I love to travel. Up to this point in my life, the opportunities for travel to other countries has come only once in a great while, but I’m thankful for every opportunity that I’ve had.
I’m always surprised at one of my favorite moments. Maybe I shouldn’t be…
It’s coming home.
No matter how wonderful a time I’ve had, or how amazing the experiences have been, it’s really nice to set foot back in the good ol’ U.S. of A. Red, white and blue. Baseball. Cheeseburgers. Sweet Tea. Life is good.
But, really, the best part of coming home happens…of all places…during the immigration/re-entry phase of the trip back at the American airport.
I remember the first time that I came back to the
The customs official took my passport, scanned it, looked me in the eye and said, “Welcome home, Mr. Roberts.”
Good stuff.
There is a lot to love about
And, believe it or not, people around the world really do want to love Americans. I’ve often heard other Americans who have traveled to other countries make that statement, and I’ve experienced it myself.
Citizens of
I’ll never forget how Holly and I accidentally charmed two wonderful old ladies in a pottery shop in
We were immediately their new best friends.
“Yes ma’am, we’re from At-lantuh. Yes ma’am, it gets reeeeel hot down there.”
Around the world, people of other countries carry some wonderful stereotypes of us Americans. I like to think the good things are grounded in some truth…that we’re adventurous, optimistic, tough, and entrepreneurial. …Think, “cowboy.”
We’re admired for having “can do” attitudes. We see what is possible, and we believe that anybody can be somebody.
I’ll never forget what an American WWII veteran once told me. He said, “In the War, if the Germans hit a problem, they’d just have to sit and wait until a commanding officer told them what should be done. They were trained not to act on their own. If Americans hit a snag, what do you think happened, son? We by-God started fixing it. That’s why we won the war.”
That story always makes my blood run red, white and blue.
There is so much to be thankful for as this Fourth of July approaches.
Plenty…resources…opportunity…education…freedom.
But please…don’t confuse my words with a Presidential-style “We’re Number 1” pep rally. Folks, we don’t need to let our politicians cause us to confuse love of country with love of God…and they all will try.
We can be proudly Americans…thankful for the blessings that we’ve received…but first we are citizens of another great Kingdom. We are, first and always, followers of Christ.
And how God could use the faithful of this nation in the world. More Americans, growing closer to Jesus and following in his steps, will make for a better
We should never forget the way Jesus ended one of his great parables in Luke, “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.” Luke 12:48
That “demand,” and “requirement,” is the wonderful honor of blessing.
When we embrace that call, we do something wonderfully Christian…and maybe even American. We really live out the meaning of “freedom.”
“13For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14
Baseball…Cheeseburgers…Sweet Tea…
As churches around the country celebrate the Fourth with their congregations this Sunday, may we first and always celebrate Jesus…his disciples will be the Americans we all want to love.
See you this Sunday…
Adam
LIFE AT SOTH:
CAR SHOW SUCCESS: Many thanks to all the SOTH Friends and Family who volunteered to make this past Saturday’s car show such an incredible success. Over 40 vehicles were shown, and nearly $2000 profit was raised for Lifeover Ministries. All that money will assist local families and children in need with the many programs that lifeover is undertaking. Special thanks to John Garrett for his leadership, and to Publix for sharing their parking lot!
MUST MINISTRIES PARTNERSHIP, LUNCH PROGRAM SUCCESS: SOTH’s partnership with MUST ministries in delivering weekday lunches to the needy kids of our immediate community has taken off in a big way. We’ve just completed our first month, and already nearly 1,000 lunches have been prepared and delivered. You ready right, 1000! Huge thanks to all the volunteers who have given money, supplies, and their time and energy. We are learning all the names and stories of our neighbors that we’re serving, and some of them have started participating in the life of our church! This July 4, SOTH will host a cookout at the church for our new friends. Everyone is invited to come help cook, serve and eat together on Wednesday, July 4, from 10 AM until we’re done.
K-2 VBS THIS WEEK: Nearly 20 kids are involved in SOTH’s K-2 VBS this week! They’re learning Bible stories and having a great time. Special thanks to our Children’s Director, Kathryn Beasley, for putting together such a great event.
THANK YOU SOTH! Earlier this week we e-mailed a need to our SOTH family. A long-time family in our church had a specific financial need and we set a goal of raising $2000. So many of you responded that we have met and exceeded that goal, having received a special offering of over $2300. Many thanks from the family that has been helped, and to all of you for your trust and generosity in responding to this need.
STAFF POSITIONS OPEN: SOTH is now accepting resumes for its Preschool Director and Youth Director positions. Interviews will happen during July for each of these exciting opportunities.
SOTH Preschool Director Leslie Mousa has done an incredible job, bringing financial stability and expected full fall enrollment to the SOTH preschool. We celebrate the opportunity that she and her husband Jeff are taking for church-planting in the
Thanks to Cindi Bartlett for 6 ½ years of awesome, volunteer youth ministry coordination! Cindi is “retiring” from this place of service in her Life at SOTH, but we know that she’ll jump right in somewhere else. SOTH will be hiring a paid Youth Director this summer and we hope to have someone on board by back-to-school time. Thanks to Amber Bartlett, Ryan Rigby, Troy Edwards and Andrea Vantrees for the volunteer leadership that they are providing in the interim time.
Resumes can be mailed to the SOTH office at
WELCOME JUNE NEW MEMBERS: Welcome to the Jacqueline Powell family, to
SUMMER IS JUMPING! Much, much, more is happening in the life of our church. Want the details? Visit www.sothumc.net where our newsletter will be posted by tomorrow.
NO BLOG NEXT WEEK: The bloggin’ pastor will be taking a week off from the blog to celebrate the 4th next week. Thanks for your faithful reading!
3 comments:
Hey Adam. I am eating lunch as I read this, and have an additional food item to add: Ripley tomatos! I had the in-laws in town this weekend and they brought us a bunch of the good stuff. I know that tomatos are grown in most other countries, and all over the US, but until you've had a Ripley tomato you don't know what you're missing. Goes perfect with that cheeseburger & sweet tea you brought up.....Chris Torrence (Holly's brother, for those of you I haven't met yet).
Hey Bro, I hear you. Ripley, 'maters. We've got 6 d'ville 'mater plants doing great in our backyard farm. Lots and lots of big ol' green ones, just waiting for a couple more weeks in the sun. God's gift to both taste buds and prostate protection.
That's right, I said prostate protection. Good to see sometimes if anybody actually reads the comments :)
Adam
I enjoyed your thought provoking message today. It is great to hear someone that doesn’t just accept the party line about “Christian America.” Too many of us have readily accepted the “Jesus and George” union and have hastily decided the God is on our side myth. I caused quite an uproar in a former church several years ago when the AJC published my letter asserting that President Bush’s views do not represent everyone in the evangelical community and that we can, indeed, be fully supportive of the military while equally opposed to the governmental policy that has placed us at war.
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