Category: Life

Posted in Life

Car shopping

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Last week Lisa and I had the pleasure of going out car shopping. Our seven-year old Toyota Camry with 140K miles needed repairs costing more than we were willing to invest, so it was time for something new. It was nice not having a car payment for a year, but it’s one of those good things that comes to an end. While we had abandoned domestic make cars years ago, a lot has changed in the industry since we last shopped, so we ended up at a Chevy dealer. Plus, you can do a lot of your shopping online even before you get to the showroom. You can read reviews and recommendations, get an idea of what you’ll pay, and even check inventory before you step out the door.

Though stressful in some ways, our experience was a positive one. It just took a long time. Looking at models, driving some, conversations between ourselves and the salesman and his manager, checking out the trade in, credit checks, and an amazing amount of paperwork to sign took about five hours. I think I had to sign some papers attesting to the fact that I had signed other papers and knew what I was doing when I signed those first papers.

We also got to see generations of technology all in the same place. Everything from a car computer that can tell me how much air pressure is in my tires to the poor finance manager who is still using a 1990’s era dot matrix printer for his multi-part forms! (They keep a batch of old one in the back room for when they have to replace parts.)

We’re happy with what we purchased, feel like we got a decent deal, like supporting local business rather than having to drive to the next town, and made a few new friends, too. Not a bad day.

Posted in Grace, Life, Ministry

A week with some guys from the sem

Posted on by William Douthwaite

This past week I’ve had the privilege of spending some time with a couple of first year students from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Originally, my son Adam had planned to spend a week at the beach with three of his classmates. A volcano and tropical storm changed our plans. Adam and his friend John got stranded in Guatemala for an extra week beyond their mission trip, so David and Tyler got the beach house to themselves. We had them over for supper a few night and went out to eat with them twice.

It was a pleasure to spend time with some fresh meat…what I mean is some young bucks…you know, new blood who will be pastors in just a few short years.  Adam is blessed to have some great friends. Our church body is blessed to have some excellent young men preparing for ministry. I was blessed to have a little time with them over the past few days, to laugh, eat, drink, and relax. When I was at the sem some twenty-five plus years ago, the hospitality of so may families was so important to a young single guy trying to prepare for the ministry. I met my wife through one of those families, found work through another, and enjoyed the prayer support of so many others.

If these two men are representative of our seminary graduates, I am very optimistic about the future of our church. They were easy going, faithful, caring, appreciative, and easy to talk to. Good with people, good with theology, good support for my son — great guys in so many ways. I hope they remember my comment that the friends they make at seminary will probably be some of the best they will ever have from now on. The friendships you form and nurture during your seminary days are unique, lasting, and priceless. Rarely will you find anything like that in the parish. These guys are a real answer to my prayers — friends to support, challenge, and encourage my son during his seminary years.

Once in a while I think about the truth that I’m not going to be doing this forever. Someday, one of these guys will be bringing communion to me because I can’t get to church very often. One day they’ll be preaching to me, making sure that I don’t forget about the grace of God, the sacrifice of my Savior, and eternal life. Having met these guys, I now look forward to those days. They’ve definitely got game!

Posted in Life, Ministry

Breath in, breath out

Posted on by William Douthwaite

In his book Between Sundays, Dr. Richard C. Halverson writes, “The real work of the church is what is done between Sundays when the church is scattered all over the metropolitan area where it is located — in homes, in schools, in offices, on construction jobs, in market places.”

What do you think of that statement? It has some interesting implications. For example, it means that volunteering at your child’s school is just as important as volunteering to teach Sunday School at your church. Knowing the names of and praying for the people who live on your block is just as important as knowing and praying with the people who worship with you. What you learn at school and getting good grades there is just as important as what you learn at church (and even though we’re all about grace, we’re trying to do our best there, too).

Dr. Andy Bartelt, a professor at Concordia Seminary, speaking at a recent church worker’s conference used the image of breathing in and breathing out to describe church work. Gathering together on Sunday is like inhaling, and scattering to go back to our homes and lives and world is like exhaling. We must do both to live. When we’re scattered, God calls us together by His word. When we’re gathered, he prepares us and send us out.

Breath in — breath out. I like that image. What do you think?

Posted in Life

Today is our twenty-sixth anniversary

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Twenty-six years ago today Lisa and I were married at Grace Lutheran Church in Columbus, IN by Pastor Tom Going. Even after all these years I vividly remember the events of that day.

It was hot — about 95 that day in southern Indiana. Since it was an evening wedding, we spent a lot of time outdoors earlier in the day, and many of us in the wedding party sported some nice sunburn for our pictures.

Eschewing the overused and overrated Bridal Chorus and Wedding March (Oh, it just irritates me to no end me when couples insist on these for their weddings, but that’s a topic for another day) we entered to the hymn “In Thee is Gladness” and left to “Crown Him with Many Crowns” with beautiful trumpet and organ accompaniment. I still can’t sing either of those hymns straight through without getting choked up. The service included many musical selections sung by my brother-in-law Jeff and a wonderful trio of sisters from the congregation. The church was full that day — I seem to remember hearing that about 300 people came, but that report may be greatly exaggerated. I don’t know if it was the crowd of the moment, but Lisa literally shook the whole time. Good thing she had someone to hold on to!

We had our reception at the Otter Creek Country Club. That event was a whirlwind of activity as we were whipped from photo op to photo op, briefly pausing  for each moment. We danced to a nice jazz combo’s rendition of “Unforgettable,” and drove off in Lisa’s parents’ rice-filled car.

I’m so thankful for the many memories of that day, for Lisa’s love and commitment to us, and for the many ways that God has blessed us over the past 26 years.

Posted in Life, Ministry

Just trying to be nice

Posted on by William Douthwaite

As I began working on this Sunday’s sermon, I thought about some of the reactions to Jesus’ ministry, especially in John 8. Jesus didn’t try to draw attention to himself. He didn’t come telling people what to do. He was just trying to be nice. He just came to help. To heal, to teach, and to connect. In response, people jumped all over him. “Who do you think you are? You can’t do that!” And all he wanted to do was help. He came looking for those who had gotten lost and instead found people who wanted him to get lost.

Why would you do that? Why do we do that? Why do we turn people away who are just trying to be nice or helpful? If I could figure that out, I’d understand better why we sometimes jump all over God and chase him away.

Posted in Life, Ministry

Compassion for the lost?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

In the same conversation I mentioned yesterday another question was posed: “How do you display compassion for the lost?” By “the lost,” we mean those who do not have saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Once again, it’s probably easier to see that in someone else than to see it in yourself. So what does that quality look like? Can you hear it in someone’s voice? Or see it in their actions? Jesus is, of course, the best example. When he shows up and sees a crowd of people, they looked lost to him, like sheep without a shepherd, so he immediately gets to work teaching, proclaiming, and healing (Matthew 9:35-36).

Here’s what I’d look for (not in any particular order):

  • Someone who listens and gets to know people.
  • Someone who truly cares about people and their situation.
  • Someone who’s confident that God’s love includes anyone and everyone.
  • Someone who’s willing to invest time and energy in a relationship.
  • Someone who understands the mercy of God in their own lives.

Are those things evident in my life? Sometimes. But honestly, sometimes not. There’s something to pray about.

Posted in Life, Ministry

A servant’s heart?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

The other day someone asked me, “How do you display a servant’s heart in your ministry?” In the course of everyday ministry, I don’t take the time to think about inquiries like this. But it’s probably a good idea, since someone was interested in what I thought. I reflected on this during my morning run, and here’s what I came up with.

I think this characteristic is most visible when I’m present in someone’s life. For example, an early morning trip to the hospital to pray with someone before their surgery. Or sitting in a courtroom with someone who has to be present for a hearing. Being available for someone who stops by to talk, even though I’ve got a hundred other things to do. Calling on every raised hand at preschool chapel, when each wants to share details about their dog or cat.

Jesus became a servant by coming to be with us. I think most servant-hood looks like that, rather than just a task. Although it involves plenty of tasks, like the thousands of times I’ve set up or put away tables and chairs for worship, classes, and other events.

I think it’s a lot easier to identify a servant heart in someone else than it is to find it in your own life. Perhaps that’s because self-examination can easily reveal selfishness rather than sacrifice.

Posted in Life

Graduation past and present

Posted on by William Douthwaite

As I get ready to attend my daughter’s graduation from the University of Florida this Friday I am desperately trying to remember my own college graduation in 1979. The only thing I can actually remember is that the speaker was science fiction author Isaac Asimov. I’m sure my dad has a few pictures somewhere, but that’s about it. And to tell you the truth I can remember a single thing about my graduation from seminary. How things have changed. After this weekend we’ll have hundreds of photos from the many who attended and share them on social media sites. I have a feeling we’ll be sitting pretty far away from the action, but like everyone else, we’ll be zooming in the best we can.

Posted in Grace, Life, Ministry

Confirmation

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today was confirmation day at our church. Those who grew up Lutheran might wonder how I arrived at the last Sunday in April. I do like Palm Sunday, one traditional day for confirmation, but it often falls during spring break so some years that doesn’t work well. I love Pentecost, too, but when Easter is late in April, that sometimes occurs after school is out in Florida, so that can be difficult, too. So I’ve done the first Sunday in May for a long time, except for this year when I feared that my daughter’s college graduation might be that Sunday. So adapting to a multitude of secular conventions, we went for it today.

And it was great. I love teaching middle schoolers, confirmation classes, and the rite of confirmation. If no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3) then days like this are very powerful. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that it’s not so much about what they know, although we cover a lot of material with the Small Catechism. It’s more about who they are. I always pray that emerge from the confirmation experience realizing that they are children of God, who have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:15). I also pray that they’ve developed a relationship with a pastor and a church, so that no matter what else changes in their lives, they can always go back and find the unchanging, unconditional love of God in Jesus Christ.

Perhaps this is a special event for me because I vividly remember my own confirmation nearly forty years ago. At the time, it seemed like I had arrived. In retrospect, I was just getting started. When I got to the seminary and we began to review Christian doctrine, I realized a lot sounded very familiar to me. My pastor, the late Rev. Donald Sallach, had done an excellent job of teaching me the basics. I only hope that to some extent, I can do the same.