First Thoughts @ FUMCR

The Ted Video is awesome. Join the Lone nut Jesus...

2010-06-28T17:11:43.232-05:00

The Ted Video is awesome. Join the Lone nut Jesus and let's transform the world!

I have seen God in my children's unwavering be...

2010-06-16T18:49:30.022-05:00

I have seen God in my children's unwavering belief that someday they'll see their dad again. If God was not with them comforting them, they would despair.

This really made me think. . .if God is everywhere...

2010-06-15T15:08:35.061-05:00

This really made me think. . .if God is everywhere. . .I need to slow down and really be aware. I could be missing something that is far more important than the daily busyness of life!

Great story Fred, thanks for sharing. Susan

2010-04-02T18:17:21.260-05:00

Great story Fred, thanks for sharing.
Susan

We were stationed in Colorado Springs back in the ...

2010-03-19T09:33:03.152-05:00

We were stationed in Colorado Springs back in the 70s and had a nice split level house. It had a small porch landing off the kitchen upstairs and I decided to expand it to a full elevated deck. I was working with some large heavy pieces of wood, so I told my five year old daughter to stay inside. I had a sixteen foot long 4X4 tacked up while I was truing the framing up. It came loose and started to fall. I looked up, in horror, to see my daughter at the end of where it was going to fall. It was heading squarely for her head and would have probably killed her if it hit her. I panicked and tried to run to her to push her out of the way. I had no way of reaching her in time. In that instant, I tripped and fell against the piece of lumber and deflected it. It just grazed her shoulder and fell harmlessly to the ground. When I reached her, I just held her tightly, both of us crying. I've always felt that God tripped me at that moment. Thanks be to God!

Having walked a teeny bit of that journey with you...

2010-03-11T07:39:30.837-06:00

Having walked a teeny bit of that journey with you, Jennifer, it is such a joy to hear this healing story. Thank you so much for sharing it.

It just goes to show that miracles don't always happen instantly and that our willingness to be patient and take the small, intermediate steps God offers us can lead to great things happening.

God bless you ... and your Dad!

A footnote to my blog above, today my dad drove to...

2010-03-10T14:15:51.545-06:00

A footnote to my blog above, today my dad drove to Austin, by himself, in that new car and made it just fine! I am pinching myself....it is surreal, but wonderful. God is good!

I call on my best friend of 17 years. We aren'...

2010-02-26T13:01:09.918-06:00

I call on my best friend of 17 years. We aren't afraid to be "real" with one another. And we still love each other despite our flaws! I dont know how I manage sometimes without someone to hold me accountable and bounce my crazy ideas off of!

"Do Your Best and God will do the Rest"

2010-02-25T15:22:55.024-06:00

"Do Your Best and God will do the Rest"

You know its funny because I was actually talking ...

2010-02-23T12:20:25.417-06:00

You know its funny because I was actually talking to a friend recently about my habits in college and how I never took my reading assignments serious. I was able to put the reading off to the last minute and do it half heartedly and then turn in 10-20 page paper the next morning and still get a B-. What is sad to me is that looking back... had I not taken the high road and had instead worked diligently throughout the semester, my collegiate GPA would be much more pleasing for me to talk about. In alot of ways this is how many people, including myself, go through life being a Christian... doing just enough to get a B- and making your father and friends happy enough to leave you alone about the extra work you could've done. Its encouraging though to think that if we just did a little more work and didn't take the "easy" road in our lives, we would view ourselves as "A" Students and so would our friends and father.

Great video -- and unfortunately, I don't have...

2010-02-22T10:58:18.377-06:00

Great video -- and unfortunately, I don't have just one "marshmallow"!

That's an awesome way to do lent... doing some...

2010-02-19T07:55:05.225-06:00

That's an awesome way to do lent... doing something new and amazing with what you've given up. To help someone in need rather than helping yourself because you just WANT it... is amazing! :)

amen that is really powerful, heavy i admire you k...

2010-02-02T20:06:56.317-06:00

amen that is really powerful, heavy i admire you keep up the good work, that will change most people i hope but it has a lot for me as much as i know about it but just reading it from someone else its really breath taking amen and amen!!!!

You couldn't have said it better - " Bein...

2010-01-25T08:47:51.653-06:00

You couldn't have said it better - " Being a Christian doesn't just happen." Like most successful things in life, we acheive those things that we set as priorities and we find success in things that we invest our time, our energy and our focus.

Lightbulb moment is often for me (not surprisingly...

2010-01-19T12:07:55.372-06:00

Lightbulb moment is often for me (not surprisingly) when the children seem to 'get focused and in the moment, not distracted by themselves on the screen or even the movement to the stage. The children live in each moment and feel it fully, they say a 'truth' it.' When I lead children's time and they just jump ahead with the topic and are outloud that helps me remember why we worship or why we gather together as a community.

Wow, Rodney, again a message I needed to hear. I h...

2010-01-18T20:14:22.495-06:00

Wow, Rodney, again a message I needed to hear. I have been struggling a bit with this issue since we don't have the contemporary service right now. I go in on Sunday mornings to the big sanctuary, I see the folks mostly older than me, very dressed up, and the ones that aren't older or around my age have kids. I have been feeling kind of out of place, so I needed to be reminded that "in the end the love (or worship) you take, is equal to the love (or worship) you make."

When I think of Radical Hospitality I think of Mr....

2010-01-12T17:58:15.932-06:00

When I think of Radical Hospitality I think of Mr. Douglas in my church growing up...

We read our devotional as a family after dinner - ...

2010-01-11T22:23:30.499-06:00

We read our devotional as a family after dinner - I would say we are a shy/reserved group - but we made the committment to smile at everyone as we pass and to say hello to someone each day.

I already like the change in the family - I look forward to tomorrow's lesson.