Once I had to write a report about Jonathan Edward's sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God".
In the tenth grade assignment, I missed out on the historical significance of that sermon. In fact I didn't read the whole thing. To me it seemed oppressive and I think I wrote something about how he should have said more about God's mercy.
I might have said something similar about the sermon today, but the truth is -that the sermon launched the first Great Awakening in these United States.
Today I heard Edwards referenced in Chuck Colson's Breakpoint commentary. He was referring to the "Great Books" audio series on CD by Ken Boa, this month's installment is on one of Edward's books. What really caught my attention was legacy that Edwards and his wife left behind!!
Here is an excerpt:
"But Jonathan Edwards was not only a pastor who played a crucial role in America's first Great Awakening, he was also a missionary to Native-Americans, an earl president of Princeton University and a prolific writer.
In addition, Edwards and his wife Sarah, were also loving parents of 11 children. Of their 929 descendents history shows there have been 13 college presidents, 86 college professors, 430 ministers, 314 war veterans, 75 authors, 100 lawyers, 30 judges, 66 physicians, and 80 holders of public office. That includes three U.S. Senators, seven congressmen, three mayors, three governors, a vice president of the United States and a controller of the United States Treasury. Don't tell me teaching biblical worldview to your children isn't important"
Amen Chuck, amen.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
A Response to "I Rest My Case"
Okay, I'm not positive that this video isn't sacreligious. But my Better Half over at God's Design Not Mine has fired the first salvo over the bow and I feel that I must respond:
Kinda' makes you want to show some respect to "man's best friend" now doesn't it?
Comments are welcomed (Dear).
Kinda' makes you want to show some respect to "man's best friend" now doesn't it?
Comments are welcomed (Dear).
There is None Like You
I can see David, slouching back in his throne - knees jutting forward, his simple crown is scrunched down over his forehead and his curling locks move in the gentle breeze that circulates through the throne-room.
He stares upward and the tears that are welling up in his eyes finally brim over and stream down his face and beard.
"Who am I?" he says.
God had just sent a Word to David. David had made a decision to build a house for God and God had responded with a kind, affirming Word of Truth about David's future and his progeny.
It was more than David could bear - I think - he had to get away somewhere ...he had to get alone with God.
This was a period of "rest" for David, a lull from the constant battle that had been his lifestyle ever since his youth. He was now established as king of the entire nation of Israel, he and some of his best warriors had taken the great city of Jerusalem - something generations of warriors before him could not accomplish. He had children about him now and the Philistines had backed off for a time.
That was when the idea had hit David - he wanted to do something big for God.
But God outdid David.
Now God's love for us is in no way based on what we do or can do for Him, but it's pretty neat that when we set our minds to accomplish something for Him - BECAUSE we love Him - He outdoes us.
He promised David an established kingdom, one that would outlast him. I think that is a desire that burns deep in the bosom of every man - for something of him to live on beyond him.
Furthermore God promised that David's son would be the one to build the house for God and God would love him... and would never withdraw His love from him.
David was overwhelmed. The joy of God's favor was so overwhelming, he could only question "Who am I?".
As David searched the ceiling of that sacred room - as if he might catch a glimpse of God's glory - he marveled at God's promise. Possibly, this "Poet of Israel" searched deeply to find something to say that would express his gratefulness...
"there is none like You..."
I can remember turbulent times in my own life. No where near the turbulence that David endured but turbulent none-the-less. There was a period for me that it just seemed that I could not come out right-side-up with anything: my work, my marriage, my confidence, my future ... nothing seemed to be turning out as I had hoped. And it went on for quite awhile.
But I also remember when there came a time of rest. . . . a time in which God seemed to personally assure me of His love and His hand still at work in my life.
It was at that time that I could - in a small way- relate to how David felt.
"There is none like You."
This story can be found in the Bible, in 2 Samuel 7.
He stares upward and the tears that are welling up in his eyes finally brim over and stream down his face and beard.
"Who am I?" he says.
God had just sent a Word to David. David had made a decision to build a house for God and God had responded with a kind, affirming Word of Truth about David's future and his progeny.
It was more than David could bear - I think - he had to get away somewhere ...he had to get alone with God.
This was a period of "rest" for David, a lull from the constant battle that had been his lifestyle ever since his youth. He was now established as king of the entire nation of Israel, he and some of his best warriors had taken the great city of Jerusalem - something generations of warriors before him could not accomplish. He had children about him now and the Philistines had backed off for a time.
That was when the idea had hit David - he wanted to do something big for God.
But God outdid David.
Now God's love for us is in no way based on what we do or can do for Him, but it's pretty neat that when we set our minds to accomplish something for Him - BECAUSE we love Him - He outdoes us.
He promised David an established kingdom, one that would outlast him. I think that is a desire that burns deep in the bosom of every man - for something of him to live on beyond him.
Furthermore God promised that David's son would be the one to build the house for God and God would love him... and would never withdraw His love from him.
David was overwhelmed. The joy of God's favor was so overwhelming, he could only question "Who am I?".
As David searched the ceiling of that sacred room - as if he might catch a glimpse of God's glory - he marveled at God's promise. Possibly, this "Poet of Israel" searched deeply to find something to say that would express his gratefulness...
"there is none like You..."
I can remember turbulent times in my own life. No where near the turbulence that David endured but turbulent none-the-less. There was a period for me that it just seemed that I could not come out right-side-up with anything: my work, my marriage, my confidence, my future ... nothing seemed to be turning out as I had hoped. And it went on for quite awhile.
But I also remember when there came a time of rest. . . . a time in which God seemed to personally assure me of His love and His hand still at work in my life.
It was at that time that I could - in a small way- relate to how David felt.
"There is none like You."
This story can be found in the Bible, in 2 Samuel 7.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Kool-Aid Konglomeration
I admire the entrepreneurial spirit.
My brother and I had our brief leap into the cloudy waters of entrepreneurial exuberance... we briefly ran our own paint and wallcovering store ... but I soon found the waters cold and foreboding and have not quickly ventured back in.
My brother, on the other hand, has made something of a life of running his own operations - and it seems that he would have it no other way.
The entrepreneurial spirit runs in our blood to a degree. Our grandfather - "Pop", seemed to gravitate toward such adventures. Though he spent his life farming and then working in a cotton mill, he and his brother - Earnest - often seemed to be working together on something.
At some point during their younger days, they tried their hand at home-made liquor. As I recall the story, they had a unique inventory system of storing the bottles or jugs in holes in an embankment - under clumps of tall grass.
I think they were beginning to see some local success. Good news, however, travels fast and someone bragged about their liquor to their father. I think he issued his own brand of "cease and desist" order.
On another occasion, they traveled to Florida to pick oranges. The one thing I remember about that story was that Pop explained to me the proper way to pick an orange - with a twist. If you just pull it off the tree, the stem will pull a plug from the peel, so you have to give it a twist as you pull.
I remember one night that Pop talked a great deal about that adventure, but I don't remember much of what he said and I regret that I didn't learn more.
After Pop retired, he went into the fish-bait business and became a main supplier of "red wigglers" to local bait shops.
My Dad, who now seems to focus on just a very limited number of stories that he tells over and over, often talks about how he sold snow-cones out of the back of his car for awhile.
There is something very exciting about going into business. One of the things I enjoyed during my few days of selling radio advertising, was dealing with brand new businesses. There is just a certain infectious giddiness that people feel during those early days - often before the realities of cash-flow, profit margin, overhead, taxes and the like set in.
I think that entrepreneurs are the artists of the business world. It is when business most resembles God in that it creates.
I still have the little table that I used as my first Kool-Aid stand.
I am not sure of how old I was, I don't remember how much money I made or who purchased my watery Kool-Aid, but I made some sales. I remember dancing around on our front porch, shaking the money in my money box and shouting "I'm rich!".
Didn't everyone have a lemonade stand or Kool-Aid stand at some point, or has that tenant of Americana also faded into obscurity?
I am troubled these days by the constant barrage against those that take risks and achieve. It is wrong on so may fronts. For about twenty years now we have heard the mantra of "raising taxes on the rich" and "making the rich pay their fair share". Achievement and gaining wealth have gotten a bad name.
Those who achieve are often somewhat responsible for the pay check of those of us who work for them - a fact that is too seldom point out. There was a time when there was a universal recognition in this country of the contributions of those who begin and build businesses. When an entrepreneur took great risks and found success, people recognized that manufacturing plants grew up and then neighborhoods and churches and cities and schools. That's how communities were formed.
Sure, there were imperfections, people were not always treated fairly but in a free society, the markets would regulate inequities.
Let's take the example of Kool-Aid stands. Suppose one Kool-Aid drummer is selling a watered down product at exorbitant prices, before long the market will correct that. An new kid will decide to sell a better mix of Kool-Aid at better prices. And as he achieves success, more kids will enter the market and suddenly the Kool-Aid consumer finds that prices are lower and the Kool-Aid is better than it's ever been. And the kid with the water-down stuff has either corrected his practices or gone out of business, all because of competition.
When I was in the retail paint and wallcovering business, there were some paint manufacturing companies that had the dubious reputation of allowing an independent dealer to build up paint sales in a market, then stepping in and building a company store to compete with their own client.
With all the advantages held by the company owned store - the little guy would soon be out of business.
That is the trouble behind the bogus idea that a "public option" national health care plan will "promote" competition. It actually accomplishes just the opposite.
When all the little guys (the insurance companies) have to compete with the one big "company store" (the government) - a "company store" that makes the rules and regulates all the other stores .... a company store that is well-funded because it doesn't have to compete, but rather is funded by tax monies that are confiscated from the public without choice ... a company store that can regulate pricing, prohibiting the little guys to compete... it is pretty obvious that the little guys (the insurance companies) will go out of business.
No matter how evil you may think they are, consider how that so many would be effected by the collapse of such an industry. Employees of these "evil" insurance companies own homes, purchase automobiles, buy groceries, dine at restaurants, pay property taxes to fund public education, purchase clothing, cell phones, computers, refrigerators .... the list goes on and on.
It's funny to me how that one year ago, our government was willing to go overboard in borrowing against the future of this nation and to go overboard in usurping government control over several industries that were "too big to fail". Now our government is planning to launch a plan that would wreck an equally large industry. All because they are the "straw dog" set up to take the attention off the fact that 1/6 of the economy is becoming government controlled.
I'm not drinking their Kool-Aid.
My brother and I had our brief leap into the cloudy waters of entrepreneurial exuberance... we briefly ran our own paint and wallcovering store ... but I soon found the waters cold and foreboding and have not quickly ventured back in.
My brother, on the other hand, has made something of a life of running his own operations - and it seems that he would have it no other way.
The entrepreneurial spirit runs in our blood to a degree. Our grandfather - "Pop", seemed to gravitate toward such adventures. Though he spent his life farming and then working in a cotton mill, he and his brother - Earnest - often seemed to be working together on something.
At some point during their younger days, they tried their hand at home-made liquor. As I recall the story, they had a unique inventory system of storing the bottles or jugs in holes in an embankment - under clumps of tall grass.
I think they were beginning to see some local success. Good news, however, travels fast and someone bragged about their liquor to their father. I think he issued his own brand of "cease and desist" order.
On another occasion, they traveled to Florida to pick oranges. The one thing I remember about that story was that Pop explained to me the proper way to pick an orange - with a twist. If you just pull it off the tree, the stem will pull a plug from the peel, so you have to give it a twist as you pull.
I remember one night that Pop talked a great deal about that adventure, but I don't remember much of what he said and I regret that I didn't learn more.
After Pop retired, he went into the fish-bait business and became a main supplier of "red wigglers" to local bait shops.
My Dad, who now seems to focus on just a very limited number of stories that he tells over and over, often talks about how he sold snow-cones out of the back of his car for awhile.
There is something very exciting about going into business. One of the things I enjoyed during my few days of selling radio advertising, was dealing with brand new businesses. There is just a certain infectious giddiness that people feel during those early days - often before the realities of cash-flow, profit margin, overhead, taxes and the like set in.
I think that entrepreneurs are the artists of the business world. It is when business most resembles God in that it creates.
I still have the little table that I used as my first Kool-Aid stand.
I am not sure of how old I was, I don't remember how much money I made or who purchased my watery Kool-Aid, but I made some sales. I remember dancing around on our front porch, shaking the money in my money box and shouting "I'm rich!".
Didn't everyone have a lemonade stand or Kool-Aid stand at some point, or has that tenant of Americana also faded into obscurity?
I am troubled these days by the constant barrage against those that take risks and achieve. It is wrong on so may fronts. For about twenty years now we have heard the mantra of "raising taxes on the rich" and "making the rich pay their fair share". Achievement and gaining wealth have gotten a bad name.
Those who achieve are often somewhat responsible for the pay check of those of us who work for them - a fact that is too seldom point out. There was a time when there was a universal recognition in this country of the contributions of those who begin and build businesses. When an entrepreneur took great risks and found success, people recognized that manufacturing plants grew up and then neighborhoods and churches and cities and schools. That's how communities were formed.
Sure, there were imperfections, people were not always treated fairly but in a free society, the markets would regulate inequities.
Let's take the example of Kool-Aid stands. Suppose one Kool-Aid drummer is selling a watered down product at exorbitant prices, before long the market will correct that. An new kid will decide to sell a better mix of Kool-Aid at better prices. And as he achieves success, more kids will enter the market and suddenly the Kool-Aid consumer finds that prices are lower and the Kool-Aid is better than it's ever been. And the kid with the water-down stuff has either corrected his practices or gone out of business, all because of competition.
When I was in the retail paint and wallcovering business, there were some paint manufacturing companies that had the dubious reputation of allowing an independent dealer to build up paint sales in a market, then stepping in and building a company store to compete with their own client.
With all the advantages held by the company owned store - the little guy would soon be out of business.
That is the trouble behind the bogus idea that a "public option" national health care plan will "promote" competition. It actually accomplishes just the opposite.
When all the little guys (the insurance companies) have to compete with the one big "company store" (the government) - a "company store" that makes the rules and regulates all the other stores .... a company store that is well-funded because it doesn't have to compete, but rather is funded by tax monies that are confiscated from the public without choice ... a company store that can regulate pricing, prohibiting the little guys to compete... it is pretty obvious that the little guys (the insurance companies) will go out of business.
No matter how evil you may think they are, consider how that so many would be effected by the collapse of such an industry. Employees of these "evil" insurance companies own homes, purchase automobiles, buy groceries, dine at restaurants, pay property taxes to fund public education, purchase clothing, cell phones, computers, refrigerators .... the list goes on and on.
It's funny to me how that one year ago, our government was willing to go overboard in borrowing against the future of this nation and to go overboard in usurping government control over several industries that were "too big to fail". Now our government is planning to launch a plan that would wreck an equally large industry. All because they are the "straw dog" set up to take the attention off the fact that 1/6 of the economy is becoming government controlled.
I'm not drinking their Kool-Aid.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Mr. Smith and Principled Journalism
Having raised the spectre of the superiority of old movies over new ones in my last post, I feel that I must do something to beat it back down. Therefore I offer another article on "Capra's America".
I will begin with a small clip from what may be my favorite Frank Capra movie (running neck and neck with "It's a Wonderful Life!"):
I've always been something of a late bloomer (still hopeful of blooming in some areas). In keeping with that pattern, I finally went back to get my Bachelors degree about 13 years after high school.
Whether those 13 years were wasted or not is a subject for another day, but I will say that I was probably better equipped in motivation and attitude at that point in my life than I was earlier.
Anyway, I learned alot, but two classes significantly marked my little college experience at what was then Kennesaw College: One was attending Newt Gingrich's first "Renewing American Civilization" class. The second was my "Organizational Behavior class.
Newt's class inspired me to continue to learn in countless ways, the Organizational Behavior class was significant because for the mid-term we watched the movie- "Bridge Over River Kwai" and for the final exam, we watched the movie - "The Sting". How great is that?!? We got to watch movies for the examinations! Of course, I was enjoying it so that I barely noticed that we had to answer difficult questions about the managerial and behavioral concepts that were modeled in the movies.
With that in mind, I would like to give a homework assignment to the readers of this blog: to find and watch the movie,"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". I understand full well that I am "not the boss of you".
I just think this movie is one Americans need to see (my international readers may exempt the movie although it might be valuable to watch the movie and juxtapose it's concepts with the concepts espoused by our current President during his recent international "Apology Tour".
There are some things you need to know about old movies. They appear to be simplistic and "cheesy" to the casual observer, but I think that after several viewings, you will find that there is real depth here.
You may hear grown men - even public officials- using such terms as: "gee whiz!" and "gosh", maybe even one or two "darns". Just mentally replace those terms with your favorite profane terminology if you must, for "realism" sake.
Beneath all of the sentimental stuff is a rich story about a "bumpkin" with true ideals - ideals about what this country is REALLY made of. When this neophyte is selected to fill the unexpired term of an expired Senator - Jimmy Stewart (our hero) brings those ideals to Washington, DC.
There he comes face to face with arrogance and skepticism that is the face of Washington politics even today. He is mistreated by the press, he is mocked by his own staff and "handlers" and is generally taken advantage of.
If you can look past all the stuff that old movies are made of - stuff that I love - you will find a picture of "machine politics".
I believe it can be closely compared with the "Chicago-style, Machine politics" that we have in DC today... only less brutal.
Like most Frank Capra movies, this one has a real message to it. It gets me every time.
Jimmy Stewart says something in the movie about having "printer's ink" in his veins, because his Dad was a crusading newspaper man, losing his very life in a fight with some powerful opponents. "The lost causes are the only ones truly worth fighting for" he says.
With that in mind, let me wax both political and prophetic and make a prediction. Though the newspaper industry in America is basically done for, I believe that there are some journalist who went into that field for truly noble reasons. They truly believe in fighting for the little guy - the lost causes.
As our President sends out his minions to actually attack and demean legitimate news agencies, I believe that some of those very few true journalist will finally have enough.
I believe that they will realize that they have been duped and they will rise up with the mighty pen. They will make the stand even if they do not like the organization they are defending. Because it is a matter of principle - it's a matter of liberty.
I know that it appears that neither principle nor liberty are important any more to the majority of those "guardians of the public trust" - but deep down, when the fight seems all but lost ...
just maybe, someone will rise up.
Lost causes: the only ones truly worth fighting for.
I will begin with a small clip from what may be my favorite Frank Capra movie (running neck and neck with "It's a Wonderful Life!"):
I've always been something of a late bloomer (still hopeful of blooming in some areas). In keeping with that pattern, I finally went back to get my Bachelors degree about 13 years after high school.
Whether those 13 years were wasted or not is a subject for another day, but I will say that I was probably better equipped in motivation and attitude at that point in my life than I was earlier.
Anyway, I learned alot, but two classes significantly marked my little college experience at what was then Kennesaw College: One was attending Newt Gingrich's first "Renewing American Civilization" class. The second was my "Organizational Behavior class.
Newt's class inspired me to continue to learn in countless ways, the Organizational Behavior class was significant because for the mid-term we watched the movie- "Bridge Over River Kwai" and for the final exam, we watched the movie - "The Sting". How great is that?!? We got to watch movies for the examinations! Of course, I was enjoying it so that I barely noticed that we had to answer difficult questions about the managerial and behavioral concepts that were modeled in the movies.
With that in mind, I would like to give a homework assignment to the readers of this blog: to find and watch the movie,"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". I understand full well that I am "not the boss of you".
I just think this movie is one Americans need to see (my international readers may exempt the movie although it might be valuable to watch the movie and juxtapose it's concepts with the concepts espoused by our current President during his recent international "Apology Tour".
There are some things you need to know about old movies. They appear to be simplistic and "cheesy" to the casual observer, but I think that after several viewings, you will find that there is real depth here.
You may hear grown men - even public officials- using such terms as: "gee whiz!" and "gosh", maybe even one or two "darns". Just mentally replace those terms with your favorite profane terminology if you must, for "realism" sake.
Beneath all of the sentimental stuff is a rich story about a "bumpkin" with true ideals - ideals about what this country is REALLY made of. When this neophyte is selected to fill the unexpired term of an expired Senator - Jimmy Stewart (our hero) brings those ideals to Washington, DC.
There he comes face to face with arrogance and skepticism that is the face of Washington politics even today. He is mistreated by the press, he is mocked by his own staff and "handlers" and is generally taken advantage of.
If you can look past all the stuff that old movies are made of - stuff that I love - you will find a picture of "machine politics".
I believe it can be closely compared with the "Chicago-style, Machine politics" that we have in DC today... only less brutal.
Like most Frank Capra movies, this one has a real message to it. It gets me every time.
Jimmy Stewart says something in the movie about having "printer's ink" in his veins, because his Dad was a crusading newspaper man, losing his very life in a fight with some powerful opponents. "The lost causes are the only ones truly worth fighting for" he says.
With that in mind, let me wax both political and prophetic and make a prediction. Though the newspaper industry in America is basically done for, I believe that there are some journalist who went into that field for truly noble reasons. They truly believe in fighting for the little guy - the lost causes.
As our President sends out his minions to actually attack and demean legitimate news agencies, I believe that some of those very few true journalist will finally have enough.
I believe that they will realize that they have been duped and they will rise up with the mighty pen. They will make the stand even if they do not like the organization they are defending. Because it is a matter of principle - it's a matter of liberty.
I know that it appears that neither principle nor liberty are important any more to the majority of those "guardians of the public trust" - but deep down, when the fight seems all but lost ...
just maybe, someone will rise up.
Lost causes: the only ones truly worth fighting for.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Slum Dog Millionaire and the Missionary Next Door
We watched "Slumdog Millionaire" *on Sunday night, I want to give you some of my impressions.
Let me begin by telling you how we came to pick this movie. Most of you know that I do not hold recent movies in very high esteem. I generally do not appreciate the standard pattern for most Hollywood movies these days; most of them downgrade the things that I believe that we should be holding out as examples, things like - God, family, the work ethic, honor, integrity, self-control, achievement, patriotism, honesty and true love.
I like a movie that leaves me feeling better - or at least challenges me to be better.
I think there is more depth in those "cheesy" 90 minute wonders from Hollywood's Golden Age than hardly anything this side of 1959. Directors like Frank Capra - who felt he had a mandate from God to say something worthwhile with his movies, since he had been given the opportunity to speak with hundreds of people for 90 minutes in a dark theater - produced masterpieces in a very short time and on a very tiny budget and with often "home-made" special effects-
Oops, I have climbed onto my soapbox (sorry).
Someone in R.'s Bible study group mentioned seeing "Slumdog" - her husband had been to India and said that it was an accurate depiction of what he saw there.
My Sunday School Class teacher mentioned it as well.
And since we are reading "When Helping Hurts" in that class, the idea of poverty alleviation is on the forefront of my mind and in my heart.
So R. ordered it on Netflix (they should probably sponsor me) and we watched it Sunday night.
Having had a steady diet of those slow-moving Black-and-White treasures for a number of years, I find that I am much more sensitive. Extreme violence, profanity, even extreme action all seem to assault my sensibilities. This movie assaulted my sensibilities.
I am put off by the filth Jamal Malik, the protagonist in this movie, endured.
Anarchy, hatred, little regard for human life or individual property - all these were rampant in his world.
It made me thankful to live in America. It made me thoughtful . . . this would be the result of a Godless America. This would be the result of the end of capitalism, individual freedoms, and the rights we take for granted but came to us as a result of God's grace.
Because R. and I are in a missions-focused Sunday School Class and for the better part of the past year, we have been surrounded by a "missionary next door" type of atmosphere. We have had missionaries visit the class often, we recently sent a family out to Guatemala, we have had constant updates from others. And because we believe that God has us immersed in all this information and teaching and these tales of adventures for a reason. . . . I wondered how I would feel, should I be suddenly dropped into a culture like the one on the screen before me.
It scared me.
Could I find a place in my heart for people of a culture for which I can find no common ground?
Could I love anyone portrayed on that screen? Or would I just be duped by their poverty, repulsed by their stench, or frightened by the apparent absence of God or anything like the old U.S. of A?
These questions haunted me throughout the movie and since.
I don't know the answer.
A point that is brought out in the book, "When Helping Hurts" , is that because we are all partakers of Adam's fall, we are all victims of the brokenness of sin. That sin effects not only our relationships but also the systems that are in place. Material poverty is just one of the by-products of the Fall.
But Christ has redeemed us. And the only way that poverty can truly be alleviated is by pointing people to His redemption, so that He can heal their brokenness and begin to heal the brokenness of the systems in place around them. In so doing, He truly changes the world.
I saw no redeeming factors portrayed in this movie.
Early in the film, Jamal and his older brother found themselves alone after their village was attacked and their mother killed.
As they slept in a makeshift tee pee on a trash heap, in the afternoon sun, a couple of fairly clean cut, well dressed men approached and offer them soft drinks.
My fear was that these men were out to abuse the boys in some way and I braced myself for more shocking images. But instead they took a number of the children to what appeared to be a peaceful compound filled with clean, happy children. They fed them.
And I thought - perhaps these are missionaries.
Soon I learned different. These Fagin-like miscreants meant to enrich themselves by using these children to beg on the streets.
There were no missionaries.
No peace. No safety.
What a scary world for a child.
That's scary for adults, too.
The movie has an honorable story line depicting true and selfless love.
But it troubled me.
There are people living in this paradise we call home that are no less hungry and frightened and empty and all alone than little Jamal Malik.
They need for someone to live redemption before them. Someone that will get engaged with them, where they are and explain the Kingdom of God with their lifestyle.
Where are the missionaries-next-door?
*Slumdog Millionaire -Warner Bros. 2008
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Along the Way
Here are some random things:
- Dave Ramsey recommended anything by Seth Godin this week, I made a mental note to check out his blog; then Kevin Lloyd had a Facebook post from Seth Godin so I went there and found this ... it is sobering and helps me to question my motivation for social media involvement.
- At long last, I have finally finished reading "Of Plymouth Colony" by William Bradford. I started reading this excellent chunk of history almost a year ago... hoping possibly to finish it around Thanksgiving Day since it chronicles the Puritans establishment of Plymouth in 1620. I really thought I would be mesmerized by the book and plow through it quickly... not so! It was a grind. Which is a good term for the experience of these noble fathers. I am amazed at their endurance and their dedication to God and to following Him wholly. They survived physical exposure to punishing elements ... lack of every necessity ... continual misrepresentations and miscommunication with sponsors in Europe ... constant attempts of graft, extortion, and various means employed against them to take advantage of them. Their honor remained pure.
- Having returned from a wonderful tropical long weekend at Fort Walton Beach, Florida last weekend; this weekend has been cold, damp and windy.... we have already initiated the fireplace...twice!
- R. and I watched "The Guns of Navaronne" with Gregory Peck on Netflix over the past couple of nights... last night, the kids joined us in time to watch the big Nazi guns get blown up and to cheer for the Allies.
- Our latest Netflix DVD is "Slumdog Millionnaire" ... I do not have high expectations based on the fact that it is in color and was produced after 1949... but still I have been told that the poverty displayed is something we need to see...
- My son - chip off the old block that he is - will do practically anything for a laugh. So at a Go -Kart track at Ft. Walton, I convinced him to pose for this picture....
he's a good sport, and I told him so.
- I have a dilemma of sorts, Ab wants to participate in some kind of "Green" fashion show in which people enter clothing made up of mostly recyclable material. Being convinced that the whole "man-made Global Warming Hoax" is just that - I am torn between not wanting to discourage her creativity and not wanting to promote the myth.
- Our cat "Angel"(of death)... brought us a chubby little mouse tonight and deposited it just outside the door.... I think that's how the Black Plague got started.
Political Intrigue
I like political intrigue.
In August, I enjoyed watching representatives sweat when grilled by common citizens.
I will be interested when all the arm-twisting and cajoling begins as the health care reform catastrophe comes to a vote.
As you know, I am reading s-l-o-w-l-y through the Old Testament - on purpose - and I have just finished a fairly interesting tale of political intrigue right there in the Bible.
As the Second Book of Samuel opens - change has come to God's Chosen People.
Israel's King Saul and all his immediate heirs have been killed in battle.
The tribe of Judah has broken away from the union and lined up behind their newly appointed king - David.
David - whom God called, anointed and destined to be King of Israel- is content with the slice of the leadership pie that God has granted him - the single tribe of Judah. He sets out to govern, waiting until God decides for him to rule the entire nation.
I like WWII history but I am fuzzy on the facts as far as events leading up to the war. One thing that I think is true regarding Japan, is that the military became very strong and usurped the power from the Emperor. The Emperor then became more or less a puppet of the military machine.
Whether that assumption is correct or not - that is precisely what happened in the land of Israel at this juncture. Abner - the man who had been Captain of the Host for King Saul, supposedly his most trusted com padre - held a tight grip on the nation.
He appointed one of Saul's sons - Ishobesheth - to reign in Saul's place (try repeating that name aloud a few times... it's kinda fun the way it rolls off your tongue "ISH -bo - SHETH".... now try explaining why you are repeating that name aloud to the other people in the room...).
The two kingdoms being established, it was time to do battle. I am not sure why but war broke out between Israel and the single tribe of Judah.
The war began like some summit out of the movie, "The Godfather". Abner arrives at a pool and Joab (the Captain of David's army of Judah) is seated on the other side.
These two guys appear to me to be cut from the same cloth. There are none more loyal to their respective kings than these two. They would kill instantly - and without a questioning blink - if their king demanded it.
(although I am somewhat doubtful of Abner, since his king had recently been killed in battle along with his sons and Abner emerged from the same battle seemingly unscathed)
At this summit, Abner and Joab presided over a weird bloodsport contest between 24 of their men - a fight to the death. And then the real battle ensued.
Judah's army won handily and as a testimony to the military leadership of David and the legendary skill of the Hebrew fighting forces - they lost 19 men compared to over 300 thousand on the Israeli side. That's remarkable.
Joab had a baby brother named Asahel. He was known for his speed. On that day of battle, as the Israelis retreated, Asahel took note of Abner and dogged his trail. Apparently, Asahel was traveling light so as to maintain his speed, because Abner turned to him and told him to step aside and suit up with some armor. Apparently Abner didn't feel right about fighting a guy wearing only nylon running shorts.
Asahel refused and would not turn away from his close pursuit of Abner. After several warnings were issued, Abner had had enough.
This war-weathered veteran against the hyper-zealot of a kid. Without even turning around - and seemingly with the effort one might exert to brush away a fly at a Sunday picnic - Abner thrust the blunt end of his spear through the lean body of Asahel. Asahel died right there.
It was shocking and unsettling but I think nearly any court would have cleared him.
Joab, however, did not see it as an open and shut case. He marked Abner for revenge.
The civil war raged for seven and one-half years. Israel's might diminished as Judah prevailed.
Abner saw the handwriting on the wall.
When the weak King Ishbosheth scolded Abner over some indiscretion regarding one of Saul's former concubines, Abner used the occasion to announce his departure to the other side.
Abner stormed out leaving a bewildered and fearful king.
Abner soon met with David and worked out a deal to yield the nation of Israel to David's rule. Joab learned of this meeting just after it had ended and Abner had left for home. He secretly sent messengers to say that King David had requested that Abner return.
When Abner returned, Joab got his revenge.
Without Abner there to protect him, Ishbosheth was soon murdered. And because David had acted honorably regarding the death of both Abner and Ishbosheth, the ruling elders of Israel requested to come under his rule.
David would reign another thirty-three years over the entire reconstructed nation of Israel.
Can we take a cue from David here?
He rested in God's promise to him - even when it looked as if the promise was falling short of his original expectations.... David waited.
David endured all the ugly political intrigue that was surrounding him and seemed to stand between him and God's perfect plan.
When he did receive the awaited promise - he did it with grace and without self-promotion.
There is a lot of political intrigue going on today in our world, and many people - including myself - find that they are extremely frustrated over it.
We feel powerless to bring back justice.
Let's take a cue from David and see above all of the ugly turmoil . . . above to our Sovereign Lord . . . and let's wait for Him.
In August, I enjoyed watching representatives sweat when grilled by common citizens.
I will be interested when all the arm-twisting and cajoling begins as the health care reform catastrophe comes to a vote.
As you know, I am reading s-l-o-w-l-y through the Old Testament - on purpose - and I have just finished a fairly interesting tale of political intrigue right there in the Bible.
As the Second Book of Samuel opens - change has come to God's Chosen People.
Israel's King Saul and all his immediate heirs have been killed in battle.
The tribe of Judah has broken away from the union and lined up behind their newly appointed king - David.
David - whom God called, anointed and destined to be King of Israel- is content with the slice of the leadership pie that God has granted him - the single tribe of Judah. He sets out to govern, waiting until God decides for him to rule the entire nation.
I like WWII history but I am fuzzy on the facts as far as events leading up to the war. One thing that I think is true regarding Japan, is that the military became very strong and usurped the power from the Emperor. The Emperor then became more or less a puppet of the military machine.
Whether that assumption is correct or not - that is precisely what happened in the land of Israel at this juncture. Abner - the man who had been Captain of the Host for King Saul, supposedly his most trusted com padre - held a tight grip on the nation.
He appointed one of Saul's sons - Ishobesheth - to reign in Saul's place (try repeating that name aloud a few times... it's kinda fun the way it rolls off your tongue "ISH -bo - SHETH".... now try explaining why you are repeating that name aloud to the other people in the room...).
The two kingdoms being established, it was time to do battle. I am not sure why but war broke out between Israel and the single tribe of Judah.
The war began like some summit out of the movie, "The Godfather". Abner arrives at a pool and Joab (the Captain of David's army of Judah) is seated on the other side.
These two guys appear to me to be cut from the same cloth. There are none more loyal to their respective kings than these two. They would kill instantly - and without a questioning blink - if their king demanded it.
(although I am somewhat doubtful of Abner, since his king had recently been killed in battle along with his sons and Abner emerged from the same battle seemingly unscathed)
At this summit, Abner and Joab presided over a weird bloodsport contest between 24 of their men - a fight to the death. And then the real battle ensued.
Judah's army won handily and as a testimony to the military leadership of David and the legendary skill of the Hebrew fighting forces - they lost 19 men compared to over 300 thousand on the Israeli side. That's remarkable.
Joab had a baby brother named Asahel. He was known for his speed. On that day of battle, as the Israelis retreated, Asahel took note of Abner and dogged his trail. Apparently, Asahel was traveling light so as to maintain his speed, because Abner turned to him and told him to step aside and suit up with some armor. Apparently Abner didn't feel right about fighting a guy wearing only nylon running shorts.
Asahel refused and would not turn away from his close pursuit of Abner. After several warnings were issued, Abner had had enough.
This war-weathered veteran against the hyper-zealot of a kid. Without even turning around - and seemingly with the effort one might exert to brush away a fly at a Sunday picnic - Abner thrust the blunt end of his spear through the lean body of Asahel. Asahel died right there.
It was shocking and unsettling but I think nearly any court would have cleared him.
Joab, however, did not see it as an open and shut case. He marked Abner for revenge.
The civil war raged for seven and one-half years. Israel's might diminished as Judah prevailed.
Abner saw the handwriting on the wall.
When the weak King Ishbosheth scolded Abner over some indiscretion regarding one of Saul's former concubines, Abner used the occasion to announce his departure to the other side.
Abner stormed out leaving a bewildered and fearful king.
Abner soon met with David and worked out a deal to yield the nation of Israel to David's rule. Joab learned of this meeting just after it had ended and Abner had left for home. He secretly sent messengers to say that King David had requested that Abner return.
When Abner returned, Joab got his revenge.
Without Abner there to protect him, Ishbosheth was soon murdered. And because David had acted honorably regarding the death of both Abner and Ishbosheth, the ruling elders of Israel requested to come under his rule.
David would reign another thirty-three years over the entire reconstructed nation of Israel.
Can we take a cue from David here?
He rested in God's promise to him - even when it looked as if the promise was falling short of his original expectations.... David waited.
David endured all the ugly political intrigue that was surrounding him and seemed to stand between him and God's perfect plan.
When he did receive the awaited promise - he did it with grace and without self-promotion.
There is a lot of political intrigue going on today in our world, and many people - including myself - find that they are extremely frustrated over it.
We feel powerless to bring back justice.
Let's take a cue from David and see above all of the ugly turmoil . . . above to our Sovereign Lord . . . and let's wait for Him.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Stuff I'm Done With
Pardon my grammar - my daughter, Ab, has taken to correcting it quite frequently so I am offering this mea culpa beforehand for the title I selected for this post.
I am adding this as a category title also.
Sam Walton, founder of the Walmart chain, called it "voting with your feet": it's the act of walking away from something when you find it unresponsive, unsatisfactory, or undesirable.
My Dad had a similar phrase for it. It was one which he would mutter loudly as he and our family walked out of an establishment that offered less than satisfactory service. In those cases Dad would say "Remind me not to come here again!"
He actually never needed reminding but you get the point: Dad was voting with his feet.
R. and I have employed this practice several times; I am going to share some of them with you even though I know that many of my readers will find my reasoning silly (okay, I'm guessing three of the four readers will find my reasoning silly).
This stems from the fact that I am at the point of adding the National Football League to my list of Stuff I'm Done With. I will explain later, but for now here are a few items I have voted against by walking away from:
Cable TV - actually I am kinda' proud of the fact that R. and I made a decision together to turn in our cable box about a dozen years ago. We had a number of reasons - like the fact that our monthly cost had doubled but the quality of the programming had declined. The local cable company kept adding more channels when they increased our rates but the channels were mindless shopping channels.
We also felt that from a spiritual standpoint, it might do us good to do away with the clutter.
We left ourselves open to the option of installing a satellite dish if we just couldn't take it - we never did.
Our kids have grown up "without channels" as AA refers to it. They have missed out on being inundated with questionable moral messages, the tendency to fill empty time with so much empty inactivity, and the Siren's Song of irresponsible marketing practices.
Our kids may have also missed out on some pop culture and reality television, but I really think they can get more than enough pop culture on the internet - in small doses.
R. and I can get most any entertainment or news there also.
Disney - okay this is where I will lose a lot of you . . . when the Baptists boycotted Disney in the mid 90's we did too. And we did it for some good reasons, Disney had built an industry around safe, family entertainment and suddenly they veered away from that. We voted with our feet and determined not to spend our money there.
It helped that we didn't have very much expendable cash at the time and we didn't have any children begging us to take them to Disney world.
In all fairness, I have to tell you that we did eventually purchase some Disney movies (and still do) and we may take the kids to Disney world at some point. But having gone this long - we don't feel that we have missed anything truly important.
I must add that I couldn't care less if you take your kids to Disney. Not going did not make us better people - nor did it make us weird.
Professional Baseball and Football - having touched the proverbial "third rail" with that Disney thing, I will go ahead and plunge into an area that will have some people questioning my very manhood.
I have walked away from the diehard-fan approach to these professional sports. Here is why:
I am not a fan of Labor Unions. I think they might have served an honorable purpose -maybe - long ago. But I believe they outlived their usefulness and -for the most part- have become the epitome of corruption.
I believe that the failure of the U.S. auto industry can be laid solidly at the feet of Labor. And for that matter you could say the same for the economic depression that is the state of Michigan.
Nowhere is the uselessness of organized Labor more evident than in professional sports.
I think it was the mid to late 80's that we had a Baseball players strike and an NFL players' association strike.
I'm sorry, I do not believe these guys were beaten down by their employers. I fell out with both organizations because they had proven that their devotion no longer centered on the love of the game.
Couple that with the fact that no one seemed to want to be a role model anymore; and professional teams were cow-towing to every demand of the political correctness crowd.
Now, I need to tell you that over time I have not been solid in my protest. When the Atlanta Falcons did well, I saw some revival of my interest. But then R. and I began dating and eventually married and frankly I just had better things to do with my Sunday afternoons.
When the Atlanta Braves' Dynasty began to come into fruition in the early 90's I did become a solid and dedicated Braves fan. But now that their glory is fading somewhat - I am a fair weather fan.
Todays' headlines have pushed me over the - I'm done with that - edge.
Today I heard that Rush Limbaugh had been kicked out of his partnership in a bid to purchase the Ram's franchise.
I am a fan of Rush Limbaugh. I have been ever since the early days of Gulf War I when I was wildly searching every radio channel in hopes of learning more about our progress in that war.
All the other affiliates had left the latest news conference as I listened one day while traveling between my sales calls; then suddenly I happened upon this guy who was talking about the war. I soon discovered that he was coming from a strictly conservative political perspective, and he was articulate, confident and funny.
I became a fan because he passionately espoused the things that I believed in.
Whether you like him or not, Rush Limbaugh is a truly American Success story and he has overcome some major obstacles (including being a political target of Presidents and the U.S. Congress).
Now he is being denied this opportunity strictly because of his political beliefs.
I thought we didn't do that in America. Isn't that discrimination?
So, even though the deal never officially got into the hands of the NFL, I have decided that I'm done with the whole lot of them.
And in case you are worried that I won't have anything to do with all the extra time that I have now . . . oddly enough, I do.
I am adding this as a category title also.
Sam Walton, founder of the Walmart chain, called it "voting with your feet": it's the act of walking away from something when you find it unresponsive, unsatisfactory, or undesirable.
My Dad had a similar phrase for it. It was one which he would mutter loudly as he and our family walked out of an establishment that offered less than satisfactory service. In those cases Dad would say "Remind me not to come here again!"
He actually never needed reminding but you get the point: Dad was voting with his feet.
R. and I have employed this practice several times; I am going to share some of them with you even though I know that many of my readers will find my reasoning silly (okay, I'm guessing three of the four readers will find my reasoning silly).
This stems from the fact that I am at the point of adding the National Football League to my list of Stuff I'm Done With. I will explain later, but for now here are a few items I have voted against by walking away from:
Cable TV - actually I am kinda' proud of the fact that R. and I made a decision together to turn in our cable box about a dozen years ago. We had a number of reasons - like the fact that our monthly cost had doubled but the quality of the programming had declined. The local cable company kept adding more channels when they increased our rates but the channels were mindless shopping channels.
We also felt that from a spiritual standpoint, it might do us good to do away with the clutter.
We left ourselves open to the option of installing a satellite dish if we just couldn't take it - we never did.
Our kids have grown up "without channels" as AA refers to it. They have missed out on being inundated with questionable moral messages, the tendency to fill empty time with so much empty inactivity, and the Siren's Song of irresponsible marketing practices.
Our kids may have also missed out on some pop culture and reality television, but I really think they can get more than enough pop culture on the internet - in small doses.
R. and I can get most any entertainment or news there also.
Disney - okay this is where I will lose a lot of you . . . when the Baptists boycotted Disney in the mid 90's we did too. And we did it for some good reasons, Disney had built an industry around safe, family entertainment and suddenly they veered away from that. We voted with our feet and determined not to spend our money there.
It helped that we didn't have very much expendable cash at the time and we didn't have any children begging us to take them to Disney world.
In all fairness, I have to tell you that we did eventually purchase some Disney movies (and still do) and we may take the kids to Disney world at some point. But having gone this long - we don't feel that we have missed anything truly important.
I must add that I couldn't care less if you take your kids to Disney. Not going did not make us better people - nor did it make us weird.
Professional Baseball and Football - having touched the proverbial "third rail" with that Disney thing, I will go ahead and plunge into an area that will have some people questioning my very manhood.
I have walked away from the diehard-fan approach to these professional sports. Here is why:
I am not a fan of Labor Unions. I think they might have served an honorable purpose -maybe - long ago. But I believe they outlived their usefulness and -for the most part- have become the epitome of corruption.
I believe that the failure of the U.S. auto industry can be laid solidly at the feet of Labor. And for that matter you could say the same for the economic depression that is the state of Michigan.
Nowhere is the uselessness of organized Labor more evident than in professional sports.
I think it was the mid to late 80's that we had a Baseball players strike and an NFL players' association strike.
I'm sorry, I do not believe these guys were beaten down by their employers. I fell out with both organizations because they had proven that their devotion no longer centered on the love of the game.
Couple that with the fact that no one seemed to want to be a role model anymore; and professional teams were cow-towing to every demand of the political correctness crowd.
Now, I need to tell you that over time I have not been solid in my protest. When the Atlanta Falcons did well, I saw some revival of my interest. But then R. and I began dating and eventually married and frankly I just had better things to do with my Sunday afternoons.
When the Atlanta Braves' Dynasty began to come into fruition in the early 90's I did become a solid and dedicated Braves fan. But now that their glory is fading somewhat - I am a fair weather fan.
Todays' headlines have pushed me over the - I'm done with that - edge.
Today I heard that Rush Limbaugh had been kicked out of his partnership in a bid to purchase the Ram's franchise.
I am a fan of Rush Limbaugh. I have been ever since the early days of Gulf War I when I was wildly searching every radio channel in hopes of learning more about our progress in that war.
All the other affiliates had left the latest news conference as I listened one day while traveling between my sales calls; then suddenly I happened upon this guy who was talking about the war. I soon discovered that he was coming from a strictly conservative political perspective, and he was articulate, confident and funny.
I became a fan because he passionately espoused the things that I believed in.
Whether you like him or not, Rush Limbaugh is a truly American Success story and he has overcome some major obstacles (including being a political target of Presidents and the U.S. Congress).
Now he is being denied this opportunity strictly because of his political beliefs.
I thought we didn't do that in America. Isn't that discrimination?
So, even though the deal never officially got into the hands of the NFL, I have decided that I'm done with the whole lot of them.
And in case you are worried that I won't have anything to do with all the extra time that I have now . . . oddly enough, I do.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Fall Break
We are settling in at an Inn in Destin, Florida. I think this is the first time since our children have been having "fall-breaks" that we have actually used one to take a little trip.
We had an interesting ride in, I thought I would share a few things with you:
We had an enjoyable drive, Ab and AA are old enough to need entertainment, but young enough to find some adventure in a long road trip.
I have been praying for us this trip, that we will not only be safe and blessed - but more than that - that God's plan will be accomplished in us. That He will be glorified and we will each be open to the changes He wants to make in us.
We want Him to emphasize the create part in recreation.
We had an interesting ride in, I thought I would share a few things with you:
- We found some towns with interesting names like Opp, Luverne and Andalusia. Our reservations do not begin until tomorrow and we almost stayed in a town called Shalimar.
- We passed the "It Don't Matter" family restaurant and it appeared to be a fairly nice establishment - however I could see a "trademark" excuse that might be used by any of the employees i.e. "Hey, my steaks' not even been close to the fire and I ordered it well-done!" - "I understand sir, but you know around here it - "JUST DON'T MATTER"...
- We missed a golden opportunity to see a "Live Rattlesnake Display" in Opp - oddly enough, I couldn't convince my family to take the time for that.
- In addition, there were some towns with very amicable names like Niceville and Friendship.
- In Montgomery, Alabama, I was both thrilled and saddened... there were guys wearing pink and black sandwich-board signs at busy intersections. The signs proclaimed that the Flea Market was Going out of Business. . . about the time that I recognized the name - Mongomery Flea Market - I saw the huge edifice to my right and realized that it truly is "like-a....like-a... it's like-a-mini-mall!"
If that last one doesn't make sense to you then you may have missed this commercial that circulated a little while back:
We had an enjoyable drive, Ab and AA are old enough to need entertainment, but young enough to find some adventure in a long road trip.
I have been praying for us this trip, that we will not only be safe and blessed - but more than that - that God's plan will be accomplished in us. That He will be glorified and we will each be open to the changes He wants to make in us.
We want Him to emphasize the create part in recreation.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Status Check
R. and I have been in a transitional phase for at least the past year. I thought I should take a few moments and catch you up.
We became somehow - discontent - with where we were. I had led a teaching about two years ago that surrounded the "daughters of Zelophehad" from Numbers 27. These girls were discontent with their plight because their father had died, leaving no sons - and they were not being allowed to receive his heritage.
They took their problem to Moses, who took it the case to God and God said they had spoken right.
I think that's when I fully realized that discontentment is okay with God, when we take that discontentment to Him.
That and many other things eventually led us to leave a church fellowship that we have been involved with for over 25 years (for me, a little less for R.).
We have been involved in a church for the past year that is strong in Reformed Theology. . . this is very different for us since our roots tend more toward Armenian Theology and Pentecostalism.
It is a major culture shift.
We think that the fact that things are so very different has been a positive thing for us - it has made us more sensitive and we listen more.
As R.'s blog points out, we are a "Work In Progress" so we do not know where God is taking us ultimately, but we are finding new interests - new possibilities.
Our Sunday School class is studying Fikkert and Corbett's "When Helping Hurts" - this book is really challenging the way I think about poverty alleviation and even more than that - it's challenging me on the fact that I am not very engaged with people. If I help someone, I want to get it over with as quickly as possible and with as little inconvenience to me as possible.
I believe there are things God wants to change about me and He is bringing me around to the point that I will be open to that change.
The changes that have gone on for us are having a positive impact on R. as well and I think the Reform theology's worldview is effecting our kids.
The changes are hard and may have been misunderstood by folks that are dear to us. I am still working through these things, but God has truly blessed us to bring us into some new places at this stage in our walk.
We are excitedly awaiting His next step.
We became somehow - discontent - with where we were. I had led a teaching about two years ago that surrounded the "daughters of Zelophehad" from Numbers 27. These girls were discontent with their plight because their father had died, leaving no sons - and they were not being allowed to receive his heritage.
They took their problem to Moses, who took it the case to God and God said they had spoken right.
I think that's when I fully realized that discontentment is okay with God, when we take that discontentment to Him.
That and many other things eventually led us to leave a church fellowship that we have been involved with for over 25 years (for me, a little less for R.).
We have been involved in a church for the past year that is strong in Reformed Theology. . . this is very different for us since our roots tend more toward Armenian Theology and Pentecostalism.
It is a major culture shift.
We think that the fact that things are so very different has been a positive thing for us - it has made us more sensitive and we listen more.
As R.'s blog points out, we are a "Work In Progress" so we do not know where God is taking us ultimately, but we are finding new interests - new possibilities.
Our Sunday School class is studying Fikkert and Corbett's "When Helping Hurts" - this book is really challenging the way I think about poverty alleviation and even more than that - it's challenging me on the fact that I am not very engaged with people. If I help someone, I want to get it over with as quickly as possible and with as little inconvenience to me as possible.
I believe there are things God wants to change about me and He is bringing me around to the point that I will be open to that change.
The changes that have gone on for us are having a positive impact on R. as well and I think the Reform theology's worldview is effecting our kids.
The changes are hard and may have been misunderstood by folks that are dear to us. I am still working through these things, but God has truly blessed us to bring us into some new places at this stage in our walk.
We are excitedly awaiting His next step.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
More on Leadership
Leadership: It is painfully missing from the public scene these days.
That's one reason I wanted to focus somewhat on the leadership model of David of the Bible, as my journey took me through his life. I think David exemplifies godly leadership in many ways.
Some people may not feel that godly leadership should be applied universally. In other words, godly leadership is okay in some areas, like leadership in a church setting or maybe even leadership in the setting of the family - but in other areas, a more neutral leadership style is the best. Those areas may include business, politics, and civic organizations.
I disagree. I think godly leadership is the optimal choice in any situation - especially in business, politics and civic concerns. I believe that the American nation was built on it. In most cases, the great leaders of our history paid homage to God - some more openly than others. The truth is, whether they acknowledged it or not - and success was due solely to God's provision.
David led well because he followed well.
His defining character was that he was a "man after God's own heart".
His relationship with God affected him at every level:
That's one reason I wanted to focus somewhat on the leadership model of David of the Bible, as my journey took me through his life. I think David exemplifies godly leadership in many ways.
Some people may not feel that godly leadership should be applied universally. In other words, godly leadership is okay in some areas, like leadership in a church setting or maybe even leadership in the setting of the family - but in other areas, a more neutral leadership style is the best. Those areas may include business, politics, and civic organizations.
I disagree. I think godly leadership is the optimal choice in any situation - especially in business, politics and civic concerns. I believe that the American nation was built on it. In most cases, the great leaders of our history paid homage to God - some more openly than others. The truth is, whether they acknowledged it or not - and success was due solely to God's provision.
David led well because he followed well.
His defining character was that he was a "man after God's own heart".
His relationship with God affected him at every level:
- when he was a shepherd, he relied upon God to protect him and to enable him to do his job and protect his sheep.
- when he served King Saul - he again - relied upon God and followed Him as he saw his responsibilities escalated to the point of leading troops into battle. He followed when he served and he followed when he led.
- as an outlaw - leading a band of discontented men; misrepresented and misunderstood, still he followed God and led his militia to do likewise. When he had opportunities to obtain vindication, he waited, overlooking the spoil that lay before him; looking instead to the heart of the One he was following.
In the opening chapters of the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel, David is finally promoted to king. It's the thing he had been promised possibly ten torturous years earlier. Yet it is less than he may have hoped for. Israel is made up of twelve tribes - David became king of only one of them... the tribe of Judah.
Godly leadership is not about grabbing power. David demonstrated this in the grace with which he accepted the position of King of Judah.
One of his initial acts as King of Judah was to follow his consistent practice of giving honor to Saul - the man that had been God's anointed one.
David sent word to the men of Jabesh-Gilead that had risked everything to rescue the dead bodies of Saul and his noble son, Jonathan - and to give them a decent burial. To those men, he proclaimed honor for their noble service.
That's godly leadership. Always taking the "high road" and not for political expediency, but rather because of his allegiance to God.
Whatever happened to the "high road"?
And before I set too many standards for others, let me look inside my own house... even my own heart.
Am I really willing to take on whatever task God allows me to be involved with - even if it's demeaning - and view it as my service to Christ?
Would I really practice restraint, were I given the opportunity to "rain on my enemy's parade"?
And what about when the rewards start trickling in - success on some fronts - would I be willing to accept that with the grace and gratefulness that David displayed. Would I remember and keep the values that brought me to that spot?
Or would I begin to clutch the thing God had given to me so freely? Grasping it madly - as if my own strength had earned it and my own strength could hold it?
While clinging tightly, would I also grab for more?
The Goat Man
Who remembers the Goat Man?
A rough looking old man who traveled the country in a tattered wagon pulled by goats.
I sometimes have wondered if I really remembered him or if he was just an urban legend. But I do remember occasions in which Dad would come home from work and announce that the Goat man was in the area. After supper, we would ride to the outskirts of town, often at some abandoned or burned out building. There we would see a mass of cars parked near an old wagon.
My Dad and I approached the Goat Man a time or two but I don't remember ever talking with him.
Those times return to my memory from time to time.
So I googled him.
Click here to link to a website dedicated to the Goat Man if you are curious.
I would be interested in hearing any stories.
A rough looking old man who traveled the country in a tattered wagon pulled by goats.
I sometimes have wondered if I really remembered him or if he was just an urban legend. But I do remember occasions in which Dad would come home from work and announce that the Goat man was in the area. After supper, we would ride to the outskirts of town, often at some abandoned or burned out building. There we would see a mass of cars parked near an old wagon.
My Dad and I approached the Goat Man a time or two but I don't remember ever talking with him.
Those times return to my memory from time to time.
So I googled him.
Click here to link to a website dedicated to the Goat Man if you are curious.
I would be interested in hearing any stories.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Smith Hill
As I have emphasized (to ad-nauseum) lately, my means of achieving the long-term goal of giving my kids a healthy Dad - has taken the form of bicycling.
For almost a year now, I have been on a fairly regular regimen of physical exercise. It began with "running" with Ab last year in preparation for the "Pumpkin Run". Now AA has decided that he would like to take a stab at the "Pumpkin Run".
Anyway, earlier this summer, I moved from running (well - trotting) to bicycling. And in words similar to those of the prophet - "bicycling have I loved; but running have I hated".
My brother-in-law, who lives over the stone path and through a patch of woods away from me, has served as something of a cross between an inspiration and an antagonist throughout this "fitness" phase of my life. Neither of us are very competitive but he always seems to outrun me- and with much less heavy breathing. . . and he almost never does all the warm-up exercising and stretching things.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I like to ride on the Silver Comet Trail - which is not too far away, but I have also taken to riding over the country backroads near our home. About two months ago, my brother-in-law invested in a new road bike.
If it has some sort of qualifying superlative then that means its more special; so his is not a bicycle - its a road-bike.
I remember in the 70's when the banana-seated, low-riding, high- handle-bars bicycles suddenly went out of fashion and everyone was riding "10-speeds". Well that was a specialty bicycle for awhile but then there were higher grades of 10-speeds.
I once knew a guy that rode a Schwinn - how we envied him.
So my brother-in-law bought this specialty - road bike. I have not really made a big deal of the fact that my bicycle is a hybrid, but then again, I am not one to put on airs.
This road bike looks somewhat similar to an anorexic version of a 10-speed.
It has really skinny tires and a really skinny seat ... so much so that I warned him that if he hit a pothole, he would certainly have to have that bicycle surgically removed.
My brother-in-law didn't ride on our little country backroads when he had his Walmart bicycle. But now that he has this Greyhound-looking thing, he wants to ride with me.
So we ride, about three to four days a week.
And he is always ahead of me.
I complain about the hills; he complains about me complaining.... he just has some sort of weird aversion to coasting.
Tonight as we were riding and I was laboring up yet another hill - needing a small paper bag to breathe into - I realized that he and I are different.
He rides to complete the ride. I ride for the sake of the ride - the sheer enjoyment of it.
He barely notices when some mangy old Pit-Bull-wieler boroughs under it's fence and makes a mad dash for our ankles. . . but I take it all in.
I make it a point to "moo" at all the cows when we ride by - as they stare rudely. He almost never "moo's" at the cows.
I think about what it would be like to get forced off the road by oncoming cars and careen wildly down the sheer ravine beside us . . .
. . .I look ahead . . .
. . . way ahead - and see that while I don't know know what he's thinking - he's probably not thinking that.
And when I top one of those murderous hills . . . I want to meander for a moment. I struggled to the top, I deserve the right to lollygag aimlessly for a moment.... and try to breathe.
He hits the top and just keeps going.
Unless of course, he turns around and rides in circles a few moments because I have fallen woefully behind.
While we approach the ride very differently, I can tell you we both love what AA and I refer to as the "pay-off". I have taught him that when you have to climb a hill, just remember there is always a pay-off - that's the big ride downhill.
There is something very liberating about speeding down a big hill - the wind whistling, hair blowing - feet pumping at a remarkable rate of speed!
Nothing like the pay-off.
Tonight as I took the descent on our last big hill of the day, I remembered "Smith Hill" in Cedartown, Georgia.
Unless you lived in my neighborhood, you wouldn't know about Smith Hill, because the name of the road was actually "Hillside Drive". I am not sure why the kids in the neighborhood took to calling it Smith Hill - maybe someone named Smith lived there.
I just know that Smith Hill was something of a rite of passage. It was not for the novice. There was some legend about some girl that misused her hand brakes on Smith Hill - and flew over her handle-bars. You didn't dare risk it with training wheels. And when I got my Western Flyer with banana-seat and high handle-bars and a single hand brake to accompany my coaster brakes - I kept my right hand well clear of the hand-brake when going down Smith Hill - for fear of becoming another legend.
I have been back there since growing up and saw that Smith Hill was not as steep as other hills in the neighborhood - even the one in front of my house.... but it had a wide and smooth curve and it stretched out over about three blocks and you could get some real speed going down it!
The mysterious curve, the speed, and the stories about "handle-bar-girl" all just added to the mystic of that hill.
Tonight I felt a little of that "Smith Hill-thrill" .... and while my brother-in-law arrived at the destination well ahead of me - as usual -
- I wonder if his ride was worth as much as mine.
For almost a year now, I have been on a fairly regular regimen of physical exercise. It began with "running" with Ab last year in preparation for the "Pumpkin Run". Now AA has decided that he would like to take a stab at the "Pumpkin Run".
Anyway, earlier this summer, I moved from running (well - trotting) to bicycling. And in words similar to those of the prophet - "bicycling have I loved; but running have I hated".
My brother-in-law, who lives over the stone path and through a patch of woods away from me, has served as something of a cross between an inspiration and an antagonist throughout this "fitness" phase of my life. Neither of us are very competitive but he always seems to outrun me- and with much less heavy breathing. . . and he almost never does all the warm-up exercising and stretching things.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I like to ride on the Silver Comet Trail - which is not too far away, but I have also taken to riding over the country backroads near our home. About two months ago, my brother-in-law invested in a new road bike.
If it has some sort of qualifying superlative then that means its more special; so his is not a bicycle - its a road-bike.
I remember in the 70's when the banana-seated, low-riding, high- handle-bars bicycles suddenly went out of fashion and everyone was riding "10-speeds". Well that was a specialty bicycle for awhile but then there were higher grades of 10-speeds.
I once knew a guy that rode a Schwinn - how we envied him.
So my brother-in-law bought this specialty - road bike. I have not really made a big deal of the fact that my bicycle is a hybrid, but then again, I am not one to put on airs.
This road bike looks somewhat similar to an anorexic version of a 10-speed.
It has really skinny tires and a really skinny seat ... so much so that I warned him that if he hit a pothole, he would certainly have to have that bicycle surgically removed.
My brother-in-law didn't ride on our little country backroads when he had his Walmart bicycle. But now that he has this Greyhound-looking thing, he wants to ride with me.
So we ride, about three to four days a week.
And he is always ahead of me.
I complain about the hills; he complains about me complaining.... he just has some sort of weird aversion to coasting.
Tonight as we were riding and I was laboring up yet another hill - needing a small paper bag to breathe into - I realized that he and I are different.
He rides to complete the ride. I ride for the sake of the ride - the sheer enjoyment of it.
He barely notices when some mangy old Pit-Bull-wieler boroughs under it's fence and makes a mad dash for our ankles. . . but I take it all in.
I make it a point to "moo" at all the cows when we ride by - as they stare rudely. He almost never "moo's" at the cows.
I think about what it would be like to get forced off the road by oncoming cars and careen wildly down the sheer ravine beside us . . .
. . .I look ahead . . .
. . . way ahead - and see that while I don't know know what he's thinking - he's probably not thinking that.
And when I top one of those murderous hills . . . I want to meander for a moment. I struggled to the top, I deserve the right to lollygag aimlessly for a moment.... and try to breathe.
He hits the top and just keeps going.
Unless of course, he turns around and rides in circles a few moments because I have fallen woefully behind.
While we approach the ride very differently, I can tell you we both love what AA and I refer to as the "pay-off". I have taught him that when you have to climb a hill, just remember there is always a pay-off - that's the big ride downhill.
There is something very liberating about speeding down a big hill - the wind whistling, hair blowing - feet pumping at a remarkable rate of speed!
Nothing like the pay-off.
Tonight as I took the descent on our last big hill of the day, I remembered "Smith Hill" in Cedartown, Georgia.
Unless you lived in my neighborhood, you wouldn't know about Smith Hill, because the name of the road was actually "Hillside Drive". I am not sure why the kids in the neighborhood took to calling it Smith Hill - maybe someone named Smith lived there.
I just know that Smith Hill was something of a rite of passage. It was not for the novice. There was some legend about some girl that misused her hand brakes on Smith Hill - and flew over her handle-bars. You didn't dare risk it with training wheels. And when I got my Western Flyer with banana-seat and high handle-bars and a single hand brake to accompany my coaster brakes - I kept my right hand well clear of the hand-brake when going down Smith Hill - for fear of becoming another legend.
I have been back there since growing up and saw that Smith Hill was not as steep as other hills in the neighborhood - even the one in front of my house.... but it had a wide and smooth curve and it stretched out over about three blocks and you could get some real speed going down it!
The mysterious curve, the speed, and the stories about "handle-bar-girl" all just added to the mystic of that hill.
Tonight I felt a little of that "Smith Hill-thrill" .... and while my brother-in-law arrived at the destination well ahead of me - as usual -
- I wonder if his ride was worth as much as mine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)