Life's Healing Choices- Choice 1

April 11. 2010 will start our study in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5). Each Beatitude is the background for choices each of us have to make in order to have freedom from our hurts, hang-ups and habits. Here is the first choice we need to make: Realize that I'm not God. No one can control our tendency to do wrong. Will power alone isn't enough to control anger, over-eating, addictions or any of the baggage that entangles us in every day living. Only the Holy Spirit can provide the lasting power to have victory.

One translation of the first Beatitude reads: "Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor."
Be sure to attend each of the 8 Sunday during our "Life's Healing Choices" study. Don't forget to invite a friend. They'll be glad you did.

Life's Healing Choices

Please join us for these great studies into the Beatitudes of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.

Good Bye, Dr. Dobson

I finished reading the final newsletter from Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family. What a wonderful God we serve. Since 1977, Dr. Dobson has lead the way for the family. He has stood firm on the values in God's Word which have paved the way for this man and his family to be an example of what God will do through someone who is wholly committed to God and His word. Jan & I visited the Focus on the Family headquarters last September (for the second time) and were once again reminded how much God loves the family.

Others will take up the banner for the family as Dr. and Shirley Dobson close this chapter in their life. I know our family has been greatly impacted by the ministry of Focus on the Family. Thanks for the memories. Now, may our dreams be bigger than our memories.

Note: Jan & I listen to "Adventures in Odyssey" every night before we go to bed.

Life's Healing Choices

Anderson Mill is preparing for our 8-week study on Life's Healing Choices. This is one of Saddleback Community Church's campaignes designed to help people have freedom from their hurts, hang-ups and habits. I have the "3 H's" and I am in need of recovery. The reality of my 3 H's is that I make choices to make room for these in my life. I'm not perfect and as I learned in the first session of the preview, I have to quit playing God.

Talk about reality. I am confronted by several realities related to the 3 H's:

• I can no longer pretend that I can control things, especially people.
• I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.
• I have to get freedom for my pain.
• I can't change the past.

Here's the invitation: Would you join me on this journey to freedom? Each Adult Bible Fellowship will be working through the 8 Beatitudes in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. We begin on Sunday, April 11, 2010.

Metrorail

I took a break from the usual on Friday and did the unusual. I rode the Austin MetroRail as a test commuter. What fun! Back and forth during the day, almost 100 volunteers and Metro staff rode the rail and buses to test the system. Metro fed us barbecue as we debriefed our experiences and recommendations. People from all over the area and from various walks of life shared in the wonderful day.

The route goes form Leander to downtown in about 50 minutes. With 8 stops, the rail is a great way to travel. They have connector buses to get you from the stops to your final destination. Overall, it was a good experience. Hopefully I can get Jan to go with me the first week of operation (beginning March 22, 2010) when it is free. There's a Starbucks one block from the end of the line. Take your computer because there is Wi-Fi available on the rail.

Thanks Jan, for giving me the day to do this.

Landmark 6- Leaving Home

When I returned from Texas A & M University, my father asked me to come help him at work for about 6 months. His office manager had some health issues and he needed time to find another one. I knew the industry and said OK. Six months turned in to one year and then 18 years. I thought that during that time I would just move back home and back into my room. It was as if I had only been gone for 4 years. My Dad said, "NO!" He and Mom had gotten used to the empty nest and I had to find my own place. They had prepared for me to leave home following high school graduation.

Someone said that humans are the only species that let their young return home. It is a landmark when our students prepare to graduate, leave home and start their own lives, following their own values. Whether it is public, private or home school, our students graduate and make this next landmark.

When our oldest graduated from homeschooling, we gathered all those important people in his life and had a celebration. We gave him a diploma, a class ring and he went to work. He stayed for a while until me found a place to live and has never looked back.

When our youngest graduated from homeschooling, we had his set of influential people over for a celebration. We gathered under the magnolia tree in our yard which bore yearly carvings of dates as the he climbed that tree and made his mark growing up. Then he was off to college.

Before they left, we spoke blessing into their lives. They had life skills, money sense, a love for God's Word and a strong support group.

Jan & I hoped we had given enough of the right stuff to each so they could be responsible on their own. Jan had poured scripture into their hearts and taught them where to find answers in God's Word. In preparing them to leave home, we took them with us rather than sending them alone on mission trips, retreats and special events. We wanted them to know we were their peer group. Sure, they had friends, but our design was to have them trust in God who was with them at all times, especially when they left home.

Jeremiah 29:11 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

No one raises perfect children. That's why we pray for them at all times. That never stops no matter where they are or how old they get.

Landmark 5- Rite of Pasage

Transition. It is a time when one goes from:

• A lover of self to a lover of God.
• Doing childish things to doing mature things.
• Being served to serving.

This is a time discovering your biblical role, whether as a man or a woman. It is a time of knowing who we are in Christ. For a young man, it is learning why you made a covenant with your eyes. For a young lady, it is keeping your heart with all vigilance. (Prov. 4:23) For a parent, it is a time to transfer to a new role, one of giving godly advice and allowing God to guide our son's and daughter's hearts. This is a time for parents to discover that they have partners in ministry in their sons and daughters. Make this is a season of celebration with friends and family.

There will be more on this when a parent shares his experience in celebrating this time of transition for his sons.