For Your Information

Just wanted to let my readers know that I will be taking a week or two off. Our new baby, originally due September 18^th, will be here before that. Everything is fine, he is full-term already, and he is big (all according to the doctor), and my wife is already been having contractions for about a week. She went to the doctor today and he said that the baby would be here by next Wednesday, and he seriously doubts it will be that long. Because of all the stuff we have to get done between now and then, as well as the first few days with a new baby, I will be pulling on to the shoulder of the Blogging Highway and idling for just a bit. After everything happens, I will let you know, but I wanted to make you aware that I will be taking an official break for a couple of weeks.

Thanks for your readership and support. Talk to you soon, and God bless you!

Why Did God Make Weeds?

The title of this blog entry was suggested by my father-in-law the other day, and I thought it would make a good sermon or blog entry. However, this isn't it. The main reason I used this title now is so that perhaps next week I can do a full entry about it. I'm not so great in the memory department, and since I've forgotten and remembered and forgotten again this title, I thought this might be my best hope. So, what to talk about today?

I guess I could get into a deep theological discussion, some high-minded and long-winded discourse on Scripture (which I am sure I'll do before very much longer, as I've missed doing that), or I could go a different route. A different route it is. I suppose I'll use this time to get some housecleaning issues taken care of, and then figure out some way to cleverly tie them all together.

Today is my wife's birthday. She's 29. No, really; this one is legit. From now on, they will be anniversaries of this one. But for now, twenty-nines-ville for her. We just returned from dinner at her favorite place, Red Lobster, continuing a birthday dining tradition far too sacred to break. I had the steak and shrimp, with some snow crab legs on the side. Boy, those cheese and garlic biscuits are great!

My sister-in-law, a senior in high school and soon-to-be 18-year-old, didn't seem to enjoy very much some of the comments I made about her in some recent MySpace surveys. I'm a jokester and so I said some things about her just because I knew it would rile her up and I knew for a fact she'd read them. She did. Anyway, she called my hand on the matter, then said, "And to think I was going to tell you that I listened to an ENTIRE sermon of yours on the way back from Washington the other day." I appreciated that, and so I told her I'd say something positive about her in my next blog entry. So this was it. Now I feel all icky.

Less than a month to go before our new son arrives. Mother-to-be is quite pregnant but still doing well in her new elementary teaching position. The doctor told her last week that the baby was going to be "big." Taking after his older brother and his old man; I'm sure the birth will be a pleasant experience.

This past week, over the course of six days, I had five friends/acquaintances/family to pass away. One was a girl I went to high school with, graduated a year before me; we used to eat lunch at the same table quite often. No one knows what happened there, but she left a positive testimony for the Lord. The son of a couple who formerly attended my congregation was killed when a tree fell on his truck during a recent storm that passed through the area. A former church member died of pneumonia after a severe injury the week before. The brother of a former member passed away. And my great-aunt, the last of that part of the family, died. So I'm pretty much "deathed" out for now.

We had one person saved at Church this past Sunday. We'd been praying for her for a while now, and after the message I just had this sense that the Lord was going to do something spectacular. He did. Whenever a person comes to know Christ it is a miracle, the birth of a new person into His family, and I am so glad that I can't take the credit for it. The Lord did it all, and I was just fortunate enough to be there when He did. I'm always amazed to see what God can do.

I have way too much to do over the next couple of weeks, and I don't know how I'm going to get it done. Starting would probably be helpful. There's still furniture to move, things to organize, other things to throw away or give away. There are visits to make, sermons to prepare, services to plan, and the list continues.

So how do I tie all this together? I will attempt to do so in two ways (as you can observe, there is nothing up my sleeves; in fact, I don't have any sleeves at the moment). First, it's not all that bad having so many things going on. It could be worse: I might not be here to experience any of these things, and even though some of them are bad, the good more than makes up for it. God is good. Second, the Lord is always here; whether it's birthdays or funerals, new babies or sisters-in-law, hectic schedules or big projects or new Christians, He is always giving guidance, support, strength, and hope. Anyone who knows Christ is fortunate to have this kind of foundation, and anyone who doesn't know Jesus is really missing out.

Well, that will do it for me. Next time I just might talk about weeds. There's some good stuff there, just wait and see!

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press.  All rights reserved.  All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States.  It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted.  Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Aren’t They Just the Cutest?

Just when you think you've mastered the subtleties of the toddler, they throw a monkey wrench into the works. My son has been in the "terrible twos" for about three and a half years now, and I have at times thought I'd seen it all. But like most children my son never ceases nor hesitates to amaze me.

This week, more specifically yesterday, my son decided to innocently get into more trouble than he has been in over the course of an entire month. "Dad? Guess what?" Those few words were the precursor to numerous adventures, all of which were in the negative category. My grandmother's baby powder bowl? Four pieces, Gorilla-glued back together. Small lamp used each night at bedtime? On the floor, bulb shattered into 73-112 shards. The list could go on and on…and on.

It seems that in the last week or so my little bundle of sunshine has been pushing the envelope, really testing how far he can push his mother, me, any authority figures. And without fail, he discovers that line in near-record time.

It has been a challenge, I tell myself it's just a phase, that all kids do things like this, that I should thank the Lord every day for blood pressure meds. Why, even as I speak the child is making more noise than a pack of dogs at a dropped hamburger convention. I ask myself, "What is it you're trying to show me, Lord?" And then He answers.

We are much the same, spiritual toddlers for longer than we probably should be. We push the envelope, step over the line, try to rationalize and explain away our behavior, hoping beyond all hope that we can get by with it. All the while we are growing and learning, but are often slow to put the lessons into practice. How must our heavenly Father feel?

As an earthly father, I can kind of relate. I can imagine God looking down, perhaps a shade on the frustrated side, maybe thinking, "It's a phase. He'll grow out of it. He'll learn this time." And time and again, like the toddler I am, I ask "Why?" I tell myself (and God), "I learned my lesson this time. I won't do it again, I promise." And then, not too long afterward, I'm telling Him "I'm sorry" a few more times for the very same thing.

But I'm learning. I'm learning what it means to be a father, and through that I'm learning what it means to be a son, a son of the heavenly Father. So the next time my son yells and screams and bangs things together (as he currently is right at this moment), I might be a little more patient, knowing that the Lord is watching me in kind of the same way.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

And The List Grows Longer

So, I'm sitting here today, a shoulder in pain after what I can only assume is some effect of over-usage in yesterday's furniture moving adventures, and I figure I can use the time to make a new blog entry. Since it's only my hands that are involved in the typing (my shoulder is making sure the rest of my arm isn't involved in any way), I suppose I can get to it. Last week I posted a few bits of "advice," and I'd like to continue that thought; I'd like to add some practical things to the list which might assist in the everyday spiritual workings of your life.

1. Give Your All. This goes along with number 2 in my last entry, and so it is important that we examine it. When we hold anything, anything back from the Lord, we are not only denying God what He deserves, we are also limiting ourselves and what we can do for Him. For the most part, the majority of Christians try to get by with as little giving as possible, doing only what is necessary to "get by." Some justify it by saying, "Well, I give way more time than anyone else, and so I shouldn't be expected to give more in other areas." For instance, someone might say they attend every Sunday and Wednesday service, even Sunday School, and so they are not going to go to additional meetings because they're more faithful an a lot of others in that way. Others may say, "I tithe my money, my time, my energy and efforts. I calculated out 10% of everything. I've done my part and I'll do no more." This is restrictive.

I would never suggest that every penny and every moment be spent at your local church, but I would most definitely state that we should be willing to offer God everything, not just the tithe (the 10%) He asks of us in His Word. By simply being willing, ready to offer anything and everything if the Lord asks, we are freeing ourselves to be all God wants us to be. God is only limited by the restrictions we ourselves place upon Him. He will never force us, never drive us like a slave-master; recall that Jesus said to the sick that "your faith has made you whole." If the faith wasn't there, the desire to be healed and the willingness for the Lord to do the healing, it would not have happened. I recall when Jesus went back home one time, the Bible said he could not do many great works there "because of their unbelief." The more we hold for ourselves, the more we keep back, the less the Lord can do in our lives, the less we are able to do and experience and feel. We must give our all.

2. Seek Godly Counsel. Often times we believe we can handle any situation that comes our way; we feel invincible and smart. But sometimes we need some godly counsel. This does not mean you ask a friend what they would do, or what you should do. Your friend might not be the best person to ask (perhaps they aren't a Christian at all or perhaps they're not as strong in the faith as they need to be to offer advice; and also those closest to you might not be as objective and unbiased in a given situation). It is important to pray for guidance from the Lord, but you should also pray that He would show you someone with whom you can discuss an issue and get the kind of counsel God would have you to follow. This kind of advice comes usually from seasoned Christians, those who have lived a life of faith for a while. Other factors come into play as well: personality, maturity, intelligence, but these are really side issues. If you pray for guidance, remember that God can help guide you through your brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray that He would show you whom to talk with and that He would be working on that end as well, to prepare them to help you. In this way, not only are you helped, but the counselor is helped and the work of the kingdom and your relationship with Jesus is strengthened.

3. Don't Cheese-Off Your Pastor. This is a personal one for me. Of course I don't mean it the way it might be taken; I don't think a pastor should be a dictator and blindly followed no matter what. I include this because I believe it is vital for the life of the congregation that the pastor be listened to and respected because of the office and position he or she holds. The job of pastor is a difficult one, because while the pastor is there to offer sermons, counsel and support, to be a problem-solver and a helper, but who is there for the pastor? Let's say a congregation has 100 members. That one pastor now has 100 people to pray about, 100 people with problems of their own, 100 people to lead, and that's in the best of circumstances. I can tell you that in my own life there are so many issues that require attention. Add those to the ones that come along with church, and it's a big burden. Pastors are to encourage, they are to be pillars of faith and lead by example. But pastors are often overwhelmed with worry and despair; not because of a lack of faith in what the Lord can do, but because of the awesome responsibility which God has given him or her. That can sometimes be too much for a person to bear. Most churches have a pastoral staff while others, like my own, have only one pastor. No matter what kind of staff your church has, don't wait until October to appreciate your pastor (that's the official Pastor's Appreciation Month). Be a support, be a helper, be there to listen because many times the pastor could use a shoulder to lean on as well. If you do this, everyone's burden will be light enough to carry together, and your church will grow stronger. And, you'll find a renewed sense of appreciation for the tasks God has called all of us to do.

That will do it for now. Who knows? I might give a few more sage wisdom McNuggets next time; wherever the Lord leads, though, is where we'll go. Thanks for stopping by today!

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.