Vince Deagler

do you remember mr. bill from the late 70’s, early 80’s SNL? he was the guy always being run over by the steam roller…oh noooooo! i don’t know about you, but i’m feeling a bit like him lately. not to gain your sympathy, (but all sympathy is appreciated) i’m tired from helping my son remodel my mom’s master bath last week. non stop construction from tuesday afternoon through saturday afternoon only to hop on a plane, fly cross country, get to bed at 3 am so i can catch a few hours sleep before preaching on sunday morning. then, cathing up on everything you missed at home while away…like trimming the bushes with a hedge trimmer and nearly taking your little finger off…ouch. then sorting through the mail, phone calls, emails, you know the drill. then i get blown away by the actions of someone i consider to be my sister in christ. to top it off, my golf game really stinks right now. i could go on, i’ll spare you. but i really relate to mr. bill. i was speaking with a member of our congregation after the service and he came up to me and said he needed a hug…and i thought, you know what, so do i. maybe you do too. in many respects that is what church is all about. we are not a bunch of perfect people, immune from life’s problems, sitting around flaunting our superiority. we are real live men, women, teens, children that experience life just like you. sometimes things are going well, other times not so well. most of us can handle the going well part pretty easily, but it is nice to have others around to celebrate. but when the not so well settles in, and let’s be honest, when it does it tends to hang around for awhile, most of us could use some help…even if its only in the form of a hug. but you can find so much more. i have found here in our community a place where i can be open and honest about how i feel. sometimes that can be on the raw side (maybe you think pastors don’t have a raw side…well i can’t speak for all of us, but i know i sure do), and despite those raw feelings people have stood by me, helping me deal with it all. sometimes this meant a confrontation due to my poor attitude and unchristian thoughts, sometimes it was wise counsel, sometimes it was words of encouragement, sometimes just the simplicity of sorrowing with me, being there for me, understanding, giving me permission to have a bad day, not giving up on me. our church is a place to love and be loved, to know and be known, to share the good, bad, and ugly of life together in such a way as to make everyones burden a bit lighter. didn’t jesus say come to me when you’re weary and burdened down with life and i’ll give you rest. didn’t he say take my yoke on yourself and learn from me, b/c my yoke is easy and my burden light. doesn’t the church function as his body so he can say all the world will know you are my followers when you love each other? didn’t paul call us to bear one another’s burdens and in doing so fulfill the law of christ. i was glad i could be in the foyer to give that much needed hug. truth is, i needed it as much as he did. i am glad that when i feel like mr. bill i have the lord, and my family (and my family includes my church family). i’m not sure what i would do, where i would turn, how i would cope without them. so if you’re feeling a bit blue, why not check us out…or if you’re out of the area seek out a healthy congregation that you can become a part of. and if you’re having one of those good time moments, well let me suggest you do the same…for at least 3 reasons. one, the good times will not last forever and when the bad times hit you sure don’t want to be alone. two, there are people all over our area that need people like you to be there for them…as in the whole love your neighbor as yourself command. and third, didn’t jesus tell you this is what you are to do as a christ follower. there are many ways to look at church…teaching, doctrine, ritual, worship, etc. they all have their place and importance. but, when you are a bit on the down side…on the wrong side of winning and losing…there is nothing better than having a safe place, a family of fellow christ followers who love and care for you to be there with a hug or whatever else is needed. i’m glad i have that, i hope you have that in your life. blessings to you my fellow pilgrims. thanks for following along. vince