Everything is Possible

The cover of the book first captures your attention.  You see an attractive young woman doing a handstand.  Looks good and then...where are her legs?  Her legs seem to have been airbrushed out of the picture.

But they haven't.  Jen Bricker was born without legs.  "Everything is Possible,"  co-written by Sheryl Berk and published by Baker Books, is the amazing story of how Bricker overcame her handicap to lead a full and fruitful life as an gymnast, aerialist, model and motivational speaker.  Read this book and you'll certainly think twice about sending out "pity party" invitations the next time you're feeling a little down or discouraged.

Like most healthy people I often take my body for granted.  I use my legs without even thinking about them.  Bricker has not let the loss of her legs from living life to the fullest.  Her adoptive parents lovingly encouraged her to try everything.  She found joy on the trampoline. She was a natural as a gymnast (more about that in a moment).  And she has found great success as an aerialist, performing in the Brittany Spears' "Circus" tour in 2009.

Bricker was put up for adoption just minutes after her birth. Her search to learn more about her natural parents led her to make an amazing discovery.  Her sister was Dominique Moceanu, the great Olympic gymnast.  Bricker also met her natural mother who, she discovered, had lived with much guilt and shame in the years following Bricker's birth. Their new relationship is one that continues to grow even to this day.

At times the book reads like one of Bricker's motivational speeches.  There is a sense of "you can do anything if you just put your mind to it and believe it."  While that attitude has worked for Bricker, life simply isn't that easy.  Still, one can't help admire how Bricker has not let her handicap keep her from living a full and inspiring life.

Now where did I put my crystal ball?

I need it - now! Michele and I have jumped back into the football pool!

How's the water? I'll let you know at the end of the year! I've lost track of the number of years that I've been Michele's football picks expert.  The only thing I've proven up to this point is that I'm no expert!

We've had some success.  I'm pretty sure that we've won at least once each year.  We've had a few years where we've done better than that.  It makes me happy when Michele has bragging rights at work.  "Lord it over them," I say to Michele.

At first I think Michele got some flack from her co-workers.  "Your pastor is making your picks? That's not fair! God will grant him favor over the rest of us."  The years have shown that God isn't playing any favorites in this pool.  I haven't received a divine revelation on how to pick a troubling game.  It would help but apparently God has more important matters on His mind.

Nor have I developed a special system for making the picks.  I used to study like mad the records of each team, including their home and away records.  I went through the paper every day trying to pick up on injuries regarding key players.  I searched the internet for the picks of those who lived, ate and slept football.  You'd think that all that work would have resulted in weekly success.  Instead, it just caused weekly frustration after someone else won that week's pool.

If there is any one factor that I pay attention to it is this - which team is the home team.  I read a book a few years ago called "Scorecasting," that detailed how the home field does provide a distinct advantage, and not just in football but in most sports.  So if two teams seems to be evenly matched, I look to see who is hosting the game and go from there.

Wow! I wonder if I should have shared my secret?

Anyway, it's time for me to send my picks to Michele.  We've got a Thursday night game, a rematch between Carolina and Denver.  Will Denver prevail again or will Carolina exact a measure of revenge after last year's Super Bowl loss.  I don't really know so if you have any ideas email them to licl@licl.org.

Have your suggestions to me by noon.  Happy picking!

Dealing with conflict

The great Michael Card wrote a book entitled, "The Walk."  It was patterned after "Tuesdays with Morie" and focused on his relationship with his mentor, Dr. William Lane.  Card describes how his friendship with Lane began and the impact that this pastor and professor of theology had on Card. I made numerous notes in my journal regarding the things said by Lane and I really appreciated this quote:

It makes an e-e-enormous amount of difference if you face conflict in your own strength - or if you face it with Jesus.

Whatever you face this day, do it with Jesus at your side.  Treasure His Word.  Reflect on what He has taught you.  Pray at the first sign of stress or trouble.

The Lord is with you.  Count on Him to be your help and guide.  Don't fight.  Don't flee.  Trust Jesus.

What is the Church?

A week or so ago a new issue of the "British Lutheran" landed in my mail box.  The magazine is kind of like our "Lutheran Witness" magazine, and published by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in England.  In the summer five years ago I spent a week with the pastors of the ELCE for their summer study get together.  The pastors talked about the joys and challenges of doing church in a country where so many people see no need to be received by the God who created them and loved them so much He gave His Son, Christ Jesus, to be their Savior.  I came away with a feeling of thanksgiving for their faithfulness in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus in spite of so many turning a deaf ear to their witness.

Rev. Jon Elhers is the Chairman of the ELCE.  He writes an article in each edition of the "British Lutheran."  In this most recent edition he wrote about the importance of regular attendance at worship and he concluded his article with some thoughts about what the church actually is:

But the church IS the place where each week God's Word is read and proclaimed.  The Church IS the place where absolution is pronounced over us assuring us that God, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior, has forgiven us our damnable sin.  The Church IS the place where Jesus comes to us in Holy Communion to forgive us, unite us, and strengthen us.  The Church IS the place where God gives to us His gifts of life, salvation, and forgiveness, so why would we want to separate ourselves from the Church?

Yes, why would we, indeed!

God's good idea

Long before their was a holiday like Labor Day, God designed a non-Labor Day for all people.  It was the Sabbath Day, a day of rest from labor, a day to worship and give thanks to God for His creation and life and all good things.

Join us this weekend as we worship the Lord.  Saturday service is held at 5 pm and Sunday services take place at 8 and 10:45 am.  Sunday school and Bible classes meet at 9:20 am.

Be sure to include worship in your Labor Day activities.  Hope to see you at LICL!

The ball broke what?

Today's Friday Funny is taken from the pages of Sports Illustrated.  These are not funny stories but they are things that made me laugh.  Hopefully, you'll get a chuckle as well.

First, how was it that Olympic swimmer, Ryan Lochte, "over exaggerated" (his words) the story he told about being held up at gun point during a night on the town in Rio.  How did he put it? "It was hours later, so I was still intoxicated."  That explanation didn't hold up under scrutiny and has cost Lochte his reputation and many endorsement deals.  Not so much funny as just plain sad.

And then this: Sign Of The Apocalypse - Brandon Thomas, an outfielder for the independent Gateway Grizzlies, hit a grand slam during at 17-6 win over the Joliet Slammers on August 21, only to discover that the ball broke the windshield of his truck!

Have a great weekend!

How do good works work?

Martin Luther, in his Preface to the Epistle to the Romans, explains it all....

It is a living, busy, working, weighty thing, so that it is impossible that it should not always do some good.  It does not ask whether good works will have to be done; but before the question is put, it has done them and is continually doing them.