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.)

Work Like Someone Is Watching

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24. 

One day when I was a new teacher the principal came into our Wednesday chapel waving a $5 bill. Now it may not sound like much, but back in the 80’s that was actually worth something. He said he had left a candy wrapper on the ground as an experiment. Almost everyone walked right by it. There was one jr. high student who didn’t. The principal called him up the front, shook his hand and handed him the fiver. The young man was both ecstatic and embarrassed at the same time. He didn’t pick it up because he thought he was going to be rewarded; he did it because it was the right thing to do. 

It left an impression on me. As I walk around our high school campus I try to do the same thing. I figure if it’s in front of me, it’s part of God’s good work for me to do today. (See Ephesians 2:10.) Sometimes kids say, “Ew, that’s gross!” I just smile, and tell them hands wash, and you’re not supposed to put your fingers in your mouth anyway. 

I’m glad my mom and dad taught me to always work like someone is watching, because, well, God is always watching. But more importantly, you never know who else might be watching. You can be an example to those around you. I’ve noticed that if you start cleaning up, people will often stop what they are doing and help. Maybe it’s out of guilt, but that doesn’t matter to me. I’m not doing it for them anyway. Noticed or not, let’s just keep doing the right thing day by day. Eventually, it will start to make a difference. 

You Do Worship

 

“Snitch’s get stitches.” “Mind your own business.” Why are we always on the extremes? When it’s important people don’t say anything because “they don’t want to get involved”. Yet the minor things all get air time.

 This is especially true in worship. Have you ever had someone grill you about your church worship? Why don’t you raise your hands? Why do you only raise one hand? Why aren’t you singing? Why aren’t you doing what we do?

  Now I don’t recommend that you answer with “get out of my face” but really, why is it their business? They have no idea what is going on inside. If I want to stand quietly, it’s my choice. If I want to raise one, two, or no hands, it’s my choice. I have seems so many people turn away from church because someone was tried to be made to worship a certain way. Sometime it’s blatant, almost a shaming thing. Sometimes it’s more tacit, only a subtle hint. Frankly the great majority of us have no room to talk. We have major business to do with God and should focus on that. (Interestingly, the small minority seem to know how to keep quiet.) How ‘bout we educate ourselves about what worship really is and confidently come before God with an our heart. Here are some ways to do that.

1. Do a Bible study about worship
2. Ray and seek God’s guidance
3. Worship God in spirit and in truth.
4. Practice being in the moment - avoid distractions.
5. Talk about it with a trusted friend.
6. Decide for yourself.
7. Be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading.

 Find your way of worship (according to the scriptures please) and come before God as a loved child. But remember, allow others to do the same thing!

 Ok. Rant over.

Blessings!

National Authenticity Day

 

National Authenticity Day is celebrated on August 16 every year. This is the day of recognition of the power of authenticity, a term that goes beyond just “being yourself.” It is dedicated to people who decide to do things their way rather than simply check the box. (http://nationaltoday.com/national-authenticity-day)

Being yourself. What does that really mean? Is it even a good thing? It brings up many questions. We live in a world of many masks. Ask someone, How’s it going? The answer is almost always, “good”. Even if the world is falling apart, most people will not admit it. On the other hand, most people who ask that question really don’t want to know the truth. They are just using it as a greeting. Finding a person who is truly “what you see is what you get” is a rare thing. We often think we have to “be” something else for other people. I think it’s a good thing that we can encourage one another to “be yourself” and stop faking or hiding. There would surely be less mental illness. When we let the masks drop, we are able to forge deeper lasting relationships. We not only find out who others are, but we find out who we really are. We will become stronger, wiser, and more stable. We will form bonds greater than we could imagine. Hey, my wife has seen me at my worst and still loves me. That’s gotta mean something.

Unfortunately, some use “just be yourself” as a reason to not grow or better themselves. Yes, there are too many boxes we are expected to check. Yes, many times people want us to do things their way. As a teacher I have to always be conscious of the fact that there are students who don’t process things like the rest of us. I recently had a chemistry student from another country get excited that I would let them show their work in several different ways. I their country, they said it was usually “my way or the highway”.

Yet, as a Christ follower, I need to yield who I am and give in to God’s plan. I may have to change some things. I may have to add or leave something behind. All the while I can be sure that I am not giving up my authenticity, but instead creating a new and better “self”. Today, spend a little time to refresh “who you are” for yourself. Be authentic, just like God created you!

Fits Like a Glove

 

This week at school our campus pastor used a glove as a visual aid. It got me thinking, then musing, which led to writing. That's usually how it works for me. There are many types of gloves. They are all made and tailored to fit their use. There are protective gloves like disposable medical gloves and leather work gloves. There are gloves for the various sports. Sign language interpreters, traffic cops, and ushers often use white glove so that the signals they each give are more readily seen. Then there are gloves just for show.

A glove is really a good example of our lives. Each of us have different talents that we use throughout our lives as we relate to those around us. Gloves are nice and all, but they can’t really do anything on their own. They need a force on the inside guiding it. And just like the glove, we are of no use unless we are, well, also being used. The glove is best used when it is correctly fitted to the user.

The important thing is who is doing the controlling. Put a baseball glove in my hand, and it becomes amateur night. Put the glove on Paul Goldschmidt, and first base is covered. (He was one of my favorites when he played for the D-Backs.) We all have at least one strength. Some of us may even represent multiple gloves. We can try to do it all ourselves (and fail miserably) or we can allow God to fill us and direct our lives.

Ephesians 2:10 says, For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Each of us are created with talents (gloves) for the projects God has for us. He already has them waiting for us. He know the plan. He knows the curves and blind spots. He will guide and empower us. All we have to do is look for them, and be willing to let God “wear the glove”. 

Grandpa's Music

Growing up, we lived across an alley from my grandparents. During the summer I would often go over to their house, especially in my high school years, and play various games. They were already both retired by then. We might play Yahtzee, various forms of solitaire, or even a card game called “poop on your neighbor” where you try to dump all your cards on someone else. If we weren’t playing games, we often went with my grandpa to the bowling alley for a few games. He even took us flying remote control airplanes a few times. Oh, the time we spent wandering corn fields looking for model airplanes…

Grandpa Kerley was my step grandpa, but he’s the only one I remember. My mom’s real father died of tuberculosis when my mom was young. Grandpa was also a pretty good musician. He played guitar and piano. He loved to do duel “Boggie Woogie” sessions with me. I can’t say I loved it, most likely tolerated it. Hey, it made him happy.

In his later years through the influence of my dad, he gave his life to Christ. I vividly remember him telling me that he went through the “Battle of the Bulge” mostly in WW2 foxhole. He said, “They say there are no atheists in foxholes, but I never really thought about it. I just tried to stay alive”. Now it was different. He started playing in the worship band at the Sothern Baptist Church. Just a guitar a drummer and a piano. Still, he loved it. He started helping other “older“ people. He said it kept him young. When he invited me to join him on Saturdays to help sing (by that time I knew most of the old hymns by heart) I joined him. I really didn’t want to be there, but it meant a lot to him, so I went. Looking back, it is one of my fondest memories of him.

This week at H St, a homeless and under-resourced ministry we volunteer at, we sang one of the old songs by CeCe Winans, Come Jesus Come. It sounded just like the music he used to play. Memories came flooding in and I had to smile. We helped people in the nursing home have those memories too. Grangpa died at age 87 as I remember. Still, his music, his voice, and his care for the elderly are still with me. Thanks Grandpa.

Come Jesus Come

CeCe Winans

Sometimes I fall to my knees and pray

Come, Jesus, come

Let today be the day

Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna break

But I'm holding on

To a hope that won't fade

 

There'll be no war

And there'll be no chains

When Jesus comes

Let today be the day

He'll come for the weak

And the strong just the same

And all will believe in the power of His name

 

One day He'll come

And we'll stand face to face

Come and lay it all down

'Cause it might be today

The time is right now

There's no need to wait

Your past will be washed by rivers of grace

 

Chorus

Come, Jesus, come

We've been waiting so long

For the day You return

To heal every hurt and right every wrong

We need You right now

(Come and turn this around) turn this around

Deep down I know this world isn't home

Come, Jesus, come

Come, Jesus, come

Come, Jesus, come

 

 

Echoes from the Past

Yesterday, proudly perched on the gate to the Fence line Trail at Caswell Memorial State Park where I work as a summer maintenance aide, we found this curious item. It is an oak gall about the size of an apple with an array of various bird feathers suck into it. I can only assume it was made by one of our families that like to hike our trails. It seems very fitting since Caswell MSP has a rich Indigenous American history. It is thought to be the site of the first use of cannons on the Yokuts by the Mexican Army. Cannon balls have been found on the adjacent farmland. Items for grinding acorns and possible old dwelling sites, along with native gravesites have been found. We can’t even dig new holes in the ground without permission.

So it got me thinking. Is it possible that years ago, Yokut children made decorations out of the same materials during times of play or exploration? There are no items like this in any of the collections that I have found, but it wouldn’t surprise me. I even made one myself. I named it Cucunuchi, Estanislao’s real name in honor of the leader of Lakisamni tribe of the Yokuts people of northern California (c. 1798 – 1838). He was baptized in the San Jose Mission as Estanislao, It is from him the Stanislaus River, Stanislaus County, and the old town of Stanislaus City (now Ripon) got their names. If you visit the smaller day use area of the park, there is a plaque commemoration him.

This got me doing a little more research. Cucunuchi or Estanislao, Is really an intriguing figure to me. He spent some time at the mission learning to read and write. He was described as being “about 6 feet tall and as muscular as a horse”. He soon started leading raid on Mission San Jose and the area surround the Stanislaus River. What fascinates me was the way he carried out his raids. He sounds like a well-trained and an amazing battle tactician. His raids were sudden, usually with some kind of trap, and characterized by no loss of life. He is said to have even carved an “S” on things as his mark. It is thought that he may have even been part of the inspiration of the legend of Zorro. After the last battle using the cannons (which mostly killed or injured women and children) Estanislao briefly went back to Mission San Jose and was pardoned. It is thought he went back to the Lakisamni people to help lead them. Later there was another warrior named Yoscolo who continued raids but did not mind killing settlers if he thought necessary. It is said he wore a mask, another possible link to Zorro. After malaria struck the San Joaquin Valley in 1833, Estanislao went back to the mission to teach others the Yokut language and customs. Another name to put on the “who to visit with a time machine” list I should think.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estanislao?scrlybrkr

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=557

 

It was a Good Plan, a Great Plan…

 

Have you ever had a great plan that you got excited about and when you started to work through it, everything came unraveled? It could have been a job, a house, a trip, or even just a great idea. It all seemed to be going well. You thought it out. You prayed about it. You even crunched the numbers. And then, poof! It all fell apart. (No I’m not talking about those put together desks that most of you don’t read the assembly directions and then have issues.) I’m talking about a well thought out masterpiece.

I went through this a few days ago.  I was thinking about retirement pathways and what would come next. No, I do not plan on retiring at the moment, so no rumors please. This was thinking about the future. An “entity” beyond my control put the kibosh on the whole thing. And this was after a chance to appeal. It can be disheartening at first. Now my grandmother used to say, “When God closes a door He opens a window”. That might be so some of the time, and it sounds good, but sometimes that is not the case. I think that there are times that God closes all the windows and doors because he doesn’t want us going anywhere else at the moment. My wife simply said, “It wasn’t meant to be”. You know I like that. We have tried to live our lives doing what God wanted us to do instead of what we wanted (or thought we wanted) to do. The funny thing is, if you’re doing what God wants, it somehow syncs with what you wanted. It’s not usually like you imagined, but it works. And honestly, It has usually been so much better.

I don’t mind waiting for other doors or windows to open. God has always taken care of us. Who knows, at the proper time the door may reopen. I just know I’m where I’m supposed to be, doing what I’m supposed to do. And that is enough.  

World Emoji Day

 

Next Thursday, July 17th, is World Emoji Day. It will be the twelfth annual global emoji celebration. (https://worldemojiday.com)  Now I have no idea why we are having a World Emoji Day, but for the sake of fun, let’s just roll with it. It is celebrated on July 17^th because that is the day highlighted on the calendar emoji. (I bet you didn’t know that.) The first emoji set of 176 was created in 1999 by Japanese artist Shigetaka Kurita. (https://www.wired.com/story/guide-emoji/) They started as a quick way to show how you felt without having to use words. By 2010 there were 625, with more being added every year. Now you can get them in sets for skin tone, country and other groupings. They are ubiquitous; most of us use them on a daily basis. We send thumbs up, prayers, smooches, hearts, and even mad faces. There have been movies about them. My phone even tries to put them into text messages in place of the actual words – well, if I let it. They have become so common place that now it is easier than ever to miscommunicate with each other, sometimes with embarrassing consequences. I once sent a kissy face emoji to my wife, only to find I had actually sent it to my principal. He was a good sport about it, but still.

So if you had to pick one emoji, what would it be? Some people might have to choose several, depending on their mood. (Hopefully it’s not the poop emoji!) I kind of like the meh, but he does come off as kind of depressing. Although I send a lot of smooch faces to my wife, I guess if I had to choose one it would be the gratitude emoji ☺️. God has been good and faithful to me and I hope I stay thankful for everything He has done. I’m glad that there are a variety of emoji that I can choose from to express my feelings. So how will you celebrate World Emoji Day? I hope it’s will be by making someone’s day a little brighter. I mean, look how many you have to chose?

😜

Why All the Differences?

 

Growing up in Illinois, I understandably was a Chicago Cubs fan. I remember watching games with my grandfather. As I remember, they didn’t win much, but it was fun to watch. I also remember seeing some of the great legends play. I was in 8^th grade the year Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record. It was all we could talk about. Hank the Hammer was one of his nicknames. I had no idea how hard he had to work to get to the top.

A few days ago I read an article about his baseball career. I can only say I was shocked at some of the things I found out. In one instance, while his teammates were dining in a restaurant in Washington, DC, Hank and his buddies faced something that no one should ever face. It is said that the kitchen crew in the back destroyed the plates that had been touched by “the blacks”. If a dog had lick it, they would have washed it. Hank took it in stride and pressed on, showing the world that he was made of “better stuff”.

It started me thinking. Did everyone in the back kitchen feel that way, or did some of them just go along out of fear or embarrassment? Either way, it hurt. Either way it was the wrong thing to do. Have you ever been in such a situation? I know I have. Those who think they are better than others looking down on them and holding it over their heads and expecting everyone else to follow aolng. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I have always stood for the little guy, but I try.

It goes beyond race or color or gender. These are just the easy ones to notice. It’s how we treat our fellow man. We have been working for several years helping the homeless and low income families in the Modesto area. It’s amazing how invisible they can become if we are not careful. I’ll be honest, it took me some time also. Questions like, “Are they sick?”, are they clean?” used to  cross my mind. As I got to know them, these things started to fade into the background. I have one man who greets me every day with a handshake and sometimes a “bro hug”. Now, I wouldn’t’ miss it for the world.  

So who do you ignore, or shy away from because of differences? (Hopefully you don’t mistreat anyone!) Better yet, what are you going to do about it? Can you stand up to the pressure, or will you just go along with the crowd? The Choice is yours!

Is It Soup Yet?

How many times have we as parents heard, “Is dinner ready?”, “Are we there yet?”, or “When is this going to be over?”. Being patient is hard for everyone, especially children. Most of the time it really comes down to boredom management, but that is a whole other story. Spiritually, being impatient can be a real problem. "Hurry is the death of prayer" is a well-known quote, often attributed to John Mark Comer, from his book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.  I know the quote, sadly I haven’t read the book, yet. We often pray fervently, trust God, and look for the answer, yet spiritually tap our feet while we wait. The following is a mix of my thoughts and the musings of one of my favorite pastors, Dallas Jackson.

·       Trust – Once you give it to God, leave it there. He has a great memory

·       Patience – The waiting part. Being patient in a microwavable society is probably the hardest thing to do. Please remember that God is super-efficient. He’s not only working out things in your life, He’s intertwining events into a gorgeously complex interaction that affects many others. Who knows, maybe you are waiting for someone else to get up to speed. (It makes you think twice about obeying God right away, doesn’t it?)

·       Be in the moment (enjoy the journey) - Often the journey is half the fun. Sometimes it is the fun.  Don’t forget to notice the little things God is doing as He brings it all together.

·       God has our best interest in mind – Always remember that God is doing thing in our life to bring about the best result. I sometimes think we question God more that all the other “professionals” in our life (doctors, mechanics, remodelers). He knows what he is doing.

·       Noah was in the ark for over a year – Sometimes you have to wait for the flood to go down.

·       Do what you need to do while you’re waiting – Make sure you take care of your regular duties while you wait. By all means, rest, but don’t be idle when you have things you can do.

·       We don’t know the big picture – God is God and you are not. Don’t try to understand everything. Sometime you just need to go with it.

·       Don’t lose your joy. Watch for the butterflies 😌 – This goes hand-in-hand with being in the moment. Keep your head on a swivel and notice God’s hand at work.

·       Waiting makes us better. Lately we have been watching a lot of cooking shows at dinner time. The concept of resting meat comes up often. I’ll have to admit, when I cook, I am just hungry and want it now. Often, I tend to rush things. Maybe that’s why a steak from a good restaurant tastes so good. If you Google “resting meat” here’s what you find:

Resting meat after cooking allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful dish. If you cut into it immediately, the juices will escape, making the meat dry.

 Waiting is hard no matter how you look at it. How we react to it makes all the difference. I hope this helps!

Why Does Ice Float?

 

(For the first time ever, I’m blogging about the same thing in this blog and the one for my grandchildren, Notes From Papaw. This concept is fundamental to life, and I think, evidence of an intelligent Creator).

It’s really hot outside and you go into the house to get something cold to drink. You get your favorite cup and put in some ice. Then you fill it with your water favorite drink. You may not notice, but the ice is floating at the top. You might think “duh, it always does that”. But did you know ice floating is really unusual? Water is one of the few substances that expands when it freezes. Only a few rare metals, like gallium, can do that. 

So what’s the big deal? Well, if ice didn’t float, life would probably cease to exist on our planet. Imagine a lake where the ice sinks after it freezes. Ice actually acts like insulation and helps keep the water down below from getting colder.  Without an ice layer,  water can keep getting colder and colder and the lake would freeze all the way down. All the fish and plants would die.

In the ocean, ice that freezes on the surface is actually fresh water. If it sank, fresh water would keep sinking to the bottom and the ocean would get saltier and saltier until nothing could live in it. 

So how does ice expand? When water is a liquid, the molecules can slide past each other up close. But when it freezes, it forms a crystal structure. Imagine you have a bunch of friends over. How many can you get in your living room? Probably a lot. But what if you had to join hands with your arms straight out at 90 degree angles? This is kind of like a crystal structure. Now you can’t fit as many in the same space. Density is how much matter (or friends) you can fit in a certain space. The less friends, the less you all weigh. If you weigh less but take up the same space you would be less dense and would “float” (well, if you were ice). You can see the expansion of ice by putting a water bottle in the freezer. Look at the bottom of the bottle once it’s done. 

The current humanist world view would say this is just a happy accident. I myself think it’s evidence of a great design. Either way it’s incredibly amazing!

If this is still confusing, that’s ok. Many people get confused about this. You may find this site can help. 

https://www.thoughtco.com/why-does-ice-float-604304

Ok, now I’m thirsty. Time to go get a cold bottle of water! 

It’s Not Enough to Love Nature…

 Environmentalism seems to be at an upswing lately, which, in many cases is a good thing. We humans have a tendency to harm/destroy nature either by lack of knowledge, overindulgence, selfishness, or just greed. Even those passionate about nature can be at fault. They feed animals that shouldn’t be fed or worse aren’t even supposed to be there. (At present, we have a huge feral cat problem in the Central Valley parks that are decimating our native bird populations. please stop feeding them!) Residents balk at regulations that are intended to stop the spread of nonnative/invasive species because they are inconvenient. In most cases, that does more harm than good. You see, it’s not enough to love nature, you need to understand it.

Cases in point.  

#1 I had a good friend who was a biological consultant (independent I might add)  investigating the ExonValdez oil spill. Their report after a thorough investigation was: 

1. clean the oil off of birds and mammals. 

2. Soak up any loose oil (They have these cool diaper-like things that only soak up the oil.)

3. Put a barrier to keep more oil from washing up on the coastline. 

4. Spray the oil with a naturally occurring bacteria that eats hydrocarbons. (It was originally found around naturally occurring oil leaks.) 

Their prognosis was that in 6-9 months the beach would be basically back to normal. Instead, due to pressure from media and some radical environmental groups, Econ decided to steam clean the whole shoreline. Estimated recovery time? 80-100 years. 

#2 There is a cement company near Santa Cruz that implemented a trial of using 40% old tires for part of their fuel used in baking the cement. 3 different agencies verified that the tires burned so cleanly that toxic emissions went down since they used less coal. The steel in the radials was just the right amount as what they were already adding that they didn’t need to get any extra iron from mining. It was a win-win. Yet they had to shut it down because Greenpeace ran a campaign that “ Everyone knows tire burning is bad”. (Roll clip of a pile of spent tires on fire.) This was even after being presented with the piles of independent data! 

Gary Larson, most notably known for writing “The Far Side” comics, summed it up nicely in his book, “There’s a Hair in My Dirt”. It’s not enough to love nature  you have to understand it also. 

So before you complain, or are appalled at what scientists and conservationists are doing to solve a problem, find out what is really going on. It might just surprise you!

Amazon: Here’s a Hair in My Dirt

https://a.co/d/gQ4aFf3

Trash

While walking back from the beach I was picking up trash on the way.  My grandson asked me why I was picking up other people’s trash. If you don’t  already know I work for the California State Parks in the summer months. It’s what I do all I’m day, pick up trash. I explained to him that if I didn’t pick it up, someone else might not pick it up either. If that keeps up, the trash just builds up. What amazes me is that most of the trash is within a few feet from a trash can! Why would someone just throw it on the ground? Entitlement, carelessness, a poor sense of environmental concern? Na, I think it’s mostly laziness. It’s too inconvenient to walk all the way to the trash can. I have even heard people say. “Hey, I’m giving someone a job”. Seriously? There are lots of jobs to do. Picking up your trash should not be one of them! I do know that sometimes animals can get in the trash cans and make a mess, but that is the exception. I see people almost on a daily basis who throw their soda cans, candy wrappers, or napkins on the ground. And they were going to walk right past a trash can! Humans, we can do better than this! 

Here’s how you can help. 

1. Be responsible for your personal trash.

2. If you see something on the ground in front of you, go ahead and pick it up. 

3. Encourage others to be respectful and responsible. 

4. Put the cover on the trash if possible to prevent animals from getting in. 

5. Volunteer on clean up days. 

6. Stop being lazy. (I just had to throw that one in.)

The State Park’s Motto, 

“Take only pictures, leave only footprints” 

is a good thing to remember. Will you do your part?

Sheeple

 

I don’t often get political, but again, something has gotten stuck in my craw. Over the past couple weeks I have come across the word sheeple several times. Merriam-Webster defines sheeple as people who are docile, compliant, or easily influenced. It is normally meant for those that believe what they are told without finding out the facts or doing any study. It comes from the very nature of sheep who tend to follow the group from place to place. In many cases the reference is well placed. We as a people have often been deluded by smooth-talking adds, promises, and especially politicians. It generally has a derogatory meaning.

The disconcerting element here is that it is now often being used for anyone who decides to be a law abiding citizen. It kind of reminds me of the “Hippie” movement in the 60’s. (Ya, I’m that old.) “Don’t let the Man tell you what to do! Stick it to the Man.” I also noticed this during the Covid era. Even if you did your due diligence, studied the data, and made an informed decision, if you ”took the jab” you were called a sheeple. Honestly, I remember both sides throwing the term around at each other.

 Recently I read a post of one guy complaining about Fish and Game checking for fish limits & fishing licenses. He said something to the effect of, “When are you sheeple going to stand up against these bullies?” Seriously? Um, It’s actually their job. They are there to help preserve the fishery. Since when did obeying the law make us sheeple?

Yesterday I was reading about the golden mussel problem we are facing in central California. Again, there were several outspoken voices saying, “They don’t have any right to do boat checks”, “It won’t make a difference” and other, can I say, less educated statements. I’ve been through boat checks. They do take time away from fishing. It can be boring waiting. But it can make a difference. Following the law is not the same as being a true, mindless sheeple.

The Bible calls us sheep. In fact, it says we have a tendency to go astray. That’s why we need The Good Shepherd. If I am following the Good Shepherd, I will always end up in the right place, no matter what happens in between. I don’t mind being a sheep. In fact the other option is either a goat or a wolf. And you know what the Bible has to say about those…

Memorial Day May 26th

 

When I was growing up Memorial Day was a memorial day, but not for what it really was intended.  It meant the end of school. The local swimming pool, aptly named Memorial Pool (dedicated to WW2 soldiers) opened for summer swimming. It meant a parade with flags, horses, bands, floats, gun salutes, and then a picnic with family. Everything a young boy wanted to see.

Memorial Day has its roots in Decoration Day, started shortly after the end of the Civil War. There were many national gravesites dedicated. It was a day for the nation to remember their dead and decorate their graves with flowers. It wasn’t until May of 1950 that they officially declared the last Monday of May as Memorial Day.

It was not until I started researching my family heritage that it became more important.

While I was researching the Cross family line, I came across some interesting facts. The first is that the War of 1812 cause us much grief in that most of the records from Maryland where we Crosses lived before moving to Illinois were burned during the war. I can trace my family back to Jacob Cross, born in 1814, but really no further. Even the man who has tried to write an all-inclusive history of the Cross name in America was stumped. I guess my family heritage is just playing “hard to get”. We did find that Jacob and his two sons, William H. Cross and Joshua D. Cross all fought in the Civil War on the Union side. Jacob and William returned home. Joshua, who was in an Illinois Cavalry regiment associated with General Sherman’s campaign in Georgia, was wounded in the battle of King’s Tanyard and taken prisoner. King's Tanyard He died at the infamous Andersonville Prison in Macon, GA on September of 1864.  

It is the many soldiers from the Civil War onward that we remember on Memorial Day. All around the nation there will be parades, flower placements, wreath laying, and times of solemn prayer. Gettysburg, Arlington, The Arizona Memorial, and many more will honor those brave men and women who gave their lives for their country. As you go about you day, take some time to be grateful for their sacrifice. Always remember, Freedom isn’t Free. Rest in peace dear patriots!

 Source: https://www.cem.va.gov/history/Memorial-Day-history.asp

 

Coolidge on Education

 
This is the third installment in the Calvin Coolidge series from his persistence quote.

Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.

As many of you know I have spent the majority of my teaching career teaching at Christian/private schools. One of the mantras in Christian education is that we don’t just teach the mind, we teach the heart. Teaching good moral values can go a long way, but it can only go so far. In science we normally talk about what can be done. Many classes stop at this. I have strived to explain to the students that they are not just scientists who are there to categorize, observe, explain, and in some cases manipulate nature, but also free moral agents who must decide the proper use of what they learn. Science can tell us how, which, when, and why things are or do what they do. It is up to the scientist to determine if the knowledge gained is appropriate to use in a certain situation. There have been many great discoveries that have later haunted the discoverer because they ended up being used in ways unimagined by the scientist. Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist who among other things, revolutionized blasting in mining and engineering by inventing Dynamite. Dynamite and the blasting cap made explosives a great deal safer and more predictable. It was a great discovery. Yet when a newspaper article erroneously publishing his obituary after the death of his brother Ludvig stated, "Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday" he was appalled. It was then that he decided to, after his death, donate most of his wealth to create the Nobel Peace Prize. Was Nobel wrong to invent dynamite? I would say no. It revolutionized mine safety and saved many lives. It was those less educated who applied his discoveries to more nefarious pursuits. I remember one of my professors in Bible College saying that “it was his job to also educate the heart. Otherwise we are just creating clever devils.” The science is great. How you choose to use it is greater. Talent, genius, and education are all important, but what is more important is what you do with it.

That being said, there is one part of Coolidge’s quote that I have some trouble with. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” Science has arrogantly exalted itself as the final answer. Frankly, most of the time it seem more like for every new discovery, we make three more new problems. Science is simply a tool that can be used for good or bad. It needs properly educated scientists to use it correctly. Always remember that Jesus is the answer to the human race.

 

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”  - Calvin Coolidge