If they had celebrated April Fool’s day back when Jesus was around, do you think he would have participated? I’m thinking there is no doubt. He may have even started the whole thing. When you get to Heaven, just ask the two guys who took a walk on the road to Emmaus.
See Luke 24:13-32
It’s warm and sunny outside. Spring has sprung in Atlanta, just like God promised it would.
“While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”
– Genesis 8:22
I just knew it was coming. Remember this post? The Trade Off
I found a letter in the pocket of an old coat. Evidently, the writer had been going through a rough time and was appealing to his Father for help. As you can see in the excerpt below, I suspect that he has trouble trying to keep everybody happy. Somebody needs to tell him it just can’t be done.
Father, there is a heavy weight down in my soul, and I’m not even sure why it’s there. Maybe I’ve been too long in the battle. Why do the little things get me down? Why can’t I just drop all the burdens and tune out all the expectations of everyone but you? I don’t want to cause the hurt of others, but I suppose hurts will come, despite my best efforts. My efforts are not good enough anyway. Sooner or later, someone will be hurt or disappointed.
It’s only you, living in me that makes my life a success. Peace comes when I quit trying to be right. Quit trying to do right. Quit trying to live right, and instead, live WITH the one who IS right. Live in the moment, with you, leaving the past and the future in your hands.
How should I live now? Not, How should I live then?
What should I do now? Not, What should I do when . . .
Where should I be now? Not, Where should I have been?
Living with You now, and finding peace within.
I told a friend we were looking to hire someone at work. Given the unemployment rate, I thought I was doing a good thing. Perhaps the friend has other friends who need a job. I was doing him a favor, right? Not so. It turns out the friend is in the business of finding jobs for other people. So, instead of me doing a favor by offering a job, I was asking a friend to do something as a favor for me, for which he would normally get paid. Follow that? I thought I was possibly doing him a favor, but instead, I was asking him for one and didn’t know it.
The funny thing about favors is, it can sometimes be difficult to tell who’s doing the favor and who’s getting the favor. You set out to do something nice for someone and you end up feeling like you received more than you gave. It’s especially true of God. I don’t like to admit it, but sometimes I have this attitude like I’m doing God a favor. Not so. He’s in the favor business. And WAY out of my league. With God, I’m always on the receiving end.
Today’s post has more questions than answers, but since this blog is “various stuff” from my life, that’s OK, because I certainly don’t have all the answers. There is a boy who, along with me, wishes we had an answer to this one. We are searching for it together. Perhaps that is enough reason for the question.
To make what could be a very long story short, I submit simply the following:
There is a bully at school, who will ambush on the walk home, taking, breaking, spitting, pushing, hurting . . .
There is a boy who is hurt, and very tired of it.
There is a father with past experience. Some bullies will not stop until you stand up to them.
There is a scripture that says, Don’t resist an evil person . . . turn the other cheek.
My son brought a dog home. It wasn’t his dog. He was doing a friend a favor and watching the dog for the week-end. The dog’s name was “Angel”, but she wasn’t. The dog wasn’t an angel at all. She used our floor for a bathroom several times and she did her share of whining for sure. The name did not reflect her nature.
Can you imagine what our phone books would look like if people were named based on their nature? What if some great defining moment labeled you for the rest of your life? There have been cultures and times when people were named in such a way. Names had meaning. My kids know about meaningful names.
In a style slightly similar to something Native American, I have assigned some special “Indian names” to our family members. Our bathroom is often occupied by “Long Shower.” “Three Alarms” is difficult to wake. And the perfect name for our dog who will eat anything and everything, “Walking Stomach.” No. Our dog would never be named Angel either. Walking Stomach fits her just fine. The name Angel should be reserved for something much better.
Usually when I think of Angels, I think of beings who are messengers of God. Beings who show up and announce that something very important is about to happen. Certainly I have read many scriptures where they filled that role. However I recently read a passage that made me realize just how much of a blessing they can be.
When Jesus faced some of his greatest battles, angels were there, ministering to him. At his birth, they were there. In the wilderness after being tempted, they were there. In the garden before the cross, they were there. They were there, ministering to him. Helping. Healing. Caring.
Here is the part that really blesses me: If Jesus needed their care during the rough points in his life, might we not expect the same ourselves? God provided his heavenly ministers to be there when Jesus needed them most. And for those of us who call him Lord, I believe he will do no less.
But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
Hebrews 1:13-14
I suppose this post is a bit silly, but sometimes I can’t help myself. Anyway, as I thought about it on the way to work this morning, I couldn’t help but sing the Michael Frye song: Jesus, Be the Center.
Trees without a center
With apologies to Robert Frost . . .
Whose woods these are I think I know
It’s not the man who lives here though.
Who owns this poor trees destiny?
The devils who make electricity.
What is the moral from this poor sight?
What can we learn from this tree’s plight?
Watch where you’re planted and guard your feet.
Don’t plant yourself near the worldly street.
If you have ever spent much time in an airport, you know that just sitting and watching the people can be one of the best ways to pass the time. The airport is full of all kinds of people, coming and going. It’s the perfect spot to sit and watch the world waltz by. Continue reading »
The Thai Cuisine restaurant was a great place to eat. I discovered it years ago right after it opened. They had good food at a good price so I went often. I told others about it. After a few months, the place got busier and it became harder to get a table. They had a thriving lunch-time business, and rightly so. But something must have happened. Yesterday I noticed the restaurant was closed. I wonder how long it has been that way? How long has it been since I was there? 10 years? Why did I stop going? Perhaps one reason is that I found a better place.
The better place is a little grill called Pickles. I meet my wife and kids there for lunch. My son grew up doing his home-school work at the restaurant table, while waiting for me to take my lunch break and meet them. The people know me. They know us. When I walk in and sit down by myself, the hostess asks if my wife and son will be joining me. She even seems a little dissapointed when they don’t come. She asks about them, and tells me about her kids. How are they doing in school? We talk and get to know each other a little better each visit. Today I learned that she doesn’t like snow. She had her fill of it when she lived in Connecticut. I also learned that her home country has weather much like Florida. Mildly cool winters in the north, warm all year in the south.
No matter how busy the lunch hour, the hostess always makes time to talk to me. She and her husband own the place, and I am her favorite customer. Me and just about everyone else that walks in the place. At Pickles, you pay for the burger, but friendship comes free. Perhaps that is one reason they have outlasted the Thai restaurant. They know one of the secrets of life: It’s about people.
And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. . . . and they did eat and were filled.
– Mark 6:34, 42
My flight has been cancelled. So said the lady on the phone. Given that the flight was to arrive in earthquake ravaged Port Au Prince, Haiti, I expected as much. In fact, you may not believe me, but I half expected something like this 6 month’s ago. I even told my wife I just didn’t “feel” like I would be going.
Nevertheless, I kept making plans to go. I had no concrete reason to think I would not be going. Just the feeling. Then the earthquake hit and the feeling was suddenly morphed into a probability. Now it appears to be a reality. I will not be going to Haiti this month.
So it was more than a feeling. It was probably a word from God, and here I admit I have a problem. How do I tell the difference between a “feeling” and a word from God? Sometimes it seems easy to tell. Other times it is very difficult. Whether I can tell the feeling from the reality of His voice is up for debate. But one thing I have learned: There is no doubt that He speaks.