why the poor get stuck

I was talking to a young adult not too long ago.  They did not understand why poor people can't just move to better parts of the country.  Why do poor people stay poor?

I got a perfect example of how people get stuck just the other day.  I bought a used pickup.  A great truck, from my friend Paul.

I took it in to firestone for some work.  They told me that if I got their credit card, I could save $100.  Great, I am in.  It is also 6 months no interest.

They printed out the terms for me.

34% interest.  39% if you are late. WHAT???

Wow!  We will pay on time and not be late.  We will have this thing paid off so that we never have to pay that interest.  But imagine that you need work on your car and you don't have the cash.  You take out the card.  And you make the minimum payments... or you miss one... pretty soon, massive interest charges are piling up.

And then, before you get it paid off, your vehicle breaks down again.  And you add to the balance.  It is a never ending circle for the working poor.

Maybe they didn't go to college.  Maybe they are just shy of the average IQ.  Maybe they did not have parents to support them and cover them in difficult times.

Whatever the situation, there are lots of people in our world that have trouble catching a break.  34% interest does not help.

The moral of this story is this... work hard and pay your bills.  Get a second job if you need it.  And be very understanding of those who still have trouble making ends meet.  There are a lot of good people in this world who were dealt different cards than you and I were.

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

- - - - - - - - - -

Here is the link to the Italy trip that I am leading in November of 2025

click here for the brochure

attitude

Lately I’ve noticed that when I have a bad attitude, everything during the day sucks-

And when I get up in the morning, and I have a better attitude, somehow the sun comes out and things are better.

It’s almost like the attitude that I bring to the table predisposes how I will feel about the day.

It's probably true.

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

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of 2025

click here for the brochure

why

Why are we here?

I have just started watching the Netflix series "Churchill at War."  Winston Churchill believed that he was put on this earth to save England and to save the world from Hitler.

What a good feeling that must be to know that you are here on this earth for a purpose.

What is my purpose?  I mean, me, Jeff?  Well I could tell you that I served a purpose for 30 years as a Methodist pastor.  That was really fulfilling.  But it is over now.

I could tell you that I fathered three children and had the privilege of raising them.  That is truly a noble purpose.  But now that is pretty much over as well.

So what is my purpose?  What will be yours after you retire?

... you guessed it... we are here to show kindness.  Saving England is wonderful.  Raising children is fantastic, if it is done with kindness.  

At the end of the day, the trait of genuine kindness will bring joy and purpose to any life.

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

- - - - - 

Here is the link to the Italy trip that I am leading in November of 2025

click here for the brochure

Italy

I am officially announcing a group tour to Italy for next year, November 4-13.

I went on this trip 8 years ago and it was fantastic. There are so many wonderful things to see. Ancient Rome and the Vatican museum are amazing. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Catholics roamed the Mediterranean area and collected some of the most amazing artifacts. The museum also hosts items presented to the church over the last 2,000 years.

On this trip you will see: Lake Garda [beautiful], Verona, Venice [a must see in this lifetime], the Piazza San Marco, the Basilica of St. Mark, the romantic Bridge of Sighs, Pisa [the tower is really cool... it is actually a church bell tower], Lucca, Florence, San Gimignano [fantastic little city], Siena, Assisi, the magnificent Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Circus Maximus, Arch of Titus, famous Baths of Caracalla, the Arch of Constantine, and much more!

The link to read more or to register is below... Let me know if you have any questions or if you are interested in going.

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

Here is the link to the Italy trip that I am leading in November of 2025

click here for the brochure

judgment

One of the most difficult things in this life is to be judged by other people.  It just hurts.  And for most of us, who try to be nice, we try to set aside the mean things that people say, but it still hurts.

I came across this quote and I love it.

Don't worry about the judgment of others.  They are telling you their story, not yours.

You see, their hateful attitude, their demeaning manner just tells you about them.  You have a right to tell your own story.

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

make sense

One of the reasons that we humans have problems with Christian belief/theology is that a good deal of it does not make sense.  Or some of it is mutually exclusive.

For example... we say that slavery is bad [and it is,] but the Bible condones it.  We say we believe the Bible, but it condones slavery.  We say that God is love, but then he will also send you to hell to be tortured for eternity. 

It's can't all be true.  Either God is a god of love or he is not.

Pastors and teachers have come up with doctrines and beliefs for years.  They pull from all kinds of places in the bible without much consideration of the consistency of the ideas.

We in the pews are just not supposed to ask questions.  Many don't ask questions.  Personally, I don't think that God is offended by our questions.  

I do think that many of our pat answers that have been offered to the world can be offensive.

We do not have to have all the answers.  It is ok for us to question beliefs and to choose our beliefs.  Personally, I am taking a stand on the basic truth that God is love.

God is love... that comes first.  All other beliefs and doctrines have to fall in after that.

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

My mom

So my cousin Rob Wagner found this old picture and sent me a copy.

My grandma and grandpa are on the right.  Julius and Louise Heising.  In the center of the picture is my uncle Ken - he was in the navy.  His first wife is back row on the right with the dark hair.  I never met her.

The three youngster on the left side are my mother in front, then uncle Ed and Aunt Jewel.

I am guessing this picture to be 1949-1950ish.

It is an interesting feeling to see my mother as a teenager.  Before she knew my Dad, before she had children, before she lost three of them.  She was just a kid.

Melancholy.

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

Christmas wish

Some of my KC friends support a charity called Phoenix Foundation.  It helps very needy families in the Kansas City area.  They help through out the year, but of course they help at Christmas.

My friends shop for the needy family's gifts.  One friend stores the gifts in his workshop.  I was working there one day this week and I saw the pile of presents.  

This is just some of the presents...  

I was also amazed at the numbers of packages of paper towels and toilet paper. 

I asked one of the donors about this.  Evidently, the parents ask for clothes and such for their kids, but for themselves, they only ask for the basics.

Imagine that for Christmas, you asked for paper towels.

We are so fortunate.  We have so much to be thankful for.

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

how we think

People have lots of divergent thoughts about religion and spirituality.  Some of my friends have left the United Methodist Church for more fundamentalist leanings.  That is their choice.

But I do want to say this... 

"When the gospel becomes defined by rules and salvation formulas, the core of love is lost."  Me

Never lose the core of love.  They will know we are Christians, not by our formulas, but by our love.

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

sunrise #2

The day my sunrise pictures posted, I got these pics from my friend Shawna.  I love it that many of my readers are thinking the same thing - "look for the beauty of God in every day moments."

Then, five minutes later... even more beautiful!!!

My pics were from Columbus, Ohio.  Hers are from Lee's Summit [KC] MO.  It just goes to show you that the amazing witness of the Lord at work in this world is available anywhere that people are simply paying attention.

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

your eyes

how are your eyes doing?  Stop and ask yourself, how do your eyes feel?

I never ask that.  I just take it for granted that my eyes are fine and that they will feel fine.  Or better, they will do their job and I won't feel them at all.  I usually don't feel my eyes... they just do their thing.

This changed last week.  On Thursday, I was working on Judy's fence in Sebastian, FL.  I pushed some bushy branches aside and pushed in towards the back of the fence.  I was wearing my glasses, but somehow, one of the little branches got by and swept over my face.  Suddenly I was aware that a leaf was in my eye.  My left eyelid was closed and an entire leaf was in my eye.

I stopped.  I carefully pulled it out.  I could feel it scraping.  I thought, "this is not going to be good."  Sure enough, within an hour, my eye was irritated and hurting.  The leaf had scratched it pretty good.

We should not take our eyes for granted.  We should give thanks every day for the ability to see.  In general, we take way too many things for granted.

The eye was upset for a couple of days, finally it started to feel better.  Now it is back to normal.

Dear Lord, may we not take the simple things for granted.  

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

awareness

So I was driving last week between Cincinnati and Columbus Ohio.  I left when it was dark.  It was cold and I was thankful for a heated seat and heated steering wheel in the rental car.

Cold, drab, gray winter day. Cold, drab, gray winter day.  Repeat.

Then I saw it.  Out of the corner of my eye... a bit of pink... the pictures do not do it justice...

It was amazing.  Just a small reminder of the beauty of God's world if we but pay attention.

What will you see today if you are looking?

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

when you want to leave

This is another post about high demand churches.  I guess that my brain is stuck there right now.

Sometimes people leave churches.  It is going to happen.  People change, and they have a right to their own spiritual journey.  They have a right to move on if that is what they feel is best for them.

We had a couple leave the Ft. Pierce church not too long ago.  The church was very gracious to them and I know that they would be welcomed back if they wanted to return.

When I was pastor at Woods Chapel, we were always gracious to those who wanted to leave.  Sometimes they even came back.  Nothing is to be gained by hurting those who want to move on.  Grieve their loss, sure, but don't hurt them.  Love comes first.

Then there are churches that will shame you if you want to leave.  They will tell you everything that is wrong with the new place that you want to go.  Some groups will shun you and be hateful.  Some will tell your friends to no longer associate with you.  I hope you hear the unhealthiness in such behavior.

If you are a part of a group and you want to move on, do not let any guilt, shame or shunning stop you.  Church groups that practice such behavior are not doing the work of Jesus.

Love comes first.  Always.

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

certainty vs ambiguity

These discussions come up from time to time... why are the more conservative churches growing?  My answer is simple and clear- many people in this world need structure, and conservative churches will line your life out for you.   Some people also need a sense of certainty.  They just want someone to tell them how it is.  Conservative churches will do this for you.  In many of them, the pastor has little or no education whatsoever.  In some denominations, all you have to do to become a pastor is to tell the congregation that you are feeling "a call."  But if you want to know for certain, there are churches that will tell you how it is.

The problem is, they don't know how it is, anymore than I know how it is.  God is not an idea, a person or a god that can be controlled.  He is by nature bigger than us and so there will always be questions and ambiguity about this life and our relationship to God.

I personally am comfortable with ambiguity.  I don't have to know it all.  Heck, if I know everything about God, that makes God pretty small.  I am fine with knowing that he is bigger.  I am fine with knowing that there are some things that I will not have the answer to in this life.

For me, to pretend that you have the answers is just that- pretend.  If you talk to Christians that seem to know it all- run the other way.

I am totally fine with falling into the joy and mystery of a God who is bigger than me and my questions.  To me, that is the essence of loving God and the core of the concept of worship.

I don't need certainty.  I am fine with ambiguity.

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

Versions of Christianity that I have known

Christianities that I have known

I was raised on conservative Lutheranism, and this is my experience of that upbringing… Go to church, dress for church, help when you can. Go to the rescue mission once a year during Christmas. Believe the right things. Sing in church. Don’t fall asleep during the service. Go home after church and live your life. Only worry about church on Sundays. These thoughts are my experience only.

Later, I followed my mother into a fundamentalist cult like sect. Raise your hands, praise the Lord. Look the other way when the preacher steals the money. Don’t ever question church leadership. We are in, others are out. Judge them, recoil from them, have the pat answers. During this time I attended worship where demons were cast out of people [supposedly.] Needless to say, those few years affiliated with that group left a mark on me that I am still trying to navigate.  It was complete craziness!!!

Then I found the United Methodist Church. It is a big church where many diverse people live under a very large umbrella. In this phase of my Christian journey, I learned about love. I learned about accountability. I learned about authenticity. I learned about trying to apply your faith not just on Sundays, but every day, every time to every person. The UMC isn’t perfect, but it has been a good home to me.

We all have our own spiritual journeys. I hope that you are brave enough to move on if you find yourself in an abusive or highly demanding church. It is ok to move from one phase of your life to another. God is not offended by our growth toward grace. Don’t be ashamed of your past, and don’t be afraid to carve out a new path for your future.

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

The Way

Jesus set the example.

Jesus showed us how to love and how to live. He taught us to give and forgive.

He overlooked the faults and sins of others.

He was self-less. He showed us what sacrifice means.

Anyone who can follow that way of living is saved.  If a person can follow that example, they are a true Christ follower and will find a life that truly is life.

Living by these principles is living the abundant life.

It is a wonderful way of living. That’s why early Christians called their faith, “the way.”

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

No more turkey

I actually said this... "I don't think I can eat turkey one more time."

There were left overs after thanksgiving.  We like to eat leftovers.  We hate to waste food.  But if you are like me, after a while, I have this feeling... "I have eaten that for 4 days in a row, I cannot eat it again."

Then I stop and think... how arrogant.  Gosh, there are people here in my city that would love to eat these left overs.  Heck there are people around the world, that live in food scarcity.  Some of them have never eaten chicken or turkey.

And I am tired of eating it?  Shame on me.

We need to stop and remember how much we have.  We need to think really hard about how the rest of the world lives.  It just might make us a little more grateful.

And gratitude if a very very very good thing.

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

reward and punishment

Richard Rohr wrote recently about the church's paradigm of reward and punishment. He told this story-

“The Angel with the Torch and the Pail.”

An angel was walking down the streets of the world carrying a torch in one hand and a pail of water in the other. A person asked the angel, “What are you doing with that torch and pail?”

The angel said, “With the torch I am burning down the mansions of heaven, and with the pail I am putting out the fires of hell. Then, and only then, will we see who truly loves God.”

And I add... only then will we come to know and believe in a God that loves us.  Just plain loves us.


Most Christians believe that we will be punished if we are bad and we will be rewarded if we are good. This is why so many people live and die in fear. It is also why many people live their lives feeling that they are not good enough.

I no longer believe that God will torture people forever in a hell.  Isn't it time to come to believe in a God that truly loves us?

Let's rid our lives of the carrot and the stick.

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

prayer

I came across this prayer by Dr. Randy Woodley... I found it to be profound...

"I am humbled that I will never know everything about you [God], but I am grateful that through the lives of others I can know more of you. While I thank you for those who are like me, I especially thank you for those who are different than me. I thank you for those who are younger than me and those older than me; for those who have less than me and those who have more than me; for those more physically able than me and those less physically able than me; for those whose skin is of a lighter hue than me and those of a darker hue than me; for those of a different gender than me and those of the same gender as me; for those of a different worldview than me and those with a similar worldview to mine. May we together discover a new story for our country where everyone has an equal voice—even those with whom we disagree and even with those who have no voice."

Something to think about.

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

perspective is everything

Perspective is everything.  What do Israelis think about the war with Hamas and Hezbolla?  What do Palestinians think about the war?

Perspective is everything.

Now, I love thanksgiving.  It is probably my favorite holiday, but I read this the other day and it reminded me that perspective is everything.

"While Americans celebrate Thanksgiving as a harvest festival following colonists' survival, Indigenous people observe the holiday with sadness, since it commemorates the European immigration influx that ultimately took away their lands and cultures."

We may not agree with other's perspectives and we may not like their thoughts and feelings, but I think that it is important to remember that there are more ways to see the world than the way that we see the world.

We will never understand others until we take the time to consider their perspective or walk a mile in their moccasins.

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

Nothing to buy

I used to rush out on Black Friday.  I used to rush for the "bargains."  I remember one year, probably 2002ish, I walked into the Kohls store in Independence at 4:15am.  There was this kitchen appliance that was on sale.

I walked past the already long line and went back to the kitchen area.  I was lucky to pick up one of the last items.

Then I got in line.

Evidently, the line was well over an hour long.

For $10 off.

I decided that it was not worth it to me to wait in that line.  I put the item back and went home.

Over the years I have bought things on black Friday and cyber Monday.  This year, I am reading the ads and I don't see anything that I want.

That is a good thing.  Wanting less is a good thing.  Maybe I finally have everything that I want?

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

day off

If you missed a blog post yesterday, yes, I took the day off.  I didn't do it on purpose, but I got busy and missed the post.

So for today...

We have had the grandkids in from Chicago.  What fun!  What joy! And totally exhausting... How soon we forget the effort that it takes to parent young children.

So they wanted to swim.  No beach or pool in Chicago, so coming to visit CiCi and Pooh is all about the beach and the pool.

Oldest daughter Alli, with her children.
Even the 73 degree water did not deter them!!!

Bella 4 and Cruz 1.5

So here is an open invitation to any of my friends who do not live in Florida... you are welcome to come visit any time!!!

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

Happy Thanksgiving

"Come ye thankful people come...

raise the song of harvest home...

all are safely gathered in...

ere the winter's storm begins...

God our maker doth provide...

for out wants to be supplied, 

come to God's own temple come...

raise the song of harvest home!"

A very very happy Thanksgiving day to each and every one of you!!

I appreciate you all so much!!!

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

Thanksgiving humor

A friend of mine invited God over for Thanksgiving Dinner.  God sneezed.  My friend did not know what to say...

Think about that for a minute or two...

And another...



Thanksgiving always makes me think of that famous French General Napoleon. He hated Thanksgiving. It was his worst holiday.

Why, you ask?

Because anytime Napoleon sat down to a dinner of Thanksgiving turkey, all he ever got were the bony parts.

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

First World Problems

We use the phrase "first world problems."  Well, I hope that you use it.  But what does it mean?  The first world refers to the USA and its wealthy western ally countries.  The second world refers to the old Soviet Union and it's satellite nations.  The third world is made up of everything that is left.  Usually this phrase is used for the poorest of countries in the world.

First world problems are laughed at in the rest of the world.  Americans complain because the food that they ordered came out late.  They complain because their is no dog park near by.  Because the HOA has too many rules, or not enough rules.  We complain over the price of gas.  We complain we complain we complain.

Well, not all of us.  I hope that you don't complain.  We have so many blessings.  We have so much to be thankful for.  

The next time you are annoyed by something, ask yourself if people in Guatemala or the Congo would be complaining about this.

We have so much to be thankful for.

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

what if?

You have to love the human race.  So many of our leaders are driven by power, hatred and the desire for more.  If we humans put as much time and effort into making the world a better place, wow, what a wonderful world it would be.

I can't do anything about Russia, Putin, North Korea, etc... but I can do something about me.  And you can do something about you.

What if we spent zero of our time and effort in clamoring for more and protecting ourselves and instead invested our time and money in helping others?

Even a little bit less of one and more of the other would make a difference.

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

"Pops"

I am working for a client.  I am sorting through some tools on the back of my truck. 

Down the street, a house is being built.  A construction worker parks his car and walks by.  We have a discussion.

Me: "Good Morning young man!"

Him:  Good morning Sir

Me:  Have a great day!

Him:  You to Pops.

Pops???  Are you kidding me?  Do I really look that old?  I guess to young people I do!!!

Well, I got a good chuckle out of that.  Y'all can call me Pops now.  😊😊😊

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

Jesus and America

I saw this bumper sticker on a car the other day...

I may lose some readers for this post and if so, I am sorry.

Let me start with this... I am glad to be an American.  I am fortunate to be an American.  I would not want to live anywhere else.  And even though we have our faults, I love and support our country.

Having said that, there is a difference between Jesus and America.  They do not walk hand in hand.  They never have.  From the moment the first colonists arrived, we have been killing Indians.  Without the genocide of native peoples, our country would not exist.

Some folks get America all confused with Jesus.  Sure, Jesus is Lord of America, but Jesus is also Lord of Russia, Peru, Kenya, and on it goes.  We Americans do not have a monopoly on Jesus.

Jesus stands taller and larger than any country.

We need to keep our priorities and our loyalties in perspective.

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

Top Three Regrets

I recently read an article about the top three regrets that are voiced by people on their death beds...

here is a link to the article

The three are...

1.  I wish that I had been thankful for, and appreciated my health while I had it.

2.  I wish that I had not worked so much in my life... I missed so much...

3.  I regret how I navigated relationships, or did not navigate them.  Not enough love, not enough forgiveness, not enough grace...

It's not too late for those of us who are reading this blog...

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

quiet lives

First of all, happy birthday to my little sister Amy, who has been a big help to me in my life!!!

My friend Kathy sent this in...

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

 From my friend Bruce...

"Living with regrets is like driving a car that only goes in reverse"  Jodi Picoult

Some years ago, I was reaching out to my college dorm mates, asking if they knew where a particular person was.  I needed to apologize to this guy.  I have been carrying guilt about an incident for years.

One of my college dorm mates, now a retired police officer wrote back to me and said, "Jeff, you are a pastor, you should know more than any of us the importance of forgiving yourself."

He was right.  I have done everything I can to apologize to the man that I hurt.  I even apologized at the time.  I should stop carrying this guilt.

Every day, every moment that you spend regretting something or feeling bad about something is destructive.  In effect, you are keeping your mind stuck on negative things so that you cannot be positive to the people that you’re around.

Sometimes we have to let a thing go and forgive ourselves and move on.

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

Lead with love

To quote the Bishop of Florida, Tom Berlin, "lead with love."

I received a note recently from a friend who was concerned that many of their friends were leaving the church over the "gay issue."  

Let me say this to you all... please do not leave your church.  We must decide.... do we want a church that is based on the judgment, shunning and rejection of those with whom we do not agree?  Or do we want a church that models Jesus' life of unconditional love.

There were lots of gay people in Jesus' time.  He never addresses the issue.  Why?  This was not his mission.  He never tried to separate the perceived "good from the bad."  He just loved people.

We who claim to follow Jesus, might want to do the same.

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

We are all the same at heart

I was listening to a podcast called "the kindness podcast" and a person being interviewed told this story.

A Christian mother in Ashtabula, Ohio sends her son off in the morning on the school bus. As she watches him board the bus, she has a feeling in her heart.

A woman in Nairobi, Kenya watches her son leave the small house and walk three-quarters of a mile to the school. As she watches him turn the corner and head out of sight, she has a feeling in her heart.

A Mother in Beijing watches her son, clad in his school uniform, board the bus to go to the state run elementary school.  As she watches him board the bus she has a feeling in her heart.

A mother in Tehran, clad head to toe in her hajib, watches her son board the bus for school.  As he steps onto the bus, he looks back at her and smiles. This mother has a feeling in her heart.

The point of the story is this: ultimately, we are all the same. What we feel in our hearts, what we desire for our children, and many many of the feelings that we have, they are all the same. We are all the same.

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

our bias

We all have a bias.  We all have a filter.  None of us see with clear glasses.  We all have a board in our eye.  Even me.

Post election, I am reading posts by people who are celebrating God's anointing of Trump.  Then I am reading posts of Trump's election meaning that judgment is coming upon America.  He is God's chosen one... or he is the anti-Christ.  It is amazing how people will invoke God in the name of their opinion.

We can never understand the other side until we put our personal paradigm on hold.  Please be aware of your own bias.  Please be watchful of how your bias can affect and cloud how you see the world.  

I will do the same.

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

two people

All of the following people are real, and all of them are Christians...


One made over a million dollars last year.
One is living on social security.
Both have the calling to follow Jesus.

One person lives in St. Louis metro with a population of over 1 million.
Another lives in Elsberry, Mo with a population of 1900.
They were both put on this earth to show kindness.

One person voted for Trump. Today they feel what they feel.
Another person voted for Harris. Today they feel what they feel.
Both, as Christ followers are here on this earth, first and foremost to show and share love.

May we always remember our priorities... Rich, poor, urban, rural, right or left... all Christians are here to be people of love. Let us never forget this.

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

thinking before you speak

There is an old saying, "be sure to engage brain before putting mouth into gear."  We should think before we speak.  We should also think before we write.

I always proof read what I write before I post it, but sometimes, things sneak by.  On Veterans Day, I posted about watching the draft "online."  Obviously, in 1975, we did not watch anything online.

A savvy reader caught that timeless mistake on my part.

Always read what you write more than once.  In fact, if you have to send something that is sensitive, have a trusted friend or coworker read what you intend to send.  They may save you a headache later.

Just a few more moments of thought will save us from speaking or emailing words that we cannot take back.

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

the pain of others

Other people have pain.  That is a fact and it should not come as a surprise to us.  And, when we take time to notice their pain, an affinity is built between us.

Take the person at the store that works the return counter.  We have all been in line and witnessed them taking abuse from an unhappy customer.  Maybe, but I hope not, surely not, we have been the unhappy, abusive customer.

I have made it a habit of thanking the people that work the return line.  Sometimes they shrug off my appreciation, but more often than not, they look at me... right in the eye... and they say thank you.

When we take time to notice and affirm the pain of others, it builds a bond between us.

Take time to say thank you for those who work in thankless professions.  You will be glad that you did.

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

things that I think about

One of the things that I think about from time to time is how the church has focused on certain scripture passages and totally neglected others.

It is like we hung our hat on one passage, and that was all that mattered. The choice of that passage, set the course for the church for centuries.

For example... the church has hung it's hat on John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

What do we get from this passage? You are lost and you need to be saved. If you don't believe it, you will perish. And somehow in the middle of all of that, God loves the world. Well, in my opinion, hanging our hat on this passage has caused many Christians to become very judgmental, insisting that these folks are in and those folks are out.

What if instead of focusing on John 3:16, the church focused on 1 John 3:17. [note the proximity of the references 3:16 or 3:17]

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

Wow.  If that is what the church focused on, we would be a very compassionate organization.   We would care about those in need.  We would stop talking about who was in and who was out.  We would stop making salvation formulas.  And the sign of God's love in your life would simply be based on your kindness toward others.

- - - 

Remember friends... you don't have to believe it the way that you were taught it.  You can hang your personal hat on any scripture that you want.  It is your choice.

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

Seabiscuit

So I was sitting in a hotel room in St. Louis on Sunday, waiting for the Chiefs game to come on.  I switched around surfing the TV channels and landed on HBO's showing of "Seabiscuit."

If you have not seen the movie, it is the true story of an undersized race horse who beat all odds to become a great success during the depression.  Many down and out Americans, suffering in the late1930's could celebrate and relate to this second chance, come from behind little underdog horse.

If you have ever felt that you were always coming in last, if you have ever felt like a loser or like the underdog, you will enjoy this movie.

His success made me cry.  It is a fantastic show.

May we all reach deep down inside of us and find the potential to rise up and fulfill our dreams.  It's not too late.

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

Veterans Day

I've told this story before, but here goes.

Today is Veterans Day.  Sometimes people ask me if I am a veteran.  I tell them I am not.  Here is why...

When I was in high school, Vietnam was roaring along.  So were the anti-war protests.  Back then, there was a lottery for the draft.  They spun a cage holding cubes with numbers on them.  When they drew for your birthday, you were assigned a number.  The higher the better.  The best number to draw from the draft lottery was 365.  The worst was of course #1.  When I was a junior in high school, I watched the draft online.  The number for my birthday, July 5 was 22.  I would have surely gone in the draft.

But, then over the next months, the war was winding down and the draft ended.  When I was a senior, they didn't draw any numbers.  I never had to go.

But, I have thought often about those who did go and did serve.  Although I do not agree with every war that our country has been a part of, I am very appreciative of the men and women who went and served.

Thank you veterans.

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

another great quote

From my friend Bruce...

"I wake up in the morning asking myself, what can I do today, how can I help the world today?"
                                                                   Julia Butterfly Hill

It's a beautiful day in god's world, be sure to see the good!

A dear friend sent this in...

One of my sisters is 77 and has health challenges. This election was lowering her spirits, so she donated her two TVs to the Veterans. (Will this in turn lower their spirits?)   She was adamant that she would not vote — until she suddenly made up her mind the day before Election Day on how she wanted to vote.  Then Panic set in!

Her driver’s license and passport were expired, so I drove her to her voting station, a United Methodist Church, so she could vote.  I told the poll workers that I was her sister, that she brought documents to prove her identity, and that we believe she would qualify for a provisional ballot because her signature today would match her signature in their records for past votes.

She was escorted to the voting room by courteous poll workers. I sat in a chair and tried not to worry. Thirty minutes later she returned, face glowing, waving a sticker that she voted. She was proud of herself and thankful to all the human beings who helped her.

I drove her to the Country Club Plaza and we ate a celebratory lunch.

God bless America.

 - - - - 

I love this story because you can see a sister help her sister.  I also love it because you can see the desire to vote, and the appreciation of the opportunity to vote.

Again, whether things turn out the way you want them to in an election, or just in day to day things, there is much joy to be found in life.

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

One person's perspective on the election

I have lots of friends and they have differing political views. This comes from my friend Jennifer [who is a fantastic human] and I thought that it was worth sharing.  Any other views that you might send in I am glad to share as well...


When your political values and beliefs don’t fall far right or far left but somewhere in the middle, you are able to see some good parts of each. Although the elected party is not the one I voted for, he will be my Commander in Chief. I choose not to bad mouth but to respect. As in most things in life, I will agree with some decisions as well as disagree. And THAT is the American way. 

Be sure to see the good

grateful

Gratefulness is a common theme in this blog and I am grateful for that.

Today let me say that I am grateful for our country.  I am glad and thankful to live in a free society.  We can have our opinions and voice them.  In many other countries, this gets you in trouble.

I am thankful that in our country we have the freedom to travel.  You can go from state to state without anyone's permission.  You are free to visit other countries.

We have the freedom of religion.  Pretty good stuff.

We have the freedom of the press.  Amazing that we have the spectrum of fox news, msnbc, cnn, abc, etc.  And each news outlet is telling their story.  You won't see that in every country.

If you are happy with the outcome of the election, I am happy for you.  If you are not, then I would just remind you that we still live in a great country.

As Monty Python sang, "always look on the bright side of life..."

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

what topic to write about

It is Tuesday night and I am watching election returns.  By the time you read this, we may have a new president.  Or maybe we won't know who won for several days.

So I am sitting here watching returns, wondering what I should write about for tomorrow morning.  I am going to post it here about 8pm and you will read it in the morning.

What should I write?  Something religious or spiritual?  Gratitude?  Something humorous?  Something benign?  Share something that someone else wrote?

And then I say, I will write this... I will tell this.

Tomorrow night I am meeting friends for dinner.  I am really looking forward to it.  They are some great  folks that I don't get to see very often.

Election worries?  No.  Just looking forward to seeing my friends.

I hope that you have friends, and I hope that you appreciate them.  I would rather have friends and lose an election than have my candidate win and have no friends.

Friends are amazing.

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

Election Day

Today, Americans will choose a new president.  I hope you vote.  I voted last week in the early voting process.

Tomorrow night when the election is over, some will be happy and  some will be sad or even angry.  I just want to remind everyone that Christians are first and foremost, people of love.  They are not Trump fans first or Harris fans first... Christians are fans of Jesus and follow in his ways of love.

I have voted in 12 or 13 presidential elections.  Some of the people I voted for won.  Some of them lost.  Something that I have noticed over the years is that presidents that I was for and the ones that I voted against, all did a smattering of things.  Both did some good and some things that I wish they had not.

At any rate, I have survived all of these presidents over the years, and so will you.  On Wednesday, the important parts of your life will still be there.  You will still have kids, you will still have your favorite music, you will still own a house and you will still have friends.

Presidents come and go.  Life goes on.  Love goes on.  Don't ever forget that for followers of Jesus, love must always come first.

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

read the signs

This picture is from the Melbourne Florida airport. I’ve been to this airport many times. I’ve used these restrooms many times and I was sure that as I approached them from the far side, the men’s was the first one and the women’s was the second.

You can see from the picture that I had them backwards.

Uh Oh... I wandered in without even looking and met a polite young lady who was on the way out.  I saw her and I said oh my gosh, I am so sorry.

If you don't see urinals in the bathroom, that is a sign that you are not in the men's room. If you run into ladies in your bathroom, you may also be in the wrong location.

Paying attention is an important function in this life. Reading the signs can keep one out of embarrassing moments.

It's a Beautiful day in God's world be sure to read the signs!!!

why we are here

I met a man the other day.  We visited for 30 minutes.  He told me that since he retired from his job, he did not understand his purpose.

I told him what I tell people all the time... we are not here on this earth to be doctors, nurses, teachers, policemen, etc.  We are here to be kind to each other... we are here to be good to each other.

A few weeks back, my friend Bruce sent me this...

Once we realize that we are here to be kind, every moment makes sense.  It also makes us happy to be good to others.

Each day, may we remember why we are here on this earth.

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

living simply

I fell for it.  

I saw an advertisement from living simply.com.  I thought that it would be great to join up and get their living simply tips.

I now get emails daily or more.  Sometimes there are good ideas in them, but usually it is all a big advertisement ploy.  They redirect you to some other site and then you have to read 8 ads to get on idea about living simply.

I just don't have time for it.  And it is disappointing.  I wish that someone could just put some information out there without having to try to sell you something all the time.

So what is the point of this blog post?  I guess that we should all strive to be genuine humans and stay away from the bait and switch.

It's a beautiful, ad free day @ can you hear the birds sing. com be sure to see the good.

Nov 1 - All Saints Day

Today, November 1st is All Saints Day. It is traditionally a day when Christians remember those loved ones who have gone before us.
On the night before, All hallows eve [Halloween] [yesterday] worshippers would have a party and remember the dead. On November 1st, there were special church services.


Today is a day to remember those we love who have gone on before.

Today, among many other things, I will think of my Parents. They were not perfect. They were children of the depression. They had a hard life. They wasted nothing. They did not tolerate anything that smelled like disrespect. Boundaries were kept very firm between a parent and a child. Questions were frowned upon.

But, they loved us, they cared for us, they fed us and they protected us. They got us through college and they survived our craziness. [we were children of the 60's and 70's]

They gave me a chance at life. I know that they loved us and if they had the chance today, they would tell us that they are proud of us.

I hope that you have parents or mentors that helped launch you. Although not perfect, where would we be today without them?

While I grieve the loss of family and friends, I savor their lives and I am thankful for them.

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

Halloween

Why don't Jehovah's Witnesses celebrate Halloween?

They don't like it when random people knock on their front door.

So I haven't told this story for a while.

my mummy took this picture in our front yard.
Halloween 1972.

I was 14 and my mom dressed me up as a mummy for a Halloween party. This is the picture and I still remember her taking it!

There were several hundred kids at the party at the local Christian church.
I won a prize for the best costume and I danced to the long version of In-a-godda-da-vida all 17 minutes of it!  I don't remember the girl's name.

For the many times that I have questioned my childhood and discussed it's dysfunction, this was one memory that was a very good one.

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

Mission statement found in Ireland

I picked up a flyer at one of the Catholic churches that we visited in Ireland.

The flyer had a missions statement on it.

"Our faith is the good news that Jesus Christ is the God of love.  Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ accompanies us both in this life and in the life to come.  To live and to share that good news is our mission."

I love that.  It is not about fixing people or changing them.

God is love.  God is with us.  Let people know that however you can.

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

Mission statements

Most churches have mission statements.  The United Methodist Church's mission statement is "Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."

I used to like it.  These days, not so much.

Here is why... I find the word "making" to be confrontational.  We don't make people do anything.  Surely Jesus didn't force anyone to do anything.

Churches for centuries have gone to far away lands to "convert" the heathen.  The church largely ignored and demonized the native religions.  We taught people to talk like us and dress like us.  It was a form of colonization.

In the 1920's churches went into rural Nicaragua and built churches.  But they did nothing to help the people who were starving.  Is this the kind of outreach that God hopes for?

In my old age I have come to believe that it is not my job to convert people.  God can do that with out me.  It is my job however, to love people.

And I believe that when we get good at loving people, they will be drawn to our spirits, to our way of life and to our God.

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

Trip reflection

Looking back on the Ireland trip I have a few reflections...

First of all, it was wonderful to see the beautiful and historic places.  Secondly, I so enjoyed the people that travelled with me.  We also met some new friends on the bus from the other group.  So people wise, it was fantastic.

The guide was great and overall I give the trip a 10.

Those who were injured on the trip have recovered and I hope they will join me again next year.

I am working on a trip to Italy for next year, October or early November.  Let me know if you are interested.

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

Irish saying

I was talking to one of the porters in Ireland.  We were chatting about life and kindness.  He told me that his grandfather shared with him this old Irish saying...

"everyone's shoulders are broad enough to carry manners."

I love that.  Kindness is not out of anyone's reach.  Having manners and being kind is a simple choice that any of us can make.

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

Ireland Day 7

 Today we visited 2 awesome castles.  One was the Blarney Castle where many in our group made the climb to kiss the blarney stone.  Both castles are in fantastic condition.

we saw lots of swans in Ireland!

protrusions above the castle door where hot oil
and other nasty substances were poured onto enemies.

Best preserved castle in Ireland

view from the top of Blarney castle

Blarney castle stairway.  Ugg I had terrible
fear of heights, but I made it to the top
to kiss the stone!

Blarney Castle

One of the joys of visiting foreign lands is appreciating the amazing things that you see.  May we also get better at seeing and appreciating the things right here at home.

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

Ireland day 6

Today we drove the ring of Kerry.  It is a famous scenic drive in western Ireland.

beautiful scenic views

circle fort, bottom right.

cliffs of Kerry

stopped at a church.
they had the stations of the cross on display.

probably going to go down as one
of my favorite pictures from the trip

Unfortunately while we were visiting the cliffs of Kerry, a very large wind came up and literally blew three of our travelers off of their feet.  One landed on her knees and was ok.  One fell face first.  Her nose is broken and her hand is injured.  One fell and hit her head.  She was knocked out.  

Long story short... we fixed her up and cleaned her up.  While the bus when on to lunch,  a few of us took her to the doctor.  The doc checked her out and we met the bus and were on our way.  Later that night, the bleeding started again and we had to take her to urgent care where they got the bleeding to stop.  Then later to the hospital.

I am glad to tell you that she is now ok and seeming back to normal.

Oh, my how life can change in a short moment.

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

We also saw the cliffs of Kerry.  The cliffs of Moher were closed due to weather.

Ireland Day 5

We continue to see amazing sites.

Sometimes words cannot describe what you are feeling and seeing.

It was cold.  Gina Harris loaned me a scarf.

Visited a castle from the 1600's 
bedroom furniture from that time.

view from the castle down onto the plains
below.  Lots of sheep grazing.

Store in Irish town nearby.

Embry and Heck Methodist Church.
John Wesley Preached in this building.

tallest round tower in Ireland.

So it is odd to write a blog with words.  Sometimes words cannot capture what you are thinking and feeling.  We learn so much on these trips.

I thank God for the opportunity to go.

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