What I Learned at Church This Week

After the early service at church last Sunday, I had a conversation with a friend. He commented on a prayer I'd offered in the early service.  I suppose a little more of my life crept into this prayer, because as I talked with this friend he expressed that the idea of servant-leadership really spoke to him and that he had really been trying to work this out in his own life as a business leader, a husband, and a father. Those last two stuck out to me, because that is what I needed to hear from God this Sunday morning.

I stood there drinking coffee, in the transition time between services thinking about how God comes to us in the most unexpected times; or is God coming to us all the time and we're just not paying attention. So I decided for the rest of the morning to take note of everything that God was trying to tell me that morning at church. Here is the list:

1) Servant leadership is not just a concept for the nation and world; it's probably even more important in the home.

2) Sports and other activities can be a burden or a blessing, it is really depends on what you make them. (learned from non-lesson related conversation in SS)

3) Children are capable of great creativity and great beauty. But they are also capable of the opposite. (learned by watching kids participate in the worship service)

4) Trying to serve your self and serve God leads to either guilt and self-loathing OR obsessive doubt and anger toward God. (learned from the sermon, but it wasn't really the main point, or even any point)

That's just in one Sunday, and only #4 is related to the sermon.  I may post about each of these in the future, but tomorrow I plan on a second round of taking note of what I learn in church.  I know that lot's of people question the value of "Sunday morning church" and see it as more of a relic than relevant, but I really believe that God honors our commitment of time and community and uses this time to both bless and prepare us on our journey.  I look forward to what tomorrow brings.

⁸ Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
   for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
   for to you I entrust my life.
⁹ Rescue me from my enemies, LORD,
   for I hide myself in you.
¹⁰ Teach me to do your will,
   for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
   lead me on level ground.    (Psalm 143)

A Pot of Coffee

Maybe not a pot, but at least a cup.  The last three days, my family has been entertained by a coffee maker.  Funny thing is, I'm the only one in the house that drinks coffee.  Last year, I decided to take my coffee maker to work, saving an extra few seconds in the morning by brewing my coffee at work was worth the sacrifice of figuring out a different plan for the weekend.  I managed most Saturdays to cope with a visit to the coffee house or convenience store on the way to football, soccer, etc.  Other Saturdays a cup of Starbucks Via would do the job.  I almost feel guilty about getting my Sunday coffee fix at church.  I find myself very dissapointed when I run a little late and miss out on it.

So for some reason, my non-coffee drinking wife along with two of my three children arrived home Sunday afternoon with a brand new Keurig coffee maker.  They bought "k-cups" of tea, hot chocolate, and coffee.  But this is the greatest part:  my son spent Sunday evening separating the coffee from the tea and hot chocolate.  He then pulled out all of the decaf and flavored coffee because I don't like them.  When I came home from church on Sunday night, he said "want me to make you a cup of coffee dad?" (and that's not the last time either)

Several years ago I saw an old friend at the movies with his teenage son.  I told my wife then that if I ever have a teenage son willing to go to the movies with his dad I'll be satisfied with life.  I don't think I need for that to happen anymore, because the sound of your child asking unsolicited if he can brew you a cup of coffee, well, that's about one of the best things in the world.