It has been awhile...

It has been awhile since I last posted an entry on my blog. Not sure why, maybe just overwhelmed with some recent illness, maybe just too busy to be creative, or maybe just lazy. Why dont we just agree on this..."It has been awhile".
But since we are on that subject, lets hang out there a few moments. It has been awhile since Christmas was fun. I remember when presents were simpler and even involved some fruit and candy. Electronics wasnt even a word in my language. It has been awhile since Christmas was more about decorating a tree with the smallest children getting to hang the best family ornaments, and most of them handmade. It has been awhile since mom or dad read the Christmas story at the dinner table even if the mashed potatoes grew a bit cold and maybe even lumpy. It has been awhile since hot chocolate was passed out to the Christmas carolers. Yes, it has been awhile since I have heard of a caroler.
It really has been awhile, but if that means waiting for some of these old memories to return, I will wait. I have the time:)

Seven minutes inside a heart

Getting old is tough. After spending two stays in the hospital in July I sort of thought this heart thing was over. Then my heart jumps back into A-Fib which doesnt seem to go away. One person told me "once a fibber always a fibber". I wonder if that is true in real life. Can you really change or are you doomed to always ---fib, steal, gossip, envy...you name the issue. It really is a spiritual heart matter.
This week I had a heart cath, with means you pay a doctor a lot of money to go inside and take a peek. I have been mentally preparing for this for over a month. Finally the day came. Two hours of prep time in the holding room, then they take you into the cath lab. Wires, needles, IV's and medicine that makes you really not care what they do. I am strapped down, monitors measuring everything and then the heart doctor arrives. Mine goes by the nickname "Dr. Raj". We call him that because nobody can pronounce his last name. Dr. Raj grabbed my thigh and sharp pains caused me to wince. He said, I am giving you the numbing medicine. I said "how about some numbing medicine for the numbing medicine". He laughed, I didn't.
As he proceded I just watched the clock. Seven minutes later he leaned over me and said "good news, no blockages and your heart is doing great". He walked out and they unhooked me and took me to the recovery room.
Amazing, in seven minutes he knows what is going on in my heart. But then, God doesnt need any time at all to see inside our heart. He knows what is going on also. Think about it!

What to do when you're stuck in the "Terrible Twos"

Our first born child, Jeremy, was the sweetest boy and so easy to raise and love. He never complained and everyone enjoyed him. Then he turned two! He hit the terrible twos with a vengence and it seemed to us that he just couldn't get beyond them. He eventually did and grew up the way he started and is a great guy, father and friend today.
Sometimes as Christians we hit the "terrible twos". We get to a point where we struggle to grow, get along with others and if we are brutally honest with ourselves we are truly unhappy. Can we get beyond this part in our life. We are saved, have a pretty good church record and most folks think we are ok, but we know better.
Paul offered this advice in his letter to his young preacher boy Timothy: "Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and is useful one way or another---showing us truth, showing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes and training us to live God's way"-The Message
I think what Paul is saying is simply this: If you want to get beyond the terrible twos you have to turn three. Scripture does that for us. Makes sense to me.

Did I ever tell you the story about...???

We all have stories. Some are funny, some way over explained (I get accused of this) and some that will make you cry. Every week pastors hear stories of all sorts. Lately they have been the "make you cry" kind. Life is hard.

Sometimes we just need to hear a story or two that encourages us and makes us want to get up and go back to living one more time. I would like to hear your story. If you have a story, an event, a good ending kind of thing, tell me about it. Email me at rick@thesummitchurch.info and tell me your tale. Maybe a doctor gave you good news, a child learned a great lesson, a bill got paid and you are relieved. I will keep it to myself and you will do something amazing...you will inject joy into the life of your pastor. Some days I really need it.

Tell me your story!!!

Passions of the Heart

What do you really love about life? What I mean is what floats your boat? Everybody I know has something they are passionate about, something they enjoy more than most other things. If you are not sure what your passions are, just do the following three checks: One, look at your checkbook, secondly, look at your calendar and finally, listen to what you talk about more than anything else. You will find your passions.

My physical heart has been acting up lately. I am wearing a heart monitor and it goes off when my heartbeat races out of control. It has put me in the hospital twice in the last few weeks. I have looked at the three check-off items above and noticed something. My checkbook has been paying medical co-pays, my calendar has a lot "sick days" written on it and I have told my hospital stories over and over. It is all I talk about. But are these my passions?

Each time my heart raced out of control I was doing one of the following three things, all of which I love: One, I was flying my plane, another time I was taking a Sunday nap, and the other time was right after I preached to my great church family. I love all of those parts of my life. What do you love? What would it take to get your heart racing? You might learn something about yourself that has become the passion of your heart.

America: Free but not independent

America is proud of her freedom. I am proud to be an American. But does Independence Day mean we are independent? I sure hope not.

We have always been dependent. When I was growing up if the milk man didnt show up with the glass milk jugs and place them in the metal box by the front door, we didnt have cereal. We sure were dependent on him. If dad didnt go to work and get that pay check every Friday the six of us children wouldn't eat. We sure were dependent on dad and his employer. (Mom reminds me of the time I took scissors and cut up dads paycheck...not a good day for a five year old) If the doctor couldn't figure out whether we had mumps or measles (or when all 6 of us kids had chicken pox at the same time) were sure were miserable. We sure were dependent on him. Everyone of you reading this blog could add a story of your own. We are very dependent. And guess what: that is a good thing. We need each other.

This nation celebrates 234 years of Freedom but also 234 years of dependence on God. If we ever get to the point we are no longer dependent on the Lord...we may also no longer be free. Any thoughts on this?

Are we there yet?

Every parent has heard those words. Traveling with three children guaranteed lots of questions ranging from estimated arrival times to how close to insanity are we? We usually arrived at the latter before the former.

What about your Christian life? Are you there yet? If not, how close are you to your next destination? How do you know if you are making any progress on this road trip called life? Just where is "there"? If you think this blog is going to figure all this out, you have far more confidence in me than I do.

Lets at least take a stab at one thought: Am I any closer to the Lord today than a few months ago? Answer the following: 1. Are you growing in your devotional life, prayer and Bible study, etc? 2. Do you wake up Sunday morning excited about going to church? Have you ever felt that way? 3. If you let your best "Christian" friend answer this question, what would they say? Not sure...well go ask them. 4. Can you think of anything at all that has improved in your walk with God? Anything?

That was kind of tough. I am not there yet. Let's walk together up this hill. Maybe together we can make the "Summit" before its all over on this side of the river. Hmmm..."The Summit". Someone should start a church with that name.

My dad could do.....

We all have different ideas about dad. Some of us dont have good memories, some have none at all. I was blessed to have a dad who allowed me to grow up with the good stuff. The first ball I threw, the first fish I caught, the first time I went bowling or played golf all had dad right there. He died 20 years ago and I miss him. He was laid back and never got excited. He gave me my first real job and taught me the meaning of a strong work ethic. My mom was kind of tough to live with, but dad never let us know anything about it. They were married 43 years when he died.
He was a deacon, a hard worker and a sacrificial father. He went without a lot of life's things to give the 6 of his children memories. He died a poor man if you looked at his checkbook, but a rich man if looked at his legacy.
What would your family write if they were blogging about you today?

The next steps...

When you are pastoring a new church you are always thinking of "the next steps". We have done this, what do we do next week, then the week after that...and next month. and on it goes.

Paul often spoke of such things...he would say (and I paraphrase) "I need to get back to Corinth and set them straight, but I also must see Rome, and then again there is this gut feeling I should leave Ephesus and what about that dream the other night suggesting I go to Macedonia. Macedonia, who wants to go there" Paul was always working on the next thing.

What about your life? Any "next steps" on your mind? How about your family life, have you got that one all figured out? How about that New Year's resolution to read the Bible, or that diet plan that was going to make you the envy of the neighborhood.

Get back to me if you dare and lets dialogue a bit about what God might want you and I to do next.

If mom could see me now...

Happy Mother's Day!
Mom has been gone 8 years. It would be untruthful if I didn't admit that I miss her. Mom always seemed to know I would enter the ministry. Not sure how she knew that but she did.
If mom could see me now.
Being a pastor causes a man to consider who is watching his life. If a plumber makes a mistake in life he may loose business, friends and family influence. If a pastor makes a mistake, the whole community, the church and every person he has ever influenced shakes their head. I know the importance of watching my life and living what I teach and preach.
What about your life? What are your struggles, have you thought about the impact?
This week lets talk about this. Any ideas on how to live right? Tell me your standards on what you read, watch on tv, what ratings in videos you allow. Lets talk about it all and suggest ways to live pure.
If mom could see me now...

Are you interested in a journey?

It will soon be obvious that this is my first crack at a blog. A few years ago I didn't even know what a blog was, let along ever thought I would be writing one. Thanks for noticing today.

Back to my question: Are you interested in a journey? My hope is to use this space and lets talk about life, the Word of God and Summit, the church I pastor in Alachua County. We will take a subject every Sunday night, put it online and then you can respond, ask questions, or tell me your thoughs. We will basically have our own online discipleship group. No wrong answers or silly questions, just learning together as we walk along. We will go after a new subject each week.

Well, are you interested? We will see.

Pastor Rick