The end of grace

The end of grace.

Oh, just the title of this post makes me feel uncomfortable.

An end to grace?  NO!!! How can that be?  If you are like me, I believe that God's grace is immense and that it never ends.  His mercies are new every morning, so says Lamentations 3

Yet we have been taught, and maybe have taught ourselves, that there is an end to grace.  That we live this life and can find grace in this life, but the moment that we die, grace is over.  Grace is over when we die and we are judged based on what we did in this life.

So grace and mercy ends?  What does that say about God?  Grace and mercy is real but temporary?  That sounds like a shallow love to me.

Yes, this messes with part of my brain that was taught and preached that we would be judged when we die.  But friends, either God's grace is new every morning, or it is not.  We have to choose which scriptures to believe.

For me, after spending a childhood being manipulated and guilted, I am ready to believe in a God that actually loves us.  Now and forever.  Grace does not end.  And if that messes with your brain and your theology, so be it.

Learn to be loved.  It is not too late.

It's a beautiful, grace filled day [even for those who die today] it's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

waiting

A few weeks ago I was waiting in line to turn in a rental car.  There was only one guy there to check your mileage and he was slow.  Really slow.  And I was in a hurry.

Did you ever notice that when we are in a hurry, other people seem slower?

Anyway, if you have ever looked at a struggling person and thought, "they should get a job" this guy did.  He was not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and he loved to talk.  Evidently, he needed to talk to people.

It seemed forever that he took with the first car.  By the time he was done with the second, Methuselah had died.  By the time he finally got to me, if had I been a Buddhist, I would have been on my 4th life.

Finally it occurred to me... he is not going to go any faster or slower based on my angst.  Who by worrying can add an inch to their height?  Who by worrying can add a moment to their life?  These thoughts comforted me and I finally relaxed.

The next time that you are in line behind someone that is slow or will not turn left, just remember... they are not going to turn until they choose to turn.  Maybe their eyesight is bad.  Maybe they are not a confident driver.  But no matter the reason, they are not going to turn, until they choose to do so.

My angst about them moving faster is not going to do anything except upset me.  It is time to let that stuff go.  It is time to relax.  

I got my rental car turned in.
I finally turned left.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, don't worry about anything and be sure to see the good.

and if you wondered who Methuselah is- click this link

the pain of the past

This little sign sits in my den.  I am not sure
but I think that one of my sisters gave it to me
after that peculiarly difficult thing happened.

We all have collected wounds and scars over the years.  The wise ones find a way to rise above them.  Many of us spend the rest of our lives wallowing in our hurt and/or being resentful to those who participated in delivering the pain to us.

What if there were no mistakes in life, just lessons.  What if the way that person treated me was more about them, than me?  What if I was just wrong and can admit it, and move on?  What if I come to truly believe that there is a lesson in every rainbow and every pothole?

If I can focus on the lesson, I can move on into the gift of this day.

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

letting go

My friend Susan sent in this quote from Joseph Campbell.  It reminds me of the concept that in order to grow, we need to let go of some things.  The idea that spirituality is not collecting more ideas, or supposed "truths," but releasing ourselves from some of what we have collected over the years so that we can finally relax and enjoy life.

"We must be willing to let go of the life that we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us."
                                       Joseph Campbell, American writer.

Unless we let go, we cannot discover.  Until we let go, we are locked in our own sphere, demanding that world align itself to make us happy.  

But when we do let go, we can finally understand that-  it's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

You are welcome here

I saw this sign in the yard of a United Methodist Church in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Now, imagine church row in a typical town.  8 churches of various flavors in a line down Church Street.  Imagine that 7 of the 8 have this sign in the yard.  One of the 8 does not.  I wonder how they would feel?

Maybe they would finally get it.  Maybe they would think, "We are the ones that don't welcome everyone.  We are the ones that judge.  We are the ones that think we know better.  Our bible does not approve of this kind or that kind."

Where do you want to go to church?

I want God to offer grace to me and accept me, warts and all.
I want God to offer grace to everyone and accept everyone. Warts and all.
I want to do the same.

You are welcome here.

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

You can learn something from everyone

From some you learn the ways to do it right.  Follow them.

From others, you learn the ways to do it wrong.  Don't follow that.

The lovely truth of this is that you can hold to what is good, and choose to do different from those who taught the wrong ways.

I am frugal because my parents were.  I am relational because my parents were not.  You can hold to the good that you learn from someone and release the bad.  You don't have to be exactly like anyone.  

This should comfort imperfect parents who worry that they set a bad example in some ways.  Your children have the right and the brains to hold fast to what is good and to release what is not helpful.

Richard Rohr likes to say, "The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better."

Don't get lost in bad things that you were taught. Release yourself from them to find and live a better way.

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

acting or reacting

By the way, Happy Birthday to my mother, Mary Brinkman, who would have been 87 had she lived this long. Sadly, she passed at 62.

Acting and Reacting.

In a given situation, am I going to react or act?

Reacting is what we do when we respond to stimuli without thinking. We just do what comes naturally. Someone cuts us off in traffic and we retaliate. Someone says something hurtful to us and we hurt them back. That is reacting. It's human, but it is rarely the best course.

Acting is different. To understand that you can act instead of reacting is a big surprise to some people.  But when you think about it, choosing to act is a very powerful choice.  We don't have to react to everything. You have another choice. Stop yourself, take a step back, take a deep breath. Ask yourself who you are. Ask yourself what you are about. Say a prayer. Breath in the Holy Spirit. Consider your options and choose the healthiest course. Then act. Act out of the best of who you are.

Things always go better when we act instead of react. 

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

What is this blog

I want to take a moment to remind readers what this blog is about.

Sometimes people read some of what I write and wonder if I am ok. I think that people sometimes put expectations on a thing that are not realistic.

In the early days of this blog, you could not get it delivered by email.  [OH, what ancient technology!!!]  You had to actually go to the web site www.canyouhearthebirdssing.blogspot.com to read Jeff's daily ramblings.

If you go to that web site-

click here to go to that web site

If you go to that web site- you will notice that on the right margin, written in purple, is a section entitled, "what is this blog." This is what it says:

This blog is the occasional ramblings of Jeff Brinkman, a semi-retired United Methodist Pastor. When Jeff cannot post, some of his buds take over. 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. Contact Jeff directly at Jsbrink57@gmail.com

So I encourage readers to understand that I cannot always write. There will be guest posts and thoughts from others. The blog may or may not inspire. It may or may not be humorous. But it will always be honest.

And I think that this is what a real life is about. No pretending.  No pretense.  Put it out there. Let people share your struggles. Keep being real, keep showing kindness, keep finding the joy, inspite of whatever may be happening in your world...

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

Partnering with the world

Yesterday I discovered a phrase, "partnering with the world."  I think that there are many of us that would fight that phrase because as Christians, we were taught that the world was bad.  Over the years I have come to reject the idea that the world is bad.  I instead, have come to believe that this is our Father's world. 

Consequently, once we realize that we are not in charge, we can learn to "make friends" with the difficulty.  Whether it is a bad knee or a bad relationship, we can go on in life with joy, even though the world is not aligning itself to make me happy.

I have a friend who has an enormous heart and is an enormous soul.  This person was once upset because they had to go in for a surgery.  Now, no surgery if fun, but I suggested to this person that they find their bigger self.  That they could and would overcome this obstacle [and they did.]  I suggested that this was a chance for them to go in and bless the person at the admitting desk.  To bless the people in the operating room.  To bless the people that took care of them afterwards.  My friend was able to do this.  Big souls see hurts for what they are and set them aside for the larger good. 

Joy is bigger than the circumstances at hand.  Release yourself from the specifics and see the bigger picture.

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

A Teachable Moment

The next time you are offended, consider it a “teachable moment.” Ask yourself what part of you is actually upset. It’s normally the false or smaller self. If we can move back to the big picture of who we are in God, our True Self, we’ll find that what upset us usually doesn’t amount to a hill of beans in objective reality! But we can waste a whole day (or longer) feeding that hurt until it seems to have a life of its own and, in fact, “possesses” us.            Richard Rohr

To me, part of the trick is to stop myself when I am feeling something.  It may be disappointment, it may be anger, it may be a number of things.  I feel it.  I FEEL IT.  It seems so big... then a day later, I don't even remember what I was upset about.  I had allowed my small self to take over, possess, and overwhelm, my life.

Being aware of the problem is the first step.  Being able to recognize, in the middle of the feelings, that the feelings are not to be allowed to dominate is a first step.

The next step is to take a deep breath and refocus.  Put on your favorite music.  Go for a walk.  Distract yourself from the feelings.  They will change, they always do.

Somewhere along the line we can find a teachable moment.  We can look at what is bothering us and begin to realize that we are not in charge of that thing.  We don't get a vote.  The world is not going to align itself to make me happy.  We can learn to partner with the world instead of fighting it.

And when I realize that the world is not here for my pleasure, I smile, I release the offense, and I move on to the day, a healthy, beautiful day.

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

look, just there

One of my former seminary professors, Bob Tuttle, lives in Vero Beach.  We have breakfast about once a month or so.

A few weeks ago, I went to pick him up.  I was standing in his living room, waiting for him to get ready.  I was looking out the living room window.  He has a lovely view of the intercoastal.

I noticed a man in a rowboat.  WOW!!!  I loved it.  Look, just there, a man in a rowboat.  My brain went from waiting for Bob to being enthralled with this moment.

What was the man feeling?  How lovely the weather must feel out on the water this morning.  The ocean breeze.  How nice it is to feel the muscles in my arms pulling on the oars.  Oh, the sea birds!  Oh, the splash of water!!!

Look, just there.  Look, just there, there is something beautiful, something amazing.  Let your day be interrupted with the beautiful.  It is all around us if we open our eyes.

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

a shorter list

I mentioned in my post on my birthday, July 5th, that my list of beliefs has gotten shorter over the years.

A couple of people wrote in and asked me to elaborate.

Ok, so here goes:

I don't think God cares what we believe about:

• the trinity
• the end of time
• the gifts of the Holy Spirit
• who is in and who is out
• tattoos and piercings
• loud music
• sin
• how the death of Jesus specifically covers sin
• other religions

on and on it goes.  I just don't think that God cares.  So much of what we have spent our lives fighting about, and trying to be right about, I just don't think that those ideas matter.

What does matter is love.

You can say you are a Christian, but if you don't love, what are you?

You can say that you believe in Jesus just right, but if you don't love, what are you?

You can say that you are saved, but if you don't have compassion for the broken, isn't it time for a conversion?

If I speak in the tongues of men and angels but have not love, I am nothing.  God is love.  Christianity in it's simplest form boils down to that.  Do I love.  Am I seeking to grow in love.  Am I leaving a legacy of love.

My list of beliefs has gotten shorter.

Love is all there is.  In the end, love is all that matters.  Oh, wait... in the beginning, love was all that mattered.  Sad it takes us a lifetime to figure that out.

Love, just love.

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

Where did it go?

A long long time ago,
in a galaxy far far away.

You wake up one day and realize that much of your life has flown by.  Where did it go?  Who was I 10 years ago?  20?  30?  How can I grasp what used to be?

And then I realize, in many ways, I was the same then as I am now.  I watched TV shows that I enjoyed.  I loved my family.  I loved to work.  I loved to fix things.  I loved a good sunset, the waves on the beach, the redwood trees.  I loved bicycles and cars.  Im not really that different than I used to be.

But if there is a difference, I think I could say that I am now paying more attention than I used to.  I am paying more attention to others.  I say thank you more. I look people in the eye more.  I try to leave each human encounter a little better.  I don't always succeed at this, but I am aware of it and I want to leave a residue of grace wherever I go.

As Mel Gibson's wife said in the movie Signs, "you have to see."  Well, we don't have to see, but I hope that as we grow older, we will make the conscious choice to see.  To see every landscape, every person, every moment, every thought.  Every breath.  They are all life's miracles.

Where did it go?  It is still here.  May I, may we pay more attention to it than we used to.

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

There is a third way

Seriously Edited From Father Richard Rohr...

There seem to be two typical ways to avoid conversion or meaningful change, two diversionary tactics that we use to avoid having pain: fight and flight.

“Fight” is what I’ll call the way of Simon the Zealot. It describes people who want to change, fix, control, and reform other people and events. The zealot always looks for the political sinner, the unjust one, the oppressor, the bad person over there. Zealots consider themselves righteous when attacking them (whoever they are at a given time), hating them, even killing them. When they do, they believe they are “doing a holy duty for God” (John 16:2).

Zealots often have good conclusions, but their tactics and motives can be filled with ego, power, control, and the same righteousness they hate in others. 

As long as they [others] are the problem (whoever they are), and we keep our focus on changing them and correcting them, then we can sit in a reasonably comfortable position. But it is a false peace of avoidance, denial, and projection. 

This brings us to flight, the second diversionary tactic. This is the common path of the “Pharisee,”  Such people deny pain altogether and refuse to carry the shadow side of anything in themselves or in their chosen groups.  They refuse to see their own brokenness, and project their own wounded side somewhere else!  They are perfect, they are righteous.  Be like them and there will be no problems. It is a form of narcotic, and at times probably necessary to get some people through the day.

Both fight and flight people are subject to hypocrisy, projection, or just plain illusion: “We are right; you are wrong. The world is divided into black and white, and we alone know who is good and who is bad.”

But there is a third way...

“Resurrected” people are the ones who have found a better way by prayerfully bearing witness against injustice and evil— and working to fill the world with good.  Imagine the energy that we would have to love others, if we stopped putting energy into judgment.  Imagine moving past self protection and just bringing a loving self [you] to every person, every encounter, every time.

There is a third way to live.

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

Towards a bigger heart

"If some dirt falls into our water glass, we won’t drink that water, we’ll have to throw it away. But if we put that dirt into an immense river, we can still use the water. The river is big; it can accept the dirt and we can drink the water...."  ~Thich Nhat Hanh

You don't diminish Niagara Falls by spitting into it.

A small heart is offended by the smallest of offenses.  A large heart absorbs the pain.  A small heart remembers every hurt.  A large heart works to release itself from every hurt.

If the Grinch's heart grew, then so can ours. 

Pray for empathy.  Cease from judging others.  Begin to see the good.

Give the grace to others that you would want to receive yourself.  Oh, who said that?

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

Excuses

After the posts on the Good Samaritan, a friend asked me for a list of excuses that religious people use to avoid helping people.

Here are some that come to my mind... what comes to your mind?  I would love to hear what you come up with...

Here is what pops into my brain...

Religious people don't help other people because...

• I am too busy
• They don't deserve to be helped.
• They should get a job.
• They are dirty.
• I am afraid of them.
• They are not like me.
• They make me uncomfortable.
• It is my money, I worked hard for it.
• My life is about me, not them.
• Christianity is not about giving things away.

My friend added...

• I am already helping [enough]
• I worry that I am enabling and not helping.
• I'll do it next time.

On and on the excuses can go.  May we get over ourselves and work to become more generous people.  Please remember, it is much better to give one time too many and be taken advantage of, then to give one time too few and leave a human brother or sister in need.

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

Moment of silence

Some years ago, a survey was taken of the parts of the worship service, ranked by popularity.  The part voted #1 in the survey was the silent prayer.  No talking.  No preacher talking.  No preacher doing anything.  Just congregant and God.

I think that these are our purest moments with God.  No preacher needed.  No TV, no radio, no Pandora, no podcasts.  Just me and my heart in a moment of commune with God.

Some theologians list the practice of silence as a spiritual discipline.  Not just prayer, fasting, Bible study, service and such, but silence as a spiritual discipline.

Try it sometime.  Set aside 10 minutes and just sit in silence.  Go into the sanctuary at church or at home and just sit in silence.

I find it to be a beautiful time.  Silence is golden.

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

engaging the broken

God engages the broken.  He cares about the least of these.  The homeless, the lost, the losers.  And so there is a difference between real spirituality and what humans have done with religion.

Religion gives people an excuse to ignore the poor.  Religious people come up with all kinds of reasons why they don't need to help the broken.

Spiritual folks are different.  True spirituality shakes a person up.  It breaks through their excuses.  It helps them to see that "we are all in this together" spirituality drives us head over heals into the realm where we want to help the less, the least and the lost.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, and we can make it even better by learning to care for the broken.

the Christian walk

Recently a friend asked me about the concept of the "Christian walk."  Another phrase that is not found in the Bible.

Most Christians that use this terminology think of the Christian walk as a collection of the habits of praying, attending church, giving money, sharing your faith, and helping others.  But again, the phrase is not in scripture.

If someone feels far from God, then they need to work on their Christian walk, so say the formula folks.  Feeling far away from God?  Pray more, give more, try to convert others.

I want to hold up a different picture of the Christian walk.  What is the Christian walk?  Let's look at the story of the Good Samaritan.  Walking is going on in this story.

Two churchy people are out for a walk.  They are on the way to the temple to do religious things.  They walk on by the broken man.  They are on the way to church and can't be bothered.  They are probably planning to pray more, give more, and worship more.

Another man is walking that day as well.  He is an outcast, a Samaritan.  He sees the broken man and walks right up to him.  He tends the mans wounds, helps him and puts him up in a hotel.

You tell me, who had the Christian walk?  Who was walking close to God?

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

Rules

God doesn't need our rules.  He needs us to relax.  God certainly does not need our judgments.  He simply wants us to love people.

Far too many churches and religious folk get this wrong.  Since it is easier to make rules and judge people, that is what many religious folks opt for.

Spirituality does not hurt people, it frees people.  True spirituality does not try to control or shame others, it reaches out in love and welcomes them.

Jesus was not a rule guy, but he was an incredibly loving guy.

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

Others

I am not particularly a Joel Osteen fan, but I love this saying from him...

There is a song in the old Cokesbury hymnal entitled "Others."  A few years ago I was filling in at the Ft. Pierce First United Methodist Church.  There was no choir that day, and no special music, so I decided to sing that song.  My friend Dick Lystra was gracious to play it, and I sang it, a solo.

The song seemed to fall flat.  No reply, no enjoyment.  Crickets.  Looking back on that moment, it is a pretty serious song, and I am not the best singer.  The folks at First United Methodist Church [love that name] still loved me.

Here are the words to that old song.

Lord, help me live from day to day
In such a self-forgetful way
That even when I kneel to pray
My prayer shall be for others.

Refrain:
Yes, others, Lord, yes, others,
Let this my motto be;
Help me to live for others,
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like Thee,
That I may live like Thee.

Help me in all the work I do
To ever be sincere and true,
And know that all I’d do for You
Must needs be done for others.

Let “Self” be crucified and slain
And buried deep: and all in vain
May efforts be to rise again,
Except to live for others.

So when my work on earth is done,
And my new work in heav’n’s begun,
I’ll praise You for the crown I’ve won,
But praise You more for others.

Refrain:
Yes, others, Lord, yes, others,
Let this my motto be;
Help me to live for others,
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like Thee,
That I may live like Thee.

The song was written in 1902. The words are still important for us today.

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

Me to We

The monkey sees a penny in a jar.  He reaches in to get it.  With the penny in his closed fist, he cannot remove his hand from the jar.  It is only when he drops the penny, drops the self-interest, that he can pull out his hand.

You know I read Richard Rohr's daily devotional.  I love his thinking.

Recently he posted one that included the phrase moving from "me to we."  Now in my brain, this can become political real quick.  Trump talked about America first.  Well, on a political note, I do believe that we need to strike a balance between giving all of America's assets away and taking care of our own.  Keeping America strong while being a part of a global community.  Whatever your political views are, the issues are complicated.

But let us consider the phrase, "me to we" on a personal basis.  When we are babies it is all about me.  Feed me, hold me, clean me.  Me, me me.  Somewhere along the line, we [hopefully] engage in the process of growing up.  Growing up means thinking long term.  Growing up includes the consideration of how my actions effect others.  Growing up means moving away from selfishness into something that is more inclusive and other oriented.  There is something bigger, something more important than me, mine, and what I want.

Selfishness, while promising to make us happy, never brings the desired results.  Loving others, reaching out, showing compassion and empathy on the other hand, takes our minds off of our worries and gives us a feeling of satisfaction...  that is why I am, that is why we are here, to love others.

The journey of life... from me to we...  let us continue.

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

We need to be there for others

Our choice...

We have a choice to make every day.  Do I let my day, my attitude this day, be dominated by the difficulty in my life, or do I work past it to see the good.

My children are in trouble from time to time.  My granddaughter lives a long way away.  My knee hurts.  The economy is tough on us now, as it is on everyone.  My car is acting up.  And those that know me well know that I have other, deep, unfortunate hurts.

We have a choice every day.  Let the bad things dominate us, or focus on something else.

I work hard to focus on the good.  It does not make the difficulties of life go away, they are still there.  But if I let them dominate me, I am unhappy and I am no good for myself or for anyone else.

All day long I am going to meet people that need a happy Jeff.  They need a kind Jeff.  They don't need a Jeff that is so lost in his stuff that he is a mess to them.

We need to focus on the good, and not the bad because others need us to be positive and constructive.  We need to focus on the good because we don't want our attitude to be dominated by the negative.

Let's bring glory to God, let us celebrate his goodness in the midst of our trials.  Let us find the joy and see the good.  It is much more constructive way to live.

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

Salvation

The Good Samaritan is a salvation story. It begins with this dialogue:

Luke 10: 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

The story ends with the Samaritan helping the broken man.

The Samaritan is not held up as a person with eternal life because he went to church or followed a religious formula.  He is not held up as an inheritor of eternal life because he accepted Jesus as his personal savior, said a prayer, joined the church or was baptized.  He is held up as one who enters eternal life because he loved the neighbor.

When will our theology catch up to Jesus' teaching?

It's a beautiful, formula free day in God's world, be sure to do the good to your neighbor.  Who is your neighbor?  hmmm...

What must I do to inherit eternal life?
Do this and you will live.

OH NO!!!

OH NO!!!

I had been up for a couple of hours.  I decided it was time for breakfast.  In the past few months I have been loving the crunchy raisin bran and 2% milk.  Mmmm...

So to entertain myself, I turn on the news.  OH NO!!!  Flights are cancelled.  It is so tragic.  400 flights are cancelled!!!  Then I asked myself.  How many domestic flights are there each day in the US?

45,000

45,000?  Oh, wait, maybe it is not tragic.  That is less than 1% cancellations.  Sure it is tragic if it is a plane you are scheduled on, but hasn't that happened to all of us at one time or another?

This shouldn't even be in the news.  I get so tired of the media trying to keep people all worked up.  Why can't we all just enjoy our raisin bran and enjoy the day.

We can... and it begins with the choice to see the good.  Turn off the news.  Become good news to your neighbor.

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

I have loved sleeping

In the past few months, I have loved sleeping at night.

That probably sounds strange, but it is true.  I think that I got my body out of kilter with too many pills.  Pills for the stomach, for the aches and pains, for regularity, for cholesterol, for whatever.  And add to that a few beers.

Now, on the advice of the doctor, take that all away, and man I have been sleeping better.  Much better.

It is like when the stuff that gets in our way, gets out of the way, we return to our normal, healthy selves.

Ahhhhhhh... a moment of clarity.  I believe that this is true with our brain/heart/mind/soul as well.  Remove the unhealthy parts, the unhealthy thoughts, and the original good will rise to the top.  Cut the weights off of the balloons and they will rise.  Remove the guilt, find the joy.  Remove the worry, find the peace.

I am sleeping better these days!!!

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

complaining

I am not sure that much good comes from complaining.  There are so many ways to be constructive about things.  Why be negative???

My friend Mike sent me this cartoon, and I loved it.

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

A letter to a friend

I share this with you because it took me 18 years to send it.

Roger was my best friend when we lived in Princeton, in north Missouri.  When we took the appointment at Woods Chapel in Lees Summit it dramatically changed our relationship because we went from seeing each other 4x per week to 4x over the next 15 years.

Here is the letter than I penned to him in 2004 and finally delivered in 2022.

January 5, 2004

Dear Roger,

I am not sure where to begin, but I have felt compelled write to you for some time.

I have felt terrible for years about the fact that we moved away from Princeton and that our move helped spell the end of-change in our friendship.

Roger, I want to take a moment to honor a friendship that was remarkable. Up until that point in my life, I had never had a friend that even began to tough what I had with you. I want you to know that. To that point in my life, I had never had a friend like you were to me.

I don’t know that I would say that we are no longer friends, but we just don’t stay in touch and I feel badly about that.

I am hopeful that God is blessing your life. I know that your family has grown. Mine has too. “Yeah Roger” Scott will be 13 next month. Jenny is 15 next month and Alli has a job and is driving.

Cathy works for a company that audits medical records. I assume that she is still a lousy bridge player, but since we never play anymore, no one really knows.

I finally quit smoking.

Peggy Roberts got cancer a few years ago and died. John remarried.

Our church has grown a ton in the last 10 years. 750 on Sunday morning. We have 8 men’s softball teams. I have many friends, some of which are very dear. God has blessed us.

But. Every time I think about Princeton, I think about you. And I remember how I feel responsible for the changes that took place. I am sincerely sorry for that.

Roger, what we had was special, and you are a great guy. I honor you, and thank you for your friendship.

Happy New Year

Jeff Brinkman


On the positive side, Roger and Jeff have reconnected.  I have seen him 8 times in the past year.  That has been great.  It has been fantastic to have him back in my life.
If you need to send a letter to a friend, don't wait 22 years to do it.

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

To be alive

To be alive is to look at something and care. The world is full of people that look and don’t care. The world is also full of people that barely even see the broken man lying on the side of the road. 

To be alive it to wake up!!!  It is to see people as valuable.  It is to get off of auto-pilot and care about every person that you meet.  God needs more people that see and care for the broken in this world, and not just the broken.  God needs people that see people, all people.  All of them are valuable and deserving of our love and compassion.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see, to SEE, TO SEE...

Happy Birthday

Today if I wake up, I am 65 years old.

Wow... how the time has flown by.

At 25 I was in seminary.  At 35 I was an ordained minister.  At 45 and 55 I was raising children and pastoring at Woods Chapel.

The last ten years have seen some massive changes.  Changes to my career, to the proximity of my friends, to my list of beliefs [the list has gotten shorter.]  Changes to my body.  Changes to how I think.

These days, I am having more good days than not.  Mostly because I am taking better care of myself, and I work hard at seeing the good.  

I no longer think in terms of what the next ten years will hold.  I no longer take it for granted that I will be here ten years from now.  I tend to think more day to day.  Day by day.  Each day, if I wake up... see the good and show kindness to every person that I can.

I hope to do that today, and if I can, then it will surely be a happy birthday.

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

Christians first

We are Christians first, Americans second.  I pray for an America that is more kind and gracious, and Christians should be showing the way.

What would Jesus do?  Jesus set the example of inclusion, love, kindness, grace, mercy and compassion.  These characteristics should be the shining marks of Jesus followers.  If you are a part of a church that does not teach inclusion, love, kindness, grace and compassion, is this really a church of Christ?

Jesus never shamed a sinner.  We are all sinners.  Jesus never argued about homosexuality.  Jesus had both Republicans and Democrats [of the time] as his disciples.  He treated them all, he treated everyone with dignity.  Christ followers follow his example.

Happy Birthday America.  We were all very fortunate to be born here.  May we give back to our country the character traits that make for a truly Christian world.

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

healthy emotions

I had a long talk the other night with an old friend about what makes emotions healthy or unhealthy.  Here is a summary...

Emotions are normal and good.  To not have them is weird, and not human.  Emotions become toxic when we use them to hurt others, guilt others, or to hurt ourselves.  They become toxic when instead of leading us in healthy ways [to more compassion] they lead us to unhealthy, selfish, angry behavior.  Toxic emotions can lead to unhealthy boundaries.

May we all be blessed with healthy emotions and lots of compassion.  May we also be careful to check our emotions with our brains.

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

A steelworker again

I have a good friend that owns a steel company.  From time to time, I get to go be a steel worker.  It doesn't happen very often, so when it does, I find it very exciting.  These pictures are from a Tennessee Valley Authority project from about two weeks ago.

my friend made this steel grating.

putting the pieces together

man of steel

hard hats need cool stickers!!!

giant duct work built by my friend

cool trucks!!!

Big trucks, big cranes, the noise of men and machines at work.  Giant erector sets in the hands of grown men.

Oh what fun!!!

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

it's a big world

I am prejudiced of course, but I love this picture.  This is my grand daughter Bella-D frolicking in her backyard.  I zoomed in on her.  For now, her life is protected.  She is the biggest thing in her parents' life.    Mom or Dad is "eyes on" 24 hours a day.  But the day will come when she realizes that the world is a much bigger place.

This is the whole picture.  Oh, what a big world it is!!!  

When we are young, we have no idea what is in store.  We have no idea what challenges, what opportunities, or what decisions lie ahead.  Life has it's pitfalls and it's frightening moments, but life is also big and beautiful and wonderful.

Oh, for the days when we frolicked carefree in the backyard!!!

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

back to church

A few months ago I made a decision to make some better decisions in my life.  That is always a good idea for us.  We can always take a moment, regroup and restart.  Part of that reboot was a decision to get back into church.  I had not been attending for a while, for a number of reasons.  I realized that I missed being in church and I missed the people.

So I have been travelling a lot.  But if I am in town, I am going to church.  I love the songs, the ambiance, and the people there.

It is nice to be a part of something that is bigger than you are.

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

best guy

In July of last year, Woods Chapel UMC got a new pastor. Woods Chapel has had a number of good pastors over the years, but this guy is the best. I met Aaron Brown in 1991 when he and I were going thru the ordination process. I have loved him from the moment that I met him. We were both appointed to the North Central District, Then we were both in the Blue Springs, Lees Summit area. He served in Joplin for 26 years. Last year he was appointed to Woods Chapel. I was ecstatic!!!

A few weeks ago, I was privileged to play in the annual Woods Chapel gold tournament.  [I am a terrible golfer.]  Aaron and I rode together in the golf cart.  What a delightful day!

There are some people in life that just make you happy.  You think of them and you are happy.  Aaron is one of those.  He is the best.

I hope you have many friends, and people that you love.

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

Bread

Give us this day our daily bread.

We tend to worry about so much.  I have known people that were millionaires but were concerned that they still did not have enough.  If you are worried about having enough, will you ever have enough?

On one trip to Russia, I noticed that the members of the church would call around each morning to see what each one had to eat at their home.  Later that day, we all met for a "fellowship meal" which consisted of the meagre supplies that each brought to the table.  They had so little, but they were content.

What do we really need?  What do I really need in the next hour?  How about a cup of coffee?  Do I have $1 for that?  Yes.  Then let me get that coffee and sit and rest and reflect and give thanks.

Yes we must save for the future, but beware of greed.  A person can spend their entire life searching for more, only to die having missed the beauty of each day.  Life is not found in the getting of more, but in the savoring of each moment.

Give us this day what we need for today.

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

- - - - - - - - - - -

I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

I am an ant

I saw a picture of a great city.  And I saw that I was one tiny spec in this giant metropolis.  One small spec in this world.  I am an ant.  In the grander scope of things I am totally insignificant.

That reminded me of the story of the boy who throws the starfish...

A man was walking along a deserted beach at sunset. As he walked he could see a young boy in the distance, and as he drew nearer he noticed that the boy kept bending down, picking something up and throwing it into the water. Time and again he kept hurling things into the ocean. As the man approached even closer, he was able to see that the boy was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach and, one at a time he was throwing them back into the water. The man asked the boy what he was doing, the boy replied," I am throwing these washed up starfish back into the ocean, or else they will die through lack of oxygen. "But", said the man, "You can't possibly save them all, there are thousands on this beach, and this must be happening on hundreds of beaches along the coast. You can't possibly make a difference." The boy smiled, bent down and picked up another starfish, and as he threw it back into the sea, he replied, "I made a difference to that one."

Yes, we are all small cogs in a very big machine, but we can make a difference. One person at a time, one moment at a time. One act of caring at a time, we can be the person who makes a difference in the life of another human being.

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

contentment

Godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  1 Tim 6:6-10

I recently had lunch with my old friend Bob Fillmore.  It was awesome!!!  He told me a story about a man who left a high powered job and found meaning and contentment in a job putting felt on pool tables.

Sit under that for a few minutes.  Think about that.  From a high profile, high paying job, to installing felt on pool tables.

And he was happy.

That reminds me of this story...

The industrialist watched as the fisherman's boat pulled in at 11:45am.

“Why are you quitting so early? ” asked the industrialist.
“Because I have caught enough fish for the day.   I am going to go home and sit with the Mrs. take a siesta and drink a beer.”
“Why don ’t you catch some more fish? ”
“What would I do with it? ”

“Earn more money. Then you could have a motor fixed to your boat and go into
deeper waters and catch more fish. Then you could buy nylon nets, so
more fish, more money. Soon you would have enough to buy two boats... even a fleet of
boats. Then you could be rich like me.”

“What would I do then? ”
“Then you could work half a day, spend the afternoon in siesta with the Mrs and drink a beer. ”
“What do you think I am doing now? ” asked the fisherman.


Which would you rather have: a fortune or the ability to enjoy what you have?

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

thoughts and ideas

We all have thoughts and ideas.  Some people think harder about them and others just kind of let them slide in and slide out.  I wish more people would think harder about their living.  Evaluate, consider, and make course corrections as needed.

Unfortunately we too often welcome in thoughts that are like our thoughts and ignore or reject thoughts that challenge our ways of thinking.  Personally, I have learned more from those who disagree with me, than those who agree with me.

The opposition is not stupid.  There are some good people that think differently than you and I do.  To be open to their thoughts is to offer grace to them.

Jesus met with Nicodemus, a Pharisee.  Moses married a Midianite.  Joseph served in the courts of Pharaoh.  The disciples were a very divergent group of folks.

We can learn from each other.  We can become more rounded.  We can become enriched in heart and mind if we consider the thoughts and ideas of those who are not like us.

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

dying to self

Jesus talked about dying to self...

"Very truly I tell you, that unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."      Jn 12:24

Lately, I have been thinking about some of the parts of me that I do not like.  Maybe it is time for me to let some of those things die.  I believe that below the surface is a better me.  I believe that if I can let the bad, selfish parts go, that the better parts of me will rise.

Sometimes you just have to die a little inside in order to be reborn and rise again as a stronger and wiser version of yourself.

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

If I want

If I want something from you, it is not love.

Before we chase the whole setting, lets look at the first three words... "If I want."  If I want, I am setting expectations.  If I want, I am making it about me.  If I want, I am setting myself up for disappointment.

Now, here is the whole saying, "if I want something from you, it is not love."

I thought of this saying the other day.  It brought me so much peace.

We spend way too much time worried about what WE want.  Is it going MY way?  Is this making ME happy.  When we put expectations on others, all we do is hurt them.  When we love someone, we accept them as they are.

Love means enjoying people and enjoying the moment.  Things will not always go the way that we want them to go, but things can still be good.

Release others from your desires.  Release yourself from your desires.

If I want something from you, it is not love.

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

Very Well

Here is a story from Anthony DeMello that I love. I had not thought about it for a long time, but remembered it the other day...  It is a story that challenges me to release my worries...

VERY WELL, VERY WELL

A village girl became an unwed mother and, after several beatings, revealed to her parents who the
father was: the Zen Master living on the outskirts of the village.

The villagers trooped into the Master’s house, and rudely disturbed his meditation,
they denounced him as a hypocrite and told him to keep the baby.  All the Master said was,
“Very well. Very well. ”

He picked the baby up and made arrangements with the woman next door to look after
it at his expense.

His name, of course, was ruined, and his disciples all abandoned him.

When this had gone on for a year, the girl could bear it no longer and confessed that
she had lied. The father was the boy next door.

The villagers bowed profoundly to the Master to beg his pardon and ask to take the
baby back. And all the Master said as he handed back the child was, “Very well. Very
well. ”

What is going on in your life?

What is going on in my life?

Very well.  Very well.

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

More on greed

THE SEVEN JARS OF GOLD

A barber was passing under a haunted tree when he heard a voice say, “Would you
like to have the seven jars of gold?”  He looked around and saw no one. But his greed
was aroused, so he shouted eagerly, “Yes, I certainly would.”  “Then go home at once,”
said the voice. “You will find them there.”

The barber ran all the way home. Sure enough, there were the seven jars — all full of
gold, except for one that was only half-full. Now the barber could not bear the thought of
having a half-filled jar. He felt a violent urge to fill it or he simply would not be happy.

So he had all the jewelry of his family melted into coins and thrown info the half-
filled jar. But the jar remained as half-filled as before. This was exasperating! He saved
and skimped and starved himself and his family. To no avail. No matter how much gold
he put into the jar it always stayed half-filled.

One day he got the King to double his salary. So the fight to fill the jar was on again.
He even took to begging. The jar devoured each piece of gold that was flung into it, but
stubbornly refused to fill.

The King now noticed how starved the barber looked. “What’s wrong with you?” he
asked. “You used to be so happy when your salary was smaller. Now it has been doubled
and you are worn out and dejected. Can it be that you have been given the seven jars of
gold?”

The barber was astonished. “Who told you this, Your Majesty?” he asked.
The King laughed. “But these are obviously the symptoms of the person to whom the
ghost has given the seven jars. He once offered them to me. But when I asked if the money
could be spent or was merely to be hoarded, he vanished without a word. That money
can ’t be spent. It only brings with it the compulsion to hoard. Go return it to the ghost
this minute and you will be a happy man again.”

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

A bad sign

This sign is in front of a church, just down the street from us in Florida.  I have posted complaints about this church sign in the past.  [see posts on Sept 14, 2017 and Sept 27, 2020]  The theology promoted on the sign is often bad.  This time, I have a complaint about the spelling.  Evidently the congregation, in addition to having poor, guilt laden theology, are also spelling challenged.  And the word "fathers" is misspelled on both sides of the sign.

Hope that gave you a laugh and that your Father's Day was happy!

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

Father's Day

 Today is Father's Day.  Not a big deal in terms of celebrations.  Not a big deal like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Mother's Day.  It falls behind St. Patrick's Day, Flag Day and Groundhog day.

But it is a happy day for me!!! It is a special day for me!!!  I am crying as I write this.  

I have, in this life, been privleged to be the Father to three wonderful children, Alli, Jenny and Scott.  Oh, I would have taken more, but Cathy said, no.  NO!  I said, come on, it we can make another piece of toast.  But no would be no and three was it.

But oh, how I love those three!!!  It makes me so happy to be a Dad!!!

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

- - - - - - - - - - -

I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Scars

Scars.  We all have them.

I have them on my knees from accidents and surgery.  I have a few more around my old carcass from surgeries.  I have them on my face from the removal of things that the dermatologist thought needed to go.  As we grow older, I think that we collect more scars.  Sometimes it feels like scars upon scars.

Stop.

Yes, I can acknowledge that line of thinking, but I don't want to let those thoughts dominate my world.  Yes there are wounds and scars, but there are also good and beautiful things in life.

Sure, a friend may have moved away. A loved one might have passed. Finances are tight. The news is worrisome.
But, we should remember...

I woke up today.
I can see
I can hear
I can walk
There are people that love me
I can still make friends
The sun has come up
There is still plenty of beautiful things in God's world, and that is what we need to focus on.

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

- - - - - - - - - - -

I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Death by papercuts

Death by papercuts.  It is a phrase used to describe the demise of a thing, a little bit at a time.  No major moment to pin it on, just one little hurt after another, until finally the pain is greater than the good.

Rob Bell used this phrase to describe how churches sometimes treat pastors.  Passive aggressive behavior, rude comments, failure to work with, can all take it's toll on a minister.

It is also true that churches can provide death by papercuts to members.  In an arena where an organization is nothing without it's constituents, the church is notorious for driving people away, one papercut at a time.

I know a lot of people who have given up on the church.  Most of them don't have one big story, just fifty little ones... 

• the church couldn't stop fighting about homosexuality
• changes were made without the congregation being included
• I'm expected to give but finances are a secret
• only the top leaders really knew what was going on
• the district treats us like we are cattle
• watching how some members treat the pastor
• denominations covering up abuse
• preaching love but delivering guilt
• promoting a completely ineffective person
• thinking that the pomp and circumstance and the vestments would cover the brokenness
• not admitting to any imperfections
• doing what was easy and convenient instead of what was good

On and on it goes.  Death by papercuts.  Most people don't leave the church for one reason, they leave for the cumulation of 50 little ones.

If you are a church leader, please reach for health.  Please think in terms of building relational consensus.  Everyone matters.

If you are a member, hang in there.  Until something else comes along, the church is all that we have.

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

- - - - - - - - - - -

I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

using power

We all have power.  How we choose to use it says everything about whether we are leaving warm fuzzies in our wake or cold pricklies.

I was reminded recently of an incident from a few years ago where a person in authority hurt a bunch of my friends.  It still smarts.

Sometimes, people in authority have to hurt others.  There is no easy way to release someone from employment, and I had to do this a number of times during my career.  But it can be done with kindness and as much grace as possible.

The attitude you give to the server is an extension of your power.  How you respond to rude drivers is an extension of your power.  Do you choose to welcome that person or guilt them?  It is an extension of your power.  Do you exalt yourself or invest in others?  It is an extension of power.

We all have power in all kinds of ways.  Please do not use your power to hurt people

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

- - - - - - - - - - -

I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure