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Pastor's Window
A look at life and ministry.

Melting Pots, Rainbows and Consequences

  05/06/10 14:17, by , Categories: Stray Thoughts, Politics
In the old days, America was the great melting pot. All the races and cultures coming together to form something uniquely American. We were a mixed race nation. Different backgrounds, but all melting together to form one country. No longer some other nationality, we were Americans. Then the metaphor changed. Now a rainbow. Instead of blending, the colors are distinct and separate. Instead of blending, now we have to hold on to the old identity. Suddenly you had African Americans, Meso-Americans, Franco-Americans, etc. Instead of remembering and adding our cultural distinctives to some new mix, suddenly you are to celebrate and preserve the foreign culture. This approach is highlighted in this news article about some teens sent home from an American school on Cinco De Mayo because they wore American flags when it is supposed to be a Mexican holiday. Wearing the American flag was disrespectful. See, it isn't about the new country, America. No, you need to keep the old one. Talk about multi-culturalism run amuck. They have cased to value unique American culture instead trying to preserve foreign cultures. But what if that foriegn culture has destructive elements? Car bomb in Times Square. Not all cultural aspects of other cultures really should be brought to our country. If you are going to be American, you should adopt the culture of America. We have to cease to feel melting together into one union or country is somehow wrong. All culture is an expression of who we are. Whatever our cultural background, we can be Americans first. This is not to say that beloved customs and cultural elements of our heritage should be abandoned or ignored. Certainly not. The immigrants who built this country contributed much of their culture to the melting pot. But they brought their allegiance to the new country, and they were first and foremost Americans with no hyphen. Just to be spiritual for a moment. This was a traditional American post, but as Christians, our ultimate identity is in the country of God. Our first allegiance is to Him with our citizenship in heaven. That being said, I think it is fine to be proud to be an American. So, hold on to your values and traditions until they blow us up, then stop.?
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Follow Your Nose to Happiness

  05/05/10 10:22, by , Categories: Living Life, Theology Lived
I just wanna be happy. Isn't that what everyone wants? I have many friends who are on huge quests for happiness. Some of these friends have eschewed God in favor of what they see as a simpler formula for being happy. "Do what makes you happy." Wow, sounds so simple and easy. If something doesn't make you happy, don't do it. If it does, do it. Seems too simple to fail. And so much better than all the stupid "religious" stuff in the Bible. The whole 'god' thing complicates things too much and actually interferes with happiness. Well, maybe, except... Many of the friends I have that are following this are also living some interesting lives full of stresses they hate. They frequently express anger and frustration, sometimes very strongly, at the people/things in their lives that they blame for their failure to be happy. They also keep changing course. This guy/girl will make me happy. Wait, I'm not happy anymore, I need to divorce/break up with them. Now this one will make me happy...for now. I need to change jobs because I'm not happy. This is better. Wait, I'm no longer happy in this job. You get the idea. What makes me happy today may not make me happy tomorrow. What I think will make me happy might not work out like I thought it would. Rich Mullins has a cool song called "Maker of Noses" which you can LISTEN to. (As long as lala still is up). He talks about how the world wants things to work out and be happy and they give this advice
They said boy you just follow your heart But my heart just led me into my chest They said follow your nose But the direction changed every time I went and turned my head And they said boy you just follow your dreams But my dreams were only misty notions
So Rich draws a conclusion of what is a better, more stable approach to life
But the Father of hearts and the Maker of noses And the Giver of dreams He's the one I have chosen And I will follow Him
Now not all people who claim the name of Christ or talk about Him all the time are faring much better in joy, and that is because claiming Christ and talking about Him is not the same as truly following Him. It is these Christians who talk it more than do it that get thrown in your face by people eager to refuse the guidance of the God who cares. And there is no point in arguing. But like Rich says, the Maker of noses is the one I have chosen and I will follow Him. Doing so for the last 40 years (even imperfectly) has led to stability, peace, and joy. I am thankful that my direction doesn't change every time I turn my head.
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Humor in the Midst

  05/04/10 11:18, by , Categories: Fun
Article about the attempted Time Square bombing. Apparently the guy was not very sophisticated. Check out this quote.
Chris Falkenberg, president of Insite Security, which works with Fortune 500 companies, said the device, as described by authorities, "doesn't differ much at all from 'The Anarchist Cookbook'" — the underground 1971 manual for homemade explosives. He said revelations that the fertilizer used could not have exploded suggested "this is amateur hour. My kids could build a better bomb than this."
To which I laughingly respond, "You must have some nice kids." No disrespect meant to this man's family. Obviously he is using an illustration, but this made me laugh that the president of a Security company brags he has kids who can build good bombs. Humor for the day.
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Wimpy Sin Son

  05/03/10 16:13, by , Categories: Personal Reflections, My Life, Theology Lived
Hebrews 12:3-6 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (4) You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; (5) and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; (6) FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
God has brought this verse to my mind repeatedly yesterday and today as He teaches and corrects me. I can be such a wimp when it comes to sin. The statement, 'you have not resisted to the point of blood' is really convicting. How far does my resistance go? Not as far as it should by far. God gets after me to make sure that in laziness, weariness, or general carelessness, that I don't let my guard down and tolerate certain sins in my life. I need to resist, all the way, no matter to cost. It is good to remember that you can grow weary of resisting and just give in. Don't lose heart in your struggle but stand up and really deal with even the little attitudes, thoughts, or habits that are not for you. I think we let ourselves get too comfortable with a certain level of low-level sin in our lives, whether it be minor thoughts, words, or actions, or even more sneaky, inactions and sins of omission. That which I should do but don't because its harder than doing nothing. That is very true of me. What should you be resisting today. I am a son of God and I need to resist sin. I haven't done it to the point of shedding blood, and maybe it won't take that, but it deserves more effort.
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Knocking Down Pedestals

  04/24/10 02:53, by , Categories: Church Life, My Life, Theology Lived
"Good Morning Pastor" "How are you, Pastor?" To become a pastor can be to risk losing your first name. Any of you from Beans Corner know that I have actively and strenuously fought that tendency. Pastor is my job title, not my name. Some say that you should use that term as a sign of respect. While I understand that rationale, unfortunately, what it tends to do is to create a pedestal. Baptists would disdain the idea of an earthly priesthood like the Catholic church teaches. They do not call their leaders "father" yet often they set up an almost identical system. "Good to see you Pastor." The Bible does say that there are leaders in the church who have responsibility to care for and oversee the flock of God. It does say that those leaders should be respected. It does not say that those leaders are superior, above, or separate from everyone else. I do not belong on a pedestal. I am flawed, weak, and human. Any strength I have comes not from some spiritual superiority, but from the work and presence of Christ in my life-just like any other yielded and growing Christian in church. I have been placed in a position of service and authority, but not superiority. This is why I try to be open about my life and struggles. It is the reason for the blog as well as the things I share from the pulpit. I am a real man. No pedestals for me.
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A look at life and ministry.

About the Author

After growing up in Maine, Ira graduated from Bible College and wandered into Western Maine and has never found his way back out. He has a deep love for the rural churches of Maine and the people who make up this great state. He loves Truth over Tradition, Christ over Culture, and People over Process. He love to equip, teach, and disciple and longs to see the Maine church grow healthy and make disciples.


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