Chilling

I have been following the story of Elizabeth Edwards, wife of one-time presidential candidate John Edwards.  When her husband was on the campaign trail to try to become the Democratic candidate, his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Edwards, of course, didn’t win the nomination.  His wife’s battle with cancer was a pretty major story. 

Then the normally-disreputable National Enquirer broke a story that John was having an affair.  I really didn’t take the headline seriously… and then sometime later John admitted that the story was true!  Elizabeth has recently released a book chronicling her battle with adversity, including the death of their 16-year-old son, her cancer and her husband’s betrayal. 

Interviewed on “The Today Show” by Matt Lauer, she provided a quote that chilled me to the bone.  Read it and just see if you don’t feel her pain… and realize that the damage done by an affair is always worse than ever imagined. 

“I’m a different person now. I was not wounded, not afraid, not uncertain before. And now I always will be…. He [John] can try to treat the wound, and he has tried. He can try to make me less afraid, and he has tried. But I am now a different person.”

A moment of pleasure… a stolen embrace… a secret rendezvous…an orgasm… is all that really worth trashing the one we committed before God, family, friends and other witnesses to love for better, for worse… for richer, for poorer…in sickness and in health? 

Let’s keep our hearts where they belong… devoted to God first and our spouses second.  Satan wins when we compromise our values.  And before we are quick to judge politicians and others in power, let us first examine our own lives.  If we are without sin, let us cast the first stone.

Juicy Fruit

My mouth waters when I think of that delicious gum.  Still my favorite after all these years.  This weekend I’m kicking off a new series simply called “Fruit,” based on Paul’s passage in Galatians 5:22-23.

When God’s Holy Spirit lives inside us, we are supposed to produce fruit.  We are called to be more like Jesus all the time.  Sunday I am going to talk about love… God produces love and it must grow in my life.  It’s pretty obvious that evil deeds have fruit from Galatians 6:8.  So, I am responsible to let the Spirit “do His thang” in me. 

Love is not the only fruit of the Spirit- and Paul’s list is not meant to be the end-all.  But love is critical… it endures forever, it is a really good summary of God’s law and it really does make the world go round.

Is love increasing in my life?  Am I being conformed to His image more and more each day, week, month and year? 

I hope so… and I am looking forward to this journey through the nine “juicy fruits” Paul mentions. 

Now I need to go to the grocery store and find some juicy goodness.

Mother’s Day Reminder

Mothers Day from Al Perry on Vimeo.

Sunday Evening

Just sitting here on the couch with Michelle.  The TV is off… the dishwasher is whirring in the background… the kids are asleep and the dogs are sprawled out on the couch. 

I’ve been thinking about the last few weeks with my family and our church.  It has been pretty cool. 

Spring Game: Will and I went to OSU’s spring game and were part of a record 95,000 plus crowd.  It was his first time in Ohio Stadium- and a pretty cool memory for the both of us.

Spring Game 2009

Sunday Night Outing with Michelle: We have a sitter who comes each Sunday night to get us out of the house.  Most of the time we go to small group… but some nights we get to go out and get a bite to eat.  It is good just to be with each other with no kids.  Tonight we had Cold Stone Ice Cream. mmmm

Easter Sunday: we had 809 people in the two services; four baptisms!.  Incredible.

Heaven & Hell: I have been praying for this “post Easter” service to shake some people up.  Hopefully some seeds have been planted.

Peace!

On Accountability

This past Sunday I talked about the importance of accountability- especially for men.  Here is a follow up, with more information, in the form of a question…

1.  Where is the best place to find an accountability partner?

Answer: in your church, in your small group (you are in a group, right? ); a Christian brother at work; just make it someone you know!

Beginning this type of relationship with a stranger is too awkward- and you won’t stick with it.

2.  Where do we begin?

Answer: Before you even approach someone, pray about it first.  Ask God to reveal this person to you… and then ask him if he would be willing to begin meeting with you.

It will be a little awkward at first, especially if you have never been personally accountable to someone, but push through that.  It will be worth it.  

3.  What do we talk about?

Answer: talk about your goals… talk about the areas in which you struggle… plot out the questions you want him to ask of you each time you meet…

4.  What was the accountability software you talked about during the sermon?

Answer: It, and so much more, can be found by visiting…www.xxxchurch.com. 

Yes, the title is meant to be provocative- but this ministry is making a difference in the lives of men all around the country. 

Attention: DCC Members

I need your help

Hey DCC folks…
I need to ask a favor of you. In a couple of weeks, I am going to be closing out “The Man Series.” Hopefully, it will be with a “bang.” I need your help. Would you please participate in a slide show that we want to have by submitting a photo of you with your dad, or your kids with their dad?

Our first preference is to have a digital photo… in a jpeg format. If you only have hard copies, you can drop them by the church office.

Email them to jbrainard2@delawarechristian.org or drop them by the office by MARCH 2, 2009.

Thanks!
Al

The Dangers of Repetition

In my last post, I wrote about the positive discipline of repetition.  Today I have been reflecting on the dangers of repetition. 

Drift

This is a huge danger for Christians.  We “arrive” at our quiet time with God, read a few verses, say the same prayer and close out.  After a while, we drift away from the real purpose- which is supposed to be hearing from the Lord, changing our actions, discerning His will for our lives… all because of repetition.

Desensitized

Just like the handle of a shovel forms a callous on your hands through repetition of movement,  repetition of sin begins to form a callous on our hearts.  We feel no guilt, no shame, no remorse.   The sin that used to cause an avalanche of regret no longer shocks us. 

My prayer is that I am repeating the things that really matter- and throwing off the extra weight of that which does not.

The Discipline of Repetition

I used to hate learning things by rote… dates for a test, math facts, locations of Paul’s missionary journeys, and so on.  I thought that I would never retain the information beyond the test.   But I’ve come to realize that repetition and review are actually very good disciplines. 

I’m reading the Bible through again this year- and repetition helps solidify what I’ve already learned… but in the process, I’m picking up new details and understanding. 

I’ve gone back and begun to re-read some classic books that have helped form my Christian character, shape my goals as a husband and develop my philosophies as a pastor.  Again and again, repetition helps me retain the important stuff in life. 

Other habits in life are good to repeat as well… brushing my teeth regularly (especially before bed); taking my contacts out (so as to avoid corneal infections )and kissing my wife good night. 

So… what are you repeating in your life?  Are you repeating the important things? 

Next time, I’ll talk about the downside of repetition.   But don’t ask me to recite the cities in Paul’s missionary journey…

Facebook: Likes and Dislikes

After hearing about it for a year or two, I decided to take the plunge and create a profile for myself on Facebook. You can “Google” it if you are still unaware of what it is… I don’t want to take the time to explain it

But what I do want to do is explain what I love about it… and what I don’t…

Like…

1.  Reconnecting with cousins, childhood best friends, high school classmates, college classmates

This has been awesome and has genuinely filled my heart with so many great memories with these special people.  I haven’t seen some of these people in decades- and probably wouldn’t without FB!

2.  Learning about the lives of church people on Facebook…

This seems so impersonal to some people, but it is just a reality in today’s world.  We are multi-taskers!  We eat dinner on the couch, with a laptop beside us, checking Facebook while also watching the evening news.   But I have learned some valuable information on the “flock” of DCC because of updates they post.

3.  I can see photos of all these people that I would not otherwise see…

Again, this is aided greatly by technology. I love seeing updated photos of cousins, childhood friends, classmates and family. 

Dislikes…

1.  People arguing about sports, politics or family issues on FB…

I mean, really, couldn’t you pick up the phone or use some other old-fashioned communication tool like email?

2.  Too much information…

Watching people post different updates every other day about their relationship status… “So-and-so went from being ‘in a relationship’ to being ’single’… or posting your mood every two hours… good grief, take some pills for that!

3.  Too little discretion…

I think people forget the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words.  And sometimes those pictures scream, “look at me trying to fit in with the friends-of-the-week.”  ”look at these pictures that I’ll regret posting a year from now.”

Okay, I’m done.

Vision Night

Okay… just put the finishing touches on the message for Vision night. I hope you are planning to attend. My prayer is that this will turn into one of the most anticipated events in the life of our church. Just like we’ve been talking about on Sunday morning, this is an Unstoppable vision- because it’s been given to us by God. 6:30 PM!