3.22.2005

Wonderful Weekend (delayed post)

Consider this post a bit of snail mail. Remember the days when you used to check your mailbox every day for a week or more to hear how someone was doing?

This past weekend went wonderfully for myself and Focal Point Church.
Marriage Retreat
We took about 26 people from the church down to Nags Head, NC for a marriage retreat on Friday and Saturday. We were led by a couple from our area (Steve and Debbie Mills) and led in worship by friends (Steven and Jennifer Wales). The weekend was filled with encouragement, teaching, fun and even some healthy debate. We discussed issues such as "creating safety" in your marriage, intimacy, divorce-proofing and so-on. From all accounts it was a wonderful retreat which everyone enjoyed.
Great Sunday
Sunday we had a terrific worship service. The music led by Steven Wales was wonderful and the message I delivered may actually have been one of my best ever. I'm not puffing myself up, I just know that I felt "it" and "it" felt wonderful. I didn't even end up using the notes on the Worship Guide b/c they weren't needed. The topic was "The Glory of God". I love speaking about His Glory. So many things about God get me in awe. I love when I can communicate why I am so in awe with God. I think that's what makes those messages so powerful to people.... they walk away in awe of Him. That feeling is something we've lost in our 'modern day' or 'post-modern day' churches. That sense that God is awe-inspiring. We've often turned God into a spiritual ATM or spiritual bell-hop. God becomes nothing more than my butler when I picture him that way.

I've found that most groups paint the picture of the side of Christ they choose to see. We limit him that way. I suppose it makes us feel more comfortable because we naturally have a fear of the unknown but that fear is healthy fear. We're not supposed to know EVERYTHING about Him... We can't. If my mind can wrap around God... he's too small.

I spoke about how God is divinely huge. He is both the lion AND lamb. Beginning AND end. Alpha and Omega. God is huge and complex... and awe-inspiring.

For whatever reason we forgot/messed-up or whatever but the message wasn't recorded this week. I prayed and thanked God. Something tells me he didn't want me to come home and be excited about me and my speaking. He wanted me to come home and do as I did ... sit back and say WoW.
George at Dillards
I wanted to buy a new suit. The only suit I have has been in my closet since I was a junior in college. I haven't had much reason to wear a suit. I've done an occasional wedding and funeral but overall our church style doesn't require that I dress up so I haven't.

I do believe however that I will be placing myself into more circles where I'll be dressing up a bit more.

Anyway, I went to Dillards to purchase a suit this weekend and met a guy named George.
George was the man who helped me pick out my suit. He's a great guy who is 77 years old. He doesn't act like it though. George has been through a lot in his 77 years. He was born during the Great Depression (at the beginning) and went through multiple wars (even serving in Japan) and he was a medical doctor in his younger days. I'm 26. This means George was my age in 1954. That was the year the St. Louis Browns baseball team came to Baltimore (my hometown) to become the Baltimore Orioles (useless trivia information). George has been through a lot.

George recently moved to our area (Virginia Beach,VA) after spending the last 31 years in the Seattle area around the Puget Sound.
MONDAY
Monday was a mixed day that started with a funeral. I was asked to officiate the funeral of Chester Glenn Stultz, a grandfather of a teen in our youth department.

From all accounts Mr. Stultz was a great man. I would estimate 200 or more people came out for his service on Monday at noon. The service went very well. One woman whispered "I'm on the search committee at my church, would you be interested?". That was very kind of her but I obviously politely declined. I enjoyed meeting many of the people at the service. Many were fisherman from the area with whom Mr. Stultz had been a dear friend. I enjoy meeting people from all walks of life. The diversity reminds me how uniquely we're created.

The family was pleased and I commented back to them "It's easy to do a service for a man who was so loved and respected. It's obvious by the turnout that he impacted many lives."

I'd imagine that's what everyone would want at their funeral. A packed house of people who not only admired but were touched by that life. I'm reminded of the quote I often hear pinned to discipleship "You can impress from far away but you can only impact someone up close. Mr. Stultz did both.

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