The Conspiracy is on! Oh Yeah!

I love Christmas!  I dig the lights and all the stuff!  I have no problem with folks decorating their houses on Halloween (I did some myself).  The lights are just lights.  They are just lights powered by electricity and yet they point me to something far bigger.  The arrival of the lights and the stuff at the stores signals that something is coming – CHRISTMAS!  That’s rights – it is on!  Christmas is on – yes indeed it is on!  Bring it on – bring on all the stuff – awesome – that’s what I say – bring it all (except that song about Grandma gettin run over by a reindeer – they can have that one).  It might be just lights and decorations; but to me it means we are all about to get a huge dose of reality. Christmas means that God is Here! He is really and truly with us in Jesus!  He is our King and I say let’s let the lights shine and embrace Him like little kids again.  I’d be willing to bet that there are no 4 year olds who are ticked with the Christmas stuff being out too early.  For kids, the Christmas stuff brings joy – how ’s about us grownups?  Sure there are some bad things about this time of the year – but I say we throw ourselves into all Jesus is and embrace all He did for us!  Lets worship Him Fully!

Advent Conspiracy Is Coming!

It all starts on Thanksgiving Eve!  The Advent Conspiracy!  Whats dat?  A conspiracy?  Its a call to do this whole Christmas thing differently.  What do you say?  Let’s stop complaining about how Christmas is done and change how we roll.

If you are looking for Advent Devotion – go here:  www.adventdevotions.net

The Advent devotions will officially begin on Sunday, November 29, 2009 – the devotional site will be in full swing then.

Monday Morning Quarterback – Nov 2!

YEAH – Go Eagles!  Way to take it to the Giants!  Ok – all done gloating – on to what really matters.  For a quarterback, sacks are a part of life.  For humans, death is sure to come.  God gives us hope in the face of this truth.  God has done something about death.  When Jesus died on the Cross He said, “It Is Finished!”  In Revelation 21 he again says “It Is Done!”  There will be a new heaven and new earth and God will be with us forever – its a done deal.  So why do we live in fear of the end?  I think its because we have a hard time grasping the basic truth of our faith – that Jesus died for us and rose to give us life.  He did that for you – just as you are and whatever state you find yourself in as you read this.  Yesterday in worship we sang the Laura Story song (done by Chris Tomlin) “Indescribable”  Great song – awesome lyrics – especially this one at the end that hits the nail on the head.  “You see the depths of my heart -And You love me the same”  Thats the deal.  Plain and simple – LOVE!  That’s why we can trust our eternity to Him!

Monday Evening Quarterback

Hey it’s a very brief nightime edition of the Quarterback.  Yesterday our church celebrated the Reformation.  What that means is that we remember what God did through a guy named Martin Luther back in the 1500’s.  It was so clear this year that we don’t do this to celebrate Martin Luther, but what God did through him. Through Luther, God got His church back on track.  So instead of never knowing if you are saved and whether you could do enough to earn a spot in heaven, you can know that God loves you because He sent Jesus to die and rise for you.  Jesus and His sacrifice is our confidence, not church attendence or earning enough merit badges.  For me – this focus on Jesus and His finished work on the cross to save me from my sins is what being part of the Lutheran tribe is all about.

I met Luther!

I met Luther!  No, not that Luther but a Lutheran named Luther, how’s about that.  It was so cool, the family and I were in Brown County Indiana this past week for a two day deal and we met this farmer named Luther.  Luther is in his 70s and was selling pumpkins by the side of the road.  We stopped, bought some pumpkins and got to talking.  Seems he’s a Lutheran too.  His pastor is a retired pastor we have met before who runs to Book Loft, bookstore in nearby Nashville (no not that Nashville) – the Indiana Nashville.  We had just talked to his pastor like an hour before and it was cool to talk with the great man of God and spend a few moments with him.  I thought, hey, this is what life should be like – bumping into amazing people and hearing their stories.  God has so many cool ways of encouraging us – for me and my family it was Luther and pastor Berg!

New Thrice Rules!

Go out and pick up the new Thrice record – great stuff.  I am lovin’ the disc – big time.   Standout track for me in “In Exile” which I think draws from the perspective of our time here on Earth as Gods people and how the New Heavens and Earth inspire us.  What a perspective – thanks guys for the reminder! Here are the lyrics – even better set to music – especially the chorus.  Its one of those good times to have something buzzing around in your head!     “My heart is filled with songs of forever -
Of a city that endures, where all is made new.”

I am an exile – a sojourner; A citizen of some other place.
All I’ve seen is just a glimmer in a shadowy mirror,
But I know one day I’ll see face to face.

I am a nomad – a wanderer; I have nowhere to lay my head down.
There’s no point in putting roots too deep when I’m moving on.
I’m not settling for this unsettling town.

My heart is filled with songs of forever -
Of a city that endures, where all is made new.
I know I don’t belong here; I’ll never
Call this place my home, I’m just passing through.

I am a pilgrim – a voyager; I won’t rest until my lips touch the shore -
Of the land that I’ve been longing for as long as I’ve lived,
Where there’ll be no pain or tears anymore.

My heart is filled with songs of forever -
Of a city that endures, where all is made new.
I know I don’t belong here; I’ll never
Call this place my home, I’m just passing through.