Excitement is in the air!

This is an exciting time. I love watching the seasons change, and I can't wait to enter into another holiday season. Last week, we celebrated Trunk or Treat at church, and we had a wonderful time! We welcomed all kinds of people from the community, and my kids loved seeing all their friends in a safe family environment. It is so cool to have a church that embraces all kinds of people. 

Since that event, my kids have been wearing their costumes around the house and checking on their candy supply everyday. It was all building up to Halloween, but early on Thursday morning my baby woke up and did not want to go back to sleep. My wife tried to deal with him most of the night, but soon enough it was my turn to try and calm him down. We tried just about everything. It took until about 5:45am when I was finally able rock him back to sleep. I had just a moment of rest when the two older boys burst into the room shouting, "Happy Halloween!" (They are allowed to wake up at six o'clock... and they wanted to take advantage of every moment of the day!) Thankfully, the baby was able to stay asleep, but my night was over! It took me a moment, but we wound up having a great morning together.

In the church we also celebrate Reformation Day. This is a time when we remember Martin Luther and his work to awaken the church to Holy Spirit. I think it has always been easy for people of faith to lose sight of the things that matter most. We can metaphorically fall asleep, and we find ourselves on a path that turns away from our neighbor. This was a problem in Jesus' time, and it is a problem in our world too. Instead of continuing down that path, God is calling us to open our eyes to something so much more wonderful. 

These days I am getting a little less sleep, but life is just as full of blessings. I don't want to miss out on the joy. Today I hope you can all look for God's Holy Spirit in your life. I hope you can believe that God is calling you to something wonderful. 

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Surrounded by Blessings

I believe we are surrounded by blessings everyday. However, most of the time we are too busy or stuck in our ways to really appreciate all that life has to offer. Two weeks ago, my family was blessed with the birth of our third son, Kian Mitchell Ward. Having a new baby around does add quite a bit of craziness to the household, but it also opens my heart to the blessings I have right in front of me. There is so much to be grateful for.

The last couple of weeks have really been a blur. Our son arrived about one month early. I thought I had a little more time to get ready, but I obviously don't get to control these things! Now we are quickly running though diapers and struggling to get enough rest. (I will say that I am able to sleep though a lot of night time crying this time around. With the other boys, I would nervously wake up with every coo or grunt they made. My wife may not be this lucky, but I'm feeling as rested as possible...)

In the end, my favorite part may just be watching our older boys interact with the baby. This can become a little tricky, because the big boys still have soccer practice, homework, and their own needs. (They also have to be reminded that their brother is not a football!) However, it is amazing to see how much they love their little brother. They can't wait to come home and hold the baby. They also watch him and describe everything he does and doesn't like. As difficult as it can be, it is incredible to have two more people who really love this child. 

Today I hope all of you can take some time to appreciate the blessings in your life. I hope you can take some time to love somebody else. The grace we share really does make a difference, and this world needs your love.

Blessings!

Brian Ward