I MISS THE BACK RUBS

Well, it has been a little over a year since we all made the trek to grand ma Bea's 100th birthday. Recently, at 101, she had a pace maker put in. No, I do not know the answers to the questions you are thinking right now. For that reason, and the fact I miss the back massages from BeBe, I am going to Santa Maria Sunday. Hopefully, I can give my Mom a little help in caring for grand ma.
I know my brother is there and has everything under control. But perhaps he needs a break too.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE WAS A CHRISTIAN

We were driving home from a very nice early, pre-birthday dinner the other night. We came upon a car and we both wondered what it was. It was small, rather generic looking. When we got close enough to see the emblem, we found it was a Mercedes Benz. If not for that label, we would not have been able to guess correctly. We talked about how Mercedes and Volvos used to be so unique in their design. Now, they just blend in and do not make a statement on the road any more.

It made me think back to the harshest indictment I ever heard about me. I was still at the Postal Service. I was in a small group and I attended church weekly. I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, on the outside. A guy who delivered mail to a member of my small group started talking and the small group member asked if he worked with me. He said yes, but he didnt even know I was a Christian. What an indictment of the way I witnessed in the world. I am hoping my days of being an undercover Christian are past me. I know there are times people would have their doubts. That is something I need to work on.

I need to be like the older Volvos and Mercedes. I need to be unique in my design and, more importantly, in my performance, or the way I present my Jesus to the world.

TIMING... A GOD THING?

We were watching TV last night. We found ourselves switching channels. We are not Country Music fans. but we visited channel 5, CBS and the Country Music Awards show. Just then, Toby Keith began singing a beautiful song and it turned out to be a tribute to Wayman Tisdale who died almost a year ago after battling cancer. Earlier in the week end, we heard a song called Wayman's Smile, a recording by his friend and sax player Tom Braxton.

I am not one who believes God routes out every step I take each day. but i am glad "something" led me to turn the remote to that show at the very time Toby Keith began the song.

Not many "celebrity" deaths have made such an impression on me as the death of Wayman Tisdale. He was a fantastic basketball player, playing the last few years of his career with the Phoenix Suns. He was quite a jazz performer, brightening any room and stage with whoever he was playing. He was a force on stage and his love for God showed through every circumstance. I could never say we were friends, having only met him a couple of times. But I am glad God has continued to remind me of his death and has reminded me that we never know how much time we have and we need to be that light for every one we meet. If I can only do that for the people I meet each day.

IF I WERE ELECTION CZAR FOR A DAY

As many times as I have voted for John McCain, I still dont know what he has done for me. I know how bad his opponents have all been. I know he has more experience and integrity and grit than his opponents all have had. I know he is able to jump on the most opportune bandwagon going at the time. But I have never heard an original thought from him. As I make my plans to again vote for him in the next primary and election, here is what I would tell him and other politicians posing as public servants...

Senator, without mentioning your opponent's name, please tell me what you plan on doing for me. Senator, without referring to the current stand by your party, please tell me what you plan on doing for me. Senator Kyl, without telling me what you dont agree with, please tell me what you plan on doing to help make my life better. Congressman Mitchell, without being so nice of a guy, please make a stand. Senator Pierce, without making such a hard stand, please show me you can be a nice guy. Debate moderators, after you ask a candidate a question, if they mention their opponent's record, turn off their microphone as they have forfeited the responsibility of answering that question.

Jesus said He would do something and then did it. He would have made a terrible politician, but, oh, what an example of being a servant He was.

Believe in What?

This is something I came across in our study of John..... I cut it up a bit and added a thought or two. But the original thoughts from John Macarthur stand....

There's a whole theological school now that's developing and their thesis is "faith in faith." Isn't that good? They have faith in faith. They believe in believing. And you'll say to people well, you know, this and that ... and they'll say, "Oh, I believe ... I believe." What do you believe? "Oh, I believe ... I'm a believer." A believer in what? "Well, I just believe. I believe that God is in control ... I believe." Oh, that's real good.

You know something? Faith in nothing is nothing. It's zero, zilch, nothing. It doesn't mean anything to believe in believing. You know, I like it ... you've heard the song, "I believe for every drop of rain that falls a flower grows." Oh, in the first place, that's a lie. "I believe that somewhere in the darkest night a candle glows." Tremendous. "Every time I hear a newborn baby cry, or touch a leaf or see the sky, then I know why I believe." (Gee didnt we sing this in youth choir?) You believe what? Don't push me. "I believe." Well, goody-goody. You see, that's the kind of attitude that a lot of people have ... I believe. You believe what? Usually when somebody comes to you and you ask them a question they say, "Well, I believe that's it's over there." That means they don't know. If you can't believe in something and on something, you're believing is ridiculous. Who cares whether you believe a candle glows? Who cares whether you believe a flower grows? That's irrelevant. God's not going to say to you someday, "Well, enter into My Kingdom because you believed the candle glowed." No, no ... that's so ludicrous it's inane.

No, no, no that's not the point. The point is at the end of verse 45 "they believed ... what? ... on Him." You see, faith is nothing unless it's placed in Jesus Christ. That's the whole point. Peter said, 'Neither is there salvation in any other, there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." If a man does not put his faith in Jesus Christ his faith is meaningless. And what cuts the ice is faith in Him. John 1:12, "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on ... what? ... His name." Christ is definitive. There aren't options. You can't just believe any ole thing you want, that's ridiculous.

OH THE PRESSURE

I recently read somewhere that the greatest burden we put on ourselves is to try to make it all about ourself. The pressure we put on ourselves when we make all the problems going on in the world about us. All the trials we are going through about us. All the wrong decisions others make about us. Just everything that we come in contact with being about us makes for too much pressure and puts us in an unsolveable dilemna.

No matter how we got into a circumstance, no matter who's "fault" it may have been, no matter how low we may feel we are, it is not about us.

When His friend, Lazarus was dying, Jesus pointed out that the circumstance was not about his illness or, ultimatelyy, his death, but it was for God's glory and that Jesus might be glorified. It was about God. Earlier, He was asked who's "fault" it was that a certain man was blind. Jesus said it was not about him or his parents. But it was to show how God would work in his life.

I find it much easier to be going through tough, uncertain times knowing it is not about me, but about how God will be with me as I go through them. It is also good knowing I am with someone who sees it the same way.

TOO MUCH STUFF

In One Particular Harbor, Jimmy Buffett laments about having too much..."I used to rule my world from a pay phone, ships out on the sea. Now times are tough, I got too much stuff. Can't explain the likes of me." Or something like that. Never could get a quote exactly right. (disclaimer: I know that is not the album cover for One Particular harbor. But it shows the pay phone).

I remember when one phone call on the only availiable type of phone, was made and details of our evening were set. I stood outside waiting for my friends to pick me up and we were out for the evening. I kept a quarter aside in case I had to call my dad to pick me up. Of course, he said never call him from a police station, call my mother instead. I heeded his warning until the calls from the station had become much more costly.

Now, there is tweeter, texxxing, emails, gmails, IMs, someone sent a picture of the outside of a friend's house to let them know they were outside waiting. I know I will never have a smart phone because I am just not smart enough for one.

All that "stuff" has only made relationships obsolete. There is no need for close relationships any more when you can brag abut having 200 friends on facebook. When I see someone, i cant ask them, eaten at any good restaurants lately because I already saw what they had yesterday taken on the droisy Iphone, thing-a-ma-zinger and posted on twister.

I am glad Jesus did not use texting. from martha, Laz is dead. From JC, Noprob, b there soon.

I am glad God is the same yesterday, today and forever.... insert smiley face here.