A baby's Hug

A Baby's Hug


We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment.

I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map.

We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. 'Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see yaw, buster,' the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks, 'What do we do?' Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.' Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby.

Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo.' Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk.

My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.

We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed.

As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time.

I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this baby.'

Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that contained a stone.

He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.'

I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive me.'

I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing to share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity.

The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children.'

We must always remember who we are, where we came from and, most importantly, how we feel about others. The clothes on your back or the car that you drive or the house that you live in does not define you at all; it is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you are.

It's called Christmas

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I hope that you all taking some time out for Christ this Holy Day season.

I will post soon about a sad revelation I have made in my life concerning a dog we had to get rid of

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

I think you might enjoy this:

http://www.citizenlink.org/Stoplight/A000005834.cfm

Your Lazy Pastor

This was shared with me the other day. Many people have forgotten that everyone is suppossed to be serving the church, not just the pastor.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Mike

Your Lazy Pastor
11/27/07 11:21 PM

Several weeks ago, during our "Simple Church" series I had a new person admit to me that during one of my messages his first thought was, "This Pastor must be lazy." On the outside, when I first heard his comments I'm sure I looked very inquisitive and interested in his thoughts. Truthfully, on the inside I had thoughts of, "What!? Are you crazy? I've been called many things over the years - lazy is not one of them. Even the people who have left our church with their panties tightly in a wad over something and who have a long list of names for me, none of them are lazy. Let's go outside and I'll show you lazy!"

What brought about his thought? Here's some of what I said in that message: I talked about the importance of being connected in the community of a Small Group and my role as Pastor. According to Ephesians 4:11-13 my primary job is to prepare God's people for ministry. I am not supposed to do all the ministry. I am to equip God's people - you - to serve. Now, that doesn't mean that I get a pass as far as serving is concerned. It doesn't mean that I don't take up the towel and basin and wash people's feet. It doesn't mean that I don't get my hands dirty. It simply means that the church functions best when I am fulfilling my role as spiritual trainer, not everyone's personal partner.

In my message I said that in many churches people see the Pastor as the person who is personally responsible for everyone, all their needs and their spiritual growth - where I run around individually training everyone, where I know each person individually, your family, your extended family, and even your pets. I said that if you want that - you’re in the wrong place. That’s why most churches in America never grow beyond 150 people, because people think that the Pastor is their own personal trainer and partner.

The Biblical model is for Pastors to teach and motivate and inspire in the large gathering and then for the Body of Christ to help each other live it out in community. I care about you - I really do. That’s why I pray and lead and serve. But I can’t care for every one of you. If this church’s growth is dependent on how many people I know - this is it - we’re done. I talked about how people come to church and then miss a few weeks and get upset when no one calls to check up on them. If you think that my job is to come whenever you call or call whenever you don't show up and be your personal trainer and your spiritual police, you're in the wrong place. And if you think that's what you pay me to do - keep your money and go somewhere else.

There have been times in my ministry where I pridefully did all those things - took care of everyone. I took pride in working harder and longer, earlier and later than anyone. I would even be critical of larger churches and other Pastors, saying things like, "I bet that Pastor doesn't do everything I do. I bet he doesn't care for people like I do. I bet those people don't personally know their Pastor like my church does." God forgive me for my pride. I repent. No more. If lazy means saying no, then call me lazy. If lazy means taking a day off once a week, then call me lazy. If lazy means putting the needs of my wife and children above the church calendar, then call me lazy. If lazy means taking a vacation and missing a Sunday, then call me lazy. If lazy means not dying early of stress, hypertension, and high blood pressure, then by all means call me lazy.

We have a vehicle for love, care-giving, shepherding, teaching, and discipleship. It's called being connected in the community of a Small Group. If you miss a Sunday, they'll know you're not there. If you're in the hospital, I'll bet they'll come and visit you. They might even bring you a meal or two.

The new guy did tell me that at the end of my message, he understood what I was saying. It made sense. He even came back and volunteered. I was talking about all of us, everyone, being the church. Are you connected? Who are you loving, serving, and caring for? Who are you living out your faith with? I am learning that at times it seems easier to do it yourself. However, it is smarter, better, and Biblical for me build teams and equip others to serve.