I got a call last night from my dear friend Jack Skidmore telling me he would be at my door at 8:00 AM to show me how to clean my rifle we had taken to the shooting range two weeks before. This morning as I was learning to disassemble my rifle, cleaning it, and putting it back together I made the fatal mistake. I asked Jack how often I should clean the gun. His reply brought not a single leap for joy. He said, "Clean it after each time you use it."
This got me to thinking how much we detest cleaning things. For instance, 'snot rags' (aka: handkerchiefs) fit into this category. Clean it after each time you use it. But we (manfolks) got tired of doing this so we invented the disposable tissue (Kleenex). Awe, you can sense the freedom just knowing how easy it is to get a fresh clean tissue.
Another case is dishes. Tired of washing dishes after every use? First, we tried domesticating dogs to lick the dishes clean but the womenfolk thought this was not sanitary enough. From a man's perspective, why else have a dog? And why do you think a dog is referred to as 'man's best friend' if not for his plate licking ability? So we started producing children to serve as dishwashers. This was great and served well until you stopped producing children and they grew up to begin washing their own dishes. So as a stop gap measure we invented automatic dishwashers to relieve us from this task which never seemed to end. This solution is great for those who can afford automatic dishwashers. But for the rest of the folks the simple solution was inventing paper plates. Now we just have to throw them away after each use. But wait, there is still to come one evolutionary step in this advancement of progress. It is the invention of the edible plate. Why throw away something that could be eaten with great delight? (Men, take heed of this precautionary notice. This is a marvelous idea that has an undesirable outcome. If we succumb to edible plates, then the next step downward is edible plates loaded with all the essential vitamins and minerals needed. The last thing we will remember eating is a paper plate as the womenfolk will soon quit cooking altogether!)
So how did I get to this point after starting the morning cleaning a rifle? Easy. (At least with my mind it was easy.) The question before me was, What is it that I can get in the realm of armaments that does not require cleaning after each use? Now you know the thought process of the genius who invented the hand grenade! That is the answer. No one ever has to clean a grenade after its use. You just go on about the other affairs of the day. Yes, I think I will go to Wal-Mart tomorrow morning and order a dozen of them babies from my good friend Don.
Wait, I hear the womenfolk telling us to go fill in the holes! Aaggggh.
Blessings on this beautiful, snowy December 29.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
What Happened To December?
My last post was December 2nd. I had planned to post more blogs in December and then "Life Happens". My world got incredibly busy just when I thought December would be relative free to relax and enjoy the Christmas season. What was I thinking? How could I be so naive. After 30 years of life as pastor I should have learned that December is never, never, never a slow month in which to relax.
Someone who does not attend church and is outside looking in at Christianity asked me the other day what I did with my time (with the tone that it would be nice to sit around all day doing nothing.) This question got me reflecting on this fast moving December. After consulting my calendar and memory, here is the serendipity part of my December since my last post. The serendipity part of life is the "icing on the cake". The cake itself is our enduring, vital and vibrant time walking with our Lord Jesus. Without the "cake" life is filled with activity without eternity. So here is my "icing" of the past few days.
December 4 - Spent the day shopping for gifts for the church families.
December 5 - Went to Oklahoma City with my siblings to celebrate my little sister's 50th birthday. Attended a county western concert (Trace Atkins and Marlena McBride) which was lousy (I am no country western fan). What was fun during the concert was watching the updates of the Big 12 conference championship via cell phone! Who cares about Trace and Marlena when you have Nebraska vs. Texas to enjoy?
December 6 - Left OKC at 5:30 AM to get back to Valley View for church. CTC's Christmas banquet tonight. Spent the afternoon setting up for the banquet.
December 7 - Crashed in exhaustion from the weekend. (Morning only)
December 8 - Went to the movies to see The Blind Side. It is an excellent movie. Go see it when you get a chance.
December 9 - News of teen girl in church is pregnant. Next 9 days working with family through this crises.
December 12 - Memorial service for a precious lady in our church who died 3 weeks earlier.
December 13 -15 - Special services with Clay Nash here at CTC. What a great time of refreshing to have this man of God in our midst imparting life.
December 15 - Went target shooting with Clay and friends. The bad to this was it was 37 degrees outside with wind so that it was a little uncomfortable. The good was that I got to shoot my antique 1876 Springfield rifle for the first time. This was pretty cool (but not as cool as the weather!)
December 16 - Participation in CTC Christmas Caroling canceled due to emergency.
December 17 - Christmas shopping for Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree ministry. There are 13 children in the Valley View area who have a parent in a state prison somewhere in the U.S. The Valley View Fellowship of Churches took this on as something our churches would help with this year. 13 children divided by 3 churches is very doable without too much hassle.
December 18 - Supper at a home group and Youth Lock-In took up the evening.
December 19 - Officiate a wedding.
December 21 - Overnight birthday party here at the house with 9 girls celebrating Whitney Yosten's 16 birthday!
My eating habits have been shattered during this time. It is the holidays after all. At one point I ate 5 meals in a row and felt like a blimp doing it. I normally eat 1 big meal a day and snack the rest of the time. I had back to back meals at IHOP (supper and breakfast) during this 5-meals-in-a-row streak. The previous week I ate 3 meals at Los Mariachis Mexican Restaurant with different individuals. On the third trip to the restaurant I ended up ordering chicken fried steak. I did get a funny look when ordering this item at a mexican restaurant.
It has been fun remembering the life experiences of the past few weeks as I write this post. God is so good. In other news, my oldest daughter, Amanda was the featured artist in an art showing in Seattle on December 20th. The showing went really well and she was amazed at the interest expressed in her work. I am really proud of her.
This morning I put up bird feeders in my back yard so now the little winged creatures will have a merry feast for Christmas.
In case I do not blog (which I probably will not) again before Christmas, I wish everyone within earshot a very MERRY CHRISTMAS.
And remember - God is good, therefore life is good.
Blessings
Someone who does not attend church and is outside looking in at Christianity asked me the other day what I did with my time (with the tone that it would be nice to sit around all day doing nothing.) This question got me reflecting on this fast moving December. After consulting my calendar and memory, here is the serendipity part of my December since my last post. The serendipity part of life is the "icing on the cake". The cake itself is our enduring, vital and vibrant time walking with our Lord Jesus. Without the "cake" life is filled with activity without eternity. So here is my "icing" of the past few days.
December 4 - Spent the day shopping for gifts for the church families.
December 5 - Went to Oklahoma City with my siblings to celebrate my little sister's 50th birthday. Attended a county western concert (Trace Atkins and Marlena McBride) which was lousy (I am no country western fan). What was fun during the concert was watching the updates of the Big 12 conference championship via cell phone! Who cares about Trace and Marlena when you have Nebraska vs. Texas to enjoy?
December 6 - Left OKC at 5:30 AM to get back to Valley View for church. CTC's Christmas banquet tonight. Spent the afternoon setting up for the banquet.
December 7 - Crashed in exhaustion from the weekend. (Morning only)
December 8 - Went to the movies to see The Blind Side. It is an excellent movie. Go see it when you get a chance.
December 9 - News of teen girl in church is pregnant. Next 9 days working with family through this crises.
December 12 - Memorial service for a precious lady in our church who died 3 weeks earlier.
December 13 -15 - Special services with Clay Nash here at CTC. What a great time of refreshing to have this man of God in our midst imparting life.
December 15 - Went target shooting with Clay and friends. The bad to this was it was 37 degrees outside with wind so that it was a little uncomfortable. The good was that I got to shoot my antique 1876 Springfield rifle for the first time. This was pretty cool (but not as cool as the weather!)
December 16 - Participation in CTC Christmas Caroling canceled due to emergency.
December 17 - Christmas shopping for Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree ministry. There are 13 children in the Valley View area who have a parent in a state prison somewhere in the U.S. The Valley View Fellowship of Churches took this on as something our churches would help with this year. 13 children divided by 3 churches is very doable without too much hassle.
December 18 - Supper at a home group and Youth Lock-In took up the evening.
December 19 - Officiate a wedding.
December 21 - Overnight birthday party here at the house with 9 girls celebrating Whitney Yosten's 16 birthday!
My eating habits have been shattered during this time. It is the holidays after all. At one point I ate 5 meals in a row and felt like a blimp doing it. I normally eat 1 big meal a day and snack the rest of the time. I had back to back meals at IHOP (supper and breakfast) during this 5-meals-in-a-row streak. The previous week I ate 3 meals at Los Mariachis Mexican Restaurant with different individuals. On the third trip to the restaurant I ended up ordering chicken fried steak. I did get a funny look when ordering this item at a mexican restaurant.
It has been fun remembering the life experiences of the past few weeks as I write this post. God is so good. In other news, my oldest daughter, Amanda was the featured artist in an art showing in Seattle on December 20th. The showing went really well and she was amazed at the interest expressed in her work. I am really proud of her.
This morning I put up bird feeders in my back yard so now the little winged creatures will have a merry feast for Christmas.
In case I do not blog (which I probably will not) again before Christmas, I wish everyone within earshot a very MERRY CHRISTMAS.
And remember - God is good, therefore life is good.
Blessings
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
SHARED EXPERIENCES
Well, well, well. We woke up to snow on the ground this morning! What a pleasant surprise it was. Here in Texas snow is always a pleasant surprise as it never snows heavily enough to do much damage (except for the Texas drivers who . . .) On rare occasions it snows enough here that one can go outside and actually play in the snow - things like snow ball fights, building snowmen, imprint snow angels, and even play fox and geese in the snow. Even writing about this makes me wish for more snow.
Life is so fascinating. While one persons circumstances are favorable and all is going well, another person you know is facing hard choices in the midst of difficult circumstances. Currently I have four friends walking through real tough situations (that I know about.) I would say that is about average. We all do our best to hang on and walk through those times knowing that the difficult times do pass. As we walk with our friends through the hard times it always binds our hearts together. It does so in ways that would never occur while walking with a friends only in good times when everything is pleasant.
Shared experiences are wonderful and life fulfilling. Solitary moments can be refreshing (and very necessary) but they are not capable of bringing fulfillment to life. This is the reason Facebook is so popular. We instinctively want to share life with others. Why else do we feel the urge to tell someone about the beautiful sunset we witnessed alone? Why else do people show pictures to you? When traveling in a car and someone sees a rainbow they say, "Look, there's a rainbow." That statement is meant to bring others into a shared experience of viewing something as simple as a rainbow.
Rainbows are meant to be a shared experience. The Bible tells us that God sees the rainbows. Every time we see a rainbow we are sharing an experience with God because he is viewing the same rainbow. This is so like God. It chooses to share our experiences. In the simple things and the complex things, through good times or hard times, he chooses to walk with us - each and every day. Unlike the other gods, the one true God revealed in the Bible is both transcendent and imminent. (This means he is both far above us and yet is very near us at the same time.) God just wants to share himself with each of us. This is so fundamental to God that he even chose to enter our world as 'one of us'. Ah yes, the INCARNATION. That is what this holiday season is all about. Jesus' birth is the INCARNATION. God becoming flesh and dwelling with us. Why? Because he wants to share his life with us! All that God does is aimed at this objective - making it possible for us to share life with him.
The next time you have one of those moments that you "just have to share with someone" remember that God desires the same thing. He has those moments that he wants to share with us. And through those shared moments we become closer than a brother. How cool this is, God and me, God and you, bound together closer than a brother through shared experiences.
Well, the snow is gone now, the green grass is out in its own beauty. God is good so life is good!
Blessings.
Life is so fascinating. While one persons circumstances are favorable and all is going well, another person you know is facing hard choices in the midst of difficult circumstances. Currently I have four friends walking through real tough situations (that I know about.) I would say that is about average. We all do our best to hang on and walk through those times knowing that the difficult times do pass. As we walk with our friends through the hard times it always binds our hearts together. It does so in ways that would never occur while walking with a friends only in good times when everything is pleasant.
Shared experiences are wonderful and life fulfilling. Solitary moments can be refreshing (and very necessary) but they are not capable of bringing fulfillment to life. This is the reason Facebook is so popular. We instinctively want to share life with others. Why else do we feel the urge to tell someone about the beautiful sunset we witnessed alone? Why else do people show pictures to you? When traveling in a car and someone sees a rainbow they say, "Look, there's a rainbow." That statement is meant to bring others into a shared experience of viewing something as simple as a rainbow.
Rainbows are meant to be a shared experience. The Bible tells us that God sees the rainbows. Every time we see a rainbow we are sharing an experience with God because he is viewing the same rainbow. This is so like God. It chooses to share our experiences. In the simple things and the complex things, through good times or hard times, he chooses to walk with us - each and every day. Unlike the other gods, the one true God revealed in the Bible is both transcendent and imminent. (This means he is both far above us and yet is very near us at the same time.) God just wants to share himself with each of us. This is so fundamental to God that he even chose to enter our world as 'one of us'. Ah yes, the INCARNATION. That is what this holiday season is all about. Jesus' birth is the INCARNATION. God becoming flesh and dwelling with us. Why? Because he wants to share his life with us! All that God does is aimed at this objective - making it possible for us to share life with him.
The next time you have one of those moments that you "just have to share with someone" remember that God desires the same thing. He has those moments that he wants to share with us. And through those shared moments we become closer than a brother. How cool this is, God and me, God and you, bound together closer than a brother through shared experiences.
Well, the snow is gone now, the green grass is out in its own beauty. God is good so life is good!
Blessings.
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