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!