I was just thinking yesterday about all of the little things that pass me by each day, which I take for granted.  You know the situations or happenings that could really brighten our day, even our week, if we had the sense to look outside of our narrow, daily grind to see them?  Each of these could be a post in itself (which I might do later) but here’s the abbreviated version:

1- Sunshine.  Not just the Sun, but a beautiful unhindered Sun wrapped in a clear blue sky.  Doesn’t it just warm your heart as much as your skin?  That is one of the best parts of California…I get to wake up that almost every single day.  What a blessing!

2- “I love you.”  What powerful words.  We need to say them more often to the people we care about the most.  In this situation, I’m not talking about husband/wife love…I’m talking about the Agape Love.  Love for a good friend or family.  It says that they mean so much to you and you’ll be there for them.  Use and appreciate it!

3- Good Conversation.  Have you ever left a conversation where it was totally give-and-take?  You’re soaking in what they’re saying and they do the same?  You ask good questions, they’re allowed to share freely and they respond in kind… I have a number of good friends who are great at this and I thank God everytime He gives me an opportunity to talk with them.  Soak those up and don’t take them for granted!

What would be in your top 3?  Leave a comment.

Have you ever moved away from pretty much everything you’ve ever known?  Have you ever had to “start over”?  There are many definitions and specific situations which could relate to these questions.  I’m referring to primarily the social aspect of life.  Your parents may have moved for a job, you went to live with relatives, you went to college, marriage, new job, etc.  Many people say kids can “adapt well”…you could now be closer to family…possibly your spouse or significant other came with you…or you’re a Skype fanatic and so are all of your old friends… Whatever your circumstance, lonliness can happen when you don’t have the physical presence of a loving, trusting community.  I’m not talking about homes, buildings or the nice McDonald’s drive-thru window worker.  Community to me is the group of people you can depend on, call, share life, eat, laugh, cry, borrow from, support and pray.  After talking with friends and family all over the world, and now having moved myself, I’ve realized that the most important thing is a Christian Community.  When people live in relationship with each other through the scope of their relationship with Jesus Christ, all are filled and loved.  Honesty, trust, and confidence are developed, because you can truly be yourself and rest upon the solid foundation of our Lord and Savior.  Emily and I have been welcomed into Grace Lutheran, just as we were at Trinity Lone Oak and friendships have been and are being formed which will last forever.  I pray for friends who have not experienced or allowed themselves the opportunity to experience a loving community like this.  Now I know why Jesus was always among people, eating with them, talking with them, loving them, touching them, listening to them.  We are called to be in relationship.  Sometimes people on the outside call churches inwardly focused cults.  Some may seem like that, but I pray that all would be reaching out with their arms extended to bring more people into the fold of Christ’s Magnificent Love.  Relationship.Community.Faith.Hope.Love.Jesus.

Many churches and Christians I believe struggle and have always struggled with evangelism.  I believe it’s one of the hardest things for us to do.  I think it’s even harder than believing that a virgin could conceive a baby who is 100% man and 100%, grow to lead people with a perfect life, die on a cross, relieve us of our sins, and promise us eternal-perfection forever if we just believe it.  Doesn’t that sound challenging?  Well, many people around the world believe that crazy story and I am one of them.  I believe it with the very essence of my being.  More than I believe that 2+2=4.  I just know.  So, if I can believe a story like that, why is it so hard to set outside of my comfort zone and share that same Love with someone I don’t know.  Just TALK with them…just BE with them.  Even someone who will not give me ANYTHING in return.  Only for the sake of sharing God’s Love, which I don’t deserve.  I’ve heard all sorts of blame and reasons and anything to get off the topic.  I give money to LWML, missions, or the offering plate.  We have contemporary worship, that’s supposed to bring people in.  OUR CHURCH IS GROWING!…what else should I do, I don’t want to mess that up.  Or flipped the other direction…OUR CHURCH ISN’T GROWING!!  We need more money from you all…the contemporary worship isn’t bringing people in…our school is a money pit…our youth director needs to work harder…blah blah blah.  Blame, blame, blame, excuses, excuses.  We need to stop pointing the fingers at programs, leaders and call it what it is….fear.  Fear that I might be rejected by those I extend my care to.  Fear that I might have to actually take some of MY time with them when I could hang with my other already Christian friends.  Fear that I might end up having to talk to them MORE THAN ONCE!  Fear of what others might say when they find out I’m talking to that person.  Fear of change from my comfort zone.  Church is where I give money, maybe a little time…so that I can get, get, get.  I have no particular person in mind when I write this except myself.  This is a blog of my own conviction and realization of my faith and state of mind.  My heart hurts thinking about how I do feel this way so often.  Then I realize how Jesus asks us to care for each other.  “care for the least of these.”  How often do I over look them…  I’ve started to realize that I don’t have to go on a huge mission trip or give every penny to the church so that I’m completely destitute.  He asks that I give freely and TRUST that He will provide as I give freely.  Just start simply with, “Hi, how are you?”  and listen and give and be.  He will shower blessings upon you that you didn’t realize existed when you serve others purely and simply.  Living a life exuding Christ’s Love unhindered by fear of money, time, commitment, and arrogance lifts a weight off your shoulders that only He can.  When I think about how Jesus loves me…I picture that cool guy at church, the one everyone wishes was their friend.  The one who is intelligent, kind, fun and welcoming.  I wish I was in his circle…then he walks by me without even a glance.  Without recognizing I am even there.  Not even a “hello.”  Do we do that to people?  You may not have to be the most popular person to make someone feel recognized and cared for.  Then I think of Jesus as that popular guy and how he looks every single person in the eye, shakes their hand, and you know it’s complete, sincere, wholehearted love for you.  He wants to you know, He desperately seeks you out and welcomes you without fear or trepidation that you might reject Him.  He even seeks out and loves those who HE KNOWS WILL REJECT HIM!!  Imagine having the trust to do that!!  If we…if I would only follow His example.  One person at a time…   How would my life change?  How would their lives change?  If we lived in love and not fear.

I was just talking to someone about how I’m so excited to finally get our house together soon and get our “stuff” out of storage.  We’ve had everything we own (practically…except for 2 car loads) in 2 storage units across town for the last 3 months.  I started thinking about that…   For 1/4 of a year I’ve endured without a majority of my earthly possessions.  What does that say?  Do I NEED that stuff?  No.  I’ve actually been quite content.  There have been other things to occupy my time which are like my own stuff, but I’ve been okay.  I don’t think I want to get rid of my possessions, but it just made me stop for a second and realize where I’m putting my focus.  On people, on God, on stuff?  What can get in the way?  It’s easy to focus on more, more, more!  I do it all the time.  I just hope that I can keep my focus on my Lord and Savior even after I get all my stuff back.

I’m only 27, but I hear that phrase used from people my age to the baby boomers who will supposedly turn retirement upside down as we know it.  What is this euphorian place where all your dreams come true?  Where if I put aside 15% or so of my yearly income I’ll gain the stock market average of 10.3% and be a millionaire when I’m 62.  Dang…62.  I have to wait that long?  I have to grind it out (now-I love my job, but I’m making a general point here!) for 40 years working extra hours to reach this pinnacle of life where all my dreams will come true and I’ll be able to do whatever I want and travel!  Travel…that’s a big retirement dream I hear a lot.  “Someday…when I retire…I’ll travel.”  Sorry to be morbid, but what if you get seriously injured when you’re 57 or you are too…OLD!…when you’re 62 to be climbing Mt.Kilimanjaro, walking the Great Wall of China, or hang gliding in Ecuador?  I just don’t understand this way of thinking.  Why can’t we find a way to enjoy life NOW?  We can, we just have to make it a priority…unless being adventurous and seeing the world isn’t your thing.  (Then you’ve probably read far enough and can go back to your Thursday night TV shows and comfy couch.)  I don’t think we need to wait until retirement to make the time to enjoy this world and life God has given us.   What’s the point of saving all that money anyway?  Yes…I’d like to enjoy retirement and not have to worry as much about money, sure!  But…what if my retirement depends on the current economy for dividends and capital gains to provide for my luxurious travels?  It’d be kind of hard at this current rate.  I’d like to know that I would’ve made the time to do the things I wanted to do throughout my entire life!  Find a passion and let God show you how amazing this world can be!

We decided to make a blog about our adventure in CA starting this summer!  If you want to see what we’re up to, check it out often!   It’s called MN + TX = CA

I’m not talking about romantic love, junior high googly eye love or even a love for a son or daughter. I’m talking about Christ’s unconditional, relational love that He asks us to share with others.  Other than believing in Christ as your Savior, I believe that our Call is to Love.  Love others, care for them, share your life with them, give wholly of yourself to them.  What else do we have when we have nothing left?  Just our loving Lord’s Grace and the relationships with people we love.

Today more than ever I feel loved.  I’ve always felt loved at Trinity, but on this last day of school, the love is pouring out.  God certainly knows what you need more than you do.  Just as much as they show their love, I want to show mine which is complete and full for all of these parents, friends, and students.  God has and is working overtime here and I know it will continue on into the future!

May God be with you all forever.  God is good.  All the time.

Recently I was standing in the gym waiting for my 7th graders to get picked up when a kindergartener walked over to me from her line…  She said, “Mr.Gehrke, guess what?”  I respond appropriately, knowing this could be anything, by saying, “What?”  She says, “You look cute in that.  Bye!”  Did a 6 year old just hit on me?  Funny stuff.

I haven’t really blogged about the process, but some of you may know that 3 weeks ago I received a call to Modesto, CA to be the K-8 music teacher and contemporary worship director at Grace Lutheran.  This was an incredibly prayerful time with God and my wife.  We desperately sought God’s peace every moment and I came to realize how much I don’t pray most of the time.  It was truly a humbling experience for that point alone.  Being at a church and school which I have no reason to leave made it difficult as well.  Why would God call me to serve Him when there’s nothing wrong here?  I had many questions similar to this along the way, but I continually prayed simply, “God, I know you will give me peace.”  After visiting the congregation at Grace a couple weeks ago with Emily, we came back and prayed some more.  Seeking God in His Word and through the wise words of His servants here on Earth, we slowly came to a peace.  At this point, I am very sad to leave the loving, supportive relationships here at Trinity, but at the exact same moment, I’m at peace with moving to Modesto to serve the Lord as a part of their ministry.  I will serve Trinity with 100% of myself for the rest of this school year and then begin to make the transition to serving those at Grace.  This is an exciting, scary, joyful and sad time with many unknowns, but God will provide!!  Please pray for many big decisions as we sell our home, buy a new one, say goodbye, travel to China for a mission trip, and make the move across this beautiful country.  Please also pray for both congregations as they both make transitions in ministry and God would lead them and they’d be open to that guidance.  The same goes for us too!  Also, please pray for Emily’s ability to find a job she is passionate about!  God’s peace and grace to all of you during this Spring!

We’re going to China this summer!!  Emily and I are going with a team of 8 people to Macau, a special administrative region (SAR) of China.  It’s kind of confusing, but similar to Puerto Rico’s relationship to the United States.  We’re excited to be teaching English and hopefully sharing the message of Christ’s love with the people there- without breaking any of their religious laws.

I’m not sure who all reads this, but in any case, I’d like to let you know that on Friday, April 4th we’re having a rock concert (Christian music & 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s secular rock) with all the proceeds going to the China mission.  It will also be the CD release party of my new album recorded with Matt G., which will also be completely donated to China as well.  That was the original intent of this particular recording.  We’ll also have concessions, room to dance, and hopefully some t-shirts as well.

Come on over and hang out for an evening and support a great cause or spread the word if you get a chance!  Thanks!