Month: August 2022

    You may be surprised by my answer to this question, because deep down in my soul I do not feel like I have any great achievements. Don’t feel sorry for me or try to boast my ego! Let me explain why.
    Certainly, there are some mile markers in my life I have reached which do mark some significant achievements I have accomplished. Let me share a few.
1. Getting the education I would need in order to become the person I felt God was calling me to be. In my own self-assessment, I probably was an above average student. For the most part Math came easy to me, but other subjects demanded work and extra attention. I decided to put in the hard work, even in the areas where I fell short. Though I may not have excelled in certain subjects it felt like an accomplishment whenever I put in the hard work! Don’t shy away from your weaknesses, while embracing your strengths!
2. At a pretty early age, it became clear how much I loved music. There was a song children sang when I was very little titled “How much is that doggie in the window.” My mom would sing it and there was a part where the dog would bark. Guess who got good at barking. I became infatuated with the guitar at an early age. There was a TV show titled Ozzie and Harriet. It was a classic 1950s and 60s family show. It actually was a real-life family of actors and their two sons, Rick and David. As Rick Nelson became a teenager, he was often featured playing guitar. As I watched the show with my family, I would pick up anything resembling a guitar and begin to imitate Ricky!

My imitation would actually lead me to take guitar lessons and began a lifetime of singing and strumming. For years I would come home from school and practice for several hours just because I loved it so much. In reality, I consider myself just an average singer and musician. With my passion and encouragement from a lot of people, I began to actually begin to sing and play and people would listen. It was quite a surprise. Your grandmother and I were attracted to each other in a large part because of our love for music. She is actually the more talented, gifted and trained. I do think my drive brought out the best in her as a singer. Music for us became a wonderful way to share our faith and love for Jesus Christ. We never achieved any kind of great success, but we have sung all over the United States and some other countries. We wrote a few songs and recorded a few albums. Have your mom dig them out sometime.
3. When I felt the call to go into the ordained ministry of the United Methodist Church, I knew it meant going to Seminary. As I shared earlier, getting an education is a great achievement and Seminary was a bit of a challenge, because math and seminary don’t have a lot in common. I knew how important it was to the calling, so I worked hard to achieve a Master of Divinity. I actually surprised myself and graduated with honors. You will know more of what that means should you decide to pursue a college education post high school graduation.
4. Probably the most concrete of what I might consider an achievement was being the founder of CrossRoad Church, watching it start in a rented commercial building and then to a permanent location where I would be the Lead Pastor for 22 years. I won’t share much now, because I am sure in weeks to come there will be opportunities to write about those years. Your mom will remember many things about the years there. Hopefully positive!
5. During my active years in the ministry, there were two times I was recognized for achievements for which I feel very blessed. The first was the Denman Evangelism Award in 1998. CrossRoad Church was two years old and the majority of people joining were either new to the faith or were reaffirming their faith. It was humbling to receive recognition from the Florida Annual Conference.

A year later, I was asked to serve on the Billy Graham Jacksonville Crusade Board. (You will probably need to search the internet and learn about this faithful Christian leader and the impact he had all over the world). Of the pastors and leaders on the board, I was probably the least well known and serving the smallest church. I am still not sure why I was chosen, but I accepted. It was a great experience to serve with so many committed pastors and leaders from all over Northeast Florida. CrossRoad Church rose to the occasion and was very involved. A few days before the Crusade started, one of the fulltime Crusade workers invited me to say the opening prayer for one of the night meetings. I still get nervous thinking about that night. Before the service, I did get to meet Dr. Graham. It was brief and ceremonial. The real memory was getting to meet the Special Musical Guest Charlie Daniels (your dad may be able to tell you about him). We actually had a brief chat! Who knew!
    Now, let’s go back to the beginning. I wasn’t exercising false humility in my reluctance to describe any achievements as great. One reason is none of these achievements were accomplished alone. So many family members and friends were instrumental in achieving these milestones in my life. I hope I have been instrumental in helping others with their achievements. It would be satisfying to know!
    Also, whatever I have achieved, it really does not matter unless it has brought glory to God. Of the examples I have shared, I feel pretty confident they were a part of God’s plan for my life, and it is easy to acknowledge God’s Glory in them. There were achievements I pursued though noble, may not have been a part of God’s perfect for my life. God was gracious enough to allow me to pursue those things. Some were successes, some were failures. As I look back, I should have tried to use more discernment. Let me say it again, God was gracious.
    Here’s a story from the New Testament which reminds us of the need to seek God’s will and Give God the Glory for our achievements.

Acts 12: 21 On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22 They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” 23 Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

    Herod thought his accomplishments were a pretty big deal and believed the roar of the crowd. As you can see, God had a different view.
    Contrast this with the Apostle Paul. Before he became a follower of Jesus, he was a pretty big deal in religious circles. After encountering the resurrected Jesus, his life was changed. He lived to glorify God!

Galatians 2:19-20 NRSV 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, 20 and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, [a] who loved me and gave himself for me.

My prayer for you is to know Jesus Christ in this way and live to bring Him glory. Give Him the praise for your achievements and may be even some failures.
    One last thought. There is one achievement I am pretty sure pleases God. Your Grandmother and I were married July 21, 1979. This year we celebrated 43 years of marriage. We have had a great life together. There are several factors which have enabled us to be happy and keep our commitment. The most important has been our common faith and desire to see God Glorified. Living that way has helped us not to take ourselves too seriously! It has helped us to overcome. selfishness and to put the other first. She has done a better job than I have.
When you are committed to glorifying God, it reflects how you treat people. Not just family, but all those around you. At the end of the day, relationships are a person’s greatest achievements!

PS. Your mom gave me this when she was young. This may be my greatest achievement!

    At an early age, I became very conscious of material possessions, or “things.” This led me to be a bit selfish and sometimes too overly concerned about my possessions. My parents were very good about helping me become less concerned about things, but it wasn’t always easy. Ultimately, when I became a follower of Jesus in my early teenage years, my love for material things became a little less and I began to care more eternal matters. I am sure later notes will address this, so for now let’s look closer at this question.
    My mother played a big role in helping me understand and temper my possessive nature. Her guidance would help me gain a perspective I still appreciate. My parents made certain my sister and I had everything we needed, even though my wants may have been greater. As I entered adolescence, I became very aware of my appearance and I wanted to dress in fashionable, name brand clothing. When Mom took me shopping, she let me know there was a budget. Her budget would cover the more generic brands of clothing. If I wanted to buy the more expensive name brand (it usually had a logo to let everyone know it was a name brand), I would have to pay the difference out of my allowance, birthday, lawn mowing money, etc. It was a good way to help me actually understand the value of money and possessions.
    Like I mentioned, I had everything I needed, but like most of us, our wants exceed our needs. As I began to earn money, my dad agreed to match every deposit I made into my savings accounts. He actually underestimated my ability to save, and I think he was surprised at how my bank account was growing and surprised when I asked for the matching funds. It was a great incentive to save and to set goals to help me purchase some of my wants!
    After playing guitar for several years, it came time when the entry level beginner guitars were not allowing me to improve. I worked and saved all summer long to buy my first, hand crafted guitar. It was a Gibson J-45.

In 1968 the purchase price was a little more than $400. As I am writing this in 2022, the price is around $2800. I kept that guitar for over twelve years and it brought me a lot of pleasure and helped me to improve my playing.

    The next major purchase of a guitar was in August of 1974, a Martin D35.

That guitar suited the style of music I was playing at the time. I still have the receipt and I still have the guitar.

Its value today is about $3400. Because of my love for playing and singing, the greatest possessions in my early years were my guitars. These possessions matter a lot to me, because they are a great part of who I am. I value them, because I also worked very hard for them and have put them to use. Over the years, I have owned several guitars each serving different purposes. My expertise was mainly playing acoustic guitar, but there have been a few electric guitars in the arsenal, though none of any great value. As the value of my D35 began to grow and the ability to replace it became harder, I bought a very generic guitar that I would use because it could be replaced easily if something happened to it.
    Christmas of 2005, there was an odd shaped gift under the tree. When I opened it, it was probably the biggest surprise gift of my life. One of our friends had just purchased a guitar a few months earlier. After playing it, I commented on what an amazing sound and feel it had. Somehow, my enthusiasm was communicated to Sandy. She and her parents, your great grandparents joined together to give me that guitar. It is a very special guitar and complements the Martin D35 well.

    What is really special about this guitar is of all my guitars, it is the only one I didn’t earn or deserve. It was a complete gift. Though I value the lessons I learned as a teenager and the discipline it took to purchase those guitars, my dad was not very supportive of my musical gifts. It was almost 25 years later; when he actually shared his regrets he hadn’t been more supportive. In fairness to my dad, I probably am a better person for earning those guitars. Both of those guitars represent a lot about how I value material possessions. Some come with hard work. Some are gifts. Learn to appreciate both.
    While I was saving for guitars, my parents were saving for my college. You have probably heard my father grew up on a farm. His father actually had a college education. He had majored in horticulture, and he applied his education there. My father went to college and later earned a Masters Degree from MIT. My parents made sure I would have the opportunity to go to college and though my dad didn’t invest a lot in my musical interests, my parents paid all my tuition, room and board. I value education as a great possession. It matters so much; your grandmother and I already have a college fund for you!
    There are several possessions I think are very important. Transportation and a place to live are a priority in our lives. Don’t get caught up in the prestige of a particular automobile or the number of square feet you own. Our home has always been a big asset for us. We would sacrifice other things to have a comfortable home. We have hosted a lot of special events. We have had people live with us rent free while they were in some sort of transition. I do, however, consider these great privileges and hope you will also.

Here are a few insights into possessions and some warnings!
1.Love people, use things. Many people have this reversed. They love things and use people. Get this right and you will truly be happy!
2. Be careful about what you desire to possess. Most things own you. Fancy cars, boats, vacation homes etc. All require a lot of time effort.
3. The greatest possessions usually require some type of sacrifice; it may be yours or someone else’s.
4. By now, you probably know the gifts I value the most are your time. The memories we make are my greatest possession. You are my greatest gift!!

    Finally, what I have learned from Jesus has guided me and I hope will guide you!

Matthew 6:19-21 NIV 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 12: 22-28 NIV 22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[b]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 13:44-46 NIV 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

    It would be a lie to say that possessions and material things don’t matter to me. They do! My prayer for you is that you will embrace these words of Jesus of Nazareth, our Savior and Lord. Seek His Kingdom first. It’s the greatest treasure you could ever possess. It is the finest most valuable pearl. The Kingdom is worth all of your effort!

Gee Sprague, August 18, 2022

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This is an interesting question and there are a lot of ways for me to write about it!  One thing I have noticed is over the years I have seen emotional and physical characteristics of both of my parents appear , disappear and then reappear.  Often, I have noticed the things I thought were unappealing about my parents appear in me.  Fortunately, their strengths have benefited me more than their weaknesses, but observing their weaknesses has also helped me to grow to be a little more complete as I try to improve on  my weaknesses.  I am grateful both of my parents were loving and kind.  Their lives were very instrumental in the person I am, warts and all!

From an early age, like most boys, I wanted to be just like my father.  When asked what I wanted to do for a job I always responded, an Engineer.  Your great grandfather was a highly skilled mechanical engineer who would gravitate towards aeronautical engineering, working most of his career with a major company designing defense systems for the military.  He taught me a lot about how to use tools, to design and to build things.  Even at an early age, I liked to take apart things and see if I could put them back together.  I like to repair broken things.  I like to take a tool or piece of equipment and see if I can find other uses or somehow tweak it a little to make it better.  Because of this propensity, I did major in math in college.  His mathematic and engineering mind definitely formed me.

My mother was very organized and smart, but her strongest areas were in her outgoing personality and her sense of humor.  These areas were lacking in my father, but mom had it covered!  Most of my emotional make up came from her.  She loved music and encouraged me to sing and to play guitar.  Though my dad didn’t discourage this, she was the one who inspired me to pursue the talents and desires of my heart!

Sometimes, during my life, I felt like I got all the annoying traits of both my parents and it felt like my sister got all of their great traits.  As I have grown older, when I saw some of those traits, I took steps to not let them produce negative results and I have tried to concentrate on the strengths. 

Overall, my parents were incredible influences in my life and I thank God for the gifts they gave me!  Embracing their strengths and recognizing their weaknesses definitely influenced me and I am grateful for both!

Already, we notice characteristics that resemble your parents.  We see their strengths and weaknesses in you and the effort they are making to influence you to become the person God created you to be!

This is an opportunity to share about your mother.  By the time you are reading this, you probably know she is not our biological child, but our child by adoption.  Nothing about your mother came from our gene pool!

Throughout her life, people would comment, “she has your eyes or she has her mother’s smile.”  We never tried to inform people she was adopted.  We would just smile at each other and think how amazing God was to give us a child who would actually grow to have some resemblance.  Any physical resemblance to us is really just accidental.  Some adopted children are from other cultures and may never have a physical resemblance to their parents.  There are, however, some strong resemblances which go way beyond outward appearances.

Your mom and grandmother, share a love for entertaining, decorating, shopping, shoes, and a whole host of other things.  Not exactly sure what traits she has of mine, probably determination and grit. These really are just our ability to be stubborn.

In our family, adoption is a very special thing. Our faith is formed around the New Testament and teachings of Jesus and His early followers describing how we are adopted into the family of God.  People will often say we are children of God, but it is not totally accurate.  We are actually creations of God, created in the image of God.  Jesus, in a sense, is the only true biological child of God.  The New Testament proclaims Jesus provides a way for each human to actually become a child of God.  That method is through adoption.

John 15:16 NIV You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

Romans 8:15 NRSV For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Romans 8:22-23 NRSV We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 

Galatians 4: 4-7 CEV But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, 5 so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God’s children. 6 Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father. 7You are no longer slaves. You are God’s children, and you will be given what he has promised.

Ephesians 1:4-6 CEV 4Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. 5God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God’s own adopted children. 6God treated us with undeserved grace because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God.

1 John 3:1 NIV See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Each of these scriptures describes how we were chosen by God to be His child.  Just as your mother has taken on traits of her mother and father, as an adopted child of God, we begin to grow into the likeness of Jesus, the only true child of God.  Through adoption, we become a part of God’s family.  It is quite a gift.

When you were baptized as infant, it was the first step in God’s adoption process to bring you into Jesus’ family.  At some point in your life, you will have to make a decision whether you want to accept or reject God’s  adoption.  It is your choice.  If you accept your place in Jesus’ family, you will grow and start to take on the family characteristics.  Some will come naturally.  Some won’t.  At the very core of this is it is a gift.  You didn’t earn a spot or deserve a spot in Jesus’ family.  Jesus died for you to have.  Even when you stray from the family tree, Jesus will not leave you or forsake you!  You are family!

So, I am not sure I really answered the question.  What is important, we are formed by our family!  Who we become is a product of who loves us and who we love.  Jesus loves us more than we can even imagine.  My prayer for you is to grow into His likeness!

Notes to my Grandchildren 6: What is one of the bravest things you’ve ever done, and what was the outcome?
Before I answer this, it’s important to differentiate between being brave (or courageous) and taking risks. Quite often we see people who will risk their life because they are seeking an adrenaline rush or just because they are risk adverse. These people rarely turn down a dare and are always pushing their physical limits and are refining their abilities to defy gravity.
While I don’t consider myself a dare devil or adrenaline junkie, I have done a few things pushing the limits of gravity. There’s a lake in Opelika, Alabama several of us visited one summer with a 50-75 foot cliff you can climb and jump off into the lake. Yes, I jumped. Once! I was, however, bruised from my left hip to my knee and didn’t sleep well that night. You know how much I love snow skiing and by the time you are reading this we will have shared several trips. I like pushing my limits a bit and have skied a few steep pitches. One of the scariest was at Big Sky, Montana. There is an area you hike called the Headwall (see picture). It was probably the scariest and most tedious physical accomplishment of my life. Let me repeat, I do not consider myself a dare devil, but I am glad I have pushed a few limits.

Having said that, risking your life does not make you brave! Risking your life for someone else makes you Brave!
Fortunately, I never had to serve in the military. I do, however, have great respect for those who have served and sacrificed their life or their physical well being protecting our freedom. Nothing I have done comes even close. That’s brave!
These words of Jesus have guided me: John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
My bravest moments have been when I have stood up for the underdog. My bravest moments are when I have decided not to make fun of people because of their limitations, their social status, their culture, their race. My bravest moments are when I have intervened when I felt like someone was being threatened. Many years ago, I was at a restaurant with some friends. As I was preparing to get in my car, I noticed some men gathering around the car of one of the women who had been with us. They were sort of bullying her and yelling at her not to hit their truck. I got out of my car, and fortunately one of our good friends, Wade Thigpen, got out too. We just walked over and stood by her car and helped guide her out of the parking spot. We didn’t challenge the men. We didn’t bully back. We just were present. I do remember getting back in my car and feeling my heart racing and being very glad Wade was there!
For me, bravery means not cheating people out of what they deserve. It means serving and sacrificing for your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc! Standing up what for you believe. Almost every week for 40 years, I stood up and proclaimed my belief Jesus was the son of God; he lived and died so I could know I could have a personal relationship with His Father. Though I am not in the public eye proclaiming that any longer, I still stand up for my belief. It really is the basis for how and why I serve and sacrifice. If you do the same, you will be brave!
Don’t live in fear! Get on the merry go round! Ride the roller coaster. White water raft. Ski the Black Diamonds! Navigate the bumps. It’s good practice which will one day enable you to do really Brave things, like laying down your life for other!
As I write this, there is one risky activity I still am considering! A tandem skydiving jump! I am 69 writing this. Maybe I will do this on my 70th birthday. To be continued…