Change is in the air

Wow - has it been that long? It is now officially SPRING!!

My last post was about the Super Bowl. And that is now a faded memory. Certainly things move along, and we must move with them.

I've recently been reading the CaringBridge posts of Chuck McCallum regarding their journey through this difficult and yet somehow blessed time. (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/joymccallum) Clearly, Chuck is a more prolific writer than I, and there have been seasons in my own life when I wish I had written down my thoughts and feelings, much as Chuck has. Not so much to share with others, but just to remember it better, to feel it again better. Those difficult times can be a little like child-birth, I think. There are powerful hormones at work - memory diminishing hormones. You can talk to a new mother within hours of delivery and she will colorfully tell and re-tell the excruciating, pain-filled details of the delivery. (Some are worse than others.) But, then, weeks later (and perhaps the sleepless nights are to blame) she will likely say, "That wasn't so bad. I would consider having another." I recall how astonished I was at the lack of recall as to promises that were made about not having another, and general glossing-over of those pain-filled hours.

I think and believe that our Creator designed us in some regards with some protective boundaries to help us through the difficult times. If not, we might be more prone to prematurely stop trying in this life. But there is also a deep-rooted comfort for Christians who truly understand the relationship between this life and the next and the fact that whatever we experience now is only PREPARATION for our eternal home. A little like bread being baked in the oven, getting ready for what bread is to become.

Keeping those things in mind, we can help ourselves not become bitter, resentful humans when the difficult times come. I think of the three Hebrew boys - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who had decided long before the pressure to "conform" arrived had already made their decision to remain true to their commitment to God. Their resolve held true, even though their last chance to recant would have saved them from the fire. "Our God can save us from the fiery-furnace, but even if He does not, we will not bow down." (My paraphrase). Now there's a testimony to steadfastness. And that whole process was made easier by deciding in advance.

My prayer is that I will remain faithful, should the fires of testing come. And will those fires be made easier by making those choices now? Not easier, but I believe my choices will be made true and right by deciding in advance what my answer and attitude will be. We often think of peer pressure and being an adolescent as it pertains to making good choices. But later in life, it becomes about WHO we will be. Will I be a bitter, resentful person because things got tough or didn't go as I had planned? Or will I remain pliable in the hands of God - trusting the He can save me? BUT EVEN IF HE DOES NOT . . . . I WILL (OR WILL NOT) . . . . (fill in the blank).

Thanks, Chuck, for your example of loving, caring, true thinking and right relationship. You are a blessing - more than you know.

I suggest that you read the entire story or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel.

truly SUPER Bowl

It's an hour before the start. It could be worse . . . . I'm in FLA (not AT the super bowl, but still), the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing. AND I'm about to eat the best fish (pronounced f-e-e-e-sh) on the planet - compliments of Paul J Bardsley. I have my Colts t-shirt and Colts hat on.

I missed the space shuttle launch this morning, but not for not having tried. At 4:20 am my cell alarm screamed to life and I got dressed and trotted across the street to watch this amazing event with about 20 other hardy spectators. Brenda surprised me by showing up too!!! The launch was scrubbed due to cloud cover. Maybe tomorrow will have better results.

I think all the family will be watching this game from SOMEWHERE. I think I can safely say that all, save Kenneth, will be rooting for Indy. Kenneth - don't let cheering for different teams ruin the great weekend you have been having so far.

Pundits are forecasting a Colts win. The hearts of America seem to be leaning toward New Orleans. Who can blame them? What a great story of a rise to the top. Especially with all the difficulty from Katrina just a few years ago, and the realization that the area affected is still not back to 100% years later. This game is pitting perhaps the two best quarterbacks in the league. Both teams seem to have avoided much of the bad publicity that professional athletes seem to bring on themselves because of poor choices and not thinking. It is hard to choose. At this level, the game could go either way.

There will only be one team holding the Lombardy trophy this year. But there will be no losers. Anyone who makes it this far is truly a winner - regardless of the point total on the board. And players who continue to do the right thing and help those less fortunate are winners. Jesus said, it is more blessed to give, than to receive. It is now 45 minutes to game time. I'm getting pumped for a great game - regardless who wins. (ARE YOU KIDDING???? - GO COLTS!!!)

Life is Good

We just got back from a wonderful family gathering in Gatlinburg, TN. It has been years since I've been there. We stayed in a wonderful house/palace that allowed each to have enough space and yet a home-like atmosphere for "together" times. Our fun activities included skiing, laser-tag and indoor skydiving. (That last one you can look up under http://flyawayindoorskydiving.com/pf.html) We also ate ourselves silly with awesome home-made meals of white-chicken chili, breakfast casserole, lasagna, fried fish, fried chicken and finally biscuits and gravy.

There was safe travel to and from the event. This trip was not without its difficulties. It snowed some, making getting up our street challenging. The snow also made it slippery walking down the steps and around the cars. Brenda messed her back up the day before we traveled to Gatlinburg, TN so she was kind of gimpy throughout the entire trip. She is still not 100%. A window broke in our 1997 Expedition, requiring way too much time and money to get it fixed.

And yet, today I began getting the full blast of all the issues going on in Haiti as a result of the devastating earth-quake that hit there yesterday. The presidential palace is in ruins. Bodies of the dead are being stacked in the street. A hotel we visited on numerous trips was destroyed. I cannot begin to imagine what conditions are like there right now.

A friend of ours sits tonight with her mother who is in critical care following a major surgery followed by a ruptured ulcer causing lots of infection and pneumonia.

Thank you Lord, for all your blessings. I pray that we enjoy the mountaintop as it may not be long until we also are in the valley.

Christmas is here . . . . . (almost)

Well, yet another Christmas rolls around. Anticipation escalates exponentially now as family is preparing to travel and gift-giving is on the forefront of every one's mind. (Seriously? More like gift-GETTING.) As much as people want to take the high road, you KNOW that there is at least an equal quotient of GET as there is in GIVE. The old adage of "it is better to give than to receive" only goes so far in our society. The song, "Santa, Baby" speaks the true feeling of the Christmas we all know and love.

And yet, in my advancing years, I seem to recall a day when there was almost no gift-getting. We had nothing to speak of, and we had little to give. I could expect maybe a single gift under the tree. What I REALLY looked forward to was later. The cousins would rally at the family "reunion" and we would sled or have snowball fights or ice skate. The activity of the day revolved around which house we all gathered at, and depended on the natural resources of that spot. Now, you can say that because of my age, there is a slight encroachment of nostalgia leaking into the thought process. True enough. One of my favorites is gathering around in the kitchen to help make lefse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lefse). I'm not certain how we came to know and love lefse other than being in/near the community of Scandinavians who shared the "love". Working together on the lefse was as important as anything under the tree.

There is hope. The family Christmas this year is to focus on PRESENCE, not presents. Our gift to each other is simply to BE THERE. We will gather at a more central location for those who don't have much time for vacation. We will divide spasmodically over the period of 3 days and 4 nights in order to return for a superb meal of fried fish or chicken. There will be game playing and laughter. We will sit around the fireplace and drink coffee (Starbucks, of course) and plan for the future. We will laugh about gatherings and Christmas past. A jigsaw puzzle is a baseline requirement. There might be a tear or two because friends and family will miss this gathering, but we believe they won't care. Who notices about a tree and gifts when you are in the presence of the Greatest-Gift-Giver?

Snow or not, presents or not. Christmas this year will be a little different flavor than our family has experienced. May we be mindful of the reason there IS a Christmas and remember that it is true - it really "is more blessed to give than to receive".

Merry Christmas

Ode to a true friend

You hear about pets who out-live their usefulness. Really - cats may seem to have no real use, so maybe that's some kind of oxymoron to begin with. But lest you think this is becoming a "cat-bashing" post, read on.

Cheetah had a rather austere beginning; a simple farm-cat that was born to a simple farm-cat. Who knows where his career-path would have led, had our little band of curtain-climbers had not gone as a pack to select a birthday gift for our oldest - Nathaniel. I can still remember all of them clamoring through the strawberry patch behind Keith Drury's house to find the "nest". The mother cat was there, dutifully keeping watch over the flock . . . . . by daylight. After carefully inspecting each cat, Nathaniel finally settled on his choice - Cheetah. He cuddled him tightly while the others buzzed around like seagulls after your french fries. For some reason, Brenda had a weak moment and we ended up going home with Cheetah +2.

Cheetah was the most friendly, the most considerate of the 3 cats. And he has outlived both the other cats by a good many years. He was the cat Nathaniel trained after reading a book and worked for a couple weeks. One day, Cheetah came strolling through and Nathaniel - eager to show off his newly learned skill said, "Watch this . . . . . . . . Cheetah, ignore me!!" And we watched with wonder and amazement and Cheetah did exactly as he was instructed.

Brilliant cat.

Cheetah made the move from Indiana to Arizona, and then 11 years later, from Arizona to Virginia. None of the other cats got to fly in an airplane. I'm guessing he probably told them it was nothing to be envied. He was a reliable greeter of house guests - even those that don't particularly care for cats. That didn't bother him in the least. I guess he thought he was doing his part for feline-human relations.

Don't you think for a moment that Cheetah didn't have his faults. (1) He ALWAYS greeted you at the top of the stairs with a squawky-meow. (2) He would rub his cheek against you with his lip curled up - scratching you a little with his tooth. (3) He usually found his way to your lap if you let him, sharing the warmth. (4) He wouldn't take too much grief from the dog(s). He outlived two of them, three or four cats and a rabbit. (5) He didn't mind sharing my bed with me . . . . sometimes he would even move over.

Rest In Peace, Cheetah. Old age finally took over. I hope I can slip away with grace as you have, being a friend to all - even those that didn't like you.

CHEETAH

1993 - Sept 24, 2009

"We're Not In Kansas Any More"

Feeling pressured to write - it has been quite awhile since my last post, I don't promise any mind bending thoughts today.

I've used the title of this post often recently, mostly referring to circumstances surrounding my work. I've taken a new position recently and there have also been significant cuts of personnel and benefits due to the economy. At nearly every turn, I'm able to utter those words again and again.

(SIDE NOTE: I hope you know that those words were spoken by Dorothy in the Wizard of OZ when she was whisked from the cornfields of Kansas into the wonderfully mysterious and colorful land of OZ. Recently, I spoke to a teenager from Kansas who didn't recognize the phrase, hadn't seen the movie and didn't know anything ABOUT the movie. What is this world coming to?)

It occurs to me that having taken the leap into Financial Peace University there is a monumental chance that line can be appropriate once again. It could even be providential that we are "working the baby steps" right now, when we are. I've historically inserted the quote when things have changed - and now that I think of it, I always envisioned that change to be negative. I don't know if Dorothy was looking around, thinking that where she got dropped was a negative or positive, or just different. A little scary and uncertain, to be sure. The creators of the movie I think would imply that going from a "black and white" life to a full-blown Koda-Chrome colorful world was a significant and wonderful change. Even if she didn't recognize it right away.

To be sure, this change in our lives is going to be significant. I don't know if I sound like an Am-way salesman, but this endeavor we are embarking on comes up often in casual discussion, and I sell the concept like it was my job. The catch-phrases are also thrown in: "Gazelle-like-intensity", "Live today like no one else, so someday we can live and give like no one else", etc. We are actually plotting with our resources to be frugal just because it is fun to do so. We hope that we are not FORCED to do it in the future, but it is reassuring to know that we CAN if we HAVE to.

Thank you , Nate and Jon, for bringing these concepts to our attention. You have demonstrated to us the re-introduction of the word "NO". Paul said it in 1 Cor 6 - "Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial." My translation goes, "Just because I can, doesn't mean I should." Spending money (cash) now gives me cause for pause that I used to not have when simply swiping the plastic. And what a blessing when there is actually money left over at the end of the budget period. We used to look for ways to spend a little left-over if there was some. Not any more. What a concept.

If I have piqued your interest about these matters, look up http://www.daveramsey.com/ . If you have questions about where we are in the process, shoot me an e-mail. Blessings "Cash is king - Debt is dumb!!!"

Things that make you go, "hmmmm"

Years ago there was a late night host who had an interesting phrase. It probably wasn't original with him, but he rather made it famous. It was the afore-mentioned, "Things that make you go, hmmm." (number of m's is optional, maybe depending on how bizarre or stupid the thing is) I have actually adopted that phrase, including the gentle stroking of your jaw line downward toward your chin, using your thumb and fingers on each side. It might help to look thoughtful while you make the motion. Slowing down the action and phrase makes it sound like the item in question might be even more stupid.

Comedians have come up with some things that qualify, like: Why do you park on a driveway and drive on a parkway? (things that make you go, hmmm) Oxymorons land right in there: Army intelligence. (things that make you go, hmmm) Our own language has innocently joined in by its combining of descriptors: awfully good. (things that make you go hmmm)

I was caught in my own peve a day or two ago. I fell short of the now popular, "blah-blah-blah", but utilized an older version of the same meaning. It was, "Etc." I used it in an e-mail, and when I wrote it , I knew perfectly well what I meant. The recipient apparently was not on the same mind wave-length that I was, and needed further clarification. As I began filling in the holes, it became clear to me just how much I took for granted with my first transmission. So, I described as best I could to the co-worker what I needed. I ended the e-mail with the admission that I had succumbed to the existing torrent of non-descript language that has taken us over. Use of words like "deal-io", and "thingy" are nearly as prolific as the words "like" and phrase "I was all" or "she was all". Doesn't anyone SAY anything anymore? I have counted upwards of 12-14 uses of "like" in one sentence used as filler - there was no implication of anything being similar to anything else in the entire conversation. The co-worker replied that she would "get the "thingy" taken care of right away." Good to see she hasn't lost her sense of humor.

Our Student Pastor this Sunday quoted Bill Hybels as saying that we - humans are built to operated at around 65 mph. Unfortunately, most of us function at around 75 mph. God speaks at 25 mph. I would like to believe that God also speaks in complete sentences with coherent thought, unlike what our language has become. The old joke goes that in a discussion about what version of the Biblical Text is most authentic, one fellow was promoting King James Version while another was advocating that some of the newer versions are more accurate. Sticking to his guns, the King James proponent finally had nothing to fall back on except this; "Jesus quoted in King James, so it's good enough for me!"

I'm convinced that as I become older, I'm beginning to clutch to some values that used to be less important to me, and clearly are not very important to MOST of the younger generation. I hope I've not reached the stage of being crotchety, but know this. WORDS HAVE MEANING. Let's slow down and recapture some of the meaning and beauty of our language. One of my favorite lines from the movie, My Fair Lady comes from Professor Higgins. "You'll get much further with the Lord if you learn not to offend his ears." (not good theology, but I appreciate his thought.)