P F means Pretty Fantastic

 

Last night, Diana and I ventured across the Lake and did some last minute shopping for clothes for me.  We were right by PF Chang’s when we finished clothes shopping.   So, I called a good friend, Jerome Jackson,  who is Executive Chef there to see if he was on duty and he was not.  He had spoken so well of the restaurant we decided to go anyway.

Best decision I have made in quite some time!

Jerome called ahead to let the manager know we were coming and  got us a table quickly.  We had the dinner for two and it was fabulous. Choice of soups. starter, 2 entrée’s and mini desserts. 

The hot & sour soup was thick and just at ouch of spicy.  We had the lettuce wrap for starters and it was a food that entailed creativity and manual dexterity.  They bring you extremely fresh ice berg lettuce and diced chicken that has been cooked with other items. You scoop the chicken into the lettuce then roll it  and eat it.  It is superb.

We had 2 types of chicken for entrees’ and they were both great tasting and huge portions.

The service was fantastic.  We had an experienced pro who was training a new waiter on his 4th day on the job.  They both were attentive without being intrusive.

Each of the managers on duty stopped by to see if we were enjoying the meal.  We were.  I told one of the managers they should have diners bring a thesaurus so they don’t run out of adjectives to describe the experience.

PF Chang is not just food…it is an experience. 

We were seated between families wrapping up their work week with kids bounding all around.  On the other side were students dressed all grown up for Senor Prom. It was a great people watching opportunity.

I would sum up PF Chang as fun, fantastic, family-friendly and a fine value for the money.

Goodbye Blessing

 

Romans 15: 33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Does anyone besides me miss the old days of actually writing letters or cards to others? When I would open the letter, if there were no return address, I would hurry to read the bottom to see who it was from. Also, I like to read how it was signed, usually something sincere like, “sincerely yours”. Who talks that way?

I love the way Paul signs off his letter to the church at Rome.

may the God of peace be with you all.  Has a Southern sound to it right?  What about this peace?

• Peace in the hearts of those who follow and worship Him
• Peace when we get to heaven
• Peace with our sins being forgiven and cleansed
• Peace in homes that all love Jesus and one another
• Peace in the midst of a sin soaked world, gone mad
• Peace when you lay down…rise up…go about your day

When a loved one leaves us we appreciate and treasure their last words.

As you go about your day and prepare for the weekend, give others this blessing. You’ll be blessed, too!

Its about a Person…not a Preference... Priority...Principles

Romans 14:1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master  that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

WE followers of Jesus Christ get caught up in criticism of others or calling into questions how they pursuee their faith in Jesus.

A key to understanding how to be more tolerant or actually, Christlike with others is in a series of words that begin with the letter “P”.


Preference- in many churches today they are having “worship wars” over style of music and use of instruments.  Many times it seems to be inter-generational.  The older group prefers “the way it was when we grew up” and the younger prefer more lively and praise oriented.  Guess what?  Neither group is totally right or wrong. The Bible says worship with “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.”  In other words  songs that sing ABOUT  God and those who sing TO God.

Priorities- some think the end of all the church is evangelism that is to reach and bring to conversion non-believers. Others thinks it is small group ministry.  Some put priority on caring and social ministries. Same thing, they all have a place in the balance of the Body of Christ.

Principles- these love the teaching aspect of Christianity.  They think the Bible is a huge instructional manual to be analyzed, digested, arranged into topics and checklist given to live the Christian life. Really?  Ever try to cozy up with dishwasher operator manual?  Get insight that tell you how to live with a cell phone instruction book? It’s not the end all of faith either.

Person-finally we have it.  It is all about Jesus. The whole of Scripture is about getting to know Him.  He loves us the way we are and loves us enough not to leave us that way. He knows the more time you spend with Him the more you become like  Him.  


We are not trying to live to obtain His pleasure but understanding that the moment we become His, He is pleased with us.  We do not live our lives to obtain His favor but begin our new life in Him secure in His favor.


This is the good news believers need to expect and experience....God loves you!   You're free to become what He wants and not just behave how others want!  But we can also give others freedom to follow the way He leads them.

Go ahead…experience life..let it touch you!

 

Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

 

Paul is brining his most intense, in depth letter to a conclusion with a ton of practical advise.  Here he is saying “Let life and the experiences of others touch you.

 

Too many times we think we have to live in isolation or insulation.  Don’t get involved and don’t be affected.  That is not realistic and it dishonors the way God created emotions to be part of who we are and how we express ourselves.

 

Read the life of Christ and see the emotions He expresses.  Holy anger…limitless joy…gentle weeping.

 

In this passage, Paul wants us  to enter into the most intimate parts of other believers’ lives. A joy shared is doubled.  A burden shared is reduced.

 

Get involved with the joy & pain of others and see how Jesus will love them through you.  You may even get it back someday.

Crybaby Christ

 

John 11:35  Jesus wept.

 

Doesn’t sound too rugged for this day and time.  Here was a guy leading at least 12 men on a 3 year hiking tour in the Middle East who camped out, walked everywhere and cleansed the Temple of money grubbers with a white hot holy anger.

 

Now He’s crying!  What gives?

 

Jesus gives.  He is abut to give His life.

 

He is about to raise someone from the dead and start the final countdown to His death. and He’s weeping.

 

Weep is a powerful word.  It’s not like the sobbing, crying uncontrolled we sometimes think of.  It has sense of gentleness…brokenness…grief beyond expression.

 

I think perhaps Jesus was weeping at the brokenness sin has brought into this world. The curse of death and destruction that follows.  Perhaps too weeping at the intense sorrow of losing  loved one to death.

 

It is wonderful to worship a Messiah moved with compassion for His children. 

Seeing & Believing

John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”  36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

 

It may cost you to to walk with Jesus. You may note be accepted by the “religious” people of the day.

 

Why?

 

In a word…focus!

 

 

Many religious leaders get caught in the trap of focusing on rules, rituals and reasons.   Jesus is all about relationships.

 

The man healed from blindness did not fit into their routine so he was threat to be ignored or silenced.  He was thrown out of the local religious gathering but found Jesus. Not bad.

 

He asked Jesus to see the promised one. Jesus said you are looking at Him.

 

The man…saw…heard…believed.

 

His response?   He worshipped. 

 

Ask Jesus to show Himself to you and speak to you.  When he does, you will worship as well.

Jesus…founder of Women’s Liberation Movement

 

John 8:8:1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

 

Pick any Gospel account of Jesus and see how He treated women.  It is  telling lesson for ALL men.

 

Jesus hung out with  some women who would be ridiculed, rejected and scorned by “proper” society.

 

So what?

 

The reason so many women followed Him and cared for him is that He did not treat them like possessions but a persons created in the image of God.  They were also attracted to Him because he was the absolute best at relationships.

 

Observe this.  Jesus saved His harshest words for those “religious” leaders who looked down on others.  He called them snakes and worse.

 

He offered words of healing, tenderness and mercy to those who were owning up to their sin. He restored them to the Father.

 

For women, He set them free.

 

By the way, in this story above, why wasn't the man brought before Jesus?  Sounds like double standard to me.  What do you think? Is our society any different?  Many seem to tolerate men’s “indiscretion” yet have harsh and condemning names for a woman involved. in these types of relationships.

 

Jesus called them something too…friend and family.

What you see is NOT what you get!

John 7:24  Jesus said, “Do not judge by mere appearance…”

How many times daily do we violate this commandment?  Go ahead. Admit it. 

You see someone and by their grooming, style of dress, carriage and even smell put them into a category or compartment that works for you.  People have to fit into your image of their comfort zone for you to feel comfortable in your zone.

Also, what do we believers think when we see people from other denominations? Do we focus on what we have in common, love for Jesus, or what our differences are?  Do we confuse principles and preferences among believers?

Most believers that get to Heaven are in for two surprises…who’s there and who’s not!

Let’s talk about others.

You see someone who seems “down on his luck” and think he probably deserves what he is going through. If you take time to get to know their story you may become sympathetic or compassionate.

Once there was a man beaten and left for dead on the road.  Three people passed his way. Two were religious leaders who avoided being seen much less touching one of “those people”.  Only one was commended by Jesus.  The one who not only looked and spoke strangely but was from the wrong side of town or in this case, the Holy Land!

I used to ask my youth group how to find where God was working on the campus. 

Know where?

“Look for hurting or broken hearts"!  Then dare to get involved.
 Walk up to them and shock them by saying “Hi, my name is_____”. Then, try to become their friend. Most of the loners or campus outcasts long to be known…cared about…or just have a friend. They can be real responsive to Jesus.

I remember attending a youth Christmas party 30 years ago and we went around the room sharing what we really wanted for Christmas if there was no limit. Cars, houses, clothing, jewelry. When it came to the group nerd, he shut the rest of us up. His one wish for Christmas…”a friend.”

In most churches, we cannot handle raw unfiltered emotion or pain. How sad.  We miss the opportunity to be Jesus' ambassador to those in pain. God can bring us out of our comfort zone into their place of pain and loneliness and we both grow in the knowledge of God’s grace. We are blessed to be a blessing.

Open your eyes.  Better still, open your heart.   Let others in and let Jesus out!

Right King…Wrong Kingdom

John 6:15 “Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.”

If this had been today, it would have led to the marketing department going crazy.  This is what they would have hoped for.  Jesus had become so popular the people were going to bypass American Idol, Dancing with the Stars and Oprah and make Jesus King!

Great!  No wait! 


Heres’ the problems in their plans:

• He already IS King…over the unseen, spiritual world
• To make someone leader you have to have authority to do that…He is the Authority
• To make someone king there is usually territory involved…His Kingdom was not of this world, but in our hearts
• Jesus knew before the crown of gold came one of thorns.

He knew their motive was to make Him leader because he had fed them, had good words and was popular.  In other words, He was what most politicians want to be and promise to do.

Thankfully, He is reliable, trustworthy and has nothing personal to gain.  


That is except to call to Himself and redeem His Bride, the Church. 


Do you hear Him calling? 

Laboring for Light

Last night Slidell, Louisiana was struck by wind, lightning and rain.  Rain was blowing sideways and sure enough, the lights went out a little before 8.

It was eerie to drive to our home with no lights glowing or trying to distract us.  Also, there were no lights to control traffic or show us the street signs.

While we groused about “where were the lights or my TV?” brave people were giving up their comfort for our power to be restored.  Thanks to those men and women who got us back connected to power and bringing us light. ( Our lights came back on a little before 10.)

You know…it’s almost spiritual

Many in our world are without light, guidance or comfort.  They too have become disconnected from the source of power we all need…Jesus..

We believers have the connection people need to the giver of life and we hold it to ourselves selfishly.  How would the world change if we had the same commitment that the workers of local utilities have.  What can Christians learn from them?  Here are a few:

• Willing to go out when others want to stay in
• Sacrifice their comfort for ours
• Risks their health so we can see
• Know that they are ESSENTIAL to getting people connected to the power they need
• Have a sense of purpose and passion for their commitment that put most of us to shame

Why don’t believers have this commitment?  May be they have short circuited their own connection.

Jesus says come on back…He’s waiting to recharge you and use you to honor him!

How do you greet the day?

 

When I answer the phone I love to have a unique and fun greeting. Why?

• It sets the tone for the call
• It helps others be encouraged when they call
• It reminds the caller and me that life can be fun and fantastic
• To hear myself say it aloud reinforces my heart and mind set for the day

How do I answer?  Here is my work week.  Feel free to adapt to your own use.

“It’s a __________________ at Open Arms. This is Lee.  How may I help you?”

Marvelous Monday

Terrific Tuesday

Wonderful Wednesday

Thrilling Thursday

Fantastic (or finally) Friday

You will love the moment of silence when the caller takes it in.  You can almost hear the smile on their end of the phone.

You are blessed to be a blessing!

Miracle Healing with Dads

I have noticed something as Executive Director of Open Arms Child Development Center.

When children come in with Mom, their legs don’t work. They have to be carried.  When they come in with Dad, they get healed! No kidding.  Kids are almost always carried in by Mom and seldom by Dad.

What can we learn from this?

• Moms have a hard time with “their baby” getting older…Dads are getting them in shape for yard work & taking the trash out.
• Moms tend to coddle…Dads tend to command.
• Moms can carry  a child, 3 bags draped over her arms and a car seat and all supplies…Dads have a good day if they don’t leave their kids somewhere!

What’s the real lesson?  Children need the balance of Mom and Dad both.

I look at parenting as being two banks of a river.  With two firm banks a rive has direction, flow and stays clean.
Without banks a river becomes a stagnant swamp…yucky, smelly and dead.

Parents…be the banks (limits, direction, security) your child needs.