phone call

I called a friend that I had not spoken to for a long time.  Usually when a phone call begins, they say “Hello” and then the caller responds with “Hi this is so and so.”  Or “Hi, how are you?”  This phone call began differently.

When my call was answered, the voice on the other end said, “Hello, I love you.”  I love you was added to the greeting.  It stopped me in my tracks.  I started to cry.  I caught my breath, and then I said, “I love you too.”

Those three words are so powerful.  We should use them more. 

Hello.  I love  you.

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

March 1

Today is March 1st.  Three days until the big parade.

But that is not why I am writing.  There is an old saying about March.  I can't remember which way it goes... "in like a lion, out like a lamb" or is it "in like a lamb, out like a lion."  Maybe it is both.

Anyway, I used to say that March first breaks the back of winter.  Once March 1 gets here, winter is over.  And I am in charge of the weather you know.

It may get bitterly cold where you live, but after March 1, it won't last long.  The back of winter is broken.

Now since I live in Florida, I am going to have to find something else to say about March 1, because there is no winter here.  So If you are tired of being cold, there are a couple of houses for sale on our street.

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

It never pays to hurt back

Someone hurt you, yes they did.
You are hurting, you may even be seething with anger over what happened.

The worst thing that a person can do in such a situation is to try and get even by hurting the other person back.  All that does is hurt you.
 There are many things that we can do to avoid the natural inclination to hurt back.  Here are some ideas.

1. Go for a walk or exercise.
2. Watch a movie, get your mind off of what happened.
3. Talk to a friend that can listen and help you process it.
4. Go somewhere by yourself.  Kick a tree and scream.
5. Pray - even pray for them.  We can't hate someone and legitimately pray for them at the same time.

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

counterintuitive

Counter intuitive.  Is that one word or two?  Maybe a hyphen?

Seems like it needs a hyphen, or should be two words to me.  I guess that in itself is counterintuitive.

Our brains like to think a certain way.  Often we are wrong when we think we are right.  The very  opposite of what seems normal or right to us is actually the correct path.

We think that when we take to ourselves that we get more.  It is counterintuitive to give ourselves away.

People try to get something out of church instead of pouring themselves into church.

People seek contentment by demanding instead of releasing.

The first shall be last.  The last shall be first.  Lose your life to find it.

So much of the best parts of life are found only when we give up on our natural ways of thinking and look for the hidden angle.  Jesus said that there was a treasure hidden in the field, but in order to buy that field, we had to sell everything else.

What ideas do I need to release so that I can find the life that truly is life?

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

future plans

A bit more on my future plans.

The District Superintendent asked me if I was wanting an appointment July 1.  I told him thank you for asking, but I am not ready to return to the church full time, just yet.

I am however, willing to fill the pulpit if you are a preacher and you are out of town or sick.  Just let me know.

Mostly, for the time being, I am hanging my shingle out there as a handyman.  Over the years I have painted, built decks, done tile work, and minor plumbing and electrical.

Here is my new business card:

I am willing to take on work in Florida or in KC.  I will be in KC April 9-May 31.  Let me know if you need something done.

By the way, I love my new schedule.  The schedule of the unemployed, the semi- retired, the hobo, the vagabond.  Say, what day is it???

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

Great times

I was talking with a friend the other day about great times.  We were reminiscing on some of our best days together.

We talked about canoe trips, Royals games, softball games and the like.  He asked, "do you suppose it was the place that made it great or the people?"

I think that we all know the answer to that question.  He knew the answer, even as the question came out of his mouth.

Sure MLB stadiums are great places.  Rivers to canoe are amazing.  Enjoying sports is a blessing.  We get excited about the things that we do.   We are excited about a vacation, an outing, a dinner out.  But at the end of the day, it is not so much about where you are, it is all about who you are with.

Look very carefully at who you are journeying with in this life.  the people that you surround yourself with are among God's greatest gifts.

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

what is wrong with me?

I was talking to a friend the other day and she mentioned that when she read my blog, she routinely thought, "why is Jeff down in the dumps?" Or, "what is wrong with him today?"

This friend is a truly fine person.  She is not very good at the game Words with Friends, but a stellar human.  Yet I felt the need to clarify the blog, a need to explain myself.

Yes, sometimes I am down, sometimes I am concerned about something, sometimes I lament a piece of life.  But don't we all?

When I write the tag line, "it's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good" well, that is something that I write, not just for you the reader, but for myself as well.  I do think that it is too easy to be depressed, too easy to see the negative, too easy to gravitate towards the Eeyore outlook on life.

So my mind gravitated to the purple writing on the sidebar of the main blog page: This blog may or may not inspire, may or may not be humorous, but will always be honest. This blog is Jeff's attempt to remind himself and others that God is greater than anything, and if we just look hard enough, we can see the good in life, and if we slow down and listen, we can hear the birds sing.

So I apologize for the days that I sound down. Maybe I am. Maybe I am struggling to see the good that day. Maybe life is complicated. I think that we all feel lost and discouraged from time to time and to have a place, even an electronic blog, to air those thoughts and feelings is helpful to me.

I think it is important that we give each other permission to be happy and to be down. Just remember, if you are down, you don't have to stay there. As the great philosopher Billie McClain says, 'you deserve to be happy.'

So may we all minimize our EEyore days and work prodigiously to see the good. Life is too short.

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

Wisconsin vs Michigan

My buddy Paul McClain was in town last week and we went to Overtime Pizza and Pub for dinner.  This is one of those joints that has 18 TVs that are all operating together so that you see the sporting event and it takes up the entire wall.  Sort of a smaller version of a Vegas sports book venue.

So anyway we are sitting there and 4 guys about my age come in.  I didn't know any of them, but right away I noticed something cool about them.  They were there to watch the Wisconsin/Michigan game or the Michigan/Wisconsin game depending upon how you looked at it.  They were obviously friends, furiously enjoying each other.

Here is what stood out about them.  One was wearing a Michigan shirt, two of them were wearing Badger gear.  I loved it!!!

When we were getting ready to leave I asked one of the men about the four of them.  He said, "we are brothers."  I said, "brothers?"  He clarified, he said, "friends."

I knew what he meant.

I don't have any biological brothers, but I certainly have "brothers."  I thought it was beautiful.  I asked if I could take their picture.

I am sure that they woke up the next day and wondered why they let that old bald guy take their picture.

Anyway, although I don't know their names, they obviously understand something about life.  Friendship is a bond that runs deeper, or should run deeper than Republican/Democrat, MU/KU, male/female, young/old, or Wolverine/Badger.  Oh wouldn't the world be a better place if instead of seeing the opposition, we saw a potential friend, a potential brother.

Maybe one day I will run into these guys again and sit at their table and hear their stories.

Thank you fellas for a lesson that the world so desperately needs to hear.

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

a thought on worry

Most humans worry.  Worry is buying trouble.  It is being concerned about something that has not yet, and may never come to be.

We worry about our kids.  We worry about our health.  We worry about politics.  We worry about what others think of us.  We can become totally consumed with our issues, especially if it involves our kids.

So here is what I am thinking..... for conversation sake lets say, yes there is a real problem with this or that.  But, do I really want to spend the next 20 years being worried sick about that thing?  Can I add one inch to my height by worrying?

Fact of the matter is, when we allow ourselves to be consumed by worry, we become completely turned in, self consumed, and self absorbed.  We can no longer help others or care in a Christlike manner because we are lost in our problems.  When we worry, God is not glorified.  When we worry, we are choosing to live our lives in a mash of sorrow and concern and folks God hopes for better for us.

Yes I am concerned for my kid, or what ever my problem is, but I still have to give my life to God today.  Lets love those we are concerned about.  Lets pray for them.  But then let us put them down and get on with life.  There are scores of people out there in life today who are waiting for you to reach for them.

Let go of your worry so that your heart and hands are free to embrace this glorious life that God has given us.

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

good people

We have heard the phrase and we have used the phrase "that is just good people."  You see someone who has a deep intrinsic goodness and you instinctively know that they are "good people."

Maybe someone raised them right.  Maybe they made great choices.  Their life culture probably helped shape them.  But for whatever reason, there is a goodness about them that makes them good people.

They have a way of weaseling their way into your life.  They just ooze in thru your pores.  You may not realize how wonderful they are, but one day you wake up to see that your friend is a truly amazing person.  They have a giant motor under their hood and they never bragged about it to you.

Good people  have your back.  They do not seek to attract attention to themselves.  They are comfortable in their own skin.  They choose friends carefully, but once you are in, you are in.  They would go through hell and back if need be.

I have met "good people" my entire life.  They come from South Dakota, from Sparta, from Cape Coral, from Independence, from Shelbina, from Kansas City.  One day soon I hope to meet some people that are "good people" in Vero Beach.  I know that they are there, we just haven't found them yet.

One of the greatest compliments that a person can offer to you is to refer to you as "good people"  I thank God for all of  you in my life who have proven to be "good people."

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

stretcher bearers

I was talking to a friend the other day.  He told me that in life, there are friends, and then there are stretcher bearers.

Friends are friends.  We know what that is about.  Stretcher bearers are those who pick you up and carry you in life when you have been wounded.

Everyone has times on this journey when we feel knocked down.  Thank God for those special friends who refuse to give up on us. Thank God for those who will walk through your hell with you and never leave.  Thank God for those who pick you up when you are down and help you back onto your feel again.

I hope that you are a stretcher bearer to another, and I hope that you have some one that will come to help you in time of need.  They are invaluable in this life.

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

on seeing the good

My friend Tracy sent me this picture.  I love it!!

The good is there.  It is all around us.  It simply waits for us to wake up and see it for what it is.

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

my phone is ringing

My phone is ringing.  Who is it?

Will it be a child with an issue?
Will it be an anonymous call about a pay day loan that I did not take out?
Will it be you, my long time friend?

Nothing makes a heart more glad then to look down at your cell phone and see that it is a long time friend calling in.  You know when you see someone's name on your phone and it makes you feel happy, that this is a great person.

Let me say a word about the phrase "long time friend."  The first person to use this phrase with me was my long time friend, Paul Dodds.  But over the years, I have stolen it and taken it on as my own.  Oh the joy of long time friends!  Oh the joy of new friends that you know are going to become long time friends.

If you call me, I know my face will light up when I see that it is you.

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

great folks

I have been so blessed to meet so many great folks along this journey of life.

Some months ago I was invited to a concert at a care center.  Johnny and Barby Johnson were singing for the residents.  The music was wonderful and the residents loved it.  I was so touched by the joy that Johnny and Barby shared and the kind way in which they interacted with the people.  Oh, if all the world were so kind.

It never hurts us to be nice.  In fact, when we show kindness to others, it always fills our life with joy.

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

it was a very long line

I was thinking about one of my favorite stories.  I never got around to telling it at Cape Coral.  I heard this story years ago and I have loved it ever since.  Here it is-

Some years ago there was a long line of people waiting in line outside of a business.  Each person was carrying something with them.  An old watch, a headless doll, a broken heart.

There was not much discussion in the line.  You could tell what was happening just by looking.  People from all over town and from all walks of life flocked to join the line.  You couldn't really even tell what was at the front of the line, there was just a sense that these heartaches might come to an end.

The person who shared this story with me told me that when they finally got to the front of the line, it entered a small storefront.  Above the storefront was the simple sign, Nothing Broken Beyond Repair.

If my Father opened a store in this world, that is what the sign would say.  Nothing Broken Beyond Repair.  Hey wait.  Our Father has opened that store.  You are not broken beyond repair.  Cast your cares upon him because he cares for you.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

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

The tree was cut off

I was walking in Zona Rosa with a friend and I saw this "tree" in a sidewalk planter. It had obviously "died" and had been given up on.  We give up on people way too soon.  We give up on ourselves way too soon.

Given up on, yet, it was not ready to die. Oh how exciting! What a wonderful picture of life! You may be down, you may feel broken, you may feel like it is over, but just wait. Keep your roots down in the water, trust in our Father, for broken lives can grow again.

The writer of Job was comparing a tree to humans. He was explaining that trees regenerate but humans just die. So I am taking this completely out of context, but lets just focus on the example that a tree can set. Let us, in our moments of discouragement, refuse to die.

“At least there is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its new shoots will not fail.
8 Its roots may grow old in the ground
and its stump die in the soil,
9 yet at the scent of water it will bud
and put forth shoots like a plant. Job 14:7-9

So if you are discouraged and at the end of your rope, take heart. Your existence can still sprout new life.

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

Illusions

Friends are people that get you, and you get them.  It is hard to explain the connections that we have with each other that seem to run deeper than we can understand.

I have loved this book for years.  I read it in 1987 and it practically saved my life.  I mentioned the book to a friend... surprise, surprise, it was one of their favorites too.

Right off the top of their head, they shared a quote with me from the book that I had forgotten.

"Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't. "

I am probably not the only person who needed to hear that.

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

Martin Luther and Mac Davis

A friend shared this quote from Martin Luther.

Martin Luther - "God writes the gospel not in the bible alone, but also on the trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars."

My entire life I have heard people say things like, "stop and smell the roses." In fact, there was a 1974 song with that title by Mac Davis. Here are the lyrics.

Hey Mister
Where you going in such a hurry
Don't you think it's time you realized
There's a whole lot more to life than work and worry
The sweetest things in life are free
And there right before your eyes

You got to Stop and Smell the roses
You've got to count your many blessings everyday
You're gonna find your way to heaven is a rough and rocky road
If you don't Stop and Smell the roses along the way

Before you went to work this morning in the city
Did you spent some time with your family
Did you kiss your wife and tell her that she's pretty
Did you take your children to your breast and love them tenderly

You got to Stop and Smell the roses
You've got to count your many blessings everyday
You're gonna find your way to heaven is a rough and rocky road
If you don't Stop and Smell the roses along the way

Did you ever take a walk through the forest
Stop and dream a while among the trees
Well you can look up through the leaves right straight to heaven
You can almost hear the voice of God
In each any every breeze

You got to Stop and Smell the roses
You've got to count your many blessings everyday
You're gonna find your way to heaven is a rough and rocky road
If you don't Stop and Smell the roses along the way

Here is a link to the song....
Stop and Smell the Roses on Youtube

Luther talked about it in the 1500's. Mac Davis in 1974. Here we are in 2017 still trying to remind each other to see the good. It is indeed a very important part of life.

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

for my KC friends

  Someone sent this to me.  I thought it was very funny.

It also has an interesting message.  You think that you wanted to get away from certain things, but you will still miss them. 

 If you are tired of winter, come down and hang around with us for a while.  The door is always open.

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

karma

Karma is that Buddhist term that means that your actions today will have an impact on what happens to you in the future. In our culture we say, what goes around, comes around.  And we humans tend to selfishly hope that those that we perceive have done us wrong will get what is coming to them.

There are so many ways to talk about this.

One of my favorites is, the lover creates the love. When you treat people well, they will usually love you back.  When you treat people poorly, then they might be nasty back to you.  Hopefully we don't return evil for evil, but it is human to do so.

It sounds almost unChristian to say this, but the bible teaches karma as well. Your present behavior will have much to say about your future state.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.  Gal 6:7

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. Job 4:8

For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Gal 6:8-9

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; and if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them Prov 26:27

19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord. Romans 12:19-20

So, If someone has done you wrong, they will one day receive their reward, so don't worry about them anymore. God will make it right.

In fact, I believe in hell on earth. I believe that those who are constantly doing things that hurt others, live a pretty miserable existence.  the sorrow that they are trying to deliver to others, they ultimately end up delivering to themselves.

Lets be good to each other. Life is too short to be ugly.  It feels better to treat each other well.

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

Italy Trip this fall

Ok, so it is set.  Based on your feedback, I am going to lead a trip this fall to Italy, November 7-16.  I have never been, so I am looking forward to seeing the religious and historical sites.

The itinerary includes:  Milan, Venice, Pisa, Florence, Tuscany, Assisi, Rome and Vatican City. As I read thru the brochure, there are so many things that sound exciting.  Even if no one joins, me, I am going to take this trip.  I can't wait!

Here is a link to the brochure for the trip.
Italy Trip Brochure

I also have hard copies of the brochure, if you would prefer to have one mailed to you just email me your address.  If you are interested in going, or for more information, contact me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

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

Softball Pt 2

Armadillos circa 2004

So I was thinking about softball.  We started in 1994 with one team, the team name was  "Woods Chapel."

How creative.

Tom Boehm got us some Chevy Truck shirts from his work so somehow the name evolved.
Woods Chapel
Woods Chapel Chevy Trucks
Woods Chapel Chucks
Wood Chucks.


After that, every time we added a team, the names had to be some sort of rodent or road kill.  Here are all the team names that I can remember.  For a time, we had our own league. There were 10 or 12 teams. It was so much fun.

Woodchucks
Armadillos
Possums
Porcupines
Wolverines [Michigan colors]
Warthogs
Coyotes
Dingos
Anteaters
Snappers
Buzzards

I will always cherish those days and the friends that I made playing ball.  Listening to Queen in the parking lot after the games and telling stories and jokes.  Those guys are among the best men I have ever known.

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

softball

My friend Dan sent me this picture.  I told him that it was terrible, but it is really very funny.  You see, Dan played third base and was one of the best players on the team.  I was the second baseman, the right fielder and finally the catcher.  I was the catcher for most of my years, and we played for 10 years anyway.

I want to  defend myself.  I was the catcher for the following reasons:
1.  I played catcher in little league growing up
2.  I liked playing catcher
3.  I was good at it [that is debatable.]
4.  finally, I must admit that Dan is right, I was in fact the worst player on our team.

But it was still fun to play.  When I would come up to bat, all of the outfielders would move in.  The fans in the stands would leave to buy a hot dog.  I could hear the other players kids making fun of my kids.... "Oh look, your Dad is up, this is an out for sure."  My oldest daughter Alli would reply, "I don't know for sure that he is my Dad."

Oh what fun we had.

Dan is coming to visit  me in March.  Pack your glove Dan and maybe we will have a catch in the front yard.

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

Birds again

I took this picture while walking on the boardwalk at Vero Beach one morning with my friends Bob and Diane.

I have always thought of seagulls as loners or trouble makers.  But here is an entire flock of them, a gaggle, a herd, I don't know what you call a group of seagulls but they are all together on the beach, thinking about the same things.

There were 100's of them all lined up as if at attention.  I can only surmise that something was going to be washing in on subsequent waves and they were waiting for breakfast.

Creation is amazing.  Look for something amazing today.  I promise you that it is there to view, if we just look.

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

Birds

I am fascinated by birds.  And trees.  And so many other aspects of God's creation.  Someone once said that "creation was God's first bible."  If we pay attention to creation we can see so many beautiful things.

Here are some Ibis birds sitting on the back fence at the Cape Coral house.  My friend Chris took the picture some weeks ago.

I love how the birds are all on the same team.  They are all in agreement on what they are doing.  I don't know how they come to such consensus but here they are, all sitting on the fence waiting for lunch to appear in the canal.

What beautiful things are happening in the world around you?

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

a great call

cats hate to ride in cars....

So, you never know when you leave a place what the response will be.  I know that I let many people down in Cape Coral.  I so appreciate the kindness shown by so many and the new friends that I have made there.

One day last week I was driving a car load of junk over to Vero Beach.  This load included the cats in the car.  Let the yowl fest begin!!!

So back to the story...  my phone rang and it was one of my Cape Coral friends.  The call went kind of like this-
"Jeff this is so and so.....  I wanted to call and say that I am not ready for this to be over between us."

He was saying that he wanted to remain friends!  That he wanted to stay in touch!  It made me feel like a million dollars.  He has some work later this summer at his vacation place and I may get to fly up and help.

Here is to friendship!  Here is to kindness!

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

Joel

My friend Joel passed from this life on Tuesday of this week.  He was 45 years old.

Joel was such a great man.  Good people.  A big K-state wildcat fan.  A member of our church.  We played softball together for years.  He was one of the gang, one of the guys.

He was one of the few people in this life who chose to call me Jeffrey.  I have no idea why he did that.

He loved his extended family, his wife and children.  He was a hard worker.  He had a delightful, ornery sense of humor.  When he got cranked up and started laughing, everyone else laughed too.  His laugh would go from a he he he to a chortle to a cackle.  He brought joy into every moment.

He fought a long hard battle against cancer.  He never waiver from his trust in God.  Now he is at peace.

Before I left for Florida I went by the office to see him and say goodbye.  I will miss him.  It doesn't seem right that we lose such a good man so young.  But we must put our trust in our God.

no more

I was talking to a friend the other day and we made a deal.

No more sorry.  No more sorrys.  From now on, only thank you.
To be more specific, I agreed to stop apologizing, and they did too.  Sorry has been said enough times.  Now it is time to see the good.

Thank you.  Thank you.

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

enjoyed the most

Someone asked me what I enjoyed the most of being at Cape Coral First UMC.

The answer is simple:  shaking your hand, talking before worship or anytime I saw you, offering and receiving a hug, your smile, your eyes, our hearts connecting, looking at you and seeing the wonderful person that God created.

This could be said of 100's of you and I will miss everyone of you.  But...... love never goes away.  I am left with, and I hope that you are left with fond memories and a warm heart.

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

from a friend

I have a friend that emails me several times a week, although we no longer live in the same town, I am glad that we have remained friends.

Recently they shared this with me -

"I make myself rich by making my wants few."
                             Henry David Thoreau

We - we - we make life complicated by wanting more. Life is good, very good, and we can certainly see that much clearer when we want less.

I can not tell you the number of people that I have visited with over the years who just had to have that bigger house, that newer car, that something.... and then later were sick that they had made that decision. They let their wants get in the way of their better judgment.  I have done that as well.

So today, I am thankful for the reminder to want less of that which is fleeting, and want more of that which is wonderful.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to want less so that you can see the good.

Ken Fox

I love great thinkers.  I was in Nicaragua with some great folks a few weeks ago, one of them was Ken Fox.  Ken is quite an amazing person with a giant heart.

One of the things that he shared on the trip was a quote from TD Jakes "people came to church looking for Jesus and what they got instead was you."

The words stopped me in my tracks.  I am not pointing them at anyone else, you can take them in and consider them if you like, I am simply reflecting personally on the quote.  People come looking for grace, compassion, and joy - they come looking for Jesus.  When they get there, instead of Jesus, they get me.  I am not always gracious, not always compassionate, and not always joyful.

So I am reminded again about the constant goal in the life of a Christian, to pursue the likeness of Christ.  This is not a guilt laden pursuit, it is a pursuit of grace, compassion and joy.  It is a journey to see others as God does and to get myself out of the way so that the good can rise to the top.

Let's keep working on it.

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

Joy!!

You, my friends and readers are a great source of inspiration to me. I have met so many of you that have been a blessing to me along this journey of life.

My friends Brian and Jane were out shopping with their granddaughter. Brian sent me this note and picture.

I had a thought this morning that involves the picture below. Last Saturday I was blessed to spend a warm, sunny day shopping with the three women I love most in this world. That would be Jane, Megan and, of course, little Emma. Emma and I ended up spending most of our time cavorting as evidenced by the picture. Jane joined us in this particular "cavort". Megan took the picture. To rediscover joy some times you have to look at the world thru the eyes of a child. Emma lives in the moment and usually chooses to have fun. It is a lesson I both need to remember and to share. Today I am sharing it with you. Have a blessed day and, to quote a good friend, see the good. Love you.

Love you too, all of you.

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

quote

A dear dear friend sent me these lyrics from Townes Van Zandt:

To live is to fly
Low and high
So shake the dust off of your wings
And the tears out of your eyes.

Believe me, it is good advice.

Every now and then, all of us have to get up, dry the tears and reengage with life.

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

trip

Several have asked what I am going to do with my time.  One of the things that I would like to do is lead some trips.

I am exploring a trip to Wesley's England in May 15-23.  Here is a link to the brochure.  Let me know if you have any interest.

2017 Wesley Heritage Tour

Speaking of trips, here is a picture from a trip I led to Greece and Turkey some years ago to retrace the Journeys of Paul.  About 40 friends from church went on the trip.  I am not much for selfies, but pictured here are some of my favorite people:  Frank and Donna Eaton and Fred and Sandy Burry.  We were just getting ready to take off from JFK.  I am glad that Sandy was on the isle, that probably kept Fred from pestering me on the flight.

I am thinking that this fall I would like to lead another trip.  Maybe to the Holy Land or to some of the religious and historical sites in Italy.  Do you have any interest in going?  And if so, which destination would you prefer?

If you want further information on the Wesley trip or a fall trip, my email address for this purpose is jsbrink57@gmail.com

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

Otis

Otis was my first college roommate.  I loved that guy.  He was from Garden City, Kansas and his real name was Steve Davis but everyone called him Otis.  Why?  No one knows.  We lived in SC2N [Scott Hall, Second floor, north wing] at Evangel College in Springfield.  We didn't attend class that much, but we played every intramural sport together.  He was an athlete's athlete, a real thoroughbred.  He was ornery and funny.  Why do I love ornery funny people?

A few years ago I got to reconnect with another dear college friend, Pastor Roger Horne.  Roger was actually closer to Otis than I was, so when I got to wondering about Otis, I asked Roger if they had stayed in touch.  They had not.  But a few weeks later, Roger came across and sent me Otis' obituary.

I am sorry that I did not stay in touch with Otis.  I am sorry that I never got to meet his family.  He was a great man and a great friend, and I am left with great memories.  Sometimes in life, great memories have to be enough.

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

Old Friends

Old Friends.

When I moved to Lees Summit in 1994 I was blessed with immediate friends.  From left to right:  Tom Boehm, Joe McMurtrey, and Stu Elliott.

Tom and his wife Lisa sang at church, and we sang together in the choir.  As odd as this sounds, we bonded at church work days.  Joe is a father of six.  We got to know each other because our three year old sons were the orneriest kids in the county.  Stu was my next door neighbor.

Let me tell you something- these are good guys.  Over the years, our lives changed due to kids growing up, but I am always glad whenever I get to see these guys.

Old friends are priceless.

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

I was thinking

There is a funny.
I was thinking.  
So glad to be able to think.....

Anyway, I was writing an email to my sixth grade teacher a couple of days ago.  As I was typing I had a thought.  I realized, because of her and a few others, I can read and write.  Because of her and a few others, I can think.  Because of her and a few others I have been able to function in life pretty successfully.

Teachers are called teachers for a reason.  If you are one, THANK YOU!
If you are still in touch with your teachers, thank them.

Thank you Betty Jackson.

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

What now?

What am I going to do now?

Some years ago I got to go visit Belize for a few days with my friend Tim Wiseman. On that trip we visited some mission sites, saw Mayan ruins and we took a ferry out to one of the off shore islands. The ferry ride took about 45 minutes and we met lots of young people sporting backpacks. You could tell they were just “hoofing it.” They were high on life, footloose and fancy free. I asked them what they were doing. Their stories all sounded like this…… I just finished college and I am taking a year off to travel. No worries. No plan. No destination. They are just going. Kind of like old fashioned hobos except they either saved money to do this or mom and dad were funding it.

What will I do now that I have joined the ranks of the unemployed? I may just do that. Take a trip. Get in the car and go. St. Augustine, Chattanooga, visit my sister in Kansas City, catch a Royals game, hug my friend who lost his wife, take a pontoon boat ride, do some handyman work, go to Ft. Collins and see my little sister, visit the redwoods, attend annual conference, who knows. I may lead a trip to the Holy Land, I may fill a pulpit for someone who is sick, I may do mission work.

I don’t know just yet, but I will keep you posted.
I think it will be good for my brain and soul.

If you want to reach me, my best email is jsbrink57@gmail.com

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

Yesterday's Announcement

Yesterday in church at Cape Coral First United Methodist Church, I made the following announcement.

Good morning.
I would like to personally make an announcement.

Over the past several months, I have had an increasingly difficult time finding the joy of life. And as a pastor, when you cannot find the joy, you cannot pass on the joy. Consequently, after much prayer and consideration, I have requested and have been granted by the Conference a leave of absence. I am sorry to disappoint you, but I need to find my smile, and you need someone that can effectively lead Cape Coral Church. My last day as your pastor is today. Again, I am very sorry, I promise to pray for you and I appreciate your love and prayers so very much.

Let me add to this, since I have already been asked: there is no moral failure, I'm not getting a divorce, and I am not sick [I don't have cancer or some such thing.]

I am desperately sorry for every person that I have disappointed. Please keep me in your prayers.

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

Once upon a time

Once upon a time, I was out of blog ideas.  It happens you know.  Preachers run out of things to say.  Bloggers don't know what to write about.

So when this happened one time a few years ago, I asked you the readers for suggestions.  Someone suggested that I share stories of my life growing up.  There were other helpful ideas.  Several of you said things like,  "Jeff, just keep reminding us to see the good."

So for today:
See the good.  See the good.  See the good.

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

Banyon Tree

I took this picture of one of the Banyon trees at the Thomas Edison Estate when I was visiting there with Tim and Kathy Christenson.  I had heard of banyon trees but I didn't know anything about them, and I had never seen one before.

Banyons are the national tree of India.  They grow and spread and can become quite large.  The largest one in existence covers almost 5 acres!!

One of the things that I think is so interesting about them, is that they drop "feeders" from their branches, that take root and become an additional trunk.  Look closely at the picture and you can see what I mean.

I love this idea.

Imagine that you could root yourself over and over by dropping something from your arm.  Every time that the storms of life came along, you could stabilize yourself just by growing new roots from your branches.

We all need more roots, especially when the wind is blowing.

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

Rejoice!!

My family tends to be a little bit private, so when my sister called me the day before thanksgiving with news, I was not surprised.  She told me that she was 1/2 way through her treatment for esophageal cancer.  I was surprised that she was sick, but not that she held that information close to her chest. That is the Brinkman way.  Private, quite, introverted at times.

So, many of you have known that Julie has been sick and I thank you for your prayers for her.  She finished her radiation and chemo around Christmas.  Yesterday  she had a PET scan and another scan and the results came back.

It's a beautiful day in God's world!!!!!

She is cancer free!!  I am crying tears of joy.  Give thanks to God with me!!!

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

My Kids

Alli, Jenny, Scott 

Of all the things in life that bring me joy, by far the biggest one of  them all, is my children.  In the movie Hook, Robin Williams regains his power as Peter Pan when he discovers his happy thought which was, "I am a dad."

I am a dad.  I AM A DAD!!!! I am smiling as I write this.  I am so fortunate to have these smart, funny, caring people in my life.  If you get the chance to meet them, you will be blessed.

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

St. Mary's Hospital

I have posted about this before, but some things in life bear repeating. In fact, we learn by repetition, and this is something worth learning.

I was at St. Mary's hospital some years ago. I was waiting for the elevator. My mind was filled with worry and concern about some random thing that was going on in my life. Then my eyes fell to a framed letter that was hanging on the wall nearby. Evidently one of the hospital administrators had written to Mother Teresa - and surprise - she wrote back!

Dated March 10, 1986

Dear Mr. Coen,
Thank you very much for your letter and good wishes. Thank God for God. For using our nothingness to show his love. He calls me, he calls you – each of us to be his sign of love to each other. This is a great privilege that he shares with us.

I shall pray that you may learn to love him much and share this love with those around you, your loved ones, first, then your neighbors and every person that you meet.
God bless you

Mother M. Teresa

Reading that letter changed my day and gave me something to think about. I have never forgotten the moment or the concept that to love others is a great privilege to which God calls us. Today the letter has been moved to a different area of the hospital. If you go in the east door at St Mary's, take an immediate right and go up the elevator to the second floor. Nearby, hanging on a wall is the letter, still delivering it's timeless message.

It is a great privilege, the great privilege that we have, you and I, to go about, here and there, sharing God's love.  That is what Christ followers are supposed to do and it is indeed an honor and a privilege to do so.

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

Birds

I took this picture off of Lakewood Drive last fall.  I was driving by the church that lost it's steeple a few years ago and I notice a very large flock of birds in the trees.  I pulled into the parking lot to just watch them for a while.

They seemed to be blackbirds or some type of dark bird.  The trees were sagging under the load of so many of them.  Then one would take flight, and the entire sky would be filled with the dance of the birds swooping as one, up and down, around and back..... back into the trees again.

I watched them for 15 minutes.  It was incredible.  Creation gives a wonderful testimony of the amazingness of God, and it is available for all of us to witness.  If we but stop and look.

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

old photo

So I found this old picture some years ago.  It is me in 1974 getting ready to go to a 1950's theme dance.   Sunglasses, hair slicked back, t-shirt with a pack of cigarettes rolled up in the sleeve, and penny loafers.  Cool!!  I am posing in front of my 1963 Ford Galaxie 500.  Ohh I have some great stories about that car.

I got my first ticket in that car, on I-5 near Barstow, California.  I was going 105 in a 55.  When the officer asked me why I was going 105, I told him that evidently 105 was all the faster that the car would go.

Anyway, this picture takes my 59 year old body back to a time when I was young.  And at this moment I am thinking of the lyrics of the song We are Young by the group Fun.

We are young.  we are young. 
So we set the world on fire.
We can grow brighter than the sun.
We are young, we are young.

Oh how much fun it was to be young, and how delightful to remember it all from time to time.  I wish I still had that car..... I bought it for $100 and sold it for $150. Who knows what it would be worth today.  But the memories are priceless.

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

funny

I take pictures and keep them in my phone to blog about later.  This past week I went through every picture in my phone and found some photos that I do not believe I have shared with you.  Forgive me if I am wrong.

One day, some years ago, Tyler the cat was watching TV.  I found this situation hysterical.  And from time to time we need to smile.  Every time I see this picture it just cracks me up.

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

false ideas

Our brains are full of false ideas.  Many people are too prideful to challenge their own thinking.  But great minds are constantly evaluating, taking a moral inventory, and trading unhealthy ideas for healthy.

Here are some typical ideas that we stubbornly hold in our hearts and minds, but they are wrong and need to leave:

• you cannot be forgiven
• you have committed the unpardonable sin
• God is mad at you
• it is all the other person's fault
• my happiness depends  on others
• my happiness depends on circumstances
• I have all the truth
• I know who is going to heaven and hell
• I am right, they are wrong
• I am not getting a fair shake in life

What is in your mind that may need to finally move on?

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

Demello Stories

My favorite book is Walking on Water by Anthony deMello. In the last 10 years, I have purchased and given away over 100 copies of this book. Over the next few weeks I may be sharing some of my favorite deMello stories. First let me tell you a bit about him.

DeMello was a Catholic Priest, born in India among the poor, the Buddhists, the Muslims and all- born in a very eclectic society. While Christianity in the West is very rational and very cerebral, in many other parts of the world, the faith has a much more reflective side. Meditation and contemplation are a lost art for many American Christians. Reading a bit of deMello will help one regain the mystical/experiential side of our faith.

He also has some wonderful stories about life. Here is one of them.

“a young woman was experiencing divine revelations. Each week, more and more people came to pray with her and seek her guidance. The bishop became worried at the reports of these “unauthorized” revelations. So, he called the young woman in to require proof that her visions were authentic. “The next time, you see the Lord in a vision, “ said the bishop, ask Him to tell you my sins which are known to Him alone. That’s the only proof I will accept.”

A month later the woman returned. “Did you put the question to the Lord?” asked the bishop “What did He say?”

The woman replied, the Lord said, “Tell the bishop I have forgotten his sins.”


Think about that story for a while.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Ps 103:12

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

Glasses and the Bible

What kind of glasses you wear will say oodles about what you find in the Bible.

If you read the Bible believing that God is mad at you, then you can find that.
If you read the Bible believing that God is love, then you can find that.
Americans tend to read the Bible and look for God's promises to keep blessing us.  [as if American needs more blessings]
People that live in third world countries read the Bible and focus on how the humble are lifted.

This is why discussion around various verses is so helpful.  This is why commentaries can be helpful.  There are other understandings of what you are reading.  Are you reading it in ways that only please you or are you allowing the other, possibly more challenging messages to reach you?

A good example of how we misinterpret scripture is what we do with Phil 4:13 which says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We pull this verse out of context and insist that God can make us victorious and we can do anything or get anything in this life. Unfortunately, this is not at all what Paul was meaning. Let's look at the context of that verse......

Phillipians 4:12-13 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

What Paul is saying is that he has been in some really hard spots and some great spots, but he can manage them all because Christ gives him strength.  It is not a verse about getting more, it is a verse about being content no matter how much you have.

How are you reading the Bible? What glasses are you wearing? Take care that your glasses don't focus on your own comfort when they should be sending you out into God's world.

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

Glasses

Lions Den man posted on Jan 2 about his glasses.  I would like to say more about this important topic today.

We put on our glasses every day.  It is the way that we see the world, the lenses though wich we perceive everything.  If your glasses tell you that you will be mistreated today, you will probably find that.  If your glasses tell you that life is good, you are more apt to find that.  If you believe in a big Devil, then you will find him all day [good luck with that.]  If you believe that this is our Father's world, then you will see him in all things.

The sad part to me about our glasses, our perspectives, is when we don't recognize what our's is.  Some don't even understand that they wear glasses that color how they see the world.  I think even those who are aware, can miss important truths, because we are stuck on our own limited perspective.

Be willing from time to time to take your glasses off and see the world thru the view of another.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good, and sometimes in order to see the good, we need to see the world as others see it, or even as God sees it.

Take off your glasses.

Misnomer

A misnomer is an inaccurate name, label or designation.  We use them all the time.   One of my favorites, and I love to use it, is the phrase "missional church."  To use this type of talk all the time  would have us saying things like:

• the in shape athlete
• the educated teacher
• the wise philosopher
• the preaching pastor
• the hairy dog
• the hot jalapeno

You get the idea.  If a dog isn't hairy, is it a dog?  If a teacher is not educated, how can they teach?  Yes, I know that there are hairless dogs, but you get the idea.

Back to the missional church.
There is no such thing as a missional church.  The church is missional, or it is not the church.  A friend has a missions statement that is something like "we are the serving church."  I love it, but isn't this the essence of church?  Take mission out of the church, take serving out of the church and we are a country club.

The church may be the only organization on the planet that exists not for it's members, but for the benefit of others.

Missional church?   Oh yes.  The church is missional or it is not the church.  Christians are missional or they are..............  well let's just say that we can easily make Christianity about us.  Jesus was on a mission.  His followers should be too.

Who can you touch for Jesus today?  Someone needs your kindness.

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

Love pt. 4

Coming to a sermon near you, probably during Lent.

Love pt. 4

Throughout the Bible we are taught three things:
1.  loving God is the first commandment
2.  loving your neighbor is the second.
3.  these trump all other commandments.

This is not a passing reference, but a theme that runs through the Old Testament, into the Gospels and the writings of Paul.

Deut. 6:4-5
Lev. 19:18
Mt. 22:35-40
Mk. 12:28-31
Lk. 10:25-28
Ro. 13:8-10

If you love God and love others, the entire law is fulfilled.  There is nothing more to be said.  Live a life of love, and you do fulfill the other commandments.  We humans set up all kinds of proofs that we are good Christians:

• say your prayers.
• go to church.
• give 10%
• be in mission
• share your faith

Friends, we can do all of that, without love.  I have seen it and so have you.  Heck, we probably have done it out of obligation.  While those are all good things, they are not the sign, not the mark of the Christian.  Love is the mark, love is the sign.

Love God, Love others.  Everything else hangs on that.

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

Love pt. 3

Coming soon to a sermon near you......

Love part 3.

When we choose not to love, our heart is filled with something else-- Darkness, envy, hatred, rejection, sin, and general yuck.  To live a life without love is to live a life of hatred and death.  It is to live a life of hell on earth.

If your life is filled with darkness and difficulty, try filling it up with something else.  Light always dispels darkness.  Love always conquers fear.  Do you want more of God in your life?  Then love. Love yourself and love others.

God is love.  Plain and simple.  Let God heal you from the dark parts of your life.  Love will overcome.  Stay the course.  No matter what.  No matter what others say or do, choose to love.

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

Love pt. 2

Coming to a sermon somewhere soon.....

Love or don't. There is no in between. It is a choice that we make every day. To love is to do what God does, it is to be what God is. If we do not love, we do not know God.

7 Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. 8 The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love. 

 1 Jn 4:8

If we do not love, we do not know God. So I suggest that we get over ourselves and just choose to love.

Love, and nothing else, is the mark of the Christian.

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

Love pt. 1

Coming soon to a sermon.....

Love part one.

34 “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. 35 This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.” John 13:34-35

Spoken at the last supper, these are among Jesus' last words. You must love. This is how people will know that you are my disciples.

It is the litmus test for Christianity, and there is no other. Give 10%, great. Never miss church, great. Wear crosses and Christian t-shirts, great. But the only thing that counts is this- do we love.

Love is the mark of the Christian.

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

a choice

I was talking with a new friend the other day. They said something that intrigued me. She said this, "each of us must decide every day, on every issue, whether life is a battle or a banquet."

The word banquet is found 32 times in scripture, the word feast, 94. There are lots of banquets in the Kingdom.

Humans like to turn things into a battle. Jesus talked over and over again about banquets. Banquets where everyone is invited, where the broken are healed, where the outcasts are welcomed in, where all sit together at the Master's table.

How about you? Do you project that life is a battle, or a banquet?

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

Eddie the Eagle

I saw the ads way back for the movie, Eddie the Eagle.  I thought it looked dorky.  I finally watched the movie and it is a bit dorky, but there is a good message in it, which is summed up in this quote,

"Doing your best is the only option, even if it results in failure."

No one wants to fail, but if you are going to fail, you might as well fail while giving it your very best.

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

we don't have to demonize others

I read this post by Richard Rohr a week ago and I thought the ideas were worth sharing. Here is some of what he wrote:

Changing the Game
Monday, December 26, 2016

Today I encourage you to read the account of the death of Stephen (Acts 7:58-60).....Jesus and Stephen state their truth, forgive their enemies, fully let go, and are released into a transformed state that we call “resurrection.”

Both Jesus and Stephen are victims of the “sacred violence” that has been foundational to culture from the very beginning of human consciousness, starting with Cain and Abel. ..... all groups and ideologies are formed by an unconscious scapegoat mechanism..... we have to find a way out of this default pattern. Jesus replaces the de facto operating story line of “redemptive violence” with a new story line of redemptive suffering. There is the Gospel in one sentence! Unfortunately, only a minority of Christians got the point after Jesus and Stephen...... The church was supposed to be a “called out people’’ (ekklesia) who no longer believed the lie, which John the Baptist calls “the sin of the world” (John 1:29), using the singular word for sin. Ignorant hating, excluding, and killing is the universal sin of the world to this day.

Bailie calls the revolution of tenderness, which was released into common consciousness at the death of Jesus, “the virus of the Gospel.” In every age, denomination, and culture, only a few understood the message. By grace and conversion, they realized that they could no longer project their inner violence outward, either creating victims or playing the victim themselves for their own empowerment. They see the only way to be victim in a generative and healing way is as Jesus did, by forgiving and releasing his crucifiers and himself.

The Gospel demands a great deal of us. It calls us to a perennially unpopular and unselfish path.... When you can no longer play the game of judging, labeling, and punishing others, you will quickly become the outsider at most every cocktail party you attend. But Jesus has taught us how to hold the pain of the world until it transforms and resurrects us. This dangerous virus is what Jesus calls “the hidden leaven” inside the Gospel (Matthew 13:33, Luke 13:20), the resurrecting power that will keep the world from its ordinary path toward self-destruction.

My commentary...... It is easy for us to demonize those who are "against" us.  They voted for the other candidate, they rooted for the other team, they did not like our hat {Go Dog Go} for whatever reason, we wish to set them aside and shun them.  Jesus teaches us something different.  There are no enemies.  We are to love all.  There are no demons in the room.  People with differences yes, but there are no demons in the room.  When we stop needing to see people as "against us" we can begin to see them as God sees them, and when we can do that, all the world changes.

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

justified

The other day I made a comment about a situation while wearing glasses that fit me well. My son, who often wears a different pair of glasses, called me out on what I said. He was justified in doing so. I appreciate when that happens to be honest. I used to defend myself and foolishly argue until I felt my position was understood (I win)....Bad idea…. I don’t go down that road anymore. Truth is truth. I cannot grow until I let Truth be my guide.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

a new day

So by the time this post is made available it will be January 2^nd in New Zealand. That is where my niece is living. I wonder what, if anything, she changed or made different on her first day of 2017. I doubt she did anything different to be honest. Not that she has it all figured out. I am sure she wants some things to change but my guess is, knowing her, it didn’t take a day/change over to a new year to make that happen. She is one of those people that sees every day as an opportunity.

Each day is a gift, each day is special and each day we can say yes to change.

Happy New Year.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man