Friday Coffee with PJ

Ahhh ... Friday again? That means the one day of the week that I work (Sunday) will soon be upon us (that's really not the case, I assure you!). So here are a few nuggets of thought to enjoy with your beverage of choice (mine really does happen to be coffee!).

1. Last Sunday's police appreciation/memorial service that we conducted here at Grace Church, reminded me again of how blessed we are to have such fine law enforcement personnel caring for us, the citizens of Lancaster County. These men and women who serve in the various local departments along with those who are members of the Pennsylvania State Police are to be commended for the jobs they do. Each day when they walk out the door of their homes, there exists the very real possibility that they may not return when their shift is done. They put their lives on the line day in and day out as they patrol our increasingly violent streets (and compared to other occupations, the pay is not all that great!). SO ... the next time you encounter an officer, take a moment and thank them for all they do. Our communities would not be nearly as safe without their efforts on our behalf!

2. Welcoming a grandchild into the family never seems to grow old! On Wednesday, my hospital visitation led me right path Women's and Babies' Hospital where my daughter and her newborn daughter were patients. So ... in spite of a pressing schedule, I took twenty minutes out to stop in for a quick visit. Holding baby June in my arms while she slept (and made a number of very funny faces ... do babies dream? And if they do, what could they possibly be dreaming about?) . . . I was once again struck by the "miracle" of birth. The words of David come to mind when he wrote, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:13-16). The procreation of life is an amazing witness to the incredible awesomeness of our God!

3. There is a verse in the book of Proverbs (among MANY in the book) that I wish we would hear and put into practice. The verse reads, "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him" (Proverbs 18:17). Another way to state what this verse is getting at is "There are always two sides to every story." Now my experience has taught me that there are usually THREE sides to every story ... Person A's side ... Person B's side ... and then the truth (which most often can be found somewhere in the middle). So ... whenever someone comes to complain to you about someone else, don't swallow what they tell you "lock, stock, and barrel." Remember this verse ... and remember that there is more to the story than you are being told. 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Thursday A La Carte

Here are this week's offerings ... enjoy, be challenged and encouraged!

1. In light of the destructive tornado that roared through Oklahoma earlier this week, Al Mohler writes about The Goodness of God and the Reality of Evil. 

2.  Tim Challies disccuses 5 Ways We Grow as Christians. Good stuff!

3. Grandparenting: A Great Road Trip ---- Yep!

4. The case for traditional marriage ... done in a creative way!

5. On a lighter note . . . (you may not want to watch this if you are a panda fan!)

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Please Continue to Pray for the C.A.R.!

I know I might be sounding like the proverbial broken record, but I do want to ask you to continue to pray for the situation in the Central African Republic. As a result of the recent coup and the subsequent chaos and unrest, a growing humanitarian crisis is brewing (and given the country's insignificance on the world stage, you probably are not hearing about this!). Please take a moment and check out the United Nation's assessment of the situation. Then pause to pray. If I find a way that we can put "feet to our prayers" I will let you know.

Thanks for caring .... thanks for praying!

And thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Friday Coffee with PJ

Here are some thoughts to enjoy with your morning cup of java ... or tea ... or OJ ... or whatever you
beverage of choice might be!

1. This coming Sunday our church will host a service in which we honor law enforcement ... both those who have given their lives in the line of duty and those who are currently serving. This service, now in its 29th year is our church family's way of saying to our law enforcement community here in Lancaster County that we are behind you! We are praying for you! We support you! And we thank our God for you! The service which begins at 10:30 is always very well attended. For more information on the service, please go to our church web site and click on the Police Sunday graphic on the home page.


2.  Sharon and I celebrated the day of our 35th anniversary by driving to Gettysburg. Given that we are big history fans, we knew we would enjoy the day. We were not disappointed. One of the highlights of the day was our time spent in getting this Victorian era photo taken. We had several costume options to choose from. We finally settled on that of a Union officer (I insisted that I be a general!) and his wife. In the process of taking the photo, we learned several things about those early days of photography. Notice in the picture that we are not looking at the camera. The reason for that was the primitive belief that if one were to look into the camera that somehow it could steal one's soul. Therefore, you made sure NOT to look into the camera! You also might have noticed that we did not smile. There are several reasons behind that. For starters, the process of early photo taking required a long exposure that could last upwards of fifteen minutes. Try holding a smile for that long! Secondly, since most people, if they ever sat for a photograph, would do so only on rare occasions, it was thought that a serious expression was most appropriate for such an occasion. Finally, the fact that many people did not have nice teeth due to poor dental care just might have kept those teeth hidden!  But I must say ... after a lifetime of looking into the camera and saying "cheese," it was difficult NOT to do so. I've been trained to look and smile! As you go through your day today .... look into the eyes of the people that cross your path and give them a smile. Who knows, that might just open a door for further ministry!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

God At Work in the Midst of a Crisis!

Augustine and wife, Marie-Helene

I hope you have continued to pray for the ongoing crisis in the Central African Republic. This week there are some signs* that some stability is returning. However, the situation is far from where it needs to be. As recently as last week I received a travel advisory sent out from the U.S. State Department which warned Americans AGAINST traveling to the C.A.R. So ... please continue to pray for the restoration of peace and the ministry of the gospel as there are many Christians there.

Today, I received an email from Augustine Hibaile (in photo). In this email, he describes an amazing blessing of God in the midst of the upheaval. I encourage you to visit the Friends of CIDEL website and read this story (if need by, scroll down to the MAY 16th posting). Praise God that HE is still at work in that impoverished war torn country!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

* These promising signs include the following:

• The Minister of Defense is starting to round up Seleke rebels and sending them to large camps far away from Bangui to be disarmed.
• The Minister of Education was on the radio this Monday encouraging parents to allow their children to return to school next week.
• PHC has an announcement running on the Radio Bangui telling all PHC children to report back to school starting next week (May 20th) and how happy we will be to welcome them back!!!!!!!!!!
• People are starting to feel safe enough to venture out to plant their fields.
• We have heard of NO PHC ORPHAN OR WIDOW who has been harmed throughout this ordeal.  The only incident has been Teacher Flavie, who, in answer to our prayers together, is recovering nicely from being accidentally shot last month. 

Thursday A La Carte

This feature is back this week after several weeks "off!"  Even my blog needs a vacation from time to time!

1. When you face conflict in your relationships ... here are some good suggestions on how to fight like a Christian. 

2. Did you ever wonder what a week of groceries looks like in different countries around the world? Check it out here! (take a close look and compare the US pic to those from the other parts of the world!).

3. Here's a solid read on the struggle to trust God with the salvation of our kids. 

4. Ahhh ... heaven will be worth the wait! Check out R.C.Sproul's devotionaly, No More Tears. 

5. Did you ever have a dream that you were convinced had some sort of hidden meaning for your life? Check out these thoughts from Ed Welch on dreams. 

6. On a lighter note . . . (in honor of all you moms out there!)

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Don't Focus on Don'ting ... Focus on Doing!

I like to read.  I always have.  From my days of Dick and Jane and Dr. Seuss to the present, books (and all sorts of other reading material) and I have been on very friendly terms.  When I read, I am always looking for what I call “a golden nugget.” Today, while reading an article by John Piper – I mined one.  Piper was writing about ten lessons he had learned from his father.  

Here is his Lesson #6: “A Christian is a great doer not a great don’ter.”  Piper went on to write the following about this lesson: “We were fundamentalists – without the attitude.  We had our lists of things.  But that wasn’t the main thing. God was the main thing. And God was worth everything."

I wish every Christian would have the opportunity to read those words.  Far too many of us live out our faith with an emphasis on the “don’ts” and give little thought to the “do’s”.  All of us need to be reminded that as we live this life – God is the main thing.  And, in the words of Piper, He is indeed “worth everything!” (Psalm 73:25).   

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj 

How Healthy Am I? (Part 7)

Well ... I recently received my blood work results back from my doctor. Looks like I am in fairly decent health! I thank God for that! And after going through this self-check up of my spiritual life ... I can see that I have some work to do in some areas! So I have found this exercise to be profitable ... I trust you have as well. Today our final question. And it very well might be the most important on the list!

7. Do I treasure Christ above all?

When I think of treasuring Christ above all – I think of what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Philippi …

"For to me, to live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21).

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ" (Philippisans 3:7-8). 

Is that true of you?  Is it true of me? St. Augustine – one of the great Christian theologians of the 4^th-5^th century of the church had this to say …

CHRIST IS NOT VALUED AT ALL UNLESS

HE BE VALUED ABOVE ALL!

Is Jesus Christ valued ABOVE ALL else in your life? Above your money, your home, your career, your hobbies, your happiness, your comfort, and yes – even your family??? 

Ouch! Time to move on ... it's getting quite convicting!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Thirty Five Years Ago Today!

The day dawned with the sun peeking through the clouds. A warm breeze was blowing. But for all I cared it could have been dark, dismal and damp. For on that particular day I was going to become a husband to the woman who had won my heart! That was thirty five years, three children and 5 grandchildren ago. But is some ways ... it seems like yesterday (note: the adjacent pic was taken on Sharon's college graduation day which was about a week before our first wedding anniversary! And yes, for all you doubters out there ---- I did have hair!!!).

So ... have I learned anything about being a husband during these 3 1/2 decades of married life? Probably not as much as I should have .... but I have learned (and am still trying to get these lessons down!) some  things. Here are just a few  ... especially for you husbands out there!

1. I am far from being the "perfect" husband. All of us as fallen people tend to think more highly of self and less highly of others. This is the bent of our sinful nature. And so when it comes to my marriage, my tendency is to think I am doing OK and my wife, well ... she has some work to do! This was driven home to me at a recent marriage conference I attended. Paul Tripp was the speaker ... and his first marriage principle that he gave us was this: "The greatest problem in my marriage is ME!"  So true! So ... before we go and point our finger of blame at our spouse, we should stop by the bathroom and take a long, hard look in the mirror!

2. A good marriage takes work. A great marriage takes a lot of work! A marriage that is solid just doesn't develop on its own. It takes a lot of intentional effort. I must admit, far too often, I forget this. Often it is because life is happening all around me with so many people and things shouting for my attention. And so I lose sight of my marriage ... or I figure it's OK and that's good enough. Or I just get so tired from doing everything else, that my marriage gets what's left over - and that isn't much! Yet when I read God's instructions to me as a husband, that I am to "love my wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25), I realize that I must give my marriage a high priority in my life. It's what God demands and my wife needs!

3. Marriage is "for better or for worse." When I spoke those words in my marriage vow, that's all they were - words. Now some thirty five years later, those words are filled with meaning. "The worse" would include unwelcome moments of conflict between us; significant health needs, as in 1991 when my wife underwent a serious back surgery that left me sleeping on the living room sofa for three months and my kids eating boatloads of hotdogs, grilled cheese and pizza!; all the challenging issues that tend to arise in the raising of children (and the differences of opinion as to how best to proceed!). By far, however, for us "the better" has outweighed "the worse." The joy of being parents, serving together as houseparents and in the various churches we have served, and seeing God work in our relationship are just the tip of the iceberg of the blessings we have enjoyed in our marriage - for which we say, "Thank you God! Your goodness to us is far more than we deserve!"  Bottom line -  whatever our circumstances... in better times and in worse ... I am committed to my wife (and she to me). This concept of marital commitment to one another no matter what ... is something our society sorely needs to rediscover.

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

How Healthy Am I? (Part 6)

We are almost to the final question (which I will post, Lord willing, next week!). I trust you are finding this exercise of self-evaluation to be profitable!

6.  Do I have a heart for the harvest?

Jesus in John 4 said these words to his disciples … "Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." (John 4:35)

Jesus tells us to open our eyes and look at the fields for they are ripe and ready to be harvested!  And he was not talking about fields of wheat – but the fields of humanity!  It is so vital that we do so! Why? Because the eternal destinies of people are at stake, that's why! 

There was a small plane with four people on board: the pilot, a genius, a pastor and a boy scout. During the flight one of the engines caught fire and the plane started to go down. Now the problem was there were only three parachutes. The pilot realizing he could not save the plane … grabbed one of the chutes and jumped out. The genius grabbed another and said before bailing out “I am the world’s smartest man. This world needs what I have to offer” and then out he went. The pastor told the boy “I lived a long and fulfilling life .. you have most of your life ahead of you. You take the last chute and save yourself.”  The scout answered, “Don’t worry rev. The world’s smartest man just bailed out with my backpack!” 

In a very real sense our world is going down in flames. And people are putting their hope in the backpacks of works, merit, possessions and power. But the only true parachute that can save is Jesus Christ and faith in his sacrifice on the cross for our sins! Jesus has commissioned us, His followers to get this urgent message out! So, how involved are you in bringing in the harvest?  Ask yourself – Do I have a heart for the harvest?

Let me suggest yet another prayer …

O Lord,

Please give me eyes for the harvest and a heart for evangelism so that I will long to see the people I love come into a saving relationship with You through the merits and grace of Your Son, Jesus Christ. May I be involved in the harvest as a worker who prepares the soil, plants the seed of Your word, cultivates the soil, and waits for Your harvest.

Amen!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj