"Say 'hello' to Jesus, first, Mom."

I wrote this for an event we are having at our church tomorrow called, "Pray That". It is an all day, open sanctuary event, for people who have been affected by cancer, whether personally or through the diagnosis of a loved one or friend. There will be scripture read, prayers for those needing it, and also there will be stories shared in memory of those that have died because of it.

The following is what I wrote for my mom who died three years ago to stage four small cell lung cancer. Though I am in Mandeville, LA, my son Nicholas will be reading it in the sanctuary in my absence tomorrow.

Wanted to share it with all of you.

Blessings,
Mark

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I have been singing most of my life. Funny thing is, my mom always told me growing up that I sang my first words, I didn't speak them. As i think back, I realize that music has always been in me and it was always my mom that encouraged me to share that gift. I sang for small city festivals. I traveled to the nursing homes and sang for the residents. I sang at our home when my parents had friends over and I always had to sing Christmas songs EVERY Christmas Eve until my mom thought our house had officially caught the "spirit of Christmas". Music; it has always been a part of my life.

It was April of 2008 when our family learned that my mom had stage four small cell lung cancer. From the day that she checked into the hospital and found out it was cancer, to the time she died, it was about two weeks. It happened so quickly.

I remember our talks in the hospital. I remember one specific moment when mom looked at me and said,

"You know I love you, right?"
"Of course I do, mom."
"And you know that I know without a doubt where I will be going when I die."
"Yes, mom, heaven."
"And you know who I am going to see when I get there don't you?"
"Jesus."
"No, Mark. Elvis! I am going to get to see Elvis!"

(I encouraged her to speak to Jesus first. Then Elvis.)

But the one moment I will carry with me will be the moment I brought my guitar and shared with her a song I had written several months prior to her diagnosis called, "Hallelujah, Anyway". In typical mom fashion, she called every nurse and doctor she could find and gathered a small audience for me as I played the song I had written.

"When it all falls apart. Unraveling at the seems. And the words won't even start, and you find it hard to breathe.
And you need a hand to lean on, but there's nothing there to see. You can rest upon this promise, and you can say this prayer with me:
Hallelujah, Anyway. I'll give you all the glory. Hallelujah, Anyway. Let me life proclaim this story. I may not like this place, I find myself today.
But this my humble cry: Hallelujah, Anyway."

It was hard to get through that song. As I sang, my mom closed her eyes and mouthed the words; "I may not like this place, I find myself today, but this my humble cry, hallelujah anyway". I prayed for healing that day in the hospital. And though mom passed away, i realize healing did come.

It has been three years since mom died. Hard to believe that time passes by so quickly. But I am certain of this: she is front row-center at every worship event I lead, every song I write she is singing along and every sermon I preach she is listening in. And, praise God, I know where she is and who she is with. (I just hope she said hello to Jesus first before finding Elvis;-)

Mom, thank you for starting the music in my life.
Mark

Lessons Learned from Stained Glass

Our church in downtown Shreveport is known for a lot of things. It literally is at the head of Texas street. Meaning, as you drive through downtown, the main traffic road takes you directly to the sanctuary of FUMC and dead ends. Our church is on a hill. Literally at one of the highest peaks in the city. Our steeple. Well, currently, our lack there of. Rumor has it that Hank Williams Sr. was coming into Shreveport, LA, on the back of a flat bed trailer and after seeing our steeple at the head of Texas, he was so inspired that he penned the words to "I Saw the Light" (still seeking out the truth in that but it sounds good to me). Then there are our stained glass windows. Always been fascinated by stained glass windows. I literally can sit and stare at them for hours. They tell stories. They have color that is rich, deep and beautiful.

It wasn't until recently, however, that I ran into the wisdom of one of our staff members at the church that gave me a challenge. He told me to step up to one of our windows at FUMC and put my nose up against it. Now, I am a gullible person so it was easy for me to envision my sticking my nose to the glass only to have the staff member slap me on the back of the head leaving me a bloody nose and running off laughing (yes, we have those kind of people on staff). But, I went for it. Actually stuck my nose on the glass. Then I was asked the question, "What do you see."

It was an awkward moment for me trying to focus on what was in front of me. Really, I could make out color, lines, but honestly, I had no idea what I was looking it. What I was looking at was beautiful but, really, it was a picture I couldn't make out. Then, I was asked to step back and explain what I saw. It was at that moment that I took 5 steps back and it all came into focus.

I haven't forgotten that moment and here's why.

Today has been "one of those days". I feel like the more I have tried to walk towards God, the more I have been pushed, shoved and thrown off the path multiple times. The things I thought were in place, I have found they are not. The things I thought I had control of, I did not.

Then, in the midst of this day, a beautiful reminder of stained glass.

Maybe you are there. Take refuge in this: what you face, what you see may not make sense to you now. It may be various colors, shades and lines that are completely undecipherable that looks like chaos. But the truth is, God is still making a beautiful work in your life even if you don't see it. Take some steps back and may you be reminded that you may not get it today, but God is still very present and at work, even when we don't see it. So my challenge to you is to take some steps back and remember that you were put here to shine, bringing out the God colors in the world.

You are prayed for!

His Peace,
Mark

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:15-17 MSG)

Too Busy?

Mark 6:31 NCV
Crowds of people were coming and going so that Jesus and his followers did not even have time to eat. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves, and we will go to a lonely place to get some rest.”

Confession; I work for the church and all too often I have very little time to breathe. Reading this verse this morning reminded me of a simple yet profound statement:

If we are too busy for God, then we are much busier than He ever intended for us to be.

So today, I plan to breathe. Not shallow, non sustaining breaths, but really deep ones. I plan to "see" people. Actually look and listen when engaged in conversation and take rest in the fact that I am a child of God and He loves me unconditionally. Just as I am.

Care to join me?

You Are Loved...

Love this. Read on...

A child kicks its legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again."; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough... It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again," to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again," to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike: it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.

That was a quote from G.K. Chesterton.

Be inspired. You are loved by the Creator of the Universe.