The BRUCE Gang: Blog

Gary has entered his Christmas song "King In The Cradle" in an online song competition. Visit www.cmsongwriter.com to register and vote

Congratulations Bethany for making OMEA Honors Choir. OMEA Convention is held in Tulsa at the Performing Arts Center each year. The dates are January 29 -31

Bethany was Junior Class Representative for Homecoming so she got to do the 'ride in the convertible and wave' thing. Congratulation Bethany.

Bethany made ACT 2 show choir at Edmond Memorial High School her sophomore year. She also made All State Mixed Honors Choir which is the best High School SATB group in the state. To top it off, she auditioned for the elite All State Jazz Choir. 24 students make it. 190 soprano ones audition. Of those Bethany scored 2nd highest in the state so she made All State Jazz Choir her sophomore year. Way to go girl!!!

Sorry, 'bout that. Lots been going on. The two most exciting things perhaps are that Bethany auditioned for and made Act II, Memorial's Show Choir. They pretty much dominate the state in that department.

Adam wasn't planning on marching drum corps this summer but he was invited to fill in the recently vacated 2nd bass spot with the Cavaliers. Cavvies won DCI World Championship last year. So Adam's leaving May 19 for Rosemont, Illinois to age out of Drum Corps as a Cavalier. Go Green!!

Hostage Situation Story

Here's a link to an interview and story in OC's Talon this week.

I want to say thank you to all the men and women who sacrificed so much including their lives to preserve the freedoms we enjoy.

Pearl Harbor Day. I'm glad Jan and I have had the chance to visit that place and to stand on the memorial over the sunken Arizona. I'm thankful for places like that where you can stop, reflect, be still and remember how precious life is and how quickly it can change.

It was special to be at the place where Jan's dad piloted a ferry boat out to Ford Island, to really connect with a place he had been so often but we had only seen in pictures.

It's so amazing to see the oil rising up to the water's surface, drop by drop. For 65 years. What a horrible day it musthave been. This date surely has lived in infamy.

I was going to write something profound about the value of rest and relaxation but we're just too busy this time of year for me to take the time to do that. You probably wouldn't have time to read it anyway since you're really busy too. Seems like everybody's running around trying to get everything done and attending all the scheduled events.

Times like this Jan often says, "Let's move to South Dakota." I'm sure there's plenty to do there but for us the phrase simply means "let's get out of the rat-race. Let's slow down. Time out." But here we still are. Burning the proverbial candle at both ends.

I don't know the origin of the saying but I think it fits us: "I'd rather burn out than rust out."

You really don't have time to read this do you? Good. 'Cause I don't have time to write any more.

We've had some conversations lately that involved the word "luck". Some of us have been feeling like we've had some bad luck. A quick search for the word "luck" at www.dictionary.com gave me these definitions: the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities and good fortune.

Another quick search in Bible Gateway gave me no result for the word luck. So I looked for the word "fortune" in the Bible and found that the word most often refers to wealth. A couple times it refers to people who do fortune-telling and once, when Leah's servant Zilpah gave birth to a son, Leah says "What good fortune." Anyway, the concept of fortune or luck, when not used in the context of wealth, doesn't have much place in scripture and when it appears it's not in a positive light.

The word "providence" on the other hand is a word believers often use to describe the way God works in or directs a persons life and circumstances. In the book of Job chapter 10 verse 12 it says You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit. That's Job speaking after he had lost virtually everything. That phrase is in the middle of a bunch of statements Job makes about how awful things have been even saying he wished he had died at birth instead of being born and having to live through the "bad luck" he had been through.

I was pleased that in the TV interview Jordan did with Channel 25 on Tuesday that he said, "Thank God" when referring to the fact that the intruder in his house didn't see the news report about the text messaging. The news man later said that Jordan and Justin said they were lucky that things turned out the way they did. I think God had more to do with that than luck.

A lot of people were praying to God for protection and intervention. Some may have been praying for good luck but they weren't praying to some unknown force. Fact is there is a Force that can work in our lives and circumstances.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Faith and trust in God doesn't eliminate trials and accidents but it gives us a perspective and a strength beyond our own capacity to see or handle. A peace that defies understanding.

I still believe what I wrote there. Yesterday's events could have turned out much differently than they did. So for the safety of Jordan and all involved, I am thankful. For the calmness and craftiness of Justin and Jordan I am thankful.

I am not thankful for the fact that within the hearts of so many people there is a willingness to be and do evil. I am not thankful for Satan's lies and life-threatening habits that rob so many people of a joyful abundant life.

This is just one more example of how people need the Spirit of Christ. Even a person who is out of a job, desperate for cash, security and respect can still behave in a way that is loving, hopeful and kind when they know the great Giver.

I can't help but wonder why the church has not made it so incredibly obvious to the world that we exist to be like Jesus and be a blessing to our neighbors so that guys like this in their desperation would know that their best hope for help is realized when the people of God are given the opportunity to be Jesus to their world.
-Gary

Well this was not your ordinary day. Read this news story. Jordan was one of the hostages in this incident. Thankfully no one was injured. Still a pretty frightening situation for our family. Turns out the lady who was abducted is the wife of an OC Professor. You can see Jordan in an unmarked police car being taken to the station for interrogation. Please pray for Jordan and his roomates Justin and Jared as they deal with the aftermath of an event like this.
Interview with Jordan and Justin
Jordan: The Hostage

Ah leftover turkey. I'm thankful for it. I never seem to tire of turkey. It's usually the kind of sandwich I'll order at the sub sandwich shops. I enjoy the leftover turkey and the sandwiches we make at home and just grabbing a handfull of white meat to munch on.

We should rejoice in all things and give thanks in all things, but I don't think we have to rejoice or give thanks for all things. Like the fact that the transmission has gone out in Rebekah's car and we'll replace the car rather than the transmission. I don't rejoice that the cancer has returned to Jan's mom. Chemo begins, again, next week.

But I've learned that even in bad, unwanted or hard things, it is best to maintain an attitude of rejoicing and thankfulness in those things, maybe in spite of those things.
-Gary

I was thinking about the words to the song King In The Cradle. The song’s about people who come to worship Christ. But the progression of thought through the choruses is from "them" to "us" to "you" to "me".

It's kind of the reverse order of how the life of the disciple of Jesus flows. It starts with a personal relationship between Christ and "me". Then there's the community aspect of "us" in our relationship to other believers where we grow in our faith. The "them" is like reaching out to the world to serve and share.

On the other hand, at some point we were the “them” and came into contact with some of the “us” who share the good news and invited “me” into relationship with Christ. Good thing I don’t have another hand or this could get real confusing.

Truth is there are a variety of ways that we arrive at knowing about, believing in and inviting Christ to be Lord of our lives. But for most folks it’s because of family or close friends who shared the love of God and invited us to “go to church” (or required it).

During this Thanksgiving season I’m thankful that God invites us and wants to be in relationship with us. I’m thankful that through the Holy Spirit of Christ we have 24/7 access to the throne room. I’m thankful that Jesus took my sin and the sin of the world on Himself so that I could have this reconciliation with God. I’m thankful for all the people and methods that are being used to introduce “them” to Him.

I intend to express that thanks to people this week.

Here are some of the things that I am thankful for this year.
(1)God, the Father, who saves and loves me in spite of myself.
(2) Gary, who loves me in spite of myself!
(3) Jordan, Adam, Rebekah, and Bethany
(4) Meaningful employment
(5) My very cool Aunt Lois in Austin, TX, who I aspire to be like because of her reflection of Jesus, her happiness, and her energy.
(6) Jordan's new contract with OSU.
(7) OC kids that I have in class and that are friends of Adam's & Rebekah's: Logan, Joel, Olivia, Kayla, Vanessa, Chris, Leslie, Anna, Liz, Nathan, James, Zach, Drake, all the Ryans and Davids plus those whose names I can't remember!
(8) Bethany's friends: Ellen, Aubrey, Makenzie, Torrie, Sarah, Sarah, Hannah, Hana, Carly, Megan, Tiana, Jamie, Chelsea, plus the ones I can't think of right now!
(9) Great neighbors: Rosenbalms, Binghams, Conants, Endres's, Mary Lou Bond, Lovens, Rays
(10) the Bruce family -- too numerous to name!

I put some Christmas lights up on the house today. Those icicle kind that hang down - the multi-colored ones with green wire - put them all across the front of the house. Put some of those net kind in a few bushes too. It was sunny and cool and not windy. Perfect weather for such a thing.

I remembered, as I read the "Made in China" label, that some of these lights are assembled by Christians held in Chinese prisons. It's a meager source of income for them for their families and the working conditions are not pleasant. You can read more about the persecution by clicking here. But as I freely display my lights I can't help but wonder if the time will ever come here in America when I or my children might face prison for professing faith in Jesus. I silently prayed for those brothers and sisters half way around the world as I stapled another strand to the facia. (I know, you're not supposed to use staples.)

Father, be with those brothers and sisters who live in places where persecution accompanies faith. Thank you, Father, for the freedom we enjoy here in this place at this time. But if ever the circumstances change, give me and mine, and all disciples, the power of your Holy Spirit to endure whatever comes. Amen.

Been reading this book with our church staff and elders about making sure your church is being and doing what God wants not what tradition and/or popular culture call for. It's called Simple Church written by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger.

I'm a fairly simple guy. I'm learning, like the Apostle Paul, to be content with what I have. But I'll admit I like modern technology (from digital mixing consoles to the electric light bulb). But stuff tends to complicate things.

I don't mind being alone, but I'm comfortable in a crowd. It's easy being alone. It's relationships and logistics and communication and interaction that can make something that should be simple into something complex. Complexity can lead to conflict, can lead to resolution, can lead to resentment, can lead to .... what were we talking about.

Oh yeah, simple church. We often lose sight of 'the rock' Jesus called the foundation for His church. Sometimes it's hard to see the Savior for the saved (like the forest for the trees).

Reminds me of an old song by Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander and
William Herbert Jude;

"Jesus calls us o'er the tumult
Of our life's wild restless sea
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth
Saying Christian follow Me"

Is it possible for it to be that simple? Is it possible to gather a group of disciples together on a regular basis and keep it simple? This study is not so much about abandoning all tradition, selling the PA system, the building and church vans and staying at home. We're called to community. We need to gather and share life and faith.

But at the core of our existance do we really love God with ALL our heart, soul, mind and strength? Do we really love our neighbor as we love ourselves? Are we imitating Jesus, who said he came not to be served but to serve?

Love God. Love others. Serve the world.

Sounds simple enough.

A pigeon landed on our roof last week. We don't normally have pigeons flying around here. Actually had a Texas tag on its right leg. It just sat there for hours, literally driving the dogs crazy. I finally got up there and it let me pick it up. I was just going to put it in a tree away from the dogs. As I reached out for the ladder to climb down it escaped my glove-protected hand and fluttered back to the roof. When I went back over to recapture it, it flew away. My curiosity about why a pigeon would land, rest for several hours on my roof (and poop several times!) then fly off without even a thank you, was bugging me.

Next day I'm reading in the gospel of Mark how Jesus drove the moneychangers and merchants out of the temple courtyard. Specifically says those who sold pigeons. Hmmm. Jesus said his Father's house was to be a house of prayer but they had made it a den of thieves.

So, back to my pigeon story. I figure the Lord sent me a pigeon to remind me that my house here in suburban Edmond is to be a house of prayer. God wants to hear from me and speak to me in my house, but I've often got so much clutter in the courtyard and merchandise in the dwelling place of His Spirit that I'm a thief in my own house. I think God communicates His will to us in many ways. Perhaps that bird was God's way of telling me to make sure our house is a house of prayer.

Or maybe it was just a stray pigeon.