Yesterday was such a great day! I was feeling better--at least enough to be outside and enjoy the beautiful day. I actually did a little too much. I've been dying to get our back flower garden under control. It was horrible. So, Sheryl and I chopped our way through out of control rose bushes and dug up most everything else. I spread some mulch and planted some bulbs. Sheryl's really the better gardener here, but I was obeying her directions. It felt good to be outside, dirty, and sweaty! It was nice to hear the delightful screams of little girls running all over the yard or calling from their swings, "Daddy come push me HIGH!" Summer--here we come!
I was exhausted last night. But I still felt better than I had over the weekend. I am at work today and have Easter looming in the near future. There is much to do that didn't get done last week, thanks to sickness.
Pray for me today. I have a lunch that I am not looking forward to. It's with a member of our church who has really not liked anything I've done here in 10 years. He has left several times but always comes back. To say that our views are different on issues would be the major understatement. However, he and his wife have been at OC for a very long time. They have given their lives in service to this church. They have weathered many, MANY changes. They are loved. I anticipate this being a difficult lunch. Please say a prayer for me for wisdom, sensitivity, boldness, and patience--all at the same time.
Lord, you have made us family, whether we like it or not. I pray that I will treat my brother with brotherly love today. I pray that you shut my mouth when it needs to be shut and open it when, and only when, it will benefit your will in this situation. Bless the other men who will join us. Give them wisdom and guidance as well.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
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6 comments:
just returned from lunch. thanks for your prayers. i have had this discussion with this brother about 5 times over the last 10 years--maybe more. it went fine. basically, we (I) agreed to disagree. i really want to say more because i know a number of you who minister out there have conversations like this. however, i'm going to do something completely out of character and restrain myself. thanks for your prayers. i really believe it helped. did anyone read mike cope's blog entry a few days ago?
BST,
Man I appreciate you so much. I appreciate the fact that you are willing to sit down with someone that you know doesn't agree with you on some things and openly discuss it, even though you may have done it ten other times. I love your heart because some of us (me) probably might have just said, "well we've been down this road before and I ain't doing it anymore" Even though it is right thing to do. Thanks for your example brother!
this was encouraging to read...i have found myself reading that "concernedmembers.com" websites in the past few days...nuff said...it can really make me angry that people can get caught up in small trivial things that have no bearing on our salvation...i often wonder if we would all put the energy we spend disagreeing into saving souls, what might happen for the kingdom of God...thank you for reminding me today that sometimes we will disagree, but our focus is on pleasing God, not man...
i also want to echo a comment from a few days ago...the "desperate" cd is truly ministering to me...i am so thankful that you all continue to make these cds...they are truly a blessing...
this particular situation you speak of today gives whole new meaning to the "cleanser of the mess we've made"! praise God that He took our place!
Brandon!! Kristin Ward here... I am very new to the blog world and I have loved reading yours and checking up on your links to Stephen, Val, and others. I am so glad your lunch went well. I'd love to hear from you!
yes, i did read that blog by mike cope. i liked it so much that i cut and pasted it to an e-mail and sent it to my fellow deacons and the shepherds of the congregation i am a member of. the only comments i got were that this is something that needs to be addressed in a forum other than e-mail, or that it needs to be addressed in the worship committee meeting.
we are fighting to move forward at port city, but there are some that want to go slow. i don't have a problem with slow, but there needs to be progress.
i am out of town on business in birmingham and will be attending homewood. one of the members at port city has a daughter who attends homewood with her husband who happens to be the youth minister. i hope to have a fulfilling wednesday night service, and i get to attend this sunday as well. i so i look forward to that!
Hmmm... That Mike Cope entry has gotten lots of mileage lately. Been discussed around our congregation, as well. While we all continue to tiptoe around trying not to offend, we keep striving to move our own worship experiences forward. ("We" here is a small group around me, but probably will fit for many of you, as well.) My dad, tending towards very conservative and very critical, told me of his agreement with a fellow deacon who asked "How long do we let them [older, ultra conservative members - you know, "them"] dictate how we are to worship?"
Glad your meeting went well.
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