I never did get this post out when i planned . In the midst of almost a week of intravenous antibiotics, thoughts of blogging just fell by the wayside.
But it's certainly eyeopening loosing the use of one foot for some time. I thought alot about what it would mean if i only had one foot left, and as strange as it sounds i didn't think i would miss it much, at least not as much as other things. Friendship, fellowship, love and caring people are worth so much more in life than a foot or arm or some other body part.
They say we don't take any of it with us when we die, and we all think it's referring to money, wealth, houses and land. An though it does refer to that, it also means we won't be taking our body parts either. So what if we loose one or more body parts, that doesn't change who we are. Have you thought about that? Does what you do (or are capable of) define who you are? And if you can no longer do what you do, does it change who you are?
Imagine if we could define ourselves by something other than by what we do. Then we wouldn't be swayed if we loose our capibility in an area of life. If we realize who we are outside of what we do, we can stand with both feet planted firmly on the ground, even when we don't have any feet.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
in finite wisdom...
With the finite wisdom God's given me, I recently made a decision to replace my old trusty Subaru with a newer Subaru. After a few weeks of looking, i stumbled across a 9 year old Subaru Outback a used car dealer was selling. Now i don't know how much i trust used car dealers as they have an image of being somewhat shady characters, but this car seemed to be great deal for only $2000. That's what my logic said, though I was looking that 'gut feeling' or 'divine guidance' to confim my decision, but all i sensed was my own logic at work.
Jim the dealer, seemed to be a nice enough guy. I tried to bargain with him about the price, but he said the ad was a mistake and should have been $2995. I'm not sure if i believed him, but he promised honor the listed price if i want the car. 'you're stealing it from me' he said, though i knew he was still making money on it.
I still felt a little bit leary, but since he included a three month powertrain warranty it helped me feel more at ease about any unexpected major mechanical repairs. He knocked off another $200 off the price if i'd take the car with marginal tires, but that $200 was slapped right back on the contact as the dealer's 'administration fee'. So he got what he asked anyways...
Sold my old car over the weekend, so with cash in hand i headed down to pick up my new car early yesterday morning. I had just paid the balance and when we hit our first obstacle. Jim didn't have the registration for the car. He said 'No problem', he'll send his 'gopher' down to the registration office with me to get a new registration issued. Jim seemed to be an expert juggler. While closing the deal with me, he was giving assignments to workers in the shop, doing paperwork for another car sale, and answering several phone calls at once. One guy called and asked directions to the dealership, he bluntly told the guy to read the ad, hung up and mussed 'Stupid imports, why don't they ever read the ad properly?!' Jim was clearly getting a bit edgy for monday morning...
He then asked me to follow this cute 20some year old redhead down to the registration office. Turns out she was a juggler too, working at three part time jobs! At the registration desk we found out the car was never registered in the dealer's name! Oops, what had i gotten into? 'No problem' the readhead said, 'I've never had problem like this before, but don't worry we'll get it sorted out'. A couple of phone calls and a fax, and 'voila', the registration could be transferred to me. How she juggled all this i don't understand, but at least the car was now free and clear in my name.
Back at the dealership we put the plates on the car, and i drove off with a sense of pride and relief. Mission accomplished, i now have a great new car! What could go wrong with my new(er) Subaru? Barely two hours later parked at the mall, i tried to start the car.... Silence! The car was dead. I try again, and again, and again, and finally the car starts up. Hmm, maybe there's a loose wire somewhere..
Drove to my next stop. Same problem again, this time it took a bit longer for the car to come to life. Then the third stop. This time i tried for 3-4 minutes with no results, and then called Jim. 'I have a little problem with the car you just sold me'. Jim told me to call the Autoclub and have it towed down if i can't start it. Thirty seconds later the car sparked to life again, and i drove straight back to Jim's garage.
Jim wasn't terribly pleased to see me. 'You know, I don't have to fix this' he blurted out with a tinge of anger, 'I just want the car fixed and you out of here' he quickly corrected himself. Then tried to reassure me, 'We'll look after you'. The mechanic looked at my car, who first thought it was a bad connection with the starter but discovered that the starter was overheating. They ordered a new starter, and Jim gave me a rusty old pick-up truck to drive while my new car gets fixed.
Returning to the shop at 5pm as agreed, the mechanic had some bad news. The starter they ordered was the wrong part, and the new part will come in the morning. So this morning back to the dealer i went wondering if this starter problem is a minor problem or have i just replaced my trusty old car with a lemon?...
Well, this morning they got another wrong part, but finally the right part and got my car back at 1pm. I drove off wondering if anything else might go wrong. I decided to take it to another garage for an independent inspection. I feared they might find something else seriously wrong with it, but they reported that the car's in excellent shape. It certainly lifted that burden from me! :)
During the past 24 hours my finite wisdom seemed to go though infinite emotions. For a while i was sure i made the right decision, then i wondered if i'd been taken for a ride by the dealer, then if i had bought a lemon. They say all's well that ends well, and at this point i must say it's all ended well.
But what did i learn from this experience? Unexpected events shook the confidence I had in my wise decision. In retrospect, the events did no more than ruffle my feathers, since they were eventually resolved. So i guess unless i'm clearly led by infinite wisdom, i should learn to trust the finite wisdom God's given me..
Jim the dealer, seemed to be a nice enough guy. I tried to bargain with him about the price, but he said the ad was a mistake and should have been $2995. I'm not sure if i believed him, but he promised honor the listed price if i want the car. 'you're stealing it from me' he said, though i knew he was still making money on it.
I still felt a little bit leary, but since he included a three month powertrain warranty it helped me feel more at ease about any unexpected major mechanical repairs. He knocked off another $200 off the price if i'd take the car with marginal tires, but that $200 was slapped right back on the contact as the dealer's 'administration fee'. So he got what he asked anyways...
Sold my old car over the weekend, so with cash in hand i headed down to pick up my new car early yesterday morning. I had just paid the balance and when we hit our first obstacle. Jim didn't have the registration for the car. He said 'No problem', he'll send his 'gopher' down to the registration office with me to get a new registration issued. Jim seemed to be an expert juggler. While closing the deal with me, he was giving assignments to workers in the shop, doing paperwork for another car sale, and answering several phone calls at once. One guy called and asked directions to the dealership, he bluntly told the guy to read the ad, hung up and mussed 'Stupid imports, why don't they ever read the ad properly?!' Jim was clearly getting a bit edgy for monday morning...
He then asked me to follow this cute 20some year old redhead down to the registration office. Turns out she was a juggler too, working at three part time jobs! At the registration desk we found out the car was never registered in the dealer's name! Oops, what had i gotten into? 'No problem' the readhead said, 'I've never had problem like this before, but don't worry we'll get it sorted out'. A couple of phone calls and a fax, and 'voila', the registration could be transferred to me. How she juggled all this i don't understand, but at least the car was now free and clear in my name.
Back at the dealership we put the plates on the car, and i drove off with a sense of pride and relief. Mission accomplished, i now have a great new car! What could go wrong with my new(er) Subaru? Barely two hours later parked at the mall, i tried to start the car.... Silence! The car was dead. I try again, and again, and again, and finally the car starts up. Hmm, maybe there's a loose wire somewhere..
Drove to my next stop. Same problem again, this time it took a bit longer for the car to come to life. Then the third stop. This time i tried for 3-4 minutes with no results, and then called Jim. 'I have a little problem with the car you just sold me'. Jim told me to call the Autoclub and have it towed down if i can't start it. Thirty seconds later the car sparked to life again, and i drove straight back to Jim's garage.
Jim wasn't terribly pleased to see me. 'You know, I don't have to fix this' he blurted out with a tinge of anger, 'I just want the car fixed and you out of here' he quickly corrected himself. Then tried to reassure me, 'We'll look after you'. The mechanic looked at my car, who first thought it was a bad connection with the starter but discovered that the starter was overheating. They ordered a new starter, and Jim gave me a rusty old pick-up truck to drive while my new car gets fixed.
Returning to the shop at 5pm as agreed, the mechanic had some bad news. The starter they ordered was the wrong part, and the new part will come in the morning. So this morning back to the dealer i went wondering if this starter problem is a minor problem or have i just replaced my trusty old car with a lemon?...
Well, this morning they got another wrong part, but finally the right part and got my car back at 1pm. I drove off wondering if anything else might go wrong. I decided to take it to another garage for an independent inspection. I feared they might find something else seriously wrong with it, but they reported that the car's in excellent shape. It certainly lifted that burden from me! :)
During the past 24 hours my finite wisdom seemed to go though infinite emotions. For a while i was sure i made the right decision, then i wondered if i'd been taken for a ride by the dealer, then if i had bought a lemon. They say all's well that ends well, and at this point i must say it's all ended well.
But what did i learn from this experience? Unexpected events shook the confidence I had in my wise decision. In retrospect, the events did no more than ruffle my feathers, since they were eventually resolved. So i guess unless i'm clearly led by infinite wisdom, i should learn to trust the finite wisdom God's given me..
Monday, November 1, 2010
Romantic or Pragmatic
Last night at my sister's place we watched a movie called 'Letters to Juliet' (actually second time i've seen it). As most people would call it more of a 'chick flick', i usually try to stay away from watching films of this nature. A simple story line, predictable ending, yet this film had an ingredient that somehow moved me.
I'm not sure if it was how well i could identify with this story, or perhaps more how i could not identify with this story. The story begins with a journey of 'true love' interupted by fear, and pressures of others (in this case parents). I'm sure many of us can relate to this. The story also reveals that both characters had moved on from this relationship to what many might consider a happy and productive life.
Years had passed since this girl had run away from her 'true love', yet 'fate' would bring her back through a letter she had written 50 ago. For a film, it's about as 'romantic' a story line you could get. The story being what it is, I started wondering about those 50 years as this woman got married, had kids and then grandkids, seemingly living a content and happy life. Clearly at some point a choice was made to move on and love another. Was this a pragmatic choice or a romantic choice, the story never reveals.
Perhaps it depends on the emotional make up of an individual, and the values he/she considers more important. There's little question that to have balance there needs to be pragmatic side to a romantic relationship, and a romantic side to a relationship initiated by pragmatic decisions. I've seen very happy couples who's love has grown from seemingly pragmatic decisions, as well as relationships crumble which began from a whirlwind of romance. And vica versa...
The underlying question: Is love given or is it grown? Naturally there needs to be growth, and we should do things to nurture our love for another, but what is actually in the initial seed of true love? Is it's main component romantic or pragmatic? And is the answer that simple?
Back to the story. Here was a romance and 'true love' overcome by fear. In the interim she married, was the love pragmatic or romantic we don't know. Yet, when she found her lost 'true love' after 50 years, her first reaction was to run away. Why did she want to run? Isn't 'true love' supposed to drive away all fear?
Pragmatic decisions can also be driven by fear. Fear of being alone, fear of not starting a family at the 'right age', or a fear of never finding 'true love' again may drive us to make pragmatic choices, which if unwisely made can lead to disaster.
Yet this 'true love' brought her back after 50 years. She needed to overcome a fear to make this journey and only when that fear had been adressed could love can grow and be 'perfected' in her life. It is not 'true love which drives away fear, but 'perfect love' which drives away all fear. And perfecting love takes work, time and definately courage.
So, is the seed of 'true love' more pragmatic or romantic? Though i tend to be more of a romantic, perhaps it's best i leave this question unaswered for now. What i do know is that we need to live, learn, and love wherever our journey takes us. And as we live and learn, i pray we would have the courage to find love and not be driven to or from it by fear.
I'm not sure if it was how well i could identify with this story, or perhaps more how i could not identify with this story. The story begins with a journey of 'true love' interupted by fear, and pressures of others (in this case parents). I'm sure many of us can relate to this. The story also reveals that both characters had moved on from this relationship to what many might consider a happy and productive life.
Years had passed since this girl had run away from her 'true love', yet 'fate' would bring her back through a letter she had written 50 ago. For a film, it's about as 'romantic' a story line you could get. The story being what it is, I started wondering about those 50 years as this woman got married, had kids and then grandkids, seemingly living a content and happy life. Clearly at some point a choice was made to move on and love another. Was this a pragmatic choice or a romantic choice, the story never reveals.
Perhaps it depends on the emotional make up of an individual, and the values he/she considers more important. There's little question that to have balance there needs to be pragmatic side to a romantic relationship, and a romantic side to a relationship initiated by pragmatic decisions. I've seen very happy couples who's love has grown from seemingly pragmatic decisions, as well as relationships crumble which began from a whirlwind of romance. And vica versa...
The underlying question: Is love given or is it grown? Naturally there needs to be growth, and we should do things to nurture our love for another, but what is actually in the initial seed of true love? Is it's main component romantic or pragmatic? And is the answer that simple?
Back to the story. Here was a romance and 'true love' overcome by fear. In the interim she married, was the love pragmatic or romantic we don't know. Yet, when she found her lost 'true love' after 50 years, her first reaction was to run away. Why did she want to run? Isn't 'true love' supposed to drive away all fear?
Pragmatic decisions can also be driven by fear. Fear of being alone, fear of not starting a family at the 'right age', or a fear of never finding 'true love' again may drive us to make pragmatic choices, which if unwisely made can lead to disaster.
Yet this 'true love' brought her back after 50 years. She needed to overcome a fear to make this journey and only when that fear had been adressed could love can grow and be 'perfected' in her life. It is not 'true love which drives away fear, but 'perfect love' which drives away all fear. And perfecting love takes work, time and definately courage.
So, is the seed of 'true love' more pragmatic or romantic? Though i tend to be more of a romantic, perhaps it's best i leave this question unaswered for now. What i do know is that we need to live, learn, and love wherever our journey takes us. And as we live and learn, i pray we would have the courage to find love and not be driven to or from it by fear.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Protecting our cherished desires
I'm reading a book by George Clason called 'The Richest Man in Babylon', which i recommend to anyone who is struggling to save or even make ends meet. Through several short stories, he shows principals (many of them Biblical) of budgeting and how to save and create wealth. He also shares some concepts on reducing expenditures we sometimes consider nescessities.
One statement in this book impacted me in a deeper way. The main character states: 'A budget helps you realize your cherished desires and protect them from your casual wishes.' How true this is. For example, if we budget for our cherished desire to buy a house, we might need to cut a casual wish to buy a sportscar. If our desire is to buy a car, we may need to forgo a casual vacation to Jamaica (unless that's our cherished desire).
We need to make choices, as there's a limit to what desires we can meet. 'All men are burdened with more desires than they can ever satisfy' the main character states. Even if we have sufficient finances, we are still limited by time, enegry and ability. I've said this before, God has never called us to do ALL things! We should budget our resources, and keep good financial, time and health margins, as Dr Swenson explains well in his book 'Margin'.
This brings me to the question: What are my cherished desires? And how much do i spend on my casual wishes? Are my casual wishes eroding my goals of attaining my cherished desires? I propose we take this a step further than just financial implications. What about our health? Does my casual wish to have that piece of cake erode my desire to loose weight? Or my wish to relax in bed over that morning work-out? Does my casual wish of watching TV erode my desire to read, study and get educated? Is my wish of having many casual friends eroding my desire for deeper and closer relationships? Does my wish to procrastinate with work erode my cherished desire for rest?
Not only should we budget our finances, but 'budget' (discipline) our wishes in a way that we can attain the desires of our heart. Our resources are limited, so we need to make wise choices. Are we counting the cost of our casual wishes vs cherished desires? And if we do, are we truly protecting the desires of our heart?
One statement in this book impacted me in a deeper way. The main character states: 'A budget helps you realize your cherished desires and protect them from your casual wishes.' How true this is. For example, if we budget for our cherished desire to buy a house, we might need to cut a casual wish to buy a sportscar. If our desire is to buy a car, we may need to forgo a casual vacation to Jamaica (unless that's our cherished desire).
We need to make choices, as there's a limit to what desires we can meet. 'All men are burdened with more desires than they can ever satisfy' the main character states. Even if we have sufficient finances, we are still limited by time, enegry and ability. I've said this before, God has never called us to do ALL things! We should budget our resources, and keep good financial, time and health margins, as Dr Swenson explains well in his book 'Margin'.
This brings me to the question: What are my cherished desires? And how much do i spend on my casual wishes? Are my casual wishes eroding my goals of attaining my cherished desires? I propose we take this a step further than just financial implications. What about our health? Does my casual wish to have that piece of cake erode my desire to loose weight? Or my wish to relax in bed over that morning work-out? Does my casual wish of watching TV erode my desire to read, study and get educated? Is my wish of having many casual friends eroding my desire for deeper and closer relationships? Does my wish to procrastinate with work erode my cherished desire for rest?
Not only should we budget our finances, but 'budget' (discipline) our wishes in a way that we can attain the desires of our heart. Our resources are limited, so we need to make wise choices. Are we counting the cost of our casual wishes vs cherished desires? And if we do, are we truly protecting the desires of our heart?
Monday, October 18, 2010
In our image or His?
Inbetween an old bible I just found something i wrote well over 20 years ago.
We feel the breeze, but have never seen the wind,..
We feel in the stream, but know not where the river begins,...
We see His works, yet do not know His ways,..
We praise a God, in the image we have made.
Do we we praise a God in the image we have made? I remember sitting in church writing these few lines, but i can't remember exactly what inspired me to put these words on paper. Yesterday as i was hiking, i was asking the question, what does it mean to 'know God'? I thought of the preacher asking 'Do you really know Jesus? Do I?
Yesterday, Sunday was a day of worship. Many of us worship in different ways, and in different church enviroments. I don't want to suggest one form of worship is better than another, only God really knows and can see the worship of our heart. Seeing God's handywork in nature today, i was in awe of what He has created. As continued walking, i wondered 'do i really know the creator of all i'm in awe of? Am i worshiping God for who He is to me, perhaps looking at what He has created or given me? Is my picture or vision of Him full and complete or do i just see a glimps, a hazy destorted view of who He really is? Maybe like Paul suggest in I Cor 13:12 'For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face' now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And since we haven't seen clearly, have we in our own destorted view created an image of God we worship?
I no longer hesitate to admit i know very little of God, though my journey with Him has lasted decades. In my younger years i felt my image of God was fairly clear. Today i probably know more about God than i did then, yet i acknowledge i know just a fraction of who He really is. There's certainly much more i don't know about God, than i know, and this will remain true this side of eternity. Something to think about next time you worship Him.
So the next time someone asks 'Do you know God?' I think i'll reply 'I'm just starting to get to know Him...'
We feel the breeze, but have never seen the wind,..
We feel in the stream, but know not where the river begins,...
We see His works, yet do not know His ways,..
We praise a God, in the image we have made.
Do we we praise a God in the image we have made? I remember sitting in church writing these few lines, but i can't remember exactly what inspired me to put these words on paper. Yesterday as i was hiking, i was asking the question, what does it mean to 'know God'? I thought of the preacher asking 'Do you really know Jesus? Do I?
Yesterday, Sunday was a day of worship. Many of us worship in different ways, and in different church enviroments. I don't want to suggest one form of worship is better than another, only God really knows and can see the worship of our heart. Seeing God's handywork in nature today, i was in awe of what He has created. As continued walking, i wondered 'do i really know the creator of all i'm in awe of? Am i worshiping God for who He is to me, perhaps looking at what He has created or given me? Is my picture or vision of Him full and complete or do i just see a glimps, a hazy destorted view of who He really is? Maybe like Paul suggest in I Cor 13:12 'For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face' now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And since we haven't seen clearly, have we in our own destorted view created an image of God we worship?
I no longer hesitate to admit i know very little of God, though my journey with Him has lasted decades. In my younger years i felt my image of God was fairly clear. Today i probably know more about God than i did then, yet i acknowledge i know just a fraction of who He really is. There's certainly much more i don't know about God, than i know, and this will remain true this side of eternity. Something to think about next time you worship Him.
So the next time someone asks 'Do you know God?' I think i'll reply 'I'm just starting to get to know Him...'
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Weaving through life
I’m about 1/3 through reading a book called ‘Midlife Manual for Men’, and have gotten to the point where the authors ask me to list 3 men in my personal life who have meant the most to me, along with the characteristics which make them admirable. At first I had a tough time coming up with more than one, but as I listed all the men I know who have meant something to me along my journey, I was able to narrow it down to the three I admire most. My good friend Mel who encouraged and mentored me during some of the most difficult years of my life; my father who remained faithful and provided for our family, despite the personal and financial obstacles he faced; and one longtime friend who has a true heart for God, and whom I have always been able to share with and count on.
Alongside this list, I made notes on 15 men who have been a part of my life, some have been positive examples, others have been somewhat of a disappointment. I listed a characteristic of each man that I felt would describe them best. A i described one friend, the word that I felt fit him best was 'follower'. Although this friend is a leader, he has become an admirer and follower of some great men. Great ministers, leaders and businessmen from whom he wishes to learn from and in who’s footsteps he has decided to follow. As I thought of this friend, I saw him as a compilation of the men he admires.
I paused at this thought, and wondered who my friend would be if these men had not influenced his life or if he had not decided to follow in their footsteps? I wondered about his motivation to follow in these men’s footsteps, was it to become a ‘copy’ of the men he so admired? I struggled with this thought for a moment, and the question of who am I? Am I the compilation of those I‘ve admired and allowed to influence me? Who would I be without the influence of these men? And what part of the ‘real me’ remains?
Clearly we are all followers, as well as unique creations. Our families, piers, mentors and friends have all influenced and formed who we are. God creates the framework and life weaves in the pattern. Woven into us naturally are bits and pieces of people we admire adding texture and color to the unique tapestry of who we are. A wonderful design of God as described in Psalm 139...
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways...
13 For You formed my inward parts, You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made,..
15 My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret,..
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed, And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
Our lives are an amazing tapestry woven through birth, and woven through life. As we admire and learn from the lives of others, let us never forget what unique individuals God has created us to be.
Alongside this list, I made notes on 15 men who have been a part of my life, some have been positive examples, others have been somewhat of a disappointment. I listed a characteristic of each man that I felt would describe them best. A i described one friend, the word that I felt fit him best was 'follower'. Although this friend is a leader, he has become an admirer and follower of some great men. Great ministers, leaders and businessmen from whom he wishes to learn from and in who’s footsteps he has decided to follow. As I thought of this friend, I saw him as a compilation of the men he admires.
I paused at this thought, and wondered who my friend would be if these men had not influenced his life or if he had not decided to follow in their footsteps? I wondered about his motivation to follow in these men’s footsteps, was it to become a ‘copy’ of the men he so admired? I struggled with this thought for a moment, and the question of who am I? Am I the compilation of those I‘ve admired and allowed to influence me? Who would I be without the influence of these men? And what part of the ‘real me’ remains?
Clearly we are all followers, as well as unique creations. Our families, piers, mentors and friends have all influenced and formed who we are. God creates the framework and life weaves in the pattern. Woven into us naturally are bits and pieces of people we admire adding texture and color to the unique tapestry of who we are. A wonderful design of God as described in Psalm 139...
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways...
13 For You formed my inward parts, You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made,..
15 My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret,..
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed, And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
Our lives are an amazing tapestry woven through birth, and woven through life. As we admire and learn from the lives of others, let us never forget what unique individuals God has created us to be.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Humpty Dumpty Omelette
This morning i woke up thinking about an old english rhyme, probably one of the best known in the english world:
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again
The origins of the rhyme is somewhat unclear, but it depicts an individual who is fragile as an egg. This rhyme seems to imply that a clumsy person falling off a wall may become irreparably damaged, as an egg would be...
Clumsy or not, someone who is broken or crushed holds little hope of being restored to his or her original state. We all know, life is filled with events that can break or even crush us at times. Perhaps Humpty had no business climbing so high on that wall,... perhaps we had no business climbing as high as we did,.. before we fell to pieces.
But let's consider the possibility that, high on that wall was exactly where the King intended Humpty to be. The fact that he's fragile cannot be changed. What event or distraction may have caused him to fall? What precautions should have he taken to prevent his fall? Could he have better secured himself?
We can't answer these questions for Humpty, but we often ask and answer these questions for ourselves. All the could have, would have, and should have's of our lives, sometimes good lessons that we can apply to our lives, at other times it just becomes something to wallow about in regret. Yet neither resolves what's happened, nor puts the broken pieces back together again.
Then we seek help, trying to restore what once was. Restore our position, our relationships, our vision, and perhaps even our hope... Yet as we seek this help from others, it often seems all the King's horses and all the King's men can't put our broken pieces back together again.
So if all the King's men can't succeed in putting all the pieces together again, what's to become of Humpty? He's no longer the same, but broken and scrambled into nothing more than the makings of an omelette. Hmmm,.. perhaps the whole idea was to transform Humpty into an omlette, pick out the shells, add a few ingredients, life's spice and heat... Perhaps the King prefers a good omelette over a raw egg!
Transformation is the key! Broken and crushed lives can never ever be restored to their original state. Through these breaking experiences we are changed for good, meaning changed forever and potentially changed for the better. The potential is in how God can take what's broken and scrambled, and transform it into something greater than before. Perhaps a wonderful 'omelette'! That is if we allow God to be the chef...
or do we instead choose to wallow and remain the broken yolk?
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again
The origins of the rhyme is somewhat unclear, but it depicts an individual who is fragile as an egg. This rhyme seems to imply that a clumsy person falling off a wall may become irreparably damaged, as an egg would be...
Clumsy or not, someone who is broken or crushed holds little hope of being restored to his or her original state. We all know, life is filled with events that can break or even crush us at times. Perhaps Humpty had no business climbing so high on that wall,... perhaps we had no business climbing as high as we did,.. before we fell to pieces.
But let's consider the possibility that, high on that wall was exactly where the King intended Humpty to be. The fact that he's fragile cannot be changed. What event or distraction may have caused him to fall? What precautions should have he taken to prevent his fall? Could he have better secured himself?
We can't answer these questions for Humpty, but we often ask and answer these questions for ourselves. All the could have, would have, and should have's of our lives, sometimes good lessons that we can apply to our lives, at other times it just becomes something to wallow about in regret. Yet neither resolves what's happened, nor puts the broken pieces back together again.
Then we seek help, trying to restore what once was. Restore our position, our relationships, our vision, and perhaps even our hope... Yet as we seek this help from others, it often seems all the King's horses and all the King's men can't put our broken pieces back together again.
So if all the King's men can't succeed in putting all the pieces together again, what's to become of Humpty? He's no longer the same, but broken and scrambled into nothing more than the makings of an omelette. Hmmm,.. perhaps the whole idea was to transform Humpty into an omlette, pick out the shells, add a few ingredients, life's spice and heat... Perhaps the King prefers a good omelette over a raw egg!
Transformation is the key! Broken and crushed lives can never ever be restored to their original state. Through these breaking experiences we are changed for good, meaning changed forever and potentially changed for the better. The potential is in how God can take what's broken and scrambled, and transform it into something greater than before. Perhaps a wonderful 'omelette'! That is if we allow God to be the chef...
or do we instead choose to wallow and remain the broken yolk?
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Milking the land...
I'm not sure what was on the Israelites' minds when God led them out of slavery toward the promised land, a land of milk and honey. I'm sure they had visions of a land that would be blessed and prosperous, full of peace and justice, abundant in crops and wealth, and that everyone would have more than sufficient to live on. Sounds more like a fairytale land if you ask me, yet i believe this very vision may have been God's exact plan.
Yet we people in our greed and selfish pride tend to screw things up. The Israelites didn't even make it to the promised land before they started whining, and in greedy contempt turned and began to neglect God's plan. What's interesting, it wasn't the regular folk who led this rebellion. It was the leaders who compromised. As the leaders do, so the people follow,.. justice turns to injustice, peace turns to rebellion, abundance turns to greed, and prosperity to poverty. Human nature (sin) turns God's blessing into a curse.
A couple of weeks ago i saw a man looking for food in a dumpster. In our land of 'prosperity' i wondered what injustice has brought him there? I felt shocked, yet not so suprised as i wondered how many more blows i would need to end up in this fellow's shoes? We all feel injustice at times, some certainly more than others. Where is our help? Where are our leaders? What are our brothers doing?
Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 states:
If you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and justice being miscarried thoughout the land, don't be suprised! For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice only get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. Even the king milks the land for his profit!
So if the king is already milking the land for his own profit, what can you expect from his subjects? Leaders who like to divide 'the pie' amongst themselves, leave little for the labourers. Laws are created to protect certain intrests groups, judges and officials are bribed to open and close doors, and the labourers are 'milked' to uphold a structure that 'blesses the chosen few'... at least until the labourer has nothing left to 'milk'...
Moving here 18 years ago, i hoped this land of opportunity would become blessed and prosperous, and be transformed into a more honest and compassionate society. Sadly, our 'prosperity' has fed much greed and injustice instead, and 'milking' has become a way of life. Of course, we are not the only land where kings milk it for their own profit and where the poor remain oppressed. Yet there is a much better way, that is to bless and care for the needy, and to be our brother's keeper. So how long will we continue to be so selfish and blind, milking and consuming our brothers for profit? Surely this is not the way to live in a land of milk and honey...
I too once dreamed of a better land, but this dream has succumb to what 'the writer' evokes: 'What else should i have expected?'
Yet we people in our greed and selfish pride tend to screw things up. The Israelites didn't even make it to the promised land before they started whining, and in greedy contempt turned and began to neglect God's plan. What's interesting, it wasn't the regular folk who led this rebellion. It was the leaders who compromised. As the leaders do, so the people follow,.. justice turns to injustice, peace turns to rebellion, abundance turns to greed, and prosperity to poverty. Human nature (sin) turns God's blessing into a curse.
A couple of weeks ago i saw a man looking for food in a dumpster. In our land of 'prosperity' i wondered what injustice has brought him there? I felt shocked, yet not so suprised as i wondered how many more blows i would need to end up in this fellow's shoes? We all feel injustice at times, some certainly more than others. Where is our help? Where are our leaders? What are our brothers doing?
Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 states:
If you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and justice being miscarried thoughout the land, don't be suprised! For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice only get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. Even the king milks the land for his profit!
So if the king is already milking the land for his own profit, what can you expect from his subjects? Leaders who like to divide 'the pie' amongst themselves, leave little for the labourers. Laws are created to protect certain intrests groups, judges and officials are bribed to open and close doors, and the labourers are 'milked' to uphold a structure that 'blesses the chosen few'... at least until the labourer has nothing left to 'milk'...
Moving here 18 years ago, i hoped this land of opportunity would become blessed and prosperous, and be transformed into a more honest and compassionate society. Sadly, our 'prosperity' has fed much greed and injustice instead, and 'milking' has become a way of life. Of course, we are not the only land where kings milk it for their own profit and where the poor remain oppressed. Yet there is a much better way, that is to bless and care for the needy, and to be our brother's keeper. So how long will we continue to be so selfish and blind, milking and consuming our brothers for profit? Surely this is not the way to live in a land of milk and honey...
I too once dreamed of a better land, but this dream has succumb to what 'the writer' evokes: 'What else should i have expected?'
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The sower never asks...
I've been asking alot of why questions in my life. I don't know why i do this, though i've even asked myself 'why' about this too... i guess with when we experience injustice, loss and pain too frequently, these questions naturally come up. Have i done something to deserve this? am i suffering under some curse? Or am i just a random target for man, or for God?
This morning a friend said something that struck me. A sower never asks why he must give so much seed to the soil. I've heard expressions like this before, but I started wondering if i treated my losses as seeds, would my perspective change?
Jesus talked about the sower who sowed his seed in good soil, and on poor soil, about thorns and weeds that strangle, and the birds that come and eat the seed. this is just a part of life and growing crops. we do not hang on to seeds, we plant them. We never get 100, some seasons we mat not even get 10% return. All seeds do not produce results, and some crops may fail
This morning a friend said something that struck me. A sower never asks why he must give so much seed to the soil. I've heard expressions like this before, but I started wondering if i treated my losses as seeds, would my perspective change?
Jesus talked about the sower who sowed his seed in good soil, and on poor soil, about thorns and weeds that strangle, and the birds that come and eat the seed. this is just a part of life and growing crops. we do not hang on to seeds, we plant them. We never get 100, some seasons we mat not even get 10% return. All seeds do not produce results, and some crops may fail
Sunday, August 15, 2010
the blows of life
As i looked out of the window, i noticed a quite sober looking man rummaging through the trash bins. It saddened me to see this fellow actually eat some discarded food he found. I have no idea what his story might be, but i was left wondering how he might have come to this desperate state, and how he might be saved from this.
Life does not treat people equally or fairly. We have all been dealt a different lot in life, good or bad we all must learn to accept and deal with it. By accepting, i'm not saying our future can't change, it can change with much effort, or even despite our own effort quite dramatically. I think of the Eddy Murphy film 'Trading Places' where two lives were turned upside down by a bet made between two businessmen. Quite cruel when i come to think of it, how another person's actions, perhaps even someone unknown to us can make a decision that in effect destroys another's life.
So, this fellow rummaging through the trash for food. Did he decide to choose this lifestyle for himself? I highly doubt so. So what were the circumstances that brought him here. Was he a married man who's wife left him and who lost his motivation to work? Did the bank take his home away because he couldn't make the mortgage payments? Or is he a victim of a series of events which caused his life to just crumble...?
Last night at the Tartu film festival i watched a film called Fly fly Ladybug about a lady who could not cope with raising her kids due to an abusive husband. She started off with good intentions as a loving and caring mother, until life threw quite a number of unjust turns to her life. Perhaps you can call them bad choices, choosing an abusive man, yet all the choices were intended for good, to cope and hopefully to improve the quality of het kid's lives, kids she loved very much. Eventually the courts ruled that whe is an unfit parent and took her kids away, not once but three times.
The pain of loosing her loved ones caused her in despertation to behave quite erratically. Unforunately her behavior just isolated her more from the hope of getting her kids back. A relatively stable person had become unfit due to circumstances outside her control.And society so quickly labeled her, judged her to be someone who whe really wasn't or at least didn't want to be. It's a vicious circle so difficult to break out of...
It's said that God is a God of grace. So how is God's grace imparted to the lives or an abused mother or a hungry homeless man? Some say God looks after those who look after themselves. God help us, as we all need a helping hand sometimes. So it is when we see someone in need, we should take care to note that we ourselves are His hands and His feet. It is we, who have been entrusted to impart His grace.
Life does not treat people equally or fairly. We have all been dealt a different lot in life, good or bad we all must learn to accept and deal with it. By accepting, i'm not saying our future can't change, it can change with much effort, or even despite our own effort quite dramatically. I think of the Eddy Murphy film 'Trading Places' where two lives were turned upside down by a bet made between two businessmen. Quite cruel when i come to think of it, how another person's actions, perhaps even someone unknown to us can make a decision that in effect destroys another's life.
So, this fellow rummaging through the trash for food. Did he decide to choose this lifestyle for himself? I highly doubt so. So what were the circumstances that brought him here. Was he a married man who's wife left him and who lost his motivation to work? Did the bank take his home away because he couldn't make the mortgage payments? Or is he a victim of a series of events which caused his life to just crumble...?
Last night at the Tartu film festival i watched a film called Fly fly Ladybug about a lady who could not cope with raising her kids due to an abusive husband. She started off with good intentions as a loving and caring mother, until life threw quite a number of unjust turns to her life. Perhaps you can call them bad choices, choosing an abusive man, yet all the choices were intended for good, to cope and hopefully to improve the quality of het kid's lives, kids she loved very much. Eventually the courts ruled that whe is an unfit parent and took her kids away, not once but three times.
The pain of loosing her loved ones caused her in despertation to behave quite erratically. Unforunately her behavior just isolated her more from the hope of getting her kids back. A relatively stable person had become unfit due to circumstances outside her control.And society so quickly labeled her, judged her to be someone who whe really wasn't or at least didn't want to be. It's a vicious circle so difficult to break out of...
It's said that God is a God of grace. So how is God's grace imparted to the lives or an abused mother or a hungry homeless man? Some say God looks after those who look after themselves. God help us, as we all need a helping hand sometimes. So it is when we see someone in need, we should take care to note that we ourselves are His hands and His feet. It is we, who have been entrusted to impart His grace.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
If it doesn't make you stronger, it will kill you...
There are many experinces we encounter in life, some are positive, others are quite difficult, at times even debilitating. We all know the saying, 'if it won't kill you, it will make you stronger', but we who are all still alive and beathing, can we really say every experience has make us stronger?
'A little piece of me died today' is an expression many of us can relate to. Hurt, disallusionment, and disapointment are not what we usually call positive experiences. It's true we can learn much from these experiences, protect ourselves better in the future by creating a tougher skin or perhaps a more calloused heart. Is this our understanding of becoming stronger? Or is our response to these experiences actually killing us?
The truth is we are all physically dying, some of us are further along in the process than others. Our cells are degenerating, skin is wrinkling, teeth are decaying, eyesight is deteriorating, all this is a normal process of life. Heart disease, cancer and other many other ailments bring us closer to realisation our days are numbered. We could blame our diet, polution or excess UV exposure, but there is no escaping the fact that to dust we will return, and bit by bit pieces of us are dying every day.
Jesus said 'I have come to give you life, and life more abundantly'. True, we are living longer these days, and it seems our physical quality of life has improved significantly over the past century or so, but have we become more alive, and are we living more abundantly? I guess the real question is: 'How alive do we feel?'
Clearly there are experiences that bring us joy and make us feel more alive. Positive experiences like the win of a favourite sports team or the satisfaction of a job well done, spending time with good friends and of course love. There are also experiences that hurt and damage our spirit and emotions, such as failure of an important project, loss of a business or job, death fo a close friend or facing rejection of a loved one. As pain is such a real part of our lives, how should we deal with it and use it to make us stonger?
To be honest, i don't know the short answer to this. Truth is, time heals many of our wounds, but i sometimes wonder what it takes to resurrect the pieces that have died in the process. I have come to understand restoration takes place as we re-discover joy in life. But joy seems to be so elusive to us, especially in our high stress societies. True joy comes from above, but we die a little each day as we are consumed by things that have little eternal value. And even though we seem to be healthier and are living much longer, we somehow have lost time for deeper and more meaningful relationships be it with friends or with God. And these are the very ingredients we so need to cultivate joy in our lives.
Abundant life, joy, healing... What is making us stronger? Perhaps the more pertinant question is 'Who is making us stronger?'
'A little piece of me died today' is an expression many of us can relate to. Hurt, disallusionment, and disapointment are not what we usually call positive experiences. It's true we can learn much from these experiences, protect ourselves better in the future by creating a tougher skin or perhaps a more calloused heart. Is this our understanding of becoming stronger? Or is our response to these experiences actually killing us?
The truth is we are all physically dying, some of us are further along in the process than others. Our cells are degenerating, skin is wrinkling, teeth are decaying, eyesight is deteriorating, all this is a normal process of life. Heart disease, cancer and other many other ailments bring us closer to realisation our days are numbered. We could blame our diet, polution or excess UV exposure, but there is no escaping the fact that to dust we will return, and bit by bit pieces of us are dying every day.
Jesus said 'I have come to give you life, and life more abundantly'. True, we are living longer these days, and it seems our physical quality of life has improved significantly over the past century or so, but have we become more alive, and are we living more abundantly? I guess the real question is: 'How alive do we feel?'
Clearly there are experiences that bring us joy and make us feel more alive. Positive experiences like the win of a favourite sports team or the satisfaction of a job well done, spending time with good friends and of course love. There are also experiences that hurt and damage our spirit and emotions, such as failure of an important project, loss of a business or job, death fo a close friend or facing rejection of a loved one. As pain is such a real part of our lives, how should we deal with it and use it to make us stonger?
To be honest, i don't know the short answer to this. Truth is, time heals many of our wounds, but i sometimes wonder what it takes to resurrect the pieces that have died in the process. I have come to understand restoration takes place as we re-discover joy in life. But joy seems to be so elusive to us, especially in our high stress societies. True joy comes from above, but we die a little each day as we are consumed by things that have little eternal value. And even though we seem to be healthier and are living much longer, we somehow have lost time for deeper and more meaningful relationships be it with friends or with God. And these are the very ingredients we so need to cultivate joy in our lives.
Abundant life, joy, healing... What is making us stronger? Perhaps the more pertinant question is 'Who is making us stronger?'
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Are you sad?
I was listening to the local jazz radio station as i drove back from the cottage last night, and a song called 'Are you sad?' by 'Our Lady Peace' was played. The music itself didn't move me as much as the question it posed. The songwriter asks this question of his friend, wondering why he has not shared his need or concern.
Why do people tend to close themselves up when they are sad? Depression creates a feeling of unacceptance, feeling very alone, as no-one would understand. And yes it's true, rarely can another person truly understand what you feel and what you are going through. Each of our circumstances are unique, as well as the way we have been created and raised. I thought of my own situation, how difficult it has been to come to terms with my 'sadness', and how so few people even have an inkling of how i feel.
There are people all around us that are sad. People who are hurting and in need of an encouraging word, a listening ear, or just a good hug. How do we act? How sensative or receptive are we to these friends? Do we distance ourselves, feeling uncomfortable. Or do we just say those 'encouraging words' get your act together!? And maybe those ever so disconnecting words 'I understand...'?
The truth is, we rarely understand why we ourselves we are sad, let alone anyone else. Undertanding the source of our own sadness can help us overcome it, but rarely this in itself is sufficient. At times we all need someone to pick us up, to share a good word and give a hug. But perhaps with all the above we need someone to ask the question, why are you sad?
Seeking to understand another persons sadness helps us to be sensative in our encouragement. I have certainly felt the sharp edge of someone's well meaning 'encouaging' word just gouge deeper into me, only to cause more damage and pain.
'Are you sad?' is a door opening question. It's a question of concern and not judgemental. God has created us as social beings who have need to share our heart with others. Keeping our sadness to ourselves never resolves anything.
The scripture in Romans 12:15 tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. While it's easy to rejoice with another, i've always been more appreciative of those who stand by me in my deepest dispair. Unfortunately there are few that do.
There is a time for everything in our journey. The writer of Ecclesiastics learned well that there is...
a time to weep...
a time to laugh...
a time to mourn...
a time to dance...
a time to embrace...
a time to lose...
a time to keep silence...
a time to speak...
Why do people tend to close themselves up when they are sad? Depression creates a feeling of unacceptance, feeling very alone, as no-one would understand. And yes it's true, rarely can another person truly understand what you feel and what you are going through. Each of our circumstances are unique, as well as the way we have been created and raised. I thought of my own situation, how difficult it has been to come to terms with my 'sadness', and how so few people even have an inkling of how i feel.
There are people all around us that are sad. People who are hurting and in need of an encouraging word, a listening ear, or just a good hug. How do we act? How sensative or receptive are we to these friends? Do we distance ourselves, feeling uncomfortable. Or do we just say those 'encouraging words' get your act together!? And maybe those ever so disconnecting words 'I understand...'?
The truth is, we rarely understand why we ourselves we are sad, let alone anyone else. Undertanding the source of our own sadness can help us overcome it, but rarely this in itself is sufficient. At times we all need someone to pick us up, to share a good word and give a hug. But perhaps with all the above we need someone to ask the question, why are you sad?
Seeking to understand another persons sadness helps us to be sensative in our encouragement. I have certainly felt the sharp edge of someone's well meaning 'encouaging' word just gouge deeper into me, only to cause more damage and pain.
'Are you sad?' is a door opening question. It's a question of concern and not judgemental. God has created us as social beings who have need to share our heart with others. Keeping our sadness to ourselves never resolves anything.
The scripture in Romans 12:15 tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. While it's easy to rejoice with another, i've always been more appreciative of those who stand by me in my deepest dispair. Unfortunately there are few that do.
There is a time for everything in our journey. The writer of Ecclesiastics learned well that there is...
a time to weep...
a time to laugh...
a time to mourn...
a time to dance...
a time to embrace...
a time to lose...
a time to keep silence...
a time to speak...
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The long drive..
Over the last few days, i've been on a long drive around Lake Erie. Long drives are a great time to think, reflect and reminisce about life, albeit this drive ended up being much too rushed for this. I had planned to make several stops to take time to write, but my travel schedule was too tight for this.
Origionally i planned to leave on Tuesday, but i still had some family issues to deal with. With my mom ill and a number of other unresoved issues, i postponed my departure to Wednesday morning. I woke up before 6am as i have each morning at my sister's place, their dog being my faithful alarm clock, whether i want it or not (over the past 4 weeks i haven't been able to get more than 4-5 hours of sleep per night, my sister's night owl family rarely getting to sleep before 1am).
"At least i'll have an early start and get out of town before rush hour!" the early bird thought... Weary, but ready to go, I head out to my car at 6am only to find both possible escape routes from the driveway blocked! My nephew who usually parks in the garage parked came home late and parked beside me on the driveway and with their other car firmly planted behind me i was stuck. Aaargh!
For a moment i thought about driving across the grass, but that would have probably upset the neighbours who own half of the lawn that i would have certainly left ruts in. I marched back into the house, trying to find a spare set of keys to no avail. I debated if i should wake up someone, but i figured there's no point as by the time someone would get up and move the car i would start hitting rush hour traffic anyways.
So i waited until 10 am until my sister had headed off to work. The drive through Toronto traffic was still heavy, found myself on the highway doing less than 30 km/h. Then the rain came... I'm talking monsoon rain! I couldn't remember seeing anything like it, 5-10 minutes driving through a wall of water, couldn't even see 3 meters in front of me! It cleared up for about 20 minutes until i hit the next wall of water. Strange weather...
The border crossing at Buffalo was easy enough. My first stop was visiting old friends in upper New York state. They live in an area with lots of rolling hills i'd call more like small montains. I never knew this part of New York state was so beautiful. Since I had agreed to meet them at 4pm, i didn't have time to stop to take some quiet time in nature and write as i had initially hoped. Didn't feel good being on such a tight schedule...
The visit itself was refreshing, as it usually is with old friends. I really enjoy spending time with people, at least those who are honest and open, and not too focused on the superficial. Life is so much more than what we own, eat or drink.
I was looking forward to my first good night's sleep in weeks. A quiet small town, no barking dog to wake me up at 5 am,.. aaah, so nice. But at 2:15am I was rudely awakened by an air raid siren! Where was i? Suddenly in the midst of an arieal attack, or was something else going on? The siren continued to blair for at least 10 minutes, though it seemed longer. I died down for a minute before it started blairing for another 10 minutes. I thought perhaps there was terrorist attack, or maybe a chemical spill from the adjacent railroad. I sat up waiting for police to come and advise us to close or windows and other precautions or perhaps evacuate, but they never came.
Cars were racing up the street, some civilian vehicles, others with flashing lights. Something was certainly going on. All the activity seemed to end around 3 am, but i wasn't able to fall asleep until sometime past 4am, with my hopes of a good night sleep dashed...
I asked my hosts in the morning about the sirens, and to my astonishment they said they never heard them! What??? That's impossible, i thought. Well, maybe not. They had gotten used to the sirens, as that night was certainly not a unique incident. The town has a volunteer fire department, so apparently sirens are used regularly to alert firefihghters and call them to the scene. Don't these people have telephones??? Unbelievable!
Needless to say, i didn't feel well rested as i drove off to Indiana, my next stop on this long drive. For me this destination was the main reason for travelling although for me a ridiculous and redundant destination, mainly to resolve an issue for a 'friend' (please note that i use this term loosely here). Some people manipulate and try to entrap you into their service, and into an unwanted relationship. Our 'friendship' started with him asking me to help him find investment opportunities, which i foolishly did asking no compensation in return. Now i find myself the focus of blame for his mistakes. So this trip to a bank in Indiana was to try to loose some of the chains which this 'friend' has used to enslave me. As an old Estonian proverb says, 'No good deed shall go unpunished...'
The more positive destination on that evening was to the Detroit area to attended a party my good friend Agnes thew. Lots of Estonians together, many old friends, and a few new ones. The following day i spent with friends cycling by the lake, followed by a swim and picnic on the beach. It was a great and relaxing time.
Saturday morning after i helped a friend move a trailer and do some yard planning, i headed back to Canada. After 4 days on the road, spending time some great friends, I realised my travels had been squeezed into a too narrow timeframe. I would have loved to take a few more days to relax, but my schedule didn't allow it. At the end the trip i felt more tired than refreshed.
I guess what i missed was more true quality time. There was just too little of it, no quiet time for myself and little time for deeper conversations with friends. It's so much more enjoyable when you can spend hours or days without the time constraints and pressures of a tight schedule. We learn more about ourselves, more about our friends, more about God and the beauty of His creation.
As i look at m life and the lives of so many around me, the message again seems to be clear; slow down and smell the flowers along your path. We need to take more time to truly rest, as it helps take the edge off our so stessful lives. And there's just so much we can miss on a too speedy journey.
Origionally i planned to leave on Tuesday, but i still had some family issues to deal with. With my mom ill and a number of other unresoved issues, i postponed my departure to Wednesday morning. I woke up before 6am as i have each morning at my sister's place, their dog being my faithful alarm clock, whether i want it or not (over the past 4 weeks i haven't been able to get more than 4-5 hours of sleep per night, my sister's night owl family rarely getting to sleep before 1am).
"At least i'll have an early start and get out of town before rush hour!" the early bird thought... Weary, but ready to go, I head out to my car at 6am only to find both possible escape routes from the driveway blocked! My nephew who usually parks in the garage parked came home late and parked beside me on the driveway and with their other car firmly planted behind me i was stuck. Aaargh!
For a moment i thought about driving across the grass, but that would have probably upset the neighbours who own half of the lawn that i would have certainly left ruts in. I marched back into the house, trying to find a spare set of keys to no avail. I debated if i should wake up someone, but i figured there's no point as by the time someone would get up and move the car i would start hitting rush hour traffic anyways.
So i waited until 10 am until my sister had headed off to work. The drive through Toronto traffic was still heavy, found myself on the highway doing less than 30 km/h. Then the rain came... I'm talking monsoon rain! I couldn't remember seeing anything like it, 5-10 minutes driving through a wall of water, couldn't even see 3 meters in front of me! It cleared up for about 20 minutes until i hit the next wall of water. Strange weather...
The border crossing at Buffalo was easy enough. My first stop was visiting old friends in upper New York state. They live in an area with lots of rolling hills i'd call more like small montains. I never knew this part of New York state was so beautiful. Since I had agreed to meet them at 4pm, i didn't have time to stop to take some quiet time in nature and write as i had initially hoped. Didn't feel good being on such a tight schedule...
The visit itself was refreshing, as it usually is with old friends. I really enjoy spending time with people, at least those who are honest and open, and not too focused on the superficial. Life is so much more than what we own, eat or drink.
I was looking forward to my first good night's sleep in weeks. A quiet small town, no barking dog to wake me up at 5 am,.. aaah, so nice. But at 2:15am I was rudely awakened by an air raid siren! Where was i? Suddenly in the midst of an arieal attack, or was something else going on? The siren continued to blair for at least 10 minutes, though it seemed longer. I died down for a minute before it started blairing for another 10 minutes. I thought perhaps there was terrorist attack, or maybe a chemical spill from the adjacent railroad. I sat up waiting for police to come and advise us to close or windows and other precautions or perhaps evacuate, but they never came.
Cars were racing up the street, some civilian vehicles, others with flashing lights. Something was certainly going on. All the activity seemed to end around 3 am, but i wasn't able to fall asleep until sometime past 4am, with my hopes of a good night sleep dashed...
I asked my hosts in the morning about the sirens, and to my astonishment they said they never heard them! What??? That's impossible, i thought. Well, maybe not. They had gotten used to the sirens, as that night was certainly not a unique incident. The town has a volunteer fire department, so apparently sirens are used regularly to alert firefihghters and call them to the scene. Don't these people have telephones??? Unbelievable!
Needless to say, i didn't feel well rested as i drove off to Indiana, my next stop on this long drive. For me this destination was the main reason for travelling although for me a ridiculous and redundant destination, mainly to resolve an issue for a 'friend' (please note that i use this term loosely here). Some people manipulate and try to entrap you into their service, and into an unwanted relationship. Our 'friendship' started with him asking me to help him find investment opportunities, which i foolishly did asking no compensation in return. Now i find myself the focus of blame for his mistakes. So this trip to a bank in Indiana was to try to loose some of the chains which this 'friend' has used to enslave me. As an old Estonian proverb says, 'No good deed shall go unpunished...'
The more positive destination on that evening was to the Detroit area to attended a party my good friend Agnes thew. Lots of Estonians together, many old friends, and a few new ones. The following day i spent with friends cycling by the lake, followed by a swim and picnic on the beach. It was a great and relaxing time.
Saturday morning after i helped a friend move a trailer and do some yard planning, i headed back to Canada. After 4 days on the road, spending time some great friends, I realised my travels had been squeezed into a too narrow timeframe. I would have loved to take a few more days to relax, but my schedule didn't allow it. At the end the trip i felt more tired than refreshed.
I guess what i missed was more true quality time. There was just too little of it, no quiet time for myself and little time for deeper conversations with friends. It's so much more enjoyable when you can spend hours or days without the time constraints and pressures of a tight schedule. We learn more about ourselves, more about our friends, more about God and the beauty of His creation.
As i look at m life and the lives of so many around me, the message again seems to be clear; slow down and smell the flowers along your path. We need to take more time to truly rest, as it helps take the edge off our so stessful lives. And there's just so much we can miss on a too speedy journey.
Monday, July 26, 2010
something to sing about
As i walked in the park early this morning, i noticed one small bird singing his lungs out, much more poetically and louder than any other bird. As i looked at him, i wondered what motivates him to sing this way, who has put this song in his heart? I suspect it was much more than the sun rising on a new day, or the worm he had for breakfast, or even being free to fly around and enjoy God's glorious creation. I suspect this bird was in love.
I remember the feeling of being truly in love and being truly loved in return. It does cause one to sing, to dance, to become joyful and estatic, much similar to the bird i noticed this morning. For a moment i wondered where my song has gone, but i knew the answer before the question even entered my mind...
Then i was reminded of two birds i saw in the park many years ago. Neither of them were singing, and both seem to have lost all reason for singing. One sat all alone perched on a rock close to the edge of a pond. I'm not sure what it had gotten itself into, but it was covered in grease ir oil and couldn't fly. I wanted to help it, but the bird was just out of my reach. There was little hope for this bird, as I didn't know what to do. As tear came to my eye, as i recognised how many of us (some closer than we realise) are in similar situations, with our lives suddenly covered in muck, needing help but loosing hope in finding it.
Some time later on the same pond, i noticed a single swan, unusual since swans live in pairs. This swan's beak was grey rather than the usual peachy-orange colour. He seemed to be so sad. Had he lost his partner? whas there any hope of reuniting or finding a new love. And what would he need to bring the colour back to his beak?
No amount of food, no material item could bring a song like this into either bird's heart. The first bird needed to be rescued, cleaned and reunited with his family, with those he loves. The swan also needed to be rescued, but rescued by love. He needed someone to sing about, to share his life with again.
We all need things. We all need to be helped sometimes. But more than anything else, we need to find our song, something to sing about, something to feel true joy about. Wealth, popularity, all kinds of material things can never give us this lasting song, so why do we chase these things? This type of song can only be sung when we experience true love.
I remember the feeling of being truly in love and being truly loved in return. It does cause one to sing, to dance, to become joyful and estatic, much similar to the bird i noticed this morning. For a moment i wondered where my song has gone, but i knew the answer before the question even entered my mind...
Then i was reminded of two birds i saw in the park many years ago. Neither of them were singing, and both seem to have lost all reason for singing. One sat all alone perched on a rock close to the edge of a pond. I'm not sure what it had gotten itself into, but it was covered in grease ir oil and couldn't fly. I wanted to help it, but the bird was just out of my reach. There was little hope for this bird, as I didn't know what to do. As tear came to my eye, as i recognised how many of us (some closer than we realise) are in similar situations, with our lives suddenly covered in muck, needing help but loosing hope in finding it.
Some time later on the same pond, i noticed a single swan, unusual since swans live in pairs. This swan's beak was grey rather than the usual peachy-orange colour. He seemed to be so sad. Had he lost his partner? whas there any hope of reuniting or finding a new love. And what would he need to bring the colour back to his beak?
No amount of food, no material item could bring a song like this into either bird's heart. The first bird needed to be rescued, cleaned and reunited with his family, with those he loves. The swan also needed to be rescued, but rescued by love. He needed someone to sing about, to share his life with again.
We all need things. We all need to be helped sometimes. But more than anything else, we need to find our song, something to sing about, something to feel true joy about. Wealth, popularity, all kinds of material things can never give us this lasting song, so why do we chase these things? This type of song can only be sung when we experience true love.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Not the place i want to be
It's past 2 am. I went to sleep about 3 hours ago, but was rudely kept awake by noise from the kitchen next door. Now i can't sleep as in my mind i conclude, this is not the place i want to be.
This conclusion is not only based on just the noise that kept me up tonight, but more so the noise of the society surrounding me. Constant noise from restless masses where little peace can be found. Busyness of life, people running in a rat race, to learn, to earn, and to consume their lives as fast as they can. And when a rare moment of 'rest' is found, it is consumed 'together' by bowing to a medium we have come to call TV.
We have turned into consumers, not producers. We expect to be entertained by others, rather than take time to create something ourselves. We look at the surface without looking at what's beneath, we have become superficial with all the people that we meet. 'How are you doing?' has become a polite catch phrase, rather than a genuine question we ask one another. We have consumed our time chasing materal things and skewed values that fail to bring us closer to one another, be it with family or friends.
It leads me to ask, what are we made of? What has been woven into the tapestry of our lives? Have we allowed the surrounding noise to weave us into society's standard pattern, or are we woven into a more unique pattern, created in deep contemplation, which requires peace, quiet and rest. But true rest, where our inner soul truly rests, has become so elusive to find.
So where is this rest found? As i've spent these past 2 weeks in this crazy metropolis, i see it's not easy to find rest here. Nor is it always easy to find rest in a more quiet places, as our minds are intertwined by the busyness and worries of this world. How do we free ourselves from this? Where can we find true rest?
'Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened, and i will give you rest' is the invitation Jesus gave (Matt 11:28). He seems to know something about what should be woven into mankind's tapestry. He sees our need to be unwoven from all the busyness that entangle us and keeps us from finding true rest, and desires to weave a much different pattern to the tapestry to our lives.
So how do we find this rest? We need to stop, listen and look for the deeper and richer threads of life, and somehow allow Him to weave a more beautiful design.
This conclusion is not only based on just the noise that kept me up tonight, but more so the noise of the society surrounding me. Constant noise from restless masses where little peace can be found. Busyness of life, people running in a rat race, to learn, to earn, and to consume their lives as fast as they can. And when a rare moment of 'rest' is found, it is consumed 'together' by bowing to a medium we have come to call TV.
We have turned into consumers, not producers. We expect to be entertained by others, rather than take time to create something ourselves. We look at the surface without looking at what's beneath, we have become superficial with all the people that we meet. 'How are you doing?' has become a polite catch phrase, rather than a genuine question we ask one another. We have consumed our time chasing materal things and skewed values that fail to bring us closer to one another, be it with family or friends.
It leads me to ask, what are we made of? What has been woven into the tapestry of our lives? Have we allowed the surrounding noise to weave us into society's standard pattern, or are we woven into a more unique pattern, created in deep contemplation, which requires peace, quiet and rest. But true rest, where our inner soul truly rests, has become so elusive to find.
So where is this rest found? As i've spent these past 2 weeks in this crazy metropolis, i see it's not easy to find rest here. Nor is it always easy to find rest in a more quiet places, as our minds are intertwined by the busyness and worries of this world. How do we free ourselves from this? Where can we find true rest?
'Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened, and i will give you rest' is the invitation Jesus gave (Matt 11:28). He seems to know something about what should be woven into mankind's tapestry. He sees our need to be unwoven from all the busyness that entangle us and keeps us from finding true rest, and desires to weave a much different pattern to the tapestry to our lives.
So how do we find this rest? We need to stop, listen and look for the deeper and richer threads of life, and somehow allow Him to weave a more beautiful design.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Driving in an new direction
I've been thinking lately i should change the format of my blog. Alot has changed in my life over the past 2 years, and as much as i have learned (and am still learning) from the past, what i do today is multiple times more important than lessons of the past.
Travelling back to Canada two weeks ago, my aim was to take concrete steps in settling back on on this side of the pond. Finding a meaningful income and a place to live were close to the top of my priority list. Of course family is also very important, and with my mom experiencing health problems, getting her re-settled after spending almost a full month in the hospital has consumed the biggest chunk of my (and my sister's) time. Unfortunatly through all this there has been much more retrospect than looking forward.
I guess life can be compared to driving a car. If we spend too much time looking in the rear-view mirror, we may not see what's ahead, or worse yet get in an accident. Over 90% of our time we should be looking forward. Retrospect is so important, but in moderation. Too much retrospect will bog us down.
The Bible's always has wisdom for every topic of life, and this is no exception. In Luke 9:62 Jesus said 'when you put your hand to the plow, don't look back'. We all have a direction we need to go. So while we move forward, let's focus on what's ahead and only occasionally glance back to see where we came from A never forget those important times we need to stop for refueling directions and reflection.
Travelling back to Canada two weeks ago, my aim was to take concrete steps in settling back on on this side of the pond. Finding a meaningful income and a place to live were close to the top of my priority list. Of course family is also very important, and with my mom experiencing health problems, getting her re-settled after spending almost a full month in the hospital has consumed the biggest chunk of my (and my sister's) time. Unfortunatly through all this there has been much more retrospect than looking forward.
I guess life can be compared to driving a car. If we spend too much time looking in the rear-view mirror, we may not see what's ahead, or worse yet get in an accident. Over 90% of our time we should be looking forward. Retrospect is so important, but in moderation. Too much retrospect will bog us down.
The Bible's always has wisdom for every topic of life, and this is no exception. In Luke 9:62 Jesus said 'when you put your hand to the plow, don't look back'. We all have a direction we need to go. So while we move forward, let's focus on what's ahead and only occasionally glance back to see where we came from A never forget those important times we need to stop for refueling directions and reflection.
Friday, July 16, 2010
SALT
Salt is an interesting material. Hard, heavy, translucent, usually granualer, though sometimes you can find it in large blocks. One amazing thing about salt is that it dissolves in water! Salt also kills. It kills bacteria, keeps food from rotting, and in larger quantities it can kill lakes, seas, vegetation, animals and humans. Yet we consume it with food, water and cannot survive without it.
Can salt in itself loose it saltiness? Jesus used salt as an example of what we should be, salt of the world, keeping it from rotting as many Bible scholars would conclude. We can also argue that our 'salt' should be spread in moderation, not in excess which may even kill another (we all know rubbing salt into a wound can be quite painful). But what about the dissolving qualities of salt? Is salt really useful as a solid when it does not dissolve?
Interesting thought, isn't it? Once salt dissolves, it is gone (at least gone from it's solid state)! We become a fluid, in one with what (or whom) we have salted. It can no longer be identified as salt in itself, although it can still be sensed and tasted. Is this another quality Jesus alluded to? To loose ourselves, the from we know. To to allow the salt to melt in, not to rub in our undissolved salt as many do...
As i was pondering this, i looked up some acronyms for salt. Some of the more intersting ones i found:
- same as last time
- single and loving it
- stand a little taller
- size, activity, location, time (military term)
- situation awareness logic tool
- serving and learning together
- salt and light together
- save a life today
Looking at these acronyms makes me ponder on how my 'salt' has effected my surroundings. Is it always the 'same as last time' or do i really love life, stand taller, aware of the time and place where i am, serving and learning with others, and most important has my 'salt' saved a life today?
Can salt in itself loose it saltiness? Jesus used salt as an example of what we should be, salt of the world, keeping it from rotting as many Bible scholars would conclude. We can also argue that our 'salt' should be spread in moderation, not in excess which may even kill another (we all know rubbing salt into a wound can be quite painful). But what about the dissolving qualities of salt? Is salt really useful as a solid when it does not dissolve?
Interesting thought, isn't it? Once salt dissolves, it is gone (at least gone from it's solid state)! We become a fluid, in one with what (or whom) we have salted. It can no longer be identified as salt in itself, although it can still be sensed and tasted. Is this another quality Jesus alluded to? To loose ourselves, the from we know. To to allow the salt to melt in, not to rub in our undissolved salt as many do...
As i was pondering this, i looked up some acronyms for salt. Some of the more intersting ones i found:
- same as last time
- single and loving it
- stand a little taller
- size, activity, location, time (military term)
- situation awareness logic tool
- serving and learning together
- salt and light together
- save a life today
Looking at these acronyms makes me ponder on how my 'salt' has effected my surroundings. Is it always the 'same as last time' or do i really love life, stand taller, aware of the time and place where i am, serving and learning with others, and most important has my 'salt' saved a life today?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Love by definition or discovery?
As i went for a walk early this morning, i took time to think deeply about how i have loved family, friends and God. I wondered what the foundation is for true love, and how can it be defined?
It's not the first time i've pondered this question. I've discussed conditional and unconditional love on this blog before, but what i'm exploring here is how by our definition may restrict love. Do we define love by our own parameters, and restrict it by our own expectation of what love should be? Or are we on a journey of discovery, with love motivating us to learn more about another person.
"Love does not begin by defining its objects: it discovers them." T.W. Manson
We like to put framework around our feelings, in defining our love of others. What does the Bible mean when it says 'love your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and your neighbour as yourself'? Do we simply package our love with good toughts and deeds, and say we have done our part? Do we package our love for others by thier additude and deeds towards us? Or is love inspiring us to discover more about them, to know more about their desires and needs, and give what we can for their benefit, not ours?
To love is to know, but if we are not interested in knowing can we say we really love? A person we may know very well, still has endless depth to be discovered. Even ourselves, are we constantly discovering more of our traits or atributes, ar are we 'set in our ways'. Relationships framed by definition tend not to grow, but those opened to discovery can flurish. Itõs our choice how we relate to friends, family and God. Choosing the path of discovery becomes an exciting journey of learning, and produces the fuel needed for love to grow.
It's not the first time i've pondered this question. I've discussed conditional and unconditional love on this blog before, but what i'm exploring here is how by our definition may restrict love. Do we define love by our own parameters, and restrict it by our own expectation of what love should be? Or are we on a journey of discovery, with love motivating us to learn more about another person.
"Love does not begin by defining its objects: it discovers them." T.W. Manson
We like to put framework around our feelings, in defining our love of others. What does the Bible mean when it says 'love your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and your neighbour as yourself'? Do we simply package our love with good toughts and deeds, and say we have done our part? Do we package our love for others by thier additude and deeds towards us? Or is love inspiring us to discover more about them, to know more about their desires and needs, and give what we can for their benefit, not ours?
To love is to know, but if we are not interested in knowing can we say we really love? A person we may know very well, still has endless depth to be discovered. Even ourselves, are we constantly discovering more of our traits or atributes, ar are we 'set in our ways'. Relationships framed by definition tend not to grow, but those opened to discovery can flurish. Itõs our choice how we relate to friends, family and God. Choosing the path of discovery becomes an exciting journey of learning, and produces the fuel needed for love to grow.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Trust and friendship
Trust is an undivisable part of all our life relationships. Whether it's friends, family or business partners, trust remains the prime pillar that holds us together. Trust can been damaged and then restored as i have thankfully experienced on several occasions. It always begins with forgiveness and grace, which sometimes can can be quite difficult in itself. I'm thankful for my friends and family who have had the grace to forgive my inappropriate words and actions time and time again. But forgiveness and grace is only one side of the trust equation. While forgiving another is liberating, grace and forgiveness can only be fully imparted when there is an act of repentance by the one who broke the trust relationship. This is often the more difficult side of the equation, as it requires an sincere act of humility.
At times we all stumble and make foolish selfish decisions, that undermine other's trust in us. Mostly we come to our own senses, and have the wisdom and humility to repent of our ways. The danger is when our pride and selfishness overpower our ability to be humble and repent. An unrepentant heart becomes cold, callous and manitulative, looking only for the the good and profit of oneself. An unrepentant heart will quickly destroy pillars of trust, for personal gain. Friendships are no longer true, but become tools to fulfil our own desires and needs. Friends are used for nothing more than personal gain.
I have experienced too many 'friendships' like this. Friends whom i have trusted have abused my trust for their own profit. A parasitic additude, to reap benefits where they have not earned it, to live off the hard earnings of others. Unfortunately this additude is starting to prevail more and more in today's society. It's made it so difficult to trust new friends and business partners. So how does one choose relationships? And how does one end relationships that are parasitic?
There are many scriptures that describe friendship. Proverbs 27:5-6 gives a clear picture of a true friend vs a pseudo-friend:
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses." (NAS)
This scripture implies that a friend that constantly says nice words and compliments us, is not friend but an enemy. Oh, how painful and true this is. Recently I have become more suspicious of people who adress me not by my name, but the word 'friend'. It's as if they need to reaffirm their relationship with me, though their understanding of the term 'friend' is far from it's true meaning.
A true friend is honest, and doesn't maintain the friendship with just flattering words. A true friend can be brutally honest, repremand and 'wound' us, not for their own gain but for our good. A friend is not consumed by his own intrest and agenda, but has a sincere desire to help and to heal. To quote one of my facebook friends; 'A person wrapped up only in himself makes a very small package'
A true friend wraps himself into the lives and intrests of his friends, not so much in himself. I think a great example of this is David and Jonathan, as Jonathan looked out for the wellbeing of his friend David, who was being unrightfully hunted by King Saul. Through adversity David and Jonathan's friendship became closer than a brother's.
'A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity' Psalm 17:17
A true friend can be trusted, even in difficult times. A friend, brother or business partner who may seem faithful and honest in good times, may change his face in times of adversity. Real trust is built or broken in times of adversity. It is then when you recognise the 'kissing enemy', he is the one who uses, abuses and abandons you at the hour of your greatest need.
So be wary of the 'many kisses of a friend'. Although their words may be appealing, the one who confronts us with hard truth may be our true friend. He is the one who can be trusted and will stand by our side even when the cost is high for themselves. I'm so thankful for the 'Jonathans' in my life, friends who remain faithful and true, even in the deepest darkest hour.
At times we all stumble and make foolish selfish decisions, that undermine other's trust in us. Mostly we come to our own senses, and have the wisdom and humility to repent of our ways. The danger is when our pride and selfishness overpower our ability to be humble and repent. An unrepentant heart becomes cold, callous and manitulative, looking only for the the good and profit of oneself. An unrepentant heart will quickly destroy pillars of trust, for personal gain. Friendships are no longer true, but become tools to fulfil our own desires and needs. Friends are used for nothing more than personal gain.
I have experienced too many 'friendships' like this. Friends whom i have trusted have abused my trust for their own profit. A parasitic additude, to reap benefits where they have not earned it, to live off the hard earnings of others. Unfortunately this additude is starting to prevail more and more in today's society. It's made it so difficult to trust new friends and business partners. So how does one choose relationships? And how does one end relationships that are parasitic?
There are many scriptures that describe friendship. Proverbs 27:5-6 gives a clear picture of a true friend vs a pseudo-friend:
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses." (NAS)
This scripture implies that a friend that constantly says nice words and compliments us, is not friend but an enemy. Oh, how painful and true this is. Recently I have become more suspicious of people who adress me not by my name, but the word 'friend'. It's as if they need to reaffirm their relationship with me, though their understanding of the term 'friend' is far from it's true meaning.
A true friend is honest, and doesn't maintain the friendship with just flattering words. A true friend can be brutally honest, repremand and 'wound' us, not for their own gain but for our good. A friend is not consumed by his own intrest and agenda, but has a sincere desire to help and to heal. To quote one of my facebook friends; 'A person wrapped up only in himself makes a very small package'
A true friend wraps himself into the lives and intrests of his friends, not so much in himself. I think a great example of this is David and Jonathan, as Jonathan looked out for the wellbeing of his friend David, who was being unrightfully hunted by King Saul. Through adversity David and Jonathan's friendship became closer than a brother's.
'A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity' Psalm 17:17
A true friend can be trusted, even in difficult times. A friend, brother or business partner who may seem faithful and honest in good times, may change his face in times of adversity. Real trust is built or broken in times of adversity. It is then when you recognise the 'kissing enemy', he is the one who uses, abuses and abandons you at the hour of your greatest need.
So be wary of the 'many kisses of a friend'. Although their words may be appealing, the one who confronts us with hard truth may be our true friend. He is the one who can be trusted and will stand by our side even when the cost is high for themselves. I'm so thankful for the 'Jonathans' in my life, friends who remain faithful and true, even in the deepest darkest hour.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Lost and replaced
I've lost alot of things lately. Last week i lost the keys to my garage and mailbox. I've also lost some important documents i need to wind down my old business. Looking for these things has been a frustrating. Many of the things i've lost over the years i've forgotten about, others i still wonder if i might find one day again.
Looking for lost things (especially when we can't find them immediately) takes alot of patience. With today's busy lifestyles we seem to lack time to look, so we often give up and simply find a replacement for what we have lost. Like a lost can opener, we just go and buy another one. Suddendly we may find two or three can openers in our kitchen drawer as they re-appear.
Some things can't be replaced as easily as a can opener. Some things are just so much more important to us. Letters, photos, items with sentimental value are irreplaceable to us. Important things motivate us to search even more, like when loosing our wallet. Yet even these things, just like digital photos we so easily delete, have become less valued and more disposable.
So why did Jesus tell us the parable of the lost coin? Here's this lady who's lost a coin, searches and searches until she has found it. To me, a coin seems like something that is replacable, even if the coin might be worth a month's wage. Loosing a large amount of money would motivate most any of us to search for it, but i think there's another message hidden in this parable.
God never created life for it to be disposable. Every good thing that is given to us has a value. Perhaps i should rephrase that and say every good thing given to us is valuable.
The parable of the lost sheep might give us a better insight. This shepperd valued his sheep, every one. He left 99 to look for one he had lost. It may seem to us as a foolish risk and waste of time, but in addition to finding what was lost, perhaps it's also a lesson in the importance of seeking.
A hundred years ago, a can opener wasn't as easily replaced as today. Two hundred years ago, a hammer may have been more irreplacable than a computer today. These days in our consumer society, things are so easily replaced that we seem to have lost the art of seeking. Be it keys, coins, photos and friendships, are we seeking what we've lost? Or do we have a disposal mentality that stops seeking, finding it easier to replace what we have lost?
Looking for lost things (especially when we can't find them immediately) takes alot of patience. With today's busy lifestyles we seem to lack time to look, so we often give up and simply find a replacement for what we have lost. Like a lost can opener, we just go and buy another one. Suddendly we may find two or three can openers in our kitchen drawer as they re-appear.
Some things can't be replaced as easily as a can opener. Some things are just so much more important to us. Letters, photos, items with sentimental value are irreplaceable to us. Important things motivate us to search even more, like when loosing our wallet. Yet even these things, just like digital photos we so easily delete, have become less valued and more disposable.
So why did Jesus tell us the parable of the lost coin? Here's this lady who's lost a coin, searches and searches until she has found it. To me, a coin seems like something that is replacable, even if the coin might be worth a month's wage. Loosing a large amount of money would motivate most any of us to search for it, but i think there's another message hidden in this parable.
God never created life for it to be disposable. Every good thing that is given to us has a value. Perhaps i should rephrase that and say every good thing given to us is valuable.
The parable of the lost sheep might give us a better insight. This shepperd valued his sheep, every one. He left 99 to look for one he had lost. It may seem to us as a foolish risk and waste of time, but in addition to finding what was lost, perhaps it's also a lesson in the importance of seeking.
A hundred years ago, a can opener wasn't as easily replaced as today. Two hundred years ago, a hammer may have been more irreplacable than a computer today. These days in our consumer society, things are so easily replaced that we seem to have lost the art of seeking. Be it keys, coins, photos and friendships, are we seeking what we've lost? Or do we have a disposal mentality that stops seeking, finding it easier to replace what we have lost?
Monday, June 14, 2010
Lift me up, brick by brick
This past week has been hard. For many reasons, each June i tend to feel a bit down, but this year has been more difficult than most. Perhaps the rainy weather has something to do with it, or the disapointing visit with an old friend last Tuesday, or all the other problems i've faced, something has saddened me deep within.
As i approach each birthday, i give myself a tough assessment of where i'm at in life. I know this habit comes from my upbringing, as i tend to be very hard on myself, critical of the things i could and should have done differently along the way. How often i wish i could turn back time to redo things, but i can't...
Mistakes are interesting things, we tend to repeat them. None of us want to, but sometimes we just don't learn so quickly. As i repeat my mistakes, i keep kicking myself and kicking myself until i'm so bruised and tired i can barely move. Has this 'discipline' helped me? Do i need to be reminded of my failures? Am i more motivated after the beating, or do i crawl back into my shell?
This past weekend i was a shell-dweller, didn't want to celebrate or see anyone. Since i don't like being pitied, i've drawn a happy face :) on my shell for others to see. Many friends sent nice but superficial birthday greetings, others were more heartfelt wishes that brought me a smile. One friend even invited me out, since i had no other plans made.
I reluctantly agreed, but with a warning that i'd be lousy company. Regardless how down and critical i felt about myself, this dear friend would keep finding something positive to say about me. Not just words to cheer me up, but genuine positive attributes that i had forgotten long ago. These words lifted me, and seemingly lightened my load.
Trying to lift me these days is like trying to lift a ton of bricks. As we walked, I suddenly realised that each positive word was lifting one brick from my heavy load. I certainly wasn't floating in the air the next day, but the load seemed much lighter.
Our words are like bricks. Some add bricks, others remove them. It's also much easier to lift a brick from someone else's back, than to lift one from our own. Rarely can we lift the entire weight, but with a good word we can lighten someone's load,.. brick by brick.
As i approach each birthday, i give myself a tough assessment of where i'm at in life. I know this habit comes from my upbringing, as i tend to be very hard on myself, critical of the things i could and should have done differently along the way. How often i wish i could turn back time to redo things, but i can't...
Mistakes are interesting things, we tend to repeat them. None of us want to, but sometimes we just don't learn so quickly. As i repeat my mistakes, i keep kicking myself and kicking myself until i'm so bruised and tired i can barely move. Has this 'discipline' helped me? Do i need to be reminded of my failures? Am i more motivated after the beating, or do i crawl back into my shell?
This past weekend i was a shell-dweller, didn't want to celebrate or see anyone. Since i don't like being pitied, i've drawn a happy face :) on my shell for others to see. Many friends sent nice but superficial birthday greetings, others were more heartfelt wishes that brought me a smile. One friend even invited me out, since i had no other plans made.
I reluctantly agreed, but with a warning that i'd be lousy company. Regardless how down and critical i felt about myself, this dear friend would keep finding something positive to say about me. Not just words to cheer me up, but genuine positive attributes that i had forgotten long ago. These words lifted me, and seemingly lightened my load.
Trying to lift me these days is like trying to lift a ton of bricks. As we walked, I suddenly realised that each positive word was lifting one brick from my heavy load. I certainly wasn't floating in the air the next day, but the load seemed much lighter.
Our words are like bricks. Some add bricks, others remove them. It's also much easier to lift a brick from someone else's back, than to lift one from our own. Rarely can we lift the entire weight, but with a good word we can lighten someone's load,.. brick by brick.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The price of friendship
I visited an old friend today, one of my trusted friends 5 years ago, a friendship with a history of over 13 years. It was good to see him again, and the visit gave me a mixed feeling of gladness that he is doing well. We had dinner, sauna and long talk into the evening, and although we both acted very positive i felt there was an invisible wall, a familiar warm connection was missing.
I departed a bit unsettled, wondering what barrier is between us? I speculated that it may be due to an old business venture that didn't go well, or his old unfilled promise to repay a debt, or perhaps my own envy that he is doing financially well while i am struggling. Perhaps a sense of disapointment in him or perhaps even in God. At first the answer seems deeply hidden almost like i need to search far within to find the real answer.
Our perception of things is not always clear. I thought perhaps i don't see how things really are, as i felt old wounds were being stirred. Though i consider myself a giving and forgiving person, there are some lines when crossed that can change friendships forever. Forgiveness comes much easier than (re)building friendship and trust.
Trust neeeds a foundation. I've blindly trusted many 'good christians' only to find myself robbed and stripped clean. Clear violations of trust must be dealt with accordingly. But when a friend whom i have had a solid relationship with, leaves a promised debt unpaid believing 'it's just water under the bridge after all these years'. What he is actually standing on is a dam in our friendship, not a bridge of restoration.
The main issue isn't at the money, it's the principle of a promise. Had he asked for the debt to be erased, it would be different and i may have obliged. But to just write it off without asking, is in effect writing off the friendship. And a lost friendship hurts a hundred times more than any amount of money.
Friendships do have a cost. In the scriptures, Paul admonishes us to count the cost of what we do, building a tower, be it a house, business or empire. What are we building with? Are we building with our friends to take joy in it together, or are we using 'friends' as tools and assets in our hands? So how do you answer this question one popular song presents: 'what are friends for?' It seems we often value what 'friends' can give us more than who they are. As much as i would like for this friendship to be restored, he needs to consider how he values our friendship and consider the cost of his tower.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not asking cash for friendship. It only takes an honorable act of humbleness that leads to restoration. Forgiveness is easier, trust and restoration takes an act.
I departed a bit unsettled, wondering what barrier is between us? I speculated that it may be due to an old business venture that didn't go well, or his old unfilled promise to repay a debt, or perhaps my own envy that he is doing financially well while i am struggling. Perhaps a sense of disapointment in him or perhaps even in God. At first the answer seems deeply hidden almost like i need to search far within to find the real answer.
Our perception of things is not always clear. I thought perhaps i don't see how things really are, as i felt old wounds were being stirred. Though i consider myself a giving and forgiving person, there are some lines when crossed that can change friendships forever. Forgiveness comes much easier than (re)building friendship and trust.
Trust neeeds a foundation. I've blindly trusted many 'good christians' only to find myself robbed and stripped clean. Clear violations of trust must be dealt with accordingly. But when a friend whom i have had a solid relationship with, leaves a promised debt unpaid believing 'it's just water under the bridge after all these years'. What he is actually standing on is a dam in our friendship, not a bridge of restoration.
The main issue isn't at the money, it's the principle of a promise. Had he asked for the debt to be erased, it would be different and i may have obliged. But to just write it off without asking, is in effect writing off the friendship. And a lost friendship hurts a hundred times more than any amount of money.
Friendships do have a cost. In the scriptures, Paul admonishes us to count the cost of what we do, building a tower, be it a house, business or empire. What are we building with? Are we building with our friends to take joy in it together, or are we using 'friends' as tools and assets in our hands? So how do you answer this question one popular song presents: 'what are friends for?' It seems we often value what 'friends' can give us more than who they are. As much as i would like for this friendship to be restored, he needs to consider how he values our friendship and consider the cost of his tower.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not asking cash for friendship. It only takes an honorable act of humbleness that leads to restoration. Forgiveness is easier, trust and restoration takes an act.
hypocrisy vs honesty
"Hypocrisy desires to seem good rather than to be so; honesty desires to be good rather than seem so." - Arthur Warwick
Monday, June 7, 2010
Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans
I'm re-posting a story a friend sent on my e-mail this weekend. The additide we start our day with makes such a difference in how we effect our day and influence others...
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
'I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
'Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait..'
'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied. 'Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged .. it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life..
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans.
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
'I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
'Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait..'
'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied. 'Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged .. it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life..
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Up the creek with 55 paddles
This past weekend i had the priveledge of taking a group of kids on a 6 hour canoe ride. These kids came from a church shelter, most with abusive and dysfunctional homes. An interesting group to say the least.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Honour, the soil for blessings
The sunrise broke the darkness this morning with humbling clarity. I rose from my bed as i sensed God calling, wanting to walk and talk with me. I stolled through the forest and absorbed the morning sun as i walked along Stoomi beach. I had so many questions, all the unanswered whys and whens...
Over the past months, even years, my soul has struggled an ongoing search for a clearer understanding of God's will and His paths. As i've recently been dealing with much failure and loss, i'm peeling away layer after layer of enemy lies which like a veil of darkness has tried to envelop me.
What happened to the blessing, the vision, and the promise? Am i being tested or disciplined for a reason? The punishment seems too harsh. My life vision has been scorched and stolen by theives, and i sit imprisoned and confused by the loss. Sometimes i feel like i'm on spritual death row, waiting for my councellor to defend me. Oblivious to my offence, i fear the ruling, the sentence, yet i still hold out hope for a good word that might set me free again.
I never professed to be a righteous as Job, but so often i wonder how he felt. Sitting in ashes and sackcloth, depressed with no vision or hope, and no redemption to be seen. He too questioned if there's more to his story, perhaps in his past, or a hidden sin?
Clearly all is not well. My faith too has been shaken, my wealth has been taken, and my health has suffered greatly. What is my offence? Am i suffering for my grandfather's sin or have i offended God myself?
As i continued to walk, i sensed much more than morning sun penetrating my soul. Suddenly dawn was breaking in more ways than one. I received a revelation in the midst of my complaint...
The Bible states there is sin that can be carried through many generations. I will not begin to argue the justice of this, it's just the way it is. Early this morning, i saw the sin that has been carried through generations of my family, from my grandfather to me. I had never seen it with such clarity before, it's the issue of honour. Have our words and our actions honoured God? Have our words and actions honoured our parents, our family and our land? This is so key for God's promise of blessing to be fulfilled.
The Bible doesn't say if Job or his forefathers ever dishonoured anyone, but it clearly states that life and wellbeing are connected with how we honour others. Our family's wellbeing is dependant on how we honour our parents, our career is dependant on how we honour our bosses and employers, our spiritual health is dependant on how we honour our priests and pastors, our nation's future is dependant on how we honour our kings and leaders. We need not agree with their actions or behavior, but we need to honour them.
Honour is the soil for blessings. Dishonour blinds, removes God's blessings and in worse cases can create generational curses. Whether our own actions are dishonouring or we withhold honour from those ordained to receive it, it's a debilitating sin that can be carried on to our grandchildren. Regardless of where it began, by God's grace this curse can be broken and blessings restored, only when act and show honour to all whom it is due.
Over the past months, even years, my soul has struggled an ongoing search for a clearer understanding of God's will and His paths. As i've recently been dealing with much failure and loss, i'm peeling away layer after layer of enemy lies which like a veil of darkness has tried to envelop me.
What happened to the blessing, the vision, and the promise? Am i being tested or disciplined for a reason? The punishment seems too harsh. My life vision has been scorched and stolen by theives, and i sit imprisoned and confused by the loss. Sometimes i feel like i'm on spritual death row, waiting for my councellor to defend me. Oblivious to my offence, i fear the ruling, the sentence, yet i still hold out hope for a good word that might set me free again.
I never professed to be a righteous as Job, but so often i wonder how he felt. Sitting in ashes and sackcloth, depressed with no vision or hope, and no redemption to be seen. He too questioned if there's more to his story, perhaps in his past, or a hidden sin?
Clearly all is not well. My faith too has been shaken, my wealth has been taken, and my health has suffered greatly. What is my offence? Am i suffering for my grandfather's sin or have i offended God myself?
As i continued to walk, i sensed much more than morning sun penetrating my soul. Suddenly dawn was breaking in more ways than one. I received a revelation in the midst of my complaint...
The Bible states there is sin that can be carried through many generations. I will not begin to argue the justice of this, it's just the way it is. Early this morning, i saw the sin that has been carried through generations of my family, from my grandfather to me. I had never seen it with such clarity before, it's the issue of honour. Have our words and our actions honoured God? Have our words and actions honoured our parents, our family and our land? This is so key for God's promise of blessing to be fulfilled.
The Bible doesn't say if Job or his forefathers ever dishonoured anyone, but it clearly states that life and wellbeing are connected with how we honour others. Our family's wellbeing is dependant on how we honour our parents, our career is dependant on how we honour our bosses and employers, our spiritual health is dependant on how we honour our priests and pastors, our nation's future is dependant on how we honour our kings and leaders. We need not agree with their actions or behavior, but we need to honour them.
Honour is the soil for blessings. Dishonour blinds, removes God's blessings and in worse cases can create generational curses. Whether our own actions are dishonouring or we withhold honour from those ordained to receive it, it's a debilitating sin that can be carried on to our grandchildren. Regardless of where it began, by God's grace this curse can be broken and blessings restored, only when act and show honour to all whom it is due.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Serving or enslaving
We all love to be served, to have someone help look after our needs and desires. Many of us also enjoy serving others, drawing much personal satisfaction through service. This world needs more people with servant spirits, as even Jesus exemplified through His life of service.
Is there a place where a servant's sprirt can crumble? Is there a line we cross where a servent becomes a slave? Many of us take servents for granted. We don't call them servants, but they are the people in our live who are there at times of need. Are these relationships liberating, or do they leave us with a feeling of debt? Do we enslave others with our expectations, or become enslaved by the expectations of others?
Much of todays society is built up on expectations and rights. We have a right to be treated well, a right to an education, a right to a home, a right to a fair income, a right to drive, a right to travel, etc... But in the fight for our rights we have forgotten one word: 'priveledge'.
Recognising the fact that we are 'priveledged' is a key to our freedom. To have someone serve us is a priveledge. To serve another person should be a priveledge. Letting go of our expectations is not always easy, but so often it is our expectations that enslave us (or make us enslavers).
I think of Jesus as he served, not a slave but as a humble servent of God. He considered it a priveledge to serve others, setting the ultimate example of selfless love. This, more than deeds or words, is what liberates and draws people to Christ.
Is there a place where a servant's sprirt can crumble? Is there a line we cross where a servent becomes a slave? Many of us take servents for granted. We don't call them servants, but they are the people in our live who are there at times of need. Are these relationships liberating, or do they leave us with a feeling of debt? Do we enslave others with our expectations, or become enslaved by the expectations of others?
Much of todays society is built up on expectations and rights. We have a right to be treated well, a right to an education, a right to a home, a right to a fair income, a right to drive, a right to travel, etc... But in the fight for our rights we have forgotten one word: 'priveledge'.
Recognising the fact that we are 'priveledged' is a key to our freedom. To have someone serve us is a priveledge. To serve another person should be a priveledge. Letting go of our expectations is not always easy, but so often it is our expectations that enslave us (or make us enslavers).
I think of Jesus as he served, not a slave but as a humble servent of God. He considered it a priveledge to serve others, setting the ultimate example of selfless love. This, more than deeds or words, is what liberates and draws people to Christ.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Honour ordained vs honour earned
I had dinner with a good friend last week, and as she shared with me some of the conversations she's had with her mom, I sensed how much she appreciates and honours her mother. Yet as we were talking, something troubled me though at that moment i couldn't pinpoint exactly what. I now aknowledge that i felt a little envious, as i don't recall ever having such deep conversations with my mom or dad.
A couple of days later as i was sorting through some old books, I felt led to browse one i've never read; 'The Promise' by Philip Rosenbaum. This book focuses on the first commandment God gave with a promise, Exodus 20:12 'Honour your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God will giving you' (NLT)
I don't know about you, but my relationship with my parents was never very close or deep. Although i knew my parents loved me, this love was often distant, intertwined with resentment and pain. In some ways i despised my parents during my teen years, but as i matured i learned to forgive and understand how painful events had formed and influenced their behaviour. I do love my parents, yet i sometimes wonder if i've learned to honour them as i should.
Growing up in my parent's home was not easy, but there are many who have experienced much worse than I could imagine. Severe neglect and abuse can lead one to ask 'how can parents like these be honoured?' Yet the command is unconditional, and the promise is conditional on obeying the command. We are to honour our parents regardless if we feel they deserve it or not.
We tend to believe honour should be earned, but there is a difference between earned honour and ordained honour. A king may loose the respect of his subjects if he behaves inapropriatly (as many kings have), yet an ordained king should continue to receive honour as the Bible clearly instructs. Our parents have not been chosen by us but by God. Regardless of who they are, how they behave, or what they believe, our parents have also been ordained to be honoured by us.
So the question is, am i honouring my parents as i should? Have i really understood and grasped the depth of this truth and its implications? This promise of life and wellbeing is dependent on how we honour our parents and God. Do we honour God because he has earned it? No, He is also to be honoured regardless of how we feel. So let us learn to give honour to all whom it is due.
A couple of days later as i was sorting through some old books, I felt led to browse one i've never read; 'The Promise' by Philip Rosenbaum. This book focuses on the first commandment God gave with a promise, Exodus 20:12 'Honour your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God will giving you' (NLT)
I don't know about you, but my relationship with my parents was never very close or deep. Although i knew my parents loved me, this love was often distant, intertwined with resentment and pain. In some ways i despised my parents during my teen years, but as i matured i learned to forgive and understand how painful events had formed and influenced their behaviour. I do love my parents, yet i sometimes wonder if i've learned to honour them as i should.
Growing up in my parent's home was not easy, but there are many who have experienced much worse than I could imagine. Severe neglect and abuse can lead one to ask 'how can parents like these be honoured?' Yet the command is unconditional, and the promise is conditional on obeying the command. We are to honour our parents regardless if we feel they deserve it or not.
We tend to believe honour should be earned, but there is a difference between earned honour and ordained honour. A king may loose the respect of his subjects if he behaves inapropriatly (as many kings have), yet an ordained king should continue to receive honour as the Bible clearly instructs. Our parents have not been chosen by us but by God. Regardless of who they are, how they behave, or what they believe, our parents have also been ordained to be honoured by us.
So the question is, am i honouring my parents as i should? Have i really understood and grasped the depth of this truth and its implications? This promise of life and wellbeing is dependent on how we honour our parents and God. Do we honour God because he has earned it? No, He is also to be honoured regardless of how we feel. So let us learn to give honour to all whom it is due.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
The future's not what it used to be...
We all have plans, things we would like to accomplish during our lives, people and places we would like to see, perhaps a dream we wish to fulfil. We envision how the future should be. Our plans envelop the following minutes, days, months and years. Some plans succeed, some plans fail. Some plans never get further than the plan itself.
I've made alot of plans during my life and have had many of dreams i've wished to fulfil. Many plans have come to fuitition, and some dreams have become reality (though a few dreams have certainly become nightmares). Our perspective plans and dreams tend to change with time, circumstances and experiences. Do we have courage to dream, to plan and to believe in the future? Or when our plans seemingly fail, does our inspiration to dream of the future die with our failed plans?
This is something many of us battle with, how to deal with dreams that die? Dreams and plans are such an important part of our lives, and how we envision the future. And if there is no dream or goal, how can we see the future? Has our future changed? Can we change the future?
Sometimes it's good for dreams to die. Looking back, there are many things i have dreamed and desired that have done nothing more than take my focus off what is truly good. I've also had many plans and dreams that have completely failed, though i have felt were God given and good.
One of my favourite characters in the Bible is Joseph. God gave this guy a dream, pretty crazy dream i must admit. As i think about his journey, being sold into slavery, imprisoned under false accusations, lies and deciept which bound a man that should have been free. Had his future suddenly changed? Did he have any power to change his future?
Loaded questions, certainly not ones that could be easily and simply answered. Joseph's vision of the future had undoubtedly changed. It would seem he had no control over his future, and no opportunity to change it. Is this the place a dream and vision dies? Is this where one looses hope?
I'm not sure how Joseph felt though all this, but it couldn't have been good. The Bible doesn't portay his feelings well, but it nust have felt pretty hopeless at times. Yet through this depressing experience, Joseph's actions speaks volumes. Here's a man who has lost everything, his family, his freedom, his vision for the future, yet he finds within himself a heart to serve. Rather than become a bitter slave, he served his master well. Rather than become a self centered imprisomed victim, he helps those who have imprisoned him and who he's been imprisoned with.
Most certainly he had written off that dream from his youth. In a way he let go of a dream that died. What amazes me is the transformation in Joseph's life. Coming from the place where he boasted of his clear and hopeful dream of leadership, he humbled himself under severe and undeserved persecution to serve others, a future he had never envisioned.
So did Joseph's future change? Definately yes and no. The dream died in Joseph, but through needed humbleness God brought the dream back to life. It was brought to life not to fulfil Joseph's vision, but to fulfil God's greater purpose which Joseph could have never envisioned.
There's never been a formula for fulfilling dreams, yet letting go and trusting God seems to be an instrumental key. Though enslaved and imprisoned, Joseph became free to serve others. Serving others, doors were opened to his 'new future', perhaps not what Joseph envisioned it would be but most certainly what God planned it would be.
I've made alot of plans during my life and have had many of dreams i've wished to fulfil. Many plans have come to fuitition, and some dreams have become reality (though a few dreams have certainly become nightmares). Our perspective plans and dreams tend to change with time, circumstances and experiences. Do we have courage to dream, to plan and to believe in the future? Or when our plans seemingly fail, does our inspiration to dream of the future die with our failed plans?
This is something many of us battle with, how to deal with dreams that die? Dreams and plans are such an important part of our lives, and how we envision the future. And if there is no dream or goal, how can we see the future? Has our future changed? Can we change the future?
Sometimes it's good for dreams to die. Looking back, there are many things i have dreamed and desired that have done nothing more than take my focus off what is truly good. I've also had many plans and dreams that have completely failed, though i have felt were God given and good.
One of my favourite characters in the Bible is Joseph. God gave this guy a dream, pretty crazy dream i must admit. As i think about his journey, being sold into slavery, imprisoned under false accusations, lies and deciept which bound a man that should have been free. Had his future suddenly changed? Did he have any power to change his future?
Loaded questions, certainly not ones that could be easily and simply answered. Joseph's vision of the future had undoubtedly changed. It would seem he had no control over his future, and no opportunity to change it. Is this the place a dream and vision dies? Is this where one looses hope?
I'm not sure how Joseph felt though all this, but it couldn't have been good. The Bible doesn't portay his feelings well, but it nust have felt pretty hopeless at times. Yet through this depressing experience, Joseph's actions speaks volumes. Here's a man who has lost everything, his family, his freedom, his vision for the future, yet he finds within himself a heart to serve. Rather than become a bitter slave, he served his master well. Rather than become a self centered imprisomed victim, he helps those who have imprisoned him and who he's been imprisoned with.
Most certainly he had written off that dream from his youth. In a way he let go of a dream that died. What amazes me is the transformation in Joseph's life. Coming from the place where he boasted of his clear and hopeful dream of leadership, he humbled himself under severe and undeserved persecution to serve others, a future he had never envisioned.
So did Joseph's future change? Definately yes and no. The dream died in Joseph, but through needed humbleness God brought the dream back to life. It was brought to life not to fulfil Joseph's vision, but to fulfil God's greater purpose which Joseph could have never envisioned.
There's never been a formula for fulfilling dreams, yet letting go and trusting God seems to be an instrumental key. Though enslaved and imprisoned, Joseph became free to serve others. Serving others, doors were opened to his 'new future', perhaps not what Joseph envisioned it would be but most certainly what God planned it would be.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Is God trustworthy?
Interesting question, isn't it? Some of you probably think it's a stupid question saying 'of course He is', others perhaps are struggling as your faith in God's goodness has been shaken by painful losses or disapointments.
Whether your faith in God is solid or shaky, I believe this question of God's trustworthiness to be irrelevent. It's almost like asking is air breathable? God is God, and there is not one person on this planet who can change Him or His nature.
The more relevent question is: Is my picture of God trustworthy? Or is my picture of His grace trustworthy? Is my picture of His wrath trustworthy? How have my primary influences and life experiences moulded my picture of Him? So many influences can skew our vision of who God really is...
Each of us have been raised in different enviroments that have formed our unique view of God. Our picture may be influenced by our wealth or our poverty, our balanced or dysfunctional families, by our present or absent fathers and mothers, the beliefs of our parents and piers, the Catholic or Protestant churches we attend, from the Orthodox to Pentecostal teachings we have come to believe, and experiences that confirm or contradict our beliefs. As a result each one of us has painted a very unique portrait of who God is.
So when God fails to meet our skewed vision of who He is, does our faith in Him crumble? When we loose wealth, health or loved ones, is God no longer good? When our most sincere and passionate prayers are not answered, do we loose our passion to pray? When we follow His leading and our lives become shipwrecked, is He no longer trustworthy to follow?
From this vantage point, it's interesting to study characters of the Bible. From Abraham to Moses, David to Joseph, Peter to Paul, each life showed a dedication to follow God. Did any of these men have a perfectly clear understanding of who God was? I think not. Did they at anytime loose faith in God and His promises? I think so. Did any of them fully comprehend the path God was leading them on? Certainly not. Did they experience pain, disapointment and loss while trusting and following God? Most certainly they did.
So why did these men go on? I believe the recognised that they only see a small part of who God really is. They recognised that their vision of Him is skewed and incomplete. They did not trust their picture of God, but chose to trust a God they could not see or fully comprehend.
As i've said once before, we people seem to be visually impaired. What we see and feel impairs us in believing and trusting in what is unseen. Truly we only see a small part of it all, as Paul expressed so well in 1 Cor 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known
Remember, there's alot more than ever meets our eyes...
Whether your faith in God is solid or shaky, I believe this question of God's trustworthiness to be irrelevent. It's almost like asking is air breathable? God is God, and there is not one person on this planet who can change Him or His nature.
The more relevent question is: Is my picture of God trustworthy? Or is my picture of His grace trustworthy? Is my picture of His wrath trustworthy? How have my primary influences and life experiences moulded my picture of Him? So many influences can skew our vision of who God really is...
Each of us have been raised in different enviroments that have formed our unique view of God. Our picture may be influenced by our wealth or our poverty, our balanced or dysfunctional families, by our present or absent fathers and mothers, the beliefs of our parents and piers, the Catholic or Protestant churches we attend, from the Orthodox to Pentecostal teachings we have come to believe, and experiences that confirm or contradict our beliefs. As a result each one of us has painted a very unique portrait of who God is.
So when God fails to meet our skewed vision of who He is, does our faith in Him crumble? When we loose wealth, health or loved ones, is God no longer good? When our most sincere and passionate prayers are not answered, do we loose our passion to pray? When we follow His leading and our lives become shipwrecked, is He no longer trustworthy to follow?
From this vantage point, it's interesting to study characters of the Bible. From Abraham to Moses, David to Joseph, Peter to Paul, each life showed a dedication to follow God. Did any of these men have a perfectly clear understanding of who God was? I think not. Did they at anytime loose faith in God and His promises? I think so. Did any of them fully comprehend the path God was leading them on? Certainly not. Did they experience pain, disapointment and loss while trusting and following God? Most certainly they did.
So why did these men go on? I believe the recognised that they only see a small part of who God really is. They recognised that their vision of Him is skewed and incomplete. They did not trust their picture of God, but chose to trust a God they could not see or fully comprehend.
As i've said once before, we people seem to be visually impaired. What we see and feel impairs us in believing and trusting in what is unseen. Truly we only see a small part of it all, as Paul expressed so well in 1 Cor 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known
Remember, there's alot more than ever meets our eyes...
Monday, April 19, 2010
Ashes and sackcloth
Having returned to Europe last week, just days before the continent was blanketed with volcanic ash, i've once again realised how dependant we have become on our own technology, the product fo our wisdom, and how ignorant we have become of the power of nature, how in an instant it can radically change our plans and our lives.
Man in his great wisdom has accomplished great feats of technology, from the telephone to wireless communication systems, from the bicycle to flight in the skies and beyond. Yet in one breath, from the nostrels of the earth our great accomplishment of air travel was forced to stand still.
We count the cost of how many billions of dollars are lost each day, how many millions of people are inconvenienced or stranded, how many thousands of flights have been cancelled, yet we don't count the one who holds the whole world in His hands.
So, if God is really in control, why does He allow the earth to disrupt our plans? Maybe He's trying to show us something. Someone once said "Best way to make God laugh is tell Him you have plans". We indeed have plans, big plans, profitable plans, selfish plans...
Last week millions of people's plans were disrupted by one volcano. But disrupted plans are nothing new to most of us. We learn to adjust our plans, modify our plans, have contingency plans,.. yet we never give up our plans.
Perhaps there is a time we need to give up our plans, to realise our plans, our technology, our solutions are so small and feeble in comparison to God's ways. to come to the realisation we cannot rely on our own wisdom, our own strength, our own ways, but to humble ourselves before The Creator and say 'our plans fail us, Your will be done'.
We are certainly living in interesting times. I believe much more will be shaken, and much more will crumble, but what stands on a strong foundation will withstand the storms that lie ahead. It is a time to prepare, it is a time to share, it is a time to help others, it is a time to put all our trust in our God and Creator.
Man in his great wisdom has accomplished great feats of technology, from the telephone to wireless communication systems, from the bicycle to flight in the skies and beyond. Yet in one breath, from the nostrels of the earth our great accomplishment of air travel was forced to stand still.
We count the cost of how many billions of dollars are lost each day, how many millions of people are inconvenienced or stranded, how many thousands of flights have been cancelled, yet we don't count the one who holds the whole world in His hands.
So, if God is really in control, why does He allow the earth to disrupt our plans? Maybe He's trying to show us something. Someone once said "Best way to make God laugh is tell Him you have plans". We indeed have plans, big plans, profitable plans, selfish plans...
Last week millions of people's plans were disrupted by one volcano. But disrupted plans are nothing new to most of us. We learn to adjust our plans, modify our plans, have contingency plans,.. yet we never give up our plans.
Perhaps there is a time we need to give up our plans, to realise our plans, our technology, our solutions are so small and feeble in comparison to God's ways. to come to the realisation we cannot rely on our own wisdom, our own strength, our own ways, but to humble ourselves before The Creator and say 'our plans fail us, Your will be done'.
We are certainly living in interesting times. I believe much more will be shaken, and much more will crumble, but what stands on a strong foundation will withstand the storms that lie ahead. It is a time to prepare, it is a time to share, it is a time to help others, it is a time to put all our trust in our God and Creator.
Monday, March 29, 2010
There's always one bird looking for a target like you!
There's a Chinese proverb that says 'You cannot prevent the birds from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.' Seems to the Chinese never found a solution to a more imminant issue with birds. I'd say: 'The sun may be shining, the sky may be blue, but there's always one bird looking for a target like you!'
Now i don't know if you have fallen victim to this type of aerial assault, but it is far from pleasent. Sometimes the things we encounter in everyday life can feel quite similar. Today has not been a good day for me, as i feel like i've been bombarded by crap since i woke up this morning (figuratively speaking of course). Totally unexpected and out of the blue.
This all reminds me of the fact we do have an enemy who is constantly bombing us, trying to throw crap into our thoughts and minds. So how do we protect ourselves from getting hit by crap, and how do we deal with it when we get hit? How do we respond after being bombarded?
We can seldom control what or who is attacking us, but we can control how we respond. Although attacks can be painful and embarrasing, it does not change who we are. What we believe about ourselves is our freewill decision. Do we believe what others say, do we accept the demoralising words or actions of the one who attacks us, or do we remember the fact each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator(Psalm 139).
Now i don't know if you have fallen victim to this type of aerial assault, but it is far from pleasent. Sometimes the things we encounter in everyday life can feel quite similar. Today has not been a good day for me, as i feel like i've been bombarded by crap since i woke up this morning (figuratively speaking of course). Totally unexpected and out of the blue.
This all reminds me of the fact we do have an enemy who is constantly bombing us, trying to throw crap into our thoughts and minds. So how do we protect ourselves from getting hit by crap, and how do we deal with it when we get hit? How do we respond after being bombarded?
We can seldom control what or who is attacking us, but we can control how we respond. Although attacks can be painful and embarrasing, it does not change who we are. What we believe about ourselves is our freewill decision. Do we believe what others say, do we accept the demoralising words or actions of the one who attacks us, or do we remember the fact each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator(Psalm 139).
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Looking beyond what we can see
Most of us have been created with at least 5 senses: sight, smell, touch, hear, and taste. We tend to draw conclusions about situations, people and things using these senses. How often are these adequate conclusions, epsecially when judging others? How often do we look beyond what we can see, hear or feel?
It seems we live in a world of visually impaired christians. We share a message of grace, yet view and judge others by our impaired view of what we see. We so often fail to look beyond our prejudices, stereotypes and our rubber stamp blueprint of how others should behave.
My no means should we condone certain behavior, but we should be looking deep beyond the actions and behaviour to see the person inside. We all respond to injustices of life in different ways. Pain and rejection can sometimes take us down paths we never intended or imagined. Do we live in a community of acceptance and grace or in society of judges who are quick to condemn. We don't know what events in one woman's life led her down a road of adultery.
We see that the action is sin, but do we look beyond what we see. Do we even notice the bruised and broken heart? Do we understand the abuse and the hurt that may have preceded this sin? Unlike the crowd who wanted to stone her, Jesus never condemned the adulterous woman. He addressed the accusers 'he without sin cast the first stone', then gave grace, forgiveness and only after any threat of accusation or condemnation was removed HE instructed her to sin no more.
Our vision is so impaired by what we see. Our hearing is impaired because by what we hear. Our feeling is impaired because what we feel is anger and hurt. Our senses are impaired because we don't sense the heart of God, when we draw our conclusions in judging others. And our grace seems to be so conditional...
May our eyes be open, may our ears truly hear, may our hearts feel the unconditional love and compassion our Lord want's to give...
It seems we live in a world of visually impaired christians. We share a message of grace, yet view and judge others by our impaired view of what we see. We so often fail to look beyond our prejudices, stereotypes and our rubber stamp blueprint of how others should behave.
My no means should we condone certain behavior, but we should be looking deep beyond the actions and behaviour to see the person inside. We all respond to injustices of life in different ways. Pain and rejection can sometimes take us down paths we never intended or imagined. Do we live in a community of acceptance and grace or in society of judges who are quick to condemn. We don't know what events in one woman's life led her down a road of adultery.
We see that the action is sin, but do we look beyond what we see. Do we even notice the bruised and broken heart? Do we understand the abuse and the hurt that may have preceded this sin? Unlike the crowd who wanted to stone her, Jesus never condemned the adulterous woman. He addressed the accusers 'he without sin cast the first stone', then gave grace, forgiveness and only after any threat of accusation or condemnation was removed HE instructed her to sin no more.
Our vision is so impaired by what we see. Our hearing is impaired because by what we hear. Our feeling is impaired because what we feel is anger and hurt. Our senses are impaired because we don't sense the heart of God, when we draw our conclusions in judging others. And our grace seems to be so conditional...
May our eyes be open, may our ears truly hear, may our hearts feel the unconditional love and compassion our Lord want's to give...
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
This special day
Last year on this day, i shared some of my thoughts about love. What makes this day so special is not so much what our commercialized society leads us to believe about recieving expressions of love, but a story of a saint who believed in and expressed an unconditional love, not just one day but every day.
Saint Valentine's real story may not be clear, but his message of love certainly is. He risked his life and died for the sake of others and love. You can read his story:
http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day
It's a beautiful picture of sacrificial love. A God given love which believes, hopes, preserves and endures. It is not self centered or selfish, but a love which gives all for the sake of another. A love Christ also exemplified by giving His life for us. An love so well portrayed by His life and scripture:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
May our lives exemplify true love towards others, not just this special day, but in a way that makes every day a special day.
Saint Valentine's real story may not be clear, but his message of love certainly is. He risked his life and died for the sake of others and love. You can read his story:
http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day
It's a beautiful picture of sacrificial love. A God given love which believes, hopes, preserves and endures. It is not self centered or selfish, but a love which gives all for the sake of another. A love Christ also exemplified by giving His life for us. An love so well portrayed by His life and scripture:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
May our lives exemplify true love towards others, not just this special day, but in a way that makes every day a special day.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Putting the pieces together..
I'm not terribly fond of picture puzzles. I'm thinking about those with 1000+ pieces. Never really have had the patience to finish them. I remember trying to piece together pieces that look like they fit but don't seem to fit quite right. Sometimes in frustration i would try to press two close looking pieces together only to find later that the pieces were never supposed to fit together.
It was always easier to start with the outside, as the inside pieces were so much harder to make sense of. If i could only get the outside together, maybe the inside would start to fall in place too. But even with the outside edges in place, the inside was still mess of unconnected pieces that needed to be carefully examined to see where they fit.
Life can also be quite a complex puzzle at times. Many of us tend to focus on the outside pieces thinking it will help get the inside pieces in place. But what if we started building the puzzle from the inside? What would the process look like and how would the picture develop?
To be honest, i've never tried to put a complex puzzle together from the inside out. I guess the first thing we would need to do is find two pieces that truly fit together, then another two pieces, and another two or maybe three. Eventually we will have bits and pieces of the picture that we can see link naturally together.
Over the years as i've been linking pieces of my life together, i've been focusing much of my effort on the outside edge because it seems to fit together more easily. Inside pieces have always been more difficult to make sense of. I have a cluster of pieces that fit together in one area and other pieces that fit together in another area. Bringing these pieces together into a complete picture has often been a challenge.
I'm sure you know the frustrating feeling when your stuck and can't make pieces fit, and then a friend helps you find a few pieces that just fit together one after another opening a partial view of the big picture. Yesterday it happened to me. I was in frustration trying to fit certain pieces of my life together, and someone helped me find an important linking piece that brought together a view I had not seen before. I don't see the big picture yet, but the view encourages and gives me hope of completing the puzzle.
Along my journey I've learned that we never see all the pieces of our puzzle. I've found others who have helped me to identify the pieces that were missing and pieces i had overlooked. And i also believe there are key pieces that only God holds, pieces that only he knows how to fit into our lives, pieces that would perplex the greatest puzzle masters or advisors.
Putting a complex puzzle together is no easy task. It's much easier with the help of others, and especially with the help of the puzzle designer Himself. So before you or your friends try to force pieces together, it's wise to listen to His advice.
It was always easier to start with the outside, as the inside pieces were so much harder to make sense of. If i could only get the outside together, maybe the inside would start to fall in place too. But even with the outside edges in place, the inside was still mess of unconnected pieces that needed to be carefully examined to see where they fit.
Life can also be quite a complex puzzle at times. Many of us tend to focus on the outside pieces thinking it will help get the inside pieces in place. But what if we started building the puzzle from the inside? What would the process look like and how would the picture develop?
To be honest, i've never tried to put a complex puzzle together from the inside out. I guess the first thing we would need to do is find two pieces that truly fit together, then another two pieces, and another two or maybe three. Eventually we will have bits and pieces of the picture that we can see link naturally together.
Over the years as i've been linking pieces of my life together, i've been focusing much of my effort on the outside edge because it seems to fit together more easily. Inside pieces have always been more difficult to make sense of. I have a cluster of pieces that fit together in one area and other pieces that fit together in another area. Bringing these pieces together into a complete picture has often been a challenge.
I'm sure you know the frustrating feeling when your stuck and can't make pieces fit, and then a friend helps you find a few pieces that just fit together one after another opening a partial view of the big picture. Yesterday it happened to me. I was in frustration trying to fit certain pieces of my life together, and someone helped me find an important linking piece that brought together a view I had not seen before. I don't see the big picture yet, but the view encourages and gives me hope of completing the puzzle.
Along my journey I've learned that we never see all the pieces of our puzzle. I've found others who have helped me to identify the pieces that were missing and pieces i had overlooked. And i also believe there are key pieces that only God holds, pieces that only he knows how to fit into our lives, pieces that would perplex the greatest puzzle masters or advisors.
Putting a complex puzzle together is no easy task. It's much easier with the help of others, and especially with the help of the puzzle designer Himself. So before you or your friends try to force pieces together, it's wise to listen to His advice.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Tragic wounds
Most of us are aware of the tragedy that struck Haiti a few weeks ago. There have been many miracle stories of how people have been pulled alive from the rubble days or even weeks after the destructive earthquake. As i've been watching these reports, one account given by a Compassion International worker spoke deeply to me about the wounds we encounter in life..
As he described being pinned under the rubble of a hotel, with his leg was severely gashed, he said to himself "I could die of my wounds,.. I don't want to die from my wounds." Then to prevent infection, he attended to his wound as best as he could.
Our lives are full of hazards, and we do get wounded along our journey. Some wounds are physical, some are deep and need time to heal, others are light and heal easily, but some wounds are deeply emotional which also need care and attention.
Where is our attention focused when we are wounded? Are we focused on the wound or the one who wounded us? Do we seek help and healing, or do we guard and ignore the wound as if it did not exist? Be warned, denying our pain and focusing on the cause can bring tragic consequences...
I admit some wounds need little attention and heal on their own, but what I'm talking about are the severe gashes in life, events that leave us reeling inside. How do we deal with these wounds?
If we realized the fact "I could die from my wounds" we might respond differently, and be more inclined to seek help and healing. Yet we so often focus on the cause and who's to blame, ignore the pain and inevitably allow bitterness to infest us.
Bitterness never eases the pain. It does however cause us to develop mechanisms to guard and protect our infested wound. Bitterness can be subtle, slowly poisoning our spirit, eventually sapping all Life from us.
True healing begins with forgiveness, focusing on the wound and not the one who wounded us. True, we must guard ourselves from the potential sources of further injury, but there's a much greater risk from a potential infection from within.
So next time you're wounded, tell yourself: "I could die from my wounds... I don't want to die from my wounds..." Attend to the wound, don't let a bitter infection set in.
Dying from an infected wound would be the greatest tragedy.
As he described being pinned under the rubble of a hotel, with his leg was severely gashed, he said to himself "I could die of my wounds,.. I don't want to die from my wounds." Then to prevent infection, he attended to his wound as best as he could.
Our lives are full of hazards, and we do get wounded along our journey. Some wounds are physical, some are deep and need time to heal, others are light and heal easily, but some wounds are deeply emotional which also need care and attention.
Where is our attention focused when we are wounded? Are we focused on the wound or the one who wounded us? Do we seek help and healing, or do we guard and ignore the wound as if it did not exist? Be warned, denying our pain and focusing on the cause can bring tragic consequences...
I admit some wounds need little attention and heal on their own, but what I'm talking about are the severe gashes in life, events that leave us reeling inside. How do we deal with these wounds?
If we realized the fact "I could die from my wounds" we might respond differently, and be more inclined to seek help and healing. Yet we so often focus on the cause and who's to blame, ignore the pain and inevitably allow bitterness to infest us.
Bitterness never eases the pain. It does however cause us to develop mechanisms to guard and protect our infested wound. Bitterness can be subtle, slowly poisoning our spirit, eventually sapping all Life from us.
True healing begins with forgiveness, focusing on the wound and not the one who wounded us. True, we must guard ourselves from the potential sources of further injury, but there's a much greater risk from a potential infection from within.
So next time you're wounded, tell yourself: "I could die from my wounds... I don't want to die from my wounds..." Attend to the wound, don't let a bitter infection set in.
Dying from an infected wound would be the greatest tragedy.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Vital signs...
This has been an adventuresome week in Crested Butte. I'm here with some of my life long friends. Alot of unexpected things have happened this week, I won't get into all of them but they seem to have a deeper significance to me than i could initially see.
Yesterday we took one friend down to the local medical clinic. She hasn't felt well the last couple of days, we were wondering how much the altitude was effecting her. Having landed in the hospital myself last year due to altitude related blood pressure problems made me somewhat more concerned for her heath.
The doctor at the clinic discovered her vital signs were not good, with very low oxygen levels and possibly a collapsed lung, he sent her immediatly down to Gunnison hospital since the clinic was not equipped to give her proper treatment. She's currently at the hospital and they say she'll be fine. I'm praying she will recover quickly.
Sitting here I'm thinking how important our vital signs are. We usually don't know how to read our own vital signs, we just know when we're not feeling right. Seems to me that spiritually we sometimes experience the same, we feel something's not quite right, just can't see exactly what it is. I'm sitting here wondering what my spiritual vital signs look like at the moment, and how critical they are...
I have to admit that over the past couple of years I have felt spiritually about the same as my friend looked like physically yesterday. Completely tired and weary and sick. I realize this is mostly due to my life being overburdened by many factors (some factors i had no control over), which inevitably effected both my physical and spiritual health. Even as i've removed myself from theses factors to take time to recover, the progress is slow which sometimes makes me wonder if there's any way this path of recovery could be quicker?
As altitude in an unexplained way affected my friend's health, i can also see many of the factors that have in unexpected ways effected me. In both cases there is no question of what got us here, the critical question is why we responded the way we did and how best to restore our vital signs? What is the treatment we really need?
They will keep her in the hospital for a second night because they do not want her coming up to altitude until she's recovered. Hmm, i wonder how often do we get pushed on or run on burdening our lives again without properly recovering. I don't know the answer to that, but i'm sure many times we neglect our need for rest, and neglect to ask for help thinking we can manage our recovery on our own. But the truth is we often are too frail to recover properly on our own.
I'm beginning to understand how fragile beings we are. It seems The Creator has designed us to need help and be helped. I'm just sitting here picturing the complete beauty of what God has provided though friends and physicians, homes and hospitals. Caring friends, caring strangers, all helping us on our road to recovery.
Yesterday we took one friend down to the local medical clinic. She hasn't felt well the last couple of days, we were wondering how much the altitude was effecting her. Having landed in the hospital myself last year due to altitude related blood pressure problems made me somewhat more concerned for her heath.
The doctor at the clinic discovered her vital signs were not good, with very low oxygen levels and possibly a collapsed lung, he sent her immediatly down to Gunnison hospital since the clinic was not equipped to give her proper treatment. She's currently at the hospital and they say she'll be fine. I'm praying she will recover quickly.
Sitting here I'm thinking how important our vital signs are. We usually don't know how to read our own vital signs, we just know when we're not feeling right. Seems to me that spiritually we sometimes experience the same, we feel something's not quite right, just can't see exactly what it is. I'm sitting here wondering what my spiritual vital signs look like at the moment, and how critical they are...
I have to admit that over the past couple of years I have felt spiritually about the same as my friend looked like physically yesterday. Completely tired and weary and sick. I realize this is mostly due to my life being overburdened by many factors (some factors i had no control over), which inevitably effected both my physical and spiritual health. Even as i've removed myself from theses factors to take time to recover, the progress is slow which sometimes makes me wonder if there's any way this path of recovery could be quicker?
As altitude in an unexplained way affected my friend's health, i can also see many of the factors that have in unexpected ways effected me. In both cases there is no question of what got us here, the critical question is why we responded the way we did and how best to restore our vital signs? What is the treatment we really need?
They will keep her in the hospital for a second night because they do not want her coming up to altitude until she's recovered. Hmm, i wonder how often do we get pushed on or run on burdening our lives again without properly recovering. I don't know the answer to that, but i'm sure many times we neglect our need for rest, and neglect to ask for help thinking we can manage our recovery on our own. But the truth is we often are too frail to recover properly on our own.
I'm beginning to understand how fragile beings we are. It seems The Creator has designed us to need help and be helped. I'm just sitting here picturing the complete beauty of what God has provided though friends and physicians, homes and hospitals. Caring friends, caring strangers, all helping us on our road to recovery.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Editing our lives..
For several days last week, i attended a personal contribution assessment workshop. At this workshop we assessed our gifts and abilities, tendencies and preferences, and tried to grasp a better understanding of how God has designed each one of us. There's certainly things i learned about myself that i didn't see clearly before, as well a confirmation of several gifts, abilities and traits i believed i had.
It almost seemed like i was 'editing life' at this workshop. As I reviewed the unfinished book of my life with all it's sucesses and failures, much of my calling, vision and experiences seemed to make more sense. In some chapters i clearly recognised where i've been in my element, though other chapters and paragraphs seemed very akward, as if i was writing with my left hand (and some of it is still hard to read).
With a sense of amazement i'm re-discovering how uniquely God has created each one of us. He has with divine measure given everyone special talents and gifts. However, doing things God has not created us for, or performing tasks we have not been designed to do can lead to frustration and discouragement. Perhaps there are tasks and functions we should 'edit' from our lives and leave to others who have more suitable talents. The better we understand our design, the more satisfaction we find in doing what we've been designed to do.
Discovering how God has designed us is a process of endless amazement. I am so intregued by our multilayered design, how we have been created with a specific purpose. What we see on the surface rarely reveals all the workings of our inner-being. And our inner workings can be so integral to how we act and perform.
A car with a wonderful design may not be equipped to drive off-road. That's not to say it cannot do it, it just will slip and slide and be more prone to damage or failure than a 4x4 truck. The car however will shine in performance and efficiency as it drives on the highway. Off road the 4x4 truck is in it's element, while it may not be as stable or efficient on the highway as the car.
The analogy above is too simplistic. We are much more complex and respond to situations and circumstances in the most unusual ways. How often do we tell others in difficulty to "get your act together", while we don't even try to understand their design. How often do we expect others to perform or respond as we do?
The better we understand our own design and the design of people we interact with, the more graceful we can be in our roles in life. Like the visionary boldness of one combined with the compassion of another. We have the ability compliment or cover one another's weaknesses, and can lift up and appreciate one another's strengths.
And perhaps this is a part of what grace is all about...
It almost seemed like i was 'editing life' at this workshop. As I reviewed the unfinished book of my life with all it's sucesses and failures, much of my calling, vision and experiences seemed to make more sense. In some chapters i clearly recognised where i've been in my element, though other chapters and paragraphs seemed very akward, as if i was writing with my left hand (and some of it is still hard to read).
With a sense of amazement i'm re-discovering how uniquely God has created each one of us. He has with divine measure given everyone special talents and gifts. However, doing things God has not created us for, or performing tasks we have not been designed to do can lead to frustration and discouragement. Perhaps there are tasks and functions we should 'edit' from our lives and leave to others who have more suitable talents. The better we understand our design, the more satisfaction we find in doing what we've been designed to do.
Discovering how God has designed us is a process of endless amazement. I am so intregued by our multilayered design, how we have been created with a specific purpose. What we see on the surface rarely reveals all the workings of our inner-being. And our inner workings can be so integral to how we act and perform.
A car with a wonderful design may not be equipped to drive off-road. That's not to say it cannot do it, it just will slip and slide and be more prone to damage or failure than a 4x4 truck. The car however will shine in performance and efficiency as it drives on the highway. Off road the 4x4 truck is in it's element, while it may not be as stable or efficient on the highway as the car.
The analogy above is too simplistic. We are much more complex and respond to situations and circumstances in the most unusual ways. How often do we tell others in difficulty to "get your act together", while we don't even try to understand their design. How often do we expect others to perform or respond as we do?
The better we understand our own design and the design of people we interact with, the more graceful we can be in our roles in life. Like the visionary boldness of one combined with the compassion of another. We have the ability compliment or cover one another's weaknesses, and can lift up and appreciate one another's strengths.
And perhaps this is a part of what grace is all about...
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