Chuck’s World

Thirteen years ago we were blessed with our first child. We named him Hunter. He and his sister (who came a year later) have filled our lives with tremendous joy and pride.

Today that little boy took another step toward manhood. He became a teenager It’s a strange and exciting time. Every now and then we still see that little boy pop out again with some goofy move, silly prank or just his endless laughter. Yet, mostly now you see the man beginning to form with all the seriousness and contemplation of life and I realize just how little time he has left under our roof.

He’s too old to hold my hand and hugs in public aren’t always met with the enthusiasm they once were. He’s growing up and adding interests and other people into his life. I am no longer the focus of his attention like I used to be and that’s okay.

I still get the “I love you”s and I am reminded every now and then that I am still his best bud.

I pray that’s always the case.

Happy Birthday Hunter!

“Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the LORD.” Exodus 8:36 (NIV)

Recently I received a license plate with my company’s logo on it. They strongly encouraged us to place it on the front of our car so that everyone can see who I work with at a glance. I was pretty excited and proud to do it - at first. However, when someone cut me off in traffic and heat rushed up my spine, sending my morning smile into a scowl, I remembered the plate that identified me! I forced the grimmace to leave my face and replaced it with numbness. Arghh! The realization hit me, I can’t just react now without thinking of the impression it will leave on others. I must admit at times I’ve wanted to intentionally drive through a mud hole to mask the name on that plate.

My girlfriend won’t let her husband put a fish symbol on their car, a symbol of their faith, because she knows that car can sometime reflect a little “road rage.” She is afraid it might reflect poorly on her Savior. What if we had to wear the seal of God on our forehead for everyone to see? Would we act any differently? Would we be nicer to the store clerk, the grumpy boss or the bratty child? If at a glance the world could see who we were with, would it alter our behavior?

In Ephesians 1:13 it says, “… Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” So we ARE marked with a seal, and it is not just on our foreheads, it should be oozing from every part of our being! When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, it is as powerfully evident to others as an engraved nameplate welded to our face that we belong to Christ. How? Matthew 5:16 tells us, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Surprisingly, I have become accustomed to to the nameplate on my car. I think now before I react. I consider the consequences of my driving. It has seriously made me a better driver and less stressed. Isn’t that amazing? It no longer makes me anxious or afraid that I will discredit my company. People recognize me coming now and wave.

So who is reading your nameplate? Do they recognize the light of Christ in your actions?

Father, we often try to blend in with the world. Give us freedom today to proudly display the righteousness You have given us by reflecting your light onto others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.” Psalm 89:15 (NIV)

As a lover of history, I was fascinated by a story that I heard about Benjamin Franklin recently. Franklin had decided that lighting the streets of Philadelphia at night would add both beauty and increased safety to his city. Instead of embarking on a campaign of speeches and writing to persuade the other citizens, Franklin himself bought a large and beautiful lantern and mounted it on a long bracket in front of his home. He kept the glass clean and sparkling, and each evening at dusk he faithfully lit the lantern.

Soon his neighbors began to take notice, and they began maintaining their own lanterns at their residence. Like wildfire, the trend spread throughout the city, and it eventually became a city-wide, city-sponsored program. As the story is told, Benjamin Franklin influenced the entire city of Philadelphia without a word. He simply began to enact change in his own sphere and spread light to all those around him.

As a Christian, I sometimes look around my world and feel horror at the darkness around me. One hour of the evening news is enough to leave the bravest heart running for cover. Stories of child abuse, murder, the spread of deadly disease, starvation, extreme poverty, the heart-break of war and the evil of man swirl around me on the airwaves and churn daily from the printing press. The truth is that we live in a hard world where bad things happen to good people and bad people alike. It’s often a frightening and confusing place.

But there’s another truth that we must not overlook. God is sovereign. Those three words bring hope and comfort to my soul. God is sovereign, and He calls His people to bring His light into the world. I may not be able to change tomorrow’s newscast, but I can be a bearer of God’s light to those around me. I can make sure that my family’s Bible is well used and that my children know about His love for them. I can share His hope and pray with neighbors that are hurting. I can behave ethically in the workplace. I can serve in my church and community and share my time with others.

I John 1:5b says, “…God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” If we are walking with Him, He fills our lives with light that shines on those around us. By our words and actions, we are called to bring Light into a very dark world. Let’s resolve to be Light-bearers to those in our sphere this week and pray that the Light will continue to spread in our community.

Dear Lord, even though I live in a dark world, help me to focus on Your light. As I fix my eyes on You, make me transparent so that Your light can shine through into the darkness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

by Ed Young

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5

The church has been called a “body” of believers with Christ at the head. And just like our human bodies, the body of Christ has many parts. But what are these parts? What does this body consist of? Is it the church building, the classrooms, the landscape, and the parking lot? No. The body of Christ consists of much more profound and important parts than physical locations or buildings.
The parts of the body of Christ are you and me.

Without each of its parts, a body will not function the way that it is designed. If your nose were missing, your body would not function to its full potential. Without your shoulder, your arm would not be as useful. For the church to function as the vehicle to spread God’s message of truth, hope and love, all of the parts of the body must be present.

But there is one more thing necessary for the body to reach its potential. The parts of the body must be functioning - they have to work. If you have ever broken your arm or leg, then you know how useless that broken limb is until it is working again. That is true with the church too. Just showing up for one hour a week to worship corporately is not enough to keep the body healthy and working. God wants each of us to use our gifts for his glory and to use those gifts to serve in the church.

Too many of us, though, put church and service at church on the back burners of our lives. We cram our schedules full of events and activities until there is no longer room for everything. And too often church is what gets pushed aside. But that is not what Christ intended. He wants us to live our lives with the church - to do life with church as a priority. And nothing should take priority over living the life that Christ wants for each of us.

This week, remember that you are a vital part of the body of Christ. Remember that you are needed in order for that body to reach its potential. Use the gifts that you have to help spread God’s message. Remember, the church is one thing that Christ was passionate about. It is something that you should be passionate about too.

They really expect me to remember what all these buttons do?!?!

It has been a crazy Sunday this week. We worked through it all though. Hopefully, no one realized everything that was going on behind the scenes.

by Jim Liebelt

“Do not neglect your gift, which was given you…” 1 Timothy 4:14a

The following parable (author unknown) shares the story of a school for animals:

The school was to include classes in swimming, climbing, flying and running. All the animals were required to take all of the classes. The duck was good in swimming and he was pretty fair in flying but he was just terrible in running. As a result, the duck was forced to drop his swimming class and stay after school so he could practice his running. He kept this up until he was only average in swimming but average was okay and that was acceptable and the others were no longer threatened by his swimming abilities. Everyone felt more comfortable, except the duck.

The eagle was somewhat of a problem student from the very beginning. In climbing, the eagle beat everyone to the top of the tree, but did it in her own way. She flatly refused to climb the tree and had to be severely disciplined. She was so uncooperative in swimming classes that she finally had to be kicked out of the class.

The rabbit started at the top of the class in running, but was obviously not up to speed in other areas. In fact, the rabbit almost broke its leg trying to fly by using its ears as wings. The rabbit had so much make-up work to do in swimming that it had a nervous breakdown and had to drop out.

Sadly, the turtle was a failure in almost everything. The turtle’s shell was considered to be the primary cause of this dismal performance, so it was removed. This helped the turtle’s running a bit, but unfortunately, it became the first casualty of the school when stepped on by the horse. By the end of the school year, there were no real successes. It seemed that all the animals were either average, sick, or dead.

God has given each one of us certain gifts and abilities, certain strengths and weaknesses. The question becomes which do we focus our efforts on, fixing our weaknesses or developing our strengths? Without doubt, there are some life skills that are important to become competent in – and if we find we are weak in those skills – we should make an effort to improve. Yet, as the parable teaches us – if we primarily focus on fixing our weaknesses – we may end up wasting the strengths God has given us to be used for His glory!

Today, I challenge you to spend some time working to develop your strengths! God has creatively designed you with those strengths. Thank God for them! Use them!

GOING DEEPER:

1. Take a few moments to consider the strengths God has given you.
2. What can you do today to work on developing those strengths?

This is what $8000.00 worth of precious metal looks like! The two wearing the metal? Priceless!

Edwin and Virginia Boland were honored for fifty years of marriage by their children and grandchildren the weekend of June 7-8, 2008 at The Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee.

On Sunday, June 8, the couple’s 50^th wedding anniversary, the couple, along with their children and their spouses (Allen and Martha Boland and Debbie and Chuck Williams) and grandchildren (Elizabeth Boland, Hunter Williams and Brittany Williams) participated in a “renewing of vows” ceremony conducted by their son Allen. Virginia wore, as a corsage, a gardenia from the gardenia bush started from her wedding bouquet fifty years ago. During the renewal of the vows, Edwin presented Virginia with a beautiful anniversary ring. Following the service, the couple was presented with an album of cards and letters from family and friends congratulating them on their 50 years of marriage.

The couple, along with their family, then enjoyed Sunday Brunch at Peabody Skyway, located on the top floor of the hotel overlooking Memphis.