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Friday, May 9, 2014
Another Duck Wrangling Season Wraps Up Nicely
Well,
the duck wrangling has been taken care of for another season.
Ann was
able to lead most of the little ducklings out with their mother earlier this
morning. The mother duck took a wrong
turn on her way from the church courtyard out into the back parking lot and she
ended up heading for the sanctuary. (We’re
fairly convinced the mother duck is a follower of Jesus and was going to stop
off for a brief time of worship and prayer.)
But Ann
helped them get directed the right way and they found their way out.
However,
three little ducks didn’t get out on that first try. So a little later, Ann and Nadia went back in
and gathered up the three remaining ducks.
(You can see them in the picture.)
Don’t
worry. The three who did not get out
with the rest of the duck family will be well cared for. They are frolicking and playing in my
backyard even as you read these words, where they are being carefully watched
by our doggies, Jasper and Lucy.
We have
found that dogs and little baby ducklings get along beautifully.
…Come
on, I’m just kidding. You knew that,
right?
The
three little ones have been taken to a farm where other ducks live.
Everyone
is happy. Except the hawk that has been
flying around over the church. He’s
stomping his foot (yes, they can do that in mid-air) and saying, “Hey, what is
this?!? I’ve gotta’ eat, too, you know!”
Thursday, May 8, 2014
A Feisty Senior Gives Me A Zinger
A few
moments ago, I held the door open for a sweet-looking elderly woman and
secretly I thought, "This meek little lady probably appreciates a nice
gesture like this."As she walked past me into the establishment, she pointed to my shoulder bag and said, "Your purse goes nicely with your outfit." And she followed up her zinger with a very self-satisfied chuckle.
I tried to quickly come up with a good retort, but I had nothing. All I could do was laugh and say, "Yep, I guess it does match." I wasn't expecting her to give me a zinger.
Hmm, file this one under: #FeistySeniors.
P.S. It's not a purse it’s a shoulder bag!
Start By Telling God The Truth
God can always handle the truth. So, whatever the truth is, it is always best
to acknowledge it and begin there in our time with God. If the truth is unpleasant and change is
hoped for, understand that substantive change will only happen when we begin
with the truth of how things are.
Humming A Song In The Locker Room
I was
in the men's locker room at the health club and I wasn't paying attention. I
wasn't thinking carefully. So I made a mistake.I was listening to my ipod, wearing headphones, and I got caught up in humming along to a song loud enough for others to hear. Actually, at the time I didn't think anyone else was in the locker room. But I turned my head at one point and sure enough there was a guy behind me.
We briefly made eye contact.
He didn't say anything and, of course, neither did I. But I know he had to hear me humming along to the song.
This is a serious error. A guy in a men's locker room is not supposed to be humming to music. It's a violation of a guy protocol. And my error was particularly inexcusable because the song I was humming along with is a syrupy love song from the 70s about a horse. The title of the song is "Wildfire."
(I know. I know.... I'm turning red right now even as I write these words.)
If this was the mid 70's and I was back in the old high school locker room I could have been beaten up for such an infraction.
Well, now I probably won't be able to show my face around the place for a week, or so. I hope we start to get some warmer weather so I can, at least, walk outside.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Monday, May 5, 2014
Jasper And Lucy And The Water Bowl
Tonight,
whenever I would fill up Lucy’s water bowl, Jasper would immediately lap up all
the water out of it. Jasper has his own
water bowl which is full of water, but he drank Lucy’s water, instead.
And it
really seemed to me that he took great pleasure in doing so. (There’s a slight possibility that he was
chuckling as he did it.)
You
might think I’m being silly and this is completely innocent on Jasper’s part
because, after all, dogs couldn’t possibly think in such a conscious manner. But as we are observing Jasper and Lucy
working out their new relationship we are noticing, what appear to be, some
very human tendencies, including a little bit of jealous rivalry.
Fortunately,
Lucy does not have her license, yet, so we are not getting into a lot of
arguments over the fact that Jasper always gets to take the car.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
With God, The Possibilities Are Immeasurable
In the book of
Ephesians chapter 3, vs. 20, we find a doxology—which is a prayer of praise to
God. In the doxology God is exalted as
one “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”
This is an exciting,
inspiring, motivating and encouraging truth.
Isn’t it?
I like to think I
have a pretty healthy imagination. But
this passage reminds me that God can do more than I could ever imagine. And it’s not just that He can do things that
are beyond my imagination, it’s that what He can do—that is beyond what I ask
or imagine—is so vast that it’s not even measurable!
It expands the mind
and opens us up to remarkable possibilities if we take some time to ponder this
outstanding truth.
We will be worshiping
this amazing God today. No kidding. Right here in Oak Lawn. And you are welcome to join us!
(To my friends on
the west coast, you better start driving now if you want to get here on time.)
Friday, May 2, 2014
The Power of Authenticity
One of the factors that can have the most significant
positive influence for God is when our unbelieving friends, relatives,
co-workers and neighbors see in our lives that God is real. When a person has an authentic relationship
with God—a relationship with God that genuinely impacts his or her everyday
life—that is a very persuasive truth to encounter.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Is It Possible That Fear Isn't Always Such A Bad Thing, After All?
Fear can be
troublesome. Fear can prevent us from
experiencing the fullness of life. Fear
can dominate a person’s life in very unhealthy ways. I have spent more time than I would like to
admit experiencing unhealthy fear. It
was not a good thing for me and I don’t like it.
It would not be good
for a person to live in continual fear.
However, it’s
helpful for us to remember that fear can have a useful purpose in life, too. Fear is part of the natural alert system that
is wired into us. The emotion of fear
exists for a reason. There are times in
life when it is reasonable, natural and even helpful to experience fear because
there is something that demands the kind of focus that only fear brings.
Occasionally people
have told me they don’t want to turn to God purely out of fear. I understand that comment and I would be
quick to point out that there are many valid reasons to turn to God that are
not motivated by fear—His unfailing love for us would be a great example. No one will ever love us more than God loves
us. That’s a very good reason to turn to
God and walk with Him.
We would be wise not
to underestimate the usefulness of fear.
Fear can, sometimes, help us identify what we really understand to be
true. Fear, in the right context, can
help bring tremendous clarity regarding what we genuinely believe.
There are 16
instances of Jesus saying, “don’t be afraid” in the gospels. The God who loves us does not want us to
experience needless fear. (I feel
compelled, for the sake of clarity, to write again, that fear is often unhealthy
and unhelpful. It is not good for a
person to live in continual fear. A life
of perpetual fear is not God’s desire for anyone.)
But Jesus also mentioned
an example of a healthy fear that we should have. He put it this way, “Do not be afraid of those
who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who
can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Matthew 10:28
We live in a culture
which has influenced us to believe that anything that makes us feel bad or
uncomfortable is morally suspect. So
fear is almost never considered to be a good or helpful emotion. I’m suggesting it is important for us to
recognize the value of fear and respect the truths that fear can reveal.
There are some things
we ought to be afraid of. If you are in
the woods and a bear is running toward you at full speed and you feel
absolutely no fear at all, you are not brave or courageous, you are a
fool.
In the right time,
place and context fear may not be such a bad thing, after all.
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