People CAN Change

I heard a famous Christian minister say that people don’t change.  Because of the context in which he made the statement & because of the particular subject that he was discussing many of the people at the conference nodded their heads in agreement.  But I thought to myself, “I’m at a conference for CHRISTIAN MINISTERS & we don’t believe people can change?”  I’m glad Jesus doesn’t feel that way about me.

God Is The Ultimate Gift

God, himself, is the ultimate gift of infinite worth. Until we understand that truth we search in vain for happiness in shallow reflections that will not satisfy. I admit I don’t always grasp the full truth of the statement I just wrote entirely, but I’m moving in that direction.

Be Assured: God Understands

One of the reasons we don’t live God’s way is we believe, on some level, that He doesn’t really understand. “God says what...?!?” we think.  Well then, “He can’t possibly understand!”  This is probably not an overt thought—we rationally understand that it’s not sound thinking. But people are perfectly capable of holding irrational beliefs. Please be assured of this: God understands.

Push Up Project, Day 11

My friend Raiye asked me, “So, how’s that push-up thing going?”

Here’s what I did today: 

REGULAR PUSH-UPS

2 sets of 14 reps; 2 sets of 12 reps; 1 set of 9 reps. 

All done less than a minute apart.

(Why an odd number like “9”, you ask?  …Because at that point, I couldn’t do anymore!)

Then, later in the day, 2 sets of 25 push-ups.

DIAMOND PUSH-UPS (this is a push-up with the fingers of the hands on the floor pointing inward and the hands close together—it really works the triceps…and it gives your hair a natural bounce with a lovely flowing luster).

1 set of 15 reps; 2 sets of 14 reps.

You say, “Hey Dan, I just counted, that’s only 168 total push-ups for the whole day!  That’s a long way from being able to do 100 push-ups, non-stop!”

I know, but I have to work my way up gradually, so I don’t get injured.  That’s why the whole process is going to take 75 days, remember?  Two days ago, on Tuesday, after I finished doing the push ups I had a weird buzzing sensation in my arm and then my arm felt a little bit numb.  This episode happened for, like, 3 or 4 seconds.  It reminded me that I was either having a heart attack, or, that I need to be careful how I approach this.

By the way, after that episode I woke up very groggy in a ditch on the other side of town.  Is that a bad sign?  Hmm, I’ll run that question past a trained professional.

I did some other exercises, also…but I won’t bore you with the whole routine.  Oh…I also did my Bible reading for today.  That doesn’t help much with the push-ups, but it keeps my “spiritual abs” rock hard!

This picture of a guitar

has absolutely nothing to do

with the story, but it's 

getting late and it's the only

picture I could find on

short notice.

Seeing Relationships As Precious And Important

“Instead of thinking about friendship or marriage as relationships with intrinsic value, we look to them as a means of fulfilling our needs.  When the needs are no longer satisfied by that relationship, we discard it and move on to another that we believe will be a better use of our resources.” [Wilkens & Sanford] 

This quote is a description of how relationships are sometimes approached in our culture.  Some of us could probably think of specific examples in our lives when we’ve witnessed or, perhaps, even experienced what is described above.

God’s intention is not that friendships & relationships would be “tools” which we utilize for the fulfillment of our needs but rather that they would be understood to be connections of utmost significance and value to us—that we would see relationships as something precious and important—based on the realization that every person we encounter is made in the image of God and is loved and valued by God.

"Little" Is "Much" When God Is In It

One of God’s beautifully encouraging attributes is that He can do A LOT with a little. Think of the story of Jesus feeding the 5000.  This is great news for all of us who are not rich and famous and brilliant and well-connected and extraordinarily gifted.  Offer what you have to God, for His purposes, and see how He multiplies. “Little is much, when God is in it.”

Wisdom And The Virtue of Self Restraint

In the West, wisdom tends to be associated with “knowledge” or “experience”. In the East wisdom tends to be associated with “self-restraint”. “Self-restraint” is an important virtue. It is discretion and prudence. It is a discipline that can serve us well—especially those of us who tend to get ourselves in trouble with impulsive, brash words and actions. This post is, among other things, a reminder for myself.

Evidence For God...Christ In Us

At a certain point in our walk with Christ, the evidence for God becomes clarified and more certain for us because we ourselves become part of the evidence as we experience the transformation of our own hearts, and the likeness of Christ is formed in us. “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory…”2Cor.3:18

Push Up Project, Day 8

I’m on my quest to work my way up to doing 100 non-stop push-ups.  My deadline is April 30^th.  I’m on Day 8 of my 75 day countdown.

Every time I tell people about this project, they are very encouraging.  I’m getting wonderful support.  Today at the restaurant where I hang out and do some of my reading and writing, I mentioned my project to Mary, one of the cashiers.  She said, “That’s great!  Here have a free cookie.”

Support.

Tonight, after supper at my sister’s house, she mentioned dessert.  And I said, “No, I better not, I’m training to do those push-ups.”

She said, “That’s great!  Here…” and she handed me a piece of my brother-in-law Paul’s birthday cake.

Support.

When I got home, later this evening, I petted Jasper on the head while I was sitting at the computer typing this note.  He said, “That’s great!” And he brought me a package of Twinkies from the kitchen.  (Actually, he brought 2 packages, but he ate one, himself.)

Support.

Today is the day of the week when the work-out that Paul created involves “squat thrusts”—or sometimes they’re called “burpees”.  After last week, I thought this particular exercise would be just a little bit easier this week.  You know, the legs get stronger, the muscles have begun the adaptation process, and the movement gets easier, right?

Nope.

I did the first set of squat thrusts this morning and it was very hard.  It almost felt harder this week than last week.  In fact, I hate to say this…it PAINS me to say this…it bothers me more than you will ever know to say this…but after that first set of squat thrusts….I felt old.

You say, "Wow, that's interesting, because you know what?  You LOOK old, too, Dan!"

Knock it off, wise guys.

But you know what?  I got warmed up and the blood started pumping and my resolve grew stronger.  And by the second and third set of squat thrusts…well…I felt even older.  Squat thrusts are not any easy exercise.  Have I mentioned that already?

But here’s what I did.  (Cue the “Rocky” theme song music.)  Since the squat thrusts were the hardest exercise, I did more sets of them.  Really.  I did.  I did 4 sets of 13 reps.  And then I did 3 sets of 15 reps.  Was it hard?  Yes.  But I figured, “Oh yeah?  I will be tougher than the squat thrusts!  I will beat them, they will NOT beat me!!!  Squat thrusts?  You will bow to my willpower and my discipline and MY SUPERIOR RESOLVE!!!!!!”

There I am, can you close your eyes and see it?  I’m standing at the top of the stairs, like Rocky, pumping my fists in the air as I jump up and down in slow motion, and the theme music reaches its inspiring climax!

By the way, does anyone out there have some crutches I could borrow?

Time Alone With God

Over and over again, we hear wise people refer to the importance of time alone with God. Constant hurry and busyness distract us and occupy us in ways that prevent us from thinking deeply and worse, prevent us from noticing inner promptings from God. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16

What If We Discovered Why "Happy" People Are Happy?

Review of:  "Positivity", Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D.


There is an area of research and investigation in the field of psychology that is called the “positive psychology movement”.  For many years, psychologists studied what was wrong with people.  They investigated aberrant behavior and psychological disorders.  You might say they studied those who were emotionally unhealthy.  That’s what seemed to make the most sense to those working in the field.  But somewhere along the way someone asked a pretty good question: “Hey, what if we studied healthy people?  What if we investigated those who were emotionally healthy and happy and well adjusted?”

Seems like a pretty good idea, doesn’t it?

The basic thought is: instead of just trying to figure out what’s wrong with people who are emotionally unhealthy, maybe there would be value in trying to figure out what’s right with people who are emotionally healthy.  Maybe that information would be really helpful to us.  In fact, it might even be more helpful!

Thus began the positive psychology movement.  (Well, its beginnings were probably a little more complicated than that, but you get the picture.)  One of the pioneers of the movement was Martin Seligman who published the oft-cited, best-selling, “Learned Optimism”.  Barbara L. Fredrickson is now considered to be one of the leading researchers in this movement and she presents many of the interesting and helpful results of her research in “Positivity”.

A person might be tempted to think that this is pop psychology by untrained lay persons who tell lots of “feel-good” stories and encourage people to say “I’m feeling fantastic” all day long.  That’s not the case.  This is not about having a “Positive Mental Attitude”, Matt Foley style.  This book is reporting findings of legitimate academic research from leading universities and credible scientists.

Fredrickson has identified ten key forms of positivity which she explains in the book, as well as giving advice for how to apply them to your life.  The ten forms of positivity are:  joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe and love.

The results of positivity are genuinely important and helpful…sometimes in surprising ways.  The information in this book is presented in an interesting way and it will be of great benefit to those who read it.

Dan Marler

Oak Lawn, IL

Do You Have Something Worth Living For?

“Voice of the Martyrs…contends that more Christ-followers have been killed for their faith in the last century than all previous centuries combined.” [Lucado]  When I read something like this, I wonder about the level of my commitment to Christ. Then I think about a comment I read years ago: “If you do not have something worth dying for, you probably do not have anything worth living for.”

Would "Evidence For God" Look Like The Life of Jesus?

What would “evidence” for the reality of God look like? We sometimes like to think evidence for God would look like some explosive display of power. But if God wanted us to love Him and accept Him and believe in Him without our being coerced into it, I’m more convinced all the time that genuine evidence for the reality of God would look like the life of Jesus.

We Can't "Un-Say" Foolish Things

One of the key problems with saying really foolish things is that there’s no way to UN-say foolish things. We can apologize. We can try to explain. We can ask for forgiveness—and, often, if we ask, we receive it. But, ultimately, the foolish thing was said and, sadly, there’s no way to change that.  (Trust me on this one, it comes from the hard laboratory of firsthand experience.)

“EVERYTHING” About Jesus? Really? Well…Let’s Say "A LOT". And It’s Pretty Funny.

Review of:  Everything You Always Wanted To Know About God: The Jesus Edition


Eric Metaxas deals with the subject of apologetics in a light-hearted, witty, engaging manner.  He utilizes a question and answer format that gives the book a conversational feel.  It’s a fast-paced type of Q&A style that goes back and forth frequently and it helps the reading move along quickly.  A “Publishers Weekly” review describes Metaxas as a humor writer and some of the humor in the book almost borders on being silly.  I don’t mean that in a disparaging way, it’s funny.  Really.  But it’s right there on the edge, sometimes, where it’s almost downright silly.  I like it…but then again, sometimes I border on being silly, too.

I mention these issues regarding the overall tone of the book because I think of “apologetics” as a blend of theology, philosophy and history, and these are not subjects that one typically breezes through quickly when reading.  So, this approach to the subject would, presumably, be very effective for many people, but particularly, for those who have not done a lot of prior reading in this field of study.

This is the “Jesus Edition” of “Everything You Always Wanted To Know…” it is part of an “Everything You Always Wanted To Know…” series.  Admittedly, this is not a deep, scholarly treatment of the subject of Jesus—you can tell by looking at the cover of the book—but it’s substantive enough to be of value and to offer answers to genuine questions.  It even has some moments of profundity.

I know, I’ve suggested that this book can be both “silly” and “profound”.  Hey, I think it pulls it off.

From now on, when I’m dealing with people who ask me to recommend a book on the subject of “apologetics”—even though they may not actually know that “apologetics” is the word that describes what it is they are looking for—this is going to be one of the books I will recommend.

We Hang Out With "Immortals"

“You have never talked to a mere mortal…It is immortals who we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit.”--C.S. Lewis.  Lewis’ point is that there is never a person we encounter who is “insignificant”.  Everyone we know, everyone we meet, is a person of priceless value, an eternal soul, who Jesus died to save, and who is deeply, personally, and perfectly loved by God.

Coming To God On "His Terms"

Sometimes we want to come to God on “our terms” instead of “His terms”—our self will is strong. However, seeking God on our terms will tend to be disappointing and ineffective. It’s best if we come to God on “His terms”.  That requires us to come to him in humility and contrition and faith.

Trust God, Not Your "Stuff"

“Almost half the world—more than three billion people—live on less than $2.50 a day.” [Lucado] Compared to MOST of the world, everyone reading this post is probably rich. In fact, we are unimaginably rich in the eyes of many people. I know that’s hard for us to grasp. So, to rich people—that’s us—Jesus’ caution is: “trust in me, not your stuff.” And remember this: it’s not really ours, anyhow, it’s all God’s.

Push-Up Project: The New Workout Begins

Today, I began the workout program that Paul has laid out for me so that by April 30^th, I will be able to do 100 push-ups, non-stop.

After the workout, I told Nadia, “My legs are feeling it!”

She looked up from the computer and said, “What do you mean?  I thought you were working on push-ups?”

Well, Paul says the whole body has to be strengthened, even though push-ups, obviously involve, significant upper body conditioning.  You see, the arms and shoulders and chest are actually given assistance in the movement that’s involved in doing a push-up by a strong waist and torso and legs.  Apparently, our bodies are “whole units” and not just individual, unrelated parts.  Crazy, huh?

(I know.  There’s a 1 Corinthians 12 biblical teaching concept, regarding the importance of every part of the “body of Christ”, that is tied to the preceding paragraph.  Isn’t it neat how biblical concepts can be seen in so many aspects of life?)

Okay, that was one of my ministerial tangents.  Where was I?  Oh yes, so today, to begin working toward my push-up goal, I did lower body conditioning.  The workout included riding the stationary bike; lunges while holding dumbbells (“dumbbells” are exercise equipment, this is not a reference to any persons I know); squats; and burpees.

Do you remember what “burpees” are?  It’s an exercise that involves four movements.  1) From a standing position, squat down and touch the palms of the hands on the floor in front you; 2) now with your weight on your hands and a slight leap, thrust both legs, simultaneously, out behind you, at this point you will be in something like a push-up position; 3) with a slight leap, pull both legs, simultaneously, back into the squat position with your hands still on the floor; 4) now, straighten the knees and rise back up into a standing position.  That’s a burpee.

If you haven’t done burpees in a while, they’re not an easy exercise.  I did 4 sets of 12 burpees, today.  Then I immediately, jumped in the car, drove to Baskin Robbins and ate a banana split.  It seemed appropriate.  And, darn it, my legs feel better.

(Just kidding, Paul, no banana split was eaten.)

 

…But I did look at a picture of one, on-line.

One of the fun aspects of burpees, at my house, is that my proximity to the ground, while I’m doing this exercise, coupled with my legs churning vigorously, makes Jasper think that this is some type of “play” event that involves him.  But, eventually, he realizes that I’m not playing with him and he goes back to reading the newspaper.  (He’s gone back to “reading” as a hobby, he got tired of working on the Rubik’s Cube.)

Anyhow, I’m on my way to 100!!!  And I’m feeling stronger already!

Troubles And Difficulties Can Lead To Growth

“…Every hard thing we endure can put us in touch with our desire for God, and every trial can strengthen that desire until it becomes the consuming passion of our life.” [Crabb] Why do I keep encountering these thoughts regarding the importance and value of difficulties and trials? “…When troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” James1:2  This is where growth occurs, isn’t it?

Okay, Here's A Pretty Good Way To Do Valentine's Day

If you’re looking for a way to surprise your wife on Valentine’s Day, consider what my friend Paul did.  Paul has been working through a book called “The Love Dare”.  In addition to being a book, the Love Dare is a 40 day process of demonstrating love and commitment to a spouse.  It was introduced in the movie, Fireproof,

At the end of the 40 day challenge, one of the final steps involved in The Love Dare is to restate, reaffirm and renew your commitment to your marriage by renewing your marriage vows.

Yesterday, Paul said to me, “Dan, I didn’t actually plan it this way, but I’m finishing up the 40 days of The Love Dare, tomorrow, Valentine’s Day.”  Paul continued, “Susan doesn’t know I want to do this, but could we surprise her and have a marriage vow renewal ceremony after church on Sunday?”

I said, “Yes, that would be neat, it sounds like a great idea!”

So, today, after the 11 o’clock service was over, a bunch of folks were standing around in the lobby at church talking and having coffee and waking up after my sermon.  (I don’t mind the sleeping, but is it really necessary for people to bring pillows to the service?  That just seems rude.)  And, as Paul and I had arranged it, I said to Susan, “Hey, Susan could I talk to you for a moment?”

Susan said, “Yes, sure Dan.”

I walked with Susan into the sanctuary, “I know you were talking with someone there and I apologize for interrupting,” I said.

“It’s not a problem,” replied Susan.

When we got to the platform at the front of the sanctuary, I told Susan, “Could you just stand there, for a moment.”  And I went several paces to my right to grab a folder which had my Vow Renewal notes.

Susan was puzzled by all this, but as soon as she saw me pick up the folder she said, “What’s going on here?  Is this something Paul is up to?”

At that point, as we had planned, Paul and their two children, Paul and Olivia came walking into the sanctuary and other people from church came walking in, as well.

Susan said, “What is this?!?”

As people came in and sat down Paul and Susan stood at the front of the sanctuary with me and I explained to everyone that Paul was completing the steps that are presented in “The Love Dare”.  I asked Susan if she noticed that Paul had been more wonderful than usual lately.

She said, “Well, I noticed that he was a little strange a few times.”  And everyone laughed.

We launched into a brief marriage vow renewal ceremony in which Paul and Susan restated their vows of love and trust and commitment and fidelity to each other.  There was some minor tension as we all waited to see if Susan was actually going to say the vows, since she had not agreed to this whole process beforehand.

But she did.  And we were all happy about that….especially Paul.

We concluded the brief ceremony with the traditional…”You may kiss the bride.”  And as Paul and Susan kissed everyone CHEERED!!!

That was a pretty nice way to do Valentine’s day, don’t you think?

Authenticity Is Revealed Through Humility and Grace

When people who are not Christians observe followers of Christ, one of the main things they’re looking for is AUTHENTICITY. They want to know: “Is it possible this ‘Jesus’ thing is real?” How is authentic Christianity revealed to others? Two of the most significant factors are true HUMILITY and GRACE.

The Question: Can I Do 100 Push-Ups?

“I go off on tangents,” I told my friend, Paul.

Frankly, he didn’t know where I was going with this comment, yet, so he just looked at me, waiting for me to continue.

“I had this idea a few days ago and I’m not sure if it’s a good idea or if it’s just another silly ‘Dan tangent.’”

Paul kept looking at me with no expression on his face, really.  He was waiting to hear what I was up to, this time.

I said, “I used to be pretty good at doing push-ups, a long time ago, and I was wondering if it would be possible for me, at age 51, to work up to doing 100 push-ups, non-stop.”

Now, Paul’s eyes let up.  Paul is a physical trainer and he is tremendously physically fit.  Paul is in the kind of shape that most people only dream of when they’re watching those commercials that sell the latest exercise equipment.  And this is the kind of thing he loves to hear.

“Is having a goal of doing 100 push-ups a good idea?” I asked.

“That’s a great goal,” said Paul.  He was smiling now.  And I think I could see the wheels beginning to turn in his mind.

“I can do about 20 push-ups with good form, right now,” I told Paul.  “What’s a reasonable amount of time for me, at my age, to be able to work up to doing 100 push-ups, non-stop?”

“For you, it’s going to take 2 to 3 years,” said Paul, soberly.  “And that’s if the whole project is accompanied by hours and hours of daily prayer and fasting, and a miraculous intervention of God’s Holy Spirit working at the cellular structure of your….”

Ha!  Just kidding.  Paul didn’t say that.  He said, “Well, you want to be careful to do this in such a way that you don’t get injured, so, I would say, 60-90 days.”

I was surprised. 

“You think, with the right training, I could actually do 100 push-ups, non-stop, in 60 to 90 days?” I asked.

Paul nodded his head and immediately began telling me what I should do for the first 2 weeks of training.

So, here I go.  I’m going to do this.  I’m going to embark on one of my tangents.  The goal:  To be able to do 100 non-stop push-ups, within the next 75 days.  Friday, April 30^th, is the target date.  That should be close to the time that Taylor is home from college.  He can wheel me around in a wheel chair if I pull something.  (Just kidding.)

Yes!!!  I’m fired up!  I’m excited, this is going to be great!

*The following was written about an hour and a half after the portion above…

When you post something on-line, there’s a point in the process where the entry has been typed and all that remains is one key stroke in order for the post to be published for all to see.  I’ve been sitting for a few moments, now, contemplating that one remaining key stroke.  Do I really want to make this public?  Really?  This is going to require lots of work.  Lots and lots of push-ups.  (And other exercises, too, according to Paul.)

What if I go through all this and when I reach the deadline, I can’t do the 100 push-ups…and everyone knows about it?  Hey, that’s a lot of push-ups.  It’s not easy, try it some time.  If I make this public and then can’t do it, that will be embarrassing.  People will point at me and call me a “girlie-man”…the whole time I’m delivering my sermons.

I could still delete this story, right now, and retreat back to safety.  I could call Paul and tell him I changed my mind.  I could explain that I had too much sugar again this morning, and I was on a mild insulin rush.  I could hold my back and talk about discs being out of alignment…or something like that.

Or, I could hit this one key—this key that’s staring at me, right now, mocking me—and force myself into this project. 

Do I really want to do this?

Do I really want to put this pressure on myself?

Should I have ever even mentioned this scheme to Paul Romano?  (Those of you who know Paul know that I may have permanently sealed my fate by bringing this idea to his attention.)

Well, if you’re reading this post, it’s obvious what I’ve chosen to do.  Wish me luck, there are lots of push-ups in my future.

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…”  Hey, a little prayer can’t hurt, right?  “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done…”

"Wisdom" Can See Certain Things Coming

“But there’s another kind of wisdom, too—the ability to predict the consequences of certain actions.” [Alford]  I read this recently and thought it presented an interesting perspective on wisdom. The consequences of certain actions can, occasionally, be predictable, at least in a broad and general sense, and those who can see this tend to be those who have developed a measure of wisdom.

E-Flash From Dan, 2/12/10 -- Be Very Glad For God's Grace

Dear E-Flash Friends;

I was looking through a book that I read several years ago—yep, that’s how exciting my life is—and I came across a wonderful thought.  I got so excited that I just had to share it with someone.  So, I’m sharing it with you, my E-Flash friends.  Here’s the thought:

“If grace makes sense to you, I doubt you’re close enough to really see it.  The real thing defies comprehension…but not experience….Grace is the most unreasonable thing in the world.  It’s also the most powerful.  Nothing is more effective for transforming lives, risky though it is.”

From the book, Revolution Within, by Dwight Edwards

Isn’t that good?

The grace that God extends to us is sort of hard to believe because we’ve all learned through teaching and experience that if something is “too good to be true”, then don’t believe it.  Someone’s thrown that line at you somewhere along the way, right?  And, frankly, God’s grace is definitely…too good to be true.  

As a pastor, I’ve even discovered that God’s grace can be considered offensive by some people—sometimes even Christian people.  I’m serious.  People get bothered by God’s grace because they’re afraid that it lets people off the hook, too easily.  I guess they seem to forget that this is the same grace that better “let them off the hook” too.  (Please believe this: NO ONE will hold up well standing before a Holy and Righteous God, if they get what they deserve.  Be very, very, very happy—I mean, in a personal way—be extremely happy…I’m talking “jumping-up-and-down” happy…that God’s grace is extravagant and that it’s too good to be true.  This truth is to our eternal benefit.)

The fact that God’s grace is so irrationally generous is part of why it’s so powerful.  Part of the “TRANSFORMATION of our minds” that the Bible talks about, happens as we grasp more and more fully the truth and the reality of God’s unbelievable graciousness to us, while at the same time realizing more and more fully, that we don’t deserve it. 

            1 He’s unbelievably gracious to us

            2 We honestly DO NOT deserve it  (humility)

As those two understandings increase for us, they transform our minds and CHANGE us, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit.  I urge you to take this seriously.  These two understandings, through a work of God, have transforming power.

I hope and pray that the truth of God’s grace has gripped you.  I pray that it’s changing and transforming you.  I pray that the truth of God’s grace has captured your heart in a way that’s growing and increasing your love for God.  I hope God’s grace in you and me, is resulting in our extending generous grace—Christ-like grace—to others.

Grace and Blessings to you,

Dan

*Note:  If you would like to have the E-Flash From Dan sent directly to your e-mail, send an e-mail message to...   cog111st@aol.com   and type, "Send Me The E-Flash" in the subject field.

We Are Unique, One-Of-A-Kind, Masterpieces

God created us in wonderfully unique ways. We are one-of-a-kind creations…on purpose! It is not God’s intention that His people would be carbon copies. God is the Greatest Imaginative Genius of the universe. It is His intention that we would each be original masterpieces, uniquely showcasing His glory!

Transformation With Jesus

“Jesus used the thought-provoking paradox. He said things which on the face of it sounded incredible, but which somehow haunt the mind and the heart with the lurking suspicion that after all they may be true.” [Barclay]  When we allow ourselves to really consider the truths of Jesus, we open ourselves to His radical [“radical” in a good sense] transformation of our minds.

What About The Kindle?

“So, how do you like that thing?” she queried.

A woman was asking about my Kindle.  She saw me reading it while I was sitting at my famous “office away from the office”.  She was interested in my impressions about the device.

I told her, “It’s very handy in several ways, but I still like books better.”

She smiled happily.

A Kindle is a technological device called a “reader”.  It’s about six inches wide and eight inches long, it’s very thin and light.  It can store over a thousand books (and we all know, it takes a good 9 or 10 months to read a thousand books) which can be downloaded wirelessly from Amazon.com.  I’ve owned a Kindle for a couple of months now and I’ve noticed two things:

First, it’s a conversation starter.  I’ve had several people approach me and ask me about the Kindle while I’ve been reading in public places.  One time, I was reading while standing in a long line at a store (Christmas shopping) and the woman behind me engaged me in conversation about the Kindle.  Pretty soon the woman behind her joined in on the conversation.  The next thing you know, I was changing font sizes, and wirelessly accessing the “Kindle store”, and demonstrating other features while they “oohed” and “aahed”.  I felt very knowledgeable and sophisticated.  Somehow, in the process, however, they both managed to cut in front of me.  Now that I think about it, I wonder if they were really interested in the Kindle, at all.

The second thing I’ve noticed about the Kindle is that when I tell people that I don’t like it as much as I like regular books, they seem to be very happy.  The woman who asked me about the Kindle in my “office away from the office” seemed delighted when I told her I didn’t like it as well as books.

She smiled and shook her head with a look on her face that said, “See, I told you.”

Except she never told me anything.

Then somehow she and her husband managed to bring up the subject of obsolescence as it applies to technological equipment.  And I admitted that, “Yes, this Kindle will become obsolete at some point, just like all other electronic devices.”

Again, she smiled and gave me the “I told you so” look.  In the meantime, he held it for a few moments and declared, “It’s too light.  You can’t read something this light.”

Later, as the woman and her husband were leaving, she came to my table and said, “By the way, how much did you pay for it?”

I told her the price and she laughed and shook her head once again.  Then he patted me on the head the way a grandfather pats his young grandson, as they walked away.

I’m going to try to find a darker, quieter, more remote corner to sit in from now on.

God's Power And Humility

Anyone who wants God and wants access to God’s power must be humble. The purpose of God’s power is NEVER selfish gain. In fact, a person who desires God’s power for selfish reasons does not really understand God’s power in any significant way. The purpose of God’s power is always to glorify Him and to serve others. When we are ready to SERVE, then we are ready for God’s power.

Just Accept The Gift...And Appreciate It

Sometimes we can over think things to the point that they lose their beauty and even their meaning. Some things aren’t meant to be dissected and analyzed…they’re meant to be accepted and enjoyed as a gift from God. I’m not suggesting this is always the case, but sometimes it’s appropriate to avoid ruining the gift by trying to figure it out, just accept it for what it is and appreciate it.

What Is God Saying, That We Are Not Understanding?

As I’m reading through the gospels, one of the things that is standing out to me, this time, is that Jesus often tells the disciples something PLAINLY and yet they don’t understand. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that we are like the disciples…often more so than we want to admit. So, here’s a good question: Are there some things that Jesus is PLAINLY saying to us that we’re not understanding?

Asking God For Help When Our Faith Is Weak

In the Scriptures, a father who desires healing for his son says to Jesus “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” The man’s comment reveals an important truth. We can honestly and genuinely believe in Christ and yet still have some elements of doubt or weakness in our faith. Jesus did heal this man’s son. Here’s my prayer: Lord, we believe, we really do, but we ask for Your help where our faith is weak.

Making A Run For It?

I was at the church for a wedding rehearsal, quite a few years ago, and we were waiting for the bride to show up.  The starting time for the rehearsal had come and gone.  People were making phone calls.  The bridesmaids and groomsmen were standing around waiting and whispering.  Other family members were standing around waiting and whispering.

I didn’t have anyone to talk to, so I just whispered to myself.  Boy, I told myself some pretty good secrets.

The bride and her maid of honor were coming, we had all been assured, but in the meantime, we stood around and the clock kept ticking.

Finally, about 25 minutes after we were scheduled to start, someone standing in the lobby looking at the parking lot yelled out, “She’s here!  The bride is here!”  And everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

I walked to the lobby and, as the bride walked in the door, I smiled and started to say, “Well, well, there she is…”  But I never got the words out.  She stepped inside the building, burst into tears, and ran down the hall into the ladies rest room.

That’s not a good sign.

I know that planning weddings can cause some tension.  It can be stressful.  It’s a big event and there are lots of details that have to be managed in order for the day to come off smoothly.  That kind of pressure can certainly get the nerves on edge, but by and large, it is usually a fairly happy experience.  It’s normally a time of celebration.  Well, I don’t have to tell you, the celebratory feelings were not particularly powerful, at that moment.

I never did find out what the exact problem was.  I heard rumors that her tardiness and her tears involved hurt feelings resulting from some remark.  Another rumor was that it had something to do with a family member’s involvement in the wedding ceremony that displeased the bride.  (*Rule of thumb: Don’t displease the bride at a wedding, if you can help it.)

We waited another 15 minutes, or so, before we actually got the rehearsal underway.  During that waiting time, I noticed that the groom had gone off by himself and simply sat down in the one of the pews with his head in his hands, staring at the ground.  Was he praying?  I don’t know.  Should he have been praying?  Yeah, sure, that would have been a good idea.

From time to time, the groom would look up and shake his head, as if he knew that what was happening now, was probably not going to be an uncommon experience in his life.

At one point, for a real quick moment—just a flash in time—our eyes met, the groom and I.  Maybe I’m wrong, but I believe that, with his eyes, he communicated to me this question:  “Should I just make a run for it?”  He said this with merely the look in his eyes.

It was very subtle.  It happened quickly as our eyes met.  It was almost imperceptible, but I’m pretty sure it happened.  I think I read that question in his eyes.  So with my eyes, as he looked at me, I tried to communicate back to him: “Yes.  Yes, run.”  Just using my eyes, “If you’re going to run, now is the time.  But if you run, remember this: run fast, and run far.  And you will probably need to stay gone for a while.”

Well, fortunately, he knew better.  He didn’t run.  And we had the rehearsal.  It went pretty well.  And the next day we had the wedding.  It went very well.  And today… they are still happily married.

So, you never know.  Sometimes an inauspicious beginning doesn’t mean that love can’t continue to flower and bloom.

Alright, I’m going to go practice saying things with my eyes.

Managing Life Through Prayer

“I’m actually managing my life through my daily prayer time. I’m shaping my heart, my work, my family—in fact everything that is dear to me—through prayer in fellowship with my heavenly Father.”—Paul Miller. Imagine developing your conversation with God to such a degree that you are “managing” your life through a daily prayer time. I thought this quote provided something interesting for us to ponder.

Wisdom Requires Experience

There are some things in life that we do not understand except with the passage of time. The fact that certain understandings take time is not a reflection of a lack of intelligence. It is simply due to the fact that certain aspects of wisdom can only be learned through EXPERIENCE no matter how smart a person may be. And, so, time and patience are required.

Brownie For Jill

When I was in 3^rd grade, I had a crush on a cute girl in my class named Jill.

What do you do with such feelings of love when you are 8 years old?  How do you make your love known?  No matter how brilliant a case you make, your dad is very unlikely to let you use the car for a date.  (You know, the whole thing about “reaching the pedals”, and all…)

One night my mom made brownies and I had a terrific idea.  I would take a brownie to school the next day and give it to Jill!  Yes!  This was a fantastic idea!  I would take a brownie to school and I would say, “Jill, we’ve known each other since first grade…and…well… I was thinking…um…do you like brownies…”  Alright, I didn’t know what I would say.  I hadn’t figured that part out, yet.  But even though I didn’t have the whole plan mapped out, I felt pretty darned good about the brownie part of it.  Most girls like brownies, right?

That night, before I went to bed, I wrote “Brownie For Jill” on a piece of paper and I taped it to my closet door.  I knew that I would be likely to dash off in the morning and forget the brownie if I didn’t make a note for myself.  (I was sort of forgetful, even then.)

It was at this point that I made a mistake.  The major flaw in this scheme was taping the note to the door where my older brother Cam could see it. 

Yep, sure enough, “What’s this?!?” laughed Cam, when he saw the note.  “Brownie for Jill?!?”  Cam was pointing and laughing uproariously.

“Ha! Ha! Ha!  Isn’t that cute!  Danny’s got his little reminder here that he’s going to take a brownie to school tomorrow and give it to Jill!”  He was incredibly amused by it all.  In fact, if it’s possible that there is something inherently good about bringing laughter to a fellow human being, I did something good for my brother by putting that note on the closet door that night.

In the morning I was running late for the bus…as usual.  And my thoughts were scattered…as usual.  And I ran out the door without the brownie for Jill.  Oh no, don’t feel bad, though.  The truth is that I never would have given the brownie to Jill, anyhow.  I would have been too scared.  I was about 27 before I actually worked up the courage to talk to any girls.  (Which is strange when you realize that I got married at age 25.)

Long after that incident occurred, Cam would laugh and tease me with that three word phrase, “Brownie for Jill.”  He’s liable to smile and say it to me even today.

And I suppose the childhood psychological impressions created by this incident may explain why I now prefer chocolate chip cookies.

Be Careful What You Ask For

Did you ever hear this line? “Be careful what you ask for.” There is truth and wisdom in it. A philosopher says this, “The very things we yearn for most and regard as our highest good (wealth, fame, power, luxury, leisure, and even scientific insight) can be our undoing.” [William Dembski] This can be hard to admit…but often…we don’t actually know what would be best for us. But, of course, God does.

I Like Simplicity

The older I get, the more impressed I am with “simplicity”. I know, it’s not fancy. In a way, that’s the point. There’s something beautiful and elegant about simple things. It’s part of what makes the Gospel of Jesus Christ so attractive. “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Cor.2:2.  Ah, yes…simplicity.

E-Flash From Dan, Feb. 2, 2010

Dear E-Flash Friends;

Where are you, spiritually?

Last year, our church participated in a fairly sophisticated survey titled REVEAL, that has to do with the spiritual vitality of our church.  The REVEAL survey was designed to help us have a little better understanding of the answer to the question I posed above:  “Where are you, spiritually?” 

If you’ve been wondering, “Hey, when are we going to hear about the findings of that survey?”  The answer is: tomorrow night.

Tomorrow night, Wednesday, Feb. 3^rd, at 7:00pm, I will be presenting the findings of the REVEAL survey.  We’ll get information like this:

* Our church’s Spiritual Vitality Index number.    [Hint: it’s good!]

* What people want most from First Church of God.

* What people say works best at First Church of God.  [The top answer will probably surprise you.  It surprised me.]

* What people want most from the Senior Pastor.

* Reasons why people “stall” spiritually.

And this critical question will be answered:  “By the way, who writes these E-flash messages on behalf of the senior pastor—it can’t be him, can it?”

I hope you can make it, tomorrow night, I’m actually very curious to see what I’m going to be saying.

Ha!  Just kidding….sort of.

It’s also Carry-In Dinner night.  On the first Wednesday of every month (that’s tomorrow) we all bring our dinner to church—stop and grab some fast food or bring something from home that you made—and we eat and talk and laugh and talk and eat together.  Did I mention that we “talk”?  Yeah we do, and we eat, too.  It’s very informal, the doors are open at 6:00 p.m.  You’re invited!

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Blessings,

Dan

*NOTE:  If you would like to have the "E-Flash" sent directly to your e-mail, simply send an e-mail message to:  cog111st@aol.com   ...and write:  "I would like to receive the E-Flash From Dan",  in the "subject" field.

Love God And Love Others...The Greatest Commandment

I created a Facebook page called:  “Love God And Love Others…The Greatest Commandment”.  I hope you might take a moment to look at it.  There is a link to the page on the right hand side of this blog page (if you scroll down a bit).  I invite you to join it, if you haven’t already done so.  I created the page for a few different reasons.  One reason goes back to a recent trip I took.  When I’m on vacation I think about different things than I ponder when I’m at home.  I’m not exactly sure why that is but I suspect it has to do with my mind being freed up from certain obligations and certain responsibilities and, therefore, able to pursue less typical thoughts. 

Anyhow, I was out walking one morning and I started thinking about how I wanted to be remembered.  I know it’s a little maudlin, but it was one of those “what-will-people-think-about-me-when-I’m-gone?” kind of thinking sessions.  Sounds like a super fun “walk”, huh?  No wonder the other walkers were crossing over to the other side of the path when they saw me coming.  They must have picked up a strange “vibe”.

I tried to think of all of my great skills and talents and the lasting impact they would have on people.  And, then, I had the troubling realization that I don’t have any skills or talents that are so extraordinary that people would remember them and remain dazzled by them long after I’m gone.

The simple thought that finally occurred to me was, actually, a biblical type of thought.  What I realized, as I made my walk around the lake that day was that God was creating in me a heart of authentic love for people.  (Don’t worry, I’m not at the point where I arrogantly believe I’m the most loving, caring person God has ever created.  Some people still “bug me”.)  But I honestly believe that—with the help of God’s Holy Spirit—I can love people with the love of God.  Imperfectly, to be sure, but authentically.  (Boy, I hope that doesn’t sound bizarre or fanatical, I simply mean it to represent my understanding of how God’s love can work through a person in the way that scripture tells us it can.  “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”—Jesus (John 13:34))

A couple of days after that walk I got the idea to create the “Love God And Love Others…” page.  (I’m hoping that was a God-thing.)  I have tried to create interesting and helpful content on the page for Christians who want to follow the command of Jesus to “love God and love others” and I truly hope that it would be of value to people who connect to the page, for that reason.  And I hope it could be a contribution to this calling of Jesus on our lives that is substantial and important and lasting.

There’s another reason that I created the page.  I haven’t been doing the online social networking thing for a long time at this point, but I find that I have become truly fascinated by it.  I’m almost embarrassed to admit that, since I was a bit reluctant to even get involved with a social network like Facebook.  But now I find it to be incredibly interesting.  (My how things change, huh?)  I’m particularly interested in the potential online social networks have for connecting people and spreading ideas.  I’ve been reading and doing some research on networks and how they work and how things spread through networks.  I have to admit, I don’t completely understand it—I do so much better when things are in comic-book form—but it’s very intriguing to me.  And the more I read about this, the more I keep thinking that it has an amazing potential for doing good things for God.  Really.

So having shared all that, I would like to ask you to consider helping me with something.   Would you be willing to take a look at the page and join it, if you haven’t already done so?  And would you consider inviting people who you think might be interested in the page to connect to it?

Based on what I have been reading about networks, a small handful of people, theoretically, could powerfully and quickly spread a concept through a very large group.  I’d like to see if that’s possible.  And I would like to see if it could happen with a concept that Jesus says is worthy, a concept He says is of utmost importance:  Loving God and Loving Others.

I know that everyone who reads this is busy and has a life and has lots of other things going on.  I appreciate that you even took the time to read such a long post.  So, if you don’t have time to check the page out and invite people to it, I understand completely.  Please don’t feel pressured or obligated.  This is just an idea that is intriguing to me and I’m passing it along to folks to see what MIGHT happen.  I’m genuinely curious.

Thank you!

I hope you’re sensing God’s love and blessing in your life!

Dan

Jesus Offers Us...Himself

Life can have a way of feeling relentless and draining and our responsibilities can seem extraordinarily heavy. The natural impulse is “escape”. We want to escape from the burdens and pressures. But some of the ways that we choose to escape can be worse than the original pressures. Jesus offers us….HIMSELF.  “Come to ME all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matt.11:28

February 1st Christmas Tree Update

Now, please be patient.  I know that in a post on Saturday I WROTE that the Christmas tree would be put away by February 1^st.  And when I wrote that post, please know that I absolutely meant it.  I was firmly committed to that objective.  I was.  Really.  But you have to understand, life can be tricky.  Come on, things happen, you know!  Unexpected obstacles arise.  Life doesn’t always allow us to do the things we intend to do.  Sometimes goals and objectives have to be reevaluated and readjusted and timelines have to be changed to better represent the realities that…..

Ha!  I’m just kidding.  I got you!!!

You’ll be happy to know that as of 9:21 a.m. CST, February 1^st, the Christmas tree has BEEN PUT AWAY!!!   [Cue marching band music.]

Jasper and his friend Jake sat and watched me with great curiosity.   In fact, when I got to the front door, carrying this big, bulky tree, Jake actually got in my way.  He stood right in the doorway as I was trying to take the tree out.  I took that to mean that he didn’t want Christmas to be over.  He didn’t want me to put the tree away.  Dogs seem to love Christmas.  Then Jake “hiked” his leg and gave the tree one last “special christening”.  Hmm, dogs also seem to love Christmas trees.

But, alas, all good things must come to an end.  So, the tree is back in its storage space and things have been returned to normal.  (Oh, there I go again applying the word “normal” to my life.  I should know better than that by now.)

Jake [left] and Jasper [right] sit and watch

the Christmas tree project with great curiosity.

Jasper only ate one ornament during the

process.

Escape The "Noise"

It’s important for us, once in a while, to escape the “noise”. We live in a noisy culture, TV’s, radios, car horns, phones, MP3s, constant talking…we’re barraged with continuous sound. In order to go deeper with God, we have to have some breaks from the noise. Thomas Keating, “Unless the noise stops on occasion, we do not have a chance at experiencing the sacrament of spiritual depth.”