very well

I have posted this before, but I feel the need to share it again.  Here is a story from Anthony DeMello that I love.  It is a story that challenges me to release my worries...  It reminds us that those who have hurt us really have no power to do so.  In the face of unfairness, we can still come out whole.

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 town was in an uproar.  The villagers trooped into the Master’s house, and rudely disturbed his meditation,
they denounced him as a hypocrite and told him that he must take 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 real father was the boy next door.

The villagers felt terrible.  They had made a mistake.  The went back to the Master's compound.  They bowed profoundly to the Master to beg his pardon and asked 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?

Who is mistreating you?
Very well. Very well.

Nothing can hurt you unless you allow it.

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

move along to what is important

In the first Star Wars movie, the Empire is looking for Luke Skywalker and his droids [robots.]  In a scene that I have always found interesting, Obi-one-kenobi, Skywalker and the droids roll up to a checkpoint.

Keobi waves his hand and uses "the force" to speak into the minds of the storm troopers.  He says, "these are not the droids that you are looking for."  Kenobi then says, "move along."  The trooper repeats the words and the moment of concern is avoided.

you can watch the 23 second clip here

Sometimes in life, we are focused on the wrong things.  We get stuck on something that is not helpful.  Sometimes we need to be told, this is not what you should be looking for.  Move along.

Don't get stuck.  Move along to what is important.  Move along to what is healthy.  

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

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I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

Dublin Hospital

I just remembered this story from our trip to Ireland in October.  You may remember that on one day, we had some really still winds blow several of our friends off of their feet.  We took one of our members to the doctor and then to the hospital.

The Dublin hospital was so so very crowded.   Some people had been waiting for 4-5 hours and had not yet been seen.  We were waiting patiently with our injured friend.  You know when you are waiting to see the doctor, it is easy to be impatient.  We had sat for several hours and had not yet been taken back to see the doc.

Suddenly a man comes into the waiting area from outside, pushing a woman in a wheelchair.  She is screaming in pain.  It was shocking.  It was unnerving.  SCREAMING!!!  They took her right back to see the doc.

Even though we had waited for hours, it did not bother us that they took this other human, obviously in deep pain, back before us.

In fact, there was this feeling as well... it could be worse.  It can always be worse.  The next time something isn't going your way, you might, I often do, find comfort in remembering that it could be worse.  It could be much worse.

And when I think about how bad it might be, I realize that today maybe isn't as bad as I was thinking.

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

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I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

name on the wall

I have never been one who sought attention.  [unless telling jokes is a way of getting attention]  I never wanted to tell people that I was a pastor.  Or when I was the pastor of that big church, I never wanted to tell people that I was the pastor there.

Over the years I have been in churches that had large pictures of their pastors and former pastors on the wall in the foyer.  I always thought that was creepy and odd.

I was never a fan of putting plaques with peoples names on things that they donated.  That is why at Woods Chapel, you will be hard pressed to find any plaques.  I always thought that people should give because they wanted to do so, not because they were going to get recognition.

So, in the back of the sanctuary at Ft. Pierce First United Methodist Church, there is a plaque with the names of every pastor that ever served.  I was the interim there in 2017.  They added my name to the list a year or so ago.

I have to tell you, for as much as I recoil from the attention, it made me feel good.  I am proud to have served and glad to have my name on the wall.  I guess we all enjoy a bit of recognition and appreciation.

Right or wrong, it made me feel happy.

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

The Kingdom comes first

I was active in the United Methodist ministry for 30 years.  During that time, I voted in every national election.  Sometimes the people that I voted for won, and sometimes they lost.  I still had to pastor the church.

Most people had no idea of my political preferences.  Why?  Because the kingdom comes first.  Jesus probably did not like the Romans, but he did not come out against them.  He had a higher calling.  He had to teach everyone about love.  Also, had he come out against the Romans, he would have lost the ability to minister to them.

The kingdom comes first.  I know that you have your political feelings.  Fine.  But do not divide your church over your opinions.  Half of the people in your congregation voted for the other guy.  Do you want to ruin your relationship with 50% of your congregation?  Do you want to drive away half of your people?  Do you want everyone to feel that the church is off mission?

The kingdom comes first.  Love one another.  Republican or Democrat, love them.  Welcome them, care for them all the same.  We are all in this together, unless some well meaning pastors choose to draw lines that Jesus never did.

The kingdom comes first.  It comes before anyone's political feelings.  We are here to love.  May we never forget that.

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

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I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

Lester

Shel Silverstein tells the story of a fellow named Lester who was gifted a wish by a goblin.  With his wish he wished for more wishes.  With those wishes, he wished for more.  Soon, Lester had accumulated more wishes that a person could use in a lifetime.

Finally at the end of his life, he found himself surrounded by wishes but feeling quite empty.  Everyone else had children, jobs, lives, joys, hopes and dreams.  Everyone else had stepped up to the plate of life and accomplished things.

Lester had wishes.

Don't wish your life away.  Get to work on what you can.

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

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I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

thank you

So I was cutting down a 4 x 8 sheet of paneling.  Usually I would pop a line on it, but this sheet had lines on it already.  One of the lines was right where I needed to cut.

It is important that this cut is straight and that I follow the line very closely.

I get about two feet into the 8 foot cut and I realize that I am, my eyes are, watching this very small notch travel along the line.  

I had a "thank you" moment.  I thought, God, thank you that I can see this.  Thank you that my eyes can follow this.  Thank you for the gift of sight.

Oh, friends we have so much to be thankful for if we just open our eyes.

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

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I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

What did they ever do to me?

What did they ever do to me?  Nothing.  They have never bit me or tried to choke me or swallow me.  I have never touched one.  What have they done to me?  Nothing.

Yet I fear them.  I am so afraid of them that I feel a hatred.  Yet they have done nothing to me.  It doesn't even seem fair.  

What am I talking about?

Snakes.

The other day I worked at a lady's house and she warned me about this big water moccasin [see picture above] that evidently has a habit of sunning along the side of her house.  Well I had to go back and forth from the street to the back of her house at least ten times.  Let me tell you, I was very careful about where I stepped.

But seriously, I do think it odd and unfair that I have a revulsion for something that has never done me wrong.  I expect better of myself than that.  If I treat snakes that unfairly, are their other groups of people that I may have unfair attitudes towards?  I hope not.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.  And watch where you step!!!

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

the non anxious leader

I had lunch the other day with two of my favorite humans.  We talked about many things.  I thought back to my days as a pastor.  Later in the day I reflected on our meeting and the importance of effective leadership. 

I don't know who coined the phrase, "the non-anxious presence."  But I love it. There is so much anxiety in the world.  So much anger, so much stress, so many people reacting instead of acting.

What if we could all be "a non-anxious presence."

Your son is injured... the situation needs a non-anxious presence. Your daughter is moving out of state... the situation needs a non-anxious presence. Your mother in law falls down the stairs... the situation needs a non-anxious presence.

Imagine the next time you find yourself in a stressful situation, you are the one that is saying to everyone else, "everything is ok."  Imagine that you are not threatened by the circumstance, but you simply welcome everyone to the table.  Healthy organizations help people be ok.  They are not threatened by questions or new ideas.

Think of the most stressful thing in your life.  Today, when you walk into it, tell everyone that there is a solution.  Tell everyone that we will figure it out.   Tell everyone that being upset won't help.  Tell everyone that it is ok for us to talk about it and to talk it through.  Be the non-anxious presence.

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

what do you do?

I was watching a movie the other day and one of the characters asked the question, "what do you do when the sadness overwhelms you?"

That question struck a chord with me.  Sometimes I feel sadness.  Sad for people that have died.  Sadness for things that didn't turn out as I wished.  Sadness for missing friends.  

There is plenty of sadness out there in the world.  Heck, every time I hear the Sinead O'Connor song "Nothing compares to you" I feel sad.

So, what do you do when you feel sad?  Well the first rule is, do not hurt yourself.  I heard another story a few days ago about a good man who took his own life.  Do not hurt yourself.  It solves nothing.  It only passes your pain on exponentially to those around you.  It doesn't end pain, it magnifies it.

But what do I do when the sadness comes?  I don't give it space in my brain.  I don't give it the time of day.  I get busy.  I listen to music.  Sometimes I let myself cry, but then I get up.  Distract, deflect, and move on.

There is so much good in the life.  There is so much good in this world.  When I think about the good, it always pushes the sadness out.

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

An act of God?

Sunday on the way home from church, I was driving North on US 1 near 34th street.  There are some trees that hang over the road there.  While I was rolling through at 45 mph, a branch fell and hit the Mustang.  It bonked the hood, scraped over the top and left a mark on the rear spoiler.

Now if you are saying, well this is only a 2010 Mustang, nothing to be worried about, you are correct.  Except that it is my only Mustang, and I might be overly attached to it.

I was a bit miffed by the chance branch attack.  Some would say it was an act of God.  You know, random things that happen that we humans like to blame God for.

Well personally, I don't believe that God makes branches fall on certain people's vehicles.  I don't believe that he makes people get cancer.  I don't believe that he causes our pets to get hit by cars.  I  believe that a lot of random things happen in this life, and we are very fortunate to have the Good Lord at hand to lean on when things are tough.

So if something bad has happened to you, don't blame God.  He isn't up there pushing buttons to punish you.  Somethings bad stuff happens.  I am just so very glad that he is there to walk with us through whatever may be bothering us.

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

I've got a feeling

Sometimes we have feelings that we want to dismiss.  Sometimes we explain our feelings away.  Sometimes we don't understand our feelings.  Sometimes we act on them.

And sometimes, for reasons that I cannot explain, we have feelings that are, or seem to be spiritual.  I had such a feeling yesterday in Church.

So it is about 15 minutes before church start time.  I am walking amongst folks, as is my custom, and this thought came into my brain.  It was accompanied by a warm hearted feeling.  I heard and felt the words, "Oh my gosh, I love these people."

It was great!  It was true!  I am so glad to have found the First United Methodist Church in Ft. Pierce.  I love them and they love me as we did at Woods Chapel and Princeton.

It is a good feeling to love and be loved!!!

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

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I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

Find a good mechanic

It has always been difficult for me to find an honest mechanic.  Dana Cunningham introduced me to Paul's Auto repair in Raytown.  Paul was great.  Billy's in Vero is great.

I have heard way too many stories of people being told that their car needed work when it did not.  My neighbor was told that he needed new brakes - immediately.  He bought the pads and brought them down to my house.  Bruce Letner taught me how to do brakes, so I replaced my neighbors pads yesterday morning.

Still over 1/4 of an inch of brake pad left!

If you know about brakes, you can see that my neighbor was lied to.  There are lots and lots of miles left on these old pads.

Moral of the story... get a second opinion.  Take someone with you that knows cars.  Keep your receipts so you know when the last time various types of work were performed.

Be careful.  Do not be taken advantage of.  

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

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I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

another great quote

I recognize that as I have aged, my views on many things have changed.  I have grown more tolerant and hopefully more loving and kind.  I wish that I would have grown up sooner.

My friend Bruce sent me this quote...

"Looking back over a lifetime, you see that love was the answer to everything."
                                                   Ray Bradbury

I love it.  May we all keep that in mind.

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

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I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentine's Day!!!  You are loved!!!

Now on to today's post.  Last weekend I was in New Orleans for the Super Bowl.  Wow did the Chiefs take a beating.  Well, I guess that it is better to get there and lose than to watch it on TV like many other teams did.  [by the way, I did not actually go to the game.  we just watched it in the french quarter]

Sure, I wish that the Chiefs would have won but's just a football game after all.  Life goes on.  Life is more important.  Love is most important.

Here is a good story from the weekend:  On Monday morning after the game, I rode with my buddy Paul from New Orleans to Ft. Myers Florida.  12 hours in the car together.  We talked and we took turns napping.  And, there were many hours when we were both awake, both there, and no words were exchanged.  Sometimes it is just fantastic to be in the presence of people that we love...  word are not always needed.

I love long rides with friends.

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure 

whiners

My friend Tom from Colorado recently sent me this...

We humans have a natural tendency to make life about us.  When things don't go our way, too often we end up complaining that the world won't align itself to make us happy.

There is another way to live, and it is a better way.  When we can get our focus off of ourselves and onto the business of loving others, we find the happiness that eludes us when we are selfish.

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure 

transformation

In New Orleans last weekend, there were a number of "street preachers."  It was so annoying.  They were so loud and their messages just felt so hateful.  My fear is that they do more harm than good.  Oh if they would just learn to love people.

Sunday's post from Richard Rohr included the phrase:
"Transformation always results in missional action in the world."

In other words, when we are touched by God and not simply following some system of religious doctrine, when we are truly touched by God, we begin the move away from ourselves and towards a love of others.  We no longer feel the need to change or fix others.  We simply want to love them.

When people find love, they find God.

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure 

my little part

A dear friend wrote to me and mentioned their "little part" in trying to share God's love.  

Well, I said to them, and I will say to you... your part may seem little to you... we often feel so small and insignificant.

But to the people that you love, your little part is huge.  It is amazing.  It is needed and wanted.  It is not little to them.

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure 

emotional adjustments

Think about the incredible emotional adjustments that we experience in this lifetime

You fall in love or you don’t.  You fall in love and the relationship ends.

You make the track team or you don’t.

You have children or you don’t.

You have children and they move away and your world changes.

You grow older and look in the mirror.  Dad, how did you get here?

I was thinking about this the other day... about the amount of changes that we are invited to experience in this lifetime, and it is quite amazing.

It takes determination and a desire to be a healthy person.  It takes hard work to learn to adjust to things that were not what we were expecting and to learn to be comfortable with the things that we weren’t hoping for.

And it can still be a beautiful day, because it is.

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure 

superbowl

Thoughts before the Super Bowl.

I am of course so excited that the Chiefs are in it again.  We were so bad for so many years...  I know that many people are Chiefs haters.  Just like I hated [disliked] the Patriots and the Cowboys when they were winning it all, the Chiefs have collected a number of humans who have the feeling of, "it's time for someone else to win."

I get that.

But here I am, in New Orleans with some of my peeps.  I am not going to the game, but the party here is a blast.  We have met many Eagles fans and they have all been very nice.

What ever happens later today, win or lose, life goes on.  The business of loving people is so much more important than a football game.

Oh and by the way, I ran into Steve Biggs Friday night in the French Quarter.  What an amazing coincidence!!!

Left to Right...
Steve Biggs, me, and Paul McClain

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

- - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson.  There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure