HCLM BLOG

I had a couple of conversations that ran together this week to bring me to the thoughts that I now share.

 I talked with my dad last night and he told me stories of the early part of his seminary education and his early married years, then he told me some stories about my grandfather that I had never heard. It is amazing how hearing the stories about my dad and my grandfather has changed just how I am thinking about the both of them. Equally amazing is the fact that knowing their stories is changing the way that I run my life and how I feel about my life.Knowing a little of what they went through puts my life experiences in perspective.

I also had a discussion with the staff in devotions this week about our own stories! The discussion was on just what our "witness" should be in the world that we live in today. The conclusion that we reached is that it should you telling any one who wants to hear just what God has done in your life. You don't have to have a memorized speech or lead them in just the right prayer, you simply tell those who care, why your life with Jesus is better than a life lived without him!

 So what's your story? Want to share with this online group just what God means in your life?

Kids- "Lo they are with you always, even unto the end of the earth!"

Last week was a big week for Betty and I as Ben and Megan had a new baby girl (that makes two) and Sara and John celebrated the first birthday of Owen, the cutest boy in Chicago! Being around for these two momentous occaisions gave me pause for thought. These kids start out so little and they take so much care, does it ever end?

My short answer is NO. We like to think that the lord has given them to us to raise, and under that senerio one would think that after 18 years they would be on their own and I told my kids exactly that last week when they asked. The truth is that once God gives them to you it lasts for the rest of your life. You see also last week my parents found out that my brother is getting a divorce and they feel all of his pain, even though he is 54. I realized that as long as I am around I will worry about my kids, the difference is that since they left the house I don't have as much influence on their choices. My care for them is much more in the area of prayer and praise. When they are little we control what TV they watch, who they play with, how much and what kinds of food they eat (I was told that Nacho Chips ard not on the 1 year old diet). As they get older we realize that our influence is getting smaller, the first time they listen to the teacher, but not to you! The way you feel about the friend that they have who tells them their first dirty joke! When they would rather be with their friends than with you. The final straw is when you discover, that just because you have raised them and fed them for 18 years, they are not bound to vote the same way as you in the election!!!

However, what I realized this last week is that this cycle has been going on since Adam and Eve. Can you imagine the conversation between Adam and Eve when they found out that Cain had killed Abel? "I told you that he was hanging with the wrong crownd", "He never had enough of his father's attention," "He was smothered by his mother's attention." "it is that darn U-Tube!!" As long as there have been parents, they have worried about raising their children.

I am so very proud of all of my grown children, and their spouses. They have made good choices and they are raising great children. As the parent and grand parent, I simply want to save them from the pain we have already gone through. I would like them to have the benefit of my years of experience. Then I realized that this is the definition of "Experience" is that it has to happen to YOU! I can not give someone, even my children whom I love, my experience, they have to have their own. So in the end we may be doomed to repeat the mistakes of our parents, but we also have the joy of experiencing for ourselves all that life has to offer. Live with all the joy that the Lord has for you and don't leave any behind.

Sunday and Monday I had the flu. Now that may not seem like big news, but I am never sick. This was a terrible flu as well. When I got back to the office on Tuesday I found that 10% of our childcare students are home with the flu. We are all terrified that perhaps we have the swine flu and what does that mean? Our whole nation is worried that the swine flu will be terrible for all of us. People on the news have become experts and explain that it will be worse for seniors, or small children, or sickly people. In the end the Flu Is The Flu!!! I hope that you don't get what I got.

 Pastor Paul