Treasured

The sound of the wooden steps echoing under my feet as I descended the stairs at my grandparents' house is forever recorded in my mind, as is the faint "chink" from the light bulb cord above the old pink and gray Formica table there in that basement.  Part garage, part kitchen, part laundry room and part workshop, "Cap" and "Gib's" basement was a hub of activity!  It was there that as a young child, my grandmother (Catherine, nicknamed "Cap") would praise me for my slender hands, and then put them to good use washing out canning jars for the hundreds of quarts of tomatoes that were put aside year after year, the excess from their bountiful garden!  It was there on that table that I spread out the new pretty yellow calico we picked out together at the fabric store, and rummaged through her big button jar, picking out little red ones for my favorite, well-loved rag doll which she faithfully and frequently restored to like-new condition!  My grandmother was such an excellent seamstress that, besides doll surgery and beautiful designer-like dresses, she once made a canvas cover for the family's Jeep!  The Jeep was long gone before I came onto the scene, but I recall the many antique Peugeot cars that Granddad (Howard, nicknamed "Gib"), my Dad and his brothers would be working on at any given time in the garage area, not to mention the many deer that periodically hung from the ceiling while they all cheerfully worked on processing the meat each hunting season!  It was in that basement too where my granddad's workshop resided, walls neatly and near completely covered with tools and trinkets, parts and pieces, each having their own place with barely an inch between them, creating a dizzying and yet beautiful, rustic feast for the eyes!

There, also in the basement, the large, white chest freezer sat!  It was enormous to me as a little girl, and perched on top was a heavy, black anvil with a small terrycloth dishtowel tied around the base to keep it from scratching the enamel.  The latch on the chest had long been broken, so the anvil faithfully held the lid shut.  Now, normally a freezer would hold no interest to a child whatsoever, but its contents were of endless enchantment!  Visits to Grandma and Granddaddy's were always crowned with a trip down the steps (*clomp, clomp, clomp --chink!*) to the freezer, sometimes to retrieve bags of frozen berries preserved from their garden for strawberry shortcake, or a quart of PET ice cream, or my coveted favorite at the time-- honey buns!  You have to understand! To a 7-year-old, watching Granddaddy slide that anvil off the freezer and seeing the lid gently spring open was like a pirate gazing with wide-eyed anticipation upon the contents of a treasure chest!  Cold smoke magically rose to reveal the bounty inside!  My eyes never really registered the frozen venison and veggies, but immediately landed upon the cinnamon raisin bread, berries, peaches, and ice cream, and of course the Hostess products which rarely, if ever, graced the inside of my Flintstones lunch box! Selecting a sweet treat was a simple yet beloved tradition for my brother and me!  Once thawed (or better yet, gently warmed), we would consume the sticky, sugary goodness upstairs at the kitchen table and wash it down with a Double Crown Cola, also a staple at Cap and Gib's!  It is a snapshot of the many innocent, predictable happy scenes which played themselves out year after year there in that place with my immediate family, aunts, uncles and cousins!

Just before my grandfather passed into Glory a few weeks ago at the age of 95 (my sweet grandmother having passed a few years earlier), the family held an auction for the house and its contents.  I didn't bid on too many things, but one item I simply could not let go to a stranger was that old black anvil.  Still wrapped in the dishtowel, it was more to me than a hunk of scrap metal or potential doorstop.  It was a symbol of every happy moment I had lived there, no matter how small.  It see it forever in Granddaddy's hands as he smiles and helps me pick out a treat from the "treasure chest."  Crafted from a piece of railroad track, it is also a reminder of the 33 years he worked on the trains of Norfolk & Western, faithfully providing for his family, often away.  There were abundant memories and lessons learned in that home, to be sure, too many to fill this blog over a lifetime.  But in a small way, that silly chest freezer was a little picture of my granddaddy's life.  He was the anvil on that home, solid, strong and steady, always keeping the "lid" on even during very hard times, caring for his wife of 67 years through the frailty and uncertainty of old age, and safeguarding the "treasure" of love and laughter, family and friendships, meals and memories that resided there to the end. A reminder to me to never underestimate the power of simple day-to-day joys and memories we can create for our children, grand children and great grandchildren!  My grandparents (on both sides of my family) did not live fancy lives, but they were marked with hard work, faithfulness, charity and love.

God, as Christ is the Rock in my life, make me a steady and faithful anchor in my home which I open freely and often for the blessing of others!

Love Note

I'm convinced that anything can be used as metaphor for something in the Gospel!  It would be a fun youth group challenge to present kids with random objects, pictures or tales and see how they could compare or contrast them to some biblical teaching! Christ was, of course, famous for using simple stories to illustrate profound truths about the Kingdom of God!  A mustard seed illustrated faith.  A seed sower demonstrated the proclamation of the Gospel.  A lost sheep, the love of God towards his chosen ones. 

Yesterday morning, my 10 year old son, Matt, was surprised to find a small folded paper peeking out of his shoe which had been left in front of his bedroom door.  Upon inspection, he discovered that it was a note from his big sister.  One side, in capital letters was the word "NERD!"  and on the back, "STUPID!" and the polite closing, "From your loving sister Emma."   Matt read the note, laughed and then yelled something through her door like, "Butt brain!" or some other classic pithy comeback he no doubt gleaned from reading all those wholesome books I've been providing him over the years like Little House on the Prairie (Pa must have had an edgier side I missed).

Anyway, if you have children, or grew up with siblings, you can quickly grasp the dynamic here.  Hurling insults at one another ala the French soldiers from Monty Python and the Holy Grail  is actually sibling code for "I really sort of like you, sometimes..."  and has been elevated to an art form around our home!  (I'm so proud)  I took possession of the note before Matt could gain the satisfaction of ripping it to shreds, and tucked it away for his "Memory Box," a bin which contains items from his childhood guaranteed to bring tears of sentimental joy to his eyes when he's 30, like his baptism picture and the first rock left in his pocket that I extracted from the now dented clothes dryer!

But looking at that note reminded me of something else.  The body of the message "NERD! STUPID" and the closing "your loving sister..." brought to my mind with a smile the message of the Gospel, "You are hopelessly flawed!"  but "You are eternally loved!"   God's love note to us!  Not a contradiction.  Just the plain truth.  And this "stupid nerd" is so thankful!

THE Sponsor!

The Hunger Games has swept the nation, first via the popular book series, and now through the much-anticipated film! I resisted getting sucked into the hype at first -- thinking the craze was just another Twilight saga repackaged for the squealing delight of teen audiences and the chagrin of parents everywhere who secretly long for the "good old days" of the original Star Wars Trilogy (in best old-man voice..."Now, sonny, THAT was story tellin'!). But after a friend confessed that she had gotten hooked on the first book, she loaned it to me and I agreed to read it. It was a weak moment -- the biography of George Washington I had been reading, albeit excellent, was not offering me the much needed brain respite I needed at the end of a long day! So I began my decent into District 12!

While the book is definitely geared for teens, and does not offer the same literary meat as, say, "Lord of the Flies," it certainly kept me entertained and anticipating each page. The story is outrageously predictable, but keeps you wanting more (not unlike a box of hot Krispy Kreme donuts that you KNOW is really bad for you, but you can't stop eating them!). And, yes, after completing book #1, I am now hungrily (no pun intended) making my way through Catching Fire. Again, predictable plot, new dreamy eye candy for the girls (Finnick's ridiculous and strategically-tied rope costume should pack 'em into theaters!), but enough blood and guts to at least keep the boyfriends dragged along awake!

Back to Book #1. Katniss Everdeen, the teen aged heroine, is a survivor! She, her town (District 12), and what's left of her family (her father died in a mine explosion) live in the ominous shadow of the Capitol, the only area of the nation (formerly the US, now called Panem) which has ample supplies of food and any luxuries whatsoever. The Capitol inhabitants live a grotesquely hedonistic life (think Paris Hilton on steroids meets Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka)! The other 12 districts serve the Capitol and receive only meager sustenance for their labor. Once a year, the residents of Districts 1-12 are reminded of the "rebellion" against the Capitol which took place 75 years prior. To keep potentially unruly citizens in their place, the annual Hunger Games was created. Two young citizens (a male and a female) from each district are randomly drawn to compete to the gruesome death in an elaborate arena, an artificially created and contained ecosystem, which changes each year. Only one will survive, their district earning food and other rewards for a full year! Whee!

Katniss and fellow classmate, Peeta, find themselves in the Games! What ensues is a combination of Blade Runner, Survivor and Death Race 2000! One by one, the contestants pick each other off. In the end, naturally, both Katniss and Peeta are crowned co-winners, an unprecedented accomplishment, by threatening mutual suicide rather than killing the other. But along the way, readers/viewers are kept on their toes throughout the games. Katniss' father taught her how to hunt in the forbidden woods surrounding her district, so her prowess with a bow enables her to be a serious contender. Peeta, whose family owns a bakery, cannot rely on his cake decorating skills to help him ("Ow! The icing! It burns!"), but thankfully he has brains and outwits players by forming false alliances. He's also very good at concealing himself in mud (typical boy).

Each contestant must rely on their wits and skills to survive, but no matter how strong, talented, agile or clever, in the end, they all eventually find themselves at the end of their proverbial ropes and must depend on their sponsors to help them. Yes, like all good professional athletes, they have sponsors, individuals or businesses who send in gifts, such as food, water, medication or weapons to assist the contestant they are betting to win! A number of times just as Katniss is near death, a small silken parachute descends, containing something she needs to stay alive! Convenient! You feel sorry for the contestants (called tributes) who did not manage such good sponsors (Peeta: "Cool, I got a crossbow!" Katniss: "I got night vision goggles!" Charlie Brown: "I got a rock.").

This incredibly long, painful stream of consciousness regarding the Hunger Games is all to illustrate one simple, but profoundly important point in our lives. Have you ever looked at someone and thought, "Wow! That person is so strong!" Or, "That person has such a strong marriage!" Or, "That person's kids/job/house/ are so perfect!" Well, let me tell you. . . they're not! Even the seemingly strongest individual, marriage, family, job, etc. is weak. Painfully weak. If they appear strong, it is only because they have not encountered circumstances in life's arena that have shaken them to the core. A diagnosis. An unforeseen temptation. A tragedy. The loss of a child. An addiction. A betrayal. Abuse. They may make it through one unscathed, maybe more. But there is one out there that could bring them down. They just don't know it. The "sponsors" they have relied on along the way have helped! We all have different sponsors, some better than others! Family and friends are good choices. Alcohol, drugs, entertainment, money, sex, even optimism and positive thinking make lousy sponsors. In the end, even the best sponsors will eventually run out of resources, time, patience, or ability. Ultimately, there is only one advocate who can see us through everything we face in the "arena." Christ. And Him alone.  Unlike in the Hunger Games, we don't have to look good or perform well for Him to choose to sponsor us! And His little parachute drops day after day after day, containing the same thing each time, which is always exactly what we need! The gospel!

When No One is Watching

Some of you may know that we homeschool our kids. As their teacher, I am therefore keenly aware of their academic (and behavioral) performance on a daily basis. Once a week, however, they have an opportunity to be taught by someone else! We participate in a national academic program called Classical Conversations. One of their weekly requirements is to prepare and then deliver a presentation in front of their class.

This week's assignment was to narrate a Bible story, using props, visuals, etc. My 9 year old son chose the classic tale of David and Goliath. For his visual aid, after much encouragement from me to think it through and be creative, he hastily drew a crude cartoon on a small white board depicting 2 hills, a stick figure "Goliath" that resembled a stereotypical jungle head hunter, and "Philistines" fleeing a tumbling boulder down one side of the hill (I must have missed that in the original account!). I sighed. "OK, Matt" I said, "Are you ready to practice your presentation in front of me?" To say that his performance was less than well planned or orchestrated would be an understatement! After his disjointed story account, multiple verbal pauses ("Ummm.."), and haphazard visual aid references, I encouraged him to think it through more in his head, giving him pointers about how he might improve his story. I went to bed discouraged and thinking that his performance may be an awkward moment for all!

At Classical Conversations, I chose to spend the day in our daughter's classroom since I had been in our son's the prior week. I sent him off to his class and wished him luck! At the end of the day, I saw his tutor in the hallway and asked how his presentation had gone, sheepishly apologizing for Matt's lack of preparation. The tutor gave me a perplexed look and said, "What are you talking about? He did great!" I then learned that his story account was accurate (with events in the right order!), his use of the picture was amusing and well done, and his delivery was smooth and engaging! After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I thanked the tutor and walked away with a semi-dazed look on my face, but so thankful that my son's performance away from me had actually been better that his in-person attempt!

If you are a parent, you understand the pride which comes when you hear that your child has behaved (or in this case, performed) well when you were not watching! When another parent commends my child's behavior to me when I was not present, I feel so happy! It's easy to behave well when the rule-maker is watching, but how do we act, think, perform, when he or she is not? Christians can fall into the same trap -- behaving "well" when we are around other Christians, our spouse, etc. but then falling into "secret" sins behind closed doors, or when we are around non-believers. When thoughts and actions are godly when no one is looking, or when around others who would give us the liberty to abandon our faith, then we have made our heavenly Father smile indeed!

But isn't that what young David did when he fought Goliath? David was away from home, surrounded by non-believers -- Philistines on one side, and cowardly Israelites on the other! No one would have scoffed or thought twice if David had recoiled in fear from the giant as they had, abandoning their faith in adversity. Yet the instruction of his father, Jesse, did not leave David! His faith demonstrated away from his eartly father showed us all that he believed and adopted as his own, the faith taught by his father!

Keep Climbing!

My family and I were recently in the lovely mountains of North Carolina for Synod, our denomination's annual pastor's meeting which lasts 3 days. For the pastors and elders in attendance, those days are filled with meetings, committee updates, networking and assemblies. But for the spouses and kids, Synod is three days of fun! We wives get to reconnect with old friends around the pool, listen to inspirational speakers, play with our kids at the nearby lake, or drive into the lovely town of Hendersonville to stroll.

Now that my kids are past the age of 8, they also have the opportunity to attend a kids camp! "Campers" get to participate in crafts, nature walks, swimming, paddle boating, climbing wall, evening camp fires with s'mores, and the most coveted of all events -- the 40 ft. high zip line! Brave participants gear up with harnesses and helmets and ascend to a tiny platform for the big leap which sends them soaring nearly 200 feet! The climb up the pole begins easily, like any standard ladder, but about 2/3 of the way up, they must abandon the familiar rungs, twist slightly around the pole and ascend the remaining height via large metal "staples" not unlike those a utility worker might use. It is at this transition point that some kids decide the climb is not worth it, abandon their visions of Peter Pan, and climb down, sometimes in tears.

This year was no exception. One little boy, in particular (I'll call him "Johnny"), remained "stuck" at the transition point for nearly 20 minutes while patient instructors attempted to encourge him to either let go and be lowered down, or go for it, and keep climbing! Besides the promise of an amazing ride, he was reminded that the harness and belay held him firmly, and the instructor would not let him fall! After many tears and several failed attempts to go either up or down, Johnny finally determined to press on! Mustering all of his 8 year old courage, he listened carefully to the instructor's directions about exactly where to place his feet, when and where to reach, etc, and in a few short moments, he was at the platform and ready to zip at last! After another agonizing 10 minutes of encouragement from the platform instructor, he finally let go and slid from the platform for his epic flight over the heads of the much relieved bystanders and waiting kids below! Once on terra firma again, Johnny practically danced back to the pole, beaming with delight, shouting, "This is the best day of my life!!" High fives were exchanged, cheers and whoops were shared, and Johnny glowed with pride (and relief)!

I thought about little Johnny today and about my walk with Christ. I often feel like he did, at a transition point where the familiar and safe path gives way to the unfamiliar and risky. How tempting it is sometimes to just say, "I can't do it!" and abandon the journey. But then, what soaring experiences would I miss? And besides, like Johnny, I'm harnessed! God will not let me go! He is in total control, but wants me to keep climbing! Next time I'm at one of those places in my life, I'm going to remember that zip line and hope that I too can muster the courage to press on!

Shaky Ground

Jesus affirmed that we would have troubles in this life, but He very simply countered that reality with the overwhelmingly powerful truth that He has overcome the world! How strange it must have been for the disciples to hear such a statement from a man! Jesus, this humble teacher? Yes, they had seen Him perform miracles, but "overcome the world?!" Really? When the tsunamis of life hit our shores personally, such talk almost seems laughable! When our world has been turned upside down from loss, divorce, betrayal, illness, crime. . . can this simple statement from our Savior really give us what we long for -- peace, comfort, healing, victory?!

It is easy to say, "yes" when we are standing on calm ground. It was easy for Peter to declare boldly that he would never betray Jesus! But how quickly his confidence and bravery fled in the face of the slightest persecution! We have a huge advantage over Peter, who did not yet understand the cross! We know that Christ has conquered sin and death, and that He loves us eternally! That is our joy and our hope! But how fast that joy and hope seem to flee in the face of great turmoil, as if stolen from us along with our steady ground, and we feel naked and afraid, like Peter!

But Peter did eventually understand when he came face to face with the risen Lord, and he became a fiercely passionate voice for the gospel, even to the point of his own death! Receiving the Holy Spirit allowed Peter to see the resurrected Christ rightly, and enabled him to understand Jesus' compassion and love for him despite his dismal failure. This gave Peter an entirely new perspective and drive, and the shaky ground he would often come to stand on no longer compared to the hope set before him! Peter, perhaps, finally understood Jesus' words about having overcome the world! Here was the God Man, who prevailed against the grave, AND who is Love itself towards us, despite our weaknesses! Who would not want to align themselves with such a hope, such a strong tower, such a powerful love?! The hope set before us is infinitely greater than our trials, and He makes us bolder witnesses for the gospel when we consider Him our most precious treasure! This does not diminish the hardships we face! But we are not left feeling naked and alone! The Holy Spirit is in us!

He is no fool who takes refuge in the LORD, for no earthly stronghold, no matter how impenetrable, and no philosophical idea, no matter how lofty, can protect the soul like the One who has prevailed against the walls of hell itself, and renders all other ideas infinitely beneath His smallest thought of love towards us!

One Man's Trash...

Recently, a new Goodwill store opened in our community. I went there a few weeks ago looking for a porcelain lamp for my sun porch. And there I saw one that was just what I was looking for! But it had one major issue. The lamp shade was covered with tiny rust spots on its delicate fabric pleats. The previous owner had obviously negleced this lamp and now deemed it usesless. But not I! I snatched it up at the whopping price of $6 and took it proudly home! Once there, I applied white vinegar to the spots with a Q-tip, and the rust stains began to fade! It now sits on my sun porch adding light and beauty to the room! One man's trash, as they say, is another man's treasure!

It's good that we have the opportunity to make seeminly useless things "new" again. It is a sweet reminder of how Christ took one man's (Adam's) trash (us!), and made it His treasure! Once beyond repair, ugly, stained and useless, Christ purchased us from the spiritual rummage sale and made us new again through His sacrice!

Happy Easter, friends!

An Unimpressive God

If you know me well, you know that I am a huge fan of really bad comedy! I love slapstick humor, lame puns, British comedy and punch lines that make most people just groan and change the channel! The cult-classic mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap, combines all of these elements, so of course, I love it! In it, the viewer follows the heavy metal band, Spinal Tap, as they go on tour and it mocks the inner workings of the rock and roll industry, the laughable self aggrandizement of celebrity, and the soap-opera-worthy story lines that take place behind the scenes of an industry that takes itself waaaaay too seriously!

One of my favorite parts comes when the band is brainstorming ideas for the stage design of their upcoming "Stonehenge" tour! Sitting at a restaurant and classically doodling ideas on a napkin, they devise an elaborate and impressive idea! An 18-foot tall replica of the enormous pillars of Stonehenge, gently lowered from the sky amid smoke, lights, screaming guitars, and dancing Druid dwarfs! It would be monumental! It would be impressive! It would be awe-inspiring!

Unfortunately, they made one tiny mistake. On their drawing, they jotted 18" rather than 18'. The addition of that one, minuscule tic mark, in the hands of the set designer, transformed their massive 18 foot high pillars into a Barbie-sized version of only 18 inches! The effect, as you can imagine, is a ridiculous, underwhelming, laughing-stock! As the lead singer prepares the audience to be mystified and awed, and as the smoke rises and the tension builds with rumbling cymbals....down drops the tiny monolith to the horror of the band members who are forced to continue playing as if nothing were unusual. The scene reaches it side-splitting climax as the elfin-clad dwarfs emerge and dance around the tiny prop! The juxtaposition between the elaborate concert with it's promise of an unforgettable climax, and the miniature reality is hysterical and ironic!

After the concert, the band is debriefing with their manager, analyzing why the band seemed to be "down" that night. Among the various critiques, Nigel (lead singer) sarcastically pipes in, "I, for one, do not think that the problem was that the 'band was down!' I think that the problem may have been that there was a Stonehenge monument on the stage that was in danger of being crushed by a dwarf! Alright? That tended to understate the hugeness of the object!"

So. . . how do we apply Nigel's "wisdom" to ourselves? Unfortunately, we sometimes pull a mini-Stonehenge with our faith! We add to or take away a little something from the Truth and end up with a weak, watered-down God. For example, we can...

1. Focus solely on the grace, love and forgiveness of God while conveniently ignoring the justice and wrath of God towards sin. This is dangerous, because we then fail to seriously address the sin in our lives because, "God is love and we are all sinners who are forgiven." Christ's sacrifice is diminished if we separate His justice from His grace. Yes, as believers, we are forgiven through the blood of Christ, but the result should be a changed life! Not a perfect life, but certainly changed!
   
   
2. Look at God as a "Divine Watchmaker" who wound up the world and now just lets it run on its own without His intervention until He returns. This is a classic heresy in the church. This makes God small by denying his sovereignty in all things past, present and future! The Bible is clear that God is intimately involved in EVERYTHING, no matter how minute, and has a plan for everything we experience, even those things which are very difficult to understand.
   
   
3. We can focus so heavily on God's wrath and judgement that we forget grace. The flip-side of #1, people who constantly wring their hands wondering if indeed they are saved, worrying whether or not they have been "good" enough to earn God's favor, make God small by saying, in essence, "The sacrifice of Jesus was not enough to atone for my sins!"
   
   
4. We can focus on the blessings of God and not the God of blessing. When the primary reason for our faith becomes our desire to have our needs met (physical healing, release from some circumstance, deliverance from some oppression or injustice, inner peace, prosperity, etc.) then we have made God small indeed, reducing Him to a cosmic Santa Claus who exists, not for His own glory, but for bestowing gifts upon his good little children. In that case, God ends up serving His creation, not the other way around. We have placed ourselves on the throne. Yes, God loves to give good things to His children! But His ultimate purpose for everything He does is His own glory and to make us more like Christ!
   
   

These are just a few examples of ways in which we commonly err in our beliefs about God. God can not be made limited, ineffective, forgetful, indecicive, or weak. If we have relegated Him to any of these characteristics, it is we who have made a mistake, not God, and we must go back to Scripture for a clearer understanding! Otherwise, we have "understated the hugeness" of God and may find ourselves dancing and worshiping around a tiny, ridiculous fake!

(If you want to see the Stonehenge fiasco clip from the movie, here's the link! Be forewarned, however, that the "f" bomb is dropped at the beginning, but that's the only offensive portion. ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMVMHNG68m8&feature=fvsr

Naughty March!

Oh, March, you foxy, fickle month!

Why do you tease me so?

Sending balmy sunshine one day,

And on another, snow!

The breeze that whispered thoughts of spring

the day before are gone!

Replaced by frozen winds that sing

A very different song!

The tulips in their beds arose

Confused by winter air!

For you had coaxed them from their sleep,

Then laughed at their despair!

I think you need a harsh rebuke

From April, May and June!

For you give spring a bad name, March,

With your tricksy siren's tune!

Just eat it!

All of us at one time or another have placed an unripe piece of fruit on the counter or window sill in order to ripen. Presently, I am staring at a bartlette pear that, just days ago, was hard as a rock! Today, it's soft and juicy! At this point, I have two options. I can eat the pear or continue to let it sit. If I eat the pear now, it will be sweet and delicious and bring nourishment to my body! But if I let it sit much more, it will begin to rot and eventually be thrown out like the majority of the bananas I seem to buy! Such a waste.

The Word of God is not unlike our fruit situation. I am told to meditate, or allow the Word to "sit" for a while as I turn it over in my mind and allow it to penetrate my heart. But until I apply the Word in my life, it will do me no ultimate good, and my faith will become stale and powerless. The Word must become part and parcel of who I am! It must be eaten, not just examined! Swallowed! Not simply chewed! Applied! Not just read.

I'm going to eat my delicious pear (and make some banana bread)!

"Thy words were found and I ate them,

and Thy Word became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;

for I have been called by Thy name,

O Lord God of hosts."

(Jeremiah 15:16)

Battle Scars

My kids' best friend was driving home with us the other day from a soccer game. As we went along, I was listening to the three of them converse on a variety of topics. I always enjoy listening to the conversations of kids. Children have a way of talking about very mundane things in the most serious fashion! As we drove, the topic somehow shifted to the various injuries the three had suffered throughout their many, long years on the earth! My son (8) recalled how, as a toddler, his finger had gotten smashed and he lost a fingernail (which fortunately grew back). My daughter told the tale of having to receive an IV at the hospital when she was 2, and how she sledded into a brier bush a few winters ago, her cheek still bearing a tiny scar from the traumatic event! Their friend recalled many tales of bike crashes and apparent brushes with death!

As I held back laughter, I was reminded, as each tried to "up" the others' tales of survival, of the scene in the movie Jaws where the three men on the boat are drinking and showing off their scars from shark attacks, moray eel encounters, gunshot wounds and shell shrapnel. Finally, after raising their glasses and drinking a toast to one another's leg scars, the boat's gnarly captain, Quint, opens his shirt revealing his bear chest, and, pointing to the center, says "See right here?" "Yeah," the others replied, squinting to see. "Mary Ellen Moffet. . . She broke my heart!" Whereby, the three drunken men erupt in laughter.

What is it about humans that we seem to have a need to tell of the battles we've encountered, the wounds we have survived, and the scars we bear? When I was listening to the kids, I was fascinated by the fact that, at such a young age, they have this need to retell tales of traumas past! There was an air of pride in their speaking as they each tried to outdo the others' story. It was to me very clear what each was saying: "I suffered! I survived! Hold me in awe!"

As the conversation died down, I was reminded in a sweet way of how Christ bears the most awesome, inspiring, incredible scars of all, and how we should be telling the story over and over and over about how He suffered on our behalf, and then raise our glasses high around the Lords' table and drink the cup of blessing together! He suffered! He rose again! Hold Him in awe!

"Therefore, as it is written, let him who boasts, boast in the Lord!" (1 Cor. 1:31)

ET or not ET?

Stephen Hawking, widely known as one of the world's most brilliant scientific minds, recently stated in an interview that, based on mathematical probability alone, he believes that alien life likely exists on other planets or in some form in the galaxy. This is not a new thought by any means, but what he said afterwards was. Rather than enthusiastically endorsing our making contact with alien life (as we have been doing with vigor for years), he strongly discourages it!

"To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational. The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like."

Hawking goes on to say that any advanced, intelligent life form may pose a serious threat to us should we ever encounter them, and may only seek contact with Earth in order to raid our natural resources, devastating our planet and populous! He envisions more of a "War of the Worlds" versus "ET" scenario! But why?

"We only need to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we don't want to meet. If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans."

Do you see what the underlying acknowledgement is here? The core premise to all of his statements is one that the non-Christian world refuses to acknowledge and mocks Christianity for. . . that humans are at heart, basically evil, not good. At the very least, Hawking is saying that even life forms far superior and advanced to the human race that may exist on other planets would potentially pose a threat to us, rather than a blessing. In other words, intelligence, technological or educational advancement, even other-worldly life experience, environment, political and religious differences do not guarantee compassion, mercy, kindness, tolerance or love. Hawking need only look to own history to say that people (and hence any humanoid life forms) are ultimately self-serving, and capable of the morally unspeakable, regardless of how "evolved" they are. The notion that human beings are "basically good" is simply flawed. We can not assume that any other life form out there is any different than we. Mr. Hawking is giving what is likely an unwitting nod to this idea when he suggests that we should actually avoid at all costs making contact with alien life!

Of course, if mankind's core nature is flawed (that is, sinful), then this naturally leads to two questions:

1) Why are we flawed, that is, how did we get this way? and

2) What then shall we do?

For the first question, Christians know that no amount of education, science, technology, government program, tolerance counseling, happy thoughts, anger management or any other "self-help" course are going to fix our sinful natures. We also understand that "good" and "bad," "right" and "wrong" are not determined by majority, culture, experience, convenience, personal preference or any other humanly-based measure. What is good, bad, right or wrong can only be determined by the one who is in charge of the whole kit and caboodle -- the One who created it, God Himself. God tells us in the Bible how human kind became sinful. For non-Christians, there is ultimately no answer to the question, and they are left with subjectivity, because there is, in their minds, no ultimate source of truth. "Truth" is fluid. What is morally acceptable is subject to change. And if that's so, on what basis are we to tell an alien life form that destroying us for their benefit is "wrong?" Based on what?

For question #2, Christians understand that only God can solve our problem! We are unable. We look to Him and His plan of saving us from our sinful natures. This is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ! For non-believers, again, there is no ultimate answer to this question, for everyone will have a different "solution" based on their own experiences, thoughts, beliefs, feelings, agenda, . . . or even planet!

So, I am grateful to Mr. Hawking for finally stating what Christians have known for centuries -- that human kind is fatally flawed, at its core! We are innately selfish --self-seeking, self-motivated, and self-absorbed, often to the great detriment of others, and no amount of learning or advancement changes this. Only Christ offers us what we really need -- a new heart, and new spiritual eyes to see and love Him!

"There is no one who does good, not even one." (Romans 3:12)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

It's Not My Beach!

On a recent trip to Kauai, Hawaii, we were enjoying one of the beautiful beaches, when we saw, in the distance, an area of sand roped off with orange cones and bright nylon string. The approximately 20' x 20' space began at the water's edge and came onto the beach in front. When we got closer, it became apparent why this prime piece of sunning real estate had been fenced off. Right in the middle of the space was an adult female Monk Seal, about 8 feet long, sleeping soundly, the opening and closing of her sandy nostrils the only sign of life! Lifeguards and park rangers keep careful watch of the beaches in Hawaii and take very seriously the protection of the wildlife that use the shorelines for nesting and resting! Monk Seals will sometimes occupy the same spot on a beach for days, moving only occasionally to shift position, or sun a different side! The animals are roped off to keep curious spectators at a safe distance for both seal and human! Though generally docile, Monk seals can and do bite when they feel threatened.

As I was observing this marvelous creature, a woman sitting behind me in a beach chair began to talk to me. Apparently, she had been occupying the exact spot in which the seal was lying only moments before. She complained to me in a very loud and angry manner how she had literally been run off the spot by the seal! "I had just gotten my chair, my towel, my cooler and all my stuff situated in that exact spot when that @#$% seal came out of the water and ran me off! It nearly bit me! And that's the best spot on the beach! Can you believe it?" she griped!

I tried to be sympathetic, but found her irritation rather amusing and, frankly, perplexing! I said with a smile, "Well, I don't know about you, but the way I see it, this is her beach, not mine! And she's a LOT bigger than I am, so as far as I'm concerned, she can have any spot she wants!" The tourist shrugged and went back to her chair. It reminded me of the old joke, "Where does an 800 pound gorilla sit on an airplane?" Answer: "Anywere it wants to!"

Can you guess the analogy I'm going to make here? Don't we sometimes react to God the same way this woman reacted to the seal? Things are going along according to our plans, and then when God changes our course, or "moves" us in any way we had not intended, we get angry, or at the very least, deeply disappointed! We question God's motives. We question God's power. We question God's wisdom! We even question His love for us! We somehow forget whose "beach" we're on! We forget whose really in charge and whose kingdom we're supposed to be working for! Instead of joyfully and willingly giving up our plans, desires, and wants for what God has planned for us, we gripe and moan and miss out on the thrill of going in faith where God directs for His glory!

The woman at the beach was unable to appreciate the magnificent animal in front of her, and the privilege she had to be able to move graciously aside to make room for this amazing creature. (Now, true, the beach technically belongs to humans too, but it is a needful habitat for the seal, while a place of recreation for us.) She also failed to appreciate the potential danger her bad attitude put her in! Her foolishness could have easily ended with a serious bite! But, in comparison, how slow we are to be in awe of our God, the King of the Universe, and to make ourselves soft clay in His capable, loving hands -- going where He wills, and pleases! And how foolish we are to forget the power He wields. After all, this world is God's "beach" not ours! We are visitors here, and He gets to direct things, not us. Thankfully, He is a gracious and generous host!

"Weak Christians are very apt to three things -- to choose their mercies, to choose their crosses, and to choose their employments."

(Thomas Brooks 1608-1680)

Digging Deeper

My daughter had to recently recite a poem as part of school. Rather than a lengthy poem, she chose to recite several small ones. Her favorite was this one by Robert Louis Stevenson:

At the Sea-side

When I was down beside the sea

A silver spade they gave to me

To dig the sandy shore.

My holes were empty like a cup.

In every hole the sea came up

Till it could come no more!

We've all experienced digging in the sand at the beach, and noticing how, when you reach a certain depth, the hole rapidly begins to fill with water! My kids love seeing how far down they can dig, and then enjoy standing in the pool created! The deeper one digs the hole, the more water fills it up!

A fitting picture, I think, for the Christian life! The deeper we go in our faith, the more profoundly we seek to know our Savior, the more enthusiastically we dig into His word, then the more He is pleased to fill us up with His Spirit, His blessings, His joy, His peace. . . we find that we simply cannot avoid being filled with the goodness and wisdom of God! If, on the other hand, we are feeling empty, it may be wise to ask ourselves if we are taking the time to really dig deeper in our love for and knowledge of the Lord.

So grab your shovels, everyone, and lets hit the spiritual beach!

Man vs. Wild vs. Faith

Discovery Channel hosts one of my kids' favorite TV shows -- Man vs. Wild! In each episode, former British Special Forces soldier and survival expert, Bear Grylls (yes, his first name is Bear), pits his wits against the worst that nature can dish out and demonstrates for us couch-potato viewers how to survive in some of the world's most dangerous places (should we ever suddenly find ourselves lost in an anaconda-infested Brazillian swamp on our way to Food Lion).

Once a location is chosen, Bear is airlifted in and dumped (often literally) on the scene, far from any civilization. He is typically equipped only with a small hunting knife and the clothes on his back. We watch in amazement as Bear endures the most dangerous, and often nauseating, of circumstances! (As I type this, Bear is "peeling" a frog in order to eat it -- raw! In an earlier episode, he used the rotting, fly-ridden carcass of a dead camel as a shelter!) He eats bugs, makes fire with sticks, sets traps with rocks, builds shelters in trees, navigates roaring rivers on make-shift log rafts, and has demonstrated everything from making fishing spears with bird skulls to the necessity of staying hydrated, no matter how you have to do it to survive (yep, he's even done "that")! Is it any wonder why this is my 8-year-old son's favorite show!?

So, why would ANY human being do all of this? He obviously risks his life each week to promote the advantages of preparedness, not to mention the shameless entertainment of people who will NEVER be in a position even close to having to ingest stinging ant larvae for the protein! Does Bear Grylls simply have serious thrill issues? Well, maybe, but probably not! He likely does it for two reasons: 1) He loves it and 2) He gets paid handsomely for it! Take away one of those two things, and he would probably instead be back in Britain working as a bodyguard for Hugh Grant or something.

So. . . what on earth is my point? Well, I was thinking. . . if Bear Grylls is willing to put himself at such risk for something he loves (the thrill of survival) and for the reward (presumably a large paycheck), why are we as Christians often willing to risk so little for our deep love of Christ, and the eternal rewards He offers us? Why is our passion for Christ and His glory so dim? Why is mine? Why are we so afraid? What is lacking -- our love for Christ and His work (which is far more exciting than any Man vs. Wild episode), or do we lack the belief that there really is a reward awaiting us? Or both? Are we afraid, perhaps, that if we take risks for God's kingdom, He will not protect us?

Well...there's one other thing that you may not know. Bear Grylls does not really go into all those snake-infested, leach-filled, putrid-bog-laden environments alone. No. He has a camera crew with him, who are also expert outdoorsmen. They go where Bear goes. If Bear climbs a steep cliff, they do too. If Bear plunges into the icy waters of the Arctic Sea, so does his crew. They are instructed to interfere ONLY if Bear gets into a life-threatening situation. Once, Bear fell into an ancient Bedouin well in the desert and had to be pulled out. Yes, Bear was risking his life, and does every week, BUT he has protection! Are we so different? Don't we have God's divine protection --His Sovereign will for our lives that will not allow anything to happen to us outside His providence? And unlike Bear Grylls, we are equipped to the hilt! No 3-inch bowie knife for our wilderness trek! We are equipped with all of the resources of the King of the Universe! Whatever we need to complete our mission, God will provide in abundance! We need only bring one thing along -- faith.

So. . . my prayer tonight is for God to give me the courage to be a Christian with serious thrill issues! I need to get off the couch and into the game! Help me, O God, to take more risks for your glory, for I know that you are with me, and my reward in heaven will be great -- an eternity with the God of glory, who is love itself!

Standing the Heat

I haven't been posting to my blog lately. It seems that the busyness of life, and the rise of Facebook, have trumped my ability and sometimes my desire, to be creative in thought. But my creative juices just aren't being met on FB, so I'm going to attempt to begin posting again on a fairly regular basis. This may come as welcome news to some, while raising a collective groan among others! LOL

Our small group has been watching a video together about living the Christian life. David Powlison, a counselor with CCEF, often uses an effective illustration to talk about how people react to the circumstances of life. Challenges and trials are depicted at the top of his chart as a blazing sun, and he calls it the "heat" of life. From there, people can take one of two routes. The "heat" can either produce a "thorny," ungodly response from us, or we can view the "heat" in light of the cross of Jesus Christ and bear godly fruit, rather than thorns that entangle us, and harm others.

As I was thinking about this (and feeling quite conviceted in my own life), a picture came to my mind. On our recent trip to Hawaii, there was a lovely flower garden beside the condominium where we were staying. In this garden grew an enormous cactus which was loaded with lovely pink and yellow flower buds! My daughter wanted to take a picture of it, and as we came closer to it, we noticed something very interesting. This large, prickly-pear-style cactus had something very obvious missing. Thorns! We searched high and low, but found no thorns, only flowers!

What a picture of how I want my life to be, I thought, -- able to withstand intense "heat" like a strong cactus, yet producing beautiful "fruit" and no thorns!

The Day After Thanksgiving

The day after Thanksgiving
The turkey’s all gone,
The pies are consumed,
And my waistline has grown!

The dishes are piled
in my sink very high
And the laundry has grown
Nearly reaching the sky!

But the kids got to play
With their long distance cousins
And grandma and grandpa
Got hugs by the dozens!

Our family all gathered
Around the big table
And thanked our dear Lord
That for this we are able.

And for giving us more
Than we ever could need
Our homes, and our health
And a country that’s free!

So, Happy Thanksgiving
My home’s now a mess,
But I’ll clean it up gladly
For I truly am blessed!

Winter Falls

Driving up the winding, forested road towards Hot Springs, one encounters around a certain turn a great waterfall, seemingly out of place amid the dense trees and viewless corners. A chasm suddenly appears, revealing a steep drop and a cascading torrent which crashes a hundred feet below. The winter day we happened upon the falls saw temperatures in the single digits, creating a fog as the water reached the bottom which rose like smoke and clouded the rocks below. The trees near the falls appear as if freshly snowed upon, each donning a white coat created from the mist. It appears at once beautiful but strangely eerie, and I am reminded how a cold heart touches everything around it. The falls roar and rush with fierce movement, but all around is frozen, motionless, silent. And I see that when I sin, I rage and command all around to listen while I leave my hearers stricken and still in the wake. Cold words or deeds can fall with great force and create an icy smoke which lingers and lands on those closest to us, leaving them dumbstruck and shivering. Like the trees around the icy falls who await Spring, how those who dwell in the midst of an icy heart long for the Son to rise up and bring warm life again! Thank you God, for a gentle yet powerful glimpse into my own depravity, and the hope I have in you!

Happy New Year!

Well, another year comes to a close. Every New Year's Eve I remember with fondness a tradition practiced at my Grandparent's home. It was not uncommon for my Dad's parents to keep their five grandchildren (including me and my brother) overnight on New Year's Eve. While we thought this was a great tradition, it is only as an adult (and a parent) that I now realize that this thoughtful gesture was likely done each year in order to free our parents up to go out for New Years sans kiddies! Nevertheless, we kiddies did enjoy ourselves. The highlight of the evening for us cousins was to see who could make the most elaborate or ridiculous hat to wear at midnight. Using construction paper and lots of bows, ribbons and paper left over from the recent Christmas mayhem, we set about our task and then at midnight we would all rush out into the yard sporting our creations making as much commotion possible with noise makers, horns and cow bells! We indeed "rang" in the new year, and Granddaddy topped it all off with fireworks!

It is fitting to celebrate the start of a New Year, for it is by the grace of God that we start even a new day! And it gives us yet another opportunity to praise Him for the most awesome new beginning He's ever given us -- new life in Christ!! That new beginning can happen for us at any time. For many, it comes early as we are raised in godly homes and the Spirit calls us at a tender age. For others, God may choose the teen years, or midlife. The Lawson's dear neighbor and friend, Bob, is celebrating a new beginning at the end of his life. Struggling with cancer for years, he had been struggling against God for his whole life. But here at the closing of his earthly life, in what will likely be his death bed, he has experienced a glorious dawning! His life is in reality now just beginning!! David in his visits with Bob has remarked that since giving his life to Christ, Bob's entire countenance has changed! He exudes peacefulness, where before he was agitated. He is smiling, joyful and engaging with visitors, rather than closed, hesitant and downcast. At a time the world would say should be his saddest hour, Bob is radiant with hope, peace and joy!

Likewise for Jenice's father who's recent hospitalization for heart trouble has given her and others the opportunity to talk to him about his real "heart" trouble, his need for Christ! And God has graciously seen fit to draw this man to himself at the twilight of his days who has worshiped idols his whole life, namely the god of money. That is grace, my friends! Who but our loving God would offer salvation to one who has shaken his fist in His face for over 7o years? And who but our loving God can surprise the hopeless with joy, give peace to the tourmented soul, and hopeful anticipation, not dread, in the face of death?

THAT'S the power of the Gospel! THAT'S the "foolishness" that the world mocks, but we know is the ONLY reality -- that we were dead in our sins, but Christ died for us and was raised from the grave that we might have eternal life! Not just that we might experience life after death, but experience the things of God's in this life -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control!

So, friends, Happy New Year, and may it be merry as we praise God for His abounding grace and mercy, love and forgiveness, hope and renewing power! I can't wait to see what God does in our midst in 2009! Just look at how he has blessed the close of 2008 with these two amazing miracles, like fireworks of celebration! Thanks be to GOD!

This Holy Christmas Night