Last week was a tough week for America. In the midst of planning, decorating, and anticipating a well-deserved mid-winter break, a man shattered our image of ourselves. Of course, I don't know anyone directly impacted by last week's tragedy. I don't know the victims or their families. I don't know the gunman or his family. I've never even been to Connecticut.
But none of that matters. What happened in Newtown affected me. Generally, Friday is my day off. Depending on Myranda's schedule, my Fridays consist of helping her with a project or running errands. Some weeks it's just Palynn and me. Other other weeks Myranda is home with us. Last Friday was a daddy-daughter day. Just the two of us at home. Maybe a little laundry...cook...and hopefully a nap before the other kids came home from school. But then I saw my cousin's post on Facebook...another school shooting.
I turned on the news and unfortunately her post was right. As I watched in horror, I felt the same emotions I had felt when other tragedies struck our country. My stomach was in knots...I physically felt illness creeping over me. But this time I felt something different too. In the past, I never had to have any answers. All I had to have was the questions. But when you have the title "pastor", people look to you for answers. Even as I was trying to process the evil that was unfolding 1,000 miles away, I knew that I would need to have something to offer people.
So for almost 48 hours I pondered how I would address this event with my congregation. Should I ignore it and just preach what was prepared? No, that was wrong and that's not what God was leading me to do. Should I just scrap everything I had prepared? No, that too was wrong. The Spirit had led me through my study time and much of what I was going to say was even more appropriate than it was before.
So Sunday morning, I came into the office a little earlier than usual. I quietly sat at my desk, just hoping to hear something...anything that would guide me. As I sat there I remembered Psalm 139. Now most people know the words of this Psalm that state "For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." But that's not what I remembered on Sunday. I remembered the words from the stanza before which states "Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast."
And so when I addressed the tragedy with my church, I was thinking of those words. According to the psalmist, God was there in Newtown. His love flowed in the middle of the hate. His protection was there even as innocent lives were lost. His right hand held fast... I'm not smart enough to have all the answers, but I do know that God was there. That is the main message of Advent. Come, God, live here with us. Don't leave us alone. Don't distance yourself from us because of our sin. And God, because he is love, did just that.
Advent will turn into Christmas next week. We will be reminded that Emmanuel, which means God with us, did that once and for all through Christ. The rest of our lives will be lived in Advent II...waiting for the final consummation of God with us. There will be other tragedies. There will be war, famine, disease, and turmoil. And yet, because of Advent I we do not fear because God is with us. Until next time...O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Alright...I admit it...I AM A PHARISEE!!! Whew, I'm glad I got that off of my chest. I'm sorry about the reality of this statement, but I really can't help it. I think part of it is because I like to follow rules. Rules make sense to me. They help govern the world and keep everything neat and tidy. Rules (especially the black and white ones...without any gray) make life simpler for me. For example, if someone asks if I can do something for them that I really don't want to do, rules help keep me from lying. I can honestly answer, "While I would like to help you, it is against the rules. I'm sorry."
One of the areas where I am really a stickler for the "rules" is with the liturgical calendar. When it comes to the proper colors, songs, sayings, and readings for the year, I try to follow Tradition as much as possible. So when it comes time to change the paraments, I dig through the storage room and find the appropriate color for the season. In fact this past year, I found a co-conspirator. After visiting with one of my parishioners about my diabolical plan, I had her sew a larger altar cloth and a cloth to drape the large cross behind the pulpit in the appropriate color. I have been very pleased.
*Picture taken from United Methodist Memes
Usually, there is little or no comment about my rule following habit within the church calendar. But this time of year is different. Retailers and radio stations have made it much more difficult for people like me. As soon as the turkey bones are discarded from the Thanksgiving feast, they begin pushing Christmas upon the people. The ABC Family network took a perfectly legitimate liturgical song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and tweaked it for their own use. Now instead of 12 days, they have 25 Days of Christmas where they show movies, cartoons, and specials all with a Christmas theme; all of this begins on December 1st. That's not Christmas, it's Advent! While I suppose there is nothing wrong with this, it does bother me a little bit. Because now, the people of the Church want to sing Christmas songs in December. That's where my rule infatuation conflicts with expectations. Here is the result:
*Picture taken from United Methodist Memes
Just this week I had to make another decision about following the calendar versus the expectations of the people. On Monday, our church installed a new carillon bell system. It is really a state of the art machine. It has an internal calendar that it follows and plays songs appropriate for the Church year. When the guy who was installing it was showing us how to program the songs, he asked about Christmas. He said you can either start Christmas songs on December 1st or the 24th. I piped up and said the 24th. But it was not as easy of a decision as it sounds. Weighing on my mind was not only the calendar "rule" but also the people's expectations. After all, the entire community of Haskell is exposed to these songs. Wouldn't they rather hear Christmas carols instead of Advent hymns? If we start Christmas songs on the 24th through Epiphany will they think we have messed everything up? Will anyone even notice? I don't know...I guess we will see.
I think the reason I get so uptight about following the "rules" of the Church year is that it makes sense. It keeps us from moving too quickly. As humans, we want to skip all of the bad stuff and move directly to the good. We want feasts without fasts. We want celebration without lament. We want...we want...we want.
But if we allow each season to come and go according to plan, then we are allowed to see a fuller picture of what is happening right in front of our eyes. We allow God time to work miracles amidst a backdrop of chaos and confusion. We get to experience the sacrament of living. Advent is about waiting. It is a pause that reminds us not to move too quickly. There will be a time for Joy to the World and Hark the Herald Angels Sing...but not yet. Now is the time for expectation that builds up to a climax. Now is the time for patience. It is the time for us to continue to cry out from the desert the coming of Christ and proclaim with enthusiasm O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
What do a 9th century Latin chant, a 15th century French tune, and a 21st century Texas church have in common? Tradition. Deep in the recesses of Church history lie amazing stories. Many of those stories center around songs, lyrics, and song writers who were touched by God in some amazing way. While many of us know the histories of newer songs, there are some hymns and chorals that are so old that their history is mired in the collective dust of the past. On this side of glory, we probably will never know the story in its entirety.
When I was in seminary, I remember reading about one of these songs that has been handed down throughout the ages; O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Originally, this mother of all Advent hymns was a chant used in the late 8th century or early 9th century. At the time, they didn't sing songs like we do today...they chanted them. In fact, in the United Methodist Hymnal we have a translation of the early chant from the Latin into English. The chant would have been 'sung' much like a responsive reading. Part of the choir would chant the first part of the lyric and then the rest of the choir would respond. They would continue the back and forth pattern until the song was finished.
But sometime in the Middle Ages, churches began to have hymns instead of chants. Apparently, a hymn was written in France as a processional hymn. The words to O Come, O Come Emmanuel fit the meter of this tune and so the song could be sung instead of chanted. Sometime during the mid-19th century, the song was translated into English from Veni Veni Emmanuel into our modern adaption. Interestingly, since it is translated from Latin you will come across various lyrics in English (although they should have close to the same meaning).
So why the history lesson? Well, apparently at some point it became popular in churches to sing this song the first Sunday of Advent. That is this coming Sunday. This Advent season Haskell UMC will continue the long tradition of singing this song. Each week we will sing a couple of verses and recite the antiphons together. We will join our brothers and sisters in the faith of ages past in singing and reciting these ancient words of expectation.
advent=adventus=coming
You see, especially in our postmodern world, Advent is an interesting time of year. When the rest of the world is shopping, baking, planning, and decorating, the Church is waiting. In many ways, like Lent, we are being still. There is a sense of mournful excitement as we look forward to the birth of Christ. And yet, Advent is also a season of looking forward to the reappearing of the Christ in the clouds. It's a time with the purples (or blues) of silence. It's a time that we recognize that even though the blessed Child of Mary has indeed been born that we continue to live in a fallen world. Those who know Christ are filled with joy and yet we continue to mourn for our fellow humans who don't.
Perhaps that's why I like Veni Veni Emmanuel so much. The tune is mournful but the words speak of hope. The song is mysterious while the lyrics push us upwards towards God's salvation. Verse 6 (in the UM Hymnal) state "O come, thy Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thy justice here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to flight." That sums up this season of darkness and light. In the midst of waiting and mourning we are filled with excitement that Christ has come and he will come again. Until next time...
+May your season of Advent be filled with watching, waiting, and expecting our blessed Savior.
Every time I move to a new place I love to explore it. When I first moved to Haskell, one of the first things I noticed was the street that runs in front of FUMC. What makes this street unusual is that it is paved in brick.
Avenue F (aka Brick Street)
Now, of course, a street paved in brick is not really unusual in and of itself. In fact, there are many towns across Texas that have streets of red brick. My understanding is that as towns became more prosperous, one of the first signs was that they would begin to pave their streets this way. I've been told that many times the city would employ convicts to lay the brick as a part of their "earning their keep."
What made this particular street stand out to me was that it is the only street in town that is bricked the entire length of the city. Of course, the square around the court house is brick, but this street doesn't go by the court house. In fact, it really doesn't go anywhere. It's just a straight shot down the middle of town, connecting two highways. The longer I lived here, the more people I asked about this bricked street.
As I asked around, I discovered that while officially the street that runs in front of our church is named Avenue F, no one in town ever refers to it as such. In our community everyone calls it Brick Street (yes, we are very creative here). But other than that no one I spoke with had any information for me.
The longer I lived here, the more intrigued I became with Brick Street. Periodically, I would drive through town along this historic by-way and marvel at the beauty of the work. At each ally the brick would go partway off the main street. And at each intersection, the brick is laid out in a different design from the row upon row found along the rest of the way. But then one day I noticed something I had not seen before. In three areas of the street, all on the east side, there were patches in the street. Instead of brick, entire sections of the street would be asphalt.
One of the asphalt patches
My mind began to whirl. What had caused these patches? Had the city needed to tear out part of the brick in order to fix a water main? Maybe something else had happened to the brick over the years and the city had to resort to asphalt instead of brick. I spent months trying to figure out this strange occurrence. And then my observational powers went into full force. One day as I drove I noticed that one of the patches had a border around it. It looked as though at least this one patch had been purposefully not bricked. That really made me think.
Notice the decorative border on this patch
Now I was thoroughly confused (a rather common scenario for me). Why would the patch have a border? What was the purpose in showcasing the patch? My first guess was that originally there was a flower bed or some other decorative item out in front of the house. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this was not possible. I thought about this conundrum for several months. And then one day I asked the person I should have asked to start with: Mr. Ken Lane.
Ken has lived in Haskell for his entire life. He knows more about our community than almost anyone in town. I always enjoy visiting with Ken and I have a lot of respect for the man. One of the main reasons I respect him is that he is always honest with me. I always know where I stand with him and his opinion holds more weight in my mind than many other people I know.
Anyway, one day I asked Ken about these patches along Brick Street. He chuckled as only he can and said "Those are spots in the street the people wouldn't pay for." I told him I still didn't understand. So he told me the whole story. Apparently Avenue F was originally the main thoroughfare in Haskell. It was the highway that connected Stamford to Weinert. As Haskell got more civilized, the city decided to pave this main highway. But since it was so expensive, the people who lived along the street and who would benefit from the paving the most, were asked to help foot the bill. Each household along the street would pay for the section that ran in front of their house. The three spots along the street were in front of homes of people who chose not to pay. So the city decided that instead of paving the entire street that they would leave those spots blank. Ken said the best thing about those places in his day was that when it rained the dirt would turn to mud and the kids would play in the mud spots on their way to school (but that's a story for another day).
One of the many beautiful homes lining Brick Street.
This one is paved with brick out front.
This story has become a parable to me for community. As Christians, one of our greatest gifts (besides salvation) is that God forms us into a community; a body knit together with Christ as our head. When we do the things that need to be done, when we sacrifice our own wants and desires for others, everyone benefits. We are blessed in our giving and others are blessed in their receiving. But when we choose to be selfish we leave behind scars; scars that can heal but leave behind a mark.
Obviously, I don't know why those people chose not to participate in paving Brick Street. Maybe they didn't have the money. Maybe they thought the idea was foolish. But regardless of their reason, the entire city of Haskell continues to pay for what they didn't do. We continue to reap what they sowed.
In Philippians we read "Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any sharing in the Spirit, any sympathy, complete my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, being united, and agreeing with each other. Don't do anything for selfish purposes but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others."--2:1-4
So as we enter into the Thanksgiving season, let's remember these words of St. Paul. Let's do things without selfish purpose but with an attitude of giving more than we receive. Let's not exhibit selfish natures. Instead let's serve the least of these and reach out into our wider communities, dedicated to being the hands and feet of Christ. And just as important, let's look within our own faith community and see what we need to do in order to make our congregations stronger and more vibrant. Let's agree to do our part and pave our church's Brick Street all the way to the end. Until next time...
Today is All Saints Day. It's a day that we set aside in the Church calendar to commemorate those men and women who were faithful unto death. Men and women who taught Sunday school, sang in the choir, and served our churches in various ways. It's a day that we reflect upon one of the great paradoxes of the faith. On the one hand, we believe our Lord when he tells us that "Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death." Yet, on the other hand, our own human experience shows us year after year that faithful brothers and sisters do indeed pass away. How do we reconcile our human experience with the words of Scripture?
The answer, of course, is All Saints Day. In our local congregation and in churches of various denominations across the globe, November 1st (or the first Sunday of November) is set aside as a day of holding together this great mystery of the faith. We remember those of our local church who have died since last November. One more time, we announce their names at church, we shed tears, we light a candle as a symbol of the light that they shone into our lives. We remember them and their well-fought fight. We honor them the best that we can.
But at the same time we trust the words of Christ. We recognize that in our humanness we don't always fully understand what God is up to. We don't always comprehend God's activity and how he holds everything together. St. Paul addressed a concerned congregation of believers in Thessalonica who were afraid that brothers and sisters who had died would not be able to share in Christ's great triumphal entry. He wrote to them these words of encouragement, "But we don't want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever."--1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
The image that Paul uses here is of a triumphant king returning from a conquest. When a king returned from a successful campaign, the people would line the streets in adoration and praise as he came home (think Palm Sunday). Paul takes this imagery and reassures the Thessalonians that the dead will be the first ones in line to welcome home Christ our King. Then everyone who is still alive will also line the streets praising Jesus' return as King. What I love about this passage is that he says "we...will be caught up in the clouds together with them..." Together, with them, we are united in praise and glorification. Together, with them, we are of one voice celebrating our Lord. Together, with them, we are brought into one family in a great reunion of all saints.
But until that time, we must remember that we are only physically separated from our loved ones. With Christ as our head, we continue to operate as one body of believers...they as the Church Triumphant (having run their race) and we as the Church Militant (continuing to battle here on earth). Our voices unite with theirs in one great exclamation that Jesus Christ is Lord and savior.
When I was a junior in high school, Mrs. Watson taught a unit on land and its importance in literature. We read a couple of books (Giants In The Earth by Rolvaag and The Good Earth by Buck). To cap off the unit, she showed us a movie starring Sally Field called Places In the Heart. Throughout the movie, Field's character undergoes several struggles and set-backs as she tries to keep her land. The final scene of the movie takes place in her local church. As the people take communion, they pass the paten of bread and tray of cups from one hand to another. As the camera sweeps across following the cups, you see people who have played throughout the movie. Some of the people are dead and others are alive. Some have left town while others have decided to stick it out. But regardless of their station in life (or death) they are present together in the breaking of the bread and partaking of the cup.
This scene sums up All Saints Day for me. It shows the truth of life after death made available through the blood of Christ. It shows the amazing grace of God who unites us together in the Communion of Saints. It reveals the community of faith knit together regardless of race or financial status. Through thick or thin, it is the people brought together under the headship of Christ that receive God's grace and forgive one another. That is the great celebration of All Saints. Thanks be to God.
In 1820, a baby girl was born who would influence Christian hymnals across the world for many years to come. With the exception of fellow Methodist Charles Wesley, Fanny Crosby probably has more hymns included in more denominational hymnals than anyone else. Because of her amazing talent for writing poetry and her willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit, the Church has been blessed for over 100 years by singing her songs of encouragement, surrender, and glorification of God.
Fanny Crosby
One of her most well-known and beloved hymns was written in 1873. One day a friend of hers, Phoebe Knapp, met with Crosby and played for her a tune that she had written. Here is what Crosby said about that meeting, "My friend, Mrs. Joseph F. Knapp, composed a melody and played it over to me two or three times on the piano. She then asked what it said. I replied, 'Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!" Thus was born a song handed down through the ages to help convince children of God that they are indeed loved and cherished by their heavenly Father.
The refrain of the song has always intrigued me. It states, "This is my story, this is my song, praising my savior all the day long; this is my story, this is my song, praising my savior all the day long." When I was younger I wondered at the meaning of those words. What exactly was my story? What was my song? What did Crosby mean by these words that she had written?
It wasn't until many years later that I began to understand what these lyrics were getting across. You see, this song is a song of victory that people who have surrendered to Christ can sing with great enthusiasm. It's a song that speaks volumes about what God has done and is doing in the lives of those who are kingdom seekers. When I look back at my own past, I recognize that not everything I have done has lined up with God's desire for me. Not everything I have said has been beneficial. Not everything I have thought has been pure.
I have been selfish. I have been rude. I have been filled with hatred. I have lusted. That is a part of my story. And as much as I hate that old self...that person I used to be, there's nothing I can do to change it. In fact, God doesn't even go back and change it. But he has and continues to change me. Something even more amazing than that is that he takes that old stuff and turns it into something good. In Romans 8:28, St. Paul says "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified."
Paul reminds us in this passage that God's ultimate plan is to allow people the opportunity to grow into the image of Christ. Because of God's grace, he has taken my story and redeemed it. He has taken all of the evil that I have done and has worked it for good. Who gives a better testimony, the Pharisee thanking God that he's not a sinner or the sinner asking God's forgiveness?
It is with much thanksgiving and enthusiasm that I sing Crosby's song. You see, my story is mine alone. Yet it resonates with everyone who has become a part of the large family. Your story is your own and yet when I hear it, I can know where you have come from because we are both sinners redeemed by the blood of Christ. We are siblings that get to rejoice that God has taken all of our past and redeemed it for good. We have a testimony to give. The ones who are the most affected by it are those who knew us before and after.
So keep telling your story. Keep singing your song. Continue to practice perfect submission. Allow God to redeem your past for his glory and to work it into good. Until next time...
These past few weeks Haskell UMC and I have been on a spiritual pilgrimage. What began as a dream back in the spring, has turned into a reality. On September 19th, we started meeting together on Wednesday evenings to grow together in our understanding of the Holy Spirit and the gifts that he gives to us. With a little trepidation (and a lot of prayer), about 60 of us started coming together to seek God's guidance. We have taken a spiritual inventory, we have examined the spiritual gifts in detail, and we have discussed talents and resources. This past Wednesday was the half way point. Towards the end of class we summarized what we had learned thus far and we looked towards the next three weeks of discovery. I must admit, I have thoroughly enjoyed our journey so far and I am filled with excitement and expectation of what we will learn together soon.
Some of you may be wondering why I am telling you all of this. I suppose it has to do with what we discussed this past week. When I look back at what God has done in my life over the last several years I don't always do a good job of remembering. I don't always remember my life as a member of the laity...when my entire focus was not on what takes place at church. I don't always remember the other side of the coin. But the truth is that most of my parishioners live a life outside the church. They have jobs, family, and social responsibilities that demand their time, energy, and even their finances. I guess my life gets so enmeshed with the church that I forget that.
But one thing that really spoke to me this week when I was preparing for the lesson is that ministry is (and should be) fun. A friend of mine always reminded people that we don't "have" to go to church...we "get" to go to church. I really like the way she always emphasized that. Oh, I know, ministry can sometimes be tiring. It can sometimes be stressful. It can pull us in ways that we never thought possible. But I have come to understand that God really does want us to enjoy ministry. He wants us to be fulfilled. He wants us to know that when we are doing the things he has called us into that our lives are made fuller, richer, and oh so much more...
This morning, I was reading from Ecclesiastes. In chapter 3, the author states "God has made everything fitting in its time, but has also placed eternity in their hearts, without enabling them to discover what God has done from the beginning to end. I know that there's nothing better for them but to enjoy themselves and do what's good while they live. Moreover, this is the gift of God: that all people should eat, drink, and enjoy the results of their hard work" (11-13). This verse made me think back to Genesis (before the fall). Whatever Adam and Eve were doing with their time, it was not viewed as "work." What they were doing was good. They cared for the garden as God intended for them to. It was only after the fall that humanity was required to work by the sweat of their brow.
But I think that when it comes to ministry that we are supposed to enjoy what we do. Now it might not always be "fun" but it should always be fulfilling. It might not always be "easy" but it should always make us feel complete. Sometimes the ministry we are involved in might seem overwhelming, but it shouldn't be impossible. I really believe that God wants us to enjoy the work we do and to enjoy the fruit of our labor. I think he wants us to get excited about visiting the sick and those in prison. He wants us to be thrilled to feed the hungry and help those in need. He wants us to be happy when we teach, preach, and study.
Take time to re-evaluate the ministries you are involved in. If they bring you joy and make you feel good about yourself...then rock on! But if you are filled with drudgery and a lack of enthusiasm, maybe you need a break. Take some time to meditate and pray about it. Maybe you just need an attitude adjustment (I know I do sometimes). But maybe God is calling you in a new direction. Our calling can change over time. And we should never stick with something that God is no longer calling us into.
Whatever you do, don't give up on ministry. It is too much fun to quit. Until next time...
+May your days be filled with richness for the glory of our Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit. Print Page
The story of Exodus is a story of a man sent by God to deliver the nation of Israel from the clutches of an evil pharaoh bent on building his own empire. When I hear people tell me how boring the Bible is I always look at them quizzically. How can a story about a man drawn from the waters as a mere babe by his enemy's own daughter be boring? How can a story that builds to a climax better than most Hollywood blockbusters not be read by the people who claim its authenticity?
My Sunday school class recently began to study the book of Exodus. While it is a familiar story to I'm not sure that we fully engage in what was happening in the life of Moses. After Moses was rescued from the "ark" by the princess of Egypt, he was raised in two worlds. He was raised for the first years by his own family in a Hebrew home. But after he grew into a boy, he was taken to the palace and raised as an Egyptian prince. I wonder if Moses knew that God had a plan for him. I wonder if he understood that God was developing him into a man who was supposed to free his people from bondage. After all, when he saw an Egyptian taskmaster harming a Hebrew, he interceded and killed the Egyptian. And when he saw two of his kinsmen fighting, he tried to intervene then too.
Whatever illusions of grandeur Moses had up until that time seemed to vanish. He ran away to Midian to escape from what he had done to the Egyptian. It seems as though Moses was content to live a life of a shepherd "beyond the wilderness." It seems as though he figured that he had misunderstood his calling and he was going to simply exist on the fringes of society. Even when God called Moses back to fulfill his duty, Moses wanted to argue. He continually looked for excuses as to why he was unable to return to Egypt.
In the movie trilogy The Lord of The Rings, Frodo is called forth to destroy a ring forged from evil. He is only a simple Hobbit. He is someone who comes from the least of the beings of Middle Earth. And yet, he and his friends undertook a most serious quest that had dire consequences. Here is a scene from the movie where Frodo laments his task, especially since he is being pursued by the previous ring's owner.
Just like with Moses (and Frodo), each one of us is called into a vocation. Sometimes the calling falls into our lap as it did with Frodo and the ring. Sometimes the display of a burning bush illuminates the darkness around us drawing us to it so that we can receive our marching orders. But usually our calling slowly matures within us. It grows out of who we are...who God builds us to be...and who we need to be at that moment in time.
Gandolf tells Frodo, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." As humans, our time is limited. As the children of God, we are called into a life of service and ministry built on the foundation of love. But what we have to decide is what we will do with the time that is given us. Will we go forth like Moses and defeat the odds or will we choose to remain beyond the wilderness because we are frightened of our calling?
Until next time...
+May God the Father give you strength to fulfill the calling of Christ through the Spirit's activity in your life. Amen
"Do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of."--Benjamin Franklin Print Page
When I was in seminary I had the distinct privilege of sitting at the feet of a man filled with wisdom, compassion, and mercy. He is a professor at Asbury and has a long history with my alma mater. Before I even left Texas for Kentucky, my pastor who had also attended Asbury told me about Dr. Steve Seamands. When I began to plan out my course work I made sure to include one of his classes as soon as I could.
I was not sorry. In fact, as I journeyed through one of my first classes with this professor, he had us read one of the books the he had written. One thing you must understand is that seminary is filled to the brim with reading material. Students are assigned books to read, web pages to read, magazine articles to read, and anything else that a professor can lay his or her hands on for them to read. Fortunately, most of the reading assignments are interesting and are beneficial beyond just imparting some kind of knowledge.
The life of a seminary student.
But the book that Dr. Seamands wrote and had us read was different. I wasn't just gleaning information along with spiritual growth from it; it was as though the words from the pages of that book were being transmitted directly from his heart to mine. Not only did I understand what he was saying, I had lived it. In fact, I could feel my spirit being fed in a wonderfully frightful way. At the end of the class one day, I tried to explain to him how I had been changed from reading his book. I'm not sure I conveyed it to him very well that day, but I tried.
The next fall, he offered a course on Christian healing. Once again he had us read one of his books and once again I could sense the Holy Spirit working in me as I read the words he had written. Over the course of that semester, I was given an opportunity to give a testimony during a chapel service of my own healing from severe arthritis. The next time the class met, Dr. Seamands asked me to give the testimony again for those who had been unable to attend chapel. When I was finished, he made a statement that has been in the back of my mind ever since. He said, "Dustin is a wounded healer."
At the time I guess I wasn't spiritually mature enough to understand fully what that statement meant. I'm not sure I am spiritually mature enough fully to understand even now. But this week while I was reading through 1 John, the Holy Spirit revealed more of my wounds and the ability of a wounded healer to work among people. In 1 John 5 we are told, "Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." As I read through these words, my faith was once again confirmed.
But even as my faith was confirmed, the evil things I have done were brought to mind. The disgusting talk, the horrible way I treated people, the way that I had tried to make myself center stage came flooding into the forefront of my thinking. All of the self-doubt, all of the selfishness, all of the hatred I had felt for others in their treatment of me had caused wounds in me. But then the Holy Spirit reminded me of Dr. Seamands' statement, "Dustin is a wounded healer." I had a decision to make. I could either keep these wounds hidden away from others or I could go ahead and let people see the wounds and explain to them what caused them and how they had healed. I could either continue to live my eternal life for myself or I could happily live my eternal life for the benefit of others. I have chosen to live for others.
One of Dr. Seamands' books.
After I made that decision, I looked Dr. Seamands up on Facebook and let him know what had happened. This was his reply, "Blessings on you too as you go deeper in Him, and as your scars become more radiant, like his." That was the affirmation I needed. I hope my scars do become more radiant in the coming years. I hope that the wounds I have give me the opportunity to genuinely love, care for, and minister to those who need Christ's wounds. I pray that my wounds never cause me to look back with resentment, but that they free me from the cause and help me to love the healer much more deeply.
My wounds have been healed and they are being healed. That is what happens when you have the Son...you get eternal life. Not some hoped for, distant other world. You get to start eternal life now, having your wounds healed through the wounds of our glorious savior. Until next time...
+May your wounds be healed by the Father, through the blood of Jesus Christ, by the ever present authority of the Holy Spirit.
I love the fall! When we lived in Kentucky I came to appreciate this season so much. Growing up in the panhandle of Texas, the seasons don't always follow the calendar. It's not unusual to have a blistering day followed by a severe cold front the next. It's also not unusual to have spring in the summer, fall in the winter, or even winter in the winter. Usually the weather changes on a regular basis...but you're just not certain which season will come next.
But that wasn't the case in Kentucky. Their weather followed a fairly predictable pattern. The months of September and October would steal the heat and humidity of summer and we would be left with warm days and cool nights. The green leaves of the growing season would change to bright reds and brilliant golds. In fact, we would have enough leaves fall to the ground that we would rake them up and the girls would play in the piles.
But I've learned to love fall for other reasons too. As a teacher, fall always brought the challenges and excitement of a new school year. Learning new faces, names, and routines always helped make life richer and fuller. Watching my kids get excited about school and getting involved in various activities brings a smile to my face. When they come home from school and tell me about what they have learned, I understand their satisfaction of learning and growing up.
As a pastor I've come to appreciate fall for other reasons. After a summer of so many people traveling, it is nice to see our pews filling up again. But, it's more than just having fuller worship services. I genuinely miss seeing people when they are gone. I miss having interaction and sharing life with them. I understand that we all like to travel and to visit family and friends in other places, but I also like to have my faith community gathered together each week. So fall is turning into a great re-gathering of my brothers and sisters in Christ. While there may be several people gone this Sunday due to the long week-end, I anticipate the coming weeks as our routines return.
In 1 Thessalonians, St. Paul is eager to see the church in Thessalonica. He writes to them "Brothers and sisters, we were separated from you for a while physically but not in our hearts. We made every effort in our desire to see you again face-to-face. We wanted to come to you--I, Paul, tried over and over again--and Satan stopped us. What is our hope, joy, or crown that we can brag about in front of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Isn't it all of you? You are our glory and joy!" (2:17-20). I understand his eagerness. I also desire to see those who have been gone throughout the summer. I have come to love the people of Haskell UMC and they are my glory and joy.
While its true that I look forward to changing leaves, cooler temperatures, and fall activities, the real joy I anticipate is the reunification of our local church. I look forward to laughing at their summer hijinks. I hope to hear about family reunions and exciting trips. But most of all, I can't wait to look out into my congregation and see all of the faces that were separated from us during the summer. Until next time...
+May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
It's funny to me how God works in our lives. What I used to think was coincidence I now realize is the Holy Spirit working in our lives. Let me give you an example.
Two weeks ago I was preparing a sermon for our congregation here in Haskell. Throughout the summer we have been looking at the fruit of the Spirit as listed in Galatians 5. Through my studies I ran across a section from 1 Thessalonians that went well with my sermon. In 4:3-5, St. Paul tells us "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you know how to control your own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God..." Since I was preaching about self-control, I incorporated these verses into my sermon and everything was fine.
But for some reason I couldn't quite let go of this verse. It continued to rattle around in my brain for the next several days. Myranda, the girls, and I took a few days off before school starts in order to have a time of rest. During that time we were away, the verse continued to come to mind periodically. At the time I wasn't sure why...
While we were gone, our lay leader here at Haskell UMC agreed to fill-in for me. Yesterday morning I took some time to listen to her sermon. She did a fantastic job. I always love to hear other people preach and this gave me an opportunity to hear someone I have come to respect greatly. Anyway, her sermon came from 1 Corinthians 12:12 where Paul discusses the importance of being the body of Christ. Cathy did a marvelous job of proclaiming the truth of this passage. In her sermon she reminded the congregation that it takes all of us to do what God has called us to. No one has the right to get lazy and allow someone else do the job. We are supposed to continue to work with one another and not become jealous of those who have gifts different than we do.
Well, after I listened to her sermon, I came back to mine in order to polish it up. While I was finishing up, the Spirit led me back to the passage from 1 Thessalonians. I noticed something I had never seen before. When St. Paul is writing about sanctification as the will of God, the "you" he uses is the plural form of the pronoun. In other words, as the Holy Spirit works in our lives he is doing so in the body of Christ. The entire community of believers should be growing in holiness together.
I'm afraid that we in the United States have made Christianity too individual. We think that as long as I'm okay and growing spiritually then everything is fine. But the more I read Scripture the more I'm convinced this is a bad attitude to have. As children of God, we are called to self-sacrifice. We are called to serve one another. We are called to submit to each other. We are called to help one another in our Christian journey, not to run ahead for our own good. In the Disney movie "Lilo and Stitch" Lilo says something very similar to this. She says "Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind." That's a lot of wisdom coming from a cartoon character.
Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind.
So the Holy Spirit showed me some pretty amazing things the last couple of weeks. I realize more and more how important a community of faith is in our development and growth. I have come to appreciate all of my brothers and sisters more through this revelation. May each one of you continue to grow in holiness, not for yourself but for the community of faith you serve.
Until next time...Ohana!
+May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
This summer our congregation has been looking at the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-26. Each week, I have taken one of the Spiritual fruit and gone into it in more detail. We have explored why St. Paul chose this particular attribute of God to emphasize to the church in Galatia. Each Sunday, we have delved into this Scripture with great depth trying to come away with a stronger appreciation of what it is God is doing in our midst.
As I have prepared for each one of these sermons, I have grown in my own understanding of what Paul was up to when he composed this letter. Each week I have come away from my time of study with a greater appreciation for the immense changes taking place within the children of God as we pursue holiness. But it wasn't until this week that the series really clicked as a whole for me. As I was studying the last fruit, self control, I was led to 1 Thessalonians. Now what is really interesting is that I was already reading this book as a part of my personal spiritual discipline. I'm confident that the Holy Spirit was leading me through all of this for a reason.
In 1 Thessalonians 4, St. Paul is encouraging his brothers and sisters in Thessalonica to continue to pursue a life that is pleasing to God. He states, "...we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification...For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness."--4:1-3a,7
Our sanctification is God's will for us. What an amazing statement! When I re-read this verse this week all of the previous week's study about the fruit of the Spirit fell into place (I've told y'all I'm a slow learner). The fruit of the Spirit that God produces in our lives has one purpose...to bring about our sanctification. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control transform us from the way we were in our old flesh into the people God desires for us to be as his new creation.
God is continually calling each one of us higher and higher. He desires for us to be drawn more and more into him so that we have a wondrous family resemblance with our Father and our brother. But the most amazing part to all of this transformation is that it is not primarily done for us. Now don't get me wrong, we do benefit from it for ourselves, but the primary goal is not for us to be better people. The primary goal is for us to go into the world as changed people for the benefit of others. When we exhibit the Spiritual fruit we are honoring God by showing the world who God really is. When we practice these fruit in our lives, others are blessed through our relationship with the Father through the Spirit.
I am convinced that God continues to call all of his children to holiness. I have no doubt that as he continues to ripen the fruit of the Spirit in our lives that our communities will benefit. Our personal transformation will draw us out into the world around us as we obey God's desire. We are empowered for service for the benefit of the world. Until next time...
+May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
A few weeks ago my friend Bill Hogan (who I greatly admire) posted a quote on his Facebook page. He stated, "Don't be the best church in the community, be the best church for the community"--Eric Swanson. This quote summed up what I have been thinking for the last several months. It seems as though churches are no longer relevant within their communities. We try to do all kinds of things to draw people to us, but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty of life we prefer to step aside. We expect government social programs, educational institutions, or others to fill the gap so that people are able to have their needs met.
But I don't see that as the calling of the church community. I see that our calling is to be so enmeshed in the wider community around us that the city government, the local schools, and the welfare programs can count on us to be there even when government funding stops. I guess that's why this whole Chick-fil-a controversy makes me so angry.
Don't get me wrong; I fully understand both sides of the argument. I understand that there is a "freedom of speech" component. I understand that people have the right to boycott establishments if they so desire. I understand that not all Christians will be of the same opinion on every topic. I really do understand all of that.
However, what really bothers me about the whole thing is that Christians have become more passionate on both sides of this issue than they have about any number of other things. I see people proudly displaying Chick-fil-a sacks on their social networking sites. I see people bashing those who eat at the restaurant and calling them all kinds of horrible names. And to what avail? What's the outcome? Hate.
In St. John's gospel, Jesus gave his farewell discourse to the disciples. And in that discourse he stated all sorts of wonderful and amazing things. One thing he said was this, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."--13:34-35.
Well, I can honestly say that I haven't seen much love from either side. I see people purposefully trying to hurt, harm, and be nasty to their brothers and sisters in Christ. Whether we approve of a certain lifestyle or not, it does not make someone a Christian. There are many different life styles by many different people, who I know personally that I don't approve of, and yet they claim Christ too. Since that is the case, then according to Scripture, I must love them.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's time for this kind of non-sense to quit taking our focus from the reality of being the best church for the community. It's time we put as much time, energy, and enthusiasm for caring for the sick, visiting those in prison, and feeding the children as we have into this fight. It's time we become truly relevant within our community so that others will come to know the love of Jesus Christ too. Until next time...
+May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
In my final year of seminary, I took my proclamation courses. I was richly blessed to learn from a great preacher (Dr. Stacy Minger) the art of proclaiming God's Word. One of the things that she taught us was to always "think sermonically." In other words, she challenged us to live our lives with our ears and eyes wide open. We were continually to be on the look out for sermon illustrations, ideas, and ways that we could include contemporary issues and problems into our message. We were to allow Scripture to invade our society and set us on the path of making Christian teaching, doctrine, and life applicable to a 21st century Church.
This past week, society has placed itself in the midst of my thinking. Without even trying, thinking sermonically has integrated itself into my vision of what God is doing. I want to share with you two news reports that the Holy Spirit has led me to this week.
First, from USA Today there was an article this past week discussing that Americans are losing their faith. According to the article, there has been a rather large increase in the number of Americans (especially younger Americans) who choose the "none" category when it comes to religious affiliation. To see the entire article go here: USA Today Article
Second, on one of our local news stations, it was reported today that we have several children living below the poverty line in our area. What really surprised me was that our parish has the highest poverty rate in the area; hovering at approximately 39%. To see the entire article go here: KTXS Article
As I've been thinking about these two stories, several things have come to mind. Those of us who claim Christ need to do more than just talk. We need to quit worrying about political correctness, what others think about us, and our bank accounts. We need to reclaim our Christian identity as found in Scripture and Tradition. People no longer want to be associated with organizations of any kind that don't do anything. Meeting once a week, talking about the good ol' days, and feeling good about ourselves simply isn't enough. We need to be so ingrained in the community where we minister that if we don't show up then people notice.
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In the gospel of St. John, there is a marvelous story of Jesus meeting the woman at the well in Samaria. When the disciples discover Jesus has been talking to the Samaritan woman, they are flabbergasted. They can't believe that he would stoop so low. But he replies to them, "I am fed by doing the will of the one who sent me and by completing his work. Don't you have a saying, 'Four more months and then it's time for harvest'? Look, I tell you: open your eyes and notice that the fields are already ripe for the harvest."-4:34-35
It seems to me that the harvest is getting larger every year. It also seems that there are fewer workers every year to harvest the fields. But when I read articles like these, I get really excited. I begin to think about ways that we can rise up as harvesters and get to work. I think about the children in poverty who surround my local church and I try to visualize what God is calling us into. Because when we work with these kids, it gives us the opportunity to love them and their families. It gives us the chance to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in a tangible way. It gives us a chance to live out our faith so that those who checked "none" on their cards take notice and wonder why we bother. And perhaps as we tackle the child poverty problem, the "none"s will decide to join us.
I have no doubt that God is in the midst of all these things. He is calling us to be "fed by doing the will of" our Father. He is giving us every opportunity to step out in faith and to follow his guidance. The question is, are we willing to open our eyes and notice the fields ripe for harvest? Until next time...
"Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them."--Mother Teresa
These are two words I will never hear again. At least, not in the way that Wallace Cox said them every Sunday morning for the past year at 9:30 on the dot. You see, Wallace passed away last week. He was a man much admired in our church community and within the wider community of Haskell. Wallace was one of those people who made you feel welcome, important, and loved. He was easy to visit with and always had time to let you bend his ear.
Wallace's passing gave me the opportunity to reflect back on the past few years. When I first received my calling into full time ministry I suppose I didn't really know what that would mean. If I had, I'm not sure I would have been emotionally ready for it. When my family and I moved from Muleshoe to Wilmore we had to leave many friends and family behind. We left a community that we knew and that knew us. We left people who have been important in my life for as long as I can remember. We left the comfort and security of the known for a new life that was foreign.
First United Methodist Church, Muleshoe, TX
After we arrived in Kentucky, we slowly settled in and made new friends. We adopted our Sunday school class as our new faith community where we could grow spiritually with brothers and sisters in Christ. We got used to the colder temperatures and the extra rainfall. We really fit in and we loved it. But, once again, we were called away from a place we had made home. It was time to leave and to move on with the mission that God had placed on our lives for his namesake.
Estes Chapel, Asbury Theological Seminary campus
So we have been here in Haskell right at a year. I have continued to learn and grow in my own spiritual life and we are doing everything we know to do to make Haskell our hometown. But honestly, it is getting harder to do that. Because I know that my family will not be in Haskell forever. A part of the Methodist system is that you agree to go where you are sent. I have a lot of respect for that and I continue to trust the leadership of our conference with those decisions.
First United Methodist Church, Haskell, TX
I know that no matter how long we stay in one place that God is with us. I know wherever we go that God is already there. I know wherever we are sent that there are men and women we will grow to love, just as we have here. I also know that even as hard as it is to say goodbye to people, for whatever reason, that the love and the joy I have gained from knowing these people far outweighs the pain.
At the end of 1 Corinthians 15, St. Paul makes this statement, "Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." I strive to remember these words from St. Paul as I continue to walk the path that the LORD has placed before me. I seek to continue to labor for his glory, even if it means the painful reality of loving people only to move on again.
When we left Muleshoe, a good friend of mine dedicated this song to me and my family. It is a song I have come to cherish when it's time to say goodbye. And so now, as I finish my farewell to Wallace, I play this song for my brothers and sisters in the faith who I have had to leave. I am a better man and a better Christian for knowing each one of you. And even though I miss you, I also know that we continue our relationship through the Communion of the Saints empowered by the Holy Spirit.
"Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin?"
"Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races?"
"According to the grace given to you, will you remain faithful members of Christ's Holy Church and serve as Christ's representatives in the world?"
"As members of Christ's universal Church, will you be loyal to The United Methodist Church, and do all in your power to strengthen its ministries?"
"As members of this congregation, will you faithfully participate in its ministries by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness?"
In just a few days the confirmation class 2012 of Haskell UMC will take the vows stated above in front of our local congregation. This is no small undertaking. These vows are important. They represent a commitment that is becoming less and less common in our self-centered culture.
It seems as though our society has forgotten what it means to save, to follow through, and to focus on the good of the community instead of personal gain. I saw this posted on Facebook the other day:
I found this to be an interesting commentary on our consumerist society. So many people today think that if it is easier on them individually then it doesn't matter what the cost is in the long run. But Christianity doesn't teach us to think this way. According to the teachings of Scripture we are to place others in front of ourselves. For example, in Ephesians St. Paul states that we should "submit to each other out of respect for Christ"(5:21) and he says in Galatians that we should "...be guided by the Spirit and you won't carry out your selfish desires. A person's selfish desires are set against the Spirit, and the Spirit is set against one's selfish desires. They are opposed to each other, so you shouldn't do whatever you want to do."(5:16-17)
So as a counter cultural move and in response to their calling, our confirmands will have to agree to the vows of the church. My prayer is that they will do so with sincerity and conviction. My prayer is that they will do all they can to continue to build their faith in Jesus Christ. My prayer is that our local congregation will continue to commit to these young people and to one another out of devotion to God. And my prayer is that each person who claims Christ as his or her master will learn the lesson of putting others ahead of ourselves.
But the amazing thing about faith is that we are not left alone to uphold these vows. The phrase I love in these vows states "according to the grace given you..." Even in the midst of taking vows and making promises, God's grace abounds. Even when we do fail to be an obedient Church, God's grace flows through in order to convict us of wrongdoing, help us repent of our failures, and reinstates us as his sons and daughters.
God's grace is enough. It is wondrous, marvelous, and timely. It never ceases and continually calls us to be grace-filled so that we can extend grace to others as we have received. Even though God's grace is freely given, it cost him greatly. That's why it is so important to never cheapen grace...that's why we must cooperate with God in order to fulfill his calling in our own life.
This Sunday, as these young women and men take their vows, I will renew my own. I will continue to strive to fulfill the vows I have taken to the Church as both a member and as a pastor. But most of all, I will remember that without the grace given to me, none of my Christian life would be possible. And as I grow in God's grace, perhaps some day I will be mature enough to remember to wash the spoon. Until next time...
+May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.
Last week three other sponsors and I took our confirmands on a week long hiking trip in the mountains of Colorado. When I signed us up for this trip I had no idea how incredibly hard it would be. When I was a kid my parents took us camping and for day hikes every summer, but this was my first experience backpacking. There is no comparison in the two. Backpacking is much more difficult than simply camping.
But in spite of the difficulty and labor that was exerted by all of us, we manged to have a fantastic time. Take time to look at these pictures and see these kids on the trip.
Here we are with the Great I AM. This was the day before we headed out for our trip.
First day of backpacking. "Our" mountain is the one on the right.
Mykaylee taking a short break.
Riley the trailblazer.
We finally made it into the national Forest.
Heading up the mountain. Unfortunately, we missed our turn. But it was gorgeous
Chase resting up for the next leg of the journey.
Coach Josh Damron scouting ahead.
Shannon enjoying the view.
Anyone who knows me is not surprised by a flower picture.
Alec and Sarah on break.
Alec and Sam enjoying a cool dip after hiking.
Chase and Vickie resting at lunch.
Cathy and Chase are up to something...
Abby and Mykaylee having fun after we got back.
A proud moment...we made it to a great look out. It was incredible.
On July 8th, we will have our Confirmation service. These young people will take their vows to the church and they will become full members of the UMC. I cannot explain how much I learned from these kids and how much they mean to me. On one of the evenings at camp, we talked about what we learned from Confirmation this year. I learned to respect, care about, and love all eight of these youngsters. I am so proud of them for everything they learned and accomplished these last few months. It is my pleasure to have been their pastor through this process and I am so excited to see where God leads them over the coming years.
Here is "their" passage from 1 Timothy, "Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."--4:12
A blessing for UMC Confirmation Class 2012 May the good Lord be with you Down every road you roam And may sunshine and happiness Surround you when you're far from home And may you grow to be proud Dignified and true And do unto others As you'd have done to you Be courageous and be brave And in my heart you'll always stay Forever young, forever young Forever young, forever young May good fortune be with you May your guiding light be strong Build a stairway to heaven With a prince or a vagabond
And may you never love in vain And in my heart you'll always remain Forever young, forever young Forever young, forever young Forever young Forever young
And when you finally fly away I'll be hoping that I served you well For all the wisdom of a lifetime No one can ever tell
But whatever road you choose I'm right behind you, win or lose Forever young, forever young Forever young, forever young Forever young, forever young For, forever young, forever young
Proudly dedicated to Sam, Mykaylee, Alec, Abby, Riley, Sarah, Chase, and Vickie
