I’ll let the Branson adventure go into the past with this blog. Although there are many things we did and saw that I thought I might write about, they all kind of fade away and leave just a few highlights in my mind.
The first was being there with loved ones. The experience was much, much better when we could share it with someone. Everything from Pierce Arrow to calling the nice tow truck man was better because we were with those we cared about and who cared about us. We appreciate them asking us to go along with them.
The second was the rush and noise of a town that says it’s about 6,000 people when the reality is that at any given time, probably ten times or more that number are within its trade area. That makes the small town not so small any more. Yet the people of Branson have figured out a way to make us visitors feel welcome and wanted. Waitresses engage in conversation. Locals answer questions (that they’ve probably been asked a hundred times before). Service is generally good. Things are usually clean and well-lit. They’re doing something right over there in southwest Missouri.
The third was the difference in the night time between Indian Point and Wichita. We got home and I went out on our porch to just sit. I noticed something that wasn’t the same. Then it hit me. There is a low, audible rumble in Wichita, no matter where one is, that is a combination of traffic, machines, and other city noises. Even when one lives away from the freeways and there is no traffic close by, the rumble is there. But on Indian Point, that is missing. The quiet is truly quiet. And it’s something I miss.
The girls are coming back this evening. Some have moved over. Some have yet to move. It’s also raining off and on (mostly on, today) so the move-over will probably come in spurts. Welcome back, and welcome back to work.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Some of Branson
Let’s see. What was it about Branson this time that sticks in my head? What is it about anything that makes it stick in my head? I don’t know the answer to the latter question, but to the former…where do I start?
Should I begin with the Five and Dime downtown that has, it says, “over 50,000 items”? Many of those items are things you used to see in five and dimes but don’t see anymore (mainly because five and dimes have gone away, too). There were old fashioned toys such as the balsa-wood airplanes you used to be able to buy in a plastic bag for a dime (now $1.29), old-style toys like Tinkertoys, Slinky, Silly Putty, and numerous others. [[Anyone remember American Bricks? I’ve never seen them re-created anywhere, although there are web pages about them.]] There was a women’s handkerchief table filled with hankies of all kinds, a large selection of cookie cutters, board games, school supplies, home supplies, canning supplies, general merchandise, a hardware department, and much more. All this in a store about 5,000 square feet in size.
What about the Branson Landing? It’s a new development on Lake Taneycomo just east of downtown Branson. There are about four blocks of upscale businesses, condos, hotels, etc. in an outdoor mall arrangement along the lakefront. Want my personal opinion? They just ruined downtown Branson with this thing. I don’t care if I never go back to that place. Gaaakk!!
The Branson Café is still going strong and is still the hole in the wall that it always was. That is another must-see for those who relish in days gone by. It’s downtown across the street from the Five and Dime. It seats only about 35 people when full, the food is decent and the service is good.
I don’t know about you, but I like to go places like the Branson Café. The plastic “all from the same mold” restaurants in the upscale neighborhoods don’t hold a candle to the ambiance of a hole in the wall. There’s a certain comfort level…a certain feeling of belonging…a certain knowledge that there is something special going on here…that makes places such as the five and dime or the café places to savor and enjoy. You can have your 20 dollar entrée and $1.95 soft drink. Give me the 6 dollar roast beef lunch and the 50 cent coffee anytime.
Should I begin with the Five and Dime downtown that has, it says, “over 50,000 items”? Many of those items are things you used to see in five and dimes but don’t see anymore (mainly because five and dimes have gone away, too). There were old fashioned toys such as the balsa-wood airplanes you used to be able to buy in a plastic bag for a dime (now $1.29), old-style toys like Tinkertoys, Slinky, Silly Putty, and numerous others. [[Anyone remember American Bricks? I’ve never seen them re-created anywhere, although there are web pages about them.]] There was a women’s handkerchief table filled with hankies of all kinds, a large selection of cookie cutters, board games, school supplies, home supplies, canning supplies, general merchandise, a hardware department, and much more. All this in a store about 5,000 square feet in size.
What about the Branson Landing? It’s a new development on Lake Taneycomo just east of downtown Branson. There are about four blocks of upscale businesses, condos, hotels, etc. in an outdoor mall arrangement along the lakefront. Want my personal opinion? They just ruined downtown Branson with this thing. I don’t care if I never go back to that place. Gaaakk!!
The Branson Café is still going strong and is still the hole in the wall that it always was. That is another must-see for those who relish in days gone by. It’s downtown across the street from the Five and Dime. It seats only about 35 people when full, the food is decent and the service is good.
I don’t know about you, but I like to go places like the Branson Café. The plastic “all from the same mold” restaurants in the upscale neighborhoods don’t hold a candle to the ambiance of a hole in the wall. There’s a certain comfort level…a certain feeling of belonging…a certain knowledge that there is something special going on here…that makes places such as the five and dime or the café places to savor and enjoy. You can have your 20 dollar entrée and $1.95 soft drink. Give me the 6 dollar roast beef lunch and the 50 cent coffee anytime.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Time Off
The wife and I spent three days in Branson over the weekend. It was probably the most relaxing weekend I’ve spent in years. In Branson?? Relaxing??? As everyone knows, Branson is anything but quiet. Traffic is horrendous, billboards and signs glare at all hours, and commercialism is at its peak. However, it all depends on what you do with the time you have and where you spend that time.
We stay at a resort on the point of Indian Point. For those who don’t know, Indian Point is the jut of land that begins with Silver Dollar City and ends at Table Rock Lake. The resort where we stay is about 500 feet from the lake and marina and just across the road from a small grocery store that offers free coffee and conversation to all.
The rates are reasonable. The peace and quiet are priceless.
The heavens open up with stars galore and the occasional noise of a vehicle is soon drowned out by the quiet of the night. Birds are everywhere and the pace is slow and inviting. Lights dot the shore of the lake and the campground across the street releases smells of barbeque from time to time.
I know that in the middle of July it won’t be this peaceful. We’ve been there at that time and there is indeed more activity. But even then the noise and traffic are nothing like in Branson (or Wichita).
I’ll possibly write more later. We experienced fried mush at Bob Evans, birds building a nest right above our heads, the Branson Landing, pitch with sis, Pierce Arrow, an all-night serenade, conversation with Mike, and other delights. Thanks for listening.
We stay at a resort on the point of Indian Point. For those who don’t know, Indian Point is the jut of land that begins with Silver Dollar City and ends at Table Rock Lake. The resort where we stay is about 500 feet from the lake and marina and just across the road from a small grocery store that offers free coffee and conversation to all.
The rates are reasonable. The peace and quiet are priceless.
The heavens open up with stars galore and the occasional noise of a vehicle is soon drowned out by the quiet of the night. Birds are everywhere and the pace is slow and inviting. Lights dot the shore of the lake and the campground across the street releases smells of barbeque from time to time.
I know that in the middle of July it won’t be this peaceful. We’ve been there at that time and there is indeed more activity. But even then the noise and traffic are nothing like in Branson (or Wichita).
I’ll possibly write more later. We experienced fried mush at Bob Evans, birds building a nest right above our heads, the Branson Landing, pitch with sis, Pierce Arrow, an all-night serenade, conversation with Mike, and other delights. Thanks for listening.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Points of Light
It’s a cloudy, misty, damp morning out there. Due to daylight saving time, it isn’t light out yet even though it’s after 7am. I say it isn’t light out, but if you’ve ever lived in a city, you know that it never truly is dark outside. The lights of the city make the night something more like a continual deep twilight rather than truly a night.
I took a friend of mine out to Western Kansas once. We went out for a one-day meeting. Due to the distance in travel, we went out the day before and spent the night out on a ranch owned by another friend. The ranch was about 15 miles from the nearest town, which itself was small (around 5,000 population). That time happened to also be the time of the new moon, so there was no moonlight.
I turned off the headlights of the pickup. The darkness immediately enveloped us in a mighty wave. We felt closed in and close. We got out of the pickup and literally had to feel our way into the house. The darkness clung to us all the way to the door and was scattered only when we flipped the light switch inside.
My friend commented on the totality of the darkness. Although I had lived in the city for awhile at that time, I was not unfamiliar with the kind of darkness we were experiencing. There are places in rural America where the only light at night truly is the light of the stars. If you’re older and your eyes don’t adjust well to the dark, you have kind of a hard time navigating in that environment and you truly appreciate any…ANY…light.
When our eyes did adjust, the darkness seemed to fly away and give rise to a million points of light (to borrow a phrase from a certain President) as thousands of stars and the Milky Way spread out overhead. There were stars everywhere. No part of the sky was without a point of light. We were seeing what civilizations thousands of years ago saw.
I miss that kind of experience. The city environment seems to modify what mother nature intended, and it never seems quite as cold, windy, or dark as it is where there are very few or no humans. We muck up the experience with buildings, lights, and concrete. For some reason, we think we can make it better, but it never seems to work out that way.
When you get a chance, enjoy what God has provided for you in the most pristine environment possible. Relish the dark. Experience the wind. Feel the cold. Face the stars. Know who you are.
I took a friend of mine out to Western Kansas once. We went out for a one-day meeting. Due to the distance in travel, we went out the day before and spent the night out on a ranch owned by another friend. The ranch was about 15 miles from the nearest town, which itself was small (around 5,000 population). That time happened to also be the time of the new moon, so there was no moonlight.
I turned off the headlights of the pickup. The darkness immediately enveloped us in a mighty wave. We felt closed in and close. We got out of the pickup and literally had to feel our way into the house. The darkness clung to us all the way to the door and was scattered only when we flipped the light switch inside.
My friend commented on the totality of the darkness. Although I had lived in the city for awhile at that time, I was not unfamiliar with the kind of darkness we were experiencing. There are places in rural America where the only light at night truly is the light of the stars. If you’re older and your eyes don’t adjust well to the dark, you have kind of a hard time navigating in that environment and you truly appreciate any…ANY…light.
When our eyes did adjust, the darkness seemed to fly away and give rise to a million points of light (to borrow a phrase from a certain President) as thousands of stars and the Milky Way spread out overhead. There were stars everywhere. No part of the sky was without a point of light. We were seeing what civilizations thousands of years ago saw.
I miss that kind of experience. The city environment seems to modify what mother nature intended, and it never seems quite as cold, windy, or dark as it is where there are very few or no humans. We muck up the experience with buildings, lights, and concrete. For some reason, we think we can make it better, but it never seems to work out that way.
When you get a chance, enjoy what God has provided for you in the most pristine environment possible. Relish the dark. Experience the wind. Feel the cold. Face the stars. Know who you are.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Communication What??
My wife and I had a conversation today about communication. You would think after all these years (over 30), that we’d have this thing pretty well worked out. It seems, however, that I don’t really know the first thing about communication.
I’m not going to get into the specific issue, because I’m still just a little confused about what happened and why this was such an ordeal. Nor am I sure why after all these years we continue to have communication issues.
But I know we do have issues, and I know that many people with just as much or more time together have issues. Failure to communicate appropriately seems to be a grade A human weakness and is a lifelong learning process.
I think I work hard to try to communicate appropriately, clearly, and adequately. I know my wife struggles to do the same. And the people we work with and for are equally involved in improving communication among us all. Yet it seems that this is the one issue that continues to cause us the most grief most of the time.
I think it’s a fair statement to say that there are no easy and quick answers. There is, however, a lifelong learning process and a lifelong struggle to find that good balance that constitutes good communication between husband and wife as well as co workers, friends, relatives, etc.
I’m not going to get into the specific issue, because I’m still just a little confused about what happened and why this was such an ordeal. Nor am I sure why after all these years we continue to have communication issues.
But I know we do have issues, and I know that many people with just as much or more time together have issues. Failure to communicate appropriately seems to be a grade A human weakness and is a lifelong learning process.
I think I work hard to try to communicate appropriately, clearly, and adequately. I know my wife struggles to do the same. And the people we work with and for are equally involved in improving communication among us all. Yet it seems that this is the one issue that continues to cause us the most grief most of the time.
I think it’s a fair statement to say that there are no easy and quick answers. There is, however, a lifelong learning process and a lifelong struggle to find that good balance that constitutes good communication between husband and wife as well as co workers, friends, relatives, etc.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Another Encounter
While at the local Braums with the girls a few days ago (see prior post), we had to wait in line for a period of time. I told you in that earlier post about an encounter with a couple of women who had come in after we did and told you that I’d speak to another encounter in a later post.
The women we let into the line ahead of us were being served, and I was waiting at the end of our line. A man got into line with us and struck up a typical conversation just to pass the time. I had my badge on which identified as a worker at the home.
Two things struck me about the encounter with the man.
First, the conversation with him was entirely a normal one. Now, that may not make much sense to you unless you understand that virtually ALL of the time when someone we meet finds out what we do, the conversation immediately goes toward something like, “How do you do it?” or “You must be really special to work with the girls,” or some such.
I don’t mind those conversations. They help me understand the nature of what my wife and I do. But it truly was pleasant for a change to not hear that and have to respond in some way, and instead, at the end of the conversation just hear a “Have a good evening.”
Second, there was no distancing of himself from either the girls or from us. Many times, probably because folks don’t understand, they tend to both physically and emotionally distance themselves from both the girls and us. Perhaps they think the girls are from a detention facility or in some way are a danger. I don’t know. But it was nice to have a normal encounter with someone who seemed to appreciate the situation and didn’t over react to us.
You might think the man didn’t realize where I worked. He did, and our chit-chat showed that he did. But the “normalcy” of the conversation was refreshing, and his closing “good evening” seemed to me to be more than just some way to disengage from me. I felt good about the interaction and was pleased to have been part of it.
I don’t know. Maybe I see things in life that aren’t really there. Maybe I concentrate too much on the small things. Maybe I read too much into these kinds of interactions. But I’ll remember this pleasant encounter for quite a while in the days to come.
The women we let into the line ahead of us were being served, and I was waiting at the end of our line. A man got into line with us and struck up a typical conversation just to pass the time. I had my badge on which identified as a worker at the home.
Two things struck me about the encounter with the man.
First, the conversation with him was entirely a normal one. Now, that may not make much sense to you unless you understand that virtually ALL of the time when someone we meet finds out what we do, the conversation immediately goes toward something like, “How do you do it?” or “You must be really special to work with the girls,” or some such.
I don’t mind those conversations. They help me understand the nature of what my wife and I do. But it truly was pleasant for a change to not hear that and have to respond in some way, and instead, at the end of the conversation just hear a “Have a good evening.”
Second, there was no distancing of himself from either the girls or from us. Many times, probably because folks don’t understand, they tend to both physically and emotionally distance themselves from both the girls and us. Perhaps they think the girls are from a detention facility or in some way are a danger. I don’t know. But it was nice to have a normal encounter with someone who seemed to appreciate the situation and didn’t over react to us.
You might think the man didn’t realize where I worked. He did, and our chit-chat showed that he did. But the “normalcy” of the conversation was refreshing, and his closing “good evening” seemed to me to be more than just some way to disengage from me. I felt good about the interaction and was pleased to have been part of it.
I don’t know. Maybe I see things in life that aren’t really there. Maybe I concentrate too much on the small things. Maybe I read too much into these kinds of interactions. But I’ll remember this pleasant encounter for quite a while in the days to come.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Civility
We took our brood of young women to the local Braums last night to celebrate one of the girls’ birthdays. There are, counting my wife and me, nine of us. Obviously, when we got into the Braums ice cream line, it automatically became a long line as they allow only one at a time to pass through it and prepare whatever treat the customer asks for while they are standing there. Besides, there were three or four people already in line, making it even longer.
This evening there were two young men working the counter. They quickly called a third to be a gopher and man the cash register at the end of the line. My wife headed the line and I brought up the rear so the cashier would have easy reference for what to bill me.
We hadn’t been there but a couple of minutes and two women came in and went to the end of the line. They didn’t look like they needed an ice cream treat any more than any of us did, but were pleasant. After perusing the situation for no more than about 20 seconds, I asked the women to go on ahead of all of us so they wouldn’t have to wait so long.
They at first did not wish to do so, but after some prodding and then the resultant thank-you, they went on ahead. I didn’t think anything more of it until they finished paying for their treats, turned to me and thanked me again two or three times over.
I expected a thank you at the first, but not at the end. And I didn’t expect them to be as pleasant as they were. Life is like that. Sometimes it hands you something totally pleasant from way out in left field, and you encounter it, then sort of marvel at it for a bit. Nothing in the way of miracles happened there, but I do know that civility isn’t dead. Next blog, if I think about it, I’ll tell of another encounter in that Braums the same evening.
This evening there were two young men working the counter. They quickly called a third to be a gopher and man the cash register at the end of the line. My wife headed the line and I brought up the rear so the cashier would have easy reference for what to bill me.
We hadn’t been there but a couple of minutes and two women came in and went to the end of the line. They didn’t look like they needed an ice cream treat any more than any of us did, but were pleasant. After perusing the situation for no more than about 20 seconds, I asked the women to go on ahead of all of us so they wouldn’t have to wait so long.
They at first did not wish to do so, but after some prodding and then the resultant thank-you, they went on ahead. I didn’t think anything more of it until they finished paying for their treats, turned to me and thanked me again two or three times over.
I expected a thank you at the first, but not at the end. And I didn’t expect them to be as pleasant as they were. Life is like that. Sometimes it hands you something totally pleasant from way out in left field, and you encounter it, then sort of marvel at it for a bit. Nothing in the way of miracles happened there, but I do know that civility isn’t dead. Next blog, if I think about it, I’ll tell of another encounter in that Braums the same evening.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Sanitized Religion
(Kathy, you'll recognize this...sorry!!) I recently read an article by David P. Gushee regarding the “requirements” for salvation, which was sent to me by a friend. The article appeared in a recent issue of Christianity Today. I am struck by the idea of Jesus himself teaching what one must do to inherit eternal life. I never really thought of that before, possibly because it has become so ingrained in my mind that salvation and all the attendant scriptures were in the Bible FOLLOWING Acts chapter 1, rather than in the gospels, which we conveniently dismiss by saying that the time of the gospels was under the old covenant.
Jesus, however, was not bound by the constraints of time in his thoughts and mind. He lived under the old covenant and kept the law in a three-dimensional world. But in his mind, he knew of the coming kingdom, the apostles, the church, and all that went with those things. I also think that Jesus knew that his words would be saved for all to read in the future. I can’t imagine that, knowing all of this, he would say something during his ministry that wouldn’t be beneficial for people of the new covenant age.
While I agree that we need to look at the rest of the New Testament and see how the church started and grew, and that we need to emulate the good things we find there, the gospel writings have to have relevance for us today in more areas than just lessons learned from parables. We have ignored the gospel writings in our teaching over the years, in part because we’ve elevated the writings of the apostles above the gospels, and in part because some of the teaching in the gospels is hard for us…too hard for us.
Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Obey God in all that he says (moral commands).
Drop everything, leave it behind, and be a disciple of Jesus.
Just look at the above list. Aren’t those things much harder to do than the list of things below that I’ve gleaned from 30-some years in a Restoration church?
If you sing in church, sing acappella.
Take up a collection every Sunday.
Come to church every week.
Don’t speak in tongues or clap.
I fear we have sanitized and “dumbed down” Christianity and discipleship to the point that it bears little resemblance to the radical lifestyle Jesus called his disciples to back in the first century. Christianity isn’t something we do…it’s something we are. Discipleship doesn’t consist of doing this mission trip and making that donation…it consists of a 24-7 continual relationship with the one who called us.
What a change from the Christianity that we know. No wonder the world looks at most of Christendom and wonders why. No wonder the world continues to shrink down Jesus of Nazareth into someone who was maybe a good teacher, but that’s it. No wonder even Christians don’t have a clue what it means to be a disciple. No wonder Christianity has become impotent and irrelevant in many places. It's time for a change. It's time to fish or cut bait. It's time to get off the fence and repeat the message of Joshua, "Choose this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Jesus, however, was not bound by the constraints of time in his thoughts and mind. He lived under the old covenant and kept the law in a three-dimensional world. But in his mind, he knew of the coming kingdom, the apostles, the church, and all that went with those things. I also think that Jesus knew that his words would be saved for all to read in the future. I can’t imagine that, knowing all of this, he would say something during his ministry that wouldn’t be beneficial for people of the new covenant age.
While I agree that we need to look at the rest of the New Testament and see how the church started and grew, and that we need to emulate the good things we find there, the gospel writings have to have relevance for us today in more areas than just lessons learned from parables. We have ignored the gospel writings in our teaching over the years, in part because we’ve elevated the writings of the apostles above the gospels, and in part because some of the teaching in the gospels is hard for us…too hard for us.
Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Obey God in all that he says (moral commands).
Drop everything, leave it behind, and be a disciple of Jesus.
Just look at the above list. Aren’t those things much harder to do than the list of things below that I’ve gleaned from 30-some years in a Restoration church?
If you sing in church, sing acappella.
Take up a collection every Sunday.
Come to church every week.
Don’t speak in tongues or clap.
I fear we have sanitized and “dumbed down” Christianity and discipleship to the point that it bears little resemblance to the radical lifestyle Jesus called his disciples to back in the first century. Christianity isn’t something we do…it’s something we are. Discipleship doesn’t consist of doing this mission trip and making that donation…it consists of a 24-7 continual relationship with the one who called us.
What a change from the Christianity that we know. No wonder the world looks at most of Christendom and wonders why. No wonder the world continues to shrink down Jesus of Nazareth into someone who was maybe a good teacher, but that’s it. No wonder even Christians don’t have a clue what it means to be a disciple. No wonder Christianity has become impotent and irrelevant in many places. It's time for a change. It's time to fish or cut bait. It's time to get off the fence and repeat the message of Joshua, "Choose this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Our Task
I had occasion to take a drive up state highway 15 a few days ago through central Kansas. We went to an away basketball game (the last of the season) in which several of our girls were involved. Although we drove back to Wichita late at night, the trip up to Enterprise (look that up on your Google Maps) was in the daylight, and I had an opportunity to see some of the country in that part of the state.
I noticed two things on my drive up. First, there were several fields where the soil had been turned and was bare. I had forgotten just how rich that soil is in that part of the state. I’m sure those who own the land there, though, never forget that some of the richest soil on the face of the earth is in central Kansas.
I have to wonder just how well our stewardship of that soil is. Oh, I don’t know that there is a problem there…I just want to be sure we are caring properly for the resources that we are given. And from what I saw, we're doing OK in that area. We've developed wildlife sanctuary areas, controlled erosion, and are replacing nutrients in the soil. We've not arrived, but are making progress.
The second thing that I noticed is that in several areas of grassland, the ranchers are cutting the red cedars that are taking over the pastures. Cedars are considered a nuisance in pastures. They deplete the soil of water. They kill the grass under them. They multiply if left unchecked until there is no grass left.
I’m glad to see that this species is finally being controlled, at least to some extent. We’ve robbed the tallgrass prairie of its ability to fend off these intruders on its own. Now we have to step up to the plate and help restore more natural balance. This is one way to do that.
As we learn more and more about God’s creation and our role in it as the species chosen by God to have dominion over it, we also understand that our responsibility is to care for and keep it to the very best of our ability. We are finally beginning to see that and are beginning to fulfill our task.
I noticed two things on my drive up. First, there were several fields where the soil had been turned and was bare. I had forgotten just how rich that soil is in that part of the state. I’m sure those who own the land there, though, never forget that some of the richest soil on the face of the earth is in central Kansas.
I have to wonder just how well our stewardship of that soil is. Oh, I don’t know that there is a problem there…I just want to be sure we are caring properly for the resources that we are given. And from what I saw, we're doing OK in that area. We've developed wildlife sanctuary areas, controlled erosion, and are replacing nutrients in the soil. We've not arrived, but are making progress.
The second thing that I noticed is that in several areas of grassland, the ranchers are cutting the red cedars that are taking over the pastures. Cedars are considered a nuisance in pastures. They deplete the soil of water. They kill the grass under them. They multiply if left unchecked until there is no grass left.
I’m glad to see that this species is finally being controlled, at least to some extent. We’ve robbed the tallgrass prairie of its ability to fend off these intruders on its own. Now we have to step up to the plate and help restore more natural balance. This is one way to do that.
As we learn more and more about God’s creation and our role in it as the species chosen by God to have dominion over it, we also understand that our responsibility is to care for and keep it to the very best of our ability. We are finally beginning to see that and are beginning to fulfill our task.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Larson and Theology
The March 7 Far Side calendar cartoon shows Gary Larson’s usual hell scene, except there’s a snowball whizzing by the heads of a couple of the devil’s helpers as they stand guard over the poor schmucks in hell. One guard turns to the other and says, “Look, Sid! Another snowball!...I tell you, this place is slipping.”
Some of you may think this kind of humor is sacrilegious. Others may think that Larson is nuts. Some may enjoy the humor, and some will never “get it.” I happen to think most of his stuff is exceedingly funny, and still enjoy it years after he quit drawing new cartoons. I have, courtesy of a gift from my son, the two volume set of every cartoon he ever printed, as well as some that never got to print.
Larson is more theologically correct in this cartoon than he knows, I suspect. As time wears on and we come ever closer to the time when Jesus Christ himself appears, the devil’s power and control are ever more slipping away. As folks continue to grow and mature in Christ, the power of Satan continues to ebb. And as the almighty church of the Living God continues to display the power and majesty of the One who created it all, hell itself shrivels and shrinks back into irrelevance and decay.
My guess is that you probably don’t quite believe what I’ve just said about hell. You probably think that it would be nice if…but it really isn’t that way. If you’re one of those folks, I ask you to back up and look at the big picture. Understand truly what the church is and does. Understand without hesitation what God says about his adversary. And know with certainty the victory that is ours through our Lord and Savior.
Some of you may think this kind of humor is sacrilegious. Others may think that Larson is nuts. Some may enjoy the humor, and some will never “get it.” I happen to think most of his stuff is exceedingly funny, and still enjoy it years after he quit drawing new cartoons. I have, courtesy of a gift from my son, the two volume set of every cartoon he ever printed, as well as some that never got to print.
Larson is more theologically correct in this cartoon than he knows, I suspect. As time wears on and we come ever closer to the time when Jesus Christ himself appears, the devil’s power and control are ever more slipping away. As folks continue to grow and mature in Christ, the power of Satan continues to ebb. And as the almighty church of the Living God continues to display the power and majesty of the One who created it all, hell itself shrivels and shrinks back into irrelevance and decay.
My guess is that you probably don’t quite believe what I’ve just said about hell. You probably think that it would be nice if…but it really isn’t that way. If you’re one of those folks, I ask you to back up and look at the big picture. Understand truly what the church is and does. Understand without hesitation what God says about his adversary. And know with certainty the victory that is ours through our Lord and Savior.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Resting From Labors
My, this week has been full. We’ve been on the go more so than I think we’ve ever been before. Pat has meetings (nursing) to attend this week. We have a full house of girls with all the attached things that go with it. The final basketball game of the season for the girls who are on the team is today in Enterprise, KS. One girl is on the North High softball team and practices after school. Another is taking advantage of after-school tutoring. One had a pair of glasses break so now we have to go to the Optometrist to fit a new frame. We now have someone in elementary school, and they start and stop at a time different from the middle and high schools. Sigh. It never seems to end.
I’m not sure what I would do if there was just one of me. We don’t seem to quite keep up when there are two of us. I think I spent about three hours in the van yesterday going and coming. I’ll spend more hours in it today. Pat seemed to have enough to do yesterday as well, seeing to the meals, attending two meetings, doing paperwork, and trying to keep things on an even keel at the house.
I am grateful I have the strength, the ability, the health, and the desire to carry out what God has set before me. However, Revelation 14 talks of people who one day will be able to “rest from their labors.” I’m not sure what that passage means, exactly, but am looking forward to any resting from labors.
It’s going to be a great day!!
I’m not sure what I would do if there was just one of me. We don’t seem to quite keep up when there are two of us. I think I spent about three hours in the van yesterday going and coming. I’ll spend more hours in it today. Pat seemed to have enough to do yesterday as well, seeing to the meals, attending two meetings, doing paperwork, and trying to keep things on an even keel at the house.
I am grateful I have the strength, the ability, the health, and the desire to carry out what God has set before me. However, Revelation 14 talks of people who one day will be able to “rest from their labors.” I’m not sure what that passage means, exactly, but am looking forward to any resting from labors.
It’s going to be a great day!!
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Miss Crutchfield
Now, I realize that it takes a thousand words to describe one picture, and Mr. Gary Larson’s ability to capture the absurdity of life in a “Far Side” line drawing and a few words is legendary. Also, due to copyright restrictions, it wouldn’t be proper to post the cartoon here. Buy a calendar if you want to see them all. The man has earned his due.
The cartoon of the day on the 2007 calendar shows several workers (Mr. Larson’s usual cast of characters) in a scissors factory. At the back of the room is a chair on a platform 20 or so feet above the floor. An old lady (school teacher type) is sitting in the chair.
One employee says to another, “You must be new here!...That’s Miss Crutchfield, and she’s there to make sure nobody runs with scissors.”
Don’t you feel like life is that way sometimes? Somehow, somewhere, someone is watching our every move to make sure we don’t color outside the lines (or run with a pair of scissors). They’re just waiting for us to mess up so they can point us out and put us in our place. Whether it’s our boss, spouse, co-worker, parent or other relative, or someone else, it seems that some folks enjoy poking around in our business, pointing out our failures (as if we didn’t already all-too-well know what they are).
Don’t let the Miss Crutchfields in your life ruin your day today. Don’t repay by pointing out their failures; rather refuse to play along with their game. You have the choice whether you will allow them to control your thoughts and emotions…or not. Accept genuine constructive criticism, but don’t allow negative comments to ruin your day.
Yes, I know it’s easy for me to say. Why do you think I’m saying it at all? I allow people like this to ruin my day all too often, and this cartoon hit home today. So I have work to do today to make sure that this day is as good as it can be.
The cartoon of the day on the 2007 calendar shows several workers (Mr. Larson’s usual cast of characters) in a scissors factory. At the back of the room is a chair on a platform 20 or so feet above the floor. An old lady (school teacher type) is sitting in the chair.
One employee says to another, “You must be new here!...That’s Miss Crutchfield, and she’s there to make sure nobody runs with scissors.”
Don’t you feel like life is that way sometimes? Somehow, somewhere, someone is watching our every move to make sure we don’t color outside the lines (or run with a pair of scissors). They’re just waiting for us to mess up so they can point us out and put us in our place. Whether it’s our boss, spouse, co-worker, parent or other relative, or someone else, it seems that some folks enjoy poking around in our business, pointing out our failures (as if we didn’t already all-too-well know what they are).
Don’t let the Miss Crutchfields in your life ruin your day today. Don’t repay by pointing out their failures; rather refuse to play along with their game. You have the choice whether you will allow them to control your thoughts and emotions…or not. Accept genuine constructive criticism, but don’t allow negative comments to ruin your day.
Yes, I know it’s easy for me to say. Why do you think I’m saying it at all? I allow people like this to ruin my day all too often, and this cartoon hit home today. So I have work to do today to make sure that this day is as good as it can be.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Plowing Ground
The weekend is over and we’re facing a full week of school and other activities with the girls. It reminds me of the times long ago when I’d pull up to a field with a “G” Minneapolis Moline and a 3 bottom plow (I know the “G” would pull 4-16’s but Dad always thought it did better on our hardpan with a three-bottom), looking at this expanse of unplowed ground ½ mile square, making the decision to start making rounds, plowing up all of four feet of ground each round with the three-sixteen inch moldboards.
I know with the grace of the Almighty that we’ll do fine this week. It just seems a little daunting on Monday morning at 6am before I’ve had a chance to down any appreciable amount of coffee. Besides, I find that I have some kind of program on my computer that pops up ads for various videos now. I wonder where THAT came from. I’m running a spy program as I type this in the hopes that it will find whatever it is and eliminate it. The spy program says now, before it is finished, that it has found 23 “critical objects”. Let’s hope one of them is this stupid pop-up.
The girls are beginning to come out of their rooms and have some breakfast. Pat has come out of our area and is interacting with them as they come out. I have their morning medications ready and have started distributing them. Doors are closing, water is running, and one girl has already showed me what she’s wearing to school today, saying that she’s debating on what shoes to wear with the faded jeans, tee-shirt and sweat shirt over that. I dunno. I don’t debate what shoes I’m going to wear. I only have one pair that I regularly wear on week days. And the Sunday dress-up debate for me is always “black or brown” and is dictated by what socks I happen to pull out of the drawer.
Maybe some things are more important to some people than to others. In the great scheme of things, I’m not sure how important the shoe debate is. But perhaps that’s Jaqlyn’s way of putting the plow into the ground and starting that first four-foot round. In that case, the debate is vital.
I know with the grace of the Almighty that we’ll do fine this week. It just seems a little daunting on Monday morning at 6am before I’ve had a chance to down any appreciable amount of coffee. Besides, I find that I have some kind of program on my computer that pops up ads for various videos now. I wonder where THAT came from. I’m running a spy program as I type this in the hopes that it will find whatever it is and eliminate it. The spy program says now, before it is finished, that it has found 23 “critical objects”. Let’s hope one of them is this stupid pop-up.
The girls are beginning to come out of their rooms and have some breakfast. Pat has come out of our area and is interacting with them as they come out. I have their morning medications ready and have started distributing them. Doors are closing, water is running, and one girl has already showed me what she’s wearing to school today, saying that she’s debating on what shoes to wear with the faded jeans, tee-shirt and sweat shirt over that. I dunno. I don’t debate what shoes I’m going to wear. I only have one pair that I regularly wear on week days. And the Sunday dress-up debate for me is always “black or brown” and is dictated by what socks I happen to pull out of the drawer.
Maybe some things are more important to some people than to others. In the great scheme of things, I’m not sure how important the shoe debate is. But perhaps that’s Jaqlyn’s way of putting the plow into the ground and starting that first four-foot round. In that case, the debate is vital.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Reality
I wonder about this thing called “reality”. What is it? Where is it? What does it do? Is it unique to each person, or is there a common reality? When someone’s reality is warped somehow, how do we know that? Who or what defines reality? How can I know whether my reality is the “real” reality?
Yeah, yeah, I know this may be heavy stuff for a Saturday, especially in the morning. You haven’t had your coffee yet and have only begun to stir even though it’s 10am here as I type this, and you’re reading it after it’s posted.
The questions remain, though. Our making excuses for our lack of brain power don’t make the questions go away. Our refusing to answer the questions don’t make them go away. Our ignoring them don’t make them go away. Somehow, we all answer the questions about reality in some way. Whether consciously or not, we form opinions about reality. Then we live in accordance with those opinions.
It’s the same with other topics. Jesus, for example, is a good subject for questions that will not go away even though we may ignore them or make excuses for not answering them. The reality is that there was indeed an historical Jesus of Nazareth. The reality is that he claimed to be God (I AM, Jehovah) in the flesh. The reality is that he died from crucifixion at the hand of the Romans. The reality is that his followers gave up their lives, their fortunes, and their “sacred honor” to promote his cause. The reality is that the movement he and his followers began is alive and well on planet earth.
The questions are legion and demand an answer. Is Jesus of Nazareth who he claims to be? If not, is he a crazy man for making such claims? Or is he a charlatan…a liar? If he isn’t who he says he is, he has to be one of the other two. Which one? Why did his followers give all they had for his cause, if he was a lunatic or liar?
If he is who he claims to be, then he also is alive and well today. What will we do with that fact? He calls us to a radical life and total devotion. How will we handle that in today’s world?
Jesus calls us to a reality that is too big for us to grasp. Yet it is a reality that is what we were designed for…created for. I can’t wait.
Yeah, yeah, I know this may be heavy stuff for a Saturday, especially in the morning. You haven’t had your coffee yet and have only begun to stir even though it’s 10am here as I type this, and you’re reading it after it’s posted.
The questions remain, though. Our making excuses for our lack of brain power don’t make the questions go away. Our refusing to answer the questions don’t make them go away. Our ignoring them don’t make them go away. Somehow, we all answer the questions about reality in some way. Whether consciously or not, we form opinions about reality. Then we live in accordance with those opinions.
It’s the same with other topics. Jesus, for example, is a good subject for questions that will not go away even though we may ignore them or make excuses for not answering them. The reality is that there was indeed an historical Jesus of Nazareth. The reality is that he claimed to be God (I AM, Jehovah) in the flesh. The reality is that he died from crucifixion at the hand of the Romans. The reality is that his followers gave up their lives, their fortunes, and their “sacred honor” to promote his cause. The reality is that the movement he and his followers began is alive and well on planet earth.
The questions are legion and demand an answer. Is Jesus of Nazareth who he claims to be? If not, is he a crazy man for making such claims? Or is he a charlatan…a liar? If he isn’t who he says he is, he has to be one of the other two. Which one? Why did his followers give all they had for his cause, if he was a lunatic or liar?
If he is who he claims to be, then he also is alive and well today. What will we do with that fact? He calls us to a radical life and total devotion. How will we handle that in today’s world?
Jesus calls us to a reality that is too big for us to grasp. Yet it is a reality that is what we were designed for…created for. I can’t wait.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Oranges and Such
I normally don’t blog or even write in the evening hours. Most evenings, my brain is just too tired and doesn’t have what it takes to put words together in a good way. Something about the rigors of the day take what little energy for writing that there is and channels it to something else. Then when evening comes, I’m at a loss (literally) for words.
Today, however, is a little different. We don’t have the girls today and I didn’t have a lot to do today. So I’m relatively fresh, as it were. The problem is that having done nothing of substance today, I have nothing much to write about even though I’m primed and ready to go. Therefore, I’ll make something out of nothing, so to speak.
Have you ever eaten a fresh mandarin orange? Yes, I know we buy mandarin orange segments in a can and put them in various salads, etc. But have you ever obtained fresh ones and delighted in them?
They peel very easily and have very little of the white stuff that’s on the inside of the rind. They segment readily and taste almost heavenly. Regular orange growers could take a lesson in how to produce a quality product by taking the mandarin orange as an example.
I’ve just eaten two of them and am about to go to the refrigerator for another one or two. I don’t know if they are seasonal or not, but hope that we get them as much and as often as we can. I’ve always enjoyed the canned segments, but the fresh ones are…well…so much better. It’s kind of like the difference between canned and fresh pineapple.
To each his own, I’m sure. But for me, the mandarin is about the best citrus around.
Today, however, is a little different. We don’t have the girls today and I didn’t have a lot to do today. So I’m relatively fresh, as it were. The problem is that having done nothing of substance today, I have nothing much to write about even though I’m primed and ready to go. Therefore, I’ll make something out of nothing, so to speak.
Have you ever eaten a fresh mandarin orange? Yes, I know we buy mandarin orange segments in a can and put them in various salads, etc. But have you ever obtained fresh ones and delighted in them?
They peel very easily and have very little of the white stuff that’s on the inside of the rind. They segment readily and taste almost heavenly. Regular orange growers could take a lesson in how to produce a quality product by taking the mandarin orange as an example.
I’ve just eaten two of them and am about to go to the refrigerator for another one or two. I don’t know if they are seasonal or not, but hope that we get them as much and as often as we can. I’ve always enjoyed the canned segments, but the fresh ones are…well…so much better. It’s kind of like the difference between canned and fresh pineapple.
To each his own, I’m sure. But for me, the mandarin is about the best citrus around.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)