When You’ve Seen the End of the Story

Those that really know me would agree that I like fantasy fiction (Lord of the Rings et.al.) but they may not know my dirty little secret. I like to read ahead to make sure that a character isn’t going to die. Whereas my wife hates spoilers, I will purposely look them up. Like who’s going to win Top Chef this season kind of peeking.  Kind of cheating I guess. Still, I am smart enough not to say anything. Not because I don’t like spoilers, but because I would like to eat something besides my own cooking. (If I have to explain, don’t ask.)

For a Christian though, it is a necessity. Jesus reassured us that the end is already written and that He has overcome. Without that assurance, I don’t think many of us could carry on. Knowing that heaven is assured and good will overcome evil allows us to serve Him no matter the cost. Paul said “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Knowing our final future removes the fear of death. And that’s what Jesus did.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15 NIV

This kind of thinking, Kingdom Mindedness does not fit in very well will this current world’s philosophy. In fact, they basically think were crazy.

Case in point. The Modesto area has a rich history of Dutch immigrants, many of who are descendants of the Dutch Anabaptists. They did not choose this name willingly. It came as a slander from their enemies. Although I don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye with them in all of their practices, I guess in some form I would be called an Anabaptist too.  An account from 1569 recently caught my eye. Dirk Willems lived in what is now the Netherlands during a time where they were governed over by The Holy Roman Empire (AKA the Catholic Church.) The Catholic church and many of the local protestant groups where practicing infant baptism. Dirk and others were considered Anabaptists because they believed you should be baptized after a pledge of faith in Christ, not as a baby. Because if this and because he had helped others to be “rebaptized”, he was tortured and jailed. Here’s where the unusual mindset occurs. He fashioned a rope of rags and escaped through a window. Unfortunately he is spotted, and the “catcher” is sent after him. He made his way across a small frozen lake and because he was thin from his meager prison rations, manages to not break the ice. His pursuer however, was not so lucky. The jailor fell through the ice and was in peril of drowning. Dirk, the godly man that he was, could not let go of Christ’s admonition, “Love your enemies”, and so went back and pulled him out. The man did not want to arrest Dirk, but at the chastening of the burgomaster (kind of like the mayor) to “remember his oaths”, he was rearrested and brought back to trial. Because of his confession of rebaptism, his crime aiding and abetting others to get rebaptized, and his unwillingness to recant, he was sentenced to be burned at the stake. He was executed the 16, of May, 1569, a long and torturous ordeal I might add. You can read about it here. https://anabaptistfaith.org/dirk-willems/

What I found so interesting were people’s comments about his actions. Most thought he was unwise, nay stupid, for saving the guards life. Phrases like, “He was the enemy. You never help the enemy” abounded. Some used the old adage, “No good deed goes unpunished”. Very few thought it was a noble gesture.

Dirk Willems did not fear death. What he feared was doing the wrong thing - disobeying the commands of Christ. I think he knew if he went back, that would be the end. Yet he did. We are not told what happened to the guard. I’m sure he thought long and hard about what Dirk had done. Will we meet him in heaven? There’s no way to be sure. At least Dirk’s sacrifice gave him another day to think about it.

No, like Dirk, we shouldn’t fear death. Not because we are stupid, but because we have read to the end of the story, and we know who wins.

When the Story Doesn’t End (But Should!)

The last two posts about stories were looking at timelines that had reached their finale. This one takes it in the other direction. For some reason over the last week or so, I have been bombarded with memories of past mishaps, failures, and many the times I have let people down. They mostly started in the form of dream events. But once you start rehearsing the past, it has a way of continuing in your thoughts. To be honest, none of them are the Earth-shattering things that you would think would haunt your dreams, but none the less, if you dwell on them, they can get you down. The time in 1^st grade that I led the group in “Chicken Little” too far to the side of the stage so that some of them were running into the curtain. (In my defense, I was the understudy so I never really got to practice.) Or the time the speaker system I had borrowed for homecoming music wasn’t good enough. Not “being a fit” for the job I was in. The time I forgot some equipment on a camping trip. Pressing “buy”, and then realizing I had checked $100 instead of $10. And on and on.

None of these were really that important. So why was it bothering me? I’ve tried to narrow down the causes and here’s what I came up with.

1. It is a direct attack of Satan because I’m getting too spiritual. Ya, don’t think so.

2. I have some deep trauma that I need to face through regression therapy. Serious doubt it. 

3. It was the pizza. Ok, could be part of it, but kinda shallow.

4. We are all in a spiritual battle with the forces of this world, and as long as I focus on what’s wrong with me, I’m not much good for helping others.  There, now I think we are getting somewhere.

My wife and I have a passion for the homeless and under-resourced in our area. I do notice a correlation between successes at the ministry we volunteer at and the spiritual battles we face. We have seen some great life changing stories lately.  I really get the feeling that the side of spiritual wickedness does not like this.

I think the Apostle Paul went through the same thing. And he had some major regrets. He had persecuted Christians in Jerusalem and beyond. He had tried to destroy the early Church. He had consented to the death of Stephen, and was there when it happened. I’m sure he battled with memories from the past.

So how did he handle it? Philippians 3:13-14 says: Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. NIV

Because of God’s wonderful forgiveness, we are allowed the luxury of forgetting the past and it’s failures and looking forward to the end of the race that really matters. If Paul, who called himself “the least of the Apostles” can do it, we can too. Let us leave out past failures at the foot of the cross and continue ahead to hear that “Well Done” at the end of the race. The past is past, unchangeable, to be learned from but not dwelled on. It’s what we do now, today, that can change those around us and possibly, even the world. Let it go. Press on soldier, press on!

Going Nowhere Fast

 Most of us have been in situations where we realize that no matter what we do, the forward progress seems to come to a grinding halt. It’s 3 steps forward, two steps back. It’s spinning your wheels. My dad used to call it going nowhere fast. I experience this recently at 6^th grade science camp. Most of the time the students were running full steam ahead, mostly because they were doing things that they already knew and were already good at. They ran. They played games. They snacked. Then there was kayaking.

I found myself riding with a very inexperienced 6^th grader who, through no fault of their own, knew absolutely nothing about kayaking, let alone how to steer while paddling. I found myself surrounded by students vigorously trying to get across the water, yet going in circles or accidentally ramming into one another and myself. Again, not their fault. For most of them it was their first time in a boat, let alone a kayak that they were supposed to move in a specific direction. This is one of those situations where you really shouldn’t take life too seriously. You try to explain, demonstrate, cheer, and hope for the best. Needless to say, I did most of the heavy lifting on this one. We were going nowhere fast, but we were having fun, well I guess most of us were.

So what is your response when you feel like you are spinning your wheels? It’s taken me many years, but I have grown to understand that when this happens, you need to look for a cause. Sometimes we will just find out we’re doing it wrong. But as a believer in “divine appointments” - those times where God has put you in the right spot, at the right time, with the right tools to be a help to someone. I’ve noticed that very often, if you really pay attention, there is someone or something that God wants you to notice. It might be a situation that is totally unrelated to you current predicament that He desires you to notice. Call it a side-line if you will, but it might just be the best thing you do all day. It could be a need, a project, or a hurting person. It just might be that God needed to slow you down from you 90 mph day so that it/they would get your attention.  So if you ever have that feeling of going nowhere fast, try this.

1. Stop and take notice. Are you doing something wrong, or is there someone in need.

2. Pray that God would guide you to where you need to be, both physically and in your awareness around you.

3. Look for those “divine appointments”. They happen more often than you think.

4. Leave those people and places you touch that day a little better for you being there.

5. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. (And don’t argue with him in your head. You will find out that God also has a sense of humor.)

It takes being in the moment, being aware of what is happening around us. It takes a little work on our part, but being someone’s hero for the day is a great place to end up. It might just help you stop spinning your own wheels and get you on with your day – only this time with a smile on your face. 

When The Story Ends (part 2)

Yesterday we went to a Celebration of Life for my wife’s aunt and uncle. He passed away a couple years ago, but they wanted to have the celebration for them together when she passed. It seems that I am at a point in my life where I am losing friends faster than I am making new ones. This probably isn’t true, but it feels like it.

It wasn’t really a sad time; they both lived into their 80s and had a good life. It just isn’t the same without them. Their youngest son gave a wonderful life summary. As crazy as he is, he has always been good with words. He ended with a quote from, of all people, Dr. Seuss.

On the surface, Dr. Seuss is known for a collection of children’s books that are silly, thoughtful, fanciful, outrageous, and educational, all at the same time. Some books like Green Eggs and Ham are just plain silly. I am told that book was written as a challenge to use only certain words given to him. But others taught us about prejudice (Sneetches) care for nature (The Lorax) forgiveness & redemption (How the Grinch Stole Christmas) and even counting & colors (1Fish 2 Fish). There was much more to the man than is seen on the surface.

The quote he used was “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” It’s an amazing little quote if you really ponder it. Things end. Situations change. If we dwell on the loss, we will always be sad. Today was the last day of this year’s work season for me at the State Park. It will be strange not working, but oh the stories I have from this year! It is in remembering the fun times, the journeys, the serendipitous happenings, were we can smile and be glad we were part of it. Grieving is a part of healing. But don’t settle there. Take time to recall the joy, the laughter, and the triumphs in the season you just finished. Many times what seems to be extreme chaos looks totally different when viewed from the hindsight vantage point. Take time to reflect, admire, and appreciate where you have been. God promises the journey will be worthwhile.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good

of those who love him, who  have been

called according to his purpose.”  

Romans 8:28 NIV

When the Story Ends

Have you ever had a book with a story so inviting, so captivating, that you struggle to put it down? I have a student in one of my classes that is never seen without his book. I joked with him today when I had to ask him to put it away during science class that "I know his pain". There have been times that a book is so intriguing that I struggled to put it down. I would think about it as I did other chores. Sometimes I might even dream about it. Books can be amazing, how they can captivate the mind. Yet there was one moment that I always dreaded - The end of the book. Oh, I was glad the hero finally won, that there was plot resolution, and that the evil characters had been thwarted. But there was also that feeling of sadness that it was all finished. It sounds silly, and it may be a reason that I really enjoy book series, but it is still a real thing.

And that’s how I am feeling now. Once again, life’s relentless forward motion has gained another of my friends. Two days ago, one of our volunteers at the homeless and under-resourced ministry we help at, passed away. Louis was a joy to be around. He and his wife really needed the groceries, meals, extras that we gave out every week. But I think he came mostly because he wanted to help. He would always be there on Wednesdays to help pack and hand out groceries. He would sing the songs with a gusto usually reserved for worship leaders. One of his favorite songs was “Oh There’s Nothing Better Than You”. He would say the verse of the month almost every time we met. You could get a $10 gift card to the Dollar Store if you could quote it from memory. You can only get one gift card a month, but that never stopped him. He would even help others, especially children, learn it. I don’t think I ever saw him complain. Even though he had lost part of his leg to an infection, he always had a smile and something good to say.

And now he’s gone. His story with us has ended. But it’s really not The End. He has started a whole new story. Happily, this one will last a good while! For eternity! God speed Louis! Save a spot at the table for us!

Have you ever had a book with a story so inviting, so captivating, that you struggle to put it down? I have a student in one of my classes that is never seen without his book. I joked with him today when I had to ask him to put it away during science class that "I know his pain". There have been times that a book is so intriguing that I struggled to put it down. I would think about it as I did other chores. Sometimes I might even dream about it. Books can be amazing, how they can captivate the mind. Yet there was one moment that I always dreaded - The end of the book. Oh, I was glad the hero finally won, that there was plot resolution, and that the evil characters had been thwarted. But there was also that feeling of sadness that it was all finished. It sounds silly, and it may be a reason that I really enjoy book series, but it is still a real thing.

And that’s how I am feeling now. Once again, life’s relentless forward motion has gained another of my friends. Two days ago, one of our volunteers at the homeless and under-resourced ministry we help at, passed away. Louis was a joy to be around. He and his wife really needed the groceries, meals, extras that we gave out every week. But I think he came mostly because he wanted to help. He would always be there on Wednesdays to help pack and hand out groceries. He would sing the songs with a gusto usually reserved for worship leaders. One of his favorite songs was “Oh There’s Nothing Better Than You”. He would say the verse of the month almost every time we met. You could get a $10 gift card to the Dollar Store if you could quote it from memory. You can only get one gift card a month, but that never stopped him. He would even help others, especially children, learn it. I don’t think I ever saw him complain. Even though he had lost part of his leg to an infection, he always had a smile and something good to say.

And now he’s gone. His story with us has ended. But it’s really not The End. He has started a whole new story. Happily, this one will last a good while! For eternity! God speed Louis! Save a spot at the table for us!

There’s Not an App for That

 We live in a world that is changing quickly. In my lifetime I have seen the telephone go from a wall hung device that you had to rotary dial (oh, and Google “party line” sometime) to a pocket friend who can find anyone on your list with just a voice command. When I was in grade school, if I wanted to find my friends, I road my bike to various locations and searched. When I found the other bikes, I knew where everyone was. Now they can send me their location by dropping a pin on a virtual map. Speaking of maps, we all used to have various maps in the glove compartment of the car. Funny, I never ever remember finding gloves in there. When we were first married, my wife liked to plan these awesome summer road trips for the kids. She had this ginormous atlas (her word not mine) that covered the whole United States. It would have pencil tracings, towns and locations circled, and even notes in some places. Now we just type in an address and Seri tells us how to do the rest.

It seems that now there is an app for anything you need. Need insurance? There’s an app for that. Need a discount coupon? There’s an app for that too. My phone is filled with little apps to do all the little things I want to do. From email to Big Box stores, theme parks to current weather, there’s an app for that.

And that’s where the problem occurs. Apps are fine for the mundane, trivial, and inconsequential parts of our lives. Yes, they do often make things easier. but they can often get in the way of what’s really important. Relationships are still build on day to day personal communication, trust, and commitment to growing together. Husbands and wives need to be able to communicate without distractions. Our children need to know that they are more important than technology. They need us to listen. There’s no app for that. Our relationship with God is not something you can put into an app. A schedule can be a reminder, but it is still up to us to pray, search the scriptures, and meditate on spiritual things as we worship with single-hearted devotion with our Creator. No, there’s no app that can cover that. Just the Scriptures, a lot of prayer, & Jesus. So use the apps, by all means. Just don’t forget 

National Read a Book Day

 

Today is National Read a Book Day. So when was the last time you read a book? For children, it is not as big of an issue. They still have book time in their school schedules. Even those too young to read usually don’t have trouble finding someone to read to them. I mean, what grandparent doesn’t want to read their grandchildren a book? It’s part of what we do.

I remember when the Harry Potter books came out. Everyone was talking about them. People ordered them months ahead or stood in line for hours to get one. I casually ignored it, like water off a duck’s back. Then the first movie came out and I did find it interesting. I think I liked the creatures best. One of my 7^th grade students, Sarah,  was a huge fan so we often talked about it at break or other times. Her father was a good friend and our school IT guy so even we sometimes talked about it. She said that the movies missed so much, as movies often do. I was encouraged to read the books. I laughed and told her that I had no intention of buying a whole set of children’s books. The kind, young student that she was, she offered to loan me the books so I could read them. I read the first book in about a week and a half. Slow by her standards, but not bad for a science teacher who had to shuffle around time slots to read and still grade papers. Then I read the second and the third. By the time Christmas rolled around, I found myself in that terrible book limbo world dreaded by all book aficionados. I had to wait for the last book to be written! Yet I found myself craving more. I realized this was the first time since college that I had read a book for sheer pleasure. All my reading had become texts, books, and journals related to my teaching. So I looked for more. I read a trilogy about Nicholas Flamel and a series called The Dragon Keeper Chronicles (again, courtesy of Sarah). I started searching through my wife’s collection. I read the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, all in one summer. I even started Moby Dick before I had to come up for air. (Moby Dick is a great read, but not one to take lightly!)

Nowadays I do mostly Audible books because reading has become more tedious with trifocals. I have also decided to not start a series until all the books are written. A few years ago my son-in-law got me excited about a series of books that he had read. It wasn’t until after I had finished the first book that he decided to tell me that the author had written 10 books and then died before finishing the last one. Fortunately his widow found another author who compiled his notes and finished the series. It turned out all fine and good in the end, but, never again. I’m sticking to one shot wonders now. (Ok, maybe a trilogy, but no more than that.)

So when was the last time you read something for fun? I encourage you to find you genre, and whether by old style book or modern mp3, make a goal to read at least one book before Christmas. You can thank me later.

(Oh, and thank you Sarah.)