It's Thanksgiving Day. I have finished cleaning up the smoker and slicing smoked meat and potatoes. I look forward to sitting down with Cindy and Joseph in a while to enjoy some of our bountiful fixin's and ...pumpkin pie. The holiday season has begun early this year. Seems like the Christmas shopping push comes earlier each year. In spite of the bleak times we are wading into as a nation, we have a great deal that we are thankful for and look forward, as ever, to celebrating the advent of the King of Kings.
We miss Cindy's brother Eddie this year. He passed away the last day of February this year after a number of compounding health problems. He had lived in our home since Cindy's mother passed away in early 2000.
Cindy and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this spring. My family hosted a reception at the Caledonia Baptist fellowship hall and we tremendously enjoyed having many friends and family members celebrate it with us.
Many of you remain concerned for Cindy's health. In February, it will be five years since she was diagnosed with cancer. None of her last five years have been easy, but this year has been harder than most for her. After returning from our UK trip last year, we had a number of medical decisions to make. In January, she had a difficult surgery to remove two tumors in her right lung. Recovery has been long and hard, compounded by a weakened heart. In July, she began chemo again to fight a remaining tumor in her abdomen. Happily, she is benefitting from the chemo, though it seems each bout gets a little harder. She is still smiling.
Joseph continues to work at Arkansas Educational Television (AETN). We enjoyed his first project as co-producer, which was an hour-long special dealing with water problems in Arkansas called “Troubled Waters”. It has aired many times since it was released in the spring. He was able to write and perform some of the music for that show. Since then he has taken on the task of bringing their media content to the internet.
I celebrated another anniversary this year – my 10th year with Murphy Oil Corporation. I am still responsible for messaging systems (which used to be just email but now includes Blackberrys and instant messaging). I manage several other systems as well and work with a terrific bunch of people.
Our church family at Caledonia Baptist had a sorrowful loss this year as Pastor Hugh Nelson's wife, Marian, succumbed to cancer. This has meant tremendous changes for him and we have all sought to lift him up and keep us all moving ahead.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Empowering Matt Damon
Matt Damon says that he has a hard time entrusting "the nuclear codes" with someone who believes dinosaurs were alive a few millenia ago. Hmmm... I guess he wouldn't trust me.
I enjoy the Bourne movies -- I would probably like them no matter who starred as Jason Bourne. The fact of the matter is that Matt Damon is the one who took home a check for that part (and perhaps residuals). His face on that screen and his bulging checkbook have given him the ability to fund anti-christian causes, and I am responsible for a small part of that. So are other Christians. It's like Saul taking up a collection to send the Philistines so they could hire Goliath.
That said, there are a couple of things I need to consider for myself and fellow Christians should, too.
First, we are as bad as the society around us in being entertainment-driven. Is film-music-art (the media, not the content) inherently "bad"? Is it "worldly"? As a worldview proponent, I would find it hard to take that position. They are only as bad as the motivation and message they present. In the proper hands, they can be wonderful at "telling a story". Ravi Zacharias portrays the arts as the bridge between abstract concepts and supper-table discussions. The arts bring concepts down to where we can see and respond and formulate action.
So, we need to accord the muses their proper place in our world. We also need to look at ourselves and how we treat entertainment. Advertisers would have every new book title, every new movie, every new TV show, every new CD, every new restaurant menu offering as "must see", "must hear", "must read" and we respond with our time and our money. Is that wise?
Next, and corresponding to that, I frequently get "urgent - response needed" emails from organizations like AFA who act as a watchdog for anti-Christian activity in the aforementioned places. Their well-intentioned warning mechanism is a good example of calling like-minded people together to deal with a crisis, but also an example of how we treat the symptoms, not the causes. We have to take away Matt Damon's empowerment. We have to stop sending money to Goliath. We have to do that by re-evaluating and scaling back our appetite for entertainment and by committing ourselves corporately to a long-term effort to defund our enemies.
I enjoy the Bourne movies -- I would probably like them no matter who starred as Jason Bourne. The fact of the matter is that Matt Damon is the one who took home a check for that part (and perhaps residuals). His face on that screen and his bulging checkbook have given him the ability to fund anti-christian causes, and I am responsible for a small part of that. So are other Christians. It's like Saul taking up a collection to send the Philistines so they could hire Goliath.
That said, there are a couple of things I need to consider for myself and fellow Christians should, too.
First, we are as bad as the society around us in being entertainment-driven. Is film-music-art (the media, not the content) inherently "bad"? Is it "worldly"? As a worldview proponent, I would find it hard to take that position. They are only as bad as the motivation and message they present. In the proper hands, they can be wonderful at "telling a story". Ravi Zacharias portrays the arts as the bridge between abstract concepts and supper-table discussions. The arts bring concepts down to where we can see and respond and formulate action.
So, we need to accord the muses their proper place in our world. We also need to look at ourselves and how we treat entertainment. Advertisers would have every new book title, every new movie, every new TV show, every new CD, every new restaurant menu offering as "must see", "must hear", "must read" and we respond with our time and our money. Is that wise?
Next, and corresponding to that, I frequently get "urgent - response needed" emails from organizations like AFA who act as a watchdog for anti-Christian activity in the aforementioned places. Their well-intentioned warning mechanism is a good example of calling like-minded people together to deal with a crisis, but also an example of how we treat the symptoms, not the causes. We have to take away Matt Damon's empowerment. We have to stop sending money to Goliath. We have to do that by re-evaluating and scaling back our appetite for entertainment and by committing ourselves corporately to a long-term effort to defund our enemies.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Why would a man want to be here?
McDonald's targets the kids to get the adults in the door. Don't some Sunday School and VBS programs do the same? If the kids weren't nagging Dad to go to McDonald's would Dad go there by choice?
Since it is the father's responsibility to feed the family, it is circumvented unless you reach the men. Titus was charged to "put in order that which is lacking". As the letter proceeds, this means properly functioning authority in families (among other things). He also says that if this is not carried out, the word of God will be blasphemed. Can we connect the dots to how things are today between church and society?
The Sunday School bus picking up kids in hopes to finally get dad there delays what is really needed. I know that is an over-simplification, but you get the idea.
Since it is the father's responsibility to feed the family, it is circumvented unless you reach the men. Titus was charged to "put in order that which is lacking". As the letter proceeds, this means properly functioning authority in families (among other things). He also says that if this is not carried out, the word of God will be blasphemed. Can we connect the dots to how things are today between church and society?
The Sunday School bus picking up kids in hopes to finally get dad there delays what is really needed. I know that is an over-simplification, but you get the idea.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
How It Played Out - 25th Anniversary Recollections
Cindy: I remembered that Jan Woods had a sort of request list for when someone would ask her to marry him. She went through the book of Ruth and found character traits that were in Boaz. I decide it wouldn't hurt to do that. I don't have the list any more but from what I can remember Boaz was a kind man and he was resolute to do what was right. It seems like it says, "He wouldn't rest until it was settled." I prayed over these things.
The next week I made an appointment to talk with Bill Woods about my conversation with Rob. Bill told me that I had insulated myself from relationships. I tended to back off if they got too close, but that wasn't healthy for the church. The body couldn't function properly if people weren't honest. If, perchance, there was a person that I felt a bond with -- more than just sharing a hymnal -- then I needed to ask God to work specific things in that person. Character traits, Bible verses, whatever God laid on my heart. Bill said I could be confident God was at work when the man did what I had been praying. I set about to do that for my dear friend John.
John had rescued me many times from rodents, lawn mowing, and not having a ride. He knew I was insecure with guy/girl relationships so I didn't think he would have unrealistic expectations. Besides, he had expressed care for me when we both worked at David's and at a conference we both attended before I moved to Indiana.
John: A very interesting thing happened after the campus fellowship meeting the next Friday night. The singles often went out to eat after fellowship. I happened to be with several younger guys at a restaurant when Cindy and some other girls from the fellowship walked by -- and we chatted briefly. One of the guys with me asked, "Is that your wife?" I answered, "No." but noted how curious a question it was.
Sunday morning came. I had to leave for work immediately after church. Bill spoke about Ruth and Boaz at worship that morning. Ruth and Boaz were another set of "major players" in my concept of my relationship with Cindy. Boaz's love for Ruth led him to take charge and settle things with regard to her well-being. Things had been building for several days and by this point, I was pretty bothered by this whole thing being unsettled. I kept praying when I had moments alone at work, like going to the stockroom for things.
After work, I went home and as I was there alone, I kept praying fervently about this situation. My promise to God was that if I determined that it was the right thing to do, I would follow through with it. I had been reminded again and again about my perspective of Moses crossing the Red Sea and as I thought about things and recounted them in my mind prayerfully, I realized that I had been brought to this point and there was only one thing to do. Almost audibly, I heard, "what are you waiting for, move forward." I didn't think about it at the time, but that was what God told Moses to do when he cried out to God about the approaching Egyptian army. I realized that I that it was time to get on with it.
As I went to the car and began to drive over to Cindy's, I knew that whatever the outcome -- keep in mind that we had not dated, we had not spoken about this together and she might totally shut me down -- I had to follow it out to the conclusion. I arrived at Cindy's apartment and knocked on the front door. There was no answer. Should I give up and go home? I thought, "no I have to settle this today," so I went to the back door. I knocked and Cindy answered the door.
Cindy: No more than two weeks had passed and I was having a very emotional day. I was dressed in orange sweat pants and shirt -- not expecting company -- ughh! There was a knock at my kitchen door. When I went to the door, John was there. He said he had to talk to me and ask me something. I invited him inside and we sat down. He said God had given him a special love for me and he wanted to ask me to marry him. Because I needed to have confidence that God was at work in this, I said, "On what basis?" John said, "Because God has given us an 'iron sharpens iron' relationship and I just can't rest until this is settled." When he said that, I said "Yes." I probably cried, too.
John: I was not expecting Cindy’s response, "On what basis?" So when she asked, I knew what I appreciated about her and our relationship, and I just knew I had to settle this. As it turned out, these exact things were what she needed to confirm what she had been praying. What a relief when she sighed and said, "Yes."
After that, we both wanted to share the happy news with Bill and Jan. We announced it to them and went over to visit for a while, then stayed up late and started planning, calling people and just rejoicing in our news...
This was just the beginning of miracles in our life together, small and large. We were able to pull together a wedding in six weeks, Cindy found a beautiful wedding dress and veil at a fraction of its original cost at a wedding shop. Later, my vision of Abraham and Sarah was fulfilled this way: After over a year of trying to have a baby with various infertility treatments, God blessed us with Joseph. That is another story. When Cindy and I chose an imprint for our wedding napkins, we chose the Bible verse about "a cord of three strands is not easily broken." Jesus has been the "strong strand" in the cord of our life together and we are thankful to be able to celebrate these twenty-five years together.
The next week I made an appointment to talk with Bill Woods about my conversation with Rob. Bill told me that I had insulated myself from relationships. I tended to back off if they got too close, but that wasn't healthy for the church. The body couldn't function properly if people weren't honest. If, perchance, there was a person that I felt a bond with -- more than just sharing a hymnal -- then I needed to ask God to work specific things in that person. Character traits, Bible verses, whatever God laid on my heart. Bill said I could be confident God was at work when the man did what I had been praying. I set about to do that for my dear friend John.
John had rescued me many times from rodents, lawn mowing, and not having a ride. He knew I was insecure with guy/girl relationships so I didn't think he would have unrealistic expectations. Besides, he had expressed care for me when we both worked at David's and at a conference we both attended before I moved to Indiana.
John: A very interesting thing happened after the campus fellowship meeting the next Friday night. The singles often went out to eat after fellowship. I happened to be with several younger guys at a restaurant when Cindy and some other girls from the fellowship walked by -- and we chatted briefly. One of the guys with me asked, "Is that your wife?" I answered, "No." but noted how curious a question it was.
Sunday morning came. I had to leave for work immediately after church. Bill spoke about Ruth and Boaz at worship that morning. Ruth and Boaz were another set of "major players" in my concept of my relationship with Cindy. Boaz's love for Ruth led him to take charge and settle things with regard to her well-being. Things had been building for several days and by this point, I was pretty bothered by this whole thing being unsettled. I kept praying when I had moments alone at work, like going to the stockroom for things.
After work, I went home and as I was there alone, I kept praying fervently about this situation. My promise to God was that if I determined that it was the right thing to do, I would follow through with it. I had been reminded again and again about my perspective of Moses crossing the Red Sea and as I thought about things and recounted them in my mind prayerfully, I realized that I had been brought to this point and there was only one thing to do. Almost audibly, I heard, "what are you waiting for, move forward." I didn't think about it at the time, but that was what God told Moses to do when he cried out to God about the approaching Egyptian army. I realized that I that it was time to get on with it.
As I went to the car and began to drive over to Cindy's, I knew that whatever the outcome -- keep in mind that we had not dated, we had not spoken about this together and she might totally shut me down -- I had to follow it out to the conclusion. I arrived at Cindy's apartment and knocked on the front door. There was no answer. Should I give up and go home? I thought, "no I have to settle this today," so I went to the back door. I knocked and Cindy answered the door.
Cindy: No more than two weeks had passed and I was having a very emotional day. I was dressed in orange sweat pants and shirt -- not expecting company -- ughh! There was a knock at my kitchen door. When I went to the door, John was there. He said he had to talk to me and ask me something. I invited him inside and we sat down. He said God had given him a special love for me and he wanted to ask me to marry him. Because I needed to have confidence that God was at work in this, I said, "On what basis?" John said, "Because God has given us an 'iron sharpens iron' relationship and I just can't rest until this is settled." When he said that, I said "Yes." I probably cried, too.
John: I was not expecting Cindy’s response, "On what basis?" So when she asked, I knew what I appreciated about her and our relationship, and I just knew I had to settle this. As it turned out, these exact things were what she needed to confirm what she had been praying. What a relief when she sighed and said, "Yes."
After that, we both wanted to share the happy news with Bill and Jan. We announced it to them and went over to visit for a while, then stayed up late and started planning, calling people and just rejoicing in our news...
This was just the beginning of miracles in our life together, small and large. We were able to pull together a wedding in six weeks, Cindy found a beautiful wedding dress and veil at a fraction of its original cost at a wedding shop. Later, my vision of Abraham and Sarah was fulfilled this way: After over a year of trying to have a baby with various infertility treatments, God blessed us with Joseph. That is another story. When Cindy and I chose an imprint for our wedding napkins, we chose the Bible verse about "a cord of three strands is not easily broken." Jesus has been the "strong strand" in the cord of our life together and we are thankful to be able to celebrate these twenty-five years together.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
What Happened Next - 25th Anniversary Recollections
Cindy: I struggled with my singleness but I accepted it as God's design. I knew that when it came to relationships with men that I couldn't trust that they would be stable and secure or that sin wouldn't mar it.
It happened one weekend, as spring break was just ending, that I went with Christy, Rob and someone else to pick up trucks for Rob's U-Haul business. Somehow I ended up riding with Rob. He scared me to death when the first thing he asked me was "what I looked for in a husband." I quickly said that I didn't -- that I felt as if my singleness was a permanent proposition. He just as quickly told me that he didn't believe our pastor, Bill Woods would agree. In fact, he was quite sure that Bill would say no one in our church had the gift of celibacy. That hit me pretty hard because I was pretty keen on being under the pastoral leaderships' authority. So that night I cried out to God about whether I was wrong, asking "was I protecting myself from rejection, betrayal and insecurity?"
John: Rob started talking about his conversation with Cindy when he got home that Friday night. I told him -- with uncharacteristic bravado -- that I believed Cindy and I were meant to be together and I believed we would be married. His reply was that it would be some sort of miracle because Cindy had told him in no uncertain terms that she would not marry. I countered with the promise that if we were not engaged by the time Sunday ended, I would just drop the issue. Well, I'm not sure how I thought that would happen, but Sunday night came and I was not engaged. I dejectedly said I would keep my word and just let it drop. The next week would be a very down week for me -- sort of trying to "soldier on" disappointedly. Every time I thought about Cindy -- and that was often -- I reminded myself that I was dropping it.
It happened one weekend, as spring break was just ending, that I went with Christy, Rob and someone else to pick up trucks for Rob's U-Haul business. Somehow I ended up riding with Rob. He scared me to death when the first thing he asked me was "what I looked for in a husband." I quickly said that I didn't -- that I felt as if my singleness was a permanent proposition. He just as quickly told me that he didn't believe our pastor, Bill Woods would agree. In fact, he was quite sure that Bill would say no one in our church had the gift of celibacy. That hit me pretty hard because I was pretty keen on being under the pastoral leaderships' authority. So that night I cried out to God about whether I was wrong, asking "was I protecting myself from rejection, betrayal and insecurity?"
John: Rob started talking about his conversation with Cindy when he got home that Friday night. I told him -- with uncharacteristic bravado -- that I believed Cindy and I were meant to be together and I believed we would be married. His reply was that it would be some sort of miracle because Cindy had told him in no uncertain terms that she would not marry. I countered with the promise that if we were not engaged by the time Sunday ended, I would just drop the issue. Well, I'm not sure how I thought that would happen, but Sunday night came and I was not engaged. I dejectedly said I would keep my word and just let it drop. The next week would be a very down week for me -- sort of trying to "soldier on" disappointedly. Every time I thought about Cindy -- and that was often -- I reminded myself that I was dropping it.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
How Cindy and I Met - 25th Anniversary Recollections
John: The first time I met Cindy -- in 1977 -- was at a weekend conference held at a camp next to Caney Lake, just a little ways from Ruston, Louisiana. I had traveled there from Emporia, Kansas with Bill Woods, my pastor. Bill was one of the conference speakers that weekend.
To properly understand the context that all these things happened in, I should do a little background about our church experience. In the early 1970's, several young men and women began an itinerant evangelistic outreach that focused on college campuses. They would locate at a campus, put on musical programs in the dorms, have Bible studies, have outdoor preaching and follow up by trying to band those who responded together as a fledgling church. After a period of time, they would move on to another campus and do the same thing. As a result, there were -- for lack of a better description -- campus Bible study churches from Texas to Ohio to Florida to Louisiana and many campuses in between. Bill Woods was a product of this outreach at Kansas University and had become a facilitator of other similar churches.
When God awakened me to my spiritual need, it was through this type of church, located where I went to college at Emporia State University in Kansas. Cindy had already been a member of the church at Louisiana Tech in Ruston for several years. It was the church at Louisiana Tech that had invited a sister church from Houston for a joint Christian Living conference and Bill Woods was one of the two invited speakers. As one of the founders of the church at Ruston, Bill was the common denominator between Emporia and Ruston.
I distinctly remember sitting outside the dining/meeting hall at a picnic table and talking with Cindy for a short period of time. One thing we still laugh about -- I remember having the conversation and she doesn't. I joke that I must have made a fantastic impression on her! In her defense, when we met and had that conversation, I was pretty overweight and it would be no wonder that when our trails crossed later, I looked different, having lost about 55 pounds.
After the conference, Bill and I traveled back to Ruston, and stayed over at the home of several single men who were in the church there. Cindy and someone else -- I can't remember who -- came over and made a travel lunch for Bill and myself before we headed back to Kansas. Along the way, when we unpacked our lunches, I found an index card with the food. It had the verse saying, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee and there is none upon the earth that I desire but Thee." For some reason I kept that index card for years -- and Cindy was very surprised to find it when she was unpacking my things at the apartment when we returned from our honeymoon.
Sometime later -- in 1979, I think -- Cindy was invited by Bill to consider joining the young fellowship at Emporia to help with the campus and community outreach. Cindy was very ill when the time came to move from Louisiana. She had to have some men in the fellowship drive her car up and move her things while she took a flight. Not long after her arrival, she was hospitalized had to have surgery for her ongoing "female" problems. I remember visiting her in the hospital, but mainly I was kind of a bother to her. I say that for this reason: I was very shy around her and didn't really know what to say -- so I made up for it by repeating things I read in the then-popular book How to Speak Southern. Not the thing to do!
Bill involved me in a project he and Dave Cook -- a pastor from Lawrence, Kansas -- were developing. The vision for this project was to form a pop-rock band that used Top-40 hit music to develop thematic programs bringing biblical concepts into focus. Dave Cook had been a professional drummer, I had been a semi-pro bass player and Bill recruited other band members from several sister churches that were talent-rich. Rehearsals and the subsequent "City Lights" tour kept me pretty tied up through the end of 1980.
After touring, we were sort of in limbo, thinking we might regroup after a rest and go at again. The possibility existed that me might relocate to a place more central to the network of campuses we were involved with. Bloomington, Indiana was one possibility. In the meantime, I got a job at a local discount store named David's -- sort of a regional Target -- which was where Cindy worked in the Cash Office. That was where I began to develop a true affection for her. I wanted to develop a deeper relationship with her, but was torn and fearful. As I pondered my options, I kept thinking of a common Biblical image, one that would figure into events later on. The image was that of Moses bringing the people of Israel to the Red Sea. When they were being apprehended by the Egyptian army, God parted the sea in order for the Israelites to pass over. I always felt in my relationship with Cindy that I was at the sea but it would not part. Until it did, I could not "move forward".
After several months, plans began being implemented for a team of couples and singles to migrate to Bloomington for a church plant. There was no discussion of reviving the music group, but I was urged by the church pastors to relocate to Bloomington. There was little doubt that part of the reason was that as they observed me in relation to Cindy, they realized that there was more emotion than substance and a little distance might put things in a better perspective. That summer, three small teams moved to Bloomington, a month apart. I was in the middle group and moved to Indiana early in June. I busied myself finding work -- not easy to do with 12% unemployment -- but after several weeks, I landed a job as a counter salesperson at Bender Lumber Company in Bloomington and settled in to work and campus ministry.
In the late fall, we had a retreat at an old mansion north of Bloomington. Several people who were still in Emporia came up for the weekend -- including Cindy. Late one evening, we got a change to chat with each other. Among other things, we talked about how we "used to" have feelings for each other months before, but we were past it now. For my own part, that was definitely not the truth. In reality, I never got over it -- and I still haven't!
The following fall, more people, including Bill and Jan Woods and Cindy had made the move to Bloomington and we all busied ourselves with our work and with campus bible studies and fellowship. For my part, I just tried to ignore my feelings and be productive. There were enjoyable opportunities to help her out with little things, like setting and emptying mouse traps, putting on window plastic for winter, having homemade mushroom soup -- yum! I tried to enjoy just being friends and that was okay for then. On through the winter and into the new year, on Valentine’s Day, I remember calling Cindy and chatting with her for several hours. I so enjoyed her. My roommate, Rob was aware of these things and marriage -- in generalities but not specifically -- was a topic of discussion between us.
To properly understand the context that all these things happened in, I should do a little background about our church experience. In the early 1970's, several young men and women began an itinerant evangelistic outreach that focused on college campuses. They would locate at a campus, put on musical programs in the dorms, have Bible studies, have outdoor preaching and follow up by trying to band those who responded together as a fledgling church. After a period of time, they would move on to another campus and do the same thing. As a result, there were -- for lack of a better description -- campus Bible study churches from Texas to Ohio to Florida to Louisiana and many campuses in between. Bill Woods was a product of this outreach at Kansas University and had become a facilitator of other similar churches.
When God awakened me to my spiritual need, it was through this type of church, located where I went to college at Emporia State University in Kansas. Cindy had already been a member of the church at Louisiana Tech in Ruston for several years. It was the church at Louisiana Tech that had invited a sister church from Houston for a joint Christian Living conference and Bill Woods was one of the two invited speakers. As one of the founders of the church at Ruston, Bill was the common denominator between Emporia and Ruston.
I distinctly remember sitting outside the dining/meeting hall at a picnic table and talking with Cindy for a short period of time. One thing we still laugh about -- I remember having the conversation and she doesn't. I joke that I must have made a fantastic impression on her! In her defense, when we met and had that conversation, I was pretty overweight and it would be no wonder that when our trails crossed later, I looked different, having lost about 55 pounds.
After the conference, Bill and I traveled back to Ruston, and stayed over at the home of several single men who were in the church there. Cindy and someone else -- I can't remember who -- came over and made a travel lunch for Bill and myself before we headed back to Kansas. Along the way, when we unpacked our lunches, I found an index card with the food. It had the verse saying, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee and there is none upon the earth that I desire but Thee." For some reason I kept that index card for years -- and Cindy was very surprised to find it when she was unpacking my things at the apartment when we returned from our honeymoon.
Sometime later -- in 1979, I think -- Cindy was invited by Bill to consider joining the young fellowship at Emporia to help with the campus and community outreach. Cindy was very ill when the time came to move from Louisiana. She had to have some men in the fellowship drive her car up and move her things while she took a flight. Not long after her arrival, she was hospitalized had to have surgery for her ongoing "female" problems. I remember visiting her in the hospital, but mainly I was kind of a bother to her. I say that for this reason: I was very shy around her and didn't really know what to say -- so I made up for it by repeating things I read in the then-popular book How to Speak Southern. Not the thing to do!
Bill involved me in a project he and Dave Cook -- a pastor from Lawrence, Kansas -- were developing. The vision for this project was to form a pop-rock band that used Top-40 hit music to develop thematic programs bringing biblical concepts into focus. Dave Cook had been a professional drummer, I had been a semi-pro bass player and Bill recruited other band members from several sister churches that were talent-rich. Rehearsals and the subsequent "City Lights" tour kept me pretty tied up through the end of 1980.
After touring, we were sort of in limbo, thinking we might regroup after a rest and go at again. The possibility existed that me might relocate to a place more central to the network of campuses we were involved with. Bloomington, Indiana was one possibility. In the meantime, I got a job at a local discount store named David's -- sort of a regional Target -- which was where Cindy worked in the Cash Office. That was where I began to develop a true affection for her. I wanted to develop a deeper relationship with her, but was torn and fearful. As I pondered my options, I kept thinking of a common Biblical image, one that would figure into events later on. The image was that of Moses bringing the people of Israel to the Red Sea. When they were being apprehended by the Egyptian army, God parted the sea in order for the Israelites to pass over. I always felt in my relationship with Cindy that I was at the sea but it would not part. Until it did, I could not "move forward".
After several months, plans began being implemented for a team of couples and singles to migrate to Bloomington for a church plant. There was no discussion of reviving the music group, but I was urged by the church pastors to relocate to Bloomington. There was little doubt that part of the reason was that as they observed me in relation to Cindy, they realized that there was more emotion than substance and a little distance might put things in a better perspective. That summer, three small teams moved to Bloomington, a month apart. I was in the middle group and moved to Indiana early in June. I busied myself finding work -- not easy to do with 12% unemployment -- but after several weeks, I landed a job as a counter salesperson at Bender Lumber Company in Bloomington and settled in to work and campus ministry.
In the late fall, we had a retreat at an old mansion north of Bloomington. Several people who were still in Emporia came up for the weekend -- including Cindy. Late one evening, we got a change to chat with each other. Among other things, we talked about how we "used to" have feelings for each other months before, but we were past it now. For my own part, that was definitely not the truth. In reality, I never got over it -- and I still haven't!
The following fall, more people, including Bill and Jan Woods and Cindy had made the move to Bloomington and we all busied ourselves with our work and with campus bible studies and fellowship. For my part, I just tried to ignore my feelings and be productive. There were enjoyable opportunities to help her out with little things, like setting and emptying mouse traps, putting on window plastic for winter, having homemade mushroom soup -- yum! I tried to enjoy just being friends and that was okay for then. On through the winter and into the new year, on Valentine’s Day, I remember calling Cindy and chatting with her for several hours. I so enjoyed her. My roommate, Rob was aware of these things and marriage -- in generalities but not specifically -- was a topic of discussion between us.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Sunset of Life - Jesus and Paul
As I write this, my pastor's wife and friend, Marian Nelson is going through one of the first steps of the process of dealing with the cancer which began in her pancreas and has metastisized to her liver. She was diagnosed this week. Her procedure today is an "easy" one, they will put in a stint to open up a bile duct in her liver. This will hopefully take care of immediate concerns of jaundice, nausea and other possible complications.
Cindy and I have had our own walk down this path since 2004, when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. It has since metastisized to her spleen, lungs and abdomen. After the initial hysterectomy, she has had radiation, chemo, another surgery to remove her spleen and another spot in her abdomen, more chemo and most recently, removal of parts of her right lung. She is still alive, doing well and enjoying not having chemo. Many people in her shoes were not as fortunate.
Situations like this give us a cause to pause -- to take a "what is life really about" moment. Following are notes from a short talk I gave at our church meeting last Wednesday evening, as we begin to deal with Marian's situation.
Psalm 90:1-12 Things happen in life, particularly when someone close to us has a life-threatening situation, that draw our thoughts back to the brevity of life... We say "our days are numbered." Is that a bad thing? Moses said in this Psalm "teach us to number our days, so that we may present you a heart of wisdom". Knowing our days are numbered can be a helpful incentive to do what we can to make sure our lives count for others.
Life passes quickly, in the morning the grass grows and then in the afternoon, it drys up and withers and is cut down.
John 5:17 Jesus said, "My Father is working up till right now and I myself am working." God began our universe with work. God made us to work. Jesus worked. We talk about retirement and the "sunset years" but in God's economy there is never retirement as we think of it today. We may retire from our occupation, but we never retire from service.
John 9:4 We have to "make hay while the sun shines." The workday will end and there will be no going back and finishing it up.
John 17:4 As Jesus said for his own life, we glorify God by finishing the work he gave us to do.
1 Cor 15:58 No work we do in union with God (John 3:21 Berkeley), nothing, is a waste. Jesus said in Matthew that even a cup of cold water given to serve others in his name will not be forgotten.
Phil 1:12-14 Anything God allows works to his advantage (Romans 8:28 - and to our advantage as his people). Jesus took the worst Rome had to offer its enemies and turned it into liberation for his people. He made the symbol of Rome's power into a symbol of the power of God's kingdom. Paul's detractors thought that house arrest put him out of action. In reality, it created opportunities he would not have had otherwise. Things happen in our lives that we have no control over. God will not let them be a waste, but will work them to our good and his advantage.
Phil 1:19-26 As long as we have breath, we have work. Whether we live or die... "Christ". He will leave us as long has he has a purpose for us being here. If I'm breathing, I'm (hopefully) useful.
Cindy and I have had our own walk down this path since 2004, when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. It has since metastisized to her spleen, lungs and abdomen. After the initial hysterectomy, she has had radiation, chemo, another surgery to remove her spleen and another spot in her abdomen, more chemo and most recently, removal of parts of her right lung. She is still alive, doing well and enjoying not having chemo. Many people in her shoes were not as fortunate.
Situations like this give us a cause to pause -- to take a "what is life really about" moment. Following are notes from a short talk I gave at our church meeting last Wednesday evening, as we begin to deal with Marian's situation.
Psalm 90:1-12 Things happen in life, particularly when someone close to us has a life-threatening situation, that draw our thoughts back to the brevity of life... We say "our days are numbered." Is that a bad thing? Moses said in this Psalm "teach us to number our days, so that we may present you a heart of wisdom". Knowing our days are numbered can be a helpful incentive to do what we can to make sure our lives count for others.
Life passes quickly, in the morning the grass grows and then in the afternoon, it drys up and withers and is cut down.
John 5:17 Jesus said, "My Father is working up till right now and I myself am working." God began our universe with work. God made us to work. Jesus worked. We talk about retirement and the "sunset years" but in God's economy there is never retirement as we think of it today. We may retire from our occupation, but we never retire from service.
John 9:4 We have to "make hay while the sun shines." The workday will end and there will be no going back and finishing it up.
John 17:4 As Jesus said for his own life, we glorify God by finishing the work he gave us to do.
1 Cor 15:58 No work we do in union with God (John 3:21 Berkeley), nothing, is a waste. Jesus said in Matthew that even a cup of cold water given to serve others in his name will not be forgotten.
Phil 1:12-14 Anything God allows works to his advantage (Romans 8:28 - and to our advantage as his people). Jesus took the worst Rome had to offer its enemies and turned it into liberation for his people. He made the symbol of Rome's power into a symbol of the power of God's kingdom. Paul's detractors thought that house arrest put him out of action. In reality, it created opportunities he would not have had otherwise. Things happen in our lives that we have no control over. God will not let them be a waste, but will work them to our good and his advantage.
Phil 1:19-26 As long as we have breath, we have work. Whether we live or die... "Christ". He will leave us as long has he has a purpose for us being here. If I'm breathing, I'm (hopefully) useful.
Sunset of Life - Moses, Jesus and Paul
As I write this, my pastor's wife and friend, Marian Nelson is going through one of the first steps of the process of dealing with the cancer which began in her pancreas and has metastisized to her liver. She was diagnosed this week. Her procedure today is an "easy" one, they will put in a stint to open up a bile duct in her liver. This will hopefully take care of immediate concerns of jaundice, nausea and other possible complications.
Cindy and I have had our own walk down this path since 2004, when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. It has since metastisized to her spleen, lungs and abdomen. After the initial hysterectomy, she has had radiation, chemo, another surgery to remove her spleen and another spot in her abdomen, more chemo and most recently, removal of parts of her right lung. She is still alive, doing well and enjoying not having chemo. Many people in her shoes were not as fortunate.
Situations like this give us a cause to pause -- to take a "what is life really about" moment. Following are notes from a short talk I gave at our church meeting last Wednesday evening, as we begin to deal with Marian's situation.
Psalm 90:1-12 Things happen in life, particularly when someone close to us has a life-threatening situation, that draw our thoughts back to the brevity of life... We say "our days are numbered." Is that a bad thing? Moses said in this Psalm "teach us to number our days, so that we may present you a heart of wisdom". Knowing our days are numbered can be a helpful incentive to do what we can to make sure our lives count for others.
Cindy and I have had our own walk down this path since 2004, when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. It has since metastisized to her spleen, lungs and abdomen. After the initial hysterectomy, she has had radiation, chemo, another surgery to remove her spleen and another spot in her abdomen, more chemo and most recently, removal of parts of her right lung. She is still alive, doing well and enjoying not having chemo. Many people in her shoes were not as fortunate.
Situations like this give us a cause to pause -- to take a "what is life really about" moment. Following are notes from a short talk I gave at our church meeting last Wednesday evening, as we begin to deal with Marian's situation.
Psalm 90:1-12 Things happen in life, particularly when someone close to us has a life-threatening situation, that draw our thoughts back to the brevity of life... We say "our days are numbered." Is that a bad thing? Moses said in this Psalm "teach us to number our days, so that we may present you a heart of wisdom". Knowing our days are numbered can be a helpful incentive to do what we can to make sure our lives count for others.
Life passes quickly, in the morning the grass grows and then in the afternoon, it drys up and withers and is cut down.
John 5:17 Jesus said, "My Father is working up till right now and I myself am working." God began our universe with work. God made us to work. Jesus worked. We talk about retirement and the "sunset years" but in God's economy there is never retirement as we think of it today. We may retire from our occupation, but we never retire from service.
John 9:4 We have to "make hay while the sun shines." The workday will end and there will be no going back and finishing it up.
John 17:4 As Jesus said for his own life, we glorify God by finishing the work he gave us to do.
1 Cor 15:58 No work we do in union with God (John 3:21 Berkeley), nothing, is a waste. Jesus said in Matthew that even a cup of cold water given to serve others in his name will not be forgotten.
Phil 1:12-14 Anything God allows works to his advantage (Romans 8:28 - and to our advantage as his people). Jesus took the worst Rome had to offer its enemies and turned it into liberation for his people. He made the symbol of Rome's power into a symbol of the power of God's kingdom. Paul's detractors thought that house arrest put him out of action. In reality, it created opportunities he would not have had otherwise. Things happen in our lives that we have no control over. God will not let them be a waste, but will work them to our good and his advantage.
Phil 1:19-26 As long as we have breath, we have work. Whether we live or die... "Christ". He will leave us as long has he has a purpose for us being here. If I'm breathing, I'm (hopefully) useful.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Telling God's Story
We've a story to tell to the nations,
That shall turn their hearts to the right,
A story of truth and mercy,
A story of peace and light,
A story of peace and light.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We've a song to be sung to the nations,
That shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
A song that shall conquer evil
And shatter the spear and sword,
And shatter the spear and sword.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We've a message to give to the nations,
That the Lord who reigns up above
Has sent us His Son to save us,
And show us that God is love,
And show us that God is love.
Psalm 78:1-8
1 An instruction of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; bow down your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will speak dark sayings of old,
3 which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their sons, showing to the generations to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He has done.
5 For He set up a testimony in Jacob, and ordered a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their sons;
6 so that the generation to come might know; sons shall be born, and they shall arise and tell their sons,
7 so that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;
8 and might not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set their heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful with God.
This psalm, Psalm 78 (and other scriptures) brings to light the "generational-ness" of the God: "to you and your children" -- always multi-generational. Something that God required of his faithful people was to communicate him to their children:
Work at becoming "whole" in our thinking, perspective of life and actions
We've a Savior to show to the nations,
Who the path of sorrow has trod,
That all of the worlds great peoples
Might come to the truth of God,
Might come to the truth of God.
That shall turn their hearts to the right,
A story of truth and mercy,
A story of peace and light,
A story of peace and light.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We've a song to be sung to the nations,
That shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
A song that shall conquer evil
And shatter the spear and sword,
And shatter the spear and sword.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We've a message to give to the nations,
That the Lord who reigns up above
Has sent us His Son to save us,
And show us that God is love,
And show us that God is love.
Psalm 78:1-8
1 An instruction of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; bow down your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will speak dark sayings of old,
3 which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their sons, showing to the generations to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He has done.
5 For He set up a testimony in Jacob, and ordered a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their sons;
6 so that the generation to come might know; sons shall be born, and they shall arise and tell their sons,
7 so that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;
8 and might not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set their heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful with God.
This psalm, Psalm 78 (and other scriptures) brings to light the "generational-ness" of the God: "to you and your children" -- always multi-generational. Something that God required of his faithful people was to communicate him to their children:
- The history of his covenant (God has always worked with mankind covenantally starting with Adam and Eve - he doesn't do it any other way)
- The nature of his dealings with people based on his covenants
- The requirements (law) of living in fellowship with him and each other
- An ecosystem (modern buzzword but a very good picture - everything is interrelated)
- Like a colonial charter (how? King grants colony and terms under which life is to be conducted)
- Like marriage, not just a legal agreement, but tangled up with all of life, decisions, etc.
- What have we done with the story?
- The last couple of generations have made some mistakes with God's story
- We have started to think of God as someone who sits far off on the sidelines and only intervenes when we get in bind and decide to pray
- We have broken the "mainspring" out of the clock and forgotten that it's purpose and function is in relation to the clock as a whole.
- Worse yet, we have broken life into a bunch of pieces that have no relation to each other (compartmentalization) Example: I can be a serial adulterer but a great leader
- We have tried to make God's story fit into a Four Spiritual Laws pamphlet
- We have made it about following the right script (four points and a prayer) instead of trust and obedience and commitment
- We have tried to tell the "punchline" but didn't lay the foundation so it makes less sense
- We have broken the story into bite sized chunks instead of doing the hard work of study
- We have pulled out promises and principles and tossed out the rest like the gemologist
- We have made being disciples "something extra" (an optional add-on for salvation)
- We have made it activity-oriented (go and do and come home) instead of lifestyle (24/7)
Work at becoming "whole" in our thinking, perspective of life and actions
- God's story didn't start at Christmas and it doesn't end at Easter
- Many people think the message of the Bible is "how to get to heaven"?
- It includes that, but it really tells me the past, present and future of man's relationship with God and how my own life fits in with that
- There is a bodily resurrection and new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells and every believer will be there
- Like your marriage affects all your decisions -- how you spend your time and your money, where you go, what you do and who you do it with -- if God's kingdom is real, and your relationship with him as King is real, it is the same way
- John 1:14 says "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us"
- Jesus embodied and lived out God's every expression of God's law and promises perfectly
- You remember the old saying, "You may be the only Bible a person ever reads..."
- The apostle Paul said that "we have this treasure in earthen vessels"
- Though we are not perfect, we can bring the word to life
- Think of the difference between 2D vs 3D -- "in living color"
There is a magnificent story in Marie Chapian's book Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy. The book told of the sufferings of the true church in Yugoslavia where so much wrong has been perpetrated by the politicized ecclesiastical hierarchy. That which has gone on in the name of Christ for the enriching and empowering of corrupt church officials has been a terrible affront to decency.
One day an evangelist by the name of Jakov arrived in a certain village. He commiserated with an elderly man named Cimmerman on the tragedies he had experienced and talked to him of the love of Christ. Cimmerman abruptly interrupted Jakov and told him that he wished to have nothing to do with Christianity. He reminded Jakov of the dreadful history of the church in his town, a history replete with plundering, exploiting, and indeed with killing innocent people. "My own nephew was killed by them," he said and angrily rebuffed any effort on Jakov's part to talk about Christ. "They wear those elaborate coats and caps and crosses," he said, "signifying a heavenly commission, but their evil designs and lives I cannot ignore."
Jakov, looking for an occasion to get Cimmerman to change his line of thinking, said, "Cimmerman, can I ask you a question? Suppose I were to steal your coat, put it on, and break into a bank. Suppose further that the police sighted me running in the distance but could not catch up with me. One clue, however, put them onto your track; they recognized your coat. What would you say to them if they came to your house and accused you of breaking into the bank?"
"I would deny it," said Cimmerman.
"Ah, but we saw your coat," they would say," retorted Jakov. This analogy quite annoyed Cimmerman, who ordered Jakov to leave his home.
Jakov continued to return to the village periodically just to befriend Cimmerman, encourage him, and share the love of Christ, with him. Finally one day Cimmerman asked, "How does one become a Christian?" and Jakov taught him the simple steps of repentance for sin and of trust in the work of Jesus Christ and gently pointed him to the Shepherd of his soul. Cimmerman bent his knee on the soil with his head bowed and surrendered his life to Christ. As he rose to his feet, wiping his tears, he embraced Jakov and said, "Thank you for being in my life." And then he pointed to the heavens and whispered, "You wear His coat very well."
Ravi Zacharias, Can Man Live Without God, (Word Publishing, Dallas: 1994), pp. 101-102
We've a Savior to show to the nations,
Who the path of sorrow has trod,
That all of the worlds great peoples
Might come to the truth of God,
Might come to the truth of God.
Telling God's Story
We've a story to tell to the nations,
That shall turn their hearts to the right,
A story of truth and mercy,
A story of peace and light,
A story of peace and light.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We've a song to be sung to the nations,
That shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
A song that shall conquer evil
And shatter the spear and sword,
And shatter the spear and sword.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We've a message to give to the nations,
That the Lord who reigns up above
Has sent us His Son to save us,
And show us that God is love,
And show us that God is love.
Psalm 78:1-8
1 An instruction of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; bow down your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will speak dark sayings of old,
3 which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their sons, showing to the generations to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He has done.
5 For He set up a testimony in Jacob, and ordered a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their sons;
6 so that the generation to come might know; sons shall be born, and they shall arise and tell their sons,
7 so that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;
8 and might not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set their heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful with God.
This psalm, Psalm 78 (and other scriptures) brings to light the "generational-ness" of the God: "to you and your children" -- always multi-generational. Something that God required of his faithful people was to communicate him to their children:
The history of his covenant (God has always worked with mankind covenantally starting with Adam and Eve - he doesn't do it any other way)
The nature of his dealings with people based on his covenants
The requirements (law) of living in fellowship with him and each other
What do I mean when I talk about covenant?
An ecosystem (modern buzzword but a very good picture - everything is interrelated)
Like a colonial charter (how? King grants colony and terms under which life is to be conducted)
Like marriage, not just a legal agreement, but tangled up with all of life, decisions, etc.
Back to our song: "We've a Story to Tell to the Nations"
What have we done with the story?
The last couple of generations have made some mistakes with God's story
Some mistakes with the covenant life
We have started to think of God as someone who sits far off on the sidelines and only intervenes when we get in bind and decide to pray
We have broken the "mainspring" out of the clock and forgotten that it's purpose and function is in relation to the clock as a whole.
Worse yet, we have broken life into a bunch of pieces that have no relation to each other (compartmentalization) Example: I can be a serial adulterer but a great leader
Some mistakes with the message of salvation
We have tried to make God's story fit into a Four Spiritual Laws pamphlet
We have made it about following the right script (four points and a prayer) instead of trust and obedience and commitment
Some mistakes with the scriptures
We have tried to tell the "punchline" but didn't lay the foundation so it makes less sense
We have broken the story into bite sized chunks instead of doing the hard work of study
We have pulled out promises and principles and tossed out the rest like the gemologist
Some mistakes with discipleship
We have made being disciples "something extra" (an optional add-on for salvation)
We have made it activity-oriented (go and do and come home) instead of lifestyle (24/7)
What can we do about it?
Work at becoming "whole" in our thinking, perspective of life and actions
God's story didn't start at Christmas and it doesn't end at Easter
Many people think the message of the Bible is "how to get to heaven"?
It includes that, but it really tells me the past, present and future of man's relationship with God and how my own life fits in with that
There is a bodily resurrection and new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells and every believer will be there
Like your marriage affects all your decisions -- how you spend your time and your money, where you go, what you do and who you do it with -- if God's kingdom is real, and your relationship with him as King is real, it is the same way
Embody God's story
John 1:14 says "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us"
Jesus embodied and lived out God's every expression of God's law and promises perfectly
You remember the old saying, "You may be the only Bible a person ever reads..."
The apostle Paul said that "we have this treasure in earthen vessels"
Though we are not perfect, we can bring the word to life
Think of the difference between 2D vs 3D -- "in living color"
Remember the story of Yakov and Cimmerman
There is a magnificent story in Marie Chapian's book Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy. The book told of the sufferings of the true church in Yugoslavia where so much wrong has been perpetrated by the politicized ecclesiastical hierarchy. That which has gone on in the name of Christ for the enriching and empowering of corrupt church officials has been a terrible affront to decency.
One day an evangelist by the name of Jakov arrived in a certain village. He commiserated with an elderly man named Cimmerman on the tragedies he had experienced and talked to him of the love of Christ. Cimmerman abruptly interrupted Jakov and told him that he wished to have nothing to do with Christianity. He reminded Jakov of the dreadful history of the church in his town, a history replete with plundering, exploiting, and indeed with killing innocent people. "My own nephew was killed by them," he said and angrily rebuffed any effort on Jakov's part to talk about Christ. "They wear those elaborate coats and caps and crosses," he said, "signifying a heavenly commission, but their evil designs and lives I cannot ignore."
Jakov, looking for an occasion to get Cimmerman to change his line of thinking, said, "Cimmerman, can I ask you a question? Suppose I were to steal your coat, put it on, and break into a bank. Suppose further that the police sighted me running in the distance but could not catch up with me. One clue, however, put them onto your track; they recognized your coat. What would you say to them if they came to your house and accused you of breaking into the bank?"
"I would deny it," said Cimmerman.
"Ah, but we saw your coat," they would say," retorted Jakov. This analogy quite annoyed Cimmerman, who ordered Jakov to leave his home.
Jakov continued to return to the village periodically just to befriend Cimmerman, encourage him, and share the love of Christ, with him. Finally one day Cimmerman asked, "How does one become a Christian?" and Jakov taught him the simple steps of repentance for sin and of trust in the work of Jesus Christ and gently pointed him to the Shepherd of his soul. Cimmerman bent his knee on the soil with his head bowed and surrendered his life to Christ. As he rose to his feet, wiping his tears, he embraced Jakov and said, "Thank you for being in my life." And then he pointed to the heavens and whispered, "You wear His coat very well."
Ravi Zacharias, Can Man Live Without God, (Word Publishing, Dallas: 1994), pp. 101-102
We've a Savior to show to the nations,
Who the path of sorrow has trod,
That all of the worlds great peoples
Might come to the truth of God,
Might come to the truth of God.
That shall turn their hearts to the right,
A story of truth and mercy,
A story of peace and light,
A story of peace and light.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We've a song to be sung to the nations,
That shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
A song that shall conquer evil
And shatter the spear and sword,
And shatter the spear and sword.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We've a message to give to the nations,
That the Lord who reigns up above
Has sent us His Son to save us,
And show us that God is love,
And show us that God is love.
Psalm 78:1-8
1 An instruction of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; bow down your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will speak dark sayings of old,
3 which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their sons, showing to the generations to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He has done.
5 For He set up a testimony in Jacob, and ordered a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their sons;
6 so that the generation to come might know; sons shall be born, and they shall arise and tell their sons,
7 so that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;
8 and might not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set their heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful with God.
This psalm, Psalm 78 (and other scriptures) brings to light the "generational-ness" of the God: "to you and your children" -- always multi-generational. Something that God required of his faithful people was to communicate him to their children:
The history of his covenant (God has always worked with mankind covenantally starting with Adam and Eve - he doesn't do it any other way)
The nature of his dealings with people based on his covenants
The requirements (law) of living in fellowship with him and each other
What do I mean when I talk about covenant?
An ecosystem (modern buzzword but a very good picture - everything is interrelated)
Like a colonial charter (how? King grants colony and terms under which life is to be conducted)
Like marriage, not just a legal agreement, but tangled up with all of life, decisions, etc.
Back to our song: "We've a Story to Tell to the Nations"
What have we done with the story?
The last couple of generations have made some mistakes with God's story
Some mistakes with the covenant life
We have started to think of God as someone who sits far off on the sidelines and only intervenes when we get in bind and decide to pray
We have broken the "mainspring" out of the clock and forgotten that it's purpose and function is in relation to the clock as a whole.
Worse yet, we have broken life into a bunch of pieces that have no relation to each other (compartmentalization) Example: I can be a serial adulterer but a great leader
Some mistakes with the message of salvation
We have tried to make God's story fit into a Four Spiritual Laws pamphlet
We have made it about following the right script (four points and a prayer) instead of trust and obedience and commitment
Some mistakes with the scriptures
We have tried to tell the "punchline" but didn't lay the foundation so it makes less sense
We have broken the story into bite sized chunks instead of doing the hard work of study
We have pulled out promises and principles and tossed out the rest like the gemologist
Some mistakes with discipleship
We have made being disciples "something extra" (an optional add-on for salvation)
We have made it activity-oriented (go and do and come home) instead of lifestyle (24/7)
What can we do about it?
Work at becoming "whole" in our thinking, perspective of life and actions
God's story didn't start at Christmas and it doesn't end at Easter
Many people think the message of the Bible is "how to get to heaven"?
It includes that, but it really tells me the past, present and future of man's relationship with God and how my own life fits in with that
There is a bodily resurrection and new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells and every believer will be there
Like your marriage affects all your decisions -- how you spend your time and your money, where you go, what you do and who you do it with -- if God's kingdom is real, and your relationship with him as King is real, it is the same way
Embody God's story
John 1:14 says "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us"
Jesus embodied and lived out God's every expression of God's law and promises perfectly
You remember the old saying, "You may be the only Bible a person ever reads..."
The apostle Paul said that "we have this treasure in earthen vessels"
Though we are not perfect, we can bring the word to life
Think of the difference between 2D vs 3D -- "in living color"
Remember the story of Yakov and Cimmerman
There is a magnificent story in Marie Chapian's book Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy. The book told of the sufferings of the true church in Yugoslavia where so much wrong has been perpetrated by the politicized ecclesiastical hierarchy. That which has gone on in the name of Christ for the enriching and empowering of corrupt church officials has been a terrible affront to decency.
One day an evangelist by the name of Jakov arrived in a certain village. He commiserated with an elderly man named Cimmerman on the tragedies he had experienced and talked to him of the love of Christ. Cimmerman abruptly interrupted Jakov and told him that he wished to have nothing to do with Christianity. He reminded Jakov of the dreadful history of the church in his town, a history replete with plundering, exploiting, and indeed with killing innocent people. "My own nephew was killed by them," he said and angrily rebuffed any effort on Jakov's part to talk about Christ. "They wear those elaborate coats and caps and crosses," he said, "signifying a heavenly commission, but their evil designs and lives I cannot ignore."
Jakov, looking for an occasion to get Cimmerman to change his line of thinking, said, "Cimmerman, can I ask you a question? Suppose I were to steal your coat, put it on, and break into a bank. Suppose further that the police sighted me running in the distance but could not catch up with me. One clue, however, put them onto your track; they recognized your coat. What would you say to them if they came to your house and accused you of breaking into the bank?"
"I would deny it," said Cimmerman.
"Ah, but we saw your coat," they would say," retorted Jakov. This analogy quite annoyed Cimmerman, who ordered Jakov to leave his home.
Jakov continued to return to the village periodically just to befriend Cimmerman, encourage him, and share the love of Christ, with him. Finally one day Cimmerman asked, "How does one become a Christian?" and Jakov taught him the simple steps of repentance for sin and of trust in the work of Jesus Christ and gently pointed him to the Shepherd of his soul. Cimmerman bent his knee on the soil with his head bowed and surrendered his life to Christ. As he rose to his feet, wiping his tears, he embraced Jakov and said, "Thank you for being in my life." And then he pointed to the heavens and whispered, "You wear His coat very well."
Ravi Zacharias, Can Man Live Without God, (Word Publishing, Dallas: 1994), pp. 101-102
We've a Savior to show to the nations,
Who the path of sorrow has trod,
That all of the worlds great peoples
Might come to the truth of God,
Might come to the truth of God.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Focused But Not Frantic
One thing NT Wright communicates is how Jesus incarnated was the Kingdom of God. In fact, his ministry was like a living parable. Revivalism and modern Evangelicalism has successfully reduced the "gospel" to something like the Four Spiritual Laws and reduced ministry to a delivery mechanism for the Four Laws. Our faddish -- "Gimmick Driven" -- modus operandi testifies to that. Jesus' appearance took several milennia after the fall and his ministry took 33 quiet years before he stepped on to the public stage. Paul spent over ten unhurried, missing years after his conversion and was brought into the ministry spotlight by someone else, not his own ambitions.
All this is to say -- not that we have "all the time in the world" to lazily bring the Kingdom of God to our world -- but rather that this is God's business. Let God be god -- he has brought everything to pass in his own time. A farmer has to work the field at the proper times to have a crop, but he can't hurry the harvest and it ultimately depends on God to come to fruition.
All this is to say -- not that we have "all the time in the world" to lazily bring the Kingdom of God to our world -- but rather that this is God's business. Let God be god -- he has brought everything to pass in his own time. A farmer has to work the field at the proper times to have a crop, but he can't hurry the harvest and it ultimately depends on God to come to fruition.
Friday, February 29, 2008
RIP - Eddie Boy
James Edward (Eddie) Taunton, one of God’s special angels, 62, of Caledonia, AR, passed away on February 28, 2008. He was born November 21, 1945, in El Dorado, AR, to L. A. and Eva Taunton.
He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his two brothers, Tommy Taunton and wife, Inez of Strong, AR; Paul Taunton and wife, Geneva of Camden, AR; four sisters, Alice Halfacre and husband, Bill of Bull Shoals, AR; Betty Kelly and husband, Alvin of Junction City, LA; Ann Bearden and husband, Jim of Anna, TX; and Cindy Rowland and husband, John of Junction City, LA; special friends Kathy Jones of Junction City, LA; Lillie Smith of Spearsville, LA; and Ophelia Blackman of Lillie, LA; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Private Service will be held at Caledonia Baptist Church with Bro. Hugh Nelson officiating. A Private Burial will follow at Caledonia Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to Caledonia Baptist Church, 2192 Wingfield Lake Road, El Dorado AR 71730.
Picture Album
He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his two brothers, Tommy Taunton and wife, Inez of Strong, AR; Paul Taunton and wife, Geneva of Camden, AR; four sisters, Alice Halfacre and husband, Bill of Bull Shoals, AR; Betty Kelly and husband, Alvin of Junction City, LA; Ann Bearden and husband, Jim of Anna, TX; and Cindy Rowland and husband, John of Junction City, LA; special friends Kathy Jones of Junction City, LA; Lillie Smith of Spearsville, LA; and Ophelia Blackman of Lillie, LA; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Private Service will be held at Caledonia Baptist Church with Bro. Hugh Nelson officiating. A Private Burial will follow at Caledonia Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to Caledonia Baptist Church, 2192 Wingfield Lake Road, El Dorado AR 71730.
Picture Album
Thursday, February 28, 2008
My Last Day With Eddie
Thursday February 28, 2008
Was called by the nursing home at bedtime last night that Eddie's fever had spiked up to 103 and they were going to switch to a different antibiotic administered by IV. The nursing home called again before 7 am and said that his breathing was distressed and they were taking him to Tri-Ward emergency room.
Cindy and I got ready and left for the emergency room. Eddie was not conscious and his breathing was shallow and labored. He was on oxygen. His extremities were very swollen -- puffy -- like the michelin man. I had never seen them this way. The nurses asked us if we had advanced directives for him. We left after he was admitted and in a room. Cindy notified the family of his situation when we got home and I went to work.
The nurse called Cindy later and asked if she was aware of how much breakdown there was on Eddie's backside -- they were going to have to call Wound Care. Betty and Inez went down to see Eddie and to talk to Dr. Shaw mid-afternoon. Dr. Shaw indicated that his situation was very serious and otherwise, he was much the same as when Cindy and I saw him in the morning. Betty and Inez left the hospital and arrived at our house at 5:00 pm. They had barely arrived when the hospital called and said that Eddie had died. Betty called me at work and I came home and began the arrangements for his funeral.
Was called by the nursing home at bedtime last night that Eddie's fever had spiked up to 103 and they were going to switch to a different antibiotic administered by IV. The nursing home called again before 7 am and said that his breathing was distressed and they were taking him to Tri-Ward emergency room.
Cindy and I got ready and left for the emergency room. Eddie was not conscious and his breathing was shallow and labored. He was on oxygen. His extremities were very swollen -- puffy -- like the michelin man. I had never seen them this way. The nurses asked us if we had advanced directives for him. We left after he was admitted and in a room. Cindy notified the family of his situation when we got home and I went to work.
The nurse called Cindy later and asked if she was aware of how much breakdown there was on Eddie's backside -- they were going to have to call Wound Care. Betty and Inez went down to see Eddie and to talk to Dr. Shaw mid-afternoon. Dr. Shaw indicated that his situation was very serious and otherwise, he was much the same as when Cindy and I saw him in the morning. Betty and Inez left the hospital and arrived at our house at 5:00 pm. They had barely arrived when the hospital called and said that Eddie had died. Betty called me at work and I came home and began the arrangements for his funeral.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
The Action of Servanthood
Paul, our servant and the servant of Jesus (Philippians 1):
The Introduction (2:1-4)
- His faithful service has gotten him put under house arrest in Rome waiting for a hearing with Caesar
- He doesn't lament his circumstances and resent that he is tied down
- He recognizes that these circumstances extend the kingdom of Jesus Christ in a place he might never have gotten otherwise
- Paul uses his circumstances to remind the church at Philippi about Jesus the servant
The Introduction (2:1-4)
- The way Paul uses "if" in these sentences is the same as saying "we all know there is consolation in Christ, we all know there is comfort of love" -- emphasizing that these are facts they share in common
- Because these things are facts, the ultimate joy then is to be like-minded, to be "like-loving", to not be self-oriented, to not place your own interests above others, to be a "servant" of others in your own mind and to look out for their interests
- Servants by nature of the job had their master's interests ahead of their own
- When the master needed something, the servant couldn't say, "When I feel like it..."
- Question: If we are going to be like-thinking, whose thinking do we standardize on? (Answer: Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus...)
- Let Jesus' thinking and attitude be your model
- As God, the maker, the creator, the ruler he didn't consider his position more important than serving and sacrificing for those he loved
- The eternal one took on a human body with all it's limitations
- He made himself "a nobody"
- He humbled himself and obeyed his father's will completely, even to dying on a cross for his creatures
- The father verified Jesus' work by raising him up to rule over all things
- His desire is that all men freely recognize him as Lord, Ruler and Savior
- Just as Jesus obeyed in all things and Paul obeyed in all things, you obey in all things
- Work at making your whole life reflect his salvation: Why?
- God is working in you to will and do what pleases him
- Complaining is unbecoming for a servant
- We all have a tendency to want everyone to know how much of a sacrifice we are making
- Do your "serving" willingly
- Serving without complaint will set you apart in a world of complainers
- It will make your profession of God's word believable
- Jesus said that greatness comes through serving, not dominating
- We all have God-given priorities for our service, keep those priorities
- It's easy to say we are God's servants, but the proof of the pudding is how we serve in those God-given priorities and circumstances
- Ask God to make serving without complaining the character of your life
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Challenge of Servanthood
I haven't posted since just prior to Christmas and a lot has gone on in the "between times". Cindy was admitted to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock on January 7 for tests to determine if she was strong enough and well enough for a dangerous thoracic surgery to remove two tumors in her right lung (and at the time, we supposed for removal of an abdominal mass, as well -- that, wisely, was not to be).
When several days of scans and exams were done, her thoracic surgeon -- who specializes in risky cases like Cindy's -- determined that there was no reason not to proceed. Cindy had that surgery on January 10 and was released from the hospital on January 17. She has been at home recuperating since. That is the backdrop of my comments about servanthood.
Having an invalid to take care of provides a lot of learning opportunities that we don't normally get to be involved in otherwise. Until Cindy's congestive heart failure last fall, we cared for her bed-bound-total-care brother, Eddie, for seven years since her mother died in 2000. Eddie provided lots of "learning opportunities" in caring for someone else's needs and not being focused on our own. We also appreciate ones like our friend, Benny Elam who bears that burden day after day looking after his disabled wife.
These situations force us to look at love in a very practical way, as a responsibility, not a feeling. That is how God wants us to think of our love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. We have a communal -- covenantal -- responsibility to each other and to our master. We aren't together to feel good.
Read John 13:1-17. The historical setting: In a typical middle-eastern setting, several social courtesies were ordinarily extended to guests. Expressions of hospitality included, the kiss-on-the-cheeks greeting, anointing, caring for the guest's animals, providing food and shelter.
Western culture typically has a completely different list of social amenities, taking a guest's coat, offering something to drink, asking the guest to be seated. In a culture where household servants were in abundant supply, the task of washing a guest's dusty feet normally would have been performed by a servant of the host. This fact is what made Jesus' action so repugnant to the disciples. They were disgusted that Jesus would lower Himself to perform such demeaning labor.
Other observations about John 13 and the "Master Servant":
"I have given you an example that you should do..." We are servants, he is the master. If the master stoops to wash, then the servant is not too important for the same task.
When several days of scans and exams were done, her thoracic surgeon -- who specializes in risky cases like Cindy's -- determined that there was no reason not to proceed. Cindy had that surgery on January 10 and was released from the hospital on January 17. She has been at home recuperating since. That is the backdrop of my comments about servanthood.
Having an invalid to take care of provides a lot of learning opportunities that we don't normally get to be involved in otherwise. Until Cindy's congestive heart failure last fall, we cared for her bed-bound-total-care brother, Eddie, for seven years since her mother died in 2000. Eddie provided lots of "learning opportunities" in caring for someone else's needs and not being focused on our own. We also appreciate ones like our friend, Benny Elam who bears that burden day after day looking after his disabled wife.
These situations force us to look at love in a very practical way, as a responsibility, not a feeling. That is how God wants us to think of our love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. We have a communal -- covenantal -- responsibility to each other and to our master. We aren't together to feel good.
Read John 13:1-17. The historical setting: In a typical middle-eastern setting, several social courtesies were ordinarily extended to guests. Expressions of hospitality included, the kiss-on-the-cheeks greeting, anointing, caring for the guest's animals, providing food and shelter.
Western culture typically has a completely different list of social amenities, taking a guest's coat, offering something to drink, asking the guest to be seated. In a culture where household servants were in abundant supply, the task of washing a guest's dusty feet normally would have been performed by a servant of the host. This fact is what made Jesus' action so repugnant to the disciples. They were disgusted that Jesus would lower Himself to perform such demeaning labor.
Other observations about John 13 and the "Master Servant":
- Jesus loved them to the MAX (not just to the end)
- He treated Judas just like everyone else, even though Jesus knew he was a betrayer
- We must take positive action to replace self-serving things with others-benefitting things
- Knowing is good, but the blessing only comes in the doing
"I have given you an example that you should do..." We are servants, he is the master. If the master stoops to wash, then the servant is not too important for the same task.
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John and Cindy
Kings Cross, London UK 2007