thoughts and ramblings

There is a tremendous difference between wanting to achieve, and wanting to have acheived.
I find myself too frequently in the second phase, and too lazy to participate in the first.

How can it be...

that the two worst teams in the history of the NFL get together and play one of the most exciting gamnes? Detroit Lions 38, Cleveland Browns 37

As the dust settles...

we come to a little bit more clarity. A month has come and gone since the dramatic cross country escapade. Routines are being developed, habits formed, and somekind of normal is being discovered once again.

Here is what strikes me-
The challenges and difficulties in my new church home are not dramatically different than the ones in my old church home. That is good in that I feel equipped to handle them and deal with the issues. But it is very sad that the church universal is facing the same stupid junk every where.

Geography matters. Every town and community is similiar, but it is also very unique.

Dunkin Donuts coffee is better than Community Coffee.

Friends are important. Old friends are a fountain of trust, confidence and secuirty. New Friends are a sea breeze that invigorates and energizes. Thanks to both sets.

Home Depot and Applebee's are the same no matter what your zip code.

The Saints wait until I leave to go deep into the season. Why? WHY?

More to come soon.

Well now, ain't that something?

AAAAAnd he's off! It was a fine start to a new poject. It was a wonderful time of family, friends, and fellowship. It was exciting and invigorating and a little bit stressful. Everything I had hoped for and more.

I think I am going to like it here.

the silence

Two and a half weeks have passed since you last heard from me, and for good cause. A semi-cross country move, a new place of service, a new home, changes in the family. I even had to change banks. So busy is not quite enough of a word to capture. But it is OK.

Because although life has surely taken turn, I find it to be a turn for the better. I am so stoked about this community, about the potential here, about the new friendships, about the dynamic opportunity that lies before.

Change is hard, change always brings stress and uncertainty. But change is necessary. If we never change, we never grow. If we never face new circumstances, we will simply remain the same old thing that we have always been.
Why do folks hang new curtains in a house, even when the old ones are fine?
Why do we buy a new car or take a new job, even when the old are satisfactory?
We need the change.
The change does us good.

As we translate that line of logic to the church, why then does the crowd balk? Why does change and progress and new circumstances in the church cause crisis, fear, and resentment?

Seems kind of silly to me.

Tuesday Morning Football

I stand corrected.

Monday Night Football.

Packers at the Vikings.
Brett Favre, get ready for your whoopin'.

Coming down to it now.

Just a week left in my Louisiana home. One Sunday remaining to worship the Lord with these friends who have been my family for so long. One more chance to tell them about Jesus. I expect a lot of hugs and a few tears.

I suppose that it is a good thing that folks are sad to see me go. It should be a bit of a heartbreak. It is a testimony to the love my church has for me. It is a monument to the hard work and effort I have devoted to this community. I guess it would be a whole different story if they were happy to see me get the heck out.

And then begins a new adventure, in a new place with new friends and new challenges. I am thrilled, honored, and humbled at the prospects of being invited and welcomed to Charles Town. All the necessary pieces are coming into place. Moving van on stand by. House ready and waiting. Offices being prepared. Most importantly, people.

It is going to be great.

Whirlwind

Ok, So I flew to New York on Friday, and came home last night. Kim flew to West Virginia to scout out a home this morning. Moving in a week and a half. Dad is dying in hospice care at the VA hospital. Teenager comes home with a tattoo. Much turmoil. High stress. Why do I feel so calm?

In spite of the whirlwind of life, I feel perfectly at ease. I can handle whatever the Good Lord lays on my plate. And I can only do that because He is with me. in fact, the higher the stakes adn greater the tension, the more I sense His divine presence with me. And the greater the comfort and peace.

Life is funny. But life is fun.

What ought to be versus what is...

They are not the same thing. I know some folks that make sport out of finding ways to hurt each other. Much conflict, much pain, with no end in sight. And it is a heartbreaker. Life ought not be that way. Couples that are married to one another ought to live and love in peace and ought to protect each other from the hurts in life. They ought not to inflict the hurts.

Kids ought to grow up with Mom and Dad in the same house, and they ought to say not to drugs. Grandparents ought to see children graduate from school, and the economy ought to be creating jobs for people.

Life does work in the realm of "ought to." Life exists in the realm of what is. There is a corny cliche that I use far too often, "it is what it is." Duh. Of course it is what it is, how could it be anything different than what it is? But that too obvious expression is my way of saying that we need to accept what is, and not pine away for what ought. Because the oughts in life just don't happen very often.

Am I a pessimist? No. Far from it, I am an eternal optimist with an eternal hope. But I am also a realist. And the reality is that life really is not fair, and Moms and Dads don't always make it through the tough times, and people sometmes hurt one another in ways that we cannot understand. That is the reality. That is the sin nature of humanity at work.

We are created for vibrant, personal, intense love realtionships with each other, and with our creator. And we fall so far short. Accepting the truth of that is the first step in reclaiming that. We do not live up to our billing. We do not live in the way we are created to live. What ought to be is not always what is.

But the fact remains that we know what ought to be. Ingrained in to our DNA is something about the ideal, some kernel of knowlege that some thing is better than this thing. We instinctively know that more life and better life is at least possible, if not always handy.

Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to kills, steal, and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly."

My life will probably never live up to the life that is all it ought to be. But I still refuse to be content with what is.

What happened to decency?

First, we had Serena Williams loosing her mind at the line judge. Then we have Kanye West making a fool of himself at the awards show. The congressman calls the President a liar in the middle of his speech, which the President may well be, but it is simply against the rules of decency to call him so in public. What is going on?

This degradation of deceny is not limited to the public eye and the celbrity scene. Try looking for common decent service at your local fast food joint. Examine how people speak to one another in the world today.

I'm sure your grandmother had her favorite sayings. My granny said this one regularly- Good manners never go out of style.

And now this...

So last week it was the hate filled preacher in Arizona. This week, the high school football coach takes a bunch of his players to hear a "motivational speaker." Eight of the kids came back baptized born again Christians. Eight decisions for Christ. Powerful and moving I am sure. But the decisions had no family involvement, no counsel with mom or dad or regard for the family's home church or religious traditions.

Can this be justified? Now, I am all in favor of young people believing and being baptized. That part of it is great. Praise the Lord that young people hear and believe. But are these the proper circumstances? Is this morally right? Is this within the rights or responsibility of the coach? Is the church playing the game of converts at any cost?

Number One, Any baptism pool I have ever used takes at least twenty minutes to fill. That tells me that it was planned before hand to be used. And so this was not a spontaneous decision like jumping down in the creek for baptism. Someone had to think in advance that we might have some baptisms tonight.

Number Two, a "motivational speaker" was how this was billed. Not an evangelist, not a minister, not even a Christian motivational speaker. And yet the speaking part clearly encouraged the young people towards repentance, belief, and baptism. This tells me that there is some slight of hand going on. Some kind of deception either aimed at the parents or the kids.

Number Three, for better or for worse, we have successfully separated church and state in this country. And since the public schools are within the realm of state, a school function (or team function) that involves a directly religious and/or spiritual message crosses a line somewhere.

Number Four, why would the sponsoring church fail to counsel with and discuss the kid's decision with the families? Must the convert be baptised immediately? Is there any justifiable reason to not simply sit down with Mom or Dad and talk about baptism before hand? Fear of rejection? Fear of the parents forbidding? That is possible. But that is a much less likely scenario than totally alienating the family and further damaging the overall witness of the church. And making it on CNN.

Look, I am a Christian, I am a minister and I love to see young people make decisions for Christ and be baptised. All in favor of it and I wish more people would get serious about spreading the word.

But we do not need to spread the word under false pretenses. We do not need to practice slight of hand spirituality. We do not need to corrupt our already shaky integrity by high jacking the football team to go to a revival meeting.

What we do need is to love people, respect people, share the Word of God in a peaceable and rational way. What we do need is to look and act a little more like Jesus, and a little less like used car salesmen.

One step closer

Another Sunday has come and gone, this one the Labor Day weekend. Five Sundays remaining in Branch. Five Monday night classes left to teach. Tick. Tock.

When this odessey began in the middle of July, I know that this limbo time would seem like, well, limbo. As we progress towards the culmination, the time speeds up, and the days begin to click by, and we are slipping ever closer to the future.

And the future is bright.

Under my skin!

Oh, you religious people out there. You bother me to no end.

Pastor Steven Anderson of Tempe, Arizona seems to think that he is pretty right on with Jesus. He prays for the death of the president. He condemns the homosexuals because their particular sin is so much worse and different than everybody else's sin. Especially his. He has no education from any sort of Bible college or seminary because he feels that the titles given in higher education are a violation of God's Word. Which of course is found in the King James Bible of 1611. And any and all other versions of the Bible including the Greek and Hebrew are false and not inspired.

And yet, he seems to have a following. Amazing to me.

When Jesus was walking around in Palestine some two thousand years ago, he met a lot of people. He loved people where they were, who they were. He accepted sinners, even sat down to supper and a cup of wine with them. In fact, if I recall, he was known as a friend to sinners.

In fact, the only people Jesus ever had a real problem with, the only ones that he disliked and had harsh words for were the religious people that thought they had it all figured out. The religious people that wanted to point fingers and accuse and decide who was good enough for God and who wasn't.

Religion is a poison. Religion convinces you that you are A-OKay. Religion is doing the right things so that God likes you better. Religion says God likes me better than you, and if you think I think and act like I act and beleive these things, then God will like you too.

It is a lie people. Religion is a lie. God is a person, not a doctrine. Jesus was a man, not a theology. Religion brings hatred and destruction. Jesus saves the souls of men.

And I am radical enough to think that if Jesus were walking around in my town today that maybe, just possibly, He might even like me. And maybe He would stop and hang out and talk for a while. Put on a cup of coffee and shoot the breeze. Talk about life, share a laugh, maybe do something about my golf swing. I don't know.

When I read the Bible, I find a Savior that accepts people, with all their flaws and failures, and He shows Grace and Mercy and Love. And while He certainly is not happy with everything we do, and He does not condone all our behavior, He loves us anyway.

You know that corny expression

about starting a new chapter in life, turning the page, and new beginnings? The reason that the cliche is so worn out is because it is so true.

With every new chapter, all the excitement and anticipation of the great adventure, comes the sadness and angst of closing out the previous chapter. And that often entains broken relationships, sad goodbyes, and a sense of loss and emptiness. That's kind of where I am.

It is assuredly the right thing in so many ways. The right place, the right people, an opportunity that is extraordinary and wonderful and exciting, everything that I had hoped for and more. There is a thrill of anticpation of knowing that God in heaven is smiling on my life and I am going to be just exactly where He has chosen to send me. The bonus is found in being close to home, back to our roots, and at least the possibility of being in the place that will be my life's work. It's heavy. It's awesome.

But what about my Thursday morning golf partners? Who will join them? What about these wonderful children that I have seen born and grow and start school? What about these young couples that I have counseled and brought together in matrimony and peace? Who is going to watch over them now? What about these little old ladies that have told me exactly how they want their funerals to be? Will someone be there to hold their hand as they walk their final journey?

Unfortunately, it will not be me. And that hurts in a way that I did not anticipate. My hero, a guy named Paul, said that he had to become all things to all people so that a few might be rescued. As much as I want to be like him, I'm going to have a tough time of being there for some folks I care for.

The old proverb says that all good things must come to an end. And one day, we all leave where we are and go someplace else. Whether that is a move across town or across country or across the universe, it is bound to happen. The leaving is hard, but it is inevitable. Someone more suited and more talented than I will counsel the couples and minister to the aincients. And the sun will rise again, and the rain will fall and next years rice crop will come and go, and the democrats and republicans will argue. And wherever we go, all of us can know that we are doing what we can do in the place we are doing it.

What a mixed bag. What an adventure this life is.

What happened to my brain?

It was an epiphany, sheer brilliance, a total revolution of thought that struck me. I had that thought, "I just have to blog this, it will be cool." And now, some 24 hours later, I have no idea what I was thinking about. Gone. Blank. I remember having the thought, I just cannot fathom what the thought was. What happened to my brain?

Forgetfulness is a sure sign of old age. As is male pattern baldness, diminished eyesight, and an obsession with checking the mail. How can this be happening to me? I am a relatively young man of 43. I am not a kid anymore, but I am certainly not over the hill. I just forget stuff.

No one gets younger. Kids grow up and become teenagers then young adults. Young adults creep into the middle years. When we hit the middle years (as I refuse to say middle aged) we begin to notice things, like how those teenagers play their music so loud and what is wrong with this next generation. And it all comes sliding back because that is EXACTLY what my mom said to me.

And then I think about Mom, and how she always seemed to be forever young, but is now pushing seventy, and even that seems not so bad these days. I guess.

A wise man once wrote about time and how precious it is. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Eph 5:15-16. And I might add the days are both evil and short.

Its too complicated

to get into the details, but suffice to say that I am being stretched, tried and tested. I have claimed in the past that I have forgiven, I have told everybody I know that I am over it, and we have moved on, and all is at peace.

But these days, those gracious statements of largesse are being challenged. Now that life and death are in the balance, the doctors have spoken, and time is very short, can I really face the truth? Can my actions live up to my words? Or will I find that faux forgiveness that permeates superficial religion?

Well, I called him on the phone. I talked to him. And I told him that all is forgiven, he has peace in my heart, and that I love him and wanted him to know those things while there is still time to know them. And he said that he loves me, and that he was sorry for all the time lost. And then we talked about kids and the Red Sox.

Almost like a regular father and son. Almost.

headline from CNN.com

Dog Belonging to CEO of Richmond SPCA Dies After Being Left in Hot Car

Can anything be said?

Weddings, what fun.

I went to a wedding today. A friend of mine married the love of his life, and I am extremely happy for them. A beautiful bride, handsome groom, everyone looking their best, and a room full of love. What could be better?

I am excited for Cody and Lydia, but there is more too it. When we see a couple like this, we are reminded that marriage is still good, that it is still pure and proper and right. As happy as I am for them, I am also reminded that my marriage is just as lovely and vital, but in a different and unique way. I am reminded that we are made to be together, boys and girls, we are made for one another, and we ought to give and take joy from our companion.

We all know the threats that face marriage today. Easy divorce, a straying spouse, boys and boys or girls and girls pledging to one another and calling it marriage. We know the pressure that comes with a coupled life, responsibility, commitment, financial woes, finding time for one another, etc.

And we know the statistics. Too scary to mention on a day like this. Even with all of those threats and burdens, marriage is still good. And right, and true. We are better together than by ourselves. We are made for community, and that begins with the community of two.

And the community of two, the institution of couple-hood, the titles of husband and wife, we do our best for our own marriages when we place ourselves, united together in the hands of a God who loves, a God who blesses, a God who teaches us to forgive, to surrender, to give ourselves completely to Him and to our better half. It still works, it is still the best place for us to be.

Congratulations Cody and Lydia. Many Blessings to you both. And thank you, God for loving us to the point where we can love one another.

My Letter to Brett Favre

You sir, are a three time league MVP. You are a Super Bowl Champion. You hold most of the important records, most consecutive starts, most yardage all time, most touchdown passes all time, and we love you. You will be in the Hall of Fame in your first year of eligibility, and you deserve to be. I have loved watching you play. I am in awe.

But please, PLEASE, Mr. Favre, stop. Stop making a fool of yourself. Stop trying to play a game that is designed for men fifteen years younger than you. Stop teasing us with your retirement, your changes of heart, your desire to play the game.

We know you love football, there is no question of your talent, you are larger than life. Why do you insist on tainting your amazing career with a circus parade through mediocre teams?

If you so love this game, if you just cannot get football out of your system, then go hang out at Kiln High School, at Southern Miss, and give those boys your support, share your wisdom, volunteer to be the Quarterback's personal coach. You will give those kids the thrill of a lifetime, and you will save the rest of us from having to watch them carry you off the field.

Because they will. Likely at Lambeau. And those Packer fans that once so loved and welcomed you, that treated you as the Prince of Green Bay, will delight in seeing your downfall. You will be booed in what was once your home. You will be the broken old guy that did not know that it was time to give it up. You will end up the laughingstock of the NFL. And all the accolades and records and trophies will mean nothing when the league and your fans and the nation no longer respect you.

A reason to believe

Here's the question- Why am I a Christian?

The standard answers are as follows-
Because I believe the Bible is true.
Because that is the way my Momma raised me.
Because I accepted Jesus as my Savior.
Because the Holy Spirit has led me to the Truth.
Because that is what I believe and that is all I need to know.

And all of these are valid answers to satisfy our own thoughts and ideas and settle the issue in our own minds. Yet, in our post-modern, multi-cultural world of embracing diversity and giving everybody equal time, not a single one of these arguments will stand up. If the faith that we claim to cling so firmly to is going to go forth and overcome the world of hate and violence and self centeredness, if Christianity is going to stand against the critics and the haters of God, then we need something a little more certain than Momma's good advice to hang our spiritual hats on.

There is a reason for our belief, and our reasons must be based on reliable evidence, must be logical, cohesive and coherent, and our faith is more than a collection of good ideas.

The Bible is a reliable book. You should read it instead of this blog. I am astounded by those who refuse to believe the accuracy and historicity of the Bible, and yet have never read it.

I am amazed at those who can believe the theory of evolution in total, that non-life can become life, that organisms will grow towards increasing complexity, and that there is nothing behind this accident of a universe.

The principle of Occam's Razor says that when two competing theories come to the same conclusion, the simpler theory is usually better. Is it reasonable to believe that this complex and intricate design of life, the wonder of the world that we can see, let alone that which we do not understand, that it is all by chance, an accident of impersonal nature that just kind of happened? Or that there is a Being that made it for a reason.

Perhaps it is because I see the world through eyes of faith, that I have such a hard time understanding the skeptic.

Golf, what a game

It's really quite simple, Hit the little white ball down the fairway, then hit it onto the putting green, put one up close to the hole, then tap it in the hole for par. And those guys on TV make it look so easy.

Well, that is why they are on TV. Today it was a bad round with a few good holes. I made a couple of putts, I had a few good drives, I lost a couple of balls in the water.

It is funny what you can learn about someone watching them play golf. Like in the rest of life, when things go bad, sometimes we deal well with that and sometimes we don't. On occasion someone will go so aggravated and uptight and bent out of shape that they simple loose their cool and go ballistic. It is not funny to see that happen on the golf course. It is much less funny to see that happen in careers and marriages.

Whether we are on the course or off, skill and our luck combine in unique ways. The combined outcome of each makes for our total result. For a Saturday game with friends, it is well and good. We have lunch afterwards and make jokes.

In the boardroom or the bedroom, the stakes are higher, but the principles are the same. Stay focused, relax, do the best you can, and don't forget to have fun.

An Epic Week

In spite of my dramatic announcement of Sunday last, the world is continuing on, quite unaffected. The media has paid no attention, far more concerned with the socialist takeover of health care. The humanitarians are rushing off to Taiwan to find the survivors. The rice farmers are focused on getting the harvest in before the next wave off the African coast develops. And the beat goes on.

Yet, the news of my immanent departure has made a dent. I have spoken to a lot of folks in our community, the word is getting around that the preacher is leaving for the greener pastures of home, and apparently, my life in Branch has made a difference. I have heard many fond wishes for success, many heartfelt thank yous and words of encouragement, and a whole lot of compassionate understanding. But mostly, I have heard about how much I matter to my friends, how much they appreciate me, how much they love me. And that is very special to hear.

Every man needs to feel like his life matters, that his days on earth count for something, that his effort and labor and love are of value, of substance. It is ingrained into our DNA to know that we stand for something and that we have made at least a dent in the order of things. And I have had that fundamental desire reinforced and affirmed.

As we live through our days, it is hard to measure the impact. We all go about doing what we think is the right thing, doing the best we can, what seems right in our circumstances. As we live through our times, it is hard to measure, to determine if what we are doing is valid, is significant in the important ways.

But on occasion, when the dramatic occurs, and folks are allowed to be sentimental and speak from the heart and reveal their gut feelings without shame, they can speak about such things and not feel corny about it. And I have been overwhelmed with kind words and gratitude for the work done and the Word spoken. I feel like it has mattered, and I feel like it made a difference.

Now, I have not solved the riddles of time and space or evangelized the whole world from the headquarters in Branch. I have not brought peace to the Middle East. The governor will take no notice of my departure, CNN will not camp out in the yard as they would with Brittney or Micheal.

But even better, I have loved and been loved. Sweet sorrow is what the Bard called this emotion. Now I get it.

This is for real

All the corny expressions apply. A new chapter in life. A time of transition. A chance to make a fresh start. You say good bye, I say hello.

In two months, Louisiana will be in our rear view mirror, and we will make a new home in West Virginia. I am sad to leave, and happy to go. My time in this place is coming to fulfillment, and I anticipate a great opportunity in a new church.

My little church in a little town in Cajun Country is very near and dear to my heart. I have some genuine friends that I love very much. And though it hurts both them and me to leave, it is time. I have done all that I can do for this community, I am ready for a new place, and it is time. And as I get ready to depart from these wonderful people, a part of me will remain here froever, and a part of them will come with me wherever I go. It is time.

New adventures and opportunities call. And a great and vibrant church in another place invited me to come and lend a hand and speak the Word of Truth and be a part of something that the Lord Almighty is doing there. And so I am excited beyond measure. I anticipate the very best.

I have been praying about this in general for several years, and in specific for several months. God is at work in this move, and in this call. I am convinced and convicted. Only the omnipotent could orchestrate something so unique, so perfect, so unexpected.

When in the uniform of a soldier, I convinced myself that "Home is where you make it." Alternatively, "Home is where you drop your rucksack." For 26 years, I made myself believe that. And for 26 years, we have moved around, always temporary, always transitory, always knowing that one day we would pick it all up and roll out. But then I took a trip to Charles Town WV. While I was there, the conviction came, the burden of truth through which God speaks to me came, the awe and wonder of a beautiful community came. And it said, come home. Settle in. Stay awhile. Make a home.

We are very excited about what God is doing.

On mission in Mexico

Seven days, six nights in Chiapas, Mexico later, we have all arrived home safely and only a little bit of Montezuma's Revenge. A great adventure all in all, being with some old friends and making a few new ones.

The Tzotzil Indians of Southern Mexico are very poor, with little in terms of material value, but they are a beautiful and gracious people. We brought Bibles and shoes and blankets to a place called Maravillas, and we built a church building. I should say, we helped build a building. We bought the materials and gave a little bit of labor, the local folks porvided most of the manpower and expertise. We cooked on an open fire. We slept in tents.

It was a good trip to make, it is good to be at home. Many thanks to Russell and Charlotte Linscombe for their efforts and service. I am exceptionally proud of our church for seeing this project through and making it happen.

My prayer is that we will have many more opportunities to return.

Fresh

If you have hunted me down at this address before, you will see some changes. I am starting over. Previous attempts became mundane, burdensome, and awkward. And I just did not write.

So I scratched it all out, and got a fresh sheet of paper. I dont know where I am headed with this, perhaps more of the same, perhaps some wandering in thought, maybe an epiphany.

The thing is this- I want to have written. I just don't really want to write. I want to be creative and witty and insightful and cool. But I don't to have to work at it. Maybe there is something wrong with me. I don't even meet my own low standards.

With all the corny illustrations about life being a journey, this one sticks- if you never leave home, you never arrive. But if you are going to get anywhere, you must take a step and begin.

So we begin again, Blog. Maybe our road will have a destination. Maybe not. But we will never know until we travel.