year old male started driving after a rest break somewhere in Georgia and gleefully drove 20 minutes north before being told by his somewhat smug 16 year old son that he was going the wrong way.
• Boiled peanuts are a southern delicacy. You can even get them in cans.
• I have often mumbled under my breath that Oprah Winfrey is the antichrist. I have changed my mind. Waffle House is the antichrist. There are more Waffle Houses in the south than there are churches and that is saying something. The franchise is slowly taking over the world with its blend of lousy coffee and sloppy eggs. Beware!
• Sometimes Waffle Houses do not clean their grills.
• People in the south are typically rather cordial.

We are having a wonderfully restful break here in Florida. We have spent time on the beach, in the pool, and exploring the island. We have looked at boats, caught lizards, and spent some time in Sarasota. We even stopped by at Bahia Vista Mennonite Church and were able to speak with some very kind sisters in Christ. We worshiped at a Baptist church on Sunday morning. It was a delight. Great, warm people and an excellent sermon (45 minutes long!) to boot.

The Lord is very good. Thanks all of you for your prayers on our behalf!

In Christ ~

Jeff

The Body

As we were driving by the Central meeting house Sunday morning on our way to Wauseon, Savannah said, "I want to go to our church!" It's true that we are all rather attached to our church family and miss being there already. It is within that milieu that we find our primary identity and growth and belonging.

That reality not withstanding, it has been a blessing to worship with other brothers and sisters in Christ during sabbatical. On Sunday, June 8 we worshiped with Tedrow Mennonite Church. This past Sunday we were with the N. Clinton congregation. Who knows where we might end up next Sunday while we are in Florida because we would like to worship with some non-Menno folks as well.

At Tedrow, I was impressed with the youth and children, and the way people related to each other. There was evident life and love! This is incredible in light of an impending pastoral transition. It is a testament, I believe, to Randy Nafziger's faithful leadership and to the commitment of the core of this body of believers.

At N. Clinton, we were invited into earnest worship. Folks had gathered to give glory to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Such love for the Lord cannot help but bind people together and inspire mission. Bravo!

These observations about Tedrow and N. Clinton are likely not revelation to those who make up those congregations. They already know, at least at an intuitive level. It does seem important to notice these on occasion, however, so that we all remember with conviction that the Lord is alive and well and doing miracles wherever He chooses. Wherever, with whomever, and however He chooses to do His work is a cause for our celebration.

Central, Tedrow, and N. Clinton are unique congregations with different strengths. Worship is different in each, as is the personality of the gathered body. The individuals that make up each are obviously different. Despite this, I was far more impressed with the continuity that I found amongst the three groups than our differences. Perhaps it is because we all are NW Ohio Buckeyes. Perhaps it is because we are all Mennos.

I suspect that there is something greater at work: the Spirit of God moving, encouraging, blessing, and activating. The Spirit most certainly has not given up on us being a unified people working in different ways in different places with a single goal. That goal, whether one is a Central or Tedrow Mennonite, a Mexican Catholic, a Korean non-denominational, or a Nigerian Pentecostal, is to proclaim, like Jesus did, that the kingdom of God has drawn near.

May the Spirit of Christ Jesus make it so to His honor and glory.



~ Jeff

Recap

Not quite two weeks into sabbatical I would use the following adjectives as descriptors: restful, stress-less, in anticipation, and grateful.

I have worked at riding my bike, fishing, fixing bikes and fishing rods, reading, mowing the lawn, fixing my lawnmower, getting kids to swimming lessons, and helping London to learn to drive (he got his permit on Friday). Okay, I may have been a bit hasty with the word, "stress-less."

Along with these extracurriculars I am studying the Word, reading, organizing, and writing the devotional. It has taken more form this week in terms of connecting pop themes to most of the words of Jesus that I selected last week. It was a joy to spend significant "think time" in extracting themes from Jesus' words and then discovering how these words might travel on the conduit of culture. I felt at times like the Apostle Paul in Athens!

I have also been pushed by God to continue to understand what it means for Him to be my friend and confidant. I am working on it. How exactly does one relate to a savior who is simultaneously omnipotent judge and intimate love? My tendency is to keep Jesus at arms length like I did doctors as a child. They were simply geniuses to respect, fear and to avoid unless needed. A close relationship was out of the question.

I was nudged in contemplating how I interact with the Lord as I read the novel, The Shack (noted in previous post). The author implies that when we allow all of God nearer, we cannot go on being bleakly broken. We will be healed. That sounds really good to me.

If any of you have the opportunity to read this book and comment on it, I would love to hear from you. Though it was dramatic and inspiring, I do not agree with all of the theology proposed. I'd like to hear you thoughts on it!

A snapshot of the other Smiths:

• Kathy: working at Mom's Diner and two other cleaning jobs in addition to giving piano lessons; making sure I do not do weird things; cleaning up after me; being a great mommy.
• London: driving; making plans for a summer concert in Indianapolis; hanging out with friends; being a computer geek; reading everything ever written by Orson Scott Card.
• Therin: spending time with Brandon Yoder; reading one of the books in the Narnia series; riding his bike; hanging with Brandon; complaining that he is bored; doing the Lego thing.
• Savannah: singing; playing piano; singing some more; riding her bike like a little female Evel Knievel; singing; taking ballet lessons; swimming; singing; making my bed; and sometimes she takes a minute or two to just sing.
• Otto: laying around the house; marking his territory whilst on walks.

That's enough for tonight. God is good. I love you all!

~ Jeff

Lies Inside

William Young writes in his novel, The Shack, "Lies are a little fortress; inside them you can feel safe and powerful. Through your little fortress of lies you try to run your life and manipulate others."

The lies that Young speaks of are the ones we tell ourselves about ourselves and have the audacity to believe. We believe so that we do not have to change something that really ought to change. For instance, I told myself for years that I had no control over my propensity for ogling women who were not my wife. This was not true and simply a way of rationalizing and therefore of not changing behavior hurtful to my marriage and to me personally. Certainly this reality stunted my ability to mature in Christ.

So...what do think? Are you adept like me at lying to yourself? What does this mean for our lives with Christ?

Nincompoop

Did you ever notice that the word "nincompoop" is really funny? It always makes me giggle. Giggling is good for the soul. We should all do it more often!

Despite the giggling, it could be that being intrigued by this word makes me, well, a nincompoop...

Good progress was made today on the devotional. I have selected all 30 biblical texts: 7 from each of the gospels and 2 from Revelation. I have selected texts, I believe, that encourage us to ponder what we are or are not allowing the Holy Spirit to do in our hearts. It is simple for us, it seems, to block Jesus' Spirit from our hearts, to ignore the Spirit's knocking, to live embracing the invasive Darkness that is consuming the precious part of us that should be the abode of the Lord alone.

My hope is that I will surrender further to the Lord as I work. A further hope is that any who read what I write will do the same.

The Lord is knocking.

~ Jeff

Storms

A storm blew through last night. Perhaps you even spent some time in your basement, heeding the warnings of your favorite meteorologist. Most of us experienced stiff winds, pelting rain, and even hail. Plus, we were told that tornadoes were a possibility.

As the storm sirens in Archbold blared warning of coming peril, I peered out a west window to see what I could see. Indeed, the clouds were ominous enough and I could see the wind picking up as the sprinting storm approached so I sent everyone to the basement. I went, too. There it was safer.

When Jesus offered words during his time on earth he was interested in each of his listeners discovering a safer place. His words often warn of coming danger, for instance. Unfortunately, I sometimes read and receive these warnings as arbitrary commands meant to limit my freedom when I could be receiving them as beautiful words of love intended to protect me from peril.

When I receive Jesus' warnings as an offense, it is like being offended by storm sirens as they notify me that a tornado is bearing down on my home. To my peril, I might stay in bed and say, "Those sirens are so irritating! My sleep has been ruined and now my dog is frightened. Tomorrow, I am going to give the village council a piece of my mind and have those sirens removed!" If am wise, I will instead head directly for the basement and give thanks for the warning.

Jesus speaks words of warning that I might avoid sin that seeks to pounce on me. If I heed it not, I can be sure that my heart will experience a destructive spiritual vortex. Worse, I may be responsible for a similar vortex in the lives of others.

It is important for me to receive Jesus' words as expressions of love so that I will not be hurt. The words are not meant to take my life but to protect and embolden it. You see, he loves me just that much.

I love you all!

~ Jeff

Launch

There is a giggled-about adage promoted by non-clergy that implies that pastors always have something - perhaps too much - to say. I do not know if this is true universally, but I do know that I am less than a week into a sabbatical and am already assuaging the need to find an audience for my thoughts! If I won't be preaching for a while I may as well regale the three people who will actually look at this blog with so much drivel. Hey, three people is three people and I get my fix!

So far my sabbatical has proven to be restful. Though it is strange and somewhat discombobulating not to be running willy-nilly to this meeting or that, I have been basking in the slower pace. For instance, I went fishing last night to the Archbold reservoirs and caught five walleye. They were quite small but it really wasn't about the size of the fish. It was about wildlife, the setting sun, and the lapping water.

I have worked for hours on the devotional I am writing. The Lord has shown up in really tremendous ways already. Can't wait to see what it will look like in the end and to share it with others.



~ Jeff