It's a couple of hours before I have to get up and go to the first day of school. I would like to say that it is the excitement of the unknown and getting to see my friends that has me up at 2 in the morning, but then again, it might be the Sprayberry's barbeque I had for dinner. Anyway, as I was laying there trying to figure out whether or not I should get up, a thought crossed my mind. When I started this thought of finally going into the ministry some nine years ago, did I have any idea that I would be where I am today? For me, the answer is easy, "NO WAY!" As I thought about that answer, it hit me that this nine year journey has been filled with a lot of hard work, but best of all, a ton of people who have loved and supported me in my call to the ministry. How could I ever tell them thank you? I got a great idea, write a blog! Maybe not such a great idea, because I may leave someone out, but I have some time to kill so here I go...
Where to start? How about Monty and Fert? Seriously, that's really their names. Anyway, I was serving on a Walk to Emmaus weekend and a fellow preacher, David and I were talking about content we were about being "local licensed preachers." (it's a Methodist thing!) Then these two guys over that Emmaus weekend in their own little God-blessed ways put this silly little idea into our heads about us going back to college and then seminary. I laughed at them and came up with some really great excuses like my age, full time employment, and oh yeah, money to pay for school, seminary, and all of those other little things that cost money. By the end of the weekend, the thought of gme oing back to school wouldn't leave my mind, so I decided to check into it.
Eventually, I found out that I could go to school "full time" going a couple a nights a week and still serve my little church. So I started back to college after 28 years going to Shorter College (Lawrenceville campus). It was hard and easy at the same time, and after two and a half years, I had an associate degree. While I was at Shorter, I served on another Walk to Emmaus weekend and came across a couple of preachers. I was talking to them that I needed to finish out my undergraduate degree before heading to seminary and was trying to figure out where I should go. Without the other knowing, both pastors suggested LaGrange College to me about an hour apart (sounds like a God thing to me). Both Dave and Scott told me about how great the school was and how beautiful the campus was. And oh yeah, it's a Methodist school with a lot of old Methodist scholarship money, so I decided to check it out. Later that year at annual conference on missions night, the emphasis was on Methodist schools in the North Georgia conference. Guess who was one of the key speakers, the dean of LaGrange College, Dr. Stuart Gulley. After the service was over, my wife and I went onto the stage to introduce ourselves to Dr. Gulley and express our interest in me attending LGC. When we finally got to him, we introduced ourselves and told him of my plans. Dr. Gulley literally stopped what he was doing and for about 10 minutes answered every question we had about LGC. He encouraged us to come down to LaGrange, visit the campus and to call him if we had any other questions. He also called over Quincy Brown, the school's chaplain (much more than a chaplain and a great blessing to the school and to me) and introduced us to him.
Well, in fall of 2005, I started LaGrange College. What was I doing at this small campus of about a 1,000 students as a 48 year old transfer student? I'm pretty sure that's what some of those students were thinking. In fact, on my first day there, I was the first one in my Humanities class sitting in a desk when one of the students walked in and wanted to know if I was the professor. No, I was a student just like them. And for the next 2 years, I was a student mainly because of the way I was treated by a majority of the students at the school. The students I will remember most are the students from the religion department. They blessed me more than they will ever know. I have no doubts that God placed those special "kids" at LaGrange just for me during those 2 years. I couldn't have done it with out (in alphabetical order and with many thanks) Amber, Andy, Bill, David, Julia, Matt, Ryan, Sandra, Suzanne, and so many more that my old age won't let me remember. Also, I shouldn't leave out my three favorite professors; Dr. Ahearn for challenging me and preparing me for seminary. Dr. Cook, for making Greek fun and for all of those wonderful off the subject conversations in classes that made those horrible academic subjects you taught bearable enough to live through. And Alvin, though I only had you for one class, you were the one who "talked" me into going to Candler. Even though you were a "Dukie" through and through, over the course of several conversations you enlightened me enough through my doubts to point me at Candler.
I would be remiss if I did not to tell you about one more wonderful piece of God's grace that had gotten me through this educational quest so far, my beautiful wife, Brenda. Nine years ago, she sat on our bed and told me that she knew that I was called to the ministry (She also said she had known that I had been called for some time and that she was waiting on me to find out and admit it). She has never once objected to me going back to school especially when money was and still is tight. From nights alone while I wrote and typed papers to me toting my books and computer on OUR vacations, she has loved and supported me unconditionally. When I doubted or whined, she was there to remind me of the journey and how far and how much God has blessed me to get me to where I am today. And for that, I am eternally grateful for all that she has done and sacrificed for me these past 9 years.
And as I begin my second year at Candler, I am beginning another list of people who have blessed me so far and will bless me over the next over the 20 months and 8 days (til graduation!) with God's love and grace to get me through to the degree I seek. What lays before me, only God and my professors know, but whatever that may be, let's do it, because May 10, 2010, can't come quick enough!!!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Plans?
"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope."- Jeremiah 29:11
As I write this, I am about less than 96 hours away from going back to school. For those of you who don't know and may care, I am in my second year of seminary at Candler School of Theology at Emory University. So far, I can say God has truly blessed me in getting me to Candler and during my first year there. I can say that because there was a period of time (about 4 years) where I was "A-B-C", which means "Anywhere But Candler." I have always thought of myself as a fairly conservative sort and really had no interest in attending Candler. But as I was finishing my undergraduate degree at the really ripe of age of 50 years old, God had a very special way of getting my attention.
I made a commitment to myself and my checkbook that if it was God's plans for me to attend seminary, then God was going to have to show me where I should go to school by furnishing me a "free" way to school. I checked into two schools, Candler and Asbury. To make a long story short, Candler furnished me a full tuition scholarship and Asbury didn't. As I thought about going to Candler and wondered what their "liberal" way of doing things was going to warp me, I was reminded of something a pastor friend told me, "If I can make it through Candler and still keep my core beliefs intact, them maybe I was supposed to go to Candler after all." (thanks David!)
Well, after my first year at Candler, I am amazed and blessed to say I am still clinging to my "core beliefs." NOW, let me say this about my core beliefs; they have gone under a slight "transformation." During my time at Candler, God has placed certain people (both students and faculty) who have revealed to me that God's grace is NOT through with me yet. My ideas about theology, the Bible, and other religious points of view are not exactly aligned with God's and more importantly, NOT quite ready to allow me to become the pastor and preacher that God has planned out for me to be.
God's plan for my welfare go much further than my checkbook. God has shown me that my spiritual and emotional welfare is still in need of some more "transformation." So as I begin my second year of school, I look forward to being transformed some more by my fellow students, professors, faculty members, and oh yeah, God!
Praise God for whom all blessings flow!
As I write this, I am about less than 96 hours away from going back to school. For those of you who don't know and may care, I am in my second year of seminary at Candler School of Theology at Emory University. So far, I can say God has truly blessed me in getting me to Candler and during my first year there. I can say that because there was a period of time (about 4 years) where I was "A-B-C", which means "Anywhere But Candler." I have always thought of myself as a fairly conservative sort and really had no interest in attending Candler. But as I was finishing my undergraduate degree at the really ripe of age of 50 years old, God had a very special way of getting my attention.
I made a commitment to myself and my checkbook that if it was God's plans for me to attend seminary, then God was going to have to show me where I should go to school by furnishing me a "free" way to school. I checked into two schools, Candler and Asbury. To make a long story short, Candler furnished me a full tuition scholarship and Asbury didn't. As I thought about going to Candler and wondered what their "liberal" way of doing things was going to warp me, I was reminded of something a pastor friend told me, "If I can make it through Candler and still keep my core beliefs intact, them maybe I was supposed to go to Candler after all." (thanks David!)
Well, after my first year at Candler, I am amazed and blessed to say I am still clinging to my "core beliefs." NOW, let me say this about my core beliefs; they have gone under a slight "transformation." During my time at Candler, God has placed certain people (both students and faculty) who have revealed to me that God's grace is NOT through with me yet. My ideas about theology, the Bible, and other religious points of view are not exactly aligned with God's and more importantly, NOT quite ready to allow me to become the pastor and preacher that God has planned out for me to be.
God's plan for my welfare go much further than my checkbook. God has shown me that my spiritual and emotional welfare is still in need of some more "transformation." So as I begin my second year of school, I look forward to being transformed some more by my fellow students, professors, faculty members, and oh yeah, God!
Praise God for whom all blessings flow!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Thank you James Brooking
I had to do a funeral yesterday for a member of my first congregation. James and his wife Kathleen were very special to me during my 4 years at North Covington. Their daughter called me last week to tell me that they had to admit James to hospice last week and wanted to know if I would preside over James' funeral. Of course, I accepted the honor and thanked them for thinking of me. Not long after hanging up the phone and I began to think about James, the word "treasure" popped into my head.
James had a very unique way of looking at life. No matter what people saw whether it was in an object or a human being, James saw something of value—something that could be treasured. A good example of that occured the very first time I went to visit James,. He invited to tour the shed to left of the house. What some may consider to be junk, James considered them to be treasure; maybe not at that very moment, but something that could could be fixed or repaired into a futire "treasure." The family and some of James' friends shared numerous stories about the STUFF James brought home from other people's garbage or thrown away on the side of the street. He could go to work or go to run some errands with an empty pickup truck and come back later with the back of the truck filled with just about anything that could be fixed. Most of whatever James could fix, he would eventually give away to those in need.
In the neighborhood, along Sammar and Odom Streets, James was a treasured neighbor, helping out wherever he could. If anything needed to be fixed or repaired, James was the man to call to help out. There were also times that I was the beneficiary of some of the treasure that came from James’ and Kathleen’s garden. They would usually have to remind me to leave my car unlock so I could receive some of the vegetable of the week. I also benefited anytime Kathleen used some of those fresh vegetables at our church's covered dish dinners.
Another one of James' treasures was his old Model A car. James loved to talk about his treasured Model A and the trips James and Kathleen took showing the car off around the South. It was his Model A that James made some of the numerous friends that he enjoyed over his 90 plus years of life. James was not only a treasured friend to so many, but in his later years treasured his friendships. Anytime when I would visit, James loved to tell the stories of times and friendships from the years bypassed.
Now, what did I treasure most about the years I have known James Brooking: LIFE LESSONS. James had a special way of looking at the world—mainly through what he saw out his front window. I can remember sitting in James and Kathleen’s house listening to the stories of James and Kathleen’s life. When I was in licensing school, I was alsways told to limit my pastoral visits to be no more that 30-45 minutes. With James, there was no such thing as a 30-45 minute visit; James would start talking and then I would look at my watch and it was 2-3 hours later. Time flew by while James shared different parts of his and his family's life. Each and every story I heard from James was a TREASURE—no matter how many times he told the story. During my last couple of visits, Kathleen would try to correct James by telling him I had already heard that story or maybe James got the story a little mixed up. For me, it didn’t matter because James was willing to share the treasure of his life and families’ life with a brand new preacher who was still trying to figure out what visiting people in their homes was all about.
The last verse of the Scripture that I read yesterday says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If that is the case, then James Brooking lived his 90 plus years because of the size of his heart and the size of the treasure that God had blessed him with. I believe James looked at life much like Christ did; where people saw junk and no value, James saw treasure and where people saw worthless and no good people, James saw people who could be treasured. I can never ever remember James saying anything bad about any one person. You could see it in the way James treated his family, his friends, and in his neighborhood.
I am thankful to God for the many treasures that he has blessed me with over the years of my life. I am especially thankful for the treasure of James Brooking in my life. I pray that after you finish reading this, you will look over your life and see the many treasures God has blessed you with. And after you finish inventoring all those treasures, thank God for them and then make the time to tell each of those treasures how much they mean to you.
Blessings and Grace,
Dan
James had a very unique way of looking at life. No matter what people saw whether it was in an object or a human being, James saw something of value—something that could be treasured. A good example of that occured the very first time I went to visit James,. He invited to tour the shed to left of the house. What some may consider to be junk, James considered them to be treasure; maybe not at that very moment, but something that could could be fixed or repaired into a futire "treasure." The family and some of James' friends shared numerous stories about the STUFF James brought home from other people's garbage or thrown away on the side of the street. He could go to work or go to run some errands with an empty pickup truck and come back later with the back of the truck filled with just about anything that could be fixed. Most of whatever James could fix, he would eventually give away to those in need.
In the neighborhood, along Sammar and Odom Streets, James was a treasured neighbor, helping out wherever he could. If anything needed to be fixed or repaired, James was the man to call to help out. There were also times that I was the beneficiary of some of the treasure that came from James’ and Kathleen’s garden. They would usually have to remind me to leave my car unlock so I could receive some of the vegetable of the week. I also benefited anytime Kathleen used some of those fresh vegetables at our church's covered dish dinners.
Another one of James' treasures was his old Model A car. James loved to talk about his treasured Model A and the trips James and Kathleen took showing the car off around the South. It was his Model A that James made some of the numerous friends that he enjoyed over his 90 plus years of life. James was not only a treasured friend to so many, but in his later years treasured his friendships. Anytime when I would visit, James loved to tell the stories of times and friendships from the years bypassed.
Now, what did I treasure most about the years I have known James Brooking: LIFE LESSONS. James had a special way of looking at the world—mainly through what he saw out his front window. I can remember sitting in James and Kathleen’s house listening to the stories of James and Kathleen’s life. When I was in licensing school, I was alsways told to limit my pastoral visits to be no more that 30-45 minutes. With James, there was no such thing as a 30-45 minute visit; James would start talking and then I would look at my watch and it was 2-3 hours later. Time flew by while James shared different parts of his and his family's life. Each and every story I heard from James was a TREASURE—no matter how many times he told the story. During my last couple of visits, Kathleen would try to correct James by telling him I had already heard that story or maybe James got the story a little mixed up. For me, it didn’t matter because James was willing to share the treasure of his life and families’ life with a brand new preacher who was still trying to figure out what visiting people in their homes was all about.
The last verse of the Scripture that I read yesterday says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If that is the case, then James Brooking lived his 90 plus years because of the size of his heart and the size of the treasure that God had blessed him with. I believe James looked at life much like Christ did; where people saw junk and no value, James saw treasure and where people saw worthless and no good people, James saw people who could be treasured. I can never ever remember James saying anything bad about any one person. You could see it in the way James treated his family, his friends, and in his neighborhood.
I am thankful to God for the many treasures that he has blessed me with over the years of my life. I am especially thankful for the treasure of James Brooking in my life. I pray that after you finish reading this, you will look over your life and see the many treasures God has blessed you with. And after you finish inventoring all those treasures, thank God for them and then make the time to tell each of those treasures how much they mean to you.
Blessings and Grace,
Dan
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Why Preacher Dan?
It was June 24, 2001, and I was getting ready to serve my first Sunday as pastor of North Covington UMC in Covington, GA. I was scared to death and extremely nervous. I had warned the District Superintendent not to send me to this church because I had in-laws there and was replacing a pastor who just so happened to be my wife's cousin. Sounds like the making of a great soap opera, doesn't it? Anyway, somebody asked me by what name did I want the kids and youth to call me by. I told them anything but "Preacher Dan." I felt like I was being called to be a pastor of a church, but wasn't too sure about the preaching part of the call. Besides, "Preacher Dan" just didn't sound right; almost uppity to me.
Well, guess what happened? At the end of the church, the children of the church came up to me and presented me some pictures they drew. Every last one of them was addressed to Preacher Dan! What was I going to do? Well, I did thank the kids for the pictures and promised that I would hang them up in my office. Later, on the way home, that small little voice in the back of my head brought something to my attention. Maybe, just maybe, God was trying to get my attention by telling me that it was God who was the one calling me into ministry and that part of that call was to "preach." And to help me remember this, the kids were going to call me Preacher Dan.
Some seven years later, I am still Preacher Dan to the kids and youth (and a whole bunch of adults too) of my church, but now at a slightly larger church in the southern suburbs of Atlanta. I love what I am doing being a pastor and a full time seminary student (Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Atlanta, GA). I am blessed by the journey that God has brought me through over these years and I stand here to profess to one and all that if it wasn't for the grace and mercy of God and my beautiful bride of 12 years, Brenda, I have no idea of where I would be today!
I have no idea of how many of these blogs I am going to be writing because once school starts, my time will be limited so don't be surprise if there is a dry spell between September and mid-May!
Blessings and grace to one and all...
Preacher Dan
Well, guess what happened? At the end of the church, the children of the church came up to me and presented me some pictures they drew. Every last one of them was addressed to Preacher Dan! What was I going to do? Well, I did thank the kids for the pictures and promised that I would hang them up in my office. Later, on the way home, that small little voice in the back of my head brought something to my attention. Maybe, just maybe, God was trying to get my attention by telling me that it was God who was the one calling me into ministry and that part of that call was to "preach." And to help me remember this, the kids were going to call me Preacher Dan.
Some seven years later, I am still Preacher Dan to the kids and youth (and a whole bunch of adults too) of my church, but now at a slightly larger church in the southern suburbs of Atlanta. I love what I am doing being a pastor and a full time seminary student (Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Atlanta, GA). I am blessed by the journey that God has brought me through over these years and I stand here to profess to one and all that if it wasn't for the grace and mercy of God and my beautiful bride of 12 years, Brenda, I have no idea of where I would be today!
I have no idea of how many of these blogs I am going to be writing because once school starts, my time will be limited so don't be surprise if there is a dry spell between September and mid-May!
Blessings and grace to one and all...
Preacher Dan
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