Author: Wick

…you thought the world was starting to make sense. You have this.

Joel Osteen (God wants you to conquer the world, get rich, and live well) and his wife (I follow Joel everywhere) were flying (first class, of course) back in 2005.

Mrs. Osteen notices there’s a liquid spilled on her armrest. Instead of grabbin’ a wetnap or hanky out of her purse and swiping the bad boy up, she calls the stewardess. Asks her to do it. There’s a misunderstanding. The woman accuses Mrs. Osteen of “grabbing Brown by the shoulders, elbowing her in the chest and pushing her out of the way in an attempt to get into the cockpit”. Apparently, that’s where they keep the napkins.

Joel obviously defends his wife, saying she never raised her voice or grabbed the attendent. But later agreed that he couldn’t even hear his wife from where he was seated at the time.

So what’s this lawsuit going through the court-system for? What could this flight attendent possibly be seeking?

“Brown wants an apology and punitive damages amounting to 10 percent of Victoria Osteen’s net worth as part of her lawsuit. Brown claims she suffers from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder because of the incident and that her faith has been affected. She is also suing for counseling expenses.“

Wow. Really? Not that it would affect the Osteen’s financially really. After all, it’s God’s will that they continue to be ridiculously rich, and eat fresh buttered biscuits forever. But seriously?

An apology I can understand. Obviously SOMETHING happened, because the Osteen’s were asked to leave the flight. (even though Joel says they left voluntarily. c’mon now…who volunteers to leave a flight going where they NEED to be?) But to seek millions of dollars, claiming depression and PTSD and a loss of faith from being asked, even if by force, to wipe up a spill? Whew.

I suppose it’s not that we’re raising our children so that they can “grow up” and become a part of this world. But perhaps that our children can help the world grow up.

(taken from the Free Methodist of N.A. website)

The Free Methodist Church “has a mission from God to uphold the New Testament standard of religion; and to preach the gospel to the poor.” This was B.T. Roberts’ passion in organizing a meeting of a new Methodist denomination on August 23, 1860, under an apple tree in Pekin, NY.

It’s been 148 years. How are we doing?

God is [still] calling His people called Free Methodists to share the gospel with the poor. God is [still] calling His people called Free Methodists to radical obedience, to self-denial, to cross-bearing so we might engage in a vital part of His rescue mission to the lost, the least and the last.

The standard of living in our culture keeps rising. We are a people called Free Methodists. Yet we dress in fine clothes and live in mini-mansions with manicured lawns. We drive minivans, sip expensive coffees, plan resort vacations. We enjoy our little luxuries. They are all nice. It is hard to tell us apart from our neighbors across the street.

Is it possible we are missing out on real life, the radical mission of who we are truly meant to be as Free Methodists?

We’re missing out because we refuse to deny ourselves, take up our cross and embrace the poor, the stranger, the widow, the orphan and the untouchables of our society.

We’re missing out because we can’t bring ourselves to move in with Jesus in the alley, to the other side of the tracks, in the inner cities of our nation, among the poorest of the poor in our world.

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I’m not a “senior pastor”, with all of the privileges and responsibilities of one. I just get to influence/lead from the realm of youth/family/children’s ministries. Which is realize even in saying that….is still a pretty big calling.

Figuring out how all of the above (which I agree with) fits in the context of children/family/youth ministries in a world driven by consumerism.

I give in, once in a while. We’re going to Six Flags this month. Next month, we may bring in a concert (although it will be FREE). In life, I eat chocolate sometimes. But I hope/pray that even the aspects of “church” that I can influence will reflect the desires written above….and that as the Kingdom breaks through into this world…we can both point at it, and be a part of it.

To quote Sarah’s girly book that she had me read an excerpt of,

“When the day comes that this community has the same amount of energy, enthusiasm, and responsiveness for the poor, the marginalized, and those far away from God and each other, then I will believe that what (we witness in our services) was worship.”

5:45 – the internal alarm goes off. This is it!! No sounds yet from either daughter.

Thoughts of cinnamon scones, and fresh darkly roasted, infinitely refilled coffee. Stay composed.

Shower. Carry the baby into bed with my wife, so she doesn’t have to get up when the hunger strikes.

Which book? The current read only has 80 pages or so left, not enough to last the hours ahead.

Crime and Punishment? Recently arrived in the mail, but a dense read. Not sure if I’m ready to shed the burden “What is the What” has placed on my heart/mind. No, a lighter read is still needed.

“The Book of Lost Things”, arrived along with Dostoyevsky’s work. Although it feels awkward, leaving the previous Koonz novel just barely finished, at such an action-packed moment…..I didn’t want to bring two large books into Panera with me. I already appear a nerd….no need to confirm it.

Out the door by 6am, the drive allowing Panera to put it’s finishing touches out there, and be sure to stock the 4 coffee choices (2 never touched by me) before I arrive.

I order “a cinnamon scone, and a coffee in a mug please”. This (in a mug) lets them know I intend to eat on location, as the site of a large book never seemed enough to convince them. I settle into my corner, where I can see the people coming and going, but can also become completely engrossed in story when I choose.

Time passes. I’ve gotten permission to 9:30am…but imagine my wife attempting to prepare for the day with both girls screaming from corners of the house.

8:50am – really enjoying the book. An easy read. A boy who has lost his mother, and escapes a war-torn landscape in imagination….or reality? Probably too easy, at a level intended for younger readers. But I still feel it’s length makes it a proper book for a 26 year old to journey. I finish my chapter, relinquish my mug, and head home.

I’ve traveled distant lands, had an incredible morning, and the entire day lays ahead, unspoiled.

The stuff sighs are made of. 🙂