How to feel your mortality

Blogger readers,

I just found out yesterday that a high school class mate passed away by viewing the obit in the newspaper. Somehow, we all feel our mortality when we see someone we know in an obit. No gettin' around it. It tells us we do not live forever as humans and we have to make the best of our time here on earth. So much life to live and a lifetime to experience it. However, I hear from many older people that Life comes and goes so fast. Obviously, when you're young, you don't think about it, unless someone dies.

Ok, ok, I know this is too morbid and sad for most to think about. But we can't chase these thoughts out of our minds forever. Some day all of us will die, unless of course you are a Christian who believes in the "afterlife" and knows there are only two destinations from which we must decide, by how we live our lives. When Jesus comes back in the sky, we will be transformed, and to me, that means we don't die, but become more than what we are now. Attaining more than human life, eternal life.

I say to myself, It's a Wednesday, I can think like this if I want. Geez, I need a hit of coffee.
Seriously, I think these thoughts hit me most when someone I know from my youth dies. It is certainly thought provoking. And the Sara Groves CD I have on right now really makes me think about things.

Folks, make the best of today. That's all we have right now. And remember what Jesus said, "Take heart! I have overcome the world." Such a bold statement, and full of optimism, hope for the future!

In honor of my classmate, Linda Billings Minger, I wish to say, "thank you Linda fo all you gave our world".

Life comes at you fast!

Pastor Mark

How conversational are you?

Hey to all my Blogger readers,

Well, Christmas 2007 and New Years have passed and now back to living. I have been groovin' to Michael McDonald's Christmas album today called In The Spirit. How many out there like Michael McDonald??? I call him, THE VOICE. I so wished I could sing like him. He is too cool. And don't ya know I sing along with him when I can. The last cut on the album is called A World Out of A Dream and he is at his best. But the whole album is his very best and I would recommend it to anyone.

Well, the last few days I've had the oppotunity to view two films called The Perfect Stranger and Another Perfect Stranger adapted from Dinner with a Perfect Stranger . It started me to thinking why it is so hard for us Christians to get out of the "Christianese" we speak. I mean, how long does it actually take to be conversational enough that we identify enough with people to win them on their level?

Gosh, typically, we lay this religious thing on people. That's too bad because some of us, who are not religous have to get them turned around that Jesus is not religion. In the second film, the unbelieving person who was raised a Christian starts to out-right reject her upbringing and runs away, only to sit next on a jet by, you-know-who, Jesus himself. The second film was every bit as challenging as the first one in how unthinkable it could be that Jesus just appeared to them. That was entertaining enough, but I don't want to give anything away for those who have not seen them yet. I saw them on a TBN affiliate in our area.

I'm into my web projects at work and really like the challenge of it. I will be responding more to SarahsD more in the near future. She has some great things to think about.

In answer to SarahsD question, my wife received from me for Christmas a diamond solitaire necklace to match her solitaire ring she got on our 25th wedding anniversary. It was a beauty and a buy. She likes it.

My wife's sister-in-law is in surgery today so I need to get over to the hospital to support their family.

So, anybody out there have some thoughts to share? Give me some comments people!

Life comes at you fast!

Pastor Mark