November 26th - Relationship Sweet Spots - Good Vibrations

The story...

Close relationships are an important part of life - likely why this post took so many words to explain.  Relationships require an investment of my whole person for focused periods of time.  Here's the glue that seems to help them grow within my life walk:

• Who: similar personalities and journeys - ages from 35 younger to five older
• What: naturally balanced listening and sharing - share what is and may be
• Where: coffee shop, restaurant, church, or phone.
• When: monthly person-to-person - convenient time of day - one to two+ hours
• Why:  honest life shares - giving & receiving - growing together
• How: sharing equally with few unrequested opinions - like a good game of tennis

How's a strong relationship like a good game of tennis?  You share equally and often like a tennis volley with an information-packet ball.  Each is respected or you won't continue to play.  You'll periodically meet at mutually agreeable times and courts.  You'll have similar expectations for volleying conversation.  You'll accommodate your partner's quirks and limitations.  You'll enjoy returning their shot from your racquet's sweet-spot at a similar energy level.  The conversation will be invigorating as if you're fully both connected; yet, independent too.

Please don't turn the joyful relationship into a win-lose game like tennis may be.  I heard Maryland's football coach once say his team's "care factor" was excellent.  The "care factor" measure correlated closely with success.  Close friends would measure their relationships high on the care-factor scale.

The sweet-spot of the racquet is where the vibrations of the racquet cancel out and the forces are more fully transferred into the ball return.  Those vibrations are irritating, fatiguing and even harmful to our bodies.  Yes, a good conversation and a good tennis volley are similar.  We all know how fatiguing unwanted "vibes" between people can be.  Bad vibes aren't okay within a close relationship - they continually wear down, erode, and destroy relationships.

The only church in town will be one group with a kind of personality of it's own.  There'll be sub-groups that'll have their own personalities too.   Within these "purposed" groups you'll find opportunities to develop friendships with people more like you.  These relationships will be like honestly walking side-by-side through life.  Discussions will likely engage the mind, senses, feelings, inner-man, and spirit too.  When our journey strays off track, a friend can help us "wake up" and return to the better way.

We're blinded to spiritual reality when we focus on ourselves and ignore who we actually are as creatures - creatures created by a living and active God.  He's interested and powerfully working through our todays, tomorrows, and our eternal future too - He says so.  Experiencing a relationship with Him in Christ is like no other - "I'm with Him."

Just for today...

"... we don't tell anybody what to do. People only accept and use advice they're ready for . . . When I am asked for advice, I know only what I would do if I were faced with the same problem, and not what would be right for another."  One Day at a Time (p. 331)

"I learned to trust no one, to stay silent at all costs, to stuff my feelings, never to stand up for myself, to take on more responsibility than I could handle, to love conditionally, and to tell white lies to cover up my home life. No wonder as an adult I perceived that close interpersonal relationships were like constantly moving targets.  Usually I was the one who was moving because I lacked the skills to develop and maintain healthy adult relationships."  Hope for Today (p. 331)

"He serves; She receives - Returns follow; Swings adapt."
"Volley sustained; Connected pair - Two as one; Wholly together."   Am I a Poet?

November 25th - Imagined reality - bent truth

The story...

Is it wise to imagine and create a positive self image?  Why not choose a better identity and change how you wish to be perceived?  You could plan and execute the change.  Through interpersonal strength, you'd hold onto, and defend, the imagined reality even if it required bending the truth.  Is that what it takes to be perceived as a good actor and reap rewards within the game of life?  Sadly, imagined realities and stories don't mesh well with others who're doing the same.  So, you might work to influence, manipulate, or control them so that they support your story.  Treat them like supporting actors in the story of "me."  It's hard to write this, let alone read it aloud - my inner-man can seem like that.

Surely, living alongside other selfish people can be harsh.  It may seem reasonable to adopt a self-created role that allows us to get along while "trying" to meet our own needs.  When efforts to get along don't work, we may pick up our toys and go home - stay isolated.  We might seek warmth and comfort by wrapping up in that old-raggedy blanket of our self image - sounds a bit cold and Grinchy.

The only church in town will share God's revealed Word about the nature that we were born with - that selfish, self-sustaining, and self-promoting nature who thinks of me first.  They'll hear about what God did to redeem His creatures, pay our God-offensive sin debts, so that we might walk through this life and eternity with our most holy God and Father - peacefully.  Wow, they'll hear that good news there - "the" story to know and share.

Just for today...

"Sometimes the greatest growth comes through pain, but it's not the pain that helps me grow, it's my response to it.  Will I suffer through the experiences and continue as before or let the pain inspire change that helps me grow?"  Courage to Change (p. 330)

"Imagined greatness; Happiness to garner - Resist His truth; Life dwindles afar."   Am I a Poet?

October 31st - I'm okay in Christ

The story...

Numbness in both legs began - it couldn't be ignored as I was lovin' on my grand daughter by carrying her to the car after the hockey tournament.  The reality of the degenerating lumbar vertebrae could no longer be ignored.  My behavior wasn't in synch with the reality of my nervous system condition.  My body gave me direct and pointed feedback - ouch, reality sat in.

I expected that some nice person would call to schedule an MRI.  They'd insert my body in a big-metal tube to take 3D pictures of unseen reality.  I expected that two of the disks would be a bit flatter and more protruded than before.  And, the stenosis would've narrowed the holes that nerves thread through.  I'd be more aware of my limitations...

The surgeon told me in 2009 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.  It seems that my top-three choices are to: be thankful for every miraculous breath; imagine an alternate reality; or whine and complain - sometimes I choose all three.

The only church in town will offer opportunities to walk side-by-side others as "we" walk humbly with God.  A more honest life may be lived with a clearer, albeit veiled, view of spiritual realities and eternity 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)

"Imagined bad; Fears me so - Rush to fix; Refuse to slow."
"Let'em be; You and me - Trust His Word; Spirit see."   Am I a Poet?

September 30th - Imagining God's Word or what I might worry into existence?

The story...

I silently sang songs from a "Young Life" song book one morning.  I seemed to wander into an imaginary trip of: past experiences, feelings, and glimpses of what might be true for us.

Maybe I imagined more when I was young - before the reality of the middle chapters of life were written.  The future was unknown then; yet, I question how much I do remember of what actually happened.  My perspectives were limited.  There was much I didn't perceive with by my five senses.

I can only imagine

The only church in town will work out life within community - one that trusts God's revelations.  A community that's enlightened by His Word.  As we imagine realities that are only partially witnessed, we're able to experience glimpses of so much more.  "I can only imagine..."

Just for today...

"This day is all I have to work with. The past is over and tomorrow is out of reach."  Courage to Change (p. 274)

"Worry ahead; Sad behind - Forget now; Self malign."
"Be present; Honest take - Righteously stand; Future remake."    Am I a Poet?

September 22nd - Pilgrim's Progress - The 1678 Christian Life Allegory

The story...

"If you're in another frustrating emotional exchange - drop the tug-of-war rope."  I remember hearing about this "tool" from another person who described it as one she used on her journey to becoming a better person.  She recalled feeling worthy of being loved and able to more fully love others too.  "Dropping the rope" seemed easy to do so I "tried it on" for a few days - the results were real good.  I shared my exuberance for the "tool" application at our next meeting.  I  was ready to "try on" more live-giving ways of living from these new friends who'd traveled a similar road.  As we listened and shared, our lives began to grow together - we seemed to be walking side-by-side as fellow sojourners towards the "Celestial City" - enjoying each other's company along the way.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The Pilgrims Progress

The only church in town will offer, those who might read Pilgrim's Progress, a better understanding of our life journey towards that celestial city.  The church will offer fellow pilgrims God's revelation about Him, faith, hope, peace, love, joy, our future, and sustenance for our most adventurous-life journey.

Just for today...

"It's a wonderful opportunity to practice giving unconditional love and support by simply listening.  Many of us hear stories that are similar to our own; others can often identify with the feelings that are expressed. Perhaps we will be reminded of where we have been and how far we have come."  Courage to Change (p. 266)

"Worrying about trifles saps my spiritual energy which I could certainly put to better use. Am I willing to waste my life in this way? . . . I will not be made uneasy by what others do, whether they intend to hurt me or not. I will not clutter up my thoughts with resentment; it would not profit me, worse it would hurt me."  One Day at a Time (p. 266)

"Sometimes I'm afraid I'll have to separate from my family members to maintain my quest for healthy living, especially when they deny and justify their unacceptable behavior . . . I am slowly learning that trying to change someone else's behavior to suit my needs is an exercise in futility and frustration. Truly profound power and peace lie in the ability to change my behavior to suit my needs . . . I can accept people as they are."  Hope for Today (p. 266)

"Seven people; Gifted lives - Family formed; Wholly abide."
"Sin separates; Drifts apart - Love lost; Isolated hurt."
"One's saved; Shares faith - Other's believe; God's work."   Am I a Poet?

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 church to our home for dinner.  After dinner, we were sitting out on the deck discussing some 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, I regretfully opened up the subject of "fake it to make it."  Clearly they were not attending this "new" church where some people 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 - my self focus likely drove me to think that "I" may have been "the" reason why.

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 a most wonderful outcome.

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

"Acted the part; Hoped it true - God took me; Born anew."   Am I a Poet?

September 5th - Living in an imaginary reality?

The story...

I loved the idea of the Olympic Games and often imagined competing in my favorite event(s) - decathlon, downhill skiing, biathlon...  I'd be the victorious one who worked hard to overcome all problems and shortcomings to be the best.  "It would be soo... great to win."

It pained me to think that the wait was four years between events.  I do wonder whether the reality of the games was as good as I hoped it would be.  I never actually went to the games and the TV coverage was much more limited then.  Was I living in that imaginary world trying to fulfill latent needs?   I sure enjoyed following: Mark Spitz, Bruce Jenner, Edwin Moses, Eric Heiden, Usain Bolt, Bode Miller, Katie Ledecky...

Pride in Country and dreams of winning in the game of life seemed like positive character traits.  Did they compel me to want to be a better man?  If I couldn't reasonably win, I likely lived in a more imaginary world where I might.  Was I spending too much of my thought life in an imagined future versus living out the actual day(s) that were mine?

I expect that the only church in town would preach the Good News of how we can live out this life, and the one to follow, walking humbly and closer with God.  Imagining the future and reflecting on the past may be helpful; yet, they surely shouldn't supersede living out today's reality.  Today is where we can actually live out the miracle of life in the presence of God.

Just for today...

"I'd get so caught up in what I was going to do that I often wasn't aware of what I was doing now . . . I give thanks for the little joys in each day. I still make plans, but I don't let my thoughts erase the present. Anticipation is sweet, but not at the cost of today."  Hope for Today (p. 249)

"The true nature of my problems was my stubborn refusal to acknowledge feelings, to accept them, and to let them go. I have very little power over what feelings arise, but what I choose to do about them is my responsibility. Today I can accept my feelings, share about them with others, recognize they are feelings, not facts, and let them go."  Courage to Change (p. 249)

"Our greatest handicap is self-deception. We cannot recognize in ourselves the faults we criticize in others."  One Day at a Time (p. 249)

"May be; Oh so great - That'd be good; Must wait."
"Today's iffy; Why strive? - Big or little; I'm alive!"    Am I a Poet?

August 6th - What's a really-good day look like?

The story...

There was a summer, during my middle-school years, when I didn't do much.  I delivered my daily newspapers, participated in family stuff, watched too much TV and daydreamed.  Strangely, I remember contemplating my rather dull summer while thinking it really didn't make any difference - the summer was nearly over too for those who actually lived out the type of summer I hoped for.  Yes, that chunk of life was over for everyone.

Daydream - Lovin' Spoonful

What would I tell the teenage me If I could sit down with him back then?  Would I tell him about the good circumstances that awaited?  Would I tell the rather short me that I'd grow to be 6' 4" tall?  Would I tell him that it was better than he thought?  Would I share an appreciation for the good that was actually available?  Or, would I tell him to focus on the greatest two commandments in the bible:  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, strength, and mind.  And, love your neighbor as yourself?  I expect what I really needed was to understand, be understood, and to learn to love and be loved just as I was.

Would you rather be loved in poor circumstances or unloved in favorable circumstances?  In my humble opinion, my best days are those where I'm loving my neighbors as myself.  A day when I'm a best friend to me which seems to serve as a source of strength for loving other people.  And, I can only love me if I'm right with, or at peace with, God the Father.

People attending the only church in town will hear about how they too might be right with God the Father through His provision.  The bible says faith in His Son's redeeming death, burial and resurrection positions people in Christ - a place where we can be rightly related to God and enjoy a most wonderful condition both now and forevermore. (Ephesians 1)

Just for today...

"I would put aside critical thoughts of others. I would notice interesting things - the expressions on people's faces, a plant growing on my windowsill, the grace and charm of a child, an arrangement of clouds. Today there are wonders all around me, if I will open my eyes and enjoy them."  One Day at a Time (p. 219)

"Wonders of life; These I see - Right with God; Okay with me."
"Eyes off me; Know you too - Life grows us; Eternity's view."    Am I a Poet?

August 4th - Express yourself - really

The story...

A guest speaker described his perceived value of knowing the difference between his imagined self and his real self.  Yes, we all likely developed and refined an image of who we were to "better" cope with the realities of life. 

Our need to belong to, or fit in with, a group often leads to a sort of group think - a place where pleasing people and conforming to group norms is very important.  Bruce Lee describes his value of expressing himself within the following video.

Isn't it best to belong to and fit into the group that you identify with?  Isn't it polite and respectful to think and behave like the group?  You did have some control over the decision to join the group and possibly even become a "member."  

Visitors to the only church in town will likely find a different world view - a place where they might express a more true self.  It seems they'd start with themselves, then with others, and ideally with God too.  Or, it could be another place where they'd merely conform to the new group norms - if they feel group acceptance then they're okay?  Maybe they aren't okay if they merely fit in.

For me, it seems that we'd all want to be our true selves walking in a actual relationship with our Creator and God - being okay each day and expectantly living with eternity in view.  Yet, that means that our imagined self would need to be transformed in a sort of death.  Our imagined self, or ego, seems to want an environment that conforms with, and bolsters, this image that's been developed and refined throughout a lifetime.

Just for today...

"'But he knew what I expected,' not realizing that it may have been precisely for this reason that he rebelled and acted otherwise."  One Day at a Time (p. 217)

"Since my parents were my main authorities in my life until then, I expected my boss to treat me the same way my parents did.  I acted on the expectation by shutting down in fear.  If I felt uncomfortable about something in the workplace, I kept quiet. When I felt my employee rights were violated, I stuffed my anger."  Hope for Today (p. 217)

"Day's sunny; Healthy too - Why so sad; Feelin blue?"
"Lost connections; Relationship drift -Honest reflection; Humble shift."
"Praying and quiet; God restores - Loving others; Mine and yours."    Am I a Poet?

July 28th - Living in the present - takes time to live there.

The story...

"What are you thinking about right now?"  I remember asking that question to multiple people who answered with their response: "nothing."  Since I seemed to be constantly thinking about things, I interpreted their feedback as not being very self-aware, hiding their thoughts, self-medicated, or merely being a non-contemplative personality.  To my knowledge, it never crossed my mind that they might be living in, and experiencing, the "present" as opposed to living in the "past" or "future."

How did I wake up to the value of living in the present?  A significant personal issue led me along a path of brokenness and obsession.  I mulled over probable causes for the turmoil and searched for those who contributed to the problem.  I was obsessing over the situation and it was affecting me negatively - physically, mentally, spiritually, and relationally.  I met with a group of people, who had experienced similar life brokenness, and they taught me the value of living in the present where life, the Spirit of God, and real relationships are worked out in reality.

I practiced, living in the present, while hiking in the woods.  When obsessive thinking about the past or future began to weigh heavy upon my shoulders; I figuratively, and literally, brushed them off with my hand.  I focused on my five senses and better experienced what was going on in my environment, my heart, and my spirit too.  The process of "living in the present" took about two years to integrate into the actualities and patterns of my life - wonderfully changed to a more whole and true me.

I've been told that living too much in the past leads to depression and that living too much in the future leads to prolonged anxiety - that rang true to me.  Living in the present, where actual life and God are, clearly seems to be the best way to experience reality, relationships, love, and that seemingly illusive good and satisfying life.  You just might find all joy and hope there too (Romans 15:13).

The people visiting the only church in town may witness love and the value of living within God's presence.  He performed the great work to offer relationship-busting sin forgiveness to all who believe and trust Him and His Word.   That sin separated us from living "the good life" in the "present" walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8) - true peace positioned in Him.

Just for today...

"A stonecutter may strike a rock ninety-nine times with no apparent effect, not even a crack on the surface.  Yet with the hundredth blow, the rock splits in two. It was not the final blow that did the trick, but all that had gone before . . . The results may have revealed themselves abruptly, but I know that all those months of faith and hard work made the change possible."  Courage to Change (p. 210)

"He did it; Beautifully true - Simply believed; Adopted son"
"New-day dawn; Eternal glimpse -Relationship bonds; Lasting anew."
"Story shared; Another believes - Body grows; Eternity views."   Am I a Poet?

July 20th - Live in an imaginary reality?

The story...

Males in my mother's and father's families were all balding except for one.  My receding hairline and "spot" were visible in my wedding pictures.  I knew it was happening yet it crept up slowly.  Then, there was the day that my friend who cut my hair, Penny, reached for the electric cutter rather than the scissors.  She admitted that trimmers would do just as good as scissors.  Did we have to give up our regular meetings and friendship?  The day that I finally accepted that I was bald and began cutting my own hair was a good one.  I let loose of the old and accepted the reality of the new.  Actually, there're advantages living in the reality of being a bald guy.  I could list a few, that you might not be aware of, but that's not what this story's about.

Living within the reality of our actual: environment, mental state, physical condition, and spiritual experience is the best place to be - peace, well being, and joy can be found there.  Living in an imaginary place, within any of these dimensions, is like living in a house of cards.  Maybe hyped-up emotions are an indicator or sign that you might be living outside reality.  Might those over reactions, and need to do exciting stuff with amped-up emotions, indicate a life lived in the uncomfortable state of an imagined reality?   Are our emotions like gauges that might give us clues as to "What's going on?"

"What's going on?"  4 Non-Blondes

The only church in town would be a place where you can find out what's going on.  People who reach out in love may ask you.  And, most importantly, you can hear and better understand what God has revealed about what's really going on.

Just for today...

"By clutching at what we most want to keep, we lose it all the more rapidly . . . By letting go of our efforts to influence the future, we become freer to experience the present, to feel all of our feelings while they are happening, and to more full enjoy those precious moments of joy with which we are blessed."  Courage to Change (p. 202)

"Squinting skews; Headphone fetter - Imagining's good; Reality's better."   Am I a Poet?

June 29th - Is Isolation a Sort of Cloaking Device?

The story...

I remember day dreaming about a scenario where everybody else was frozen in time . . . paused . . . and I was free to roam and do as I pleased.  At first, it seemed exciting breaking all of the rules and having free reign to go anywhere that I wanted to; but, I imagined transportation, food, and safety issues.  Then, I'd have to admit that it would be horribly lonely and purposeless living in isolation without relationships.  No, it wouldn't be better, more comfortable, enjoyable or even exciting for long.

How do we best respond when we're emotionally hurt by other people?  Do people really respond like Steve Martin in the movie "The Jerk?" Imagining we are self sufficient, don't need anyone else, pretending everything's okay, and moving further down the spiral towards self isolation.

What do we get when we self isolate?  Obsessive thoughts that justify the isolation along with their physical, mental and emotional consequences?   Erosion of the social skills that enabled us to get along with and cooperate with other selfish people?  A kind of withdrawal like Maverick's in Top Gun: "Maverick Engage!"

Cabbie's Imagined place of peace and bliss - Movie - Collateral

I hope that the only church in town will allow people the freedom to live out their lives themselves alongside others.  I hope that they wouldn't stay away from others for too long.  I hope that a good neighbor, who's also loved by God, would take the first steps toward creating a bridge for them to reenter community. ✌

Just for today...

"Each unconsciously suppresses facts that might reflect badly on him or her, and exaggerates the other's faults."  One Day at at Time (p. 181)

"I no longer merely have to survive the hour, the day, or even the year in loneliness and isolation.  Instead I can learn to trust someone else and take chances..."  Hope for Today (p. 181)

"They're not safe; Yet they're fun - Let's abide; Not gonna run."
"Accept their love; As it's given - Fill your tank; Start a liven."
"Love overflows; Natural and true - He's the source; Comin thru you."   Am I a Poet?

June 14th - It works for me - why not for you too?

The story...

Oh the countless hours spent coaching others regarding how they might best improve their lives based on my own learnings and experiences.  Sharing my ways of living seemed like a noble endeavor.  This "story teller" style of interaction attracted listeners.  The dream of telling stories as a professor seemed like a good person-job fit so I worked that long winding path towards a PhD.  The last ten years of my career were spent living out my dream job.

I imagined being a professor who lived on a quiet-tree-lined street, in a one-story house, with a big front porch.  Students would stop by to discuss their research work, to talk about life, or to imagine what might be.  We'd work consulting engagements together where we'd make a real difference.  As you might expect, it didn't work out the way I imagined.  Students and fellow professors tired me by the end of the day and I looked forward to retiring to my condo outside of campus.

Towards the end of the semester, during my first year teaching in Duluth, MN, a student made a comment to me within a large lecture hall.  "I don't see why we're tested on opinions that you have about anything - shouldn't we be tested on what's proved to be true about the subject?"  He was right; thereafter, I clearly distinguished my opinion from the body of knowledge that we studied together.

So, I do know a lot of stuff; yet, know that a man should be taught as though they've not been taught. Who can know the will of God for another person?  Within the past three years, I've more frequently kept my opinions to myself and found that I now have few opinions as to what another person might best do or be.  It seems, I don't naturally gravitate to forming opinions about other people anymore.  I do look for, and greatly appreciate, closer relationships with other people and, most importantly, a closer walk with God through the Spirit of Christ.

Interpersonal skills worthy of emulating...

Within the only church in town, people would be allowed to actually grow in their love for God, for themselves, and for other people too.  Each person loving in their own unique way and at their own pace.   The measure of their faith wouldn't be primarily based on their knowledge of scripture or church resume - they'd be a unique work of God, rightly related to Him, and humbly walking together.

Just for today...

"It's only natural to want to share what works for me with those I love.  But, when I must share it now, I may be more interested in changing others than in sharing my experience, strength, and hope."  Courage to Change (p. 166)

"We ought not to insist on everyone following in our footsteps, nor to take upon ourselves to give instructions in spirituality when, perhaps, we do not even know what it is."  Teresa of Avila

"Barney works; Betty cares - Fred bowls; Wilma shares"
"Easy to see; As they are - With big ears; We'll learn far."   Am I a Poet?

May 23rd - I still haven't found what I'm looking for - I'm still running...

The story...

U2's song, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" resonates with "seekers."  I've traveled far, grown much, enjoy a life of prayer, seen fruit born even through me, but I still haven't found what I'm looking for.  My inner-man desires something better.  A place that fits better, more fulfilling, "righter..."  I've witnessed veiled glimpses of spiritual/eternal reality; yet, I want more.

Sistine Chapel - Not home yet

The only church in town would communicate, learn, share and work out what God has revealed about Him, us, and our future too.  No, I ain't home yet.

Just for today...

"I must go past all the tempting self-justification, the 'reasons' that lack the shine of truth.  I tell myself that self-deception can only damage me in giving me a foggy, unreal picture of the person I really am."  One Day a Time (p. 146)

"Seeking truth; Livin real - Loved & Lovin; The real deal."   Am I a Poet?

May 10th: Peace in the present

 The story...

It seems that people would want to be at peace with themselves and with others - some tried in the anti-war peace movement in the 1960s.  Yet: people disappoint or hurt us; resources are limited; suffering occurs; our decisions have consequences; we hear of daily acts of violence; God's will is different from ours...

I decided to make a concerted effort to promote peace within my family by giving every member a "Peace Frog" t-shirt for Christmas.  I really didn't wear the one pictured below.  I don't think that my family members wore theirs either.  Actually, I merely wore my peace shirt underneath a sweater.  It felt good to sport it without blaring the message towards others.

Humans don't seem peaceful by nature.  Efforts toward an imagined ideal seem good; yet, reality seems to be the better place to live.  Scripture shines light of truth regarding who God is; how we creatures can rightly relate with Him; and promise for our future with Him in Christ.  When we creatures are at peace with our Holy Creator, He indwells us in the person of the Holy Spirit.  Through Him, we're able to bear peace like an apple tree bears apples.

I 'm often surprised when I witness community peace worked out under the light of day.  People would witness and enjoy that kind of peace within the only church in town.  I want to hang out in a place like that - "Right On!"

Shalom

Just for today...

"My unexpected situation turned into a pleasure-filled gift, once I was willing to look at it differently." Hope for Today (p. 131)

"He that is in perfect peace suspects no one, but he that is discontented and disturbed is tossed about with various suspicions..."  Thomas à Kempis

"Peace be real; Lovin still - Livin together; This we will."   Am I a Poet?

May 4th - Mansion on the Hill

The story...

Are you okay with your character within the epic story of life?  I expect it's good to want to improve our condition yet it's probably more important to appreciate the good in what we got.

I remember imagining how great it would be to be a professor.  Graduate students working real projects alongside me and even stopping by my house to talk about their ideas and lives too.  I'd live in a one-story-brick house with a big front porch.  It'd never be winter on that tree-lined street where everybody felt welcomed.  We'd share our lives as we worked through the reality of this world and what might be.  I'd attend lectures, plays, and concerts.  Life would be bigger, wiser, and more fulfilling. 

The idea was compelling enough that I worked long and hard to earn my PhD and find that university job.  It was good; yet, it wasn't as I imagined.  I was tired at the end of a work day and looked forward to returning to my condo - away from campus, fellow professors, and the students too. 

Most people aren't alive and their time under the sun is over.  Biology, astronomy and the science leave me in awe of this "miracle" of life.  Wow, you and I are both alive if you're reading this sentence.  That's a big wow!

We can waste our life dreaming of a better reality, the "mansion on the hill," and miss the wonderful reality of what truly is.  Bruce Springsteen's album "Nebraska" does a good job of delving into the hopes, dreams, and the struggles of being human - the lyrics, guitar, harmonica and his comfortable voice resonated with my soul during a couple phases of my life.

We can look at life as good or bad.  Suffering breaks some people yet leads others to trust in God and His Word for their past, present and future.  I hope that the only church in town will be a place of joy and hope amidst suffering.  Their countenances and talk would speak of overflowing thankfulness for journeying though a life in Christ.   I hope we wouldn't find people commiserating in their futility - hoping for that fulfilling mansion on a hill.

Just for today...

"If a man happens to find himself, he has a mansion which he can inhabit with dignity all the days of his life."  James Michener

"When a man of good-will is troubled or tempted or afflicted with evil thoughts, then he can better understand how great a need he has of faith in God."  Thomas à Kempis

"Got me an itch; Won't go away - Tried this and that; What do I say?"
"Satisfied I ain't; Longing to please - Others don't help; Often they tease."
"Rest my mind; Trust God's true - Eyes off me; No longer blue."    Am I a Poet?

March 8th - A friend to all is a friend to none

 The story...

When in my 20s, I had a reoccurring fantasy of owning a bar that sold food.  I'd stop by a couple of times per day to see the familiar, laugh with friends, and meet new people too.  Saturday mornings would find me doing the "books" at my favorite seat - "my" booth.  The morning sun would be shinning through the windows and I'd feel comfort and self-fulfillment.

A few times a year, me and my friend, drank beer and dined at a place called "Tip a Few" in Grand Haven, MI.  It's similar but different from my imagined place of goodness and comfort. I liked to order a pitcher of "Pabst Blue Ribbon" beer - the beer I often shared with friends during my college years.  Inevitably, I'd resurrect the dream of owning my bar with great enthusiasm.  The one who knows me well would say "here you go again" and they'd sit back with "that smile I hold dear" as I retold my vision of how it would be and how great it would feel.  Five minutes after we left the front door I'd again say: "what was I thinking?"  Then, the one who knows me well would squeeze my hand and we'd walk on together - laughing.   

Since September 2020, no alcohol has entered my body.  Personally, I had practical and situational reasons for stopping - it seemed clearly good for me.  I've started other good habits that're now part of who I am.  The change hasn't affected where I go much; yet, once I returned to "Tip a Few."  The people respectfully served me water and I enjoyed the experience with muchness.  That old-fond dream seems to be vanquished and gone forever - that's good.  It's part of a better alignment between my body, mind, and soul.

It's water

Would the only church in town attempt to simulate this common "good" experience with coffee bars and breakfast nooks?  I've witnessed a few good "tries" yet they seemed to be a bit pretentious and fall short - they weren't the thing.  I expect that people, who'd go to the only church in town, would be looking for the real thing - to better know the Word of "That Than Which there is No Greater," to know more of what is really going on, and to be more like the person that He is and wants them to be - their aim. 

 

Just for today...

"A friend to all is a friend to none."   The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle (340 BCE)

"The clinking sound; The happy hum - Shoulder to shoulder; I loved that bar."
"It wasn't the place; Alcohol unneeded - Closely felt; Interlude of peace."   Am I a poet?

March 7th - Imagined reality

The story...

Have you ever imagined something and then built it?  You weren't too sure about how it'd work out in "actuality;" yet, you got started.  You laid the pieces out on the table.  You arranged and substituted until it seemed just right.  While admiring your work, you might've felt a deep-internal satisfaction.  Your body secreted hormones emoting happiness.  The symmetry, the colors, the flaw, the shadows, the order . . . you liked looking at it.  What's the cause of this deep-felt satisfaction? 

I made this isosceles triangle one 2022 day. The story isn't found in what it's for.  It's more about the idea of working an imagined idea into reality, pondering it, and enjoying it.  Actually taking the time to pause, observe, and see in solitude.  Scripture says that God created - He knew who we'd be.  He enjoys His creation and creatures.  I wonder if God feels something like I feel, albeit infinitely greater and different, as He observes us?  Is this another way we're made in the image of God?

How does this apply to the only church in town?  Most churches design a building to fit the group's expected needs and hopes.  Those that helped create it have a special affinity for it.  Thirty years from now the people will be different, the building a bit more decayed, and patches will've given it a different look.  

The Apostle Paul refers to the "Body of Christ" as a called-out group of people.  Grasping this most wonderful idea requires our imagination as we read what's been revealed about it.  Through faith, you just might sense the beginnings of this wonderful, yet mystical, union of people in reality - introspection and contemplation required. 

Just for today...

"I don't have to look back at past ugliness except to learn from it, to enhance the present, and to release whatever beauty is trapped behind old secrets and self-defeating attitudes." Courage to Change (p. 67)

"I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’ To a nation which did not call on My name."  Isaiah 65:1 (NASB)

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13 (NASB)

"Mind's canvas; Imagining what could - Ways and means; Bend the future."    Am I a Poet

February 9th - Live for Today, Plan for Tomorrow, Think on Eternity

 The story...

The speaker offered a new way of thinking within a good life: "LIVE for today; PLAN for tomorrow; and THINK on eternity."  This frame-of-mind seemed to be true with "face validity" - the kind of motto that a wise man might live by.  So, I pondered the motto and shared it's meaning with 100's of people; yet, I didn't really internalize it.  Why?  Maybe I didn't spend most of my time living in the present reality and my thoughts tended to camp out more in the past or the immediate future.  Now I can more clearly imagine what it might be like 10,000 years from now in the next life: "You where one of the people that our Lord Jesus the Christ purchased from that sin dominated old world?  Wow!  What was it like?"

Iniquity may be defined as a person's actions that don't match up with their thoughts, inner-man, or heart.  Iniquity can lead us into a mindset characterized by shame and guilt for what what we've done and expect to do in the future.  Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, having paid the penalty for both our past and future iniquity, can lead a man to be truly free - Free from shame and guilt both within our own psyche and, most importantly, at the final judgement day of God. 

How would this motto and perspective best work out in the only church in town?  It's likely that their behavior would exhibit strengths, weaknesses, character flaws and occasional fruit that they seem to be gifted with. They'd be doers who uniquely work out what they know to be true about themselves and God in the present.  Together they'd be better equipped to move forward toward a right path within God's will.  Success, despite their flaws, would bring glory to their God whom they serve.

Just for today...

"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."  This quote and the following painting are from an abstract impressionist painter Hans Hofmann.   Thank you Hans.

February 6th - From Imagination to Sketch

 The story...

What might the only church in town look like?  I asked a sketching-hobbyist friend to paint a one-church town.   She responded with questions regarding what I wanted it to look like.   I asked her not to bias or restrict her imagination - "Please sketch the purpose of the blog."  She agreed to draw her image; yet, seemed a bit uneasy regarding how "good" it would be - would it meet my expectations?  She did good...

I wonder if we'd more readily "draw" from our inner-person, soul, or heart, if we periodically did spiritual reality assessments.  It seems like we'd grow in self-awareness as we pray, quietly meditate, and bend our ear toward God.  Is this part of what it means to walk humbly with God?

Just for today...

"Troubles are opportunities to grow, to make us better, not bitter.  Rightly used, we can learn from them not to repeat our own mistakes."  One Day at a Time (p. 37)

"When in doubt, don't."  Courage to Change (p. 37)

"Idea played; Formed in soul - Hand realized; Wonderfully new!"  Am I a Poet?