I didn't mean to

I didn't mean to do that.  I didn't mean to hurt anyone.  In fact, I did not even know that my actions would be hurting someone.

But having said all of that, sometimes our actions hurt.

So I was cutting down a dead palm tree for a neighbor.  It had been dead for a while and it cut very easily and went right to the ground.  When it hit the ground, I heard a bird chirping.  I looked towards the noise and saw a woodpecker flying away from the log.

I thought, well, he must have been sitting on the ground near where the tree trunk fell.  Maybe he had stopped for a rest in the top and just rode the tree down.

But when I looked closer at the tree trunk, I realize that I had cut down his home.  When I was cutting the tree, he was inside his home.  When it hit the ground, he popped out and flew away.

I felt terrible.  But it was too late.

I apologized to the bird.  I apologized to creation.  And then I kept working.  Sometimes we will hurt others, inadvertently.  Apologize, forgive yourself, and move on.

note the line of holes above and below the opening.
I feel bad just looking at these pics!!!

Sometimes we will hurt others, inadvertently.  Apologize, forgive yourself, and move on.

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

Dreams

For the past year or so, I am loving sleeping at night. I am sleeping so much better, and I am having great dreams. Well, most of them are great.

The other night I dreamed that three people visited me from heaven. They were my friends, but I could not really identify them.  They weren’t coming to get me, they were just flying around enjoying themselves. They talked about how wonderful it was there and how much I am going to enjoy it. It was nothing like anything that I’ve ever experienced. The entire dream felt so real.  In the dream, my friends who had come back, were unable to describe the wonder of it all. It was cool just watching them fly around with big smiles on their faces.

I'm not in a hurry to go, but I reckon that when the time comes, we should all be happy about the opportunity.

Can't wait to see what the dreams are tonight!!!

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

What is your religion doing to you?

Some judgmental Christians are working hard to add others to their ranks. They have the right doctrine and the right beliefs [so they say] and they want others to come join them in their righteous journey. Unfortunately these groups are too often based in self-righteousness and judgmentalism...

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in Mt 23
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are."

So what is your religion doing to you? If it is not making you more kind, more open, more friendly, more gracious, more welcoming, and more loving, then it is time to move on. Time to find a new path.

The way of Jesus is the way of love. If you want to follow Jesus, the path of judgment must be set aside so that you can get on and follow the path of love.

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

The Dump

Just down the street from our house is a recycle center.  I like to call it the dump.  I go there almost every day to drop off something, or to pick something up.

I bring the workers cold water and chocolate.

I deliver the remnants of my work.  Branches, boxes and general trash.

I haul off old propane tanks, and anything else of value.  I have become a modern day Fred Sanford.

Here are some things that I have brought home recently:

brand new exercise bike

Schwinn gravel bike, currently serving as "my" bike.

Vintage Ross 3- speed.  Excellent condition.
Not sure what to do with this...

In addition to these items, I have picked up 6-7 other bicycles that I have fixed up and sold.  My son in law David likes to say, "everyone needs a job, and a side gig."  Well, at least I have a side gig.

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Keep your eyes open.  There are things of value all around us if we just pay attention.

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

Not just another shovel story

Sometimes we like things.  Sometimes we love things.  Sometimes we grow attached to things.  So I brought home this rusty old shovel from a job.  I posted about restoring the shovel on December 14.

I have used it many times since then, and I am attached to this shovel.  I know that sounds strange, but I have this feeling about it.

So, you can imagine how disappointed I was when I broke the handle of the shovel trying to pry out landscape timbers at Marie's house.  Life does have it's moments of disappointment and brokenness.

A new shovel was out of the question.  I was going to fix the old one.  A new handle is $20.  Too much!!!  I saw some old shovels on marketplace.  Maybe I could buy one of those and use the handle.  But the lady wanted $10 for the shovel and it was in terrible condition.  Too much! I thought.

Then, last week, I was going back to work at the house where I got the shovel in the first place.  On the way there, I saw a sign for a garage sale.  A little voice told me to stop.  [It wasn't God.  I don't believe that God tells you to stop for a garage sale.]  Anyway, I did stop.  There was nothing for sale that I wanted, but there was a pile of free stuff at the street.  In that pile of free stuff was an old shovel handle.

I picked up that handle, took it home, sanded it down and put linseed oil on it.  Then I ground the rivet out of the old shovel.

I put the old handle from the garage sale into the beloved shovel, and voila! The shovel is reborn.

Takeaways from this story:

• It is ok to love things, just as long as you remember that sometimes they break.
• Perseverance is an important life skill.
• An old shovel is better than a new shovel.
• We get attached to things that we spend time with.
• Work makes me happy.
• Don't give up on your old, broken things.

Garage sale free handle, old shovel, new friends.

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

Egyptian Ducks

So there is a pair of Egyptian Ducks that live in our neighborhood.  They came into our yard for a visit the other day.

Momma, Daddy and three babies.

Cute!!! So Cute.

Cute for sure, but what if I told you that each year, the pair of ducks have 8 or so chicks.  One by one, they disappear.  Foxes, Hawks, Bobcats... whatever.  And then you see them out, and there are 7 or 6 or 3.

It is the way of the world.  And it doesn't take anything away from the cuteness of the present moment.  The good comes and the bad comes.  That is just how the world works.  Anyone who tells you anything else is selling something.

8 ducklings, or three,  It is a beautiful day in God's world, keep seeing the good.

daily list

I usually have a list for the day.  Lists help me to remember the things that I am supposed to do on a particular day.  Undone items simply slide to the next day.  Here is my list from the other day...

Wednesday

• Go to the bank...
• Pick up logs from Robert's house, take to the dump.
• Lunch with Greg R [fantastic human]
• Hang with my buddy Jeff Greenblott
• Lowes... pick up shelf supports for attic project. Pick up Garage Door trim for handyman customer.
• Get Cathy's car washed.
• Dinner
• Netflix.

Ahh, a nice list.  A nice plan for a nice day.  As I was rolling out of bed that day and looked at the list, I was struck with a sense of gratitude.  Just a sense of thankfulness for the fact that I can do these things.  

• I can wake up.
• I can see.
• I can walk.
• I can manage things.
• I can work.
• I can communicate.

Oh my friends, the things that we take for granted.   And I was reminded of this scripture passage from James 4:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

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

the shovel

We all have things in life that hold great meaning for us.   And so I decided to take this shovel down off of the garage wall and write about it.  Jonnie Wells, chair of the landscape team at WCC had one like it and I always commented on it.  I told her that I was going to steal her little shovel.

Well, on my birthday in 2009, she presented me with my own matching shovel.  I loved it then, and I love it still.

We worked hard together for many years, with many members of the landscape team to create a beautiful church property.  We planted flowers, and shrubs and trees.  We used those shovels.   We planted lots of trees.  I have always believed that creation bears witness to the grandeur and glory of God.

Every time I see this shovel, I have fond memories of such great times.  Thank you to all of you who worked to make them a reality.  And I thank God that all of us can continue to work each day to make the world a beautiful place.

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

doubts should be welcome

So, somebody with lots of money, puts up a lot of bill boards in Florida.  Here is one that I saw recently.

It appears that they are playing off of the court room phrase, "beyond a reasonable doubt."  

I guess that many Christians agree, and maybe they like the billboard.  But who are we trying to win?  Who are we trying to reach?

Surprise, but I don't care for this message.

What if someone has doubts???  Doubters should not be shamed.  Their doubts should not be discounted.  If someone has questions or doubts about the resurrection or anything Christian, we need to respect them.  If we wish to win people and help them become followers of Jesus, then we need to allow them to have their thoughts and welcome them just as they are.

Disrespecting another person's thoughts or questions only pushes them away from the church.

If you have doubts, good for you!  Welcome to the human race!  It is ok.  Normal people have doubts.  God does not require you to check your brain at the door when you choose to follow Jesus.

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

breadcrumbs

In the children's story, Hansel and Gretel, the two go wandering in the forest.  They leave a trail of bread crumbs as they go so that they can find their way back home.  Unfortunately for them, the birds eat the bread and they get lost.

I try to leave info behind for others and for myself.  So that when this particular path is crossed again, my previous work will be of help.  So I have left instructions for my funeral, and I do things like this...

The tail light went out in the truck.
So I replaced it. 
Figuring out what kind of wrench to use, 
and where the bolts are, is always interesting.

So I drew on the inside of the truck bed wall.
8 millimeter bolt.  I included an arrow.
Next time it will be easier.

So, breadcrumbs.  They help us find our way.

A few years ago, I met with a friend that was determined to leave the church.  It made me very sad.  I did everything that I could to persuade the person to stay.  I love this person so much and I had worked so hard to help them find a home there.

My parting advice to the person was this... don't close the door permanently.  Keep and open mind.  Keep an open heart.  Leave bread crumbs along the path so that you can one day, find your way home.

I hope that he/she does.

We should all consider leaving breadcrumbs along the journey of life.  They may be of great help in the future.  We won't always feel the way that we do today.

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

Blah

I had the blahs.  I just felt, well, I felt, "blah."  I wasn't upset.  Nothing was wrong.  I just felt blah.  I write this blog about feeling blah because I am sure that I am not the only one who feels this way from time to time.

So I felt blah.  I ate some chocolate and drank a Mt. Dew.  That helped.  I reminded myself that feelings are fickle.  I reminded myself again that feelings are fickle.

Just because you feel blah does not mean that you are bi-polar.  When I was a kid, I don't think that there was such a thing as bi-polar.

Anyway, by the time I am writing this, I felt much better.  This is probably the best advice to give yourself when you feel down or the blahs:  This too shall pass.

And it did.  And life goes on.  So let's get back to focusing on the good.

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

involvement

I had a dream the other night.  I was trying to help an old friend find his voice at church.  We were exploring ways for him to serve in the local church.

I got to thinking... thank God for every person who has helped serve in the local church.  Whether it was at a work day, teaching Sunday School, playing in Bell Choir, being on Trustees or Pastor Parish.  Where would the church be with out you all?

Preachers cannot do it by themselves.  Please look for ways to step in and step up to the plate to make a difference in the world by serving your church.  It is not always easy, but the church is the people and each of you are needed.

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

Adversity

I wish that you did not have to deal with the things that you are dealing with.  But, I have to tell you that I am very proud of the stance that you have taken.  The bravery, the determination, and even the wit and humor are all an inspiration to me.

May we all learn to stand tall in difficult times.  Thank you.

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

ill-equipped

We humans are ill-equipped for most of life's tragic moments.  In fact, we are not born with shoulder pads.  We are born completely naïve, and completely unaware that tragedy even exists.

 But somewhere along the way, life teaches us.  We begin to experience heartache.  Our parents set boundaries, we can't watch what we want on TV, some kid says something ugly, our first break up, and on it goes.

Ultimately, we run into the giant pains of life... financial struggle, death of a loved one, illness, aging, and finally our own demise.

The world refuses to align itself to make us happy.

We are not born with the tools to deal with any of this.  That is why we must learn along the way.  Some refuse to accept the inevitable hurts and are terminally mad at the Universe for not making them happy.  Others, sages if you will, process the difficult situations and learn to come to peace with them.

Whatever you may be going through, you were not equipped to handle it.  So, we must learn the necessary strategies and find the right tools.  Give yourself some time.  Give yourself some grace.  Sometimes, the best that we can do is to hold on, and fight another day.

Find friends, find people who get it.  Soak up their karma.  Soak up their love.  Read everything that you can.  Work hard to move from the realm of victimhood.  There is a better life ahead.  There is a place of peace.  Keep following the path.  The peaceful meadow is just ahead.

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

St. Patrick's Day

So on St. Patrick's Day, everyone is Irish.  I have actually done the Ancestry.com testing and I am about 10% Irish.

My friend Dave will not do Ancestry.com because he does not want his children to be identified via his genetic profile in the chance that they commit a crime.  

Back to St. Patrick's Day.  Today is the day when I always remember that famous Irishman who invented outdoor tables and chairs.  Do you remember his name???

 

                                       This is a hint...

 

The name of the Irishman who invented outdoor tables and chairs?  Paddy O Furniture.

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

Beauty is all around

I know people who have some real world concerns.  For them, it is particularly difficult to see the good.  And so, it is all the more important for us to look for the good, to see the beauty, everyday, in every way that we can.

In fact, when the sky is blue and the sun is shining, sometimes, we don't notice.  But oh, when troubles come, we wish for something beautiful.

If you are having an off day, let us take a moment to see the beauty that my friend Susan noticed and sent to me.  Bluebonnets in Texas.

Don't be discouraged.  Life is still good.  Spring is springing.  Keep looking for the good.

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

San Francisco Trip

A few weeks ago, I visited my sister who lives in San Jose.  We spent four days catching up.  It was delightful.  We also visited San Francisco and the Redwoods.

Cargo ship passing the Golden Gate.

Old cargo ship passing Alcatraz.

Seals taking a nap at Pier 39.

lovely!!!

I love the electric street cars.

Coit Tower

Since I can never stop working, one morning I stained her front porch.

Louie, her St. Bernard watched through the window.

In the redwoods.  Memorial Park in Loma Marr. 
This is where I used to go to read on my annual redwood trip.
It is also where I want 1/2 of my ashes to be spread.
For the other half, I am still hoping to buy a space in the WCC columbarium.

The redwoods are definitely one of my happy places!!!

With my sister Amy.

Your relatives will always be your relatives.  I used to tell the kids when they were little... she will always be your sister and he will always be your brother.  If you are estranged from family, it is never too late to try and patch things up.  I know that everything cannot be fixed, but I encourage everyone to do everything that they can to find healing.

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

Release

When Jesus announced the beginning of his ministry, he quoted Isaiah 61, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me... he has sent me to proclaim release to the captives..."

Release to the captives.

Freedom. Joy. No more guilt. Release.

If this is true, then why do so many Christians pile on the guilt. Why are so many who seek God, burdened with worry? Jesus got after the Pharisees in Luke 11 for placing burdens upon the people.

Christians and Pastors should stop piling on the guilt. And more importantly, we should stop doing to ourselves. Jesus has come to release the captives. So release others, and release yourself.

Sure there are going to be a lot of people who don't live life the way that you think they should. None of us are perfect. Jesus did not come to make us live perfect lives. He came to love us and to show us the way of love.

That is supposed to include releasing people, freeing them to love and live.

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

Everyone

I saw a t-shirt the other day that said, "Everyone is fighting a battle that you know nothing about."

At first I thought, I like that. Then I thought a little bit more.

Yes we should be gracious to everyone. We do not know what they are going through. They may be fighting a battle that we know nothing about.

But I have met many people in my life who do not appear to be fighting the battle. They are simply consumers of this life. They want everything to go their way. They react to things instead of making healthy decisions in their responses.

I hope that all of us are fighting the battle to resist selfishness and pursue kindness. It is not always easy. The world would be a better place if more people joined in the battle against making it all about me.

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

We walk right past it

There is beauty all around us and we walk right past it.  Oh, maybe we noticed for a while, but then slowly it all becomes common.

What was once amazing, becomes common.

It happens with the mountains, it happens with the beach.  It happens with the palm trees.  It happens with people.

It shouldn't.

Around us are amazing things and people who are a gift to us.

So I was walking around the corner of the house and head high, face high, a white bird of paradise was in bloom.  And I saw it.  There it was, right in my face!!!

I stopped.   And I thought about how beautiful it was and about how I far too often, walk past and do not notice.

Bird of paradise plants on the side of the corner of the house.
Croatans too.  And variegated ginger.

What a shame to live our lives and not pay attention.  May we all pay more mind to the amazing things and the wonderful people around us.

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

blog issues

I know that a number of you have had issues receiving the blog in your email.  Oddly, I have had them as well.  

I want to remind everyone that the blog is posted daily on it's web page at www.canyouhearthebirdssing.blogspot.com

So even if it does not come in your email, you can go to the web page and read it there [old school I know].   I have been using, and paying for a service to deliver the blog by email.  For some reason, it has technical issues from time to time.  If you ever stop getting the blog, simply check your trash, spam and junk and if you don't find it there, go to the blog web site and resign up.  There is a box in the upper right hand corner for this purpose.

In the mean time, I will keep writing.  I still have things that I think about and I still have things to share, as do all of you.

Remember as well that you can reach me anytime by email at jsbrink57@gmail.com

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

Spiritual comfort

My mother went to church 3 nights per week.  Whenever a "special teacher" came to town, she was there for every session.  She took meticulous notes.  When she died, she left behind piles of notebooks filled with notes from the teaching sessions.

It was important to mom to have her beliefs reinforced by her church's teachings.  

Many people approach spirituality in this manner.  They only want enough information to make them comfortable.  They have already collected their ideas on spirituality, and they want them to be supported, not challenged.

But what if spirituality is completely different?  What if a spiritual journey is not about confirming my beliefs, but challenging them instead?  What if a truly spiritual pilgrimage causes us to look critically at everything that we think we know and we think we believe?

God is never contained in any of our systematic theologies.

In your journey to find peace and love, what beliefs are you willing to let go of?

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

When we deliver anger...

When we deliver anger to others, it is usually about us.  A good question to ask is this...  What is it about me, that needs to react to you, or to the situation with anger?

And speaking of anger, when we attack people, we are acting out of our own shame.  We can be angry without being ugly.   What is so dark within my heart that I have to act out in ugly ways?

We don't have to let things escalate.  Just because we are hurt, does not mean that we have to share that hurt/inflict that hurt upon others.

A soft answer turns away wrath.

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

Coordinated Dermatological Fashion Statement Pt. 2

I am very fortunate to have a number of very smart, and very wise friends.  After reading the post from last week about growing older and what happens to your body, one of my friends wrote to remind me that it only gets worse.  

Hair falls out.  Faces sag.  Knees go out.  Joints get stiff.  The only thing that does not have to deteriorate are our relationships.  And she reminded me, that these actually are the most important parts of living.

So while the body is getting weak, friendships and other relationships can continue to get better.  Keep working on that which is truly important, the people in your life.

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

a place to belong

So I flew to California last week to visit my sister.  We spent one day in San Francisco and one day in the redwoods.  I loved it.

We spent most of our time talking and catching up.  Visiting about our upbringing, and learning to navigate the adult world.  

One of the things that she said was, "I think that ultimately in this life, we are all just looking for a place to belong."

That resonated with me. We all just want a place to belong. Like in the Dr. Seuss books...
      Are you my mother?
      Do you like my hat?
      Just tell me that I am ok.

I think that this is why we love our friends.  Being with them, well it feels like home.  When we were young, home was this place that at its best, was  a safe place.  I was, in theory, cared about, fed, and kept safe.  At least that is what we hoped for.  

When our upbringing does not provide a safe and healthy place, I think that we spend the rest of our lives looking for that.

Anyway, as much as I possibly can, I want you to know that you have a friend in me.  A hug.  A smile.  A caring word.  May our time together feel like a homecoming.

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

Overcoming Fears

If a picture paints 1,000 words... 

I am not sure that these pictures will do justice to what I was experiencing.

A little background.  I am afraid of heights.  Acrophobia.  I don't know where this came from, but it has been a part of my life for a long time.  If I visit someone that lives on a high floor and you access their condo by an exterior walkway, I have to cling to the wall and stay away from the rail.

So, back to the story.  I had a handyman job last week.  One of the things that my client wanted me to do was to change out some smoke detectors.

Doesn't look too bad does it?

Well, this smoke detector is at the top of the stairs.  The first floor ceiling is 16' so add another 10' for the second floor, and I am 26' up in the air.  Up in the air, right next to the stairs.  Leaning out over to my left to reach the smoke detector.

Note- the ladder is right against the railing.

                                     Beautiful home, lovely people, tall ceilings!!!

I had some feelings about this.  Acrophobial feelings.  But I decided to press on.  I decided to climb the ladder and face my fears.  Low and behold, I got up there, focused on the job at hand and got it done.  Don't look down.

All Done!!!

I was very glad to step down and get back onto solid ground.

And so I guess that there is a life lesson.  Face your fears.  Step up to the plate.  Don't let your worries take over your life.  

In the old days, when I had an unpleasant meeting that needed to take place with an employee or a member, I learned to do it as soon as possible.  Don't put it off because you are afraid or nervous about it.  Step up, step in, and get it taken care of.

You will be glad that you did.  Once the scary thing is done, then you can get on with the joy of living.

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