How to Turn a Car

In their hearts humans plan their course,

    but the Lord establishes their steps.  Proverbs 16:9 NIV

            My high school class just celebrated their 40^th reunion. Although I was not able to attend, the pictures and faces from the Facebook pages brought back a flood of memories. Some even made me smile on the outside.

            It was early May of 1978, and the rigors of dress rehearsals for the spring musical “Mame” were beginning to take their toll. This was the time for pranks and practical jokes. Most were in fun; some were just plain classics. There was the time that a few of the gentlemen sneaked into the ladies changing room while they were on stage and switched around everyone’s clothes. The ladies retaliated by sewing all of our jean legs shut, the innocent included. And a good time was had by all. (Notice that names have been omitted because no one was really innocent.)

            One of the better pranks was when some of the gentlemen put another student’s VW Bug directly midpoint between two trees. There was just enough room for it to fit with a foot or so between each bumper. (To be honest, I cannot take credit for this one. I must have been detained elsewhere.) It was surprisingly easy to put it there. VW Bugs are comparatively light, so five or six strapping young men could easily carry it into position. As I remember, it took the driver over an hour of back and forth maneuvering to get it free.

One thing I have noticed about cars is that they are much easier to guide when they are moving. Try turning a car sitting still! Depending on the vehicle, and your age, it might take the whole neighborhood to do it. It can be done, but it is a lot of work! On the other hand, if you start the engine and put it in gear, it is a simple matter of turning the steering wheel.

            It reminds me of how many Christians go through their life.  They need a job. They want to find the perfect soulmate. They want out of their rut. The list goes on. They want God to show them the way so they know what to do, yet they basically just sit there, both physically and figuratively.

There are times where God just picks you up and turns you around. Yet in my experience, it is when I am out doing something that God does the guiding. He may even have me do a U-turn, but it is always much easier when I am busy doing what I know to do at that moment. Need guidance from God? Pray. Then go help someone. Love people. Be his hands and feet. You might be pleasantly surprised where you end up! Remember that verse you learned as a child?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

It is still works, even after all these years…

The Purpose of Life

The purpose of life is to discover your gift.

The work of life is to develop it.

The meaning of life is to give your gift away.

  “Finding Your Strength in Difficult Times: A Book of Meditations” by David Viscott 1993

            What is the meaning of life? People have pondered, puzzled and prayed in search of the answer. Some think they must climb a mountain to find a “wise man” with the answer. Others just wander aimlessly, clueless of the truth. The truly wise are content in its fulfillment.

            When I ran across the above quote some time ago, it helped me to understand. There is more to your purpose that just a simple answer. Yet, I like how Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 sums it up.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (KJV)

But how does one fulfill his or her duty/purpose? First, you must discover your gift(s). I intimate gifts, because I think that most people have more than one. As a Left Hand Man (see August 2012 if you are still confused) my main gift is helping wherever, whenever at whatever I can. I can do only a few things excellently, but I can do many things well. My oldest son remarked recently, “Ask my dad. He can fix almost anything”. An overstatement to be sure, but 30 years of being on a Christian school teacher’s salary with 5 children has a way of bringing out the MacGyver in a guy.

I do try to continually learn and find out how things work. Some of this is self-driven; some has been thrust upon me. Nevertheless, it is all part of my Left Hand personality. Instead of being frustrated by being the “plug in” guy, I have embraced it and tried to nurture it. Now it has even become more of a game; what new thing are we going to learn today?

The secret is continually learning.  Read, study, take things apart, ask questions. I also  recommend that you keep a notebook of charts, diagrams, ideas, and solutions. Realistically, the brain can one hold so much. To me, there is no worse feeling than to know you have done something before, but now cannot remember how you did it. Write it down!

           What gives heart to all of your talent is helping those who cannot help you back. I have been given so much valuable information along the way, most of it given freely. The older I get, the more material things begin to lose their allure. Now don’t get me wrong. Would I like a new fishing boat? Yes! Yes I would. Do I need a new fishing boat? Probably not. In fact I get along pretty well without it. (Being able to fix things can come in very handy.) Besides, then I would need a truck for transport, and also a place to store it. Then there is the upkeep. Eventually it can get out of hand. Somehow, I find it more fun to help people rather than charge them. If they insist on paying something, I don’t mind, but it is not my main goal. In these almost 58 years, God has never failed to meet my needs. I try to remember that as a human, I owe an unpayable debt. I have found that if you live your life as debtor to Christ, giving away your talent is not hard at all. There is always someone giving back. Certainly, you should work hard at your job and take care of your family. But do not forget to share your talents with those around you. The sowing and reaping principle is impossible to hide from. You will never out give God.

Who's He?

Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah the father of Eber. Genesis 10:24 NIV

Arphaxad. The sum total of what we know about him from the Bible is found in a few verses in Genesis. Although he is also mentioned in a couple of the Apocryphal books, there is still very little information about him. We do know he was a son of Shem, Noah’s eldest son.

In Genesis 11:12-13, we find that he was 35 when his only listed son, Shelah was born.   later had other “sons and daughters”, and died at the ripe old age of 403. Quite humbling to have your life’s work summed up in only a few sentences, and that only to name your progeny.

So who was he? What did he accomplish? Was he a good father, a good husband? We may never really know.

What we do know is that he was there. He married and raised a family. One can only assume that he worked, built, traded, upgraded, learned, cried, laughed, loved, and lost. He lived 403 years; he surely must have seen and felt every emotion possible to man.

Yet for all his time lived, we know very little. So why is that important? Even though the Scriptures do not detail any of his mortal accomplishments, there is one thing that stands out. He existed, and made sure his children carried on the lineage. Without Arphaxad, there would be no Shelah, consequently, no Abraham, David, or Joseph the stepfather of Jesus Christ. He may not have been important enough to be mentioned as a great leader or hero, but he was vital to the continuance of the kingly line.

So what does that mean for us? It means it is OK that we are not famous. It means it doesn’t matter that only a few hundred people may ever know we exist. The fact that we do exist, and that we can influence our family, friends, and those around us to life meaningful lives and live up to their true potential, matters. We may not be the noteworthy individual of our generation, but one of our descendants may be. Live for those around us. Live for future generations.  Live for eternity!

Shadows

 I have always enjoyed looking at and making shadows. Who has not made shadow puppets as a child? I still see children playing shadow tag just as I did as a child. During one solar eclipse our family used a pizza pan with tiny holes in it to create multiple eclipse shadows on the backyard wall. 

  

      Over the years, I have noticed several things about shadows.

1. Shadows do not hurt. They cannot inflict real pain, only the fear that we allow.

2. Shadows have no substance. They are, by nature, an absence of light. This actually makes them more “nothing” than “something”.

3. Shadows are a very unclear picture of the object casting the shadow.

4. Shadows mimic another real item. A shadow has no will or ability to change on its own.

5. Shadows are usually much bigger than the item they mimic.

6. Shadows disappear around light. The less light or the farther away the light source, the bigger the shadow.

7. Shadows are boring. They usually only come in one color – gray.

8. Shadows can hide smaller evils.

9. A larger shadow from a stronger light source will dissolve other shadows.

10. Shadows can be helpful. A very sunny day a shadow can be a welcome respite from the scorching sun.

So what does that mean for our real lives? Many of us live in fear of shadows. We worry about what may happen. We live in the what if instead of the here and now. We may run from a nonexistent specter that has no power of its own. Sometimes we can even interpret a shadow into an almost real entity, like a child seeing a monster in the closet. We chase shadows of what we think we want, only to be unfulfilled. They have no color, no vibrancy. They are usually no place to stay long.  They can hide other dangers. If we are unwary, we can be blindsided by real things hiding in the shadows because we worried about the unreal.

The solution is to live in the light. It does not mean that we should not be mindful of a shadow, only that we should not fear it. The actual problem, event, or object will most often be much smaller and more easily managed. Worry can be crippling; learn to face the reality instead of its larger shadow. A shadow may look as big as a mountain and yet have a caster that is much smaller. Occasionally, a shadow will look like a mountain, because it is cast by a mountain. Instead of trying to move it, look for a way around or even through. God can move mountains, but He often provides a mountain pass.

Yet there is a shadow that we need to embrace. If we dwell in God’s shadow, it will shelter and protect us. God is light; He is drives all others away. There are no evil surprises waiting there. Since God is light, I imagine that His shadow would still be a well-lighted place to dwell.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1 NIV

Remember the Poor…

            I somehow grew up with the idea that it was the church’s (or the government’s) responsibility to help those less fortunate than myself. This was especially true when it came to the homeless or the roadside beggar. It was beyond me – a decision for others wiser than myself. How could I judge whether they were really poor and needy or just lazy? What if I gave them money and they bought liquor or drugs with it? I did not want to be a part of that.

Still, this thinking did not come from my parents. I can recall my dad helping out others he noticed were in need. I am not sure where the ideas came from. I just do not think I paid much attention.

I remember being a newly appointed deacon in the church we were attending in California. One job we had was to decide whether or not to help those that came to the church seeking aid. As I recall, I think we were rather stingy.

(Photo from Microsoft Clip Art)

 I still can recall a conversation where the pastor* and I were discussing the church policy about the homeless. It bothered him. “No matter how I look at it” he said, “I still hear the Apostle Paul saying, ‘Remember the poor’.” I could never get that thought out of my mind. In the following years that I was with him, I witnessed a man who was always ready and willing to help others.

I have finally decided that I cannot judge others motives. To be truthful, I am not always sure why I do what I do. Here in Phoenix, I often see people with signs asking for food or “any help you can give”. So I help. Not because I trust them to use it wisely, but because Jesus would have helped. I have also found some fun ways to do it. 

<edit> We now help in a ministry in Modesto, CA. We help serve meals and pray with people. My wife speaks regularly. I take care of maintenance and run the video and sound for worship. And it never gets old. It is summed up in the words of one of our regulars. He was sitting across from my wife during Wednesday Groceries/Prayer time. "Who would have thought that a guy like me, would be praying with a lady like you?" I wish it happened more often.

All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. Gal. 2:10 (NIV)

*Smiling as I remember you, Pastor Dean A. Goddard. You are greatly missed.

Shortcuts or Cutting Corners?

With experience comes wisdom. With wisdom comes the inevitable shortcut. It is how the “older folks” get so much done. It is seen almost everywhere, especially in the trades. A shortcut can save both time and money. It could take the form of a template, a jig, or just the way you hold a tool. It is a way of increasing production, without sacrificing quality.

Then there is cutting corners. It can be much like a shortcut, but usually leaves something out that is perceived as “not necessary”. It is where the old adage “close enough for government work” comes from. Most of the time things work out OK. Yet sometimes, it can be disastrous.

I recently set up a 5 gallon freshwater tank to house a kind of colorful, red shrimp.  My son and I were out yesterday window shopping at a local aquarium store. There they were – pretty, lemon yellow shrimp. He asked if I wanted to get some for the tank. Yes! I wanted some, but I knew I should not get them right now.

Anyone who has set up freshwater tanks knows (or should know) that the tank needs to cycle before It can be stocked with all its different inhabitants. My tank was still cycling and the few shrimp I had in it were at the safe limit. I might have gotten away with it. Yet I have seen my share of tank disasters, some at the hands of others - some at my own hands. I decided not to chance it. Even though these shrimp are not the more expensive, deep red kind I will eventually get, I like the little guys too much. It is not worth the risk.

            How often do we cut corners in our daily lives? Do we take our relationships for granted and spend important time on our own selfish desires? Do we neglect our children’s emotional needs because we figure they will turn out all right anyway? Are we cutting corners when it comes to our physical or spiritual health? Each person needs to decide for themselves. Shortcuts or cutting corners. Which is it for you? 

Hope

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see… (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

            Hope is an amazing thing. It can be the difference between success and failure. It’s the little engine that keeps us from giving up. In the end, it’s what keeps us going.

I have many hopes for this upcoming year. One is that I will actually be able to add to this blog on a weekly basis. I hope that anyone who reads this will be encouraged and drawn closer to God. I hope that you and your family prosper. I hope that this year, good gains a little ground over the evil in this world. Most of all, I hope you never give up hope.

A little more than two years ago, the Holy Spirit impressed on my wife and I that we were to take a message of hope to those in need. It was at the birth of my second grandson. You may remember that he was an emergency delivery, born not breathing, and had gone without oxygen for approximately 15 minutes. There was little for those involved to hope for. In fact, many came close to accusing us of creating a false hope. The doctors were very emphatic. The mass of data, collected over a ten year period, showed that Caleb would never recover. If he lived, which was doubtful, he would spend his life in a vegetative state. “There is no hope for recovery”, one doctor said. I guess for most, that was all there was to it. He was at the top of his field. He was good at what he did. In, fact, he saw 200-300 cases like Caleb’s every month. Caleb was category 3 – the worse condition. I remember his words, “They do not recover from this.” Yet God had very clearly impressed upon us, “You are to taking a message of hope”.

            Now if you follow my blog at all, (see The-god-of-impossible) you know that he not only lived, but has been pronounced “normal” in all developmental areas - a miracle, an anomaly. At a recent visit, my daughter was told that in over 70,000 cases as bad as Caleb’s, only 5 children had lived. Only one had fully recovered.

            An amazing thing happened at their last visit with the head neurologist. He told them that Caleb’s case is always in the back of his mind. It had given him the possibility of hope. He now at least has a glimmer of hope to give to distraught and anguished parents. He asked to see Caleb once a year, just to see how he is doing as a reminder. He is still amazed, and curious about the whole thing. Hey, in fairness, my wife warned him. The first day we had arrived he had condescendingly told her, “I don’t think you understand how serious Caleb’s condition is”. I remember her gently wagging a finger in front of his face and saying, “And you have no idea what our GOD can do”. I think he understands a little better now. God can do what man thinks is impossible. As for me, I hope this is only the beginning…