License check?

This morning I was on my way to the church and I was planning everything that I needed to try and get done today; line up the music; answer e-mails; write a letter of recommendation; visit a member in assisted living; call musicians; check my calendar; did I say answer e-mails. And with all this and more on my mind, I am met with the ever-popular "License Check". It was no big deal. I knew what to do, and what to have ready. So, as I waited my turn to pull forward to the officer, I got out my wallet and pulled out my driver's license. I had already rolled down my window and was preparing myself for a quick, short visit. I even rehearsed how polite I would be during the short verbal exchange. However, I was not asked the customary, "License please." The officer asked, "Are you going to get your truck inspected today?".......What?......Inspected?.... I just got it in September. When is it due?.......April? I couldn't believe it. But, there it was; on the windshield right in front of me.........April punched out.......08 punched out........man.
If you are like me; you start thinking about that "grace period" myth.....you know the one. "There's a 30 day grace period if your inspection runs out.".......there's not one. I really don't care what so-and-so says.....there's not one. I know......But, this officer showed me grace. And, I immediately started thinking of all the places that I could get an inspection; here at the end of the month. They are all going to be crowded; I'll have to wait. I don't have time to wait. I have a lot to do. Think....think.....think. I can't.......drawing a blank........need a Mtn. Dew.
Laugh if you must, but when I stopped for a Dew, I found an inspection station just two miles away. And when I pulled up, I drove straight in and they inspected my truck....done. Now, I know you might think this is a good lead-in to an example of answered prayer, but it's not. What happened to me this morning is a reminder to us all to not take for granted our responsibilities. There are things that we need to do; things that require our attention; personal things. Just because, at a church service, or concert we chose to believe in Jesus Christ' life, death, and Resurrection as our means for salvation, doesn't mean that we should forget about it; and then have to be reminded about it through a stranger (tragic event, sickness, struggles). When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, we were given a new life. And just like the inspection sticker reminds you to keep your vehicle meeting the state's guidelines for safe operation each year, we need to see that we are staying on course in our quest to be more like Christ in our lives. Is anything in our life "past due"?.........Bible reading/study; prayer; visits; phone calls; acts of service; forgiveness.......You're fine.......there IS a "grace period".

I really enjoy this "truck"

They are everywhere. They are in major cities, small towns, and in rural areas. They have a distinct color and shape. Even if you only get a glimpse of it, you know that it's a UPS truck. Like I said, they are everywhere. I should know, I drove one for 28 years; and I still wave to the driver, and I still turn my head to see one going by. I can even pick out the UPS truck in a TV show, and in a movie; even if it is way in the background; even for just a brief second....I see it.

And having been a driver for UPS for 28 years, I am constantly asked, "Do you miss it?" And to be honest, in a way I do. Most of the time I can tell people that I don't miss UPS, and what I don't miss is the part of the job that stressed me mentally. That's as far as I will go with that comment. But, what I thought I would miss would be all the customers, people, and friends that I met and grew to know well enough for them to call me by name. And all of that was possible because I drove a "big brown truck". People were always excited to see this truck stop in front of their home, or coming down their driveway. I was bringing something to them. Maybe they ordered it as a gift for a child, or a spouse. Maybe it was a piece to fix an appliance in the house. It could be new clothes, a computer, marketing supplies, blueprints, college books.....I never knew, but I knew that I had something for them, and they were excited to get it. You know the feeling that I am talking about. This big brown truck, that is so recognizable, is in front of your house and there is something in it for you. Oh, the excitement; the anticipation. You can't wait to open it and make it "officially" yours. It is not trapped inside a box anymore; it is in your hands and it is yours....yours to use....yours to read......play with.....wear.....install. And then to show to your friends, or to tell them about what you now have because a big brown truck delivered it to you.

Do I miss it? It has been one year since I parked my big brown truck. And, I don't miss the customers and friends that I met as much as I thought I would. My life style has changed a little in the past year, but one thing has stayed strangely the same. I still feel sometimes like I am coming up someones driveway with a package, but this time I know what is inside. Because, I have opened it up; I have looked at it; I have the same thing, and I am excited when I get the chance to give this away.......and it is received.

I don't have a big brown truck anymore, but I do enjoy this tan and blue "truck" where more and more friends and loved ones come to meet, share, fellowship, and worship together. And inside this "truck", you will find all the excitement and wonder of lives that, when they were given this package; this gift.....and received it.....changed......everything changed.........everything. I really enjoy this "truck".

Wonder of the Cross

Every so often, I hear a song that catches my heart. I listen intently to the words and then I listen for the emotion. Will this be a song that the church will enjoy singing? Is this a song that will encourage us as a church body? Do the words cause us to feel; to think; to love; to worship? A few weeks ago I was reading some responses to an article about a worship leader of a church that was asking for some help in selecting songs for their upcoming Easter Service. One of the responses was from a young female worship leader from England, Vicky Beeching. She mentioned a song that she had written about the cross of Jesus, and how she would offer it as a suggestion for an Easter song. So, I decided to find the song and give it a listen. And, oh what a song!

"The Wonder of the Cross" stirs my imagination. I listen to the words and they paint a living picture of the cross. The words cause my mind to look back in time; not to the crucifixion, but to the day I heard about the love of Christ; the day I heard that He gave His life on that cross for me. I listen to the words that encourage me to hold on to that memory; to not let time and years steal the power of the cross, and how it has impacted my life. Listening to the song, my mind sees the cross; not as a vertical, horizontal wooden structure that stands as a symbol of our belief, but as I saw it for the first time; at a revival. What had always been just a symbol was now real in my mind, and in my heart. This structure of wood was shameful, painful, and necessary for my salvation. My life would never be the same; neither would anyone else that looked at the cross the way that I did that evening. When I see the cross in my mind, I feel it in my heart. When I see people respond to the cross, I feel it in my heart. When I see lives changed because of the cross, I feel it in my heart. Please, don't ask me what it feels like; I can't tell you. It's what I would say is the wonder of the cross, and as is written in the song, "May I never lose the wonder, the wonder of the cross". May we never lose the wonder.

Water Jars

I just read in John, chapter 2, about Jesus attending a wedding in Cana. I have heard this story told as the first miracle that Jesus did; how he turned the water into wine, and how the master of the banquet was shocked that the groom had saved the best wine for the end of the feast. That was not the norm of that time; for after the good wine had been served to the guest, and they had become "happily filled", the cheaper stuff would be served; no one would actually know the difference. However, this time was different. What many people had become accustomed to, changed. What was suppose to be just another cup of cheap wine, caught guests by surprise. What had Jesus done? Did he fill the jars with water? Did he pray over the jars of water? Was he the one who served the wine? Did the master of the banquet address him as to where this wine came from?.......no. Jesus remained in the background during all of this. All he did was to tell the servants to fill 6 jars with water, and they did. Jesus then told them to draw some of the water out and to serve it to the master of the banquet. That's all that is recorded......"that's all He did? Where's the miracle?" I would be the one that would tell you that Jesus turned the water into wine, but recently I was in a conversation that mentioned this event, and that the "miracle" was in the servants listening to Jesus. When the servants did as Jesus instructed, the water was turned to wine. They had no idea what was going to happen. They probably were afraid as to what might happen to them if people tasted water instead of wine. We read that the master of the banquet was surprised at the excellence of the wine, but how surprised do you think the servants must have been, for they knew that they had just filled those jars with water. Who was this that had instructed them? Who had they listened to? Last Sunday I was at the new HRCC campus in Kannapolis, and what I saw were servants that had been instructed by Jesus to take a middle school gymnasium (jars), and fill it with HRCC (water); the same HRCC that we see each week when we attend at the Bringle Ferry campus, and the Denton campus. As these servants unloaded a trailer, and poured into the gym, a miracle began. What appeared to be sound equipment, musical instruments, coffee maker, hospitality supplies, nursery supplies, tables, chairs, and a tarp, was actually a church; High Rock Community Church. And, when all the preparation was done, at 10:00, the Master of this banquet was presented with a "wine" that I know pleased Him. His servants had listened to Him. There was music, there was singing, there was HRCC in Kannapolis.

Blank Canvas

"Ronnie, you have to blog!?!" That's what she said. I was just standing there, minding my own business after a large meal with some Small Group leaders, and out of the blue comes this statement; "you have to blog". I know that for some people it is like second nature to blog. They seem to write about any, and everything under the sun; sometimes it has substance, and sometimes it's a lot of letters and spaces. But, when I sit down in front of the computer, and look at this blank area of white next to a picture of me looking back at me, I freeze. It is the same as when I look at a blank canvas before I paint, a sheet of sketch paper before I draw, and the silence just before I pray; I really don't know what will happen. I could tell about all the ways that God moved in the hearts of the people at HRCC this past week-end as they heard of, and met "real" needs within the church family, and how they met the "real" needs of people outside of the church family. I could tell of how gutters will be repaired for a man who had no idea that he was about to be ministered to; or about the amazing support for the lady who needed help with her gas bill; or the car maintenance; or the home repairs; or the new well estimate. How do I explain this to someone who wasn't there to see it? It was like watching God's hand as He moved across a blank heart canvas to reveal a masterpiece that I needed to see. I didn't know what would happen when the needs were presented. But, I now realize that that was not my canvas to paint. I have been praying and planning for the new Kannapolis Campus, and the Praise Team that will be leading worship there. Wednesday night was set aside as a rehearsal time for the musicians. They were going to have just enough participants to have, what I thought would be, a good Team. However, it would be better if there was one more guitar player. Maybe by the first couple of services, someone would step up and want to be a part of the Team. I mean, that's how it worked here at HRCC......Just as we are getting ready to rehearse, a guy walks in with his family in tow, and asked if we were having a Wednesday night service. I politely said that we were actually starting a rehearsal for the Praise Team that will be in Kannapolis........Watch this........He plays guitar.....But, he didn't have it with him..........Mine is on the guitar stand because I am helping out by playing the bass tonight.....He asks to play mine......and for the next 90 minutes God continued painting on a canvas that I thought He had finished on Sunday. Ask any artist, and they will tell you that their work is not done until it is signed. I'm the same way. If I'm painting, or drawing, or writing; it's not done until I sign it. I feel that God is just starting His masterpiece, and it is a long way from being signed. I am enjoying the work in progress.

Over Already?

"It seems as though I just woke up and Christmas is over." "It's like we start getting ready for Christmas, and before we know it, it's passed by us." I'm sure you have probably heard these comments before. You may have even said them yourself. I can think back to when I would say the very same things. When I was in school, I longed for Christmas Break. I would make plans to just enjoy all the time that I would have to play with my friends; exchange gifts; break-in the new bike; go hunting with my new BB gun; race slot-cars well into the night. And, all that time seemed to disappear quickly; too quickly, and it's back to school. I've had the same feeling when I would be looking forward to time off from UPS after the Christmas season of delivering. I would save up a few extra days during the year just so I could "rest", and enjoy Christmas with Karen and our children. But, there again, time just slips by, and it's back to work. Why is that? Do we really think that having to go back to school, or work, ends our Christmas? No; it doesn't. Forgetting about Christmas ends our Christmas. When we start thinking about work, school, chores, shopping, returns, bills; we end Christmas. And, as much fun as I have had this Christmas, I don't want to end it. I want to keep reminding myself of all that the Lord has done for me, my family, my friends, and High Rock Community Church. God has truly blessed us this year, even when the enemy thought that he could stop us. God has smiled on HRCC in a mighty way this year. He has given us a gift that we will not want to return, or exchange. He has given us a joy that brings a smile to our faces each time that we think about it. He has given us a Christmas that will be a part of our memories for a long time. He has given to us......and it's not over.

Do we still feel his hug?

The room is so noisy. It is hard to hear yourself think. People are sitting together in groups; families, friends, loved ones; and they are all talking. They are not trying to be loud, but the excitement, coupled with the number of people there, seems to gradually increase the decibel level; and before you know it, it is loud. It is a good loud though. I enjoy looking around and seeing the smiles and the tears, hearing the laughter and some of the conversations, mostly inaudible. Soon I will get to participate in all the noise. Soon I will get to carry on a conversation. I will get the chance to laugh, to smile, and be loud. I can't wait to raise the decibel level a little more. But for now, I just sit and wait......He'll be here in a minute........There he is.......The thoughts and emotions that are racing through my mind..........what do I say?.......what will he say?........can I still make him smile?.......it's been so long...........don't cry.............too late. I have missed this man. It is so good to see him walking toward me. I finally get my chance to hug him. And it is not a pat-pat-pat hug. I hugged Ray as a brother would hug a brother. I held on to him..........it's been a while.........don't cry. Time for smiles and laughter. Time to increase the decibel level. A strange thing happened though. I didn't hear any other conversations. I could see all the people around the room, but I didn't hear them anymore. I heard who I came to hear; and I listened. I listened to all he had to say. I didn't want this time to end. Everything just moved so fast, and then we were headed home. And as I drove home, I could still hear him; I could still see him; I could still feel the hug. When we show up for a service at High Rock, do we increase the decibel level by our participation?.........do we laugh, smile, cry, and hug? When we carry on our conversation with the Lord, do we listen?.........have we heard who we came to hear? When we leave and head home, do we still hear Him?.........do we still feel His hug? I do.