FOUR

FOUR!!!

Only twice did I need to holler that word today. Now that certainly doesn't mean that I stayed in the fairway the rest of my shots. To say that I covered most of the course would be a more accurate statement. Thankfully the best part of the golf game was the fellowship!

I forgot how much more challenging it is to play golf in PA than in IL. I actually had to deal with playing my ball off the side of a hill on 17 of the 18 holes.

What about monuments

As I prepare for my trip back to PA for a little R&R, I was thinking about the massive 200 foot cross that I'll pass by in Effingham, IL. What are we to make from such monuments? Is this the right way to display or Christian beliefs? Thanks to a post by my friend Paul Grabill, I was able to ask myself what I thought about alternative religious displays. Are either or both of these OK?

As I read God's Word, there is only one way the lost will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and that is through the sharing of the Gospel. Whether by preaching or by testimony. It is not by picketing and law suits. The Word says, "Let your light shine...", not the massive halogen lamps that light up the cross on the side of the road. What could have been done to reach the lost if all that money went to missions?

AMAZING GRACE in a strange place

AMAZING GRACE in a strange place

In looking for an illustration on grace that could drive home a point, I came across this Amazing Grace story.

In a time when many of our sports stories are about steriods or high-profile arrests, it’s good to hear a sports story that stars grace.

It happened a few months ago at a woman’s college softball game in Ellensburg, Washington. The two teams, Central Washington and Western Oregon were playing for a spot in the league playoffs. It was the most meaningful game of their careers.

There was no score in the top of the second inning, when senior Sara Tucholsky stepped to the plate with two runners on base. Sara was a substitute outfielder who stood only 5 feet 2 inches tall and was batting only 3 for 34 for the season. Sara had never hit a home run in high school or in her four years of playing in college.

She was an easy target for the home-team hecklers who sat behind home plate. She took the first pitch - a strike. Then she swang at the second pitch and when she hit it she knew it was out of the park. She looked up to see the ball sail over the center field fence.

Sara was jumping with joy as she rounded first base - so much so that she missed the bag. So she reversed her direction to return to tag the base - and that’s when disaster struck. Sara’s tendon in her knee snapped and she collapsed on the field.

The two players on base had already crossed home plate, leaving Sara as the only offensive player on the field. She was crumpled on the ground a few feet from first base and a long way from home plate. The rules of the game stipulated that if any of her teammates or coaches touched her on the field of play that she would be called out. Sara was weeping as she painfully crawled to first base. Her coach thought the only option was to substitute a pinch runner for Sara, but since she had only touched first, that would take away the home-run and change it into a single. So, it looked like the only home run of Sara’s career would be canceled.

That’s when grace showed up. As the coach was preparing to substitute a runner for Sara, Mallory Holtman, the first baseman for the opposing team stepped up and asked, "Excuse me. Would it be OK if we carried her around and she touched each bag?" Mallory was the star hitter for the Central Washington team. She was also a senior and had been putting off a couple of knee surgeries herself until the season was over. Now with her post-season career on the line, she offered to help a player who she only knew as her opponent for the past four years.

The umpires conferred and agreed that while none of her teammates could touch her on the field of play there was no rule that prohibited the opposing team members from carrying her around the bases.

So Mallory enlisted the help of her shortstop, Liz Wallace, and the two girls gently picked Sara up and started carrying her around the bases. As the home crowd realized what was happening they started standing to their feet and cheering this act of graceful kindness.

As she talked about what happened Mallory said, "We all started to laugh at one point, I think when we touched the first base. I don't know what it looked like to observers, but it was kind of funny because Liz and I were carrying her on both sides and we'd get to a base and gently, barely tap her left foot, and we'd all of a sudden start to get the giggles a little bit."

When they arrived at home plate, Sara’s teammates met her with tears in their eyes as they congratulated her for her first and only home run of her career. The fans were standing and cheering as they carried Sara back to the dugout.

Then Mallory and Liz returned to their positions to try to win the game that would extend their softball careers into the playoffs. If Hollywood had been writing the script, then Mallory and her team would win and go to the playoffs, but they ended up losing the game 4-2 and were eliminated.

But Mallory didn’t regret for a second what she did. In fact she told a television reporter, "In the end, it is not about winning and losing so much. It was about this girl. She hit it over the fence and was in pain, and she needed help."

What a display of grace-living! My definition of grace is "God giving me what I NEED rather than what I DESERVE." Mallory and Liz didn’t give Sara what she DESERVED - a single and a record without a homer. Instead, they gave her what she NEEDED. They didn’t give her justice, they showed her grace.

Do you think that would have happened in a Yankees/Red Sox game? If a professional ballplayer was injured while running a base the opposing team would tag him out in a heartbeat and say, "he got what he DESERVED!"

when I first saw the story of Mallory and Liz carrying Sara around the baseball diamond, I couldn’t help but think what a perfect illustration that is of God’s grace.

Like Sara, each of us has been tripped up and injured by our own sin. None of us could make it home on our own because we’re all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. The law is like an umpire that says, "You’re OUT!"

But Jesus Christ, full of grace and truth, came to us and extended nail-scarred hands, and said,"Excuse me. Would it be okay, if I carry you home?" And it is because of His grace, and His grace alone, that we can arrive safely home.

As the beautiful old song says, "In loving kindness Jesus came; my soul in mercy to reclaim; and from the depths of sin and shame; THROUGH GRACE He lifted me! From sinking sand, He lifted me; with tender hand; He lifted me! From shades of night; to plains of light; oh, praise His name, He lifted me!" (Words by Charles Gabriel, 1905)

And that's just another reason why God's grace is so amazing!

Worship

As a pastor I am constantly challenged with the "worship" battles that take place in churches. Why should worship be a battle. Well...it really isn't a battle. It is music style that is the battle. True Worship is between man and God. Check out this video clip and ask God if you are worshiping Him or just wanting your senses tickled by the style of music you like. 

Then go to GTAOG.com (chose your format) for an awesome message on worship! Great word Brian!

The Simple Things

Tonight my 11 yr. old daughter starts softball. So last night we went out to the field and played a little catch. Michael (14) brought out the dog and ran around for awhile. As we were out there I couldn't help but be thankful for my healthy family. We very rarely make a trip to the Dr. unless it is required for school check-ups. I haven't been to the Dr. since I was smitten with strep throat in PA two and half years ago. Even then I didn't want to go but had to drive back to IL so I needed to get fixed up quick. 

I am thankful for God's blessing of health on my family. 

Pork Steaks

Yesterday was my kids school pork steak fundraiser. 600 lbs of grilled pork steaks, and only 10 lbs of it splattered on my shirt. We had a great day of fellowship, fun and food all while raising money for the PTF.

Bad Timing

Thanks to Tim Enloe through Paul Grabill, I am still laughing.

Why is it that we just have to laugh at others pain?

No sound on the video but it is certainly not needed.

Have a great laugh!

Worship Leader Blunder.

No More Christian Nice Guy

Reading a good book No More Christian Nice Guy. The book takes a look at the wimpification of men. It is a book that challenges our thinking on what it means to be God's man in the 21st century. The apostle Paul pens in 1 Corinthians 16:13, 'Act like men.' That begs the question, What  is a man? This book is an excellent answer. 

I highly recommend this book for ALL men to read.

Rolling Down the Alley

Ahhh, church bowling league night. Well, we won 2 out of 3, which puts the Blitzburgh Strikers back in 2nd place, just 3 points behind the 1st place team. 

We always have a blast! It is so fun to laugh at each other when we roll the gutter balls.

Take a look at this crazy shot.

I'm Back

Ok, Ok.

I know it has been awhile. But I am going to try and keep this updated as much as possible.

As many of you know I have been doing a daily e-mail devotion, which has pulled me away from this blog. Well...I guess I will try to do a little bit of both.

So what's happening? My kids are growing, my in-laws are in town, Pitt blew another tournament game, the river is rising, and I am just plugging along.

Well, I guess that's a good start-up. More tomorrow.