If you have not seen this movie I highly recommend you go out and buy it!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Grandpa
Hello everyone! Just a quick note. Been busy here in Texas. I forgot what it is like having a newborn baby in the house. Things don't go as you plan. We are having a great time though. We will be flying home in a few days and even though we will miss our little granddaughter very much I am looking forward to being back at church and being with the people God has called me to serve. I hope you all have a great day and I will see you soon.
Pastor Sheldon
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Waiting No More
The long wait has ended. Our little granddaughter Malloree Hoffman was born about 5:30 PM Texas time. She weighted 8 1/2 lbs and was 21 inches long. Shellee is doing well. Took her a little longer to recover from the c section but she should be fine by tomorrow. We have not held Malloree yet but maybe tomorrow for that as well. Time to get some sleep.
Pastor Sheldon
Still Waiting
Well it is almost 2 PM Texas time and still no grandbaby. My daughter is doing well but still not ready to make it happen. Could be any time. I am doing what I did when my youngest daughter was born, sitting in the waiting room. At least this time I am not asleep. Boy the last time I did this I would never have imagined sitting at a computer being able to communicate with the world. Well hopefully something will happen in the next few hours. If it does I will probably forget to blog it any way.
See Ya!
Pastor Sheldon
See Ya!
Pastor Sheldon
Monday, August 25, 2008
FYI
Good Morning Everyone!
For those of you who keep up with my blog I just thought I would share that even though my attention has been towards the book many of us are reading (In His Steps). I wanted you to know my attention and thoughts may, no WILL shift in another direction in the days to come. My wife and youngest daughter and I will be leaving for San Antonio Texas Wednesday (August 27) for the birth of our first grandchild. My oldest daughter Shellee and her husband Richard are expecting a little girl Thursday the 28th. We are all pretty excited about the event so don't be surprised if you see a few blogs with photos of grandpa's new fishing partner.
Pastor Sheldon
For those of you who keep up with my blog I just thought I would share that even though my attention has been towards the book many of us are reading (In His Steps). I wanted you to know my attention and thoughts may, no WILL shift in another direction in the days to come. My wife and youngest daughter and I will be leaving for San Antonio Texas Wednesday (August 27) for the birth of our first grandchild. My oldest daughter Shellee and her husband Richard are expecting a little girl Thursday the 28th. We are all pretty excited about the event so don't be surprised if you see a few blogs with photos of grandpa's new fishing partner.
Pastor Sheldon
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Status Quo
My guess is that more and a few of you who are reading this book (In His Steps) are having the same problem I am; putting it down! I am just a few chapters from the end at this point. I just have a hard time stopping. I keep wanted to see what will happen next. It is not so much that it is a wonderful novel it is just that I want to see how these characters will respond to the question "What would Jesus do?" in these various situations they are facing.
The one comment I want to make today comes from Pg. 139 at the top of the page. "In fact, I do not see how a perfect upheaval of Christianity, as we know it, can be prevented in the ministers and churches generally take the Raymond pledge (What would Jesus do) and live it out." These were the words spoken by the Bishop of Chicago. As I was reading these pages I was holding my breath because I thought that this Bishop was going to tell this pastor (Calvin) that if he chose to lead his congregation in what the church in Raymond was doing that he was going to ask him to resign as the pastor of this church in Chicago. In case you have not read this far I won't give away what happens.
My interest is in that quote. it makes we wonder if I am many others who call Jesus Lord are content with a status quo Christianity. Why bother asking the question "What would Jesus do?" aren't things OK for us right now? Why invite the consternation, the upheaval, the difficulty? Things are OK so what good is there in stirring the pot as it were?
I have to admit that as a pastor I struggle with this question. Sadly there are things I should (at least I feel I should) say about things I see in the life of the congregation to which God has called me that need to be addressed but I worry. "How will what I say be taken?" "What if they get upset and leave the church, what good will that do me?" "What if there is retaliation and it is not just one person or one family that leaves, what if many leave?" You have to face questions of the same nature if you chose to do as Jesus would do. You will no doubt risk the lose of friends. Family members will accuse you of being some sort of religious fanatic. Worst of all you will have to give up what has been a comfortable existence.
What if we chose to not do as Jesus would do? What if we chose to take a path of least resistance and just leave well enough alone? I fear that answer may already be given to us in Revelation 3: 15-19 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference
These are still the days when we are called to take up the cross and follow Jesus. Will we bare the cross?
Pastor Sheldon
The one comment I want to make today comes from Pg. 139 at the top of the page. "In fact, I do not see how a perfect upheaval of Christianity, as we know it, can be prevented in the ministers and churches generally take the Raymond pledge (What would Jesus do) and live it out." These were the words spoken by the Bishop of Chicago. As I was reading these pages I was holding my breath because I thought that this Bishop was going to tell this pastor (Calvin) that if he chose to lead his congregation in what the church in Raymond was doing that he was going to ask him to resign as the pastor of this church in Chicago. In case you have not read this far I won't give away what happens.
My interest is in that quote. it makes we wonder if I am many others who call Jesus Lord are content with a status quo Christianity. Why bother asking the question "What would Jesus do?" aren't things OK for us right now? Why invite the consternation, the upheaval, the difficulty? Things are OK so what good is there in stirring the pot as it were?
I have to admit that as a pastor I struggle with this question. Sadly there are things I should (at least I feel I should) say about things I see in the life of the congregation to which God has called me that need to be addressed but I worry. "How will what I say be taken?" "What if they get upset and leave the church, what good will that do me?" "What if there is retaliation and it is not just one person or one family that leaves, what if many leave?" You have to face questions of the same nature if you chose to do as Jesus would do. You will no doubt risk the lose of friends. Family members will accuse you of being some sort of religious fanatic. Worst of all you will have to give up what has been a comfortable existence.
What if we chose to not do as Jesus would do? What if we chose to take a path of least resistance and just leave well enough alone? I fear that answer may already be given to us in Revelation 3: 15-19 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference
These are still the days when we are called to take up the cross and follow Jesus. Will we bare the cross?
Pastor Sheldon
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Lost In It
Greeting Friends:
Sorry that I have not posted for a few days. To be honest I have been lost in my reading of the book. I have been enjoying it too much to stop and share any comments.
In a recent reading I found something that I find funny and sad at the same time. The writer is talking about how starstruck people are about what has been happening in the lives of these people and the community where they are endeavoring to act as Jesus would. It is almost as if these people are looked as some sort of circus side show, "Come and see what is going on in the town of Raymond."
Why is it that living as Jesus would live whether we are talking about 1908 or 2008, would seem strange to us? Shouldn't there be a note of sadness in our hearts that being like Jesus is not the norm even for those who profess Christian faith?
Pastor Sheldon
Sorry that I have not posted for a few days. To be honest I have been lost in my reading of the book. I have been enjoying it too much to stop and share any comments.
In a recent reading I found something that I find funny and sad at the same time. The writer is talking about how starstruck people are about what has been happening in the lives of these people and the community where they are endeavoring to act as Jesus would. It is almost as if these people are looked as some sort of circus side show, "Come and see what is going on in the town of Raymond."
Why is it that living as Jesus would live whether we are talking about 1908 or 2008, would seem strange to us? Shouldn't there be a note of sadness in our hearts that being like Jesus is not the norm even for those who profess Christian faith?
Pastor Sheldon
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