I'm a sucker for camp fires, waves and Christmas lights, I could watch them forever. It's that time again...lights on, blanket over the knees, coffee in hand...it's Christmas time.
A friend of mine recently passed away from cancer. He was a normal sort of a guy...kind, friendly, interesting and outgoing. He was a computer person and a fine coach of wrestling. At his funeral, I sat and listened to people talk about him. I didn't really catch much about his main focus in life...his teaching career and coaching prowess. What I heard about most was his love of a certain breed of cow. From what I could understand, he had become the chief guy in charge of maintaining and promoting this unique strain of cattle. People from all over the Midwest were there remembering this man, not because of his cancer or his lively hood but because of his hobby.
Jesus was born of a virgin. Why would God do that? Why cause such speculation? Why put Mary and Joseph in such an awkward situation? Why not do the "norm" and have Jesus be born royalty, be nice to everybody, take over the world and have everyone live happily ever after?
God took a couple of nice poor folk, created a miracle, developed a pregnancy and made the impossible...a Savior. This whole Savior thing, it happened not by Jesus learning Joseph's trade and building a kingdom, or by Mary teaching Jesus how to cook fabulous meals and than Jesus feeding the world. This happened through Mary and Joseph because they followed the unimaginable path set before them by the creator of the world.
What's on your horizon? Do you think that special love, maybe your winsome character or your perplexing invention is of no consequence? Who knows, God may be preparing your quirksome interest to lead lost hearts to a lowly manger cradling eternal life.
My friend loved cows...big deal. God used that passion to change peoples lives all over the Midwest...incredible!
Joseph and Mary...they were poor and now outcasts because of a pregnancy scandal...so what! Bingo, a Savior was born!
Have you crossed out your Xmas? Maybe theoretically the X doesn't matter but for some reason it makes me nervous. I'm going to put in the extra effort, nix the X, keep Christ in Christmas and watch for the unimaginable.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
Prudent Selection
There seems to be many apprehensions in life. Doing things differently and staying the same both have ways of creating second thoughts and building tension. All sorts of things bring on these apprehensive feelings like replacing Christ in Christmas with an X, or replacing seven verses and seven choruses with seven repeats of the same line in a song. What about replacing weather faded hymn books with huge TV (oh my) screens. My worst fear was replacing the good ol' diaper pail with that new electronic diaper disposal system. My younger years found me impatient because I thought unchangeable was stagnation. Now that I'm older I have a hard time comprehending new things and think change is unnecessary.
When I was a youngster in college moseying my way through the mountains of Colorado, I came upon an interesting tree root. I'm not really sure if my musings of the day created the inclination or if the root actually looked like the compilation of a young and an old man. The bottom of the root looked like a muscular young man in a running pose as if hurrying somewhere, the top was a burl formed into the head of an old man, wrinkled, blemished, gnarled and bearded. This all found me in a struggling part of life; of being young and wanting to change and getting rid of old ways. But I was scared to grab life's new ideas and move into an uncomfortable world.
Times had become different. There were new ideas...many I wasn't sure were good. And many ideas seemed profound and I wished had been part of my life much earlier. As I looked at the root of man I wrote a poem that shaped me somewhat about my thoughts of young and old.
Prudent Selection
Light then breaks through tattered rinds
while rain, it flows in gutters,
lapped by tasteless tongues of time.
The mind is all that mutters....
Glistening rays bounce off the mass
when grip it seems to tighten.
Too soon to undergo the pain except for fickle lass,
is cause to never frighten.
Is it might or clever mind
that is a desperate need?
Side by side they'll surely find
some troubled lives to lead!
Strength or wisdom look to see,
both can rate as charity.
As the rain came down and glistened off that muscular body, I realized that change is inevitable and I must press on toward this perfection I follow in Christ. But the rain cascading down the wrinkles of the old man....what of him? I believe those tears have eroded many gutters of experience that can save much wasted time in this journey with my Lord. I must hold them dear as well.
It matters not what side of the fence I graze on. I have my likes, dislikes, and concerns...kinds of music, styles of clothes, methods of finance, techniques of worship. Unfortunately my humanness takes over in many of my decisions. I'm willing to throw out the old ideas and bring in something fresh. But what about others? My fresh may seem putrid to them. Why did I think older people (who were younger than I am now) were closed and set in their ways? The reality, I think, was because I wanted them to like this "new" as much as I did. What I found was that older people, by walking the path I was now walking, had created a clear motif, much better than my haphazard motives. This motif must always be consistent...Christ. We must base our life on Christ's desires not on our clever motives and ingenuity.
Does it matter young or old, hip or hop, classical or rap, fast paced or slow? I can like rap or rock or gospel and it will get me to the right destination as long as I'm going in the right direction. God may even tap His toe a time or two to both rock or hymns...I think He has no battle here.
Do I feel that the only people needing to find a Savior are those who like "change"? Maybe some who need this Savior like "same". The old may have to depend on strength to lead them because they are no longer able. Or maybe the strong need the wise to lead them forward. Leading, however, doesn't automatically change likes and dislikes. Wisdom and stability are intrinsically important as is strength and new ideas. If we all have an interest in this challenge called Christ-likeness we must look out for the interests of others. I can be as happy or even more-so to see my friends smile to their style of music rather than having to chase my toe tapping all over the stage. Or to see my kids and their friends, kick up their heels in worship to God as I sit stoically exhausted twelve rows back on the left side of the sanctuary.
I think God has a use for stable and changeable, and young and old alike. The prudent selection here is neither one or the other but both.
When I was a youngster in college moseying my way through the mountains of Colorado, I came upon an interesting tree root. I'm not really sure if my musings of the day created the inclination or if the root actually looked like the compilation of a young and an old man. The bottom of the root looked like a muscular young man in a running pose as if hurrying somewhere, the top was a burl formed into the head of an old man, wrinkled, blemished, gnarled and bearded. This all found me in a struggling part of life; of being young and wanting to change and getting rid of old ways. But I was scared to grab life's new ideas and move into an uncomfortable world.
Times had become different. There were new ideas...many I wasn't sure were good. And many ideas seemed profound and I wished had been part of my life much earlier. As I looked at the root of man I wrote a poem that shaped me somewhat about my thoughts of young and old.
Prudent Selection
Light then breaks through tattered rinds
while rain, it flows in gutters,
lapped by tasteless tongues of time.
The mind is all that mutters....
Glistening rays bounce off the mass
when grip it seems to tighten.
Too soon to undergo the pain except for fickle lass,
is cause to never frighten.
Is it might or clever mind
that is a desperate need?
Side by side they'll surely find
some troubled lives to lead!
Strength or wisdom look to see,
both can rate as charity.
As the rain came down and glistened off that muscular body, I realized that change is inevitable and I must press on toward this perfection I follow in Christ. But the rain cascading down the wrinkles of the old man....what of him? I believe those tears have eroded many gutters of experience that can save much wasted time in this journey with my Lord. I must hold them dear as well.
It matters not what side of the fence I graze on. I have my likes, dislikes, and concerns...kinds of music, styles of clothes, methods of finance, techniques of worship. Unfortunately my humanness takes over in many of my decisions. I'm willing to throw out the old ideas and bring in something fresh. But what about others? My fresh may seem putrid to them. Why did I think older people (who were younger than I am now) were closed and set in their ways? The reality, I think, was because I wanted them to like this "new" as much as I did. What I found was that older people, by walking the path I was now walking, had created a clear motif, much better than my haphazard motives. This motif must always be consistent...Christ. We must base our life on Christ's desires not on our clever motives and ingenuity.
Does it matter young or old, hip or hop, classical or rap, fast paced or slow? I can like rap or rock or gospel and it will get me to the right destination as long as I'm going in the right direction. God may even tap His toe a time or two to both rock or hymns...I think He has no battle here.
Do I feel that the only people needing to find a Savior are those who like "change"? Maybe some who need this Savior like "same". The old may have to depend on strength to lead them because they are no longer able. Or maybe the strong need the wise to lead them forward. Leading, however, doesn't automatically change likes and dislikes. Wisdom and stability are intrinsically important as is strength and new ideas. If we all have an interest in this challenge called Christ-likeness we must look out for the interests of others. I can be as happy or even more-so to see my friends smile to their style of music rather than having to chase my toe tapping all over the stage. Or to see my kids and their friends, kick up their heels in worship to God as I sit stoically exhausted twelve rows back on the left side of the sanctuary.
I think God has a use for stable and changeable, and young and old alike. The prudent selection here is neither one or the other but both.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Veterans
My father's military service was cut short because of medical issues, but in many ways his heart remained there with his comrades. He wrote many poems remembering who they were, wondering where they had gone and questioning why it had all come to this.
Why?
What are they fighting for?
Why do they die?
Why do they willingly rise
To meet the foe
Who sound the battle cry?
Theirs was the home,
The wheat fields and the sea,
The towering pinnacles that cities make,
The factory's roar, the smelting ore;
To them - not idle blasphemy.
Theirs the right to dream;
To watch the dappled sky
That evening makes for dreamer's sakes,
To watch a small child in his play;
These do not think to die.
Theirs the right to scheme;
To fashion lives in liberty.
To raise a cow; to shape a plow;
To follow it along a furrow,
This was to them Democracy.
Theirs was the sky;
No boundaries here they knew
Preventing them from conquering it;
To satisfy for reaching vagrant minds
Into every wind they flew.
And still they fly,
Escheloned in battleship that seems
A parody to man's constructive mind;
To Universities and pastoral simplicities.
And still they die, paradoxical to dreams.
John O. Benson
Freedom is so full of paradox. Soldiers who believe so deeply in our freedom that they are willing to march, fly, or sail into enemy fire to maintain something they will never again experience. They did that for me. They did that so I could whine and complain about people not taking care of me....not that they thought I would do such a thing. They died so I could burn their flag...not that they thought I would be capable of such a travesty. They sacrificed so I could blaspheme and slander, calling it speech.....not thinking there would be such perversion. What have we done?! Have we stumbled so far off base that logic has turned to lunacy? Freedom is a gift and a responsibility...not something to be toyed with. These men and women have given me so much and expected so little, for me to give so little and expect so much. I do wish we all understood and revered your sacrifice so much more. Thank you veterans!
Why?
What are they fighting for?
Why do they die?
Why do they willingly rise
To meet the foe
Who sound the battle cry?
Theirs was the home,
The wheat fields and the sea,
The towering pinnacles that cities make,
The factory's roar, the smelting ore;
To them - not idle blasphemy.
Theirs the right to dream;
To watch the dappled sky
That evening makes for dreamer's sakes,
To watch a small child in his play;
These do not think to die.
Theirs the right to scheme;
To fashion lives in liberty.
To raise a cow; to shape a plow;
To follow it along a furrow,
This was to them Democracy.
Theirs was the sky;
No boundaries here they knew
Preventing them from conquering it;
To satisfy for reaching vagrant minds
Into every wind they flew.
And still they fly,
Escheloned in battleship that seems
A parody to man's constructive mind;
To Universities and pastoral simplicities.
And still they die, paradoxical to dreams.
John O. Benson
Freedom is so full of paradox. Soldiers who believe so deeply in our freedom that they are willing to march, fly, or sail into enemy fire to maintain something they will never again experience. They did that for me. They did that so I could whine and complain about people not taking care of me....not that they thought I would do such a thing. They died so I could burn their flag...not that they thought I would be capable of such a travesty. They sacrificed so I could blaspheme and slander, calling it speech.....not thinking there would be such perversion. What have we done?! Have we stumbled so far off base that logic has turned to lunacy? Freedom is a gift and a responsibility...not something to be toyed with. These men and women have given me so much and expected so little, for me to give so little and expect so much. I do wish we all understood and revered your sacrifice so much more. Thank you veterans!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Prayer (conclusion)
This muse will conclude, however, the experience will continue on.
You may think I have shared pieces of my life to give you some insight into who I am. That couldn't be further from the truth. I am a man of inconsequence, no different than most. My purpose was to give some examples and allow you to think if it could be possible that normal everyday people can alter life through prayers to their powerful God.
Does God intervene in life as much as we think? I know He is powerful, omniscient, omnipresent and so much more....do you think God allows life to happen as it will? Again, God can make anything occur to accomplish anything He pleases, that is not my muse. But more often than not does life continue on in our sinful world, as it may and God steps in to make the circumstances as good? Sickness happens because sickness is part of peoples lives. Car accidents happen because we fall asleep or lose concentration. Does God not intervene as much as we would want? Maybe He lets life happen now and redeems the situation later....solves the puzzle as it were. The person who is susceptible to cancer, gets cancer and dies.....the normal course of life. However, God salvages the disturbing event of a sin filled world, slaps Satan in the face and draws the victim's father to Himself. The "Mistaken Identity" happens in Indiana and two families are devastated. God uses the tragedy to build a ministry to glorify His name. But.... can the prayers of Gods people, at times, alter this life of ours?
I believe we can! Do you remember back to my Christmas blog about Mary? I'm no different than her...I'm all in. I've given my life to Christ, this life no longer has anything to do with me, it's Gods deal. What I do should concern His purpose. How do I treat people? How do I respect my Lord? What do I fill my mind with? What do I pursue...how do I pursue it?
In Zechariah 7 it says that "they made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit....the Lord Almighty was very angry." Now catch this. "When I called, they did not listen, so when they called, I would not listen" says the Lord Almighty. It sounds like life altering prayer may have some responsibility to it. "I'll check in with God when I need something" doesn't seem to be what God had in mind.
What about Abraham? In Genesis, God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because they had become such a self interested, despicable people. It was all set, God held off and altered life because Abraham was trying to find enough good people so God would spare the cities. Joshua prayed for God to stop the sun so God's people could destroy the wicked Amorites. Life was altered because of a leader who was concerned about Gods concerns.
Our God doesn't really need us to rectify any situation or give Him any novel ideas but He cares for and loves us. If something is very important to us and it won't interfere with His overall plans, He might just step in and alter life as it might have normally shaken out. We live in a sinful world and He is in the process of defeating it, so it's not "my wish is His command" but, "my concerns and desires are His prerogative." I don't have much to offer but I am His child and He will listen to me. Don't cut God short! He may alter life's normal course to fulfill the request of His child.
You may think I have shared pieces of my life to give you some insight into who I am. That couldn't be further from the truth. I am a man of inconsequence, no different than most. My purpose was to give some examples and allow you to think if it could be possible that normal everyday people can alter life through prayers to their powerful God.
Does God intervene in life as much as we think? I know He is powerful, omniscient, omnipresent and so much more....do you think God allows life to happen as it will? Again, God can make anything occur to accomplish anything He pleases, that is not my muse. But more often than not does life continue on in our sinful world, as it may and God steps in to make the circumstances as good? Sickness happens because sickness is part of peoples lives. Car accidents happen because we fall asleep or lose concentration. Does God not intervene as much as we would want? Maybe He lets life happen now and redeems the situation later....solves the puzzle as it were. The person who is susceptible to cancer, gets cancer and dies.....the normal course of life. However, God salvages the disturbing event of a sin filled world, slaps Satan in the face and draws the victim's father to Himself. The "Mistaken Identity" happens in Indiana and two families are devastated. God uses the tragedy to build a ministry to glorify His name. But.... can the prayers of Gods people, at times, alter this life of ours?
I believe we can! Do you remember back to my Christmas blog about Mary? I'm no different than her...I'm all in. I've given my life to Christ, this life no longer has anything to do with me, it's Gods deal. What I do should concern His purpose. How do I treat people? How do I respect my Lord? What do I fill my mind with? What do I pursue...how do I pursue it?
In Zechariah 7 it says that "they made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit....the Lord Almighty was very angry." Now catch this. "When I called, they did not listen, so when they called, I would not listen" says the Lord Almighty. It sounds like life altering prayer may have some responsibility to it. "I'll check in with God when I need something" doesn't seem to be what God had in mind.
What about Abraham? In Genesis, God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because they had become such a self interested, despicable people. It was all set, God held off and altered life because Abraham was trying to find enough good people so God would spare the cities. Joshua prayed for God to stop the sun so God's people could destroy the wicked Amorites. Life was altered because of a leader who was concerned about Gods concerns.
Our God doesn't really need us to rectify any situation or give Him any novel ideas but He cares for and loves us. If something is very important to us and it won't interfere with His overall plans, He might just step in and alter life as it might have normally shaken out. We live in a sinful world and He is in the process of defeating it, so it's not "my wish is His command" but, "my concerns and desires are His prerogative." I don't have much to offer but I am His child and He will listen to me. Don't cut God short! He may alter life's normal course to fulfill the request of His child.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Prayer Journey (part 3)
It was early morning, not much past bedtime, when I awoke with an overwhelming concern tugging at me. All I could think about was a friend from high school. I hadn't spoken to or seen him since we graduated, maybe five or six years. Why this concern? We weren't that close, why would I be so worried about him? I dropped to my knees and prayed for him for a good half hour. There was nothing specific to pray for so I prayed, in general, for his safety, his family, his heart. The middle of the night meandered into morning and I couldn't get my friend or the unusual events out of my mind. I searched out a phone number and called him. I told him I had prayed for him the night before and asked if everything was OK. We exchanged exact times of me on my knees and he in a basement being soaked by a ruptured, frozen water pipe while holding an electric hair dryer.
What does it matter? Why use two prayers? My friend screamed for God's help. Why would God wake me up in the middle of the night to pray for a friend? God could have taken care of this situation without my prayer and no one would have been the wiser. Who knows what God had in mind.
Maybe if I leave my heart open to the Lord he will allow the precipitation of prayers to trickle in giving me a chance to participate in the excitement of the workings of a most Holy God.
What does it matter? Why use two prayers? My friend screamed for God's help. Why would God wake me up in the middle of the night to pray for a friend? God could have taken care of this situation without my prayer and no one would have been the wiser. Who knows what God had in mind.
Maybe if I leave my heart open to the Lord he will allow the precipitation of prayers to trickle in giving me a chance to participate in the excitement of the workings of a most Holy God.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Prayer Journey (part 2)
Why do I not get it? I should know where to find my God. I always have to come up with some other place to search. Maybe God's waiting for me in the closet. I'll give Him some time to go through my garb of goodness. Things will go well if I do what I should...be kind, caring and courageous. I'll look out for others and help the less fortunate. I'll be a grand husband and wonderful father. No God...well that's too bad. Maybe He's waiting in the kitchen. That's OK, He'll be able to see I'm keeping a good diet. He won't find any junk food of bad TV or movies. Of course, there are plenty of protein laden prayer meetings and church services. Oh yeah, He'll like the salads of sobriety and servant hood...He wasn't there either. God never has cared for my thoughtful uselessness. He didn't want me standing around thinking I deserved His watchful eye. That room...the one I threw all the junk in when company came over...He had found the key and snuck in. I guess I should go in too....Oh my! I didn't realize it was so full. He was there all the time. God was waiting for me in my dilapidated room of brokenness. God could only piece me back together if I was broken.
"Cinderella Man", one of my favorite movies of family, will and patriotism, had a part in it I will never forget. Jim Braddock had lost most everything, his health, his fame and his money. The struggles were overbearing. They hardly had any food left but they sat down to eat anyway. Jim's wife, Mae, waited for him to pray...he looked at her with that hopeless face and said, "You pray. I'm all prayed out." He didn't know what to do...he was spent. What do you do when you're all prayed out and spent?
Pray!
It was gone. What was I going to do? I could stand to miss a few meals but Brandon needed his precious formula. Again, I cried out to God. I stopped at the gas station and shamefully asked the owner of the station, a friend from church, if I could have five dollars of gas and I would pay him on payday. He was very gracious and said it would be fine. He pumped the gas and started into the garage. As I was leaving he yelled for me to stop and ran out to the car. "Don't tell her, but my wife gave me this shower gift to give to you a month back and I forgot about it till now" he said. Ten dollars...formula was $9.99...an answer and change.
Did my friend forget or was God preparing an answer for my brokenness? Be careful wives, is your husband forgetting or is he being used to answer a prayer?
Prayer isn't only about me. I also pray for others and those answers also build my faith. I don't always know what to pray for but God wants me to pray always...without ceasing. Sure, we pray for others as they request prayer but what if I know nothing about the concern. Does the precipitation of prayer trickle down into my life when I open my heart for God to put in the concern of others?
"Cinderella Man", one of my favorite movies of family, will and patriotism, had a part in it I will never forget. Jim Braddock had lost most everything, his health, his fame and his money. The struggles were overbearing. They hardly had any food left but they sat down to eat anyway. Jim's wife, Mae, waited for him to pray...he looked at her with that hopeless face and said, "You pray. I'm all prayed out." He didn't know what to do...he was spent. What do you do when you're all prayed out and spent?
Pray!
It was gone. What was I going to do? I could stand to miss a few meals but Brandon needed his precious formula. Again, I cried out to God. I stopped at the gas station and shamefully asked the owner of the station, a friend from church, if I could have five dollars of gas and I would pay him on payday. He was very gracious and said it would be fine. He pumped the gas and started into the garage. As I was leaving he yelled for me to stop and ran out to the car. "Don't tell her, but my wife gave me this shower gift to give to you a month back and I forgot about it till now" he said. Ten dollars...formula was $9.99...an answer and change.
Did my friend forget or was God preparing an answer for my brokenness? Be careful wives, is your husband forgetting or is he being used to answer a prayer?
Prayer isn't only about me. I also pray for others and those answers also build my faith. I don't always know what to pray for but God wants me to pray always...without ceasing. Sure, we pray for others as they request prayer but what if I know nothing about the concern. Does the precipitation of prayer trickle down into my life when I open my heart for God to put in the concern of others?
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Prayer (the journey, part 1)
...pleading before my God to help with my inadequacies...to provide for my needs...to fulfill my desires...to bring before my God the concerns of my friends, my country, my enemies and even those I do not know...to strengthen a faltering faith...that the needy will be blessed...the blessed will be thankful... the thankful will be concerned...that we all will understand that God is who He says He is...
How is your faith?
How is your prayer?
As most newly married couples we were of meager means. But, as I recall, we enjoyed our drafty little home close to the Gunflint Trail in northern Minnesota. We loved Grand Marais! I enjoyed my job. We belonged to a nice little church and Karen was pregnant with our first child.
Our son, Brandon, was born with the "CHARGE" syndrome. This syndrome affected areas associated with the mid-line of the body. Though you would never know it now, growth was inhibited quite a bit in his earlier years. Even normal things, like lifting his head, had to be taught. I guess we didn't know this was terribly unusual since we hadn't had children before. However, I do remember thinking to myself that this was a lot of work. Why did people keep having children?
My wife was a trooper. She could do it all. I could clean up projectile distress from both ends but mealtime was out of my league. No, its not what you think, although, that would have been difficult as well. Brandon had to be fed with a gavage tube. Karen would slide a tube down Brandon's throat, into his stomach and pour life giving formula into his system. I just couldn't do it. To this very day, I can hardly hold back the tears, remembering the painful look in Brandon's eyes as Karen maneuvered the feeding tube down his little throat...than the satisfying contentment as the food dissolved his hunger.
I had accepted Jesus as my Savior and loved Him dearly for over ten years at that point in my life. What was happening? I felt He had left me alone. I laid on my son's bedroom floor crying for my God to come back. I was about to start a long journey of knowing God's presence through answered prayer.
Faith enables us to believe in God. Answered prayer brings validity to that faith. Sometimes I feel that we, in our blessed lives, have faith but our validation process is weak because we are able to answer most of our own prayers. I need a car...someone will give me a loan. I need clothes or food...charge it. Desperation is minimal. Brokenness allows God to shore up our faith.
Karen was exhausted. Brandon took a lot of care and she had no escape. No one would or could watch our son for fear something might happen. One day, as she was rocking Brandon, she cried out to God to send fifty dollars so we could go out to eat and buy some food. On my trek home that night, I stopped to pick up the mail. You have already guessed it. I couldn't believe my eyes, my brother had sent fifty dollars. He wrote that he had felt he needed to send some money. I was ecstatic! Now realize this, I knew nothing of Karen's prayer. I thought I was going to be a bearer of grand tidings. I walked into the house and said, "you will never guess what just happened!" Karen looked at me and said, "God sent fifty dollars in the mail." This was no surprise for my wife but God was beginning to rejuvenate my faith. God had never left me. I was looking for him in the wrong room.
How is your faith?
How is your prayer?
As most newly married couples we were of meager means. But, as I recall, we enjoyed our drafty little home close to the Gunflint Trail in northern Minnesota. We loved Grand Marais! I enjoyed my job. We belonged to a nice little church and Karen was pregnant with our first child.
Our son, Brandon, was born with the "CHARGE" syndrome. This syndrome affected areas associated with the mid-line of the body. Though you would never know it now, growth was inhibited quite a bit in his earlier years. Even normal things, like lifting his head, had to be taught. I guess we didn't know this was terribly unusual since we hadn't had children before. However, I do remember thinking to myself that this was a lot of work. Why did people keep having children?
My wife was a trooper. She could do it all. I could clean up projectile distress from both ends but mealtime was out of my league. No, its not what you think, although, that would have been difficult as well. Brandon had to be fed with a gavage tube. Karen would slide a tube down Brandon's throat, into his stomach and pour life giving formula into his system. I just couldn't do it. To this very day, I can hardly hold back the tears, remembering the painful look in Brandon's eyes as Karen maneuvered the feeding tube down his little throat...than the satisfying contentment as the food dissolved his hunger.
I had accepted Jesus as my Savior and loved Him dearly for over ten years at that point in my life. What was happening? I felt He had left me alone. I laid on my son's bedroom floor crying for my God to come back. I was about to start a long journey of knowing God's presence through answered prayer.
Faith enables us to believe in God. Answered prayer brings validity to that faith. Sometimes I feel that we, in our blessed lives, have faith but our validation process is weak because we are able to answer most of our own prayers. I need a car...someone will give me a loan. I need clothes or food...charge it. Desperation is minimal. Brokenness allows God to shore up our faith.
Karen was exhausted. Brandon took a lot of care and she had no escape. No one would or could watch our son for fear something might happen. One day, as she was rocking Brandon, she cried out to God to send fifty dollars so we could go out to eat and buy some food. On my trek home that night, I stopped to pick up the mail. You have already guessed it. I couldn't believe my eyes, my brother had sent fifty dollars. He wrote that he had felt he needed to send some money. I was ecstatic! Now realize this, I knew nothing of Karen's prayer. I thought I was going to be a bearer of grand tidings. I walked into the house and said, "you will never guess what just happened!" Karen looked at me and said, "God sent fifty dollars in the mail." This was no surprise for my wife but God was beginning to rejuvenate my faith. God had never left me. I was looking for him in the wrong room.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Cheer
In Proverbs 12, verses seem to go back and forth and show opposite direction;
Wicked - prudent
Truthful lips - lying tongues
Foolish - wise
But, when I reached verse twenty-five it seemed to change it up a bit. It doesn't really show opposites, it talks about a troubled person and how we can help.
Proverbs 12:25
An anxious heart weighs a man down but a kind word cheers him up.
Have you ever been anxious? It seems to change my personality and at times my behavior. If I'm struggling with the loss of a friend, financial difficulty or some other stressful situation, I have a much shorter fuse. I focus on myself. Other people and their issues become an irritant instead of a concern.
But, it doesn't seem like the inflection of this verse is actually referring to the anxious person. The encouragement is for us to be kind. Do we really have any idea what people are going through? How do we normally see people? Usually their best is the mask they give us to see. We generally don't know the needs, sufferings and failures of people.
I work at a local grocery store chain. A few years ago I was transferred to a different location. At that particular time my Rheumatoid Arthritis had gotten somewhat out of control and the doctors were unable to regulate it. I waddled around this new store wincing at every step, hardly able to navigate stairs or lift a gallon of milk. Most of my attention was to keep from stumbling, not to meet people.
Workers at this new store had no idea who I was or how I normally acted. They must have thought I was crabby, anti-social and insensitive. I do the same thing. I assume someone should be or act a certain way and I create conclusions based on me and my ideas, not on them and their concerns. This, of course, is a great indication of how my heart works.....not theirs.
Do I give people the benefit of the doubt? Do I take a chance to visit, to chat and know what's going on? Or, do I in some weird way, feel better about myself by making someone else a monster?
It seems, in verse twenty-five, that it is my responsibility to return kind words. I don't need to make any judgements, no exceptions.....no definitions. Kindness is my only expectation.
May some one's anxious heart spur me on to kind words of cheer instead of judgements I may regret.
Wicked - prudent
Truthful lips - lying tongues
Foolish - wise
But, when I reached verse twenty-five it seemed to change it up a bit. It doesn't really show opposites, it talks about a troubled person and how we can help.
Proverbs 12:25
An anxious heart weighs a man down but a kind word cheers him up.
Have you ever been anxious? It seems to change my personality and at times my behavior. If I'm struggling with the loss of a friend, financial difficulty or some other stressful situation, I have a much shorter fuse. I focus on myself. Other people and their issues become an irritant instead of a concern.
But, it doesn't seem like the inflection of this verse is actually referring to the anxious person. The encouragement is for us to be kind. Do we really have any idea what people are going through? How do we normally see people? Usually their best is the mask they give us to see. We generally don't know the needs, sufferings and failures of people.
I work at a local grocery store chain. A few years ago I was transferred to a different location. At that particular time my Rheumatoid Arthritis had gotten somewhat out of control and the doctors were unable to regulate it. I waddled around this new store wincing at every step, hardly able to navigate stairs or lift a gallon of milk. Most of my attention was to keep from stumbling, not to meet people.
Workers at this new store had no idea who I was or how I normally acted. They must have thought I was crabby, anti-social and insensitive. I do the same thing. I assume someone should be or act a certain way and I create conclusions based on me and my ideas, not on them and their concerns. This, of course, is a great indication of how my heart works.....not theirs.
Do I give people the benefit of the doubt? Do I take a chance to visit, to chat and know what's going on? Or, do I in some weird way, feel better about myself by making someone else a monster?
It seems, in verse twenty-five, that it is my responsibility to return kind words. I don't need to make any judgements, no exceptions.....no definitions. Kindness is my only expectation.
May some one's anxious heart spur me on to kind words of cheer instead of judgements I may regret.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Failure
Have you ever let someone down? I sure have. It's hard to show my face. If someone trusted me, believed in me and was confident in my reasoning process and I failed them, would they accept me back? Sure, they would be nice enough to include me again but will it always be a hesitant relationship?
Maybe Peter had the same issue as me. In the last chapter of John, Jesus is asking Peter if he loved Him. Peter answered, "Jesus, you know I love you." Of course Peter loved Jesus but maybe it hurt to say because he had failed his Savior. How could Jesus ever trust him again? Then Jesus asked it again, "Do you love me?" Peter loved his Savior more than you could know but Jesus would never believe him now. He had been so boisterous, so confident in his loyalty and so defiant in his failure. Was this the reasoning behind Jesus' continued questioning?
Was it going to be hard for Peter to go back out and be strong for Christ if he felt useless? Maybe Jesus had to build Peter up again so he would be that rock to establish His church. Maybe Jesus wasn't asking Peter about different kinds of love because Peter didn't get it, maybe Jesus was asking to build Peter up. "Peter...you love me with all these kinds of love, don't you think I love you unconditionally? You failed me but it doesn't affect my love for you. Don't hide from me! Let me help you be that strong rock. Hold on....let's build my church!"
Jesus always gives us a new foothold instead of a stifling stranglehold.
Do you love Jesus? He loves you more that you could imagine. Step toward the Savior and leave your failure behind.
Maybe Peter had the same issue as me. In the last chapter of John, Jesus is asking Peter if he loved Him. Peter answered, "Jesus, you know I love you." Of course Peter loved Jesus but maybe it hurt to say because he had failed his Savior. How could Jesus ever trust him again? Then Jesus asked it again, "Do you love me?" Peter loved his Savior more than you could know but Jesus would never believe him now. He had been so boisterous, so confident in his loyalty and so defiant in his failure. Was this the reasoning behind Jesus' continued questioning?
Was it going to be hard for Peter to go back out and be strong for Christ if he felt useless? Maybe Jesus had to build Peter up again so he would be that rock to establish His church. Maybe Jesus wasn't asking Peter about different kinds of love because Peter didn't get it, maybe Jesus was asking to build Peter up. "Peter...you love me with all these kinds of love, don't you think I love you unconditionally? You failed me but it doesn't affect my love for you. Don't hide from me! Let me help you be that strong rock. Hold on....let's build my church!"
Jesus always gives us a new foothold instead of a stifling stranglehold.
Do you love Jesus? He loves you more that you could imagine. Step toward the Savior and leave your failure behind.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Hardened Heart
I realize I will never understand all the great intricacies of God...how He thinks....how He connects everything. However, I do know He is perfect and never contradicts Himself.
Could my God harden my heart in such a fashion as to take away my ability to choose? I know my selfishness, ignorance and pride often cause my heart to harden, making me incapable of seeing my need or the needs of others. But, does it seem plausible that God would have this issue of a hardened heart? There is no way God could have or give a hardened heart, could He? There is a passage in the Bible, Exodus 8 - 11, where God hardens Pharaoh's heart. Could my God take away Pharaoh's ability to choose right from wrong? Now, don't close me off. God can do anything He wishes. He doesn't need my understanding or ignorance to grant Him permission. But this confuses me somewhat. This is why I muse.
Maybe I am missing something about God's process. Looking back at Pharaoh I noticed all the decisions he was making. Was Pharaoh having the same problem I have during decision time? I sometimes make the right decision for the wrong reasons. Maybe I change jobs...good decisions...for a corner office...wrong reason. Or, I buy a new car...good decision...so I look as important as my friend...wrong reason. The plagues could have definitely caused a similar response from Pharaoh. Who wouldn't do anything to be rid of frogs, locusts, hail or any of those terrible things? Pharaoh may have let the children of Israel go...the right thing to do.....for the wrong reason.....to be rid of the plagues, not because he had finally realized God was God.
In my feeble mind, my humanness, I picture a hardened heart as a negative, and ending...usually hopeless. It seems so instantaneous. But, being an all-knowing, just and loving God maybe he uses Pharaohs heart hardening as a positive, a chance for Pharaoh to allow God to reveal who God is. Maybe it wasn't so instantaneous. Maybe it was a process to eventually re-soften the stubbornness. Pharaoh may have let the children of Israel go for the wrong reason....to be rid of the plagues not because God was great. If this would have occurred, God wouldn't have allowed Pharaoh to see His glory or be able to build confidence in His people. Maybe they both needed more time? Perhaps God hardened Pharaoh's heart so he would continue to not let God's people go until he could make the right decision for the right reason. So in the hardening process God actually gave Pharaoh many chances to make the right choice, though Pharaoh chose not to yield. Not only does this show my God maintains His just cause but His love for us is more incredible than we deserve to beg for.
God hardening my heart may not be an end all for me making any decision but a process to help me make the right decision for the right reason.
When I harden my heart, I turn away the splendor He has to offer. When God hardens my heart maybe He offers me another chance to see His majesty. Will I allow my heart to re-soften and let God direct my life?
Could my God harden my heart in such a fashion as to take away my ability to choose? I know my selfishness, ignorance and pride often cause my heart to harden, making me incapable of seeing my need or the needs of others. But, does it seem plausible that God would have this issue of a hardened heart? There is no way God could have or give a hardened heart, could He? There is a passage in the Bible, Exodus 8 - 11, where God hardens Pharaoh's heart. Could my God take away Pharaoh's ability to choose right from wrong? Now, don't close me off. God can do anything He wishes. He doesn't need my understanding or ignorance to grant Him permission. But this confuses me somewhat. This is why I muse.
Maybe I am missing something about God's process. Looking back at Pharaoh I noticed all the decisions he was making. Was Pharaoh having the same problem I have during decision time? I sometimes make the right decision for the wrong reasons. Maybe I change jobs...good decisions...for a corner office...wrong reason. Or, I buy a new car...good decision...so I look as important as my friend...wrong reason. The plagues could have definitely caused a similar response from Pharaoh. Who wouldn't do anything to be rid of frogs, locusts, hail or any of those terrible things? Pharaoh may have let the children of Israel go...the right thing to do.....for the wrong reason.....to be rid of the plagues, not because he had finally realized God was God.
In my feeble mind, my humanness, I picture a hardened heart as a negative, and ending...usually hopeless. It seems so instantaneous. But, being an all-knowing, just and loving God maybe he uses Pharaohs heart hardening as a positive, a chance for Pharaoh to allow God to reveal who God is. Maybe it wasn't so instantaneous. Maybe it was a process to eventually re-soften the stubbornness. Pharaoh may have let the children of Israel go for the wrong reason....to be rid of the plagues not because God was great. If this would have occurred, God wouldn't have allowed Pharaoh to see His glory or be able to build confidence in His people. Maybe they both needed more time? Perhaps God hardened Pharaoh's heart so he would continue to not let God's people go until he could make the right decision for the right reason. So in the hardening process God actually gave Pharaoh many chances to make the right choice, though Pharaoh chose not to yield. Not only does this show my God maintains His just cause but His love for us is more incredible than we deserve to beg for.
God hardening my heart may not be an end all for me making any decision but a process to help me make the right decision for the right reason.
When I harden my heart, I turn away the splendor He has to offer. When God hardens my heart maybe He offers me another chance to see His majesty. Will I allow my heart to re-soften and let God direct my life?
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Thirst
Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst again:
Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water
welling up to eternal life." John 4:13
Many years ago, I was involved in a college semester in Colorado. Many memories were created and many lessons were learned. One memory I have came as I experienced, first hand, the powerful hand of God.
We stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon readying ourselves for a stroll to the creek below. I was soon to find out that it would neither be a stroll or a creek. The stroll became an intensive struggle, the creek a mighty river. It was a little like life can be, the dream and the reality are so much different.
Twelve miles to the rushing Colorado River wasn't bad as we were pushed downward by the gravity of the "hill". By mid afternoon we reached the river. Once we were there our leader informed us that our permit didn't allow our whole group to camp at the rivers edge. Eight of us strapping young lads would have to hike back to the rim before nightfall. Just a little frolic in the river and we would be on our way.
A must for a trek in the canyon was to have plenty of water. We restocked our precious commodity and headed back on a stroll that ended up to be much more than we bargained for. A mile or two into our journey, someone dropped the sun out of the sky and darkness invaded us. We hadn't realized that in the bottom of the Grand Canyon there is no horizon, when the sun passes over the rim, it's gone. The trail disappeared and the rattle snakes came out to haunt us. In the canyon the day creates much heat, the night is very cold. We all huddled together and used the only tent we had as a blanket. Needless to say, the night was not too restful.
Morning was very welcome! We had consumed much of our water but figured we could make it out. Our trek started in the cool of the morning and we were quite pleased with ourselves as we covered quite a lot of ground. The sun became higher and hotter as we reached the plains of the canyon floor. Hot sand and unsightly cactus became our companions.
You have already guessed it, our water was gone. Desperation set in and we even tried getting some precious fluid from a cactus. Splinters were all we received from that trick. We finally reached the base of the accent to the rim. It didn't look that far but the traversing back and forth went on for miles. The summit never seemed to come and we stopped sweating. Only nine people had died on this trail. We were starting to wonder if we would double that number...stupidity.....nice legacy.
The effects of thirst affected each of us differently. For some, we couldn't go on because we had nothing to sustain us. For some, we had to go on so we could find something to sustain us. Either way the thirst needed quenching. The end was in sight, the watering hole was reached and the thirst was quenched. We all made it out with a greater respect and understanding to listen to rules and directions set by those who have gone before us.
Have I prepared myself for life's burdensome trek? The snakes, sand and cactus can show up anytime, even on a stroll to a creek. "I'm thirsty" had a whole new meaning. "Refreshment" had a whole new satisfaction. I must not forget what sustains me. I must be prepared, my containers must be full and my heart must be right.
but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst again:
Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water
welling up to eternal life." John 4:13
Many years ago, I was involved in a college semester in Colorado. Many memories were created and many lessons were learned. One memory I have came as I experienced, first hand, the powerful hand of God.
We stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon readying ourselves for a stroll to the creek below. I was soon to find out that it would neither be a stroll or a creek. The stroll became an intensive struggle, the creek a mighty river. It was a little like life can be, the dream and the reality are so much different.
Twelve miles to the rushing Colorado River wasn't bad as we were pushed downward by the gravity of the "hill". By mid afternoon we reached the river. Once we were there our leader informed us that our permit didn't allow our whole group to camp at the rivers edge. Eight of us strapping young lads would have to hike back to the rim before nightfall. Just a little frolic in the river and we would be on our way.
A must for a trek in the canyon was to have plenty of water. We restocked our precious commodity and headed back on a stroll that ended up to be much more than we bargained for. A mile or two into our journey, someone dropped the sun out of the sky and darkness invaded us. We hadn't realized that in the bottom of the Grand Canyon there is no horizon, when the sun passes over the rim, it's gone. The trail disappeared and the rattle snakes came out to haunt us. In the canyon the day creates much heat, the night is very cold. We all huddled together and used the only tent we had as a blanket. Needless to say, the night was not too restful.
Morning was very welcome! We had consumed much of our water but figured we could make it out. Our trek started in the cool of the morning and we were quite pleased with ourselves as we covered quite a lot of ground. The sun became higher and hotter as we reached the plains of the canyon floor. Hot sand and unsightly cactus became our companions.
You have already guessed it, our water was gone. Desperation set in and we even tried getting some precious fluid from a cactus. Splinters were all we received from that trick. We finally reached the base of the accent to the rim. It didn't look that far but the traversing back and forth went on for miles. The summit never seemed to come and we stopped sweating. Only nine people had died on this trail. We were starting to wonder if we would double that number...stupidity.....nice legacy.
The effects of thirst affected each of us differently. For some, we couldn't go on because we had nothing to sustain us. For some, we had to go on so we could find something to sustain us. Either way the thirst needed quenching. The end was in sight, the watering hole was reached and the thirst was quenched. We all made it out with a greater respect and understanding to listen to rules and directions set by those who have gone before us.
Have I prepared myself for life's burdensome trek? The snakes, sand and cactus can show up anytime, even on a stroll to a creek. "I'm thirsty" had a whole new meaning. "Refreshment" had a whole new satisfaction. I must not forget what sustains me. I must be prepared, my containers must be full and my heart must be right.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Pitch
Have you ever sung in a choir and sat next to someone who was off pitch? I guess it's not really that bad, you just lean over a bit, sing a little louder and hope they can finally make a good match. This experience, however, was somewhat different. The out of pitch person next to me was leaning a little closer, singing a little louder, hoping I would get in tune. Talk about rocking my confidence...was I out of tune? Have I always been out of tune? Have people been putting up with me for years? Are my friends too kind, my director too professional and my mother too....motherly to tell me I was off? Who was off? Who should be helping whom? There must be a right pitch. There must be some standard.
Has my world gotten out of tune? Is my heart "pitchy"? Why are things that were unacceptable before just fine now? Living together, once frowned upon is now almost encouraged. Marriage, an agreement "......till death do us part" switched to ".....till I don't feel like it anymore". Gambling, a ponzi scheme gaining profit only when its customers lose money, was unapproved. Now, gambling has become accepted behavior flaunted by our government to raise money for its insatiable appetites. What else has my world retuned itself to to get me to sing a different song? I don't even want to sing a different song. Why do I go along with these new melodies?
Where do I establish my beliefs and standards? Is there something unmovable for me to maintain consistency in my life? If I follow what I feel I flop all over on my convictions. God never flopped or second guessed His truth. David, the man after God's own heart, changed his tune....God didn't back down. David paid dearly for his lust and seduction of another man's wife and the murder of her husband. God's chosen people disobeyed. They wandered and died outside the promised land. God didn't change the rules because they were special.
God has expectations and instruction in His Word for me to stay the course. He's not withholding things from me, He's keeping me from holding on to the wrong things. Christ stayed the course all the way to the cross. How far would I go?
If you ever sing next to me in this life and I'm slipping out of tune, please lean over, sing a little louder and get me back on pitch.
Has my world gotten out of tune? Is my heart "pitchy"? Why are things that were unacceptable before just fine now? Living together, once frowned upon is now almost encouraged. Marriage, an agreement "......till death do us part" switched to ".....till I don't feel like it anymore". Gambling, a ponzi scheme gaining profit only when its customers lose money, was unapproved. Now, gambling has become accepted behavior flaunted by our government to raise money for its insatiable appetites. What else has my world retuned itself to to get me to sing a different song? I don't even want to sing a different song. Why do I go along with these new melodies?
Where do I establish my beliefs and standards? Is there something unmovable for me to maintain consistency in my life? If I follow what I feel I flop all over on my convictions. God never flopped or second guessed His truth. David, the man after God's own heart, changed his tune....God didn't back down. David paid dearly for his lust and seduction of another man's wife and the murder of her husband. God's chosen people disobeyed. They wandered and died outside the promised land. God didn't change the rules because they were special.
God has expectations and instruction in His Word for me to stay the course. He's not withholding things from me, He's keeping me from holding on to the wrong things. Christ stayed the course all the way to the cross. How far would I go?
If you ever sing next to me in this life and I'm slipping out of tune, please lean over, sing a little louder and get me back on pitch.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Addiction
Have I become addicted to the drugs of the "pharisudicals"? Do this, do that and everything will be fabulous. The Pharisees had it all figured out. All the rules and regulations were written down on their hearts of stone. There was no desire to love God, there was only a desire to think they were wonderful.
Why do I feel I can achieve greatness to a point of perfection and stand before the creator of the world? Why do I even want to be perfect?
"Wow, I'm pretty incredable!"
"I wonder what everyone thinks about me?"
"Now I must be good enough to go before God."
Doing things to achieve perfection and make myself wonderful in the sight of a perfect God, drags out my pride and blemishes the wonderfulness of it all. God never tries to be perfect. He never wonders or thinks about it. God is just perfect!
My only possibility to come before such a great God is to realize how pitiful I really am and allow the blood of Jesus to cover me as I approach the throne. When Jesus' blood has covered my sin and the Holy Spirit moves into my life, I can finally realize that all this has nothing to do with me. I now can serve and do good because thats what my God deserves.
I must cry for mercy not praise. I must serve for His glory not my portfolio. I must change my addiction to Christ.
Why do I feel I can achieve greatness to a point of perfection and stand before the creator of the world? Why do I even want to be perfect?
"Wow, I'm pretty incredable!"
"I wonder what everyone thinks about me?"
"Now I must be good enough to go before God."
Doing things to achieve perfection and make myself wonderful in the sight of a perfect God, drags out my pride and blemishes the wonderfulness of it all. God never tries to be perfect. He never wonders or thinks about it. God is just perfect!
My only possibility to come before such a great God is to realize how pitiful I really am and allow the blood of Jesus to cover me as I approach the throne. When Jesus' blood has covered my sin and the Holy Spirit moves into my life, I can finally realize that all this has nothing to do with me. I now can serve and do good because thats what my God deserves.
I must cry for mercy not praise. I must serve for His glory not my portfolio. I must change my addiction to Christ.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Flattery
Flattery gets you nowhere. Who said that? What were they thinking? My guess is that they felt flattery will take us in the wrong direction. I certainly am not dispensing such a thought, I'm just adding on to a great presentation.
Psalm 36:2 says:
For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.
At times I get pretty proud of myself. I meddle with my conscience enough so I don't feel bad doing things God wouldn't approve of. I'm a learned man who can decipher God's word incredibly to allow most anything. And, even if I'm not comfortable with my actions now give me some time and I'll come around.
How far have I fallen? I know I don't hate sin like I should, but have I flattered myself so much that I can't even detect sin anymore? Great spiritual men and women have taken steps backward in their godly lives because flattery has become much too convincing. So what kind of a chance do I have? I work at a grocery store, my Greek is Greek to me and I don't seek the creator for mercy near enough.
Help my pride to falter, my knees to bend and my heart to break because I'm afraid flattery will take me where I don't want to go.
Psalm 36:2 says:
For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.
At times I get pretty proud of myself. I meddle with my conscience enough so I don't feel bad doing things God wouldn't approve of. I'm a learned man who can decipher God's word incredibly to allow most anything. And, even if I'm not comfortable with my actions now give me some time and I'll come around.
How far have I fallen? I know I don't hate sin like I should, but have I flattered myself so much that I can't even detect sin anymore? Great spiritual men and women have taken steps backward in their godly lives because flattery has become much too convincing. So what kind of a chance do I have? I work at a grocery store, my Greek is Greek to me and I don't seek the creator for mercy near enough.
Help my pride to falter, my knees to bend and my heart to break because I'm afraid flattery will take me where I don't want to go.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Percentages
Why am I uncomfortable with this occupy wallstreet craze? Do I feel sad for people down on their luck? Maybe I have a hard time seeing successful businesses and entrepreneurs being beaten down when they provide opportunity for people like me. Could I be having a pride issue problem? Hopefully three negatives make a positive!
How could I be part of this ninety nine percent? There must be a problem with the percentages. No, I have to be a ninety nine percenter, but I think there may be a definition problem. If I heard it right, the ninety nine percent are all of us who have been demeaned by the rich and terrible one percent. Isn't it nice to be a part of the majority? Why occupy wallstreet? Why not pound the pavement? It may be true, the calculations are off because the wrong factors were defined.
Desperation changes us. We lose our jobs, the bills continue. We divorce, responsibility still lingers. We abort, what could have been still gnaws at us. We change jobs, there are still people to deal with. Instead of allowing myself to grow through trials, I miss the opportunity and climb down the stairs into the pit of discouragement. Soon the heat gets colder, the lights get dimmer and the food becomes tasteless. Down in my heart I know my surroundings haven't changed so much but my ability to function has disappeared. If I don't check myself, I begin to blame others and feel mistreated. Surely I'm not that much different than anyone else. We all strive to do better, to move to the next level, to press on to greater things...don't we?
There is the defining factor! I'm part of the one percenters who are actually the ninety nine percent. The very few 99% who are actually the 1% are in more trouble then they think. They have given up and want someone to rescue them. Their gifts and abilities are being cut short because the pit of discouragement is swallowing them. Our wonderful country has provided a helping hand to pull me up the stairs and get me going again. Lately, however, the hand no longer helps, instead it holds me back to feed on its morsels and lures me into dependence.
The one percent spends it's time complaining and dragging us down. They have nothing to offer. Don't quit. You've got what it takes. Come with me up the stairs, out of discouragement. Sharpen your abilities and help this country be great. Be part of the ninety nine percent who strive to do better, move to the next level and press on to greater things.
How could I be part of this ninety nine percent? There must be a problem with the percentages. No, I have to be a ninety nine percenter, but I think there may be a definition problem. If I heard it right, the ninety nine percent are all of us who have been demeaned by the rich and terrible one percent. Isn't it nice to be a part of the majority? Why occupy wallstreet? Why not pound the pavement? It may be true, the calculations are off because the wrong factors were defined.
Desperation changes us. We lose our jobs, the bills continue. We divorce, responsibility still lingers. We abort, what could have been still gnaws at us. We change jobs, there are still people to deal with. Instead of allowing myself to grow through trials, I miss the opportunity and climb down the stairs into the pit of discouragement. Soon the heat gets colder, the lights get dimmer and the food becomes tasteless. Down in my heart I know my surroundings haven't changed so much but my ability to function has disappeared. If I don't check myself, I begin to blame others and feel mistreated. Surely I'm not that much different than anyone else. We all strive to do better, to move to the next level, to press on to greater things...don't we?
There is the defining factor! I'm part of the one percenters who are actually the ninety nine percent. The very few 99% who are actually the 1% are in more trouble then they think. They have given up and want someone to rescue them. Their gifts and abilities are being cut short because the pit of discouragement is swallowing them. Our wonderful country has provided a helping hand to pull me up the stairs and get me going again. Lately, however, the hand no longer helps, instead it holds me back to feed on its morsels and lures me into dependence.
The one percent spends it's time complaining and dragging us down. They have nothing to offer. Don't quit. You've got what it takes. Come with me up the stairs, out of discouragement. Sharpen your abilities and help this country be great. Be part of the ninety nine percent who strive to do better, move to the next level and press on to greater things.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Commitment
Do you remember back in grade school when all the kids get together to play a game and "picked" sides? I wasn't horrible at games or sports but I was a bit chubby. Chubby didn't translate well into team sports in my day. My feet would kick quite a bit of dirt while the captains decided who had to take me. But you know what; I would show 'em I'd stick around till they picked me. I'd show them I was a good choice.
Don't let it be unstated...I am a wonderful Swede. I can be somewhat stubborn. Not that I mean to be. I don't think it's because I love to be right as much as it's no fun to be wrong. Maybe that's why Valentine's Day is my least favorite day...I'm stubborn. Hallmark continues to make my life uncomfortable. Why do I have to convince someone who is incredibly special to me that she is incredibly special? Does that mean that she doesn't think that I think she's special anymore? If that's the case a box of chocolates won't solve anything. Don't panic, I'm not a complete loser. I get the whole coochy, coochy, cooh, lovey, dovey, doeh stuff but it's just one more day for me to remember...and forget. These special days bring much expectation putting a spotlight on my inability to accomplish such perfection.
I may not be good at this Valentine's stuff but I will continue to be stubborn and show you I was a good choice. I may never make your coffee strong enough or buy the right flowers for your bouquet, and the chocolates I give you will most likely be waxy, but my commitment to you will always be strong till death drags me from you.
Happy Valentine's Day
Don't let it be unstated...I am a wonderful Swede. I can be somewhat stubborn. Not that I mean to be. I don't think it's because I love to be right as much as it's no fun to be wrong. Maybe that's why Valentine's Day is my least favorite day...I'm stubborn. Hallmark continues to make my life uncomfortable. Why do I have to convince someone who is incredibly special to me that she is incredibly special? Does that mean that she doesn't think that I think she's special anymore? If that's the case a box of chocolates won't solve anything. Don't panic, I'm not a complete loser. I get the whole coochy, coochy, cooh, lovey, dovey, doeh stuff but it's just one more day for me to remember...and forget. These special days bring much expectation putting a spotlight on my inability to accomplish such perfection.
I may not be good at this Valentine's stuff but I will continue to be stubborn and show you I was a good choice. I may never make your coffee strong enough or buy the right flowers for your bouquet, and the chocolates I give you will most likely be waxy, but my commitment to you will always be strong till death drags me from you.
Happy Valentine's Day
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Curacious
Many years ago a university ran a contest. The contestant had to recreate a new word for handicapped. The idea behind this, I presumed, was to eliminate the negative perspective conjured up by such a word. I sat down to develop a new option and realized that words mean things. If you have a word for something, it is what it is. People looked at the word handicapped and saw hardship, struggle and difficulty. Was it possible to create this new word and issue a positive point of view? Or, would the new word soon reference the same old meaning?
In my line of work, I spent a considerable amount of time in downtown Minneapolis. I saw many handicapped people take on situations I couldn't have imagined were possible, people traversing through snowy city sidewalks in their wheelchairs directed by their mouth, blind people maneuvering noisy city intersections using their ears to "see" a green light. They were incredibly courageous! They never expected a door to be opened, a conversation to be started or a problem to be solved for them. But if such things occurred, they were nothing but gracious.
If I could create a word depicting the heart of the handicapped, perhaps I could change the meaning of what people thought. Curacious! That's the word! Change handicapped to curacious. People would think courageous and gracious, instead of hardship, struggle and difficulty.
No, I abandoned my idea and the contest. It was not long after that handicapped was replaced by physically and mentally challenged. Was that better?
Isn't that just like us? Change a word and everything is better. I thought that if I could change a word to depict the heart of a handicapped person, the perception would change. Maybe it's not what we think about their heart that matters. Maybe it's how we think with our heart that makes the difference. What is my heart like? How do I perceive people? Maybe it really isn't the word at all. It's the heart of the wordsmith.
The words I say: "Oh, what a nice house."
What I feel in my heart: "Jerk, he always gets the breaks."
The words I say: "Here, let me help you."
What I feel in my heart: "What a loser, I have to do his job again."
The words I say: "Here's a car for your Charity."
What I feel in my heart: "Now I can get a deduction for more than this piece of junk is worth."
Do I just say things to get the vote, the promotion or the next gig? Do I feel I can't say what I mean? Maybe I need to change what I mean so I can say what I feel.
In my line of work, I spent a considerable amount of time in downtown Minneapolis. I saw many handicapped people take on situations I couldn't have imagined were possible, people traversing through snowy city sidewalks in their wheelchairs directed by their mouth, blind people maneuvering noisy city intersections using their ears to "see" a green light. They were incredibly courageous! They never expected a door to be opened, a conversation to be started or a problem to be solved for them. But if such things occurred, they were nothing but gracious.
If I could create a word depicting the heart of the handicapped, perhaps I could change the meaning of what people thought. Curacious! That's the word! Change handicapped to curacious. People would think courageous and gracious, instead of hardship, struggle and difficulty.
No, I abandoned my idea and the contest. It was not long after that handicapped was replaced by physically and mentally challenged. Was that better?
Isn't that just like us? Change a word and everything is better. I thought that if I could change a word to depict the heart of a handicapped person, the perception would change. Maybe it's not what we think about their heart that matters. Maybe it's how we think with our heart that makes the difference. What is my heart like? How do I perceive people? Maybe it really isn't the word at all. It's the heart of the wordsmith.
The words I say: "Oh, what a nice house."
What I feel in my heart: "Jerk, he always gets the breaks."
The words I say: "Here, let me help you."
What I feel in my heart: "What a loser, I have to do his job again."
The words I say: "Here's a car for your Charity."
What I feel in my heart: "Now I can get a deduction for more than this piece of junk is worth."
Do I just say things to get the vote, the promotion or the next gig? Do I feel I can't say what I mean? Maybe I need to change what I mean so I can say what I feel.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Wicked?
I hope you realize by now, I have no answers. I write with my struggles to cause thought not condemnation.
A few things intersected with me today. A verse, Psalms 12:8, singed me somewhat as I thought about a question I had been asked. The question went something like this; How can I feel something is unfit for my children to watch or take part in and then participate and feel justified just because I am older? Certainly there may be reasons and situations that may warrant such behavior but......when I turn eighteen , do only good thoughts exist? As an adult, do I suddenly establish a virtuous filter, eliminating all corruption? Am I warping my perspective with things that will tear at my character? It seems that we "old" people have much trouble making good decisions...abuse, affairs, divorce, murder.....Does "oldness" bring us justification.....rationalization? Here is Psalms 12:8,
The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.
Sometimes I feel too carefree in this freedom Christ sacrificed for. His honor should not be trivialized because I twist His word to find permission to do what I know in my heart to be less then what he desires.
A few things intersected with me today. A verse, Psalms 12:8, singed me somewhat as I thought about a question I had been asked. The question went something like this; How can I feel something is unfit for my children to watch or take part in and then participate and feel justified just because I am older? Certainly there may be reasons and situations that may warrant such behavior but......when I turn eighteen , do only good thoughts exist? As an adult, do I suddenly establish a virtuous filter, eliminating all corruption? Am I warping my perspective with things that will tear at my character? It seems that we "old" people have much trouble making good decisions...abuse, affairs, divorce, murder.....Does "oldness" bring us justification.....rationalization? Here is Psalms 12:8,
The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.
Sometimes I feel too carefree in this freedom Christ sacrificed for. His honor should not be trivialized because I twist His word to find permission to do what I know in my heart to be less then what he desires.
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