Car Cleaning

I decided to vacuum my car. It's something I try to do every other year. It's amazing how much stuff you can accumulate over time. In general I try to keep the seats clear enough to accommodate a few passengers. But, with the help of Nicholas the back seats are a little risky. So in my vacuum adventure I discovered some lost items: Green lantern's head, a miniature light saber, wood chips from landscaping timbers, a roll of string (don't have a clue) and the usual assortment of writing utensils. On the bright side I could probably survive most any unsuspected natural disaster or attack. For those of you not old enough to remember McGyver - ask your parents. I believe we all have a tendency to collect junk without realizing it. That's why David asked God's help. His prayer is a reminder that we get to comfortable with the stuff that creeps into our lives.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you,and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

(Psalm 139:23-24)

Lightning bugs

Summer's here for sure. I know that because lightning bugs are out. If you have never stopped to thank God for creating an animal you really should. Actually, I think parents through the ages have given thanks for lightning bugs. Long before game boy, game cube, Playstation, Wii...there were lightning bugs. No battery, no plug in, no cheats, nothing required. All parents had to say was "go catch lightning bugs". Two hours later kids return: fascinated, exhausted and ready for bed. Of course kids of a meaner sort returned with fluorescent goo all over their hands, wiffle ball bats and other things (so I have heard). Sometimes I think lightning bugs remind me of our spirituality. On again off again. Jesus said that his followers are the light of the world. The light that is needed is a consistent steady light and not a light that flashes on and off and is only present for a season and then disappears.

Remember

Memorial Day. Is it about BBQ? Is it about yard work? Is it the unofficial start of summer? There's nothing wrong with any of those things (except yard work). But they miss the mark of Memorial Day. At some point during the day it's important to pause and remember. Pause to honor the veterans who have died serving. Pause to express gratitude. By my measure gratitude is one of the most important virtues. It is a mark of character that affects all others. Deuteronomy is one of my favorite Old Testament books. Over a dozen times Moses pleads with the tribes that were preparing to enter the land that God had promised. His pleading is not complicated. He charges them to remember. Sadly, I am convinced that he knew they would not. It seems to be our nature. When things get good we forget those who sacrificed to bring us the good. Remember and be grateful.

Life according to Captain Jack Sparrow

In the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie Captain Jack Sparrow has a crazy compass. It shows up at various times during the movie. Typically, the compass spins around in what appears to be an unpredictable manner. Finally, Sparrow explains the usefulness of the compass. The needle does not point north. It points toward what the holder "wants" the most. In the ebb and flow of the movie, the direction of the needle changes several times. Seems to me that this compass could be really useful. What if I had a visible indicator of what happens within my heart. How often do my desires change? What do I desire the most today? Obedience? Faithfulness? An authentic relationship with God? Wisdom? Knowledge? Power? Wealth? Comfort? We seldom pause to think that God's assessment is much more accurate than Jack Sparrow's compass. God's assessment of my heart is precise.

Open Hand

I was reading an article by Cameron Strang (editor of Relevant magazine) recently and he used the expression "open hand" to refer to stewardship. His words are challenging. We love to think in terms of "our" possessions, "our" time or "our" lives. This flies in the face of truth. Truthfully, everything we have is God's. As I read his article I felt especially challenged in the area of time. It takes practice to think in terms of an open handed approach to time. The way to begin each day is with the day in an open hand offered to God. That requires me to hold "my day" loosely and release myself to God's purposes.

Dentistry or Pro Basketball

I was watching an interview with Greg Oden this week. He is the basketball star from Ohio State who is likely to be the first pick in the NBA draft. As a seven footer he is easy to spot in a crowd. In his interview he was asked if playing in the NBA was the fulfillment of a childhood dream. His answer was interesting. He shared that his dream as a child was to be a dentist not play pro basketball. With a smile he noted that dentistry was out of the question because of the size of his hands. Good choice Greg. I enjoyed the interview. Oden's stature is a gift from God that made one career an impossibility and another possible. I couldn't help but remember that my childhood dream was to be a veterinarian. Although I didn't pass up that career to play in the NBA, my dreams have gone through several changes. Now I am living my dream. I love being a pastor, husband and father. Sometimes God blesses us with all kinds of gifts that change us and shape us for new dreams.

Summer

I love summer. What's so great about summer? Warm weather. Sunshine. Long days. I don't like cold weather and I don't like it when it's cold and dark at 6:00 in the evening. This week summer will officially begin for many school children. Forget the calendar. For kids in school, summer begins the moment school ends. I guess I am still a fourth grader at heart. There is a rush of joy that comes upon me when summer arrives. My love for summer is about more than the weather. There's something about being outside that is refreshing to me. I love to sit outside at night and look into the sky. This past weekend I sat in silence and looked at a distant star. It was a reminder to me that I am small and God is big. Does that make me feel isolated or comforted? Well I tend to appreciate the truth of the Psalm...He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name (Psalm 147:3-4). What a contrast. The Psalm paints a picture of an infinite God who knows about every star and yet He is willing to minister healing to my brokenness.

graduation time

It's that time of year. Families are celebrating graduations. If you are reading this and you are a graduate - give yourself a pat on the back and please accept my congratulations! I enjoy reflecting about my graduation. I like to remember high school graduation (partially because I had a head of thick hair). I remember that it seemed a little bit like a dream. You walk across the stage and then you begin a brand new chapter in your life. It's as though...Bam! you're a graduate...now what? Since my high school graduation I have experienced that feeling over and over again. For some reason I expected that certain events would change who I was. I know that sounds silly but I'm being honest. I have seen the same expectation in others. People think that they will get married and wake up a good husband or wife. People think that they will get a good job and suddenly become responsible employees. They think they will start to church and experience an overnight transformation into patient, kind and loving persons. You get the picture. I thought I would feel like a different person when I became a pastor. Guess what? When I step up in front of the congregation on Sunday, it's still me. The events in our life do not change us. It is an investment over time in our character that matters. Graduation is a significant reference point. But, the meaning of graduation depends on how we harness the lessons and experiences that led up to graduation and apply them from day to day. I love the way God was revealed to the prophet Jeremiah. God is the potter. Graduation does not mean we are a finished product. It is a time to place our lives in His hands and allow Him to blend our experiences and lessons and His perspective into us. It is another step toward becoming the vessel that He is producing.

Great Day

Today I attended "field day" with Nicholas at his school. It was an all day event with relay races, football throws (Nicholas took first place in the football throw) and all kinds of ridiculous games that were designed to get everyone wet. I was a typical proud dad. It was a great day. For me, the day included a very special highlight. In addition to watching my son Nicholas I enjoyed watching another fourth grader compete. He competed with the best of them. It was great to see him in the races. I was inspired by his effort. I enjoyed watching him all day. His smile drew my attention like a magnet. His joy was contagious. By the way, I should mention that he has lost both of his legs above his knees. Without the aid of prosthetics, he competed in the races. If you haven't smiled today, you should.

Are you a good listener

Blessed are the ears that are attuned to the soft whisper of God's voice and that ignore the buzzing of the world.
Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471)

Last night I was mowing the yard. Mowing's not so bad when you have an ipod. It allows me to enjoy some music while Iwork. That's a good thing. To be sure, we are a culture that is addicted to music. Now you can have "tunes to go" on about every type of electronic device imaginable. Even birthday cards will startle you with music as you open them. As I read the above quote from Kempis I can't help but be amazed that someone living in the 1400's would refer to the "buzzing" of the world. What was buzzing back then? No ipods. Not even an 8-track player. (If you don't understand ask your parents) It is a reminder that distractions come in many ways - but they have always been a plague to humanity. One thing I wonder. How many times has God whispered something that I never heard?

This will help you as you get older

Don't you hate to hear those words. What does "as you get older" mean? To a teenager, it means your "20's" are somewhere in the distance. To a twenty-something it means that someday you will be a thirty-something. And to the rest of us, it means that we are already there. Forget that garbage about "50" being the new "30". To be honest with you, sometimes I feel like the only "new" I have discovered at 43 is new aches and pains. As I was hitting my Monday morning routine in the gym, I took a little extra time to stretch...I have heard that stretching will help me "as I get older". I have lost so much flexibility it's no wonder I love shoes that have no laces. How about you? How much flexibility have you lost? Stretching is good for our physical bodies. It is also good for us spiritually and intellectually. This morning I was reading in Acts 10. Luke gives an account of God teaching Peter that he should love people who are different. God poured out a blessing on Gentiles. The Jews who observed this blessing were amazed. In a word, they were stretched. It may be that we have been viewing certain people in in our world through an old lens. Why not invite God to stretch us this week?
It will help you as you get older.

Mother's Day

This is a not so subtle reminder that Sunday is Mother's Day. Give it some thought. If you are supposed to buy a present - buy one. If you are supposed to call - call. I have a reflection about Lynn's first Mothers's Day to share. Mother's Day 1997. I had a great day planned for Lynn. It was her first as a new mom. Nicholas was about five months old and full of life. I was excited about the day at The Good Shepherd Church of God in Dewey, Arizona. What a day! However, we had a slight glitch in the wonderful day. Nicholas didn't cooperate. He was very sick and he was kind enough to share the fact that he was sick with us Saturday night (all night) and Sunday morning. Lynn took him in and celebrated with the little tater in a waiting room. I went to church and preached a marvelous Mother's Day sermon. And Lynn received a special gift - ear infections for Nicholas. Truthfully, this is a great picture of Mother's Day. Lynn did what my mom had done so many times. A few months later my mom flew 2000 miles to be with me during my eye surgery. Thanks Moms!

Laughter

Words to live by. A merry heart does good like medicine (Proverbs 17:22). I love to laugh. The benefits of laughter are supported by the Bible, science and experience. There is nothing quite like it. Of course, not everyone is blessed to have the material that I have. I am speaking of the blessing of "preaching on TV". That means that I have video reminders of every blooper (large and small). Just a couple of weeks ago my East Tennessee grammar overwhelmed me in the midst of my sermon. I watched myself on the video and it was even worse than I thought. Upon watching myself I faced a great choice...to laugh or not to laugh. I think you know the answer. Let me challenge you to find the humor in the midst of your day. Some of your greatest "embarrassments" can become be great opportunities to smile and laugh at yourself.

Conviction

We know too much and are convinced of too little. Our literature is a substitute for religion and so is our religion

T.S. Eliot

Lately I have been thinking about how my beliefs translate into life from day to day. I am convinced that our ability and desire to cultivate convictions is slipping away. In some strange way, it may have something to do with how much we think we know. Sometimes the more we know the more uncertainty we introduce in our lives and the less likely we are to refine our convictions. As a result, life gets a little fuzzy. I believe Eliot was bemoaning the loss of congruency between religion and conviction. It's not surprising. Nothing about conviction is easy. It's time consuming to determine what matters most. It requires contemplation. It requires us to look inside. Don't misundersand my appreciation for Eliot. I am not anti-literature. Nor am I anti-learning. My concern with the increase of "knowledge" has more to do with how we digest the knowledge. Without convictions knowledge just contributes to the noise in our lives. With the aid of convictions, knowledge can be refined into authenticity.

Spiderman 3 1/2

OK the movie's out and you have probably heard numerous reviews...so I won't give you another. As I noted earlier as a follower of Jesus we participate in a "good vs. evil" drama everyday. What if our bodies showed the visible marks of the epic battle? What if our victories and defeats were visible to all? In Spiderman 3, Peter Parker takes a walk on the wild side and his choices are visible - he chooses to wear a black suit rather than his normal red and blue spiderman suit. In the black suit it is easy to recognize that he has chosen a sinful path rather than a righteous one. At one point Jesus told us that we should consider plucking out our right eye if it causes us to sin. I wonder how many of us should be wearing a patch today? I'm not advocating a literal obedience to this teaching. I do question whether or not we consider the costs of our sinful choices.

Spiderman 3

Another epic battle between good and evil burst onto the movie scene today. I must confess, my "spidey senses" are tingling with anticipation. Although, truth be known I have a feeling I know how it will go. After all, most movies are pretty predictable. I had a pretty strong sense that the Titanic was going down before the movie was ever over. Oh yes, I was really surprised that the lingering effects of steroids were not enough to get Rocky his 12th? victory in the ring in his final bout against an opponent that was young enough to be his grandson. But, we still get all worked up for 90 minutes waiting to see it unfold. Must be the popcorn. I guess it is a parable of life. I know good is more powerful than evil. I know that the Bible offers a confident word that "greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world". If you are a follower of Jesus you are engaged in the greatest battle of all time. Will you fight the "good fight" of faith today with absolute confidence?

So, where are you going?

I left you hanging with the last question. How should I (as a pilgrim sojourner) respond when I am asked about my destination? Before I answer let me say that I love it when writers have to admit that they are wrong. There is something eloquent about a sequel that disproves the prequel. I am referring to Richard Carlson's two books: "Don't sweat the small stuff...and it's all small stuff" followed by "What about the big stuff?". Believe it or not I recommend both books. Carlson comes around in the second book to discuss some things that really matter in life. One chapter in particular stands out. The title says it all: Reflect on what you're going to say - before you need to say it. In other words some things are worth working up a little sweat over. I happen to believe that we should work up a little sweat when it comes to our ability to tell people about our destination. Peter, the fisherman turned disciple told the early followers of Jesus that it is important to be prepared to talk about the reason we believe in Him. Where am I going? My answer does not have to be complicated, but it does require some preparation. My answer for now is that I am going home. In order for that to be a good answer it must ring true. Home is a place that it familiar. But my familiarity with my ultimate home has more to do with person than place. I am going to God not just a place. And if I am not at home in His presence now why would I believe that I will be later? The authenticity of my answer will depend on my relationship with God in the moment that I give my answer.