Daddy's Little Girl is a Princess

I am one proud papa!  My daughter, whose name is Sarah, is truly a princess in both name and title.  The name Sarah, means "Princess", and, my daughter Sarah completed the Moses Lake Jr. Miss Program as 1st Runner up this past Saturday night with princess-like dignity and class.  As I watched her perform, and heard her answer questions before a live audience, I was struck by her poise, confidence, and the sense of security she exhibited before hundreds of watchful eyes.
As a protective father, a Christian, and a pastor of a local church, I was not about to let my daughter be a part of something that emphasized outward appearance, and sensuality!  Initially, I was a little suspicious of the Junior Miss Program, and what it might expose Sarah to. After investigating a little and praying, Peggy and I gave her the green light to participate.  The last 6 weeks have been rather stressful at times while Peggy and Sarah bought dresses, and wrangled over "girlie" type stuff.  Oh, it's good to be a man!
Saturday night was the Grand Finale, and while most of the other girls danced for the talent portion of their presentation, Sarah sang "Think of Me" from the film adaptation of "PHANTOM OF THE OPERA."  She hit a home run, er, uh, sang beautifully, and brought tears to the eyes of a number of people all over the auditorium! 
When the results were announced, another girl won as Moses Lake Junior Miss, but my eyes were only on Sarah.  Sarah never really cared whether or not she placed as part of royalty, but she did want to compete, and do her best.  Well, as she was announced as 1st runner up, I felt as if she had just won an Olympic Gold Medal, and set a new world record as well!  The attitude she exhibited after the announcement was one of humility and graciousness.  Can you tell I'm proud and partial?
The American Junior Miss Program has high ideals and encourages inner beauty and character along with service, goal setting, education, and good health.  I have included the 'Be Your Best Self' Promise that AJM contestants make when competing.  Thank you for letting me indulge in a little fatherly boasting.  Only parents will be able to understand my indulgence!
The 'Be Your Best Self' Promise
I want to help improve the world, and that begins with me.  I promise to do the following things:

• Eat the right foods
• Stay fit
• Get a good education
• Live by moral principals
• Serve my community
• Set goals
• Work to reach my goals

EASTER: The Spring Season in the Life of the Christian!

Spring, that magical time of year when bird songs return to greet us in the morning, when flowers bloom,  trees bud, and new life seems to be bursting out all around us.  Spring is that season that offers to us the hope of new life as we emerge from the general grayness and drabness of the winter months.  Spring is that time of year when our children emerge from the cave of our homes and play outside again.  When I think of spring, I remember the years when my
children would venture outside to rediscover bugs, birds, and the warmth of sunshine.  The thing I most appreciate about spring is the picture it paints to us of the most important miracle in human history.  The miracle I speak of is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the premier event of all time.

In all of our brief time on this planet, there is nothing that holds more significance to our everyday lives than the person of Jesus Christ and what He did for us mortals when He died a torturous, pain-filled death and then rose from the dead after three days in a sealed grave. The entire Christian faith, as well as any hope we have as human beings is wrapped up in these events.  If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, then our “faith is in vain”(I Corinthians 15:17) and sin still has the power to pull us down and lead us to an eternity without God or hope.  In this one event we have the only true hope in our struggle to
cheat death and milk all we can out of this life.    

Each of us is continually faced with the very real prospect of death on
a daily basis as we listen to the news, experience our own close calls
and grapple with the death or dying of a loved one.  Death, as we all
know is even more sure than taxes.  No matter how much we advance in
medical technology, or exercise and eat right, we all know we are going
to die.  In our culture, we dress up death to look a little nicer, or
try to hide it by putting it in the hands of others who will soften the
blow and make it more presentable.  Unfortunately, we do ourselves and
others no favors when we engage in this form of denial.  Death is real,
and, according to the Scriptures, it is our greatest enemy.  It is
waiting for all of us and we cannot avoid it.   


It is precisely this admission which makes the resurrection of Jesus
Christ so powerful and liberating to those who have come to know and
believe in Him.  When Adam sinned, death spread to all of us through
his sin tainted blood. Each one of us understands sin's power, and how
it affects our everyday life and entangles us in its chains.  As much
as sin is a concept most of us hate to talk about anymore in this
therapy minded culture, (which makes all of us a victim of our
environment, upbringing or genes) none of us can deny the reality of it
in our experience.  As the Scriptures teach, “ the wages of sin is
death...” and all of us must receive that paycheck whether we like it
or not.   

This is where the resurrection of Jesus Christ becomes so powerful and
relevant for all of us.  As the sinless Son of God and very God in
human form, Jesus’ death on a Roman cross was more than just a martyrs
sacrifice for a good cause.  Jesus was the only qualified God-man who
could die in our place and receive our judgment in His own body.
Though innocent of any wrong, though completely pure and without
original sin or personal sin, Jesus was sentenced to die an unjust
death as a sacrifice for us.  This death alone could satisfy the
righteous requirement of God the Father for an atoning death.  Through
this death, our sin was atoned for and cleansed once and for all.   


This story is called the Gospel, which means, good news.  This story
would be nothing more than a sad tragedy if it was not for the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus rose from a grave sealed by
the Roman Government, He put the exclamation point on His whole mission
and proved He was truly God in a human body.      

Jesus’ resurrection sealed for us the hope of eternal life with God in a New Creation.
This New Creation will be a world without sin, sickness, suffering,
sorrow, war, famine, strife, pain, and most importantly, death.  The
resurrection of Jesus makes it possible for those who exercise
child-like trust in Christ to receive the power of The Holy Spirit. The
Holy Spirit enables His followers to overcome sin, and live without the
fear of death any longer.      

Truly, the Spring of creation was and is the resurrection of Jesus Christ! The resurrection is the most wonderful and powerful event in human history! The resurrection is the reason believers consider this Holiday to be the ultimate time for reflection
and celebration.

This Spring as you emerge from your winter grave clothes to enjoy all
of the new life bursting forth, imagine Jesus Christ coming out of the
tomb and bringing new life to those who believe in Him.  Think of a God
in heaven who loved His children so much that He had to become one of
them, so that He might die and reverse the curse of sin and death.
Behold the God whose love is so powerful that not even death could keep
Him in the grave!  HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!