Incomplete Christmas

I love this week of the year as it encourages me to stop for a minute and think about what is really important.  I missed having my dad around for Christmas this year.  He loved Christmas.  When we were young, we would set up a stage with floodlights and flying reindeer in our front yard a couple of weeks before Christmas.  "Santa" would miraculously appear around dusk and sit in his rocking chair until there were no more kids to talk to.  We would have as many as 100 kids per night stop by.  It was widely known that 2401 Carson Drive was the location of the real Santa Claus.  "Don't fall for those fakes in the malls."  My dad passed away 19 years ago from Melanoma.  We discovered it way too late, and it had spread to most of his major organs.   Our times together between his diagnosis and his death were some of the sweetest times we had together, but Cancer is a vicious killer.  If you are interested in helping to find a cure for Cancer, there are plenty of organizations that need your help, but you can't go wrong with the American Cancer Society.  I hope you have a great and purposeful 2023.

All is well?

Carrie Underwood is the biggest thing to ever come out of American Idol and is arguably one of the most popular female country singers of all time.  I have liked her from the start, but I get that true country music fans might consider her a newcomer or too "pop".   Carrie has another side to her that increases her appeal for me.  She is a believer that is not afraid to let people know it in an industry where it is mostly unpopular to talk about.  I have posted this video before, but I could post it every week and it wouldn't be too much for me.  All is certainly not well in our world today, but all can be well with us if Jesus takes up residence in our hearts.  Merry Christmas.

In His Wakes

This week in my business post at Spot On The Lake, I wrote about Kristi Overton and her father's company Overtons.com.   Kristi held the world record in slalom water skiing for 18 years and is now using her influence to serve others and introduce them to her faith in Jesus.  She started In His Wakes ministry which offers a Day to Remember on the water to at-risk youth and adults who might not otherwise have a chance to do that.   Kristi and the staff use the day as a chance to introduce participants to what Jesus has done for them in their lives, in the hope that they might come to know Jesus as well.  I love seeing gifted people use their passions to help build God's kingdom here on earth. 

The great mysterium

This past Sunday, Caroline and I performed in the annual Christmas concert of the Georgia Wind Symphony.  We played some classic literature, new compositions and wrapped up with some Christmas favorites.  But I can't go through the Christmas season without listening to O Magnum Mysterium by Morten Lauridson.  We didn't play it this year, but here is a recording from several years ago.  Our current conductor is David Vandewalker, but in this video, our Conductor Emeritus and the founder of The Georgia Wind Symphony, David Gregory is conducting.  Look for Caroline playing flute and me on trumpet.  If you want to hear more, here is the original vocal arrangement sung by the King's choir in Cambridge.  Here is the text in English:

O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in a manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!

Merry Christmas

Living Inheritance

 Last night, we wrapped up our discussion of Andy Stanley's, Enemies of the Heart.   He identifies the enemies as anger, guilt, greed and jealousy.  The primary weapons that God has given us to combat these enemies are forgiveness, confession, generosity and celebration of other's success, in that order.  The last chapter of the book encourages us to pass on what we have learned.  We can pass along what we have learned to anyone, but we have the most influence with our kids.   The first way we can help our kids is by demonstrating the kind of responses that Andy has been encouraging throughout this book.  We can also tell them what to do, but Andy encourages us to ask questions instead of delivering a sermon.   "Are you mad at anybody?" "Did anybody hurt your feelings today?" "Is there anything you need to tell me?"  While most of us were thinking about young kids at home while reading this, we agreed that this approach is probably good with grown kids as well.  I know I was convicted that I need to do this more.

Not Just Helping Hands

Last week, in my weekly real estate update, I talked about how thankful I am for Michael, Wendy and Janet who make up our Spot On The Lake team.  They make work feel not that much like work, and I wouldn't  want to be in real estate without them.  I have been trying to focus more on the things that I am thankful for (or should be thankful for).  Of course, Jesus, family, friends, work,  and health all come to mind.  But today, I would like to single out my brother, John.  For the past several years, he has been the primary caretaker for my mom, who is 91 this year.  He prepares her meals, makes sure she gets to and from her bedroom safely, and provides unending moral support and encouragement.  I am so thankful that he has been willing and able to be with her.  She is in excellent hands, and his availability has made my mom's aging easier for me and the rest of my family.  Thank you, John.  We love you.

The Ultimate Gamer

 

I'm no gamer.  My high score came on Donkey Kong after winning a Nintendo game system in a work raffle in 1983.  It was all down-hill after that.  My kids always had a game system, but never the latest and greatest one, and I don't remember them being overly infatuated with them.  My grandkids all have their pads with limits on screen time, and I recognize that electronics will be a part of kid's lives forever.  I have heard some real horror stories about kids (young and old) being consumed with video games.  I can't understand it directly, but I know it is real.  Others have crafted successful careers and amassed fortunes based on the success of video games.  Maksym Vysochanskiy at SimulaM is one of those people.  After the successful release of hundreds of simulation games, Maksym will be releasing in December, "I am Jesus Christ".  The game is proposed to be an art masterpiece allowing the gamer to explore the world from Jesus' perspective.   Maksym read through the bible four times attempting to make the game as realistic and engaging as possible.  I don't know a lot more about Maksym.  I am assuming he is a believer, but don't even know that for sure.  But I love that he invested himself in trying to help introduce Jesus to a group of people that may not have found Him anywhere else.  For more on Maksym and the "I am Jesus Christ" video game, click here, and for a quick video preview of the game, click here.

Starving Jealousy

I wouldn't have considered myself a jealous person - until this week.  In Andy Stanley's book, Enemies of the  Heart, he claims that jealousy is at the root of every relational conflict.  Jealousy starts with a feeling of not getting what we deserve.  What we deserve is frequently shaped by what we see others have.  "If he acts like that, and has that, then why shouldn't I have that, or more?"  We are actually blaming God for not giving us what we deserve, which when you think about it, is ridiculous.  God gives us everything we have and everything we need.  And then he gave us his son to pay the debt for our sin.  

Jealousy leads to resentment, and resentment needs justification.  Andy offers a very practical response to fight jealousy - celebration.  We should look for every opportunity to celebrate the achievements of others.   And yes, we should do it even when we don't feel like it.  Celebrating other's achievements creates a state of mind where it is ok for others to win, and often win more than we win ourselves.  But in the end, the freedom created by the defeat of jealousy will be good for us all.  To the victor belongs the spoils.  

Greed Complex

Greed is fueled by fear: fear that we won't have the things our friends and neighbors have, fear that we won't be able to support our families, fear that we won't have enough money to retire on, but worst of all, a fear that God will not provide.  Greed is often masked as saving, or planning for the future, and offers a seemingly innocent reason to hold onto our possessions tightly.  Trusting that God will provide can help us loosen our grip on what we think is ours, but recognizing that we are only stewards of our things, and not owners, is what can help us the most.  Greed is conquered by generosity, and generosity includes planned giving and spontaneous giving.  Over time, I have become pretty good at planned giving, but I have a long way to go with spontaneous giving.  My nature is to try to make a judgment as to whether the recipient is worthy, but that is not my responsibility.  My job is to be generous without judgement.  I want to be generous - not just act generous.  Pray for me.

My thoughts are inspired by Andy Stanley's book, Enemies of the Heart

A Strong Defense

Most of us get offended by someone else every day.  We might get cut off and traffic, someone may use harsh language with us, a boss may deny us a deserved promotion or a spouse might cheat on us.   Any offense creates a debt of "you owe me".  You may owe me an explanation, some money or an apology.  And if we don't get what we deserve, we become angry.  Unresolved anger can lead to bitterness and resentment making anger one of the most dangerous enemies of the heart.   Anger is dangerous because it not only breaks the relationship between me and the offender, but that bitterness can also seep into relationships with others and our relationship with God.  The Bible directs us to fight anger with forgiveness.  At first glance, we may think forgiveness is for the person who offended us, but forgiveness is for the forgiver.  It frees us and might also free the offender.  But, it might not.  And that's ok.  We have done what we can do.  "Forgive and forget" is a phrase we hear a lot.  It's not likely that a serious offense will be forgotten - probably ever.   But it is possible to forgive.  Forgiving is not a feeling.  We may not feel like doing it.  But, we can choose to forgive, just as our Father in Heaven forgives us undeservedly.  

All of these ideas are from Andy Stanley's book, Enemies of the Heart, and I agree wholeheartedly.

Gone Guilt

Guilt is the first enemy of the heart that Andy Stanley addresses in the book our small group from church is discussing.  Some Christians have grown up believing that all of our sins are covered by the grace of God, and all we need to do is ask God's forgiveness, and the sin will be erased.  God's grace IS big enough to cover all of our sins, but He calls us to go further.  It's not enough to confess to Him.  He also directs us to confess to those that we have hurt by our sin.   Sin, only confessed to God, is still in partial darkness, and has the power to affect our relationships with others, especially those that we are closest to.  Andy challenged us to think hard about any unconfessed sin, and take the first step in defeating this enemy of the heart by confessing that sin to God, and to any that have been harmed by it.  That confession will move us toward living the life that He intended for us.

Hallelujahs

We got some sad news this week.  One of our ConnectGroup members suffered a stroke last Thursday and is still recovering in the hospital.  He is alert, but will be in therapy working on walking again and his speaking skills.  We had a regular group meeting last night, but sorely missed him and his wife.  We spent most of our time together sharing bible verses that would encourage them as they continue with his recovery.  One of our members sang a song for us that she sings when she is facing hard times.  All of us watched this inspiring worship song, I Raise a Hallelujah, and sang along.  We then had the most heart-felt time of corporate prayer that our group has ever had.  We trust God that He will be with all of us through what is sure to be some difficult times.  He certainly showed up last night.  Praise Him!  Hallelujah!

Coal Miner's Daughter

My dad was from Big Stone Gap, in southwest Virginia.  He wasn't directly involved with the coal industry, but his parents and grandparents were.  I was born in Virginia, but grew up in Columbus, GA.  After my parents retired, they moved back to the old homeplace in Big Stone Gap. On one of our family trips to visit them, we went over to Carter Fold.  Carter Fold is named for June Carter Cash's family and was a popular spot for the locals to go listen to music on Saturday nights.  June was not around when we visited, but some of her people were.  That was the closest I have ever been to bluegrass and mountain music.  

Loretta Lynn died this week.  She was from Kentucky and grew up in that same era.  She was 15 years old when she married and started a family with 6 children to follow.  I can imagine that her life wasn't too easy.  Her husband recognized her talent, and she began her career writing and making music and became known as one of the most highly respected "mothers of country music".  She was known for her bold truths about how women have been mistreated and how they deserved to be treated.  She was fine with people believing she was unsophisticated, but underneath, she had a story to tell, and didn't let anyone stop her.   One of the best stories I read about Loretta was when she was invited to sing at the White House.   She was one on one with Pat Nixon, and wanted to make it known that she wasn't happy that someone had been imprisoned unjustly during the Vietnam War.  She mentioned to Pat that she had wanted to write a letter to Richard.  Of course, no one referred to the president by his first name, especially at the White House.  Loretta chalked it up to her upbringing as a coal miner's daughter, and stated that she hadn't spent a lot of time in "places of power".  When a reporter asked her why she had called the president, Richard, she replied, "they called Jesus, Jesus, didn't they?"  This story makes me want to know her more.

I read the Nixon story in this article.  Check it out for more on Loretta.  I found this short video connecting Lorretta to the Carters.

Debt Trap

Most Americans are in debt.  Debt can serve a purpose, but it can also act like a virus that grows uncontrollably.  One small, poor decision can lead to subsequent larger mistakes that snowball into massive problems for individuals, families, corporations, or federal governments.  There is a similar kind of debt in relationships.  One person is in emotional debt to the other due to some imbalance in perceived power.  That imbalance, if left unchecked can lead to guilt, anger, greed and jealousy, which Andy Stanley claims are the four emotions that are the enemies of the heart.  Our small group from church will be looking at each of these enemies one at a time over the coming weeks.  We will attempt to understand them better and then learn about what we can do to combat them.  We would love for you to read along.

Simple Stories

I often struggle with sharing my faith with people.  I try to convince myself that if I just act right, I can set an example for others, and they might see something different about me.  There are a couple of problems with that.  First, I don't act right that much, so people don't see anything different about me.  Second, there are a lot of good people who don't believe, so even if I do get my act together and act right, I might not look that different.  So trying to act right isn't enough.  I have to be more intentional.  The first step is relationship.  I need to understand and care about someone else so that they might want to listen.  The second step is to speak from personal experience, not the Bible.  What the Bible says is not important to someone that doesn't believe it is truth.  Making the opportunity to tell someone what Jesus has done in my life is the best way forward.  I want to do that more.   This song does a nice job driving that point home.

Word Darts

All of us have had those moments when something slips out of our mouths unexpectedly, and we think, "wow, where did that come from?"  We can easily write it off as a lapse in judgement or just bad digestion.  In Andy Stanley's book, Enemies of the Heart, Andy explains that those unexpected outbursts shouldn't be so unexpected.  Those outbursts are almost always the product of our true heart.  The rest of the time, we are just covering them up or subduing them.  The worst part of it is, the outbursts are usually directed at those that are closest to us - our spouses, kids or closest friends.  Last night, our group spent time talking about why that is.  The truth is that those that are closest to us are the ones who have the power to hurt us the most.  If I had to name one word as the cause, it would be selfishness.  For some reason, we want to put our needs above those of others.  I believe a piece of it could be a survival instinct that is a part of all animals, but that can't be all of it.  Our arguments aren't usually life or death situations.  I don't know the answer as to why we are this way.  I do know, however, that God wants our hearts to be transformed to His, and I want to take a small step in that direction today.

Heart Surgery

Last night our small group from church met for the first time this fall.  We have a great group with 15 members this season. We are reading Andy Stanley's book, Enemies of the Heart.  Andy introduced the book by talking about a scare he had when his heart was having an unusual beat pattern.  He went to the hospital and after running a lot of tests, they finally figured out the irregular beat was caused by a steroid shot he had received to treat a reaction to poison ivy.  Of course, the book is focused on our emotional/spiritual heart, not our physical heart, but there are some interesting similarities. Many times people are prescribed medications to treat symptoms caused by heart problems, without treating the underlying problem. We do this with our spiritual hearts as well.  There are outside forces from the world that put pressure on us.  We often build walls to protect ourselves from those pressures, but eventually the underlying problems can surface or even explode - an attack of the heart. We will be spending the next 12 weeks looking at those enemies of the heart and learning how to understand them and guard against them.  Stay tuned.

Rings Stew

How many times have you heard, "that was a great movie, but it was nowhere near as good as the book"?  It seems like this is almost always true.  The level of detail that an author can add describing the character's thoughts and feelings can be impossible to recreate in a 2 hour movie.  Streaming services have made things a little easier with multi-part series giving the producers more screen time to develop characters and the story.  Amazon Prime has just released The Rings of Power based on the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien.  It takes place thousands of years before the epic Lord of the Rings movies.  Many critics are skeptical that anyone can come close to capturing the artistry that Tokien displays in his writing.  There is no question the series will fall short of that.  But that is not a reason for complaining.  Pete Peterson, in his article, Forge the Ring, describes the producers of the series as sub-creators.  Tolkien was the creator of the story, and the producers will take that story and make something different.  It won't be exactly like the original story, and probably won't be as good, but it should have much of the same flavor - kind of like making a stew.  Even though you use a lot of the same ingredients, it will come out somewhat different each time.  The idea of "sub-creator" also applies to each one of us.  God is the Creator.  We are each sub-creators trying to build his kingdom on Earth.  We will never get close, but it sure can be fun trying.  Make your story great today.

Jesus Music

My first memory of contemporary Christian music was Amy Grant singing My Father's Eyes when I was in high school in the late 70's.  My church was still using the hymnbook and the pipe organ (which I loved, and still love).  It wasn't until I was married with young kids in the 1980's that our church offered a contemporary service "with electric guitars".  I remember the older members questioning how a person could worship Jesus with guitars.   I like contemporary Christian music, too.   I watched the Hulu special, The Jesus Music, this week.  I found it fascinating that the Jesus music movement was started by a bunch of hippies in California that were underwhelmed by a life that was centered on sex, drugs and rock and roll.    One hippie, Larry Norman, got introduced to Jesus and is credited with releasing "Upon This Rock", the first full Christian music album, in 1969.  (Listen here)  Many high-profile televangelists labeled the music "of the devil"  at that time.  I wonder what they would say today if they visited almost any of the most successful urban churches.

Futbol Fan

I have never played soccer.  There was only one type of football in Columbus, GA where I grew up, and it wasn't the soccer one.    But my interest is piqued now that all my grandchildren that are old enough (5 so far) are playing.  At first, attending games was all about moral support, as we watched 10 kids hover around a ball like dust hovers around Pig-Pen.  But now, things are different.  The older grandchildren are excelling, and their talent and endurance is literally amazing.  The older boys, as well as my son and son-in-law, are also avid professional soccer fans.  I can't keep up with all the different professional leagues and players, but I, along with other non-ballers, got introduced to Sadio Mane (then playing for Liverpool) when one of his social media posts went viral.   A photo of him included his iphone with a cracked screen, and many commented: "this guy earns $10M euros/year.  Can't he afford a new iphone."  His response was inspiring: "Why would I want ten Ferraris, 20 diamond watches and two jet planes? What would that do for the world? I starved, I worked in the fields, I played barefoot, and I didn't go to school. Now I can help people. I prefer to build schools and give poor people food or clothing. I have built schools [and] a stadium; we provide clothes, shoes, and food for people in extreme poverty. In addition, I give 70 euros per month to all people from a very poor Senegalese region in order to contribute to their family economy. I do not need to display luxury cars, luxury homes, trips, and even planes. I prefer that my people receive a little of what life has given me".  

Sadio's father died when he was young because there was no medical facility nearby.  After making a name for himself in professional soccer, Sadio knew his town still needed a hospital, so he built one there.  Sadio is a role model for professional athletes and for each one of us.  For more on his story, click here.  And to see his brand of poetry in motion, click here.

(Thanks to my good friend, Janet Jeanes, for reminding me about this great story.)

Worth Developing

 

What would a developer do with 10.5 acres in Brooklyn, NY?  I guess that depends on what they are developing.  If they are developing wealth, it would likely be luxury apartments or a commercial office building.  If they are developing God's kingdom on earth, it might be something different.  A.R. Bernard is the pastor of the largest church in New York City.  He started the church in a grocery store, and the church has acquired some of the property around it.  For the past 10 years, Bernard has been planning a $1.2 billion urban center that includes affordable housing, a trade school, a performing arts center, a supermarket, and of course, a place for his 32,000 members to worship.  Bernard is hoping to have final approval this year with the ground breaking in 2023.  Praise God for a leader with the vision to build God's kingdom on Earth.  To learn more about this inspirational project, click here.

Pop Pronouns

I have done everything in my power to avoid this one, but I just can't anymore.  I like Demi Lovato.  I think she is a good singer, and I liked her as a judge on X-factor.   But she has been front and center this week because of her decision to use new pronouns which are now "they" and "she".  Last year, she identified as non-binary, which I assumes means that she can be both male and female, not one or the other.  But now, she is feminine, so she likes "she", but I have no idea how she gets to "they".  "They" is plural, and she is one person.  That is followed by her statement that her sexuality is fluid.   I recently heard that at an annual conference for a Fortune 500 company, attendees were required to list their pronouns on  their name badge.  I wish I could change the conversation from "this is what I want you to call me" to "this is how I am feeling today".  I feel more masculine when I am barefooting behind a ski boat, and I feel more feminine when I bust out crying when I hear a beautiful piece of music.  I don't need to dictate how you address me each time I feel different.  Besides, it is all too confusing.  Just call me Tom.  Which sex organs I have, and which sex I am attracted to doesn't need to be broadcast to anyone, but I am happy to tell a friend if they want to know.  I get that I may be adding fuel to the fire by posting this, but I am admittedly dazed and confused.

Navigating

Last month, Caroline and I had the opportunity to visit Montana for the wedding of Stevie and Abby Crawford.  Stevie is the son of one of my close friends, and he met Abby while in school at Montana State. They met while both attending an event sponsored by Navigators. Navigators has been around since 1933, and their mission is to spread the good news of Jesus through life-to-life discipleship.  Navigators has had a huge impact on Abby's life, and she has decided to dedicate the next year of her life to the organization. Caroline and I were impressed with her and her story and have decided to help sponsor her first year.  If you would like to know more about Navigators, click here or feel free to contact me.

Breakthrough

So many people are struggling. Whether it is poor health, financial instability, wayward kids or death of friends or family members., it seems like pain is almost everywhere.  I sometimes feel guilty for the blessings God has poured out on me and my family.  I recognize hard times will come for me too.    Praying doesn't guarantee fast fixes to our problems, but just the process of presenting our requests to God can be healing. For those struggling right now, I pray for peace.  And I pray for a breakthrough - in Jesus' name.   I listened closely to this song by Katy Nichole for the first time today.  I encourage you to do the same.

men in black

 

For all those born after 1990, men in black, probably conjures up images of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones from the 1997 hit movie of the same name.  Those born even later may think of Ed Harris's character in Westworld. Whatever the case, "men in black" does usually seem to be an expression of masculinity.  But what society deems masculine seems to be morphing over time.  The media  seems to paint masculinity with a "I'm so great.  You can't touch me."  air about it.  I don't hold anything against the celebrities mentioned above, but the original man in black, was Johnny Cash.  He almost always wore black and wrote the song by the same name.  Johnny was a star, but there was plenty about him that wasn't perfect.  He had a tough life in many ways.  The difference with him was his humility.  He knew he wasn't perfect.  He didn't see himself as God's gift to the world, but he saw God's grace as the greatest gift he had ever been given.  I'd like to know a few more men in black like Johnny.  

(These are my words, but they were inspired by this article if you want to read more.)

No More Running

 

We were all sickened by the massacre in Highland Park,  IL at a July 4th parade killing 7 people.   One two year old toddler arrived at the parade with two parents and left with none.  They were both killed.   I watched this interview of a mom who was also at the parade with her husband and 2 year old son.  They escaped physically unharmed, but mentally changed for life.  Her plea is impassioned but controlled, calling for us all to do something.  I have struggled with what to do.  I have friends that are gun advocates, but it is more than obvious that assault weapons in the wrong hands lead to innocent people being killed senselessly. As the mom in the video was laying her 2 year old down for his nap on the afternoon of the 4th, he looked up at her and said "no more running".   I can't imagine how I would feel if this were one of my grandchildren. 

Destination-Wedding

 

I missed posting last week for the first time in quite a while, but I had a good reason.  Caroline and I were celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary in Boseman, MT.   The son of some of our good friends was getting married there, and we took the opportunity to spend a week exploring the area.  We got to see Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park and some of the parks around Boseman.  If you haven't been to the area, we highly recommend it.  The mountains seem to spring up out of the plains.  I have never seen anything like it.  The week was capped by one of the most Christ-centered weddings I have ever attended.  (Photo: wedding venue)  It warmed my heart to see the young couple loving each other almost as much as they love Jesus.    It gives me more hope for our next generation and inspires me to continue trying to love Caroline more.  Happy Anniversary, Caroline.

Pirates Sighted

 

Every summer, Caroline and I and another couple host Pirate Camp for our grandkids at Lake Hartwell.  The campers need to be 4 years old, so this year we had 10.  On the first day, Captain Hook steals our treasure chest.  That starts three days of fun where the kids are navigating the lake on a pirate ship trying to find the treasure.  This year, we actually spotted Captain Hook from a distance on the last day before finding the treasure.  There is quite a bit of work preparing for and executing the camp, but the quality time with the kids is invaluable.  I count it as one of the most important things I do every year.  I hope you can find quality time with the people that are most important to you.

Making Room

I was introduced to Niclole Serrano this morning - not personally - just in the media.  I was interested in her story.  She is from New York, has served as a worship leader and moved to Nashville to explore her music career.  She is currently attending Spero Dei church in Nashville and recorded a couple of her music videos there.  She tried out for The Voice, but didn't get selected to be on the show.  I listened to Make Room for the first time this morning.   I'm not sure what was wrong with those judges.  I can't find much wrong with her voice, and the message is spot on.  I want to find ways to make more room for Him.

M.I.A.

Those of you who know me well are probably aware that I am not a huge fan of rap music.  So when I saw an article about M.I.A., I fully assumed that it was about a service person that was missing in action.  I quickly learned that M.I.A. is also the stage name for Maya Arulpragasam.  Maya was raised in Sri Lanka but moved with her mother to London when she was 11.  While attending art school in London, her cousin was reported to be missing in action in Sri Lanka, and she felt guilty that he was fighting for something important while she was enjoying an easy life with her friends.   After Maya began performing music publicly, she later elected to use the stage name M.I.A. in honor of her cousin.  The "A" also stood for Acton, which is the area of London that she lived in.  In 2017, Maya saw a vision of Jesus that changed her life, turning it upside down.  She saw Him and wanted Him at the center of her life.  She recently revealed this in a podcast and recognized that it could have a huge impact on her acceptance by her fans, many of which were not Christians and some of which don't like Christians at all.  I thought it was interesting in the interview when she said, "Christianity just seems so basic."  Some might see that as a slight, but I see it as her recognition that Christianity is the foundation, or basis, for our purpose on this Earth.  Praise God for a celebrity that has the conviction to get people who might not know Jesus, talking about Jesus.  For an excerpt from the interview, click here.

Where's the humor in that?

 

For those of us that have trouble memorizing scripture, we can take comfort in finding the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus Wept".  Even I can remember that one.   There is certainly much of the Bible that deals with the solemn, serious nature of Jesus, punctuated by his death on the cross.  But it raises the question, did Jesus laugh?  I don't believe there are any direct references to Jesus laughing in the Bible, but there were definitely times when Jesus experienced joy. He found joy in performing miracles, including bringing people from death to life.  And he also found great joy in bringing people to know God through himself.  While it is hard to know how cultural norms might influence humor over the centuries, some might say that "having a plank in your eye" or "a camel walking through the eye of a needle" are humorous in some contexts.  If the rest of us experience joy, then Jesus, being fully God and fully human, surely experienced joy, and also probably laughed.   I believe most of the people who know me well would put me more on the serious side of the serious-fun scale, and that is something I would like to change.   Knowing God should bring me immense joy and that great joy should frequently bring great laughter.  To get us started, how about having some fun poking fun at ourselves?  I love this one.

The Good Doctor

At a young age, John watched his dad carefully as he practiced medicine in a small town in Texas.  John frequently heard stories of how his dad had taken special care with a patient causing the patient to reach out to him personally after the treatment to thank him for his care.   John went to school to study sports medicine and joined a practice in California.  He was married and raised two children.  He modeled his parenting and his work after his father.  On Sunday he was attending a reception at church for one of the pastors that had just returned from a mission trip.   In the midst of the celebration, a lone gunman entered the reception hall with the intent of killing as many people as he could.  John rushed the gunman and tackled him, allowing other parishioners to restrain the shooter until authorities arrived.  John was shot multiple times and died shortly thereafter.  Praise God for a man that was willing to sacrifice himself for the good of others.  Click here to see a short professional video introducing John Cheng.

The Same God

 

It's uncanny how fast our world is changing.  When I see memories pop up on social media, I am constantly amazed.  12 years ago, I had no grandchildren, and now I have 7.  If we go back 20 years, we didn't even have social media to send us memories. And go back 40 years, and we didn't have a cell phone to check memories or even to make a call.  Outside my lifetime, we could spend years analyzing all of the changes to our world over the previous centuries.  But in the midst of pervasive change, it is almost inconceivable that our God has not changed.  Our God is the God of Jacob, the God of Moses, the God of David.  He is Creator.  He is Judge.  He is Healer.  He is Savior.  I found this song by Elevation Worship that does a great job of putting these ideas to music.  Take a few minutes to praise the unchanging God of the ages.

Mom's The Word

This weekend we get to celebrate moms.  Sometimes, it's a little difficult finding a way to honor all the mom's in our family that need to be honored.  First of all, the moms are the ones that make everything happen the other 364 days of the year, so trying to get a guy, or a group of guys, to plan and execute a meal is nearly impossible.  Secondly, we have three generations of moms in our family, and we also have the moms in our inlaw's families, so just finding a time that works for everyone is hard, too.   I am thrilled that this year all are invited to my daughter's home in Smyrna to celebrate.  The guys will do our best to keep it simple and try not to burn the house down as we are cooking.  Most importantly, we want the mom's to know how much they mean to us.   For a little extra mom-inspiration, I found this short video.  It was put together by the Mormons.  I don't agree with everything they believe, but I can't find fault with this one.  I hope you have a chance to honor one or more mom's in your life this weekend.

Celebration of Life

I attended the celebration of life service for Tom Larrison on Saturday.  Tom and his wife Ann go to our church, and they have participated in our small group from church.  Tom was way too young to die, but he had been struggling with multiple chronic issues for some time.  At the service, four of Tom's high school buddies from Florida spoke.  It was fun to hear their stories from 40 years ago, but it was amazing to see how those relationships had been nurtured over four decades.  Two of Tom's recent business partners also spoke.  Their perspective was shorter and more current, but the common theme from all of the speakers was that Tom always wanted to know how they were doing.  Tom never wanted to talk about himself.  I was convicted that I want to be more like Tom, my brother in Christ.  How are you doing today?

Wonder

I like the word wonder.  It has at least two meanings depending on the context.  You can wonder what you are having for dinner.  In that sense, it just means to question or to be curious about.  But the other wonder is the wonder you feel when you see the northern lights for the first time or hear an orchestra perform a beautiful composition.  That wonder can make you lose your breath or bring you to tears.  There is nothing that brings more of the second type of wonder than the wonder that God came to Earth as a man, died on a cross to save me from my sin and then rose from the grave.  I believe that wonder will continue until I meet Him face to face, and hope that if it changes, it only becomes more intense.  That feeling of wonder reminded me of this song from Lauren Daigle - How Can It Be.  Take a moment to get lost in the wonder of God.

His Vessel

 

In my quiet time this morning, I was thinking of this upcoming weekend and the importance of Easter.  My nature is to try to uncover some new and unique way to share that with you.   And in trying to find that, I came across this: a man, standing in the center of a stadium, in Baton Rouge, in the rain, with thousands of people listening, sitting in the rain, in 1970.  I would have been 9 years old that year, going to church, with my pastel shorts and shirt and Easter basket in tow.  I'm sure I would have heard the Easter story, but not understood it like I understand it today.  My complete reason for being on this Earth, is to know God, believe in Him, and follow Him through the example of his Son, Jesus.  None of that would be possible without Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection three days later.  52 years later, I may want to find some new and exciting way to celebrate Easter, but God's message is unchangeable, and I believe one of God's greatest vessels of all time is Billy Graham.   I hope you will find 27 minutes between now and Easter Sunday to be inspired.

Where is your lion?

Our ConnectGroup from church just finished up Mark Batterson's "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day".  The book helped generate a lot of good discussion, and I have to say, we all didn't agree with the author all the time.  He closed out the book with this line of  thinking.  God has something big in store for all of us.  We may know exactly what that is, and just be scared to pursue it, because it seems too big.  It will be too big for us, but it won't be too big for God.  Chase that lion into the pit and slay it.   God doesn't guarantee that everything will work out every time just like we think it will, but it does work out according to His plan.  A failure could teach us what God wanted us to learn.  

But what if we just don't have any idea what lion we are supposed to be chasing?  If you don't know what it is, it probably isn't because you need more knowledge or more training, it's probably because you need to know Him more.  I challenge you to pray three times per day that God will reveal His plans for you.  Use your watch or your phone to set a reminder if you need to.  You might be surprised by what you hear when you take a minute to listen.

Neoteny

 

I learned a new word this week: neoteny.  Neoteny is the retention of juvenile features in the adult animal.  While the word is typically usually used to describe characteristics of non-human animals, it applies to us as well. Gaining maturity is typically viewed as a positive, natural part of getting older, and in a lot of ways, it is.  But then there is that verse in the Bible: "Unless we change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."  Last night, our group talked about how to do that.  Here are some of our ideas:  Play more.  Laugh more.  Learn more.  Trust more.  Love more.   I think most of us could use a little more neoteny in our lives, and I know God will smile down on us if we do.

Pat's Legacy

At the age of 16, Pat was abducted from his family and taken to another country where he was held captive and enslaved.   After six years, he escaped, traveling 200 miles by foot to a port city where he made passage back to his home country by boat.  Pat had been introduced to Christianity early in his life and while he was enslaved, he used the time to deepen his relationship with Jesus.  After returning home, he continued his religious studies and felt a call back to the country where he had been a slave to tell others about Jesus.   He became widely known as the most effective evangelist of his time in that country.   Upon his death, a celebration of his accomplishments was initiated which ended up being an annual event celebrated around the world.   Occurring during the Christian observance of Lent, the day became known as a day when any abstentions from food or drink were paused so that full celebrations could take place.  That day has been known ever since as St. Patrick's Day.  I hope you celebrate well!

Invasion of Ukraine

6 year old, Pavel Averbukh, was fortunate to escape the port city of Odessa, Ukraine before 5000 civilians, including most of his family and friends, were slaughtered by the ruthless militia invading from the north.  The year was 1941, and the invading soldiers were German, not Russian.  Pavel is now 86 and lives in the Brooklyn neighborhood known as Little Odessa.   Little Odessa has the highest concentration of Russian immigrants in the western hemisphere.   I have been reading a WW II book entitled, "A Higher Call", which was recommended to me by a close friend.  The book has made it painfully obvious how little I know, or how much I have forgotten, about World War II.   I found a docu-series on Netflix that helped me quickly fill in some of the empty spaces.   It has been fascinating (and terrifying) to see the similarities between what was happening in the 1940's and what is happening now in the exact same area of the world.   I know that all of us are being inconvenienced right now by the increased fuel prices resulting from what is happening overseas.   I don't like it either.   But I think it would do us all some good to think about those who have been forced from their homes into shelters and the streets, separated from family, and even killed over the past several weeks.  Their inconvenience seems somewhat higher.

Guaranteed uncertainty

Chapter 5 in "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" is about guaranteed uncertainty.   Some people think faith in God is about knowing exactly what He is going to do.  Last night our group talked about things that we never expected to happen which turned into some of the most vivid memories from our lifetime.  We talked about sad surprises like the death of a loved one or the sudden termination from a job.  And then there are happy surprises like the conception of a child when the doctors said it wouldn't be possible.  The thing that we should have faith in is not faith that we know exactly what God is going to do, but having faith in the fact that His plan is perfect.  We may not understand that perfect plan, but God's desire is that we seek to know Him more.  As we do that, His plan will be revealed to us, but not completely.  He is way too big.  But if we trust in Him, and in his Son, we will meet Him one day, and the full plan that He has for us will be revealed.  That is His promise.  I am certain of that.

Rusty

We got some sad news last week.  My wife's brother, Rusty, passed away due to multiple chronic conditions that he had been struggling with for many years.   Some of those conditions were the result of years of alcohol abuse at an early age.   Rusty had been sober for many years thanks to organizations like AA and strong support from friends and family, but the health issues were a lasting reminder of the disease that haunted him.   We were lucky to see friends and family at the funeral that we had not seen for decades.  Everyone remembers Rusty's sense of humor and his infectious laugh.  I remember the day that Rusty visited us and grinned from ear to ear as he water-skied with us.  One of his close friends spoke to Rusty about his faith consistently and assured us that we would see him again one day.  I'm pretty sure I have posted this song in the past, but this is the one that the family elected to play during the memorial service.  Take a few minutes to listen if you can.

Overwhelming Odds

I sometimes feel overwhelmed when I am facing a situation where it seems the odds of succeeding are impossible.  I think, "There is no way that this can work out even if everything proceeds perfectly."  My perspective is largely shaped by my view of the size of my God.  In other words, "My God is not great enough to get me through this."    In my fleeting moments of strength, I remind myself that God is not only almighty, but He is also my Father.   He watches me always.  He watches my struggles.   He watches my sins.  He watches my triumphs.  He watches me always.  He not only watches, but He corrects me when I am wrong, and He cheers me on when I am succeeding.  He yearns for me to call out to Him for help so that he can demonstrate His love for me.  He wants me to pray God-sized prayers, so that when they are answered, I and anyone else who is watching will know that there is no way that could have been accomplished without God in the middle of it.  I pray for the courage to pray those prayers more.