This past weekend was the Nebraska Kidney Association's 'Kidney Cruise'. The fundraising 'cruise' is a dinner event complete with a silent and live auction. My wife is the development director for the NKA and did a great job putting the fantastic evening together along with her event committee.
Some folks dress up in costume for the dinner so we had Paul Teutul Sr from 'American Chopper' (an absolute dead ringer), Dog the Bounty Hunter (complete with long blonde hair), the Monopoly man, Dano from Hawaii 5-O, Kim Kardashian among others and our costume contest winners, Ellen Degeneres and Portia De Rossi- they won in a dance off (seemed a bit unfair to the staid Monopoly Man).
Sherri and I went as Popeye and Olive Oyl. At first when I was given the sailor cap, because of my size, I thought I was going to be the skipper from Gilligan's Isle. Then I realized she wasn't dressing up as Ginger - she was dressing in a long skirt, boots and a log sleeved top - Olive Oil is pretty conservative. My giant lymphodema arm made for a good post-spinach Popeye, complete with an anchor tattoo. I realize Popeye isn't politically correct these days with his tattoo and pipe-smoking and penchant for slugging it out with others but I went with it anyway.
I do admit to eating more than my fair share of the spinach dip during the evening. Playing Popeye though, I was reminded of his famous line.... 'that's all I can stands, I can't stands it no more!' and what I had read by Bill Hybels in his book 'Holy Discontent' about Popeye and his famous statement. Bill writes that, 'life just doesn't have to be the way that most people experience it.' He asks, 'What is it that you can't stands?'
He goes on to remind us that we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works (Eph 2:10) and that 'if you are alive today then there is a specific work that you are expected to do.' Don't opt out of the good works God has called you to do! What is it that you 'can't stands', what is it you are called to do??? Hybels calls us to dismantle our apathy and not back down from our Holy Discontent!
Have the attitude that 'I will not be in a world where this reality continues to be true'. Hybels calls us to act with 'MASSIVE ENTHUSIASM and PERSISTANCE and INTENSE FOCUS. He goes on to write, 'When you charge towards your Holy Discontent with boundless optimisism and energy, you become the best kind of contagious.' It is critical that you engage.
Today, Popeye, Bill Hybels and I encourage you to 'stands it no more'. Get out there and act on your Holy Discontent. God plans to use 'every ounce' of what you've been through for His good. So take your spinach, get in the Word, and then be a do-er of the Word! When you really can't stands it no more, and take action, you too will be a hero worth remembering!
Blest Regards,
kp
Monday, April 2, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Ray of Hope
Ray Christensen died yesterday. He was my brother in Christ, a fellow church member, a quiet strong common sense leader who was a man of great faith. When Ray spoke I listened because his words were filled with wisdom. He and his wife Kathy raised the kind of boys you'd expect a man of his character to produce - faithful young men whom he loved with all his heart.
Even after I left our small church, Ray was the only member I continued to see on a regular basis. We shared hundreds of Saturday morning men's breakfasts over the years complete with a thousand laughs. He knew motors and cars and could diagnose a problem just by listening to you describe what was happening. He knew about Omaha history and hard work. He knew the grocery business. Best of all he knew his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I remember Ray was always ready to help at church any time he was asked. In fact he literally helped build the churches' recent addition. He was instrumental in getting the Atonement childcare up and running. It would become one of the largest LCMS childcare facilities in the country under his leadership and vision. He was a strong Elder, a faithful example for all. He taught, he built, he washed dishes, he did whatever needed to get done. Men like Ray aren't common, they are uncommon and we are blessed to share time together working in the vineyard with him, to watch one of God's most faithful men in action.
I remember a poster from our Bethel Bible study from Genesis 12 depicting God's pronouncement that we are 'blessed to be a blessing'. And the poster showed a prism reflecting light, showing how we are to reflect God's blessings to others. Ray was indeed that reflected Ray of hope, Ray of love, Ray of sunshine to all he met and all our lives are brighter because he was a part of it.
Ray's death is a great loss for his family and I pray for strength for them to get through these hard days. His death is a great loss for all of us and for me as well. I will miss our Saturday mornings together. I will miss your example. An encourager, a friend, a gift from God has run his race, finished well and claimed his reward. For that I am glad, for our loss I am sad. We will all greatly miss our Ray of Hope. kp
Even after I left our small church, Ray was the only member I continued to see on a regular basis. We shared hundreds of Saturday morning men's breakfasts over the years complete with a thousand laughs. He knew motors and cars and could diagnose a problem just by listening to you describe what was happening. He knew about Omaha history and hard work. He knew the grocery business. Best of all he knew his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I remember Ray was always ready to help at church any time he was asked. In fact he literally helped build the churches' recent addition. He was instrumental in getting the Atonement childcare up and running. It would become one of the largest LCMS childcare facilities in the country under his leadership and vision. He was a strong Elder, a faithful example for all. He taught, he built, he washed dishes, he did whatever needed to get done. Men like Ray aren't common, they are uncommon and we are blessed to share time together working in the vineyard with him, to watch one of God's most faithful men in action.
I remember a poster from our Bethel Bible study from Genesis 12 depicting God's pronouncement that we are 'blessed to be a blessing'. And the poster showed a prism reflecting light, showing how we are to reflect God's blessings to others. Ray was indeed that reflected Ray of hope, Ray of love, Ray of sunshine to all he met and all our lives are brighter because he was a part of it.
Ray's death is a great loss for his family and I pray for strength for them to get through these hard days. His death is a great loss for all of us and for me as well. I will miss our Saturday mornings together. I will miss your example. An encourager, a friend, a gift from God has run his race, finished well and claimed his reward. For that I am glad, for our loss I am sad. We will all greatly miss our Ray of Hope. kp
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