Since we are on the subject of Christmas already. I received an email from Samaritan’s Purse regarding their Operation Christmas Child project. It seems that CNN highlighted a young lady who can speak volumes about what Operation Christmas Child accomplishes. You can watch the video here.
If you want to get involved with this project or find out more click here.
Have a Merry Labor Day!!!
Today Santa Claus released a statement from the North Pole:
“This weekend is a special weekend for all American’s as they celebrate the end of summer with their Labor Day festivities. We join them in this celebration and take this time to congratulate them all on being nice so far. We would like to also warn all Americans that we are still checking our list twice as we officially enter into the election season. We would also like to announce that due to increases in energy costs we will no longer be issuing lumps of coals to naughty boys and girls. Instead they will be receiving a bag of biodegradable non-toxic packing peanuts. These packing peanuts conform with all international standards for toxins and are completely environmentally safe.”
Just thought you might want to know.
Not sure how long this has been around, but it absolutely cracks me up every time I think about it. Wouldn’t it be funny if the founding fathers showed up in a time machine and told us that what they meant when they wrote the second amendment was our right to wear furry arms.
Not that I want to underestimate humanity, but it would probably degenerate into a debate over whether they intended for us to own faux bear arms or the real deal.
I’ll stick with the gun debate.
Get ready to put up your dukes.
I have been reading through 2 Chronicles over the past month or so. And I have been personally awed by the many references the book makes to the “good” kings and “evil” kings. Obviously, when the writer of 2 Chronicles talks about good and evil kings they are doing so from a God perspective and not a man perspective. Through my reading God has spoken to me very clearly about what it means to be viewed as good or evil in his eyes and what he expects of us as humans.
Here is a typical passage describing a good king (this is the introduction to the account of King Hezekiah found in 2 Chronicles 29:1-11 in The Message):
1-3 Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old and was king in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. In God’s opinion he was a good king; he kept to the standards of his ancestor David.
3-9 In the first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah, having first repaired the doors of The Temple of God, threw them open to the public. He assembled the priests and Levites in the court on the east side and said, “Levites, listen! Consecrate yourselves and consecrate The Temple of God—give this much-defiled place a good housecleaning. Our ancestors went wrong and lived badly before God—they discarded him, turned away from this house where we meet with God, and walked off. They boarded up the doors, turned out the lights, and canceled all the acts of worship of the God of Israel in the holy Temple. And because of that, God’s anger flared up and he turned those people into a public exhibit of disaster, a moral history lesson—look and read! This is why our ancestors were killed, and this is why our wives and sons and daughters were taken prisoner and made slaves.
10-11 “I have decided to make a covenant with the God of Israel and turn history around so that God will no longer be angry with us. Children, don’t drag your feet in this! God has chosen you to take your place before him to serve in conducting and leading worship—this is your life work; make sure you do it and do it well.”
So what has stuck out most in my mind?
1. The king decided to rebuild the defenses around the city of Jerusalem. Hezekiah is not the only king to decide that this is important. Other kings throughout the accounts of 2 Chronicles are credited with taking that kind of action.
2. The king makes a decision to “clean up” the country. Basically by eliminating and tearing down all the alters and false gods and idols. This process usually begins at the Temple.
3. As the clean up process comes to a close there is a return to the word of God. The people rediscover the covenant made between God and Moses and the country, starting with the king, repents and returns to devoted worship of God.
The first part is the one I have been wrestling with the most. How do I build a defensive structure around my life? What can I do proactively to protect myself from the invasion or influence of outside forces that want to defeat me and draw me away from the worship and service of God?
What do you think? What kinds of things can you do to help defend yourself?
Where have you been? A common question when someone you are accustomed to seeing shows back up after a time of being gone. It’s funny for me to think about how this question is asked. At least from my perspective. Often it comes out as an accusation. WHERE have you been? or Where have YOU been? It’s like when I was a child at the store with my mom. My younger brother and I would be playing in and out of the racks of clothing using them as forts. We’d get so caught up in our little game that we would lose sight of mom and then we’d look at each other and start running around yelling “Mom!” “Mom!”. Usually she would still be pretty close and say something like “Over here boys. You need to quit playing in those racks and stay with me.” And then there were the times that she would be a little further away and it would take us longer to find her and she would realize that we were not there putting her in a panic as well. And of course the reunion, that bitter mix of joy and fear, would usually begin with “WHERE have you been?”
I want to be a good friend, a good husband, a good father. But sometimes I approach these relationships like they owe me something. When they aren’t around or maybe even doing the things I think they should be I’ll ask: “WHERE have you been?” or “WHAT are you doing?”
It has been a long and busy two weeks for me running at 150% or so it seems. Work. School. Extra jobs. Church. All of it adding up to time that I could not afford to give to you…my online friends. I am sorry, but I am glad to be back. What have you been up to?
P.S. Please don’t take the content of this post as any kind of signal regarding things that I am feeling from you, my online audience, I am simply voicing some thoughts I had while reflecting upon my online absence.
It’s been awhile, but I’m still here.
Today in my quiet time I read the very interesting and applicable account of Rehoboam in 2 Chronic…what?…cles.
verse 8: But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.
and then later in verse 19: So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
I was pretty convicted by what these scriptures had to say.
I’m 35 and still consider myself a “young guy”. So I recognize these traits only because I see them in myself. More and more there seems to be a bigger emphasis upon youth. 40 is the new 30. What’s the latest technology? How hip are you? While I am 35 I never have really focused on these things, but I have definitely felt their lure in my life. Even in the church I have the pull to the latest and greatest. We are enamored by the new, the young.
But what about the old?
If you are young how do you protect yourself from youthful arrogance?
If you are older how do you keep yourself from being marginalized?
Well this week I am on vacation and so I thought that I would share a few images and memories thus far.
Monday night went to the Royals Redsox game in Kansas City with my older brother. It was a great game that the Royals won. Here was a key play in the game though the real action was missed by the cameraman.
On Tuesday we traveled from Kansas City to Springfield, MO and on the way stopped at a cheese outlet in Oesceola. Wonderful. Simply wonderful. All the free sample cheeses. We I of course just had to buy some. Here is a pic of my daughter and I outside the store with our bag and cups o’ goods.
Then on Wednesday my brother in law took me kayaking on Lake Taneycomo. We put in by the Branson Landing and paddled around the area for a couple of hours. This was my first attempt at kayaking and I was really nervous about rolling over because the water is a constant 50 degrees Fahrenheit year round. I didn’t rollover the whole time, but I also didn’t take any pictures. I had bought one of those disposal submersible camera’s just for the occasion and left it in the van. DOH! But afterward we hung out at the Landing for a bit and watched the fire/fountain show.
Then on Thursday I went fishing on the Finley River by myself. It was AWESOME. I caught 2 large mouth, 1 small mouth, 3 rock bass, and 6 or so perch. I did have my disposable/submersible camera with me and took some shots, but of course it’s not digital so we’ll have to wait on those.
As usual I’m learning some stuff about myself on vacation. Like how to balance time away and time with the family (my immediate family, wife and daughter especially). But also managing things that have to get done while still attempting to detach myself from my work for a couple of days. It’s not easy. So far I have finished and sent out a video project. I have written an article for a magazine and I still have some school work to get done before classes start on the 19th. I’m not saying all this to make myself out to be a martyr, I’m just recognizing that it is hard to really get away and disconnect and I am realizing that even on vacation there has to be balance. It’s something I’m still learning.
What are your vacation plans? If you’ve already gone on vacation what was your favorite thing?
Well a week ago Friday I mentioned that I was going on a ride along with a police officer friend of mine. Well I had a ton of fun explore the dark underside of society on a typical weekend night. So here are a couple of video clips from the night:
Here we are responding to a call with lights and sirens. It amazes me how many people are completely oblivious to the shrieking siren and flashing lights.
Here we are backing up on a traffic violation. Turns out one of the occupants had some outstanding warrants.
I have a new appreciation and admiration for our public servants. Day in and day out, night in and night out these men and woman work to protect us from all kinds of craziness. Their job description is to be on the frontlines of societies most dangerous situations and minimize and/or remove the threat while doing all they can to protect property and lives. Whether fire, ambulance or police, they all serve us in ways that go unnoticed and unappreciated. I remember well after 9/11 how we went through a phase of revering and being thankful for them all.
Who else goes unrecognized for their service?
So we had our friends over last night for dinner…it is so good to catch up with friends…but I had the choice to inflict emotional harm on their youngest daughter…and well I did.
Yeah it’s not nearly as cool as “THE DARK NIGHT”…but man we sure could use it. The other day I posted about the movie The Dark Knightand there was some really good discussion that came out of it. Watching the movie triggered some deep emotions from me that seemed kind of weird on the surface but after processing it I have realized that it’s really not all that weird or unexpected. The reality is that I have been wrestling over these issues for some time.
So I’ve been posting everywhere how my heart is broken and that I am generally angry. It’s got some people a little freaked I suppose. Ok well, it probably does freak most people out, but I am really thankful for those who have the courage and take the time to engage me. The other day I hijacked a friends blog (she asked me to) and posted a comment that begins to push me toward a deeper realization and better understanding of life here on earth. My friend just returned from a trip to India where she spent time loving people who are literally outcast by their society. The subject of suffering was brought up and the question asked “Does God allow suffering?”. Here was my response to that question:
Here is where I am at on this issue, and I admit up front that I really don’t know much simply because I haven’t experienced much. I’ve seen some firsthand, but not much in terms of my own life has been spent suffering. I always feel like a newborn infant trying to comprehend some complex theory of physics…I don’t have the capacity and in some ways it’s not really my business.
I agree with you that suffering is a product of the free will that God has gifted the human race. In his desire to have a true relationship with humanity he required that we have the choice in having a relationship with him. (Though even this is a bit confusing because angels appearantly had a choice, look at what happened to Satan?) So evil and suffering are the result of humans chosing opposite of God’s will. God’s will being that all mankind be reconciled to him through his Son Jesus Christ. But this is where the beauty of God shines through. God sent His Son to suffer and to show that in suffering comes the greatest revelation of his love and his grace. As dark as things can get here on earth there is another reality. 1. God has rescued us from death and eternal darkness. 2. His presence is here for us to rely upon in those times. So it is not so much that God allows suffering, but more that God seeks to rescue and comfort those who suffer. We often get it backwards. This is where my heart really takes off. I am an agent of peace and joy sent and empowered by God through his Spirit to comfort the uncomfortable, to console the unconsolable, to do whatever I can, wherever I am, with whatever I have to alleviate suffering for the glory of God.
I know that there are alot of people who struggle with this issue and that this issue has caused many to completely lose their faith in God. I believe that it is because we get it backwards. We blame God for the suffering and evil in this world as if we as humans are not culpable. Truly God could have created the world and not allowed evil and suffering. But that would have required that we as humans have no choice, and choice is what makes us truly dangerous and powerful. I don’t know about you but I want to be dangerous and I want to be powerful. I want to be able to make choices that make a difference in this life and the next. And I don’t say that lightly because I recognize how much pain and suffering is caused even by my own choices ( just ask my family 
. )
So what dangerous choices are you faced with? Do you see yourself as an agent of mercy and grace?
