Tough News

Ever had a bad week?  This one is up there for me.  Three amazing women are facing the end of their lives, and a fourth is beginning her battle with cancer.  I feel helpless.  I am either too far away, or not of much use, or both.  Why can't I be any help?  Well, like much of life, it is really in God's hands, not ours.

We tend to live life thinking we are more in control than we really are.  Yes we worked hard, yes we earned our paycheck, and yes we made good decisions, but ultimately it is the Lord  who gives- and takes away.  We have everything we do because of him.  Take a minute and thank the Lord for every blessing he has given you, and let him handle the stress you take on.  Chances are, there isn't much you can do to change people's mind or your circumstances anyhow.

Who Are You?

As we close 2010, take some time to remember who you are.  The world changes fast, and new discoveries, technologies, and philosophies are a daily occurrence.  Who are you?  What do you believe?  Does the fast pace of change in society affect your own worldview and identity?  Hopefully we are all open to new people and new ideas.  If we weren't we would still be pulling carts with square wheels, using hay for roofing materials, and living to a ripe old age of 40.

Not every idea, however, is a good idea.  Just because someone intelligent proposes a new theory, doesn't mean we need to throw out what we know to be true.  Just because  a new gadget gets all the buzz, doesn't mean it is useful.  Just because someone else says "there is no God" doesn't mean it is true.  God has heard that one a million times.  Check it out!

This year I plan to celebrate diversity, take advantage of technology, but never lose my identity.
Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

I love the holidays.  I also hate the holidays.

I love getting our kids into their jammies, loading up the car, cranking the heat and Christmas tunes, sipping hot chocolate, and looking at Christmas lights.  I love decorated churches and Christmas concerts.  I can't wait to see my kids tear into their presents, watch people open ones they gave, and then have them call all the aunties and uncles, grandmas and grandpas, and cousins to say thank you.  I can't wait for them to come running in at 6 am on Christmas morning and bounce on the bed in excitement.  I love our Christmas morning tradition of opening presents, eating monkey bread, and just enjoying ourselves all day.  I love eating a lovely Christmas dinner Christmas Eve, and opening one present.  I love that a stocking not overflowing is not yet full, and I love that my wife never fails to make Christmas special no matter what.

I hate traffic, crowded stores, and the commercialization of Christmas.  I hate Walmart at Christmas (no offense to Walmart, there is not much they can do).  I hate being 3000 miles form much of my family.  I hate that travel is nearly impossible this season.

I have discovered a Christmas secret: relax!  How?  Try these ideas:
1) Shop online- lots of free shipping this time of year.
2) Travel earlier, later, or not at all.  We make our big visits in the summer.
3) Keep traditions, embellish them, and enjoy them.
4) Make sure you kiss someone under a mistletoe and at 12:00 New Years.
5) Make sure Christ is the center of Christmas.  It's about GIVING: money, time, help.  Make sure the kids are part of this.

Relax, enjoy, love and give.  Happy Holidays!

God is in Control

Have you ever told anyone, "God is in control?"  It is supposed to be comforting, but sometimes it is just something we say to make someone feel better.  There is nothing wrong with being empathetic, but we also need to take those words seriously.  Life can take a quick turn with one phone call: cancer, car accident, or killed in action.  Find peace in the truth of those words: "God is in control."  When you realize you cannot change the circumstances, and you have nothing else to do but lean on God, then you can have the emotional strength to hold others up when all hell breaks lose.  The enemy may hammer us relentlessly, but as one author once said, "The anvil outlasts the hammer."  God will shape us on the anvil, and it may hurt, but he is creating us to be all he meant for us to be, and no matter how much it hurts, he always knows what he is doing.

The Supernatural and Gasoline

The day before my birthday, I had to take my truck into the shop because it was running very sluggish.  I was upset.  It is Christmastime, it was my birthday, and of course my truck has to break down.  Just to make it memorable, the bill came to just under $1000.  That is about $999 more than I have to spend on repairs, especially this time of year.  What a drag.  Thanks a lot, Lord.

Can you see the blessing in this situation?  Neither could I- until I talked to the mechanic.  My O2 sensor went out, causing the truck to pour fuel into the engine.  This filled up the catalytic converter with unburned fuel residue.  My spark plugs were not only coated with residue, but some were even damaged because they were the wrong size.  The miracle was that my truck kept limping along for nearly a month with all these things wrong, and finally got me to the shop.  I suspected there might have been some supernatural intervention that kept me going.  Also, the starter went bad and had to be replaced.  I almost laughed.  This summer, the starter gave me trouble, and in particular nearly stranded me with my kids on a blistering day.  We all sat in the parking lot and prayed for a miracle, and then turned the key again, and the truck fired up like a dream.  It never gave me any more trouble until it was at the mechanic.  Now I'm convinced I was running on the supernatural and gasoline for several months.  Praise the Lord!

I'm not happy about paying $1000, but there again the Lord gave us assistance in the form of a timely loan from a good and generous friend.  We live in a sinful world with disease, crime, and cars that break down.  I'm so glad I have the Lord to call on when everything else seems to fail me.  Can you imagine handling life alone?  Sometimes we should look past our circumstances, and see the hand of God working on our behalf, especially in the middle of chaotic, stressful, or even tragic situations.  It is usually through these situations God works to bring blessings into our lives.  I know I will enjoy my blessing every time I turn my key and listen to the purring sound of my faithful truck.

The Debate Is Over

Imagine if Presidential Debates (the only debates most people pay attention to) went on for days or even weeks.  What torture!  Few people would pay attention after a few hours, and most will have made up their mind long before that.

Have you ever been part of a "Facebook Debate," where someone has posted something controversial and dozens of people make comments for the next several days?  The angry statements "There is no God because..." seem to draw the most attention.  I love to weigh in on those debates, but sometimes you have to draw a line, and decide when the debate is over.

In 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 Paul says, "When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."  

You can consume your intellect with arguing about the existence and nature of God, but ultimately it is a matter of the heart and faith, not the mind.  When people make the statement "I don't believe in God" they usually mean, "I want to live for myself."  Let's lay down the biggest idol in the world today: self.  It is only then we can truly see how big God is, and all he has for for our life.  It is then that the debate is over.

Falling Toward the Cross

Most of us have had to deal with the disappointment of those we looked up to that have let us down.  Sin can sneak into anyone's life, and the slightest compromise can open the doors for sin to pour in.  In these times, it is important for us to remember that we are all fighting the sinful nature, but when we fall, if we are still moving towards the cross, then we fall towards the cross.  It is much easier to recover from an uphill fall than a downhill fall.  We also need to remember that we need to be quick to forgive, but wise to know when we should trust again.  Don't turn your back on your brothers or sisters; instead, "restore him gently." (Galatians 6:1).  You never know when it may be you that needs an understanding heart.