October 24, 2011

What a busy weekend…I seldom look forward to Mondays, but after this weekend, a Monday seems like a break!  Doctor’s appointment in San Francisco, football game in Jackson, two appointments on Saturday morning, mowing the lawn, a wedding and reception, a soccer game, three worship services on Sunday, a birthday party and then home to set-up the computer after the hard drive crashed.  Very busy! One perspective on all this craziness is that is too busy to be sane.  Another is, it’s the time of our lives as we support our children and connect with people outside our normal circle of friends.

Either way, it’s busy.  And either way, I am thankful for the peaceful presence that God, through his Spirit,  is to me.  May this God, His peace and presence, be with you all this week.

Pastor Michael

October 17, 2011

Last night, I had the great pleasure of going to a SELAH concert in Modesto with some friends.  SELAH has been a group I have appreciated for several years, and it was to my delight that I discovered late on Saturday night that they were going to be at Shelter Cove Church.  So, I bought a bunch of tickets, gathered some friends, and off we went.  It was a very meaningful evening and a very peaceful concert.  One song in particular moved me to tears…and so, I am sharing the lyrics with you today in hopes that no matter what you are facing, you will look to him.

Pastor Michael

I LOOK TO YOU

By R. Kelley

As I lay me down,
Heaven hear me now.
I’m lost without a cause
After giving it my all.
Winter storms have come
And darkened my sun.
After all that I’ve been through
Who on earth can I turn to?

I look to you.
I look to you.
After all my strength is gone,
In you I can be strong
I look to you.
I look to you.

And when melodies are gone,
In you I hear a song.
I look to you.
About to lose my breathe,
There’s no more fighting left,
Sinking to rise no more,
Searching for that open door.
And every road that I’ve taken
Lead to my regret.
And I don’t know if I’m going to make it.
Nothing to do but lift my head

I look to you.
I look to you.
After all my strength is gone,
In you I can be strong
I look to you.
I look to you.

And when melodies are gone,
In you I hear a song.
I look to you.
My levees are broken
My walls have come
Tumbling down on me
The rain is falling.
Defeat is calling.
I need you to set me free.
Take me far away from the battle.
I need you.
Shine on me.

I look to you.
I look to you.
After all my strength is gone,
In you I can be strong
I look to you.
I look to you.
And when melodies are gone,
In you I hear a song.
I look to You.

October 10, 2011

An excerpt from the book Every Monday Matters to start your week off right:

Show Your Smile

Facts:

• A smile is a universal expression of happiness and recognized as such by all cultures.
• A smiling person is judged to be more pleasant, attractive, sincere, sociable, and competent.
• Smiling or even seeing somebody smile releases endorphins that work in the brain to give an overall feeling of well-being.
• Happy people generally don’t get sick as often as people who are unhappy.
• People are born with the ability to smile.  Even babies born blind smile.
• Adults laugh approximately 15 times per day, while children laugh about 400 hundred times per day.
• It takes only 17 muscles to smile compared to 43 muscles to frown.
• Women smile more than men.

Take Action Today:

• Smile at everyone you see today.
• keep track of how many times you smile and laugh today.
• If you are having trouble smiling, here a few suggestions to help:

*Make faces at yourself in the mirror.
*Shake your body like it’s laughing from the inside.
*Jump on the bed.
*Hug someone you love.
*Visit a pet store.

• At the end of you day of smiling, notice how you feel and whether people acted differently around you.

“Smiling is contagious.  Happiness leads to smiling and smiling leads to happiness.  Happiness is your natural immunity, having a profound, positive effect on your health and well-being.  If you are happy, smile.  If you aren’t happy, smile anyway.  It will help you get there!”

Pastor Michael

 

 

 

 

 

October 3, 2011

I love my children.  They are all so very different, which is perplexing in many ways for many reasons.  But it’s all part of how I can love them all uniquely, and why I am impressed by them individually.  Through all of their imperfections, they each stand as an example to me of being Christ-like in different ways.

Take Jesse for example…

He is a kid who is gifted in many ways.  He excels at most everything he does, and he seldom has to work hard for anything.  It’s not that he is lazy or apathetic; it’s more that he can get by just fine on his natural abilities.  But this year, I have seen him have to step up to a challenge for which he was not prepared.  It’s a direction that I never really encouraged him to pursue.  So, he has some ground to make up to meet the many expectations that people have of him, as well as those he has of himself.   What has impressed me most about him is his tenacious effort to become better, to grow, to listen, to learn, and to not let people down.  He has pursued every opportunity that will help him step up to the challenge and not always with the encouragement of those who should be encouraging him the most.

While I recognize that this is all from a father’s perspective, I think I see things clearly.  In a spiritual sense, I wish we would all work as hard to become more like Christ.  If we had once ounce of Jesse’s work ethic and applied it to being in God’s word, praying, serving others, and meeting needs, the world would be filled with a bunch of people who look more like Jesus.

I know God has high expectations of all of us and great hopes that we would surrender our lives in a way that we can be used to be about His Kingdom work.  I just wonder how many of us are willing to put in the work.  I just wonder…

“Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.”

1 Peter 1:18-21 from The Message

Blessings!

Pastor Michael

September 26, 2011

I am moved by the lyrics of the new song we have been singing as a part of our “Something’s Coming” series.  I thought I would include them below for you to read and contemplate as a way to start your Monday morning.

Awakening
by Chris Tomlin

In our hearts Lord
In this nation
Awakening

Holy Spirit
We Desire
Awakening

For You and You alone
Awake my soul
Awake my soul and sing

For the world You love
Your will be done
Let Your will be done in me

In Your presence
In Your power
Awakening

For this moment
For this hour
Awakening

Like the rising sun that shines
From the darkness comes a light
I hear Your voice say
This is my awakening

Like the rising sun that shines
Awake my soul
Awake my soul to sing

From the darkness comes a light
Awake my soul
Awake my soul to sing

Only You can raise a life
Awake my soul
Awake my soul to sing

In our hearts Lord

In this nation

Awakening

 

God Bless!

Pastor Michael

 

September 19, 2011

Please click on the following link to hear Pastor Michael’s thoughts for today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_kMyOFpUlE

September 12, 2011

There has been thunder and lightning and rain at our house off and on all weekend…I guess summer is over.  I love living somewhere where there are four distinct seasons, but the change from summer to fall is my least favorite.

This summer has been significant in so many ways.  Our oldest son graduated from high school.  Our family experienced a wonderful long-planned and long-awaited two-week vacation in Hawaii.  We spent most Sunday afternoons at Brentwood Lake with friends and family.  I made homemade ice cream more times than I can remember.  We hosted several outdoor movie nights in our driveway.  We benefited greatly from the wonderful worship and teaching through the “Rejoice Always” series at church.  I committed to memorizing the book of Philippians and endeavored to run consistently 5 days a week sometimes 10 miles at a time.  We dropped our son off at college and gave thanks to God for the man he has become.  And, now it’s all over!

I have been very melancholy about what was once eagerly anticipated and now is just a memory!

What’s that?  Something’s coming?………..

Pastor Michael

August 29, 2011

I was recently told by somebody who doesn’t attend church that they didn’t think they needed to be a part of church to be in relationship with God.  I believe that this is the sentiment of many, and it saddens me.  The reality is that God has placed great value on the value of “together”—of coming together to worship, to pray, to fellowship, to learn from his word.  How could we possibly grow in our relationship with Him apart from the mysterious and awe-inspiring experience of gathering in His name with other sojourners?  Worshiping together with my brothers and sisters in the Lord on Sunday mornings is essential to me.  I am inspired by worship and music. I am encouraged by the testimony of other Christ-followers. I am challenged and convicted by the truth of His word.  I become more deeply rooted in Christ by one hour on Sunday morning.  My hope is that you too will be encouraged this fall to step into the value of “together” in a way that your life will be transformed.

Pastor Michael

 

August 22, 2011

In church yesterday, Pastor Mark continued teaching out of the book of Philippians as a part of our summer series called “Rejoice Always”.  I don’t want to over simplify what he said, because it was very meaningful.  It could have profound impact on our relationships with people and our testimony for the Lord.  It could remove the source of tension and conflict in our lives.  But, it could be so simple that it’s too hard to do. Too hard, if we don’t want to that is!  I don’t want to ramble on and on about his sermon.  You probably heard it; if not then listen to it.  But I do want to remind us about the challenge to live out our love for the Lord by living well in our relationships.

Maybe one of the verses from yesterday, rephrased, might help offer all of us some accountability in doing some “fence-mending” if necessary!   Pretend Paul’s words are written to you…

“I plead with (insert your name here”) and I plead with (insert their name here) to agree with each other in the Lord…

A joyful day to you!

Pastor Michael

August 15, 2011

Two wonderful weeks away…with family, relaxing, reading scripture, exploring God’s beautiful creation, and thanking God for all he has done in my life.  The word “epic,” though wildly overused, seems incredibly appropriate to describe our time away.  Yet coming home to worship with our church family yesterday was equally a blessing.  And, the challenge to press on in our spiritual maturity with the straining of an athlete in training is huge.  So my question to myself and to you today is, what does your spiritual workout look like?

Have a blessed week!

Pastor Michael

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