Droppin’ the ball

Yesterday I missed my “postaday2011″ tag.  On a challenge from WordPress, I’ve been trying to post at least once a day, every day.  When I’m particularly loquacious, I’ll write two or three posts and schedule them for down the road.

Yesterday, though, I dropped the ball.

For all my talk of peace, there’s still something that won’t stop chewin’ on my head.  And I can’t quite place it.  But it’s getting smaller and less annoying every day.  You’ve probably heard that life is a journey, not a destination.  The same goes for peace.  You never arrive there, you are always getting closer and closer.  At least that’s how it appears to me.

So I dropped the ball.  The OCD in me wants to jump in a time-machine and write a post for yesterday.  It can’t be done.  The manic-depressive in me wants to jump and scream because I’m not living up to my potential.

The Holy Spirit in me wants to say it just don’t matter.  Is anyone going to die because I didn’t post?  No.  Is anyone going to yell at me for not posting?  No.

I dropped the ball.  And I’m really not worried about it.  See, that nagging little worry in the back of my head is getting even smaller.

And I posted today.

That was a short post.

The Voice of Truth

Yesterday, I had a conversation with a hiring manager.  He said some things that were true, but not uplifting.  ”You have a bachelor of science and you’ve only done these little jobs since graduating?”

I desperately tried to put it into perspective.  After all, for five years my kids called me “Homeschool Educator” as well as “Dad”.  During those years, I let my career slide while I lifted my family.  When I returned to the workforce, jobs were in short supply and I took what I could find until I landed in a great job with a great company.  That lasted until oil rigs started exploding in the Gulf last spring.

Now I’m contracted to a great company but still seeking long-term “direct” employment.  And the manager says, “you have a bachelor of science and you have only done these little jobs?”

Ouch

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.  At him for not seeing my potential.  At life for putting me into the situation I am.  At myself for focusing on my family rather than my career.  By the time the kids went to bed, I was starting to see the “old daddy” – the one who would rather brood in his depression than kiss his own kids.  Forgetting that the old daddy had been crucified and the new daddy resurrected, I went to bed early wallowing in self-pity.

This morning I felt better, but still not 100%.  The morning was grey and rainy, I was leaving early to accommodate the weather and the radio station was not lively.

Then I heard it.  It’s a song by Casting Crowns.

The Voice of Truth

tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth
says do not be afraid
The Voice of Truth
says this is for My Glory
and with all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe

The Voice of Truth

Ya know – I really needed to hear that this morning.  The Voice of Truth spoke to me, telling me that the decisions I had made were proper.  Loving my family is far more important than seeking my fortune.  Discovering who I am in Christ is even more important than my family.

I have not wasted my life by not devoting it to punching some clock.  And God showed me that.  In the midst of my turmoil because of our financial situation, God showed me that He is still providing for us.  While we scrimp and save because there’s too much month at the end of the money, He still comes through.

My employer does not sign a paycheck, but He makes sure there is food on the table and wheels in the driveway.  He does not write an annual review, but is always gently nudging me in the right direction.

Last night, I allowed the father of lies to convince me of my mistakes.  But the Voice of Truth spoke to me today, bringing peace and rest to a worried soul.

In Christ Alone

I don’t know why the song is stuck in my head.  I haven’t heard it on the radio for a while and we haven’t sung it in church.  But I’m glad it is stuck.

I can’t think of a better place to be than in Christ, alone.  Being in Christ is better than being in a church building.  Being in Christ is better than being in a fast car.  Being in Christ is, yes fellow Texans, I’m sayin’ it – being in Christ is even better than being in Texas – although not by much.

Seriously, though, when I’m pondering the meaning of life as I was today, I begin to ask what it’s all about.  I mean, in my head I know the meaning of life is to “Love the Lord your God with everything you are.”  But try something in me just don’t want to listen.

I can be easily distracted by the events of life.  While I bow my head and pray, I try to stay focused on the majesty of God.  But then my ear begins to itch.  Way down inside where only a key will get to it.  Or a dog will start panting by my feet, wanting attention.  Or I’ll suddenly start thinking about the person who was rude on the phone three weeks ago.  Suddenly, I’m distracted from my prayer.

Sing a song out loud, though.  Hum it, whistle it – whatever.  ”Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.”  It will focus your entire body.  Your mind, your ears, your mouth, your voice, your lungs and your heart will all fall in line.

In Christ alone,
My hope is found,
He is my life, my strength, my song…

Peace begins to fill my head and the thoughts of the day are chased away.  Worries are now gone.  Life seems to be, once again, where it needs to be.

It is In Christ Alone.

Weekend Musings

Some would consider me a “stupid intellectual”.  There is no way Mensa would consider me.  But I tend to lean that way.  Consider my favorite music – Yes, Rush, Dream Theater, Pink Floyd…  The music that appeals to me appeals to my intellect.  But my movies lean the other way.  I like “Strange Brew”, the original “Batman” from 1964 and “Blazing Saddles”.  There is no better time than sitting down with a campy movie.

I find this stupid intellectualism invades every aspect of my life.  It invades the conversations I have with my wife.  Deep, rich conversations about our relationship are interrupted by sudden injections of bathroom humor.  I was discussing my latest infraction with a police office under flashing lights when poorly-timed jokes appeared.

Perhaps the craziest is when I read my bible.  I’m sorry, but the bible is full of hilarity!  Some of the more somber members of my faith would disagree.  But it’s true!  Rather than fight it, I just gave in.  Here are a few samples.

Throughout the Exodus, God introduced Himself as the God who led His people out of Egypt.  God led His people out of Egypt.  But His people decided to create an idol – a golden calf – to represent their god.  The One True God did not like that.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.  They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’

“I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people.  Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” – Exodus 32:7-10, NIV

Translation – “They’re not My people anymore.  They’re your people that you led out of Egypt.  Stay out of my way so I can kill ‘em all!”  I think that’s one of the funnier things God ever said!

But the funniest was yet to come!  Moses interceded on behalf of the people he had just inherited, and God relented on his decision to kill ‘em all.  Moses walked down the mountain, carrying two tablets on which the finger of God had just carved the ten commandments.  When he got there and saw all the drunken revelry surrounding this idol, he smashed the stone tablets.

“Aaron, what’s going on?  Where did this calf come from?”

“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. ²³ They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ ²⁴ So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” – Exodus 32:22-24, NIV

Translation: “Hey, Moses, it ain’t my fault.  Those people are evil!  I put the gold into the fire and the calf came out!”

Have your kids ever told you that?  I know mine have.  Something is broken.  There are three people in the house, me and the two kids.  ”What happened here,” I ask.  And neither of them know.  It just fell on its own.  Kinda frustrating when it’s your kids, but when a grown adult – the leader of the priests of the nation of Israel – says it, it’s funny and sad all at the same time.  In fact, I dare say this is the funniest thing in the whole bible.

How many times did Jesus say his disciples are dense?

How many stupid things did Samson or David do?

And what about Balaam’s talking donkey?

Next time you read scripture, look for something humorous.  I’m sure you’ll find it.

Saying “Good-bye” To My Dreams

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, there was an obscure blogger.  We’ll call him “Clay”.  He had dreams – some sane, some outrageous.  They included a car of his own, a home in the country and a yacht in which he could experience the sea again for he was a veteran of the US Navy.  The car need not be fancy (but fast would be a plus).  The home need not be fancy but 20 acres or so would fulfill the dream.  And the yacht – well it does need to be seaworthy and what’s the point of having a yacht if it’s not fancy?

So Clay woke up many mornings depressed to be without wheels of his own and in a very modest house in the city.  His friends had more ‘stuff’ than he did, but they seemed to be no less depressed than Clay.  There was, after all, new stuff always available.  Gotta get the next new smartphone.  Gotta get 3D TV.  Gotta get HD radio.  And the list goes on.

Clay woke up one morning, and was more depressed than usual.  His dreams seemed to be so far out of reach that they were, in a word, unattainable.  In a rare moment of lucid dreaming (does that even make sense?), Clay decided that his dreams weren’t worth the depression.

“If I gave up on my dreams,” he thought, “I could be happier.  I would no longer be striving for something unattainable.  I would simply be glad that I can still see my kids in my modest house in the city because I can’t go anywhere.”

Now, don’t misunderstand the situation.  Clay still desires a car of his own, a house in the country and, maybe, a yacht.  But his driving force is now facing each day for the glory and blessing it brings.  He no longer wakes each day to dreams that are unattainable.  He can now see the trees because he’s closer to the forest.

One day, maybe he will get a car of his own and a house in the country with 20 acres or so for the milk cows and chickens and garden.  But until that day comes, he eagerly looks forward to the fleeting moments with his children and his wife.

Life is not yesterday, nor is it tomorrow.  Life is today.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:24, NIV

(not the) Last Word on Love

I am likely going to write about love until the day I die.  Which, hopefully, will be a long time from now.

I refer you, gentle reader, back to the two great commandments:  Love the Lord your God with everything you are.  Love your neighbor as you love yourself.  Christ said that everything else in the Bible is based on these two commandments.

How, then, do we love others?  WWJD?  How did Jesus love others?  Scripture clearly shows us that he loved sinners.  He ate with them.  He showed them the pure, unadulterated love of God.

“But Jesus got really mad!”

Yes He did.  Why?  Because people had turned his Father’s House (the Temple) into a “den of thieves”.  He also got more than a little riled when the leaders of the religious establishment failed to follow the first two commandments.

So, Jesus forgave the people who committed adultery, the murderers, the thieves and the liars.  And He rebuked those who followed the letter of the law.

WHY?

Because they failed to love.  They took the power and the money then left the orphans and widows hungry.  Jesus pronounced seven woes on them because when they converted others, they “made him twice the child of Satan that they are!”

Can the same be said today?  Preachers everywhere are worried that their sermons against sin will be viewed as hate speech and result in arrest and other horrible actions.  But, aside from the downward spiral America finds itself in, why would people view Christian sermons as hate speech?

I have no problem with calling sin “sin”.  But, as Jesus said, “Go and sin no more.”  He never seethed with rage screaming at a person because of their sin, except for the Pharisees who claimed to be from God.

In order to love the world, one must love every part of the world.  The drag queen, the serial rapist, the child molester, the murderer, the thief, the liar and even ourselves.  We must love the unloveable.

All Scripture is God-Breathed

And useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16

Dedicated to Westboro Baptist Church

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. – Romans 13:1-2

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.  But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. – Romans 8:9-11

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength
or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this:
that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,”
declares the LORD. – Jeremiah 9:23-24

Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth—
then my judgments go forth like the sun. For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. – Hosea 6:4-6

If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. – Matthew 12:7

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.  And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.  You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.  A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.  For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 12:30-37

Bless those who persecute you.  Bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. – Romans 12:14-15

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” – Luke 15:1-2

Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him,“See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”  The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well. – John 5:14-15

If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely.  The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient.  Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.  I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. – 2 Corinthians 2:5-8

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. ⁴ Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. – 1 John 2:3-5

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40

“If you love me, keep my commands.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.” – John 14:15-17

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. – 1 John 4:7-12

 

Storgē

Like I said before, I can have a lot of fun with these Greek words.  ”It’s over there by the storge container!”

Storgē is that special love that bonds a parent with a child.  When a parent says to their child, “I love you,” the Greeks say “I storgē you” or something to that effect.

The love for a child is an amazing thing.  Before I found out I was going to be a Daddy, I didn’t even want to ponder that possibility.  I’m a horrible person, I’m going to make horrible kids.  But I saw that little hand on the screen at the doctor’s office and that stony heart began to melt.

When she was born, I was an emotional wreck.  I had never held a child in my entire life.  Now, here was one of my very own!  By the time she was four, I was a very happy stay-at-home Dad.  About that time, her younger sister joined the family.

From a guy with absolutely no use for people under 21 to being totally enamored with my children – I discovered exactly what storgē is.  I love my kids.  Now that I am working, I try to arrange my schedule so I get more time to spend with my kids.

Storgē – the most amazing love of all.

Philia

Philadelphia is the “City of Brotherly Love”.  Few realize that there was a city in Asia Minor with the same name at the time of the Romans.  Yup – the name is that old.

Philia is a Greek word that means love between friends.  It can be also rendered in English as phileo.  In modern English, where straight people are worried about sounding gay, they shy away from the word love and we use words like BFF.  BFF=philia.

This is precisely what Christ meant, though, when He told us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  No matter how absolutely despicable we think they may be, He told us to love them.

But people will always find a reason to not love someone.  Maybe it’s the slowpoke on the road in front of us.  Could it be that the family down the street has bikes outside their front door?  Maybe there’s a handicap.

This is, sadly, where I need the most help.  I’ve heard it’s rude to stare at people or make a big deal of a handicap.  Therefore, I don’t want to appear rude and avoid people who are different from me.  It makes me uncomfortable.

But I feel perfectly comfortable walking into a prison as a chaplain or volunteer.  I feel perfectly comfortable reaching out to that “different” person at church.  I feel perfectly comfortable chatting it up with someone I’ve come to know.  Why?

In those situations I am empowered by title or familiarity.

Through Christ, we are all empowered to address those around us in His name.  We don’t have to verbally invoke His name, but act as if we had.  In turn we make others comfortable around us.  The guy covered with scars from a car wreck.  The woman whose body is deformed from palsy.  The next-door neighbor who won’t even look at you on the street.

Love your neighbor as you love yourself.  Little children, love one another.

Eros

I can have a lot of fun with these Greek words.  Agape.  Eros.  :)  No, I’m not even going there! You would only boo and hiss at my joke about bows and Eros…

Anyway, Eros was the Greek god of intimate love – between a husband and wife.  We know him better by his Roman name, Cupid.  It is from that description we get the second in this treatise on love.

When I met my wife, 20 years ago, I was struck by her beauty.  Some would say there was love at first sight, and I believe them.  She haunted me even as I pursued other relationships.  After all, why would someone as beautiful as her want to waste time with an overgrown beer-swillin’ sailor whose face could sink ships?  But she found something in me as well.  We’re very happily married, have two kids and a house with a cedar picket fence.

It was the initial attraction that brought us together.  Had I not seen something in her, I would likely have not remembered her from that history class in college in 1991.  Her smile, her hair – but most of all her laugh…  But, as I am wont to do, I digress.

I started to go somewhere with this that would have made a lot of people angry.  So, here goes again.

God created the attraction-based love that brings together a man and a woman.  He did so for one reason – kids.  He wants people to worship Him.  He wants lots of people to worship Him.  And, as the Sovereign Creator of the universe, He pretty much gets what He wants.  So he put a drive in each of us to get married and have kids.

How do we find the one with which to have kids and remain true to God?  Through prayer and attraction.

I’ll admit that I didn’t pray before I married my wife.  Yeah, I went through the motions, but none of it was real until we’d been married for 2 ½ years.  It’s taken me from then until now to figure out how this hot babe that I married was brought to me by a God that I refused to serve until after we were married.

It’s all part of His plan.

Now that I love to worship Him, my kids see that.  They want to be like Daddy, so they worship Him as well.  And, when they’re grown, hopefully their kids will worship Him too.  It’s a cycle that’s gone on for millenia – ever since Eve first whacked Adam upside the head for driving too fast.

Whether are married or not, keep that attraction in the marriage.  Don’t let it go outside.  There’s something special between two people who have saved themselves for each other – something special that I shall never know.  And that special something is exactly what God intended for all of us.