It has been said that "a perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken." On a hot day like today, the latter is certainly true! Summer is a wonderfully unique season that literally opens new doors of opportunity...yes, to experience the great outdoors, but also to consider and participate in certain activities that are unique to the season. Mowing the lawn may be one of these, but there are others, particularly within the fellowship known as Westwood Baptist Church.
Summer brings VBS, Impact Virginia!, PASSPORTkids! Camp, as well as summer seminars, special fellowships, and events like the Echo food drive and Springfield Gardens back to school celebration. Summer is not necessarily a time to slow down, but a rich opportunity to experience the grace and love of God at work in these and other unique summer events. If you go to our church website, you will find a link on the front page to several special summer events that you can take part in, and invite a friend or neighbor to join you.
A perfect summer day is more than a broken lawnmower. At Westwood, it is celebrating God's presence with us at the baseball game, camp, worship and fellowship opportunities. Make the most of these wonderful summer days. You can always borrow the neighbor's mower and cut the grass tomorrow.
Jim Abernathy
Friday, June 24, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Patterns
The Message translates the last part of Ephesians 6:4 with this admonition to fathers: "Take them (children) by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master." There is nothing so significant in the life of a young child as a good example. Children look for patterns upon which to build their own lives. They are truly blessed when they see the example of Christ in one or both of their parents.
My dad died nearly ten years ago, and yet the memories of his example are still fresh in my mind. I remember witnessing his compassion when he hurt with those who hurt, his kindness when confronting those who did not always receive him well, his tenacity to continue moving forward when he could easily have quit, and his commitment to living the faith he held dear. He was not a perfect man, but his example helped me and others follow in the way of Christ, and for that, I am truly grateful.
There is no greater calling for any parent or grandparent, than to take a child by the hand and lead them in the way of Christ. I am grateful that I have had such an example, and continue to pray that I will be that example to my son and to others.
Jim Abernathy
My dad died nearly ten years ago, and yet the memories of his example are still fresh in my mind. I remember witnessing his compassion when he hurt with those who hurt, his kindness when confronting those who did not always receive him well, his tenacity to continue moving forward when he could easily have quit, and his commitment to living the faith he held dear. He was not a perfect man, but his example helped me and others follow in the way of Christ, and for that, I am truly grateful.
There is no greater calling for any parent or grandparent, than to take a child by the hand and lead them in the way of Christ. I am grateful that I have had such an example, and continue to pray that I will be that example to my son and to others.
Jim Abernathy
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Breathing
Martin Luther King once said, "To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing." Many preschoolers, striving to get their way in the give and take power struggle that often accompanies their relationship with their parents, know how to hold their breath. To do so, at least in their young minds, is to gain control over their hapless parents whom they believe will surely give in, even if it means the child may turn a certain shade of blue. Of course, if they hold out long enough, parents can usually outlast the child for sooner or later, he or she gives up because air is needed to sustain breathing which is needed to sustain life. (There is, however, usually a "Plan B" that follows, and for some resourceful children, even a Plan C, D, or E.)
Breathing is necessary for living. Likewise, prayer is necessary for Christian growth and health. Jesus often called his disciples to prayer, and he set the example before them of seeking a quiet, solitary place for prayer and contemplation. In the busyness of life, we too often try to sustain our relationship with Christ apart from meaningful prayer. We may offer a quick request for an ailing friend or family member, or express a question of faith that we quickly lose interest in because we fail to scratch beneath the surface to mine the depths of God's wisdom for our particular need. In the challenges we face we find ourselves gasping for that which will sustain our faith, like a hiker experiencing the thin air of altitude, or the swimmer, plunged too deep beneath the surface, who desperately needs her lungs to expand and be filled with fresh, clean air.
The Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 150:6 that everything that has breath should praise the Lord. Take a moment, whenever you read this, and breathe deeply, filling your lungs with that which sustains life. Then find a quiet place and spend a few moments in the presence of the living God, breathing in that which sustains your spirit and nurtures your soul. Allow the Holy One to renew your spirit and give you that which is vital to your spiritual health. God knows the need of your heart...breathe deeply and take in that which empowers your living and enables your praise.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Jim Abernathy
Breathing is necessary for living. Likewise, prayer is necessary for Christian growth and health. Jesus often called his disciples to prayer, and he set the example before them of seeking a quiet, solitary place for prayer and contemplation. In the busyness of life, we too often try to sustain our relationship with Christ apart from meaningful prayer. We may offer a quick request for an ailing friend or family member, or express a question of faith that we quickly lose interest in because we fail to scratch beneath the surface to mine the depths of God's wisdom for our particular need. In the challenges we face we find ourselves gasping for that which will sustain our faith, like a hiker experiencing the thin air of altitude, or the swimmer, plunged too deep beneath the surface, who desperately needs her lungs to expand and be filled with fresh, clean air.
The Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 150:6 that everything that has breath should praise the Lord. Take a moment, whenever you read this, and breathe deeply, filling your lungs with that which sustains life. Then find a quiet place and spend a few moments in the presence of the living God, breathing in that which sustains your spirit and nurtures your soul. Allow the Holy One to renew your spirit and give you that which is vital to your spiritual health. God knows the need of your heart...breathe deeply and take in that which empowers your living and enables your praise.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Jim Abernathy
Friday, June 3, 2011
Smile Because It Happened
A quote from the great American children's writer, Dr. Seuss, is perhaps appropriate for our Westwood family this weekend. Dr. Seuss writes, "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." We prepare to say good-bye to the McKenzies this Sunday. For the better part of a decade they have been a part of our church family, with Brandi serving on staff as Director of Preschool and Children's ministries most recently. Doug has been reassigned by the United States Air Force to the Virginia Beach area and the family will be moving in a few weeks. Saying good-bye is a familiar task in Northern Virginia. Folks come and go and our lives are enriched because of the blessing of relationship we share, regardless of the length of the days that we spend together.
Our hearts are already heavy as we realize that these dear friends will no longer be among us. However, as in any relationship where separation brings sadness, there must also be the remembrance of blessing in the midst of heartache, for our lives are truly enriched by so many folks who come our way, even when they are ultimately led away from us. So, with gratitude to God for the blessing we have shared with the McKenzies, let us gather on Sunday to give thanks to God for these dear friends and wish them well as they, and we, begin new chapters of the wonderful story God continues to write among us.
I hope you will be present for worship Sunday and express your love and appreciation to Doug, Brandi, and children. As a family of faith, Westwood sends them out to be the light and love of Christ in a new workplace, new schools, new home, and a new family of faith. Though sad to see them go, let us remember the blessings we have shared together, and then, let our smiles overcome our tears. For all that we have shared together, don't cry because it's over, rather, let us smile, because it happened.
Jim Abernathy
Our hearts are already heavy as we realize that these dear friends will no longer be among us. However, as in any relationship where separation brings sadness, there must also be the remembrance of blessing in the midst of heartache, for our lives are truly enriched by so many folks who come our way, even when they are ultimately led away from us. So, with gratitude to God for the blessing we have shared with the McKenzies, let us gather on Sunday to give thanks to God for these dear friends and wish them well as they, and we, begin new chapters of the wonderful story God continues to write among us.
I hope you will be present for worship Sunday and express your love and appreciation to Doug, Brandi, and children. As a family of faith, Westwood sends them out to be the light and love of Christ in a new workplace, new schools, new home, and a new family of faith. Though sad to see them go, let us remember the blessings we have shared together, and then, let our smiles overcome our tears. For all that we have shared together, don't cry because it's over, rather, let us smile, because it happened.
Jim Abernathy
Friday, May 27, 2011
Involve Me and I Learn
Benjamin Franklin once said, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." Franklin reminds us of the significance of putting what we learn into action. Knowledge for knowledge sake finds little fulfillment in our lives unless it is acted upon. New Testament writer James spoke of faith and action in a similar manner as he wrote, "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." When we draw others into a learning environment where thought becomes action and possibilities become reality, there is blessing.
This weekend we celebrate the actions of many who have given much for others. Memorial Day is a reminder of the indebtedness we owe to those who have selflessly served in some way for the benefit of others. Memorial Day began more than one-hundred thirty years ago as the graves of soldiers who died in the Civil War were decorated and their sacrifice remembered. Since that time many men and women have given their lives in service to their country. In a larger context, the observance of Memorial Day reminds us also of friends and family members who have gone before us to enrich our lives in many different forms of service and commitment. It is good to pause and reflect, to ponder and remember the faithfulness of others, and in our thanksgiving, to give ourselves in service to others. There is a great deal of information about Memorial Day and the significance it holds for our nation. It means very little to us if we don't act on that gratitude to instruct, encourage, and bless others. Take time this weekend to give thanks and to serve others. The supreme example of service is witnessed not in the context of national pride or in simply doing good deeds, but rather in the One who has given himself fully for all, Jesus the Christ.
Yes, let us involve ourselves and others in celebrations of national sacrifice this weekend, remembering the courage and will of those gone before us to give of themselves for the cause of freedom. As grateful citizens of this land, we can do no less. And as followers of Jesus Christ, let us remember again that faith compels us to action...belief, leads us to involvement, for there we learn and then teach great lessons of love, hope, and sacrifice.
Jim
This weekend we celebrate the actions of many who have given much for others. Memorial Day is a reminder of the indebtedness we owe to those who have selflessly served in some way for the benefit of others. Memorial Day began more than one-hundred thirty years ago as the graves of soldiers who died in the Civil War were decorated and their sacrifice remembered. Since that time many men and women have given their lives in service to their country. In a larger context, the observance of Memorial Day reminds us also of friends and family members who have gone before us to enrich our lives in many different forms of service and commitment. It is good to pause and reflect, to ponder and remember the faithfulness of others, and in our thanksgiving, to give ourselves in service to others. There is a great deal of information about Memorial Day and the significance it holds for our nation. It means very little to us if we don't act on that gratitude to instruct, encourage, and bless others. Take time this weekend to give thanks and to serve others. The supreme example of service is witnessed not in the context of national pride or in simply doing good deeds, but rather in the One who has given himself fully for all, Jesus the Christ.
Yes, let us involve ourselves and others in celebrations of national sacrifice this weekend, remembering the courage and will of those gone before us to give of themselves for the cause of freedom. As grateful citizens of this land, we can do no less. And as followers of Jesus Christ, let us remember again that faith compels us to action...belief, leads us to involvement, for there we learn and then teach great lessons of love, hope, and sacrifice.
Jim
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Unless There Is No Sunday
Greetings from Minneapolis! I am in this beautiful city for the annual Festival of Homiletics...an annual conference for preachers. Now listening to preaching for five days straight may not sound like an enriching activity to you, but I enjoy hearing a variety of preachers sharing their unique approaches and understandings of God's word. The weather has been wonderful all week and spring is just now beginning to peak here.
I look forward to returning home on Saturday and being with you for worship on Sunday, unless....unless there is no Sunday. Perhaps you have heard that a group based in California, led by a radio ministry executive named Harold Camping, believes that Christ will return this Saturday, May 21, ushering in the judgment of the Lord. Mr. Camping believes that when Jesus said that no one knows the date and hour of his second coming, he wasn't including true believers in that ignorant group. He believes that most of us who call ourselves Christians, particularly those within the established church, are not true believers. He, and others who believe like him, are indeed the ones who will be saved when Jesus returns this Saturday. Now though I have heard Mr. Camping on a few occasions on his "Family Radio" broadcasts, I do not begin to understand his rationale for the warning he has issued to the world about Christ's return. I have heard him try to defend his prediction, but have obviously found it unconvincing. I do believe that Christ will return, but that is a decision God alone will make and God alone knows that date and time. Jesus pointedly admitted that even he did not know the hour of his return, (Mark 13:32-33) yet many people have taken it upon themselves over the years to affirm their advanced knowledge on this subject before God.
It would be easy to lampoon Mr. Camping and many others before him through the centuries who have thought they had the inside track to God's timetable. The tragedy in all of this, however, is that those skeptical of the church and the message of Christ become more skeptical, and many within the body of Christ, more cynical. I will not question the sincerity of Mr. Camping or his followers, for I do not know him or them. I do however wonder at the arrogance of the human mind to once more imply that we have figured God out...charting the "signs" even better than Jesus could, to calculate, or calculatingly bring forth God's judgment.
If my flight arrives safely Saturday afternoon and I awaken Sunday morning by the grace of God, I will walk through the doors of Westwood Baptist Church with anticipation for what the living God will do in and through the community of faith gathered in that place on that day...and I will trust God with the time God gives, believing again that God's grace will be sufficient for each moment, and that God's timing is not dependent on the arrogance of human prognostication. Thank God, and thanks be to God!
Jim Abernathy
I look forward to returning home on Saturday and being with you for worship on Sunday, unless....unless there is no Sunday. Perhaps you have heard that a group based in California, led by a radio ministry executive named Harold Camping, believes that Christ will return this Saturday, May 21, ushering in the judgment of the Lord. Mr. Camping believes that when Jesus said that no one knows the date and hour of his second coming, he wasn't including true believers in that ignorant group. He believes that most of us who call ourselves Christians, particularly those within the established church, are not true believers. He, and others who believe like him, are indeed the ones who will be saved when Jesus returns this Saturday. Now though I have heard Mr. Camping on a few occasions on his "Family Radio" broadcasts, I do not begin to understand his rationale for the warning he has issued to the world about Christ's return. I have heard him try to defend his prediction, but have obviously found it unconvincing. I do believe that Christ will return, but that is a decision God alone will make and God alone knows that date and time. Jesus pointedly admitted that even he did not know the hour of his return, (Mark 13:32-33) yet many people have taken it upon themselves over the years to affirm their advanced knowledge on this subject before God.
It would be easy to lampoon Mr. Camping and many others before him through the centuries who have thought they had the inside track to God's timetable. The tragedy in all of this, however, is that those skeptical of the church and the message of Christ become more skeptical, and many within the body of Christ, more cynical. I will not question the sincerity of Mr. Camping or his followers, for I do not know him or them. I do however wonder at the arrogance of the human mind to once more imply that we have figured God out...charting the "signs" even better than Jesus could, to calculate, or calculatingly bring forth God's judgment.
If my flight arrives safely Saturday afternoon and I awaken Sunday morning by the grace of God, I will walk through the doors of Westwood Baptist Church with anticipation for what the living God will do in and through the community of faith gathered in that place on that day...and I will trust God with the time God gives, believing again that God's grace will be sufficient for each moment, and that God's timing is not dependent on the arrogance of human prognostication. Thank God, and thanks be to God!
Jim Abernathy
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Time Does Fly
This post is originating from the Volunteer state of Tennessee where I am preparing to officiate for my niece's wedding in Norris, Tennessee, Saturday evening. It is always a privilege to share with a couple in the commitment of marriage...even more so with family, I suppose these moments are reality checks about the aging process, both for my niece, Holly, and for me. My sister Karen married Holly's dad, Michael, when Holly was a young girl. She, her twin sister Heather, and their brother Doug became part of our family and through the years we have seen them grow and mature. In reflecting on Karen and Michael's wedding nearly seventeen years ago, I also remember that Cindy was eight months pregnant with Clayton at the time...another remembrance that calls me to acknowledge the passing of time.
If these walks down memory lane weren't enough to convince me that I have aged, another experience today drove that home to me. I had just gotten a haircut and was preparing to pay, when the stylist gave me a price for the haircut that seemed a bit cheaper than I expected. As I reached into my wallet, she cheerily offered, "You are a senior, aren't you?" Now the color and number of hairs on my head may have shouted "senior" to her, but I guess her greatest offense was the certainty with which she made her judgement. When I firmly responded, "no," I suffered not only the indignity of paying $2 more for the haircut, but of her weak attempt to correct her faux pas as she said, "Of course you're not, you're much too young." The insincerity in her voice added a few years to my already bruised pride. "Come back and see us next time you're in town," she carelessly offered as I turned to walk out the door, but my senior ears had already tuned her out as I was left to ponder the brevity of my remaining days.
Yes, time does fly, as the old saying goes. The sometimes cranky, probably senior adult writer of the book of Ecclesiastes noted, "to everything, there is a season." Whether it is watching loved ones grow and mark time through the passages of life, or coming face to face with your and other's assessments of your own journey, one cannot ignore the changes these "seasons" bring. Other than a receding hair line, the one constant for me in the midst of these changing seasons, is the power and presence of Almighty God. The Psalmist reminds us of the significance of an ever-present God as he writes in the nintieth Psalm, "Before the mountains were born and before you created the earth and the world, you are God. You have always been, and you will always be." Praise God that in the seasons of human life, where the joy of family celebrations are mixed with the reality of time's relentless march, God is present, celebrating with us, walking beside us, never wavering in love and affection, no matter what each day, year, or decade bring.
Jim Abernathy
If these walks down memory lane weren't enough to convince me that I have aged, another experience today drove that home to me. I had just gotten a haircut and was preparing to pay, when the stylist gave me a price for the haircut that seemed a bit cheaper than I expected. As I reached into my wallet, she cheerily offered, "You are a senior, aren't you?" Now the color and number of hairs on my head may have shouted "senior" to her, but I guess her greatest offense was the certainty with which she made her judgement. When I firmly responded, "no," I suffered not only the indignity of paying $2 more for the haircut, but of her weak attempt to correct her faux pas as she said, "Of course you're not, you're much too young." The insincerity in her voice added a few years to my already bruised pride. "Come back and see us next time you're in town," she carelessly offered as I turned to walk out the door, but my senior ears had already tuned her out as I was left to ponder the brevity of my remaining days.
Yes, time does fly, as the old saying goes. The sometimes cranky, probably senior adult writer of the book of Ecclesiastes noted, "to everything, there is a season." Whether it is watching loved ones grow and mark time through the passages of life, or coming face to face with your and other's assessments of your own journey, one cannot ignore the changes these "seasons" bring. Other than a receding hair line, the one constant for me in the midst of these changing seasons, is the power and presence of Almighty God. The Psalmist reminds us of the significance of an ever-present God as he writes in the nintieth Psalm, "Before the mountains were born and before you created the earth and the world, you are God. You have always been, and you will always be." Praise God that in the seasons of human life, where the joy of family celebrations are mixed with the reality of time's relentless march, God is present, celebrating with us, walking beside us, never wavering in love and affection, no matter what each day, year, or decade bring.
Jim Abernathy
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