Making Peace – A Sermon, a Site and a Playground
Many expressed an interest in being able to share the “Blessed Are the Peacemakers” sermon with someone. Since switching to the new video camera we are having to take more time converting video to an online format until we get a few more pieces of equipment to make it more seamless. So, after a lot of hard work by Jason Dickerson you can view it here.
I also wanted to point you to www.POTSC.com who are sharing some things they learned on “Fighting Well.” Having “good fights” enable us to make peace.
Lastly, I wanted to toot the horn of a great company. Ten yeas ago Kristi and I invested in a playground for our three children. We went on a 10 year Anniversary trip to Maine. We drove from Bar Harbor down to Portland on our return and we just happened to pass Cedar Works. They had some amazing playground sets and while they happened to be closed we walked around the grounds and looked in the windows and fell in love with them. Their customer service is top notch, and it was actually fun putting it together. What we didn’t expect is that the playground set was a huge bonus when it came time to sell that house and move to where we are now.
Fast forward 10 years and here we are a family of six. And three of those six LOVE to swing. Every time we pass a playground or a swing set we hear a chorus of “SWING! SWING! SWING!” from the back seats. We called the family who bought our last house to see if they would be interested in selling us the set. To our disappointment their kids still play on it every day and so it was a resounding, “No way! Are you kidding!” So, we priced other playground sets. There were cheaper sets, there were even cheaper cedar sets, but we knew if we wanted to get something that lasted we’d need to get a Cedar Works set. Thankfully the company has continued to grow, pays a living wage, and is involved in reforestation, and to top it all off now they have some more affordable playground sets! They also do some cool indoor stuff. So, by next weekend, I hope to be putting together our second Cedar Works playground set! If you are shopping for one I promise you won’t be disappointed with the product.
Tuesdays are for Champions!
I’m spoiled.
Instead of walking to the television, or DISH receiver, to turn the channel I spend 15 minutes looking for the remote control so that I don’t have to.
And because I’m spoiled I am never challenged to look at impossible situations and think of possible solutions.
I wonder how many of us would have just dreamed of doing what these kids did and would have made excuses as to why we couldn’t instead of actually working to make it happen.
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU4oA3kkAWU’]
God did not give us an intellect, a will, and a body so that we could find a way not to use them. So, what’s your excuse? I think I just lost mine.
Love Wins So Hell Must Not Exist
Rob Bell’s new book accompanied by his video introducing its contents has gotten a lot of attention in the Church-world leading up to its March 29th release.
If Rob Bell is anything he is a master of story telling, and he is seemingly a master of marketing. I’m pretty sure this book could be his best selling of all because those who think they will disagree with his conclusions are as likely to buy it as those who think that they will agree.
I enjoy reading Rob Bell, but not because he will validate a view. Instead I enjoy reading his books because he is willing to ask compelling questions and make compelling cases to support his views. He makes me think. In the end, this book will compel me to dig into the scriptures and look to see if it is possible that a loving God could not only allow people to go to Hell, but could create such a place to begin with.
It’s a great question. It’s one that should be wrestled with, and I hope that regardless of Rob’s conclusions people will be led into the truth by the Holy Spirit.
Personally, I believe that Hell is as much of a state of being as it is a place. It is the state of being in the presence of a Holy, Glorious, Righteous, and Loving God without the protection of the blood of Jesus Christ. I would think that to be a terrible moment that could lead to an eternal state of misery. The fact that all of those who may choose to enter into God’s presence unprotected and are gathered into one place called Hell is far less the terrible thought for me.
What about you? Have you ever wondered if God might really send people to Hell?