Bobcat Attack???

I recently had a handyman job to repair a gutter downspout.  According to the homeowner, some months ago, a small animal, squirrel, rat or mouse ran into the downspout.  It was evidently running from a bobcat or some other large predator.

The bobcat bit, chewed and flattened the downspout about three feet up.

New gutter next to attacked gutter.

Note the puncture holes from the teeth.

Imagine how desperately hungry you would
have to be to gnaw on a metal downspout...

I have never seen anything like this.  It reminds me that God's world is a very cruel space.  Such attacks happen all the time as the created food chain does it's thing.

Seeing this also reminds me of our own fragility.  A bullet, a gator, a car wreck and who knows what else, could take any of us at any moment.

Savor this day that God has given you.  We never know what is around the corner.

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

Deep dark place

I was sharing a meal with a friend.  I made the mistake of asking them how a member of their family was doing.  This is what they said, and I write this with permission...

Pointing to their chest they said, "see this black hole?  Go ahead, crawl in.  Crawl down into the dark twisting, turning, slimy tunnel region of my heart.  See if you can find the place where this story goes.  Be careful not to get lost in the darkness and the pain.  Leave some breadcrumbs so you can find your way out.  And if you find any answers while you are in there, let me know, because I don't have any."

Wow.  Ouch!!!  The wounds that some people carry are hard to fathom.  I pray for this friend and their family.

I also remind you, them and myself, that there is a light at the end of every tunnel.

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

repetition

There is a value in repetition.

We learned our multiplication tables by repeating them over and over.  Most anything that we learn, we learn because we practice that thing until it becomes engrained in our being.

Love is the same.  I cannot apologize for speaking to you and to myself, over and over again about love.  We must repeat the lesson.  We must repeat and emphasize the point.  For the only way to get the principles of love to take root deep down in our hearts is to keep bringing them up to our minds over and over.

I believe that we default to selfishness until we finally learn to swing the pendulum the other way.  It can be done.  Keep loving.  Keep trying.  Keep practicing.  Keep challenging yourself.

Love is accomplished by practice.  Practice makes perfect.  Never feel bad because you are hearing about love again.  Never complain about another sermon on love.

When can we hear it enough?  When can we have enough love?

I love you.  Let's stay after it.

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

toilets and taxes

There are three ways that God keeps us humble.  Death, taxes and toilets.

In my life I have experienced some toilets that were pretty bad.  In Nicaragua, it was an outhouse.  In Russia, in some places, it was a hole in the floor.  In all such places, toilet paper is a luxury.

We Americans are so entitled.  We are used to such high standards.

In my construction work, I have had to get pretty close to some toilets.  Nasty, old, broken toilets that I had to replace or tile around.  Yeuch.

But someone has come to our rescue.  In order to make us even safer, someone invented the toilet seat cover that automatically advances to keep your bum safe from the last one.

I don't know that I have ever written about toilets.  But it is a pretty easy department to see how spoiled we are.  We should be thankful for running water.  We should be thankful for toilets.  But the whole process is humbling.

Death, taxes and toilets.  God's instruments in reminding us that we are not the end all, be all.

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

Bella-D

Bella Donna is 2 years and 3 months.  I got to see her a few weeks ago.  I visited her mom and dad in Chicago.

Grand kids are the best.  You can enjoy them, then go home.  You can watch them teach their parents lessons.  The mills of the Gods grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine.

One of my favorite experiences on this trip was to ask my daughter Alli, how she feels about her daughter Bella.  "OH HOW I LOVE HER."  That was the answer.  And then I told Alli, that is how we, your mom and dad have always felt about you.  The next time you feel down for any reason, just remember that there are two people that love you as much as you love your daughter!

Back to Bella.  She is now making sentences.  I want milk!  Where is Dad?  And so on.  It was a fabulous visit.  They are coming to see us in Florida in early December.  Can't wait!!!

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

Sunday, October 30

On Sunday, October 30, I woke up. That [waking up] should’ve been in and of itself, enough to cause me to have a happy attitude. But for some reason I was still a bit grouchy and a bit down ... a bit off.  I am not sure why as there was no reason for it.

I drove to church and walked from the car to the door where I was met by June. June gave me a bulletin and a smile and I smiled back and I walked into the sanctuary. There, I saw one happy person after the next. They were happy to be in church, they were happy to see their friends, and they were happy to see me. In that moment I realized something very important.

There are many reasons to go to church. Being with friends and good people is at the top of the list. At church I find some great souls. At church I find people that I am connected to.

The Psalmist wrote, "I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord."

It makes me happy to see the people at church. They’re good people - - - I love them and they love me. Church is a happy place for me. I hope it is for you too. Go to church and smile at someone. Shake a hand and make a friend. You’ll be glad you did.

Just talking about being in church, writing this blog about it, brings a good feeling to my heart and a smile to my face!!!

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

In our dreams

In our dreams, the lame walk. In our dreams, we can fly. In our dreams, all kinds of cool things can happen.

I had a dream that I was the pastor of a church.  It was time for the service to start.  I was walking up and down the aisle in the sanctuary shaking hands.  The demographic was about 50% African-American which I found surprising, but also cool. 

Somebody had given me a set of car keys for Dr. Mckowski.   I didn’t know who that was but I kept asking everyone if they were Dr. Mckowski, or if they knew who he was so I could give him the keys.

When it was time for the service to start, I stepped up on the platform to the podium and to the microphone.  I didn’t know what to do!!!   It had been so long that I just didn’t remember what to do.  But it was cool and I was happy. 

I hear stories of people with no legs dreaming that they’re running.  I still dream of being young.  Sometimes it’s fun what we can do in our dreams.

Sleep well tonight my friend!!!

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

selfishness

I expect to see selfish children. I do not expect to see selfish adults. I expect adults to somewhere, along the way, to have grown up.

But oh my!!! There are some folks who grow older, but never grow up. Selfishness is a terrible thing. Selfishness is an ugly thing.  Someone said that selfishness is not a word, it is a sentence.

To know that there is so much good that could be done, but it’s not on the table, because someone’s life is only about them. May we all rise above selfishness.

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

The world continues to frustrate me

Once again, the world has not aligned itself to make me happy.

I should’ve been in Kansas City at 3 PM instead I arrived at 9:30 PM.
I should’ve spent the afternoon and evening with my friends. But instead I sat on the tarmac in Chicago for three hours. And then in the Detroit airport for four hours. My flights were delayed and I missed my connection. It was that bad Airport day. I could have actually driven from Chicago to KC and back in less time. UGH!!!

I got to thinking about how things don’t always turn out the way we want them to. I got to thinking about life. Some of the things that I have hoped for have turned out. Some of my goals have been achieved. In a few things I guess I exceeded my goals in life. And in some things I fell short.

It’s been a journey and it’s been a ride. A person is never too old to keep trying to improve, we should always keep trying to achieve. We can’t get down when we’re stuck on the tarmac of life. Eventually we will make that connection and eventually we will get to hang out with our friends and loved ones.

And life is good Even with all the missed connections, life is good.

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

The first

My new friend Laura shared this:

In this case, I think that being the first is best.  We often wait for someone else to apologize.  We wait for some day in the future to forgive.  Because of those choices, we can never forget.

In these categories, let's be first.  First to apologize, first to forgive, first to love.  Then we can move on.

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

Hurricane Nicole

Early yesterday morning, Hurricane Nicole made landfall in Vero Beach.  That is our home town.  Hurricane force winds of 75 mph sound like a lot, but the strong hurricanes have much higher wind speeds.

I was not able to get home because the airports were closed down, but my wife and son reported that the storm is passed and we have no damage.

Power went out at 2am but returned at 4am.

As much as we can worry about our homes and property, it is always healthy to remember that houses can be replaced.  People matter.

Everyone is safe.  We will clean up the branches.

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

I was a stranger

A woman from out of state passed away.  Her family heard of the Woods Chapel columbarium.  They asked if she could be interred there as it was near their home.  They thought it was a beautiful place to come and remember their mother.  I could not agree more.

Up to this point, over the past seven years, only members were placing ashes in the columbarium.  But would we make room for a stranger?  Yes of course!

I was filled with joy, not that the woman passed, but that WCC was making room for a stranger.  She will henceforth, never be a stranger.  And that is one of the purposes of church, to invite those who are afar off, into the family.

I was a stranger and you welcomed me.  That is a pretty heavy, pretty true, pretty needful, Jesus thing.

Welcome every stranger that you can.  In so doing, you will entertain angels unaware.

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

I was offended

Something happened.  I was offended.  We get offended too easily.

Too often, we take offense at something because it hurts us.  Maybe the hurt that I just received reminds me of an old hurt that has never healed.

There are still wounds inside from the past that cause me to be offended, still today.

What if we got healed?  What would happen if we began to see ourselves as strong and whole instead of broken and hurt.  What if I did not let todays hurts actually wound me?

I am strong.  You are strong.  I am ok.  You are ok.  This wound does not hurt.  You don't diminish Niagara Falls by spitting into it.  You are big!  The wound is small!!!  Let it go.

Don't let yesterdays wounds and insults carry into today.  You are good.  You are Niagara Falls.  Don't let the little things hurt you.

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

How a relationship with God changes over the years

For some reason I had a brief vision the other day. I remembered myself being 17 years old. I was in a church service standing during worship time raising my hands and singing praise songs. I remembered how that felt and I thought about that for a few moments.

I thought about how naïve I was. I thought about how unprepared I was for the future. I thought about how my relationship with God back then was all about how that made me feel.  Back then, I was about being right. I was about convincing others to think the way that I did.

And then life beats you up. Although I hated the beat downs along the way, they all play a role in teaching us how the world really works.

The real world is not about singing and feeling.  The real world is about loving God and loving others.  It is not pie in the sky but boots on the ground.

I used to think that if you trusted God, everything would work out as you wanted. No pain, no cancer, no difficulty. I had no concept of the pains of adult life or of the transitioning into adult life. As my children like to say "Adulting is not any fun." I had no concept of marriage and divorce. I had no concept of trying to cover bills. I had no concept of keeping cars running, insurance costs rising, family troubles and the like.

Back then, I had no concept of loneliness or struggle and no concept of doubts and how our relationship with God changes over time. 

In my opinion, my relationship with God has changed for the better. I have learned to allow myself to have doubts and to work through that. Today I don’t stand in contemporary worship and raise my hands and praise the Lord. Today I sit in traditional worship and I say "thank you." That’s my prayer every day "thank you Lord!"

Today, I see church, no longer as something that I do on Sunday morning but as an every day part of my life. Everyday, every where that I wake up, I say thank you God. And for me, that prayer is enough.

Thank you is a real prayer. It is a prayer of submission. It is a prayer that sustains me no matter what is going on.

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

And so it is a beautiful dya in God's world, be sure to see the good.

a warm welcome

I recently went back to a store that I had worked on with the construction company.  I had been on site for 5 days in June.

I didn't know if they would remember me.  Wow.  I was wrong.  When I walked in the door, the first employee to see me shouted, "JEFF!!!"

It made me feel like a million dollars.  We had a nice visit.  I asked them how things were going, we had a nice talk, and I went on my way.

- - - 

Let's talk about our response when we see a person:

Your long lost good friend walks in the door.  You respond with joy.  Yea Roger!!!  Your face gets a smile.  Your heart gets a smile.

There is a knock at the door.  You get up and go to the door.  It is a neighbor with mail.  You thank them and accept the mail.

There is a knock at the door.  You get up and go to the door.  It is a stranger.  You are suspicious.  What do they want?  You ask, how can I help you.

You run into someone who hurt you in the past.  You keep your head down and keep moving.  You say nothing.  The scab is picked... anger and bitterness seeps up to the top.

You walk into an establishment to place and order or pay for something.  The person on the other side of the counter is unknown to you.  You are ambivalent to them.  You conduct your business and go on.

- - -

What if we did something completely different?  What if we treated every one, in every encounter, as if they were worth a million dollars???  Yea Jeff!  Yea Joanne!  Yea Ginger!  Yea Kathy!  Yea you!!!

We have a chance in every encounter to make people feel valuable.  We know how it makes us feel when people are glad to see us, so  let's reciprocate.  Lets show them some kindness.  Let's treat them as if they are our new old best friend.

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

Air boat ride

 So I have lived in Florida for six years.  A few weeks ago, we finally went on an air boat ride.

I have to tell you, it was fantastic.  The ride part of it was great.  The speed of the boat, the air on your face, all were delightful.

We also saw some up close Florida critters.  Turtles, gators, and various types of birds.

long neck crane

ospreys-  sea eagles

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

Work

When I am not travelling with my favorite construction company, I work around the house or do handyman work for others.  Over the years I have built quite a network of handyman clients.

They all expect that you do the work well, but there are other attributes that the customers really appreciate.

1. return their calls/texts promptly
2. charge a fair price
3. actually show up when you tell them that you are.

It surprised me that people were having trouble getting handyman types to return calls or show up.  Being raised by Lutherans, I did not know that there was any other way.

People ask what kind of work I do.  In the past two weeks, I have been swamped with handyman work.  Here is some of what I have done.  Hang a bird house.  Remove, clean and reinstall ceiling vents.  Change bad lightbulbs.  Move furniture.  Install kitchen cabinet racks.  Replace parts on a gas grill.  Put new LED fixtures into ceiling can lights.  Hang pictures and misc.  Fix shower door.  Repair/replace rotten fence boards.  Install closet door.  Install window air conditioners.  New door knobs, new t.p. holders.  On and on the list must go.

Here are some pictures from the fence job...  

Old rotten fence stringer, buried in dirt and grass.

Old board revealed... getting ready to come out.

New board installed!!!

On one section, I had to crawl back behind some nasty fan palms to reattach fence boards.  I crawled over this big snake skin.  Later, I saw the live owner.  Snakes freak me out!!!

Replaced old rotten post.  Note the square hold in the concrete where the old post was.

I love to work.  It makes me happy.  It gives me a sense of fulfillment!!!

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

From a transaction to a human

A person listed some tools on Facebook marketplace.  I thought that I could buy the lot, keep the ones that I wanted and sell the rest, still breaking even.  

We communicated electronically.  We agreed to meet, at his house.  It will be dark when I get there.  I ask him if he would prefer to meet at a grocery store.  He replied, "No worries, I am armed, I am safe."  I replied, "I am a retired pastor, I am safe."

If you feel the nervousness of these encounters they are common.  If I am selling something, who will come to my door?  If I am buying something, who is on the other end of the transaction?  

A nervous moment.  I drove 40 miles.  I found his street.  It was dark with very few street lights.  I had trouble finding the address.  I texted him.  Then a garage door opened, and a man in his late 40's was there in the light, beckoning me in.

I left the car lights on and the car running.  I walked up and introduced myself.  I am Jeff.  He said, I am George.

He showed me some other things that he wanted me to just take.  He said that he needed to get rid of the stuff because he was selling the house.  Couldn't afford to keep it.  I looked at him with a quizzical look.  He said, "my wife just died."

Boom.  

Boom.  A dark night, a long drive, a transaction between strangers was transformed.  Now, it is soul on soul.

I told him that I was so sorry.  I looked him in the eye.  I asked him her name.  Deborah was the answer.

We finished our transaction.  I walked to the car.  He followed me.  He said, "Jeff, can I ask a favor?  Please pray for me."

What started as a late night transaction between strangers turned into an encounter between souls.  Please pray for George.

And remember.  There’s an old saying "a stranger is just a friend that you haven’t met."  I would add to that and say, a stranger is a soul waiting to open itself to you.

It is not a stranger.  It is a person.  A soul.

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

til you can't

I heard a country song the other day. The title was, "til you can't."  The singer is Cody Johnson.

Don't waste your life. Don't waste your days. Don't miss the really good stuff. One day it will be gone. Jump in and do it, while you still can.  Here are the lyrics.

You can tell your old man you'll do some largemouth fishing another time
You just got too much on your plate to bait and cast a line
You can always put a rain check in his hand - till you can't
You can keep putting off forever with that girl who's heart you hold
Swearing that you'll ask some day further down the road
You can always put a diamond on her hand - till you can't

If you got a chance, take it, take it while you got a chance
If you got a dream, chase it, 'cause a dream won't chase you back
If you're gonna love somebody, hold 'em as long and as strong and as close as you can
Till you can't

There's a box of greasy parts sitting in the trunk of that '65
Still waiting on you and your grandad to bring it back to life
You can always get around to fixing up that Pontiac - till you can't

If you got a chance, take it, take it while you got a chance
If you got a dream, chase it, 'cause a dream won't chase you back
If you're gonna love somebody, hold 'em as long and as strong and as close as you can
Till you can't

So take that phone call from your momma and just talk away
'Cause you'll never know how bad you wanna till you can't someday
Don't wait on tomorrow 'cause tomorrow may not show
Say your sorries, your I-love-yous, 'cause man you never know

If you got a chance, take it, take it while you got a chance
If you got a dream, chase it, 'cause a dream won't chase you back
If you're gonna love somebody, hold 'em as long and as strong and as close as you can
Till you can't

click here to listen to the song on youtube

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

On old dog

Why do they give you a key if
it is a push button start? 
 Oh, to open the door. 
Well, why not a push button
to open the door?

Old habits die hard.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Old habits die hard. I keep wanting to put this key in the ignition to start this truck. It’s a rental. My wife has a pushbutton start without a key just the key fob. One time, I walked away with the keys thinking I shut it off and left the car running while we were at dinner. 

Sometimes when I’m paying with a credit card I want to hand them the credit card so they can put it in the machine and run the press back-and-forth across the carbonized papers. 

I’m a child of yesterday.  In some respects, the world is passing me by.  But in other respects, I am more alive than I have ever been.  I am happier than I have ever been.  I am older, but I am living my best life for sure.

They can keep their push button starts.  I am doing great!

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

All Saints

Today, November 1st is All Saints Day. It is traditionally a day when Christians remember those loved ones who have gone before us.

On the night before, All hallows eve [Halloween] [yesterday] worshippers would have a party and remember the dead.  On November 1st, there were special church services.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Halloween

My opinion...

Halloween is fun.  Cute kids.  Scarry costumes.  A pot of chilli.  Scary movies.  Halloween is fun.

Not my opinion, this is the truth...

My mother, who was a religious zealot, was strict about everything else, but loved Halloween.

More truth...

Halloween is not the devil's day.  The devil does not get a day.  He is a subordinate creature, created by God as an angel.  He is not all knowing, not all present, and not all powerful.  We have made a creature, created as an angel, into the opposite of God.  

My opinion... this is silliness on our part.  We love dichotomy.  We love dualism.  So we love the for and against, the either or, the good and bad, the in and out.  And so we created a mental system where the angel is on one shoulder and the devil is on the other.

The devil is not the opposite of God.  The devil does not have and does not get a day.

Halloween is fun!  It should be fun!  Relax!  Enjoy!  Celebrate those who have gone on before us.

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

If I make you mad

From time to time, what I write is evidently upsetting to some folks.

• Maybe I was too hard on the church.
• Maybe I shared what someone else wrote.
• Maybe I offered too much grace.
• Maybe I thought we should help the homeless.
• Maybe I thought that we should be more generous.

And someone sends me a note to complain.  And that makes me happy.  Because, I want to make people think.  I want to help us look past the self and see the bigger picture.  I want to help us to move away from being manipulated and to learn to live lives of joy.

If what I write is upsetting to you, then maybe something good is happening.  It is good, really good to question our ways of thinking.  We should never be threatened by new thoughts.  Without new thoughts, we do not grow, we do not change, and we remain stuck in old systems.

Consider what I write.  Consider what everyone says, especially those who are on the other side of a discussion.  I am glad to hear from you anytime.

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

$13.02

Family dollar. 

I was on the way to church on October 16th and I stopped at family dollar. I stopped because I was early for church and I had time to run one of my lists of many errands. 

I stopped to get chocolate for the server at my favorite restaurant. And I stopped to get greeting cards, thank you cards for four pastors. 

This is pastor appreciation month. 

When I got in line to pay, the guy in front of me couldn’t get his Apple Pay to work. So he had $13 worth of stuff and no way to pay for it. He and the cashier spent about 10 minutes messing around with this Apple Pay.  I finally offered to pay for it.  I don’t know if it was because I was getting aggravated for waiting or if I actually had a generous moment. 

But I would like to say again that giving up $13.02 did not kill me. Generous moments are always better than stingy ones. 

What would happen if we all carried $13.02 in our pocket, every day, for such situations?  And when you spend it to help someone, replenish it?  What would happen?  

Join the $13.02 club.  Who can you be a blessing to today?

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

Lucy the St. Bernard

My sister Amy has a 9 year old St. Bernard named Lucy.  For a number of common reasons, Lucy has gone mostly blind.

I was thinking about Lucy and how your world changes when you lose your eye sight.  For a dog, they still need to go on walks, but they must rely on the leash and the voice of their master.

Oh how comforting must be the voice of the master.  Especially when, particularly when, one cannot see.  I know that Lucy takes great comfort from Amy's reassuring voice.

I thought of the scripture passage in John 10, "my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me."

How comforting to know that in a world where we cannot always see what is happening, there is a comforting voice.  In a world that includes war and economic concerns, the voice of the Master is still there.

Stop.  Listen for his voice of peace.

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

Selfishness

Recently posted in the neighborhood app, "I have branches on my sidewalk, when is the county ever going to pick them up?"

Wow!

This in an area that was devastated by a hurricane!  Some people don't have a house and you are worried about a few branches on your sidewalk?

Self-centeredness is a terrible thing.  We are born self centered, but we do not have to stay that way.  

Start asking yourself... What is going on with others?  What kind of a day is that person having?  How can I help others?

I can promise you, when we focus on our own problems, they seem bigger.  When we focus on caring for others, our own problems seem smaller.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the serious wounds in other's lives, not the palm fronds on your sidewalk.

Pastor Appreciation Month

Pastor Appreciation month is October.  It is almost over.  If you have not done so, I would invite you to write a note to your pastor or tell him/her that you love them.

Granted it is an obscure holiday.  It was probably created by Hallmark to make money, like Cinco de Mayo.  Last week in church I brought a card for Pastor Tim 3 and asked where the box was for cards.  No one knew what I was talking about.

The life of a pastor has some very rewarding moments, and some very difficult ones.  I miss the rewarding ones, and do not miss the difficult ones at all.

Yet there is good news for me, and for you.  All of you, pastors or not, can still provide the rewarding parts, which include loving people.  We can do this every day, even if we are retired.  

Even if you don't read this until November, please tell your pastor, "hey I missed pastor appreciation month, but I love you and I am thankful for you."  It will mean a lot to them.

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

which mountain

On either side of the valley, there is a mountain.  On Mt. Sinai, Moses received the law.  [We all know about the law and living a life of rules.]  But that is not the end of the story.  On Mt. Zion, we are invited into God's family.  On Mt. Zion, God taught us about love, grace and welcome.

On one side of the valley is the mountain of our youth.  Certainty.  Right and wrong.  Doctrine.  In and out.  Good and bad.  Tribalism.  Security.

At some point in our lives, we begin to have serious questions about the mountain that we live on.  As soon as we start asking questions, we are either shamed into repentance, we are shunned, or we begin the process of the descent into the valley of uncertainty.

In the valley of uncertainty we find discomfort.  We find a fear that maybe we should run back to the mountain of our youth.  We wonder what is on the other side.  In the valley of uncertainty, we plod on, looking for something better than the place that we left.

Finally on the other side of the valley, we emerge and journey up a new mountain.  It is a simple mountain.  On this mountain, the air is clear, the sky is blue and there is no guilt and fear.  On this mountain we find, experience and learn to give, God's grace and love.

A week or so ago, I received a note from a dear friend describing their journey and their struggle in the valley. I wrote this back to them:

I encourage you to continue on the journey away from doctrine, away from rules, away from who is right and who is wrong. I encourage you to enter the valley of uncertainty and make your way to the other side where awaits a world that is dominated by grace.

May we all continue the journey away from dogmatism, away from guilt and shame and towards the light of God's love and grace.

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

What we see and what God sees

In response to a recent post, my friend Joyce wrote in about a study that the UMW had some years ago entitled, "Walls that Divide Us" where the abiding quote was, "when God looks down from heaven, the walls of our churches that divide us are so infinitesimal."

What we see and what we hold dear is likely very different than what God holds dear.

While we are all tied up in our Nationality, God just sees people. We are for the Missouri Tigers or the Alabama Crimson Tide or the Florida Gators. Does God even notice when we steps across the supposed "state line?"

We have our Methodist box. We have our denominational doctrines. We have our walls.

God sees people.

That is all.

God sees people in need of love and care. Maybe we should get back to the basics of the work of the Samaritan and forget about our tribes and our tribal doctrine.

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

drink the koolaid

"Drink the Kool-Aid," or "drinking the Kool-Aid" is a phrase made famous by the People's Temple incident of 1978 in which over 900 followers of Rev. Jim Jones committed suicide by drinking Kool-Aid laced with cyanide.

Kool-aid was/is that sweet, tasty drink from our youth that was so satisfying.  But when poisoned, it can be deadly.

Sometimes the rank and file believe what is coming down to them from the top without question.  Sometimes this is safe, and sometimes this is the right thing to do. Some leaders can be trusted.  But in many cases, what we get from the top is fraught with self interest, so much so that the information cannot be trusted.  [hint:  if information is not disclosed, or if you are not allowed to question, then beware.]

In such cases, to blindly believe what we have been taught is tantamount to "drinking the Kool-Aid."  In Christianity, there is a lot of Kool-Aid to drink.  Lots of doctrine, and lots of ideas that have been pushed onto us from the top down.

Don't drink the Kool-Aid.  When something feels fishy to you, always return to the words and teachings of Jesus.

Just because you have been taught something your entire life does not make it true.  Look in the mirror.  Is there a purple stain on your mouth?  Is there one on mine?

Never be afraid to question what you believe.  God is not threatened by our questions.  He welcomes our thoughts and questions.  A relationship with him is a place of peace, not a place of fear.

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

Love your neighbor

There is a fad program of late called "Love your neighbor."  A day is selected, a Saturday.  Programs are visited by members who show support, love and care in various ways.  An elementary school, a homeless shelter, the local firehouse might all be recipients.

It is a good idea and it is, they are good programs.

But, they should be seeds of a lifestyle, not, never a one and done.  If they serve to teach people that this one Saturday should turn into a lifestyle, then great.  If they serve as a day that can help the self centered Christian feel like they are loving, then it is time for more education.

We don't "interrupt our lives" to love our neighbors.  Loving our neighbors is meant to be inert.  It is meant to be daily, hourly, moment by moment.  Not one Saturday per year, but every Saturday, every week, every day.

Love your neighbor.

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

how to do it

But how do I love?  Ok, I get it, I should be more loving.  But how to do it?

I take my neighbors flowers.  [I take flowers to my neighbors.]  I cook brownies for my sick friend.  I serve a meal at the Ronald McDonald house.  But somehow, I feel that something is lacking.  What can I do?  How can I show love?  How do I know that I am truly being a person of love???

I think loving your neighbor begins with seeing your neighbor.  Whatever we see we value.  Whatever we focus on, we value.  If we’re not seeing, if we’re not paying attention to a thing, we’re not caring.  That’s how we lose our keys, that’s how we lose our relationships  that’s how we lose our way. 

What are you paying attention to?  Do you want to be a person of love?  See people.  See the cashier at Lowes.  See the man at the car wash.  See the person wanting to get into the lane of traffic.  Don't get lost in your stuff.  Always have time for people.  Always see people.  

That is what Jesus did.  And, if we follow him, we will see people too.  See them.  Love them.

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

it's not a hobby

More from my friend Brian Swanson's sermon...

"Love is not a hobby for the Christian."  I would expand... it is not that we are Christians who choose to love.  It is not an add on.  Love is not an extra.  Love is not a hobby for the Christian.  If there is no love, there is no Christian.

A person can wear the clothes.  They can put a cross around their neck.  They can talk about following the Bible.  But if there is no love, there is no Christianity.  He that loveth not, knoweth not God.  1 John 4.

It is not a hobby.  It is central.  It is key.  It is the mark, the sign of a Christ follower.

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

they have a life too

Someone was crappy to you?  You got the raw end of the deal?  Maybe the other person was having a bad day.  Maybe their mom died.  Who knows.

But they are supposed to serve me!!!  Yes, but people in the service industry are humans and they have a life too.

Just recently I was working at a CVS and the pharmacist on duty had a family emergency.  She had to leave, and so the pharmacy had to close.  Right in the middle of the afternoon!!!  CVS put up signs to explain the situation.  It did not matter.  People were furious!  How dare that person have an emergency!!!

Now, agreed, a pharmacy is a very important thing for us to have, but people are people, and people needs our grace and care.  The world is not always going to align itself to suit me.

wanted a pharmacist, instead, facing disappointment.

Sometimes we don't get what we want.

Everyone has a life.  Everyone has issues.  Everyone needs grace.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

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

the life

As I was writing yesteday's post, I thought about the word "life."  I thought about how many churches and Christians provide a life for people that is full of negative things.

Fear
Guilt
Exclusion
Negativity
Dualistic thinking.
Fear [repeated on purpose, for reason]
Guilt [same as above]

When we find the life of Jesus, all of these go away.  When we find the life of Jesus, we find joy and peace.  We are no longer dominated by guilt and fear, because God is love.

Are you living?  Are you living the denominational life of guilt and exclusion or are you living a life of love?  When we set aside the negativity, that is when we find the freedom and the joy.  That is what Jesus meant about life.  That is the abundant life.

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

The Way, the Truth and the Life

Oh how we love to make things about us.  Our brains are "me" centered, and our churches are usually wired for self preservation.  That means that we have created doctrines and systems that support "our way" as if it were the "only" way.

Let's look at the phrase, "the way, the truth and the life" found in John 14:6.  The way that denominations use it makes it feel like this...

In the Baptist church, it sounds like, "I am Jesus, and I am the Baptist way, the Baptist truth and the Baptist life."  In the Catholic church it sounds like, "I am Jesus, the Catholic way, truth and life."  There are denominational Jesus' of every type.  There is a Mormon Jesus.  There is probably a Methodist Jesus.  These are all created to support our denominational, our tribe's way of looking at theology and the world.

Jesus will not be defined or contained by any of them.  He is bigger than our definitions of him.  He is larger than our formulas.

What if, when he says, "I am the way, the truth and the life" he means this...  

Before the world was formed, I am.  Before Pastors insisted that you believe it their way, I am.  Before the religions organized, I was.

Therefore, where ever you go in this world, you will find me.  I am the way.  If you find something that feels like the way, that is me.  I am the truth.  If you find truth, regardless of the label that man has put on it, that is me.  And if you find freedom and life, regardless of the parameters, that is me.

I am Jesus.  The Way, the Truth and the Life.  I am the Cosmic Christ from the beginning.  I will not be bound by denominational definitions.  I am not contained by man's doctrine.  

Find me.  I am out there.  I am out there in all kinds of places that might surprise you.  I am Jesus.  I am everywhere.  

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

The roll of quarters

I was out of town for two weeks of work.  During the first week I got to thinking about laundry.  At the hotel I wondered if they had laundry facilities.  I was down at the desk and I asked if the woman behind the desk could break a $10.  She thought I needed coins for laundry so she gave me a roll of quarters. I took them and went on my way.

I didn’t do my laundry that week but by the second week I definitely had to do laundry - "PU!!!"   

I started looking for laundromats and the one that I found in Logansport, Indiana had a sign on the door that says that they will do it for you.  So since I didn’t have the time to wait, I just dropped it off.

I came back to pick it up after work the next day. When I was getting out of the truck to go in to get the clothes, I saw the roll of quarters. My brain said, Jeff, you can give that away to the people inside.  People in laundromats need quarters.

Then I thought, how do you know who really needs it?   I thought also that the $10 will buy my dinner. I thought "yeah I can give it to the people at McDonald’s to pay for my big Mac and fries." 

But I thought more about giving it away... and then I thought that if I spent that roll of quarters on my self at this point I would feel like a heel no matter what I was buying. So I took it into the laundromat, I paid the bill and asked the lady if they ever gave quarters to people in need.  she said yes, "every day I do it out of my own pocket."

So I gave her the roll of quarters and asked her to give it to someone in need and I’m sure that she will. The more we learn to give the better life goes.

I found it interesting that once I thought about giving that roll of quarters away, I knew that I could not spend it on myself.  It was almost like it wasn't mine anymore.

Lord please make us all more generous.  Especially in these times, it is needed now, more than ever.

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

As Yourself

My friend DH reminded me the other day that Love your neighbor as yourself is often spoken without the "as yourself."  Point being, we should also love ourselves.  We should be good to ourselves.  We should go easy on ourselves and offer ourselves grace.

Odd how life works, later that same day, I received this poem from my friend Bruce. I loved it!!!

The Most Important Thing by
Julia Fehrenbacher

I am making a home inside myself. A shelter
of kindness where everything
is forgiven, everything allowed—a quiet patch
of sunlight to stretch out without hurry,
where all that has been banished
and buried is welcomed, spoken, listened to—released.

A fiercely friendly place I can claim as my very own.

I am throwing arms open
to the whole of myself—especially the fearful,
fault-finding, falling apart, unfinished parts, knowing
every seed and weed, every drop
of rain, has made the soil richer.

I will light a candle, pour a hot cup of tea, gather
around the warmth of my own blazing fire. I will howl
if I want to, knowing this flame can burn through
any perceived problem, any prescribed perfectionism,
any lying limitation, every heavy thing.

I am making a home inside myself
where grace blooms in grand and glorious
abundance, a shelter of kindness that grows
all the truest things.

I whisper hallelujah to the friendly
sky. Watch now as I burst into blossom.

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

Pet Peeve

I have a pet peeve.  

But, before I get there, let me give a shout out to my friend whose pet peeve is people who take more than 10 items into the ten items or less line at the grocery store.  In deference to the well being of my friend, please do not enter the 10 items or less line if you have more than ten items.  Seriously.

Now on to my pet peeve.  When we cross a street, we cross directly across.  We don't want to be in the street any longer than possible.  But in a parking lot, it is a different story.  We will walk at a 45 degree angle towards our car, even if we are blocking traffic.  I have seen people walk in the middle of the drive lane towards their car, with no mind what so ever to the poor shoppers that are trying to park.

People.  When you are going to your car, walk directly across the drive lane, then make a turn toward the aisle that your car is in.  Think of the people who are driving.  Don't make them run you over.

Be safe.  Walk strait.

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

Love

I listened to a sermon the other day by a Pastor friend, Brian Swanson.  The topic was "Love your Neighbor."  One of my favorite topics!!!

Brian put it very well:

1. We are created in God's image.
2. God is love.
3. Therefore, we should look like and act like people of love.

It doesn't get any more clear than that.  If Christ followers are to be Christ like or God like, then we need to be people of love.

God is love.  We are created in his image.  Love.  Show it.  Be it.

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

California Trip, Day 4

This was our last day in wine country!

We had a lovely trip.

Armstrong Redwoods State Park

Daughter Jenny and I at the redwood park.

La Crema

Simi Winery Redwood Picnic area

View from Francis Ford Coppola Winery

As I type this blog, we are on the way home, and I am very tired.  But it is always a blessing to see beautiful places.  May we always be thankful for the opportunities that we have.

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