Category: Life

Posted in Life

People like that

Posted on by William Douthwaite

As I reading through 1 Samuel, I was struck by the interesting relationship Saul has with David.

After David defeats Goliath in chapter 17, King Saul takes David into his service, makes him commander of his armies and watches as David becomes increasingly more popular. People start writing songs about David and his victories, which really annoys Saul. Saul is jealous, afraid and threatened by David. Yet Saul needs David. You see, not only is David successful at winning battles and defeating Saul's enemies, but David is the one whose music can calm Saul when he's tormented with harmful spirits (1 Samuel 16:23).

How many people like this has God placed in our lives? You know who I'm talking about. The ones we're jealous of because they perform better, look nicer or have more than us. The people who command attention while we're ignored. Someone who annoys us just by being around.

Could it be that we need people like this?

That's a strange idea, but let's just go with it for a moment. Why might we need people like this who threaten us, frighten us or make us jealous?

For one thing, they can teach you something. If you want to succeed at something, you might just want to emulate someone who is successful in that area. You want to apprentice under someone who is really good at what they do, right? Thank goodness for those folks!

It's also humbling. It reminds you that you are no better than Saul, the first king of Israel who had the throne snatched away from his family in favor of someone who had a heart like God's (David). Someone more popular, more successful than me intrudes upon my self-righteousness, and rightly reminds me that the only thing I really have going for us is God's grace, not my performance.

They're also a reminder that you're annoying, too. You can go above and beyond helping someone, only to discover they don't appreciate your efforts at all. You've made them look lazy or incompetent by doing so much!

I don't like it, but I admit that I need people like that.

 

Posted in Life

Reflections on being a grandfather (so far)

Posted on by William Douthwaite
I’ve got two grandchildren now. My first, Eden, was born last summer. Number two, Elijah, is just a few weeks old. A week or so ago, these cousins met for the first time and this seems like a good time to reflect upon my experience of being a grandfather.

First, there’s little that compares with holding newborn life. Small, helpless, trusting, miraculous are just a few adjectives that come to mind. Tears and laughter erupt in their presence. They grow so fast you find yourself watching each minute to see how they’ve changed. The memories of my own children’s births are vivid once again.

As I take them in my arms, I remember exactly what to do. Immediately I cuddle, rock and sway. A diaper change is followed by a quick swaddle before lifting them up on my shoulder. Without thinking I’m singing songs, imitating their sounds, and giving them a tour of the world.

Suddenly, my children have become husbands and wives, and dads and moms. They still call me Dad and my wife Mom, but we call them “Dad” and “Mom,” too. But no one is confused.

Life is so simple when all you have to worry about is eating, sleeping and getting your diaper changed. All you have to do is cry a little, and someone – or everyone – comes to attend to your needs.

Posted in Life, Ministry

The Dropbox

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Picture3Last night my wife and I went to see “The Dropbox” a documentary directed and produced by students from the University of Southern California about a pastor in Seoul, Korea who constructed a box in the wall of his church to rescue babies that would otherwise be abandoned in the streets. It was a moving and emotional journey to the church and home of Pastor Lee Jong-rak, who not only continues to care for his own disabled son, but adopted more babies for a total of fifteen children he and his wife now care for. Over 300 babies were left in the box in 2013, surrendered mostly by single mothers who could not keep them because of social pressure or could not care for them because of congenital disabilities.

But rather than seeing the needs and challenges, Pastor Lee sees each child as perfect, beautiful and important. As I saw each child smile, I saw them in a different way, too. The film tugs at your heart in several ways. Your mind simultaneously says you should be doing something for orphans and asks how could anyone do what Pastor Lee and his wife have done?

The director of the film, Brian Ivie became a Christian during the six months he spent in Korea gathering information and footage for the film. He realized that he was one of those kids, and discovered that God still wanted him. He briefly tells of his own transformation in an interview at the end of the film. Once you realize how important your life is to Jesus Christ, you are reminded that every life is sacred and worth our love and care.

You can learn more about the film, which is only being shown March 3-5 in selected theaters at www.thedropboxfilm.com. I am sure the movie will be on DVD before too long, and it would make for a good movie night at church!

 

Posted in Grace, Life

Legend of the One Eyed Pastor

Posted on by William Douthwaite

wpid-Photo-20150221214628045.jpgFortunately this a story has a happy ending and I am still a two-eyed pastor, but it was touch and go for a few weeks.

It all started one afternoon in mid-November. I think it was a Wednesday. I was sitting at my desk at church, working on Sunday’s sermon, and noticed a shadow in the lower left corner of my right eye. I’ve got a few all-star floaters in that eye and sometimes my contacts get out of place, so I just rubbed it a little, and resumed what I was doing. But it was still there. Mostly when I looked up and to the right. Weird. About an hour later, it seemed a little larger, so I thought I’d give my eye doctor a call. “Come right over,” they said. It was just down the street, so a few minutes later I was there and Dr. Nunez was peering into my eye. He described a  a horseshoe shaped tear in my retina, and it had begun to pull away. He used the sobering words “ocular emergency,” and called to see if he could get me in to the retina specialist. They were already done for the day, so my appointment was first thing the next morning. Continue reading “Legend of the One Eyed Pastor” →

Posted in Life, Ministry

In the back of a police car

Posted on by William Douthwaite

What began as a visit to the home of one of my members ended with an experience I've never had before: I left there in the back of a police car.

Continue reading “In the back of a police car” →

Posted in Life

A winter visit with Dad

Posted on by William Douthwaite

With Christmas put away and the season of Lent looming (a pocket of calm between two busy seasons), I knew I needed to get up to Springfield, VA to visit my dad whom I haven’t seen since since last spring, when I helped clean out his old house in Ridley Park. Poking around on Expedia, I discovered a round-trip flight out of Jacksonville for $100. That’s crazy. That can’t be right. It was. I booked it. Continue reading “A winter visit with Dad” →

Posted in Life

Ocean City, NJ

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I am back in Ocean City, NJ for the annual pastor’s conference for our region of the English District. With a few exceptions, this is where we usually come. We have been in Lancaster, PA and Niagara Falls, NY, but this place is my favorite.

Which is an interesting phenomenon. I live at the beach. Well, not at the beach, but only ten minutes away. So why do I enjoy coming to another beach community? Continue reading “Ocean City, NJ” →

Posted in Life

The Big Clean

Posted on by William Douthwaite

How hard could it be?

Dad had cleaned out a lot of things in the house years ago. He had given away clothes, linens, craft and sewing supplies and lots of books after my mom died nine years ago. He moved out of his home of 48 years about six months ago, moving in with my brother. He took most everything of sentimental value with him. With an interested buyer on the line, it was time to finishing emptying out the house and get it ready for sale. By today’s standards, it was a small home, two stories with a full basement. Maybe 1,000 sq. ft. How hard could it be?

I had no idea. The biggest surprise? The number of bookcases in that little home. The books were mostly gone, but my brother, sister and I must have carried out twenty-five book cases and cabinets of various shapes and sizes. Some were antiques, some were cheap pressboard “some assembly required” pieces, and others were handcrafted by my dad. One-by-one we carried painted, stained, metal, laminate and plastic shelf units to the curb, where many were picked up by folks alerted to our efforts via Craigslist.

Continue reading “The Big Clean” →

Posted in Life

Be there.

Posted on by William Douthwaite

 

David Brooks' January 20, 2014 New York Times op-ed column The Art of Presence caught my eye the other day. It's definitely worth a read. As someone who often helps people and families through difficult times, his reflections resonated with me. I am constantly ecouraging my congregation to pursue an incarnational rather than an attractional style of ministry. In other words, be there rather than waiting for or trying to get someone to come to you.

The temptation is to distance yourself, assuming that they need space or time or that there's really nothing you can say or do. It turns out that showing up makes a powerful statement in itself, even if you have little to say. Don't wait. Just go. Be there.

That's what Jesus did. He shows up in our world. Now while He comes with a message and miracles, His presence also speaks volumes. We could never go to Him. Not when we are sinners and He is holy. But He can come to us. He still does. He comes and speaks to us in His Word. He still comes with gifts of grace in the sacraments. And that communicates a powerful message of love.