Have you ever felt indistinguishable from everyone else?  Like you’re just another name in a seemingly endless group of names?  That’s the way I felt amidst the masses vacationing on Cape Cod this week.  No news reporters focused on my vacation time there, and I had to share the beach with countless others (I know, where’s my private beach anyway?).  But this morning I think about the ways, not that I am different, but the ways God views me.

A.  He allows me the right to become his child. (John 1:12)

B.  As I abide in Him, just as a good father would treat his son, He allows me to have fruit. (John 15)

I know that there is a lot of confrontation among Christian circles as to how one becomes one of His children or what “fruit” means in this context (coincidentally, my bank account would tell you that I don’t believe it means a lot of money), but I’m happy to place myself within these molds.  I thank God that I am His, and I pray regularly for more fruit as I stay connected to Him.

This makes me feel especially individual, yet not alone.

ps If you don’t relate to this post, it’s okay.  This is a post I’ve written to express some thoughts I had this week.  As far as I know, I’m not expressing your thoughts.  But here’s something for all of us.

Everyday on my vacation I’ve been at the beach.  It’s been so amazing, beautiful, and sunny.
I’ve read, talked, prayed, ate, enjoyed the company of friends, and wrote down many of my thoughts.
I’m excited about leaving, but thrilled that I have a few more days.
I’m in a sort of limbo where there are few things scheduled, and a lot I could do.
And this is the only thing I know:
I want God to work through me, to use me for His glory and honor

Everything else can fit into that category.

The following is a conversation between my wife Carie and I after we found out we forgot to buy pickles at the grocery store:

Marty:  What has gone wrong?! (expressive)
Carie:  Pickles weren’t on the list.
Marty:  I should have put them on the list.
Carie:  You didn’t make the list.  I did.
Marty:  I know, but I’m just taking the blame away from you and onto myself.

Now that  is good husbanding!

I love books.  I read a lot, and there’s something about a book that produces creativity in me that nothing else can.  Doesn’t matter the book, if I connect with the idea, new ideas spring up inside my head that previously laid stagnant somewhere in the midst of my thick brain.  On vacation, I read much more than my normal habit, and more ideas are produced.  So far I’ve read “Killing Cockroaches” by Tony Morgan and am almost finished with “Eat this book” by Eugene Peterson.  Next on the list is “Wild Goose Chase” by Mark Batterson and the auto-biography of Joni Earickson Tada, a book I remember my mom reading when I was young.

I’d love to know what you’re currently reading?

I’m on vacation.  Carie and I travelled to Virginia for a week, and we’re having a great time embarking on adventure, Chick Fil-A, and lots of book reading. 

Yesterday was Sunday.  Always an awkward day in the life of a vacationing “non-denominational” pastor.  Typically I do my research, find a place I’d really like to attend, and go there.  I did that this time too, the only problem:  the only church I really wanted to go was one hour and ten minutes away.  So instead of attending a church in person, I decided to take advantage of a ministry we have at the FC called the Web Campus, and go to church online.  We started it last winter as a means to get through the horrific Sunday weather we had (ice storms, Nor’easters, etc…) and have been improving it over the last year.  This was my first opportunity to see it live on a Sunday.  (Typically I’m busy)

I arrived at church at 10:29 am on Sunday morning armed with my Macbook pro (13″), a pair of headphones, and a bottle of water.  The 5 minute countdown was playing and “FCHoldenBilly” was there to warmly greet me to the chat forum/internet video service.  7 others joined me for the occasion, said a small box in the video section.  In about a minute and a half, the countdown turned to the FC band going all soft on me with the worship song “All who are thirsty.”  I happened to be in a room full of people walking all over the place as I watched, and I didn’t think they wanted to hear me sing anyway (I left my hat back at the room).  I started chatting with the others in the cyber room.  At this point 11 were attending church.

We talked about the band, the internet, where each of us were.  In truth, it wasn’t a lot different than my live conversations before a service in Holden.  The people were nice, and they were certainly expectant.  Eventually, the executive pastor of Fellowship, Steve Blumer came on stage and welcomed the audience.  I’m not sure if he welcomed the internet audience, though I can always look back at the video and see, but he told of the things that are to come at the FC.  I took this opportunity to venture into another website I am privy to, to see what the order of service would be, while I listened to Steve wax eloquently about all things ladies retreat and future sermon series.  This was one of the two times the video froze on my laptop.  Both times I was viewing other pages, much like reading your bulletin while the minister is preaching, right?

The band came back on, still sounding great with some worship tunes, then closing up the setlist with one of my favorites, “We shine”.  I almost stood up at this song and sang along, but security being called on me didn’t sound so great, so I just hummed and mentioned to my fellow viewers (13 by this time) that this was indeed one of my favorites.  None of them agreed.  Huh.

Currently we’re going through a series in our church called “Why we love this place” and we’re focusing on our 7 core values.  After the last song, Steve came back up and introduced both the next video we had, and the speaker for the day.  The core value was relational evangelism, so it was appropriate to have with us two missionaries filling in the gaps for me this morning.  One I won’t mention because of the nature of his ministry, and the speaker was Walt Mutti, former missionary to Venezuela and current missionary to new England – to which I mentioned to the people in the chat room – we need it.

Both missionaries did a fabulous job, and Walt provided a lot of conversation in the chat room regarding sin, the need for Christ, and how to deal with stuff going on in our lives.  To be honest, it was one of the most wonderful services I’ve been to (that I didn’t have a heavy participation in) in a long time.  The spirit was amazing, and I told my wife afterwards, it really felt like I had been to church.  I mean, I started it.  I advertise for it all the time, but who knew. 

Two shout outs I need to give up:  Billy, who is our Web Campus director.  He has worked hard to develop this ministry, and from what I’ve been told, it hasn’t always been this smooth, but his hard work has paid off.  And Al, who led the music during the service.  It was fabulous!

What about you?  Would you attend an internet service?

When was the last time you took a risk? When was the last time you took a chance or a free fall and could only depend on God’s faithfulness to see that risk turn to “fruit”? If we’re comfortable, the fruits probably on its way to rotting since the last time you reaped a harvest. It’s planting time again! It’s jumping time! It’s not sitting time anymore.

Today’s the first full day of my vacation.  Today my neck hurts.  I’ll start from the beginning.

Sometimes I get rolling in something with good fortune, like good health or good circumstances, and feel like I’m invincible, which of course I’m not, unless of course we’re talking about Super Mario Bros. on the original Nintendo Entertainment System.  But two days ago, I had just finished my weekday bout of basketball at the YMCA, and decided to walk around the track a few times.  As I walked, I said hello to a friend of mine we’ll call Kenny (actually, we’ll call Kenny Kenny because that’s his name).  Kenny and I chatted a bit, and I shared with him that I would be going on vacation.  In the course of this story I mentioned that I would be playing basketball the next morning (Thursday morning) before I left for vacation that evening.  Kenny then encouraged me to be careful as I played the next morning because the last time he had gone on vacation, he broke his ankle, and spent the better part of his vacation with his leg up reading archived issues of O magazine (his wife’s a fan, I guess).  After I encouraged him to sneak  a subscription of Sports Illustrated past his wife, I laughed off his warning with some sort of comment about having played basketball at least 4 days a week for the last year, and the odds were in my favor for not getting hurt on this one day before I leave for vaca.
Fast forward 22 hours as I played basketball at the YMCA.  I head down the lane to attempt a layup with two guys guarding me, collide legs with one of them, and fall, knees first into the hardwood gym floor.  “OUCH!”  I exclaimed as I was helped to my feet by one of the defenders.  “Ouch, Ouch, Ouch, Ouch, Ouch, Ouch!
But the real problem was to come, for as I eventually shook off the pain from my knee, I noticed my neck starting to get sore as time went on.  And I sit here tonight somewhere in Central Connecticut with a sore neck and a real desire to connect with a chiropractor for the first time since ‘Nam. Now I won’t be laid up for the entirety of my vacation or anything, but…

I probably will steer clear of Kenny for a long, long time.

You’ll be happy to know I’ve just found Al’s new back up singers for Fellowship Holden.

Next Sunday Morning @ Fellowship anyone?

This is really just a test post for a plugin I added a short time ago.  I’m not looking for a fight or a debate, though if you are one of those people to whom Chandler is referring, I know your blood is boiling right now.  You almost won’t be able to stand not responding.  Have a great day!

“I’m unapologetically Reformed, but nine times out of ten I cannot stand the Reformed community. I don’t want to be around them. I don’t want to read their blogs. They can be cannibalistic, self-indulgent, non-missional, and angry. It’s silly and sad at the same time. Reformed doctrine should lead to a deep sense of humility and patience with others. How it produces such arrogance baffles me.”

Matt Chandler is the pastor of The Village Church in Highland Village, Texas.   This quote was from an interview in the Leadership Journal.

Thanks Matt.  We just didn’t know how to say it.  And I love your preaching!

This morning I asked this question via status message:  “If you could twitter or facebook status a piece of advice to me right now based on what you’re going through, what would it be?

Here were your answers:

Via Twitter:
“Grace is far more powerful than justice.  Live above the line.” @dbpayne
“Make a list and knock it down 1 by 1.” @k_seas
“Cling to God in desperation as if your very life depended upon it (in all actuality, it does). This is the essence of true faith.” @ianmatthewrice
“Keep looking forward.” @Brandonwhittall

Via Facebook
“Suffer well.” Ryan
“Buy cheap sunglasses, so when you break them, it doesn’t hurt as much.” Clay
“Pick a career you enjoy.” Tony
“Put all your cares and fears in God’s hands – for He is in control.” Denise
“Watch out for cheap cocaine.” Mike B.
“If part of the everyone is missing is missing, part of the needy goes missing as well. Acts 2:44-45″ Steve B.
“God is so good to provide what we need at the perfect timing – not mine – So very thankful.” Melaney
“Parenting is alot tougher than what it seemed at 18.” Michelle, Part 1
“More income and less hours worked for it.” John
“For every mountain, there is a miracle.” Tina
“Parenting is also tons more fun than I thought at 18.” Michelle, Part 2
“Patience is a virtue and understanding is a must.” Darlene

All right, your turn.  You have any wisdom to add to this list?