Pick up your shovel

Imagine if the morning after the prodigal son returned home and everyone celebrated his return, he slept in. After he rolled out of bed at noon, asked cook to make him some breakfast and sorted through his walk-in closet of clothes and selected the right outfit, he then proceeded to walk around his father's fields, barns and workers announcing, " Did you know that I've returned home! Aren't you excited that I'm back? Did you miss me?"

In the light of the day after his party returning home, all the workers smiled and assured the young man that he had been missed around the homestead.

What if the next morning the young man rolled out of bed at noon, asked cook to make him some breakfast and sorted through his walk-in closet of clothes and selected the right outfit, he the proceeded to walk around his father's fields, barns and workers announcing, " Did you know that I've returned home! Aren't you excited that I'm back? Did you miss me?"

Again the workers would assure him that he was missed, but I'm sure they were beginning to wonder when he would begin to settle back into his role of actively being the son of the landowner.

Day three dawns and the young man continued his routine. He approaches a group of men working on digging fence posts with his usual greeting, "Did you know…"? The workers immediately stop their digging and say, "Yes we know you are back home, yes we missed you, but could you pick up the spare shovel and give us a hand? There is much work to do before the sun sets!"

Becoming a Christian is like responding to the invitation to enter God's home. It's like crossing through the front door of God's house. Crossing the threshold is just the beginning of salvation. There is an entire estate waiting for our investigation and involvement and maintenance. We are not invited to be guests, but to be family members involved in the work and daily experience of living as a community of Christ.

The prodigal son had to move beyond the celebration to working out his purpose and meaning in everyday life with his family. We also need to sort out our own purpose and continue with God past the threshold of salvation to the living rooms, the kitchens, the laundries, and pantries of his kingdom. We need to take the next step on our journey with God.

Mark 12:30-31 states, " 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'[a] 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]There is no commandment greater than these."

Part of maturing in our faith is really coming to terms with the fact that yes – we have been missed by God if we have been playing the prodigal son/daughter; we are abundantly loved and cherished by our creator. That is part of knowing how to love others really, by understanding God's love for us. God wants to celebrate our return to him, but the experience of relationship with God does not stop there. Beyond the celebration is the call to love in return, to love our creator with everything we are and all we ever dream to be. Then as part of the growth and acceptance of God's love, returning that love to God and then expressing it in one of the most difficult ways possible. Loving others. This includes our neighbors, enemies, and friends, family the whole world really. This is the point where the shovel hits the dirt. When we actively, sincerely and honestly take up the work our creator has started and love the world around us: with our hearts, our soul, our mind, and all our strength.

How can we pick up our shovel if our hands are full of our own fears, anxieties, and questioning if the creator really love us? Have we forgotten God's forgiveness, love and grace? Much like the prodigal son, we must lay down our burdens, remember our own celebration and experience of salvation as we pick up the shovel and take on mature roles as God's children. We are the workers in God's field and our labor needs to express God's love so that those that haven't experienced it yet can have that opportunity.

God loves you, you have been missed, but can you pick up a spare shovel and give us a hand?
There is much love to share, work to do and hope to restore before the sun sets today.

Luke 10:2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

Sunny and rainy day friends

There are two kinds of friends in the world: Sunny day friends and rainy day friends. This is a statement that my Mom used to remind me of when I was in the midst of drama or conflict with one school friend of another. There are lots of people that we define as friends, but they are really acquaintances. Two men were out hunting in the northern U.S. Suddenly one yelled and the other looked up to see a grizzly charging them. The first started to frantically put on his tennis shoes and his friend anxiously asked, "What are you doing? Don't you know you can't outrun a grizzly bear?" "I don't have to outrun a grizzly. I just have to outrun you!" This story is funny, but it does help define the distinct difference between a rainy day friend and a sunny day friend. The sunny-day-friend is more concerned with watching out for their own health and wellness, than their friends' wellbeing. On the other hand, a rainy day friend is willing to take risks, work fo

FCE - Dog stroke in spine

Kahlúa is our 15 year old dog that we adopted from the Humane Society when she was four. She joined our family and has been with us for eleven years so far. This morning we found her laying on the carpet in the dining room and was unable to get up and go outside. After letting her rest for a few hours, I gave her some bread to eat and she got up. She was wobbly so I scooped her up and took her outside to go to the bathroom. She managed to remain standing for a few minutes, but was back down quickly. Her back legs did not want to support her even though she was trying to walk. By this point, she had begin to cry so I called the vet and they said to bring her in for an evaluation. My kids and I tearfully wrapped her up in a blanket and drove to the vet. It seemed as if we were sitting in the waiting room forever. The vet told me that her heart, eye function, and lungs were great - also taking into consideration her age of 15! The problem seemed to be FCE - firocartilanginous embolism: w

Gifts we have to give

So often people will think of the areas of life that they fall short or what may need some improvement. I think there is some wisdom in knowing where we need some work as humans, but I also feel it is equally important to learn, foster and use the gifts each one of us are instilled with. So here is the challenge or question that I'd like to present: "What gift(s) has God given to you that can be used in the care and ministry of loving others?" How have you seen that gift used in the past? How would you like to use it? If you dream big and I dream big together - how could God work in that big pool of gifts in the lives of others??? Let's share our gifts today and dream of what they can accomplish for God's purpose! 1 Peter 4:8-10 (New International Version) 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,

Uphill idealist

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