1992-Last of the Mohicans

One of my all-time favorite movies. Maybe because it is about a simpler view on life. Maybe because it displays pure love between souls, or because it shows a life based on integrity. Maybe all of the above and more. The scene near the end always hits me hard. A father and his son, and how the father feels for the son, and how he does what is needed for the son. He seeks to honor his son and avenge those who took his son’s life. All this, because it feels to be the right thing to do…..

It is a human movie with human themes and I can’t draw a comparison to God and the Son except to say that we, as a people, love vengeance and how it makes us feel whole….for the moment. But, God unconditionally loves us and needs none of that…..that is what makes life as a follower so very hard at times to do and understand.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

three steps

I often wonder what it would be like to be fully invested in life. To live freely.  What would I being doing differently. What thoughts would guide my days? It seems the older I get the more I think about this and the more I realize it is what I need.

Richard Rohr writes, “We become free as we let go of our three primary energy centers: our need for power and control, our need for safety and security, and our need for affection and esteem. “  

That’s a tall order but I couldn’t agree more.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

babies

Everyone loves babies.

Since my wife isn't around feeding me all the time, I have started frequenting Taco Night at Brew Top.  I watched this momma bird build the nest, then sit on the nest, and finally......... babies!!  First you could not see them, only hear them....... now, they are big and fat and I wonder how they all fit in the nest.

This picture reminds me of the nursery rhyme "there was an old woman who lived in a shoe, she had so  many children, that she didn't know what to do."  This mother bird must be very harried........ triplets........ loud, noisy, hungry triplets.  No wonder momma birds finally kick the babies out of the nest.

Keep your eyes open for the wonders of nature, the wonders of God's world.  They are all around you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

my lucky day

Do you hate waiting in line?  Do you notice that you always pick the slow line?  I always seem to get behind the person who wants to write a check, or the person who is lonely and wants to talk to the checker, or the person who has picked up an item that does not have a price tag.  If you see me in the store, say hello, but never get in line behind me.  If you do, you will be sorry because I never choose the right line.

Well, the other day, I hit the jackpot.  Not only was there a line open with no waiting, there were three!!!  And the employees at Price Chopper all looked happy, as if they were glad to be there and glad to help me.  How delightful!

It was a great moment.  I had to take a photo of it.  May I remember moments like this the next time the line is 5 people deep at some store.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

fear or faith

There is an all church meeting tonight at 5pm in the main campus sanctuary.  And so the topic of today's blog.

Fear or faith.  We humans are faced with the decision every day.  Churches and organizations face similar decisions.

Having done my due diligence, do I step out into an opportunity, or do I shrink back?  Do I opt for safety or am I willing to stretch for the kingdom.

Ahh, the kingdom.  Let us make no mistake- the kingdom of God is never about our comfort or us having enough.  It is entirely, completely, 100% about us discomforting ourselves for the sake of the mission.

What might God ask of you?  What might God ask of your church?

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  Gal 5:9-10

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

another campus for Woods Chapel?

We announced in church on Sunday that the conference was asking us to take on another campus.  There will be a meeting on Sunday night June 28th at 5pm in the sanctuary to hear about this and ask any quesitons that you may have.  

Here is a Q&A sheet about the opportunity.

St. Peter UMC

Q&A Packet

St. Peter UMC in Blue Springs has closed, primarily due to lack of finances and a decline in attendance.  The Conference Office has asked our church to consider stepping in to help. 

St. Peter is located on the south end of Blue Springs, which is rapidly expanding.  Hundreds of homes have been built over the past few years, with plans for many more to built in the area.  The Conference Office wants to keep a Methodist presence along 7 Highway, as they know this is a prime mission field for the United Methodist Church. 

Rather than start a brand new Methodist church in the building, the Conference Office has asked Woods Chapel Church to start a third campus, thus creating Woods Chapel Church – Blue Springs Campus.  This strategy of asking growing, vibrant churches to create additional campuses has been successful in Missouri and in other states, and the Conference plans to continue this strategy in the future. 

1.    What does this mean in the near future? 

The St. Peter congregation, with advice from the Conference Office, voted to close their church but continue holding a heritage worship service each Sunday in their building until a new church is started in the building.  WCC will begin holding the heritage service on Sunday, June 28 and will continue this service each Sunday morning as long as attendance is approximately 20 or more and giving is regular.  If attendance dips below that threshold for several weeks in a row, or giving stops, we will look at discontinuing the service and asking the church attendees to attend one of our services at WCC.

2.    What does a heritage service look like?

WCC will provide a pre-recorded sermon.  We will provide musicians, a sound technician, and hospitality.  Services will have the same format as WCC 9:05 sanctuary worship.  The music at St. Peter has been contemporary using a piano and instruments, and this will continue.  The time of the service has not been determined.  Services at St. Peter were previously held at 10:00 am.

3.    How will we advertise the heritage service to the community?

We will not advertise this service to the community or invite others to join us.  This heritage service is strictly for the current St. Peter members who do not want to leave their church building and are waiting for a new church to be started there.  We are simply helping out during this time period and are not trying to grow the service.

4.    When will we officially start the new Woods Chapel Church – Blue Springs Campus?

The timetable is very tentative at this point.  The Conference Office has suggested the following:

·         Hold the heritage service for nine months to build trust with the attendees.

·         Appoint a campus pastor for the Blue Springs Campus with a tentative start date of January 2016.

·         Discontinue the heritage service in the summer of 2016.

·         Launch the new Woods Chapel Church – Blue Springs Campus in October 2016.

           

5.    Who owns the building, land, and assets now that St. Peter has closed?

All assets now belong to the Conference Office.  Transfer of ownership to WCC would take place effective January 1, 2016.

6.    What is the financial status?

The church does not have any money.  The total debt is $200,000.  A parsonage will be sold for approximately $150,000, leaving $50,000 of remaining debt.

7.    What is the size of the property?

The church owns approximately 6.8 acres.  In addition to the land the building sits on, the church owns the empty land behind the church and eight-tenths of an acre along 7 Highway to the south of the church. 

8.    What is the condition of the building?

The building is in great condition.  Paint and décor has been updated.  The church has a commercial kitchen, a large fellowship area, and a sanctuary which seats approximately 250.

9.    Who maintains the building and grounds during the heritage service period?

WCC staff and a team of WCC members will maintain the property, with service and maintenance bills being paid by the Conference Office until January 1, 2016. 

10.  Who pays the utility bills during the heritage service period?

The Conference Office will pay the utility bills until January 1, 2016.

11.  Who pays the speakers and musicians during the heritage service period?

The Conference Office will pay until January 1, 2016.

12.  Will an offering be received at heritage services?

Yes, an offering will be received, and the money will help pay for utility bills.

13.  Will there be any Sunday school classes or weekday programming at the building during the heritage service period?

No.  We will invite heritage service attendees to attend programming at WCC during the week.  We will provide a copy of our bulletin each Sunday so that they can hear about the various opportunities. We will not print any separate publications for the heritage service.

14.  Who will provide pastoral care for the heritage service attendees?

Pastoral care will be provided by our team at WCC.  The heritage service attendees will call the main WCC phone number for pastoral care. 

15.  Will the conference help with finances in 2016?

Yes, the conference will provide $300,000 for the new campus, with $125,000 the first year, $100,000 the second year, and $75, 000 the third year.  This grant is intended to be used for ministry and music staff, and facilities and maintenance costs.

16.  How will a campus pastor be chosen for Blue Springs?

The conference will work closely with WCC to determine the best fit for a campus pastor.  It may be a current pastor from WCC or a new appointee. 

17.  What is the role of the campus pastor from January until the new church launch?

Beginning immediately, the campus pastor would work to build interest at the main campus and make connections in the community.  This could be done at the main campus by inviting interested parties to cook outs, bible studies, social hours and such.  This could be done in the community by getting involved and known in the community via Rotary, Chamber and the local schools.

18.  What is the role of the campus pastor after the launch?

The campus pastor will be onsite most Sundays, leading the worship.  We envision this campus being a video venue, meaning the sermons will be brought by the Senior Pastor via video approximately three Sundays a month.  The campus pastor will preach 9-12 times per year at the satellite campus and several times a year at the main campus.  The campus pastor will provide pastoral care and officiate funerals, weddings, and baptisms. 

19.  What will happen during the summer of 2016?

The summer of 2016 will be a quiet period, meaning there will not be any worship services or programming at the Blue Springs campus.  This time will be used to make changes to the building so that it looks and feels like WCC. 

20.  What renovations will be needed?

The signage will need to be changed.  Minor façade changes may be made to give the building more curb appeal.  Interior decorating changes will be made to mimic the feel of WCC’s main campus. 

21.  What programming will there be for children and students after the launch?

Children’s Sunday school and nursery will be held each Sunday.  We are also exploring a parent’s day out.

22.  How will we invite people to the new church?

The first step will be identifying our current WCC attendees that live in the mission field around the Blue Springs campus.  We will gather this group together and gauge their interest in becoming missionaries in their own neighborhood by attending the new campus.  This ‘launch team’ will be crucial to the success of the new launch by inviting their neighbors and friends to the new church.  In addition to the campus pastor’s efforts to engrain him/herself in the community, we anticipate mailers, events, small groups, and missions efforts. 

23.  What recommendations have we received from the Conference Office for the new church launch?

a)    Choose the right campus pastor who is engaged with the community.

b)    Maintain communication with the main campus so that all campuses are working together for the common mission.

24.  When will we have to start paying apportionments for the new campus?

Apportionments would be paid beginning in 2020.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, don't be afraid of change, and don't be afraid of being stretched.  God is with us - be sure to see the good. 

I am normal

I don't tell people that I am a pastor.  Many people have no idea what to do with that knowledge and they start to act weird when they find out.  I love it when members introduce me as "their friend, Jeff."  I love it when months or years later, a person finds out that I am a pastor....... They got the chance to know me as a person, without the trappings of being a minister.  When I am introduced as someones pastor, I always follow up with, "but I am normal."

I am normal.  What does that mean?  It means that many people have a preconceived notion that pastors are going to guilt them or pressure them or act holier than thou.  I refuse to do these things.  I don't wear the ministry garb, I won't guilt you and I am certainly not holier than anyone else.

We are all on this journey together.  We are all the same.  Pastors are people too.  They are all normal, whether they know it or not.

Thanks for keeping me around to be your pastor, and thanks for allowing me to be normal.

It's a beautiful normal day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

so what

I don't want to minimize sin, but some people will never let a thing go.  They suffer for years over something that they have asked for forgiveness for many times- as though God might grant forgiveness if we keep pestering him.

You only have to ask for forgiveness once.

 A long time friend thanked me for something.  He said that at a time when he shared his deepest hurts, his biggest sins, I said, "so what."

What have you done?  What evil secrets are in your past?  Go to our Father, ask for forgiveness, then let them go.  You did a bad thing?  So what.  You are forgiven.

Accept the simple gift that God actually does forgive you and he separates us from our sins as far as the east is from the west.

God is good, all the time.  Bad things?  So what.  God is with us and God is for us.  If God is for us, then who can be against us?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Insecurities

Insecurities run rampant.  I don't like how I look so I dye my hair, I get hair implants, I have plastic surgery.  I can't wear the same outfit again.  I must have a new, fresh and flashy look at all times.  I must drive a cool car, I must be seen on the outside to be hip and together.

And on the inside, person after person that I meet is hiding behind a curtain of insecurity.  How sad.  How very very sad.  Oh, if you knew how much God loves you!  Oh, if you knew how beautiful he thinks you are!

We need to think less about what others think of us and more about what God thinks of us.  We are loved and accepted into the household of faith.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Charleston

I finally decided to write a few words on this topic...... it is such a painful one.

Nine people shot dead at a Methodist Church in Charleston.  Murdered.  Executed.  Why?  Because a very young man decided that he hated another race.

We shake our heads.  We take a deep breath and wonder who could do such a thing.  We pray for the families of the victims.  We pray for the family of the killer.  Although part of our brains does not want to do so, we pray for the shooter.  May God reach in and change his heart.

Hatred is ugly.  Very ugly.  May we all do everything that we can to eradicate it from our hearts and minds.  May God's love prevail.........

joy

Joy.  I received an email from a friend last week that reminded me that there is a joy in doing God's work.

We think joy is found when we do what we want.  That is a form of taking - sort of a "I will do what I want, and that will make me happy." 

There is a different kind of joy that comes when we do God's work.  When we give ourselves to him, believing that the greater joy comes when our priority is no longer what we want to do but what he wants. 

Not my will but thine be done.  Missing some joy in your life?  Ask God who you can touch for him today, get about doing it, and see if you don't find the joy rekindled.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Father's Day

Today is Father's Day.  Hip hip hooray!  It is a day to feel proud of my kids.  It is a day to be happy for the gift of having children.  My children are the best and I love them very much.  I want them to know that I am proud of them every single day of my life.

I was 38 years old when my dad told me for the first time that he loved me.  I want my kids to know that they are loved, every day, every moment of their lives.  Even if they are having a bad week or a difficult time with something, they are dearly loved.

May each of us understand that God feels the same way about us.  We don't always get it right, sometimes we get it wrong, but we are loved, dearly loved by our heavenly Father.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

spelling

Sometimes I think that I am not a very good speller.  Even with spell check, sometimes, I cannot figure out how to spell a word.  I thank God for every time that the word is fixed automatically by spell check.

Words I have trouble spelling.............restless, occasion, familiar, commitment.  On and on the list goes.  It is like I mis-learned them with I was in 3rd grade, and I have never learned to get the correct spelling inside of my brain.

I hope that you have words that you have trouble spelling.  It is a small reminder that we still have things to learn.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

words

I rarely post on facebook.  From time to time, I do read what others post. 

I would like to take a moment to remind readers of this blog that facebook is not private.  Even if someone is not your facebook friend, your posts and comments can easily be captured [copied or screenshot] by others and forwarded to anyone they wish.

I witness comments about people's pastors, about their churches, about other brothers and sisters that attend their church.  Sometimes the comments are nice, but sometimes they are not.

Dear friends, the tongue, whether words spoken or written, the tongue is a restless evil.  Most of the pain that is delivered in this life, comes from our mouths or our pens.  I beg you as fellow Christians to be very careful about what you say and what you write.  Nothing is private, for on the internet, all things done in private have ways of becoming known.

May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in the sight of our God.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

belief and practice

Some Christians insist that you believe it all, and believe it just right.  Their faith is rooted in doctrine and belief.  They want to make sure that others believe it, just as they do.

There is another way.  Other Christians live out their faith rooted not so much in belief, but in practice.  Not that doctrine is not important, but these are those who understand that we do not know it all.  We do not have all the answers, and what we think we know, we are often wrong about.  And so they practice.... they love others, they pray, they give thanks, they live a life of faith.

Belief or practice.  What is most prominent in your spiritual life?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

conditions

I talk to people all the time who want to do God's work, but on their own terms.  They want to follow Jesus, but they put conditions on many things.  This seems an acceptable thing to do for them, because we humans are so used to having it our way.

Jesus rejects our conditions.  He accepts nothing less than unconditional surrender.  If you dare to be used by God, you must deny your self, and follow him.  There are no excuses and there are no conditions. 

Do you want to listen to and for God's leading?  Then be prepared to be made uncomfortable.  It's all about unconditional surrender.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

showing love

"You can show your love for others by not wishing that they were better Christians."  St. Francis

What does that mean?
It means that it is not our job to make people better Christians, that is God's job.  It is our job to love and welcome.  Anytime we meet someone and their is an air of "you need to improve-" we are hurting them.

Yes we must sometimes tell that to employees and our children, but when we do it just because we think we are right and someone else is wrong, then wounds are inflicted.

Release others from your preconceived notions about who they are and what they are doing.  Love them and place them in the hands of our loving Father.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

refugee

I have a friend whose mom was a refugee from Vietnam, leaving with the "boat people" after the fall of Saigon in 1975.  In case you are good with math, yes, he is younger than I am.

I was emailing with one of my buds the other day and I was reminded of the old saying, "we are all refugees from something."

Maybe it is a difficult upbringing [me.]  Maybe it is insecurity [me.]  I have a friend who grew up homeless.  I know people that spend the rest of their lives trying to recover from a divorce, a death, or a hurt of some kind.

We are all refugees from something. 

The good news is that we refugees have a place to go.  Thank God for our friends, but mostly, thank God for God.  In him we can find comfort and hope, even when our past tries to drag us down.  We may all be refugees, but thanks to Jesus, we are going somewhere.  We are on a journey of learning to love and see the good in this life.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

to take

Children take things from each other.  "That is my toy!  Give it!"  Adults take things too.  We may not steal from each other, but we take things from God.

We grab on to a thing and hold onto it, insisting that we have a right to it.  It is mine!  Mine! 

What if instead of clinging to a thing, we gave it over to God.  What if we released it to Him?  Then and only then he could bless us by giving it back to us as he saw fit.  As long as we cling to a thing, it cannot be given to us by God.  The moment we release it to him, we allow him to show his generous love by giving that thing or any thing unto us.

To hold a thing is to watch it slip through our fingers.  To release a thing is to gain our proper place in life.  After all, we are stewards, not owners.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

friends

There are a few people in this world that are amazing.  I loved them from the moment I met them.  We have moved in and out of each other's lives over the years.  We have carried each other in difficult times.  We have celebrated the joys.

When we can't get together, it is still ok.  Nothing high maintenance here.  When we do get together, it is the best.

I am smiling.  That is an amazing friendship.  I hope you have people that just seem to keep filling you up.  Be sure to tell them thank you.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

you finally did it

You finally did it.  You pushed me over the edge.  Was it your comment after church?  Was it the comment that you posted on the blog?  Was it the email that you sent?  I don't know for sure, but I have had it.  After all the kindness that I have tried to show to you, I get this?  Really?  Well, I want you to know that I am not going to take this lying down.  I have already acted.  Yes, I did it. I snuck over to your house and kidnapped your pet rabbit.  You can have him back only if you apologize.

Hmmmm.  Did any of you wonder if I was mad at you?  Did any of you think I was really mad?  I am not mad at you.  I am not mad at anyone.

I have been thinking lately about how we collect things that aren't necessarily ours, like blame and guilt.  If you read the first four lines and wondered if I was talking about you, you have made my point.  We spend too much time thinking that something is wrong, that something is broken, and that something must be worried about.

Make your default something else.  Nothing is wrong!  All is well.  No one is mad at you.  And if they are, relax.  Don't let their unhappiness spoil the day.

But I am still going to hold your rabbit hostage until you say uncle.

It's a beautiful, joyful, guilt-free day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

enmity

An enmity was created.

He thought it was done to him out of spite. He thought the other was intentionally trying to hurt him.  But, the other person just thought they were doing their job.  They did not realize the hurt that was being delivered.

And so in response to one hurt, one misunderstood hurt, a lifetime of retaliation was unleashed.  One being surprised by the other at random times with strange looks, odd words and various forms of rejection.  They gathered their friends together and encouraged them to mount up in attack against the foe.  A lifetime of warfare ensued.

All of this was completely unnecessary.

How many times in our lives have we taken offense when no offense was intended?  How often have we let our pride get in the way instead of looking for a milder response?  Give the person that hurt you a little slack.  Maybe they are simply reacting to your reaction to them.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

my life

A friend asked me the other day about my life.  The value of my life and my greatest joys and accomplishments.  I think that they were surprised when I told them that the most important thing to me was that at my funeral my children stood up and said that I was a good Dad.

Yes, being a pastor is important and I have seen many wonderful things over the years.  But if I succeed with the church and fail as a father, what does that say about my life?

I love my children and I would take a bullet for them.  I love the church too, but if I were ever forced to choose, I  would have to stand with my family.  I wasn't always a pastor, and someday I  will stop being one.  But I will always be a father and a husband.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

spiritual

When something is truly spiritual, it does not need to be announced.  People will see it for what it is.

Imagine a person wearing a shirt that said, "I am spiritual."  It would be a bit off-putting.  If someone is spiritual, you can tell.  They don't need to tell you, you will just know.

If a church is experiencing a revival, you don't need a sign out front.  In short order, everyone in town will hear about it from those who are being revived.

It is far better for someone else to say something nice about you then for you to say something about yourself.  Self-promotion smells bad and leaves a bad taste in our mouths.

May we be those who waste no time and energy on self-promotion, but learn to focus our energy on being the kind of people that are living the Kingdom life. 

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

The All

We humans tend to gravitate to our own interests, only loving the parts of a thing that seem relevant to us.  I only care about my service, the 9:05 service.  I only care about education.  I only care about mission, my favorite mission to be sure.  I only care about Upwards.  I only care about landscape.

Is this healthy for a church?  Imagine a family where the Dad said, I only care about the lawn.  Where the Mom said I only care about the kitchen.  Where little Suzie said I only care about my bedroom.  Not a very healthy family is it?

At a church, each of us needs to be committed to the whole.  We need to be behind every department, every mission, every group.  They may not be our favorite, but they are all important, and they are all ours.  The church is not just my little corner.  The church is everything.  The church is all of it. 

There is a joy that comes to us when we start to support areas that we had not been involved with up to this point.  How can you celebrate each member of the body?  How can we support each person's interest?

We are in this together.  All of us.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

great churches

Great churches lift up the name of Jesus.  Great churches teach people to be in mission, to live outside of themselves, to do unto others.

Great churches do not shrink back from opportunity.  When given the chance to make a difference, great people and great churches do their due diligence, set aside their fears, and step into opportunity.

It is easy to lift up the name of Jesus.
It is harder to live outside of ourselves.
It is very very difficult to not want to pull the wagons in a circle when opportunity knocks.  Sometimes big things come along that scare us.  We like our comfort so much.  Don't be afraid.  You never hit the ball until you step into the box.

Your potential awaits.  Our potential awaits.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

persecution

On occasion I get asked why we don't talk much about the persecution of Christians around the globe.  Make no mistake, I am saddened, angered, enraged by what groups like isis does to Christians and others.

However, I do not know how to affect change in this matter.  I am not sticking my head in the sand, I just can't do anything about it.  I do not want to talk about it at church every Sunday.  That would give the sermons an angry, sad flavor that I don't want on the table.  We need to focus on being positive and loving others.  We need to focus on not being selfish and engaging the part of the world where we can make a difference.

On a side not, I have a friend that is very connected to the military who tells me that our drones and such are doing a very good job.  They are doing much more than we hear reported on the news.

So, this is the end of the post.  persecution is very bad.  We should pray for those who experience it.  We should also welcome them into our country as immigrants without complaint.

On to today, and the life that you can affect.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Woods Chapel

In response to a post the other day, a reader made a comment and asked a question.  They said:

"......Jeff, can you tell me if I'm picking up accurately on this. It still seems to me that although the folks who leave now and then can cause some concern, Woods Chapel is still such a vital church, that it appears to me that we have quite a few more people "coming" "seeing" "liking" and "staying" than we have leaving?" 

I would agree with the writer.  But of course I do love this place and the people who call this church home.  Although some people do not stay, Woods Chapel is a very vibrant place with lots of great and amazing people who are growing in grace and learning to live outside of themselves.

The traditional measurements for health in a church are attendance, membership and giving.  All three of these markers continue to improve for us, but there is another measurement that I think says a great deal about institutional health.  That is the degree to which a church and it's people are engaged in outward focused mission.

In mission locally.  In mission globally.  In mission at Westport, at the Ronald McDonald House, in the schools, in Russia, at Costco, at Taco Bell.  In mission, everywhere.  Yes friends, we are on a mission for God.  To the extent that a church stays engaged with it's call to be the hands and feet of Christ, the future is bright.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Ethiopia

I have a test for Christian theology.  All good theology works in Ethiopia.  What does that mean?  It means that many of the things that we talk about, that we are so sure about, are cultural.  They relate to Christianity only in our culture, and therefore, probably are not truly Christian ideas.

For example, those who teach that if you have enough faith, God will give you more stuff and money.  That will never fly in Ethiopia.  So to me, that means it is a heresy.  There is no guaranty that God will give you more stuff.  Ethiopians know this.

What about purpose in life?  Some believe that they will only find purpose when they find their right vocation.  Can people in Ethiopia yearn to be a pilot, a doctor, or an astronaut?  Yes, but their opportunities are so so much smaller.  Purpose has to be available to all.  It cannot be measured by our culture.  So to me the question of purpose is much simpler, and is measured in terms of how I treat people today, not by if I make it in the NFL.  That works in Ethiopia.

What are you thinking about that is cultural?  The purest form of Christianity is cross cultural.  It works everywhere.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Spiritual

Let me begin by saying that I am making a generalization today.  Yes there are some people that do really bad things.  There is some really bad music.  There are some things that I consider nonspiritual.  But we have divided up the world into the sacred and the secular, and we have thrown way too much out the window because it didn't pass our Christian smell test.

So, here I go... on a follow up from yesterday's post.  What is Christian?  What is secular?  What is spiritual?

Many great teachers over the centuries have taught that everything is spiritual.  All truth is God's truth, where ever you find it.

Christian isn't just what we find in Methodist circles.  Spiritual isn't just hymn singing.  Music moves us and speaks to us...  that is spiritual.  There is nothing wrong with listening to James Taylor music or reading Tom Clancy novels.  All of life is beautiful and is to be enjoyed and celebrated.

Imagine asking Jesus, "So Jesus, how is your spiritual life?"  he would laugh at us.  For Jesus, all of life was spiritual, all of it a gift.  It should be the same way for us as well.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

self help

I had a discussion with an old friend about "self-help" books.  They wondered if they were really "Christian."

Well I have a couple of thoughts here.  First, there is an old saying, "God helps those who help themselves."  It is not in the Bible, but it sure could be.   I believe it is a rule of life that those who sit around waiting to be rescued, rarely find what they are looking for.  On the other hand, those who get up and go after a thing, often find all sorts of help lined up for them, including the divine.

Another thought on this is this....... God never indicated that we should sit and do nothing.  God expects us to act, to have faith, to work and to do all we can to improve our lot and make the world a better place.  That is by definition - "self help."  If the church isn't in the business of motivating and encouraging people to make the most of themselves, that we have missed it.

Read the Bible.  But also read all the self help books you want.  Pray that God will use them make you a better, wiser, healthier person.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

When people leave

Sometimes people leave our church.  It is always difficult for me.  I have learned over the years that there are many reasons why people leave and most of them are not related to me personally.

They move to Texas.  They get busy with sports.  They become more conservative.  They don't like the emphasis on missions.  They want the pastor to wear a robe.  They don't like contemporary music.  On and on it goes.  They are all good reasons, if you need a reason.  If someone leaves, only they can decide if the reason is reason enough.

I always feel bad when it happens.  Those of you who stay, please understand.... we are not perfect.  I am not perfect.  We are going to continue to pursue missions.  We are going to continue to be outward focused.  We are going to continue to ask difficult questions and stretch our people.

I hope that all of you will stay with me on this journey.  And I pray that those who left will come back.  There are plenty of hugs to go around.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

opportunities

Here is to opportunities!  I just want to take a moment to thank God for opportunities.

I have had many in my life.  Sometimes I took opportunities to do good and used them to complain.  Sometimes I whined when I should have said thank you.

But over the years, I am striving to see the good in every opportunity given.

Gosh, if we wake up today, we have chances.  Opportunities.  To love, to live.  To give and forgive.

Do you see the joyful potential in this day?  God has given you the chance to change the world.  Your world at least.  Will we do it?  Or will we sit around and complain about things that we should not complain about.

This is the day that the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Each day given is an opportunity for us to be a part of making the world a better place.

How will you choose to use it?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

you have to be ready

You have to be ready to hear a thing.  A person can tell you that you need to see a thing in a different way, but sometimes you are not ready, sometimes we are not ready for that message, for that teaching.

Sometimes we reject things that we should listen to.  Sometimes we shelve things that we are not ready for.

Keep reading the same things.  Read new things, but keep reading.  The stories and points may hit you just right tomorrow.

I apologized to a member because they have heard my stories over and over.  She said, "Don't apologize, I hear them every so often and they always hit me in a different way because I am at a different place."

Thank God for the day that my brain opened up to hear what I could not hear the day before.

What do you need to hear that you are not quite listening to?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the camel

A new monk proudly strutted into the Abbot's office.  He told the Abbot that he had great faith.  So much faith in fact, that upon arriving today he did not tie his camel up outside.  He was trusting God to keep his camel with the others.

The Abbot said, "Fool!  Go tie up your camel.  Never ask God to do anything for you that you can do for yourself."

I like that story.  It reminds me of the fact that God does expect us to take responsibility in this life for the things that we can.  We are not blithering idiots, stumbling along with no abilities.  God has blessed us with many gifts and talents and he expects us to use them.

Every day, do what you can do.  Tie up your camel. 

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

chime chapel

I have been asked many times over the last few weeks, “what is that big wooden thing in the parking lot?”  Well, that is our new chime chapel under construction.  Some years ago, a consortium of members of the landscape team and the cancer connection team began to envision a place on our East walking trail where someone could stop, rest and remember.  This structure is modeled after a chime chapel that Nancy Vilmer saw years ago on the St. Olaf campus.

As it is pictured here, it is unfinished.  In a few weeks, a crane will come out and hoist the roof structure up and set it onto the four legs that you can see in the back of the picture.  Some have asked how it was paid for.  The answer is that like many things here at our church, private donations have paid for the entire project.

Each side of the chapel is engraved with one of the fruit of the spirit.  Wind chimes will hang from the rafters.  This will be a place where anyone can go to remember loved ones or just to sit and rest in the presence of God.  A wedding is already scheduled in the chime chapel for later this fall.

This is another feature on our property that will remind people of the goodness and glory of God.  The walking trail, the bridge, the stations of the cross, the gardens, the labyrinth, the pavilion and now the chime chapel are all meant to give you a chance to rest and experience the presence of our Father.

It’s a beautiful day in God’s world, be sure to see the good.

disappointment

Disappointment.  We all know it.  Sometimes we make the mistake of wallowing in it.  Poor me.  That thing did not go my way.  Poor me - my life has not turned out the way I had hoped.  Poor me -  my Cinderella expectations have not been met.  It's not fair!!

Into every life a little disappointment will fall.  We have a choice.  Some people let disappointment in and marry it.  They usually become sad, bitter and depressed.  Life just did not line up to make them happy.

Others choose to acknowledge the disappointment and move on.  Yes that is not exactly as I would like it, but life is still good and I am going to give life my best.

Don't let disappointment have it's way with you.  You have your way with it.  Look past it.  See the good. 

It is after all a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

to be offended

I apologized last week for something that I wrote in the blog and a reader took me to task for apologizing, and to some degree, rightfully so.

What I wrote was not meant to be hurtful or offensive.  The reader pointed out that people can choose to take offense or not.  Now this is a fine line, and I run the risk here of emphasizing one side of the discussion and not another.

We should not hurt others.  But, things come to us all the time that challenge us and are even at times painful.  We can choose how to respond.  We can choose to take offense or we can choose to not take offense.

Remember 1 Cor 13?  Love keeps no record of wrongs.  So, while I don't ever want to hurt others, and neither should the rest of us, we also need to take responsibility for how we respond to things that we find challenging.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

ambiguity vs certainty

We American Christians like to be in control.  We like to be certain.  Some Christians quote scripture to lock God in a box.  They are certain about everything.

The problem with this is that God will not be contained by any human.  If we are honest with each other, there is always going to be a bit of ambiguity or a lack of clarity about many things related to God.

God is bigger than we are.  He is beyond our control.  Worship is not boiling him down to 20 points of doctrine.  Worship is falling headlong into the arms of the God who is indescribable, uncontainable and beyond our management.



On This memorial day let us take time to thank God for the lives of those who have gone before us.  Where would we be without them?  And particularly for those who suffered and sacrificed so that we could be free.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Work, part 2

Someone made a very true comment on yesterday's post.  They said that the worst companies are the ones where no dissent is allowed and the boss is always right.

I agree.  I am all for gracious dissent.  I have just seen too many people who go from one job to the next and are never happy.  The point I was trying to make was not that dissent is bad, but that things always go better at work when we work as unto the Lord.

My post and the comment are another example of how difficult it is to deal with an issue in a few paragraphs.  There are always many pieces of truth that I end up neglecting.

On a personal note, my dear wife is in town this weekend and then begins her travel blitz.  Her sites have been assigned:  New York, Boston, Miami, Houston and Columbus Ohio.  It has been really really nice to have her here.  Never take your loved ones for granted.  They are a blessing and a gift.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

work

100 people applied for a job.  There was one question on the application.  The question was, "what is 2x2?"  99 people answered "4."  None of them got the job.  The person that got the job said that 2 times 2 is whatever the boss says.

Now I hope you have a good boss and I want to be a good boss, but every job has its moments.  I have lots of bosses and I don't always agree with them, but they would never know it.  Great employees understand that they are there to move their employer's agenda forward.  We don't deserve a job, we work hard to keep a job.  As my Dad said, "make yourself indispensable to the company."

Don't complain about your boss or your work or anything else or you will become known as a complainer.  In a downsizing, those are the first people to go.

Hard work is a joy.  Work is a 4 letter word.  Anything that my boss asks of me, if it is in my power to make it happen, I will.  The Bible encourages us to work as if we are working for the Lord. 

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

I'm sorry

I posted something the other day that hurt some one's feelings.  I wasn't thinking.  I am sorry.

Sometimes you can say something that you think is true, but it can still be misconstrued or hurtful.  It is indeed my intention in this life to keep John Wesley's three rules:

1.  do all the good you can
2.  do no harm
3.  stay in love with God

I apologize because I hurt someone.  May we all limit the ouches that we deliver to others.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

ANGRY

I have a friend who is never angry.  I have told her on numerous occasions how amazed I am at her temperament.

Well the other day I ran into her at church and she was mad!  Pot boiling mad!  It was kind of fun to watch.

Well, what ever was bothering her all settled out and she is fine now.  Know this about people:  just because they don't show you something, does not mean that it is not there.  Every one laughs, everyone cries,  let your friends and acquaintances be who they are.  Not every body is wired like you are wired.  God made many temperaments and it is all good.

Grace is letting people be themselves without trying to make them turn into you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

FIRE!

We had a fire alarm at church on Sunday.  The 10:10 service is our largest hour and we had just started service.  The welcome was over, we were showing the spotlight on ministry video, when that nasty aching piercing noise filled the entire building.

Brian led the north section of the Sanctuary out via the choir door.  The band led the south section out the front side door.  The middle sections exited via the back.

The entire church was evacuated in less than 10 minutes.  I was very very proud of our staff and hospitality teams.  Everyone knew what to do and they acted with such order and calm.

The good news is that there was no fire!  After about 10 minutes, the fire truck arrived and gave us the green light to re-enter the building.  We had a new welcome, a song, a sermon and grace alone.

Although it was very unnerving at the time, it all worked out very well.  I thank all of you for following the directions of those who where trying to clear the building.  I also thank you for hanging around and staying for the 10:27 service.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

investments

When we hear the word investment, we usually think of money.  You put a little bit in, add some along the way, and after a while there is a return on your investment.

The most important investments that we make in this life, are not investments in stocks or bonds, but investments in people.  All around you are folks that can benefit from you.  Whether you buy them lunch, give them advice, give them a ride, or simply smile and say hello, every encounter with another person is a chance to invest in them.

We feel good when we invest in others.  It is part of why we are here on this earth.  Don't miss a chance to reach out to others.  You just might make some one's day.  You just might influence their life for the better.  And how cool is that?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

faith

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  Hebrews 11:1

Here is my tiny new tomato plant, looking up at a giant cage.  Will it ever fill it?

Faith is believing for more.  Faith is knowing that you are not alone. Faith is pursuing your potential.  Faith is knowing that everything is ok, even when the odds look overwhelming.  Faith is knowing that your DNA will fill the cage.  Faith is knowing that God made you to grow.

What are you facing?  What is the best attitude that you can bring to the table?  Great things have been done by those with just a small amount of faith.  Don't shy away, hang in there.  You are not in this alone.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

God is Love

I am hanging one of my theological hats on 1 John 4:8 "God is Love."

When you listen to preachers and teachers, stop and ask yourself, what are they hanging their theological hats on?   It is a very enlightening question to ask... what are they basing their teachings on?

God is good with love, but that is not the point.  God likes love, of course.  God is glad when we love of course.   God is like love, for sure.  But what the scripture actually says is this:

God is love.

This messes with my brain.  This makes me crazy, until I remember that God is not an old man with a beard, God is not a human.  God is a spirit.  Love is a spirit.  God is love.

So, whenever you encounter love, you have encountered God.  God is love.  That still messes with my brain, but I am falling for this God that is bigger than my ideas about him.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

subtraction

I keep thinking about this, so I am going to keep writing about it.

American Christians think that becoming more spiritual means learning more.  Learn more, know more, add more.

What if spirituality is first discovered by unlearning what we mislearned in the past.  Our minds are so filled with junk that is irrelevant to spirituality.  For us to begin again, we must subtract some things that were drilled into us as kids.  We must come to faith with an open mind, as a child.

What if every denomination subtracted all of the particulars that they fight about?  What if all we had left was the simple message: God so loved the world?  We have made it so complicated - and it is so simple. 

Subtract the dogma and we end up with love.  There is nothing else.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

jokes

Yesterday's post reminded me of a joke line.

Did you hear about the fire at the shoe factory?  It was terrible.  100 soles were lost.

I bet it was started by some heel.

Did you hear about the fire at the circus?

It was in tents.

Ok, that's all folks.  A little smile is a gift to any day.
And it is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

too much talking

Ok, I find it pretty annoying when someone talks too much.  Maybe they think that their opinion is the only one that matters.  Usually they are a bit loud.  The introvert within me is repelled in such situations.

And last night that person was me.  Yikes.  I was on a panel discussion and I know I talked way too much.  Talking too much can make you feel like a heel. 

Today is a new day.  I promise to offer fewer words and more kindness.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

I'm Back.....

I have been gone for a week.  I give my heartfelt thanks to Lions Den Man and Ami for posting for me while I was gone.  I also thank you many generous and kind friends who helped us load the truck.

Monday morning a week ago, we closed on our house here and started the long drive to Florida in a 26' Penske truck and a 16' truck.  Turns out we had more junk than we thought.  Off we went down I-70-  Columbia, St. Louis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Macon, Orlando, and finally Vero Beach.  We made it in two days and arrived about 7pm on Tuesday.

When we got there, we were locked out.  We had the garage door code, but someone had locked the door from the garage to the house.  When we finally got in, the AC wasn't working.  It was fixed the next day at a cost of $200.

Wednesday we unloaded the truck.  The movers were late, but they did good work and we got all of the junk off loaded and into the house.  We spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday unpacking boxes and going to the store to add more stuff to the stuff that we just unloaded.

Today, Scott and I flew home.  It was bitter sweet leaving my wife in Florida, but she will be in town in a couple of weeks.

I know that many of you were praying for safe travels, and we made it safely home.  Our new Lee's Summit address is 1229 NE Deerbrook Circle, 64086.

The cats are glad to see me, and I will see you on Sunday if not before.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Quotes

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel" - Maya Angelou




"You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose" - Dr. Seuss




"Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art" - Elenor Roosevelt



And last but certainly not least (I love this one) :-)




You deserve flowers on your doorstep and coffee in the morning.  You deserve notes left on your dashboard and ice cream sundaes at 3am.  You deserve honesty everyday and to be kissed every hour.  You deserve to be reminded how beautiful you are.


Peace and love to you my friends.
Always,
Ami

Mother's Day

The first love of your life is generally your Mother. She is the one without whom you could be delivered into this world. She is the one who usually teaches and corrects you throughout your childhood years. When you are really blessed, she is the one who goes from being your Mama to your coach and eventually to one of your best friends. Other than Jesus, a mother is the one whom we see the Bible gives most glory and honor.


A Note from a Mother
I gave birth to you but you came with no instructions.  All I knew was that I loved you long before I saw you.  I know I made some mistakes and I am sorry, but I was doing the best I could with what I knew.  Everything I did for you, I did from love.  You are my child, my life, and my dreams for tomorrow.  I will always love you and there is nothing that could ever destroy my love for you.



Please be certain to hug your Mother's extra tight today if you can.  And say "thank you"!  While many of us aren't perfect.  Please know that we really are trying our best and love, love, love you with all that we are.

Happy Mother's Day my Friends!
Peace and Love to you always,
Ami

Love

1 Corinthians 13:4, NIV
"Love is Kind"


One translation of today's verse says, "love looks for a way to be constructive."  In other words, love looks for ways to improve someone else's life.  Love brings out the best in other people.  Don't just get up in the morning thinking about yourself or how you can make your life better.  Think about how you can make someone else's life better.  Ask yourself, "Who can I encourage today?"  "Who can I build up?"  Someone in your life needs your encouragement.  Someone in your life needs to know that you believe in them.  I believe God will hold us responsible for the people He's put in our lives.  He's counting on us to bring out the best in our family and friends.
Are you improving the lives of those around you?  Are you giving them confidence?  Ask the Lord to give you creative ways to invest in those around you.  As you sow seeds of encouragement and bring out the best in others, God will send people along your path that will build you up too, and help you move forward into the blessing He has in store for you!
Father, thank you for loving me.  Thank you for believing in me and always building me up.  I ask that You show me creative ways to encourage and build up the people around me.  Help me to be an example of our love today and always in Jesus name.  Amen.
Peace and love to you my friends always,
Ami

the enemy

A story to share.  "A brother was restless in the community and often moved to anger. So he said: 'I will go and live somewhere by myself. And since I shall be able to talk or listen to no one, I shall be tranquil, and my passionate anger will cease.' He went out and lived alone in a cave. But one day he filled his jug with water and put it on the ground. It happened suddenly to fall over. He filled it again, and again it fell. And this happened a third time. And in a rage he snatched up the jug and broke it. Returning to his right mind, he knew that the demon of anger had mocked him, and he said: 'Here am I by myself, and he has beaten me. I will return to the community. Wherever you live, you need effort and patience and above all God's help.' And he rose up, and went back.”

I liked this because as I read it, it reminded me of someone I knew and then when I re-read it, it reminded me of myself. Sometimes (maybe all the time) we need to just sit back and look at ourselves and see that the origin of our struggles are simply within.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

stuff

Many years back a family we knew moved away. Before the packing began they made a decision to go through all the things they had collected through the years and remove from their possession all that was not needed. A few years later I ran into the husband who had returned for a visit. During our catch up time he mentioned how freeing that experience had been for all of them. This made me think about the things we collect and surround ourselves with in regard to the way we think about God. Years and years of stuff get piled around and on top of us. Before we know it we aren't free and all the things that Christ wanted us to see about ourselves, others and Him have somehow been lost in the layers of stuff. The message was pure and simple and perfect. Love.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

the spiritual life

Thomas Merton wrote, "Love, in fact, is the spiritual life, and without it all the other exercises of the spirit, however lofty, are emptied of content and become mere illusions. The more lofty they are, the more dangerous the illusion."

Most of us search for where it is or when or if it (a filling of the spirit) will happen….I believe it will happen not through prayer, not through study (although both good) but through Love.

So back again to yesterday’s post. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”...and,  ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these.”

Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

three rules

John Wesley had three simple rules that he lived by. 

1. Do no harm. 
2. Do good. 
3. Stay in Love with God.

They seem pretty simple to follow or are they easier to fall away from?

Harm. Forget about the big harm like killing what about everyday stuff like getting angry at someone? Doing good. For me some days are better than others. And, the third rule, stay in love with God. 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Maybe a focus first on the third rule would make ability to do #1 and #2 much easier….

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

quote

From my friend Barbara Bass-

Be careful how you make sense of your life.
What looks like a disaster may in fact be grace.
What looks like the end may be the beginning.
What looks hopeless may be god's instrument to give you real and lasting hope.
Your Father is committed to taking what seems so bad and turning it into something that is very, very good. 

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

love

True love is indiscriminate.  It is given freely to all.  We don't give it to those we like and withhold it from those we don't know or don't like.  That is not love.

Like the shade of a tree goes out to all, true love is indiscriminate.  Don't hold it back.  Let it well up inside of you and pour out to everyone that you meet.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

fear

"Fear is simply a state of not knowing.  Those uneasy feelings can just as easily be turned into useful energy.  Gather your facts, surround yourself with good people, anticipate the naysayers and stay the course.  Keep your eye on the goal and your heart focused on the power of what is possible."
                                                                                   Julie Battle

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

bad things just happen sometimes

This is an old story, told in many versions, in many books about life and it's difficulties.

The story is about a little boy walking along the bank of a river. He sees a crocodile who is trapped in a net. The crocodile says, "Would you have pity on me and release me? I may look ugly, but it isn't my fault, you know. I was made this way. But whatever my external appearance, I have a mother's heart. I came this morning in search of food for my young ones and got caught in this trap!"

So the boy says, "Ah, if I were to help you out of that trap, you'd grab me and kill me."

The crocodile asks, "Do you think I would do that to my benefactor and liberator?"

So the boy is persuaded to take the net off and the crocodile grabs him.

As he is being forced between the jaws of the crocodile, he says, "So this is what I get for my good actions." And the crocodile says, "Well, don't take it personally, son, this is the way the world is, this is the law of life."

The boy disputes this, so the crocodile says, "Do you want to ask someone if it isn't so?"

The boy sees a bird sitting on a branch and says, "Bird, is what the crocodile says right?" The bird says, "The crocodile is right. Look at me. I was coming home one day with food for my fledglings. Imagine my horror to see a snake crawling up the tree, making straight for my nest. I was totally helpless. It kept devouring my young ones, one after the other. I kept screaming and shouting, but it was useless. The crocodile is right, this is the law of life, this is the way the world is."

"See," says the crocodile. But the boy says, "Let me ask someone else." So the crocodile says, "Well, all right, go ahead."

There was an old donkey passing by on the bank of the river. "Donkey," says the boy, "this is what the crocodile says. Is the crocodile right?"

The donkey says, "The crocodile is quite right. Look at me. I've worked and slaved for my master all my life and he barely gave me enough to eat. Now that I'm old and useless, he has turned me loose, and here I am wandering in the jungle, waiting for some wild beast to pounce on me and put an end to my life. The crocodile is right, this is the law of life, this is the way the world is."

"See," says the crocodile. "Let's go!"

The boy says, "Give me one more chance, one last chance. Let me ask one other being. Remember how good I was to you?" So the crocodile says, "All right, your last chance."

The boy sees a rabbit passing by, and he says, "Rabbit, is the crocodile right?"

The rabbit sits on his haunches and says to the crocodile, "Did you say that to that boy? The crocodile says, "Yes, I did." "Wait a minute," says the rabbit. "We've got to discuss this." "Yes," says the crocodile. But the rabbit says, "How can we discuss it when you've got that boy in your mouth? Release him; he's got to take part in the discussion, too." The crocodile says, "You're a clever one, you are. The moment I release him, he'll run away." The rabbit says, "I thought you had more sense than that. If he attempted to run away, one slash of your tail would kill him."

"Fair enough," says the crocodile, and he released the boy. The moment the boy is released, the rabbit says, "Run!" And the boy runs and escapes. Then the rabbit says to the boy, "Don't you enjoy crocodile flesh? Wouldn't the people in your village like a good meal? You didn't really release that crocodile; most of his body is still caught in that net. Why don't you go to the village and bring everybody and have a banquet."

That's exactly what the boy does. He goes to the village and calls all the men folk. They come with their axes and staves and spears and kill the crocodile. The boy's dog comes, too, and when the dog sees the rabbit, he gives chase, catches hold of the rabbit, and throttles him. The boy comes on the scene too late, and as he watches the rabbit die, he says, "The crocodile was right, this is the way the world is, this is the law of life."

There is no explanation you can give that would explain away all the sufferings and evil and torture and destruction and hunger in the world! You'll never explain it. You can try gamely with your formulas, religious and otherwise, but you'll never explain it. Because life is a mystery, which means your thinking mind cannot make sense out of it.

We want to resist a story like this because we prefer certainty over ambiguity.  We want a God that makes sense instead of a God that we have to trust.  We want a God that we can control instead of a God that is in control.  We want circumstances to go our way.  Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't.  It is the way of the world.  Trust God anyway.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.