Sunday afternoon reflections

It was good to see attendance getting back near normal this weekend, even with the holiday travel. And I was very touched by the numerous comments of CLCers who were helped by the message to "Leave Their Baggage". I will admit to being a little uneasy going into the weekend, since the Bell Captain uniforms and luggage props and paper sacks for everyone in the service seemed a little cheesey for CLC...but there's nothing hokey about the fact that all of us accumulate some unnecessary baggage as we go through life. My prayer for all of us (including me!) is that we truly left our baggage today, and that we'll go into 2008 ready to receive!

I'll also admit that preaching 3 times with luggage in your hand and over your shoulders is very uncomfortable, and I've got a twinge in my neck this afternoon that wasn't there before. Oh well - suffering is a part of the Christian life, right? :-)

My wife preached in South Bend today and then drove her mother back to Detroit afterwards, so I'm batching it for a few days until she returns on Thursday. I think it's the first time we've ever been apart on New Year's Eve/Day, and I'm missing her already!

I did get home to our empty house just in time to see Devin "Ridiculous" Hester return a punt for a touchdown, and I've got to say it: why does anybody kick the ball to him? I'm sure glad they do, because I never get tired of seeing him break it open and take it to the house. Great way to end a lousy season. Cub fans, please forgive me for stealing your line, but just wait 'til next year!

That's it. I'm tired, so I'm headed to the couch for some more NFL gazing.

Sunday afternoon reflections

I took a little ribbing today about the fact that I haven't posted in about 3 weeks, and I really have no excuse other than laziness, I guess. But, as Michael Jordan said, "I'm back"!

Our identical Christmas worship experiences of this week were rather interesting, to say the least. On Wednesday night, which was a special service I called, thinking that lots of CLCers would be traveling this weekend and perhaps want to have a worship experience as part of their Christmas, we had as many people on stage as we had in the congregation! The few (under 20) who had gathered insisted that I go ahead and preach as planned, so I did, and honestly, the presence of the Lord was so sweeeeet as we closed.

Saturday night was also a smaller-than-average attendance for us, so I didn't know what to expect going into today. Both services this morning looked a little smaller than normal, but numbers aren't everything, as the Lord met with us in worship in a special way. The response to the message was also wonderful, although we all had a scare at the close when one of our volunteer camera operaters became dizzy and fell off his perch on the camera platform, so paramedics were called to assist. It happened right during the salvation invitation, so it made for a very interesting finish, to say the least. But it didn't keep some young men from praying the sinner's prayer with me, and so all of heaven rejoices with us!

I'll be off the blogosphere again this week while we travel to Detroit for a couple of days with my wife's family before returning here to meet my oldest son and his fiancee' who arrive early Thursday morning.

If at all possible, don't miss out next weekend when we close 2007 with a very unique message - in fact, it would be a great opportunity for you to invite a friend to join you! Until then, may every CLCer enjoy an extra-special Christmas celebration with your family and friends this week!

Monday afternoon reflections

I haven't posted in about a week because I've been fending off problems and dealing with the parts of my job that make me relate to Jehdeiah, whom I posted about here. To be honest, I'm sure there is "stuff" to deal with in every job, whether mine or yours. Put another way, there's NO job that is always enjoyable; that's why it's called w-o-r-k!

But it was one unusual weekend at CLC, to say the least:

• freak snow-ice-rain storm on Saturday that made road conditions hazardous and resulted in attendance at our Saturday service with Dr. Buddy Bell about 25% of the norm.
• Then at our 9am service in Tinley Park, where we planned to watch the DVD of Buddy's teaching from Saturday night so we could "share the wealth" with our Shorewood campus by sending him there to teach at their 10am service, we had a technical glitch. Not a minor one; a big one. A LONG one. It was probably my most embarrassing moment as a pastor as I had to stand up in front of the 400 or so gathered for that service and explain that I had no back-up plan, so if our techs weren't able to resolve the problem within a few more minutes, we would dismiss and they could enjoy a very early lunch! Fortunately, the ever-resourceful media guys (I think it was Tunde Abilona) figured out the problem and the congregation was able to enjoy Buddy's teaching - after that 10-minute-seemed-like-eternity-silent wait.
• By the end of the day, we had gained several brand-new volunteers for various ministries and I think many other CLCers were encouraged to discover that they operate in a supernatural ministry, the ministry of helps. Or, as Brother Godbey put it so long ago, "Oh, the infinite value of the humble Gospel helpers! Thousands of people have no gifts as leaders are number one helpers. How grand revival moves along when red-hot platoons of fire-baptized helpers crowd around God's heroic leaders of the embattled hosts!"
• Despite the weather, the attendance, and the technical glitches, I sensed a special touch of the Holy Spirit in our worship time together, and I heard a similar report from the Shorewood campus today....so I'm thankful for what God is doing, even when everything is not the way we want it to be. How about you?