One thing I’ve never been much good at is loving myself.

I’ve seen it before as an egotistical practice. Prideful; self-centered; self-serving. It’s probably because I hadn’t thought of self-care as a means of self-sacrifice.

As I grow older, I am constantly reminded that I am human and frail. My body parts seem to malfunction more frequently and take longer to heal. I seem to have pains in places I did not know I had. I'm apparently falling apart and find myself realizing the process is not going to stop until it does.

All of my life, I have loved everything water…a pool, the beach, the lake, the river. When I was little, my dear grandfather taught me how to swim and I would swim for hours, every day of the summer. He called me his ‘water princess’ and I felt like the pool was my palace.

Every now and again I get the urge to think about familiar scriptures from God’s point of view. Such was the case a few weeks ago when I was studying the 23rd Psalm. This beloved psalm never fails to help me in times of trouble. But as I was meditating on it, I began to hear it – not from David’s point of view, but from God’s. And here is how it sounded.

Do you ever have bad days? I do, and I believe we all have bad days from time to time. You may know the kind of days I’m talking about. Those days when things just do not go right for whatever reason, and in any conceivable manner. Those may be the days when you question yourself, your faith, and even God’s actions. What’s up and why me, God? Am I a good Christian? Am I living up to God’s expectations?

Ever since I was a child, I have had some difficulty with the concept of being quiet.  I was an early talker and am told, I haven’t stopped since.  I remember being in the 4th grade and was mortified when my teacher, Mrs. Huber, told my parents she was going to be sending a note home every Friday for a month, informing them if my “talking out of turn” had improved. 

Since Noah called me out in his recent sermon, I thought I would write a devotion on the subject. 😉

Perhaps you are familiar with Ephesians 4:15 which reads: “speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,”

Last month our family celebrated four birthdays: my brother-in-law in Ohio, and locally my son, his daughter, and his mother-in-law. Along with the usual cards and gifts, we marked the occasion with brunch, swimming, cake, brownies, and pumpkin pie (my son’s favorite). It was a great reminder of how special each of us is to God.

A few weeks ago, I was contemplating a passage I had just read. I cannot remember what it was, but it contained some comments regarding worship. As usual, when the Spirit nudges me, He puts a topic in my mind such that I can’t let it go.

The game of hide and seek has been around for as long as there have been children. I have had lots of these games with my kids and now my grandkids. I played it when I was a kid too. I’m not really sure I like the game. What if I can’t find them? What if they stop looking for me?

GROWING in Faith Never Stops…Even If We Think We’re All Grown Up

Some of us have been in church long enough to remember when flannel-graphs were the cutting edge and the arrival of drums in worship meant the end times were probably next Tuesday.

Let’s do a little word association game. I say “EVANGELISM,” you say… ___________

“PANIC!”

For many of us, especially those of us raised in the Lutheran tradition, inviting someone to church feels only slightly less terrifying than doing your taxes while public speaking. In your underwear. While being live-streamed.

Church should feel less like going to a performance and more like a family reunion (minus the mystery Jell-O salad and awkward socks/sandals combination). But here’s the thing: family reunions only work when everyone feels like family.

When people hear the phrase “God spoke to me,” their minds usually jump straight to Moses and the burning bush. Cue the dramatic music. The sandals-off moment. Charlton Heston squinting into the fire while the voice of God booms from the heavens.

Let’s just put it out there. Faith should never feel like a pressure cooker. At PLC, we believe following Jesus is the most serious, life-altering, eternity-shaping thing you’ll ever do. But walking with Him shouldn’t squeeze the joy out of your soul or turn you into a humorless robot quoting Scripture on autopilot. If it does, you might be missing the point.

A while back, someone asked me why we don't often sing the "old favorites" at church anymore. You know the ones…the hymns that echo in your bones and bring back memories of your childhood church or your mom’s voice floating through the kitchen. It was an honest question. It was a good question.

My eldest son David is the head of Saint Mark Lutheran School in Kāneʻohe, Hawaii. A few years ago he conceived of the idea of building a new preschool facility on their property. He presented and sold the idea to the school board, calling it an Early Learning Center.

I was recently reflecting on something we found in my brother’s desk after he passed away. It was a piece of paper where he had penned the words, “The Lord doesn’t always remove the mountain, but He gives us the strength to climb it.” It made me think of my son Jimmy, who has been climbing a very tall “mountain” since December.

Years ago, I was gifted with a shofar (ram’s horn) from former PLC Youth Director Brendon Fairley, whose father has a hobby of finishing them. Just as the trumpets (shofars) in Joshua’s time played a part in the walls of Jericho falling, this particular shofar was designated a “healing shofar.” 

On many occasions in the Gospel, Jesus appears to the disciples after His death and resurrection. Jesus kept His promise to return after three days in the grave. He promised that His death on the cross was not the end. God always keeps His promises.