Ponderings

Time Maches On

2012-01-19T13:20:00.000-08:00

Ity has been sevral weeks since I have posted anything here on this blog. I have posted bits and pieces on Facebook and Twitter though. It isn't that I don't have lots of thoughts to be put down, it is a matter of having the energy to sit and type it all out and edit it so that it communicates well.

Everyday is a growing day for me, even at my 66 years of age. Why? Well, positive and negative things help me develop a perspective on life as well as keep the proper perspective for eternity.

We did take a little get-a-way to the lake last week and had a wonderful time. It was tiring in the sense of a lot of walking down to the lake where the kids were fishing and back for lunch, etc. We did meet a wonderful couple who befriended us all, and now we are keeping in touch via Facebook. This trip did require a lot of preparation with getting the travel trailer road-ready again; it had been setting in the driveway for over four years. The only difficulty was with the slide out, which we had to manually slide out and the hot water heater didn't work. The kids caught eight trout between them. We froze them and will have a fish-fry soon. Can't wait to go again!

Now I am back to work. There seems to be no relief on the volume of work we now have with one worker down. They say there will be no replacement. We will have to wait and see. I can only do so much. Wish I could really fully retire; but the mortgage must be paid.

I guess that will be all for this post.

To All My Friends

2011-12-06T20:26:00.000-08:00

I am sure I have brought disappointment to you at some point during our acquaintance. I reach this conclusion on the basis the lack of personal contact from some of you for a long extended period. You may have placed me on a high pedestal and I failed to live up to your expectations. Sometimes the perch is extremely difficult and often precarious.

I will admit my human frailties often interfere with good decisions. I offer my apology and request forgiveness. I will admit that events in my life have brought me to a fresh new perspective on what Christianity is to be. My shortfall was adhering to traditions. This was a comfortable but not necessarily a proper or essential position to the call God placed upon my life.

My foundational faith is not cancelled or forgotten. I want to build upon the past if it is a good base. All dross must be removed from my thinking and activity. Maturity should come to all of us as a process, a process of being tried like gold. This is an continuing need, because impurities filter into our lives at all stages. Learning never ends.

If I used Scripture to enforce or influence you to believe it my way, I offer sincere apology. I appreciate exuberant worship as much as anybody, however, it must be done in decency and order to avoid the creating a stumbling block. I want balance in my life with respect to living godly.

Firework displays are things of beauty empowered by a force. I don’t know the details of how it is done nor could I replicate the splendor. Our spiritual fireworks must illustrate His glory and draw the observer in, not push them away. This doesn’t imply the “shout” or “amen” cannot be expressed, but let it be done in order and relevancy to the occasion. God wants us to be in tune to effectuate His concepts, not our own. When we transform our thinking and renew our minds we can fulfill this service.

Freedom from the traditions of men is actually experiencing God’s awesome grace. Hell-fire and brimstone sermons without the balance of grace and the beauty of salvation only frighten one to disregard the message. The true seeker will find God’s mercy and grace as so often illustrated in the Bible. The unnecessary fierce vociferous declarations harm the reception of the message. The excitability of the hearers will not endure the true test that follows in the days ahead.

Ministry is more than acquiring a pulpit to proclaim in, it is more than being elected to service in a spiritual office. It is serving the needs of others without worry of title or attainment of prestige. We are not a congress to legislate; we are ministers to announce good news. Nor are we judges to castigate the sinner, instead we are attorneys to advocate mercy.

An Unveiling

2011-11-29T19:24:00.000-08:00

Time is an element of life that passes by so quickly. I am sitting at my desk and composing this piece for my blog and listening to the sound of a passing freight train nearby. The sound is nostalgic to me for some reason. I have just checked the Facebook postings of my friends and found some interesting comments along with some useless chatter as is usually the case. So now I will add some useless chatter to my blog but allow it to be a venting mechanism.

I am actually trying to discipline myself to writing more consistently than I have previously done. The excuses for not doing so are as varied as the number of cars on that passing train.

There is a particular subject I wish to address at this point. It is one that has plagued my choices for most of my life. It began for me early in life. I would say at least by high school age. Now I have accomplished a term of service in the US Air Force, a career with the Social Security Administration, a secondary career in ministry, and now working as a family services coordinator.

As much as feasible I would cover my condition by avoidance or selective refusal of certain situations. This brought about difficulty in relationships.

But now it is a new time in my life. I confess that I have essential tremor (ET). This neurological condition is probably a hereditary disorder. My father had it and was misdiagnosed with Parkinsonism most of his life. I was often told I was nervous because of my shaking; it is a type of nerve disorder. I am amazed at how many are afflicted by this potentially degrading condition.

The tremor is in mainly in my left hand for which I am so thankful since I am right handed. However, residual tremor affects my right hand and my handwriting is very poor. The medication of beta blockers has helped but the prognosis is not positive. I must resign myself to acceptance of the condition and hope people understand my limitations. For those who would like more information about ET I suggest you look at the web site: www.essentialtremor.org/. This web site will give you more detailed information about ET and how it affects individuals and limits their functioning ability.

I wish it would go away but in spite of ET I resign myself to live life to the full. I pray for God’s assistance and would gladly accept a miraculous healing anytime. Stress and tiredness aggravate the disorder. But, if this is my thorn in the flesh, He will give me strength to bare it to the end.

GIVE THANKS!

2011-11-28T15:53:00.000-08:00

It is a wonderful season, but not without its difficulty. If you reside in the United States of America, you are among the most wealthy population in the world. Give thanks. All the difficulties we face are naught in comparison to famine and pestilence and poverty in other parts of this world. Give thank for what you have, or don't have. If you can even read this, give thanks. There are so many illiterate people in our world.

I give thanks to my Creator and the greater hope He has given me through Jesus Christ the Righteous.

An Unpleasant Anniversary

2011-10-25T15:44:00.000-07:00

As we are about to mark another anniversary of our demolished world we once knew and worked in I am stirred in my spirit for the offenders who succeeded in bringing an abrupt end to life as we were accustomed to. I will however, acknowledge that the unwarranted event has led to development of a better life for us. For this I am thankful.

I remember the terrible feelings of injustice that swept over us for months. At certain times the blood boils and hurts pain us. The instigators may be in denial but justice will prevail. I must rest in the confidence of a just God.

Many would say I should forgive and forget. And, yes, I have forgiven but forget . . . not so quick. The wound is deep and since it was unjustified injury to my character and integrity it is healing pain. I learned a lesson and will remember it, avowing to never let it happen to us again. I would also hope others would recognize the signs and avoid similar circumstances in their lives. Rick Warren put it like this: "If you cannot remember the pain, you would not remember the lessons."

For the parties involved, I pray for their souls. May there be an awakening in their spirit to try a reconciliation that fits with their proclamations. I cannot force this upon them but they will have to act appropriately at some point in time.

My assessment of the situation this year concludes that the scheme was a total disregard of the facts and certainly no consideration of affect.

There was a rising to power, an idolizing view and deception that preceded our termination. The frustration of leadership with my failure to voluntarily resign was clearly evident. I forced the decision upon those perpetrators. The person responsible for this attitude will have to come to terms with God on the matter.

It is difficult to maintain a Christian attitude towards former fellow Christians who have eviscerated my ministry within their realm. The nice thing is that I am not confined to their legalism or by-law system of man-made rules that restrict and confine me to an unfitting mold. I am at a new day in ministry that is calm and poignantly straight-forward.

Perhaps it took the severity of such an evil plot for me to be free of a bondage that appealed to the pleasing of man more than pleasing God. I confess this weakness and thus declare a most clearer and truer perspective on my calling to minister. God does know how to make good of the bad that happens to us.

Many will read this and not understand and attempt to self-justify. However, they must focus on life’s purpose according to God’s call and not upon personal agendas. The enemy of our soul, Satan, does not care about your profession and will use whomever he can to carry out his evil.

My intent is to expose the failure of my former leaders in this statement for the purpose of the disclosure of truth. The conversations involving our departure have not been fully explained from our perspective. The failure to give audience as a member is a serious offense and violation of Christian principles. It is truth that sets us free, even though at first it makes you miserable.
Vengeance does not belong to me. I surrender to my Heavenly Father, to fulfill the purpose He alone has called me to. My departure from those who brought offense is by no mean a confession of guilt on my part.

A Little Something

2011-10-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

It is certainly challenging to read the assorted posts on social networks. Some of my "friends" seem to express themselves in terms that are centristic and egotistical. They complain about stuff they bring on themselves. Their agrandizement of themselves and name dropping are disheartening to me.

I am not certain but that some of them have become "friends" to flaunt their successes and demonstrate how they are better than the average joe or jane. They want all to know of their wealth and accomplishments. They boast so blatantly.

By the way, my 66 years on eath effective October 16 has given me much to brag about. I am perfect and excellently favored. My name is in a very special book.

So for what it is worth, I am important. My travels have taken me places that you wish you could have gone. I have seen things many of you will never see. My fortune is held by another for the time being in a trust fund.

My future plans will take me to a most amazing place without all the phonies, and that will be a relief! Would I dare brag? Oh Yeah! Just ask me.

Autumn

2011-09-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

This time of year tends to be nostalgic for me. However, the temperature is so hot the notions that usually crop up in my mind are somewhat subdued.

I do like this time of year most of all. I can identify with many things in my past that hold special place in memory. The changing colors, the earlier darkness. Perhaps it is because of my time of birth, i.e., October that puts me in the nostalgic mode.

So with that being said, I will try to compose a more informational blog in the coming days. But for now that's going to be all.

The Bewildering Economy

2011-08-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

What is with our economy? I certainly don’t understand what the answer is as economists might explain. However, I believe the pattern of spending without a foundation has led to the present crisis of a national debt out of control. The oxymoronic part is the caution to families against allowing debt to exceed income; and the government is the biggest offender.

The income tax measure of decades ago was supposed to be a temporary fix and now it has become a maze of intricate loopholes and traps for the American citizen and corporations. As consumers we have created an economic crisis. The simple life can’t exist in this fast paced society. There is covetousness of other’s possessions to keep up with modernism and ease of life.

What will increasing the spending limit and taxes accomplish to solve the predicament? Printing more money will not offset product and purchasing power. There is only so much resource available.

The slump in the housing market is a definite indicator of failure to recognize the wrong road taken. Real estate was the easy target. There is only so much land and so much purchasing power.

If we insist upon having the latest gadgets without considering affordability then we will continue down the path of economic destruction. Soon we will be prey to the profiteers, i.e. banks, investors, continue to take advantage of vulnerable and uneducated populace. Ultimately we will have to acknowledge that the “chickens will come home to roost.”

Our government bureaucracy must be reduced in size and cost at all levels. Citizens must know the impact this reduction will have on their entitlements and privileges. It is really time to assess a direction of recovery with sacrifices by all. The wealthy should no longer be able to buy their way into political office. Fair an equal campaign should be waged addressing critical issues of the constituents they represent and then truly represent. We have had enough of the “pork barreling” ruse.

The improvement of credit scores through scams and ease of access of internet is not a deterrent to what road we are traveling. Tracking scores is big brother watching you!

The average “Joe” must step up to the plate and take action. Use of the pen and the vote will have to be loud and clear if true change occurs. Now that S&P has lowered our credit rating to AA+ who knows what will go down. Is it a recession or depression?

Reflecting

2011-07-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

As I look back over the past few life episodes I sense a mellow but confident view. Admittedly I was a inflexible Pentecostal with narrow viewpoints because of tradition and hierarchical leadership. I will not deter from certain observations and conclusions. The most important thing is that I have an inner peace. There will be occasional rants that emit from my mouth or writing but I know real freedom is my colleague.

The fault-finder who reads my expressed opinions and conclusions will have to seek another to place guilt upon. I have no reason to accept guilt for declarations against me. I would suggest your self-examination in light of the Word and see the frailty that possibly exists within you. Yes, you can judge me and likewise I can judge you, but with that judgment we both will face the Eternal Judge.

My tone of expression may seem a bit harsh, but life experience has brought certain callousness to those things that don’t matter and softness about those things that do. It isn’t about popularity or earthly achievements; I seek a higher prize.

As for my former church realm, be blessed in your efforts as you follow God’s direction. Avoid frivolous activities; they often lead to political nepotism. Thank you for the experiences. Sometimes I learned what not to do, other times I was blessed. The bitter taste is rinsed out and spit out with a far better taste of the present. There is a remarkable peace enfolding me.

I seek after God’s favor above all else. There is a new day of ministry that has dawned upon me and I feel more fulfilled than ever.

My satisfaction comes from seeing conversions that are not counseled in legalism or neglected in instruction. The true transformations come through instruction of honesty and knowing who one is becoming through acceptance of Christ as Savior and the development to maturity as defined in Scripture. That relationship, not religion, will sustain the believer in the darkest of hours.

BOOKS

2011-07-11T10:30:00.001-07:00

I have recently assessed some “stuff” that my wife and I have accumulated through the 28 years of marriage. ------ We got lots of it! Too much! Amongst the stuff there is memorabilia that is priceless as well as junk that needs to be tossed or donated. I personally have a difficult time trying to yard sell. I don’t like the haggle or the mess. It could mean extra cash . . . to buy more junk . . .

My search involved a specific task of finding a book that I will be using to lead our Journey Group Bible study beginning in September. I knew I had it amongst the stuff but it was going to take some digging. My books had mostly been boxed since our departure from full time ministry. Fortunately I knew the general area where the books were packed away in the garage. But of course it was in the last box that I found it.

Printed material, i.e., books, notes, etc can serve value if we can find it again. Although I destroyed all my printed sermon notes as a symbolic gesture that was mentioned in a very early post, my books have always been somewhat of a treasure. I simply like books on a shelf and how they seem to intellectualize my being. Thus I kept my books; the library look is a vision of grandeur.

Keeping these books in boxes for four years was not my intent. It was just one of those unfortunate things. But as I looked through the boxes and found the particular book I was looking for, I realized how dated many of them had become. No, I don’t have signed copies to make them valuable, but I do have memory of how they assisted me in the process of life. Many inspired me, some were tough plowing through.

With the internet accessible information, some of these books could well find a better home and release me from some clutter. I prefer books because of underlining and highlighting for later reference with the physical page flipping. Does that make me old school? I will have to think deeply about any discarding.

Blog Anniversary

2011-07-01T16:37:00.000-07:00

June was the second anniversay of this blog.

I truly cannot believe where time has gone.

I am not sure who has read or demonstrated any interest in my blogging but that may never be known to me. This forum serves the purpose of providing me with a venting which brings therapy to my being.

The offenses may hit hard. The facts may be one sided in some instances. The reader have to find out some other way. I can only express for myself. I have no intention of bringing harm to anyone. My prayer is that God can use this for His purpose in the lives of both writer and reader.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! -------

Just Wondering

2011-06-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

I am not a gambler but I held out hope of having an actual and substantial financial gain occur in my life. To date this has not happened. I watch reality TV about families winning expensive vacations, homes and other financial rewards. Why is it never me?

The pessimistic side of me falls back on the adage, “born a day late and dollar short.” This does not prevent me from being a patriotic respectful person in spite of all tragedies I have experienced. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth; in fact struggle was my childhood lot in life. Thank God my parents and family weren’t complainers about their lot in life. I was shielded from despondency on these matters because of an instilled faith in a God who has an eternal plan for me.

My attention to being on “the short end of the stick” comes from observation of those who are selected winners of valuable prizes without much more than a submission of an entry. Herein is the problem. Entry forms are basically a hoax for all losers to provide personal information for future solicitations. They have an agenda of participation that will cost the entrant. Ultimately I believe ever winner of substantial gain will have hidden costs, i.e., taxes.

I remember two occasions as a pre-teen when I entered a sweepstakes. I was more than hopeful of my name being selected as a winner. Was it an impure or false faith?

The first was for a bicycle from a local Sears’s store. I stood anxiously by as they drew a name from the large container of submissions. Well, as you can probably guess it wasn’t my number. Disappointment filled my being as I walked away feeling like a loser.

The second occasion was when a small local shoe store was accepting entries for a brand new go-cart. This was the rage of the time for young boys. It had a wow factor. Every week I walked to town to admire this fine machine. When they finally posted the winner it was not my name. I am of the opinion that this one was a scam to attract business.

As I grew older the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes envelopes were filling our mailbox. I again had hopes of winning the million dollars or new home, maybe even a lesser prize. For years I would enter only to have my hopes dashed after the announced deadlines with nobody showing up with balloons and cameras at my doorstep. I even bought magazines hoping to improve my chance of becoming a winner. NOTHIN!

In my 65 plus years on earth I have learned that winning a fortune is pretty slim to mostly none. The odds are stacked against me. But I do have good health and awesome family and friends to always be there. My hope cannot be in a decision of man but must rest in my eternal Heavenly Father who has invested in me for my future with Him. I strive for the prize of the high calling of God (Phil. 3:14). I will acknowledge that I have experienced priceless rewards in my spirit through fulfilling the call of God on my life. He is true and faithful and able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I ask or think (Eph.3:20).

My dependency is not on the sinful nature of man. I must look to my source. My source is my Lord.

Expressions of Disgust (Pet Peeves)

2011-06-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

As I have accepted or encountered certain situations in my recent life there is a tendency for me to be more vocal in stating my opinions. Maybe there is a measure of insensitivity (I don’t care) towards what others think. My feelings have hardened to allow me to truly express my views.

Do I dare write on these issues and declare my perspective? What will the repercussions be? How many offenses will I bring? I know many will be offended at certain stances I take.

Would this be wrong to express in writing my opinions? I think not. They have long been in my silent mind. It is a liberty that each individual has in this nation (at least so far). These voicing’s are not meant to bring personal harm to anyone; however, I will accept the fact that they will be offended by the content of my message. There is and will be reciprocation accordingly. They too will offend me in some of their raucous rants. Please do not read this with the idea that I think of myself more “holier than thou.”

I have always believed myself to be one who accepted opinions of others although at times I silently disagreed with them. This was a failure on my part to express opinion for fear of reprisal or someone might stop liking me. (Sometimes they probably never liked me in the first place.) It is so true that you cannot make everybody happy at the same time.

And so, what are my pet peeves?

A current rage or trend has gripped many. I do not believe our body should become a canvas for painting billboard material that is permanent, i.e., tattoos. I don’t like them. I suggest wearing a garment that carries their message. I will not dislike the person who has such décor on their person but I don’t have to like the “art.” The purpose and content do not affect my opinion. The body need not be dishonored in such fashion.

Bodily piercings that are carried to extremes takes me to the primitive tribes of our world. What now is the point of such piercings? The initial pain--- is it worth it. No part of the human body seems to be immune from such irreverent holes and adornment. Is the adornment that pretty?

What about clothing? Well, mostly it is a lack of adequate covering when in public places. Pornography becomes three dimensional. No wonder there is such sexual violence when attire attracts the predator like bait in a trap for an animal.

The balance of respect for elders is clearly gone. The youth have not been educated about the contributions made by their ancestors. Honor is disregarded.

Movie language is awful. Films made today contain so much cursing and foul language it becomes an offense to my ears. This is aside from the sexual aspects portrayed in so many top box office movies. And people pay big bucks to go see them! Yikes!

There is a disregard for the role of spiritual matters in everyday living. Too many just cry out to God when there is adversity. No time for God. We must find balance in our lives.

Discouragement Overruled by Encouragement

2011-05-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

Yep.... it happens to all of us, discouragement.

How do we overcome such situations to become encouraged? I have found that shutting down my mind and focusing only on the cause of the discouragment only tends to increase it. Friends and family can certainly contribute to bringing me out of the doldrums of discouragement.

The Scripture tells us we should "encourage one another daily." This is certainly an interesting point. Obviously God knew discouraging times would come and He made provision through this inspired declaration that we should encourage one another.

Be encouraged my friends! God does care, cast your cares upon Him.

What to Write . . . .

2011-05-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

May has approached its exit for 2011 and I have not been too inspired to write on this blog.

I have been rather busy and a bit exhausted with computer work on my job. This might explain my neglect of posting something. Now I have become like so many procrastinators, making excuses for not doing something.

I do have a certain level of passion to write more but there are so many other life issues that occupy my time. Many of them are of higher priority.

Well, it’s time to move on in an attempt a composition of some value to take space on my blog. But what subject do I address? Can I continue my therapy on recovery from the hurts of the past? Nah, don’t want to go there since I am healed and blessed. I need to quit picking at the scar tissue.

There is the possibility of reviewing some other notes I have accumulated over the years and picking a topic to write about. I really can’t be sure what at this point in time. Guess it will remain to be seen what my next choice of discussion will be here.

Stay tuned.

My View

2011-05-08T22:59:00.000-07:00

The event of the demise of Osama bin Laden has given occasion to much commentary. Amongst such remarks there has been fierce exchange of words on his swift execution and the interrelated matters. And thus I will add my perspective. ---- Thanks for the freedom of speech and press! Reign on!

The report of his death through our government agencies is the opinion I concur with. An evil plotting person has been expunged from our world. The lengthy time period and process of finding the deranged bin Laden has had its ups and downs. There has been much ado about the whole process that led to his execution by the U.S. Navy Seal Team 6. I applaud the execution of their duty.

Controversy surrounds this event because of the jihad element. Religious overtones are ingrained in the terrorist movement that hides behind the cloak of religious conviction and interpretation of the Quran. I can respect the opposing opinions of persons; however, I expect the same respect for my opposing opinion. The heart of a man must be changed or he will maintain his same opinion.

A man who would hide in his compound and secretly deploy personnel to dismantle our freedom is not deserving of breathing the air. His cowardice is evident. His tactics through al Qaeda or the Taliban are best described as ruthless. They place no value to anyone opposed to their religious or political views. I know we cannot clump all Muslims in his barrel, nor can we likewise clump Christians in one barrel. Radical elements exist in all facets of society.

We are often attacked for stating strong opinions on biblical based morality. There is the implication and misunderstanding that we are merely moronic Bible thumpers. This description of my stance on issues is as offensive to me as any statement I issue on controversial matters that possibly offends those of another position.

A man must examine his own heart and motives. He must decide as an individual whether to believe in God. That is his free moral choice. If I choose to believe in God, then I should be respected as a fellow sojourner on earth and not live in fear of retribution because I believe differently. However, do not impose your rules on me as I will not impose mine on you.

This argument does go deeper than just the surface of man’s laws. It becomes a matter of heart and an awakening of man’s soul and spirit. Conversion is a decision. A hardened heart will not absorb compassion. Agape (God Love) must prevail if humanity continues to thrive. Purpose of existence must be fixed in the individual’s mind if they are to present a viable argument.

I hold to the view of the veracity of the Bible and the precepts set therein. I choose to have faith in a God who loves me and demonstrated grace and mercy to me. My judgment call will acquiesce to Him as the final court of appeal. No man needs to die in such fashion as bin Laden, he had his days of mercy and grace; he simply chose another course.

Terrorism will continue because man is essentially lost without a savior to direct. I must hold to the hope of my salvation for eternity. I cannot shove my faith down your throat with words or weapons; you will make your own choice.

CHANGE CHALLENGES

2011-04-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been filled with change.

Sometimes change is good. Other times change is difficult.

On Thursday evening we were with the grieving family of Helen Jones for the viewing. The body was there and peaceful looking, but we know her soul had gone to be at rest with her LORD.

Friday (Good Friday) was the memorial service for Helen with a chapel service and internment after. I hope and pray that my words about her life and service were adequate enough. Many of the family stated so. I felt honored to officiate for the services.

Saturday we rested and did only necessary things. A trip to Lowe’s for closet repair items and sprinkler system changes took several hours of our time.

On Sunday we awoke early to get to church and serve our first official Team Leaders duties of the First Impressions Team for two worship services. It was awesome to serve and greet arrivals for worship. The house was packed for the 9 am service (over 1,000) and almost packed for the 11 am service. We left the church about one pm and finally determined were to go for lunch. We had breakfast at Denny’s in Selma about two pm and then decided to venture to Fresno. Traffic was very light—almost everything was closed, surprise!

Back at home we chilled together and prepared for the week.

Now I am back to work and the remodeling of the front office has everything in disarray. Stuff is everywhere and nowhere. Boy! Talk about unorganized and chaos. All but one of management was absent on Monday. Not the way to run a business! Ah, but who am I to judge. I must just roll with the punches and smile, keeping the spirit of Christ.

Today I am notified by my supervisor that my grant notice must be done for 2011 FY and we haven’t got the FY 2010 approval notice yet. The new request is due June 8. Don’t make any sense to me. It is Tuesday and the remodel is still underway. We will make it. I refuse to let it break me or crush my spirit.

Loosing Good Neighbors

2011-04-21T15:52:00.001-07:00

Our neighbors across the street have moved. It is so difficult to face their absence. It is really too bad that their lender wouldn’t work with them. House prices have really dropped many of us under the bus. Being upside down on one’s equity is really mind boggling. These are such a young couple with a small child to have to face such crisis.

We are in anxiety over who will be moving in. They had to walk away like so many have done lately. I completed understand their predicament and respect their decision regardless of how we feel. I know we will keep in contact. They moved just a short distance away.

I hope we can establish some descent rapport with the new residents. The home is really nice but will now need some work before being sold or rented.

Last Night . . . For a Season

2011-04-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

We concluded our Journey Group for the first semester last night. Our guest for the evening included our lead pastor and his wife. Three members were unable to attend. It was with a certain amount of sadness that it was our final Wednesday for a time but plans are to connect monthly over the summer until our next session begins in late August.

I believe there was real rapport and camaraderie amongst our members. In my opinion we fulfilled the goal to have real connection, koinonia.

Heartfelt thanks goes to all our members and you continue to be in our prayers. We will see you at our “Summer Buffets”. Lets rest in our LORD and not forget to mature in the grace of His Spirit.

Tribute to Helen Jones

2011-04-14T16:49:00.000-07:00

Today was a sad yet victorious day.

One of our faithful elderly parishoner, friend, and family passed from this life to her eternal reward. Her life’s journey is over with all the health issues and struggles she had. We know this matriarch is rejoicing in the presence of her beloved savior.

Her soft spoken voice still is heard through the lives of people she has influenced in her 87 years of life on earth. A wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother has crossed Jordan and is no longer an invalid. She will be missed by her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her legacy is living on through their lives. The echoes of her wisdom will resound over and over again in the hearts of those she loved.

Serving as her pastor for six years we saw a strong faith and commitment to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In her earthly life God touched her life often by His Spirit but now she is touched by His glorious presence. I look forward to seeing this woman of God along with many other saints who have finished their course when my time to leave this earthly shell and bars of bones.No more pain, tears, or sorrows-- it is finished.

I pray for God’s comfort to be with the family and friends. May we all come to know and love God as Helen Jones did so well in faith and deed.

Helen, rest in the arms of Jesus.

Clarification of Purpose

2011-04-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Reviewing from time to time my past postings I have come to the realization that much offense can be taken. I reaffirm my position of establishing facts that resulted in such postings at the time. I reiterate that I have chosen to move on in spite of the hurt and disappointment befallen me. This is not meant as justification, for only God can justify anyone. My purpose is to show a side that might never be exposed and possibly prevent someone else from falling blindly into a mess or trap that is godless. I hold to what is written. The posts are not done with malice nor intent to harm. I only want people to "wake up and smell the coffee." I am really free from legalism --- I serve a risen Savior!!

My Journal Findings

2011-04-02T22:40:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I switched desks with my son. The process meant taking everything out of each desk and transporting it up or down the stairs accordingly. I am pleased with the exchange but now I cannot find some of the paperwork I desperately need. The desks are quite different styles and I had to reconfigure my storage space and reconnect the computer too. I will adjust—because I am not going to switch again!

Diggings can be dirty, but in the dirt and rocks precious metals and diamonds can be harvested.

While looking for some documents I ran across journal notebooks I made almost four years ago. I became distracted by them and had to read some of my writings. At the time I was in a state of frustration, anger, and confusion beyond belief and was not surprised by what I had written. At some point in time I will compile them for a story to be told. But as I reread them I was amazed at the peace I felt over those difficult days. It is not that that entire trauma of those days is totally erased because third parties have not asked for reconciliation, but I am healed and walking in the fullness of God’s grace and direction. Essentially I have shaken the dust off my feet and moved on.

Memories as described in those journals are not all necessarily pleasant. I expressed my emotions as being like a rollercoaster ride. They all contribute to the character we become. These are the events that can help us choose the path we take to our future. In those moments of seeming defeat, victory loomed on the horizon as long as I was willing to continue holding to the truth.

Now I have reached the horizon that seemed so far away. Contentment has enveloped me once again. I cannot worry over the past that will not change. I will walk in the hope of God’s promises and allow the Holy Spirit to guide me along the way to my future. I know why some of the people of the past are not in my present. They make their choice to listen to falsehoods regarding my character. I leave them to God’s hand of judgment. As my wife so aptly says, “the blood is on their hands.” Personally, I’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb and look forward to an eternity with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Parable of the Computer Solution

2011-03-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

I recently experienced internet connection problems that I was unable to resolve without assistance. I contacted my ISP server for assistance. Attempting to reasonably respond to automated questions and taking advised actions to correct the computer problems things still didn’t work. I thus proceeded to finally connect with a live technician.

Phoning an IT person that speaks plausible English is frightful because of the extensive outsourcing. The matter was frustrating to me as I am sure it was to the technician on the other side of the world. Finally, the resolution came when I agreed to permit the technician to take remote control of my computer. His training an expertise allowed him to investigate the inner workings that were the source of the problem. He could see the same thing I was and determine more readily a corrective action directly. My problems got solved.

This is an allegory for what Christians need to do in getting their problems of connection fixed. There is often occasions when the stress of life creates viruses in our thinking. We go viral and lose some sensibility of connection with God.

We have the manual (Bible) for life guidance. But often our problems go much deeper and we don’t describe them to fit the biblical response. Our ability to repair and track the difficulty to fix is limited. There is a short circuit somewhere. Maybe the devil has hacked us.

We have community to assist as we attend worship with others. Sometimes the problems get fixed. If the problem isn’t fixed we most likely need to let the Holy Spirit take remote control and enter into our lives more completely. He can see things we don’t and enable us to avoid things that create infections and viruses in our life. We just need to be sure we have dialed in to the right place; we've got to be willing to walk in the spirit.

We must trust God to control our life through the gifting of the Holy Spirit. He gives us strength to face the giant obstacles and point us to solutions for becoming eternal winners.

A Bit More About Me

2011-03-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

I want to take time to give thanks. The computer and in particular the word processing program have been great tools in my life. My age has caused me to continue in progression of benign essential familial tremor affecting my manual writing skills. The tremor in my hands makes it difficult to write legibly. Holding a pen or pencil steady to write is very challenging. I am so thankful to have learned typing in my high school years and rely heavily on this form of composing. My hands tremble but I am able to utilize the keyboard much easier and more quickly than with pen or pencil not to mention the ability to easily correct mistakes before the final draft. The end result is so much neater needless to say.

Many times I prayed for a miracle of deliverance from this affliction. But like the Apostle Paul, I must bear the “thorn in my side” and continue to “run the race.” My life has shown that I have conquered many goals in spite of this tremor. The disability stigma never attached itself to me to prevent some successes. I just have recognized some limitations and work within my ability.

My appeal to an observer would be for understanding; my affliction is not a “nervous condition” in the usual sense. This tremor is a genetic disorder that progresses with age. A self-consciousness about my tremor does often lend to anxiety which can greatly increase the tremor for a time; this would be the “nervous” state. I try to avoid situations that create anxiety as much as possible. These would be stressful situations and difficult confrontations. I do know my limits and try to avoid situations that would bring raised eye brows.

I recall my father facing the same physical issues. He was a strong man and lived to 92.8 years of age. We accepted him and understood his limitations. I understand even better as the genes have been passed to me. He was oft misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and treatment or medication was not an option.

I am saddened that the prognosis for this hindering condition is not good. in essence there is no cure. Medication can assist by slowing adrenal production but has its side effects of drowsiness, slow heart rate, etc.

So what do I do? …… Well, make the best of what comes my way and contribute with what gifts I have been given and continue down the road of life. I cannot worry about how bad it may get. I try to avoid excessive stimulants, i.e., caffeine. The important thing is to appreciate what I have been given, and this includes people in my life that do understand, namely my wife and immediate family.

Looking Back But Looking Forward

2011-03-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

In an earlier blog post of January 11, 2010 I gave positive and uplifting praise to a church congregation we had been associated with. Several months have lapsed since any contact has been made with them or their leadership. For an undeclared reason our acceptance has vanished. This blog is intended to address the whys and wherefores from my experience and observation.

I was presented with probable reconnection again in the next few months at the time of the previous blog posting. It would be an opportunity to minister to our friends once again. As of this post not word one has been received to return for ministry and renew fellowship.

I think it sad but oddly humorous how certain concepts and respect is cast aside over diminutive misconceptions. I believe this particular estrangement has a source attached to the marital issues of my son’s wedding to a girl from this church. There were many issues on the conducting of the ceremony involving my wife and me. How sad for them that communication failed. My words of mild rebuke in a phone conversation shortly after the wedding with their minister about some difficulties and the lack of maturity in their constituency appear to have bearing on the root cause of this detachment. I called it like I saw it. No follow up has been offered.

My statement about wanting to be in heaven with them has taken a back seat at this time. Heaven cannot be a place of broken relationships over mundane matters. Reconciliation will have to come somewhere along the way; Scripture mandates it. There has been no expression of love and appreciation that I previously felt from anyone. In fact a cold reception was felt during the wedding which gives credence to my explanation. Something changed. Apparently that church as a whole has taken offense to us. Thus my respect for them has faded in this field of the dark unknown.

My reasoning for this conclusion lies in the ungodly gossip that exists within the confines of the church. I find this to be an on-going problem in most congregations that I observed within the organization that I have parted company with. The negative response may be due to our finding and expressing true freedom we have in Christ. We are willing to please Him alone and enjoy the life He provides. We are not condemned but set free to take pleasure in the abundance he showers upon us without feelings of guilt.

A lack of grounding in the rightful foundations of faith contributes to their conundrum as well. Perhaps offenses were taken of our liberty expressed during the wedding ceremony. Or maybe it was the firmness of how we were going to be participants in the ceremony and celebration. I was the officiating minister at the request of my son, the groom, and my wife provided all labor for decorations at the petition of the bride and her parents. In the future I will avoid illogical compromise to accommodate the wishes of those who have no right to request such. Lesson learned.

I attempted to ground this church community in the Word of God for approximately five years. It has been their choice to forget, respond or ignore. If they wish to remain minute, they should keep doing it the old way with the old mind set. I repent of any contribution I may have made to this circumstance of stunted growth. Emotional moments are not worship no matter how extreme it is; sadly it is merely moments of ecstasy brought about by conviction that passes by Monday morning. The traditionalism of these encounters will be condemned by the very Christ they claim to serve; it is hindering the express purpose of the church to MATURE and GROW! I sincerely have no desire to preach a message to them at this time because of what I fear the message of hardness would be and the rejection I would undoubtedly feel. Only God can direct me to do so and His grace would have to sustain me.

Is this a condemnation from me? Is it a justification for my unwanted disassociation? By no means are those my intents. If it be prophetic in fulfilling my gifting, then so be it; I am only the messenger. The love for their souls remains intact. I do care for them and the memories of great moments with friends; however there are times to move to new heights. Yes, as I stated, our lives have been enriched by knowing them. But now the vein of value has been mined to exhaustion and we proceed to new depths in the eternal kingdom.

I applaud them for being there during our past time of hurt and need. But now I prod them to move to greater depths in Christ. I encourage them to refuse to be stagnant and live in a rut of traditionalism that will blind and consume true passion for God. This is a sad scenario for a potentially awesome community of believers. Small thinking will hinder propagating the Gospel of Jesus Christ that sets men free. It is time to assess your place and take affirmative action to repent and do the work God has called you to. Get out of your comfort zone! Let change come in your worship after you have waited for the Holy Spirit to direct with an open mind. Do not become obstinate in your stance for that will only hinder your progress.

Speaking metaphorically I have been in the belly of the fish, the lion’s den, the prison of despair, exiled to Patmos, chased out of the city, beat up and robbed by thieves, slandered by friends and hung out to dry, shipwrecked upon the sea, and even stood before a firing squad. Through it all I have learned to trust in God alone, faith in Him has made be strong . . . bring it on! I waited for the Holy Spirit and worshipped the God I serve. I am equipped to fight in the warfare of good versus evil. I can witness of His power and might and do the works I’ve been sent to do. The blessings of God far outweigh the poundings of the enemy.”I will lift up my head . . . my help comes from the Lord.”

What Spirit Controls You?

2011-02-19T21:32:00.000-08:00

I have often been unwontedly humbled by someone God placed in my path to confirm that “it isn’t all about me!” We serve a far better purpose on earth than one to acquire praise or esteem of man that endures for a season. We are social creatures. What do we do to communicate? We must vent and talk. There are times we act. I believe that we best live, serve, react, and express with God’s directives. When we leave God out of the equation there will be tendency to justify all our actions and become egotistical about our gifting. With that in mind I have seen too many failures recently to not consider the seriousness of the problem called “egotism and pride.”

What is there about a public forum or social network that lends to self-aggrandizement? In simpler terms is it boasting in one’s accomplishment or posturing in society amongst peers and those who have placed us on a high place? I have unfortunately sensed this apparent action in recent connections I have made with “friends” who accepted me on Face Book. It is not that I am unable to appreciate or recognize the deserved blessings. I can honor the positions they hold or abilities they have; I feel it just isn’t necessary to tell the greatness you have accomplished in this particular forum. Discretion should be the rule to follow. When misappropriated it imposes authority rather than respect. In this kind of scenario the ego enters so we can have approval of someone who may feel inferior and that we can remain on the pedestal that they have put us on. The Bible calls it an arrogant spirit. Manipulation of persons is evil. Receiving the accolades of man may reduce your honor before the King of Kings.

In composing this piece I had to examine my motive and unction for writing it. Several questions came to mind. Was I jealous of something or someone? Have I taken offense to something said? Was I upset with the fact they get more response to something I had previously said or done and no one had noticed ME? These are just some of the serious question I personally must address. At first glance perhaps offense was taken. But my conclusion: My relationship with the LORD counts more than anything. I must live with integrity before HIM. I must bear good fruit and avoid being tainted by any of the slighting or ignoring I feel. It isn’t about feelings it is about holy obedience.

My God given talents are different than those who have been exposed to multitudes of peoples through travel and the like. My path through life has different challenges. Some of my noticeable seclusion has enhanced my gifting and matured me. I am not disappointed in what I have been called to do. The failures of my past will not control the future God has set for me. I will utilize those situations to build upon instead of throwing back at the circumstance. I cannot, nor do I need to place blame. I must “press on towards the mark of the high calling of God.”

I do want people to know that I unequivocally and without reservation declare that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Lord. It is my purpose to serve Him. Those who receive me and share in my gifting, I thank you. For those who ignore or reject my gifting, I encourage you to find and give place to Him above all. Not all of our paths will merge in congruence but someday we will inherit the eternal life we have strived for.

OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER - THE FIRST STEP

2011-02-10T14:44:00.000-08:00

Our church, Koinonia Christian Fellowship, has begun a home group meeting called Journey Groups. There are more than forty of these groups meeting weekly or biweekly to establish community and make greater connection with attendees. The count reveals nearly 500 people have signed up to be in a group.

We are hosting one such group in our home that will meet weekly for 11 weeks, then break for the summer and resume in the fall. Our first meeting was February 9, 2011. We had eight in attendance counting my wife and I. Two others notified us of their absence due to illness in the family.

We had great fellowship and discussion on the first chapter of the Book of Acts from the Bible. Everyone participated and contributed to the study. We affirmed our Pastor’s statement that God is indeed ALIVE and can work in hearts and lives of people and He is listening to our prayers and involved in our lives. It is essential to believe the Holy Spirit is foundational to our belief and fellowship (Koinonia) is necessary.

Following our meeting we had light refreshments and beverages for our guests. They left us with the impression that they enjoyed the group and looked forward to next week.

I am expecting God to take us on our JOURNEY together with blessings and spiritual growth in the body of Christ. I give special honor to my wife who worked real hard to prepare our home for a wonderful, pleasant reception of our new group/family.

Thinking on Experience

2011-01-27T14:18:00.000-08:00

As we have progressed in to the New Year I have been thinking a lot about life as I have come to experience it. This is not to say I am overly ecstatic or even disappointed. It is just some more of my pondering.

I can say that some of my life choices have not always been the best decisions. That being said, all of life is really a learning process. Hopefully I have learned through my years of living on this earth. Someone has said, “experience is the best teacher,” this could be in many instances.

When we do not get the lesson concept the first time “around the mountain or through the wilderness,” then most likely we will have go around or through it again. The repeated time(s) may be duplication or with slight variations of possible learning scenarios. My problem is remembering, especially if the mountain or wilderness is big.

Maybe it is like learning math, you do it over again if it is wrong so you can get the correct answer. Of course that is a textbook case, and life has so many more variables, including time, persons, events, etc. But maybe you get my meaning.

My stage of life right now is one of seeking inner peace regardless of who it pleases or displeases. By now I have learned quite succinctly that I cannot please everybody that I might desire to please. It is not that I want to bring offense to those around me, but I must have spiritual contentment in my soul. That presence of contentment by the Spirit will allow me to best deal with others I may come in to contact with. I will be pious in this vein of thinking because I do know the importance of my personal relationship with the Savior, Jesus Christ.

I could expound upon portions of Holy Scripture that is given in the Bible. Would this be considered Bible “thumping”? For some, I am sure this would be the conclusion. But if I use reason based on biblical principles and allow the Spirit in me to control my communication processes then I will be more readily received and understood. Conversion to understanding would be by that same Spirit for the receiving individual(s).

Do I have to stand in a pulpit or teach in a church building to minister? No! Again, no! The church is far more than a building or organization. We are to be our brother’s keeper by doing deeds that honor our Creator. I appreciate the facilities that serve as gathering places for those of like faith, but these are not the sole places of worship. Worship must begin in the heart with relationship and progress to the mind and become infectious. The infectious condition brings unity and eternal purpose, pleasing God.

My life has been good. I want to go on improving with right thinking, responsible ministry, and sensing the joy of my salvation. I desire to share through writing and verbalizing with all I may encounter. I admit my imperfections but I, like Paul the Apostle, want to strive towards maturity that will bring me safely to my eternal home.

Resolutions.... ?????

2010-12-31T12:12:00.001-08:00

It is not only a new calendar year but I realize it is another decade that fades into the recesses of memory. It has been time of survival and new experiences. Obstacles and issues have often hindered or delayed progress.

It has never been my practice to make New Year’s resolutions because of all the hoopla and failures of others who have done so. But maybe I now step up to the plate and make an exception for this year and see how it plays out. This may be my rebel nature finally surfacing.

Perhaps every decision I made or others made for me weren’t thoroughly thought through but nonetheless they were done. Consequences will follow as it is with anything. Generally all has not been too devastating; some of the worst has turned out to bring benefits as well as new perspectives and new friends. The torture of feeling mistreated and ignored often overwhelmed those things that had been validated in my life. It is time to face a new period of my life.

As I approach this New Year and decade, I resolve to focus on the right stuff. I don’t want to get caught up in any faction that brings division to friendships and destroys livelihoods. Phoniness stinks.

Time has brought a sense of my ability to express feelings and opinions that are strongly supported through the knowledge of God’s Word that I have instilled within me for the majority of my life. I do not always have to be a “yes” man to simply find favor with someone. As God’s child I am highly favored.

I resolve to continue to serve my church and family with renewed spiritual strength that will sustain us in the difficulties of life. I want the joy of the Lord to permeate my being and be my strength.

I resolve to maintain healthy habits in my diet.

I resolve to continue in honesty of expressing my feelings.

I resolve to be as productive and active as my body and health permit.

I resolve to be a better husband and love my wife more, and tell her so.

I resolve to read through the Bible in this year and listen to God speak.

Is blogging revealing?

2010-12-17T13:07:00.001-08:00

I have considered the response to this question after much examination of past postings and current situations. I believe the reader of these posts can possibly read between the lines and discover the authentic individual, the real me, who wrote the blog. It is a discovery that we definitely live in a hurting but healing world. I have found consolation in writing from my heart and disclosing my sentiments.

I have previously described my posts as “therapy”. I continue to have that same point of view. Through the process of composing my soul becomes aligned to a better and more complete view of my life purpose. The intrusion is my disregard to follow-through and be proactive. I must become accountable to the principles set forth “in the lines and between the lines”. Adaptation and change are not always going to be easy, but absolutely necessary.

I, like most others, have my likes and dislikes about changes on the job. For example, I am having a very difficult time with updated programs on my work computer. I find the new computer keyboard is more difficult for me personally to manipulate as well as the mouse for some reason. (It’s probably just me.) However, I must try to adapt and make the best of it.

Life is full of lessons, if only you and I will learn them. My intention in writing these posts is to assist us both in living life as intended. I am a Christian who believes in the fullness of the Good News brought to us through Jesus Christ. If I fail, He forgives me as I ask and offer my true repentance, and likewise He will do for you. Enjoy life and be full of the Joy of the Lord!

UPDATE

2010-12-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

Here we are again at the close of another year. It is amusing how everybody is getting older, the kids are growing up, the memory is short-circuiting on the present, but the past is real clear. I just wanted to write a few words to update things happening in our life.

It has been a busy year for us as a family; love was in the air. Micah got married in August to Ashley. That meant much work earlier in the year for family and friends. My wife did an outstanding job with the decorations; I am proud of her and her work. We are thankful for all the support. I was blessed to officiate the wedding and pronounce them husband and wife.

I am still working for the Housing Authority as a Family Service Coordinator, Carolyn works keeping things up at home and one day a week for our dear friends. Micah remains employed at Vie Del and Ashley is working for the largest retailer in America, Wal Mart. They are living with us temporarily until the economy improves (God willing) and they can save enough to get their own place. Titus , our puppy dog is still with us, although a pain sometimes to accommodate we still love him. He will be nine years old in February; is that 63 in dog years? Wow! If so he is almost as old as me. I did become entitled to Medicare in October, oh my!

During the course of the year we have occasioned trips to the “Happiest Place on Earth.” I’m not sure about renewing our annual passes in April. We do plan a few more trips that way after the holidays. Carolyn and I got to go for three days in November and our friends let us use their motor home. We had a wonderful time. Got some shopping done too while there. I am a big fan of Jiminy Cricket and I finally found a limited edition piece that I purchased which is about eight inches in height, a real nice piece for my collection. Carolyn is still into Cinderella and she got a Marie Osmond Cinderella doll. The kids are into their vinylmations and we got them a couple of things, I think they liked them.

I greet all the readers of this post with best wishes for a blessed Christmas season and an improved new year. Keep Christ at the center and acknowledge His grace to all you come into contact with.

Moving On Up

2010-10-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

I am not certain of where all the time has escaped since my last post. This blog has obviously become a low priority item on my list. However, maybe now I can move it up a notch or two. Only time will tell.

It has been a very busy era of life for us. Our son is now married and is residing with his bride in our upstairs. He is currently working seven days a week during harvest and is exhausted. His wife is working for a famous retailer. Challenges have been faced and conquerored, but continue to rise but victory is ours.

Work has also submitted its challenge to me with loss of personnel and workload increases. There have been so many changes in such short period of time with many difficult clients to deal with.

The best part of this time has been the culmination of a healing from personal wounds that ran deep. I complied with Matthew 5:23; the response I received was given with obvious bias and guilt sent my direction. I refuse to revisit the pain and misunderstandings of that past event. It is time to move on!

We are stronger now in our faith than before. The church organization is no longer our crutch. There I no need to rely on personalities or nepotism to be successful.

We are now actively involved in an amazing church fellowship. My wife and I have been asked to participate in the elder prayer team at close of services. We are hosting a small group study beginning in February 2011; we are currently in training. There are so many opportunities to serve. We have met some very wonderful maturing Christian people. This is our first time to actively attend such a large church (estimated 1,300 attendees at this time). We experience great teaching and worship each time we attend.

WOW!

2010-08-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

Busyness has preoccupied my time to prevent blog posting. Sometimes you just have to set priorities and unfortunately, blogging is low on the list. However, I do feel the need of the therapy it provides and maybe I can soon return to this part of my world to be expressive and creative.

The wedding mentioned in my previous post has taken place. The bride and groom are settling in their new relationship. We are all adjusting to this big change and working on getting things done to bring success to their lives. Hopefully pictures can be soon forthcoming, whenever I get them from my sources.

Work has been very busy too. Makes the days go fast but tires me out. The neurologist has got me on new medication and it may be affecting my tiredness. I do sleep well at night, but my wife says I really snore. What can I say now?

Waggonner Goings On

2010-07-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

In case you have an interest in what has happened to us this blog can provide some deeper insight if you want to read past posts.

Currently we are doing quite well in spite of many obstacles thrown our way. We have learned a lot about friendship and betrayal. The paths of darkness that we have traveled lately are no longer stretches of great magnitude. Contentment has fallen upon us that are difficult to explain. Our disassociation from previous affiliations was humanly forced, ugly and improper but turned to good by the God we serve.

My summation of the matter that confronted us smack in the face and removed us from full time ministry is: “sorry for them, good for us”. I am truly disappointed in a vast number who are in leadership in the organization. I do not believe they have fully executed their responsibility in accordance with God’s mandate to train. My eyes have been opened to this deficit. I have asked God to forgive me of my blindness and flawed focus of ministry that I pursued for a time. I was seeking man’s approval and promotion rather than walking in the fullness of my God given ministry.

Currently we remain in our new 2,769 square foot home we purchased in 2007. We have retained possession in spite of the economy and lack of employment for nine months. We are in a very nice quiet neighborhood with kind neighbors. All bills were kept current.

God provided a very good job for me. I am a Family Service Coordinator for a housing authority. Carolyn continues to maintain our home and just recently started working for a friend one day a week to earn a little extra. Micah continues to work and will soon enjoin married life. God has blessed us all with wonderful health for which we are so grateful.

Although I soon will be 65 years old I do not plan on retiring unless I inherit a good fortune. I do not engage in pulpit ministry activities unless called upon. My job serves as a great opportunity to minister to a multitude of searching peoples fallen upon hard times. I do hold credentials as a doctor of divinity and ordained bishop. I am excited about life and what the future holds in spite of all the bad press. I would encourage all to "look up, your redemption is near."

Networking for Gain

2010-06-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

The social networks accessible by internet lend themselves to a variety of use. There are luring ads that end up costing the gullible more than they anticipated. Offers of winnings that have minutely written disclaimers are abundant. I have seen these advertisements, announcements, and petitions posted by individuals, businesses, and assorted groups. What a tool of deceit and deception! Illusion of immediate gain is a great advantage in this modern system of communication.

Sadly I have observed begging through this media that disappoints me. This method of panhandling is rather subtle and usually represents someone who wants to publicly display a shortage that exists in their life. This could also infer their lack of resourcefulness to resolve life’s obstacles.

I could certainly use extra funds to ease my burden of bills. For example: If I purchase the latest expensive and unnecessary hi-tech item and cannot pay my rent because the money was misused for my pleasure should I expect anyone else to bail me out of my predicament by posting my stress to all on my social network?

Everyone comes upon hard times. I don’t want to be a beggar. My confidence must truly be in God, my provider. He can come through in those times through true face-to-face relationships, not electronic transmissions.

Is posting your needs a matter of putting trust in the omnipotent God who supplies? Is it like taking an offering for your own lack of faith? Do you hope to obtain cash or gifts to declare God is faithful in supplying your needs? I read in my Bible that “motives are weighed by the Lord.”

Consider also that this type of display will show a discerning person how poor of a steward you are in the first place. However, the Bible says, “Let your request be known.” Is that a valid argument to support internet panhandling?

REPOST OF MY EARLIEST BLOG

2010-05-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

I feel it is necessary to repost this blog for those who may have missed it or wonder what happened to us.

WHERE HAVE ALL MY SERMONS GONE

Yep, when I was "evicted"as pastor from the church I began the process of vacating my office. I packed up my pens, pencils, paper, equipment, etc. One of the things I did was dispose of all the sermon notes I had cataloged and preserved in binders. I must say some of them were really good. The 100's of notes had been used, unused, revised and revised again during a period of more than 30 years of ministry. I had never been treated with such disdain by so-called Christians. I taught and preached the Word of God without fear or favor. Hours of prayer and study had been applied to formulate homiletical sermons for the congregations I served in. It could be said some had impact and others were kind of missing something. My last sermon was on Walking In The Spirit. I was told by my superior that it was not appropriate (he didn't even hear it). My response is that I preach what God wants delivered: I obey God rather than man. The price was high but I would do it all over again and with more conviction than then. Well all the notes went into the dumpster at that church and who knows where they ended up, perhaps in some earth-filled dump I suppose. Maybe someone discovered them prior to the trash pick-up and they live on. I don't care. But now I have you to know that the disposal I made of them was my symbolic expression of how the people trashed me. These sermons are stored on CD's. Yeah, isn't that a kick? It was only ink-filled paper that was dumped, but the messages live on in data form accessible on any PC. Perhaps soon I will publish them on a blog. Hang around and see what happens. Father, forgive them for they knew not what they did.

HEY PREACHER!

2010-05-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

Now that I have your attention I want to ask you a very serious question and expand upon its theme with additional thought provoking questions:

First, what are your motives?

Do you perform your ministry out of job profession obligation or God’s love?

Are your goals and intents pure through the call of God?

Are you truly called to your place of ministry?

Is there a spirit of competitiveness within your bosom to become important?

Are you self-aggrandizing to advance in your profession?

Do you crave for hierarchical attention?

Do you please people more than God?

Do you succumb to whims of contributors for the sake of survival?

Is the role of finances more important than the truth that may offend?

Are you joyful in your relationship with the Lord?

Is your family a constant sacrifice for the sake of the church?

Do your sermons reap maturity in the listeners?

Is the size of your congregation more important than the quality of relationships?

Is your “boss” the denomination or God?

Does your community know you exist?

Are you impacting your community effectively?

Do you impose your questionable convictions upon your congregants?

Are your people skills honed and effective?

I believe the above questions will, when answered truthfully, help evaluate your true purpose. Everybody needs change in their life, including preachers. It is critical for the preacher to understand that it is God who weighs our motives. He is the judge we will stand before. We need to continue to be transformed through our rethinking of what is important and what is trivia.

I am truly astounded at the ineptness that is exhibited by preachers who have no formal training. I suggest you apply yourself of available resources. If you are going to write, use correct grammar and punctuation. Be able to support your hypothesis or give good argument for your stance. Check your statements after backing away from them for a while. Reread what you wrote or have someone close to you critique your writing. Don’t unintentionally fall into a pit of unnecessary muck through misuse of the language art. Remember the media of the internet reaches a large audience.

Escape From Presumption

2010-05-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

Recent life events have led me to a “know so” perspective. There is now more clarity of direction and purpose for my life. A certain confidence is within my spirit. In my introverted personality I had failed to realize my individuality. Personalizing comments regarding my activities and endeavors have to take their rightful place and not remain offensive. I certainly need to take charge and not feel intimidated or competitive with my peers or others of seeming powerful influence. There is no need for me to “kiss up”. I can now say that I am finding my own way with respect of good advice and counsel that is given with true concern of my life. I believe in myself more and will not succumb to put-downs by those who do not know the whole facts.

My assertions in the above paragraph are meant to assist the reader in finding their rightful place in life too. Each of our life assignments must be taken under the guidance of Scripture and the wisdom imparted to us through life experiences. We should not avoid counsel and advice of family and friends, but ultimately we will have to take responsibility for our decision and suffer the choice, right or wrong. Not all advice and criticism is valid. Weigh each piece of information with the tools you have been given: your sound mind, Scripture, and common sense. A view to the future is advantageous.

Competitiveness should be conducive to personal growth. This is matter of doing what you have been called to do; finish the race God has put you in with integrity and character always in place. I will no longer allow false or phony presumption to overrule truth unfolding in my life.

Wannabes, Ponder This .....

2010-04-30T14:23:00.001-07:00

I chuckle about people who must put themselves out front to be acknowledged. They thrive on attention. Their efforts to obtain response are not always subtle. It seems as though they have something deep within that is crying for attention. They love to have attention lavished on them and their particular situation. Many would describe their personality as extroverted. I might describe it as obnoxious.

It is true that everyone has a desire to be appreciated and recognized in a positive and received manner. Each individual, extrovert and introvert, has a God given destiny to fulfill in life and when we attain goals toward that destiny acknowledgement or praise is deserved and earned. Our life purpose cannot always be ascertained immediately because of the comparison mode each of us find ourselves encumbered by so often. There will be failures along the way to our destiny. Distractions can interfere with our duty to perform. We also have to combat the external forces of jealousy and possibly even hatred.

Some people are takers and others are contributors. Self-sacrifice for the benefit of others is a rare character trait. “Wannabe” attitude overwhelms the average person. Motivation comes at varying levels. Pats on the back can often sustain us in moments of slow down. There are also many emotional events that assist or prevent attainment of goals.

Society can make or break individuals as well as groups of cooperative people. We have to revert back to where our real strength of perseverance comes from. Is it the God we reverently serve? Is it our ego we loudly declare?

I will no longer let people dictate my conscience or determine my destiny. I am determined to walk in the paths that my great Shepherd leads.

OUR HOPE

2010-04-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

May the true meaning of Easter come to light in the souls of men. My cry is for humanity to grasp the truth of Christianity that will ultimately redeem all responding individuals. It saddens my heart that there will be those among humanity that will reject God’s plan and thus be lost forever by their own choice. For God is not willing that any perish (John 3:17).

My message to the president would be: Please SERVE our nation, not with your own party’s agenda, but rather with the heartbeat of compassion for doing what is right in God’s sight. Of course if you don’t believe in God and His Son, then we are all in trouble. Do not compromise the Declaration of Independence and Constitution by forcing laws and liberal thinking upon us contrary to the original intent of our founding forefathers.

My hope does not lie in government but rather in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ my Lord. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

I would also like to note the sacrifices of our nation’s military on this occasion. A co-workers son was recently injured in Afghanistan and is in critical but stable condition. Photos brought me to reality of what is really happening. These men and women desire our support and we must pray for them and the nation they are serving in.

An Apology

2010-03-22T10:17:00.001-07:00

You may not deem it necessary for me to apologize for not posting for more than a month. However, I must do so for my own sake, because my intentions were to post at least twice a month some little thought or my much needed therapy.

In this post I would just like to say that it has been a very busy season with work issues and exciting family things that will come to light in a future post. I hope my readers will continue to check out information in the future here.

Many of the readers I have are contacts through Facebook. I find this tool amazing and informative. I remain interested in people of my past even though they may have gone different directions or could care less about me. Long relationships should be cherished if possible. But I must remind myself that it is a two way street. If they choose not to remain in contact I must accept their rejection of friendship gracefully and let God heal.

Thanks for stopping by/ Check back often. Hope to post regularly again soon.

Healing of Time

2010-02-14T17:40:00.000-08:00

My writing about the terrible wrongdoing against my person and family has become a soiled spot in my life that is fading with each passing day. The odious act is blending in with the background of my life. The stain will remain for posterity, but I will be clean from its stigma. I only reiterate it briefly here to make a point. The expression that “time heals all wounds” has some semblance of truth. Although my anger has diminished, there remains a need to continue therapy through this method.

I have learned lessons from the experience that will be reflected in how I manage my future. I now realize the insignificance and ineptness of those who masterminded the offense. I loudly proclaim that we did not just disappear from the scene or ride off into the sunset to die in the desert of despair. They may have liked or expected it that way. They must recognize the requirement to repent and apologize with true remorse to affect my reception of any expression of “sorry” now. The injury they inflicted knowingly and wantonly upon me, my integrity, and family must be understood. This was a very serious alliance against us. Their expectation of no retribution for such appalling operation is absurd. The anguish we initially felt was very deep and difficult to get over. We have crossed over into a better land of promise.

I have determined to shake it off and get on with God’s call in my life within the boundaries He allows. My course has been altered but God has made the crooked places straight for me to follow. To permit myself to fester over the incident only brings me down to their level. The abandonment and betrayal now serve as my strength to rely more upon God; I want to live on a level far above the devil.

The meaning of Romans 8:28 is clearly revealed through God’s demonstration of caring oversight and protection for us in spite of the jealousy and ill-will directed toward us. His amazing grace sustains us. I no longer want to avenge myself; I am blessed in a most improved way. I am no longer bound by traditions and schedules. Trying to please those of authority is not contributing to my success; I was misguided.

The Lord says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” My Lord is just. Any vengeance of poor health, financial struggles, marital problems, and the like all are permitted from the heavenly. Hopefully the lessons can be quickly learned and repentance proffered.

My sights are now focused upon fulfilling God’s will in my life. I am determined to not allow any past event ruin my future as determined and led by God. Reference to the event will be used in the future to emphasize God’s power and provision. I do not serve man and acknowledge that it is better to obey than sacrifice. New doors have opened for us in manners that are amazing. My current job allows me the freedom necessary to influence through counsel many people, staff and clients. It is truly ministry. I also use the internet through blogging and podcasting to get God’s message out. (Check out these two sites: http://lwaggonner.blogspot.com/ and http://lawman45.podbean.com/#.) Plans are to eventually get a website of my own and post materials, podcasts, and video blogs. My intent is to keep real and avoid religious platitudes that are shunned by most of society. I want my message to touch and transform lives, not make somebody religious. We have too much religion and not enough relationship in the world already.

Adherents to legalism need to take note. You have put on the appearance of holiness but Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and said they were, “full of dead men’s bones.” By subjecting and imposing your rules on others you too are prone to be Pharisaical. Surely you are smarter than a Pharisee. Might I suggest you establish and live your own convictions and respect differences? Remember, God looks on the heart, not the outward appearance. I believe it is our attitude that determines our altitude. Living in the true liberty of Christ will ensure our place in heaven. That liberty will not infringe upon any one else’s liberty. The Bible declares Christ is the vine and we are the branches and cautions us to abide in the vine. My life (limb) may be adjacent to yours or far away, but our source of life is one in the same.

This is not to excuse or even forget what occurred in the past. It may well serve as a launch pad for dealing with serious matters in life as time continues to march on. Every event in our life can destroy or impart blessings to us. I must choose to live above my circumstances and not let them get my spirit down. It is also important that I not be used by Satan to bring destruction to someone else’s life.

Wisdom?

2010-02-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

(February 2, 2010) I went to the dentist. I had to have one of my wisdom teeth extracted, the upper left. Actually it went quite well along with a deep cleaning for part of my teeth. The extracted tooth had an unfixable cavity. It did remove the tooth ache pain I had been having for several days. I only experienced soreness and tenderness of the gum for a time.

I made several comedic remarks on Facebook about the loss of some of my wisdom. I know it really is only a moniker for the tooth identity.

According to Wikipedia, “A wisdom tooth is in humans any of the usually four third molars, including mandibular third molar and maxillary third molar. Wisdom teeth usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25. They are generally thought to be called wisdom teeth because they appear so late—much later than the other teeth, at an age where people are presumably "wiser" than as a child, when the other teeth erupt. The English wisdom tooth is derived from Latin dens sapientiae. The same root is shared by numerous other languages. There exists a Dutch folk etymology which states that the Dutch word for wisdom tooth verstandskies is derived from "far-standing" (ver-staand) molar, and that mistranslations of the Dutch word (in which verstand translates to wisdom) are the root for corresponding words in other European languages.”

I thought this was interesting information. Further etymology of “wisdom teeth” can be found on the Wikipedia website as well as other sites.

I did enjoy having fun with all my friends and playing on the word usage. The nice thing about the extraction was the removal of pain. This reminds me of life, when we get rid of the source of our trouble things are improved. It’s kind of ironic to discuss the removal of a “wisdom” tooth to lessen our pain.

A Return to the Past but Looking to the Futue

2010-02-01T12:11:00.000-08:00

Our recent opportunity to return to fellowship and minister to a community of believers of our past was comfortable and felt normal. It was if we had never left and yet we realize it was over eleven years since we moved away. We had returned a few times on short visits but none of them were like this time. It was so comforting and encouraging to be received with such open arms and graciousness. We felt appreciated and loved. I must say this is really the consistency of Christ’s love that should be practiced by all congregations. Their receptivity to our presence and the messages is a reflection on the positive leadership they have. In our hearts we desire to be with them permanently again, however, we must let God direct our steps and continue to be lead by His Holy Spirit.

We live our life in the spirit of Romans 8:28. The past events can be used as learning tools for our future; it can never be rewritten or redone. No matter how hard we try, we cannot change the past. Now we have to press on to improving our talents and abilities with God’s will to be the primary directive for the present and the future. In the meantime, if we error, we should ask for forgiveness and continue the journey onward to the prize of the high calling. Someone once said, “Yesterday is a cancelled check, tomorrow is a promissory note, but today is ready cash so use it wisely.” If I spend all my time living with regret I will not have time for today or tomorrow.

“Don’t worry!” “Be Happy!” Good words to live by. Fretting over what cannot be changed saps your energy to do what can be done. Our trust and confidence must be in the Lord who takes care of us today and knows what the future holds. Finding contentment is knowing who holds the future.

BUSY!

2010-01-22T16:09:00.000-08:00

I have recently slacked in writing for this blog. My excuses include working on other matters ad nauseum. I believe that is my final answer. In any case I hope the reader has had good things happening in their life during this lull. It is not as though nothing was going on, for things were transpiring.

A couple of things I’m doing to take my time from writing for this blog are developing a podcast and working on an organizational plan for “stuff.” It is my desire to implement both of these events. So far I’ve completed one podcast with the assistance of my son as the producer and my wife as director. The feedback on the podcast has been very positive. My goal is to post one podcast every week; they will be no longer than 10 minutes each. I will not divulge the depths of the organizational task at this time, but I do intend to keep on track as much as possible. (I’m already behind though.)

The next two weekends will take us out of town for ministry.(I’m going to get more behind.) We look forward to make the connection with old friends in another community. I am thankful that their grace has superseded all other disconnections imposed on us.

My next posts I will try to reflect on the experience of our visit and write something profound.

Pilot Podcast Now Posted

2010-01-19T16:27:00.000-08:00

My first podcast has been produced and posted. You can listen to this 8 minute production by clicking on the link to the right of this page under Podcast (lawman45). Your feedback is appreciated and helpful.

Reconnecting

2010-01-11T09:45:00.001-08:00

This month my wife and I have a blessed opportunity to reconnect with church family from another community we were part of several years ago. We will be with them for three week-ends. These are God loving people for sure. They do not mind expressing their feelings toward us with the love of Christ. These attributes are what makes the Christian life make sense.
I have the distinct privilege of providing pulpit ministry to them during these visits. They are attentive and receptive, that makes it a great joy to preach and share messages. They accept us and the message in its total content, good and bad. Our lives are enriched by knowing them. These are the kind of people I want to be in Heaven with for sure.

These people readily accepted us initially. They assisted us when we have gone through difficult times. They continue to believe in us. Wow! What a great privilege to know them all.

NEW YEAR

2010-01-04T19:59:00.001-08:00

Here we are in the year 2010. I don’t know where the time has gone. In 2009 we saw some tough economy but God certainly kept us with our head above water financially. The cash accounts are truly bone dry presently but that gives Him opportunity to let it never run out like the prophet did for the widow and her meal barrel. I look for a blessed year, spiritually and financially and it will be a God thing.

This year I plan to do a podcast with my son’s assistance. I’m not sure of the topics I will indulge in discussing at this time but stay tuned and I will let you know. I want them to be helpful to the listener with nourishment to satisfy their hunger and thirst for things of God. If this works out we might even graduate to a video blog; time will tell and experience will happen I’m sure.

Christmas Thoughts

2009-12-23T12:07:00.000-08:00

Advent and Christmas are wonderful times of the year. Personally, for me the excitement of these celebrations revolves around family and traditions that mildly fluctuate through the years.

Church has always been an integral part of the Christmas season for me. I pleasantly recall simple recitations by the children, singing of carols, preparation of the platform for a Christmas play and pageants of the birth of Christ and celebratory banquets.

Coming from a less financially fortunate family, it wasn’t nor is it about gifts so much as the smells and sounds that represent a joyful time. I love the special aromas filling the house. It meant spending time with those we loved and enjoying breaking bread together at a family table filled with abundance and good tastes. Then there were update conversations about how each of us were doing. The gift exchange was fun and often exciting, especially for the younger children.

As the years have passed family has become distanced and getting together is more difficult. The family is growing but diversity and accessible options limit the willingness to unite. It is difficult to please everyone with being present and participating in those old traditions of gift giving and opening of presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. But I would hope my family would not forget the real reason for Christmas. Let’s celebrate the coming of a Savior to redeem our lost souls.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2009-12-18T16:03:00.000-08:00

Wishing all my blog readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I am not sure how much I will be composing for postings over the next few days. I would emphasize the importance of remembering why we celebrate this time of year, it is about one great gift given to all who will receive, JESUS.

VERNACULAR EXPRESSIONS

2009-12-14T23:02:00.001-08:00

Please humor me in this diatribe and don’t take offense.

I am curious about a term used to describe a time of being in a church service. People post on the internet that their church service “rocked” or “rocks”. Can one of you be more specific about what that means in comparative terms?

Until I get an explanation or response to my query allow me to surmise with the following:

If “rocked” or “rocks” means top of the chart feelings, would “stoned” or “stones” mean a little more or less than the top notch feeling? I know it previously meant drunk or high on drugs. It could also refer to extraneous particles in the bladders. I am not sure the Apostle Paul or any of the early church patriarchs would want to be in a church that rocked or stoned in that case.

Continuing on the same vein of analysis it would possibly follow that” graveled” or “gravels” would be an even lesser level of excitement. Gravel being a smaller size than stone or rock. You ever walk barefoot on gravel?

That makes it possible to reduce an assessment of calling a boring time in church “sanded” or “sands”. I know Jesus was a carpenter and all, but to say “Jesus sands” might be appropriate but misunderstood.

We could then proceed to the insignificant description of “atomized”. But then one can realize the power of the atom bomb which when released was really more than “rocked” , “stoned”, “graveled”, and “sanded.”

I think I have opened up a door to a serious and inexplicable dilemma. What do you think? Our vernacular is in a constant state of flux.

Christmas

2009-12-11T21:43:00.000-08:00

The Christmas season is here. As a child I looked forward to this time of year and it seemed forever getting here each year. There was anticipation of vacation from school, visiting family, Christmas programs at church, the smell of pine trees, sounds of Christmas carols and good will expressed everywhere. Now it comes so rapidly. What has happened?

Like most children, I looked forward to presents under the tree. I really didn’t ask for much and as time passed I expected even less. As an adult I see commercialism lessens the significance of the real celebration. It seems to be all about the economy. But I must focus on the reason for the season. The pageants and programs must continue to convey the celebration of the birth of a Savior. It is a happy time because of Jesus coming to earth. I find no fault with gift giving and sharing at any time. But, He is our greatest gift and source of peace in time of turmoil.

The secularist view pervades our religious representations with obtuse objections. They want to change the focus by calling it a winter holiday and using an “x” to replace “Christ” is an all too common practice. But I remind them that the “x” in Greek is “chi” and can well be the initial of Christ. Persecution of believers seems to be the underlying motive for their attacks about Christ-centered displays in public places. Christians awake! Do you remember the godless society of the USSR which failed? Are we headed in that direction with proposed and pending legislation that contains laws that contradict the message of the Bible?

The one true message of this season of Advent is found in Luke’s Gospel chapter two, 7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Lets keep the message alive. Merry CHRISTmas

Our Neighborhood

2009-12-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

We are blessed to live in our particular neighborhood. It is rather quiet most of the time. Our street is one block long running east and west with a perpendicular short street to the north. We are on the corner lot where the streets meet. These are Cambridge Homes by Lennar and our development is called Coventry Village. There are about six different model styles. Our home is known as the Windsor and is the second largest in square footage.

To my best understanding occupants on our block include a doctor, two nurses, correctional officers, a policeman, two navy pilots, office workers, a mechanic, and a technician. I believe those vocations prevail in the entire development. Our immediate neighbor to the east has two small children and we hardly ever see them. Two of our neighbors across the street have just become parents. The only other children are on the northeast corner and the southeast side of our block.

Animal noises are minimal. I think most keep their dogs inside. There is one large cat we see tripping our sensor light occasionally.

The whole neighborhood is only three or four years old. Everyone in the village seems to take care of their home decently. Lawns and landscaping are generally neat and clean.

The Past in Memory

2009-12-04T10:44:00.000-08:00

The challenge of living in my world is sometimes exhausting and confusing. I can also say that sometimes living is exciting and rewarding. So what is it that makes all of this stuff in my life “tick?” The winding of my clock is done by influencers and a Divine source above all. If I were to have my way, perhaps someone else would not be having their way. Does that make any sense? This is a deep philosophical discussion. I may not be able to turn back the hands of time but I can recall the past.

Certain intonations (sounds) stimulate my visual memory and other senses to replay prior periods or particular events in my life. I believe this assists validation of my experiences. It is not that such experiences are necessarily epiphanies; they are events that impacted my life and gave some direction, choice, and influence. Experience is always good advice whether it was tragic or wonderful when applied as a lesson. For me the noise of reminder might be a musical piece, a déjà vu place or person.

This phenomenon brings enlightenment to my personal spirit. I am reassured by the particular remembrances that I have lived life and for the most part savor my experiences. I want to continue to value events of my life and the involvement of others. As I do this I can give value to others who bring influences into my life. “No man is an island” certainly holds true.

I recently took a personality test designed by Myers-Briggs. The test results determined my personality type as ISTJ. This was no surprise to me because for a long time I have accepted that defining of my personality. I try to analyze situations from within before making a decision. As I grow older I do react and speak more quickly. This response may be due to maturity and clearer purpose of my life. I am sensitive to the impact of my decision and generally think before judging.

I love to reminisce and share meaningful events. Precious memories puts value on my life.

Rethinking Faith

2009-12-02T20:18:00.000-08:00

I have recently had to rethink many of the positions, ideologies, philosophies, and interpretations of the Scriptures held by the many in my former organization. Their belief may be due to lack of training. My involvement came abruptly to an end from this denomination in which I served all of my adult life until the end of 2007. (I was an ordained Pastor.) The event leading to my exodus caused a deep wound that is healing with positive results. It was my personal choice to part ways with the organization after failure of support from superiors over the unwarranted act against me.

At this time I feel enlightened and unburdened by legalistic concepts that were so subtle and daunting at times within the spoken and unspoken realm of the denomination. Looking from the outside offers a view that is too frequently overlooked. This doesn’t mean that I have thrown out my heritage; some principles and doctrine remain intact and vital to my present life. For this reason I now consider myself an Independent Reformed Pentecostal (IRP).

Some specificity of interpretation and application I formerly adhered to are simply not mandated by Scripture. In any situation when rules and expectations imposed on you because of private interpretation they are simply inappropriate. This type of imposition would be defined as legalism to appease current leadership. Holiness is from within and should not be misconstrued to allow unwarranted judgment of character or integrity. I will respect those who hold to opinions in as much as they do not interfere with the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that sets us free.

Some of my former friends within the organization will call my position heretical. I would caution them about their judgment. I continue to hold to the basic tenets of Pentecostalism as they serve the Biblical purposes intended. The leadership must educate themselves more thoroughly in hermeneutics and theology before they rush to judgment on my behalf. It is time for them to recognize the trouble is often with the “good old boys club” mentality; denial of its existence doesn’t erase its influence. The adherents to traditions for tradition’s sake are often stumbling blocks to the propagation of the Gospel.

I continue to esteem those who have ignorantly held to certain unsupported principles or standards but impacted my life to search the truth. Our understanding of God’s purpose for humanity is not always clear cut, but it is definitely true that Scripture remains clear when clearness counts. Many legalisms are connected to on-going antiquated, useless traditions or opinions of men. If these traditions and opinions do not edify others then they are worthless in effectuating God’s Kingdom principles.

I can certainly say that it is true about reformation; it happens during oppressing times and can effectively bring clarity. Reformation may also be accompanied by unjustified persecution from previous affiliations. These attacks have served to strengthen my attachment to the truth revealed to me. My goal is to avoid any animosity towards former acquaintances because of their belief or position. However, I cannot stymie my enlightened perspective by remaining silent.

And so, am I passing judgment upon those cited above? That is certainly not my intent. However, you can analyze and reach certain conclusions by the results of their productivity. My righteousness is in Christ alone and that will be my salvation. Am I blaming someone for something? No, any measure of innocence or guilt will be determined by the Chief Judge and God of Creation on that day.

Ongoing Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T17:43:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving Day 2009 has come to a close. However, this does not mean thanksgiving from us has ceased. On the contrary, we have so much on a daily basis to be thankful for. The special day in November is meant to be a reminder of all the sacrifices made for establishing a nation based on principles from the Bible with the religious freedom that is often taken for granted. It is recognition of a connection with those who accept the bounty offered. We plant, water, and harvest but it is God who gives the increase. We should be careful not to detract in our modern thinking from the godly destiny that enabled our forefathers to set this nation in order and bring improved government better than ever experienced in the old world. I want to hold to the original intent of our founding fathers.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T14:32:00.000-08:00

For me this can be a very nostalgic time of year. The brisk fall air and less daylight bring back memories of my youth when I waited seemingly forever for those extended vacations from school. Now that years have accumulated behind me these days pass too rapidly. My fondest recollections are gathering with family and good home cooked meals and desserts.

The three of us are planning on being with my oldest niece and family. For me it will be a time of discussing and exchanging information about our lives, present and past. A lot of talk will take place. At this stage, very little television will occupy our attention during our stay. That at least has been the pattern for the past several visits. I think our family members are very capable of providing much better and higher quality entertainment than the TV personalities anyway.

I believe we have wonderful and loving family. We don’t always see eye-to-eye on every issue but we overcome obstacles with our love and care. Age certainly has a way of bringing mellowness to our life. Life is too short to be mean to our kin.

I will continue to love and pray for the members of my family. They have demonstrated a worthiness of being my relatives. I will overlook any skeletons that may be in the closets and resign those judgments to God. God is a forgiving God and I likewise need to employ that attribute as well.

Happy Thanksgiving, You All!

Comments

2009-11-21T18:49:00.000-08:00

I have scanned a lot of “Christian” blogs of late. There is much variety in the postings from all religious fields. Opinions are expressed, Scripture is cited, and refutations are proffered. Some posts are very strong and adamant on their position or interpretation.

What I would hope to see in these posts is a clear acknowledgement that Jesus is the Christ and receiving Him as Lord and Savior resolves the one crucial issue of where one will spend eternity. The Gospel is our hope. It is wonderful to have our minds expanded by different perspectives of doctrine. We have to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.

And now that I have posted this brief statement those passing by my blog will do their liberty in analysis or critiquing. Just do it . . . the ball is in your court. Remember, Life is a game with serious consequences when it’s over.

Titus, Our Dog

2009-11-19T19:37:00.000-08:00

This is our loyal pooch, Titus. He was abandoned when our son brought him home, full of ticks and fleas at about 6 weeks old. We became attached to him and he has been with us now over seven years. He is a chihuahua terrier mix. Titus is smart as a whip and does 8 or more tricks for us.

I wish some people would be as forgiving as our dog. He still gets excited when he sees us after a brief absence of a few hours even. Oh what we could learn from Titus!

God in Our Lives

2009-11-15T22:18:00.000-08:00

I am excited about God's presence in our lives. There is a settled calmness and clear sense of direction that had been evasive for so long. If this feeling doesn't last, it will at least be remembered. All events leading us to this point in our life has not been pleasant or easy. Now, in retrospect, Divine intervention has worked all things out for our benefit. Forgiveness reigns in our hearts and our assessments are tempered by God's love.

Regrets? ..... None really.
Relief? ..... You better believe it!
Restoration? .... Better than before minus the "trash" of pseudoisms .
Relativity? ..... A clearer picture of purpose and Divine destiny.

We all have come to realize what matters and what doesn't. who matters and who doesn't. Our focus is upon Jesus the Christ. He is the recipient of our attention in life's situations. The truth must prevail and we want to be the carriers of the message that sets men free from the grip of Satan.

Info For Pastors

2009-11-14T22:54:00.000-08:00

I asked myself whether or not I could contribute to advising a pastor. After serving as an associate for many years and transitioning to senior pastor I felt some things are missed by the novice who accepts a pastorate for the first time. And so here is a brief word to the newbie.

During your tenure as pastor you will meet many different peoples. Personalities range from the pleasant to the bizarre. Many of these do not have an understanding of what a pastor is and how he/she is accessible, what limitations exist in counseling, how they make a living, et cetera. You will not be able to teach many of them any of this so just move on in a pastoral way.

You will be in the public eye and subject to close scrutiny by most. Both you and your family will be under the microscope. The best way to live is with honesty and a transparency that shows compassion with other attributes and disciplines conducive to being a minister. Live according to the instructions of the pastoral epistles of the New Testament. Know how to answer what you believe, doubting not. Pray. Judge not. Pray. Listen more than you speak. Pray. Study His Word. Pray.

A Salute

2009-11-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

Today was Veteran's Day and I want to salute all my fellow veterans and current military personnel. I served because I was proud to be an American and was willing to offer my service of loyalty in the U.S. Air Force. In spite of the many varied opinions about military force, I would still be willing to serve for our great country and the founding fathers' principles. There are many faults found in our history but when we looked to values that were Judeo-Christian our nation was blessed. The deviations now found in our government disappointment me. My enlistment can now only be in the capacity as an intercessor-- praying for our country and those responsible for its direction. Join with me and lets fight for a restoration of a world leading nation.

Information Overload?

2009-11-06T20:26:00.000-08:00

We live in an era of information overload. With the advent of the internet, satellite TV, cell phones and a multiplicity of other modern hi-tech devises we are influenced or stimulated to act or react to information almost immediately. Care must be taken to weigh the data we are given with some standard that is consistent, reliable, and dependable.

It is critical that we don’t consider everything we read or hear is the absolute truth. The simplistic answer often lies within us. Too many have allowed those truth senses to lie dormant or suppressed. The suppression is dangerous because it permits changes to the norm or obscures the correct conclusion.

Instantaneous information is a useful byte in some instances. There is a serious need for discernment of truth. That may well be the doubt that surfaces and brings to question the validity of a discovery, person, or event.

Will science ever find the missing link? Will they ever scientifically establish the origin of man? Probably not, our rules of scientific proof fail time and again leading us to false assumptions or subsequently disproved conclusions. However, in the pursuit of these God-omitted ventures, other helpful discoveries can be made. That demonstrates what God is able to do; taking something humankind has developed in error and using it to bring about something good.

It is amazing to me that an anthropologist can take a few unearthed bones and with aid of an artist they concoct a complete image of our alleged ancient relative. Absurd and illogical by their standards is what I would conclude. They have no accurate measuring tool, namely that of observation. These inductive reasoning methods are often proven false with the passing of time. And why is it that the discoveries are so sparse and usually in remote locations? This is not to say that the bones or fragments are not of prehistorical origin of some life form. Imagination plays a great role in artistic re-creations that are not verifiable.

We accept many things by faith. Looking at the intricate formation of living organisms, one with a rational mind should conclude that a higher source has created. Perhaps it is the desire for authority or recognition that motivates a researcher to seek out origins with validations. Validation without God always seems to have missing information or errors in conclusion. Is this all because we have so much information available that the truth is hidden in the intricate weave of the whole picture?

As mature adults we must separate fact from fiction.

An Anniversary Remembrance

2009-11-05T18:48:00.000-08:00

This month marks the two year milestone of an ugly attack we experienced as a family. It is an anniversary I wish I would never remember. The personal damage was the most horrendous experience of our lives. Recently our full recovery from this devastating incident has almost been fulfilled. The scab of the wound occasionally gets painfully bumped and we apply bandages.

All of us are better people today than we were two years ago. We have forgiven and moved forward, thus allowing God to resolve the wrong-doing. A glimpse of God’s vengeance in the incident has been recently revealed to me. By His Spirit He told me that I will see His vengeance delivered and it will be soon.

It has been a difficult road but we look forward to reaping greater benefits. We know that we are more than conquerors! We are happy campers! What the devil meant for harm has been turned around for our good “just like the Bible says.”

Living With Character and Integrity

2009-10-31T20:04:00.000-07:00

What has happened to man in his pursuit of living life to the full as set forth in Scripture? Within every human being is the desire to accomplish something in life, hopefully with character and integrity intact after it is done. One must avoid actions like “It doesn’t matter who you step on, friend or foe, while on your way to your self-defined happiness.” An “all about me” generation has stepped on the stage and acted out their lusts. The importance of integrity has faded in this world of corruption. Character and integrity is lost with efforts to be successful at any price.

Our confidence must be placed in a more sure thing. The dependability of God's word rests entirely upon His unchanging character. He is not only the God of truth, He is truth itself. Therefore, we can rely with complete confidence on whatever He says. Balaam spoke of God's trustworthiness when he said, "God is not a man, that He should lie" (Numbers 23:19). Abraham also found this as, "being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform" (Romans 4:21). Looking at God's promise from a human point of view, we might say that He has more at stake than we do. We stand to lose our soul; He stands to lose His character.

During America's dark days of slavery, a man walked up to a young slave on the auctioneer's block and asked, "If I buy you and take you to my beautiful home, will you be honest and truthful?" The black youth responded, "I will be honest and truthful whether you buy me or not." His conduct did not depend on circumstances. He was for real. Likewise, our profession of faith in Christ must always be authentic.

We know that salvation is of the Lord. (Psalms 27:1).

What preserves us? Are we preserved for the moment only later to be consumed by a bigger problem? What=s the use of trying?

A New Chapter

2009-10-27T19:51:00.000-07:00

It is a new chapter in our life. Yes, the book is still being written, although recently at times it felt like it ended abruptly. Perhaps it would be better to call it a sequel. Even though others’ decisions have been forced upon us God is turning it to a favorable position for us so the story continues.

We are in a new place that is not necessarily a comfort zone but an opportunity to grow more in God’s grace. It is a place to grow beyond the mundane routine we found ourselves in. There is new vision, new opportunity, new respect and new relationships growing out of the process. It is uncertain where it will finally lead us but we know it will be God’s will.

The sustaining provisions are not what we have been customarily comfortable with; adjustments and compensation must be made. At times it seems awkward. We walk in unfamiliar territory and get a new perspective on the goal set before us. Caution must be taken to avoid destroying what is already ordained of God; at times our feelings must be overruled. The truth will set free.

Our lips must be guarded to avoid doing as we have been done. It is too easy to offer retribution. Loss such as we have experienced is difficult to overcome. There must be a reliance on God to avenge us and we must pray for our enemies. I would not dismiss the judgment that will come without true repentance to those who have knowingly wreaked the disaster.

Less stress in the great advantage discovered in this new chapter. There was so much pressure placed upon us in our former position and God has shown us the relief we can have being removed from that place. It’s an escape from the unreasonable expectations placed upon us by people. The demands of perfection created complex and pointless matters to wade through.

Accountability is the responsible way to conduct life but excessive rules and restrictions that are non-biblical establish horrible expectations that eventually destroy the person. Those who keep score on these trivial matters will doubtless be judged by the same standard. Condemnation tears down a person’s character instead of bringing the much needed biblical edification.

A denomination that has overridden Scripture to enforce lifestyle upon its constituents has overstepped its boundary. Expectation of the presbytery exceeds biblical principles; this is reverting to legalism. The alleged return to the old paths is not the message. It should be a new way, albeit straight and narrow with a Holy God, not a Holy hierarchy. I remain biblically a Pentecostal. I would further qualify my stance by calling myself a Reformed Pentecostal; freed from the radical deviation of rules and orders ascribing to things such as KJV only, avoiding theaters, etc. The particular group of people needs to avoid snubbing the alleged violators of their standards; God will send a rain that will fill up their upturned noses and drown them.

The Amazing Race

2009-10-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

Television programming is overrun with reality shows with various themes. I enjoy watching The Amazing Race. It involves teams of at least two people in assorted relationships working together through obstacles of time tables, strange cultures and unfamiliar countries with varied challenges to get to a predetermined destination first. The last team to arrive faces elimination. The race doesn't play gender, age, or strength favorites in how it can be won.

There are many legs of the race to complete before there is any respite of struggle. Everything is a test of endurance, cooperation, and chance. Strange places and customs become part of the challenge. It is a test of character and the strength of relationship. There must be resolve and stamina to finish. The teams must take advantage of rest periods.

Particulars of the show include: teamwork, roadblocks, clues, physical and mental challenges, fast forwards, eliminations, travel documents, rewards, etc. The winner's prize is a million dollars.

God has designed a race that has more than a million dollar prize as a final goal. We are teamed with the Holy Spirit. He will assure us of a successful completion because He is our guide.

The preacher puts it like this: Ecclesiastes 9:10-12 “I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.”

If we value what lies at the end of our life then we must know why we were created and the purpose for which we have been called. Paul states it like this, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.” (Acts 20:23-25)

Interference like roadblocks crop up unexpectedly and totally distract us from the final prize. “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?” (Galatians 5:6-8)

Our ultimate goal is like the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

The Christian race is challenging and filled with many obstacles that are unfamiliar to us. We may have never faced them before. But our success is guaranteed if we follow our teammate’s guidance. The Holy Spirit will not fail us; we will never be left alone although we can act alone. The experiences of the race will enhance our testimony to others.

In our terms we feel like it is a fight or an exhausting race that has challenge after challenge. We mist focus on the prize set before us knowing it will be worth it all. Truly we are in an amazing race to an amazing place.

THANK YOU!

2009-10-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

Today is the 64th anniversary of my birth. Wow! I am amazed that I have aged to this time. A lot of water has gone under the bridge in these years. Wonderful parents nurtured me through my youth. There are so many marvelous memories I have of them. My siblings were also instrumental in my upbringing. Thanks to all of you.

I have experienced many good things. I waited a long time to find my life partner, Carolyn. She became my special Sunhine in 1983. I’ve enjoyed calling her my wife for over 26 years. I thank her for her tolerance in all of my stubborness.

In December 1984 we were blessed to have Micah Allen be our offspring. I appreciate his honor to us. I am happy to call him my son.

In all past birthday celebrations I have not seen so much well-wishing that I have this year. Facebook.com has enhanced ability of people to respond readily and easily to give well-wishes. Technology is wonderful! Thanks to all my family and friends!

Most of all my thanks go from my heart to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So many times I would be so lost without Him to guide me. He is my strong tower in times of storm; life is not always smooth sailing.

I feel so blessed!

Marketing Under A New Paradigm

2009-10-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

The more things change, the more they are the same. [Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose] -Alphonse Karr, Les Guêpes, January, 1849

I know hospitals as places where acute and basic medical care is administered. Now these institutions are using terms like “medical center” to describe their business. But I would note that their original intent is still to provide medical care. Only the name has changed and their services becoming more advanced and specialized. These institutions remain by true definition a hospital with their original intent and purpose still the primary focus.

In the past few months I have noticed a lot of advertisings or postings by pastors and staff about events they stage at their church. Some omit the word “church”; I surmise that the new paradigm prefers the use of “campus” or other titles of sponsorship. I know that “campus” had been a term specifically to describe a place of education, and of course the church needs to be a place of learning.

Why this shift in names now? The auto industry employed the term “station wagon” a few decades ago but now it’s called an SUV. These vehicles are improved but still serve as transportation for a family. The caution I offer is to watch out for trends for the sake of trends. Is the campus still giving sound teaching and enabling transport to heaven?

It’s all about marketing your “product.” It may be easier for some people to attend such meeting on a campus. The term releases a preconceived stigma attached to this institution known as a church. To use a cliché, maybe it is a trick of the trade. Is that sugar-coating the Gospel? Whatever the reason, the leadership of the campus must be sure the message is the same and the original intent and purpose remains. I do not believe God erred when He put His plans together in the Bible. He definitely knows marketing but He leaves it up to His ordained to follow the plan.

It is not being puritanical to preach the unadulterated Word of God. Although it is not a matter of sales for profit, it must be marketed to the public in a fashion that enlarges God’s Kingdom. It is a serious thing to remember that all things done in the church or on a campus must be Spirit driven. God will not share His glory with any one. It is not about marketing your program or agenda, rather it is about giving Jesus to the spiritually hungry and thirsty.

I’ve also noticed many churches establishing unique names to identify their mission. There is a tendency to get away from denominational connections. This may be a step in the right direction. The covering of a hierarchy has turned from true support into a set of useless codifications that hamper the expansion of the church. The umbrella of covering that a church needs is the blood of Christ and the by-laws of Scripture.

The church is not a theater, circus, or carnival. Does your campus entertain the attendees? Call it a tabernacle, church, or campus; your marketing must be such to exhibit the transforming, nourishing, and sustaining power of God. There must be integrity in your outreach to the community.

What Would You Do?

2009-10-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. [NIV]

An aged sage once quoted this statement to me, “Advice is free, counsel will cost you, but if you can use either one it’s a miracle.” I believe this quote expresses the frustration of so many counselees. Our friends are often like Job’s counselors of old. They make analysis from a narrow perspective and dole out opinion that is often in error.

For counselors there is a tremendous challenge to assist people in overcoming difficulties in their life. A Godly counselor needs to have the Word of the Lord as his qualifying certification. The experience factor must take second seat to prayer and Scripture. Care must be taken in weighing the facts. Measuring with false scales can easily skew the results.

Scripture is to be the supreme authority in the church but is often used out of context or to justify a particular position. Many times it is described as “license” to make a point. It should always be the Spirit that gives approval, correction, or blessing on the exhortation of the Word and the application to a particular situation. I am amazed at the amount of unsolicited or inappropriate advice and counsel given from the pulpit and pastor’s office. This occurs when there is an omission of prayer and close examination of Scripture in relation to the problem. It is difficult to separate opinion from fact at times.

I recognize and have experienced anointing that comes upon us for the purpose of Godly edification. We cannot omit this anointing in the God-ordained individual if we practice counseling. A note of caution: Do not focus on your skill; rather give attention to the Divine. Having emotional or relationship ties doesn’t make us an authority on a particular matter. The connection may mean you are too close to the trees to see the forest on fire. The consideration must be the result of such guidance. Will the receiver be edified?

The sad thing to me is when a person attains a leadership position and gets a little exposure in that place, suddenly they become experts. They seem to hand out advice and opinions on issues that they do not have full knowledge of even though they use Scripture to support their position. I would point out that even Satan quoted Scripture, (out of context). It may be solely due to their assumption of having authority and showing their skill of directing others. Flaunting authority is the beginning of arrogant anarchy.

We definitely need to seek God on matters and listen to His direction. The advice and counsel given by friends and others should be weighed in God’s scale first. Our decisions will lead us through tough times when we adhere to those principles.

What's Motivating?

2009-10-06T16:31:00.001-07:00

Survival is the primary motivator. The level of comfort in your survival will determine the level of mental and physical exertion, with a will to live one will do the needed thing to survive. Opportunity becomes the second factor of motivation. Assessing the present opportunity; then responding in desire promotes improved survival probability or the next level of success. Key elements are desire followed by interest.

Too often the less fortunate don’t avail themselves of opportunity. Perhaps this is due to fear of failure and inadequacy instilled by years of lack. Settling for mediocrity should not be an option. One cannot allow others to stymie emergent opportunities by raining on the parade of possibility. Cover yourself with the umbrella of fortitude. Stick to the task even if you initially fail; learn from the failure.

Each person has to look at themselves in a mirror of truth and see beyond the physical into an inner strength. This force can be the dynamics of success and must surface in that individual. A new attitude will be developed and possibilities begin to transform the image seen into an unfolding improvement.

Wallowing in self pity or deprivation will not get one out of the mire of self-defeat. Ignoring opportunity because of fear will lead to self-destruction. Take the chance, exert an effort. Demonstrate to the observing doubter that you can and will do your best to make a difference in life for yourself and others. Accept the challenge and at least defend your right to succeed.

Dare to dream. Do it early in life. Seek wisdom. Get motivated to act immediately. Receive praise of success graciously when offered. Let those things become motivators toward better things in your life. Avoid becoming aloof from prior associations as long as they are encouragers to your motivation. Avoid those that say you can’t or if they express jealousy over your accomplishments. Watch out for over-confidence that will destroy your personage.

We must know we have a destiny in life. Each has been given life and it is their choice to live it fully and fulfill that destiny by giving it their all. Find contentment in your life’s assignment but always pursue improvement. Take advantage of the time you have been allotted, make each hour count and yet acquire rest for body and soul.

Above all, give honor to God, who gives liberally to those who walk in His righteousness. Include Him in your plans, seek His advice and counsel and then follow.

Nostalgia

2009-09-30T21:05:00.000-07:00

Autumn is a particularly extraordinary time of year for me. I believe it may have to do with the end of a hot period, i.e., summer. The cooling down towards winter and advancement to a new year could be another reason for this viewpoint. Then too October is my birth month. Perhaps it’s a connection to my school year beginning. For 13 years I was a student and knew Fall as a time to walk into classrooms to add to my knowledge and understanding after a summer of rest.

Since those school years were very influential, I have an affinity for this time of year. This is not to conclude that it is my only nostalgic time but rather a perpetual impacting. I feel the cooler breezes. I hear the rustling of leaves in the trees preparing to fall upon the ground. I see the shortening of daylight. Combined with many other fall events, I begin the recollection of days gone by.

Now that I am older, and hopefully wiser, I sit and assess life as it passes. My wish is that it would slow down. I want to dream more. There are things I would like to do, and do again or do over. If I am not careful I find myself wasting valuable time in the land of my past. Yet I cannot totally fault this waste because it gives me greater appreciation for the simple things I took for granted in days gone by.

Not only is it things I reminisce about, but I reflect on family and friends that I knew during those times. Some of them I miss greatly. There have been those who have added great value to my life by speaking positively in to my life. My parents were more confident in me than I was in myself. Even in their lack they gave me so much. They expressed pride in what I did and who I had become as a young man. I respected them and other mentors who influenced my life.

My longing for days gone by is not commanding for an extensive period of time. My feelings for those times are just long enough to make me cherish the present memorable moments. This lets me know my past had valuable moments and relationships. I know quite well that I cannot relive in actuality the memories, but I can certainly have times of nostalgia. The moments of recall need to contribute to my present and future. Then they too can be shared with others for their benefit.

I may not be popular or well known. My wisdom may be minuscule compared to others in this world. But I remain a contributor to someone somewhere. The assignment of living must be done with the best intentions for the best results possible. It is up to me to demonstrate a hope in spite of any negative happening. The positive events of my life remain the nostalgia I want to hold on to.

TOOLS

2009-09-26T22:46:00.000-07:00

Objects and tools that are at our disposal can be a blessing or a curse. The result is mainly dependent upon our usage and careful evaluation. Training is also a vital part.

The internet is an awesome source of information. It is a wealth of resources; but it is an example of a tool that can be misused. A criminal can be tracked or a criminal can track. You can use it to converse with a loved one anywhere on earth or you can use it to communicate hatred e-mails and pornography.

The hammer can be used to build a house or as a weapon to knock somebody in the head bringing great bodily harm. Do we ban the hammer? Must we throw the baby out with the bath water? So what do we do? It all boils down to CONTROL and DISCIPLINE.

Communicating control and discipline begins with the child. (Note: Some adults need to revert to becoming a child willing to learn new disciplines.) Parents must begin the task of training their children. We cannot rely upon a failing government controlled system of schools that only has the state’s interest at heart. Too much change and digression from Godly principles has generated a new era of teaching humanistic thought which fails our national patriotism and purpose. Government should be for the good of the people.

The laws that govern us have become extremely cumbersome and ambiguous. Volumes of precedence pack the shelves of attorneys that argue before the courts over minute points. Energy is wasted on so many trivial torts. Judges who are supposed to interpret the law are legislating to validate their decisions.

It is no longer a matter of good vs. evil. The difficulty is an overabundance of areas called “gray”. The absurdity of this coloration is a lack of basic distinction that allows society to work together in harmony and in accordance with basic God given laws.

Perfection has been infected with viral misinterpretations of factual information. It was a perfect world until knowledge became distorted with the downloading of the wrong fruit, (Eve and Adam). Temptation overruled the innocence of man. Everything seems to have gone down hill since then. Our conscience became our guide and it had been beguiled.
How can this be corrected? First, we must recognize the need to return to good and abandon evil. Second, we must have a restoration of truth. This can only be done with someone who has laid the foundation for good and truth. God wanted to see this occur so He sent His only begotten Son to start the process. It was not a pretty sight for the cost of this redemption of humanity but it works. Our cure lies in putting confidence in God’s provision of Jesus.

Give God His Space

2009-09-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven’t posted to my blog for several days. The old thought machine wouldn’t process through to the keyboard without glitches. This seems to be some kind of recurring problem l encounter as a writer trying to get it from the brain to the page. It must have something to do with the weather.

With my brain blockage I have to turn to other sources. The following little condensation from Steve Brown was posted on a recent e-mail and I want to share it with all my “ministry” comrades. It is a piece of advice that I approve and wish I could have thought of it originally. Here it is for your edification or degradation:

One of the most wonderful facts I ever learned was that I didn't have to be God. I used to feel that if I failed, or just let something fall through the cracks, all God planned for the church I served and the people I loved would come to naught. I sometimes think that if I didn't act responsibly and if I don't do the right thing, all God's plans for the world will come to a devastating end. Isn't that silly? I'm not God, and He didn't ask me to be His substitute. What a tremendous relief!
"Son," the Father said one day, "For a while do me a favor. Quit trying to help me. I was doing all right before you came on the scene and I probably won't do so bad after you're gone. So would you just let up a bit? I did. Nothing came apart. In fact, things got better, and for the first time in my life, I was free.
------Condensed from the book "When Being Good Isn't Good Enough" by Steve Brown.

So now I ask, what do you think? Can you really grasp your duty in the work you’ve been called to do? Remember, it is not about you or me; it is all about God and his plan. Don’t let your ego ruin it for you and perhaps someone else as well, causing God turn to an alternative plan.

Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. -Colin Powell

A NIGHTMARE FICTIONAL STORY

2009-09-13T18:27:00.000-07:00

Autumn was approaching like a slow freight train. It was a moonless night. The stars appeared as diamonds on black velvet. An eerie silence hung in the air like a stage curtain ready to open. The night air had chilled my body like the vent of an air conditioner. On the front porch I was enjoying the quietness of the late night and anticipating my next move.

Abruptly the darkness and stillness was interrupted with sirens piercing the solitude. The neighborhood dogs began to bark incessantly. Whatever I was thinking about vanished like the stillness itself. Blinking red and blue lights appeared in the distance as the sounds became louder.

I got up from my lounging chair and began to walk toward the street to get a better view of what was appearing in the distance. I almost tripped on the step catching myself by grabbing a flimsy bush limb. I continued cautiously trying to focus on the lights in the distance. Then it happened.

A distinct noise I hadn’t expected in the interrupted quietness of the dark night. The hiss was clear; I had just stepped on the freshly mown lawn with my sandaled feet.

In a split second I was in the middle of the lawn where automatic sprinklers had come on and I was getting showered in the now semi darkness. The chilling water soaked my lower body rapidly and I started to shiver in the cool night air. I hastily moved back toward the porch. A bright light broke into my personal space instantly giving me sight to get out of the sprinklers. I had activated the sensor on the porch light with my move across the lawn. I decided to retreat to the house.

By the time I reached the front door of my house the noisy vehicles pulled up in front of my house. Before I knew it voices penetrated the night air and beams from flashlights were being waved toward me and I was told stop and get down on the ground. I knew they meant what they said as I glanced at several firearms pointed purposely in my direction.

I was stunned. What had I done? What is going on? My voice was gone; I couldn’t vocalize these questions at all. The night was darker than ever in this nightmare. I continued to hear commands from gruff and commanding voices. The crackling of police radios pulsated in my ears.

The cold hard concrete was chilling my damp body even more as I lay prone. I was shivering uncontrollably. By this time two officers had grabbed my arms and forcibly pulled me to my feet and slapped cuffs on my wrists behind my back. I was feeling abused and degraded. Voices were shouting and commanding all kinds of things. Some officers still had their guns pointed at me.

I was scared. The wetness of the sprinklers was all I felt. My kidneys had let go and I felt a warm but wet sensation between my shaking legs. This was total shock. How would I escape from the cuffs? Again and again the question was, Why? What had I done to deserve such harsh and cruel treatment?

Suddenly another sound pierced the air. It was a buzzing noise. Ah, yes, the alarm had sounded and it was time to get up and go to work. Boy! What a nightmare! Wait until my wife and co-workers hear about this adventure.

It Needs to be Said

2009-08-27T19:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is necessary to get it off your chest. Well, here goes. It has often been said, “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen!” But being kicked out is another story.

Life deals blows without regard to our feelings or positions. Often we are disrespected as comrades or family. People that cannot take criticism will find difficulty in getting through life without unnecessary trauma. I have experienced many emotions during the past several months. There have been moments of complete reactive anger at individuals and their lack of compassion. The hypocrisy is rampant among those that preach biblical values for living. Two-faced religious morons are running rampant in our world.

I can take abuse and mistreatment because the truth sustains me. Everyone is subject to criticism of their words, beliefs, and actions. This happens because we live in a world of diversity. Though we may adhere firmly to our positions, lessons can be learned if the criticism is used constructively. It shouldn’t matter if it is delivered in a favorable manner or not.

Being offended and giving offense is inevitable if you are a living, breathing human being. Our reaction to offenses will determine our future. Yes, I have been offended. And yes, I have recovered. The principle is to learn from all situations. I cannot fret over bad stuff and what should have been, but I can avoid it repeating.

Through my recent betrayal I have resigned myself to accept the results knowing they have worked out for my good. But it remains an awful feeling to have had a close friend of like profession call you a thief to someone else and deny you audience to explain and question the involvement. I call it slanderous and malicious intent to practice nepotism. It is flagrant abuse of power.

In my opinion there was ulterior motive that moved a leader to make such statement. I would welcome a rebuttal if deemed a necessary defense. That would be better than the total abandonment I have been delivered. In my usual gentle way I have allowed the powers that be walk all over me. Maybe the win is on their side for now but I would remind them that you reap what you sow.

The demeanor in which the situation was handled to remove me instantaneously from my livelihood was clearly a matter of collusion without regard for my personal interests and defense. The intent was to harm. To not even face me was a travesty, instead he sent his "hit" man. Wimpy methodology.

The action was carried out in a spineless manner. It was done with malicious intent which was unethical, illegal and unchristian. You cannot cover the action with any amount of paint and make it go away. Judgment day will reveal the intricate plotting that was revealed to me through a prophecy from an uninvolved person.

Do not call me friend and refuse to call me. If you cared you would have already addressed me or paid a visit to me. You have my number which remains the same. You know my address. You have acted in an unprofessional way and I put you in the category of Pharisee. Don’t cover up your sin by convincing others you are a godly person through religious practices.

It may sound like I am bitter. I am not, for I am better off. Today I am out from under the pressure of excessive legalism and control by the uneducated or immature. Since separation my vision of the forest is clearer, too close to the trees blocked the truth.

It may sound like I have not followed the Scripture in forgiveness. However, when you consider the responsibility of an office held by a superior there is a precedent of how a leader should lead. It is a two-way street,.

I did not initiate the action that brought my dismissal – the leader permitted it. To say he had nothing to do with it is preposterous and without foundation, the very position served as support and anchor of the certainty for the action. The office should have served as a mediation tool to bring reconciliation. You cannot hope to resolve conflict without a close examination of both sides. Permission was granted for such action to take place and there is guilt of malpractice in the position of authority and leadership.

An apology would be in order. Friendship will never be the same; the water of time has damaged the bridge to that type of relationship.

FAR FROM GOD?

2009-08-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

“Qui est près de l’église est souvent loin de Dieu (He who is near the Church is often far from God).” —Les Proverbes Communs. Circa 1500. John Heywood. (1497?–1580?)

In a routine search of the internet I discovered the above quote. It aroused my interest to discuss on my blog. Although the quote was recorded in the 16th century I believe it is relevant yet today. My approach to discuss this statement is not with intent to degrade the work of the church. That is as long as it conforms to God’s purpose and plan established in Scripture. Rather, it is of concern for leaving God out of the plan.

My question would be: Why was or is such statement issued? There must be something of a problem in the church as an organization to warrant such pronouncement. After all, Jesus declared He would “build His church.” Would we dare declare such a negative thing as cited above in light of Jesus’ involvement? It has been said that the church should be a living, breathing organism. The true church is thus made up of living souls of men, women, and children and clearly proclaims Deity.

My consideration of this statement leads me to believe man has placed erroneous emphasis on the purpose of the church. Perhaps it is replacing God with a religion.

A Godly spiritual person can recognize the truth of the statement. The rules and systems of the church have become controlling factors without the due recognition of God. When the church operation deviates from its Godly purpose then it brings separation from God.

It is evident to me that this statement holds true throughout history unto the present day. When emphasis and nearness is placed upon the church rather than the supreme founder of the church, then we have lost focus of its original intent and purpose.

The church is a significant tool designed by God to enable people to congregate and worship Him in unity. Within that realm are the teaching of Scripture, singing of Psalms and hymns and witness of God’s works. The corporate assembly is a strengthening element for those of like faith. We are instructed by the Word to encourage one another daily, the church becomes a means to do that. Scripture instructs us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Everything points to the need of such institution, but the institution cannot become greater than the purpose for which it was designed.

Being nearer to the church than God occurs when the building and accoutrements become idolized. Those things to manage and make a church useful should never take precedence over the presentation of God’s plan within the framework Jesus established. The nearness to the church oft far from God, where “oft” is the key word, does not say the church should be eliminated from our worship by any means.

The more we advance in our knowledge of God, i.e., maturing, (see my earlier blog) the easier it will be to understand the means (e.g., the institution of the church) of His special presence. Balance is the key factor. I believe this is where the spirit within us gives direction that exalts God as was the intent of His establishment of the church. Thus in His exaltation He moves to save, heal, and bless. Place your affection on Jesus not on the aesthetics around you. God will visit where people are in one mind and one accord.

I Believe I Can Fly

2009-07-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

Psalms 55:6 “And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” and Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

I have great interest in flight. Refer to my post of July 17, 2009.

Centuries of dreaming, study, speculation, and experimentation preceded the first successful flight. The ancient legends contain numerous references to the possibility of movement through the air. Philosophers believed that it could be accomplished by imitating the wing motions of birds, and by using smoke or other lighter-than- air media. The first form of aircraft made was the kite, about the 5th century BC. In the 13th century, the English monk Roger Bacon conducted studies that led him to the conclusion that air could support a craft in the same manner that water supports boats. At the beginning of the 16th century, Leonardo da Vinci gathered data on the flight of birds and anticipated developments that subsequently became practical. Among his important contributions to the development of aviation were his invention of the propeller, and the parachute. He conceived three different types of heavier-than-air craft: an ornithopter, a machine with mechanical wings designed to flap like those of a bird; a helicopter, designed to rise by the revolving of a rotor on a vertical axis; and a glider, consisting of a wing fixed to a frame on which a person might coast on the air. Leonardo's concepts involved the use of human muscular power, quite inadequate to produce flight with the craft that he pictured. Nevertheless, he was important because he was the first to make scientific proposals.

Long before Leonardo made his scientific proposal God set in motion a plan for the flight of his people. He was not concerned so much with the natural applications of flight as with the spiritual need that would put humanity on a higher plane of vision. Today ‘thrust’ has replaced ‘horsepower.’

I believe I can fly ... because I want to be free. “Free as a bird” The enviable advantage the bird seems to have in its ability to fly. I must place my “affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2.

I believe I can fly ... because God has purpose for me my allegiance is to Him.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matt 6:33.

He set in motion the necessary provisions for me to acquire my “wings.” I must follow his instructions. Because I have an Interest in reaching heaven. I need training to get my “ratings”. There is ground school, perhaps tedious study, safety in take offs and landings — touch and goes. At times I need to be alone in solo time.

There is so much to see. I may soar in the local area for a time. Then I want to begin reaching out and do cross country flight. Soon I want to fly in bad weather so I have to trust instruments.

I believe I can fly ... because I want to see things from a heavenly perspective — ‘birds-eye-view’ The lay of the land, God’s promise. I like seeing beyond tomorrow’s horizon. And with the proper training and provisions I can rise above the storms of life. I must learn my limitations. I have to Recognize stalls, spins, and other hazards of life happenings.

It is excellent in knowing what gives ‘lift’ --- God is our source. How long to soar and when to rest.

I believe I can fly ... because I will be ‘caught up’. Ahhh most excellent future!
“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
1Thessalonians 4:17

It means a permanent escape from this world system is coming. Gravity will no longer bar me from attaining new heights. God will allow the believer to overcome the natural law and change us forever!

I believe you can fly . . .
1. God loves you
2. He will guide you
3. You can ‘enroll’ in flight training now!
“Trust in the Lord and lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your “flight.”

Disappointment With Church

2009-07-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

The Book of The Revelation gives us information about Jesus’ disgust with the churches of Asia. The seven churches typify the churches of today. He has somewhat against them. I would call that disappointment. My credential for writing on this subject is a lifetime of church involvement including teaching and pastoring. That means over 45 years of active church work. Admittedly I fell into some of the matters that follow.

I am truly disappointed in the organized church. Maybe I’ve implied this in previous posts. Well, there is a reason for me to return to the subject. Enlightenment comes to clarify issues of such nature because of its urgency.

Some will be offended at my observations. They may disagree in part or whole, but I ask for consideration.

The purpose of the church (ekklessia – called out ones) is stated by God through His Word. I fear that the church of today in general has stepped out of that plan. I personally know that I should never be a man pleaser over pleasing God. God’s ordination is far above man’s certification.

My purpose is to draw attention to the need of following the whole Gospel. Is your church really a part of the body of Christ? Is it true to the name over the door? Does it adhere to sound biblical doctrine?

I have been exposed to many denominations and listened to their messages. The delineation of doctrinal differences are really not the issue. Do they preach Christ crucified, buried, resurrected and coming again?

God didn’t allow the existence of the church exclusively for programs. His great purpose was to bring the gift of salvation to as many who would receive it. He is not willing to see any perish through sin and damnation. I don’t see any record of Jesus thumping the Torah at a podium, or spitting in the face of his listeners. There is a reference in response to the disgracing of His Father’s house appropriately enough where he acts forcibly with rightful authority. He once used spittle to cure blindness. Can you do that, preacher? Jesus also had to deal with the religious of His day. It cost His life but resulted in salvation for many.

I believe a major contribution to the problem in organized religion lies in the legislative structure forced upon us by civil governments. Churches are administered like a business rather than God’s institution. Added to that is man’s teaching of philosophies and ideologies that conflict with the context of the Bible.

Control by the misguided results in a loss of contact with the voice of God – a most critical element for the true church. His voice is loud and clear, firstly and foremost through the Bible. The Pharisee and Sadducee of Jesus’ day were focused on tradition and missed the revelation for the present. They were more concerned with their personal preservation and authority than correctly examining Scripture about God’s plan.

A lack of devotion and prayer will contribute to a faithless generation. The major disciplines of Scripture are missing in much of church leadership. Perhaps it is not the fault of the individual as much as the regime and traditional precedents set by other churchmen.

Our civil government has put requirements on the church. The laws say we must have articles of corporation, a constitution, and bylaws among many other legal stipulations. Intent may be justifiable but is often distracting from the real purpose. This is certainly not separation of church and state that is so loudly declared in the liberal godless media.

The focus in church is too often upon the charisma of man rather than the Spirit of God that is supposed to be operating through him. When man’s goals and agendas supersede God’s plan and message then the church is leaning toward apostasy. The church exists by Jesus’ declaration, not man’s corporation or programs.

Accountability is an important tool of leaders. The basis of accountability has been greatly misconstrued by aforementioned reasons. A true accountability must be from the biblical perspective. If one is not willing to be accountable unto God then it follows that he will not likely be submissive to God. How can he lead to someone if he disobeys that someone?

The Bible must be central to the message of any church. If a church doesn’t align itself to the premises found in God’s Word then they have no basis to be called church in that context. They have become a religious club. The motivation is to become big by number of attendees or membership. It would be best to let God keep the records and the preacher gives the message. Too many leaders want to keep score, referee and play the game. That truly is impossible.

The pastoral staff must be one in process. The mission must be aligned to the Scripture. The one head that turns the church must be fully committed to the call of that office. They should be a person of integrity and live holy as God defines holiness. They must be separate from the world. A development of the spiritual disciplines should be demonstrated without self-edification. It cannot be just a ‘say so’ but a ‘walk so’. It has often been said: “Lead by example.”

Any praise for today’s church must be given with regard to an adherence of Godly instructions from the Bible. I am sure there are isolated groups of worshippers who follow the biblical principles. They may well be regarded as rebels by organized groups. Christ declares, “. . . I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” So in spite of the seeming negativity expressed here, there is a God who is working through a dedicated people called His church, not a denomination or movement.

Family Resemblances

2009-07-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

I have noticed a lot of pictures being posted on the internet sites. Oh, the convenience of digital photographs. They help us capture a lot of expression. They help capture the past, or so it seems. Video cameras help capture a lot of young ones at play. Most people love to look at the Family Photo Album or watch the videos. They will post to Youtube, and send e-mail attachments. We reminisce about past moments-- sad and happy.

Looking at captured images we express, "Ah, Oh, they are the splitting (or is it 'spitting') image of his father"; and, "She reminds me so much of her mother." "He is a chip off the old block." "The nut didn't fall far from the tree." We also have the remark when someone sees us with our child after a long time and say, "My how they have grown, they are looking more and more like their parent." A "likeness" has been visualized.

Whose picture do you carry in your wallet? What have you posted to the world wide web? Are you proud of them?

When people see us as a Christian, do they remark, "He/She has become more Godly than when I last saw them." Not the appearance necessarily, but the attitude about life.

Holiness is simply defined as that which is set apart unto God. The process is defined as sanctification. Does God address us as a saint? Is he posting our antics proudly to the heavenly web?

1Peter 1:16 says, "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I (God) am holy."

Hebrews 12:14 "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:"

"Not every one that said unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21)

Holiness is more than a matter of what we refrain from doing, although it includes that.
Holiness is a separation from something, because it is a separation unto something else.

We resemble our Father. Because God loved . . . we love.

You are not whole (complete) until you're holy.

Anniversary

2009-07-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

It has been a scorcher of a day, especially if you've had to work outside here in the California San Joaquin Valley. I think the temperature reached 105 or more today. I am thankful for a desk job during these times. In fact, I am thankful for my job and the favor God has given me.

This is not the only thing I am thankful for. This week my Sunshine (Carolyn) and I will be celebrating our 26th wedding anniversary. In fact it will be on July 23. Can you believe it? To me it doesn't seem like that long ago we said the "I do's". But we did.

Sunshine, I wish we could do the Alaska cruise this year. Maybe next. Anyway I wanted you to know that I love you so much. You have been there with me through the tough times of ministry. You are ever a support even if I get testy over some things once in a while. Your faith in God really carries me sometimes because I feel like mine went down the tubes with all that has happened recently.

I must remember that we live by faith and payday will come in God's time. He will repay. I ask you and God to forgive me of my short-comings and failures. What do you say to keep on plugging and doing what God wants us to do in spite of people's ignorance? Yeah, I'm for that!

Together we will make it because it is in His plan that is for good. God doesn't want to harm us but He has made us strong. We are proven to be tough, enduring believers. No man or woman can steal our victory. We are accountable only to Him.

Carolyn, please know you are my best friend, companion, wife, mother to our son, and my lover.
Thanks for always being there for me. I want to be there for you. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Flight

2009-07-17T23:33:00.000-07:00

I spent almost four years serving our country in the U.S. Air Force rarely leaving the terra firma. I was tethered to a desk in the travel finance department.

After my discharge I decided to learn how to fly. Isn’t that a kick? Someone said I couldn’t do it, so I proved them wrong.

I signed up for flight lessons at the local airport after a brief flight in a small prop plane of my brother’s brother-in-law. I had been hooked. The sky and clouds appealed to my inner sense of flying above it all.

My lessons began with my instructor, a former Air Force pilot, in a Cessna 150. He said I was a natural. They said I could get my training for a private pilot license for a mere $600.

After passing a physical and flying the required instructor ride-along hours I was allowed to solo. It was awesome! I in the left seat of a small plane and nothing but the sky . . . . flying like a bird. The feeling is awsome and the vision is definitely birds-eye.

I loved to plan my flights, read aerial charts, check the weather and file a flight plan. I did have the FAA looking for me on one occasion. I had an ETA that had been miscalculated, whoops! The instructor was with me and we had flown to a controlled field and had a lunch. At least then I knew that the FAA was taking their job seriously.

My first instructor committed suicide. Not because of my flying, but he was a retired military man who nipped a bit much liquor. (I wondered what was in his thermos he took on each flight.) He was suffering from poor health and depression.

My replacement instructor was also a retired military pilot. He was younger and a bit more intense but I seemed to meet his expectations readily. There were tight turns, steep banks, spins, and stalls. I also had to fly under the hood, meaning using the instruments only to fly straight and level. That is challenging. Of course take-offs and landings were a part of each lesson. I did cross country trips, short field landings and many other necessary maneuvers to prepare for my check test flight.

I took the written exam and passed. Ground school was fairly easy. After just about 80 hours of flying I was able to take my check ride. It was on my birthday in October and towards the evening. I plotted out the course to a destination I had never been to and successfully passed my flight test. We returned to home base just after dusk without having to complete one leg of the trip. He knew I would be a good pilot.

Shortly afterwards I purchased my own airplane. It was a 1947 Stinson Station Wagon. This was a tail dragger that I had to have a couple of lessons in before taking possession. It was a four place that had awesome climbing ability with a 165 horsepower Franklin engine. It was N907D, red with white trim.

I based the plane as a tie-down at a small crop duster field (now closed) near my residence. The runway was an unlighted field with black macadam surface. The approach was over a golf course with tall cypress trees and power lines. At the end of this short runway were power lines also and a walnut orchard across the road.

I usually took day flights after work in the summer. However, one evening I decided to fly just as dusk was settling in. The plane had a dead battery. I asked for an assist prop pull-through from a fellow flyer. He obliged and I was soon in the air. I flew over the city and watched as lights began to come on. After a time I figured my battery would be recharged enough so I headed back to the field and set up for my final approach. As I cut power over the golf course my instrument panel went black. I had no way to assess my airspeed for approach so I had to abort or land by the seat of my pants. I decided immediately to put down and take the latter option. No landing light on the plane, no lights on the field. It was dark. I didn’t get panicky until after I taxied to my tie down. I thank God for one dark but safe landing and promised not to do that again.

Another adventurous situation occurred when I landed on a small grass strip and took off. The undercarriage of my fuselage had ripped (it was a fabric covered airframe). I landed at another field that I had moved the plane to and exited the aircraft to discover the damage. Fabric was hanging loose for several feet under the belly of the plane. I was heartsick.

My brother-in-law and I took a couple of rolls of duct tape and proceeded to patch the hole. We layered it so the air flow wouldn’t tear it. It worked, for shortly afterwards I took the plane back to the other airport and sold it to another pilot who was also an aircraft mechanic. I took a loss but got out from under the cost of owning my own airplane.

I gave $4000 for the plane, sold it for $2500 and now if restored it would be worth over $40,000. Oh well!

My piloting days are over. My vision is declining along with my reaction time. I best leave flying up to the young and more experienced. I miss it some days more than others when I look up in the sky at other aircraft droning through the air.

Struggles

2009-07-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

I can best write of my personal experience about life. My life is rich although limited economically. I have not had the fortune of great wealth although I have been blessed with adequacy. This will limit my perspective on issues that are tied to life struggles in the area of riches.

The poverty stricken is apt to experience stress in survival necessities, i.e., food, clothing and shelter. These three things are the basics for long survival. Health is a very critical factor and I don’t mean to leave that part out intentionally. The wealthier may have stress of maintaining a lifestyle they are accustomed to. Hence, everybody on the face of this earth experiences struggles. Sickness is indiscriminate when it comes to wealth.

Can one put their trust in wealth? No, because there are many stories of failures in the life of the rich and famous. The stress is there. Of recent note is the terrible economy. Many have lost life savings and fortunes. Often poor health has brought on their struggles. Humanity is all subject to becoming poor. How can we escape?

The rescue can happen in the midst of the most catastrophic event. It involves a confidence in a dependable source. I believe that is why the spiritually minded have greater peace in times of stress than those without such faith. It is imperative that humanity recognize specific purpose in life as opposed to randomness or luck of the draw. The losses I’ve had are turned into lessons I’ve learned.

It is most difficult for logic and reasoning that goes beyond the natural to capture the foundational premises of Christianity. The true belief of Christians lies within a person. The historical Jesus came to bring life and a hope of a brighter future in a time of great turmoil in humanity. The key is acceptance of Him and confidence in His declarations. You must realize there is no promise of restoration to our liking. When we become His, He makes us what we need to be for the greater cause.

The promise of contentment in whatever state (condition, circumstance) we are in is conveyed by the learned Paul the Apostle. His struggles certainly demonstrate a deep dependence upon a higher power. He was a man of means who, because of his choice to be a disciple of Christ, was denigrated and imprisoned. His greatest work was done at the seeming low point in his life. In fact we use him as example of the keeping power of God for all trials and tribulations we face. There was a “knowing” that maintained his life along the way. He not only knew, but he was persuaded of a better outcome.

If you are living this life; breathing, communicating, etc., then you will have struggles. But be assured your life is being tested for purpose. Don’t blow it! Find the inner strength to believe and follow Christ regardless of problems.

A Tribute to My Mentor

2009-06-19T21:47:00.000-07:00

I had reached a point in my life where I believed I was mature. After serving almost four years in the U.S. Air Force I thought my future would unfold to my personal desires and goals. For fifteen months I had found an inner strength to be pure while most of my peers caroused and practiced sinful ways in the Philippines. It was a struggle. But even in that place God planted a seed in my heart to study His Word. Through my mother's prayers I maintained my faith in God, becoming a student of the Bible.

God brought me safely home and I floundered in continuing education and working. I needed to find my God given destiny. It was early in 1973. Less than four years after coming home, my faith-strong Mother passed away. What was I to do? She was a spiritual tower for me. Shortly after her death my things were packed and I moved to a new city, Santa Cruz, California. It was not my comfort zone at first. However, God eventually fixed my heart to settle in for a season. He intervened with an excellent job with benefits.

But more than that, God placed a spiritual mentor in my path. Pastor James H. Salters. This man took confidence in me and loved me as only a spiritual father can. When I met him I did not sense my own hunger for counsel and acceptance. His was not a smothering love or forceful discipline. Yet he was not wishy-washy in his own convictions. He was firm but gentle with me. It is difficult to explain the influence he had on my future because it is so vast from the inward place. He was not pushy, just faithful. Perhaps he did not know that he was mentoring me. I know I was not a perfect recipient. He gave me opportunity to serve in ministry, valuing my God given gift of teaching. His confidence in my ability became my confidence to walk in obedience to my call.

Time would bring me to applying for ministerial credentials because of his guidance. No, he never as much as mentioned that process to me, but when I walked into his office that particular evening and asked for a ministerial application, you could sense an awesome spiritual victory in his eyes. His full support followed me throughout the process.

Soon after this I came to his office with Carolyn, who was soon to be my wife. Together we listened to his counsel, again given with gentleness and confidence. Months later he joined us together in Holy matrimony and we began life together, loving God and working together for the Kingdom.

After a time we had to part the physical presence of my mentor, but his spirit always was before us. Several years and events passed, we saw him less frequently, but continued to value his counsel whenever we saw him. We always anticipated seeing him at a district meeting. He occasionally sent timely handwritten words by letter, arriving in our mail box just in the nick of time for our edification and encouragement.

As God would have it, we came full circle to reconnect with him eye to eye for over two years. We came to pastor a church near his place of residence. We got to visit him regularly. Our conversations were of many varying spiritual things and of mutual acquaintances we had come to know along the way. It was a time to converse positively of God's greatness and faithfulness, and then petition through prayer for our needs.

As our reconnecting advanced, his conversation turned to his going home. He felt the tug of heaven. The love he had was not faded; it was merely seen in light of his soon to be manifested faith. He longed to be with Jesus and reunite with those who had gone before him. He spoke of it during every visit. It wasn’t spoken with sadness but with expectancy.

There is not a large accumulation of material goods that he leaves for his heirs. But I sense something far greater. Look at the ministry he cultivated in the multitude of family and friends. His investment is eternal. A tremendous wealth of eternal offerings that will only multiply by the same spirit now imparted to us. This is perpetual, incorruptible and immeasurable wealth.
James Salters is special in my family's life. We are all richer in the grace and mercy of God because of his influence, respect, and demeanor. I know my mentor and I will enjoy a permanent connection soon.

Thank you, James Salters, for being the obedient servant of the Most High and mentoring me. You are a Patriarch worthy of honor. I applaud you.

Where Have All My Sermons Gone?

2009-06-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yep, when I was "evicted"as pastor from the church I began the process of vacating my office. I packed up my pens, pencils, paper, equipment, etc. One of the things I did was dispose of all the sermon notes I had cataloged and preserved in binders. I must say some of them were really good. The 100's of notes had been used, unused, revised and revised again during a period of more than 30 years of ministry. I had never been treated with such disdain by so-called Christians. I taught and preached the Word of God without fear or favor. Hours of prayer and study had been applied to formulate homiletical sermons for the congregations I served in. It could be said some had impact and others were kind of missing something. My last sermon was on Walking In The Spirit. I was told by my superior that it was not appropriate (he didn't even hear it). My response is that I preach what God wants delivered: I obey God rather than man. The price was high but I would do it all over again and with more conviction than then. Well all the notes went into the dumpster at that church and who knows where they ended up, perhaps in some earth-filled dump I suppose. Maybe someone discovered them prior to the trash pick-up and they live on. I don't care. But now I have you to know that the disposal I made of them was my symbolic expression of how the people trashed me. These sermons are stored on CD's. Yeah, isn't that a kick? It was only ink-filled paper that was dumped, but the messages live on in data form accessible on any PC. Perhaps soon I will publish them on a blog. Hang around and see what happens. Father, forgive them for they knew not what they did.