Connections 2

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts today - Chuck Chat (I have a link to it on the site) - Chuck was doing an interview with a gentleman and they were talking about the sense of community that podcasting can create. As a posted earlier this week God has been teaching me again how important making connections with other people is. In that post I focused on what can keep us apart - namely sin - but what do we gain from connections.

We were created to be a part of other people's lives (remember the Adam and Eve thing). The author of Ecclesiastes says that two can keep each other warm and alone we're cold and overpowered (Dan's paraphrase See Ecc. 4:11-12).

Even Jesus surrounded himself with other people. He wept with them and laughed with them. His example of a fully connected life is awesome. He took intentional time to be alone with his Father. He took time to build into those around him teaching and mentoring his disciples. Living this way not only fulfilled him but it helped fulfill the lives of everyone he came into contact with.

Can we do less? We were created to be part of a body of believers. We cannot survive on our own. In John we're told that the branches that are separated from the vine are tossed into the fire. The question we have to ask is "Are we connected?" Are we connected to the Father and to those around us - or are we floundering around alone - cold, lonely, vulnerable and scared.

Thanks for reading - stay plugged in.

Dan

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!

Several weeks back I wrote about a scare we had with my wife's pregnancy. God has taken care of the baby and every thing is fine - she's had to take it easy but other than that OK. Well we had an ultra sound last Thursday and to quote Deb "It's a boy and we've got the pictures to prove it!" Whoo Hoo!!!!

I'm the father of three wonderful, beautiful fun little girls. I would not trade them for all the riches in Asia but I am so excited to be having a boy.

Well just a quick post today - Keep Smilin'.

Dan

Connections

I've been teaching a Sunday School class this month. One of the reasons I love teaching is that it forces me to grow myself. I discover and rediscover truth every time I prepare and teach.

This week God has been reminding me of the nature of sin. Sin always separates - it separates us from each other and it separates us from God. If we go back to the beginning God said "it is not good for man to be alone" and so he created Eve. God knew we are at our best in community - connected with spouses and families and churches and friends and co-workers. Part of the definition of sin is that these actions result in less than God's best for us. Part of the consequence of sin is that every time we sin - in big and little ways - it divides us from those people we love. It divides us from those people we need to be connected with.

The entire path of scripture - from Genesis to Revelation - is God's plan and path at restoring those relationships of reconnecting with Him and with each other. We were made for relationships and yet most of us spend our days very lonely. We feel alone, tired, scared and are hoping for someone to connect with. Someone who we can be real with and not feel judged or condemned for not being perfect. Even with our spouses - that person who we should be most real we can be guarded and hidden.

The hope is only found in Christ. His sacrifice grants us forgiveness in the eyes of God. It allows us to reconnect with our Holy Father and through the gift of his Spirit to live holy lives ourselves. When we are right with Him it frees us to live rightly with others.

Father,

Help me to connect with those around me. May I be a friend and a connection point for others. Help me be vulnerable and open to my wife and my friends and them to be. Give me the strength to make connecting with you a daily priority.

Amen

Thanks for reading

Dan

A Step of Faith

For the last several years I have been working in various sales type positions but in my previous life I was a pastor. After a very painful parting at my last church I have spent several years doing other stuff. God has dropped an opportunity into my lap to consider a ministry position again. This is a scary place to be at.

The last time I worked for "church people" they hurt me - more importantly they hurt my wife and family. Part of me is so afraid - and yet I know the joy that ministry brings. The passion when I'm leading worship or teaching, the thrill of digging into God's word with people and seeing them respond is so awesome.

The question for me is "What voice will I listen to?" Will I listen to the voice of doubt and hurt or will I let God heal that past hurt and listen to His guidance in this process.

Father - give me your peace and let your will be clear.

Your Servant

What Defines Us?

Like it or not, right or wrong, I have come to believe that most of us are defined by the tragedies in our lives. Last night this came back to me in a flood.

Eight years ago my wife and I lost our first baby. At about 11 weeks Deb had a miscarriage. The child we had wanted, hoped for, prayed for and already loved was taken from us. She was ripped from our lives and our hearts and while we have other children there is still a hole where Hanna Marie should be.

Last night Deb had some bleeding and immediately both out hearts jumped back eight years. Right now we don't know for sure if everything is OK or not but things look fine initially - only time will tell. What has struck me is how is how much my reactions continue to be defined by the pain of eight years ago. We are each a walking history. We respond to our daily triumphs and tragedies through the filter of our experience. As much as I intellectually know this time is different and this doesn't mean we are losing this baby, my heart is preparing itself for that.

There must be a balance between living bound by my past and living informed by them. I think it is only in community that this balance is found. Last summer I taught a class on the "one another" statements found in Hebrews. There are twenty-some statements that show us how to live in community. I think the culminate in Hebrews chapter 11 when we're given this great list of heroes of the faith and realize that there lives were filled with hardship and tragedy. It was there perseverance in spite of tragedy that got them listed in that "who's who" of faith - not the absence of hardship in their lives. I believe we need to share our stories of triumph and tragedy with each other right along side of those folks listed in Hebrews. Remind each other of the perfect hope we have that lies on the other side of our current darkness.

God, help me to rest on your strength and you eternal perspective not just my earthly one today. Help me to triumph over my tragedies and not be bound by them. Help me connect with others for my support and for theirs.

Thanks for reading,

Practice His Presence
Dan

Life Notes

Well it's been a bit since I've posted. Life is busy as always at the Wilson’s. I've been on the road since we last talked - to Austin TX for a principal’s conference.
Right now what is really taking our time and energy at home is preparation for Vacation Bible School. This year ours will have a African safari theme. This has consumed out house because my wife (and by extension our whole family) is responsible for the decorations. We've been making paper mache rocks and outlines of wild animals.
The biggest project has tuned out to be painting the flats for the backdrop of the stage. We are painting a sunset scene on them with a dark horizon and silhouettes of trees and animals etc. IMPORTANT TIP - if you think using permanent marker to outline something you might want to paint over in the future is a good thing - IT'S NOT!
The flats were painted to look like a bookshelf at some time and the books were outlined with marker. Even with two coats of primer and three coats of regular paint the books are still coming through -this is not fun. Well we'll get though and the kids won't ask too many questions about why there are books in the sky in Africa I hope.

Until next time

Practice His Presence

Dan

Family Reunion

This past weekend our family got together on the farm my Dad grew up on for a reunion. This was primarily my aunts and uncles (there are 7 of them) and many of my cousins (there are 26 of us) and their families.

Growing up we got together at the farm with this side of the family at least twice a year - in August for a family reuinion and at Thanksgiving (deer hunting don't ya know). I have such great memories of spending time with my cousins playing in the woods and the barns. It was awesome to see my kids playing with my cousins kids the same way we used to.

The farm has always had spiritual overtones for me as well. I count myself lucky to have a family who have modeled a life of faith for me. The bible says the Christ is preparing a place in a mansion for those who know him and one day will call us home to be with Him. I've always felt that that masion would look a little bit like that old farmhouse in Michigan. That one day I'll drive up the road and see Grandpa and Jesus wave at me from the driveway and say "Good to see ya. Your room's ready and dinner's on the table. Come on in." I'll walk into the dining room and see my family sitting down for one great big eternal Thanksgiving weekend. We'll play in the woods and sing on the porch. My uncle will be telling stories and grandma will be cooking bread in the kitchen and all will be right.

Thanks for permitting me a bit of sentimentality. God bless.

Dan