Remodel Day Four

Well, the walls are just about complete, and I'm heading to Home Chepot to get the stuff for wiring the electric. This is a new venture for me. I have always deferred electrical work to others, but I have decided that I'm going to learn to do it myself.

This is the weirdest vacation I've ever had. I've never been more worn out on a vacation.

-Ben

Remodel -- Day Two

Today was what I anticipate to be the worst day -- Insulation Day. I hate working with insulation, but needed to get it done. I put up insulation for the room I'm finishing. I'll have to insulate each section of the basement that way. I also chose DOW Super Tuff-R for rigid insulation against the block walls. It's funny, it feels warmer in this corner of the basement already.

Here are some pictures of my handiwork.

Remodel -- Day One

Ok, so no pictures yet. I tend to be so busy working that I don't take time to take pictures. I promise I'll try to do better. Yesterday was spent moving stuff from one side of basement to the other. So thankful for help. I have a friend named Michael Martin who helped me move everything and get set up to paint. We spent a good deal of the day brushing all the blocks, getting them ready for the paint, and then painted.

Now my house has the interesting odor of the paint. I'm sure my wife is thrilled.

Today I'll be doing insulation. Insulating the joists above and the walls around. This corner that I'm focusing on will give my wife and I the perspective of how the rest of the basement will come along as the funds become available to finish the whole thing. Hopefully it will serve as a motivator too.

The reason I'm starting like this is out of necessity. I've moved my office back into my home, and really need to have a defined space for it. While I've made the adjustment back into a home setting the walls and a close-able door will really help.

I'll keep you posted.

--Ben

The Basement Remodel

I'm remodeling my basement from unfinished to finished living space. Should be a fun and long project, but first is finishing my office. Can't wait. Started today by moving everything on one side of the basement to the other. Drylocking the walls, haven't been leaking but before I cover them up I want to just add one more layer of moisture management. So scraping and etching then I'll paint this evening.

Tomorrow will be insulation (probably my least favorite part). I've taken the week off from work, to focus on this project, my goal is to get the office complete enough to move some of my essential furniture back in at the beginning of next week.

I'll keep you posted and try to be like my friend Drew and include pictures.

--Ben

Returning To An Altar

In many of the lives of great men of the Bible the altar played a significant role of faith and perseverance. Notably Abraham, the father of faith, built altars unto the Lord, and there is an interesting correlation to the fact that he pitched his tent and built his altars. He spent his time building things that would last around his faith not his fancies.

Each follower of God should have places that are reminders of the work of God in shaping their faith. For Abraham their was an altar on Mt. Moriah where he remembered a ram in the thicket. For Elijah there was an Altar on Mt. Carmel where he remembered defeating the prophets of Baal in a showdown of faith. For me there are several altars of importance, not the least of which is at Pasadena A/G church. It has been an altar that I've returned to multiple times, and I look forward to turning to in the future. It's a place where I find direction and sanctuary, regroup and go deeper in my faith. It is a place of worship, tears, laughter, and victory.

That's where I'm heading today for worship.

--Ben

Schedule Change Reminder

Just a reminder that SRC is not having service tomorrow. If you arrive on campus you'll find the gates locked. Three weeks a year we're are closed and the next two weeks are two out of three.

I hope you rest up and enjoy worship in other ways. For my family and I it will be a trip back to the church I was previously pastor of. Pasadena Assembly is a wonderful church, filled with life-long friends. I look forward to worshipping with them tomorrow. You're welcome to join me. The address is 206 Pleasantview Ave. 21122. I've been asked to speak briefly in the morning and I'll be telling the story that has unfolded over the last year.

Hope you'll be well.

--Ben

Pastor Ariel's Fundraiser Review

Today I read the following reveiw on Pastor Ariel's blog. Thought I'd let you know it's up, and give you a link to it. Like Ariel, I'm very thankful for everyone's participation. I'm looking forward to next year.

In all the hustle-bustle of the Christmas season, perhaps nowhere is as crowded and crazy as the local shopping mall. Parking spaces are at a premium, and the lines are long at cash registers as everyone tries to get their last few gifts bought.

Severn River Church participated in an outreach/fundraiser for the last two nights at Marley Station Mall in Glen Burnie, in which we wrapped gifts...MORE

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

At Severn River Church we believe it takes all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people. Our setting on Anne Arundel Community College is a great place for this kind of church. However, when the campus is closed we DO NOT have service. Therefore, for the weeks of December 27th and January 3rd there is no service. We view it as a break for the end of the year; a chance to relax and enjoy the holidays. It's different, we know, from other churches, but we're a different kind of church. The people who worship regularly at Severn River Church do so because they find a genuine love for God and each other in a contemporary style that is both easy to understand and participate in. We enthusiastically welcome you to join us January 10 as we kick off 2010 at Severn River Church.

Thought This Was Great

Crazy

My own neurosis is made more evident when weekends like this occur. All at the same time I have these feelings:

• I don't want to cancel church because I've worked hard to prepare for this week's service.
• It would be nice to cancel church because I've worked hard to prepare and wouldn't mind sleeping in.
• I hate canceling church because then it seems like the devil wins.
• Church got canceled because God didn't put a force field around Anne Arundel County, He's ok with the church being closed.
• Well, maybe I should email a devotion, or record my sermon and post it on the web.
• Maybe I should go shovel the side walk again.
  
• Well, at least if AACC closes, then I can blame it on them.
• There's already ten inches of snow and the college hasn't closed, they should. This is ridiculous.
• Ok, that's it. I'm calling it off even though AACC hasn't. Well, maybe I'll call them first.
• Campus is closed. Good call Public Safety. But I had a really good message planned.
• Maybe I should invite people to get together at my house.
• I really should go shovel the sidewalk again.
• No, we just need to be closed.
• Send twitter on Benrainey account
• Send twitter on SRCband acount
• Send twitter on SevernRiver account
• Blog closing. (Also posts to twitter and facebook)
• Email closing. (Send 68, 31 read)
• Change website (misspell Chirstmas)
  
• Deep breath
• Tell my wife church is canceled and she looks at me and says, "No kidding!?!"
• Sunday morning I shovel for over four hours to dig my sidewalks and driveway out. I say to my neighbor, "Yeah, my Boss gave me the day off." He laughs. My other neighbor calls me Rabbi.
• Maybe I should have slept in.
• I wish we hadn't canceled church.
  

--Ben

Church Announcement

Weekend Service Canceled:

The AACC Campus in Arnold will be closed on Sunday, December 20 according to the AACC Department of Public Safety. Severn River Church will NOT be holding weekend services.

--Ben

Church Announcement: Snow Policy

Severn River Church's weather policy corresponds to the policy of AACC. If the campus is closed or delayed church is canceled. Feel free to check the www.severnriverchurch.com homepage for a closure announcement or check the aacc.edu site for details.

--Ben

"I Just Feel Lost"

Last night I sat with a woman and talked about a number of challenges she's facing not least of which is her desire to feel close with God. After a lengthy conversation she simply said, "I just feel lost."

Enter good news. Jesus is looking for lost things. I told her three stories that Jesus shared. It was refreshing to share them, because it they were the stories of when he found me.

• A shepherd had 100 sheep, one was lost so he went and found it.
• A woman had 5 coins, she lost one so she swept the house until she found it.
• A Father had 2 sons, one was lost but came home again.

I'm thankful that Jesus is looking for the lost. In fact, he said, "I've come to seek and save that which is lost."

One more lost one found. I prayed with her to receive forgiveness and new life in Christ.

--Ben

Twitterfeed

I use a service called twitterfeed to post my blog posts as tweets and Facebook status updates. Recently it has started only picking them up intermittently. Not sure what the problem is, but I appreciate those who still find their way to benjaminrainey.com.

--Ben

Tobiah

A couple weeks ago I was having a conversation with my friend Jay who remembered one of the best sermons he remembers me preaching. The sad part was I didn't remember it, but as he recounted it I definitely thought it was something I might have preached.

I had been preaching out of Nehemiah, one of my favorite books of the Bible, and had shared out of Nehemiah 6 the story of Sanballat and Tobiah's invitation for Nehemiah to leave his work and visit them. Sanballat and Tobiah were governors of the neighboring provinces around Judah. Sanballat, the governor of Samaria, seems really to have been the head bully; the bane of Nehemiah's existence. Tobiah on the other hand seems to just be a weasel. He was the kid that stood slightly behind the bully on the playground and parroted, "yeah, blah blah blah" Whatever the bully would say the weasel would just repeat. We even have a humorous recording of Sanballat challenging the effectiveness of the people's work on the wall of Jerusalem, and Tobiah adds, "Yeah, even if a fox jumped on your wall it would collapse." What a weak line.

Friends, beware of the bully, but beware of weasels too. Nehemiah wasn't distracted from his work, he didn't give them the time of day, and he certainly never caved to the bully or the weasel. In fact, after the work was done he returned to the service of the King Artexerxes, and after a time returned to Jerusalem only to find the weasel, Tobiah, had been given a room to live in inside the Temple of God. When Nehemiah found out he evicted Tobiah and threw all his belongings in the street. Tobiah said, "Oh yeah? Well..." but alas without the bully to follow, he just turned tail and ran away. And to take one step further Nehemiah prayed, "God, remember the weasels for the weasels that they are." (Neh. 13:29 That's the BRV)

--Ben

Worship In My Unconscious

It doesn't happen often, in fact only about twice, but it's cool when it does: Worship and prayer in my unconscious mind, while dreaming. This morning early I had a dream that was very vivid. A familiar place that I haven't been to in years, with people I knew. We were gathering for worship, but it was in a home and the expression of worship, crying out to the Lord, hearing the voice of His Spirit was awesome. There was some other guy leading songs of praise and a group of people sitting in a room in a circle worshiping Jesus. The worship leader said something, and I was so amped up I said, "Say that again." He did. It was really cool. People just kept coming in to worship.

Now a dream is a dream. We don't have much control over them, and there are plenty of things I've dreamed that I don't want to remember or would be embarrassed to write publicly. To me the best part is awaking from that dream and having a fluid movement of worship from the unconscious state to a conscious one. One moment I'm singing to the Lord in my dream, the next moment my lips are forming the words as I lay awake in my bed.

Just a cool experience. Unexpected moments/unconscious responses are a great barometer of what is happening inside. You can't predict when they're going to happen, but I try to take inventory every time it happens.

--Ben

The Code

I was thinking again this morning about the code that I live my life by. I was listening to the numbers of boys in America without fathers and it made me question how boys become men without the influence of a father. I'm sure many manage to find other role models and masculine figures to supplement, but I think there is nothing so important in the development of boys than a Father who cares for and leads his son into manhood.

I felt burdened for these boys and especially the young men who have never been taught what character is all about. I hope that my life will be an example for younger men to follow. I hope they adopt the code that I live my life by. A man should be alert, clean, honest, courageous, loyal, courteous, and spiritual.

--Ben

Daddy's Day With The Girls

Another Friday with my progeny. I really enjoy spending time with these two rascals. Sydney spends the first half the day in pre-school, then it's lunch time, play time, and then nap time (Daddy's absolute favorite!)

In light of how fast these little ones are growing up, I try to keep a good perspective of enjoying every last moment with them.

Last night I ended up double booked, an appointment with someone from church and family Christmas pictures at JCPenny. When I realized the conflict I postponed the church appointment. I didn't do it flippantly, in fact I was sad to do it, but I realized something: There will always be limitless church meetings for me to attend, but there are a limited number of family moments we'll get to spend together. It's a no-brainer.

Thoughts from a Dad I guess...

--Ben

Christmas Sunday

On December 20th we'll be hosting Christmas Sunday. The final weekend service of the year is a deay set aside to celebrate Christmas togehter. We're looking forward to a special day filled with friends and family that enjoy a service packed with fun. Several special features that day will include:

• A Professional Photographer on-site for family portraits. (Free Sittings) Check out AEVphotography's website ; Amanda Vogt Photographer
• Christmas Cookie Exchange.
• Christmas Games and contests with fabulous prizes.
• A Christ-centered message lifting people's faith in the reason for the season.

It's gonna be great, hope you'll be there.

--Ben

What I'm Reading

Leaders are learners, and much of learning comes through reading. I have been really been finding time to carve out for reading more lately, and because of my Skype conversation today I thought I'd share with you what I've been reading:

• The Pursuit Of God by A.W.Tozer -- A great book for believers in Christ on how to take your faith to a higher level. Very deep. I'll be posting a collection of thoughts from it soon.
• Love's Executioner by Irvin d. Yalom -- Found this book on a list of most influential books on another pastor's list. I'm always interested in reading "most influential books". In fact, I keep a record each year of most influential so I can share it with others. This book I hate so far. I am enduring reading it because it is written by a secular humanist, and it is so hopeless. It is a collection of psychotherapy short stories of ten patients he treated over the years. This book helps me know how others hear me when I write and speak. I understand now that all they hear is the "God" and "Jesus" belief of my life, because when I read this all I hear is the hopelessness of humanism. No where close to recommending it yet. I'll keep reading.
• Developing the Leaders Around You by John Maxwell -- This is an older book on leadership that I've never read. I am not doing a good job right now at developing leaders so I thought I'd go back to the source and learn more so I can lead more.

On the runway...
(Just got these today in fact.)

• Confessions of a Reformation Rev by Mark Driscoll -- This book has been on my wishlist for years, glad to finally have it to get into it.
• Pastors at Greater Risk by H. B. London -- A follow up to a book related to the stress, pressures and failures common to pastors.
  
• How The Mighty Fall by Jim Collins -- A business book on how great companies lose their greatness through failures to change. I think it will be very instructional for the church as well.

There's the current book list.

--Ben

What are you reading? What has been most influential lately?

Skype

I always enjoy Skype, but don't use it often enough. Today I got to skype a friend and fellow pastor. We talked for about fifteen minutes face to face thanks to the cutting edge technology of 2001. I got to give him a view of my office surroundings, and we spoke about what each other have been reading to grow as leaders. Good conversation.

For those that may not know Skype is a free VOIP (voice over internet protocol) that allows free conversations via the internet. It is 0 cents a minute and if you have a webcam you can send a live video call and receive one if the person you call is similarly equipped. All free.

Definitely more interesting than just talking on the phone.

--Ben

Change, The Only Constant

"Things they are a-changing", were the words I heard my father say over last weekend. His reference was a pile of what remained from cabinets and shelving that had been a part of my grandparent's house for the last 40 years. The new owner of the property had already started the much needed repairs and changes that had been neglected over the last several years. And there lay, in a pile on the driveway, memories. Things are indeed changing.

Of course that's a constant of life; change. And we all know that, but I find there are a few different ways people deal with change. Some will avoid change at all cost, they don't want anything to change, especially if it "ain't broke". Some will accept change after they've let others test the new model long enough to know it really works. Still others are always looking for what the next change will be.

You probably identify with at least a shade of one of those areas. I definitely do. Today another change for me. I am switching banks. I have banked with the same bank for more of my life than not. It's a nice place, with nice people, and a small town bank kind of feel. The kind of place you don't have to show ID, because they know you and your parents and siblings. It really has been a nice bank. But in a recent buyout another bank has taken ownership of my branch, and though the people haven't changed, their website has, and it drives me nuts. I'm picking a new bank based on online benefits. This is not your father's banking.

I guess it's because of my vocation, my desperate interest in and love for the local church that makes me wonder if there are different ways people are choosing to connect with churches. What might that mean for the focus we ought to place on helping people connect. For what it's worth, I tend to believe that church is a place where people are much more comfortable with things staying the same rather than changing. Sometimes I wonder if people don't try to gain sanctuary in the church from the change that is constantly occurring outside its walls. Churches that don't face and embrace change are churches that will be left behind as nice places with nice people, that just don't meet a new generation's needs.

--Ben

Just Trust Me

There are seasons when it is more difficult to hear from the Lord, but it is sweet when you can. This morning I heard clearly in my spirit the word of the Lord, "Just trust Me." There was a specific thing that He was speaking to me about, and that's between Him and me. But in a more overarching way, He was reminding me that all I am is under His leadership. I should just trust Him. He didn't lead the people of Israel into the wilderness to abandon them. He didn't lead Jesus to the cross in vain. He had a plan, and it always unfolds perfectly.

"Just trust Me."

Amen.

--Ben

Inclement Weather Policy

Severn River Church's weather policy corresponds to the policy of AACC. If the campus is closed or delayed church is canceled. Feel free to check the www.severnriverchurch.com homepage for a closure announcement or check the aacc.edu site for details.

--Ben

Man Up Announcement

Tomorrow Man Up had a scheduled skeet shoot, however the weather will be raining with a mix of snow. (Not ideal conditions for shooting.) We'll be postponing the event. I'm still inviting everyone to meet me at Bob Evans at Ritchie and Jumpers Hole tomorrow morning for breakfast; 8:00 a.m. till...


--Ben

Yard Work On A Day Off

Friday is the day I take off and for weeks I have been tied up with various and sundry other obligations. This week though I get to finally get to the lawn that has been put off for months, and all the leaves that have been piling up on top of it.

Then when Sydney gets home from school we'll be hanging some Christmas lights. Should be a good day.

--Ben

Meetings Today

Today I have a couple meetings that I'm looking forward to. This morning I'll meet with the Pastor's Growth Group at Eastern A/G church. This group is led by Gary Butler, and is an enrichment to me professionally. We have a church leadership lesson each month that Gary teaches and a lot of transparency among the pastors that attend to share how they're progressing or not.

Then I was invited to lunch by a friend named Bill. Getting some Thai food for lunch. Bill is the chaplain for the MDTA Police. Nice guy.

--Ben

Settling In

My office is feeling a bit more like an office. Each day, I unpack boxes, or throw out trash. It has been a typical moving week. I've had several now, so I am learning what to expect. This one has been much easier because I had help on Monday. But I'm sure that it will take me a few more days to really settle in.

Speaking of settling in, last night I put together a new set of bunk beds for my daughters to share. They are moving into one room to make room for the baby. It was Ellie's first night in her own big girl bed. They were so excited. Sadly, I think the mornings of the girls crawling in bed with Mommy and Daddy are coming to a close. They can now crawl into bed with each other. Sniff, sniff.

--Ben

The What Ifs

What if I get hungry and don't have any money in my wallet?

What if my bank account got frozen by mistake?

What if the government seized my bank?

What if I couldn't get any money from my savings account and lost my job?

What if it was my job to lick scabs and I didn't get paid for it?

Ok, enough what-ifs. Worry manifests itself in the form of What If questions. And the problem with that is that each What If question leads to a bigger farther reaching end. It really reminds me of a Larry Norman song called Troubles. The lyrics say, "Troubles like shadows are never as big as they seem."

Don't let worry drive your life. Remember: Don't live As If the What Ifs are reality.

--Ben

Man Up

This weekend I'm taking the men of SRC out to Churchville, MD to a skeet shoot. It's the first outing of the men's group we're calling Man Up. We're meeting Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. at Jumpers Theater on Jumpers Hole Rd. Then we'll carpool up to the farm. We'll grab lunch when we're done and return home by 1:00 p.m. If you'd like to bring your own shotgun you can, a shotgun will be provided for those that don't have one. Please bring ear protection, safety glasses will be provided.

--Ben