April 30th - Preventive Maintenance

The story...

I heard that a part on my car was likely to fail and potentially leave me stranded.  So, one Saturday I went to AutoZone to buy the replacement part and install it, in my driveway, that afternoon.   I imagined a fulfilling experience while listening to the Detroit Tigers - the repair would go the way I planned.  I could do it by myself.

"If it ain't broke don't fix it"  I turned around and met a man who'd given me this unexpected advice while waiting in the AutoZone line.  He heard me explain to the guy at the counter what I wanted and why I wanted it.  "When you loosen bolts, free it with a hammer, and take the wiring clips apart you change the system, create new problems, the unexpected happens..."  I thanked him, and the guy at the counter too, and left without the part.  I don't know if the part eventually failed, if I truly avoided the repair cost, or if  other problems might've truly been averted.

I'm so thankful that this man intervened in my life - he could've remained silent.  He also explained why he and his friends owned S10 pickups - they're a simple design, easy to understand, and easy to fix.  His friends worked together to solve their common problem - everybody needs a vehicle to get them from here to there.  He said that they got together most Saturdays to maintain their trucks and live life together too.

An S10

The group of guys, working on their S10s, was an "ecclesia."  Ecclesia is the Greek word for "a called out group of people."  The New Testament word, ecclesia, is translated as church in my Bible translation.  Does that mean that this guy and his friends were a church that met regularly and cared for each other?  How might the only church in town be better off if it were more like this group of S10 owners?  It sounds much better than working on my car alone - hoping that things go well and relying on me.

Just for today...

"When I put my experiences into words, they seem more real and  I am less likely to push them aside. As a result, I can often face problems when they are still only slight irritations and deal with them before they grow and take over."  Courage to Change (p. 121)

"On the rare occasions, I get a negative comment, I consider what I can learn and turn it over to God as something over which I have no control."  Hope for Today (p. 121)

"I can do; Don't need you - When I fail; Pretend anew."   Am I a Poet?

April 29th - Be Patient with Me

The story...

The Patriarch Jacob seems to be a rascal whom God loved and favored.  Scripture says that God changed his name to Israel as he walked close to God.  He favored His people Israel on account of His love for Jacob.  Throughout scripture, God is patient with people groups and individuals as they work out their lives. 

We each were created uniquely - needy and gifted.  I'm glad that God's people, who are models for our faith, are not do-gooders who never made mistakes - phew...  For me, real personal growth has been a slow process marked by step-function improvements; slow degrading drifts, and lasting growth that remains within my character.  A life that hopefully you and others can relate to.

Each person entering the only church in town will be different.  And, they'll be within a phase of their life that'll likely change as life transforms them - either fruitfully or unfruitfully.  The only church in town would show grace and patience along the way.  Hopefully, the attenders will be transformed into people who trust God, act justly, love kindness and walk humbly with God in Christ.  

Just for today...

"I grew up with guilt and blame . . . when past mistakes come to mind I tend to react with guilt, exaggerating the significance of my errors and thinking very badly of myself."  Courage to Change (p. 120)

"Unless we have first judged and condemned them for what they did, there would be no reason for us to forgive them."  One Day at a Time (p. 120)

"Mind knows; Heart attests - Choose bad; Knew good."
"Iniquity shines;  Bent wrong - God forgives; In Christ I stand."
"Whole person; God lighted - Walks righteously; Peace abounds."    Am I a Poet?

April 28th - Father Knows Best

The story...

There was a radio, later tv, show called Father Knows Best.  It was popular, a theme of goodness for the 40's and 50's culture.  I'm glad that I had a dad who was wise and trustworthy.  He lived out a code that provided structure and boundaries for my growth.  He was a good man yet he didn't really know best - he knew good.  I'm so thankful that he was my dad.  He was a human who was created in the image of God yet he was blessed and flawed like the rest of us.

I thought that my dad was the best dad.  I remember the first time that I heard two of his sisters complaining about him, describing him negatively.  I heard them as I unintentionally eavesdropped outside the door.  It happened at a reception following my grandfather's funeral - the family's world was being torn asunder before "re-norming."  I was shocked and immediately distrusted his two sisters.  Yet, the experience opened the door to the idea that my dad was flawed.  "Might his sisters be right?"  

We know that everybody has strengths and weaknesses yet pride and suffering can move people toward isolation.  A response to rejection might be to grab your toys and go home - to isolate and protect self. 

When a person's isolation turns into brokenness, where do they go?  Who do they call?  I hope that they'd call, be invited to, or be brought to the only church in town.  There, they'd find the value of community - a community of hope!  A close friend might be found their too - the kind that you might walk and grow side-by-side with.  Together they'll have hope in their Father who does know what's best for His creation.  He is "That Than Which There is No Greater."

Just for today...

"Praying for my will to be done often led me to pain, trouble and confusion . . . God sees the whole picture."  Hope for Today (p. 119)

"I could bring myself to a brighter view of life if I weren't always feeling sorry for myself; despair is often a mask for self-pity."  One Day at a Time (p. 119)

"The best; Or nothing - His motto; Each day."
"Opine away; Judge all - They're stupid; I'm okay."
"Laugh at; Look down - Draw back; Stay away."
"Lonely; Afraid - Unloved; Lost."                            Am I a Poet?

April 27th - Paddling Together

The story...

You're in a group that's planned to last about a year.  You get to know each other well with only a couple of months left.  When a deeper question arises, the group respectfully ponders it.  The guy who used to blurt out the answer feels comfortable with the silence.  The guy who didn't know what to say, and feared sharing, is quietly and peacefully pondering it too.  When a group member speaks up, the group listens and more naturally values the thoughts expressed from his inner man.  The sense of community feels great - we're growing together.  "One person says, lets all stay with each other next year too."  I'm currently enjoying my seventh year in a group like this.  I greatly value each of the seven groups and every member - I'm a better person because of our common life investments. 

One of my group members was different then me; yet, we shared a common life struggle and the suffering that went with it.  We've met for years and have both grown together - walking through life side-by-side.  I greatly value our friendship and our faith seems to have grown together too.  It's kind of like we're walking together like Christian and Faithful walked throughout Pilgrim's Progress (John Bunyan, 1678).

Years ago, my best friend and I enjoyed a trip to the Boundary Waters on the border of Minnesota and Ontario.   We planned the trip with other's help, we geared up at the Canoe Outfitter and learned how to react to bear encounters as a group.  Yet, when we pushed off from the dock - we were on our own with only a map to guide us.  Pilgrims in a new territory that promised adventure, beauty, suffering, and catching fish for protein.  The portages were strenuous.  The four bear encounters were terrifying.  The moose encounters were humbling.  The first morning dip of the paddle was serene. Relying on each other was bonding. The trip was really hard and good.  Often wondering and anticipating, "what's around the bend?"  Strangely, we don't think that we'd do it again yet greatly value the experience.

This Maine canoe outfitter says "Your Adventure Starts Here."

The only church in town will offer relationship opportunities at different levels - different relationships for different people within their season of life.   The full church, groups, friendships, close friendships, and most importantly their relationship walking humbly with God in Christ. The last affords the opportunity to make the first three types fruit bearing and worthy.

Just for today...

"Self-esteem grows when I love and accept myself as I am.  I block my own well-being each time I base my self-worth on what I do or what others think of me."  Courage to Change (p. 118)

 "When I heard the recording, I was immediately flooded with fear and apprehension . . . I pray that I may not fall into the error of anticipating trouble . . . If it should come, let me meet it with equanimity and love."  Hope for Today (p. 118)

"Pull from bow, Steer from stern - Tandem power; Travels far."   Am I a Poet?

April 26th - Humility

The story...

I was 23 years old and my feet hurt; so, I went to a podiatrist for help.  He explained that my body structure caused me to walk in a manner that caused pain.  He recommended I wear orthotics, to align my body, if I wanted to continue doing the things I liked to do.  I said: "Tell me how to walk right and I'll walk right."  The doctor paused, probably grimaced, and said: "Friend, you have another problem that's bigger than your feet."  

Micah 6:8 says that a good life is found walking humbly with God.  I expect that the admonishment is not to "try" to walk humbly with God, rather to "actually" walk humbly with God.  This transformation has to be a great work of God in a person's inner self - there's no way that I could make that kind of change on my own.  God did the work so that I might walk humbly with Him - an honest appreciation of self.  No matter how hard we try, we can't be good enough to walk closely and humbly/honestly with God - our sin nature and God's Holiness don't fit together - like oil and water.  Walking humbly with God... what a wonderful way to be - being truthful with me.

Tadeusz Gorecki, Humility

The only church in town would frequently present the gospel truth.  The person whose trusting in their own good works might hear about God's great work for them in Christ.  They may react with surprise and great relief.   Then they'd witness transformed people living out a right relationship with God in Christ.  Pilgrim, how's your life progressing?

Just for today...

"I've always had a prideful, exaggerated  sense of my abilities, assuming I could do anything and knew the right answers to everyone's questions . . .  I offended  many people with my opinionated, know-it-all manner . . . This new relationship with God, who knows best, invited me to rethink my position in life; it also invited me to consider the concept of humbleness."  Hope for Today (p. 117)

"A good boy; My momma say - Wrong or prideful;  Be new way."   Am I a Poet?

February 29th: Be free in Christ - unshackled from self bondage

The story...

I can't get no satisfaction trying to please me - it's impossible.  Worse yet, on my own, my efforts to be a good boy leave me insecure when facing rejection, inevitable suffering, and death.  I can't get no satisfaction on my own - it's like tugging around a ball and chain made out of self.

Life would be better if I was okay with me, more openly and honestly relating to other people - bearing the type of fruit that comes from abiding in Christ: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Scripture says they happen as we trust in Christ and abide in Him too.

Abiding in Christ means a position and a transforming-metamorphosized relationship that includes communication.  We can never fully understand the trinity of God; yet, the gospel of John says that God the Father speaks messages to the Son of God; the Son speaks the messages to the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit indwells and speaks to those in Christ.  Those in Christ pray to the Father in the Son's name - Christ is our mediator.  Prayer and meditation keeps us close to God in a right relationship that can free us from the bondage of self today.

February 29th, we'll see you in another four years if God so wills.  Let's keep the communication flowing - we need each other.

"Stuck in a box; Built over time - Cold and lonely; It's all mine."  Am I a Poet?

Step towards better understanding the "good life."

Welcome fellow life travelers who're committed to a more realistic view of ourselves and our faith in God. This blog is an attempt to "flesh out" key points of a life journey within 365 daily buckets.   I'm a curious person by nature and continue to be surprised at the value of introspection grounded in reality.  Might daily reflections "paint" a good life that we can work out and share with other community members?  The kind of community that might be experienced in the only church in town.