With Breanna finishing up her second year of college at TCC and making plans to actually go off to college in Ada in the Fall and with Katlyn graduating from high school there has been a lot of reflection taking place in my life. It seems like just yesterday that they were born and adding so much joy to our lives. It seems like just the other day Vickie and I started dating. Anyway you get the picture...time passes quickly.

            Do you have a good memory? It seems for me that parts of my past are crystal clear and other parts are not so much so. With all sorts of memories flooding my mind these days and to keep from getting too emotional while writing this article I am going to jump back in my past to when Vickie and I were dating. She and I dated for just over 5 years before we were married and during that time (and since) we have shared a whole bunch of notes. One of the things that sticks out in my mind is how she signed her letters. She would always write, "Rember, I love you!" Now, You may think that I misspelled ‘remember,’ well I did, but I did it on purpose because that is the way she wrote it. And the funny thing is, I still remember it after 23 + years of marriage. I know to this day that she loves me, I still ‘rember.’

            Do you remember that this weekend is Memorial Day Weekend. The last Monday of May has been set aside as a day for us to remember those who have given their life in service to our country. For most, that means a day off of work and a long weekend. It seems today, many forget why they have the long weekend. Oh, I think they know it is because of Memorial Day, but they don’t even pause or slow down to remember the real reason behind the day off. As this Monday rolls around, let’s make sure we pause and thank God for the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice, their life, so we can enjoy the freedoms we have. It is also a good time to remember those men and women who are putting their life on the line for us today in an effort to keep those freedoms.

            Just like I will always 'rember' that Vickie loves me let’s all make sure we ‘rember’ the reason for Memorial Day this year! 

                I think we would all agree, Mothers are special. Many have said that a mother's love is probably the closest example we have to God's love. Sacrifice is one of the characteristics of His love that we often see in that of a mom. Sacrificing her time and energy. Maybe even sacrifice to the point of daring to lay down her life for her children. To illustrate let me share with you a story about Solomon Rosenburg and his family that was recorded from accounts of WW 2 and the holocaust that took the lives of millions of people.
                Solomon Rosenberg, his wife, their 2 sons, his mother and his father were arrested and placed in a Nazi concentration camp. It was a labor camp and the rules were simple. "As long as you can do your work, you are permitted to live. When you become too weak to do your work, then you are exterminated."
                Rosenberg watched his mother and father marched off to their deaths and he just knew his youngest son, David, would be next because he had always been a frail child. Every evening Rosenberg came back into the barracks after his hours of labor & searched for the faces of his family. When he found them they would huddle together, embrace one another and thank God for another day of life.
                One day Rosenberg came back and didn’t see those familiar faces. He finally discovered his oldest son, Joshua, in a corner, huddled, weeping and praying. He said, "Josh, tell me it’s not true." Joshua turned and said, "It is true, poppa. Today David was not strong enough to do his work. So they came for him."
                "But where is your mother?" asked Mr. Rosenberg. "Oh poppa," he said, "When they came for David, he was afraid and he cried. Momma said, `There is nothing to be afraid of David,’ and she took his hand and went with him."
                What a picture of motherhood- doing whatever could be done to help, comfort and console her child even if it meant the ultimate sacrifice of her life. Thank you to all the moms who have shown us and/or continue to show us God's love in action! Thank you for walking with us through all of life's events- the good and the difficult! Thank you for being a living expression of God's love for all to see! Happy Mother's Day!

                For the last several weeks we have been promoting our "Serving Glenpool" day set for this coming Saturday, May 3rd. This day came about as a result of our 40 Days of Community study. During that study we were challenged to participate in a project that would allow us to work together as a group and at the same time benefit our community. It was a challenge to reach outside of ourselves and show God's love to the community in which we live by serving.

                Here is are a couple of acrostics for SERVE that might challenge you to get involved:

S- Surrender - your will to His

E- Endure - stay with it-- put forth continual effort

R- Radiate - Let Jesus shine through your life!

V- Vision - See that God is working

E- Encourage - Build others up

and

S- Seek- His Presence and Power- PRAY

E- Enlist- Sign-up to serve

R- Resources- Give/use what you have

V- Vacate- Leave the church/ get out of your comfort zone

E- Evaluate- How am I doing/ How are we doing?

                Serving is all about showing our Love for God by putting the needs of others above our own. We serve God by serving others and that is what "Serving Glenpool" is all about. We will gather at 9am at the Youth Annex for Breakfast fixed by our Men's Ministry. Then we will have a Kick-off Rally at 9:30am where we will hear again why we are doing this special day and giving folks an opportunity to decide exactly what project(s) they want to be a part of. Following the Rally we will then go 'Serve Glenpool' from 10am -3pm.

                Invite your friends and make plans to be a part of this exciting and service filled day! Make plans to be serve all day or maybe for an hour or two- whatever works-- just be a part of this 'Serving Glenpool Day!"  Let's put this verse into practice! Ephesians 6:7- "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men."

                Here is a good Easter story for you that fits with the theme of our Easter Sunday Service.

                Alfred Henry Ackley was born in Pennsylvania in 1887. He showed great promise as a child, and his musician-father personally tutored him before sending him to New York City to study music. From there, it was on to the Royal Academy of Music in London. Alfred then returned to the States to attend Westminster Seminary in Maryland, and in 1914 was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. In 1932, while pastoring in California, Alfred met a Jewish man to whom he began witnessing. But the man resisted the Christian faith, saying, "Why should I worship a dead Jew?"

                That statement played on Alfred's mind as he prepared his Easter Sunday message. Rising early to prepare for the day, Alfred flipped on the radio as he shaved and was astonished to hear a famous liberal preacher in New York say: "Good Morning--it's Easter! You know folks, it really doesn't make any difference to me if Christ be risen or not. As far as I am concerned, His body could be dust in some Palestinian tomb. The main thing is, His truth goes marching on!"

                Alfred wanted to throw the radio across the room. "It's a lie!" he exclaimed. His wife rushed into the bathroom asking, "Why are you shouting so early in the morning?" "Didn't you hear what that good-for-nothing preacher said?" Alfred replied.

                That morning Alfred Ackley preached with great vigor on the reality of Christ's resurrection, and he did the same at the evening service. But later that night he was still exercised over his friend's question (Why should I worship a dead Jew?) and the morning's radio sermon. "Listen here Alfred Ackley," his wife said at last. "It's time you did that which you can do best. Why don't you write a song about it and then maybe you'll feel better?"

                Alfred went to his study, opened his Bible and re-read the Resurrection account from Mark's Gospel. A thrill went through him, and he began writing the words to "He Lives." A few minutes later he was at the piano putting it to music, not dreaming it would become one of the church's most triumphant Easter hymns.

                I serve a risen Savior. He's in the world today. I know that He is living; whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy. I hear His voice of cheer, and just the time I need Him. He's always near.

                In all the world around me I see His loving care; And though my heart grows weary I never will despair. I know that He is leading through all the stormy blast. The day of His appearing will come at last.

                Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing. Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King. The hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find. None other is so loving, so good and kind.

                He Lives! He Lives! Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way! He Lives! He Lives! Salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives. He lives within my heart!

                Contrary to that New York Preacher it does make a difference that Jesus is risen! In fact it makes all the difference in the world! What a Difference a Day makes! Happy Resurrection Sunday!

                The week leading up to Easter Sunday is commonly called, Passion Week. If you were to take the time to read the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John you would learn that about one-third of those books are an account about passion week, Jesus' last week here on earth. As we journey to Easter, I pray it won't be just another Easter, but rather that it would be a time in which we reflect on all that Jesus did for us resulting in a rekindling of our passion to tell the world the true hope that Easter brings! I encourage you to spend some time reflecting on the various activities that took place during His last days and then to make a commitment to live differently as a result of what He did for you!

                The Sunday before Easter is called Palm Sunday. We might call this the Day of Acclaim. It marks Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The crowd shouts "Hosanna- meaning (God help us we pray), Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" How long has it been since you shouted praise to the Lord and for the Lord?

                Monday might be called the Day of Authority. Here Jesus shows His authority by the cursing of the fig tree and the cleansing of the Temple.

                Tuesday might be called the Day of Argument. Some say this was likely His longest day of ministry. He is questioned all day by the chief priests and teachers of the law. They asked Him things no one could answer except Jesus. Truth is they didn't like His answers. Sometimes we ask God questions and we don't like His answers either.

                Wednesday might be called the Day of Apartness. Jesus gets away for the day. He chose to have some seclusion- alone time, to spend some time with His disciples and to get some personal rest. Truth is we need to take some time to get alone with God and rest in Him. How long has it been?

                Thursday might be called the Day of Action. Jesus has Passover and Last Supper with His disciples, He washes their feet, predicts betrayal and Peter's denial. He walks through town to the Garden of Gethsemane and prays there in the garden. He is then arrested and begins to go through 2 trials, one a Jewish (religious- charge was blasphemy) and the other a Roman (Civil- charge was treason). One carried the penalty of stoning the other death by crucifixion.

                Friday might be called the Day of Agony. The trial continues and ultimately Jesus is sentenced to die by crucifixion. The same crowds that shouted 'Hosanna!' a few days earlier were now convinced to shout "Crucify Him!" Jesus is beaten, forced to carry His own cross and yet is faithful to His Father's will for His life as He dies on the cross for You and for Me!

                Saturday might be called the Day of Absence. Jesus' body has been placed in the grave and the people are observing the Sabbath.

                Then comes Sunday--- Easter--- might be, should be called the Day of Appearances! Jesus is Alive! He conquered death and the grave! What impact has this day in history had on you?

                Tune in Next Sunday as we will look at the difference a day makes as we celebrate Easter Together! 

                If you know me very well at all you know one of my passions in life is the game of golf. I have played the game for many years and enjoy every opportunity I get to go out and hit that little ball around the course. For the last 3 years I have had the privilege of helping coach the Glenpool high school golf teams. It's great to get to invest in the lives of these students. While working with them and watching them play, I can relate to their frustration when the swing isn't what we want it to be as well as the smile that comes on their face when they hit a great shot.

                As a golfer, there is nothing much better than the feeling of hitting the 'sweet spot' on the golf club. The 'sweet spot' is that place on the club that strikes the ball with maximum effectiveness and with little or no negative effect. It is where the golf shot is the most forgiving and most productive. Other sports, such as baseball and tennis, have 'sweet spots' as well, I just don't experience that feeling in those sports as often as I do in golf. Golfers like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson can swing with tremendous force and yet make it look so effortless. One reason is that these guys are good, but another reason is because they consistently hit the 'sweet spot.'
                Have you ever stopped to think that God made you with a 'sweet spot?" He made you with a purpose and He gifted you to fulfill that purpose. Your 'sweet spot' is that place where you are both effective and efficient in your service to the Lord. People tend to notice your special ability to do something or to handle a situation. Understand that when you serve others within your 'sweet spot' you are being the most productive you can be because you are being true to who God made you to be. Colossians 3:23-24 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (NIV) One person said, "Your 'Serving Sweet Spot' is where your God-given strengths and passions intersect. And you will know you have hit a sweet spot when your service becomes effective, easy and effortless all at the same time." May the Lord find us looking for and serving together in our 'sweet spot.' 

Here are some insights into the way of a buzzard, a bat, and a bumblebee.

            BUZZARD: If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.
            THE BAT: The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
            THE BUMBLEBEE: A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom... It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.
            In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up. Hebrews 12:2- "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..."  Reminds me of the chorus to the song, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grown strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." May the Lord find us looking up to Him and turning our eyes upon Jesus!