This week is SMACK week at FBCV. We've been doing our Summer Music Activity Camp for Kids for 5 years now. It's a really great week, but VERY exhausting. Well, I guess the exhaustion got to me this morning.
You see...ever since the very first year of SMACK, we've been singing a song almost every morning to get the kids geared up for a very active day called "Hello, My Name is Joe." Some of you may have played before, but for your information, I have posted a video below that might give you an idea of how active this little song is. (I'm going to try to video it tomorrow and maybe post a video of yours truly doing "Joe.") Watch the video even if you know about "Joe" because it's absolutely adorable.
For those of you that didn't catch the words to that aerobic workout, they're:
Hello, My name is Joe
I got a wife, three kids, and I work in a Button Factory
One day my boss said, "Joe are you busy" I said, "No"
He said, "Good. Work this button with your left hand."
You continue adding body parts to the song until you just can't go anymore!
Ok...here comes the "Oooops." Today I was doing this game with the kids and having a great time. About half-way through, I looked to the back of the Sanctuary at one of our youth that was obviously trying to get my attention. He made a motion that I immediately recognized (and any of you would have, too) to mean "Your zipper's down!"
This has not been a big problem in recent history for me, but apparently I didn't quite get all the way dressed this morning. How EMBARRASSING!! I would have loved to just ignore him, but I thought about what could happen if I didn't go ahead and take care of my problem.
So, right there in front of God, children, youth, and adults, I had to fix my issue. It was unbelievably embarrassing...probably my life's most embarrassing moment to date.
Aren't you glad that we have those moments in our life that remind us that we don't have it all together. THANKFULLY, God loves us anyway. What a good God we have!!!
How about you? Care to share one of your most embarrassing moments?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
A Long Awaited Day...
I enjoy golf. It's one of the places that I find solace. I really enjoy getting away from the busyness of my day and going to the golf course to enjoy some moments of solitude (and some challenging competition at the same time.) Well, one of the things that I have been looking forward to ever since we knew that we were having a baby boy was taking him out to the golf course with me. We took Jonah out to Duncan Park on his 1st birthday, but that was just to take a picture at the 1st hole marker (an idea Nicki got from one of her friends). We also took him to the putting green that day, but it was quickly obvious that was not his scene! I thought my days of enjoying the golf course with my little boy may be coming to a premature end.
So yesterday was a real joy!!! Nicki was in Jackson, so Jonah and I had the day to ourselves. That meant lots of playing, lots of chasing, and, at the end of the day, a short round of golf. It was Jonah's first real time to go to the golf course to play. We had recently bought him a "just-his-size" putter and I was anxious to give him a chance to use it.
I actually figured we would just go out and play around at the putting green, but when I stepped outside and noticed how hot it was, I figured riding on the golf cart would give him a chance to cool off between shots. So, we arranged a price with the pro shop and ventured out for a few holes. it was not very long before I realized how much fun this was really going to be. The first time I got into the golf cart and put my arm around my little boy, it almost brought tears to my eyes. I was so excited to be able to have my little boy with me enjoying some thing that I have enjoyed for so long.
One story from the day. I had a putter ("puh-er" in Jonah language) for him but not any other clubs. That will take a couple of years of growing. So, when i was doing anything except putting, I had to find something for him to do. I would tell him where to stand and he would stand there without moving a muscle. Then, I would tell him to watch the ball. Right after I hit the ball, Jonah would let out a typical, "Iownno." For those of you that don't speak a language...that's "Jonahese" for "I don't know." Of course, that's because Jonah would be looking intently at the ball on the tee or the ground and all of a sudden a "whoosh" and the ball was gone. Hard to describe here, but it made me laugh every time.
What a cool experience to see that little boy growing up. I'm so excited thinking about all of the years of enjoying many experiences like this over the years. We only made it through 4 holes yesterday, but I know the day is coming when Jonah will last through all 18...even beat his dear old dad. What a day that will be!!
So yesterday was a real joy!!! Nicki was in Jackson, so Jonah and I had the day to ourselves. That meant lots of playing, lots of chasing, and, at the end of the day, a short round of golf. It was Jonah's first real time to go to the golf course to play. We had recently bought him a "just-his-size" putter and I was anxious to give him a chance to use it.
I actually figured we would just go out and play around at the putting green, but when I stepped outside and noticed how hot it was, I figured riding on the golf cart would give him a chance to cool off between shots. So, we arranged a price with the pro shop and ventured out for a few holes. it was not very long before I realized how much fun this was really going to be. The first time I got into the golf cart and put my arm around my little boy, it almost brought tears to my eyes. I was so excited to be able to have my little boy with me enjoying some thing that I have enjoyed for so long.
One story from the day. I had a putter ("puh-er" in Jonah language) for him but not any other clubs. That will take a couple of years of growing. So, when i was doing anything except putting, I had to find something for him to do. I would tell him where to stand and he would stand there without moving a muscle. Then, I would tell him to watch the ball. Right after I hit the ball, Jonah would let out a typical, "Iownno." For those of you that don't speak a language...that's "Jonahese" for "I don't know." Of course, that's because Jonah would be looking intently at the ball on the tee or the ground and all of a sudden a "whoosh" and the ball was gone. Hard to describe here, but it made me laugh every time.
What a cool experience to see that little boy growing up. I'm so excited thinking about all of the years of enjoying many experiences like this over the years. We only made it through 4 holes yesterday, but I know the day is coming when Jonah will last through all 18...even beat his dear old dad. What a day that will be!!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Praying for your pastor (a semi-stolen post)
Nicki and I read Perry Noble's blog from time to time. He's the pastor at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC. He's always got some really interesting insights on life, ministry, leadership, and how to do church. You should check it out. Well, this is a semi-stolen post from his blog about praying for your pastor (that means I'm stealing the outline, but adding my own insights.) If you're a member of First Baptist Vidalia (or family), I would love to have you praying for me. If you're a member of another church, you can use this to pray for your own pastor.
#1 His Connection With God--This is a tough one. Pastors are sometimes the first to get off of their connection with God. The only way I can describe it is the way sometimes you see very out of shape coaches on the sidelines. They're so busy coaching their team that they forget to keep themselves in check. The same can be true for pastors. I would so appreciate your prayers for my connection with God
#2 His Family--The pastor's family is under enormous pressure! I don't know if any of you have ever realized it, but I rarely get complaints about the church. Nicki gets them ALL! She has to shoulder the responsibility of being supportive of her husband but at the same time field the issues that the church wants to bring. For some reason, we don't talk to people anymore. However, we LOVE to talk about people! That means that people would rather discuss things with Nicki than me. That's probably because Nicki usually has more compassion than me as well, but that's beside the point.
The other thing that's tough about being a pastor's family is that they are always under the scrutiny of the entire church. "That's too much. That's too little. He's too rambunctious. He talks too much. Well, you know that's just a preacher's kid for you." It's really not fair that my wife and child have to hold up under this pressure. They are just unfortunately linked to "the preacher." You should really pray for them. Besides, when you pray for your pastor's family, you're really praying for him as well because they're without a doubt my number one support system. I NEED THEM!!! and I'm so glad God gave them to me!
#3 His Relationship to the Staff--This one seems like a no brainer, but do you know what you get when you put three (or more) driven/called men in a room and tell them to decide what the best avenue is to do ministry? You get HUGE conflict. I'm talking tough stuff to deal with. I know this may be disconcerting to some of you, but sometimes ministers don't like each other. We respect each other, but we disagree sometimes and have to go do ministry to the best of our ability. It's kind of like putting two pit bulls in a room and coming back to check on them in a couple of days. The obvious goal is to get out of the room, but those two dogs are GOING to have different ideas on how to make that happen. I love our staff and I'm so glad God has given me this opportunity to work with them, but praying for our relationships is crucial to seeing the ministry of the Gospel and FBC continue! (P.S. Just so you know, I REALLY like our staff!)
#4 His Battle with Spiritual Warfare--The enemy loves nothing more than seeing men of God fall! Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard...need I say more? I have personally seen lives devastated by the fall of a church pastor and it is awful. Let me just tell you, there isn't a moment of my day that I'm not fully aware of the lure of Satan trying to draw my eyes, ears, heart, mouth, life away from my Savior. Imagine the impact if I followed the "wide road that leads to destruction." PLEASE pray for your pastor in resisting the schemes of Satan as I pray for you in the same!
#5 His Rest--Ministry is a 7 day-a-week, 24 hour-a-day, 365 days-a-year job! Rest is crucial. Sometimes I wake up at night thinking about things in the church. Sometimes it's a sermon coming up. Sometimes it's a family having difficulty. Sometimes I don't know what it is, I just wake up with a burden on my heart. I used to feel like I had to get out of bed and go watch some TV or read a book to get my mind off of things and rest, now I just lay there and ask God to clear my mind of everything that doesn't need to be there right now and let me get some rest. But the thing remains...sometimes it's hard to take a break. But, just like all of you, a break is NECESSARY to going on for the long run! So your prayers for rest and recuperation are so appreciated.
Well...there you have it, 5 ways that you can pray for your pastor. I hope you'll take those burdens and bring them to God on my behalf. Why don't you leave me a comment and let me know how I might be able to pray for you.
#1 His Connection With God--This is a tough one. Pastors are sometimes the first to get off of their connection with God. The only way I can describe it is the way sometimes you see very out of shape coaches on the sidelines. They're so busy coaching their team that they forget to keep themselves in check. The same can be true for pastors. I would so appreciate your prayers for my connection with God
#2 His Family--The pastor's family is under enormous pressure! I don't know if any of you have ever realized it, but I rarely get complaints about the church. Nicki gets them ALL! She has to shoulder the responsibility of being supportive of her husband but at the same time field the issues that the church wants to bring. For some reason, we don't talk to people anymore. However, we LOVE to talk about people! That means that people would rather discuss things with Nicki than me. That's probably because Nicki usually has more compassion than me as well, but that's beside the point.
The other thing that's tough about being a pastor's family is that they are always under the scrutiny of the entire church. "That's too much. That's too little. He's too rambunctious. He talks too much. Well, you know that's just a preacher's kid for you." It's really not fair that my wife and child have to hold up under this pressure. They are just unfortunately linked to "the preacher." You should really pray for them. Besides, when you pray for your pastor's family, you're really praying for him as well because they're without a doubt my number one support system. I NEED THEM!!! and I'm so glad God gave them to me!
#3 His Relationship to the Staff--This one seems like a no brainer, but do you know what you get when you put three (or more) driven/called men in a room and tell them to decide what the best avenue is to do ministry? You get HUGE conflict. I'm talking tough stuff to deal with. I know this may be disconcerting to some of you, but sometimes ministers don't like each other. We respect each other, but we disagree sometimes and have to go do ministry to the best of our ability. It's kind of like putting two pit bulls in a room and coming back to check on them in a couple of days. The obvious goal is to get out of the room, but those two dogs are GOING to have different ideas on how to make that happen. I love our staff and I'm so glad God has given me this opportunity to work with them, but praying for our relationships is crucial to seeing the ministry of the Gospel and FBC continue! (P.S. Just so you know, I REALLY like our staff!)
#4 His Battle with Spiritual Warfare--The enemy loves nothing more than seeing men of God fall! Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard...need I say more? I have personally seen lives devastated by the fall of a church pastor and it is awful. Let me just tell you, there isn't a moment of my day that I'm not fully aware of the lure of Satan trying to draw my eyes, ears, heart, mouth, life away from my Savior. Imagine the impact if I followed the "wide road that leads to destruction." PLEASE pray for your pastor in resisting the schemes of Satan as I pray for you in the same!
#5 His Rest--Ministry is a 7 day-a-week, 24 hour-a-day, 365 days-a-year job! Rest is crucial. Sometimes I wake up at night thinking about things in the church. Sometimes it's a sermon coming up. Sometimes it's a family having difficulty. Sometimes I don't know what it is, I just wake up with a burden on my heart. I used to feel like I had to get out of bed and go watch some TV or read a book to get my mind off of things and rest, now I just lay there and ask God to clear my mind of everything that doesn't need to be there right now and let me get some rest. But the thing remains...sometimes it's hard to take a break. But, just like all of you, a break is NECESSARY to going on for the long run! So your prayers for rest and recuperation are so appreciated.
Well...there you have it, 5 ways that you can pray for your pastor. I hope you'll take those burdens and bring them to God on my behalf. Why don't you leave me a comment and let me know how I might be able to pray for you.
Can I Wear Jeans?
The guy from "Stuff Christians Like" (a daily read for me) just posted a new site. It's called "Can I Wear Jeans" you can find it here. Anyway, the point of my post is that I would love for some of our church members to post a comment describing our church on there. You can stay anonymous, but I would love to hear what some of you thought about FBCV. It's also a way to describe our church so that others can find out about us and maybe visit someday. Check it out and be sure to leave a comment!!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
You learn something everyday!
I didn't realize it, but apparently I'm going to hell! This is a new revelation to me. I thought things were ok until I saw this picture on another blog. I was ok until number two on the list an then when I got to number 4...I knew I was done for! Oh well...how did you come out?
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Balzac!!
Ok, I'll leave it to Nicki to post the pictures, but Jonah's got a new favorite toy...a Disney Balzac! Ok, it's a balloon that you put in a little pouch and blow up. Because it's in the little sack, you can punch it, sit on it, kick it, hit it...all kinds of things!! It's really amazing!!
Ok...now for my true evaluation: WHO COMES UP WITH THESE THINGS? Jonah loves it, but a balloon in a sack??? Who would think of that?
Well, all I know is it makes my little boy VERY happy! It's his new "chair" for the coffee table. Great until (like happened last week) he shifts his weight a little to much forward and ends up caught between the Balzac and the table. That would be called a Balzac emergency!! Apparently from the fashion in the commercial above, this thing has been out for a while, but it's new to the Glenn household....but BOY are we glad we to one!!
Ok...now for my true evaluation: WHO COMES UP WITH THESE THINGS? Jonah loves it, but a balloon in a sack??? Who would think of that?
Well, all I know is it makes my little boy VERY happy! It's his new "chair" for the coffee table. Great until (like happened last week) he shifts his weight a little to much forward and ends up caught between the Balzac and the table. That would be called a Balzac emergency!! Apparently from the fashion in the commercial above, this thing has been out for a while, but it's new to the Glenn household....but BOY are we glad we to one!!
I'm back....
After a long hiatus, I'm back in the blogging world! A conference and a vacation kind of took me out for a while, but this was my first "back in the swing" day back at work (I was back last Thursday, but with a funeral it wasn't a "normal" day), so I finally feel like I'm back to what I know.
I've been working on getting some of Jonah's video's onto DVD...next, I'm going to start editing the video from our vacation in Disney. Anyway, going back and looking at those videos makes me love him all the more--as if that's even possible. The more he grows up, the more I love him. He seems to discover something new EVERYDAY! It's just so amazing to see this little guy grow up. I find myself wondering what he will be like when he is 7...11...14...18...well, you get the picture. How will he grow up? Will he be respectful of his parents? Will he be a rule abider or breaker? I want to be the very best daddy I can be so he can be the very best child of God he can be! I know I've already wrote about it, but that Phillips, Craig, and Dean song continues to go over and over in my head. I want to be as close to God as possible, so as Jonah emulates his earthly father, he will also be emulating his Heavenly Father.
I think it was Max Lucado that wrote, "If God had a refrigerator door, you're picture would be on it." As much as I love my little boy. It doesn't even hold a candle to how much God loves me. That's a thought I CAN'T wrap my mind around!
God...let me live a life that is worthy of the GREAT love that you have for me!! I want you to look at my picture every morning and smile!!!
I've been working on getting some of Jonah's video's onto DVD...next, I'm going to start editing the video from our vacation in Disney. Anyway, going back and looking at those videos makes me love him all the more--as if that's even possible. The more he grows up, the more I love him. He seems to discover something new EVERYDAY! It's just so amazing to see this little guy grow up. I find myself wondering what he will be like when he is 7...11...14...18...well, you get the picture. How will he grow up? Will he be respectful of his parents? Will he be a rule abider or breaker? I want to be the very best daddy I can be so he can be the very best child of God he can be! I know I've already wrote about it, but that Phillips, Craig, and Dean song continues to go over and over in my head. I want to be as close to God as possible, so as Jonah emulates his earthly father, he will also be emulating his Heavenly Father.
I think it was Max Lucado that wrote, "If God had a refrigerator door, you're picture would be on it." As much as I love my little boy. It doesn't even hold a candle to how much God loves me. That's a thought I CAN'T wrap my mind around!
God...let me live a life that is worthy of the GREAT love that you have for me!! I want you to look at my picture every morning and smile!!!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Survivor!?
Simple question...If you were guaranteed to be in the top two which would give you a 50% chance at winning ONE MILLION dollars, would you do it?
To quote my wife, "They don't have chapstick, internet, or blue bell ice cream out there...I wouldn't do it if I was guaranteed the money!"
Leave me a comment to give me your take...
To quote my wife, "They don't have chapstick, internet, or blue bell ice cream out there...I wouldn't do it if I was guaranteed the money!"
Leave me a comment to give me your take...
Happy Mother's Day...I love my wife!
I have a GREAT wife. I'm so thankful that God gave her to me. There are SO many things to be thankful for but I'll just name a few.
1. My wife is an unbelievable mother! She has always been around children. I don't know if that's why she's such a great mom to our little boy, but she is! She thinks of things that I would never think of. I love to see her face light up when Jonah walks in or when I've been home with her and she gets back home. Further...so many times, she has to be a "single" mom. That just adds to the challenge! I'm just so thankful that she takes care of Jonah the way she does without my help so many times.
2. My wife is a wonderful help-mate to me. i don't mean for that to sound bad...hopefully it doesn't. What I mean is that she has a way of meeting all of my needs. And I've got a LOT of needs. Sometimes she is able to just sense that I need hug or that I need her to tell me that she thinks the world of me and she's right there meeting my needs.
3. My wife is an independent person. If you know her that should probably go without saying! But, that quality is SO important for our relationship AND my job. I mentioned above how Nicki is sometimes like a "single" mom. What I mean is that so many times, I can't be there to help her with some of the simplest things that have to be taken care of. However, at a time when she could be very frustrated by all of that, she just seems to take it all in stride.
4. My wife is one of the funniest people on the planet! I mean this...she is absolutely hilarious! So many times in my life when I feel like screaming, I end up laughing because Nicki helps me to see the lighter side of the situation.
5. My wife is a detail person. This is crucially important to me because I'm a big picture guy! For example, next week we're going on vacation to Disney World. If I was planning it, I would know when we were leaving and when we were getting back...that would be about all. Currently, we have reservations for flights, a villa to stay in, a rental car, and most meals. We also already have decided which days we will go to Disney, which days will be reserved for Universal Studios, and which days will be reserved for a last minute decision. What a girl!!
All that to say, I love my wife. I'm so glad that God gave her to me and I'm so glad that Jonah will grow up with this wonderful woman as his mom.
Happy Mother's Day, Nicki!
1. My wife is an unbelievable mother! She has always been around children. I don't know if that's why she's such a great mom to our little boy, but she is! She thinks of things that I would never think of. I love to see her face light up when Jonah walks in or when I've been home with her and she gets back home. Further...so many times, she has to be a "single" mom. That just adds to the challenge! I'm just so thankful that she takes care of Jonah the way she does without my help so many times.
2. My wife is a wonderful help-mate to me. i don't mean for that to sound bad...hopefully it doesn't. What I mean is that she has a way of meeting all of my needs. And I've got a LOT of needs. Sometimes she is able to just sense that I need hug or that I need her to tell me that she thinks the world of me and she's right there meeting my needs.
3. My wife is an independent person. If you know her that should probably go without saying! But, that quality is SO important for our relationship AND my job. I mentioned above how Nicki is sometimes like a "single" mom. What I mean is that so many times, I can't be there to help her with some of the simplest things that have to be taken care of. However, at a time when she could be very frustrated by all of that, she just seems to take it all in stride.
4. My wife is one of the funniest people on the planet! I mean this...she is absolutely hilarious! So many times in my life when I feel like screaming, I end up laughing because Nicki helps me to see the lighter side of the situation.
5. My wife is a detail person. This is crucially important to me because I'm a big picture guy! For example, next week we're going on vacation to Disney World. If I was planning it, I would know when we were leaving and when we were getting back...that would be about all. Currently, we have reservations for flights, a villa to stay in, a rental car, and most meals. We also already have decided which days we will go to Disney, which days will be reserved for Universal Studios, and which days will be reserved for a last minute decision. What a girl!!
All that to say, I love my wife. I'm so glad that God gave her to me and I'm so glad that Jonah will grow up with this wonderful woman as his mom.
Happy Mother's Day, Nicki!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Drive '08
If you've been around me for any period of time, you're probably heard me mention my affinity for Andy Stanley and Northpoint Community Church. Well, this week, I'm at the mecca for Andy and Northpoint...I'm in Alpharetta, GA at the Drive Conference. This is a conference put on for pastors, church staff members, volunteer leaders, and anyone else who wants to see something new and exciting happen in their church. By the way...that's me! I want to see something really GREAT happen at FBCV!
I've really enjoyed the conference so far. It's been an absolute information overload, but isn't that how any conference should be that is teaching you how to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ more effectively?! I absolutely think so!!
I actually just got back to my hotel from the second night of the conference. We had a guest speaker tonight. You might have heard of him. I'll give you a hint: Are you smarter than a 5th Grader? Still don't know? Ok, another hint: You might be a redneck if.... That's right! Jeff Foxworthy came and did an entire comedy routine for our conference. Now, you have to know that when I see something funny on TV or hear someone tell a really funny joke, I belly-laugh! Tonight, my side was splitting. I haven't laughed that hard in a while! It was very good therapy.
However, I don't think there was any way it could have topped what happened LAST night! During the first service, we were given an opportunity to take communion! What an opportunity! I can't remember the last time I took communion and wasn't worried about what I was going to say, how long it was taking, what I was singing about, if we were going to have enough for all of the people in church that day (I didn't used to worry about this one, but I probably will from now on! Read here).
Not only were we allowed to take communion, but there was also a painter that was doing abstract paintings of Jesus on stage. It ranked right up there with the birth of Jonah, getting married to Nicki, and our first Christmas with Jonah on a short list of "full" experiences in my life! Have you ever had one of those moments where the love of God was so real to you that it just brought you to tears? Well, last night, I was a basket case. It was just unbelievable seeing those pictures of Jesus, singing "Oh, how he loves us...Oh, how he loves me...Oh, how he loves." I remember once during that experience while I was holding the representation of his body and blood in my hands and trying to sing those phrases, but all that would come out was a blubbering sound that you usually make when you're trying to say something to somebody but your tears are just getting in the way. (That's not very descriptive, but I think you get the picture.) It was absolutely a GOD moment for me!
I think the thing that moved me the most was the obviousness of Christ's love in that moment. It was almost so real I thought I could touch it. I would swear I could actually feel the arms of Jesus reaching around me and holding me tighter than I've ever been held. Even as I sit here and type this, my eyes are welling up with tears. Hold on while I tell the person at the computer next to me that I'm fine...
Ok...here's the point. How long has it been since you have experienced the love of God in that tangible of a way? How long has it been since you come face to face with the fact that God loves you no matter what? How long has it been since you simply realized that "God LOVES YOU?" Well, let's not let it go another moment...I'm here to tell you that God does love you. As a matter of fact, He's CRAZY in love with you. He wants the very best for your life. He wants to show you how much He loves you. No, He's already shown you how much He loves you...He sent His SON! So there...God loves you. I hope that hits you as much up side the head as it did me last night. Now, since I've told you...go tell somebody else!!
I've really enjoyed the conference so far. It's been an absolute information overload, but isn't that how any conference should be that is teaching you how to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ more effectively?! I absolutely think so!!
I actually just got back to my hotel from the second night of the conference. We had a guest speaker tonight. You might have heard of him. I'll give you a hint: Are you smarter than a 5th Grader? Still don't know? Ok, another hint: You might be a redneck if.... That's right! Jeff Foxworthy came and did an entire comedy routine for our conference. Now, you have to know that when I see something funny on TV or hear someone tell a really funny joke, I belly-laugh! Tonight, my side was splitting. I haven't laughed that hard in a while! It was very good therapy.
However, I don't think there was any way it could have topped what happened LAST night! During the first service, we were given an opportunity to take communion! What an opportunity! I can't remember the last time I took communion and wasn't worried about what I was going to say, how long it was taking, what I was singing about, if we were going to have enough for all of the people in church that day (I didn't used to worry about this one, but I probably will from now on! Read here).
Not only were we allowed to take communion, but there was also a painter that was doing abstract paintings of Jesus on stage. It ranked right up there with the birth of Jonah, getting married to Nicki, and our first Christmas with Jonah on a short list of "full" experiences in my life! Have you ever had one of those moments where the love of God was so real to you that it just brought you to tears? Well, last night, I was a basket case. It was just unbelievable seeing those pictures of Jesus, singing "Oh, how he loves us...Oh, how he loves me...Oh, how he loves." I remember once during that experience while I was holding the representation of his body and blood in my hands and trying to sing those phrases, but all that would come out was a blubbering sound that you usually make when you're trying to say something to somebody but your tears are just getting in the way. (That's not very descriptive, but I think you get the picture.) It was absolutely a GOD moment for me!
I think the thing that moved me the most was the obviousness of Christ's love in that moment. It was almost so real I thought I could touch it. I would swear I could actually feel the arms of Jesus reaching around me and holding me tighter than I've ever been held. Even as I sit here and type this, my eyes are welling up with tears. Hold on while I tell the person at the computer next to me that I'm fine...
Ok...here's the point. How long has it been since you have experienced the love of God in that tangible of a way? How long has it been since you come face to face with the fact that God loves you no matter what? How long has it been since you simply realized that "God LOVES YOU?" Well, let's not let it go another moment...I'm here to tell you that God does love you. As a matter of fact, He's CRAZY in love with you. He wants the very best for your life. He wants to show you how much He loves you. No, He's already shown you how much He loves you...He sent His SON! So there...God loves you. I hope that hits you as much up side the head as it did me last night. Now, since I've told you...go tell somebody else!!
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