Simple vs complex

Jesus was pretty simple.  Love God, love others.  He welcomed folks.  People loved him.  We love to think about his welcome, and we love to think of what he was like.

. . .

And then there is the church: The church has piled on layers of oughts and shoulds.  You better do this, you should do that.  Do this, do that.  Support us or you are bad.  Read your bible more.  Feel guilty.  Give more money.  If you don't then you are a bad person...

We are the right group... they are the bad group.  Believe like us.  Do it like us.  Wear a cross.  Dress up for Sunday.  Don't miss church.  Why aren't your kids in youth group?  Follow the rules... on it goes...  

It is crazy what the church has done with the message of Jesus.

The good news is, we can still be a part of our local church and choose to focus on the good, simple, clear message of Jesus.  All we have to do is to share his love.  Nothing more.

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

A lost cause

Sometimes we feel like a thing is a lost cause.  Sometimes we feel like a person is a lost cause.  Maybe sometimes, if we were honest with ourselves, we might wonder if we ourselves are a lost cause.

I am so glad that in God's world, there is nothing broken beyond repair.  And so I was in San Jose working on my sister's shed.  The floor was gone.  Was it even worth saving?

Floor sections from the shed.  Rotten wood, 
termite tracks.  Literally rats nests... I met one
live rat... gross, gross, gross.

The old floor removed.  The gross stuff removed.
Working on the new frame.

New frame complete.  Concrete around
the perimeter to discourage rat population.

New flooring down.

Looks like a new place.  Floor finished. 
Extra plywood in the center walkway.  

And so, I do believe in resurrection.  If there is someone or something in your life that you think may be past saving... it may be.  But it may not be.  Sometimes, with a little work, things can come back from the dead.

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

My sister has flowers

I went to visit my sister Amy in San Jose, California.  I went there to work on her shed floor and to see her.  

I noticed her beautiful flowers!!!

me and sister Amy out for pizza!!!

rescued flowers

beautiful roses

not sure what kind of cactus this is but I loved
it.  She said that it was three little buds when she got
it.  Amazing what a little care will do to a thing in life.

The great story about these flowers is that they were all collected from a neighbor who neglected them and then gave them to Amy when they moved away.  My sister cared for them, fertilized them and voila!!!

A little time, a little care, and God makes all things beautiful!

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

Heal the world

Was it Michael Jackson that sang, "Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me, and the entire human race."

One of the things that I love about my handyman work is that I get to fix things.  I get to make things better.  I get to heal broken things.  At then end of a job I have the satisfaction that I made something whole.  

I also work hard to be gracious to the client while I am working.  Not just because I want to be asked back, but because we all need love and we all need to be healed.

We can heal people.  We can make the world a better place, one day, one act at a time.

Case in point... a recent cabinet end replacement.  The cabinet end had soaked up a bunch of water and delaminated.  I scraped off all of the loose debris, cut and fitted a new end cap, and painted it.

visible water damage to end cap.

New board cut and installed.

Painted.  Needs another coat, but you 
see where this is going.

Making the world beautiful.  One day, one item, one thing, one person at a time.  Everyone needs a little healing.  We can help.

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

heavenly dreams

I had another dream last night.  Another dream of heaven.  Not of heaven as I learned it as a child, but heaven as this reality beyond the five senses.

I am having these dreams that feel like this... being loved completely, feeling included, joy, happiness, completeness.  I see old friends... I see old "enemies."  And they are all good.  We are all good.

Here is another strange aspect to this... I have these dreams sometimes while I am awake.  I can feel this place, this next place, this next phase of life... it is here, already.  Right here with me and around me.

It is like one day, I may just slip on over.

I am happy as I write this.  These are such beautiful thoughts and feelings.

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

cruise

Recently I went on a short Royal Caribbean cruise.  I love cruising.  If you want to go sometime, let me know.

I took this picture of the Disney Wish from our
Royal Caribbean ship.

You meet lovely people on cruises.

Animals like this armadillo invade your room.

Neat little old tug boat.

The islands are amazing!!!

A bear attacked one afternoon.

I add this to the long list of things that I should be thankful for.  The ability to go see cool things.  The wonder of travel. 

For many many reasons, we are very fortunate people.  What do you have to be thankful for?

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

Elevator etiquette

When it comes to elevators, some people have not been trained in proper etiquette.  

When waiting for an elevator, one should stand to the side to give room for those who will be exiting the elevator.  The elevator should not be entered until everyone on it that wishes to leave has done so.

When waiting for, and boarding an elevator, pay attention to the line... do not cut in front of others who were there before you.

When you board the elevator, move to the back so that others can board as well.  If you find yourself on a crowded elevator and you are by the door, step off when the door opens so that others can get off easily, then step back on.

Never talk on your cell phone on an elevator.

I am sure that there are many more ideas for elevator etiquette.

So recently I was waiting for an elevator.  Me and a young man of about 20 years.  I watched how he followed all of the rules for correct behavior.  When we got onto the elevator, I told him "thank you for observing elevator etiquette."

He said, "well sir, I was raised right."

I loved that.  I wish that more parents took the time to train their children in matters of respect.  I wish that more people would work to be more considerate of others.

I can start the process with me, and you can start that process with you.

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

Oh, to be clean

So when I was working out of town, I would get pretty dirty on the job site.  I had the benefit each day of taking a shower back at the hotel.  I so appreciated the washing off of the dusty dirt and the sun screen and the dirt caked on in the sun screen.

I got to thinking about the new ministry at church that provides showers and more to the marginalized.

Every Saturday, volunteers from the church set up the shower trailer and a tent with all sort of personal needs items.

Volunteers help a person collect needed personal items.

Interesting development.  Others in the community have heard of this
ministry and are coming out to volunteer.  Here a hair stylist, not 
affiliated with the church [yet] gives a free haircut.

So, I expect a shower when I am dirty.  I expect a shower when I want one.  It is never a doubt that I can have a shower if I want one.

Ohhh, but if you live on the streets, a shower and a haircut are a blessing.  A miracle!!!  The joy that is on the faces of these folks when they come out of the shower, in clean clothes, it is unexplainable.  It brings tears to the eyes of we who take such things for granted.

Gratitude alert... we should all be thankful for showers.  For running water.  For towels.  For soap.

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

Another hotel story

A man is walking along the beach.  A monkey sits atop a coconut palm.  As the man passes, the monkey throws a coconut, hitting the man in the head.  The man picks up the coconut, cracks it open and drinks the milk.  Mmm it tasted good!

This is a story about about how we respond when difficulty or "perceived difficulty" comes our way.

And so I was getting ready for work.  I always fill my thermos with ice for the day.  Evidently I left it in the truck last night.  So I grab my keys to the truck and my room keys.  I go out of the hotel, get into the truck and grab the thermos.  When I return to the hotel door, my key will not open the door.  What should be blinking green is blinking red.  And a coconut has hit me in the head.

I have a choice to make.  Anger?  Frustration?  Or?  I decide to take a morning walk.  I walk back up the sidewalk, up the hill and around the building to the front of the hotel.  I go inside to the front desk.  There is no one on duty.  I wait.  Then I call out.  I call out again.  Another coconut is hitting me in the head.  I want to be upset, but I choose not to be.

Finally Alice shows up and remakes my keys.  Do you remember Alice?  Remember, she is a person, right?  And even if it was my first day in the hotel instead of day 24, she is still a person.

Every day we are hit in the head with coconuts.  Things don't go our way.  We can choose to be angry or to see the good.  Crack open the coconut, drink the milk.  See the good.

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

Laundry

So I was on the road for 3 weeks.  Even this guy has to do laundry at some point during a three week tour.   So, I went to the front desk to see if they had soap.  I told the gal at the desk that I wanted to do a load of wash. A load, one load.

She handed me all of this [not the jelly] and said, no charge. I told her that I could pay. She said no you’ve been very good to us.

So after I rounded up quarters, I did my laundry.  Oh what a blessing to have clean clothes!!!

I find it interesting that we tend to get back from people what we deliver to them.  If I deliver anger or hatefulness or selfishness... then no one will want to help me.  But if you are kind, it seems that kindness comes back.

The hard part is to continue to be kind to someone, even when they are nasty.  Let's keep working on that one.  If we can't love our neighbor whom we have seen, how can we love God whom we have not seen.  And so the Apostle John says that, "he who loves God must also love his brother."  1 John 4:21

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

Thoughts on thinking

This is what I see from the window of my
train car.  Yes I can see everything in my
site, but do I really have a full vision of
what is going on in the world???

I like to think. It is my belief, I think, that some people do not think about things, they merely react to situations around them.

Thinking is different than reacting. Thinking is setting aside my notions of a thing and looking for other angles.

True thinking asks me to release all preconceived ideas. It asks me to set aside my prejudices and the normal paths that my brain takes, and look for another way.  What were they thinking?  What is this situation like from their perspective?  How are my actions perceived by them?

Consider a railroad track. It is going one way and one way only. Most people, when they think, look at other ideas from the safety and security of their train. What if we totally got off the train track and got on a bus or a boat or an airplane? What if we discovered and explored the myriad of ways to look at the landscape of life?

"A great many people think that they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."
                                                        William James

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to look for other perspectives on life... Release yourself from the past... get off the tracks and see what is really out there...

In Church

Sunday I was in church in Elsbery, MO to hear my friend Laura Taylor preach.  It was a very nice service which included communion.

Pastor Laura

I received the elements and knelt at the rail.  It felt so good.  The church reminded me of the years that I spent serving the Mercer, MO congregation.  Small sanctuary, intimate, quiet... plenty of time to reflect.

Sanctuary seats about 100 I would say.

Anyway, I knelt at the rail.  And I prayed.  I prayed this:  God please forgive my sins.  Thank you for your many blessings.  Please help me to be more kind and more grateful.

This is the spot.

I would like to expound on those bullet points of prayer...

• forgive my sin.  Yes I am 65 but I still have sins.  I do however find them pretty boring.
• Thank you for my blessings... oh my gosh... where do you stop.  For family, for friends, for health.  For people who love me.  For people who like spending time with me.  For memories.  For the ability to work.  We could go on and on.
• Help me to be more kind...  that involves thinking harder about my actions and seeing other people.  I think that we could all be more kind.
• More grateful... enough said.  When we are grateful, our attitude completely changes.  We cannot be selfish and grateful at the same time.

Lord please forgive my sin.  Thank you for all of your blessings.  Please make me more kind.  Please make me more grateful.

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

Cynthia Mack

Most of you will not remember Cynthia Mack.  She was an active member of Woods Chapel.  She was fun and funny and a delightful Christian lady.  She was single, and she travelled for her work.  She was a trainer.

She passed away in 2000 at the age of 56.  Her children were devastated.  I was shocked- she was so young.  She was a tremendous loss to this world.

She died in San Jose, California on a road trip in her hotel room.  I went to high school in San Jose, and started college there.  I have often thought over the years about how sad to be on the road travelling and to pass away, alone in a hotel room.

- - - - - - 

Recently, I have been travelling for work again.  As I write this, I have been on the road for three weeks.  I have been doing work that I love.  The other morning as I was driving to the job site, I thought about how much I loved what I was doing.  To me, it just feels so good to be out working construction.

And I thought about Cynthia.  What if it wasn't sad?  What if she was on the road doing what she loved?  What if her end came while she was doing the things that made her happy?  If so, then there is no reason to be sad.  Finding fulfillment is this life is a beautiful thing indeed.

We are all going to die at some point.  How nice to pass away while doing something that you love.  My father passed away in the parking lot of his favorite restaurant.  He ate at Romanelli's on Wornall Road every single day without fail for lunch and dinner.

So, while I have no premonition of leaving this life, I want someone to know that I am happy.  I am in a place that feels like "my place, my groove."  I loved being a pastor.  I really love doing the work that I am doing now.

It feels good to be happy.  I wish that more of us humans could find satisfaction more often.

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

From a recent devotional by Richard Rohr...

“We are going to hit some turbulence ahead,” [my flying instructor] went on, “and you will learn something about your airplane…. If you tighten your grip on the yoke, you reduce the aerodynamics of your aircraft. You, as the pilot, actually make the flight less safe, steady, and stable. So, remember: When the going gets rough, fly loose....”

Our world today is nothing if not swirling, turbulent wind tossing us around. [Recently], we have experienced economic meltdown, climate countdown, racial throw down, political breakdown, technology showdown, and religious letdown. We are living through the breakdown and breaking open of much that has defined modern life.

In the face of such extraordinary transition, it’s natural to look for solutions to our problems.... We tightly grip the yoke of our families, businesses, government, and communities, trying to regain control of people and systems that feel broken...

And so friends, as times are unstable, the advice here is to relax.  Getting all balled up or bunched up is only going to make our lives more stressful.  Sometimes we have to take a deep breath... relax, let go, and trust God.

Everything is ok.  Bank failures and all.  Don't make yourself crazy by being worried sick.  Fly loose.  Hold to God's unchanging hand.

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

Upcoming trips

Yesterday I posted a picture of a sunrise in the town of Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee.  That reminded me that I need to get some info out about possible upcoming trips.

Trips that I am considering for next year  and 2025 include...

The Holy Land -  this is a 9 day land trip.  Extensions are available, usually several days in Jerusalem or Egypt.  Probably February or March 2024.

Praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem

Boat ride on the sea of Galilee

Ireland - this is also a 9 day land trip.  Last time I went we had a great time.  Well, we always have a great time!!!  I also took an extension of a few days in London which was amazing as well.  I am looking at the fall of 2024

Typical Irish Town 

Blarney Castle

The Journeys of Paul- this is a cruise [full size Royal Caribbean ship] that bops around New Testament locations in Greece and Turkey.  This would be a 2025 trip.

Library at Ephesus

Arch of Galerius, Thessalonica

So friends, if you are interested in any of these trips, please let me know.  You can email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

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

Sunrise on the Sea of Galilee - January, 2023

My friend Bruce sent this in...

"Every sunrise is an invitation for us to brighten someone's day."
                                                  Richelle E. Goodrich

So, if we wake up tomorrow, we have a choice to make.  Will I bring good and hope and joy and love and kindness to the world?  Or will I bring something else?

The invitation to us is open... if we wake up that is.

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

Nice

One of the things that I love about working out on construction jobs is that people are surprised when I am nice.

When I was a pastor, I was expected to be nice.  I was expected to be nice even when other people were ugly.  Nice wasn't anything special, it was just assumed.

On the job site, it is completely different.  Subcontractors expect the superintendent to be a jerk.  I have had several tell me that.  So when I am nice to them, it is a pleasant surprise.  Dale was running a piece of equipment the other day.  He called me over and asked why I was nice when most superintendents were not.  We had a nice discussion.

Well, whether it is expected or not, being nice is always good.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

And if nice is not reciprocated, just remember, some things in life are their own reward.  Being nice is it's own reward.

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

What religion is God?

Quote from the movie 42: Yankee's GM Branch Rickey: [Referring to Jackie Robinson] "He's a Methodist, I'm a Methodist... And God's a Methodist; We can't go wrong!!!"

The problem is, God is not a Methodist. God is also not a Baptist. God is not Assembly of God. God is not Church of God. I think that most of us get that. But there is more.

Yes, there is more. Jesus was not a Christian, he was a Jew.  Abraham was not a Jew.  And God is not a Christian. Let me say it again, God is not a Christian.  God is the all knowing, all seeing, all powerful one. He was around long before the Christian faith. He was around long before the Jewish faith.  Unless he converted to Judaism or Christianity, he is neither.  He predates them, and is much bigger than they are.

Does that mess with your brain?  If God is not Jewish or Christian or Methodist or Baptist, what is he?

Well, he is bigger. Bigger than He/She, bigger than our denominations, and bigger than our religions.

Just getting my brain open to that thought changes the way that I think about many other things. God is bigger, much bigger than our notions of him.

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

my watch is broken

It is not really 2:10.  But that is what my watch says.  I don't know what happened, but sometime yesterday, I hit it on something and broken the winding mechanism off.  Sometime yesterday... well I guess it was at 2:10 pm yesterday.

That essentially ended the life of this watch.  But don't be sad.  It has had a good life.  It lived for about 6 years, which is 48 in watch years.

This watch brought me a lot of comfort and a lot of good times.  It kept me current and got me to the church on time.

So this morning I had to ask myself.  Do I put on my watch or not?  If it doesn't work, why wear it?  

I put it on.  Why wear it?  Because I am used to it hanging there.  I am used to the feel.  I am used to the sounds.  I would have felt funny all day without it.  Next week I will be home and I will pick up it's twin that still works.  Until then, I will wear this broken, but comforting friend.  Don't discount the familiar things.  They can bring us a lot of joy.

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

a beautiful moment

The air is cool and calm. I’m walking down the sidewalk back to the hotel because I forgot something in the room. I’m walking under a silver maple tree. The sun has just come up. In a few minutes I’ll be driving to the job.

The maple leaves were beautiful.  The sky was bright with the dawn.  

Walking down that sidewalk, I was struck with a thought... "I’m so happy to be alive!"

You know friends, it is the simple moments in life- if we pay attention to them, they can bring us a lot of joy. Thank you God for the ability to see, to walk and to work.

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

When is Cinco de Mayo???

Today is Cinco de Mayo.  Cinco = five. Mayo = May.  The fifth of May.  I love to ask people, "when is Cinco de Mayo this year?"  Many people recognize it as a holiday but do not understand that it is date specific.   Much like someone from another culture might hear that we celebrate a holiday called July 4th. If the words July and fourth don't translate well into their language, they might not know it was a specific day.

Did you know that Cinco de Mayo is not celebrated very much in Mexico?   It is also not the Mexican day of Independence.  That is September 16th.  Cinco de Mayo celebrates a Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, May 5th 1862.

Anyway, today is Cinco de Mayo. When is it next year?

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

A New National Holiday...

My friend Shawn Fransensengens turned me on to this nice little joke.

Today is Star Wars day.

May the 4th be with you.
ha. ha.

I was in California for Jr and Sr highschool and my first year of college. I moved away in 1976. I missed my friends, imagine that. So I drove back for a visit in 1977. I was visiting my friend Dan Denevue in San Jose California in 1977. The Star Wars movie came out in May, I was there in June or July. There were still long lines to watch the first Star Wars film. I was visiting Dan for 10 days. during that time we saw the movie 7 times. I loved it. Still do.

Happy Star Wars day.
May the 4th be with you.

😊

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

Who will be that baby's momma?

Our grandson now has a name... Cruz Aiden Lascon.

I was talking with a friend on Saturday about the effects of a new baby on a previously only child.  For example, my only grand child, Bella Lascon, was an only child until Cruz was born last week.  My friend and I were talking about what the older child thinks when a new one comes along.

Talk about a culture shock.  Now I have to share my mom???  What is that about???

My friend told me that her grandchild was sitting on her mother's lap.  The mom is nine months pregnant and the presently only child who will soon have a new brother, asked her mother, "who will be that baby's mother?"

Who will  be that baby's mother???

A three year old knows that mom will have another baby.  Fine.  But who will be it's mother, because you belong to me.  You are mine and mine alone.

Oh, what a perfect picture of the journey of life.  It is not about me.  We are constantly invited to find ways to share, to love, and to welcome others in.  It is not about you when you are three years old, and it is not about you when you are 30, 40, 50, 60 or 70.  Some adults still need to learn that.  They grow old, but never grow up.

It is not about you.  It is not about me.

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

Quote from Sunday's Sermon

Edit from yesterday... if you read yesterday's blog, you might have been perplexed by the phrase "anti-trip." The phrase should have been anti-Trump. I always read thru the blogs several times before I post them. But sometimes, my brain misses misspellings and such. Sorry. Hope this clarification helps.

Now on to today's post...

This was used in Sunday's sermon on April 23rd. A couple of people asked for me to post it.
If you are interested, here is the link to the sermon ... click on it, then scroll down to April 23
click here to listen


Here is the quote...

Guilt and shame. I was raised on it.

• In the system I was raised in, there was a clear definition between what was good and what was bad,
• and who was good and who was bad. It was personal. It was about you.
• If you did bad, then you were bad.
• Behavior was modified by confrontation, humiliation, spankings and belittling.
• It was a terrible way to be raised. You carry it with you into adulthood. You repeat it.
• It is all that you know.
• Until somewhere along the way, You begin to see the hurt that you are delivering to others and you stop.
• You begin the process of recovering from such a broken way of thinking and living.
• Hopefully, eventually you commit yourself to loving others, releasing them and never shaming again.

Jesus does not shame people. Neither should we.

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

Mutually Exclusive

Had a brainstorm. Funny, I should have thought of this my entire life. This should not be a new thought for me, or for any of us. Here Goes...

Love, and hate are mutually exclusive. Or at least they should be.

It doesn’t seem like that should be that hard of a conclusion to arrive at. I was driving down the road the other day and I saw a car that had a love Jesus bumper sticker and a "Let's Go Brandon" sticker. I’m not gonna explain what a let's go Brandon sticker means - you can look that up online. But loving Jesus and saying "let's go Brandon" are mutually exclusive statements because one is about love and one is about hate. And I would say that if it was an anti-Trump bumper sticker as well.

First Corinthians makes it clear that if you do all these things, but have not love you’ve missed the mark. Christians should not just strive to love. But in striving to love, they should strive to reject and move away from anything that smacks of hatred or anything that smacks of judgment. You can dislike a politician, and I dislike several. But when our language and our hearts are filled with hate and animosity toward Republicans or Democrats or CNN or Fox News, then we have forgotten that we are called to love. Jesus welcomed, everyone: Jews, Samaritans, the rich, the poor Romans, tax collectors, fisherman, really he welcomed everyone. Love doesn’t mean love the ones you like and be nasty to the ones you don’t. Love and hate are mutually exclusive.

1 John 4
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

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