Deurty

After spending a day in Chicago to celebrate my daughter's sixth birthday I again was reminded at how crappy Detroit is as a city to visit. Chicago is on the water...like Detroit. But - somehow Detroit looks like a war zone with boarded up buildings and Chicago is a family friendly fun place that for the most part is clean. Bummer for us who love Detroit sports... Going into the city is an in and out venture. How much pre-thought do we miss for the sake of immediate gain? The pain of doing the right thing... the costly thing... the thing that has a big pay off long term... may often look like the wrong thing in the moment compared to the quick fix of success. Stay on target, sd

1 Corinthians 11:26 "For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again." This is a great line from the Apostle Paul about the Lord's Supper. In that moment the present (every time you eat...), the past (the Lord's death), and the future (until he comes again) is coming together. Mystic Steve is about to talk: there are times when I am worshipping God - in song - in Communion - in prayer - in serving - in which (to use a Stephen King line) time gets thin. The great cloud of witnesses are beside me in the present... Those who have gone before us are present in the same activity of worship to God. The present seems more clear - more purposeful - more thin. And the future rushes back - the hope of new creation fills my vision. Past, present and future in one moment. Tom Wright wrote about these types of themes in his book: "The meal Jesus gave us." I have borrowed ideas from his book for my...

"Leadership" It is a magical word. A sacred word to those who want to make a difference. It is something we try to measure. But I wonder if my view of how I am as a "leader" is warped by the people around me. Could I believe I am a better "leader" than I am because people around me are immature or won't tell the truth...? Or could it be that I have self-bias? Probably. :) Could even those of us who have been called a "leader" be fooling ourselves? Can you even discuss leadership apart from who you are and the people around you? It is a relational thing. Thinking outloud. I like Erwin McManus' thought... (paraphrased) "Everyone is always talking about trying to become a leader and I am trying to figure out still how to be a follower." (of Christ.) mmmmmmm chocolate milk. sd

I enjoy the show: Rockstar INXS. First of all, I have been an INXS fan for a long time. I love the songs - especially their older stuff. Now with this new show with people trying out for lead singer of the band I have listening to old stuff again. Fun. Anyways - I am pulling for Marty and Jordis. For those of you who watch - who do you want to win? None of them, however, is Michael Hutchence. Autumn got into the school closest to our home and now we are waiting to see if she will be in class with her friends from Kindy... She is "just a little scared" about first grade. :) Family is a treasure, sd

I am in Holland at my parent's home. I am in the home of the Deurty Old Man! Family in town... Marios pizza at Tunnel Park... Kids swimming in diapers... One day I will be old and I will put on an adult sized diaper and I will call that "freedom." hmmmmm... Baptism celebration this Sunday. One gathering: 10 am. Dunking begins at 6pm at Northbeach in Ferrysburg. Baptism is the best moment in being a pastor. IT is like the Superbowl.. the payoff... the picture of the journey in motion... Why do I keep doing these dots.........? Anyways - I thought I would check in. I am still giving thought, prayer and conversation about who a pastor is and what a pastor is called to do. The idea that I become a symbol of niceness for the surrounding culture - a chaplain to it - makes me want to throw up. Place head in toilet - hear the cries for needs to be met - open mouth and empty the stomach's contents. MMMMMMMM I feel better. I am reading the final book in Stephen King...

This past Sunday I read from a journal entry of mine regarding new life in God. Here it is... "I died in '85. It has been 20 years... 20 years of walking, breathing, feeling, touching... but dead. 20 years of singing, talking, relating, writing... but dead. Steven Jay Deur died in '85. Steven Jay Deur is now alive. And I begin to understand this more and more and more each year. My life is not really mine. My hopes have been invaded. A new heart has been created. My dreams have been directed. My lifestyle has been corrected. Life began 20 years ago when I died. I pray I will understand that more each day. I hope to live like this in every way. That I am not my own. I have been bouht with a price. When I laid my life down in that gym 20 years ago and walked out new with Christ."

"I'm always saying something that's just the edge of something more." - Robert Frost I have been reading Robert Frost's poems lately. I am trying to reach my emotions. In anycase the quote above made me think of preaching... ...the limiting nature of it to communicate a limitless God... ...the shortness of it to tell a story that reaches into eternity... but those words... those divine words that are read... ...those sacred moments when words bloom in our hearts... are used to change and move us forward to more... love action hope conviction Truth So - that is the quote for the moment until it leads to more. planting hope, sd

Great Coast Guard Parade! About 75+ Watermarkers passed out over 4,000 bottles of water to a thirsty crowd while the not so tender sounds of Kramer Co. brought a smile to their faces. It was an awesome time and I found myself again loving the God who loves and knows the name of each person in the crowd. It was one of those..."this is big" moments...when you realize that we play a small part, BUT a part in seeing God's Kingdom moved forward. The team did an amazing job led by Steve Thompson. Everyone did great... from Brad organizing Kramer and creative stuff to Jay and Sue getting physical with the water. Great stuff! Good job team! I had a very peaceful and perfect vacation. Thanks for your prayers and interest and support. renovated, sd