Guarding Good Marriage (Malachi 2:10-16)

Today, we’re continuing our series through the book of Malachi, and today our text is about marriage and divorce.  I want to start this conversation with two stories from my own family.  

My Grandpa Broward was an extremely gifted man, but not a good man.  

As a young man, he directed “Broward’s Little Symphony,” which had a regular slot on the radio.  If any of his musicians didn’t show up, he simply played their instrument for the night.  Clarinet, cello, trombone, whatever - he could play them all.

As an old man, he ran a repair business for appliances and musical instruments.  He could fix anything, but refrigerators and violins were his specialty.  

But Grandpa was also an alcoholic womanizer.  He had at least 9 children, that we know of, but we suspect more.  He was a pretty nice guy when he was sober, but he was a mean drunk.   
[From this point forward several of the facts have been corrected by my Aunt Judy, so they are a bit different from what I shared in the spoken sermon.]
A few of his darkest moments were when my grandma was in the hospital for surgeries, he brought home their cleaning woman for an affair right in front of the children.  

Although Grandma moved out and filed for divorce several times, she always reunited with Grandpa until my dad came home from basic training in the army.  My dad told my grandpa that if he ever hit my grandma again, he would kill him.  I think everyone in the family believed my dad would actually do it, so to protect my dad from killing his own father, my grandma finally went through with the divorce.   That was what you might call a “good” divorce.  It was unquestionably the right decision.

Years later, Grandma’s kids started becoming Christians, with the help of Chic Shaver, a local Nazarene pastor.  Then, they began working on Grandma.  They had almost convinced Grandma to give her life to Jesus, when Grandma asked, “If I become a Christian, can I join your church?”

Food and Spirituality (Signs of Life: Nutrition)

We’ve been looking at the seven Signs of Life.  These are also called the processes of life.  Everything that is alive does all of these things.  This is how you know something is alive.  As we look at the biology of this, we are also learning how these fit with spiritual life.  

Today is the last day in the series, and we’re looking at NUTRITION.  Every living thing eats.

There is a surprisingly close connection between food and spirituality.  

• It starts all the way back to the Garden of Eden. 

• Other than “Be fruitful and multiply”, God’s only command was regarding food (Don’t eat from this tree.)
• The first sin was about food - eating the forbidden fruit
• One of the first consequences for sin was: “by the sweat of your brow you will have food.”  Eating good food is hard work.  Play this out theologically, and you realize that Twinkies are a direct result of the Fall.  Bad food is easy; good food is hard.  We’ve really messed this world up.

Giving and Grieving (Team Patrick)

They're selling mugs and doilies between sniffles and memories.  

This past January Patrick Renehan lost his battle with cancer.  As part of the grieving process his family is raising money for the American Cancer Society through Relay for Life Team Patrick.  Today and tomorrow, Patrick's family have gathered in our church to host a garage sale, raising funds to prevent and to cure cancer.  (www.dunelandchurch.org)

What strikes me today is the essential healthiness of this as a step in the grieving process.  Instead of wallowing alone in grief, they are allowing their grief to motivate them toward good.  Each time a customer asks what Team Patrick is all about, they are able to recount a bit of his life and death.  As painful as that retelling is (evidenced by the kleenex box on the table), each time they voice that loss and connect with a forward looking good, a little piece of their heart heals.  

So for all of the Renehan crew out there today, my heart goes out to you (along with a few stray dollars as I keep finding new things to buy).  But more than that, I want to commend you for such a wise choice of how to grieve.  I pray that God comforts you and teaches us all through your example.

100 Things I Love About Korea # 42: An Expectation of Healthy Eating

Sure junk food and fast food are creeping into Korean society, and waistlines are correspondingly increasing.  But overall, Korean food is very healthy - lots of vegetables and fish.  And overall, Koreans expect to eat healthy food on a regular basis.  

Contrast this with the high fat American diet I know and love, and I am learning to appreciate a culture that values healthy eating.  Somehow, in the past year since our son was born, I’ve put on about 10 kilos (20+ pounds).  I guess it was a combination of less exercise (because of taking care of him in the morning) and more coffee and snacks (to stave off the fatigue from said taking care of him in the early mornings).  But I shudder to think of how many buttons I would have popped if I had gone through the same lifestyle changes on a standard American diet.  

And yes, by the way, I am now seriously starting to eat less and to exercise more - especially so that I can regain some semblance of control while my surrounding culture is working with me instead of against me.

100 Things I Love About Korea # 27: Food - Chamchi DopBap

Somehow, I didn't discover this delectable dish until halfway through my stay in Korea, but now Chamchi Dopbap - or Tuna Over Rice - is my favorite fast Korean food.  It's a spicy mixture of tuna, kimchi, egg, and other vegetables - naturally served over rice.
Not all chamchi dopbap's are created equal though.  Some don't cook the kimchi long enough.  Some add dry tuna after the vegetables have been cooked.  The best combo is definitely well cooked kimchi, tuna, and vegetables - with a runny egg on top!
It's healthy, fast, delicious, and cheap.  What more can you ask for?!

Two Roads - Psalm 1

Mike was about 40 when he went to the hospital because he was having chest pains.  Doctors said he was having a pre-heart-attack.  Mike’s father and grandfather had both died of heart attacks in middle age, and Mike’s older brother had recently had a life altering heart-attack.  

Mike was an old-fashioned American man.  He liked meat and potatoes, and he didn’t care much for fruit and vegetables.  He was intimately acquainted with all the best barbecue restaurants in town, and church potlucks were his special forte.  And it all showed in his body.  His face was aged, and his belly was round.  When Mike traveled and showed people pictures of his family, people often thought his wife was one of his daughters.  Awkward!  

Mike decided that he didn’t want to follow his family tradition of mid-life heart attacks.  He wanted to see his kids get married and hold his grandchildren.  He gave up his baby-back pork ribs and fried apple pies for a new healthier way of life.  

He and his wife became students of healthy eating, and they starting taking long walks together at the end of the day.  He developed a taste for salads, fresh fruits, and even tofu - which is a big stretch for most Americans.  10 years later, Mike has lost about 50 pounds (20 kilos), and his heart is healthier than ever.  He is trim and fit, and he is enjoying his grandchildren.  Mike saw two roads for his life, and he chose the healthy path.