Good Words Then...Good Words Now

 Good morning, and welcome!!

These days, in some ways, are not good days.  There is a lot going on that probably shouldn’t be happening.  Everything from the war in the Middle East to the fact that it’s unseasonably warm in Kansas make it seem like things are going off the rails.  And we are pretty much powerless to do something about any of it.

We see a lot in the world that isn’t as we know it should be.  We continue to see mass shootings.   We continue to see political differences turn into hatred for the other side.  We continue to see the homeless on the streets, in the alleys, and in our parks.  We continue to see the near homeless flounder as they are drawn deeper into the poverty whirlpool.

We see our churches becoming more and more empty as people abandon church families and religious organizations.  We see our children mesmerized by a screen and mini-computer they can carry in their hand.  We see the wealthy become more so at the expense of the rest of us.  And we see the erosion of the public education system as more and more  requirements, regulations, and child-rearing responsibilities are placed upon it.

If I have seemed to be in a sort of depression today because of what I’ve said, you are correct.  It has been difficult this week for me to see the good, the right, and the beautiful.  I know it’s there.  I know God works in magnificent ways to provide beauty, color, peace, and grace to his creation.

Sometimes, though, it seems that the poverty, the yelling and screaming, the greed and the selfishness are drowning out the beauty and peace...shoving them off to the side as they demand my attention…creating in me various emotions and thoughts that cause stress, grief, and sadness.  And this, I believe, is deliberate on the part of those who are doing the yelling, the screaming, the coveting, the stealing, the merchandising.

Yet out of all of this, at times the still, small voice of God breaks through with His message of love, peace, and joy.  And if I listen…really listen…I can hear that message in the singing of the robin, the wren, and the dove.  I can hear it in the stillness of the night.  I can hear it in the shouts and shrieks of children at play in the park.  And I can feel that message when one of my grands hugs me.  I can feel it when the breeze is just the right temperature and velocity.  I can feel it when I receive a firm handshake and greeting from one of my church family.

I know that if I look for it…if I block out all of the garbage…I can appreciate and enjoy what God has provided.

I am reminded of a passage of scripture that Paul the apostle wrote centuries ago.  In his letter to the Philippians, he said this:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

And finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Good words then.  Good words now.

Blessings.

A Learning Experience

 Good morning, and welcome!!

Have you ever caught yourself in some kind of reflective time where you looked back at something you said or did and thought to yourself that you didn’t display the most kind and loving attitude toward that person?  Maybe you made some kind of snippy remark toward someone because of a perceived failure on their part.  Maybe you took some action that let others know you weren’t going to allow anyone to get the best of you.

You know what I’m talking about.  Those times when, on reflection, you realize you didn’t love your neighbor…you didn’t treat others as you wanted to be treated…you didn’t allow yourself to be a servant instead of one being served.  In other words, you acted like a total heel…someone that no one wants to be around.

We’ve all been there.  I’ve been there…recently, in fact.  The latest?  I carped at an electrician who came to the church today to install some extra outlets.  I carped at him because on Monday when I made the service request, I asked the woman taking the request to let us know when we were placed on the schedule and when the electrician would be here.  So when I come to work today about 9 am, I see the electrician truck In the parking lot and the man waiting for me.  But I had no clue he was coming today because no one contacted me to let me know.

Now, I know the electrician only goes where and when he is scheduled, so he didn’t have anything to do with the lack of communication.  But he got some pushback from me anyway.  I should have apologized to him, but didn’t for some reason.  He was, however, the convenient scapegoat.

By far most of those who do work at the church let me know enough ahead of time that I can plan adequately.  This electrical service, however, even though they do great work, are really bad about not letting us know ahead of time.  Each time, I ask them to let me know.  Most of the time, just like today, it doesn’t happen.

Yes, we could find another electrician.  However, we know the quality of work this one does, and know that their rates are reasonable and their work is in accordance with code.  They are familiar with the building and the work they have done here previously.  So, most likely, we’ll keep them on and continue to hope they give us some advance notice.

Christian scriptures are filled with exhortations, examples, and stories having to do with how we relate to one-another even in difficult situations or if we believe we have somehow been wronged.  As I mentioned before, we are told to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  We are told to treat others as we would want to be treated.  We are to always let our speech be gracious.  Several places in the Proverbs speaks of our speech.  Here is just one.  “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

Well, you get the idea.  Perhaps more importantly, our thoughts before, during, and after an unpleasant conversation betray the rise of our selfish, prideful selves within us…those characteristics of our old, sinful nature that we constantly battle to keep in check.  We lose the battles sometimes.  We flip back into a prior existence.  We fail to “Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.”  Instead, we say and do what feels good at the moment, regardless of the fallout that may result.

Those times when we snip at the wife, berate a child, yell at someone who cut us off in traffic or failed to use their blinker, or argue needlessly with a co-worker, we are guilty of failing to demonstrate the love and patience of Jesus.  These are the times when we need to think about how patient Jesus is with us and then share that patience and forbearance with those we encounter in everyday life and living.  As the Psalmist says so eloquently, “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion.”

It isn’t worth it.  It isn’t worth the stress.  It isn’t worth the damaged relationships.  It isn’t worth the regret after the fact.  Kindness and compassion go hand in hand with patience and yes, forbearance. I learned something from that interaction.  Hopefully, I'll also remember. May you receive a blessing this day as you demonstrate these qualities toward others.

Blessings.

Paid Parking

 Good morning, and welcome!!

For the past month, I have been working with the liaison of my Wichita council person to obtain information on the new paid parking program enacted by the city last year.  The program consists of a large swath of the downtown area parking that has been converted to kiosk or app payment rather than parking meters.  And, of course, the rates are higher in an effort to collect sufficient funds to maintain parking lots, etc.

The information I would like to see is the income, expenses, and net proceeds of the parking program for the first six months of operation…July through December, 2025.  Brooke, the liaison, pointed me to a web page that had detailed information regarding revenues received.  The information was broken down by month, method of payment, average revenue per parking stall, and other useful information.  What was NOT on the page was expenses and net proceeds.

Brooke has continued to try to get that information for me, but was twice told that I would have to file an open records request in order to receive it.  Of course, that got me to wonder why the revenues were so easily and publicly available, but the expenses were not.  So I went on down the path and contacted my city council person and mayor directly, and they have responded.  The mayor has asked the assistant city manager to make the information available to both the council and to me.  Now, she did this only a couple of days ago, so I don’t expect a response just yet.

I don’t intend to do much with the information if I get it.  I expect that expenses will exceed revenues.  That’s normal for pretty much any start-up project.  However, the reason for continuing with this is the greater issue of transparency in government.

Wichita has had issues with transparency and citizen trust for years.  There have been several decisions made over the years that not only didn’t “smell” right, but ended up being in the best interest of friends and donors to political campaigns instead of the citizenry.  The latest issue to come to a head has been the sales tax question that was resoundingly defeated just a couple of days ago.  Over eighty percent of the voting public said “NO” to a new sales tax promoted by several business partners and put to a vote quickly and without a lot of vetting.  It not only was hastily and poorly presented; it just didn’t “smell” right, and the citizens knew it and soundly trampled it down.

I understand that in running a city the size of Wichita, many decisions are made by managers of varied kinds.  Not all decisions can or should be put before the council, or even the city manager.  However, all departments and all management need to be answerable for the decisions they make.  And the citizens of Wichita need to have access to those decisions, as well as access to whatever background information that is considered to be public information that helped those managers make those decisions.

If I would have been told to file an open records request for all of the parking information…revenues and expenses…I probably would have done so without complaint.  However, to have the revenues so prominently displayed publicly, but the expenses hidden behind a KORA request seems to me to be asking the public to believe the city is hiding something it doesn’t want us to know.  The idea of transparency and trust have once again been relegated to the dumpster out back.  What else are we to think?

Hopefully, eventually, I’ll receive the information I’ve requested one way or the other.  If necessary, I’ll file a KORA request and pay any fees.  Some things I’ve learned to let go of, but I’m stubborn enough to see this through.

I do know I’ve ruffled some feathers.  The mayor has responded to me.  My council person called me.  And a council person who does not represent me but I consider to be a friend has emailed me.  So, we’ll see.  Stay tuned.

A lesson from this, however.  Don’t let things like this get you so worked up that you lose sight of the greater and better things…mercy, grace, love, and forgiveness.  Life is too short to needlessly worry and fret about things like parking revenues and expenses.  Be involved.  Be engaged.  But also be aware that all of these kinds of things are temporary and will pass away.  Give your best concentration instead on the Maker and Creator of all who loves you and wants you with Him in eternity.

Planned Obsolescence

 One of my Facebook friends, Steve Ridgell, a minister currently living in Texas and about my age, posts videos regularly.  Those videos can be on any number of topics, and are usually only three to four minutes long.  Each of the videos, however, regardless of topic, has some kind of message in it that is good for the heart and good for the soul.

On one of his last videos, Steve mentioned that he recently had purchased hearing aids.  During the course of conversation with the seller, Steve was told that in about 5 years time, the manufacturer of the aids would no longer support them with repairs and spare parts.  Planned obsolescence, they call it.

One might think the manufacturers would intentionally do this in order to sell new hearing aids.  And that may well be part of the deal.  However, the technology changes so rapidly that parts are often not available to the manufacturer from their suppliers.  Additionally, the technological improvements to things like hearing aids make it desirable for users to take advantage of the improvements.

Steve then brought the conversation around to our own “planned obsolescence.”  What he was talking about was the gradual loss of health and wellness of our bodies.  As we age, even if we’re relatively healthy, we gradually acquire an assortment of aches, pains, and conditions which tend to limit our strength and ability to do many of the things we used to do in times past and gone.  We’re not as agile as we once were.  We forget more, and remember less than we once did.  Our energy isn’t what it used to be.  We’re on the downhill slide of life in this creation.  But, Steve says, that doesn’t mean that we can just sit back and take it easy when it comes to the “good works” God has planned for his people to do.

Those “good works” may change as we age and can no longer do this or that thing.  But we may well be able to pick up on some activities of the faith that we previously had not thought of or didn’t have the time for.  We may no longer be able to travel as much or as far in service or ministry.  But we may be able to pray more, teach, study, and do things more in line with our limited energy and capability.  Just because we may no longer be able to run a marathon doesn’t mean that we also are no longer capable of walking a hundred yards.

Sometimes, it’s difficult for us to accept the fact that we are no longer able to do some of things we have in the past been able to do.  So we mourn that loss, but fail to pick up something to put in the place of those things.  We continue in a state of mourning and yes, even grief.  But, we need to come to an understanding of our limits, and then look ahead to whatever time we have left and fill that time with useful service to the God who has made us, loves us, and cares for us.

I don’t like the term “planned obsolescence” any better than most of you do.  The curmudgeon in me says that businesses and manufacturers are intentionally doing in in order to sell us more things.  However, I also understand the reality that things can’t always be as they were.  Things change.  Times change.  We change.  Our bodies change.  Our capabilities change.  What we used to be able to do we can no longer do.  We need to be able to adapt while still serving our God in ways that glorify Him.  May God’s blessing continue with us as we continue our travel through life and living.

 

Acts 3

 One of my new go-to’s on Facebook are posts by a woman who goes by the name “Farmer Girl.”  Farmer Girl is a real person…a real dairy farmer who lives in northwestern Washington state.  She has proven to be wise beyond her years, and is a prolific writer, especially in scriptural interpretation.  She is concise, on-point, and doesn’t stray far afield with her comments.  In short, I like her and what she writes.

She is working now on commentary on the book of Acts.  When she came to chapter 3, the chapter in which Peter and John heal the man lame from birth who was sitting at the temple gate begging, she had a question I had never thought of.  So, I’ll stop my comments for a moment and just read what she said in her post after writing briefly about Peter and John healing the man.  She starts with a question.  Quote

Did Jesus ever walk past that man at the Beautiful Gate?

Because Acts 3:2 says: “And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate…”

Lame from birth.

Laid there daily.

This was not a new situation.  This was not a man who slipped on the temple steps last week. He had never walked.  Not once.  And every day, someone carried him to that same spot, at that same gate, to ask for coins from people heading into the temple.

Same gate.

Same stone.

Same outstretched hand.

Day after day after day.

Now think about Jesus’ ministry for a second.  For three years, He was constantly in and out of the temple.  He taught there.  He debated the Pharisees there.  He healed people there.  He went up for the feasts.  He walked those same streets, those same steps, those same gates.

Which means it is very likely that at some point…Jesus walked right past that man.

And He did not heal him.

OK, this is Jay again.  I’m going to stop there for a moment to say something about that gate.  There were several gates that opened into the Temple.  Some were used in certain circumstances.  Some were more well-used than others.

There was a gate…the south gate…that was the most-used gate by the masses.  We don’t know if it was called the Beautiful gate, but it seems that a beggar would be placed at a gate where there would be the most traffic…and the south gate would be the one.

We don’t know with unerring certainty if Jesus ever saw this beggar.  However, the odds are stacked very high AGAINST anyone who would say that Jesus wasn’t aware of the man or hadn’t seen the man.

OK, let’s go on with Farmer Girl’s comments.

That thought…the thought that Jesus may well have walked right by the man and did not heal him…feels a little uncomfortable.  Because we like the idea that if Jesus sees a problem, He fixes it immediately.  Like a divine emergency service.  See problem.  Fix problem.  Move on.

But that is not how Jesus’ ministry actually worked.  There were still sick people in Israel when He ascended.  Still blind people.  Still lame people.  Still suffering people.  He did not empty every hospital, fix every body, or solve every problem in those three years.

So why this man?  Why later?  Why in Acts?

Because in Acts 3, that healing does more than just fix a pair of legs.

Peter and John come walking up to the temple at the hour of prayer.  No big announcement. No miracle scheduled on the calendar.  They are just going to pray.  And the man does what he always does.  He asks for money.

Peter basically says, I do not have any coins for you.  But I do have something else.

“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Acts 3:6 ESV

And suddenly, the man who has spent his whole life being carried is the one doing the walking.  And not just walking.  Leaping.  Praising God. Causing a full-scale scene in the temple courts.

This is Jay again.  Farmer Girl then gets to the point of her comments…a point that is for you and for me.  I’ll conclude now with her concluding remarks in this post.  Quote

So it seems very possible that Jesus walked past that man many times…because his healing was meant for a different moment.  A moment after the resurrection.   A moment when the apostles would be the ones doing the healing.  A moment that proved Jesus was still working, even though He had ascended.

The man probably thought his biggest problem was that he could not walk.  He was asking for coins.  Just enough to get through another day. But God was writing a much bigger story.  His life became one of the first big public miracles of the early church.

Sometimes we sit at our own “gate” for a long time.  Same problem.  Same prayer.  Same situation.  Day after day.  And we start to wonder if Jesus has just walked right past us.

But Acts 3 reminds us that sometimes the miracle is not late.  It is just waiting for the moment when it will point to something bigger than we can see right now.

We Will Be Judged

 "I think we will be judged…generations from now are going to judge us, and cultures are going to judge the nation that is so known for its wealth, and how we took care of the least of these.  And I just can’t help but wonder what they’ll think of us when they look back, and they see there were people sleeping in our streets…that there were people hungry in our own streets."

That’s a quote from Major Nancy Powers, the South-Central Associate Area Commander, of The Salvation Army.  The quote is an excerpt from "Hope in the Heartland...Wichita's Quest to End Homelessness," a feature-length, Emmy Award winning documentary on the incredibly complex issue of homelessness in Wichita.

I have to admit that even though I’ve given a lot of thought to homelessness and other societal challenges, and even though I mainly through the church, have done what I could to help, I really have never thought about what future generations might say as they look back on history.

But just as we look back at the slave owners in the nation’s earlier days…just as we look back on the various empires of old…just as we look back and see where things went off of the rails with those cultures long dead and gone, so will those who come after us look back at this nation…this culture…and make judgments about us.

But far more important than that, I believe that there is a God who may well even now be making judgments on this nation…we as a people and we as individuals…and surely will judge us at some point, if not now.  A hundred times more so, I fear the judgment of God more than I do some future generation.

The challenge of homelessness, as with most societal challenges, is incredibly complex with dozens of off-ramps, side roads, and stop signs.  It is a challenge that is misunderstood by many, grossly over-simplified by some, and dismissed all together by others as an issue of laziness or as “getting what one deserves.”

Most of us in the homed world have no comprehension of just how close we are to being homeless ourselves.  One paycheck.  One illness.  One catastrophic event.  One death.  If anything goes out of whack in the lives of most of us, we are in danger of sleeping in our car, checking in to the Rescue Mission, or camping out behind a bush in the park.

Even those of us who receive government pensions or assistance…probably the most secure form of support…can’t breathe easy.  Do you have any clue just how broke and broken our units of government are right now?  Can you really be certain that next month’s check will show up in your account?  Just one well-placed bomb…one war started…one major burp in the economy…and the financial house of cards built up by generations of politicians may well come tumbling down on itself…our culture going through a catastrophic re-set.

I’m sure you at some time have heard someone sort-of jokingly say, “I think God is trying to tell us something.”  Could it be that the missed paycheck, the catastrophic event, the one thing that goes haywire in our lives…that thing IS God trying to tell us something?  That God is nudging us to recognize and understand that things aren’t the way they should be, and we need to be more attuned to the needs of others.

I don’t need to tell you that God takes a special interest in those who are mistreated or ignored by the rest of society.  The poor, marginalized, strangers, children, the hungry, the needy.  I believe He expects us, the haves…with the bounty he has given us…to use that bounty in service to those who do not have.  For the Christian, this isn’t optional.  This is basic Christianity…Christian living 101.  No maybe’s.  No yes-but’s.  No what-if’s.  It’s basic stuff, and it should be part of our DNA as Christians.

Can we individually help everyone and work in every segment of society to help find solutions?  No, of course not.  We are limited in time, resources, talent and energy.  We can’t, and God doesn’t expect us to be all things to all people in all situations and all scenarios.  We must choose our area or area of service, and choose wisely.  But, we MUST choose and we must act in some way to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the unhoused, treat the sick, and while we’re active in those things, to preach the good news of repentance and eternal life in Jesus Christ.

I’m closing this thought with Jesus’ own words from Matthew 25 as he speaks with his followers.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Blessings

Proper Timing

 Awhile back, I took my pickup into the shop to have some work done.  I had noticed liquid on the floor of the garage under the engine where it was being parked.  It looked like a combination of oil and water.  I had it in the shop for them to determine what was wrong and have it repaired.

They came back with news that there was a leak in a seal as well as a water pump that was leaking.  The seal leak was in the same area as the water pump, and was also in the same area as the timing belt and associated parts.

As it was about time to replace the timing  belt anyway, I told them to go ahead and fix the seal leak, install a new water pump, and replace the timing belt.  All of that could  be done at the same time by working in the same area of the engine, saving me some future expense in labor.

When I received my pickup back, it started and ran just fine, but when I tried to accelerate from a low speed, the engine hesitated.  At higher speeds, it did just fine.

I took it back in and told them what was going on.  I told them the engine wasn’t doing the hesitation thing before I brought it in for service, but was following the repair.

It took some time as well as the mechanic going down the wrong rabbit hole at first before they finally figured out what was going on.  When the timing belt is replaced, everything has to go back in place exactly right or the timing of the engine…the sequences of things that happen inside the engine…won’t be correct.  The engine won’t run correctly.

You may have guessed by now that the mechanic made a tiny error in replacing the belt and associated equipment.  The error was so small that he didn’t notice it at first glance.  But when he corrected the error, the engine ran much better…more like it should.

I’ve thought about that experience recently as it pertains to life and living, wondering if there is a lesson for us in that story.  Can a tiny error…something just a little “off” so to speak, create some kind of negative effect that is much larger than the error would seem to make it?

Recently, I had a workup done by my primary care doctor.  He did all of the things, including blood work.  The results came back mostly in the “good” or “normal” regions.  But one result, my vitamin D level, came back borderline deficient.  My level was at the lower end of normal.

He suggested that I take a supplement to get my level more into the middle of the normal range.  I didn’t think much about it, but the next time I was in the pharmacy, I bought a supplement and started taking it daily.  I need to tell you that I also have lower back pain from diagnosed osteoarthritis.  Sometimes that discomfort is enough to force me to have to sit down for a time and give it a rest.  I also have difficulty exercising more than about 20 or so minutes due to the pain and discomfort.

However, after taking the vitamin D supplement, in the matter of just three or four days, my lower back pain lessened considerably.  It is still there, but is much more manageable.

I wondered if the vitamin D supplement was the cause of the decreased discomfort because I had made no changes other than beginning to take the supplement.  I looked up symptoms of vitamin D deficiency and found “bone pain,” especially lower back pain to be one of the symptoms.

Apparently, something as simple as increasing my intake of vitamin D has resulted in a big change in how I feel from day to day.

I could tell you of other things I’ve found that seem small and insignificant, but have a big effect just like the timing belt that was just a tiny bit “off” but caused an engine to misfire.  Daily exercise, which for me consists of 15 to 20 minutes of walking.  Regular exercises for my shoulder, which is also being attacked by arthritis.  Drinking enough water daily.  Eating a good variety of fruits and veggies, especially fresh fruit and vegetables.

And then there’s the spiritual and emotional aspects of life that can be greatly affected in a positive way by some of the “small things.”  Regular immersion into the Word of God.  Taking time for meditation and quiet.  Turning off the TV, the radio, and the noise.  Meeting with church family.  Taking in nature, whether in my back yard, in a park, or in the wide-open countryside.  Being with friends and family.  Sharing kindness, empathy, and resources.  Taking time to write, construct, garden, solve puzzles, cook, or whatever it is that gives you joy.  Prayer.

I’m sure you can think of other things that by themselves seem insignificant, but have much, much value.  At least some of these need to be toward the top of our priority list each day.  Our “engines” (so to speak) just run better when everything works together as it should.

May God bless you continually as you seek those things which bring you into, and keep you in the proper timing of life.

Quick to Listen..."

 I have a sheet of paper taped to my office door.  On that letter-size sheet is a circle with the words, “Someone’s problem,” inside it.  A straight line slices through the circle, cutting off a very, very small part of it.  Next to that very, very, small part are the words, “What you know about it.”  The heading at the top of the page reads, “Why you should be kind to people.”

I see that page taped to my door each time I go in or out of the office.  I can also see it from my office chair.  It’s a frequent reminder that I don’t know nearly as much a I might think I know about a lot of different things…not only the problems faced by others, but also societal issues such as homelessness, mental health, and food insecurity, political issues like immigration, government spending, and foreign policy, and general life and living issues faced by us all such as relationships, budgeting, and raising kids.

I may think, for example, that I’m some sort of expert when it comes to raising kids, as we’ve been there and done that.  I may also think I’m an expert when it comes to budgeting since we seem to be on a good path financially right now.  And I may think I can offer some expert advice when it comes to the issue of homelessness, since we deal with some of that at the church on a regular basis.

However, when I immerse myself into the real world of these things, it doesn’t take long for me to understand that I really know very, very little about the incredible complexity of these issues and the seeming intractability of being able to solve them to any acceptable degree.

Many of these problems and issues seem to be barely manageable, let alone solvable.  They often prove to be obstinate, unwieldy, and stubborn.  Those whose job it is to work with them and try to solve them often aren’t any more or better equipped to work with them than I am, yet we look to those people to find some magic cure…some quick fix…some miraculous thing that will solve homelessness, end political polarization, and cure mental health ills.  And we’re quick to offer our own quick fixes in the event they run out of ideas.

And, we often think we have the answer if they will just listen to us.  If  you’re mentally ill, get therapy and take your meds.  If government spends too much, just cut back on the budget until it balances.  If your kids are running amok, just clamp down and put them in their place.  Let them know who is boss.

But if we’ll just stop and think about it for a moment in as much of an unbiased manner as possible, we’ll quickly understand that it isn’t that easy.  It isn’t that simple.  There is no quick fix for many of these issues.  There may not be a fix of any kind for at least some of these issues.  Yet, we often think we have the answers and self-righteously elevate ourselves into positions of knowing THE answer, even while we show our abject ignorance by spouting some kind of platitude that never has and never will help the situation.

In Proverbs 17, the wise sage said this:  “A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.  Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.”

In the New Testament, James says, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”

These are only two of several places in the Scriptures where we are to use restraint when speaking.  Paul tells us to “Be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one-another.”  Luke records Jesus saying that we are to “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  Paul says in the Colossian letter, “Let your speech always be with grace…”  I’m sure that if you are at all familiar with the Bible, you can think of other places having to do with how we behave in our speech.

The next time you’re tempted to enter into someone else’s problem or inject yourself into some issue, stop and think about how much you really know about it and how much there may well be that you don’t know.  Then if you still need to speak, do so respectfully and with grace, knowing you don’t have the magic pill that solves the riddle, but that your thoughts can hopefully contribute to the discussion.

And don’t hesitate to contact your government officials, the leaders of your church, or others if you feel led to do so.  But do it with respect, knowing you know very little about the situation and are only offering an opinion, which may or may not be one that contributes to the solution.

Someone long ago said that you can’t learn anything while you’re talking.  Think about that.  Then think about what James says in the New Testament.  Be careful in your selection of what you will listen to…be quick to listen to those things that are good, true, decent, and beneficial…and be slow to speak, even when you think you may have the answer.

Those qualities are a sure sign of maturity.

Blessings,

Let Go/Let God

 Today is Thursday, the day before the Big Snow.  According to all the weather folks for the past several days, a big snow storm is due to come our way here in Kansas and points south and east.  Some areas farther south will experience, they say, extreme ice storms.  And the cold…on Saturday, they are forecasting a high of six degrees for Wichita…that’s six…just one digit.  Sunday won’t be much better with a forecast high of 11.

Now, that could all change.  We’ve seen it happen before.  Movement of just forty or fifty miles either north or south by the system low pressure center can make a big difference in how much snow or ice comes our way.  So, even though the forecasts are not always on point a couple of days before the event, we are taking precautions.  We’re discussing not holding services Sunday.  We’re working with the snow removal people.  We’re setting thermostats so things don’t freeze up in the building.

And we’re also taking some precautions personally.  Filling gas tanks.  Planning ahead.  We aren’t stocking up on tons of water, toilet paper, or food.  We have enough normally at the house for what we will need.  The wife is doing her regular weekly grocery shopping today, and I expect she’ll pick up the usual assortment of things.

I did purchase a new snow shovel yesterday, but only because the old one is indeed old, and the plastic is cracked and broken to the point that it doesn’t work very well anymore.  I’ve been intending to get one for the past several months, and have just put it off.  We have bird seed for our winter feathered friends sufficient to weather the storm.  We don’t have any place we have to be or go, so we should be OK.

I also know that from time to time I will be thinking of some of those I know who are spending their time outdoors in the cold.  I’m hopeful they will seek shelter at the Second Light facility in downtown Wichita.  However, many have mental health issues that prevent them from wanting shelter, or they have behavior issues that keep them out.  They are still people.  They are still human beings.  They still are made in the image of God.  We do what we can.  But sometimes what we can do isn’t enough.  People still become ill.  People still die.  It’s something that we sometimes have to admit that we should do what we reasonably can do and let the rest…those things, circumstances, and situations that we can’t control…go.

That works for several areas of life and living.  All too often, it seems, we try to control the outcome of something so it ends up the way we want it to end.  We become increasingly frustrated, stressed, and upset as things continue down the path we have NOT selected.  We seem to be powerless to switch the track, so to speak, to make things turn out our way.

The advice to do what we reasonably can do and give the rest to God is good advice.  We don’t know the long term.  We don’t know what’s at the end of the track.  We don’t know what God has planned and is carrying out.

Think of the story of Joseph in the Old Testament.  Hated by his older brothers, thrown down an old dry well in the desert by them…brought out of that pit and sold by his brothers to an Egyptian to be made a slave.  Later he was imprisoned for something he did not do.  Eventually, though, Joseph’s life was one that saved his entire family and the nation of Israel from a great famine and brought them into the land of Egypt to live.  Joseph’s message to his family at the end of it all was, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Sometimes, we need to be taught the lesson that God is indeed in charge.  We should do what we reasonably can, but we need to recognize that God ultimately controls the outcome.  And sometimes, I believe God intentionally paints us into a corner in order to get that lesson across to us AND to show us His awesome power, mercy, and work.

Whatever demons you’re fighting right now, do what you reasonably can do…then pray…pray for God’s will to be done.  And let it go and let God.

 

Blessings

Ms. Jo

 Josephine Brown, often just called “Jo”,  the first Black woman to chair the Wichita Board of Education in the 1970’s, died this past December 31 at age 96.  She won the seat during a time when the Wichita school system still had not fully implemented the Brown vs Board of Education directive to fully integrate the schools.

According to a KAKE news piece, Brown served during a pivotal time in the early 1970s as Wichita Public Schools faced pressure to desegregate and address inequities in education. Her daughter, Sheila Kinnard, said her mother spent her life advocating for fairness, community involvement and change.

Ms. Brown’s advocacy for equality didn’t end when her time on the school board ended.  Mark McCormick, in an editorial in the Kansas Reflector, said this about Brown:  “In a society expecting her to dim her light, Mrs. Jo set the night sky ablaze with searchlights.  When she confronted the yet lingering vestiges of that era, at a bank or a store, she would correct them as she might one of her tiny students.  Firmly but gracefully.”

“You don’t pay AND beg, baby,” she told me once.

This is Jay.  Think about that last line.  “You don’t pay AND beg, baby.”  I’m not a minority.  I’m as Caucasian as can be.  So what follows is in no way part of a racial issue.  Yet, even now, for me, sometimes I feel like I have to beg someone to provide the service that I either have already paid for or will be paying for.  Have you felt the same way sometimes?

Customer service is often non-existent or so difficult to come by that it takes a herculean effort to get anything done.  The automated answer is standard anymore, if there is even a phone number to call.  Pressing “0” doesn’t always get a live voice.  Emails aren’t answered.  Promises made when someone DOES contact “customer service” are not kept.  Send in this form.  FAX this in to us and we’ll take care of it.  Email us a copy of your receipt.  And on and on it goes.

“You don’t pay AND beg, baby.”

Even when dealing with someone in person it isn’t always easy to get something done.  Insurance, medical care, and government seem to be the biggest problem areas, but it’s really all over.  People who DO answer the phone are often in India or Cambodia speaking broken English from a script provided by their computer.

“You don’t pay AND beg, baby.”

So, what do you do?  You become persistent.  You do business with those who will meet your need for service.  Local and smaller is often  better.  If the business is within driving distance, go to that business rather than continuing to send emails and playing phone tag.  Determine you will receive an answer when you go, and keep at it until you do.

“You don’t pay AND beg, baby.”

Let me tell you a story from my files.  Some time ago I had the need to see a cardiologist at a cardiology clinic in Wichita.  The doctor recommended I wear a Holter monitor…a device that records various functions of the heart, for 24 hours.  I agreed.  When I checked out the monitor, I had to sign a form saying that if I didn’t bring it back in good condition that I would be liable for $1,500 reimbursement.  I agreed, and signed.

When I brought the monitor back to the office a couple of days later, I asked for a receipt showing that I had brought the monitor back.  The woman at the desk told me that they didn’t give receipts for monitors.  I repeated my request.  She repeated her response.  I repeated my request a third time.  She repeated her response a third time.

Then we just looked at each other for about 30 seconds…I assume she thought I would leave.  I didn’t.  I then said that I had to sign a paper saying I was liable for the monitor unless it was brought back, and I wasn’t going to leave until I had a receipt saying it was brought back.  Then I repeated my request, “I need a receipt showing that I brought the monitor back to the clinic.”  I remained in control, barely, and polite, barely, but firm.

“You don’t pay AND beg, baby.”

She said, “Just a minute,” and went to the back.  She came back out in a few minutes, hand-wrote a receipt, signed and dated it, and gave it to me.  I thanked her and told her the clinic needed to do this for all returns.  When I saw the doctor a few days later to review the monitor’s findings, I relayed the story to him.  I have no idea if they have begun to give receipts or not.  I do not plan on checking out another monitor, and in fact canceled the appointment I had a couple of months ago to do that very thing.

You don’t pay AND beg, baby.”

As an aside, don’t worry about my canceling that appointment…my primary care physician, following review of my medical record, tells me the testing was not necessary at this time.  I would never do anything to intentionally jeopardize my health in that way.

So, I hope you remember this little sentence that carries incredible meaning.  “You don’t pay AND beg, baby.”  Be polite.  Be controlled.  But be persistent.  Be insistent.  Don’t settle for less than what you paid for.  Whether you’re black, brown, white or something else…whether you’re a man or woman, young or old, rich or poor, rural or urban, it doesn’t matter.  Insist on good service.  Hold those you do business with accountable.  Ms Jo would be pleased.

Blessings…

Staying Grounded

 When was the last time you were really frustrated, anxious, or just plain disgusted with the way things were going for you in life and living?  If you’re like pretty much everyone else, that time wasn’t more than a few hours or days ago.  It seems that life’s frustrations bubble up out of the ground regularly…some are a little bigger than others, but they all tend to cause changes in priorities, adjustments in how we see things, and at times force us to stop everything and just concentrate on what’s happening at the time.

These blips in life can be as mild as catching a cold at an inconvenient time, or as big as a loved one suddenly passing away or some kind of natural disaster that destroys our possessions and home.  We often never know when these things will come at us, and almost as often aren’t sure how to deal with the situation that is presented to us.

Sometimes we tend to worry about what MIGHT happen in the future to the point that it becomes some kind of obsession.  When that happens, we become paralyzed with fear and anxiety.  We are afraid to move ahead in life fearing we’ll run into one or more roadblocks.  We spend our days in bed, many times literally, because we cannot face the day ahead.

So, how do we deal with the anxiety and fear?  Many of us have developed coping mechanisms which tend to ground us in reality…help us discern what is really important in life.  These things keep us “rooted,” so to speak, in the realities of the day and time.  For we who wear the name Christian, the ultimate “grounding” is looking to our God and Lord…the unchanging sovereign who has never promised to help us avoid life’s bumps and bruises, but has promised that He will be with us going through them.  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear nothing, because you are with me.  Your rod and staff comfort me..”  So says that famous Psalm of the Old Testament…Psalm 23.  The poem ends with this:  “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.  And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

God in his mercy has given us many and varied ways to help us keep a steady keel in life.  I recently read something that got me to thinking about what some of those things were for me.  What keeps me going?  How does God work in my life to help me navigate the uncertainties?

My author friend Kendra Broekhuis publishes a monthly blog that appears in my email.  This month, she was musing on what keeps her grounded in life during times of frustration and anxiety…times when things just aren’t going as she would have liked.  Here’s how she said it in the blog:  What’s rooting me in place—holding me steady?  What’s feeding my soul—helping me maintain a healthy perspective on my life and work?  What helps me get out of my own head in a way I can thrive through seasons of stretching, growing, and even pruning?”

Kendra then mentioned several things that help keep her grounded and “rooted,” as she says—keeping her on a steady life course.  She mentions sixteen things that help “ground” her.  I’ll read just a few of them:

 

Reading my chronological, large print Bible.

Noticing the many stray cats in our alley.

Snuggling my kids.

Hearing my kids laugh.

Praying honest prayers.

Taking a walk with a friend through a snowy park.

Sitting at my parent’s table for a late night conversation.

Brunch with my husband.

A King, born in a stable.

 

Well, you get the idea.  And this, as I said earlier, got me to thinking about myself…what keeps me grounded…what keeps me “rooted,” so to speak…what helps smooth out the bumps and bruises in life.

 

Here are a few of my own thoughts on that.

 

Sitting on our back patio any time…summer/winter, day/night…a place that faces the park woods and offers serenity.

Giving one of the grands a ride on the riding mower.

Feeding our feathered friends and watching them enjoy the seeds I put out for them.

Listening to familiar music, whether from The Messiah, Carrie Underwood, Acappella, or Peter, Paul, and Mary.

Watching videos on YouTube of generous people giving to those in need.

Appreciating the things Pat does around the house to keep things orderly.

Caring for our back yard fish pond residents.

Working alongside THE BEST church staff ever.

Knowing I have an absolutely reliable and confidential partner (Pat) in my work as an Elder and Minister.

Going for a drive in rural areas surrounding the Metro, “looking at the crops,” as Dad would say.

Receiving hugs from the grands, even if I saw them only the day before.

 

These things along with others help me to stay on course.  And these things and the people who are part of some of these things are all God-given…gifts from a benevolent and merciful Creator.

So, what keeps you grounded?  What keeps  you rooted?  What do you rely on to reset your compass…to give you a healthy perspective on life and living?

May God continue to shower His blessings on you this day as you face life’s uncertainties.

KLOE Radio

 Good morning.

As you may have heard by now, the radio transmitting tower of KLOE AM radio in Goodland, Kansas toppled over in the windy weather we’ve had over the past week or two.  Free-standing for over 75 years on four large insulators that kept the tower isolated electrically from the ground, the tower first leaned, then after a few days fell over.

Apparently, one of the insulators failed either due to age or the stress of the wind…or both…and caused the eventual demise of the tower.  Efforts were ongoing to provide temporary support and repair, but those efforts didn’t come soon enough to mark the end of a remarkable era of radio broadcasting in the Tri-state area.  The cost of replacement of the tower would be more than it would be worth to keep the station on the air.  AM Radio isn’t what it used to be, and although KLOE Radio was still an important part of the Tri-state area, other radio stations have sprung up in the past few decades to deliver continuing local news and weather.  So, the owners have decided to silence the airwaves at 730 on the AM dial.

I am well-acquainted with that tower.  I worked at KLOE from the mid 1970’s into the early 1980’s.  As an FCC-licensed broadcast engineer, my job was to maintain and service KLOE radio, and secondarily to do the same with KLOE TV channel 10.  There were three of us engineers on staff at the time, and we were each given a primary responsibility.  Mine was the radio station.  I’ve been up close and personal with the tower, the tuning shack at it’s feet, and the transmitters that sent voice and music over the airwaves though that structure.

AM Radio is a little different than television or FM radio.  Most broadcast stations utilize a tower with a broadcast antenna at the top of the tower.  The antenna is separate from the supporting tower.

With AM Radio, the tower IS the antenna.  The entire structure is a broadcast antenna.  That’s why this tower, like all AM radio towers, is insulated from the ground by large (in this case) ceramic insulators.  The broadcast signal is fed directly to the metal of the tower.

I had other responsibilities at KLOE.  I did a stint as a DJ on KLOE AM as well as doing the weather cast on KLOE TV for awhile.  The operation was one of those small-business operations where everyone pitched in and did whatever was necessary to keep things going.  That time at KLOE was one of the most enjoyable times I’ve ever had in a work setting.  The hours were long, but the work was satisfying and enjoyable.

When I heard that the tower had fallen and that KLOE would be silenced, a kind of a melancholy feeling came over me…as if mourning the passing of something that was important to me.  And, I suppose, that feeling is entirely appropriate, because several years of my working life were taken up in that place, working with the very thing…KLOE Radio…that no longer exists, represented by the now-defunct tower that broadcast the signal of KLOE AM.

However, I also think about this.  You may not realize it, but every kind of electronic signal that is put into the Earth’s air has a small part of that signal that escapes the Earth and begins a speed-of-light travel into the universe.  My voice and my picture, coded into electromagnetic radiation,  are somewhere in our galaxy, about 45 light-years away from the Earth.

You may think that strange, but the same concept of capturing stray electromagnetic radiation is what brings to us stunning images and troves of information about the universe though our telescopes and other equipment.  It’s not at all inconceivable that, should there be some kind of signal-capturing equipment “out there” somewhere, that someone may be watching or listening to my radio show or the TV weather from Earth in 1980.

And somehow, that makes things just a bit better.

Blessings,

"May You Know..."

 Today is Christmas Eve as I am writing this.  The day is foggy and warm for this time of the  year.  The sun is trying to break through the gloom, and according to the weather people will eventually do so later today.

I have come in to work today to wrap up a few things before the holiday.  The traffic on the street is much lighter this morning, and the portion of the parking lot we lease to our next door neighbor is only about one third filled.  I plan to be here for a few hours, then head on home for the rest of the day.  We are planning on Scott and family to be with us this evening, so I need to get ready for that…which means I need to nap this afternoon.  It's tough being semi-retired, but someone’s gotta do it.

When I pulled into the parking lot of the church, I parked and rather than come into the office, decided to walk to the nearby pharmacy and the downtown post office.  The wife had a prescription I needed to pick up, and we needed stamps at home for the four or five mailings a month that we normally do.

I stopped at the post office first.  It was a very slow day there…I was first in line.  I chose some stamp sheets, paid, and headed to the pharmacy a block or so farther down the street.

The pharmacy was pretty much like the post office…not very busy.  I got right to a clerk.  The medication I was getting was for the wife and was one of the more expensive medicines.  A month of this medication with insurance is almost a hundred forty dollars.

The clerk found the medication and rang up the charges.  I tapped my debit card, entered my PIN, and completed the transaction.

I didn’t think about it at the time, but after I was back on the street walking back to the church, I thought about how easy it was to pay for the medication.  I never gave it a second thought…I knew we had the money in the checking account that is attached to the debit card.  I also knew that we would not need the money for anything else right now.

Then I thought of some of those who I encounter and visit with as a minister.  I do the benevolence at the church, and regularly encounter folks who need help with basic needs…food, transportation, utilities, clothing.  Sometimes, we can help.  Sometimes for whatever reason, we can’t.

I still struggle, even after doing this for more than a decade, to understand just how much as little as twenty dollars in benevolent help means to some of the people I visit with. 

A tank of fuel for a vehicle.  A sack of groceries from our food pantry.  Paying the past due part of an electric bill.  Things I take for granted.  Things I can get or do any time.  Things I don’t even have to think about whether or not I can afford them.  What a blessing it is to not have to worry about such things.

I’ve told you before, I’ve seen grown men and women just crater into an emotional puddle in my office when they were told that a utility bill would be paid, or they were handed a gift card for groceries.  In fact, that response is not at all unusual.  Actually, it’s one of the more satisfying parts of what we do here…to see some of the incredible stress and fear these people deal with pretty much constantly…melt away, even if for a short time.

I also thought about a young couple who had just had their first child.  Far from home.  Very little in resources.  No doctor.  No hospital.  No warm, comfortable place to stay.  Instead, they found refuge in a barn.  She delivered her first child there.

And had it not been, some time later on, for the generosity of strangers from a place far in the East, this young family may well have not remained intact, because they had to flee to a foreign nation to avoid the paranoia and terror of the local governor.  And they had to have resources…those gifts brought by those men from the East…to be able to do that.

So today and tomorrow, as you bask in the warmth of family, friends, and the joy of giving and receiving, remember the young couple who gave birth to God Incarnate in a barn in a backwater village in a part of the world barely tolerated by the government of the time.

May you know the joy of generosity…the blessing of giving…the beauty of kindness…the humanity of loving your neighbor…the divinity of knowing Jesus Christ.

An Office Conversation

 A couple of days ago at work, I was in my office when I heard Linda (our office manager) go to the office door and let someone in.  She visited with the guest for a moment.  I overheard part of the conversation.  The woman was there with her mother and was asking if we had any food.

Linda said something to the effect that we don't usually keep food here, but we had some snack-type food that we normally place into the Blessing Box outside.  When I heard what the conversation was about, I went out to the waiting area where the conversation took place to find a woman in her 40's along with an older lady.  Linda went back to the food storage area to prepare a sack of snack-type food for them.

In the waiting area, I began a conversation with the younger woman, as she was the one who had been speaking with Linda.  I usually begin these kinds of conversations by just asking what was going on with them or how their day is going (in a nice way, of course).

The younger woman began telling me a little about their situation.  Her face was calm and collected, and seemed to display a sign of strength, but I saw her left hand on the arm of the chair.  Her hand was shaking…tremoring.  That told me that she was barely holding it together, so I asked them both to come back to the office and we'd visit there.

They came into the office and we visited while Linda finished filling a sack.  We ended up conversing for over 30 minutes as I gently pulled more and more of their story out of them.  Their story was one I've heard many tens of times before.  Abusive situation.  Boyfriend is a knothead.  They had to get out of the domestic situation.  Have no place to go.  Have never had to access social services in the past.  Didn't seemingly have much of an idea of what to do or where to go.  Mom had transportation and was helping daughter as best she could.  Both are couch surfing.

There wasn't much we could really do here.  We gave them a sack or two of food.  I happened to have a couple of one-day bus passes that I gave them.  I gave them contact information for a couple of my social services friends who might be able to help.  I gave them a list of services available in Wichita that the Homeless Outreach Team gives to the homeless.  I told Mom that when her gas tank got more empty, to contact me and we'd fill her tank.  And, I happened to have a little cash on hand for needs like this, and gave the younger woman $20.

But mostly, I listened.  The ladies talked at least 90 percent of the time we were conversing.  I was just asking questions and getting some clarification.  And as we conversed, the stress level began to fall.  The facade of strength I saw the first couple of minutes in the waiting area was no longer visible.  And when I gave her the cash and told her I didn't care what she did with it, she totally lost it.  She couldn't talk for a good minute or so.  And THAT reaction is not unusual at all when I give a little cash.  When I once asked one of my social worker friends why these people tended to become so emotional when handed just a few dollars, she responded that it was because I trusted them with something of value to do with as they chose...not as I chose.  I have to admit I hadn't thought of it that way, but can appreciate it.  By the way, we don’t just give out cash right and left.  In fact, we seldom do so.  It has to be a special need, or someone I know well.  And we don’t always have cash to give.  We have guidelines and limits in place.  But sometimes, a little cash can go a long way to help meet a need.

Well, we parted ways a couple of minutes after that.  I don't know where they were going.  Nor do I know where they spent the night that night or what is happening with them now.  We may never see them again.  I think about these kinds of encounters for several days following.  Wondering just where they went and were they safe.  Whether they contacted the social service contacts I gave them or were able to find other services.  Ninety nine percent of the time, I never hear from them again.  This may be an exception if the Mom contacts me when her gas tank empties.  I may be able to have some of my questions answered then.  But I'm not counting on it.  They may decide to find another town or city in which to live due to the abusive situation.

This is not an unusual occurrence at our church.  Not at all.  It's usually women who come in.  It's usually an abusive situation of some kind.  Often, it's generational in nature, but not always.  A decent share of the time it's a first timer, or newbie that comes to our door, basically lost in the maze of social service agencies, invisible to much of society, lonely, and afraid...afraid for their own safety, afraid of what that night or the next day has in store, afraid of having lost what little control they had over their lives.

Those of us with a secure safety net of family, friends, and resources haven't a clue of the stress, the disappointment, and the despair these people live with every waking moment.  The least we can do is display some compassion and empathy.

Well, thanks for listening to me, as I sometimes need a listening ear as well as those who come to the office door.  This holiday season, check up on your listening skills.  How are your compassion and empathy assets doing right now?  Have you had the opportunity to give in some way recently?  Did you act positively on that opportunity?  May God’s blessing be upon us all as we learn what it means to love our neighbor.