Time To Wake Up

“Jesus, Jesus help me

I’m alone in this world

And a fucked up world it is too”

Anybody else have that go through their head from time to time? It doesn’t seem like you can get out of bed without either hurting or something going wrong.  You just say, this world is messed up man, nothing I do helps anything out, It just makes more of a problem for me to clean up. 

Recently, I have been busting my butt at work trying to have things so simple that as long as a person can read, my job doesn’t have to be done by just me.  Reason for doing so? Well, I may not work their forever, new people are getting additional responsibility titles maybe not work, but titles anyway.  Many reasons, hopefully someone can show me a better more efficient way to get things accomplished.  Plus, it’s just good business in my opinion.

So, in re-writing my job duties, I have found that I have actually freed up more time and been able to use different approaches for various tasks.  Now, I introduces one of the newly titled to a job that is going to be theirs-no, I don’t want to do that I’m told.  So I accomplish the task, and tell the boss how so and so doesn’t want to do their job.  My boss asks if the job was done, he doesn’t have a problem. Well, that sets me back a bit.  What’s the point of promoting if they aren’t going to work.  The other “titled” is quite good at finding other busy work jobs that they just so happen to have started.

Now I’m not asking for hand holding and Kumbayaya being sung, just do the job you were given.  Let me work on things that I haven’t had time to really get into.  Thankfully I’m an insomniac, but I am working on that.

It’s not just work- neighbors can’t get along and are demanding companies to fix things that can be fixed in 20 minutes.  Promises can’t be kept between individuals who call each other friends.  It’s actually a big deal if someone can do a job without having to be told 5 times and then asked to come and do it again.  Try to remember leaving a business with a smile on your face because you had a pleasant shopping experience.

So where does Jesus fit into all this?  Can’t expect everyone to believe and live in His way can we?  Well in my mind, I say yes, but realistically-no.  Perhaps though, we can pay it forward.  We can take a negative situation and turn it into a positive and maybe, just maybe it will be continued.  Just think of it….people actually doing their job (well) that they were hired to do.  Crazy!!!

One of the discussions we have at work is that we need a revolution in the government.  That we need someone to come in and just say that they are in control and this is how it’s going to be-like it or lump it!  Of course, I’m on the side of by the people, for the people and that our current leadership is pretty good.  Minority, I know, but still.  What if though, we had a religious revolution? Nothing like the Crusades or anything, but something that would make people think.

Last year, our good friend Scott Osborn made a valiant effort in doing so.  Organizing the twister concert, arts festival and so on brought a lot of people together for one purpose.  What if this was done in the name of God for changing the world.

Maybe we should just work on ourselves instead of the world.  I know my own life is complicated enough without trying to get the world running the way I think it should.

“Your Father, He made the world in seven

He’s in charge of Heaven

Will you put a word in for me?”

So let’s challenge ourselves, say a prayer to Jesus for Him to put a word in for you with God and see how you can affect those around you.  We talk about little things that have been done in IRON MEN, so it’s possible.  We just need more getting involved.

Personally, I know that I am leaving notes around to be found.  Hopefully they will be bring a smile or a tear, but most importantly I want them to bring up a thought, not a remembrance, but a thought. 

Thinking leads to many many other things.  One of which is Love.

THIS IS NOT A PROTEST POST

 

“I can’t believe the news today

I can’t close my eyes and make it go away.

How long, how long must we sing this song?

How long, how long?”

This has been my song before private time the last two days.  How long, I ask myself, how long must I suffer through the embarrassment, internal pain and frustration.  As long as they want you to comes the answer. I’m with you, I’m all you need.  Just fight my fight-remember-I’m behind you.

Wonderful thoughts and feelings,however I’m ready for some action-but that’s my selfishness, pride and feelings of revenge. Patience, obedience, trust and belief is what I need to have on my heart, mind and soul- not the other.

Recently, some of the things I have been showing/teaching the boys has come from my scouting experience.  Since I have made my mistake with them, I no longer associate myself with them.  We have decided to let the boys make their own decisions on this, which so far has been not to attend.  I love scouting, I feel it teaches boys so many important aspects of life which is part of the reason why I feel so frustrated and angry over this entire episode.

“And the battle’s just begun,

There’s many lost, but tell me who has won?”

I know I have had a few parents tell me they won’t have their child involved because of how I am being treated, but I tell them I appreciate it but your child is missing out, my boys are, fewer numbers attending scout functions isn’t good.  It looks bad on the current and former leadership.  Many have lost, but tell me who has won?

Perhaps the new leadership feels that they have, if so, that’s great.  But in order to win, there must be a contest….and I’ll tell you this, there has not been a move on my part yet.

Nothing has happened yet, lawyers are still posturing for which one is more important.  It’s true, in every court case I have been involved with when it comes time for the trial or hearing, each (different) attorney has been putting together note cards of what was googled that morning.  Sorry if I offend anyone who is or is related to anyone in the legal profession but this is my blog and my opinion so Thpppppppppt!  But to quote Paul again, “But I won’t heed the battle call, It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall”.

Well, I don’t know if I have hit that wall yet, but the spidey senses sure are tingling.

“And it’s true we are immune

When fact is fiction and TV reality

And today the millions cry

We eat and drink while tomorrow they die”

I think a majority are immune to what is fact or fiction.  And don’t give a damn about it because it doesn’t affect their little circle.  As long as their kids are doing well in school, wearing the right clothes, the house isn’t falling down and the car is still fairly new-life is pretty good.

We eat and drink in our own little world that revolves around us, not how our world revolves around Christ or his teachings, but around US and it’s all that matters.  It could be your neighbor, it could be a child in Africa, in Dallas, wherever-they may starve tonight.  What about the men and women in uniform? Not those in just the Armed Services, but those patrolling our streets, fighting our fires and so on, think they don’t face any danger?  But it’s too depressing to think about that- I’d rather look at my adorable niece posing in her dance recital outfit (I’d like to show you too, darling child, and so smart…).

“The real battle’s just begun

To claim the victory that Jesus had won

on

Sunday, bloody Sunday

Sunday, bloody Sunday”

Memorial Day and I Am Calling This Caught Up

I have failed you dear reader.  I did not put a post for everyday up on the FaceBook page.  I don’t think I am going to do that anyway, because I feel that blogs themselves are somewhat self-serving and to make a daily entry AND a post on the page would be a bit too much tooting my own horn type of thing.  But, I do plan on continuing this blog for some time and I hope that if you enjoy it to bookmark it or follow it somehow and give me feedback, ‘cause that’s what it’s all about-ya know?

 

Today is Memorial Day (actually as of the posting of this it WAS Memorial Day).  A day to fire up the grill, hit the lake, and have a Monday the way that it was intended-no work.  No, no, dear reader I know what today means and what it stands for. I did find this particularly interesting on Wikipedia about the interpretation of Memorial Day:

“Scholars,^{[37][38][39][40]} following the lead of sociologist Robert Bellah, often make the argument that the United States has a secular "civil religion" - one with no association with any religious denomination or viewpoint - that has incorporated Memorial Day as a sacred event. The obligation of both collective and individual to carry out God's will on earth is a theme that lies deep in the American tradition. With the Civil War, a new theme of death, sacrifice and rebirth enters the civil religion. Memorial Day gave ritual expression to these themes, integrating the local community into a sense of nationalism. The American civil religion, in contrast to that of France, was never anticlerical or militantly secular; in contrast to Britain, it was not tied to a specific denomination, such as the Church of England. The Americans borrowed from different religious traditions so that the average American saw no conflict between the two, and deep levels of personal motivation were aligned with attaining national goals.^[41]”

 

One of the many things that I enjoyed doing with the Cub Scouts as a leader was helping the veterans put out and take up the flags at the cemetery.  It gave us a chance to talk about how young some of the men and women were who gave their lives for our country.  We would ask the boys if they would be willing to do so if they were ever called upon and while we were at the cabin they would all say yes, but when we were placing the flags and assisting with the ceremony- the answers were a little different.  A lot of I don’t know or maybe’s were given, a few still stood by their initial answer of yes.  Of course, the boys were all in full uniform, and seeing various military officials in their uniforms would make them feel a bit more pride when they would tighten their neckerchief slide.

Another thing that we (Greg Sinclair-great guy-if you don’t know him, meet him-also a good, trusted friend) would do was on Veteran’s Day, have the boys take coins  or pins that said “Thank You For Your Service” to the veterans in the area’s nursing homes.  It was a special moment for the boys and especially the veterans.  Many times the veterans would show pictures and tell some stories about their time serving our country.  Last year, there were a few tears shed out of thankfulness of what the boys did.  We would also drill the boys over and over in the proper way to conduct a flag ceremony, how to carry, fold, raise and lower a flag, and how flags are destroyed and why.

Respect and honor of our history and flag is what Greg and I were looking for by doing these things with the boys.  Hopefully, it will stick with them, I know it meant a lot to me and to many veterans in Kingfisher county.

I tried to enlist a few months before the first Gulf Conflict but didn’t pass the health aspect of it.  I could play professional baseball, but couldn’t cut the mustard when it came to the USMC.  Then again, look at some of the guys who played in the bigs like John Kruk, Babe Ruth or Cecil Fielder.  To this day, I still wish I could have served in some way or another and feel regret, I truly admire what our past and present servicemen and women have done for our country and intend to pass that feeling to my boys but, of course, let them make their own decision about whether or not they want to serve.  I have a “nephew” at West Point currently.  It’s interesting to see how he is changing, becoming more of a man-a soldier.  You can see it in how he carries himself, how he talks to you, what he says- he’s becoming an even more impressive young man than what he was before.  I don’t think I’m going to be getting anymore late night calls from him saying that he has a loose tooth and is needing advice on the whole tooth pulling process any longer though. 

So for me, Memorial Day is a time to reflect.  A time to try to imagine what was and is going through the minds of those in harm’s way defending our country.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says:

“There is a time for everything, and everything on earth has its special season. There is a time to be born and a time to die.  There is a time to plant and a time to pull up plants.  There is a time to kill and a time to heal.  There is a time to destroy and a time to build.  There is a time to cry and a time to laugh.  There is a time to be sad and a time to dance.  There is a time to throw away stones and a time to gather them.  There is a time to hug and a time not to hug.  There is a time to look for something and a time to stop looking for it.  There is a time to keep things and a time to throw things away.  There is a time to tear apart and a time to sew together.  There is a time to be silent and a time to speak.  There is a time to love and a time to hate.  There is a time for war and a time for peace.”

Verses 14-15 in the same book and chapter say, “I know that everything God does will continue forever.  People cannot add anything to what God has done, and they cannot take anything away from it.   God does it this way to make people respect him.  What happens now has happened in the past, and what will happen in the future has happened before.  God makes the same things happen again and again.”

Now I think my translation may be off a bit here, I am currently using the New Century Version, so the flow and words are a bit different than what we (at least I am) are used to but I think the last two verses tell us that God has a plan for us.  We don’t have to look too hard to see that history does repeat itself.  As Christians, we know God’s hand is in every aspect of our lives and because of that we fear-respect-Him because of it.  We also see that we are to take time for things in our lives that deserve it, through the Word and prayer are we to learn when we are to do so.

In closing, I would just like to emphasize two words from this post- Honor and Respect.  Honor and Respect those who have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice themselves in the name of our country.

Honor and Respect our God, his Son, and the Holy Spirit for without all their gifts, where would we be?  We all have so many things to be thankful for, today is a day to take the time to thank those that truly deserve it.

Amen and Peace be with you all.

Day 3- Preparations or Will I Actually Ever Catch This Blog Up??

I like to prepare things.  Whenever I have a project, I like to have things set up in order of when I will need them,  if I need them quickly or if they are just items that are brought along just in case.

Please notice I said like, this doesn’t always happen.  I have two boys that tend to change plans rather frequently and quickly. But anyway…..

I used to have a cynical viewpoint of religion (still do in some respects-working on that though) which was those who constantly worship as those who just want to make it to Heaven.  To be honest, it was a valid assumption because all of the churches I had been to were filled with the elderly.  I just figured they were “covering their bases” so to speak.  But we all know when we assume, we make an- you get the picture.

So I heard this tune from, you guessed it, U2, “Walk On”. In this song Bono sings about:

“Packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been

A place that has to be believed to be seen”

I take this to mean that we are preparing ourselves for Heaven.  So me, being the practical planner I am, I decided to listen up because if this is what Bono is doing- doggone it, I am too. He goes on in the song to sing about leaving things behind, going on, home, your heart hurting and that the only things you can bring are those you can’t leave behind.

So that will leave out the solar blanket that doubles as a wind/snow/rain shield, I suppose.

Then he also says that love is not the easy thing.  I didn’t have that on my list, I figured it was a given, but now I’m finding out its not the easy thing to bring!

2 Timothy 3:14-17 says:

“You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about.  You know who taught you and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.”

I think this is what you bring.  Your knowledge, your actions, how you lead your life. As well as what you have done with those around you, “expressing your worship” as Robert Morris might say in one of his previous sermons.

Bono also sings:

“And I know it aches

And your heart it breaks

And you can only take so much

Walk on, walk on

What you’ve got they can’t deny it

Can’t sell it, can’t buy it

Walk on, walk on

Stay safe tonight”

“No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others.  And God is faithful;  He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it”.  That’s from 1 Corinthians 10: 13 

“Do unto others as you would have them do to you”; the words of Jesus in Luke 6:31

“Righteousness is this:  that one should…give away wealth out of love for him to near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for emancipation of the captives”.  The Koran (2.177) says that.

“Thus sayeth the Lord:  Bring the homeless poor into the house, when you see the naked, cover them, then your light will break out like the dawn and your recovery will speedily spring forth, then your Lord will be your rear guard.  Jewish scripture-Isaiah 58.

If I may paraphrase here, The Lord will be your rear guard- in other words- the Lord has got your back if you do what he says which it seems to me, is to love.  So maybe love is the hardest thing, by the standards we read above.

I have a passage bookmarked in my YouVersion titled “suitcase”, just one verse.  It’s Proverbs 8:10:  “Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.”

Pray with me for us to receive his instruction and knowledge which will also bring His Wisdom so that not only can we live a more fruitful life, but try to make our surroundings a bit better. 

There is a book called “The Next Christians-about the End of Christian Life in America” by Gabe Lyons.  He writes about how the Gen X, Y, Z Christians are more interested in community, sharing, helping and peace all through the teachings of Jesus.  In a word, they are more interested in Love.

This is an exciting time for us, we have the opportunity to either start or help out with something that promotes Christian values and betters society rather than worrying about whether our lawn looks better than the church down the street or how big a building for “outreach” is being built.

It isn’t easy, the older generation is going to buck the trend but if you believe truly that you are doing the work of God, you’ve got to work hard.  You have to pray, you have to try to live as we were taught in the Scriptures.

And then….

You have to let it go….

You have to leave it behind….

In Jeremiah 33:3 it says “Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don’t know and can’t find out”

My prayer today is a simple one.  Asking for knowledge, wisdom, and forgiveness.  Thanking Him for Jesus, my family and friends, and all the many blessings He has given.  I ask Him to open the hearts of those who don’t understand and show them how His Love can change the world, and not just theirs.  Keep having the Holy Spirit guide me, helping me with my many struggles and forgiving me for where I have sinned and broken promises with Him.  I know that He love me, my family and all of His children despite how we mess up and not follow the basic lessons He has taught.  Thank Him for His patience and mercy.

Amen

And with that dear reader, is another day.  Another day where we will hopefully “Walk On” with what we have been taught and use it to not only better ourselves but also express what we have been taught to those around us.

For some reason now, I have that song about teaching the world to sing in perfect harmony stuck in my head and the incredible urge to buy someone a Coke….weird.

Post 2- Different Format

Ever felt “Stuck in A Moment” that you just can’t get out of and there is no end in sight?  I’m experiencing one and it’s also one of the reasons for this blog.  I made some mistakes in my life ( who hasn’t) but one was a doozy and unfortunately, this mistake involves police, arrests, lawyers, the whole nine yards.

There are many reasons for this mistake.  Irresponsibility, selfish pride, disease, just to name a few. I have taken responsibility and I feel I have done all that has been asked of me up to this point in a timely and efficient manner but court dates are constantly rescheduled, promises by other parties are not kept resulting in a great amount of frustration and anger on my part.

Also, since this mistake involved all of the named above, it became a matter of public record which meant it was published in local newspapers and a local magazine that provides unending entertainment for some, including those I work with.  Living in a small town and working in a public place makes for some uncomfortable situations. Sometimes people make jokes that hurt more than they amuse, sometimes comments are made without thinking which also leads to more frustration, hurt, and embarrassment.  Of course, if these people were asked if they were Christian, they answer with a resounding “Of course I am! What would make you ask a question like that?”.  Just wondering is the reply, although I say nothing and walk away.  The ones that hurt the most though, are the ones who look at you and you can see that they do have sympathy for you in their heart.  You can tell that they want to say something, but don’t know what the words would be appropriate.  In these situations, I want to go give them a hug and say thank you, but I think it would make  it worse for them and I.  Everyday though, they are in my prayers, I ask God to open their hearts and to try to help all of us lead our lives as Jesus had taught us. 

Chapter 14 in Romans is one I am working on memorizing and would suggest others to do so as well, or at least keep it on a “read often” list.  Verses 17-19 say,

“God’s Kingdom isn’t about eating and drinking.  It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about  true happiness.  All this comes from the Holy Spirit.  If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by people.  We should try to live at peace and help each other have a strong faith”.

  It also asks:

“What right do you  have to criticize someone else’s servants?  Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right.”

Then here is the one that gets me, I have so many questions about this passage.

  “Whether we live or die, it must be for God, rather than for ourselves.  Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord.  Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord.  This is because Christ died and rose to life, so that he would be the Lord of the dead and the living.  Why do you criticize other followers of the Lord? Why do you look down on them? The day is coming when God will judge all of us.”

Quite a bit of inspiration and also thought provoking words there. 

So my song for this day is by U2, “Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of”.  One verse says:

“I will not forsake, the colors you bring

But the nights you filled with fireworks

They left you with nothing.

I am still enchanted by the light you brought to me

I still listen through your ears, and through your eyes I can see”

Enchanted by the light brought by Jesus and our Lord above, the ears and eyes of the Holy Spirit.  And later the Spirit is saying that you are stuck in a moment that you can’t of and how you have to get yourself together or back to God.  The Spirit also tells that you are a fool to worry like you do, he knows its tough and that you can never get enough of what you don’t really need now-which would be YOUR idea or in this case MY idea of justice.

Then the song ends:

“And if the night runs over

And if the day won’t last

And if your way should falter

Along the stony pass

It’s just a moment

It’s just a moment

This time will pass”

  Reminding us that in God’s time- it’s just a blip, just a quick moment and it will pass.  Romans 13 8-14 tells us:

“Let love be your only debt!  If you love others, you have done all that the Law demands.  In the Law there are many commands, such as, ‘Be faithful in marriage.  Do not murder.  Do not steal.  Do not want what belongs to others.’  But all of these are summed up in the command that says ‘Love others as much as you love yourself’.  No one who loves others will harm them.  So love is all that the Law demands.  You know what sort of times we live in, and so you should live properly.  It is time to wake up.  You know that the day when we will be saved is nearer now than when we first put our faith in the Lord.  Night is almost over, and day will soon appear.  We must stop behaving as people do in the dark and be ready to live in the light.  So behave properly, as people do in the day.  Don’t go to wild parties or get drunk or be vulgar or indecent.  Don’t quarrel or be jealous.  Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear.  Then you won’t try to satisfy your selfish desires.”

A very good friend, one that is very far away and I miss very much and everyone needs to have a friend like him (I hope I didn’t give away too much there) told me to read Romans recently so of course I started and now want to discuss every little aspect of it with him but he’s gone and I’m selfish for wanting him at my beck and call but know that he has a life, family, job and all that stuff.

But I wonder, what would it take to get everyone in our group to read this book.  How about everyone in our church, community, county, state, nation and world?  Would it just be word of mouth or would a drastic action need to be taken to educate and enlighten?

I’m not going to put my prayer in for this post because it is a very personal and private discussion that I have with God about this.  But I urge you to really dive into this book and see what you can find out about your own life and your own faith.

So-until next time dear reader, I leave you with the peace and happiness of the Lord.  Trust that His word is true, Believe that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead and Know that the same power is inside of you!