January 13th - "He wept"

The story...

During 2023/2024, my best friend and I studied, a book called "John" as part of a larger group.  John's the author of the book and, arguably, the best friend of the Man he's writing about.  John tells the Man's story in a way that only a best friend, and eye witness, could.  The protagonist of the story's mother was Mary and His father is claimed to be God Himself.  Yes, He claimed, and provided evidence, that God was His Father.  The Man, John wrote about, is referred to by many names; strangely, no one name seems to capture all of who He was and is.  In chapter 11, the Man is walking with His close friends toward a town called Bethany.  He's going to see two sisters and their brother - John says the Man loved the three.  The women's brother died and they were filled with grief.  They believed this Man's father was God himself, and hoped that He would heal their brother.  When He witnesses grief emoting from the women, John says "He wept."

I can related to this story - intellectually and emotionally.  The day I spoke at my mother's memorial service "I wept."  I continued to weep, at unexpected times, for week(s) - I loved my momma so... much.

The only church in town will share how this man, Lazarus, was raised from the dead just a few months before his Savior's blood was shed, body buried, and body resurrected by His own power.   Strangely and wonderfully, scripture confirms that we can be spiritually co-crucified, and co-risen from the dead to live rightly with God, in Christ, now and forever.   Man, that's good news!  Hey, why not read this book of John today?

Today, I stand thankful for my faith in Christ and for the love of my momma.

Just for today...

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me."  Revelation 3:20 (NASB)

"Do I secretly relish feeling sorry for myself and want sympathy from others?"  One Day at a Time (p. 13)

"Once upon a time I was afraid to live life for myself. This was because I did not know how to do it and thought that there was no one to show me."  Courage to Change (p. 13)

January 12th - Oh.. to see more clearly - what's going on?

The story...

My mother told me so many stories that motivated me to be more curious, adventurous, and a story teller too.  The week before she passed on to eternity, we talked about the adventure that she was about to embark on.  She was about to travel from this life to the next - leave this world and body behind and travel to...  The adventure would be greater than being stuck on the top of a rocket ship that eventually would land her on the moon.  Her eyes displayed wonder and her smile seemed to display hope and joy.  My momma went on that adventure a few days later.  Wow . . . she knows the rest of the story.

SpaceX - Falcon 9 rocket

I expect that we'd disrupt this life, and take away some of the important experiences and meaning, if we knew what was going to happen today, tomorrow, or during the years we have left on this orb.  I wonder how important our life on this earth will be for the eternity to come?  I'm glad my momma passed on a curious nature to me. 

The only church in town will share what God's revealed about the future - enough to give us hope while living out our part in this epic story of life.  Yet, He doesn't reveal everything.  He says He wants us to live rightly and close to Him as we work out this life trusting in what He's revealed - walking through each day by faith in "That Than Which There is No Greater."

How about living for today, planning for tomorrow, and thinking on eternity already?  Oh . . . that we would read, ponder, share, and wonder while living out a purposeful life together in step with God. 

Just for today...

"I ask God to make me willing to see clearly my everyday experiences, to sharpen my perception of how much there is to enjoy, even in ordinary things and happenings. Let me be receptive. Restore to me my capacity for wonder."  One Day at a Time (p. 12)

"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us..."  Deuteronomy 29:29 (NASB)

January 11th - Accepted just as I am

The story...

Please read the welcoming statement that I delivered at my mother's memorial service.  The service was scheduled for Saturday, January 13th, at 2:00pm.

"Welcome to this service where we will be honoring and celebrating the life of our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend.  Each of our relationships with her was different yet she significantly affected us all.  We’ll all have a chance to share our own experiences either within the service or with each other.  For me, a momma’s boy, she showed a loving sort of grace throughout all my comings and goings.  She was the only person, with skin on ‘em, that loved me no matter what.  Even when she didn’t like what I was doing or saying, I could get up close, smile, stare into her pupils, kiss her hand, and spread my arms out wide and she would drop her airs, smile and we were okay together.  I witnessed grace consistently, only from my momma.  I mean no disrespect to any of you who love me - it was just different with my Mother.  With everybody else, it’s been kind of conditional.  And today we’ll be praising God for the grace that was extended to my Momma, by God, through the great work of Christ when He shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins that once separated us from God.  Her faith rested in God and not in herself - in the last years she prayed frequently for His help to endure a struggle like standing up from a chair.  That’s why I’m wearing this red tie - to remind us of the blood of Christ - the only reason I and you are right with God."

You can find unconditional love within the only church in town - throughout this life and infinity.

"To infinity and beyond!"

Just for today...

"I am accepted just as I am. I never have to pretend, or wear a mask over my feelings . . . In my new family, love is not a point system. I don't have to earn love from others - it's given freely as a gift."  Courage to Change (p. 11)

January 6th - Who is the object of your faith?

The story...

The "Wizard of Oz" scared the bejeebies out of my as a kid.  Who in their right mind wouldn't react wildly if Dorthy's situation was an actuality?  Glinda, the good witch, doesn't seem to offer much consolation - seeing the situation today still triggers a version of that same reaction. Yeow!

Sure, she has a good reason to be alarmed.  The bad witch has expressed disdain and vile intent for what Dorothy's house did by falling on her sister.  The threat, to both her and her little dog too, appeared valid.  She would've been a fool to ignore the threat and the good witch's protection seemed well intentioned yet with limited protective power.  She had to begin, step by step, down the yellow brick road trusting the good witch's advise.  Thank goodness she found three friends along the road to share her journey.  Yet, their recommendation to trust, and seek out, the great Wizard of Oz was misplaced hope.

The only church in town will offer the Word of God's direction for developing a right relationship with God in Christ.  They'll share the path to begin on with friendship opportunities to walk with too.  Our Creator is sovereign and those who are His, in Christ, are within His protective power.  He will walk with us through life and bring us home with Him at the end of the path.

Just for today...

"...many of my difficulties were created by me, by my own reactions to the happenings in my daily life."  One Day at a Time (p. 6)

January 2nd - Clarified expectations by God's intervention

The story...

In 1980, I expected to: begin a career as a sales engineer selling industrial robots; marry within a couple years; invest my growing capital in corporations for continual wealth growth; buy a house; drive a convertible; experience adventurous vacations; have four kids; and continue to live out a rebellious sort of ideals - to be free.  In 1981, reality went differently than I expected.  It was as though God pulled, maybe yanked, me in His direction.  What do I believe to be the key points of my life when I believe that God directly intervened?

Here's my take on the key related factual events, listed chronologically by my age:

8.  Walked to front of neighborhood-children-evangelistic meeting and accepted Jesus the Christ as my Savior.

15. Lost and alone in a canoe in the Boundary Waters, MN - in the dark.  I promised to dedicate my life to God if He saved me from my predicament - I saw the light of the campfire less than one minute after making my commitment to Him.

16. Worked every other Sunday and drifted away from attending church services.

18. Fully engaged in a self-absorbed college life and stopped attending church.

22. After a period of brokenness, I read the four gospels and was surprised to learn God's story in Christ - new good news to me. Miraculous auto accident avoidance and three incredibly unlikely personal interactions with those who I now believe to have been directed by the Spirit of God.  Steve and Marlene invite me to church.

23. I move to Knoxville, TN and people directly intervene in my life.  They seem to have been led by Spirit of God.  They lead me to study and believe the Word of God - "be" differently.

26. Dejected by the seemingly unbearable "religious'" expectations demanded of me for living a "Christian" life.  Bill Job explains the grace of God - God works out all that's good and that I was identified with Christ and right with God solely by what Christ did for me.  Our work was to believe both the gospel and His revealed Word.

28. We attend a dispensational church that more correctly interpreted God's provisions for us gentiles -  Pauline theology.  We were fully engaged in bible study and the church.

40. Kid(s) resent being told how to be good by following religious practices and principles.  They expose the difference between what we said and did - they also wanted to be free of religion.  A hyper-grace like message seemed to allow the freedom for us to walk a more "sinful" path while under the protective umbrella of the grace of God.  My prayer life might've revealed the problem.

60. Brokenness again leads me to more honestly assess my life and faith walk.  I develop more honest and close relationships while working out my faith in the Light.  I disengaged from those trying to "run" the church and gave up "trying" to be good.  I gave up attempts to fix, manage, and control other people according to what I thought was best.  Trusted by placing my hopes for me and others in the "hands of God."  My life actually began to "bear" fruit that both I, maybe others too, enjoyed.  

The only church in town will lead you to God through His Word.  They'll direct you to that right relationship with God that can be yours by believing the Gospel truth of what God's already done for you in Christ.  Our work is to believe (John 6:29).

Just for today...

"... it is our expectations, not our loved ones, that have let us down . . . learn to treat our needs as important and appropriate, and to treat ourselves as deserving . . . if we stop insisting that our needs be met according to our will, we might discover that all the love and support we need is already at our fingertips."   Courage to Change (p. 2)

"I will not fall in with . . . craving for punishment to relieve his or her guilt. I will not scold and weep, for it will not overcome the difficulties that we are trapped in . . . I pray that I may stop and think before I do or say anything whatever."  One Day at a Time (p. 2)

"'Look back without staring.' As long as I kept staring at my past without experiencing my feelings about it, I stayed mired in fear, resentment, and self-pity . . . Only after I stopped long enough to feel my anguish, bitterness, and emptiness could I let them go and move ahead."   Hope for Today (p. 2)

December 25th - Being quiet - replacing what-ifs with even-ifs

 The story...

I'm lifting weights in my basement while listening to an inspiring message from one of my mentor's on YouTube.  I complete my stretching and turn off the TV.  I kneel down on my weight bench in prayer and meditation.  Then, I'm quiet and peaceful for a time, maybe the best part of life, then it's quickly over.  Why?

Being quite in prayer, meditating, is a great place to be - peacefulness.  Why's it illusive?  I will to be quiet and peaceful following prayer with my heart open to the Spirit of God.  Yet, my mind, often filled with the cares of the world, seems crouched on the sideline, ready to pounce back in and continue running the show.  These are the those thoughts of: having to, wanting to, planning to, worrying about, interested in, and even whimsically entertaining myself - an endless stream of possibilities just waiting to be juggled around and explored.  Might my "what-ifs" be replaced with "even-ifs?"  If our focus shifted from trying to control and worry about what might happen to trusting God "even if;" then, might we live in a more peaceful place and make better decisions too?

The only church in town will introduce those assembled to the Word of God and the opportunity to experience fellowship with their Creator too - wow.  Faith in God means trusting Him to keep His Word - He's faithful.  Yes, His Word lived out in me is the very best both for the few years I've left and for all eternity that awaits.  Yes, it's reasonable and right to replace our "what-ifs" with "even-ifs" when we're right with God in Christ.  That's an infinitely better place to be than merely trying my best, on my own, to control the uncontrollable.  

Merry Christmas - we have a wonderful Savior in Christ!  Praise God!  We're okay in Christ.

Just for today...

"Serenity is: . . .  accepting my many characteristics and not judging what's 'bad' or 'good' but what's useful to keep and what to release . . . honoring my feelings without aiming them at someone else or letting them run my life."  Hope for Today (p. 360)

"What message does my silence communicate? Today I will try to align the stillness of my tongue with a stillness of spirit."  Courage to Change (p. 360)

December 19th - Is being thankful the best way to live?

The story...

In 2000, I chose the long-hard path of education and research to be awarded a PhD in engineering.  Thankfully, I found ways to integrate the PhD work and travel within an already busy schedule of work and family life.  The studies were related to my job; so, the course work and applications came relatively easy - the travel, missed activities, job changes, and dissertation didn't come easy.  I've never been much of a quitter and persevered to be awarded the degree of PhD in Industrial Engineering in 2010.  The journey took faith, passion, and discipline.  My eyes remained on the prize as I took each step.  I don't remember many people offering encouragement along the way - there were a lot of doubters and naysayers who advised caution and retreat.

Thankfully, I received a first-year teaching job at the University of Minnesota - Duluth (UMD).  It was a wonderful experience for which I'm extremely grateful.  The graduate-teaching job seemed to be a good person-job fit.  After my first year at UMD, I was offered a job as "Professor" at my alma mater - Iowa State University (ISU).  The job offer felt good yet it was too far from home.  After 10pm one April night, I talked to my son about his job search; described my own career dilemma; and relayed how I was trusting in God's provisions and not my own.  After our conversation, I left my apartment and walked to my campus office - I found the one job that might work at Eastern Michigan University (EMU).  I applied that night, interviewed the next week, and accepted the job the following week.  The professor and teaching career worked out - the journey required much faith.  I'm so... thankful for every step along the way.

What word would you choose to describe you?  I've settled in on the word "thankful."  I'm thankful for each: breath; day's weather; hot cup of coffee; expression of love; faithful friend; act of kindness; person I meet; memory of how life worked out; faith realized; and the wonderful surprises of life.  

The only church in town can help each of us be more thankful.  How?  First, we'll learn what our Creator revealed about who we are, where we came from, how to best live, and where we'll spend eternity - the "real" good stuff.  Second, we'll learn how to be rid of the shame and guilt that may weigh heavy upon our backs.  Third, we can learn to live more honestly within relationships characterized by love.  Fourth, we'll witness other lives worked out within the reality of their faith in God's Word.

Just for today...

"Is any of the attention I once gave to negative thinking now focused on gratitude?"  Courage to Change (p. 354)

"I was told what to believe and how to believe. If I deviated even slightly from the chosen path, I was reproached and corrected . . .  They wanted to show the world a perfect family. Needless to say, I didn't develop any individuality . . . I had no idea what were my likes, dislikes, needs or desires."  Hope for Today (p. 354)

December 17th - Being honest with reality - your true self

The story...

I was one of the youngest kids in my first-grade class and I grew in stature a little slower than most kids.  I hoped to be tall, like both of my parent's younger brothers, yet it seemed like it wasn't going to happen for me.  Unexpectedly, I grew to over six-foot during high school and throughout my freshman year of college too.  My physical height seemed to effect my identity.  Shorter people let me know that I was lucky to be respected "merely" for my exceptional height.

Everybody loves Raymond - Robby

Currently, my physical height is shrinking along with the flattening spinal discs.  I might grow in height again if my surgeon fuses more discs together by jacking up my spine with metal rods like they did in November, 2009.  If they do, I'll be a bit taller; yet, now I'm not so naive to think that my identity will change.  I've better learned who I am throughout my life and I'm okay with me along with my many defects too.  I like me best when I'm walking with, and enjoying, "we" and isolating less.

Our true selves are likely the ones that we'll work out throughout all eternity as opposed to the changing self who adapts to his current needs, capabilities, situations, environments, rule sets, groups, and the opinions of others.  I'm so thankful that the Word of God says that I'm "far" better off aligned and positioned with "That Than Which There Is No Greater." 

The only church in town will share news of our true identity, for this life and for all eternity too.  Yes, our true identity can be found in the Son of God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. They'll read the scriptures and trust in the unseen realities that can be worked out in both this life and the eternal one to come - the "real" good life.

Just for today...

"I can risk being my true self with family members and allow family members to risk being themselves with me."  Hope for Today (p. 352)

"Resentments mark the place where I see myself as a victim . . . I will love myself enough to release myself from the closet in which resentments keep me locked."  Courage to Change (p. 352)

December 5th - Who understands my heart but God?

The story...

My parents brought me to Sunday school for about ten years and I chose to attend summer bible camp after I accepted Christ as my savior, when I was about eight.  I actively read the four gospels after a period of brokenness in 1980.  And, in 1981, I actively engaged in bible study with Bill Job's "ekklesia" in Oak Ridge, TN.  I'm so thankful for all of my teachers, mentors, co-sojourners, and friends along the way.  One of my key learnings was that God knows our hearts and the condition of our hearts makes all the difference.

"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”   1 Samuel 16:7 (NASB)

"And Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, 'Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?'"  Matthew 9:4 (NASB)

"For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God."  1 Corinthians 2:11 (NASB)

I am so thankful for my faith and the opportunities that I've been given to share the realities of my faith with others.  I especially appreciated the nine years where I served as both a 3rd-4th and 4th-5th grade Sunday-school teacher.  And, I currently appreciate my close friends in-Christ and leading a group of faithful men within Bible Study Fellowship (BSF).

Bible cover gift from my 3rd-5th grade class

The only church in town will lead people to accept God's gracefully given gift of redemption - the Way for our hearts to be reconciled with God.  They'll read that our hearts are seen by God as white as snow due to Christ's redeeming payment for our sin debt.  Yes, they'll share the good news that our righteous God cleanses us from our sin-death penalty through the sacrifice of His Son, my Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ.  He knows me with a cleansed heart - praise God!

Just for today...

"I was sure there had to be somebody in this world who would understand my every mood, always have time for me, and bring a smile to my face . . . my fantasy showed itself to be no more than a shadow. Reality presented a different picture entirely . . . What was I doing with their love? It seemed to me I was brushing it aside for that one imaginary person, or worse, not noticing it all."   Courage to Change (p. 340)

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice."  Meister Eckhart

"Were the challenges and losses in my life actually gifts God had chosen carefully for me so that I might grow spiritually? I knew it to be so, and I felt simultaneously humbled and overwhelmed with gratitude for the nature of God's love for me."  Hope for Today (p. 340)

December 3rd - Turning stuff, outside your control or influence, over to God

The story...

Life has taught me that I don't know what's best in many or most situations. The best that I can hope for is to apply something that seemed to work well in similar situations.  It's especially likely that I'll choose a suboptimal course of action if it involves something that I'm comfortable with, allows me to apply a skill that I've developed, if it uses the tool(s) at hand, brings positive attention towards myself, pleasures me, or is consistent with my limited knowledge.  Actually, I think that I'm a good decision maker yet I'm prone to make biased-suboptimal decisions while hoping for a very cloudy picture of what the future might best hold.

I once taught a graduate class on forecasting with mathematical models.  It involved identifying causal and non-causal data related to key outcomes, weighting historical data, measuring trends, discovering seasonality, and the testing of these time-series models with both historical and current reality - always concerned that these data were recorded accurately and precise enough.  A good model's helpful for planning within varying: environments, materials, Geopolitics, competitors, and the actual behavior of all the people involved - sometimes it seems difficult if not impossible to do "good" enough.  Our omniscient God knows - but I, his creature, do not - "A man's got to know his limitations."

Most of us believe that a virtuous life is better than a non-virtuous one. Yet, I value honesty and integrity while others plan on lying as necessary in an effort to achieve more favorable outcomes - insecure people work out their lives differently within their ever-changing environments.  Situations and their related decisions are rarely black-and-white - they seem cloudier and greyer with spots of sunshine peaking through.

The only church in town will tell the believers that God's trustworthy and He cares for each of us.  You can trust Him for the stuff that's outside your control and influence.  When trusting God, you're more likely to live out a restful, peaceful, and hopeful life.   A life that appreciates the past, lives in the present, and trusts God for the future.  It's a great thing to walk through this life in favor with God in Christ.  Why not fellowship with your Creator and Father now?

Just for today...

"I found it relatively easy to make a decision to turn over my will and my life to God. However, I didn't have any  idea how to actually do it."  Hope for Today (p. 338)   The author goes on to suggest a "God Box" and "Basketball Technique."  I have done, and do, both.  You can find a copy of the book to learn more if you so choose.  

"Speculating on other people's attitudes and motives is a waste of time and effort. To search out the reasons for my own is a voyage of discovery!"  One Day at a Time (p. 338)

"Meditation is higher spiritual awareness . . . a quiet place . . . beyond my thoughts . . . attention on the present day only, leaving the past and the future alone."   Courage to Change (p. 338)

November 22nd - Rightly related to God?

The story...

I prefer a day: waking up at a consistent time thankfully with prayer; planning for & doing good; being honest within reality; loving me & others; exercising my body & mind - strengthening each; saying yes more than no; meditating without thinking about the clock; dispatching potentially obsessive thinking within five minutes; tuning into my virtual spiritual radio - albeit the station's "staticy;" giving - being kind & receiving kindness; feeding my body & soul; seeking to understand before being understood; walking forward on my pilgrimage alongside close friends; and being the person God created and wills me to be.  Yet, my free will chooses to do differently each day.  Why?

My noble motives for behaving differently, even in the opposite direction, include my: need to be safe from harm; personal protection boundaries; scarcity of resources; American dream of the good life; acceptance by others; need to fix, manage, and control other people towards my vision of "our" good; avoiding fears from the past, present, and future; desire to receive good grades from the judge(s); escape from unfavorable circumstances; pain avoidance; telling of my good life story; loyalty to my family; and justifications for the way things are - "justified."

I expect that the first paragraph is about being rightly related to God and the second paragraph is about self protection and promotion.  The first paragraph was possible because my unholy self nature was judged, found wanting, yet redeemed and reconciled with God, sin debt paid for, by God Himself in Christ - "I'm with Him."  My part was believing on God and His great redemptive work in Christ.

The second paragraph characterizes me working out life by me and for me.  Thankfully, my conscience and the Spirit of God convicts me of this wrong way of being before I cause too much harm.  He restores me daily in a loving way.  My life seems to be a continuing cycles of restoration that're heading in a good direction - like we might expect a loving Father to do for those who are His.

The PDCA model is good - yet, different - standardizing & sustaining change

The only church in town will learn and know that they can respond to His calling and be His.  They'll find fellow pilgrims to walk together with through life's circumstances.  Yes, a continuing series of restorative cycles that strengthen our need for receiving love from our heavenly Father - that kind of love is infectious - It can't stay still.  Love spreads far and wide - shining Light everywhere.

Just for today...

"Half an hour's meditation is essential except when you are very busy. Then a full hour is necessary."  Francis de Sales

"First I need to develop a relationship with God . . . Next, I learn to become at peace with myself . . .  I can't be that person when I'm overly controlled by guilt, fear, and resentment and negligibly aware of my gifts and talents . . . Lastly, I start acting responsibly toward others."  Hope for Today (p. 326)

"...conflicting views become merely different views, so our problems can be solved with tolerant understanding and mutual respect."  One Day at a Time (p. 326)

October 31st - I'm okay in Christ

The story...

The numbness in both legs began a couple days ago - I noticed it when I was lovin' on my grand daughter while carrying her to the car after the hockey tournament.  The reality of my degenerating lumbar vertebrae can no longer be ignored.  My behavior must match the reality of my condition or my nervous system will give me direct and pointed feedback - ouch, reality's set in.

I expect that some nice person will call me today to schedule my MRI.  They'll insert my body in this big metal tube to take a 3D picture of this unseen reality.  I expect that two of the disks will be a bit flatter and protruded than before and that the stenosis will've narrowed the holes that my nerves are threaded through.  Yes, I'm now more aware of my limitations...

The surgeon told me about 14 years ago that he'd likely see me again in 15 years.  So, why did this catch me by surprise?  I couldn't help but notice that my height's shrinking as my disks flatten.  My spine doesn't care if I like the reality or not - it just is.  My only realistic choice is to adapt to what's true and how I'll move my body.  I can choose to be thankful for every miraculous breath, imagine an alternate reality, or whine and complain. 

The only church in town will offer opportunities to walk side-by-side others as we walk humbly with God.  A more honest life might be lived with a clearer, yet still cloudy, view of spiritual realities and the next life too.

Just for today...

"I'm attacked by thoughts of disaster. I imagine failure, torment, agony. And then I act. I do something rash or fruitless in order to put a bandage on the situation, because the one thing I most fear is being afraid."  Courage to Change (p. 305)

"I grew up in a family where scorn, criticism, and teasing were everyday modes of communication. To cope, I developed the ability to hide my pain and confusion behind sarcasm and ridicule. Making myself feel bigger and better by making fun of others never filled the emptiness I felt inside."  Hope for Today (p. 305)

October 29th - Making the most of life

The story...

I/m so thankful that I read the quote from Peter Marshall - it was simple, wise, and seems true according to my own life experiences.  His quote makes me smile today.  So, I investigated who this Peter was.  His story was a surprising story of doing, being, trusting, walking by faith, and engaging in life.  His was a good story yet not exceptionally long.

I purchased his life story, "A Man Called Peter," that was written lovingly by his wife, Catherine Marshall, in 1951.  It's been a joyful life story to read, chunk by chunk, savoring it and not wanting it to end.  I'm taking my time with it - the book lays next to my bed.

Peter Marshall

A truly good man...

The only church in town will have wonderfully unique and interesting people congregating together.  There you can live out your gift of life together - in community.  It will be a story that you can enjoy chunk by chunk - not wanting it to end yet knowing that it will according to God's will.  There you can imagine more clearly the life that Peter Marshall is now living in Christ - I can only imagine.  His story won't end because he won't be separated from God - his life is hidden in Christ.

Just for today...

"...The most important person to gain love and respect from is myself."  Courage to be Me (p. 137)

"All our resolves and decisions are made in a mood or frame of mind which is certain to change."  Marcel Proust

"Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change. And when we are right, make us easy to live with."  Peter Marshall

October 25th - It's going to be what it's going to be - let it go

The story...

A wise boss once told me to focus on the 20% of the stuff that's within my control, or that I can strongly influence, to get the best results - the essentials.  Let the random variables bounce around within limits and trust our capable people to address the minor issues as they arise.   Our competitors can waste their time focused on the trivial and wear themselves out trying to control the uncontrollable - "We'll eat their lunch."

Steven Covey developed a useful model of three concentric circles that illustrates how we might best classify issues within our mind.  The innermost circle contains issues that are within our control - it's small.  The next bigger circle contains the issues that we can influence - it's bigger.  The next bigger circle are those issues that we are concerned about yet we can't influence or control.

Circles of: Concern, Influence, and Control

Stephen Covey idea

The only church in town will focus on the essentials for growing each person and the group too.  They'll speak to concerns outside their influence and control yet they won't stay there.  They'll trust the power of God to work out His will in those matters - He's fully capable and trustworthy of managing His creation.  His circles have no boundaries.

Just for today...

"One of my defects of character is to make choices passively - letting things happen rather than taking action."   Courage to Change (p. 299)

"... weather was one of the many things completely out of my control.  This perception relieved me of responsibility for the weather, sunny or cloudy, and reminded me of the many things in life over which I have no control. I can only let go and let them be."   Hope for Today (p. 299)

October 10th - Decide what's your part - trust God with the rest

The story...

An issue jumps into my conscious mind from who knows where - nudging me to ponder it before stuffing it back into a corner in hope that it'll be forgotten.  It's kind of like how I use my ping-pong table in my basement.  A staging area for stuff that I'm currently working on or haven/t yet decided if and where to store.  Some might best be dispositioned to a charity for people who actually need them.  Others may be restored and placed where they can be found when needed.  The clutter "takes its toll."

Some of the issues that I don't trust God with become worries that only cause me and others strife.  I'm capable of ruminating and imagining these worries into possible realities that'll never see the light of day.  If I worry, I suffer some of the consequences that may never come into fruition.  Worse yet, my efforts to fix, manage, and control situations are often doomed due to my limited capabilities, resources, and understanding of what might be.  

The only church in town will work out their lives together walking with God, believing His revealed Word, and trusting Him with the results.  Yet, church activities might look even messier than my ping-pong table.  But, they'll allow for the bright light of God's revealed truth on that messy table.  They'll decide what stays in play, what's rebuilt or improved, what gets put away, what's given away, what's repurposed, and what's discarded.

What's on your ping-pong-table?

Just for today...

"Without faith in a power greater than myself, I am like a storm-tossed ship without a rudder. I am flung from one trouble to another; however bravely I may battle the elements, my own strength and wisdom are not enough."  One Day at a Time (p. 284)

"...when I'm feeling insane, I'm forgetting my powerlessness and trying to control outcomes or other people . . . I try to get my own way."  Hope for Today (p. 284)

"I can't make life unfold according to my plans, I can admit my powerlessness and turn to God for help."  Courage to Change (p. 284)

October 9th - Do your part and trust God with the rest

The story...

I received an e-mail that encouraged me to better participate in this years group meetings by coming to the weekly meeting less preoccupied with other thoughts and cares.  They suggested the following method to better prepare for group activities:

"Get out a piece of paper and write down everything on your mind. Write down anxieties, distractions, expectations of the evening, plans for tomorrow, and anything else consuming your thoughts. Getting our mind-clutter out and onto the page frees us to focus on one another."

Since I was planning on attending a meeting that evening, I intentionally identified the things that were weighing on my mind so that I might more freely focus on others, receive their messages, reflect more deeply, and to be more sensitive to the Spirit of God too.  Instead of writing each one down, I went out to my drive way and shot baskets.  

First, I identified what was true about the situation.  Second, I acknowledged my part.  Third, voiced my responsibility.  Fourth, decided what related actions I'd take.   And finally, trusted God to work out the rest in the truly best way according to His will.  The whole process seemed right, fruitful, and a good lifelong habit.  As you might expect, I participated in the meeting in a more attentive, balanced, and supportive way - more engaged.

The only church in town will focus on the reality of God's will and presence in creation, history, the "now," our lives, and the future too.  If God wills something to be done then it'll be done.  Yet, if He is going to work His will out through us, we must be obedient and aligned with Him and His will.  That's where I want to be.

Just for today...

"I use my intellect instead of my emotions before responding. I detach from the person or situation until I can calm down and think rationally."   Hope for Today (p. 283)

"I'm willing to stop fighting reality, to stop trying to do God's part, and to do my own . . . I am free to live my own life, safe in the knowledge that God is taking care of the world, my loved ones, and myself."  Courage to Change (p. 286)

"...confuse not the business of others with your own."  One Day at a Time (p. 283)

September 25th - What lasts?

The story...

Fifty-six years later, I still have a coloring project that I made in third grade.  I colored, many colors, all over a piece of crepe paper and covered the whole thing in black - I scraped off the black to make an image of a horse.  I also have a few pieces of clothing that I owned before I was married.  The house that I grew up in still exists even though it's eroded to a shadow of what I once believed it to be.  I worked at a manufacturing organization for over 20 years and must've created and signed thousands of documents - It's likely that those document are all either replaced, deleted, or at best archived.  It's true that nothing stays the same and that there'll likely be little evidence that we ever existed in the not too distant future.

Martin Luther has a famous quote that I value: "I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess."   My hands are touching a keyboard as I type - it's a helpful tool that allows me to create, understand, be, and communicate; yet, that too will go away some day.  

I actually painted this...

He's got the whole world in His hands.  He will work His will out with our without you.  Why not trust Him and bear the fruit that only He can give - it's the stuff that'll last.

The only church in town will teach how to trust God according to what He's revealed about Himself, our relationship, what He expects within our relationship, and the most significant future events that'll impact us and our world too.  We can trust Him with our problems, concerns, and the people whom we love.

Just for today...

"My parents are due to visit. Nothing promotes my relapse into compulsive, controlling behavior better than the anticipation of their judgement . . . Each time I doubt that my God knows the way, I'll remember how chaotic and complicated my life becomes when I try to take control."  Hope for Today (p. 269)

September 20th - "No Man is an Island"

The story...

Thomas Merton taught me wonderful things that I'd only inklings of before I first read his book: "No Man is an Island."  I agreed with John Bunyan that I needed other people to walk alongside me on our journey to the Celestial city as I read "The Pilgrim's Progress."  C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity" offered a rational, and easy to understand, picture of what it means to be a Christian. "The Source," by James Mitchener, broadened my view of this epic story of life that we have a role in.  Yet most importantly, I learned about who God was when I read the gospel of John during the summer of 1980 - that experience seemed to change my life's course forever.

Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) is studied the book of John during the 2023-2024 season.  What a wonderful opportunity to walk alongside others learning more about what God's revealed about Himself, Us, and the future too.  I plan to trust God with every reading, lesson, prayer, lecture, and group study.  Oh that He will bring me closer to walk more faithfully, hopefully, and humbly with Him - to be free indeed! 

The author, the Apostle John, is described as Jesus' best friend and the Apostle whom Jesus loved.  John was the only one of the 12 who wasn't martyred for his faith.  He was persecuted for his faith yet God protected him and we can learn soo... much from his letter that he wrote towards the end of his most well-lived life.  Why not pick up your bible today and read more about who God is?  He revealed much to the Apostle John throughout his incarnation and as the risen Christ too.  I'm so thankful that John faithfully recorded his revelations.  God doesn't change so we can trust what we learn about Him - what He was like then is true about Him now too.

The only church in town will introduce people to God.  They'll preach and teach His revelation about: Himself; creation; Us; how we might live a fruit-bearing life with God in Christ; and the future that will happen.  What they learn and experience will likely lead them to praise, worship, and service.  They'll learn that the best place to work out life is within the will of God.  His will will be worked out with you or without you.  They'll learn that the best condition is to be safe within the hands of God in Christ.

Just for today...

"The surest plan to make a Man is: Think him so."  James R. Lowell

"I was confident and capable. They all seemed to be whiners or perfectionists . . . As confident and capable as I was, I was afraid to speak up and ask for help . . . Her voice trembled as she admitted she desperately needed a sponsor but was afraid to ask anyone. She began to cry. Another member passed a box of tissues, and as I took the box in my hands, I realized that the frightened voice was my own . . . The same people I had once looked down upon now appeared to me as angels."  Hope for Today (p. 264)

September 10th - "Fake it to make it" or "accept another's belief until it's real for you?"

The story...

We invited a new couple from our church to our home for dinner.  After dinner, we were sitting out on the deck discussing essentials of the Christian faith and contrasting that knowledge with the actual reality of a faith worked out - a real and working relationship with God and other people too.  Uncomfortably, we opened up the subject of "faking it to make it."  Clearly they were not attending this "new" church to be with people who were faking their Christian faith; yet, we acknowledged that trying on the Christian faith might be part of a process by which selves do work out a sort of death in preparation for beginning life as a new sort of creature in Christ.  They did move on to another church not long after our dinner discussion - that's okay.

Faking a belief that you hope is true, so that it might become real, seems wrong.  Wanting to believe what another person believes and therefore believing that they believe as a first step also seems wrong.  Yet, both of these paths might lead to that illusive outcome that's promised to be the very best.

Will the only church in town instruct children to act in a manner that's in accordance with the will of God before they're saved - yes.  Will non-believers be accepted just as they are and be allowed to act out the role outwardly before they are changed internally - yes.  Ideally it'd be different but it often ain't.

Just for today...

"Gradually and together we built roots and a pair of wings so I could soar and feel connected at the same time. I borrowed her faith until I acquired my own."  Hope for Today (p. 254)

"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster."  Friedrich Nietzsche

September 8th - "Believe that thou mayest understand."

The story...

One day I heard the good news of the gospel and believed.  Some great other worldly event happened that day - scripture says my name was written in The Book of Life.  Another day, I chose to fully trust God's Word and to drop the doubting inklings that held me back. Thereafter, I walked more closely with God in thought, prayer, quiet meditation, and in awe of His mysterious workings within my life.  I began to live a more thankful, curious, loving, honest, and expectant life.  I became a good character in the greatest story of all time - more rightly walking humbly with God.  Loving the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, and soul.  Loving myself more and my neighbor too - through the power of God.

Oxford site where Inklings met on Tuesday mornings

The only church in town would not leave new believers, of the Good News, as babies who can't yet chew the meat of God's revealed Word.  They'd share their knowledge, faith, actualities, and more humbly walk through life together with God by faith.

I continue to be in awe of the wonder of creation, life, this day, and this breath.  Please join me in praising God in thankfulness - fully trusting.

Just for today...

"What obstacles block me from tuning over my will and my life to God? In my case, the answer is obvious: I want guarantees. I hold out, thinking that I'll come up with a new solution to my problems even though I've tried and failed, again and again. The risk of faith seems too great. If I turn a situation over, I won't be in control. I can't be sure I'll get my way." Courage to Change (p. 252)

“For understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore do not seek to understand in order to believe, but believe that thou mayest understand.”  Saint Augustine, Homilies on the Gospel of John, 29.6, vol. 7, (p. 184)

"If I bring sunshine into our home, it cannot fail to affect those in it."  One Day at a Time (p. 252)