Life matters...and so does tennis

Hey folks,

How’s your week going? I hope it’s going good. It’s Thursday and we’re on the downhill side to a three day weekend…woo-hoo!!

My daughter and I went over to the lake yesterday and played tennis and it brought back some fun memories. I really like tennis. The first time I played (I was probably in the 5^th grade) was when my neighbor took his boy and me over to the tennis courts off of 21^st street by Hi-Crest Community Center. This is how old I am…we played with wooden racquets..ugh. That doesn’t even register to the younger folks. It’s like saying you rode a horse & buggy to school or you communicated on a telephone via “party line”.

Well, after a few times playing, I talked my dad into buying me a real aluminum racquet and he & I would go play tennis at the junior high. What I really remember about playing back then was my dad would come home from working 10 hour days (he was an electrician) and there I would be waiting holding my racquet ready to go play. I can remember only a couple of times when my dad said he didn’t feel like going. I’m sure there were more times than that when he didn’t “feel” like it, but he did anyway. As a parent, I think about that often. I hope I’m as giving of “my time” as my dad was.

All of that just to share a good message I read this week from the New Rebellion devotional. It’s called “Imitate That Serve”. (Get it? Serve? Tennis?...)

Basically what the devotion talked about was that people usually imitate the people they admire. Our kids can quite accurately emulate their parents. Teens model their piers in dress, talk, and values. Young professionals climbing the corporate ladder find a leader and imitate them. But Paul said that we need to follow the example of Christ and His passion for the world.

There are many important things Jesus did, and as Believers, we should be imitating the things of Christ:

Compassion, willingness to give up personal comfort to reach the lost, prayer life, discernment, passion for the truth, faith of miracles, reliance on His Father, joy during hard times, kindness, relationships with friends.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

Have a great rest of the week!!

Todd Nincehelser

Ps – My youngest daughter is pretty good at tennis. She’s the only member of my family that can hit it over the net consistently and not make me feel like a ball boy at Wimbledon. : )

http://www.shawneeheights.org

Various thoughts

Various thoughts...

Hey folks...in Sunday morning Fear No Evil Bible Class, we'll be finishing up the "God is Compassionate" chapter and moving on to Chapter 3 - "How Long, O Lord?" A little more study on suffering and evil from the old testament books that include the Prophets and Writings. Hope to see you there Sunday morning @ 9:30.

Pray for our country...we are living in historic times. Our country needs God...

Pray for people who have lost their jobs.

Pray for a chance to share the Gospel with someone...soon.

Below is a link to a short video. It's called Plastic Jesus. I think you'll "get it" after you watch it.

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=e52499be711fb54303ff&utm_source=newsletter0826&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklytopvideos

Have a good rest of the week!

Todd Nince

http://reslehecnin.blogspot.com/

http://www.shawneeheights.org/

Life Matters - evil in the world, being a dad (not the same thing)

I just want to tell you a couple of things that were an encouragement to me this past week. On Sunday morning in our Bible class (that's at 9:30 am), we are studying "suffering & evil". You might say, "I get enough of that during the week, why in the world do I want to hear about gloom & doom on Sunday mornings too!". Well, it's not exactly like that. We really had some good discussion about who's responsible for the evil and suffering that happens on earth. Is it God's will? Is it because man has messed everything up? Is God punishing us?

In fact, the discussion was so good, that we didn't get too far into the lesson. So, I want to give you a couple of things we didn't cover so you can be thinking about them...

Read Daniel 3:13-18. We know the story about Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego. Here are three guys who refused to bow down to the king's golden image. These guys believed that their God had the power necessary to deliver them. But the most amazing thing I get out of reading the story now is in verse 18..."but even if He does not (deliver us), let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

These guys were willing and ready to go to the mat for their God. They knew what the consequences would be if they refused to bow down to the false god, but they chose their God.

This story also blends right in with the scripture from Sunday morning worship. Proverbs 3:5-7 -Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Sometimes things happen that we don't understand. This past week my uncle, 63 years old with no major physical problems, was stung by a wasp and died within a couple of hours. We question, "why did this happen?" How come? What's the purpose? Why now?

Sometime things occur through the process of life. My daughter left for college this past week (gulp!). The little girl that used to sit on my lap, run and hug me when I got home (well she still does do that) is now starting the next chapter of her life, and "dad" just doesn't think she's ready for the the nasty, evil world that's waiting her...There are too many unknowns out there. She's too naive. She's not ready for college. She won't know what to do. I won't be there to hold her when she's sad..."trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding...He shall direct your paths."

God is in control and get this...He know's what He's doing. Our plans are not His plans. Are we really, truly giving everything over to Him. Do we really trust Him to take it?

Have a great rest of the week!! Hope to see you Sunday!

Todd Nince

http://www.shawneeheights.org/

http://reslehecnin.blogspot.com/

Life Matters - job, kids, ...priorities

Hey folks...I hope everyone is having a great week. Those of us who have kids are realizing that summer is just about over and the school year is just a couple of weeks away. There are even a couple of us who will be taking our daughters to other states far away from home (gulp!!). I'm sure I'll be sharing some of my feelings about that in the near future.

I had a change in my job this week that will require me to stretch myself in some ways that might not be comfortable. Pray for me. I hope I will allow God to use me in whatever way He shows me. Easier to say, harder to actually follow through...

I found this devotional that really spoke to me this week. I hope it makes you think like it did me...

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but on thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 NASB

Priorities

Paul had about as many responsibilities as you can imagine--dozens of churches needing his oversight, new cities yet to head the good news, life-threatening opposition all around. But in the midst of these cares and concerns, Paul's heart was gripped by one consuming passion; the person and presence of Jesus Christ.

That all-compelling prize motivated Paul to lay aside all the fears, all the uncertainties, and fix his attention on God. Obedience to this call was his one thing. What's your? To hold on to Christ as Paul did, you also will have to dispense with lesser things. You, too, will need to forget what lies behind and reach for the goal. Salvation isn't the end; salvation is the beginning! - The Book of Days - Living the New Rebellion, day 185

Have a great weekend!!

Todd Nince

http://reslehecnin.blogspot.com/

http://www.shawneeheights.org/

Life Matters - Other gods...

Hey all,

I know it's been a long time since I've sent out an email. I could use the excuse of having "writer's block" but I know you probably wouldn't buy it. So, no excuses except to say that I'm going to try and get back into the groove of writing more again. Let me just say up front that if you want taken off of this email, just let me know...no hard feelings or questions asked.

The other night at our Small Group meeting we talked about Elijah and those "other gods" we put before the One, True God. We all do it...whether it's money, sports, family, church, working out, jobs, food, material stuff, etc., we all put things that are "temporary" in front of God and many times, in place of God. We had some good discussion amongst the group about the things we struggle with daily and how we as Christians need to encourage each other. (That means during the week and not just on Sunday mornings when we see each other at church).

Also, going along with what God's trying to get through my thick skull (so says Tamra), Catherine Lischke posted something on Facebook that really hit home with me..."Are the things we're living for, worth Christ dying for?". Wow...think about that one for a minute. We get so caught up in our own lives, our own desires, our own busyness, we really don't think about what Christ's desire is for our lives.

On another note...I really would encourage you to get involved in a Small Group @ SHBC. You can connect with other folks who go through the ups and downs of life just like you do. Get involved, it's worth it!

God Bless,

Todd Nince

http://www.shawneeheights.org

Manila - A Dad's Perspective 2

Well, Kev's been "out of communication" range for almost a week now. Another week to go before being able to find out what's going on. I was up late one night a couple of days before he left for the camp. It was nice to get to "IM" with him for awhile just by myself. Usually the whole family is standing around the computer waiting their turn to talk or IM with him.

We "talked" about everything for about an hour...politics, church, Filipino's, food, people...it was good. He was excited about heading to the camp and maybe a little "anxious" too. I can't wait to hear what he's doing and how he's fitting in to what God wants him to do.

My nerves about him being on the other side of the world have been reduced somewhat. You know, we get busy with our lives and fill the void. I've really submerged myself in working on our church website. Yet, I find myself saying all the time, "I wish I could have Kevin look at this," or "geez, I need Kevin to show me how to do this." Can't wait to IM him when he gets back to civilization...:)

Gone to Manila - A dad's perspective

It has been only about a 1 1/2 weeks since Kevin left for the Philippines and for some strange reason it seems longer. Maybe it's because I'm the only guy (again) in a house full of ladies...:)

Back in August when Kevin told his mom & I that he was going on a mission trip with Ben to the Philippines I must say we really didn't want him to go. Mom was really against it, ya know the dangers, leaving the country, leaving school, etc. Of course me being me, I worried more about the cost, why now and not summer, why a full 3 months instead of a summer trip...

It wasn't too long before God started working on my heart...you see Kevin is the absolute opposite of me in many ways. So much so that I'm many times envious of him. He's not afraid to try anything. He makes friends easily. He's outgoing. He's not afraid to fail. He's not afraid to succeed. He doesn't worry.

So my heart and gut softened to the idea. Now the worries about the cost, travel, safety, etc. didn't leave, but I started becoming excited for him. I've never seen him want something so much as to go on this trip.

As I sat down by myself at the airport at KCI on Jan. 6, I watched him from a distance. Here was my boy who I've wrestled with, played ping-pong with, went to soccer games with, taught in Awana with, etc., for 21 years...and here he is doing exactly what God wants him to do...wow, as a dad I really felt good right then.

My eyes welled up a little bit as we watched the plane take off and head off into the early morning sky. I just said a very short prayer..."He's yours Lord. Use him."

More "dad" thoughts to come...