What really matters...

Well, it has been a little over a week since the election… Are you seeing any less drama?  I thought the last campaign season was particularly brutal.  There was a lot of anger on both sides, and I’m worried it’s not going to be easy for people to come together after that.

This week we are celebrating Christ the King Sunday.  This is a time for us to remember that Christ is our Savior.  There may be real issues that divide us, but we have a King who loves us and even gave his life for us.  That is what is truly important!  Jesus showed a deep love for all people, and that is not something we should be willing to ignore when we encounter our neighbors.  Christ saw beyond our differences, and He stepped into our lives.  Today, I hope we can all come together to give thanks for what Christ has done for us.  May we know and feel the love of God each and every day!

Blessings!

Brian   

Holding on to Love

Sick babies are hard…  Kira and I were getting to the point where we thought we had this parenting thing figured out.  We were able to put our toddler in his crib and he would sleep great.  He was following directions, eating his dinner, and smashing dirt into his hair. (Ok, so he’s not perfect, but he was doing pretty good for a one year old!)

Anyway, things started to fall apart last week.  His nose became congested, he couldn’t breathe very well, and he ran a low fever.  It was hard to watch him go through such a miserable experience.  Instead of seeing his happy and energetic personality, he just cried for help.  The only thing he wanted to do was hold on to us and feel loved...

As we get older, we can learn how to deal with pain, and we can actually put up with quite a bit.  However, sometimes our trials can get the best of us. When the world falls apart, the only thing we can do is trust in a greater love.  Today, I hope that you can trust in that love. God has called you by name, and God believes in you.  Let's let go of all things that tear us apart, and let's hold on to God's Love.  

Peace!

PB

Cherishing the Saints!

This is a great time of year for people to visit Las Vegas.  My wife’s parents were in town recently, and we had a blast celebrating Halloween and the church’s Fall Family Festival with them.  Grandma even made a special costume for our little boy.  It was amazing to see our child light up with excitement around all the wonderful people and activities.  It reminds me of how blessed I am.  My wife and I have amazing families, and we are a part of a wonderful church that continues to support us in powerful ways!

This week we are celebrating All Saints Day.  This is a celebration that cherishes all the people who have given us hope over the years.  These are the individuals who have shown us love and grace.  Over the years, there are times when we have to watch these beloved people face illness and death.  However, in today’s scripture text we are given a promise.  We are told that whether we live or die we belong to Christ.  We are loved, and God calls us each forgiven Saints of the Kingdom!  Today, I hope we can all take time to cherish the people around us who have given us the grace to live in God’s World.

Blessings!

PB

Choose Joy

I recently had an opportunity to talk with a woman who was filled with joy.  She had this wonderful enthusiasm for life, and I was blessed to be in her presence.  However, as I spoke with her, I started to wonder where all her joy came from.  She had faced a number of very grim moments in her life, and her difficulties seemed to follow her wherever she went.  Nevertheless, in her darkest times, she always found ways to connect with other people.  She made choices to volunteer and meet others in the community.  This has not always been easy, but it has created a wonderful network of friends.  These people were imperfect, but they stood by each other.  They took time to serve.  They took time to love, and they took time to find joy even in moments of sorrow…

Her story was a reminder for me that joy doesn’t come from being perfect.  Perfection would certainly be nice, but joy is a choice that we can make in the face of our difficulties.  If we take time to see love and grace in other people, I believe we will find joy. 

This week we are celebrating the Reformation of the Church.  The Reformation celebrates God’s Spirit working, through the darkness, to bring hope.  It is my prayer that we would all allow God’s Spirit to move in us.  May we be drawn into caring relationships that are filled with hope.  May we also choose joy wherever life may lead us…

Blessings,

PB

Brokenness, Denial, and Grace

How do you handle negative feedback?  I have a very public profession, so there are always opportunities for people to critique me, and it is not always easy to hear.  I know I’m unable to please everyone, but there are times when I will really be convicted.  Sometimes, I’ll realize I have neglected a relationship.  Other times someone will let me know that my words or actions have hurt someone in need.  I am guilty of these kinds of things all the time, and unfortunately, my first response can be denial.  I don’t want to admit that I’m imperfect.  I don’t want to admit my own brokenness or failures, and I can spend an inordinate amount of time trying to justify myself…

In our Bible reading today, Jesus tells us a story of a religious leader who did everything he could to prove he was perfect.  He only listened to the voices of those who told him he had no flaws.  Personally, I think it sounds great to ignore anyone who criticizes us!  However, Jesus tells another story of a man who made some terrible choices that ruined him.  In accepting his failures, he began to see a new path to life.  Understanding his own brokenness was the first step to accepting God’s Grace. 

Today, I hope we can find someone that offers us loving guidance.  I hope we can hear their words, and I hope we can see our moments of brokenness as opportunities to open our eyes to new life!

Blessings!!

PB

A helping hand...

This is not our child, but this kid certainly
has the same spirit of helping... :)

 Recently, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to dig a few holes in my backyard.  Our irrigation system has been leaking for quite a while, and it’s time to start the repair process.  I feel like every time a line is fixed, I will notice two more leaks that need attention.  Sometimes, it feels like the whole system is a flawed mess that will never make any sense.  It can be a time consuming and muddy job, but the hardest part is simply trying to contain our 1 year old child who really wants to “help.”

I don’t think it would be possible to get some of these big chores done if we didn’t have real help.  My parents have been in town recently, and they are always ready to lend a hand.  It’s been wonderful to get so much help, but more than anything else, it’s been great to have family in town.  It’s great to see our little boy start to feel how deeply he is loved.  There is a lot in the world that doesn’t make sense, but if we focus on love, I think we will be centered on what truly matters!

Blessings!

PB

Sharing a Prayer

Living with a one year old is amazing, but it’s also exhausting.  Every day this little guy demands a lot of our time, and the moment we stop paying attention to him he winds up climbing on the kitchen table and smashing food into his hair… Exhausting! 

Earlier this week, Kira and I were attempting to finish all our chores after work, and the baby was being extra stubborn.  We put some food in front of the kid to keep him occupied, but when we looked over he had his hands folded.  He was looking at us wondering when we were going to pray. 

We’ve tried to teach him to pray from a young age, and for a long time it didn’t seem like he cared much.  It’s still hard to say how much he really understands, but he just started to bow his head, fold his hands, and shout “Amen!” and throw all his food into the air. (Ok, he doesn’t have it all figured out, but it’s still pretty cool…)  Seeing our child sitting down ready to pray was a reminder of how important prayer really is.  It doesn’t matter if life is crazy, exhausting, or just wearing you down.  Prayer has value. 

Today, I hope you can all believe in the power of prayer.  May you all find life, peace, and grace wherever you may go.

Blessings!

PB