"The Queen of Iowa"

Do you remember John, one of our sixth graders?  He likes to think up ideas for the blog and then work on the scriptures and prayers to go with them.  Those Chapel Hill sixth graders are something, aren’t they?

Well, John and I have both been listening to the music of a Christian singer named Andrew Peterson, who, by the way, I highly recommend.   Mr. Peterson writes music that tells some kind of story about the Bible or about his own experiences with Jesus.

One of his songs has the title “The Queen of Iowa.”  It’s about a woman from Iowa who was at the very end of her life.  The song finds her lying on her couch, and Andrew and his friend, Ben, are singing songs to her. 

Now I need to tell you that what Andrew and Ben noticed as they sang their songs to the “Queen of Iowa” is very true.  I have seen the same thing many times when I have visited people in their homes or in the hospital that were getting ready to meet Jesus in Heaven.   Andrew and Ben noticed that even though the “Queen” was about to give up her very tired and sick body, she was becoming more alive in her spirit than ever before.

A part of one of the lines in the song says, “…she was more alive than the others.”  So those words got John and me to thinkin’.  We were asking the question, “How can someone who is dying be more alive than the people who are going about their normal lives?”   Only ONE way!  John, not the sixth grader, but one of Jesus’ students, wrote this, “In Him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it (John 1:4-5).”  Again he wrote, “I (Jesus) am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).”

When we know and love Jesus, we look forward to seeing Him.  The truth of the wonderful hope we have in our friendship with Jesus is that we will live forever in a place called Heaven with Him!  Several of our first graders understood this for the first time this week when they asked Jesus to come into their lives and be Lord.

Can we thank Jesus?  Lord Jesus thank You for Heaven, the place where we will always get to be with You!  Thank You that we can become more and more like You as Your life takes over our lives.  And thank You so much that many of our CHCS students are asking You into their lives.  In Jesus' name, Amen.  

Proud of you,

Pastor Wilson

Mending Fences

If you can remember many stories ago, I was telling you about my very big black dog named Hoss.  Do you remember him?  That’s right; he’s the one who runs around in his new fenced-in backyard.   He is the best dog we’ve ever had even though I have to clean up after him before I cut the grass.  Yes, he still leaves his piles for me to pick up.

Well, Hoss has been walking around testing his new fence.  He’s been trying to see if there is any way he could get outside the fence into the woods behind our house or into the yards of our neighbors.  And guess what?  Hoss found one loose board along the picket fence in a corner of the yard we cannot easily see from the house.  He must have pressed against that board pretty hard with his nose or with his big paws, cuz’ he knocked it completely off and got out.

Now, I can’t imagine how Hoss got out, cuz’ the hole seemed too small for his very big, wide body.  But he did.   I went looking for nails, but couldn’t find the right size.  This gave me an excuse to go where all men secretly want to go: Lowes.  I found my nails (and a few other things I did not need), and started across the back yard with my trusty hammer in my hand.

I was so set on the job at hand that, of course, I was not watching where I was walking.  Yep, I stepped in one of Hoss’s piles.  This is the only time I become mad at Bill Bowerman, the inventor of the waffle sole for running shoes.  No matter how hard you try, you just can’t get all the dog pile out of those “nooks and crannies.” 

While I was pounding nails into the fence for Hoss’s protection, I got to thinkin’.  I remembered that we had compared the fence to the rules or commands God gives us in His Word.  They allow us to be free, as long as we stay inside them. 

When we start to test God’s rules, He will come along and remind us of His Words with love and discipline.   Many times He uses parents and grandparents or teachers to “mend the fences” of His rules for us.  But in the end we have to choose to stay inside the love and protection of “His fence.”   

And another thing…when we break God’s rules, or break through “His fence”, it won’t just hurt us.  It will hurt the people around us.  Our friends and family members, who love us, are always hurt by our sin.  As they try to help us follow God or follow our example and break God’s rules themselves, they may step into the messes we’ve made.  Sometimes these messes are difficult to clean up. 

Best idea?  Stay inside the fence of God’s love and protection by knowing and following His Word and by listening to the leading His Holy Spirit.  And remember: God is using your parents, grandparents and teachers as those who are showing you what His Word and Spirit may be saying to you!

I like John 10:27-29 when thinking about His love and protection: “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.  No one can snatch them away from Me, for My Father has given them to Me, and He is more powerful than anyone else.  No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.”

Can we pray about it?  Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for loving me.  I know I test Your rules over my life at times.  But I want to live inside the “fence” of Your love and discipline, so that I stay in a close friendship to You at all times.  Keep me in Your powerful hand!  In Jesus name, Amen.

Proud of you,

Pastor Wilson

Talkin' Names Again

Were you at the Green Campus picnic?  That was a pretty fun night!  First, there was a whole bunch of us there.  Second, there was a really cool playground at the place where we had the picnic.  Third, the parents seemed to really enjoy meeting each other and talking.  It seemed like some of us would have stayed all night if we had been allowed…like a campout or something.

Well, at the picnic I met a new friend who has two boys at our Green campus.  The friend I met is Ike Okoye.  The boys’ names are Joe and Paul.

But can I tell you something really cool about these three new friends?  These names are ones they use for us, so we can pronounce them.  They have super cool names that come from a country in Africa called Nigeria.  Do you want me to tell you the real names?  I’ve been very excited to tell you these names and what they mean!

Well, Mr. Okoye (pronounced “okoyay”), that’s the dad, does have the name Ike, except they don’t say it like we do.  They pronounce it “eekay.”   And in Nigeria they can add a word onto their first name that makes it mean something very cool.  So Mr. Okoye has added the word for God onto his name, which is “Chukwu.”  His full name, then, is Ike (eekay), which means power, and Chukwu, which means God.  Ike Chukwu: The Power of God!  Is that cool or what?

Now if you’re like me, you can’t wait to know what Joseph and Paul’s names really are, right?  Ebuka (pronounced “aybooka”) Chukwu and Nedum (pronounced “naydoom”) Chukwu.  You want to know what those names mean, right?  They mean “God is my strength” and “God is my guide.” 

Could this get me to thinkin’?  You better believe it!  From the power of God we get God’s strength and way for our lives.  Our school verse talks about this perfectly: “But they who trust in the Lord (the One who is almighty) will find new strength (God is my strength). They will soar high on eagles wings (with God as my guide).  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).”

That is so awesome that we better just have a good prayer!  Father in Heaven, by your power, bring Your strength into our weakness and bring Your direction for the path upon which You want us to be running and walking.  Thank you for prayer, because when we simply ask You, You promise to help us!  In Jesus name, Amen.

Proud of you,

Pastor Wilson

Name Recess

I was got to be out at recess for a while last week.  “Recess” is the word that most of you say when I ask you that question, “What was the best thing about your day?” 

But remember, after you say, “recess”, I will always ask, “Yeah but how about the best thing that happened in the classroom?”

A lot of really great things happened at recess.  I got to swing, play kickball and talk to a lot of you.  I noticed during pre-K and kindergarten recess that playing chase is a pretty big deal.  It was mostly girls chasing boys; that may change some once you get to high school.

I met Gavin on the playground.  He makes very good conversation for a pre-K student.  In fact, he was able to tell me the names of everyone that was playing chase on the entire playground.  That wasn’t the amazing part though.  After he told me the names of everyone in his class, he was able to tell the names of all the people in other classes as well!  Then he proceeded to tell the names of the big brothers or big sisters of those people too!

When I attempted to go onto the next thing, Gavin drew me back into playing “name recess” by saying, “Pastor Wilson, I don’t think you know this person yet.”  Then, of course, he’d walk me over to introduce me to another one of his friends that was chasing or running away.

All this naming at recess got me to thinkin’ about a very important name in the Bible: Jesus Christ.  Jesus is a man’s name that means “savior.”   So Jesus was completely a man, so He could save us by taking the penalty for all the sin that has been done by men and women.

Christ is the name that is written in the New Testament for the name Messiah.  Messiah means “anointed one.”  That means that Christ was the Son of God, which means He is completely God too!  Completely human and completely God!

This is hard to understand but very important.  Since Jesus Christ was God, when He died on the cross for our sins, His death counted for the payment for all the sin ever committed by any person.  And the amazing part is that God gave Jesus’  perfect “rightness” to you and me!

The Bible says it this way in II Corinthians 5:21: “He who knew no sin, became sin, so we might become the righteousness of God!”

That name, Jesus Christ, is so awesome that we better pray about it, huh?  Lord Jesus, thank You for Your name.  Thank You that Your name means I can be forgiven and be friends with Your Father, God, who is in heaven.  Thank You that the meaning of Your name gives me life that lasts forever with You in Heaven!  I love You, in your name, Amen.

Proud of you,

Pastor Wilson

Still Coloring the Bible

You know, I'm still thinkin' about "coloring the Bible" with Zaire, Josh and Leigh.  Maybe it's still on my mind because I haven't colored in so long.  Or maybe I've been thinkin' about Zaire's big yellow rock flying toward Goliath's head.  Or maybe it's all about Goliath's hair getting colored orange (the same color as my son, John's).  Or maybe I'm remembering that when John "colored the bible" he asked Jesus into his heart.  Who knows?  But I'm still thinkin' about it.

I know!  It's because I love the story of David and Goliath.  You know that one, don't you?  David goes to visit his brothers at the battle, and they made fun of him because they thought he was just trying to act big.  He volunteers to fight the Giant, Goliath, so King Saul tries to give him some armor.  After everything David decides that he'll fight Goliath the way God has taught him to protect his sheep: with a sling and a stone.  And David comes out on top!

Is this just a story about the little guy whipping the big guy, or is there something more to the story than that?  Yes, we all love it when the bully loses, but is that all this is about?  Let's look closer!

How did David really beat Goliath?  Why don't we ask him?

Come on Pastor Wilson; David lived about 3,000 years ago.  Yes, I know, but we can actually read what David said in the Bible!  Look it up in I Samuel 17.

Goliath was trying to scare David when he said, "Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?"

David talked right back to that giant and said, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ...All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's and He will give all of you into our hands."

How did David do it?  By the power of God!  How do we gain the power and wisdom of God?  By asking Jesus into our lives and by allowing Him to be our Lord.

Mrs. Truthan told her students this great story after we "colored the Bible."  One of my coloring partners, Josh, really understood all of this.   He took the story home and told his family about it.  He also prayed  about asking Jesus into His life just like my son John did when he was coloring 15 years ago!  Isn't it great to "color the bible."

Let's thank the Lord: Dear Lord, thank you that Your word is so powerful.  Thank you that it is all about Jesus and that all the stories lead us to know Him and to want to tell others about Him.  And thank you that boys and girls can ask you into their hearts; and when they do, You come in by Your Spirit and live in them!  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Proud of you,
Pastor Wilson

More Porpoises

I keep trying to write about large fish, but what I really mean is purposes.  


So today I need you to remember two people from other blog entries: Mrs. Ausbury and one of our sixth graders (the students we look up to) named John.  Mrs. Ausbury was talking to us this week at north campus about finding our purpose.  John has good ideas for the breakfast blog.  His last idea was about his sister, Laura getting poison ivy...you remember?

John is a bee keeper.  Yes, he really keeps bees in his backyard.  He keeps these bees not because he likes to get bee stings or because he likes the color yellow or because he finds flying insects particularly interesting.  He keeps bees for one purpose and one purpose only: honey.


He told me that bees have one purpose.  The result of all their building of hives and moving pollen about is honey.  I've actually tasted some of John's honey on my morning toast.  It was delicious!

All this talk of purposes and bees got John and me to thinkin'.  If we were to try to reduce our purposes down to just one, what would that one purpose be?  Well, Jesus said His goal was to glorify His Father in Heaven.  In John 17:4 Jesus prayed, "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do."  The Apostle Paul said it this way, "So we make it our goal to please Him (the Lord), whether we are at home in the body or away from it (II Corinthians 5:9)."


If we were only allowed to have one purpose, it would be to please and bring glory to God.  


How do we do it?  


Jesus said He met the goal by completing the work God gave Him; it's called obedience.  The book of Hebrews says that without faith it is impossible to please God.  Obedience and Faith!  So our porpoise, no I mean purpose, is to obey what He is calling us to be and to do.  Then we must have faith in Him for how He chooses to respond to our obedience.  Now that is an awesome purpose!


Could we pray about that? Lord Jesus, would You give us the courage to obey You, so that we could bring You glory.  Then will You give us Your faith, so that we can trust You for the wonderful things You want to do when we obey.  In Your Name, Amen.


Proud of You,
Pastor Wilson 

Coloring the Bible

I haven’t colored with crayons for quite a while, but this morning Zaire shared his big bag of crayons with me.  Josh and Leigh shared some of their colors too.   If one of them had a shade that just a bit different than one of Zaire’s crayons, he wanted me to try it out.

Sharing crayons is kinda like sharing tools or fishing lure’s for big people.  You know...you can only share them with good friends, so I was feelin’ kinda special.

We were all working on the same picture.  In the front of this coloring book page was the giant head of Goliath, who was holding his very large spear.  In the back of the picture stood David, who had just released a stone from his sling. 

We decided that Goliath should have orange hair like my son, John.  Goliath’s spear was a few shades of red since Zaire, Josh and Leigh all have a little bit different shades of red.   I got to color the grass green, and our river ended up not blue but black.  Between David and Goliath there was a stone, which because it was in the sky, reminded us of the sun.  We made it bright yellow and got a little wide of the lines to show movement, or maybe size(?); cuz’ as you know, it was sailing toward Goliath’s head.

In the end it all got me to thinkin’.   I was reminded of my son, John, who at the same age as Zaire, Josh and Leigh, was coloring in the Big Bible Coloring Book at around easter time.  His page was a picture of Jesus on the cross.  Last week John was telling this story to a group of high school kids as his testimony.

While he was coloring, he asked his mom about what was going on in the picture and why the man was on the cross.  His mom explained the simple story of Jesus’ death on the cross as the payment for the forgiveness of our sins.  She told him that Jesus loved us so much that He took our place on the cross.  That night we also told John that Jesus did not stay dead, but He came alive again.  John knelt down by our couch and asked Jesus to come into his heart on the night he was “coloring the Bible.” 

Isn’t a blessing that Mrs. Truthan and Mrs. Cochran can hand out Bible pictures in their classroom for the children to color?  The Bible says that “the Word of God will not return void.”  What does that mean?  Just this: when we are reading or being reminded of God’s Word, God Himself, speaks to us and we have the ability to speak back to Him.  It’s called prayer.

Who knows?  Maybe God was speaking to three boys this morning while they helped me color David and Goliath.   More tomorrow on “coloring the Bible”, but right now we better pray.

Father in Heaven, as we learn Your Word in our Bible times, our chapels, our art and in all our school subjects, make us wide awake to all You are saying to us.  Thank You for using all these ways, including “coloring the Bible,” to talk to us.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Proud of you,

Pastor Wilson   

Correcting for the Wind

I got to play at recess for just a little while yesterday.  I was throwing a red football with David; he’s one of our fourth graders.

David’s is a pretty good passer, and he can catch pretty well too.  But… it was pretty windy yesterday, and the ball we were throwing was one of those light nerf blow-up jobs.  We were passing the ball with the wind blowing across the path of our passes.

The problem was that if I directed my throw right at David, the wind would blow the ball off course about fifteen feet to the right every time.  David would have to make a scrambling catch, which, by the way, he did many times. 

So I began to correct my throws for the wind.  I pointed my pass ten or so feet to the left and the wind would blow the ball right into David’s hands.

This, of course, got me to thinkin!  Jesus got out in the wind with his students (disciples) a few times in the Bible.  One time the wind and the waves were so bad that Jesus’ students thought that they’d all be swept away.  Jesus was resting in the boat.  Yep, see the difference?  Disciples – worrying, while Jesus was at rest.

When His students woke Him up, they had been wondering why Jesus didn’t care whether or not they lived or died.  They asked Jesus about it.  He simply responded, “Oh you of little faith.”  Then He said to the wind and the waves, “Peace! Be still!”  He made a “correction for the wind” and it stopped blowing, and the sea became quiet.

Sometimes “wind”, in the form of life’s difficulties, illnesses and struggles, blows into our lives.  Jesus is the “correction for the wind.”  He doesn’t promise that there won’t be wind; He promises to walk into and through the wind with us!

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).”  When the wind of life starts blowing, it is time to go to Him.  It will be in our friendship with Him that we find rest; nothing else works.

Let’s pray about it, can we? Lord, Jesus, thank You for going to the cross for us not just because You purchased the forgiveness of our sins.  But thank You for making Yourself available to be always with us no matter what “wind” begins to blow.  In Jesus’ name with thanksgiving, Amen.

Proud of you,

Pastor Wilson

Porpoise

Porpoise?  You mean the big fish?  No, I guess I meant to say purpose.  Yesterday at our North campus Mrs. Ausbury brought her two puppies: Domino and Audrey.  She told us that they both have a purpose.  Domino's main purpose is cuddling and chewing and Audrey's purpose is running and watching.

Mrs. Ausbury was teaching us that everything God created has a purpose.  That means you and I have a purpose.  The question is: what is my purpose?  And if I don't know my purpose, how do I find out what my purpose is.  

Four things that always work, if you keep them in order:
1) Pray: ask God by His Holy Spirit to show you your purpose.
2) Read God's Word: ask God to show you your purpose as you are reading His word.  Remember His Word and His Spirit never disagree.
3) Ask people who love you and love God to pray with you: then ask them what God is telling them about your purpose.
4) Watch for the things you love to do and how God moves in the situations of your life.

All of this got me to thinkin' about a verse in Ephesians: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (2:10)."


Like Mrs. Ausbury said yesterday, "God has a plan and purpose for every one of us."  He has even planned specific tasks for us to accomplish.  When we listen to Him through prayer and His Word, we can know our purpose.  And when we are working within His purpose for us, we experience joy and we glorify Him!


Let's pray: Thank You, dear Father in Heaven, that You made each one of us special and that You love us very much.  Thank You for making our lives with a purpose so that we can serve You and bring joy to Your heart.  In Jesus' name, Amen.


Proud of you,
Pastor Wilson 

Still Shinin' Like Stars

We are beginning the third full week of school!  Do you remember our theme or banner for the year?  Yep, it is “Shine Like Stars.” 

All you have to do is walk around in the halls to see the poster up.  You know the one.  It is a picture of a boy dressed in what looks similar to a Chapel Hill Christian School uniform except for one difference: he is wearing a cape with a big white star on it.

His arms are spread out and it looks like he’s getting ready to take off and fly over the road upon which he is running.   Our verse for the year is written on the poster: “…Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” 

It got me to thinkin’ about another verse: “But those whose hope is in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint.”  That’s our school verse and where Regal the Eagle comes from.

In order to “shine like stars” we will have to wait on, hope in and trust in the Lord.  When we “soak in Him”, He gives us His strength.  It is only when we have His strength that we will “shine” and “soar”.

Wow!  That makes a nice little sermon with words that all begin with “s”.  If we “soak” (spend time with Him), we will receive His “strength”.  With His “strength” we can “soar” and “shine”.

Why don’t we pray that little sermon?  Lord Jesus, teach us to soak in You; and as we do, give us Your strength.  And with Your strength and Your light in us, help us obey You so that we soar and shine for Your glory!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Proud of you,

Pastor Wilson

Runnin' Right Roads

One of our sixth graders, the students that help lead the way for all of us, is named John.  He has some great writing ideas for the “breakfast blog.” 

Yesterday he was telling me about his sister, Laura.  It seems she likes to run.  In fact, she was a cross-country runner at CVCA.   Runners like to go “off-roading.”  Which means they like to get off the track and off the street or sidewalk, in order to find something like a path through a woods.

Well, once John’s sister, Laura, was in the mood for one of  these “off-road” runs.  She found a trail sure enough.  But then things went haywire.  She had to make a choice to stay on course or take an even wilder looking course.  Yep, you guessed it; she got further “off-road ”

The problem with going further “off-road” is it’s hard to say what you’ll find ahead on the path or if there will even be a path at all.  Laura, John’s sister, found something she didn’t like down the path she chose.  You guess….

Did you guess?  She found poison ivy!  And she got a pretty bad case of the itches.  Her itches were so nasty that she had to report to her doctor for, yep, a dreaded shot!

This got John and me to thinkin’ about a verse that appears in one of Jesus’ sermons:  “Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matthew 7:13-14).

I agree with John's sister, Laura; if you're out for a run, find a cool path.  But life doesn't always work this way.  There may be some path everyone seems to walking on like sassing parents, watching too much TV or watching TV shows, movies or video games that aren't good for you.  The Bible says that those things are the broad road that leads to destruction.  It's kinda' like a path that leads to poison ivy.  Don't GO!

Instead, continue to follow the Lord and His path for your life.  Jesus' sermon says that not a lot of people will be going down that road, but it is a road that leads to life.  Remember, the life Jesus gives lasts forever (read John 3:16-17 again).

Can we pray about that?  Lord Jesus, you called people to follow You, so You could make them fisher's of men.  Not many people followed You all the way.  But I want to be one who stays on Your narrow road.  I give You permission to lead my life.  In Your name, Amen.

Proud of you,

Pastor Wilson

"Hoofies to the Quick"

One of my parents, I don’t know which one, mom or dad, used to say this little phrase when she or he was talking about working very hard.  It became a regular phrase in our home.  Someone would say, “I was working my little hoofies to the quick.”  I think it means that someone is running around so fast while they are serving or working, that his or her feet are getting worn down.

I saw “hoofies to the quick” recently.  It was at the faculty breakfast before school started.  Some of our moms and dads came to serve the breakfast to all the teachers and staff from both campuses.  There was a lot of breakfast being “chowed down”!

The thing no one expected was that the three or four sets of mom and dads who came to serve brought their girls, who are CHCS students, to help serve as well.  These girls actually ran around pouring coffee, juice and water.  They carried seconds of food to our teachers and staff, and they picked up all the trash.  By the time we were done eating, the whole cafeteria was “spick-n-span” (super clean).   

These girls worked their “hoofies to the quick”.  And they did it all without complaining or arguing; they did it with the very Spirit of Jesus. They were "shining like stars!"

Watching them got me to thinkin’  about a verse: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name (or nature) of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (Colossians 3:17).”  They had served all of our school’s faculty and staff with the nature of Jesus and had been thankful to do it.

So many times when we’re asked to help or work, we whine about it.  But God looks at work differently; He has given it to us as a gift.  We shouldn’t worship our work, but we should see it as a way to thank and honor God.

Let’s ask God to help us with this, OK?  Lord Jesus, help to have Your attitude about work.  Help me to be like these girls, who worked, yes, worked hard, and found that their work was Your gift to them.  In Jesus name,  Amen.

Proud of you,

Pastor Wilson

Kiss and Kissa

Chris and Krista were home this weekend.  Krista is my 21 year old daughter, who is married to Mr. Chris Thomas.  It's unbelievable isn't it?!  What's unbelievable?  ...That I could be old enough to have a daughter that is already married.  Well, it's true.

They live and work and go to school in Chicago at Moody Bible Institute and the University of Illinois. Yep, seems unbelievable.  Chris and Krista have a little friend in Chicago that can't pronounce their names together.  When he tries, he says, "Kiss and Kissa."

When "Kiss and Kissa" come home a wonderful thing happens.  They hug their brothers and sisters with very long and strong hugs.  They really enjoy telling each other what is happening in each of their lives.  They laugh a lot.

It got me to thinkin'!  So I wanted to ask you a question about brothers and sisters and friends at school.  Do you take time to enjoy them now?  Do you talk to them?  Do you give them long, strong hugs?  It's important you know.

A day will come when these people won't be around everyday.  You will miss them just like Johnny and Emma (the two kids still at my house) miss "Kiss and Kissa."  The Bible teaches that we are to love each other just like Jesus loved us.   In John 13:34-35 Jesus said,  "Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Would you start to love your brothers and sisters and friends like this?  I think if you will, you'll be so glad you did.  Guess what else?  If I do this, I will be glad I did too!

Let's pray: Lord Jesus, teach us to love brothers, sister and friends like You do.  Help us talk together, laugh together and play and work together.   In Your name we pray, Amen.


Proud of you,
Pastor Wilson 

Labor Of Love

Our school was one of the sponsors of the Labor of Love Run which happened this morning.  About 500 people entered the one mile fun run and about 500 entered the 5 mile run.  I was entered in the five mile run.

The Labor Of Love Run happens every year on Labor Day, the first Monday of September.  The money raised through the entry money everyone pays goes to help ladies who are pregnant and are having a difficult time while they are pregnant.  It encourages these ladies to be able to have their babies and either bring them home to live with them or let some nice family adopt the babies.  It's a very good idea!

The five mile run was not very fun; because I am not in very good shape, and I ran very slow.  But I decided to jump in on the one mile fun run, and that was very fun.  Cuz' guess why?  I ran into Gabe and Jack and Julian.  They were running too!  Julian was running with his mom, so Gabe and Jack and I got to run together.  It was fun, because why?  Because we got to run together and talk and encourage each other to keep going.

During the five mile run I was by myself most the time - no fun.  This got me to thinkin'!  Going through hard things is always easier when we go through them with others.  This is the purpose of the Church or what the Bible calls "the Body of Christ."  Proverbs 27:17 says, "as iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another."  This means that we can help each other be all God intended us to be; we can help each other run the race of life well.  


Hebrews 3:13 says, "encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness."  When we tell each other to keep going in our walk with Christ, it makes it more likely that we will continue to follow Him.  Our Christian life was meant to be lived together! 


Let's ask the Lord to help us: Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for reminding me that it's easier to keep going when I let others help me.  Thank you for the example of Gabe and Jack today, and how we helped each other to make it all the way to the finish.  Help all of us to remember to reach out to encourage each other as we draw closer to the day we will see You!  In Jesus' name, Amen.


Proud of you,
Pastor Wilson

Hoss's Backyard

Like I was saying, I have a big dog, no, a really big dog, named Hoss.  Hoss is the best dog we've ever had.

He is friendly; Sprocket, our last dog liked to bite people.

He does not eat our house or furniture; Mookie our second to last dog, liked to tear into the flour and shake it all over the house.  Mookie ate my running shoes the day before I was to run a marathon.

Hoss always acts the same - just like a big friendly Hoss.  Magee, our third to last dog, was not always in right mind. Magee would wag his tail in a very friendly way while he was showing his fangs and growling.  Who knows what he was thinking...?

Hoss has always had to be on a leash when he was outside, because he liked to run up and down our street visiting people and other dogs.  Now he has a fenced in backyard.

He just goes out into the yard and chases squirrels and possums and birds; but he is safe, because there is a fence that keeps him out of the street.  The only place he can go is back into the house.

I got to thinkin' about Hoss's fenced backyard, and ya know, it's kinda like rules that parents, grandparents and teachers make for us.  Rules are important, because they keep us safe, but they also keep us free.  As long as we keep the rules set by God in His word and set by godly parents and teachers, we will experience safety and freedom.  This gives us the feeling of joy!  Everyone wants to know joy, especially God's joy!


What is the greatest rule?  Jesus answered this question in Mark 12:30-31 when He said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."  Then He said that there was a second rule like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself."


When we keep these two rules, we are in the fence of God's love.  We will put Him, and His way, first, and love those people He brings across our path.   


Let's pray about stayin' in the fence: Lord, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, help us obey Your rules, so that we will know the joy of Your freedom.


Proud of you,
Pastor John