This is a hodge podge to get you through the week, since I'll be slightly out of town (OK, I'll be all the way out of town) Monday through Wednesday.

• Tonight I caught the end of Cast Away on TBS.  I think there's an argument to be made that this is Tom Hanks' best film.  People can throw out Forrest Gump or Apollo 13, but for sheer acting ability this is his best.  He literally carries the whole movie.  I bring this all up, because two fo the greatest scenes from any movie are in Cast Away.  First is the scene where the whale is blowing water on him to wake him as the boat approaces.  How long has the whale been there (all along?)?  Why did it decide to help?  This always makes me think of God's promises to always be with us.  The other great scene is near the end, when Chuck Noland (Hanks character) is talking to his best friend and says, "I have to keep breathing, because you never know what the tide may bring."  A great hopeful moment at a point where you would expect great despair.  The third greatest scene in a movie is from Shawshank Redemption.  But that's a post for another day.
• This coming Sunday at Parkway Heights, we'll take on Forgiveness.  This is the issue for followers of Christ.  Can we live out the forgiveness we encounter with Christ?  How do we live it out?  What does it really mean to forgive?  One great definition of forgiveness that I've been playing around with for years is this:  forgiving is not forgetting; it is remembering with mercy.  I like that.  Bring a friend this week.  This is a discussion that everyone needs.
• The next three weeks are incredibly busy for me, so my posting will be sporadic.  Just to let you in on the calendar:
• Monday - Wednesday - Vacationing with the family
• June 3-9  - Mission Trip to Honduras
• June 10 - 13 - Annual Conference (though you'll probably see me some of the week in Hattiesburg . . .)

That's all for tonight.  Go get some sleep.

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We continue our Relationship Series (The Art of Being and Being with Others) with an honest look at communication.  Communication is the Achilles Heel of every relationship.  It always seems that we have trouble speaking and communicating with the people we're closest to. 

 Over the years, through the premarital counseling I do, I've come up with a list of skills necessary to "fight fair."  Here's what I've got.  What would you add?

Posted by Eddie Rester at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

On Tuesday, my daughter experienced her very first "Field Day" as her Kindergarten experience comes to an end. She announced to me in no uncertain terms that Field Day was "the best day ever."

Of course, this replaces the day of her dance recital a week earlier that was the "Best Day Ever." That replaced the day prior, her birthday party (a princess high tea party). Before that was the day she had two (not one, but two) friends over. Her life at this point has become a series of "Best Days Ever." It got me thinking, "when was the last time I had a best day ever?" I can name them (wedding, births, ordinations, little league team winning championship, etc.). But why do kids have a penchant for having them with significantly more regularity? Probably because they see life for what it is: something to be enjoyed. How often do we really live for the moment? How regularly do you just enjoy sitting with friends? When was the last time you carved out a big chunk of time to do nothing? Instead, we fill life with our own expectations of yard work, work stuff, copious lists of wants/needs that could be pruned greatly. We worry about family, friends, and other relationships we have absolutely no control over. And we fill our lives with obligatory items rather than the things we are passionate about. So I dare you to a little best day ever contest. When was your best? How long ago? Who was involved. Let's see who has the best story.

Posted by Eddie Rester at 1:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

OK. One thing I can promise is that we WILL NOT be singing any circa 1984 Michael W. Smith songs this Sunday, but we will be talking about friendship.

This Sunday we continue with our series on relationships: The Art of Being and Being with Others with an honest look at what makes friendship true friendship.  We have lots of people we're friendly with; plenty of acquaintances.  But not many true friends.  The most recent research on this reveals that US Citizens say they have, on average, only two friends.  In fact 25% of all Americans say they have NO friends.  These numbers have been getting worse since 1984.

What has happened in the last 22 years?  Here are a few thoughts

• Video Games - no more interacting with people, just a screen
• The Internet - lots of connecting, but no real connecting . . .
• We keep moving and moving and moving . . .
• Less trust of people around us
  
• Lots more fear of identity theft, terrorists, bad people, etc.

What do you think?  Why do the numbers keep getting worse?  Why are we more isolated and less likely to make true friends.

To guide us through the conversation this Sunday, we'll be looking at the friendship of Jonathan and David in 1 Samuel 20.12-17.  The whole story of their friendship and the crazy stuff surrounding it is in 1 Samuel 18-20. 

Enjoy.  I'll be posting more next week.  See you on Sunday. 

Posted by Eddie Rester at 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Friends. Spouses. Co-workers. Bosses. Brothers. Sisters. Parents. You can't live with 'em; and you can't live without 'em, right?

One of the great things I love about scripture is that it's not a rulebook, or a list of laws, or even a set of decrees about our behavior. It's a story about God and humans. And in the story we see lots and lots of relationships--good and bad. We get to see how God has entered into relationship with humans, how humans have handled that relationship and amazingly how humans, for better and worse, have handled being together.

My own opinion is that scripture was written this way because we are relational people. Our lives are embedded in webs of relationships. The problem is that most of the time we suck at relationships. We don't invest; we hide ourselves; we undermine friendships and familial relationships. Even when we get things good with our spouses/friends/co-workers, it seems that it only lasts a short season before things get rocky again.

Our next worship series, which begins this weekend, will tackle relationships. We're going to look at communication, forgiveness, acceptance, redeeming friendships, and change/growth.

This Sunday we'll begin by examing the relationship that makes our other relationships possible. If you want to read ahead, take a gander at John 14.15-21.

Invite someone to join with us. We've all got to deal with relationships. It's not optional.

See ya Sunday

Posted by Eddie Rester at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Yes, I played hookey this Sunday. We took the girls and went north for the weekend to spend some family time together and regroup for the final stretch run of school.  

We had a great time in Jackson, eating, sleeping, shopping, and attending a different church (more on that later). 

 Friday night, we stopped at the Cracker Barrel to eat with a couple of friends.  Eating out at anything above fast food is still an adventure with a 5 yr. old and a 3 yr. old.  I'm not sure why I even bother to order.  Between catching flying silverware, giving stern warnings (EAT YOUR DINNER NOW), and cleaning up misplaced food, there's just not much time for a grown-up to eat.

 The redeeming moment of meal came as I checked out.  As I looked down, I saw a balsa-wood airplane.  Do you remember those?  The flimsy little wood planes you would put together and then fly until they hit a tree/wall/something hard and break.  Then you'd try to tape them together only to discover that the tape drastically hinders the flight pattern of a 4 oz plane.  

 I thought to myself in a moment of childhood flashbacking, "I enjoyed these.  The girls will enjoy these."  So, I bought two balsa wood planes with the rubber band powered propellers to spring on the girls just knowing that this would propel me to All-Star Father status.

Audra's response was less than encouraging: "We have girls Eddie.  YOU like airplanes."  I assumed she was being snarky because she knew I was about to become the favored parent. 

The next morning I set out to prove her wrong. With both planes expertly constructed, I invited the girls outside.  They lasted about 7 minutes before they decided cartoons would be more enjoyable.  

I however had a great time (until I got one of the planes stuck on the roof).  

Somewhere later in the day, I realized I hadn't really bought the planes for the girls.  They were for me.  I had wanted the planes, and I hoped they would like what I liked. It was really just a nostalgic buy to remind me of childhood.  The planes only cost me $6, but probably money well spent, even if the girls never learn to turn the propellers in the right direction.  

We all need those things or moments that take us back to a simpler, calmer time.  Some people have comfort food, others have TV shows or movies that make them smile.  I guess I have comfort airplanes.

What about you? 

Posted by Eddie Rester at 8:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

We take a break from our series this week, as we catch our breath from the Every Member in Ministry Campaign and the StillMen. Sheila Cumbest will be preaching this week. She is a good friend and a great preacher. She and her husband have been intimately connected with the United Methodist recovery effort on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. You won't want to miss. But coming next week . . .

When you think back across the years, what comes to mind? Awards received? Class schedules? Books you've read? Games you've played? I guarantee you the vast majority of your memories deal with significant relationships. Parents. Siblings. Friends. Old boy/girlfriends. Even the significant events that come to mind are colored by the relationships involved.

Relationships impact every aspect of our lives. No one stands alone. No one. Even people who feel isolated long for meaningful relationships. So, between Mother's Day and Father's Day this year, we're going to talk about relationships. We're going to talk in broad strokes at points, and in specifics in other moments.

Let me ask. If you (yes, you) were putting together a series on relationships, what would you include? We've got our list, but I'd rather hear yours.

On my list: meaningful friendships, how to forgive, how to allow for/expect healthy change.

Let me hear what you'd like to look at concerning how we deal with/live with/love others.

Posted by Eddie Rester at 8:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)