Great Day In the Woods

Taylor is turkey hunting for the first time this year. I have enjoyed being out in the woods with him, but so far no tags filled. The gun did go off one time, but with nothing in the way dropped. The birds flew off into the timber. Yesterday was our second together and a great day not for the prey we were seeking but for the joy of what God delivered.

A bird had clucked to our north shortly after we scared up a couple of deer below us in a deep draw. We sat up on a tree and within a few minutes Ryan whispered, “Look at this deer to my right.”

There stood a nice buck right in the fence row. “He will never come through the fence.” I predicted. Wrongly, I might add as the buck moved right to our north within 15 yards.

Later, Taylor agreed with me: highlight of the day!

Buck at 15 Yards (cellphones take terrible pictures)

Opposites That Don’t Attract

Black or White; Hot or Cold; Right or Left; Liar or Lover. We normally don’t think of the last pair as opposites, yet they are considered such in the scriptures (1 John 2:4-5). Their opposite nature is not readily clear until you consider how much lying does to destroy those that are around you.

Another consideration is the Devil is given the name Father of Lies, while we are told God is love.

The loving person is always truthful. Some think it is better not to tell a person the bad news, but even though it hurts the most loving of actions is to tell someone the truth. God always deals with us in the truth. Some don’t like that God is this way. They would rather live in a world where they get to do what they want, than deal with a God who clearly shows them their faults and failings.

If honest I must admit I can be one of those people. I can avoid God because I don’t want to face my own failure. God loves me too much to allow me to hide. One of the great scenes of the Bible is God seeking out Adam in the Garden of Eden. Adam, hiding in the bushes, is covered up with a garment of leaves. God lovingly confronts, as Adam evades.

Before I can love you I need to tell the truth not just to you, but to myself. If by my actions, I lie to myself, my actions toward you, are not loving. Saying, “I can do whatever I want” is not only a lie to myself, it is not loving toward you.

2009 Miles In 2009

A Long Way from Home

I haven’t purchased my turkey hunting tags for this fall yet, because I was wanting to reach the 2,000 milestone on my bike first. So now that I have made it (All the way to 2009 to be exact) it is time to buy the tags and head into the woods.

PS. I road past 2 tom turkeys only 3 miles before the new mark. Guess they figured they were safe for at least another 10 minutes.

Measuring the Harvest

I went for a ride in a combine once under different conditions. The ride reminded me of my wonderful childhood on the farm, but that was not what was different. What was especially interesting about this particular time was that the corn being picked was part of a series of test plots. Six rows at a time were picked, measured, and then the cycle began over again. Each particular hybrid of corn had to stand up to the test so that the farmer could choose his best options for planting next year.

What struck me was the question: Could my life stand up to such direct measurement? No excuses, does my life measure up? We so often forget to hold ourselves accountable to any set of goals whatsoever. Life is allowed to just slip by without serious thought as to its direction or purpose. Some day, the Bible clearly teaches, everyone will give an account to God of their life.

This is the reason we are so desperately in need of redemption. Anyone who would seriously measure his life by the standards set by Christ during his life on earth would realize how far short they have fallen. None has been as kind, gracious, giving, holy, or loving as they could. Yet, God offers us hope through His Son’s payment for us on Calvary. This is the essence of salvation: Christ has met the need of your life before God, and you trust in His payment for your standing before God. Christ was the perfect “hybrid” of sorts, all of God to know what was required, and all of man to do it on your behalf. Have you turned to your only option?

  The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.  (E.S.V.) Ec 12:13-14.

Guest Writer

Most of this stuff is written directly by me. Today, I am allowing my daughter to share her story with you. Many of you have prayed for her, but even if you have not prayed for her I am sure her story will be a blessing to you.

As a child I had the privilege of growing up in Christian household. I knew from a very young age about Jesus and what he had done for me. It wasn’t until I was about five that I realized that I wouldn’t get to heaven just because my parents believed or because I was a good little girl. It was at that time that I put my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to take away my sins.

From then on I had a pretty good life. Our family was problem free. I hadn’t had anyone close to me die.  We weren’t rich, but we had enough. I was happy with my life. I naively believed that life was always going to be easy because I obeyed God. I thought that God could only bless you through good times and not through trying situations.

When I was fifteen I got very sick. I was hospitalized and passed from doctor to doctor. They finally settled on a diagnosis. They told me I had JRA (Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis). This was not a comfort because this disorder doesn’t have a known cure.

Through the first two years of my illness I went through a series of emotions. The embarrassment of the illness hurt my pride. I wasn’t able to do easy things like brushing my teeth or getting up from a chair. It made me rely on others. I didn’t like not being in control. I didn’t like the idea of people not seeing me at church. I still thought that if I didn’t go to church and do my “services” I wasn’t being a good Christian. I became angry at God. “How could he do this to me? Hadn’t I always done what you asked me to do? Hadn’t I been acting like a good Christian?”

This is when I started to reason with God. “God, if you make me better I will do whatever you want me to do. Think of all the things I could do for you and your work if I was healthy.” This went on for months. I felt so alone and deserted. I lost faith in “who” God is. He didn’t care about me. I was just going to die, or worse, live my life half dead.

I didn’t want to talk to anyone about how I was struggling. I didn’t think Christians had problems or felt dissatisfied. So I did the only thing I could think of to do. I pretended I believed in God and that he was present in my life. For a year I when to church and smiled at everyone and said I was fine. Life was too hard to talk about, and I would rather live pretending everything was okay than face the fact that my life was falling apart at the seams.

Two years ago God had my parents meet a lady who suggested I be tested for Lyme disease again. My parents had a great peace over this, so I decide I would go along with them and be tested. The test came back that I had Lyme. I went to my first appointment with my new doctor. Four things happened that day that had never happened to me before in all the time that I had been sick. My doctor, actually listen to what I had to say and didn’t make me feel like I was making it up. He had answers to my questions. At the end of our appointment he asked us how we were doing spiritually and then he prayed with us. It was at that moment that I had peace for the first time in two years. I didn’t know if I was going to get better, but I could trust God. I had forgotten how that felt.

That has been two years ago now. I am feeling better than I have in years and I am getting to the end of my treatment. It has been a long and hard road, but I am thankful that God put me through this. He has taught me many lessons through this all that I might not have learned otherwise. I learned about myself and my own flaws. Before, I had judged myself on human standards. I took pride in the fact that I wasn’t as bad other people. All through the time I was ill I was put through hard things. A person’s true character comes out when they are put in difficult situations. The Lord broke my pride and showed me how ugly I really was. I realized I wasn’t as great as I thought. The Lord helped me not to be so judgmental of others, but to love them. Through suffering God gave me a gift of a deeper relationship with my family. I came to appreciate them more than I could ever imagine.  I came to realized that I was blessed where it truly counted. I might not have my health or fancy things, but I had a family that loved me and would take care of me even though I didn’t always treat them right. I found un-measureable joy in knowing him more. I developed a greater desire to not be satisfied with my present relationship with God, but to always want to be closer to him.

I think the most important thing I learned though, was how to trust God. I learned that even when life seemed out of control and I had no say in what would happen, God was in control and he has a plan far greater than anything I could come up with. The path he put me on isn’t going to be the same as anyone else, because his purpose for me is unique.  I just have to rest in his promises. That he loves me. That he will never leave me or forsake me. In every season and time in my life, His hand is present. He is using my life on this earth to shape me for eternity.

Preparing for Company

My Room was a mess, but after a little work it was ready for dinner

Having people over for dinner is a great idea . . . IF your house is clean. If your house is not clean the day leading up to the company can be a bit of a challenge depending on how much needs to be done.

Now if you are really looking forward to your company, like Grandma at Christmas, it is more than worth it. The joy of knowing who is coming makes up for the drudgery of cleaning and all the rest.

This is the motivation for living holy. If you are being holy so that you can say you are holy, the “whole holy thing is empty.” But if instead you are seeking to be holy because it is out of expectation that someone is coming (God!) then it becomes much more.

This is the picture of the bridegroom parables of Jesus. He’s coming for his bride and she is waiting preparing, waiting hoping, waiting holy.  This kind of holy I need to be reminded of daily, or perhaps even hourly.

Straightening up the room for company is nothing in comparison to straightening up a soul for God’s coming. Often when company is coming we have a pretty good idea of when they are arriving and so we can strategize on the best plan of preparation. Yet, the Lord will come in the hour we least expect it.

How then am I ever to be prepared for His coming? Here is some advice from scripture:  “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

Do you see the advice? Those that love God live in constant expectation of His arriving. In simple terms don’t get ready, be ready! This means short accounts, quick repentance, and steady behavior. If you are not presently ready for Him, say a prayer, clear your head, and clean your heart.

When “What’s Coming” Interrupts “What Is”

I have a neighbor that is really excited about preparing for the future. So excited I think he is going to get himself killed. As I drove by his house he ran across the street and I nearly hit him. He is a squirrel. Each time I see him he has a walnut in his mouth, and with no regard for his present life he dashes in front of moving vehicles with his treasure.

Preparing for the future is a clear directive of the scriptures, but it is not to be done with total disregard for the present. “Get out of my way, I am going to church,” can sound really religious, but is it how God wants us to live?

God’s direction for your life does not cost others their life. Some seem to take this personal relationship with God to mean that my fellow man doesn’t matter. It’s all about me discovering what God wants. The truth is Jesus said COMMAND #1: love God, COMMAND #2: love your neighbor. The two are related.

When I disregard those around me thinking only about my future with God I lose something of what God has for me in the present. I need to prepare for the future, but not with an unconscious attitude toward the present. Too many who call themselves Christians don’t live presently the Christ life of love thy neighbor. I can hear the complaints already, “BUT my neighbor is . . .” As they nailed Him to a cross Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

It’s amazing how much good it does me when I do good to my neighbor.

Foul Ball & A Father’s Hug

Phillies fan and father, Steve Monforto, made the news with a generous hug of his daughter who just returned to the field the foul ball treasure her dad had only moments earlier caught.

Dad explained the hug this way, “I didn’t want my little girl to think she had done something wrong!” This coming from a Phillies fan none the less. What a great example for all fathers: Do all you can to help your kids deal with their mistakes. Love them, hug them, laugh with them, and hold them.

I know another Father who would say, ”Just what I would have done.” Welcome home my son there is always a place for you. 

BTW I did notice that the Phillies were ahead 5-0.  PS Phillies management gave Steve a second ball.

Practicing for an Emergency

The school children who meet at our church practiced their first fire drill today. No one was trampled as they orderly and quickly exited the building.

Practicing for an emergency is important. Yet, emergency are not very predictable. They don’t happen when you expect, they seldom happen in the way you expect, and they often are not even the emergency that you expect! Life is simply not predictable.

Solomon considered this notion when he penned, “Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them” (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12, ESV)

It is easy to complain about life’s unpredictable ways, but consider for a moment the alternative, what if you knew before hand all the bad things that were going to happen, but could do nothing about them. Suppose you knew at 2:03 this afternoon you were going to spill hot coffee on your clean pants. All day you would live in dread that it was coming. You might even think, “I’ll dump it on myself now just to get it out of the way.” Seriously, the surprise is better than the worry.

But, what if God made you a promise to stay with you even if the worst of all things happened? By the way, He did make that promise. The question is will you believe Him? He demonstrated His clear intention to stay with you by sending His Son to die for you. At the worst moment in time God did what He predicted He would do – He laid down His life for you. So I ask you, can you trust him with today and every other emergency?

8 X 3 = 24

8 X 3 = 24, and that is the total number of combinations that can be found on the gears of my bicycle. Technically the owner’s manual gives a caution to using the extreme high and low sprockets together (so only 22 combinations are allowed).

The rear cassette (gears directly attached to the rear wheel) is a key element, but the three front rings are vital as well. Obviously, some gears allow you to travel faster, while other gears give you more control at lower speeds. They are organized from low to high in the back, and high to low in the front. This allows the chain to follow in the most direct position.

The more you ride the less you look at the gears and the more you look at the terrain. Not everything is about speed, different patterns allow for comfort, climbing or accelerating. Veteran cyclists talk a lot about spinning (keeping the pedals moving quickly). Many recommend a rotation rate of between 85-100 per minute. Some gears have 15 teeth while others have over 25 teeth. NO TWO are the same. It is their differences that make them useful.

Here is a thought to ponder: it’s all about the combinations. Different kinds of combinations accomplish different goals: speed, climbing, comfort, cadence. The chain connects the two and unites them for progress. I see the same thing regularly in life, points of contact between different kinds of people for progress.

For instance: my traits, talents, and temperament blended with someone else makes for progress in my growth and maturing as a person (and hopefully the other guy as well!). The connection may be a club, church or workplace, and then again it may be a casual conversation, or chance encounter.

Just like the gears on the bicycle each person is different and brings something special to each opportunty. Honestly, I think God is using these dynamic differences to help us climb higher. The key is finding the chain of connection, and yielding to God’s push on the “pedals.”

Climb higher by working with others!

I believe the chain is love. Not the sappy stuff of sentimental dreams, but the real love of “I care about what is best for you.” When effort is made out of sincere and real hope of doing what is best for another a connection for progress is found.   

God’s primary way of working in the world today is through a body a believers called a church. Yet, churches are not worth their salt without love connecting each one to God and each other. God is seeking to transform us as community. In a word: “With you we can both become what God want for us!”

We are not a like, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be a match set through love to help each other become what we can be. This is the kind of love that does the most in our world. Much more than a chain fashioned out of bubble-gum wishes. This love is a hardened steel resolve to make a difference in your relationships with others.

UPDATE: I now stand at over $500 in gifts for MS! Thanks to each of you. Click HERE and join up and pledge!