My friend James Pratt is a best-selling author who has written several novels as well as some nonfiction. James is also very passionate about America's history and its future. Recently James launched PowerThink.com with his friend Mark Kastleman, author of "Success Through Power Thinking". Their goal is to empower their readers with access to some of the world's greatest collected works.
I ordered "American Freedom Collection" recently and was overwhelmed by the inclusion of so much historical fact in one place. Here's a sample of what I received in the American Freedom Collection: Over 60,000 works including:
Presidential Papers (120,000+ pages, Over 100 Volumes) Supreme Court Collection, 1000 decisions (1793 - 1997) U.S. Congress Collection (17 works) Documents and Histories (42 volumes - 16,000 pages) National Party Platforms (1840 - 1996) Constitution Reference (19 works) Western Civilization (11 works) Founding Fathers (12 volumes) Quotes Collection (12,000 quotations).
James and I both share a love of our country and we want to preserve our freedoms for our children and grandchildren. The best way to preserve our freedoms is to be educated about what our founding fathers intended for America. You're not going to find this information in public school today. Our kids are being taught revisionist history that leaves out much of the information included in the American Freedom Collection. Unless we teach them the way our government is supposed to work for us, they are going to grow up thinking it's wise to exchange freedom for government control over their lives.
Every parent, college student - every American citizen - should have access to the information in the American Freedom Collection. James has put it together on CD for only $15.95 - less than a third the cost of a text book. Scripture says that 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge'. The same could be said of our democracy unless people become knowledgeable and act responsibly for America's future.
Check out the "American Freedom Collection" and other works at James' website: http://PowerThink.com. Parents and students may also want to purchase "The World's Definitive eBook Collection" or the "Absolute Principles for Raising Successful Children" series.
I Hate Haters of Hate Speech
The recent flap at NCSU over 'hate-speech' graffitti on the Freedom of Expression Wall is causing me to put on my bigot hat...again. And that's OK, I'm comfortable as a bigot. It's a lot less stressful than pretending to like or care about miserable people with fragile egos.
Sure, what the students wrote on the wall on election night is hate speech. But so is Jeremiah Wright's sermons for the past twenty years. If anyone hates, he does. I'm just as bothered over his 'Not God bless America - God damn America' remarks. The Reverend William Barber, the state's NAACP president, wants the students expelled from school and charged with hate crimes. What crime? Are our thoughts now illegal - whether they're spoken or written?
The only difference between the NAACP and the KKK is that the former wear suits, the latter wear sheets. The NAACP is led by hateful, past-dwelling ministers and the KKK is led by Democratic Senators and Congressmen. There is more racism today that there was in the 50's when I was growing up. The reason is that black 'leaders' keep their citizens focussed on the past and coming up with excuses for their failures; and the government wants to keep an entire segment of our citizens in poverty so they can stay in power.
A recent episode on TV focused on the difficulties that a trans-gender female-to-male had finding acceptance in his community. Why do we have to accept people simply because they are different from us? Does a parent in that (wo)man's community have to teach her kids that it's OK to hang out with someone who doesn't know who he/she is, simply because the law says we can't discrimiate against she/he?
Can any hate speech, non-discrimination, equal rights law override my feelings of discomfort and distrust when I have to sit beside a Koran-toting Middle Easterner on the airplane or ride the subway with a gang of Bloods or Crips in my car? At what point do I stop trusting my instincts and give anyone who has ever been victimized by someone else the right to blow me up, shoot me, stab me, rob me and threaten my family and my country?
Common sense and reason are fast becoming a thing of the past; as is our freedoms. The next generations are being brainwashed into believing wrong is right, good is bad, truth is irelevant and justice is only for the whiners and losers?
For examply, did you know that the dictionary has changed the definition of n****r? It used to be someone who was shiftless and lazy, mean and stingy. Now the word means: Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a. a black person.
b. a member of any dark-skinned people.
2. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a person of any race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant, etc.
3. a victim of prejudice similar to that suffered by blacks; a person who is economically, politically, or socially disenfranchised."
Excuses, excuses, excuses. I long for the day when people said what they meant, even if it meant a fist in the face for your remark. Today they want to destroy you for exercising your freedom of speech.
Sure, what the students wrote on the wall on election night is hate speech. But so is Jeremiah Wright's sermons for the past twenty years. If anyone hates, he does. I'm just as bothered over his 'Not God bless America - God damn America' remarks. The Reverend William Barber, the state's NAACP president, wants the students expelled from school and charged with hate crimes. What crime? Are our thoughts now illegal - whether they're spoken or written?
The only difference between the NAACP and the KKK is that the former wear suits, the latter wear sheets. The NAACP is led by hateful, past-dwelling ministers and the KKK is led by Democratic Senators and Congressmen. There is more racism today that there was in the 50's when I was growing up. The reason is that black 'leaders' keep their citizens focussed on the past and coming up with excuses for their failures; and the government wants to keep an entire segment of our citizens in poverty so they can stay in power.
A recent episode on TV focused on the difficulties that a trans-gender female-to-male had finding acceptance in his community. Why do we have to accept people simply because they are different from us? Does a parent in that (wo)man's community have to teach her kids that it's OK to hang out with someone who doesn't know who he/she is, simply because the law says we can't discrimiate against she/he?
Can any hate speech, non-discrimination, equal rights law override my feelings of discomfort and distrust when I have to sit beside a Koran-toting Middle Easterner on the airplane or ride the subway with a gang of Bloods or Crips in my car? At what point do I stop trusting my instincts and give anyone who has ever been victimized by someone else the right to blow me up, shoot me, stab me, rob me and threaten my family and my country?
Common sense and reason are fast becoming a thing of the past; as is our freedoms. The next generations are being brainwashed into believing wrong is right, good is bad, truth is irelevant and justice is only for the whiners and losers?
For examply, did you know that the dictionary has changed the definition of n****r? It used to be someone who was shiftless and lazy, mean and stingy. Now the word means: Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a. a black person.
b. a member of any dark-skinned people.
2. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a person of any race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant, etc.
3. a victim of prejudice similar to that suffered by blacks; a person who is economically, politically, or socially disenfranchised."
Excuses, excuses, excuses. I long for the day when people said what they meant, even if it meant a fist in the face for your remark. Today they want to destroy you for exercising your freedom of speech.
Now on Facebook
OK, I'm now on Facebook. Maybe I'll get on Twitter once I figure this one out.
Been married about two and a half weeks and still happily married!!
The Honeymoon In a Nutshell
Pam and I were married on Sunday, November 2nd, 2008. We spent the night at the Crystal Key B&B in Newman Grove, Nebraska. On Monday morning, we got up early, packed the car and met Bernice (I love this lady) at the bowling alley for breakfast. After breakfast, we went by Pam's house to clean it before leaving. The plumber came by to winterize the pipes while we wait for the house to sell.
I was sad as we drove out of Newman Grove. The people there are really special. They had done so much for us preparing for the wedding and wishing us well. I'll especially miss Bernice and Alta. As hard as it was for me, I can only imagine what leaving was like for Pam. Her family, everyone she knows and loves is in Nebraska.
Most of the day was spent driving to Hannibal, Missouri. We stayed downtown in an old brothel - the Lula Belle B&B, right next to the Mississippi River and a train track where every hour a train would pass and blow it's whistle outside our room. I'm sure they thought it was funny, but we were not amused. Our room was above a restaurant and boasted a heart-shaped jaccuzzi tub and a toilet separated from the bed by one narrow partition. We had to turn up the TV volume when we had to use the toilet - but we did have a good view of the train track from the window next to the toilet...and the tub was nice, if loud and powerful. It shot jets of water two feet higher than the tub.
On Tuesday morning we toured the town, climbing to the top of the hill Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer played on in Mark Twain's stories about the Mississippi River. We also visited Molly Brown's birthplace (closed). She was the feisty millionaire aboard the Titanic when it went down (played by Kathy Bates in one movie).
The weather was perfect our entire honeymoon. After leaving Hannibal, we drove south to St. Louis where we toured the St. Louis Arch and the museum under the arch, Gateway to the West. Around dusk we headed out of town and stopped at a Best Western - the nicest motel we stayed at on our trip. That night we talked and decided that it was too ambitious to try to include Memphis, TN in our trip. The next morning we woke up and ate breakfast at Crackle Barrel (for the second time), consulted our atlas, and chose a route southest towards Nashville. Little did we know it would take most of the day to get there.
We drove through Missouri and entered the lower part of Illinois in the town of Chester. Chester is known as the home town of Popeye the Sailor Man. It was a cute town. Being the home state of our new President-elect, we were surprised to see a lot of McCain/Palin signs in yards. A tiny building in downtown Chester was the local Republican headquarters...a sad place the day after the election.
From Chester we drove further into Illinois and came to Metropolis - home town to SuperMan. A giant steel replica of Superman stood at the back of the courthouse, so Pam and I paused for pictures and to visit the Superman museum/souvenir shop. After leaving Metropolis, we passed through Kentucky and made it just outside of Nashville after dark.
Thursday morning we visited the Opryland Hotel and Conference Center in Nashville. It was decorated for Christmas and looked beautiful. The place is huge! Opryland Hotel is the largest non-casino hotel in the world. We're going back to stay at the hotel at our first opportunity. Lunch was at Finney's Pub, an Irish pub inside the convention center. We also took the riverboat tour of the hotel and learned about the Presidential suite where Dolly Parton likes to plop down $3,500 a night to stay there.
We wanted to see the Grand Ole Opry auditorium and museum, but it was closed. So was the General Jackson paddlewheel boat. Just our luck. We got married at the wrong time...
We did visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rhyman Auditorium where the Grand Ole Opry got it's start. I wasn't too impressed with the Hall of Fame, but the Rhyman was great. We had our picture taken at the microphone where Minnie Pearl and Johnny Cash once stood. After touring the Rhyman, we had ice cream in a downtown Nashville store and walked past dozens of bars with loud bands and the occasional street performer.
We left Nashville around dusk and drove to Sevierville before stopping for the night at another Best Western. The following day we drove out to the Odom farm - original settlers in the Gatlinburg area. We spent most of the day walking up and down Gatlinburg streets, enjoying lunch at an Italian restaurant and fudge from one of the many fudge shops in town. We also visited two Thomas Kinkaid galleries. After that we drove back to Pigeon Forge and located Dollywood after driving around forever looking for it. Dollywood was closed - no surprise - but we drove around the ticket booth and followed the road to the front gate where employees were decorating the park for Christmas. Pam and I snuck in and took photos. It would be nice to go back and see the Christmas shows, including a 4D version of Polar Express.
Late Friday afternoon we drove up on the Gatlinburg bypass and took photos of Mt. Leconte rising above the town. Then we drove the scenic route from Gatlinburg to Cherokee. Clouds were low by the time we reached Newfound Gap and we drove down the back side of the mountains in a cold drizzle.
Cherokee was dead. We stopped at one of the cheezy souvenier shops and I wondered what my parents thought when they brought my brother and I there when we were kids. Cherokee is a fairly depressing tourist trap, surviving mostly on Harrah's casino on the east side of town.
We continued on Friday night to Maggie Valley. I had hoped to stay at the Heart of the Valley motel, but it was - you guessed it, closed. My dad had intended to buy the motel when I was about 10 years old, but someone got there first with a down payment. It was a dream of mine to grow up in the mountains, playing in the streams and exploring caves. Heart of the Valley was a cool place to have grown up. Instead we stayed at some place I forget and had dinner at Logan's Bar next door. The 12 oz ribeye steaks were good and they were only $9.99.
Saturday morning we rose early and headed to Asheville to visit the Biltmore. The place was already crowded and we had a timed entry into the house of 10:45, an hour wait. We took photos outside and then spent the next two hours tourning the house. It was just decorated for Christmas and there were probably about 30 Christmas trees scattered throughout the house. Down in the old kitchen area, the staff had built a cale model gingerbread Biltmore. The windows were opened, allowing the delicious smell of the gingerbread to filter throughout the basement. I've always liked the staff quarters and kitchen/laundry areas best.
We had lunch at the stables next to the mansion and later visited the winery for a wine tasting. Actually we stood in line for an hour, took one sip of wine from the first glass, and decided to leave. The line waiting outside the winery was probably three hours long by then. I'm conservatively estimating that the Biltmore took in over a million dollars last Saturday. The staff is very efficient, passing 180 visitors through the front doors every 15 minutes at $54 a pop for adults.
We left Asheville and headed east for home. It took us six days to cover the 1400 miles from Newman Grove, Nebraska to Creedmoor, NC. The weather was perfect, the country in between is beautiful, and now we're trying to settle two households into one home; making adjustments for my kids and for Pam's furniture due to arrive tomorrow.
I'll find a way to post more pictures online. You have to see to appreciate how wonderful our honeymoon was. Pray for us as we start our lives and build our dreams together. It's going to be a wonderful journey.
I was sad as we drove out of Newman Grove. The people there are really special. They had done so much for us preparing for the wedding and wishing us well. I'll especially miss Bernice and Alta. As hard as it was for me, I can only imagine what leaving was like for Pam. Her family, everyone she knows and loves is in Nebraska.
Most of the day was spent driving to Hannibal, Missouri. We stayed downtown in an old brothel - the Lula Belle B&B, right next to the Mississippi River and a train track where every hour a train would pass and blow it's whistle outside our room. I'm sure they thought it was funny, but we were not amused. Our room was above a restaurant and boasted a heart-shaped jaccuzzi tub and a toilet separated from the bed by one narrow partition. We had to turn up the TV volume when we had to use the toilet - but we did have a good view of the train track from the window next to the toilet...and the tub was nice, if loud and powerful. It shot jets of water two feet higher than the tub.
On Tuesday morning we toured the town, climbing to the top of the hill Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer played on in Mark Twain's stories about the Mississippi River. We also visited Molly Brown's birthplace (closed). She was the feisty millionaire aboard the Titanic when it went down (played by Kathy Bates in one movie).
The weather was perfect our entire honeymoon. After leaving Hannibal, we drove south to St. Louis where we toured the St. Louis Arch and the museum under the arch, Gateway to the West. Around dusk we headed out of town and stopped at a Best Western - the nicest motel we stayed at on our trip. That night we talked and decided that it was too ambitious to try to include Memphis, TN in our trip. The next morning we woke up and ate breakfast at Crackle Barrel (for the second time), consulted our atlas, and chose a route southest towards Nashville. Little did we know it would take most of the day to get there.
We drove through Missouri and entered the lower part of Illinois in the town of Chester. Chester is known as the home town of Popeye the Sailor Man. It was a cute town. Being the home state of our new President-elect, we were surprised to see a lot of McCain/Palin signs in yards. A tiny building in downtown Chester was the local Republican headquarters...a sad place the day after the election.
From Chester we drove further into Illinois and came to Metropolis - home town to SuperMan. A giant steel replica of Superman stood at the back of the courthouse, so Pam and I paused for pictures and to visit the Superman museum/souvenir shop. After leaving Metropolis, we passed through Kentucky and made it just outside of Nashville after dark.
Thursday morning we visited the Opryland Hotel and Conference Center in Nashville. It was decorated for Christmas and looked beautiful. The place is huge! Opryland Hotel is the largest non-casino hotel in the world. We're going back to stay at the hotel at our first opportunity. Lunch was at Finney's Pub, an Irish pub inside the convention center. We also took the riverboat tour of the hotel and learned about the Presidential suite where Dolly Parton likes to plop down $3,500 a night to stay there.
We wanted to see the Grand Ole Opry auditorium and museum, but it was closed. So was the General Jackson paddlewheel boat. Just our luck. We got married at the wrong time...
We did visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rhyman Auditorium where the Grand Ole Opry got it's start. I wasn't too impressed with the Hall of Fame, but the Rhyman was great. We had our picture taken at the microphone where Minnie Pearl and Johnny Cash once stood. After touring the Rhyman, we had ice cream in a downtown Nashville store and walked past dozens of bars with loud bands and the occasional street performer.
We left Nashville around dusk and drove to Sevierville before stopping for the night at another Best Western. The following day we drove out to the Odom farm - original settlers in the Gatlinburg area. We spent most of the day walking up and down Gatlinburg streets, enjoying lunch at an Italian restaurant and fudge from one of the many fudge shops in town. We also visited two Thomas Kinkaid galleries. After that we drove back to Pigeon Forge and located Dollywood after driving around forever looking for it. Dollywood was closed - no surprise - but we drove around the ticket booth and followed the road to the front gate where employees were decorating the park for Christmas. Pam and I snuck in and took photos. It would be nice to go back and see the Christmas shows, including a 4D version of Polar Express.
Late Friday afternoon we drove up on the Gatlinburg bypass and took photos of Mt. Leconte rising above the town. Then we drove the scenic route from Gatlinburg to Cherokee. Clouds were low by the time we reached Newfound Gap and we drove down the back side of the mountains in a cold drizzle.
Cherokee was dead. We stopped at one of the cheezy souvenier shops and I wondered what my parents thought when they brought my brother and I there when we were kids. Cherokee is a fairly depressing tourist trap, surviving mostly on Harrah's casino on the east side of town.
We continued on Friday night to Maggie Valley. I had hoped to stay at the Heart of the Valley motel, but it was - you guessed it, closed. My dad had intended to buy the motel when I was about 10 years old, but someone got there first with a down payment. It was a dream of mine to grow up in the mountains, playing in the streams and exploring caves. Heart of the Valley was a cool place to have grown up. Instead we stayed at some place I forget and had dinner at Logan's Bar next door. The 12 oz ribeye steaks were good and they were only $9.99.
Saturday morning we rose early and headed to Asheville to visit the Biltmore. The place was already crowded and we had a timed entry into the house of 10:45, an hour wait. We took photos outside and then spent the next two hours tourning the house. It was just decorated for Christmas and there were probably about 30 Christmas trees scattered throughout the house. Down in the old kitchen area, the staff had built a cale model gingerbread Biltmore. The windows were opened, allowing the delicious smell of the gingerbread to filter throughout the basement. I've always liked the staff quarters and kitchen/laundry areas best.
We had lunch at the stables next to the mansion and later visited the winery for a wine tasting. Actually we stood in line for an hour, took one sip of wine from the first glass, and decided to leave. The line waiting outside the winery was probably three hours long by then. I'm conservatively estimating that the Biltmore took in over a million dollars last Saturday. The staff is very efficient, passing 180 visitors through the front doors every 15 minutes at $54 a pop for adults.
We left Asheville and headed east for home. It took us six days to cover the 1400 miles from Newman Grove, Nebraska to Creedmoor, NC. The weather was perfect, the country in between is beautiful, and now we're trying to settle two households into one home; making adjustments for my kids and for Pam's furniture due to arrive tomorrow.
I'll find a way to post more pictures online. You have to see to appreciate how wonderful our honeymoon was. Pray for us as we start our lives and build our dreams together. It's going to be a wonderful journey.
It's Official
Our wedding cake! 11/2/2008
Friends in Nebraska
No rice...but plenty of leaves!
Bed & Breakfast in Newman Grove, Nebraska
The happy couple - appearing live on stage at Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN.
Obama's Legacy
Should Barack Obama win the election this November, I will not lose any sleep over it. In fact, I will pray for him and for our other elected officials. Most of all I will pray for America, because regardless of politics, we do live in the best country on God's earth.
I'm a staunch conservative politically, but there is little to be excited over this election - other than Governor Sarah Palin. But if polls are right, Obama will squeak by McCain and become America's first black President. Obama may not want to be labeled as a 'black' President, but indeed if he's elected it won't be because of his qualifications but because of his color. He is a novelty to some, a hopeful change in Washington for many, a cause for millions. Some in his own party won't vote for him because he's black; most of his party is black, so they will. (89% of black Americans supported John Kerry in the 2004 elections).
The way he performs his duties as President will be filtered through many lenses. Should Barack Obama perceive himself as a servant of all Americans, he will become a sell-out to many Afro-Americans and at the same time ensure that the Democratic Party remains the largest political party in America. However, if he caters to his biggest supporters, the legacy that Obama leaves will reflect not only on himself, but on blacks as a race.
How we process our identity says a lot about who we are. Obama claims that he was led to the Lord and discipled by Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Disciple means 'reproduce yourself'. What did Jeremiah Wright reproduce in Barack Obama? Martin Luther King dreamed that some day a person would not be judged on the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I don't know if America is there yet. Black 'leaders' and the Democratic party have much to lose if that day ever comes. Obama can either be an inspiration to black Americans, or he can be like his mentor and flame racial hatred and further divide our nation.
I do believe that Barack Obama is concerned what kind of legacy he will leave behind, both personally, and as America's first black President. I think he will not risk being treated poorly by history. At the same time, Barack Obama - a professed follower of Christ - has repeatedly voted contrary to biblical mandates. He will give an account to God some day for the way he led the greatest nation on Earth. And as voters, we must give an account for how we entrust our future to leaders who oppose those mandates.
Our faith, if we have faith, cannot be entrusted to political parties but to Godly leaders who value His values, who love His people. There is no place in America for racial hatred, especially in churches and in the offices of our elected officials. America needs change, and I pray that Obama will at least begin the process of reuniting our nation. It is a difficult task for any man or woman, regardless of race. His legacy can be greatness or failure, divinely led or spiritually dead. We should all pray for divine greatness. His term will either unite America or insure that a true conservative wins the next election.
Go Palin/Gingrich in 2012!
I'm a staunch conservative politically, but there is little to be excited over this election - other than Governor Sarah Palin. But if polls are right, Obama will squeak by McCain and become America's first black President. Obama may not want to be labeled as a 'black' President, but indeed if he's elected it won't be because of his qualifications but because of his color. He is a novelty to some, a hopeful change in Washington for many, a cause for millions. Some in his own party won't vote for him because he's black; most of his party is black, so they will. (89% of black Americans supported John Kerry in the 2004 elections).
The way he performs his duties as President will be filtered through many lenses. Should Barack Obama perceive himself as a servant of all Americans, he will become a sell-out to many Afro-Americans and at the same time ensure that the Democratic Party remains the largest political party in America. However, if he caters to his biggest supporters, the legacy that Obama leaves will reflect not only on himself, but on blacks as a race.
How we process our identity says a lot about who we are. Obama claims that he was led to the Lord and discipled by Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Disciple means 'reproduce yourself'. What did Jeremiah Wright reproduce in Barack Obama? Martin Luther King dreamed that some day a person would not be judged on the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I don't know if America is there yet. Black 'leaders' and the Democratic party have much to lose if that day ever comes. Obama can either be an inspiration to black Americans, or he can be like his mentor and flame racial hatred and further divide our nation.
I do believe that Barack Obama is concerned what kind of legacy he will leave behind, both personally, and as America's first black President. I think he will not risk being treated poorly by history. At the same time, Barack Obama - a professed follower of Christ - has repeatedly voted contrary to biblical mandates. He will give an account to God some day for the way he led the greatest nation on Earth. And as voters, we must give an account for how we entrust our future to leaders who oppose those mandates.
Our faith, if we have faith, cannot be entrusted to political parties but to Godly leaders who value His values, who love His people. There is no place in America for racial hatred, especially in churches and in the offices of our elected officials. America needs change, and I pray that Obama will at least begin the process of reuniting our nation. It is a difficult task for any man or woman, regardless of race. His legacy can be greatness or failure, divinely led or spiritually dead. We should all pray for divine greatness. His term will either unite America or insure that a true conservative wins the next election.
Go Palin/Gingrich in 2012!
Prayer Request from Pastor Rick Warren
Below is an email I received from Pastor Rick Warren about his daughter-in-law Jaime who's battling cancer. Her story is much like my own 25 year old daughter's battle. Please pray for Jaime and for Kay, Rick's wife who also has cancer.
October 17, 2008
Dear Saddleback Family,
Kay and I, and our entire family are deeply grateful for your prayers for Jaime and her battle with a brain tumor. Below is a brief report of this past week along with the scripture verse I've focused on each day. Thanks for sharing this burden with us. You might want to save these verses for when YOU need them.
SATURDAY
Jaime was hospitalized for blurred vision, instability, and headaches. A CT Scan revealed a massive tumor at the base of her brain.
"Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer." Psalm 94:19 (Living)
SUNDAY
My 25 year old daughter-in-law, Jaime, (Josh's wife) is facing her second life-threatening health crisis in less than two months. Seven weeks ago, Jaime went into labor five weeks early. They discovered the baby was in the breech position and an emergency C-section was ordered because the baby's heart rate began to drop. Cole was not breathing when he was born, and it took great skill from the medical personnel to resuscitate him.
MONDAY
A day for testing. The MRI revealed a very serious and complex vascular tumor and hydrocephalus. There is debate about the type of tumor and much concern about the best procedure to use.
"God will shield you with his wings! They will shelter you. His faithful promises are your armor. Now you don't need to be afraid of the dark any more, nor fear the dangers of the day; nor dread the plagues of darkness, nor disasters in the morning." Psalm 91:4-6 (Living)
TUESDAY
After getting 3 professional opinions on the nature of the tumor, we've moved Jaime to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. The UCLA chief of neurosurgery has taken Jaime's case because of its risk and complexity. An angiogram today provided more information but because of the tumor's location and connection to vital blood supply, doctors are unable to perform a procedure they hoped to do before the surgery.
"The righteous do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly." Psalm 112:6-8 (NLT)
WEDNESDAY 10 AM
Jaime was just rolled into the operating room for her 16 hour brain surgery. We now know the premature birth and emergency C-section of Cole likely saved Jaime's life. She could have died pushing in a normal delivery. What we often think is a problem (at that moment) is often a protection.
"Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord is the one who goes before you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor forsake you." Deut. 31:8 (NLT)
WEDNESDAY NIGHT 11 pm
Hour 13 of Jaime's surgery. We are told the tumor is tangled with all of the nerves on the left side of her brain, pushing its way into the brain. We are praying that Jaime's life will be spared, the tumor will be successfully removed, and there will be no damage to her eyesight or permanent loss of movement.
"The prayer that is said with faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will heal that person." James 5:15 (NCV)
THURSDAY 6 AM
After almost 20 hours, Jaime leaves the operating room. She'll now be in recovery for several hours. She may sleep for a couple of days due to the strong anesthesia given.
"When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)
THURSDAY 10:30 AM
VERY BAD NEWS. A post-op CT Scan shows that Jaime is bleeding internally and building pressure on her brain. This is life-threatening, so doctors must go back to the operating room, reopen the wound, find the cause of the bleeding, and stop it. This will take another 4 ½ hours.
"We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help." 2 Chron. 20:12 (NLT)
THURSDAY 3 PM
The second surgery stops two areas of internal bleeding. The doctor frankly discusses the possible long term damage.
"Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them. Psalm 10:17 (NLT)
THURSDAY 5 PM
Josh just got to see Jaime for the first time in 32 hours. It was only 30 seconds but she opened her eyes. She is on a breathing machine and can't speak but can move all four of her extremities. The next 24 hours will be extremely critical. Our family is all worn out too.
Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
FRIDAY AM
Please pray that Jaime will have a full recovery, with no long-term complications. Pray that her life will be an example of the truth that God's purpose for our lives is greater than any problem we face. Pray the doctors and nurses will be touched by the witness of her life.
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22
"Pray that our Lord will make us strong and give us peace." Psalm 29:11
"Pray for us that God will give us an opportunity to tell people his message." Colossians 4:3
"I pray that God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus!" Phil. 4:19
"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you." 1 Samuel 12:23
"This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love." Philippians. 1:9
I love you and I'm grateful for you.
Rick Warren
Saddleback Church
Purpose Driven Network
October 17, 2008
Dear Saddleback Family,
Kay and I, and our entire family are deeply grateful for your prayers for Jaime and her battle with a brain tumor. Below is a brief report of this past week along with the scripture verse I've focused on each day. Thanks for sharing this burden with us. You might want to save these verses for when YOU need them.
SATURDAY
Jaime was hospitalized for blurred vision, instability, and headaches. A CT Scan revealed a massive tumor at the base of her brain.
"Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer." Psalm 94:19 (Living)
SUNDAY
My 25 year old daughter-in-law, Jaime, (Josh's wife) is facing her second life-threatening health crisis in less than two months. Seven weeks ago, Jaime went into labor five weeks early. They discovered the baby was in the breech position and an emergency C-section was ordered because the baby's heart rate began to drop. Cole was not breathing when he was born, and it took great skill from the medical personnel to resuscitate him.
MONDAY
A day for testing. The MRI revealed a very serious and complex vascular tumor and hydrocephalus. There is debate about the type of tumor and much concern about the best procedure to use.
"God will shield you with his wings! They will shelter you. His faithful promises are your armor. Now you don't need to be afraid of the dark any more, nor fear the dangers of the day; nor dread the plagues of darkness, nor disasters in the morning." Psalm 91:4-6 (Living)
TUESDAY
After getting 3 professional opinions on the nature of the tumor, we've moved Jaime to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. The UCLA chief of neurosurgery has taken Jaime's case because of its risk and complexity. An angiogram today provided more information but because of the tumor's location and connection to vital blood supply, doctors are unable to perform a procedure they hoped to do before the surgery.
"The righteous do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly." Psalm 112:6-8 (NLT)
WEDNESDAY 10 AM
Jaime was just rolled into the operating room for her 16 hour brain surgery. We now know the premature birth and emergency C-section of Cole likely saved Jaime's life. She could have died pushing in a normal delivery. What we often think is a problem (at that moment) is often a protection.
"Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord is the one who goes before you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor forsake you." Deut. 31:8 (NLT)
WEDNESDAY NIGHT 11 pm
Hour 13 of Jaime's surgery. We are told the tumor is tangled with all of the nerves on the left side of her brain, pushing its way into the brain. We are praying that Jaime's life will be spared, the tumor will be successfully removed, and there will be no damage to her eyesight or permanent loss of movement.
"The prayer that is said with faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will heal that person." James 5:15 (NCV)
THURSDAY 6 AM
After almost 20 hours, Jaime leaves the operating room. She'll now be in recovery for several hours. She may sleep for a couple of days due to the strong anesthesia given.
"When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)
THURSDAY 10:30 AM
VERY BAD NEWS. A post-op CT Scan shows that Jaime is bleeding internally and building pressure on her brain. This is life-threatening, so doctors must go back to the operating room, reopen the wound, find the cause of the bleeding, and stop it. This will take another 4 ½ hours.
"We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help." 2 Chron. 20:12 (NLT)
THURSDAY 3 PM
The second surgery stops two areas of internal bleeding. The doctor frankly discusses the possible long term damage.
"Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them. Psalm 10:17 (NLT)
THURSDAY 5 PM
Josh just got to see Jaime for the first time in 32 hours. It was only 30 seconds but she opened her eyes. She is on a breathing machine and can't speak but can move all four of her extremities. The next 24 hours will be extremely critical. Our family is all worn out too.
Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
FRIDAY AM
Please pray that Jaime will have a full recovery, with no long-term complications. Pray that her life will be an example of the truth that God's purpose for our lives is greater than any problem we face. Pray the doctors and nurses will be touched by the witness of her life.
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22
"Pray that our Lord will make us strong and give us peace." Psalm 29:11
"Pray for us that God will give us an opportunity to tell people his message." Colossians 4:3
"I pray that God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus!" Phil. 4:19
"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you." 1 Samuel 12:23
"This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love." Philippians. 1:9
I love you and I'm grateful for you.
Rick Warren
Saddleback Church
Purpose Driven Network
Early Voting
Today is the first day for One-Stop Voting in North Carolina. I went by the Creedmoor City Hall on the way to work this morning to cast my votes. I'll be on my honeymoon on election day and will have other things on my mind.
I was surprised at how many people were standing in line waiting for the doors to open. In a way, it's a good thing that people are more involved this election than they have in the past. I'm not too thrilled with either candidate for the Presidency, so this election for me is more about our leaders closer to home than Washington D.C.
If what I saw this morning continues throughout the election cycle, Barack Obama will have succeeded at getting out the votes in my state. John McCain seems to be losing support as the 'moderate' Republicans go over to Obama because Sarah Palin is more conservative than they like. I like conservatism. I like Sarah Palin. In four years, she's getting my vote; and I think she will win - because with either McCain or Obama, we're getting four more years of the same mess. People will be ready for a real change in 2012.
I've decided not to buy into the doom and gloom this year. I'm getting married and we've determined that our future is going to be bright in spite of talk radio and CNN.
Regardless of who's in office, I've done my civic duty and voted. Most importantly, my faith is not in a political party, but in God. If Christians will call on Him, regardless of which political party they belong to, our nation will become better than we've ever been.
Get out and vote - it's the least you can do. Just remember, it's "In God We Trust". God bless America.
I was surprised at how many people were standing in line waiting for the doors to open. In a way, it's a good thing that people are more involved this election than they have in the past. I'm not too thrilled with either candidate for the Presidency, so this election for me is more about our leaders closer to home than Washington D.C.
If what I saw this morning continues throughout the election cycle, Barack Obama will have succeeded at getting out the votes in my state. John McCain seems to be losing support as the 'moderate' Republicans go over to Obama because Sarah Palin is more conservative than they like. I like conservatism. I like Sarah Palin. In four years, she's getting my vote; and I think she will win - because with either McCain or Obama, we're getting four more years of the same mess. People will be ready for a real change in 2012.
I've decided not to buy into the doom and gloom this year. I'm getting married and we've determined that our future is going to be bright in spite of talk radio and CNN.
Regardless of who's in office, I've done my civic duty and voted. Most importantly, my faith is not in a political party, but in God. If Christians will call on Him, regardless of which political party they belong to, our nation will become better than we've ever been.
Get out and vote - it's the least you can do. Just remember, it's "In God We Trust". God bless America.
Weekend Trip
My daughter Laura and I took a trip to the mountains this past weekend. It was a chance to reconnect and do what we used to do before I started working two jobs. Laura needed some time with her dad and we both needed a break.
Saturday was a washout. We went to Blowing Rock,
http://i33.tinypic.com/2s94pic.jpg
before heading on to Boone and then on to Grandfather Mountain.
On Sunday the skies were sunny so we went to Chimney Rock and Lake Lure.
It was at Lake Lure that we enjoyed a boat tour of the lake and learned some of the history and lore of the area. The guide stopped our boat in the middle of the lake and pointed out an island in front of us, nicknamed "Millionaire Row". It was named not because the properties cost over a million dollars - all of the lakefront lots are over $1M. The island was called "Millionaire Row" because of the million dollar view the owners enjoyed.
While sitting there in the middle of the lake the guide informed us that there was 85 feet of water beneath us. Directly beneath us was a church and a cemetery in a community once known as Buffalo, North Carolina. It seems that when the dam was constructed back in the early 1900s, the small farming community near Buffalo Mountain was inundated. Divers went down several years back and reported that many of the windows in the church still have their glass, and that the bell is still in the bellfry. The water is below freezing at 85 feet and everything is preserved the way it was back almost 100 years ago. The divers did find an old truck, called an REO Speedwagon (I thought it was a rock band). They used baloons to float the truck to the surface. The upholstery was shot, but only one tire was flat. When they hooked a battery up to the engine, the magneto fired; so they decided to restore the vehicle to working order. The truck was painted fire engine red and "Buffalo Fire Dept" was stenciled on its side. It was really a farm truck, but they thought it was cooler to turn it into an old fashioned fire truck. It now appears in local parades.
Another legend has it that some nights residents claim to hear the sound of a church bell ringing. The guide pointed out the first house built on the lake, long before the dam was built and the water level was known. The owner guessed where the water would rise and built a small house and dock. Today the water sits at the bottom of the dock. Back then there was nothing within miles of the settler. He rowed supplies in by canoe and walked up the hill to construct his house. I'm sure there were many evenings where there was nothing but dark sky, dark mountains, and dark water surrounding him. It must have been chilling to sit on his porch at night and hear the sound of a distant church bell.
Chimney Rock park and Lake Lure are about 3 hours from Raleigh; about 22 miles south of Asheville, NC. It is a beautiful area. Someday, when I've struck it rich in the lottery, I'm going to build a house on that lake and sit in my boat in the middle of the lake listening for that church bell.
Saturday was a washout. We went to Blowing Rock,
http://i33.tinypic.com/2s94pic.jpg
before heading on to Boone and then on to Grandfather Mountain.
On Sunday the skies were sunny so we went to Chimney Rock and Lake Lure.
It was at Lake Lure that we enjoyed a boat tour of the lake and learned some of the history and lore of the area. The guide stopped our boat in the middle of the lake and pointed out an island in front of us, nicknamed "Millionaire Row". It was named not because the properties cost over a million dollars - all of the lakefront lots are over $1M. The island was called "Millionaire Row" because of the million dollar view the owners enjoyed.
While sitting there in the middle of the lake the guide informed us that there was 85 feet of water beneath us. Directly beneath us was a church and a cemetery in a community once known as Buffalo, North Carolina. It seems that when the dam was constructed back in the early 1900s, the small farming community near Buffalo Mountain was inundated. Divers went down several years back and reported that many of the windows in the church still have their glass, and that the bell is still in the bellfry. The water is below freezing at 85 feet and everything is preserved the way it was back almost 100 years ago. The divers did find an old truck, called an REO Speedwagon (I thought it was a rock band). They used baloons to float the truck to the surface. The upholstery was shot, but only one tire was flat. When they hooked a battery up to the engine, the magneto fired; so they decided to restore the vehicle to working order. The truck was painted fire engine red and "Buffalo Fire Dept" was stenciled on its side. It was really a farm truck, but they thought it was cooler to turn it into an old fashioned fire truck. It now appears in local parades.
Another legend has it that some nights residents claim to hear the sound of a church bell ringing. The guide pointed out the first house built on the lake, long before the dam was built and the water level was known. The owner guessed where the water would rise and built a small house and dock. Today the water sits at the bottom of the dock. Back then there was nothing within miles of the settler. He rowed supplies in by canoe and walked up the hill to construct his house. I'm sure there were many evenings where there was nothing but dark sky, dark mountains, and dark water surrounding him. It must have been chilling to sit on his porch at night and hear the sound of a distant church bell.
Chimney Rock park and Lake Lure are about 3 hours from Raleigh; about 22 miles south of Asheville, NC. It is a beautiful area. Someday, when I've struck it rich in the lottery, I'm going to build a house on that lake and sit in my boat in the middle of the lake listening for that church bell.
The Preacher and Satan
He's wearing a long-sleeve blue shirt with white tab, black pants, and a baseball cap. Above his heavy beard, his skin is bright red from sitting in the sun all day. It's the same place he's sat for the past two weekends - the intersection of Ten-Ten Rd and US Hwy 401 in Garner. He sits in a folding chair, surrounded by cardboard and plywood signs, the most prominent - the one he wants everyone to see if they read none of the others - reads, "Preacher. Need job to help family survive. NOW!" On a sheet of plywood he's taped pictures of his family, the reason he's willing to make himself a spectacle if that's what it takes to support them.
Around his neck is a large wooden cross. It usually hangs on the bedroom wall, but scripture tells him to take up his cross and follow Jesus. That's why he's here. He knows he's called to preach the Word to the lost. People are dying and going to hell; someone has to tell them about Jesus.
A couple of months ago he was laid off from a job that barely supported his family. After the initial shock, he perceived it was a move of God preparing him to enter into the ministry and fulfill his life's purpose...but that was weeks ago. The rent hasn't been paid, there's practically nothing in the house to feed his family of six, and if he doesn't come up with some money soon they're going to turn off his electricity.
He's put out all the feelers at churches in the area; none need an associate pastor or there's no room in the budget to pay for one. God must want him to plant a new church...but where are the people coming from? Maybe if he stands on the corner of a busy highway, God will send the people to him. So he stands there in the late summer sun, sipping on a large sweet tea he bought at the McDonalds directly behind him. Maybe today is the day. He's not hearing God speak specifically, but this is just God's way of testing him to see if he's faithful. "I'll show Him how serious I am about serving Him." the preacher thinks. "I can suffer this heat; and when God does show up with my reward I'll have a story to tell my grandkids about." That's what he thinks at 10 in the morning, before the temperature starts creeping up and hundreds of cars pass him with barely a glance; and those that look stare at him like he's a freak. "A Jesus freak, that's me." be tells himself.
By mid-afternoon the doubts begin to creep in. He tries to rebuke them, but they keep coming. Unseen, Satan has stopped by to revel in the man's misery. "Maybe I should help him come to his senses." Satan muses. Leaning in to whisper in the preacher's ear Satan speaks in a voice that sounds remarkably like the preacher's own. "Did God really say that I was going to preach, or did I miss Him somewhere along the way?"
"Of course I'm called to preach. It's what I've wanted to do since I was saved. People need to hear my story so they will have faith and trust Him for salvation."
"But what if I'm supposed to go out and find the people instead of waiting on God to lead the people to me?"
"I don't have time to build relationships. My family is going to starve if I don't get a job soon!"
"Maybe it's not about me. Surely God will take care of my family even if I can't."
"No! God gave me my wife and He gave me our children. I'm the man. It's my job to provide! As long as I'm seeking the Lord with all my heart, He's going to take care of us. I just need to wait on God's timing."
"Maybe I missed God's timing. Maybe I should have applied for some jobs just in case."
"But if I'm working, I don't have time to find a job as a preacher. I'll end up in the same situation I was in before - depending on man rather than on God."
"But look at all these people driving past me. Surely some of them are Christians. Maybe even a pastor or a deacon. Somebody has to be tuned in to what God is doing and will stop. Not one soul has even offered me money....not that I'd accept it. God will provide."
"Times are tough for everyone. I know people care. They're bound to be praying for me, even if they don't stop and help."
"But why did God have to send Hurricane Gustav at this time and drive up the price of gas so that people who might have helped now have to use that money to fill their gas tanks. Doesn't He care about me and my family? Couldn't He have done this later?"
"There are some people who are in a lot worse shape than me."
"But there are many, many more who are better off. Godless people who have stolen my inheritance. Damn them!"
"I wonder what people think when they see me? Can't they see I'm on fire for God?"
"Or do they see me as some wierdo with a stupid wooden cross hanging around my neck, wearing the same clothes I've worn every time I've been out here. And what kind of people would be attracted to me? Probably the ultra conservatives, less educated, someone older; people who live frugally. They probably don't earn a lot and they won't want their pastor living high on the hog if they can't live that way."
"But all I want is a living wage. I've got a big family to take care of."
"This isn't what I promised my wife when we got married. I'm not setting a good example for the kids, especially if I can't buy them clothes and shoes. If my wife wasn't home schooling, things would be far worse."
"God! What am I supposed to do? I'm trying to listen and obey. Please God. Have mercy on me and my family. Please don't make them suffer for my sins God. Tell me what I've done wrong so I can repent and be forgiven. Please help God!"
The afternoon sun sinks behind the trees on the other side of the road. Less than a quarter of a mile away in either direction are two thriving churches; but the preacher is all alone. God is silent. The preacher looks at his watch and sees that it's time to leave. He promised his wife he'd be home by seven thirty and that he would bring the family something for dinner. The preacher folds his chair and grabs a sign and takes them to his car, then returns and gathers the other two. They fill the back seat of his old car. He reaches into his pockets and pulls out his money. Six dollars. Not near enough to feed his family; so he searches under the seats and in the glove box for loose change. Nothing.
The preacher collapses into the front seat of his car. "I'll have to go home empty handed." he ponders.
"But I promised my wife something for dinner. I was sure someone would stop and help me on a Sunday of all days!"
"I can't go home without something for the family. I wish I'd never bought that drink earlier. I could have brought a jug of water from home. That was $2.00 that was wasted. No wonder God isn't speaking to me. I can't even steward the little I have."
Satan grins. "He sounds just like me now." he thinks. Seeing the agony in the preacher's face, Satan knows he's got the preacher where he wants him. Just one more push. Leaning very close and imitating the preacher in the most pitiful of voices, he whispers, "I guess I will have to beg and see if someone will give me food for tonight."
The preacher's eyes swell with tears as he attempts to hold back his emotions, but they come anyway. "God, why are you doing this to me? I'd don't know what else to do. How am I going to share the Good News if all I do is struggle all my life? Where's the victory you promised Lord? I don't mind sacrifice, but where's the peace you promised? Do you really know what we're going through. Do you care? I've staked everything on you because I thought you loved me; but now I'm not so sure."
The preacher weeps until he can't cry any longer. Satan sits back and laughs at the pathetic creature. "Go beg, you dog!" he shouts. He laughs again as the preacher opens his car door. "Go ahead and beg. I'll be here when you get back so I can rub it in some more."
Preacher walks slowly, hoping that God will perform some miracle at the last minute so he doesn't have to beg for food. There's only two people in line, but the preacher waits until they've gotten their food and sat down before approaching the cashier.
"Yes sir. What can I get for you today?" she asks cheerily. Easy for her to be cheerful, she's got a paycheck the preacher thinks.
"Uh, is your manager in?" he asks. "I can't believe I'm doing this." he thinks at the same time.
"Yes sir. I'll get her for you."
"Lord, give me the words to say because I've never begged before." the preacher prays.
The manager walks up and asks what she can do to help the customer. The preacher explains how he's lost his job and that he's been looking but nothing is working. He tells her that his family is hungry and asks if she can give him some food - any thing extra that they might be ready to throw out - that he can take to his family. She sees the pain in the man's eyes, his sunburned skin, the sweat stains on his blue shirt from where the cross has hung. Normally she would say she's sorry but she can't help him. Regulations prohibit her from giving away leftovers. But he's a man of God. How can she deny him? What would that say about her?
"You just tell me what you want and it's on the house." she offers.
Preacher tries to protest. His pride still battles against his need to take care of his family. He offers her the six dollars. At first she tries to get him to keep it, but he insists so she relents and tells the cashier to take care of the customer. He orders from the value menu and the total comes to a little over seventeen dollars. He declines the offer of sodas. They can drink water at home, he tells them.
"Thank you so much for this. May God bless you. I'm going to come back tomorrow and repay you by working this expense off." he promises.
"That won't be necessary, sir." the manager replies.
"No. I'm not a pan-handler. I pay my debts." the preacher argues.
"There's nothing wrong with mercy and grace is there?" the manager asks; though she has no idea where that came from.
The preacher hesitates for a moment; his eyes fill with tears again. "No, nothing wrong with that. Thank you so much!" he says.
Leaving the restaurant, the preacher is torn by shame and gratitude. He places the food on the front seat, starts his car and heads home.
Unseen is the passenger in who's lap the bags of food sit. It's not the same passenger who was there earlier. This passenger rides along quietly for awhile, looking lovingly at the man. "I know you can't hear me." He says. "The enemy has you so confused you wouldn't recognize my voice if you could. But that's OK. I'm here. I know. I care. You don't have to hear me or beg me to keep my promises. Everything is in hand. What I've started, I'll finish - even if it's nothing like what you think I'm doing. I love you Preacher. I'm not going anywhere."
Around his neck is a large wooden cross. It usually hangs on the bedroom wall, but scripture tells him to take up his cross and follow Jesus. That's why he's here. He knows he's called to preach the Word to the lost. People are dying and going to hell; someone has to tell them about Jesus.
A couple of months ago he was laid off from a job that barely supported his family. After the initial shock, he perceived it was a move of God preparing him to enter into the ministry and fulfill his life's purpose...but that was weeks ago. The rent hasn't been paid, there's practically nothing in the house to feed his family of six, and if he doesn't come up with some money soon they're going to turn off his electricity.
He's put out all the feelers at churches in the area; none need an associate pastor or there's no room in the budget to pay for one. God must want him to plant a new church...but where are the people coming from? Maybe if he stands on the corner of a busy highway, God will send the people to him. So he stands there in the late summer sun, sipping on a large sweet tea he bought at the McDonalds directly behind him. Maybe today is the day. He's not hearing God speak specifically, but this is just God's way of testing him to see if he's faithful. "I'll show Him how serious I am about serving Him." the preacher thinks. "I can suffer this heat; and when God does show up with my reward I'll have a story to tell my grandkids about." That's what he thinks at 10 in the morning, before the temperature starts creeping up and hundreds of cars pass him with barely a glance; and those that look stare at him like he's a freak. "A Jesus freak, that's me." be tells himself.
By mid-afternoon the doubts begin to creep in. He tries to rebuke them, but they keep coming. Unseen, Satan has stopped by to revel in the man's misery. "Maybe I should help him come to his senses." Satan muses. Leaning in to whisper in the preacher's ear Satan speaks in a voice that sounds remarkably like the preacher's own. "Did God really say that I was going to preach, or did I miss Him somewhere along the way?"
"Of course I'm called to preach. It's what I've wanted to do since I was saved. People need to hear my story so they will have faith and trust Him for salvation."
"But what if I'm supposed to go out and find the people instead of waiting on God to lead the people to me?"
"I don't have time to build relationships. My family is going to starve if I don't get a job soon!"
"Maybe it's not about me. Surely God will take care of my family even if I can't."
"No! God gave me my wife and He gave me our children. I'm the man. It's my job to provide! As long as I'm seeking the Lord with all my heart, He's going to take care of us. I just need to wait on God's timing."
"Maybe I missed God's timing. Maybe I should have applied for some jobs just in case."
"But if I'm working, I don't have time to find a job as a preacher. I'll end up in the same situation I was in before - depending on man rather than on God."
"But look at all these people driving past me. Surely some of them are Christians. Maybe even a pastor or a deacon. Somebody has to be tuned in to what God is doing and will stop. Not one soul has even offered me money....not that I'd accept it. God will provide."
"Times are tough for everyone. I know people care. They're bound to be praying for me, even if they don't stop and help."
"But why did God have to send Hurricane Gustav at this time and drive up the price of gas so that people who might have helped now have to use that money to fill their gas tanks. Doesn't He care about me and my family? Couldn't He have done this later?"
"There are some people who are in a lot worse shape than me."
"But there are many, many more who are better off. Godless people who have stolen my inheritance. Damn them!"
"I wonder what people think when they see me? Can't they see I'm on fire for God?"
"Or do they see me as some wierdo with a stupid wooden cross hanging around my neck, wearing the same clothes I've worn every time I've been out here. And what kind of people would be attracted to me? Probably the ultra conservatives, less educated, someone older; people who live frugally. They probably don't earn a lot and they won't want their pastor living high on the hog if they can't live that way."
"But all I want is a living wage. I've got a big family to take care of."
"This isn't what I promised my wife when we got married. I'm not setting a good example for the kids, especially if I can't buy them clothes and shoes. If my wife wasn't home schooling, things would be far worse."
"God! What am I supposed to do? I'm trying to listen and obey. Please God. Have mercy on me and my family. Please don't make them suffer for my sins God. Tell me what I've done wrong so I can repent and be forgiven. Please help God!"
The afternoon sun sinks behind the trees on the other side of the road. Less than a quarter of a mile away in either direction are two thriving churches; but the preacher is all alone. God is silent. The preacher looks at his watch and sees that it's time to leave. He promised his wife he'd be home by seven thirty and that he would bring the family something for dinner. The preacher folds his chair and grabs a sign and takes them to his car, then returns and gathers the other two. They fill the back seat of his old car. He reaches into his pockets and pulls out his money. Six dollars. Not near enough to feed his family; so he searches under the seats and in the glove box for loose change. Nothing.
The preacher collapses into the front seat of his car. "I'll have to go home empty handed." he ponders.
"But I promised my wife something for dinner. I was sure someone would stop and help me on a Sunday of all days!"
"I can't go home without something for the family. I wish I'd never bought that drink earlier. I could have brought a jug of water from home. That was $2.00 that was wasted. No wonder God isn't speaking to me. I can't even steward the little I have."
Satan grins. "He sounds just like me now." he thinks. Seeing the agony in the preacher's face, Satan knows he's got the preacher where he wants him. Just one more push. Leaning very close and imitating the preacher in the most pitiful of voices, he whispers, "I guess I will have to beg and see if someone will give me food for tonight."
The preacher's eyes swell with tears as he attempts to hold back his emotions, but they come anyway. "God, why are you doing this to me? I'd don't know what else to do. How am I going to share the Good News if all I do is struggle all my life? Where's the victory you promised Lord? I don't mind sacrifice, but where's the peace you promised? Do you really know what we're going through. Do you care? I've staked everything on you because I thought you loved me; but now I'm not so sure."
The preacher weeps until he can't cry any longer. Satan sits back and laughs at the pathetic creature. "Go beg, you dog!" he shouts. He laughs again as the preacher opens his car door. "Go ahead and beg. I'll be here when you get back so I can rub it in some more."
Preacher walks slowly, hoping that God will perform some miracle at the last minute so he doesn't have to beg for food. There's only two people in line, but the preacher waits until they've gotten their food and sat down before approaching the cashier.
"Yes sir. What can I get for you today?" she asks cheerily. Easy for her to be cheerful, she's got a paycheck the preacher thinks.
"Uh, is your manager in?" he asks. "I can't believe I'm doing this." he thinks at the same time.
"Yes sir. I'll get her for you."
"Lord, give me the words to say because I've never begged before." the preacher prays.
The manager walks up and asks what she can do to help the customer. The preacher explains how he's lost his job and that he's been looking but nothing is working. He tells her that his family is hungry and asks if she can give him some food - any thing extra that they might be ready to throw out - that he can take to his family. She sees the pain in the man's eyes, his sunburned skin, the sweat stains on his blue shirt from where the cross has hung. Normally she would say she's sorry but she can't help him. Regulations prohibit her from giving away leftovers. But he's a man of God. How can she deny him? What would that say about her?
"You just tell me what you want and it's on the house." she offers.
Preacher tries to protest. His pride still battles against his need to take care of his family. He offers her the six dollars. At first she tries to get him to keep it, but he insists so she relents and tells the cashier to take care of the customer. He orders from the value menu and the total comes to a little over seventeen dollars. He declines the offer of sodas. They can drink water at home, he tells them.
"Thank you so much for this. May God bless you. I'm going to come back tomorrow and repay you by working this expense off." he promises.
"That won't be necessary, sir." the manager replies.
"No. I'm not a pan-handler. I pay my debts." the preacher argues.
"There's nothing wrong with mercy and grace is there?" the manager asks; though she has no idea where that came from.
The preacher hesitates for a moment; his eyes fill with tears again. "No, nothing wrong with that. Thank you so much!" he says.
Leaving the restaurant, the preacher is torn by shame and gratitude. He places the food on the front seat, starts his car and heads home.
Unseen is the passenger in who's lap the bags of food sit. It's not the same passenger who was there earlier. This passenger rides along quietly for awhile, looking lovingly at the man. "I know you can't hear me." He says. "The enemy has you so confused you wouldn't recognize my voice if you could. But that's OK. I'm here. I know. I care. You don't have to hear me or beg me to keep my promises. Everything is in hand. What I've started, I'll finish - even if it's nothing like what you think I'm doing. I love you Preacher. I'm not going anywhere."
The Man Who Predicted 9/11
Last night, on the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America, the History Channel ran a one-hour documentary on Rick Rescorla, the head of security for Morgan Stanley bank in the World Trade Center. A couple of years ago I read a book about him and Daniel Day Hill - Heart of a Soldier by James B Stewart. The two men were former mercenaries who joined the U.S. Army during the VietNam war. If you saw the movie, "We Were Soldiers" starring Mel Gibson, these two men were officers in the company pinned down by the Vietnamese at Ia Drang (although they weren't mentioned by name in the movie so the producers wouldn't have to pay them royalties).
Rick Rescorla was referred to by some in the VietNam war as the best recon officer in the military. He learned much of his craft while a mercenary in Northern Rhodesia and Cyprus. Following the war he went to work in New York at the WTC and was there during the attempted bombing by bin Laden years before 9/11/2001. Following that attack, Rescorla began to petition the city and Port Authority to adopt tighter security precautions. His friend, Daniel Hill, a security consultant for the government by this time, told Rescorla that it was almost impossible to defend the WTC from attacks from the air. Because of the congestion around the Manhattan area, our Air Force could not fire on an unidentified aircraft that close to habitation. Escape, rather than prevention was the only realistic response to such an attack. Rick had Daniel help him draw up a plan to keep safe the people under his protection.
For the most part, Rick's pleas fell on deaf ears, so he took it upon himself to create an emergency evacuation plan for Morgan Stanley. Employees were drilled over and over on how to quickly exit the buildings and where to go should an emergency occur. Many thought Rick was nuts and overly cautious.
When the planes hit in 2001, Rick's evacuation plan was put into action for real. Despite the police and Port Authority telling people to remain where they were until help arrived, Rick made sure his people got out of the building, saving almost 3,000 lives. Then he went back inside to help people who weren't his responsibility. The last he was seen, he was on the 10th floor going stairwell to stairwell making sure peole were leaving. A few minutes later the South Tower crashed in around him. His body was never found. Rick was 62.
Rick Rescorla led an amazing and exciting life, and he died doing what he spent most of that life doing: protecting others. Most of us lead unextraordinary lives, Rick lived an exceptional life and left behind a legacy. If you didn't get a chance to see the special, there is supposed to be an encore presentation on Sunday night. The DVD is available at the www.history.com store for $24.95 or from Amazon for $29.95. Never forget our heroes.
Rick Rescorla was referred to by some in the VietNam war as the best recon officer in the military. He learned much of his craft while a mercenary in Northern Rhodesia and Cyprus. Following the war he went to work in New York at the WTC and was there during the attempted bombing by bin Laden years before 9/11/2001. Following that attack, Rescorla began to petition the city and Port Authority to adopt tighter security precautions. His friend, Daniel Hill, a security consultant for the government by this time, told Rescorla that it was almost impossible to defend the WTC from attacks from the air. Because of the congestion around the Manhattan area, our Air Force could not fire on an unidentified aircraft that close to habitation. Escape, rather than prevention was the only realistic response to such an attack. Rick had Daniel help him draw up a plan to keep safe the people under his protection.
For the most part, Rick's pleas fell on deaf ears, so he took it upon himself to create an emergency evacuation plan for Morgan Stanley. Employees were drilled over and over on how to quickly exit the buildings and where to go should an emergency occur. Many thought Rick was nuts and overly cautious.
When the planes hit in 2001, Rick's evacuation plan was put into action for real. Despite the police and Port Authority telling people to remain where they were until help arrived, Rick made sure his people got out of the building, saving almost 3,000 lives. Then he went back inside to help people who weren't his responsibility. The last he was seen, he was on the 10th floor going stairwell to stairwell making sure peole were leaving. A few minutes later the South Tower crashed in around him. His body was never found. Rick was 62.
Rick Rescorla led an amazing and exciting life, and he died doing what he spent most of that life doing: protecting others. Most of us lead unextraordinary lives, Rick lived an exceptional life and left behind a legacy. If you didn't get a chance to see the special, there is supposed to be an encore presentation on Sunday night. The DVD is available at the www.history.com store for $24.95 or from Amazon for $29.95. Never forget our heroes.
Elvis! Elvis! Elvis!
I became an Elvis fan at a young age, but my parents wouldn't let me buy his records until my 13th birthday when they gave me his 'How Great Thou Art' album. My side of the bedroom when I was growing up was filled from wall to wall with pictures of Elvis. I'm not gay; Mama just wouldn't let us stick pin-ups of women on the walls (but I did have the poster of Raquel Welch in '1,000,000 Years B.C.') upstairs in the pool table room.
Last night I sat on the living room floor and inventoried and boxed up my Elvis records. There's a guy in Apex who's interested in buying them. Those records have survived three divorces and 24 years of military service. I used to say that I was going to have my Elvis records buried with me when I die...but since I'm going to be cremated I don't want to ruin perfectly good vinyl.
Boxing those records up was bittersweet. Sweet because I remember playing every one of them. I used to know the words to every song in the order they appear on the album. My Girl Happy and Girls! Girls! Girls! album covers are the most worn because I played those over and over again. Somewhere along the line someone has stolen a few of my albums. My King Creole and I Got Lucky albums are gone. I had a Sun record that my brother sold while I was stationed overseas. I enjoyed looking at the pictures on the back of the album, especially if the co-star was Raquel Welch (Roustabout), Ursula Andress (Fun In Acapulco), and Mary Ann Mobley (Girl Happy & Harum Scarum). The movie soundtracks are forgettable for the most part, but the women were almost always beautiful (except for Barbara Stanwyck (Roustabout) and Carolyn Jones (King Creole)
It was from Elvis that I learned to say "Yes Ma'am" and "No Ma'am", which won me "Most Courteous" in my senior year of high school. I wore pink shirts and black trousers to school, which should have won me "Best Dressed".
I can still remember the stereo console with the turntable, radio and 8-track tape I purchased with my own money as a teenager. I'd stack five or six of Elvis' records on the platter, crank up the volume, and sing along with Elvis. When I was shipped off to basic training at Ft. Jackson, SC, Elvis' step-brother, Billy Stanley. I would stand up in the back of the deuce-n-half on the way to the rifle ranges and sing 'Wellll, Well, Well, Well, Well, Wellll, I gotta woman, way across town, who's good to me, oh yeah! Said I gotta woman, way across town. She's good to me, oh yeah. She's my baby, don't you understand? I'm her loving maaannn, Well, I gotta woman, way across town, she's good to me!" just like Elvis. Now I can't sing like him anymore, but I can do Elmer Fudd singing Love Me Tender.
I really hate to have to sell these records. There are 80 albums and 26 of the 45- RPMs and 1 78-RPM EP (extended play). They're worth more than the $750 price I put on them. In fact, if I take them home tonight I won't be disappointed. I hate to think that I hold on to any possession too tightly; for after all, they're just things, and I haven't had a turntable in over twenty years. Still, it's not so much the music as the memories I don't want to let go of. I'm not the Elvis fan that I used to be, but he's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
Last night I sat on the living room floor and inventoried and boxed up my Elvis records. There's a guy in Apex who's interested in buying them. Those records have survived three divorces and 24 years of military service. I used to say that I was going to have my Elvis records buried with me when I die...but since I'm going to be cremated I don't want to ruin perfectly good vinyl.
Boxing those records up was bittersweet. Sweet because I remember playing every one of them. I used to know the words to every song in the order they appear on the album. My Girl Happy and Girls! Girls! Girls! album covers are the most worn because I played those over and over again. Somewhere along the line someone has stolen a few of my albums. My King Creole and I Got Lucky albums are gone. I had a Sun record that my brother sold while I was stationed overseas. I enjoyed looking at the pictures on the back of the album, especially if the co-star was Raquel Welch (Roustabout), Ursula Andress (Fun In Acapulco), and Mary Ann Mobley (Girl Happy & Harum Scarum). The movie soundtracks are forgettable for the most part, but the women were almost always beautiful (except for Barbara Stanwyck (Roustabout) and Carolyn Jones (King Creole)
It was from Elvis that I learned to say "Yes Ma'am" and "No Ma'am", which won me "Most Courteous" in my senior year of high school. I wore pink shirts and black trousers to school, which should have won me "Best Dressed".
I can still remember the stereo console with the turntable, radio and 8-track tape I purchased with my own money as a teenager. I'd stack five or six of Elvis' records on the platter, crank up the volume, and sing along with Elvis. When I was shipped off to basic training at Ft. Jackson, SC, Elvis' step-brother, Billy Stanley. I would stand up in the back of the deuce-n-half on the way to the rifle ranges and sing 'Wellll, Well, Well, Well, Well, Wellll, I gotta woman, way across town, who's good to me, oh yeah! Said I gotta woman, way across town. She's good to me, oh yeah. She's my baby, don't you understand? I'm her loving maaannn, Well, I gotta woman, way across town, she's good to me!" just like Elvis. Now I can't sing like him anymore, but I can do Elmer Fudd singing Love Me Tender.
I really hate to have to sell these records. There are 80 albums and 26 of the 45- RPMs and 1 78-RPM EP (extended play). They're worth more than the $750 price I put on them. In fact, if I take them home tonight I won't be disappointed. I hate to think that I hold on to any possession too tightly; for after all, they're just things, and I haven't had a turntable in over twenty years. Still, it's not so much the music as the memories I don't want to let go of. I'm not the Elvis fan that I used to be, but he's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
Visiting the Folks in Nebraska
I flew out to Newman Grove, Nebraska over the Labor Day weekend to visit my fiance and to prepare for our November wedding. Newman Grove is a tiny farm town of about 800 citzens, located about three hours west of Omaha. I'd never seen such large cornfields and granaries in all my life. Corn, soybeans, alfalfa and beef are the sources of income for most of the residents in the Newman Grove area.
Pam and I attended marital counseling on Saturday morning. Pastor Ken Purscell gave us four personality tests to see if we're compatible. I think he was surprised just how much we'd talked and how well we knew one another. We have the gender roles already worked out - we're sharing responsibilities. It was a fun morning getting to know Ken and going over the wedding ceremony.
Saturday afternoon we visited Pam's parents and siblings. They live a few miles down a well maintained gravel road about a half hour from Newman Grove. Her parents are gracious, quiet people. The first thing Pam's mom said to me was a plantive "It's a long way", meaning the distance from Nebraska to North Carolina. They didn't ask me a lot of questions; not wanting to pry, and satisfied that Pam knows me well enough for us to marry. They simply want the best for their daughter. The Doughty's are a strong family. They take pride in their children and grand children - often traveling to watch the grandaughter play volleyball or a grandson's track meet.
I sat on the front porch and soaked in the view of the sun setting over the family farm until Pam's dad started grilled burgers. Then I hung around him for awhile so he wouldn't feel alone, but I don't think it was a problem for Mr. Doughty. The only thing he asked me is if I was a football fan. The Corn Huskers were playing Western Michigan in Lincoln, and half the state was there to watch the Huskers win 47 to 24. The game was pay per-view, so we listened to the game on the radio while we ate.
We drove the trucks out to the 'back 40' with Pam's dad to turn off the irrigation pump and to see the family camping area next to the river. The Doughty's farm over 400 acres, just the two of them. There's been a drought this summer, so they've been in the fields quite a bit repositioning the irrigation pipes. It's hard work for a young farmer, but these two never complained. They've created a comfortable home with a beautiful view of corn and soybean fields. Our dinner came from the garden. The beds were covered with quilts made by my better half. The bathroom sported an oversized clawfoot tub, and there's a chicken house out back ready to receive a new brood of chickens. Pam's sister dropped by with her grandson, who wanted to camp out so we erected a tent in the front yard. The doors aren't locked at night, so if he got cold or scared he'd be able to come back inside. At eight, he knew how to make an ax out of a piece of broken flint, a stick and some duct tape. Pam's brother brought along his son and daughter with her boyfriend. The teenagers were as quiet and polite as the adults were.
On Sunday we attended the United Methodist Church, a beautiful country church in Newman Grove. Reverend Purscell presided over a sermon from Romans 12 about being transformed by a renewing of the mind. Pam and Ken sang a duet, "I Can Only Imagine". After church we all went to the City Cafe for lunch. Many members of the congregation are seniors; but these seniors are much healthier than seniors in North Carolina. They've worked hard and lived well all their lives, and they enjoy meeting and 'gossiping' with one another. 'Old' to them is someone in their upper 90's and there's some around who are over 100.
Sunday afternoon Pam and I drove to Humphrey for a picnic with her co-workers. There was a good turnout. The food was fabulous. It turned out to be a surprise wedding shower. Pam's friends were so thoughtful. They gave us a little cash and some gift cards so Pam wouldn't have to pack up more stuff for the move. Then we played 'Battle of the Sexes'. The ladies cheated, and the guys did surprisingly well; it ended appropriately in a tie.
On Monday we packed some of Pam's things and threw away quite a bit of stuff. Bernice, one of the nice ladies from the church invited us to dinner. The only place open on Labor Day was Newman Grove Bowl. The bowling alley only allows bowling and smoking after 7:30 PM. Before that, you can come in and eat and drink coffee, but no smoking.
Tim, the owner, brought us prime rib sandwiches as big as the plate. He's quite a character. He refers affectionately to Bernice as 'dumb ass', who smiles and scribbles on his order pad so he has to tear it off and start over. On one wall is a sign that claims, "This is not Burger King. You do not get it your way here. You'll take what I give you and damn well like it." The bowling alley is where the locals come to eat breakfast in the morning and to drink coffee in the afternoons. They don't serve sweet tea in Nebraska, but you can order a pop (Pepsi). The check for three meals came to just over $18.00. Bernice was not too happy that I wouldn't let her pay for it; so she made us come back for breakfast on Tuesday morning so she wouldn't 'owe' us anything.
There is a stong sense of pride and loyalty in rural Nebraska, whether it's over a football team or the family farm. If you break down on one of their roads, the next car to pass by is expected to stop and help, because the closest house might be three or four miles away. American flags fly everywhere. The few Democrats share similar values with Republicans. Neighbors help other neighbors. Were it not for the cold winters, Nebraska would be a great place to live.
As beautiful as the state of Nebraska is, with corn fields that stretch to the horizon, where the sky meets the ground rather than the treeline; it's the people of Nebraska that make it special. Southern hospitality may be a thing of the past here, but in our heartland are people who respect one another, who stand by their neighbors, who love and serve our country, who are passionate about God, family and football; people who are soft-spoken, gentle, determined, and hardy. I'm gaining a wonderful family and good friends, so I hope that Pam finds people here who are just as loving and supportive as those she leaves behind.
Pam and I attended marital counseling on Saturday morning. Pastor Ken Purscell gave us four personality tests to see if we're compatible. I think he was surprised just how much we'd talked and how well we knew one another. We have the gender roles already worked out - we're sharing responsibilities. It was a fun morning getting to know Ken and going over the wedding ceremony.
Saturday afternoon we visited Pam's parents and siblings. They live a few miles down a well maintained gravel road about a half hour from Newman Grove. Her parents are gracious, quiet people. The first thing Pam's mom said to me was a plantive "It's a long way", meaning the distance from Nebraska to North Carolina. They didn't ask me a lot of questions; not wanting to pry, and satisfied that Pam knows me well enough for us to marry. They simply want the best for their daughter. The Doughty's are a strong family. They take pride in their children and grand children - often traveling to watch the grandaughter play volleyball or a grandson's track meet.
I sat on the front porch and soaked in the view of the sun setting over the family farm until Pam's dad started grilled burgers. Then I hung around him for awhile so he wouldn't feel alone, but I don't think it was a problem for Mr. Doughty. The only thing he asked me is if I was a football fan. The Corn Huskers were playing Western Michigan in Lincoln, and half the state was there to watch the Huskers win 47 to 24. The game was pay per-view, so we listened to the game on the radio while we ate.
We drove the trucks out to the 'back 40' with Pam's dad to turn off the irrigation pump and to see the family camping area next to the river. The Doughty's farm over 400 acres, just the two of them. There's been a drought this summer, so they've been in the fields quite a bit repositioning the irrigation pipes. It's hard work for a young farmer, but these two never complained. They've created a comfortable home with a beautiful view of corn and soybean fields. Our dinner came from the garden. The beds were covered with quilts made by my better half. The bathroom sported an oversized clawfoot tub, and there's a chicken house out back ready to receive a new brood of chickens. Pam's sister dropped by with her grandson, who wanted to camp out so we erected a tent in the front yard. The doors aren't locked at night, so if he got cold or scared he'd be able to come back inside. At eight, he knew how to make an ax out of a piece of broken flint, a stick and some duct tape. Pam's brother brought along his son and daughter with her boyfriend. The teenagers were as quiet and polite as the adults were.
On Sunday we attended the United Methodist Church, a beautiful country church in Newman Grove. Reverend Purscell presided over a sermon from Romans 12 about being transformed by a renewing of the mind. Pam and Ken sang a duet, "I Can Only Imagine". After church we all went to the City Cafe for lunch. Many members of the congregation are seniors; but these seniors are much healthier than seniors in North Carolina. They've worked hard and lived well all their lives, and they enjoy meeting and 'gossiping' with one another. 'Old' to them is someone in their upper 90's and there's some around who are over 100.
Sunday afternoon Pam and I drove to Humphrey for a picnic with her co-workers. There was a good turnout. The food was fabulous. It turned out to be a surprise wedding shower. Pam's friends were so thoughtful. They gave us a little cash and some gift cards so Pam wouldn't have to pack up more stuff for the move. Then we played 'Battle of the Sexes'. The ladies cheated, and the guys did surprisingly well; it ended appropriately in a tie.
On Monday we packed some of Pam's things and threw away quite a bit of stuff. Bernice, one of the nice ladies from the church invited us to dinner. The only place open on Labor Day was Newman Grove Bowl. The bowling alley only allows bowling and smoking after 7:30 PM. Before that, you can come in and eat and drink coffee, but no smoking.
Tim, the owner, brought us prime rib sandwiches as big as the plate. He's quite a character. He refers affectionately to Bernice as 'dumb ass', who smiles and scribbles on his order pad so he has to tear it off and start over. On one wall is a sign that claims, "This is not Burger King. You do not get it your way here. You'll take what I give you and damn well like it." The bowling alley is where the locals come to eat breakfast in the morning and to drink coffee in the afternoons. They don't serve sweet tea in Nebraska, but you can order a pop (Pepsi). The check for three meals came to just over $18.00. Bernice was not too happy that I wouldn't let her pay for it; so she made us come back for breakfast on Tuesday morning so she wouldn't 'owe' us anything.
There is a stong sense of pride and loyalty in rural Nebraska, whether it's over a football team or the family farm. If you break down on one of their roads, the next car to pass by is expected to stop and help, because the closest house might be three or four miles away. American flags fly everywhere. The few Democrats share similar values with Republicans. Neighbors help other neighbors. Were it not for the cold winters, Nebraska would be a great place to live.
As beautiful as the state of Nebraska is, with corn fields that stretch to the horizon, where the sky meets the ground rather than the treeline; it's the people of Nebraska that make it special. Southern hospitality may be a thing of the past here, but in our heartland are people who respect one another, who stand by their neighbors, who love and serve our country, who are passionate about God, family and football; people who are soft-spoken, gentle, determined, and hardy. I'm gaining a wonderful family and good friends, so I hope that Pam finds people here who are just as loving and supportive as those she leaves behind.
Cleaning Out the Cabinets
I was cleaning out the kitchen cabinets one evening this week. My refrigerator is just about empty since it's only me at the house for the time being. I found two cases of canned goods in the garage I was supposed to donate to charity last winter but now they've suffered through the summer heat and I have to throw them away. Inside my kitchen cabinets, I checked the dates on the cans to see if any are out of date. Most are; some expired back in 2005. Now my cabinets are empty.
Some of the canned food that I threw away came from when I moved into my house four years ago. They belonged to my mother. Somehow it didn't feel right just tossing away the cans she had bought with her social security check. Mama never liked to throw away anything. She kept the Country Crock butter containers to freeze the brunswick stew she made every year at Thanksgiving. Baby food jars held nails and screws and nuts. Dinner wasn't really planned; it was whatever cans Mama would open. We might have eggs, meatloaf, canned green beans, canned turnip greens, and canned candied yams for supper. Whatever was left over went into the refrigerator for the next day.
Growing up, Mama kept a can to hold the coins people paid her for sewing for them. That's how she made extra money. It never went to buy her something, usually it went on material to make our school clothes. She and my father grew up during the Depression and both had learned how to get by on little and to waste nothing. She sewed her own dresses and our shirts and shorts.
Mama also had a spit can. She dipped Society and Sweet Rose snuff when I was growing up. When snuff became too expensive for her, she switched to Beech Nut chewing tobacco. I really hated that spit can. Between her snuff and my dad's 'chaw', we were always knocking over somebody's spit can. Maybe that's why I never bothered with tobacco.
I didn't know it back then, but there were times we were struggling financially. Sometimes, the milk man would leave a quart of milk and two quarts of butter milk for Mama's biscuits; and sometimes we had powdered milk. We only had meat once a week growing up, with the exception of some fatback that seemed to go with anything. We had Kix and Cheerios growing up, but most often we followed my dad's lead and and ate chunks of loaf bread in milk with a little sugar sprinkled over the top. There was also rabbit and squirrel; sometimes pig tails and pigs feet (I never ate those). Once in awhile Mama would fry up a can of beef tripe. I didn't know what tripe was, but it was fun stretching it out like mozzarella cheese. About the only thing I refused to eat was chitlin's, and liver. Whatever we had to eat, I thought that everyone ate the same way so I never felt deprived or ashamed of our social standing.
I guess my mom was eco-friendly by nature. She learned from necessity, not from celebrities. In her latter years, my mom shrank from a size 14 to a size four. Her eyes clouded over and she couldn't see to read or sew anymore, but she could feel her way around the kitchen and find what she needed. She knew how far back in her cabinets she had hidden her purse, or a handsaw, the insurance policies, or the Claxton fruit cake.
Sometimes a simple can of Pocahontas Pure Corn Hominy can bring back memories. The older I get, the more memories I have. Hope I can hang on to my memories until I can once again see Mama and Daddy. Some day Laura will be cleaning out her old dad's cabinets. I hope she finds something to remember me by. Maybe a can of Pam olive oil shortening spray....
Some of the canned food that I threw away came from when I moved into my house four years ago. They belonged to my mother. Somehow it didn't feel right just tossing away the cans she had bought with her social security check. Mama never liked to throw away anything. She kept the Country Crock butter containers to freeze the brunswick stew she made every year at Thanksgiving. Baby food jars held nails and screws and nuts. Dinner wasn't really planned; it was whatever cans Mama would open. We might have eggs, meatloaf, canned green beans, canned turnip greens, and canned candied yams for supper. Whatever was left over went into the refrigerator for the next day.
Growing up, Mama kept a can to hold the coins people paid her for sewing for them. That's how she made extra money. It never went to buy her something, usually it went on material to make our school clothes. She and my father grew up during the Depression and both had learned how to get by on little and to waste nothing. She sewed her own dresses and our shirts and shorts.
Mama also had a spit can. She dipped Society and Sweet Rose snuff when I was growing up. When snuff became too expensive for her, she switched to Beech Nut chewing tobacco. I really hated that spit can. Between her snuff and my dad's 'chaw', we were always knocking over somebody's spit can. Maybe that's why I never bothered with tobacco.
I didn't know it back then, but there were times we were struggling financially. Sometimes, the milk man would leave a quart of milk and two quarts of butter milk for Mama's biscuits; and sometimes we had powdered milk. We only had meat once a week growing up, with the exception of some fatback that seemed to go with anything. We had Kix and Cheerios growing up, but most often we followed my dad's lead and and ate chunks of loaf bread in milk with a little sugar sprinkled over the top. There was also rabbit and squirrel; sometimes pig tails and pigs feet (I never ate those). Once in awhile Mama would fry up a can of beef tripe. I didn't know what tripe was, but it was fun stretching it out like mozzarella cheese. About the only thing I refused to eat was chitlin's, and liver. Whatever we had to eat, I thought that everyone ate the same way so I never felt deprived or ashamed of our social standing.
I guess my mom was eco-friendly by nature. She learned from necessity, not from celebrities. In her latter years, my mom shrank from a size 14 to a size four. Her eyes clouded over and she couldn't see to read or sew anymore, but she could feel her way around the kitchen and find what she needed. She knew how far back in her cabinets she had hidden her purse, or a handsaw, the insurance policies, or the Claxton fruit cake.
Sometimes a simple can of Pocahontas Pure Corn Hominy can bring back memories. The older I get, the more memories I have. Hope I can hang on to my memories until I can once again see Mama and Daddy. Some day Laura will be cleaning out her old dad's cabinets. I hope she finds something to remember me by. Maybe a can of Pam olive oil shortening spray....
Ad Sense
At the bottom of my blog you'll see a box with links to various ads. It's called Ad Sense and apparently it identifies what I write about the most and then tries to lure people to commercial websites that are 'supposedly' related to my interests. It's supposed to be a way to earn money on our blogs, though I doubt many of us do.
Anyway, I'm not trying to get you to click on any of those links. I was looking at them and they all are 'Christian' based ads. There's even one titled Money Prayer that promises $500 in four hours or four days. If I understand the concept right, it seems that I've lost focus of what I started this blog for. It was intended to help me get in the habit of writing so I could finish my novel Sea Tree. Somewhere along the line I started writing about my faith and that's where this blog has gone.
Sea Tree is not a Christian novel. The central character is a former pastor turned police chief, a man who struggles with the good and evil inside him. His role as police chief parallels his former pastor role as a protector; but his dark side seeks justice. Mercy is not his spiritual gift.
There are other characters who are less than Godly. There will be some profanity. Sea Tree will be real, even if it is a fantasy. There will be romance...because I'm a romantic guy despite what my pastor's wife thinks. There will be violence, just because. There will be discussions on politics, religion, maybe even about movies, because I have my own opinions and I can say whatever I want in my own book. That my central character has a picture of Ronald Reagan on the wall of his office rather than G. W. Bush or whichever liberal wins the 2008 election, is a reflection of the values that character shares. There will be some of me in every character. Maybe I'll find out something about myself that I didn't know.
Anyway, I'm not trying to get you to click on any of those links. I was looking at them and they all are 'Christian' based ads. There's even one titled Money Prayer that promises $500 in four hours or four days. If I understand the concept right, it seems that I've lost focus of what I started this blog for. It was intended to help me get in the habit of writing so I could finish my novel Sea Tree. Somewhere along the line I started writing about my faith and that's where this blog has gone.
Sea Tree is not a Christian novel. The central character is a former pastor turned police chief, a man who struggles with the good and evil inside him. His role as police chief parallels his former pastor role as a protector; but his dark side seeks justice. Mercy is not his spiritual gift.
There are other characters who are less than Godly. There will be some profanity. Sea Tree will be real, even if it is a fantasy. There will be romance...because I'm a romantic guy despite what my pastor's wife thinks. There will be violence, just because. There will be discussions on politics, religion, maybe even about movies, because I have my own opinions and I can say whatever I want in my own book. That my central character has a picture of Ronald Reagan on the wall of his office rather than G. W. Bush or whichever liberal wins the 2008 election, is a reflection of the values that character shares. There will be some of me in every character. Maybe I'll find out something about myself that I didn't know.
Jesus at Petra
I'm enrolled in a writing course which I hope will help me turn Sea Tree into a story people will want to read. Part of the course involves writing our own story. There's no way I'm going to finish Sea Tree in six weeks, so I though I'd write a back-story on one of the central characters in the novel. At the end of the course I'm going to post the end product online and ask friends and family to review it for me. This will be the first introduction you'll get to Sea Tree. It should set up the main character so that you'll understand him better once he appears in the story.
The name of the back-story is 'Jesus at Petra'. In a couple of months I'll post the story online for you to read. The link will be www.jesusatpetra.blogspot.com. There's nothing there now. I'll post the link again here once the story is done.
Here's the synopsis of 'Jesus at Petra': A burned-out pastor invites Jesus to visit his church, but when Jesus actually shows up one Sunday the results are nothing like he expected.
Stay tuned....
The name of the back-story is 'Jesus at Petra'. In a couple of months I'll post the story online for you to read. The link will be www.jesusatpetra.blogspot.com. There's nothing there now. I'll post the link again here once the story is done.
Here's the synopsis of 'Jesus at Petra': A burned-out pastor invites Jesus to visit his church, but when Jesus actually shows up one Sunday the results are nothing like he expected.
Stay tuned....
Politics and Religion and the News Media
This past weekend, Rick Warren and Saddleback Church hosted a civil forum for John McCain and Barack Obama. The event was carried live on CNN. Last night (Monday), Rick Warren was on Larry King Live to discuss his thoughts on the interviews and the controversy surrounding John McCain's absence from the 'cone of silence'.
What I enjoyed most about this forum was how Rick Warren kept the tone civil. Neither candidate spoke harshly about the other. Each was given a chance to tell America who they are and what they stand for. Rick asked important questions that believers ought to ask from those who wish to lead us. But most importantly, I think that Rick was able to show America that these two candidates, as opposite as they are, are not the evil persons you hear about on talk radio. He knows both candidates as friends and he treated them with respect. I took away from the forum a new picture of each candidate. Of Barack Obama, I saw an intelligent and thoughtful man of great courage, to come before an audience he knew to favor his opponent. My impression of John McCain is that he will lead from his heart, rather than his intellect. I respect both candidates more now than before Rick Warren's civil forum.
I've also found that if I'll turn off talk radio and if I don't listen to those political analysts who try to tell us what the candidate really meant to say, that I'm less prone to anger and hatred. I think the same thing is true whether you're listening to Rush and Sean or to Tom Joyner and Al Franken, or whether you watch CNN or Fox News. The people who report on, and who spin these candidates, are worse than the person they want to defeat.
I want to thank Rick Warren for showing us how to keep civility in a civil forum. His credibility allows him access to the most powerful people in the world, and I believe that that is what Christians ought to be fostering rather than fear. After all, the hearts of the kings are in the hand of God. God doesn't want His children to live in fear of the person in office of even the most powerful country on earth. Nor does He want us to depend upon our government to meet our needs - that's His job.
What I enjoyed most about this forum was how Rick Warren kept the tone civil. Neither candidate spoke harshly about the other. Each was given a chance to tell America who they are and what they stand for. Rick asked important questions that believers ought to ask from those who wish to lead us. But most importantly, I think that Rick was able to show America that these two candidates, as opposite as they are, are not the evil persons you hear about on talk radio. He knows both candidates as friends and he treated them with respect. I took away from the forum a new picture of each candidate. Of Barack Obama, I saw an intelligent and thoughtful man of great courage, to come before an audience he knew to favor his opponent. My impression of John McCain is that he will lead from his heart, rather than his intellect. I respect both candidates more now than before Rick Warren's civil forum.
I've also found that if I'll turn off talk radio and if I don't listen to those political analysts who try to tell us what the candidate really meant to say, that I'm less prone to anger and hatred. I think the same thing is true whether you're listening to Rush and Sean or to Tom Joyner and Al Franken, or whether you watch CNN or Fox News. The people who report on, and who spin these candidates, are worse than the person they want to defeat.
I want to thank Rick Warren for showing us how to keep civility in a civil forum. His credibility allows him access to the most powerful people in the world, and I believe that that is what Christians ought to be fostering rather than fear. After all, the hearts of the kings are in the hand of God. God doesn't want His children to live in fear of the person in office of even the most powerful country on earth. Nor does He want us to depend upon our government to meet our needs - that's His job.
Prophesy and Astrology
You've seen the ads from psychics and astrologists promising to tell your future - for a fee. You may have grown up in a church that believes that God still speaks to His children through prophets. Both are mysterious, though the church is quick to point out that psychics and astrologists are witches and pawns of Satan intent on leading you away from the Lord.
I've been exposed to both, though the psychics and astrologists tend to be very general - not like the lady in the link above who promises specific times and events soon to occur in my life. She seems sincere, but if it's really vital to my future to know this information should she withhold it unless I send her $60? What if the lack of this knowledge ends up killing me?
A few years ago a prophet spoke at our church. He said he had a vision from God where he was standing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, looking out at Europe. At first Europe seemed to be prospering with lots of ships loading and unloading at the ports, trucks and trains hauling goods back and forth. Then pieces of the European continent began falling off into the Atlantic. Greater chunks fell leaving Europe devastated. The pieces that fell into the Atlantic created a giant tidal wave that swept towards the United States. The prophet watched as the wave rose as high as the clouds and seemed about to crush him until God spoke to him and told him to move into the shelter of a huge building with columns. The wave broke over the US shore, over the building where the prophet sought shelter. In its wake were destroyed homes and businesses. The damage was far beyond what the government could hope to rebuild.
Troubled, the prophet asked God why He had shown him this vision. God explained that a huge economic storm was coming (this was about 5 years ago when the prophesy was given). Europe, which has been thriving under the European Union, would see their prosperity shatter almost overnight. The result of the EU fall would have sweeping impacts on the U.S. with a magnitude almost as severe as it had on Europe. Then God explained about the shelter in which He had protected the prophet. The shelter was the Church. With the government unable to help the citizens, those who are in the Church will rise to meet the needs of our countrymen. People will be forced to look to the Church for help because only the Church has the resources they need. The end result was that God would be revealed and glorified before the world. However, God cautioned the prophet that he must warn us (Christians) now so that we will be prepared to survive and serve. We must distance ourselves from debt; we must not pour our money into bigger homes, more expensive cars, or waste money on movies like Tropic Thunder, Step Brothers, and Pineapple Express.
The front page of today's Wall Street Journal talks about the first cracks in the European Union economy. The Euro is down; they are feeling the same pressures we are with housing and job woes. Is this what God prophesied just a few years ago? More importantly, are we prepared to survive the storm?
The astrologist predicts that there is a 103 day period in my near future in which many opportunities will present themselves that, if I take advantage of them, will turn my finances around as well as improve my love life. I'm getting married in 79 days, so my love life will definitely improve then. I've assumed that our finances would improve too because we'll be supporting one household rather than two. Should I send this lady $60 to find out specifically what I should do and when to look out for the opportunities? Should I assume that the prophet's word is coming about - which is the sign of a true prophet?
The Church has presented God as mysterious, and tells us that His ways are not our ways. Astrologists would argue that God created the cosmos for a reason, not just to give us something to look at at night. Jesus said that if you've seen Him, you've seen the Father; but even His disciples had trouble understanding his teachings. God has used an ass in the past to help someone. He uses prophets today. We can't put Him in a box and say He wouldn't use an astrologist. So you tell me, should I spend that $60 on my personal prediction or should I buy $60 in lottery tickets?
I've been exposed to both, though the psychics and astrologists tend to be very general - not like the lady in the link above who promises specific times and events soon to occur in my life. She seems sincere, but if it's really vital to my future to know this information should she withhold it unless I send her $60? What if the lack of this knowledge ends up killing me?
A few years ago a prophet spoke at our church. He said he had a vision from God where he was standing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, looking out at Europe. At first Europe seemed to be prospering with lots of ships loading and unloading at the ports, trucks and trains hauling goods back and forth. Then pieces of the European continent began falling off into the Atlantic. Greater chunks fell leaving Europe devastated. The pieces that fell into the Atlantic created a giant tidal wave that swept towards the United States. The prophet watched as the wave rose as high as the clouds and seemed about to crush him until God spoke to him and told him to move into the shelter of a huge building with columns. The wave broke over the US shore, over the building where the prophet sought shelter. In its wake were destroyed homes and businesses. The damage was far beyond what the government could hope to rebuild.
Troubled, the prophet asked God why He had shown him this vision. God explained that a huge economic storm was coming (this was about 5 years ago when the prophesy was given). Europe, which has been thriving under the European Union, would see their prosperity shatter almost overnight. The result of the EU fall would have sweeping impacts on the U.S. with a magnitude almost as severe as it had on Europe. Then God explained about the shelter in which He had protected the prophet. The shelter was the Church. With the government unable to help the citizens, those who are in the Church will rise to meet the needs of our countrymen. People will be forced to look to the Church for help because only the Church has the resources they need. The end result was that God would be revealed and glorified before the world. However, God cautioned the prophet that he must warn us (Christians) now so that we will be prepared to survive and serve. We must distance ourselves from debt; we must not pour our money into bigger homes, more expensive cars, or waste money on movies like Tropic Thunder, Step Brothers, and Pineapple Express.
The front page of today's Wall Street Journal talks about the first cracks in the European Union economy. The Euro is down; they are feeling the same pressures we are with housing and job woes. Is this what God prophesied just a few years ago? More importantly, are we prepared to survive the storm?
The astrologist predicts that there is a 103 day period in my near future in which many opportunities will present themselves that, if I take advantage of them, will turn my finances around as well as improve my love life. I'm getting married in 79 days, so my love life will definitely improve then. I've assumed that our finances would improve too because we'll be supporting one household rather than two. Should I send this lady $60 to find out specifically what I should do and when to look out for the opportunities? Should I assume that the prophet's word is coming about - which is the sign of a true prophet?
The Church has presented God as mysterious, and tells us that His ways are not our ways. Astrologists would argue that God created the cosmos for a reason, not just to give us something to look at at night. Jesus said that if you've seen Him, you've seen the Father; but even His disciples had trouble understanding his teachings. God has used an ass in the past to help someone. He uses prophets today. We can't put Him in a box and say He wouldn't use an astrologist. So you tell me, should I spend that $60 on my personal prediction or should I buy $60 in lottery tickets?
Amway Churches
Let me be clear up front that I love Amway products and Amway people and even those Amway motivational tapes I bought every week. It's the business end I struggled with. I also love the Church and Christians, but I'm not so crazy about the organizational aspect of Christianity. Both have similar strengths and weaknesses.
I joined Amway three times, the last time in its new face as Quixtar. I could recognize a distributor from a mile away, just like I can pick out a military man even though he’s wearing civvies. I've been in the same church that have undergone three transformations, first as a broken Southern Baptist church, then as a purpose driven church, and now one that's only purpose is our relationship with God and one another. I can usually pick out other Christians, though usually I’m looking for those who I believe appear to live more Godly lives than my own.
I miss the big Amway functions where thousands of the faithful turn out to celebrate the success of others in the business. I miss the members of our church who have split away to do their own thing; far more have left than have stayed. The loss of relationships has been painful. Hurtful things have been said on both sides. Both sides have thought they were justified before God, thus the other side has to be in rebellion and estranged from the Body of Christ. So sad that we play those games with one another.
One of the things I hated most about Amway was sponsoring new distributors. The thing I dislike most about the church is witnessing. I used to hate being recruited by distributors who couldn’t recognize that I was already one of them. I still hate when another Christian gets in my face and asks me, “If you were to die today, do you know where you’ll spend eternity?” As if they can’t look at me and see Jesus! I didn’t want any part of that person’s business or their church if they just saw me as another mark.
In Amway it's a numbers thing - you threw as much mud on the wall as you could and worked with what stuck. All you need is six, who can get six, who can get six (sounds demonic doesn't it?) In Church it's about numbers too. The bigger your numbers, the more your collections, and the more programs you can offer, and the more ministry opportunities you can make available to the congregation. In Amway we had our own lingo for those who couldn't see what we saw in the business: "Some will. Some won't. So what? Who's next?!" In Church we have our lingo for those who don't recognize the opportunity we're offering them: "Lost. Heathens. Unwashed." In Amway if you quit the business you were a ‘loser’. In church if you quit the church, you were a ‘backslider’. In Amway, anyone could be successful if they wanted it bad enough. In the Church, anyone can be saved, but they have to qualify for membership.
In Amway, if everyone on your team is doing what they're supposed to - buying from your own business, books, tapes and functions - you're the best of friends. In church if everyone is in lock-step with the church's articles of incorporation and by-laws and the mission's statement, and if you show up every time the doors are open, then you're counted among the chosen. But let a distributor balk at the price of a box of soap and all of a sudden you're a liability. Let a member of the congregation question the decision to go with cubed ice over a crushed ice machine and you've got a 'situation'.
The point I'm making here is that often we lose sight of our purpose for being part of an organization or system. Often we invest so much into the system that we feel obligated to protect our assets, and that thing becomes more important than our dreams or our God. We find our identities in the organization and measure our worth by the approval of others; but buck the system and watch out! It is easier to get out of the system than it is to get the system out of you.
Former Amway distributors who left under less than friendly circumstances often go off and find a new product to market. They'll say it's "Just like Amway; only better!" Christian churches will split and the people will go off and create a new church and believe it is better than what they left. It becomes a competition, and in competitions someone has to lose. Most times people will rejoice in the failures of the old organization. Oh, they might walk up and hug you if they meet you in a public place, but behind closed doors they're lying about you in order to make themselves appear to be right. Sometimes the people you were closest to will cross the street to avoid you, or snap at any attempt you make to be civil with them. It's about competition and being right. It's about worth.
When Amway morphed into Quixtar, it was promoted as the ultimate network marketing model out there. When mega churches began to decline and home churches began to gain more popularity, it was a movement of God. Nothing has changed, we're still playing the same game; we're just calling it something else.
The Church has taught that God sent His Son to become sin, and to suffer and die on that cross for our worthless souls. Sure Jesus loved us enough to die for us, but we're left wondering about the Father's love if He would do that to His own Son. If He hates sin that much, how disappointed and angry must He be every time I sin - which is several times an hour when I'm awake. Some of my dreams would fall under the sin category, especially the ones I don't want to wake up from.
The truth is, both Jesus and the Father loves us so much that they cooperated together to destroy sin so that it has no power over us. God makes no requirement of us, but made His own provision by taking our sins upon Himself and dying in human form so that we can experience the reality of His Kingdom.
Churches that preach the Word have seldom gotten it right. It's not about us conforming to a set of laws in order to be worthy of Christ's sacrifice; it's about Jesus, who never felt the need to compete or even to play their game. His Church isn't an organization or a building; it is a relationship between us and His Father. We don't need a system to confirm our worth. Before we were born, before Jesus died on that cross, before Creation itself, God found us worthy to be loved.
Unlike Amway which will someday become obsolete, the Church will last forever. But the Church as we know it today will bear little resemblance to the Bride Christ will return to claim. He is looking for those who love Him because they know Him.
I suppose I should close by saying that I’m exactly where I should be in a church relationship. That’s not to say that everyone else’ model is wrong, or that we won’t end up at the same Cross. This is simply where God has me right now. The Carpenter’s Shop hasn’t been for me another team to belong to, but a relationship with people who love Jesus and who don’t try to get me to conform to their system. We’re free to grow as fast or as slow as we allow God to invade our lives. We don’t look at one another and wonder how we can benefit from someone else. We see each other as fellow travelers God has joined because He loves us enough to never leave us. It is much easier to love others when you're not competing with them.
I joined Amway three times, the last time in its new face as Quixtar. I could recognize a distributor from a mile away, just like I can pick out a military man even though he’s wearing civvies. I've been in the same church that have undergone three transformations, first as a broken Southern Baptist church, then as a purpose driven church, and now one that's only purpose is our relationship with God and one another. I can usually pick out other Christians, though usually I’m looking for those who I believe appear to live more Godly lives than my own.
I miss the big Amway functions where thousands of the faithful turn out to celebrate the success of others in the business. I miss the members of our church who have split away to do their own thing; far more have left than have stayed. The loss of relationships has been painful. Hurtful things have been said on both sides. Both sides have thought they were justified before God, thus the other side has to be in rebellion and estranged from the Body of Christ. So sad that we play those games with one another.
One of the things I hated most about Amway was sponsoring new distributors. The thing I dislike most about the church is witnessing. I used to hate being recruited by distributors who couldn’t recognize that I was already one of them. I still hate when another Christian gets in my face and asks me, “If you were to die today, do you know where you’ll spend eternity?” As if they can’t look at me and see Jesus! I didn’t want any part of that person’s business or their church if they just saw me as another mark.
In Amway it's a numbers thing - you threw as much mud on the wall as you could and worked with what stuck. All you need is six, who can get six, who can get six (sounds demonic doesn't it?) In Church it's about numbers too. The bigger your numbers, the more your collections, and the more programs you can offer, and the more ministry opportunities you can make available to the congregation. In Amway we had our own lingo for those who couldn't see what we saw in the business: "Some will. Some won't. So what? Who's next?!" In Church we have our lingo for those who don't recognize the opportunity we're offering them: "Lost. Heathens. Unwashed." In Amway if you quit the business you were a ‘loser’. In church if you quit the church, you were a ‘backslider’. In Amway, anyone could be successful if they wanted it bad enough. In the Church, anyone can be saved, but they have to qualify for membership.
In Amway, if everyone on your team is doing what they're supposed to - buying from your own business, books, tapes and functions - you're the best of friends. In church if everyone is in lock-step with the church's articles of incorporation and by-laws and the mission's statement, and if you show up every time the doors are open, then you're counted among the chosen. But let a distributor balk at the price of a box of soap and all of a sudden you're a liability. Let a member of the congregation question the decision to go with cubed ice over a crushed ice machine and you've got a 'situation'.
The point I'm making here is that often we lose sight of our purpose for being part of an organization or system. Often we invest so much into the system that we feel obligated to protect our assets, and that thing becomes more important than our dreams or our God. We find our identities in the organization and measure our worth by the approval of others; but buck the system and watch out! It is easier to get out of the system than it is to get the system out of you.
Former Amway distributors who left under less than friendly circumstances often go off and find a new product to market. They'll say it's "Just like Amway; only better!" Christian churches will split and the people will go off and create a new church and believe it is better than what they left. It becomes a competition, and in competitions someone has to lose. Most times people will rejoice in the failures of the old organization. Oh, they might walk up and hug you if they meet you in a public place, but behind closed doors they're lying about you in order to make themselves appear to be right. Sometimes the people you were closest to will cross the street to avoid you, or snap at any attempt you make to be civil with them. It's about competition and being right. It's about worth.
When Amway morphed into Quixtar, it was promoted as the ultimate network marketing model out there. When mega churches began to decline and home churches began to gain more popularity, it was a movement of God. Nothing has changed, we're still playing the same game; we're just calling it something else.
The Church has taught that God sent His Son to become sin, and to suffer and die on that cross for our worthless souls. Sure Jesus loved us enough to die for us, but we're left wondering about the Father's love if He would do that to His own Son. If He hates sin that much, how disappointed and angry must He be every time I sin - which is several times an hour when I'm awake. Some of my dreams would fall under the sin category, especially the ones I don't want to wake up from.
The truth is, both Jesus and the Father loves us so much that they cooperated together to destroy sin so that it has no power over us. God makes no requirement of us, but made His own provision by taking our sins upon Himself and dying in human form so that we can experience the reality of His Kingdom.
Churches that preach the Word have seldom gotten it right. It's not about us conforming to a set of laws in order to be worthy of Christ's sacrifice; it's about Jesus, who never felt the need to compete or even to play their game. His Church isn't an organization or a building; it is a relationship between us and His Father. We don't need a system to confirm our worth. Before we were born, before Jesus died on that cross, before Creation itself, God found us worthy to be loved.
Unlike Amway which will someday become obsolete, the Church will last forever. But the Church as we know it today will bear little resemblance to the Bride Christ will return to claim. He is looking for those who love Him because they know Him.
I suppose I should close by saying that I’m exactly where I should be in a church relationship. That’s not to say that everyone else’ model is wrong, or that we won’t end up at the same Cross. This is simply where God has me right now. The Carpenter’s Shop hasn’t been for me another team to belong to, but a relationship with people who love Jesus and who don’t try to get me to conform to their system. We’re free to grow as fast or as slow as we allow God to invade our lives. We don’t look at one another and wonder how we can benefit from someone else. We see each other as fellow travelers God has joined because He loves us enough to never leave us. It is much easier to love others when you're not competing with them.
Grandfather Mountain
It's only the middle of August, but the temperature in Butner was a chilly 58 degrees this morning. The skies are blue, there's little humidity - it feels like a perfect fall day. The weather made me want to continue west rather than turn east towards work this morning. On the drive in I daydreamed about spending the day in the mountains, Grandfather Mountain to be specific.
At 9:30 in the morning, it's a bit cooler at Grandfather than here: 49 degrees, with a stiff breeze making it feel much cooler. Its shorts and sweatshirt weather on top of the Old Man.
The Mile High Swinging Bridge was constructed the year after I was born. It was originally made of wood and, true to its name, would sway back and forth as people walked from one cliff to the other side. In 1999 the wooden bridge was replaced with a steel bridge. It still sways a little, but the big difference is the sound of the wind passing between the metal slats and cables. It sounds as though the bridge is singing. The truth is, the bridge is just nature's vocal chords; the song is in the wind.
As a child I remember visiting Grandfather and still recall my mother's nagging to my father about how close he was to the edge of the narrow road that leads to the top of the mountain. Even now the road twists and turns back on itself and you need good brakes if you're going to come back down safely. But it's a beautiful place and one feels closer to God on that mountain. On one trip, my parents brought along my nephew Rudy. Rudy was always a handful, kind of like my daughter Jennifer. Mama wouldn't walk across the swinging bridge, but my father guided us boys over. After awhile we came back over and Mama asked "Where is Rudy?" We assumed he'd crossed back over before us, but Mama was at the end watching for us and assured us he'd not come across that bridge. My brother and I ran back across the bridge, pausing just long enough to see how far out we could spit. We found Rudy sitting on the edge of a rock, his feet hanging out into space. The nearest treetops were hundreds of feet below him. Where my parents would have used words to coax him back from the edge, my brother and I simply grabbed him and drug him back, then proceeded to hit and stomp him for scaring us so badly. Didn't he realize that if he'd fallen to his death that our vacation would be over and we'd have to go back home? How stupid could he be?
Nowdays there's a wildlife habitat at the base of the mountain for visitors to enjoy. One can watch otters, deer, eagles, and even black bears in their natural habitats. The black bear is the mascot of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. There's one lucky male bear at Grandfather. His name is Kodak. The rest are females: Gerry, Dakota, Flower and Smoky in the large habitat and Elizabeth, Carolina and Punkin in the small habitat. Punkin is the oldest at 25 years. Some bears in captivity can live as old as 30, but the life expectancy for bears in the wild is only 3-5 years because they are a hunting species.
We've enjoyed the Highland Games in July where grown men wearing plaid skirts see how far they can toss telephone polls and boulders. http://www.gmhg.org/ Nearby is Linville Caverns and a couple of gem mining places where you can 'pan' for gold, rubies and emeralds. A little bit down the road is Valle Crucis, home of the original Mast General Store. http://www.mastgeneralstore.com/history.cfm.
The last time I visited Grandfather was on Father's Day in 2006. I arrived around 9:30 in the morning. In the summer you want to arrive before 10 or after 3 because of the crowd. I had lunch at the restaurant next to the wildlife habitat and left at 1 PM. When I exited the gates, there was a line backed down the road trying to get in.
Next summer my wife will be able to experience Tanawha, as the Cherokees used to call the mountain. We're dreaming about opening a bed and breakfast in the mountains. The Linville area sounds like a perfect place.
Maybe I should get a job as a travel agent.
At 9:30 in the morning, it's a bit cooler at Grandfather than here: 49 degrees, with a stiff breeze making it feel much cooler. Its shorts and sweatshirt weather on top of the Old Man.
The Mile High Swinging Bridge was constructed the year after I was born. It was originally made of wood and, true to its name, would sway back and forth as people walked from one cliff to the other side. In 1999 the wooden bridge was replaced with a steel bridge. It still sways a little, but the big difference is the sound of the wind passing between the metal slats and cables. It sounds as though the bridge is singing. The truth is, the bridge is just nature's vocal chords; the song is in the wind.
As a child I remember visiting Grandfather and still recall my mother's nagging to my father about how close he was to the edge of the narrow road that leads to the top of the mountain. Even now the road twists and turns back on itself and you need good brakes if you're going to come back down safely. But it's a beautiful place and one feels closer to God on that mountain. On one trip, my parents brought along my nephew Rudy. Rudy was always a handful, kind of like my daughter Jennifer. Mama wouldn't walk across the swinging bridge, but my father guided us boys over. After awhile we came back over and Mama asked "Where is Rudy?" We assumed he'd crossed back over before us, but Mama was at the end watching for us and assured us he'd not come across that bridge. My brother and I ran back across the bridge, pausing just long enough to see how far out we could spit. We found Rudy sitting on the edge of a rock, his feet hanging out into space. The nearest treetops were hundreds of feet below him. Where my parents would have used words to coax him back from the edge, my brother and I simply grabbed him and drug him back, then proceeded to hit and stomp him for scaring us so badly. Didn't he realize that if he'd fallen to his death that our vacation would be over and we'd have to go back home? How stupid could he be?
Nowdays there's a wildlife habitat at the base of the mountain for visitors to enjoy. One can watch otters, deer, eagles, and even black bears in their natural habitats. The black bear is the mascot of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. There's one lucky male bear at Grandfather. His name is Kodak. The rest are females: Gerry, Dakota, Flower and Smoky in the large habitat and Elizabeth, Carolina and Punkin in the small habitat. Punkin is the oldest at 25 years. Some bears in captivity can live as old as 30, but the life expectancy for bears in the wild is only 3-5 years because they are a hunting species.
We've enjoyed the Highland Games in July where grown men wearing plaid skirts see how far they can toss telephone polls and boulders. http://www.gmhg.org/ Nearby is Linville Caverns and a couple of gem mining places where you can 'pan' for gold, rubies and emeralds. A little bit down the road is Valle Crucis, home of the original Mast General Store. http://www.mastgeneralstore.com/history.cfm.
The last time I visited Grandfather was on Father's Day in 2006. I arrived around 9:30 in the morning. In the summer you want to arrive before 10 or after 3 because of the crowd. I had lunch at the restaurant next to the wildlife habitat and left at 1 PM. When I exited the gates, there was a line backed down the road trying to get in.
Next summer my wife will be able to experience Tanawha, as the Cherokees used to call the mountain. We're dreaming about opening a bed and breakfast in the mountains. The Linville area sounds like a perfect place.
Maybe I should get a job as a travel agent.
Butterfly Kisses
My youngest daughter is a rising senior this year. In two weeks she will begin the 12th grade; nine months later she will be old enough to vote and on her way to college. Where has the time gone?
She almost wasn't here. Though her mom and I disagreed over abortion, I would have caved in since my wife felt we needed more time together before having a baby. But God stepped in and created something beautiful that has blessed our lives tremendously. Even though we ended up divorcing, Laura's mom and I have made it a point to love and raise this precious gift as best we possibly can. Soon our job will be over, though neither of us will ever stop being her parent. We can both say that she has made our job a lot easier because Laura has been an angel to raise. Some friends might not think so, but we do.
Since my daughter was 4 years old, she's spent just about every weekend with me. Shortly after separating from her mom I recall standing in line at Wal-Mart or at the grocery store with Laura sitting in the shopping cart chatting up the people in front or behind us. "My mom and dad are divorced. I live with my mom, but I stay with my dad on the weekend." Too much information, but what could I do? She was the apple of my eye, my link to sanity in a life I had no control over.
Before our divorce we spent a Thanksgiving in Nags Head. It was there that Laura sat on Santa's lap for the first time. Although she was deathly frightened by clowns and a bit unsure about Barney, she felt safe with the guy in the red suit and white beard. When it was her turn, Santa asked Laura what she wanted for Christmas. Her reply brought tears to my eyes and I turned with pride to look at the other parents as she said, "I want all the kids to have some food and a place to sleep." The previous Christmas we'd taken her to a charity event for homeless children. Though still in her stroller, Laura remembered seeing those children from various shelters in the Raleigh area. I shouldn't have been surprised at her memory however because Laura remembered all the songs and lines from all of her favorite Disney movies. Many times I've looked at her and wondered if she really isn't an angel disguised as a little girl.
At five, Laura was wiser about church than many adults are. Rather than sit through a boring sermon and pretend to be righteous, Laura would stay in the nursery by herself and color. We had no teacher during the sermon, but Laura was content to stay by herself until I came to get her. The only time she ever left the room on her own was in the middle of a service where the preacher was telling the congregation about his visit to the doctors to have his chest pains checked out. No sooner had he told us than Laura opened the door to the sanctuary and walked in holding a picture she'd drawn. She didn't look for me or acknowledge the congregation in any way, but went up the steps to the pulpit and handed the pastor her picture. Then she turned around and walked back out the way she came. Everyone giggled at how cute she looked. The pastor stood looking down at the picture for a moment and then held it up for us to see. It was a picture of a heart. The pastor said, "God truly speaks through His children. Here he's used this little girl to tell me there's nothing wrong with my heart and I could have saved myself $700 if I'd just trusted Him." That was just another instance that my baby girl has made her dad proud.
Her mom and I have been pretty protective of our daughter, something she's just now starting to rebel against. There have been some bumps along the way: she's required stitches three times in the same spot because she would break her fall with her chin rather than her hands; she's been trampled by a horse; she was running and, not paying attention, turned around just in time to run face-first into the corner of a post - that split her cheek open and left her looking like she'd been in an automobile accident. There was a time when we missed her one winter morning. There was snow on the ground and it was freezing outside. We searched the house, under the cabinets where she liked to hide and eventually looked outside. I finally caught some movement out of the corner of my eye. Laura was up in the tree line chasing a rabbit wearing only her pajamas. I ran after her and just caught her two steps from the road. She received one of the handfuls of spankings she would get for scaring the heck out of her mom and me.
As Laura has grown, she and I have had many opportunities to get away and have some fun times. We've done Busch Gardens to death but still love going there. We've driven down to Orlando for Sea World and driven back in one weekend. We've enjoyed Tweetsie Railroad, Ghost Town in Maggie Valley, and Cherokee NC; Gatlinburg, TN; she's skied at Massanutten, VA; and we've spent a glorious week at Myrtle Beach, SC. Our furthest adventures took us to Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas. For thirteen of her seventeen years, Laura has been my constant companion; even if all we do on a weekend is to go to the movies or play video games at Game Frog in Northgate Mall. We've been invited to Thanksgiving and Christmas at my pastor's home for as long as we can remember. We've been inseparable until I took a part-time job at a theater last Thanksgiving.
For years I've picked Laura up on Friday after work and dropped her off at school on Monday morning. Kissing her goodbye was always hard. As I drove away every week I'd pray the same prayer: "Father, bless Laura. Keep her safe, healthy, and close to your heart. Change me so I can be the best dad I can be." Every night I'd call to check on her day and the world wouldn't seem right until I knew she was safe at home and looking forwards to being with me again on the weekend. Her mom has been great for allowing me to have her as often as I have...even on Mother's Day weekends.
Now things are changing. In a few months I'll have a new wife. Laura will stand in as a bridesmaid at her dad's wedding. She wanted to give me away too, but the pastor said that he's going to ask my ex-wives to do the honors. A few months further down the road and my baby girl will be off to college and her own life. Right now she wants to go to Appalachian State with her best friend Erin, and get as far away as she can from her overly protective parents; but that depends on whether she can get scholarships. She will probably marry some guy who doesn't deserve her, despite her objections to being tied down and having children. At her wedding they will play "Butterfly Kisses" and I'll cry like I've done every time I've heard that song. No matter how old she gets, I'm always going to remember Laura as that little girl with the boyish haircut who held my hand when we walked, whose kisses were special because she was the only one who would kiss me, and who checked me up when she knew I was talking BS. She is God's gift...one I've got to love enough to let go.
Knowing Laura, she's going to come see her dad often. If she doesn't, Pam and I are moving in with her.
She almost wasn't here. Though her mom and I disagreed over abortion, I would have caved in since my wife felt we needed more time together before having a baby. But God stepped in and created something beautiful that has blessed our lives tremendously. Even though we ended up divorcing, Laura's mom and I have made it a point to love and raise this precious gift as best we possibly can. Soon our job will be over, though neither of us will ever stop being her parent. We can both say that she has made our job a lot easier because Laura has been an angel to raise. Some friends might not think so, but we do.
Since my daughter was 4 years old, she's spent just about every weekend with me. Shortly after separating from her mom I recall standing in line at Wal-Mart or at the grocery store with Laura sitting in the shopping cart chatting up the people in front or behind us. "My mom and dad are divorced. I live with my mom, but I stay with my dad on the weekend." Too much information, but what could I do? She was the apple of my eye, my link to sanity in a life I had no control over.
Before our divorce we spent a Thanksgiving in Nags Head. It was there that Laura sat on Santa's lap for the first time. Although she was deathly frightened by clowns and a bit unsure about Barney, she felt safe with the guy in the red suit and white beard. When it was her turn, Santa asked Laura what she wanted for Christmas. Her reply brought tears to my eyes and I turned with pride to look at the other parents as she said, "I want all the kids to have some food and a place to sleep." The previous Christmas we'd taken her to a charity event for homeless children. Though still in her stroller, Laura remembered seeing those children from various shelters in the Raleigh area. I shouldn't have been surprised at her memory however because Laura remembered all the songs and lines from all of her favorite Disney movies. Many times I've looked at her and wondered if she really isn't an angel disguised as a little girl.
At five, Laura was wiser about church than many adults are. Rather than sit through a boring sermon and pretend to be righteous, Laura would stay in the nursery by herself and color. We had no teacher during the sermon, but Laura was content to stay by herself until I came to get her. The only time she ever left the room on her own was in the middle of a service where the preacher was telling the congregation about his visit to the doctors to have his chest pains checked out. No sooner had he told us than Laura opened the door to the sanctuary and walked in holding a picture she'd drawn. She didn't look for me or acknowledge the congregation in any way, but went up the steps to the pulpit and handed the pastor her picture. Then she turned around and walked back out the way she came. Everyone giggled at how cute she looked. The pastor stood looking down at the picture for a moment and then held it up for us to see. It was a picture of a heart. The pastor said, "God truly speaks through His children. Here he's used this little girl to tell me there's nothing wrong with my heart and I could have saved myself $700 if I'd just trusted Him." That was just another instance that my baby girl has made her dad proud.
Her mom and I have been pretty protective of our daughter, something she's just now starting to rebel against. There have been some bumps along the way: she's required stitches three times in the same spot because she would break her fall with her chin rather than her hands; she's been trampled by a horse; she was running and, not paying attention, turned around just in time to run face-first into the corner of a post - that split her cheek open and left her looking like she'd been in an automobile accident. There was a time when we missed her one winter morning. There was snow on the ground and it was freezing outside. We searched the house, under the cabinets where she liked to hide and eventually looked outside. I finally caught some movement out of the corner of my eye. Laura was up in the tree line chasing a rabbit wearing only her pajamas. I ran after her and just caught her two steps from the road. She received one of the handfuls of spankings she would get for scaring the heck out of her mom and me.
As Laura has grown, she and I have had many opportunities to get away and have some fun times. We've done Busch Gardens to death but still love going there. We've driven down to Orlando for Sea World and driven back in one weekend. We've enjoyed Tweetsie Railroad, Ghost Town in Maggie Valley, and Cherokee NC; Gatlinburg, TN; she's skied at Massanutten, VA; and we've spent a glorious week at Myrtle Beach, SC. Our furthest adventures took us to Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas. For thirteen of her seventeen years, Laura has been my constant companion; even if all we do on a weekend is to go to the movies or play video games at Game Frog in Northgate Mall. We've been invited to Thanksgiving and Christmas at my pastor's home for as long as we can remember. We've been inseparable until I took a part-time job at a theater last Thanksgiving.
For years I've picked Laura up on Friday after work and dropped her off at school on Monday morning. Kissing her goodbye was always hard. As I drove away every week I'd pray the same prayer: "Father, bless Laura. Keep her safe, healthy, and close to your heart. Change me so I can be the best dad I can be." Every night I'd call to check on her day and the world wouldn't seem right until I knew she was safe at home and looking forwards to being with me again on the weekend. Her mom has been great for allowing me to have her as often as I have...even on Mother's Day weekends.
Now things are changing. In a few months I'll have a new wife. Laura will stand in as a bridesmaid at her dad's wedding. She wanted to give me away too, but the pastor said that he's going to ask my ex-wives to do the honors. A few months further down the road and my baby girl will be off to college and her own life. Right now she wants to go to Appalachian State with her best friend Erin, and get as far away as she can from her overly protective parents; but that depends on whether she can get scholarships. She will probably marry some guy who doesn't deserve her, despite her objections to being tied down and having children. At her wedding they will play "Butterfly Kisses" and I'll cry like I've done every time I've heard that song. No matter how old she gets, I'm always going to remember Laura as that little girl with the boyish haircut who held my hand when we walked, whose kisses were special because she was the only one who would kiss me, and who checked me up when she knew I was talking BS. She is God's gift...one I've got to love enough to let go.
Knowing Laura, she's going to come see her dad often. If she doesn't, Pam and I are moving in with her.
James Michael Pratt
For whatever reason, Blogger won't let me save James M. Pratt's link to his blog in my blog list, so I'm posting it here and hope you'll drop in and see what James is all about: http://www.jmprattcom.blogspot.com. James' newest book "As a Man Thinketh...In His Heart" is in print and available on Amazon. I posted an article on this book back in April, so scroll down there and see why this book had such an impression on me.
James is not only my favorite author, he's been a good friend and has been encouraging me to write Sea Tree. What has impressed me most about James is that he is so much like the characters in his books. James is a man of integrity, vision, humility and courage. Despite several best sellers, James has gone through four years without an income while he's worked on "As a Man Thinketh...In His Heart", a screenplay for his novel, "The Last Valentine", and starting up a new company with Mark Kastleman, Power Think and Power Think Publishing. During that time, James lost his mom and experienced other tragedies that would have caused many of us to give in to despair. His faith has inspired me as much as his encouragement has. When a best-selling author takes the time to respond to your emails and who treats you with encouragement, honesty and respect as James does, you've found a friend. I hope you'll visit James' new website: http://www.powerthink.com/index.php. Come September you'll find lots of ebooks at great prices, many free.
Enjoy.
James is not only my favorite author, he's been a good friend and has been encouraging me to write Sea Tree. What has impressed me most about James is that he is so much like the characters in his books. James is a man of integrity, vision, humility and courage. Despite several best sellers, James has gone through four years without an income while he's worked on "As a Man Thinketh...In His Heart", a screenplay for his novel, "The Last Valentine", and starting up a new company with Mark Kastleman, Power Think and Power Think Publishing. During that time, James lost his mom and experienced other tragedies that would have caused many of us to give in to despair. His faith has inspired me as much as his encouragement has. When a best-selling author takes the time to respond to your emails and who treats you with encouragement, honesty and respect as James does, you've found a friend. I hope you'll visit James' new website: http://www.powerthink.com/index.php. Come September you'll find lots of ebooks at great prices, many free.
Enjoy.
Randy Alcorn
Although my favorite writer has to be James Michael Pratt, followed by Nicholas Sparks, perhaps my favorite Christian writer is Randy Alcorn. His book, "Edge of Eternity" was my first incursion into Christian fantasy (as opposed to Christian fiction). EoE does in words what "The Masterpiece - A Toymaker's Dream" did in music and dance.
"Deadline", a detective novel, has been turned into a screenplay with Chuck Norris playing the main character. Don't know if it will ever make it to film, but the novel is great. As with James Pratt's screenplay for "The Last Valentine", Hollywood often takes the story so far away from the original that the two are unrecognizable. I hope that "The Last Valentine" and "Deadline" get the same thoughtful treatment that Nicholas Sparks' "Message in a Bottle", "A Walk to Remember", and "The Notebook" received.
Randy has several non-fiction books in print as well, probably his most popular, "Heaven", earns him lots of radio and television interviews. Check out Randy's blog at www.randyalcorn.blogspot.com.
"Deadline", a detective novel, has been turned into a screenplay with Chuck Norris playing the main character. Don't know if it will ever make it to film, but the novel is great. As with James Pratt's screenplay for "The Last Valentine", Hollywood often takes the story so far away from the original that the two are unrecognizable. I hope that "The Last Valentine" and "Deadline" get the same thoughtful treatment that Nicholas Sparks' "Message in a Bottle", "A Walk to Remember", and "The Notebook" received.
Randy has several non-fiction books in print as well, probably his most popular, "Heaven", earns him lots of radio and television interviews. Check out Randy's blog at www.randyalcorn.blogspot.com.
On Prayers
Our church, The Carpenter's Shop, meets in Jon's Main Street Diner in Creedmoor, NC. We're a small group - 17 if my daughter and grandson show up. Occasionally some friends will drop by and once in awhile a visitor. Those who don't know us that well leave thinking "Well, that was different." We don't have an order of service, praise music, an offering collection or even a sermon. What we do is we sit around and discuss some scripture and talk about what's going on in our lives. We are a church of friends.
Usually, Jimmy will welcome everyone with something like this: "It's so good to see you all. Thank God you survived another week and chose to be with us today!" Then Jimmy will ask if there are any prayer requests. We'll pray for my daughter's cancer, for a neighbor of Jimmy's parents who's having some tests run next week, for high school and college exams, for Jon's business, Jimmy's business, the family of a high school student who lost their dad recently...whatever is on our hearts. Once in awhile someone will ask for personal prayer, often for sickness and we'll obey scripture by gathering around that person and the laying on of hands in prayer. We'll simply believe that it is God's will for His children to be whole and leave the healing up to Him.
A couple thousand years ago, Jesus was sitting around with His friends, perhaps around a meal. It was only a few weeks before He would endure the cross and Jesus was more than a little troubled by what lay ahead. Still, Jesus was always more concerned with others than with Himself and He wanted to teach his friends (disciples) about prayer; so he asked them concerning his upcoming crucifixion, "Should I pray and ask the Father to save me?" Probably everyone around the room nodded in the affirmative; that sounds like a reasonable request and it's what they would have done if they were about to be tried and persecuted. Perhaps a part of Jesus wanted to ask His Father to save Him too. He would offer that prayer later, but tonight He wanted to teach His friends something about prayers. Jesus knew why He was here, for He said to them, "No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name!"
Jesus had the same choice we do, to pray a 'save me' prayer, or pray a 'glorify God' prayer. We've all prayed those 'save me' prayers, asking God to get us out of our circumstances; and we've been disappointed when our prayers seemingly weren't answered. We know God can cure cancer, we know He loves us, so why did He not do as we asked? Didn't Jesus say that we could ask anything in His name and God would answer our prayers? Why then does God not answer prayers that are asked in faith and hope by His children?
Perhaps the answer lies in the example of Jesus. In the Garden, Jesus again asks God to save Him from his circumstances, but as He did with His disciples, Jesus adds, "Yet not my will, but Thy will be done." Jesus knew that the best thing that could happen to Him was if God was glorified in His circumstances.
God doesn't get much glory when things are going well for us - when we're healthy, our finances are in order, our marriage on good terms. We assume it's because He's blessed us for our obedience. But let us be beaten down to the point when there's nothing we can do to save ourselves and God comes through in the nick of time and all of a sudden we're praising God. When things occur in life that can only be attributed to God and not to our own power or someone else', then God gets the glory and the world gets to see a loving Father who cares so much about us that He would allow His Son to die so that we don't have to.
What I've learned from Jesus' prayer is that I should pray concerning my son's foreclosure on his first house - Father, glorify your name in that situation! Father, glorify your name in my daughter's cancer! Father, glorify your name in my marriage, in my job, in my weakness, in my dependence upon You! May you be glorified as I trust you have a better plan than my own. Even when I don't see how my circumstances can bring you glory, Father, have your way; so that your name may be glorified and so that the world will know your love through my circumstances.
Usually, Jimmy will welcome everyone with something like this: "It's so good to see you all. Thank God you survived another week and chose to be with us today!" Then Jimmy will ask if there are any prayer requests. We'll pray for my daughter's cancer, for a neighbor of Jimmy's parents who's having some tests run next week, for high school and college exams, for Jon's business, Jimmy's business, the family of a high school student who lost their dad recently...whatever is on our hearts. Once in awhile someone will ask for personal prayer, often for sickness and we'll obey scripture by gathering around that person and the laying on of hands in prayer. We'll simply believe that it is God's will for His children to be whole and leave the healing up to Him.
A couple thousand years ago, Jesus was sitting around with His friends, perhaps around a meal. It was only a few weeks before He would endure the cross and Jesus was more than a little troubled by what lay ahead. Still, Jesus was always more concerned with others than with Himself and He wanted to teach his friends (disciples) about prayer; so he asked them concerning his upcoming crucifixion, "Should I pray and ask the Father to save me?" Probably everyone around the room nodded in the affirmative; that sounds like a reasonable request and it's what they would have done if they were about to be tried and persecuted. Perhaps a part of Jesus wanted to ask His Father to save Him too. He would offer that prayer later, but tonight He wanted to teach His friends something about prayers. Jesus knew why He was here, for He said to them, "No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name!"
Jesus had the same choice we do, to pray a 'save me' prayer, or pray a 'glorify God' prayer. We've all prayed those 'save me' prayers, asking God to get us out of our circumstances; and we've been disappointed when our prayers seemingly weren't answered. We know God can cure cancer, we know He loves us, so why did He not do as we asked? Didn't Jesus say that we could ask anything in His name and God would answer our prayers? Why then does God not answer prayers that are asked in faith and hope by His children?
Perhaps the answer lies in the example of Jesus. In the Garden, Jesus again asks God to save Him from his circumstances, but as He did with His disciples, Jesus adds, "Yet not my will, but Thy will be done." Jesus knew that the best thing that could happen to Him was if God was glorified in His circumstances.
God doesn't get much glory when things are going well for us - when we're healthy, our finances are in order, our marriage on good terms. We assume it's because He's blessed us for our obedience. But let us be beaten down to the point when there's nothing we can do to save ourselves and God comes through in the nick of time and all of a sudden we're praising God. When things occur in life that can only be attributed to God and not to our own power or someone else', then God gets the glory and the world gets to see a loving Father who cares so much about us that He would allow His Son to die so that we don't have to.
What I've learned from Jesus' prayer is that I should pray concerning my son's foreclosure on his first house - Father, glorify your name in that situation! Father, glorify your name in my daughter's cancer! Father, glorify your name in my marriage, in my job, in my weakness, in my dependence upon You! May you be glorified as I trust you have a better plan than my own. Even when I don't see how my circumstances can bring you glory, Father, have your way; so that your name may be glorified and so that the world will know your love through my circumstances.
Many will say to Me in that day....
For a long time I've felt uneasy about that scripture in Matthew 7 that says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Who are these people who've fooled themselves into believing they had a saving relationship with Christ and how does that reconcile with Romans 10 which states, "9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Which is it?
A recent uproar among some fundy Christians over a photograph displayed inside Abercrombie and Fitch was the subject of yesterday's sermon...one in which we packed up and drove to the mall to see what the fuss was all about. (The photo is on the sidebar.) I'll let my pastor provide his take on the reaction of some Christians to this picture. You can read his blog here once he gets around to it: http://www.jchalmers.blogspot.com/
My dilemma is this: should all Christians be equally upset over what some Christians perceive to be sinful? What about the Christians who aren't offended? Are we counted among those whom God will cast aside because our level of righteousness doesn't measure up to God's standards, or even to the standard of other Christians? Or is this really something that we should be devoting so much attention to when there are more pressing problems we could be addressing?
I grew up in a fundamentalist church. We were taught that anyone can come to Christ as they are and that they can be saved by grace regardless of their past. That's fine so far. But after about 15 minutes of salvation, we spring the bad news on the new convert: Your ticket is punched, but if you want to please God you've got to follow this list: join a church, get involved in a discipleship program, tithe, get rid of the tattoos and nose rings, burn your rock and roll CDs, quit your job at the liquor store, marry the woman you're shacking up with, attend our Addiction Recovery program so we can get you off drugs; and oh yeah - we need you to work in the nursery for the next four Sundays.
Most Sundays we heard messages that contained about 2 minutes worth of grace, love, and trust, and 58 minutes of "Thou shalt nots". So it's not surprising when a Christian father is incensed when he and his family are exposed to A&F's 'art'. He probably feels like he's serving God and that it is his mission and ministry to protect shopper's eyes from this blatantly sinful sexuality that has nothing to do with the pants the store wants to sell their customers. Christians are always looking for causes to prove their righteousness. But what Jesus says in Matthew makes me wonder if we're just fooling ourselves. The truth is, righteousness doesn't produce relationship; relationship produces righteousness. Earlier in Matthew 7 Jesus says, "13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because[a] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Can it be that our efforts to please God miss the mark and we're not on the same path to eternal life?
Jesus didn't come to save us from Hell; He came to reveal His Father and to offer us a relationship with our Creator. We were going to Hell anyway, but Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms....come and follow me...I am the Way". So although our goals might be similar, our motivations for being Christian are entirely different. If we do not want a relationship with our Father beyond a get-out-of-Hell-free ticket, and whenever we need His hand because we tried to manage our lives under our own power - then is that a saving relationship or does it get you in the line with other goats? If we're unwilling to surrender our agendas for God's agenda, if we trust ourselves more than we trust Him, do we having saving faith?
Simply obeying some commandments and separating ourselves from the rest of the world is not enough it seems. He isn't interested in slaves, but sons and daughters. If I wake up every day and ask Him to bless my plans for the day, I've missed the relationship. I must wake up and seek His plans for my day. I must trust Him to be there when I don't sense His presence. If He doesn't give me the answer I hoped for, I must know that He has a better way and that He is motivated by love for me. As I surrender my control and learn to trust Him - because He has never failed me and He never will - I find that I've grown to love Him and to really see Him as my Father.
So when I view God as my loving Father, I don't go where He doesn't want me to go, or get involved in behaviors and activities that come between my relationship with my Father. I'm not trying to earn His pleasure; I'm simply enjoying His alternative to my own way. I know that as I trust Him more, that He's going to challenge me and take me to places I'd never have risked going without Him. The gate may be narrow and the road may not always be smooth, but at the end is a seat at the Father's table and a room He's prepared especially for me.
A recent uproar among some fundy Christians over a photograph displayed inside Abercrombie and Fitch was the subject of yesterday's sermon...one in which we packed up and drove to the mall to see what the fuss was all about. (The photo is on the sidebar.) I'll let my pastor provide his take on the reaction of some Christians to this picture. You can read his blog here once he gets around to it: http://www.jchalmers.blogspot.com/
My dilemma is this: should all Christians be equally upset over what some Christians perceive to be sinful? What about the Christians who aren't offended? Are we counted among those whom God will cast aside because our level of righteousness doesn't measure up to God's standards, or even to the standard of other Christians? Or is this really something that we should be devoting so much attention to when there are more pressing problems we could be addressing?
I grew up in a fundamentalist church. We were taught that anyone can come to Christ as they are and that they can be saved by grace regardless of their past. That's fine so far. But after about 15 minutes of salvation, we spring the bad news on the new convert: Your ticket is punched, but if you want to please God you've got to follow this list: join a church, get involved in a discipleship program, tithe, get rid of the tattoos and nose rings, burn your rock and roll CDs, quit your job at the liquor store, marry the woman you're shacking up with, attend our Addiction Recovery program so we can get you off drugs; and oh yeah - we need you to work in the nursery for the next four Sundays.
Most Sundays we heard messages that contained about 2 minutes worth of grace, love, and trust, and 58 minutes of "Thou shalt nots". So it's not surprising when a Christian father is incensed when he and his family are exposed to A&F's 'art'. He probably feels like he's serving God and that it is his mission and ministry to protect shopper's eyes from this blatantly sinful sexuality that has nothing to do with the pants the store wants to sell their customers. Christians are always looking for causes to prove their righteousness. But what Jesus says in Matthew makes me wonder if we're just fooling ourselves. The truth is, righteousness doesn't produce relationship; relationship produces righteousness. Earlier in Matthew 7 Jesus says, "13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because[a] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Can it be that our efforts to please God miss the mark and we're not on the same path to eternal life?
Jesus didn't come to save us from Hell; He came to reveal His Father and to offer us a relationship with our Creator. We were going to Hell anyway, but Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms....come and follow me...I am the Way". So although our goals might be similar, our motivations for being Christian are entirely different. If we do not want a relationship with our Father beyond a get-out-of-Hell-free ticket, and whenever we need His hand because we tried to manage our lives under our own power - then is that a saving relationship or does it get you in the line with other goats? If we're unwilling to surrender our agendas for God's agenda, if we trust ourselves more than we trust Him, do we having saving faith?
Simply obeying some commandments and separating ourselves from the rest of the world is not enough it seems. He isn't interested in slaves, but sons and daughters. If I wake up every day and ask Him to bless my plans for the day, I've missed the relationship. I must wake up and seek His plans for my day. I must trust Him to be there when I don't sense His presence. If He doesn't give me the answer I hoped for, I must know that He has a better way and that He is motivated by love for me. As I surrender my control and learn to trust Him - because He has never failed me and He never will - I find that I've grown to love Him and to really see Him as my Father.
So when I view God as my loving Father, I don't go where He doesn't want me to go, or get involved in behaviors and activities that come between my relationship with my Father. I'm not trying to earn His pleasure; I'm simply enjoying His alternative to my own way. I know that as I trust Him more, that He's going to challenge me and take me to places I'd never have risked going without Him. The gate may be narrow and the road may not always be smooth, but at the end is a seat at the Father's table and a room He's prepared especially for me.
What Was God Thinking?
Several people were sitting around a table at Jon's Main Street Diner talking about their faith. One says to the others, "The issue is obedience. God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of one tree and they couldn't even obey that simple command. It's about OBEDIENCE, plain and simple." The others nodded in agreement; but is it really that simple?
I don't know about you, but I think the top three questions I might have for God when I get a chance to ask Him about this grand experiment called Creation would be:
1. Why did you create that tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; or why didn't you plant it on the opposite side of the globe rather than right there in the Garden?
2. If you wanted that tree there, why didn't you do more than simply tell them they would die if they ate it's fruit? Why didn't you tell them that it would destroy their trust in you; that it would destroy their relationship with one another; that disobedience would result in so much pain and that their descendants would hate them for messing up what would have been a perfect world?
3. (And this is one that, even if God chose to answer, it would make no sense to us and would simply have to be one of those only He will understand.) Was it worth it? Was Adam and Eve's disobedience worth the millions, even the billions, of lost souls condemned for an eternity in Hell?
Your burning questions may differ from mine. I'm no biblical scholar - don't want to be one. I'm sort of a jack of a handful of trades - master of none. But I do wonder what the world and what my life would have been like had Adam and Eve not screwed up.
While I have no satisfactory answer to the last question, I can kinda wrap my mind about a possible scenario that helps to understand the first two questions. Why was that tree in the Garden to start with? The answer raises another question: Was obedience God's ultimate desire from humans? I think there is abundant evidence in scripture where his motivation wasn't our obedience but our affection and our trust - which sort of answers part of question #2.
If God's primary purpose for the tree had been to command our obedience, He must have known up front that fear of the consequences of disobedience (or fear of the Lord) wasn't going to be enough to stop Adam and Eve from taking that first bite. True, neither Adam or Eve had ever learned about fear or death so it was probably an abstract notion to them; but notice how Lucifer uses the truth to deceive them. He told Eve that they would not surely die (the lie), but that they would be like God and know good and evil (the truth). They had had only good experiences with God and it was not wrong to want to be like God, there's no sin in that. But what Lucifer succeeded in doing was to plant a seed of doubt about whether they could really trust God or was He keeping something from them so that He could always be greater than they? At that point, Adam and Eve decided to eat for their own benefit; and as a result, they did know good and evil - that they had been deceived and that God had been right telling them not to eat that fruit.
That leads into the second question: Why didn't God tell them why it would kill them and what the consequences were for the billions of their descendants? Perhaps the answer here is that God wanted their trust so much that He allowed them to betray His trust in order to gain it back. More than that, God wanted their love, not just their obedience. Love and trust - those were God's motivations for creating Adam and Eve. Perhaps only by knowing evil would humans really know goodness. Only by doing it our way could we truly learn to trust God's way.
At first blush, we'd have to say that mankind failed the experiment, if that's all this life is. As far as the third question - was it worth all those souls in Hell because He chose to create that tree?...it's hard for us to reconcile the depth of love God has for every person and His desire that all be saved for a relationship with Him, with the unfathomable consequences of Satan's deceit of mankind. Do I care if Satan burns in a hotter corner of Hell than someone who never got the chance to even hear about Jesus Christ? No - for that soul is someone God loved just as surely as He loves me, or He loved David, or Abraham, or even His only Son.
I think of my older brother who passed away a couple of years ago. He knew about God, but I don't know that he knew Him enough to have a saving relationship with Him. Because I love my brother, despite all his flaws - and they were many, I don't want to think of him being tortured where Satan and truly evil people are. I don't know that Roger is separated from God for all eternity because I never truly knew his heart. But I do trust the heart of my Creator who wants me to call Him Father, who's Son wants me to consider Him as my brother, who's Spirit was given to me freely when I simply asked for Him to come live inside me and to help me learn to love and trust God more and more.
I am no better than my brother, no more deserving of salvation - but I have to believe that it was not simply a matter of fate that I chose to accept God's free gift rather than going with my own plan for my life.
I still struggle with the notion that some choose to turn down His offer of an eternal relationship; and that many more never had the chance to even learn about Jesus Christ and, as we're taught in church, now are eternally separated in a place of hopelessness and despair. Yet I go back to what I do know - that God loves me enough to come to earth to show me the way back to Him. He's met every need I've ever had; He's carried me through life's interruptions when my own strength wouldn't suffice; He's been gentle in His corrections; and He's given me so much more than I could imagine attaining on my own. Little by little I'm learning to trust Him, and as I trust Him I come to love Him more. You can't betray the love of someone you really trust; you can mess up, but you keep coming back because you know they love you and that they will forgive you and welcome you back; and there's no place you'd rather be. What was God thinking? He was thinking of me, and of you, and all who would come to love Him, because He is Love.
I don't know about you, but I think the top three questions I might have for God when I get a chance to ask Him about this grand experiment called Creation would be:
1. Why did you create that tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; or why didn't you plant it on the opposite side of the globe rather than right there in the Garden?
2. If you wanted that tree there, why didn't you do more than simply tell them they would die if they ate it's fruit? Why didn't you tell them that it would destroy their trust in you; that it would destroy their relationship with one another; that disobedience would result in so much pain and that their descendants would hate them for messing up what would have been a perfect world?
3. (And this is one that, even if God chose to answer, it would make no sense to us and would simply have to be one of those only He will understand.) Was it worth it? Was Adam and Eve's disobedience worth the millions, even the billions, of lost souls condemned for an eternity in Hell?
Your burning questions may differ from mine. I'm no biblical scholar - don't want to be one. I'm sort of a jack of a handful of trades - master of none. But I do wonder what the world and what my life would have been like had Adam and Eve not screwed up.
While I have no satisfactory answer to the last question, I can kinda wrap my mind about a possible scenario that helps to understand the first two questions. Why was that tree in the Garden to start with? The answer raises another question: Was obedience God's ultimate desire from humans? I think there is abundant evidence in scripture where his motivation wasn't our obedience but our affection and our trust - which sort of answers part of question #2.
If God's primary purpose for the tree had been to command our obedience, He must have known up front that fear of the consequences of disobedience (or fear of the Lord) wasn't going to be enough to stop Adam and Eve from taking that first bite. True, neither Adam or Eve had ever learned about fear or death so it was probably an abstract notion to them; but notice how Lucifer uses the truth to deceive them. He told Eve that they would not surely die (the lie), but that they would be like God and know good and evil (the truth). They had had only good experiences with God and it was not wrong to want to be like God, there's no sin in that. But what Lucifer succeeded in doing was to plant a seed of doubt about whether they could really trust God or was He keeping something from them so that He could always be greater than they? At that point, Adam and Eve decided to eat for their own benefit; and as a result, they did know good and evil - that they had been deceived and that God had been right telling them not to eat that fruit.
That leads into the second question: Why didn't God tell them why it would kill them and what the consequences were for the billions of their descendants? Perhaps the answer here is that God wanted their trust so much that He allowed them to betray His trust in order to gain it back. More than that, God wanted their love, not just their obedience. Love and trust - those were God's motivations for creating Adam and Eve. Perhaps only by knowing evil would humans really know goodness. Only by doing it our way could we truly learn to trust God's way.
At first blush, we'd have to say that mankind failed the experiment, if that's all this life is. As far as the third question - was it worth all those souls in Hell because He chose to create that tree?...it's hard for us to reconcile the depth of love God has for every person and His desire that all be saved for a relationship with Him, with the unfathomable consequences of Satan's deceit of mankind. Do I care if Satan burns in a hotter corner of Hell than someone who never got the chance to even hear about Jesus Christ? No - for that soul is someone God loved just as surely as He loves me, or He loved David, or Abraham, or even His only Son.
I think of my older brother who passed away a couple of years ago. He knew about God, but I don't know that he knew Him enough to have a saving relationship with Him. Because I love my brother, despite all his flaws - and they were many, I don't want to think of him being tortured where Satan and truly evil people are. I don't know that Roger is separated from God for all eternity because I never truly knew his heart. But I do trust the heart of my Creator who wants me to call Him Father, who's Son wants me to consider Him as my brother, who's Spirit was given to me freely when I simply asked for Him to come live inside me and to help me learn to love and trust God more and more.
I am no better than my brother, no more deserving of salvation - but I have to believe that it was not simply a matter of fate that I chose to accept God's free gift rather than going with my own plan for my life.
I still struggle with the notion that some choose to turn down His offer of an eternal relationship; and that many more never had the chance to even learn about Jesus Christ and, as we're taught in church, now are eternally separated in a place of hopelessness and despair. Yet I go back to what I do know - that God loves me enough to come to earth to show me the way back to Him. He's met every need I've ever had; He's carried me through life's interruptions when my own strength wouldn't suffice; He's been gentle in His corrections; and He's given me so much more than I could imagine attaining on my own. Little by little I'm learning to trust Him, and as I trust Him I come to love Him more. You can't betray the love of someone you really trust; you can mess up, but you keep coming back because you know they love you and that they will forgive you and welcome you back; and there's no place you'd rather be. What was God thinking? He was thinking of me, and of you, and all who would come to love Him, because He is Love.
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