Stress

 Good afternoon.

 Sometimes, regardless of your place in life…whether younger or older, working or retired, raising kids or done with that part of life, married or single…regardless of your place in life, there are times when the stresses of everyday modern life seem to pile up.  Those stresses could be in the form of family relationships, financial issues, work-related issues, or health concerns.  Or they could be some of any number of other issues and concerns.  They could be of your own making, or they could be entirely outside of your control.

 The stress and strain you are feeling could be relatively mild, or it could be pretty much overwhelming.  However, when things seem to begin piling up in life, even the mild stresses can seem to be insurmountable.  The human body can handle only so much of that kind of thing before it begins to rebel.  If allowed to go too far, the body can literally shut down in many key areas, rendering someone pretty much non-functional.

 Dealing with the stresses of life are part of life and living.  It really doesn’t matter if you’re in a Western culture like ours, or if you’re living in a third world area.  The cause of the stress may be different, but it’s there nevertheless.  How one deals with stress is vital to the well-being of the human that is being stressed.

 So, how do you handle stress?  Some work out physically in some way…jogging, the “Y,” sports, or other forms of physical exertion.  Others act in a more subdued manner…reading a book, listening to music, being in nature, going on a drive, or visiting a friend.  Some will find other outlets…shopping, playing games, eating, going to a movie, or something comparable.

 I like to sit out in my back yard and just watch and listen.  Even in cooler or warmer weather, I like to take in the nature that is there and in the park just behind our rear fence.  I also like to go for a drive at times, mostly in rural areas.  Music is an escape for me as well.  Sometimes songs of faith and praise…sometimes the classics…sometimes easy listening.

 Whatever your way of dealing with the stress of the day, doing so is vital to your well-being and overall health.  Don’t cut short your stress-relieving activities.  Don’t continue to pile stress on top of stress without relief.  Your body can take so much…then it will say, “No, I’m not going any farther.  You’ll just have to do without me.”  Then you are forced to deal with it whether you want to or not.

 One thing I haven’t yet mentioned as a stress reliever is something that works surprisingly well.  Many people read.  Some read history; some fiction; some biographies.  A surprising number of people open their Bibles and read chapters and even entire books from the Bible.  It can be an extremely good way to turn down the stress level and find some answers to what is the bother.

 My goal with this thought was to help you as you navigate the stresses and strains of life.  May God bless you in the days ahead.

The Last Move

 We have been friends with our neighbor immediately to our south ever since we’ve lived where we do now…going on 18 years.  Sharon and Rick have been good neighbors for us, and we hope they feel the same about us.

Rick and Sharon were the developers and contractors that built all of Shelly’s Orchard Addition where we live.  There are three or four basic home designs in the area.  The houses are well-built, sturdy, roomy, and the neighborhood is quiet and peaceful.  There is an HOA, but Rick is the only officer, and he has chosen over the years to not be picky.  We pretty much police ourselves in the neighborhood, and get along pretty well, overall.  We’ve learned that eccentricity usually is not something that should be concerning to us, that other cultures can and do enhance the “flavor” of the neighborhood, and that we indeed are our neighbor’s keeper at times.

Rick has had ongoing, chronic medical issues over the years, and is now in a care facility.  Sharon is in good health and continues to live at the house next door.

Yesterday Sharon was having a garage sale, getting rid of some items no longer needed.  I wandered over there before coming to work, and we visited a bit.  During the conversation, she told me that she would be moving and selling the house in a year or so.  We visited a bit more, then we excused ourselves and I came in to work.

On the way in, I thought about Sharon and Rick no longer being next door to us.  Then I thought of all of the other changes in home ownership in the neighborhood.  Only a few of the homes within a couple of blocks of us are occupied by the same people who were there when we moved in.  When those others moved away, I didn’t think a lot about it other than we were going to miss them, their kids, or some other aspect of their having been in the neighborhood.

But when Sharon said she was moving, it hit me a lot harder.  Rick and Sharon have, at least to me, been the anchors of the neighborhood.  They have always been friendly, helpful, and pleasant.  The creators of the whole addition, Rick and Sharon have provided dozens of families houses that have become homes.  They have provided new neighborhood friendships.  They have expanded our world views.  They have enabled Pat and me to minister to several in the neighborhood, including them, when some kind of need came up.  Whether they realize it or not, they have made the world a better place for many of us, and have given us in these past 18 or so years the home we really needed at this stage in life.  The entire neighborhood owes a debt of gratitude to them.

I also thought about the fact that in life, whether we like it or not, things never stay the same.  They always are in a state of change.  Oh, one may not see any changes over a 24 hour period, or over a week, or even a month.  But change is there, slowly and surely doing its work.  Life may appear to be rocking along in some kind of constant mode, much like many of the comic strips in the newspaper era did…no one aged…no one died…no one moved.  For those who remember, think Beetle Bailey.  Think Blondie.  Think Dick Tracy.  Think Peanuts.  But real life isn’t like that.  We may appear to be like we were years ago, but then suddenly, we see the change taking place right out in the open.  We see the moving van backed up to the garage door.  We see the neighbors drive away for the last time.  And we know that change has been constantly working over the years, bringing life to this point in time.

And those thoughts brought me to this:  One of these days, Pat and I will leave our home on Lydia for the last time.  We’ll either leave in a car, an ambulance, or a hearse.  We’ll move to a patio home, a nursing home, or some other place that we’ll do our best to make our home.  Or maybe just one of us will leave to create a new home.  The other will have passed on to eternity.  And a new family will move into the house we’ve enjoyed for these years, and they will then enjoy the fish pond, the park, the neighbors, the fire pit, and all the rest.

I know this Thought has not been all that upbeat.  But that’s what I’m thinking and feeling today.  Life goes on.  Things change. 

And, on a related thought, I thought about how things naturally move, over time…sometimes a long time, into a state of disorder.  That’s called entropy, and there’s a physical law which describes it.  It’s called, the Second Law of Thermodynamics. 

Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington is quoted as saying this about entropy, “The law that entropy always increases, holds, I think, the supreme position among the laws of nature.”  Unquote.

 But hen we bring God into the equation, things suddenly change and entropy doesn’t get the last move.  Farmer Girl, a young woman I follow on social media, said this recently when writing about change, disorder, and the second law.  I really like her take on change and chaos and how God views it.  She writes this piece that I will quote.  In the quote, she references the card game UNO.

   Yes, the world right now may feel like a game where someone keeps stacking wild cards and you are questioning all of your life choices while holding a hand that makes no sense.  Everything around you may currently be trending toward chaos because that is literally how this broken world operates, and there is no denying that reality.  But entropy only gets a say in the process and it does not get the last move.

 God does.

 So, friend, as you contemplate the change in your life and the lives of those you know and love, also know that God always gets the last word.  God always gets the last move.  God always wins.

 Blessings,

God's Pathway

 We've lived at our current home for 18 years, which, in case you don't know yet, backs up to the west side of Pawnee Prairie Park in west Wichita.  The park is over a mile and a half long and a mile wide.  Kellogg is the north edge.  The south edge is well beyond Pawnee, which does NOT cut into the park.  East is Tyler Road and the airport, and to the West the park goes to just East of Maize Road.  The Cowskin creek runs through the middle of the park.  There are several walking/riding paths in the park...some of which are paved and really easy to find and enjoy.  Others are more inside the park...in the woods...sometimes in the thick of the woods.  The paths inside the woods are many and varied, with most of them connecting or crossing in some way with one or more other paths.

I've walked most all of the paths of the park.  I know where they commence and where they end or connect with another path.  I can take you on these paths to areas of the park where you think you're miles from any civilization.  No signs.  No paved paths.  No visual clues as to where you are or what direction you're facing.  No homes, vehicles, or other people are visible or heard.

I’ve taken my grand kids into the park on those inside pathways on numerous occasions.  They enjoy exploring them, and will stop at each intersection of pathways to ask me which way to go.  Sometimes, I tell them directly.  Other times, I let them choose, because I know where each path goes, and know we will eventually arrive at the place where I want to end up.

We can walk for 20, 25, or 30 minutes and will, because I know where the pathways go, eventually arrive at a place inside the park where some paths cross that are seemingly very far from any sign of civilization.  That place is a favorite of mine…one that I know well.  At that spot, you would never know, unless you could see the sun, hear an aircraft take off from the airport, or hear Kellogg traffic, which is rare, where you were or which path to take if you wanted to exit the park.  I do know.  And I also know that at that place in the park that seems so far from any sign of civilization, that we are only about three minutes from our back yard.

The path to our back yard is one that is strewn with fallen tree limbs and dead branches.  It's one of the more difficult paths in the park because of all of the debris along the way.  Yet, and this is important, the place where we're standing at that path crossing, deciding which path to take…that place is only 2 ½ minutes away from our back yard IF we take the right path.  That right path, strewn with obstacles, will get us to the house and to civilization within a very few short minutes.

So, why do I tell you this?  Well, let's look at a life lesson or two.  We may be in the middle of what we think is a no-win situation...no way out...no compass to guide us...no help to get us to a better place.  We may look around us and see nothing but darkness and obstacles.  We don’t know which direction to go when presented with several possible paths.  We can't (figuratively speaking) see the sun to get our bearings or hear the aircraft take off from the nearby airport to have some idea where we are.  We are lost.

However, in reality, we may well be only a couple of minutes away from that better place.  The path there may have downed tree trunks and branches galore, so to speak, but if we trust someone we know who knows the way and take that path they suggest, we may well break out into the sunshine very shortly.

Now, if you get the drift of my words, please don't think that I am equating myself with God here as someone who can lead you out of your predicament.  I just happen to be one in my story who knows where the paths go and where we are in the park.  I know that I myself have called on God more than once while in the park when dusk has fallen more quickly than I expected, and I wasn't sure I could see the landmarks that I needed in order to maintain my bearings.  I've never been lost, but have had some, shall we say stressful minutes as I made my way out with, I believe His guidance.

And, I certainly have called on Him in life’s trials, not knowing where to take that next step…not knowing what decision to make…not knowing how it will turn out…unable to see the landmarks that tell me where to go.  And much of the time as I look back in life, I see things didn’t turn out as I thought they would or should…we usually ended up in a better place than what I would have found had I not listened to the One who sees the beginning and the end.  God’s pathway out was sometimes a difficult one…but was the right one.

I don't know what you're going through right now.  It could be financial difficulty.  It could be medical, relational, vocational, school-related, or one of any number of difficult situations.  But often, if we will just, as the old saying goes, “Let go and let God,” we may find that obstacle-strewn path to be the one that will bring us to a better place and a better time.  It's the “letting go,” that is difficult.  It is giving up control, giving up trying to finagle, a word I like to use, things so they will turn out as we think they ought.

Our God is willing and able to give you a pathway out.  His path out may be his telling you, “My grace is sufficient for you,” and allowing the difficulty to refine and purify you for a time.  Or it may be some kind of direct intervention to relieve you of your difficult situation.  I've had both of those answers in my days on earth.

But, God is always, always faithful.  Even in the middle of great trial, God is faithful.  God is good.  Look for His path out, even if it appears to be a path to nowhere strewn with all kinds of obstacles, instead of trying to find your own, obstacle free pathway.  Because God sees it all.  He knows the best way forward.

 

Blessings,

Promises Kept

Sometimes when I’m in the pickup, I’ll turn the radio to the BBN (Bible Broadcast Network) radio station in this area.  They often have a period of hymns or spiritual songs which I enjoy.  They also play recordings of various ministers, generally of the more conservative persuasion.  Some I enjoy listening to…others, not so much.

One of the more enjoyable ministers who is on the station regularly is Adrian Rogers.  Rogers was a minister for one of the largest mega-churches in the nation in the late 20^th century.  He passed away in 2005, but his sermons have been preserved, and are played regularly on the station.

One particular sermon I recently heard was on how God answers prayer.  I believe Rogers said there were three main ways God answers.  One is he grants the prayer request.  A second way is he says to wait…that it’s not the right time for an answer.  And third, God says “No.”

When Rogers talked about the third answer…the “No,” answer, he used a passage in the New Testament where Paul the apostle asked God several times to remove what the Bible calls a “thorn in the flesh.”  God tells Paul that he won’t do that…he won’t remove the thorn…and says to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

I’ve known of that part of scripture where Paul and God have a conversation about Paul’s disability, for a long, long time.  I’ve always concentrated my thoughts on what that “thorn in the flesh” might have been.  Most commentaries and scholars believe Paul had some kind of physical infirmity that he wanted God to heal.  I agree.  That seems to be the obvious thing.

But this time, when I heard Rogers speak about this story, something else came to mind.  I too have a “thorn in the flesh.”  It’s called arthritis.  It’s with me every waking hour of the day.  I take medication for it, exercise, and see a medical provider when necessary.  Some days, it’s hardly noticeable.  Other days, I am acutely aware of it.

God’s response to Paul may just be God’s response to me as I deal with not only the arthritis, but some of the other issues of aging.  “My grace is sufficient for you.”  Not only do I need to know that intellectually, but I also need to take that statement into a more heartfelt way.

And may I say I also need to take that statement into myself in a practical way as well.  God has graciously (that’s His grace working in me [”My grace is sufficient for you.”]) is providing medicines, therapies, and other ways to help mitigate the effects of the arthritis and other effects of aging.  God is not abandoning me.  He is not saying, “No, just endure it without relief.”  He is not healing me, but he is providing mitigating factors that I can take advantage of.

One other thing.  I have to wonder if God sometimes intends to allow life in the here and now to be less than comfortable.  I wonder if he does this so we will not be so enamored with this world that we long for it rather than longing for the new heavens and new earth that He has promised for those who have submitted their lives to Jesus Christ.  Because there are some days when it hurts that I think about a day when I’ll no longer feel that hurt, but will be able to truly enjoy life in a way I have never done before.

“My grace is sufficient for you.”  Not an empty sentence at all.  But God letting Paul know, and by extension all the rest of us, that He knows, He hears, He cares, and He asks us to long for the not yet…not so much the here and now.

That’s a hard pill to swallow.  The here and now is, well, so here and now.  It’s what we are experiencing at the moment.  The future seems so far off at times.  We are at our basic nature, creatures of the moment.  And God’s promises of relief and future happiness are sometimes lumped in with all of the other promises we’ve been given over the years by people…promises that are sometimes kept, and sometimes totally ignored.  We know that our track record with promises made to us is sometimes not very good.  Many are kept.  Some are not.  So why would we want to go all-in on God’s promises to us?

I have no magic answer to that.  What I do have is a record of His promises made to others…and in that same record the account of God keeping those promises...each and every one.

Joshua, in his final words to the nation of Israel following their taking of the promised land recounted God’s promises to the nation and then said this:  “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”  There are dozens of places in the Bible which say essentially the same thing regarding God keeping his promises.  It is that kind of example that keeps me in hope that some day my shoulder will no longer ache, my back will no longer hurt, and my hands will work as intended.

God’s grace in all of this is in part, I believe, His promise of a better future.  His grace enables us to look at the big picture, and as Paul the apostle says, persevere through these, “Light momentary afflictions, which are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.”  Paul was secure in hope.  May I be even half as secure in hope as the great apostle.

And, may God shed his grace upon you today.  Blessings.

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