Surely you've heard the country song, "Getting Drunk on a Plane." Well, in my travels, I've seen quite a bit of that song become reality as I sit across from folks drowning their sorrows, their business, their stuff in whatever is available from the service cart. I am waiting for the next country song, and since it hasn't come out yet, I'm thinking about writing it. I already have a working title. Wait for it ...... "There Is Some Stink On This Train."
Imagine the experience. You've been working in the heat of Florida all day, and finally you get to the nice, cool terminal in the airport. You board a plane that is way too small for the passengers who are boarding - especially for that lady who is bringing all of her personal items in overstuffed specialty shop bags. Somehow the carryon rules must not apply to paper bags. Anyway, you find your seat and soon realize that someone is aggressively squeezing in next to you. The flight soars into the clouds, and the trip is underway. You get a nice cup of orange juice - no ice please - and a bag of pretzels. The plane lands just as the nice man sitting beside you starts to lean over into your seat, and the cabin door opens to freedom. You manage to get up the jetway, find your connecting gate on the board, and head to the underground transportation system that the airport has so graciously provided for your convenience. You wait as the digital display tells you that the train is arriving in a matter of seconds. The door opens, and you find a spot. Then it happens. The all too familiar aroma wafts its way into the personal space you call nostrils. You try to hold your breath, but the trip is just seconds too long. You look for another spot, but the smell has permeated the entire train.
What would you expect actually? All of the safety straps/handrails are located conveniently on the ceiling from the train, hanging there ever so nicely for everyone to reach up and expose what should be kept close to the vest. What ever happened to 24 hour deodorant? The Old Spice has gotten old, and the Axe has lost its edge. I should set up a shop near the train to sell fresh antiperspirant, baking soda, coffee grounds, candles - anything to bring solace to the obnoxious attack on the senses.
There is another option. You can actually walk between terminals. It's a little bit longer, and it's hard on the knees, but the tradeoff would be worth it. What's worse is that the stink is no respecter of persons. Young, old, male, female - you never know who the culprit will be until you find yourself standing next to them for the longest 90 seconds you've ever experienced.
The train reminds me of life in a way. People have lots of stink. I suppose we all do. Stuff builds up inside of us, and eventually it just begins to smell. Bitterness, anger, pain, and a host of other emotions threaten to fumigate the air around us. Second Corinthians tells us that "we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). The aroma of Christ. That's a good word from a man who spent a lot of time in prisons and locked up in the bottom of boats, in addition to an extensive travel itinerary that took him across land and sea. I wonder if he would have walked from terminal to terminal or taken the train? Hmmmm.
What is the lesson for me to learn from this life experience and the truth of God's word? Scripture reminds me that the only way people will see Jesus is if they see Him in me and hear of His good news from my mouth. The stuff that I keep buried down has got to go before it begins to seep from my pores in ways that actually push people away from Christ. The best way I know to get rid of a smell is to wash the source. Jesus told his followers in John 15:3 that they were already clean because of the word He had spoken to them. Paul went on to say in Ephesians that "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word ..." (Ephesians 5:25-26).
O King Jesus, wash me through and through with the word of Truth. With the psalmist, I pray, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit with me" (Psalm 51:10).
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Time To Wiggle
Monday I heard something that made me realize part of what I have lost. We have a beautiful pond outside of our house, and our youngest son was outside fishing. Our daughter, Caroline, and I went outside to be with him, and when we reached the edge of the pond, Caroline asked for a chance. David handed her the pole (which could have also been influenced by the chocolate milkshake she traded with him), and she cast the line. As the sun spread across the pond and the water moved ever so slightly, I heard Caroline say to David, "If you move the line a little it makes the bait look more real. Uncle Chip taught me that." The Spirit of God moved inside my heart like He has done several times over the last few weeks and prompted me to remember where we have been and to ponder where the Lord has us today.
First, you need to know Uncle Chip. If only you could meet him, you would be so blessed. If you don't know him, but know Jesus, you can meet him one day. Several years ago, he made a move that none of us expected. The Lord, in His sovereign authority, took Chip to heaven, leaving a longing and a legacy. Of all of the weddings he ever photographed and all of the bridal portraits he has ever taken, I know that if he visited us today he would tell us of the brilliance of the Bridegroom who is awaiting His bride's entrance into eternity. Oh to worship around the throne of God.
From Caroline's comments, you can see that Chip made a difference in the lives of our children in many ways. Some big and some small. He also made a difference in mine and Karen's life too. Of all of the things that come to my remembrance when I think of Chip, the one impression that seems to be the most significant for today is that Chip enjoyed life in the moment. It's not that he didn't ever plan or that he ignored lessons from the past. It's just that he let today filter the portrait of everything else. The blessings of today were the result of struggles from the past and the landscape for the portraits of tomorrow. The hardships of today were yesterday's reminders that we should seize every opportunity we have before us and tomorrow's cry that blessings sometimes come in the rain.
As I heard Caroline reveal one of Chip's many fishing tricks to David, I realized that the Lord was revealing one of his fishing tricks to me. If I am to be part of Kingdom expansion, then I have to be cast into the middle of the pond and moved around a bit. Life happens when we wiggle a bit, and it would seem that instead of wiggling I've been allowing some weight to let me just plop. I hope you are not letting your imagination run wild with you. I'm not talking about me getting up and wiggling some of this middle-aged weight around - too many people are doing that already. Have you been to a county fair lately?? I'm talking about being shaken, broken, and poured out for His glory. Simmered, percolated, hot brewed, if you will.
By the grace of God, Chip's words rang out loud and clear yesterday, and today is a bit of a declaration day for me. Mamaw used to say, "I declare, that James Stenbeck is alive again ...." Another blog another day. I think the "I declare" was a way to express shock and determination all at once. Well, I am shocked at where I've let myself end up, and I am determined - by the grace of God - to be less the way I am and more like Chip - ultimately because Chip reminds me more of Jesus.
So here goes .....
1. I declare that the enemy has no more hold over my insecurities. In every church I have ever served, the enemy has used one or two people to tap into my insecurities and steal my joy. No more, big guy. These insecurities have led me to stop many things that God has designed for me. This blog for instance. One of the last times I wrote was over a year ago. I made a joking reference that is common in Baptist circles. An instrument of Satan from central Florida sent an "anonymous" comment accusing me of all kinds of things, and in particular of being a secret agent of darkness. Now any reasonable human being would not give any weight to an "anonymous" comment accusing him of acting in secret. HELLO POT; MEET THE KETTLE. Obviously I'm not a reasonable human being because that comment triggered an insecurity and doubt in me that this same person had been actively part of stoking during my time in ministry in central Florida. I suppose that my knowing who the comment came from (because the person used the same "anonymous" words that had previously been spoken) didn't help the situation. But you know what the Lord said as I rethought it all? "To serve Me, you've got to be cast into the midst of the pond and wiggle a little bit." Wiggle, not drop dead!!! And on top of that, no one is ANONYMOUS to God. ANONYMOUS always get's theirs in the end - literally and figuratively because God always balances His books.
2. I declare that the enemy has no more hold over my daily living. This one is tied closely to my insecurities. Most days, I am traveling to places that are far from home. While I am away, I miss my family dearly. I miss the closeness, the conversation, the opportunity to be together. I feel left out and alone much of the time. The cloud that hovers over me doesn't affect my work, but it does affect my downtime. The time that I am traveling could be used for loads of prayer and fasting and Bible study. Instead, I find it difficult to engage for very long. The enemy is defeating me - or at least he has been. The days I am home have been toys in his hand, as well. Don't let anyone tell you that God doesn't have a sense of humor. God moved us two years ago from a frying pan where ministry was flourishing and the Kingdom was expanding into the fire where ministry was dying and darkness was expanding. Small towns can have enough evil to fill the largest cities, and much of that evil resides in the leadership of local churches. Well, as the story goes, a small power cartel took issue with the biblical truth that all followers of Christ have a voice in the church. They made statements that revealed a deep false theology, taking the position that the Bible was not really relevant if it contradicted the kingdom they were building. Leaders would come to make decisions but would literally run from the opportunity to study the Bible. The Lord graciously removed our family from what has become one hot mess. Here is where His humor comes in. He removed us from the evil in that body and the discipline He is enacting on the local body, but He left us in the town to live. Our kids are in school. My wife works in the school. My family is very well liked and respected within the school system. This little group in the church though? They are probably praying harder than we are that our house sells soon. So when I am away, the enemy has been having a hold over my daily living. Then, when I am home, the enemy has a hold over our daily living because every street I drive down, every game I attend, every gas pump I pull up to reminds me of a few people who claim to be followers of Christ and the enemy uses them to steal my joy. It's not their fault he uses them. They are just pawns in his hand. It's actually my fault that he uses them because I'm the one that is keeping the doggone screen door propped open. Well, no more. Thanks Chip. I'll use today's blessing to remind me that yesterday's pain doesn't last forever and tomorrow is better because of the faith God has built in me. The truth is that we have many blessings in our town. I just listed 33 names of blessings in our community in West Tennessee. I could go to dear friends from Wauchula, Florida, to Ocala, Florida, Commerce, Georgia, to Franklinton, Louisiana, to Panama City, Florida, to Georgia, to South Carolina, to Canada, to Asia and beyond. Actually, the enemy is far outnumbered because the army of God is strong in our lives. But even if they were not, we have JESUS, and HE IS ALL WE NEED. I don't know if the enemy can read, so I'm just going to say it outloud. Say it with me so he can hear real good. THE ENEMY IS FAR OUTNUMBERED BECAUSE THE ARMY OF GOD IS STRONG IN OUR LIVES. BUT EVEN IF THEY WERE NOT, WE HAVE JESUS, AND HE IS ALL WE NEED.
So today is a reclamation day. Today, by the grace, mercy, and power of the Spirit of God who lives in me, I am reclaiming the territory that I have lost for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice. I've been thrown into the pond. Let's wiggle.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Twenty One Years
In our society, twenty one years is usually a number celebrated when a person changes legal status. This number is celebrated more than the driving age or the age to vote. For most American citizens, turning 21 is a right of passage because now these continuing adolescents can legally do what many have been doing for years. This rite of passage often leads to the what many are now calling the new adolescence that carries well on into the early thirties.
Today, the number 21 means something quite different. The number carries no weight because of its place on a jersey, a speed limit sign, or the fact that its the next number up at the restaurant, and you are holding the ticket. Instead, the number 21 is important because it is the banner on my marriage to the most amazing woman I've ever known.
August 7, 1993. First Baptist Church of Starkville, Mississippi. A worship gathering followed by a reception and a nighttime journey to Orlando, Florida, where we would begin the next phase of our lives at what many call the most magical place on earth - Disney World. I would have to disagree with them about the label, because over the last 21 years, the merciful God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has allowed me the privilege of living in the most magical place on earth - wherever my family happens to be.
Karen and I started our married life in a small town in Louisiana before moving to Panama City, Florida. From there, we moved briefly to Mississippi and then to North Carolina before moving back to Florida. We essentially started our family in Ocala, Florida. We lived in this beautiful city for 10 years before moving to another small town in Florida. After four years, we moved to Tennessee, where we currently serve with our family in a local church. Each one of these locations has deep significance in our marriage. We have strong roots in some of them and memories that will not quickly fade in all of them. Some of our closest friends are still in these places from our past. We can look back at our lives and see how we have changed over the years based on these experiences and our response to each one of them.
Being married to me may be one of the hardest burdens anyone should have to bear. Connected with my calling to ministry, Karen has been through many church adventures. She has faced each one of them with more grace and mercy that I could imagine or expect. I suppose that the exciting times of ministry help to balance out the defeating times. I let situations bother me too much. Karen just looks for the rainbow. I am sorry for the times that God's calling on our lives has put her in the line of fire of mean church people who couldn't disagree without attacking my family. I am encouraged by the people that God's calling on our lives has brought into our lives that can overshadow the enemy. These people are a protective covering from the Lord and have become extended family to us over time. To all those who are a protective covering for my bride - thank you.
The Lord has blessed us with three special children. Our oldest is 16 years old now; our middle child is 12; and our youngest is 6. With all of the mistakes I have made in 21 years as a husband, these three children are a reminder to me that God takes our flaws and makes beautiful creations. Karen schooled our children at home for most of the last 16 years. She is a stellar teacher and has helped our children to see that learning does have to have the intensity that I tend to project onto them. Karen taught them to be confident in who they were while I was teaching them to be confident in their math facts. They learned the multiplication facts, for sure, but calculators and computers make those facts less important than the ability to take life as it comes and figure out how to adjust to whatever circumstances come your way. I remember recently our oldest son talking about some of our life situations. He reminded me that whatever happened he was going to be okay. He was just going to trust God for the results. I remember Karen saying that to me on more than one occasion as our lives took several unexpected turns. He was learning from you, Karen, more than you knew.
Many times people write about their spouse on their anniversary and talk about all of the reasons she is special, usually including things that she has done for them over the years. Today, I am reminded that it is not what she has done but who she is that makes 21 such a special year. It's a year of new beginning for us spiritually, as God has given us some clarity on some questions we have had for a while. Twenty one may be a freedom year for us. Not a freedom to do things we could not do before, but a freedom to take on life with a new found sense of God's purpose.
My prayer for Karen is that she will continue to grow in the joy of the Lord and that the Lord will protect her heart from harm. When He allows difficulty, I pray that He smooths the pathway of grace so that she can take hold of the greatness of His Majesty in her life. I do pray that we grow in our love for one another, but even more than that I pray that we grow in our love for our heavenly Father who makes Perfect love a reality in the lives of couples who are committed to Him. I pray that I will surrender myself and relax for the next 21 years. Life doesn't have to be so hard or so serious. I pray that the Lord will teach me how to love Karen as Christ loved the church - He died for His bride, you know.
Thank you, Karen, for putting up with my idiosyncrasies and my crazy thought patterns for all of these years. Thank you for loving me in spite of me. Thank you for continuing to look past my mistakes. Thank you for helping me become the man God is calling me to be. I love you. Happy Anniversary, BT.
Today, the number 21 means something quite different. The number carries no weight because of its place on a jersey, a speed limit sign, or the fact that its the next number up at the restaurant, and you are holding the ticket. Instead, the number 21 is important because it is the banner on my marriage to the most amazing woman I've ever known.
August 7, 1993. First Baptist Church of Starkville, Mississippi. A worship gathering followed by a reception and a nighttime journey to Orlando, Florida, where we would begin the next phase of our lives at what many call the most magical place on earth - Disney World. I would have to disagree with them about the label, because over the last 21 years, the merciful God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has allowed me the privilege of living in the most magical place on earth - wherever my family happens to be.
Karen and I started our married life in a small town in Louisiana before moving to Panama City, Florida. From there, we moved briefly to Mississippi and then to North Carolina before moving back to Florida. We essentially started our family in Ocala, Florida. We lived in this beautiful city for 10 years before moving to another small town in Florida. After four years, we moved to Tennessee, where we currently serve with our family in a local church. Each one of these locations has deep significance in our marriage. We have strong roots in some of them and memories that will not quickly fade in all of them. Some of our closest friends are still in these places from our past. We can look back at our lives and see how we have changed over the years based on these experiences and our response to each one of them.
Being married to me may be one of the hardest burdens anyone should have to bear. Connected with my calling to ministry, Karen has been through many church adventures. She has faced each one of them with more grace and mercy that I could imagine or expect. I suppose that the exciting times of ministry help to balance out the defeating times. I let situations bother me too much. Karen just looks for the rainbow. I am sorry for the times that God's calling on our lives has put her in the line of fire of mean church people who couldn't disagree without attacking my family. I am encouraged by the people that God's calling on our lives has brought into our lives that can overshadow the enemy. These people are a protective covering from the Lord and have become extended family to us over time. To all those who are a protective covering for my bride - thank you.
The Lord has blessed us with three special children. Our oldest is 16 years old now; our middle child is 12; and our youngest is 6. With all of the mistakes I have made in 21 years as a husband, these three children are a reminder to me that God takes our flaws and makes beautiful creations. Karen schooled our children at home for most of the last 16 years. She is a stellar teacher and has helped our children to see that learning does have to have the intensity that I tend to project onto them. Karen taught them to be confident in who they were while I was teaching them to be confident in their math facts. They learned the multiplication facts, for sure, but calculators and computers make those facts less important than the ability to take life as it comes and figure out how to adjust to whatever circumstances come your way. I remember recently our oldest son talking about some of our life situations. He reminded me that whatever happened he was going to be okay. He was just going to trust God for the results. I remember Karen saying that to me on more than one occasion as our lives took several unexpected turns. He was learning from you, Karen, more than you knew.
Many times people write about their spouse on their anniversary and talk about all of the reasons she is special, usually including things that she has done for them over the years. Today, I am reminded that it is not what she has done but who she is that makes 21 such a special year. It's a year of new beginning for us spiritually, as God has given us some clarity on some questions we have had for a while. Twenty one may be a freedom year for us. Not a freedom to do things we could not do before, but a freedom to take on life with a new found sense of God's purpose.
My prayer for Karen is that she will continue to grow in the joy of the Lord and that the Lord will protect her heart from harm. When He allows difficulty, I pray that He smooths the pathway of grace so that she can take hold of the greatness of His Majesty in her life. I do pray that we grow in our love for one another, but even more than that I pray that we grow in our love for our heavenly Father who makes Perfect love a reality in the lives of couples who are committed to Him. I pray that I will surrender myself and relax for the next 21 years. Life doesn't have to be so hard or so serious. I pray that the Lord will teach me how to love Karen as Christ loved the church - He died for His bride, you know.
Thank you, Karen, for putting up with my idiosyncrasies and my crazy thought patterns for all of these years. Thank you for loving me in spite of me. Thank you for continuing to look past my mistakes. Thank you for helping me become the man God is calling me to be. I love you. Happy Anniversary, BT.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
The First After the Last
Today will be the first Father's Day where I won't be making a phone call to my dad. After a tough battle with cancer, he passed away last year. I don't think I took the days seriously enough, and now I have moments I wish could be lived again, mostly so they could be lived differently.
My dad worked a lot as I was growing up. Many people have memories of him and never fail to tell me how much he meant to them. I am blessed to have had a dad who made a difference in so many people's lives. He was hard worker who was always willing to help a friend. He loved Mississippi State baseball with a passion, and those guys were blessed to have known him, as well.
For years my dad owned a restaurant, and in the town where I grew up, that is what he is most remembered for. Don's Drive In. The place where you could get a good meal, a healthy debate, and where teenagers could hang out in the parking lot thinking they were hiding from their parents. The drive in burned when I was in junior high, but they rebuilt it. I remember my dad saying that if he didn't owe so much on it he would have let it burn to the ground. The source of satisfaction for many was a stress for him. I didn't know how to help relieve the stress, so I just didn't do anything.
After graduating from high school, I went to Mississippi State and then on to seminary. Ministry took me to Florida, where I spent the next twenty years. Occasional visits and phone calls limited our interaction, but during those years I saw my father grow in some ways I had not seen before. He was a good man while I was growing up, but at some point during the two decades I was absent, he came to know the Lord. The change was subtle, but the change was real. His conversion was not conventional, but it was concrete. He became more sensitive than I had ever seen him, always getting emotional when we would leave after a visit. He talked about the Lord and even started attending church. Apparently he even led the music sometimes when the "regular" guy was gone. I am grateful that he came to know the Lord before he passed away but with plenty of time to demonstrate fruit in keeping with repentance.
What lesson did I learn from him? I am sure that there are plenty I should list, but the one that stands out is the reality that it is never too late to demonstrate fruit in keeping with repentance. I have been a follower of Christ for many years, but I never feel like I'm all that I should be. A friend gave me a note when I was preaching for a summer youth camp back in the early nineties. The note simply said, "No Regret." Honestly, I have plenty of regrets. Too many to mention in this space for sure. One of them, though, is that I didn't get the chance to spend more dad in ways that others saw him. Still, I am blessed to have the hope that "too late" does not have to come.
What am I doing as a dad to make sure that my kids see fruit in keeping with repentance? Am I growing into a new man every day? Do they see the change in me? Do they know in their childhood that I love them more than life? What would they say is important to me? Am I training them to live with no regret?
Today is the first father's day after the last father's day I had with my dad. Today is the first father's day after the last father's day my kids had with me. The difference in the two is that I have more time. I can take the past and leave it at the feet of my Heavenly Father and choose from this day forward to live each day to the fullest without any tinge of regret. I can, and I pray that I will.
My dad worked a lot as I was growing up. Many people have memories of him and never fail to tell me how much he meant to them. I am blessed to have had a dad who made a difference in so many people's lives. He was hard worker who was always willing to help a friend. He loved Mississippi State baseball with a passion, and those guys were blessed to have known him, as well.
For years my dad owned a restaurant, and in the town where I grew up, that is what he is most remembered for. Don's Drive In. The place where you could get a good meal, a healthy debate, and where teenagers could hang out in the parking lot thinking they were hiding from their parents. The drive in burned when I was in junior high, but they rebuilt it. I remember my dad saying that if he didn't owe so much on it he would have let it burn to the ground. The source of satisfaction for many was a stress for him. I didn't know how to help relieve the stress, so I just didn't do anything.
After graduating from high school, I went to Mississippi State and then on to seminary. Ministry took me to Florida, where I spent the next twenty years. Occasional visits and phone calls limited our interaction, but during those years I saw my father grow in some ways I had not seen before. He was a good man while I was growing up, but at some point during the two decades I was absent, he came to know the Lord. The change was subtle, but the change was real. His conversion was not conventional, but it was concrete. He became more sensitive than I had ever seen him, always getting emotional when we would leave after a visit. He talked about the Lord and even started attending church. Apparently he even led the music sometimes when the "regular" guy was gone. I am grateful that he came to know the Lord before he passed away but with plenty of time to demonstrate fruit in keeping with repentance.
What lesson did I learn from him? I am sure that there are plenty I should list, but the one that stands out is the reality that it is never too late to demonstrate fruit in keeping with repentance. I have been a follower of Christ for many years, but I never feel like I'm all that I should be. A friend gave me a note when I was preaching for a summer youth camp back in the early nineties. The note simply said, "No Regret." Honestly, I have plenty of regrets. Too many to mention in this space for sure. One of them, though, is that I didn't get the chance to spend more dad in ways that others saw him. Still, I am blessed to have the hope that "too late" does not have to come.
What am I doing as a dad to make sure that my kids see fruit in keeping with repentance? Am I growing into a new man every day? Do they see the change in me? Do they know in their childhood that I love them more than life? What would they say is important to me? Am I training them to live with no regret?
Today is the first father's day after the last father's day I had with my dad. Today is the first father's day after the last father's day my kids had with me. The difference in the two is that I have more time. I can take the past and leave it at the feet of my Heavenly Father and choose from this day forward to live each day to the fullest without any tinge of regret. I can, and I pray that I will.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Great Delight
May 29, 2002. I was working full-time for a pharmaceutical company in a town intricately designed around horse farms and silver springs. The months preceding this day had been full of uncertainty, but on this day 12 years ago, a miracle occurred. Some Christ followers will tell you that they don't believe in miracles. They believe that God ceased to perform signs and wonders when the early church took a turn into the next century. They obviously have never met her. Twelve years ago, my wife and I, together with our first-born son, welcomed a beautiful miracle into the world. My world has never been the same.
They say (whoever they is) that little girls have a special place in their daddy's hearts. Their smiles and those sweet kisses have a different effect, some tell us, when they come from a princess. As much as I might like to argue to the contrary, I cannot tell a lie (thanks, Abe). She has my heart.
Of all of our children, Caroline has probably sacrificed the most in our move. If you saw her glide across the room, you would see what an elegant dancer God created her to be. To hear her sing, you would think you were listening to angels. To watch her run, you would call her a gazelle. To experience her at a gymnastics meet, you would think she could fly. Biased? Perhaps. But I can only see her through my eyes. When we moved to Tennessee, she gave up all of that for a season. For various reasons, we did not enroll her in some of the activities she had been a part of in Florida. We asked her to spend the year getting adjusted to school and to finding her place. She has adjusted well, and she is doing okay. Disney has taught us that all princesses go through times of struggle and transition, but one day their prince comes and saves the day.
The prince. Let's talk about him for a second. There is no particular prince I am talking about. As far as I am concerned, Daddy is the only prince any little girl needs. Since my darling won't date until she is at least 80 years old, I think I am safe. As a minister, I've visited in lots of nursing homes, and I have never seen anything bigger than a twin bed, and those are the electrical hospital beds that no one would ever share. The rooms are small. The food is fair. The card games are not fair. (Have you ever watched elderly people try to sneak a card under the table? It's hilarious). The point is that since she won't be dating until she is 80, any guy will be so worn out that I will have nothing to worry about!!!
Just in case I'm wrong, however, let me say that any prince that thinks he is going to steal my baby girl's heart away better be ready. I have lots of questions and am looking for very specific answers. These questions are not multiple choice questions where you eliminate a few answers to get to the right one. No grading on the curve for this exam. My questions are long discussion questions that will require years of research before the prince can prove worthy. The first few questions will be easy ones. What is her favorite color? What time of day was she born? How does she like her pasta? How many teeth did she have to have pulled before she got braces? Once he gets past these obvious questions, I have a few more. Explain the dynamics between molecular biology and the existence of human life. Discuss in detail with proper citation the doctrine of the church and the impact of the doctrine on the future of Christianity in our world. Consider the works of classic theologians and use those works to explain the doctrine of salvation, moving quickly into the process of sanctification that leads ultimately to glorification. Use sources from at least three different languages, excluding English. If he makes it through those questions, then we will move on to the more difficult questions. How many times will you be willing to forgive her when she is wrong (assuming of course that she ever will be wrong, which will be doubtful because we men know that the woman is never wrong)? What are your plans to help my treasure grow in her relationship with Christ? What are you doing in your own life to prepare to present her to Christ as a holy bride? Since no one will obviously be able to complete the assignment in the allotted thirty minutes, I feel fairly secure in saying that my princess will stay with me and her mother for the rest of her sweet little life.
Just in case I'm wrong, however, let me say that the primary prince in her life can never be a man, even her daddy. My ultimate prayer for the miracle I call darling is that she grow to love the Lord with all of her heart, mind, soul, and strength. Jesus is the prince she needs. He loves her even more than I do. His word tells me that even when we fail as humans, he does not. He loves my baby girl so much that "while [she] was yet a sinner, Christ died for her." "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life his friends" (John 15:13). The truth is that I love her more than life and would willingly give my life for hers. Someone has already beat me to it, though. She has a Savior to whom she has committed her life, and he delights in her (Zephaniah 3:17). The truth is that she does not belong to me. She belongs to Him, and He has entrusted me with her for a short time. So instead of my considering what questions I will be asking one day, perhaps I should review the questions He might ask me one day?
1. Did you teach my ways to her diligently? Did you talk of my commands when you sat in your house, when you walked by the way, and when you lay down, and when you rose? Deuteronomy 6:7
2. Did you teach her to have no other gods and honor My name? Exodus 20:4-7.
3. Did you teach her to delight herself in Me so I could give her the desire of her heart? Psalm 37:4
4. Did you teach her that "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised"? Proverbs 31:30.
5. Did you teach her to obey so that she would transfer her obedience over onto me? Ephesians 6:1-3
6. Did you teach her that I created her for My glory so that all of the world can see Christ in her? (Ephesians 1:3-14)
7. Did you teach her that I have called her to make disciples of all nations? (Matthew 28:19)
8. Did you realize that teach didn't mean lecture and preach, but meant train? (Proverbs 22:6)
I have no biblical evidence that the Lord will ask me any questions at all, but since I am convinced that my princess is a blessing God has entrusted me with, I know I should strive to bring her up in the admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), teaching her above all to be pure because "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."(Matthew 5:8)
With all of that said and with my perspective back in place, I suppose I should end by saying that if some strange smelling middle school, high school, college age, or adult boy (as the years progress of course) is smart enough and wise enough to see how much of a treasure my darling princess actually is he had better be ready. I'm investing a lot in her life. Jesus died for. What in the world could any other boy possibly offer?
They say (whoever they is) that little girls have a special place in their daddy's hearts. Their smiles and those sweet kisses have a different effect, some tell us, when they come from a princess. As much as I might like to argue to the contrary, I cannot tell a lie (thanks, Abe). She has my heart.
Of all of our children, Caroline has probably sacrificed the most in our move. If you saw her glide across the room, you would see what an elegant dancer God created her to be. To hear her sing, you would think you were listening to angels. To watch her run, you would call her a gazelle. To experience her at a gymnastics meet, you would think she could fly. Biased? Perhaps. But I can only see her through my eyes. When we moved to Tennessee, she gave up all of that for a season. For various reasons, we did not enroll her in some of the activities she had been a part of in Florida. We asked her to spend the year getting adjusted to school and to finding her place. She has adjusted well, and she is doing okay. Disney has taught us that all princesses go through times of struggle and transition, but one day their prince comes and saves the day.
The prince. Let's talk about him for a second. There is no particular prince I am talking about. As far as I am concerned, Daddy is the only prince any little girl needs. Since my darling won't date until she is at least 80 years old, I think I am safe. As a minister, I've visited in lots of nursing homes, and I have never seen anything bigger than a twin bed, and those are the electrical hospital beds that no one would ever share. The rooms are small. The food is fair. The card games are not fair. (Have you ever watched elderly people try to sneak a card under the table? It's hilarious). The point is that since she won't be dating until she is 80, any guy will be so worn out that I will have nothing to worry about!!!
Just in case I'm wrong, however, let me say that any prince that thinks he is going to steal my baby girl's heart away better be ready. I have lots of questions and am looking for very specific answers. These questions are not multiple choice questions where you eliminate a few answers to get to the right one. No grading on the curve for this exam. My questions are long discussion questions that will require years of research before the prince can prove worthy. The first few questions will be easy ones. What is her favorite color? What time of day was she born? How does she like her pasta? How many teeth did she have to have pulled before she got braces? Once he gets past these obvious questions, I have a few more. Explain the dynamics between molecular biology and the existence of human life. Discuss in detail with proper citation the doctrine of the church and the impact of the doctrine on the future of Christianity in our world. Consider the works of classic theologians and use those works to explain the doctrine of salvation, moving quickly into the process of sanctification that leads ultimately to glorification. Use sources from at least three different languages, excluding English. If he makes it through those questions, then we will move on to the more difficult questions. How many times will you be willing to forgive her when she is wrong (assuming of course that she ever will be wrong, which will be doubtful because we men know that the woman is never wrong)? What are your plans to help my treasure grow in her relationship with Christ? What are you doing in your own life to prepare to present her to Christ as a holy bride? Since no one will obviously be able to complete the assignment in the allotted thirty minutes, I feel fairly secure in saying that my princess will stay with me and her mother for the rest of her sweet little life.
Just in case I'm wrong, however, let me say that the primary prince in her life can never be a man, even her daddy. My ultimate prayer for the miracle I call darling is that she grow to love the Lord with all of her heart, mind, soul, and strength. Jesus is the prince she needs. He loves her even more than I do. His word tells me that even when we fail as humans, he does not. He loves my baby girl so much that "while [she] was yet a sinner, Christ died for her." "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life his friends" (John 15:13). The truth is that I love her more than life and would willingly give my life for hers. Someone has already beat me to it, though. She has a Savior to whom she has committed her life, and he delights in her (Zephaniah 3:17). The truth is that she does not belong to me. She belongs to Him, and He has entrusted me with her for a short time. So instead of my considering what questions I will be asking one day, perhaps I should review the questions He might ask me one day?
1. Did you teach my ways to her diligently? Did you talk of my commands when you sat in your house, when you walked by the way, and when you lay down, and when you rose? Deuteronomy 6:7
2. Did you teach her to have no other gods and honor My name? Exodus 20:4-7.
3. Did you teach her to delight herself in Me so I could give her the desire of her heart? Psalm 37:4
4. Did you teach her that "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised"? Proverbs 31:30.
5. Did you teach her to obey so that she would transfer her obedience over onto me? Ephesians 6:1-3
6. Did you teach her that I created her for My glory so that all of the world can see Christ in her? (Ephesians 1:3-14)
7. Did you teach her that I have called her to make disciples of all nations? (Matthew 28:19)
8. Did you realize that teach didn't mean lecture and preach, but meant train? (Proverbs 22:6)
I have no biblical evidence that the Lord will ask me any questions at all, but since I am convinced that my princess is a blessing God has entrusted me with, I know I should strive to bring her up in the admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), teaching her above all to be pure because "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."(Matthew 5:8)
With all of that said and with my perspective back in place, I suppose I should end by saying that if some strange smelling middle school, high school, college age, or adult boy (as the years progress of course) is smart enough and wise enough to see how much of a treasure my darling princess actually is he had better be ready. I'm investing a lot in her life. Jesus died for. What in the world could any other boy possibly offer?
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Why Don't Baptists Dance?
Someone actually asked me once, "why don't baptists dance?" I looked at them puzzled, having seen several of our teenagers as cheerleaders at a football game doing something that many would call dancing. My daughter actually is a beautiful dancer. Some would call me biased. I would say honest. I am confident if you watched the dance videos you would agree. If at any point you would like to see them, just let me know. We can have popcorn and make a night of it. You will certainly be blessed by the experience. She really should be on Broadway . . . Oops. Sorry. I digress.
Asking "why don't baptists dance" is like asking "why don't baptists drink." I heard once that in the town where I used to live in Florida, the liquor store had "the Baptist special." It was a brown bag handed out of the back door in the alley behind the liquor store. The saying was that the most unfriendly exchange between deacons was not the deacons meeting but was actually those few awkward moments when they passed each other coming in and out of the "express lane" on Saturday nights.
The morality of these two past times is not the subject of this post. Instead, I am intrigued by the question. Many wedding receptions are now held "off site" because of dancing. Father/daughter dances. First dances with the bride and groom. Recently my six year old entertained a few wedding guests with his own dancing moves. He was heard before the wedding saying, "If there's dancing at that reception, I'm going to get on stage and show them how it's done." This statement is coming from a young man who literally laid down on the floor at his first children's choir performance. He learned the dancing part from his mother, by the way.
Many people in our world have made decisions about the body of Christ based on what someone told them they could or could not do if they connected to the church. I find it interesting that no one refuses to go to school because they have to wear uniforms or because they can't smoke in the hallways. (Baptist do let you smoke outside the back door by the way. I suppose the puffs of smoke are their version of "burnt offerings.") Just like no one refused to go to school because of behavior codes, no one refuses to play t-ball, baseball, football, soccer, or any other sport for that matter because you have to wear a certain uniform, show up for practice, and abide by the rules of the Athletic Association. As a matter of fact, parents pay lots of money to be told what to do and how to do it by sports leagues, cheer coaches, private schools, health clubs, homeowner's associations, golf clubs, and so many more activities that are not hurting for memberships or support. People are actually fighting in some cases to get into the top schools so their children can be forced to wear certain clothes, behave a certain way, study certain courses, and wake up at certain hours.
Even our medical community tells us what to do. Did you know that doctors have the nerve of requiring you to have an appointment before you can see them? On top of that, they make you sit in a waiting room with tons of other sick people reading magazines that are old and probably have the mucous and virus on them from the last person who sat in that chair. The exam rooms are cold. They come in and make you strip down to your personals, and then they start to probe. Why in the world can't they make stethoscopes that are warm? Just once, I'd like to have a doctor hear my heartbeat without chill bumps coming all over my body. After all that they put us through in those offices, they then have the nerve to require that we pay them. Some offices even make you pay up front. I suppose that is because they know the service is so bad you'll be tempted to sneak out without paying, if you could get by Helga the guard that is. Or maybe it's not that they think you'll sneak out. Maybe they think that you will freeze while you are waiting an hour on the doctor and won't be able to pay. Who knows.
So why don't baptists dance? A better question is "why does it matter?" The people asking those questions have already made a decision not to be part of the church. We have a generation of people who have decided that being part of the church isn't worth it. The church doesn't make you have an appointment. We do have scheduled worship times, but that is just to make sure we get to lunch before the other denominations across town. We do all sit together in a room with tons of spiritually sick people reading from a Bible that was written thousands of years ago. Some of our music is not exactly current, and the pews have the mucous and virus on them from the kid who blew his nose and wiped it on the seat. The sanctuary is usually too cold. No stethoscopes, but sometimes the message and the music does get to your heart. Why do we endure the agony of the doctor's office, pay lots of money, take lots of medicine, and get so frustrated with the church? The experiences sound very similar. I suppose it's because the doctor is offering us a chance to improve our lives. Live longer. Be healthy. He (or she) seems to have something we need so we will endure a little discomfort to get some help.
At some point, the church used to have something we needed. People would endure a little discomfort to get some help. The church used to offer us a chance to improve our lives. To live forever. To be healthy - emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Something happened somewhere along the way. Some decisions were made, and a group of people with absolutely no rhythm decided that baptist's don't dance. At the same time, it seems, they decided that baptists don't do a lot of things, many of which are mandated in God's word. Why are so many of our churches closing their doors? Why are so many of our churches in such an unhealthy condition? Why are so many of our churches keeping themselves comfortable until the hour of death passes by? I can't help but wonder if we are in such a sad condition because we have forgotten how to dance. Don't get me wrong. I never knew how to dance. Not physically anyway. Spiritually, though, I remember a time of dancing. I remember the joy that was part of following Christ. The time before life became so confusing and people became so cruel. The time before deaths and disease and debt.
Our Sunday School class recently discussed what it means that man is created in the image of God. One of our conclusions was that we are created as spiritual beings. At some point in church history, we stopped relating to God spiritually. We started relating to him physically and emotionally, hoping that was enough. We decided that we could enjoy God without the body of Christ sitting in the stands of game. We decided that as long as we felt warm inside with our hands lifted high to the latest Christian song we must be in touch with God. We decided that the physical and emotional connection was enough - so long as we didn't dance in response to those physical and emotional connections. I wonder if the spiritual part of knowing God somehow involves a dance - a movement with the Spirit of God that is so in sync with the rhythm of God's heart that we progress across the stage of life with what seems like little effort.
At some point we all made a choice as to how we approach God. Those individual choices became corporate choices, and we are dealing with the fallout today. In 1 Kings 3, God told Solomon, "Ask what I shall give you." King Solomon asked for one thing. "Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people." Solomon asked for wisdom to know what is the best choice. He wanted to lead God's people well.
Perhaps we would be wise to pray for the same wisdom. How can we lead our families, our communities, our churches well? Ask the Lord for wisdom to know the best answer. When we make decisions based on what our minds, our cultures, our desires, our own selfish hearts tell us to do, we will fail, giving Christ a name for what He does not allow instead of for what He offers. He offers life everlasting. He offers freedom from sin. He offers to chance to dance. Let's change the perception. Tell the world that baptists do dance. Christians do dance. We dance to the beat of the Master Musician who has created us to experience the fullness of joy in His Presence. Spread the word. Send the invitations. Maybe it's not too late for us after all.
Asking "why don't baptists dance" is like asking "why don't baptists drink." I heard once that in the town where I used to live in Florida, the liquor store had "the Baptist special." It was a brown bag handed out of the back door in the alley behind the liquor store. The saying was that the most unfriendly exchange between deacons was not the deacons meeting but was actually those few awkward moments when they passed each other coming in and out of the "express lane" on Saturday nights.
The morality of these two past times is not the subject of this post. Instead, I am intrigued by the question. Many wedding receptions are now held "off site" because of dancing. Father/daughter dances. First dances with the bride and groom. Recently my six year old entertained a few wedding guests with his own dancing moves. He was heard before the wedding saying, "If there's dancing at that reception, I'm going to get on stage and show them how it's done." This statement is coming from a young man who literally laid down on the floor at his first children's choir performance. He learned the dancing part from his mother, by the way.
Many people in our world have made decisions about the body of Christ based on what someone told them they could or could not do if they connected to the church. I find it interesting that no one refuses to go to school because they have to wear uniforms or because they can't smoke in the hallways. (Baptist do let you smoke outside the back door by the way. I suppose the puffs of smoke are their version of "burnt offerings.") Just like no one refused to go to school because of behavior codes, no one refuses to play t-ball, baseball, football, soccer, or any other sport for that matter because you have to wear a certain uniform, show up for practice, and abide by the rules of the Athletic Association. As a matter of fact, parents pay lots of money to be told what to do and how to do it by sports leagues, cheer coaches, private schools, health clubs, homeowner's associations, golf clubs, and so many more activities that are not hurting for memberships or support. People are actually fighting in some cases to get into the top schools so their children can be forced to wear certain clothes, behave a certain way, study certain courses, and wake up at certain hours.
Even our medical community tells us what to do. Did you know that doctors have the nerve of requiring you to have an appointment before you can see them? On top of that, they make you sit in a waiting room with tons of other sick people reading magazines that are old and probably have the mucous and virus on them from the last person who sat in that chair. The exam rooms are cold. They come in and make you strip down to your personals, and then they start to probe. Why in the world can't they make stethoscopes that are warm? Just once, I'd like to have a doctor hear my heartbeat without chill bumps coming all over my body. After all that they put us through in those offices, they then have the nerve to require that we pay them. Some offices even make you pay up front. I suppose that is because they know the service is so bad you'll be tempted to sneak out without paying, if you could get by Helga the guard that is. Or maybe it's not that they think you'll sneak out. Maybe they think that you will freeze while you are waiting an hour on the doctor and won't be able to pay. Who knows.
So why don't baptists dance? A better question is "why does it matter?" The people asking those questions have already made a decision not to be part of the church. We have a generation of people who have decided that being part of the church isn't worth it. The church doesn't make you have an appointment. We do have scheduled worship times, but that is just to make sure we get to lunch before the other denominations across town. We do all sit together in a room with tons of spiritually sick people reading from a Bible that was written thousands of years ago. Some of our music is not exactly current, and the pews have the mucous and virus on them from the kid who blew his nose and wiped it on the seat. The sanctuary is usually too cold. No stethoscopes, but sometimes the message and the music does get to your heart. Why do we endure the agony of the doctor's office, pay lots of money, take lots of medicine, and get so frustrated with the church? The experiences sound very similar. I suppose it's because the doctor is offering us a chance to improve our lives. Live longer. Be healthy. He (or she) seems to have something we need so we will endure a little discomfort to get some help.
At some point, the church used to have something we needed. People would endure a little discomfort to get some help. The church used to offer us a chance to improve our lives. To live forever. To be healthy - emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Something happened somewhere along the way. Some decisions were made, and a group of people with absolutely no rhythm decided that baptist's don't dance. At the same time, it seems, they decided that baptists don't do a lot of things, many of which are mandated in God's word. Why are so many of our churches closing their doors? Why are so many of our churches in such an unhealthy condition? Why are so many of our churches keeping themselves comfortable until the hour of death passes by? I can't help but wonder if we are in such a sad condition because we have forgotten how to dance. Don't get me wrong. I never knew how to dance. Not physically anyway. Spiritually, though, I remember a time of dancing. I remember the joy that was part of following Christ. The time before life became so confusing and people became so cruel. The time before deaths and disease and debt.
Our Sunday School class recently discussed what it means that man is created in the image of God. One of our conclusions was that we are created as spiritual beings. At some point in church history, we stopped relating to God spiritually. We started relating to him physically and emotionally, hoping that was enough. We decided that we could enjoy God without the body of Christ sitting in the stands of game. We decided that as long as we felt warm inside with our hands lifted high to the latest Christian song we must be in touch with God. We decided that the physical and emotional connection was enough - so long as we didn't dance in response to those physical and emotional connections. I wonder if the spiritual part of knowing God somehow involves a dance - a movement with the Spirit of God that is so in sync with the rhythm of God's heart that we progress across the stage of life with what seems like little effort.
At some point we all made a choice as to how we approach God. Those individual choices became corporate choices, and we are dealing with the fallout today. In 1 Kings 3, God told Solomon, "Ask what I shall give you." King Solomon asked for one thing. "Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people." Solomon asked for wisdom to know what is the best choice. He wanted to lead God's people well.
Perhaps we would be wise to pray for the same wisdom. How can we lead our families, our communities, our churches well? Ask the Lord for wisdom to know the best answer. When we make decisions based on what our minds, our cultures, our desires, our own selfish hearts tell us to do, we will fail, giving Christ a name for what He does not allow instead of for what He offers. He offers life everlasting. He offers freedom from sin. He offers to chance to dance. Let's change the perception. Tell the world that baptists do dance. Christians do dance. We dance to the beat of the Master Musician who has created us to experience the fullness of joy in His Presence. Spread the word. Send the invitations. Maybe it's not too late for us after all.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
The White Stuff is Ash
We burned a tree today. The tree was dead when we moved to Trenton, and the recent ice storms left no doubt that the tree had to come down. A few weeks ago, our neighbor brought his chain saw and cut the tree. The rains came and delayed the bonfire, and today was the day it would all go up in smoke. My wife and daughter went to swim practice early this morning, which left us men at home to play with fire. Our neighbor returned, and started the fire. We piled branches and moved pieces until the blaze was going strong. We had a trailer full of limbs and boxes that needed to be destroyed, so we added those to the furnace. Over time, they all burned up. What we have left is a large white spot in our yard where a tree once stood. A few large pieces of wood remain, but for the most part everything is gone except for the ash.
About mid-afternoon, my youngest son and I walked over to the spot where the tree once stood. As we looked at the smoldering remains, he asked, "What is all of that white stuff?" I answered as simply as I could, "the white stuff is ash." He looked at me with that look that says, "well, thanks for clearing that up dad; it all makes perfect sense now." In that moment, I knew he didn't know what ash was either. I could have employed the circular teaching method that causes humans to chase their proverbial tails and explained that ash is the white stuff that is left after a fire, thereby making the white stuff ash. Instead, I simply said, "when things burn, this is what they look like when it's over." Now that's profound right??
The Lord stopped me for a moment, and I looked at David and said, "You know the Bible talks about ash too. The Bible teaches that anything we do that is not for Jesus ends up looking like this pile of white stuff. Kind of yucky and smelly, with glimpses of smoke." He replied, "That's not good, dad. That's not good at all." The rest of the day, I kept going back to those simple words. "That's not good, dad. That's not good at all."
The apostle Paul wrote a letter to a church in Corinth. He explained to them that the foundation of Truth is Jesus Christ. No other foundation can be laid. As Christ followers build on that foundation, we build with "gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw." (1 Cor. 3:12). One day (The Day), Jesus will return, and each person's work will be tested by fire. If the work survives the fire, the Christ follower receives a reward. If the work does not survive the fire, "he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." (1 Cor. 3:14 and 15). In other words, the one whose work survives will reign as a victor. The one whose work is burned up will walk around with ash as the garment of the day. Ash. White, smelly, smoky ash. Sounds so much like the description of hell that you could almost argue for a works based salvation, except for that statement that says "though he himself will be saved." Paul makes it clear that we are saved by grace alone. What happens after salvation? The works of our lives are tested.
The tree we burned used to be a thriving tree. Blooms blanketed the branches as the tree towered strong for all to see. Then, the tree was no longer useful. Lighting, disease, ice - something not quite known - took the life of the tree and what once was beautiful is now a pile of ash.
Physical pictures of spiritual realities designed by the Creator to teach us - to teach me - that I don't want my life to be left as a pile of ash. Paul told the people of Corinth, "Let each one take care how he builds upon [the foundation]" (1 Cor. 3:10). In other words, what we do with Jesus matters. How we treat others in the name of Jesus matters. The path of our lives matters. The careers, the ministries, the hobbies - they all matter. How we raise our children matters. As followers of Christ everything we are doing is built on the foundation of Christ. What in the world are we doing that matters? What in the world are we doing that lasts beyond the flame of a tree burned up into tiny, smoldering ash?
The Lord has made it abundantly clear to me that wood, hay and straw are worthless pursuits. They may look pretty for a while and make a soothing landscape to relax in as the sun goes down, but in the end they are meaningless efforts that will receive no reward from heaven's throne. I long for the smile of my Father who looks into my eyes and sees past the pain and the loss and the cries as He says, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. enter into the joy of your master" (Matt. 25:23) Enter into the JOY. Not the job. Not the joke. Not the jab. ENTER INTO THE JOY. Oh, Father, how I long for the fullness of joy that comes from knowing you!
We don't have much time. The days are running fast. The trees are being gathered, and the refining fires are being flamed. The pursuits seem so weak at this point. Entertain the crowds. Get the right design. Be comfortable and secure. In the end, the white stuff is ash.
Maybe your heart is sensing that the piles we have been building on Christ's foundation are not what they once appeared. Have we sacrificed our lives for the good fight that Paul described? Or have we sacrificed our lives for a fight that appeared to the right fight, with blooms blanketing the branches of our lives and ministries for all of the world to see. Oh God, may we recognize before it is too late that in the end, on the Great Day of your return, the white stuff is nothing but ash.
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