Dog, or no Dog...That is the question.

The Hall family has not done well with pets historically.  Our first pet, a Beta fish, was accidentally left outside in the cold, bowl and all.  The second Beta fish died of starvation in a dark room.  One of our cats thought the whole house was a litter box, so she is no longer with us.  The other cat was given away because of allergy issues in the family.
So, the kids now want a dog.  Do we dare?  It is self-evident that a gift wrapped dog is THE perfect Christmas present.  The video footage of that moment alone brings one to the brink of saying "Yes" to Rover.  There is no question that the dog will be loved.  But will the dog be loved more than he will be loathed...that is the math problem parents try to solve within themselves before Rover comes over.  How do we determine the love-loathe ratio? 
Well, first we look at those people who love their dog.  They read books about their dog, research a proper diet, set-up a social network, schedule playdates and purchase custom clothing...all for the dog.  These people make dog ownership look like having another child.
 Then, we look at those who loathe their dogs.  They will say it is the dog's fault.  We don't even know the real name of their dog, because all we hear is the nicknames.  The rap sheet on these dogs is indeed extensive...chewed a couch, swallowed a sock, woke the neighbors, ran away again, glee-peed on the company, ran in front of the lawnmower, snacked on own feces...etc, etc.  Makes it less appealing.
We then draw upon our childhood memories of our own dogs.  Running, laughing walking with the dog, pictures and videos with the pooch.  Nothing but happy memories!  Yet, we are playing the part of the parents now...so we have to factor in how our parents felt about our dogs, and the scales begin to tip again. Trips to the vet, late night bathroom breaks, vacation boarding, bath time...etc. 
There is a financial component to the decision.  We were offered a free min-pin.  Slang for "mini pincher."  Looks like a squirrel that managed to swallow a doberman.  Free dogs are free for a reason, I guess.  Do we pick a big dog, an active dog, a lap dog, a tough dog, a sissy dog, an ugly dog, a shedder, a drooler, a jumper, a barker, loyal, fearful, fluffy or obedient?  Such a paralyzing decision.
So, for now, we have decided to purchase a dog that lives in the TV, thanks to Nintendo technology.  We are buying a video game called Dogs.  The kids can choose a dog, dress a dog, walk a dog, feed a dog...but it stays inside the television.  But how long will that hold them over?

Halloween? What do you think?

Check out this article to help you form your opinion on Halloween.
http://blog.marshillchurch.org/2009/10/29/the-history-of-halloween-revisted/

Stories of Changed Lives

Stories of Changed Lives from Harvest Bible Chapel Palos on Vimeo.

Church Shopping?

Many people find themselves in the awkward position of shopping...for a church!  How do you evaluate and select a place of worship?  What makes your list of "must haves"?  What makes your list of preferences? 
Perhaps some do's and don'ts will help.

Do's

• Find a church with a passion for saving the lost.  Luke 19:10 says Jesus "came to seek and to save the lost."  Therefore, decide you "must have" a church with a passion for souls---locally and globally.
• Find a church with a passion for worship.  John 4:24 says God is seeking people who worship Him "in spirit and in truth."  Some churches worship with all their minds...but their hearts are far from Him.  Other churches worship the Lord with all their hearts, but they disregard the call for orderly worship.  Seek the balance of both spirit and truth.
• Find a church where the Word of God is preached without apology.  2 Timothy 4:2 says, "Preach the Word."  Bring your Bible, and watch if others bring their Bibles.  And, of course, make sure the preacher has one. 
• Find a church that depends on God in prayer.  1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "Pray without ceasing."  The church that prays models humility.  God receives the glory as the church matures and grows in answer to the prayers of many. 

Don'ts

• Don't fool yourself into believing there is a perfect church out there.  There isn't.  And if there was, you would probably ruin it. 
• Don't think of yourself as a consumer, looking to "get" a lot out of a church.  Don't be a cow going from church to church eating up resources.  Find a church where you can work hard and give sacrificially to further God's mission---the church where you will make maximum impact.
• Don't allow a pet theological issue to narrow your options.  It is not wise to make one area of doctrine THE most important thing on your list.  Of course you want to find good, solid, conservative doctrine in a church, but many believers wander as orphans, unwilling to plug into a church unless it shares in their militant obsession over one issue.  This is unfortunate.
• Don't give up!  It shouldn't take longer than 4 months to survey your options and get the facts.  Once you know what is out there, get in the game!  Fully involve yourself in the community of believers. 

God has a place where you can worship Him with joy and reverence.  He will lead you to a place where you can grow and mature as a believer.  He has work for you to do, and He will lead you to the place where you are needed most.  Continue the search this Sunday!

Here are 2 links to a 4 part series on "How to Choose a Church." 
http://www.harvestpalos.com/BlogArchive.aspx?blog_id=178277&year=2009&month=9
http://www.harvestpalos.com/BlogArchive.aspx?blog_id=178277&year=2009&month=10

Faith During Financial Famine

So many families are growing weary because our nation is experiencing a financial famine.  It is one thing to be out of work for a few months.  It is quite another when times are tough for a few years.  Can faith actually grow during extremely hard times?  Or do we just pray for brighter days?

I spoke with a man from our church this week who hasn't been regularly employed in 2 years.  He finds work here and there, working hard to pay the bills and provide for his wife and 2 children.  Last week, he found work at the McCormick Place, setting up tradeshows.  He finds out maybe a day in advance if he has work.  He gets paid by the hour, and when the work runs out, he is sent home. 

I was astounded to hear him say, "You know what Pastor Ryan, 2 years is a long time, but I know the story of Job.  I said to God, 'You could take it all and I would still follow you.  I could sell everything and live in a cardboard box and that wouldn't change anything.'" 

Here I thought I was going to encourage this man, and he ended up greatly encouraging me!  What resolve.  What devotion.  What trust.  What perseverence.  I believe God stores up special blessings for those who follow Him closely during times of famine.  Not to mention His Word becomes so much more precious.  This man mentioned my sermon last week when I told the story of Matthias being chosen by the casting of lots.  In that sermon, I challenged people to release control to the Lord.  This man said, "You won't believe this.  There were 10 men working and they needed to send 5 home.  The boss actually had us draw straws to see who stayed and made more overtime!  I looked at those straws and said, 'I can't control that.'  But I got picked to stay to the end of the day."  What an amazing story of how God's Word sustains us on a weekly basis. 

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  James 1:2-4

Don't Pastors Work One Day a Week?

"What do you do all week?"  Great question that many people wonder about the Pastor.  Is it just a Sunday thing?  The truth is, the Sunday morning service is a culmination of a full week of work.  The typical work week is 50 hours including Sunday morning.  I am usually out 2-3 nights a week.

Pastors do 3 basic things:
Love the flock-Shepherd
Feed the flock-Preacher
Lead the flock-Elder

While every week is different, it typically takes 15-20 hours to prepare a full sermon.  The demands of leadership and shepherding vary widely based on the time of the year and the needs of people. 
One of the best parts of ministry is being able to interact with so many different people.  Leader meetings, premarital counseling, hospital visits, and marriage counseling are just a few of the meetings that fill my week. 

Here is a look at one week on my calendar:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/e6F522hWrDDaqanxy4SP_g?feat=directlink

New to Blogging

Blogging begins.  I've never really had an interest in blogging until now.  There is so much that happens behind the scenes in any given week---both with the church and the family.  I trust you will be blessed by the posts!  I think it is only appropriate to share with you a Hall family moment that happened earlier today. Enjoy a look out my back door.