For Thought : 123108

A few quotes from Oswald Chambers that I read this morning. You can view the complete writing online by clicking here.

"Our present enjoyment of God's grace is apt to be checked by the memory of yesterday's sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them in order to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual culture for the future. God reminds us of the past lest we get into a shallow security in the present."

"God's hand reaches back to the past and makes a clearing-house for conscience."

"As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, unremembering delight, nor with the flight of thoughtlessness but with the patient power of knowing that the God is Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays present irreparable things to us; it is true that we have lost opportunities which will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ."

New Year's Resolutions

With 2009 less than 24 hours away (in the central time zone at least), I'm guessing that "resolution" is a fairly hot topic right now for a lot of people... as in, "New Year's Resolution."

Clusty.com lists 276 "clusters" that provide links to websites that are in one way or another related to the term "resolution"... conflict, dispute resolution, image, council, Iraq, high-resolution, screen, and human rights violations are just some examples. Interestingly enough, "New Year's" is not among the 276 clusters.

On to the topic at hand. 

Wikipedia.com defines a "New Year's Resolution" as "a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous." The name is obviously related to the implementation of these commitments on New Year's Day.   

A Google search for "New Year's Resolution" brings up more than 2.5 million hits in about the same amount of time that it takes for a major league fastball to travel from the pitcher's mound to the catcher's mitt. You will find tips and guides and facts and figures to help you stick to and even come up with resolutions for the year ahead. There's a "Top Ten" list that includes (1) spend more time with family & friends, (2) fit in fitness, (3) tame the bulge, (4) quit smoking, (5) enjoy life more, (6) quit drinking, (7) get out of debt, (8) learn something new, (9) help others, and (10) get organized. You can actually go to a government-sponsored website that lists popular New Year's Resolutions. And, no surprise here, but you can find out what famous celebrities have resolved to do this year. For example, British pop star Cheryl Cole wants to go up one clothing size because she thinks she looks too skinny... poor thing. Britney Spears wants to stop biting her nails... seriously?... seems like that's the least of her problems to me. Kim Kardashian wants to tone up more and continue to get in shape. Kanye West promises to be nicer to paparazzi, which is a very good idea considering he found himself in hot water at LAX a few months ago for shoving a camera into a photographer's face. Tom Arnold wants to adopt a child. Ty Pennington wants to stay healthy and spend more time with his family and friends. Jim Belushi wants to stop being so gullible. Anderson Cooper promises to blog every day. And Anne Hathaway is determined to keep working hard but enjoy life more.

Pretty good. Lots of good things there. Wonder how they'll do?  

I must admit that I have never been very serious about making New Year's Resolutions. And the ones that I have made didn't work out so well... I typically fall off the proverbial wagon, oh, about mid-February. Nonetheless, I am resolved to do some things this New Year, 2009. (More on that later.) Having said that, it seems to me that the best thing any of us can do is resolve to live today without worrying about tomorrow or next week or next month or next summer or next fall. I think Jesus would probably agree... after all, He did tell the disciples, don't be anxious about tomorrow because tomorrow will be anxious for itself. James says the same kind of thing. Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit, yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that. As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Whoa. Evil? Strong word. 

The point? My friend says it like this: "Life is a vapor." I would call that a brilliant reminder... the past 7 months have certainly reinforced this principle for Nicol and I. 

Maybe, then, Resolution #1 should go something like this: Walk with Jesus today, as long as it's called today, and live today with the hope and peace and joy that only He can give me today. Today. [ ;-) ]  

Oh, one more thing I just remembered. I saw a sign today (there's that word again) at some store that read, "Live in the moment." My first thought was, "That's cute but it's not very good theology." Then I reconsidered. It is good. True, we shouldn't live "for" the moment in the sense that we forego sound wisdom and God-honoring/people-honoring choices, but we have to live "in" the moment because it's the only thing we have for sure. Today. 

So, what are my resolutions? Well, you just read the first one. The rest? TBD. To be determined, that is. But, you say, it's December 30, you better come up with something pretty quick. That's precisely... what I don't want to do. I'm going to follow the advice of one of my favorite people ever, Dr. Bill Thrasher. Each January, he commits the first week or so of that month to pray and really seek God for His desires and direction for the upcoming year. It's a "firstfruits" thing. Just like tithing is giving back to God what has been given to us, he spends the first part of the year giving back to God in terms praying and listening and seeking and worshiping and discovering where God is leading him and his family. 

I've never approached the New Year like that. So I'm gonna give it a try. And I will definitely let you know what happens.

Now, happy New Year and...

May God be gracious to you and bless you 

and make His face to shine upon you, 

that His way may be known on earth,

His saving power among all nations. 

Let the peoples praise You, O God;

let all the peoples praise You!

--adapted from Psalm 67:1-3

  

    

Coach Louis Mulkey

I saw this story on an ESPN "Outside the Lines" segment the other day.

It's a story that will probably have you weeping. It's a story that reminds me of the one common question we all have in the midst of tragedy and loss... "Why?" It's a story that reminds me that we don't know if we have tomorrow with those we know and love, let alone years and lifetimes. It's a story that reminds me of losing my son.

It's not easy to watch, but it is very much worth it.

PART 1 (9:54)


PART 2 (5:26)

I AM Smarter Than A Fifth Grader...

...at least I think I am.

Yesterday I was a Target shopping for a few of the final pieces to this puzzle that is my Christmas shopping... or should I say was my Christmas shopping, because I AM DONE!!!

Anyway, I was in the toy department and spotted a Nerf Hoop, which brought back many very fun memories. My cousin Aaron and I had many a fiercely contested games of one-on-one and H-O-R-S-E back in the day. So I thought Summer might like a Nerf Hoop and if she didn't then Nicol and I would have fun shooting some hoops. [ ;-) ]

The first thing I did when I got home was tear open the package and to put my new gadget together and play a little. The only problem was I couldn't figure out how to put the stinkin' thing together. I was like, 'I know I can do this because if I could do it when I was in 5th grade, surely I could do it now.'

No such luck.

There were 5 steps, complete with diagrams, on the back of the package. Steps 1-4 were a snap. Step 5? Different story. The hitch? I couldn't figure out how to attach the bracket to the backboard so that I could hang it over the door. I messed with it until I was ready to slam dunk it (pun intended) in the trash can. Then Nicol and Summer got home and I very meagerly asked Nicol if she could figure it out. Nope. Two almost-40-year-olds, one with a degree in political science from Wheaton College, the other with a master's degree from Moody, and neither one of us could figure that thing out.

Fastforward to this afternoon... I looked again at the diagram for step 5 and noticed something that I didn't see last night. I had been trying to attach the bracket in completely the wrong place... and I wasn't even in the right ballpark! So I found the right place and, presto, my Nerf Hoop assembly mission was complete.

Next, of course, came the mounting on the door.

And then, the first shot.

Swish!

And after all that, I found out that I AM smarter than a fifth grader. [ :-) ]

My new toy.

World's Worst Gift Wrapper

The title says it all.

Grrrrrrrrr.....

[ :-) ]

God Is Sort Of Like That

Some of the most majestic, spectacular, breath-taking and awe-inspiring scenes we will ever see are also, potentially, the most risky, treacherous, anxiety-causing and fear-inducing encounters we will ever have.

It seems to me that God is sort of like that. Admittedly, I can't go too far with the idea and it probably breaks down fairly quickly... but bear with me.

Nicol and I have seen a lot of incredible places together... places that showcase God's creativity in such remarkable, unique, and there's-nowhere-else-on-earth-like-this ways that I have at times thought to myself, "I can totally see why God sort of sat back, looked at everything He had created, and said, 'This is good. Really, really, really good.'"

We've been to the San Diego Wild Animal Park to see the pseudo-African wildlife preserve that is home to rhinoceros, water buffalo, lions, tigers, silverback gorillas and more. We were able to get close enough to a momma lion and her cubs that we were extremely thankful for the moat and thick plexiglass wall that separated us. As beautiful and physically impressive as those cats were - fluffy, tan coats; well-defined musculature; powerful, bounding leaps across the range and all - there is absolutely no way you would ever consider getting near them. They would tear you to shreds.
Amazing to observe from a distance. Heart-poundingly frightening to get up close and personal to.


We've walked along the cliffs on the north coast of Northern Ireland, near the famed Dunluce Castle. I don't remember a lot about this, partly because it was about 6 years ago, mostly because it was freezing cold and drizzly. Plus, it was our honeymoon, so that's what I remember the most. But I do recall that the cliffs were more than a little bit intimidating. We walked rather cautiously along that path because it was somewhat slippery from the rain that was falling... and to be at the top of the cliffs was far more preferable than being at the bottom! Cautious as we were though, it was tempting to look out over the cliffs at the waves that were crashing beneath us. That said, there was no danger whatsover of us getting all that close to the edge because the risk to our safety was simply too great.

Thanks but no thanks. I'll do a Google image search for those views.

Mt. Katahdin, located in Baxter State Park in Maine, is the northern end of the Appalachian Trail. I have not hiked to its mile-high summit, but I have ventured to the top of its shorter neighbor to the west, Doubletop Mountain... enough of a challenge in its own right to make me appreciate anyone who has trekked higher than its 2000-or-so-foot peak. I've talked, however, to folks who, on their way to the top of Mt. Katahdin, crawled on their knees across Knife Edge, a narrow pass that looks like the edge of a knife (go figure) and has a reputation for reducing the bravest of souls to whimpering babes.

Gorgeous and spectacular from afar. Attention-getting and cardiac-arresting up close and personal.

We've been on a cruise ship as the captain carefully guided us thru Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. The water was a gorgeous blue-green. Whales could periodically be seen breaching in the distance. Sea lions and otters played off to the side of the ship. Smaller boats cruised by us. And, most spectacularly of all, massive ice chunks broke away from the (seemingly) Everest-like glacier that stood before us, sending ripples across the bay for what appeared to be miles and miles. I thought it would be AWESOME to be in a kayak out near the glacier. Then someone told me that the chunks of ice that were plunging into the water were the size of my car. Then I thought my idea was kinda dumb. Plus, I didn't think it would be so good if a whale breached beside me... kayaks tip easily.

Grand idea. Fun. But sometimes you can't know what you're getting into unless you have a birdseye view.

Some of the most majestic, spectacular, breath-taking and awe-inspiring scenes we will ever see are also, potentially, the most risky, treacherous, anxiety-causing and fear-inducing encounters we will ever have.

Somehow, it seems to me that God is sort of like that.

He is majestic, spectacular, breath-taking, awe-inspiring, beautiful, eternally loving, life-giving, a father-like provider and protector, a mother-like nurturer and comforter, sensationally able to do all things well, infinitely kind and merciful and gracious... He is indescribable.

He is risky, treacherous, anxiety-inducing, fear-inducing, unpredictable, unfathomable, the One who is capable of snuffing out all things bad yet also the One who allows all things bad... He is indescribable.

To see and experience Him from afar is incredible... but it is not enough.

To see and experience Him up close is satisfying... but it is risky.

His ways are not our ways.

God of heaven, in your kindness please give us the grace to trust you and follow you.

Summer Photos

Thought you'd like to see some new photos of Summer... the teddy bears are our special little reminders of Lukey.