It seems only right as this will be the last e-news blog before the Men's NetWork WORK DAY on Saturday, April 29, that a few words be offered on the event and the guys who have participated in it.
As you already know, 2017 is the fifth year for this gig. Originally, the Men's NetWork kicked off the WORK DAY as a way for guys to get their men's groups focused on work activities that would help others. While individuals of all kinds have benefited from WORK DAY projects, the event's thrust was to reach and connect with people who are outside the church.
To that end, the Men's NetWork WORK DAY has been an admirable success. Individuals and families have been blessed through numerous projects and the love of Christ has been shared in deed and word. This year as your men's group gets together to work on April 29, remember that those brush strokes you apply, those nails you drive, those mulch beds you rake, and those gutters you clean are expressions of God's love through your hands and feet.
Eleven days to go. It's an exciting time of the year for us at Lutheran Hour Ministries and the Men's NetWork. We look forward to seeing your pictures and reading your brief stories in the days ahead as you recap your WORK DAY efforts for us. Believe it or not, there is still time to get on board with a project this April 29. If you have something in mind but that specific Saturday doesn't work for your group, you can schedule some other day in the future. Other groups have done this in the past, and it works equally well.
For those who have joined in on past WORK DAYs, what are some of the personal benefits you took away as a participant? Was there anything that surprised you? Was there anything you would do next time to increase your experience? How did the people you helped feel about your efforts?
To share your thoughts, click here!
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Shutting Things Out
Loneliness is a big problem for many people. Perhaps you struggle with it, too. When I was growing up and trying to understand what it was to be a man, I looked to my father who was very stoic and guarded about his feelings. To my young, impressionable mind, that was what it was like to be a man. When kids at school made fun of me, mom reminded me to say, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me."
When I first heard the Simon and Garfunkel song "I Am a Rock," it really resonated with me. I think I can safely say it shaped the way I looked at other people for decades to come. Whenever I was hurting because of what someone did to me or said to me, I would put on that record, slip on my headphones, and sing -- almost shout,
"I've built walls, a fortress deep and mighty, that none may penetrate. I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain. It's laughter and it's loving I disdain. I am a rock, I am an island! ... Hiding in my room, safe within my womb. I touch no one and no one touches me. I am a rock, I am an island."
That is one kind of loneliness -- being hurt to the core by some people. It's being so afraid of re-experiencing that kind of pain we shut everyone out to make sure we never have to go through it again.
That's what I did.
But then Lent came around, year after year. Each time I saw Jesus acting differently than I was acting. He knew the unbearable emotional pain that was coming: the mocking from Roman soldiers and Jewish leaders, the abandonment of His chosen disciples, Peter's vehement denial, and Judas' cold-hearted betrayal. Putting myself in Jesus' shoes -- and knowing what He knew -- I know I would have locked my heart against them.
We can go through life fearing heartbreak and doing everything in our power to shield ourselves from emotional pain. But that's not really living, is it? Instead, we can let Jesus' love transform us. Then we can live daring lives with hearts wide open to love and embrace all the people around us. We can be confident that Jesus will always be present; His Spirit will comfort us in our sorrows, and when we reach the end of our road, God will wipe away every tear from our eyes (see Revelation 7:17).
Many are the things that can shut us down inside: a hurtful and jilting relationship, a sharp critique from someone we respect, the bitter chastisement of a loved one. Experience one or two of these and it's easy to retreat where no one can find us. But at the end of the day, the old cliché rings true: "This too shall pass." Hanging on to that truth, however, can be very difficult sometimes.
What's your advice to someone who's been stung hard by someone else? You can share your thoughts by clicking here and commenting.
When I first heard the Simon and Garfunkel song "I Am a Rock," it really resonated with me. I think I can safely say it shaped the way I looked at other people for decades to come. Whenever I was hurting because of what someone did to me or said to me, I would put on that record, slip on my headphones, and sing -- almost shout,
"I've built walls, a fortress deep and mighty, that none may penetrate. I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain. It's laughter and it's loving I disdain. I am a rock, I am an island! ... Hiding in my room, safe within my womb. I touch no one and no one touches me. I am a rock, I am an island."
That is one kind of loneliness -- being hurt to the core by some people. It's being so afraid of re-experiencing that kind of pain we shut everyone out to make sure we never have to go through it again.
That's what I did.
But then Lent came around, year after year. Each time I saw Jesus acting differently than I was acting. He knew the unbearable emotional pain that was coming: the mocking from Roman soldiers and Jewish leaders, the abandonment of His chosen disciples, Peter's vehement denial, and Judas' cold-hearted betrayal. Putting myself in Jesus' shoes -- and knowing what He knew -- I know I would have locked my heart against them.
We can go through life fearing heartbreak and doing everything in our power to shield ourselves from emotional pain. But that's not really living, is it? Instead, we can let Jesus' love transform us. Then we can live daring lives with hearts wide open to love and embrace all the people around us. We can be confident that Jesus will always be present; His Spirit will comfort us in our sorrows, and when we reach the end of our road, God will wipe away every tear from our eyes (see Revelation 7:17).
Many are the things that can shut us down inside: a hurtful and jilting relationship, a sharp critique from someone we respect, the bitter chastisement of a loved one. Experience one or two of these and it's easy to retreat where no one can find us. But at the end of the day, the old cliché rings true: "This too shall pass." Hanging on to that truth, however, can be very difficult sometimes.
What's your advice to someone who's been stung hard by someone else? You can share your thoughts by clicking here and commenting.
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