The Best Toast EVER!

I was right in the middle of one of those really cool dreams; one of those dreams where it seems nothing can go wrong...and then, my alarm went off signifying that it was time to get up and go to work.  But that's ok...I knew it was for a good reason.

On my morning commute, I came to a realization.  It appears that the county of San Bernardino has somehow secretly installed a sensor in my truck whose sole purpose is to trigger stoplights to turn red as I approach; clearly in an attempt to make my drive to work as painful as possible.  But that's ok, I knew it was for a good reason.

Every decision I made at work that day reminded me of just how smart Murphy was when he wrote his law.  You see, no matter what I did, it seemed that I was wrong.  But that's ok, it was for a good reason.

On my way home, I stopped at one of those warehouse stores to buy 3 items in bulk.  When I went to pay, there were only 2 lanes open, each with a minimum of 12 people, and all pushing at least 3 carts through the checkout.  So I waited in line.  But that's ok, it was for a good reason.

At the end of my 12 hour work day, I walked through the door to see my wife and kids sitting there talking and laughing.  I thought to myself contentedly, "THIS is what I work for."  With that inspiration, I headed to the kitchen to make dinner.  The wife had a craving for omelettes, the girl wanted scrambled eggs, because that is HER preference, and the boy's request? A ham and cheese omelette...after all, he IS the carnivore.  At this point, I decided to go above and beyond.  I got out some chicken and marinated it with a special sauce of my own invention.  In the meantime, my wife decides that we will also need some carbs with our evening "breakfast," so she puts some bread in the toaster.  We all sit down to dinner. I look at my family and reflect on how lucky I am to have such a gracious family that appreciates the sacrifices that I make for them.  It's at this moment that my daughter grabs a piece of toast off her plate and asks, "Who made the toast?"  I reply, "Your mother did."  She then exclaims, "Wow, Mom!  This is the best toast ever!"  And I think to myself,  "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!"

I guess if you are only doing something to be recognized, then it probably didn't come from your heart after all.  SO...I'll just be happy to know that it was all for a good reason.

Galatians 1:10~ For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?  Or am I striving to please men?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

The Queen Has An Issue

Sometimes it's tough being a man.  Especially when you come home and look lovingly into the eyes of your one true love and say to yourself, "Aww, man!  There's trouble afoot!"  If this scenario should fall upon you, remember to stick to the preset rules of survival:

1. Establish if you are the root cause.  I have found in my experience that if you are, the easiest way of survival is to throw yourself immediately at the mercy of the court, or, if possible, divert the anger to someone else (a good reason to have children).
2. If you are NOT the root cause, you will find that most women just want to talk about whatever the issue is.  In this instance, the best survival tactic is to just listen.  However, this is extremely difficult for men, since God did not find it necessary to give us an attention span that can process more than one thought at a time .  AND, it is very rare for a man to come home with that one thought being:  "Today, I'm going to be a GOOD listener!"
3. You discover that your kids are the root cause and have been "off the hook" or have repeatedly done something that brings upon the need for you to assume the role of the enforcer and, if needed, the terminator. Which, as a rule of survival, is good for you...not so good for them.
4. When her gaze tells you there is no time to establish the cause, you just know whatever happened, she's made up her mind...EVERYONE is going to suffer for this one...at which point your only option  is to just run.

Good luck, boys!  Remember...For better or for worse!

Ephesians 5:28~ So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies.  He who loves his own wife loves himself.

A Generation of "C" Students

I've always been taught that the enemy of great is good.  I've tried to live by this rule and as a parent I try to instill it into my kids' psyche.  All too often, I see examples of this concept in today's society; people doing just enough to get by and not get noticed or not get in trouble...and being satisfied with that!

Today, the first of many changes coming from the health care reform bill (passed six months ago) will take effect.  Children (up to the age of 26) of those carrying their own medical insurance will now be guaranteed complete health care coverage with no restrictions.  This means that regardless of their marital status, student or not, OR whether or not they are even living with their parent, they will be covered until they are 26 years old.  My concern is that the message being sent with this type of  "reform" is that young adults need not make any strides towards independence until the age of 26. 

Some people have the type of personality which naturally makes them strive to be better than just good, while others need to be pushed.  It's scary to think where would we be if some of our great historical figures would have just settled for "good enough."  What if Thomas Edison would've been OK reading by candlelight? Or if Alexander Graham Bell would've been OK with just sending letters?  Or in a more extreme scenario, can you imagine if Jesus would've said, "Being the Son of God is good enough, I don't need to get up on that cross?"  I'm thinking history would have gone a lot differently.

I am not beyond reproach...I too, often find myself getting complacent and settling, but then I am reminded that my salvation is not based on anything I do.  I am commanded to make a difference, because what I do here in this life will increase my rewards in "the next."  I believe that it is important to look inside yourself to avoid becoming conformed to the generation of "C" students that is being primed to rule the world.  Always remember that good is nothing more than a stepping stone to becoming great.

Matthew 6:19-21~ "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Super-Christian!

Have you ever made a mistake? Have you ever made a mistake and been judged for it?  Were you a parent that made a mistake and got judged by your kids for it?  Have you ever had authority over someone in the workforce and made a mistake that you were later judged for?  If I keep digging, I'm sure I will eventually find a point in time that you weren't perfect and you were judged for it. 

It's obvious to most that the more elevated one becomes in status, the harsher their judgement.  The same (and more so) goes for Christians.  In the news this morning was a report about a sports celebrity getting arrested for a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) and the entire focus of the update was whether or not he would be able to play this weekend.  It wasn't so long ago that a similar news report aired of a Christian celebrity involved in the same scenario (minus the arrest) and yet the entire focus of THAT particular broadcast was on the hypocrisy of Christians.

Please don't misunderstand me, I do believe a Christian is expected to adhere to a higher moral code in order to be an example of the salvation provided for us, but sometimes I see Christians (including myself) trying to be "Super Christians" and act like we never make mistakes.  After recommitting my life as a Christian, I used to find myself giving incomplete or "doctored" testimonies so others around me (Christians and non-Christians alike) would think that I was a prime example of what a Christian should be.  People would come to me with spiritual questions and I would have an answer...sometimes Biblically-based, but much to my embarrassment now, often only my best educated guess.  It took me a lot of years to come to the realization that it's ok to say, "I don't know" or "I'll go look it up and get back to you."  It also took me a long time to realize that by openly admitting my mistakes it gave me opportunities to testify on the great things God does for a "wretch" like me.  Don't be fooled...I still get judged and so will you.  If you're going to openly confess you are a "Jesus Freak," then the judgement of this world will probably be a little more harsh.  The good news is...you are not of this world!

So, my fellow superheroes, don't be afraid to take the "S" off your chest and get on your knees, bow your heads, and use your true superpower.  The one who judges our mistakes is the same one who forgives them.

Matthew 10:19-20~ But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.  For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 

No, I Want a Coffee!

Sometimes I think that this world is trying to push me over the edge.  I go to Starbucks and order a large coffee and they ask me, "You want a Venti?" And I respond, "No, I want a coffee."  They sweetly reply, "No, I mean what size do you want?"  I calmly respond, "A large."  They then say, "Ok, a Venti"  I say, "No, a coffee!" And on and on it goes...until I look at the board and I see that my size choices are Tall, Grande, and Venti and I think to myself...how could a Tall and a Grande NOT be a large.  At the same time, I should also automatically know what  a Venti means?" 

The battle continues when I stop for fast food at the drive thru and my daughter wants a burger and a drink...for reasons I don't understand, she doesn't like fries. So, I ask for the burger and before I can finish, they ask me if I'd like the combo and I tell them "No, just the burger and the drink." They respond, "But if you get the combo, it would be cheaper."  So I say, "Why don't you just keep the fries and charge me the same cheap price and then everyone's happy."  To which they have no response, but look at me like I've broken some cardinal fast food law.

Sometimes it seems these little things (when added up) tend to push me over the edge.  I often hear people say that these are attacks by Satan, but I like to believe that God's in charge and they are actually His ways of trying to teach me in an area that I am admittedly lacking in...patience.  So next time you feel you are being attacked, try and remain open-minded.  Maybe God is trying to teach you something.

2 Timothy 2:24~ The Lord's bondservant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged.

Romans 8:28~ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

A Hinder or A Witness?

On "To Every Man an Answer" (a local call-in radio show), I consistently hear people call in and ask, "Is it ok for Christians to have tattoos?"  Often quoting Leviticus 19:28 which states: "You shall  not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the Lord."  The pastors' responses are the same each time.  First they point out that the verse says, "Do not make them for the dead."  Secondly they point out that we are no longer under the law.  Lastly they remind the listener that you can use anything as an opportunity to minister and witness.  They do usually throw in a warning that one needs to be sure it is what they want, because when it is done, it is virtually impossible to UN-do.

I, admittedly, have tattoos on my body.  I never have had any real "hang-ups" about it...other than I am about 15 years past having the body to show them off! :)  I once had a woman in my Bible study who learned that I had tattoos and couldn't understand how I was "ok" with it.  Needless to say, this topic of conversation took over the Bible study that morning.

When I got my first one, there were no spiritual thoughts whatsoever.   However, when I got the last one, I had finally submitted and given myself over to Jesus, realizing that I was saved by grace even though I had spent the majority of my life being a screw-up.  When I look at them, I think how ironic it is that the one that came with no spiritual thoughts whatsoever was that of a skull and crossbones.  And yet, my most recent tattoo is that of a cross made up of two spikes with a Bible verse (Ephesians 2:8) beneath it.  It reminds me that it was me who nailed Jesus to the cross with my sins, but because of grace (undeserved forgiveness) he forgives me of all my mistakes.  And trust me, tattoos are by far the least!

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the free gift of God.

A Case of the Grumpies

Today I caught a case of the "grumpies."  I had one of those "excessively-needy-employees, caught-every-stop-light, there's-never-any-extra-money, nobody-had-anything-nice-to-say" kind of days.  I couldn't pin it down to any one specific instance that set me off, but by the evening I was just flat out GRUMPY!  I didn't really want to take it out on my family, so I just tried to hold it in. And of course...as always...when I try to hold it in, it just comes out in numerous little grumpy spurts.

In Sunday School, I've always tried to teach that it's ridiculous for a Christian to have a bad day.  I mean really, if you know you are going to be in heaven eternally and everyday will eventually be filled with eternal bliss, then what could possibly happen in your roughly 60 to 100 years here on earth that would be SO bad that you wouldn't still have something to look forward to.  Sorry my peeps, it would seem that I don't always practice what I preach.  Shame on me!  Wow...who knew...turns out, I'm not perfect afterall!

After dinner, I sat down and talked with my wife and told her what was on my mind.  And there was a simple comfort with just talking it out.  It's funny how just saying something out loud, can make you feel tremendously better.  So next time you find yourself with a case of the "grumpies," what remedy would I suggest for a quick fix?  Talk to someone; a wife, a friend, or better yet, the best listener ever, God Himself.

Ephesians 4:26-27  Be angry and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and do not give the devil an opportunity.

Viva La Revolucion!

Today my wife's new "Droid" showed up.  And as she began to show me the seemingly unlimited number of things that this little handheld device could do (because using it as a phone is its least important function),  I couldn't help but think of the movie "The Terminator".  Does no one remember the premise that when the computers became self-aware, they decided to take over the world?! 

People want to believe in the evolutionary concept...which, by definition, means "a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage).  However, what I witness in my day to day life points in quite the opposite direction.  The advancement of technology continues to pummel us into a deeper, dumber, more vulnerable state of being.  I, admittedly, am T.C. (Technologically Challenged).  And my ADD doesn't allow me the patience to focus on all the options that today's computers, phones, T.V.s, etc. have to offer.

So, when they DO decide to take over the world, I'm certain that some of us will be spared to serve as slaves to our new automated masters.  But, as we have seen so many times in history, there will be a revolution...and when it starts, I'll be hiding in a cave using my fingers to count the days til Christ's return!

VIVA LA REVOLUCION!

Gal 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery

My Malfunctioning "Filter"

Some people deal with OCD, others struggle with ADD, etc.  I, on the other hand, suffer from S.B.T.  "Speak  Before Thinking" disorder.  When my brain forms a thought, it's supposed to filter that thought before it reaches my mouth.  However, periodically, my filtering system malfunctions.   Over the years I have noted that most men I know also suffer from this disorder, but God was kind enough to create a kind of "substitute" filter.  It's called WOMAN. 

Most of the time, my wife is quite capable of filtering those thoughts with a simple look.  Her eyes work like the "pause" button on a TV remote that, when she senses I 'm having a thought that's going to come out incorrectly, she simply uses a look to trigger the complete paralysis of my mouth. 

Case in point: My son and I were discussing the advantages of temporarily bringing home animals from his class such as snakes, bearded dragons, chinchillas, etc. as a favor to the teacher over the holidays.  My wife quickly realized that my intent was to have my son bring home what I considered to be the "cool" animals. She, with one look, was able to turn my mouth off and "help me" to understand that discussing the bringing home of said animals (which had not gone through the proper approval process) was not an option.

On the other hand, the filter and shut-down mechanisms are not always intended to be JUST for her advantage; she has, quite often, stopped me from choking to death on my own foot.  She can't be around me 24/7, but when I get home and describe my day to her, she is very skilled at removing my foot from my mouth so that I can try, try again!

Pro 13:3

The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

1Cor 11:9

...for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake.

The Innocence of a Child

I really do love the innocence of a child.  I have a prosthetic leg which I have no "hang-ups" about, it doesn't embarrass me, and in most cases, I don't feel self-conscience about it.  So, I wear shorts about 90% of the year and children, without any hesitation, walk right up to me, knock on my leg, and say, "What's this?"  I usually, with a little bit of humor, tell them, "Let's just say, when your parents tell you to look both ways before crossing the street, you better listen!"  And for the most part, they smile back at me and reply, "Ok."  Simple as that!

When I look back at these times, I often find myself wishing that I had the courage to be so bold.  But, as we all know, adults are a different breed altogether.  In fact, I've had people literally go years before they feel comfortable enough to ask me about it.  And when they finally do, their statement usually starts like this..." I've always wanted to ask you about that, but..."  Then, they usually make some sort of cringing face when they ask...like it actually hurts.  And in some cases, they have had others ask for them. So, it really makes me appreciate the innocence of a child and just how easily curiosity will lead them to want to learn.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule.  For instance, when your innocent daughter's curiosity gets the best of her and she decides to walk up to a woman in an IHOP and say, "What's that thing on your face?"  That's when you find out that the innocence of YOUR OWN child comes with a price.

Matthew 18:4 Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Choices Made

I recently witnessed a conversation between one of my fellow supervisors and his employee.  The employee was being held accountable, with discipline, for not adhering to a very inflexible rule. The rule broken is a very common rule and the employee had been trained properly not to break it. Additionally, he had been been warned about it only minutes prior and he chose to break it anyway.


As my partner explained how we discovered the rule was broken and the level of discipline that would be involved, the employee went into a defense mode. However, there was no way he could claim ignorance, So his defense was that everyday he does our company a favor by working hard and getting his job done, that, “the company and the Country were screwed up for forcing him to come work and follow a rule he didn’t agree with.” He also said that he should get some flex on the discipline because he was such a good employee and if he didn’t, he "wouldn’t be doing you guys (the Company) any favors anymore."

After that statement had been made, my partner calmly looked his employee in the eye and said, “Did I wake you up this morning? Did I put your clothes on you this morning? Did I drive you to work? No, you made your choice to do all those things. Everything you did today involved a choice you had to make. Whatever your motives were, you chose to come to work, knowing full well the job came with rules you had to follow.  Being here is not a favor to me, working hard is not a favor to me, getting your job done is not a favor to me. It’s a choice you make. So you need to remember you live by the choices you make and any time you make the wrong choice, you are the one who ultimately has to answer for them.”

I couldn’t help that while I listened  to my partner make this statement, I was thinking, , “How true is that? If I eat junk food, it’s not the food's fault I get fat. Everyday I get in a car, I know there is a chance I could get in an accident... it’s not the car's fault, etc… Then I thought, “Wow! How true that is to my own spiritual walk. God laid out the rules. He has never forced me to follow them, but I do know that there is accountability if I don’t. So, should I blame God for the choice I make?”

Everyday I have to make choices, as we all do.  A lot of times, the right choice is more difficult, but we know by our moral motives, which ones we should make. My favorite poem has always been. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

 

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

 

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

John 12:26 "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Good day and good choices.

The Worst Thing Ever Done

In the Bible study I was leading last week, I presented the following question:  "What was the worst thing you ever did in your life...AND...do you use that as a testimony to glorify God to this day?"  When I ask myself the same question...one particular day always sticks out clearly in my mind...

It was early in the morning and I was on my way to work.  I was in a particularly crummy mood (although I don't really remember why.)  I stopped by the bank to get some cash and as I pulled out of the bank and up to the corner to make my turn, I noticed a homeless man.  He was acting strange, flailing his arms around and shouting.  He ran up to my truck erratically.  Without hesitation, I rolled down the window, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Seriously?  Why are you even here?  Would the world miss you if you were gone? Get away from my truck!  Just vanish and see if anyone notices!"  I then drove away.  As I got further down the street, I began to feel a tugging at my heart...and yet, decided to ignore it altogether.  After all, I felt much more content to remain in my crummy mood.

A few minutes later, I pulled into my parking space at work, turned my truck off, and I heard a voice, clear as day (in my head) say, "I don't even know you right now!"  And at that moment, I felt more ashamed than I can recall ever having felt in my entire life.  It haunted me throughout the rest of the day and night.  I couldn't think of anything else.  Those words just kept ringing over and over...but I kept it to myself. 

The next morning I woke up and there was still no other thought than:  "I don't even know you right now!"  I went into the bathroom and locked the door, fell to my knees, and began praying for forgiveness and that God would change my heart.  I left the house that morning and drove down to the corner to look for the homeless man, but he wasn't there.  I pulled into a parking lot and prayed again, asking for forgiveness and again praying that God would change my heart.  I drove by that corner every day for the next 2 weeks.  I never saw the homeless man again, but everyday I prayed the same prayer asking God's forgiveness and asking him to change my heart.  I had never felt so ugly as I did that day, but I live with the faith that God forgives all sin, no matter how ugly or how severe.  Needless to say, I haven't verbally attacked a homeless person since.  But, more importantly, whenever I feel that I am going to knowingly sin, the memory of this encounter pops quickly into my head and I remember that praying before the sinful act is so much easier than grieving over it later.

My only other prayer regarding this situation was that this man would one day be in Heaven and that I could see him and have the opportunity to tell him that I am sorry.  I continue to use my experience with him to remind me that no matter how bad something is that someone has done, it can be forgiven by God.

Colossians 2:13~When you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our sins.

Psalm 51:10~Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Save Me a Parking Spot

So, I pulled into a my parking space, got out of the car and headed into the store. I noticed a woman about 5' 2" and 300 pounds that was also getting out of her car. She was parked in a handicapped parking space. I watched her get out of her car and walk into the store with no visible disability. At the same time, I was passed by a white van that was clearly looking for a spot to park...he found one...at about the very furthest space from the entrance to the store possible, in my same aisle. I had to stop and see if my suspicions were correct...they were. About 2 minutes later, the back doors of the van opened and an electronic lift device slowly began lowering this man and his wheelchair to the ground.


Now let's rewind...about 10 years ago my wife accompanied me to my annual physical (yes, she wants to be involved in everything) and at the end of the visit she asked the doc if I qualified for a handicap placard. The doc laughed and said, "I think that the amputation of his foot easily qualifies him for the placard. I will go ahead and write the note." That was it! Done! Too easy!

Well, on the way home began our discussion...I told her that I saw (and still see) no need for such a "benefit!" There are too many people out there that TRULY need it and I could never see myself infringing on that by using it for convenience purposes only. {For those of you that don't know me, I wear a prosthesis on my left leg, but am not, in ANY way, hindered in my daily activities like walking to and from my car.} We eventually decided on a compromise...we would only use the placard if, and ONLY IF there were no other spots available, possibly during Christmas season, and occasionally at amusement parks. As a side note, it gets used maybe once per year.


Fast forward...this morning my wife read to me this statement from Abe Lincoln:

"If any man tells you he loves America, yet hates labor, he is a liar. If any man tells you he trusts America, yet fears labor, he is a fool."

If one of our country's founding principles is that the harder you work, the better the reward, then how is it we ended up in this predicament? We have done a 180 degree turn to quite the opposite sentiment. If a loophole exists, the current generation is encouraged to find it. If you can take advantage of "the system," you should! Huge economic bailouts, the outsourcing of labor to other countries, the abuse of the welfare system, the living beyond one's means (i.e. credit abuse), and the lady using her weight as justification for a handicap are only a few examples of the lack of accountability that runs rampant in the United States.

Pro 13:11 Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, But the one who gathers by labor increases it.

Does the Bible Translation Matter?

I recently had a discussion with a man I respect very much who teaches from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. My concern was that some Bibles eliminate or change words that I believe change the meaning of scripture. I gave the example of John 3:16 in which the NIV eliminates the word "begotten" before "Son" and replaces it with "one and only Son." I quoted Exodus 4:22 in which God calls Israel His firstborn, John 1:12 which states that we were given the power to become children of God, and Romans 8:16 which states that the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. My point being that if Jesus is the "one and only" Son, then how can God be our Father as well? However, if He is the "begotten" Son, then He is the "birth" Son and we are "adopted" into God's family.

Taken from bibletruths.net: The meaning of only begotten. "Only begotten" is from the Greek monogenes. This word is used nine times in the Greek New Testament. The word is a compound word, mono, meaning only, and gennesis, meaning birth. "Only begotten" (monogenes) is used five times by John, three by Luke, and once by the writer of Hebrews. Luke used the word to describe the widow's son, "only son of his mother" (Lk. 7: 12, see 8: 42, 9: 38). The writer of Hebrews said Abraham "offered up his only begotten son" (Heb. 11: 17).

The man, with whom I was having this conversation, said that "fanatics take each word of the Bible too seriously and it's really about the idea that it's trying to get across." My concern is...when you change or eliminate words, you take the chance on changing the meaning of the scripture...and potentially the only way to salvation. So, does that make me a fanatic?