So we went skiing in Colorado for Christmas. The event was fun. And cold. And icy. But I'm not really sitting down to write about that. I'm sitting down to write about what struck me on the last leg home of our journey.
Riding on the infernal stretch of the interstate that is our passage home after air flight, I took the opportunity to reflect upon the events of the ski trip. But it's not the events that I want to write about, so much as it is The Event. No, no story here. Just an observation about The Event.
When flying, shuttling, bussing, renting, lifting, skiing, eating, and idling, one comes in contact with an awful lot of people. During normal days, these encounters are coupled with greetings of Hello, Hi, Dude! or Howdy!, whatever one's preference. But at this time of year, as we all know, things are a bit different. It's the holidays; specifically, it's Christmas -- for Christians.
And this is what I realized. Maybe many of you have realized this before. Maybe I'm slow. But I well know society has chosen to gradually walk away from the traditional "Merry Christmas!" greeting/salutation. But during this trip, I came to notice that when I said it, I no longer took it for granted. I no longer said it flippantly. I said "Merry Christmas" with meaning and pride and sincerity. And the people said it back to me -- with meaning and pride and sincerity. With purpose. In most people, there was a certain meeting of the eye, a certain nod of the head, which emitted a certain warmth, a certain aknowlegement.
The folks that intended to take Christ out of Christmas and Christmas out of the calendar have failed. Ahahaha! They have failed! All of their efforts have culminated in this, for me -- and others, I'm sure -- what was once a stale greeting and and overused response is now special. It does not pass my lips without acknowledgment in my heart that Jesus Christ is LORD. From here to CO, and beyond, Jesus Christ is Lord. He reigns. He is The Event. He is The All. He is The Everything. He was, He is, and He always will be -- MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Follow the Shepherd, Not the Sheep Stealer
Our brother in Christ, Musa, arrived for his first visit to the USA this week. He came all the way from Swaziland. Delightedly, someone from our Swazi team managed to wisk him away from his business and into Augusta for an all too brief dinner.
Over dinner, we learned that in the past few days, there had been an awful lot of "firsts" for Musa. First for me, however, is to state for the record that Musa is a very smart man with a very strong faith, which is why a small mob of overly loving Christians surrounded him last night.One of the "firsts" that Musa encountered was that people in America actually let their dogs into their homes. What?!
Little did he or I know that God had just brought this particular blog together. But wait, my title is about sheep. So what do sheep and dogs and Musa have in common? How does that work, God?
Enter John 10:5 -- "....they follow because they are familiar with His voice."
And John 10:8 -- "....all those others are up to no good -- sheep stealers."
And Ps. 119:1 -- "You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God" (The Message).
You see, one misty morning this week, our newest dog, Scarlett, wandered off. Dang it! And I was just getting ready to go to Bible study. Sigh. She went into the wetlands. Where it's wet. And brambly.
Now Scarlett had been a stray that we found. We have loved and cared for her all this time and had seen the benefit of our love and care.....and food. Her coat, when we found her, was rough and coarse. Now, it had become sleek and smooth and sweet to touch.
And I kept thinking about that sweet, smooth fur, as I watched her tail move among the tropical rain forest that she was now deeply engaged in smelling. Lots of smells, I'm sure. But what did I care? I was wet. And chilly. And about to be late for Bible study. So, I did what came naturally: I stepped into the jungle. And I called and pursued. Hard. And Scarlett ignored me.
Somewhere amidst the vines and the briers and the sinkholes, I got the bright idea to get the car, and meet her on the other side of this muck. Which I did. When I finally caught her attention, she was out of her zone of familiarity and I was seemingly (to her) out of place. She looked surprised to see me. I opened my arms and called to her. Her body relaxed and she came to me, wet, smelly, and brambly. She climbed into my car and then jumped (naturally) her stinky self right into my front seat. I was quite happy to have her there, beside me, heading home, where I could love her some more. And give her dog biscuits.
I got her back. I went after her and brought her back to love -- and to dog treats -- which is exactly what she wanted and needed at that moment.
And Musa? Well, once he gets past the whole dog issue, he's in for an amazing time. But he asked a question last night. He expressed wonder that we, as Americans, would leave all this -- all this that is America -- to come to his country to be with his people and love on them. Why? Because, as someone at the table said, "It's cool, yes! But in the end, it's all stuff." It's slurpees and dishwashers and Walmarts and jets. Or it's vines and brambles and sinkholes and snakes. Depends on one's perspective.
The materialistic things all have their own beauty -- from slurpees to sinkholes -- fascinating things, full of tastes and smells. They are not bad, in and of themselves.
But ponder the verses above. Enjoy life. God blessed us with LIFE. From the simple to the dazzling, LIVE! But follow the Shepherd, on His road.....not the Sheep Stealer. He makes it all the more fun!!!
Over dinner, we learned that in the past few days, there had been an awful lot of "firsts" for Musa. First for me, however, is to state for the record that Musa is a very smart man with a very strong faith, which is why a small mob of overly loving Christians surrounded him last night.One of the "firsts" that Musa encountered was that people in America actually let their dogs into their homes. What?!
Little did he or I know that God had just brought this particular blog together. But wait, my title is about sheep. So what do sheep and dogs and Musa have in common? How does that work, God?
Enter John 10:5 -- "....they follow because they are familiar with His voice."
And John 10:8 -- "....all those others are up to no good -- sheep stealers."
And Ps. 119:1 -- "You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God" (The Message).
You see, one misty morning this week, our newest dog, Scarlett, wandered off. Dang it! And I was just getting ready to go to Bible study. Sigh. She went into the wetlands. Where it's wet. And brambly.
Now Scarlett had been a stray that we found. We have loved and cared for her all this time and had seen the benefit of our love and care.....and food. Her coat, when we found her, was rough and coarse. Now, it had become sleek and smooth and sweet to touch.
And I kept thinking about that sweet, smooth fur, as I watched her tail move among the tropical rain forest that she was now deeply engaged in smelling. Lots of smells, I'm sure. But what did I care? I was wet. And chilly. And about to be late for Bible study. So, I did what came naturally: I stepped into the jungle. And I called and pursued. Hard. And Scarlett ignored me.
Somewhere amidst the vines and the briers and the sinkholes, I got the bright idea to get the car, and meet her on the other side of this muck. Which I did. When I finally caught her attention, she was out of her zone of familiarity and I was seemingly (to her) out of place. She looked surprised to see me. I opened my arms and called to her. Her body relaxed and she came to me, wet, smelly, and brambly. She climbed into my car and then jumped (naturally) her stinky self right into my front seat. I was quite happy to have her there, beside me, heading home, where I could love her some more. And give her dog biscuits.
I got her back. I went after her and brought her back to love -- and to dog treats -- which is exactly what she wanted and needed at that moment.
And Musa? Well, once he gets past the whole dog issue, he's in for an amazing time. But he asked a question last night. He expressed wonder that we, as Americans, would leave all this -- all this that is America -- to come to his country to be with his people and love on them. Why? Because, as someone at the table said, "It's cool, yes! But in the end, it's all stuff." It's slurpees and dishwashers and Walmarts and jets. Or it's vines and brambles and sinkholes and snakes. Depends on one's perspective.
The materialistic things all have their own beauty -- from slurpees to sinkholes -- fascinating things, full of tastes and smells. They are not bad, in and of themselves.
But ponder the verses above. Enjoy life. God blessed us with LIFE. From the simple to the dazzling, LIVE! But follow the Shepherd, on His road.....not the Sheep Stealer. He makes it all the more fun!!!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Romans 8:28/Acts 20:24/Matthew 25:21
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." --Romans 8:28.
That's my life verse. And it's fitting that I start out this blog with this verse. For my life is 'all good.' Not perfect, but 'all good.' I am on the threshold of an empty nest, a vast new chapter in my life. I will, in another post, explain why there are feathers in my hair. But for now, I must answer this question: why blog?
Why blog? Yesterday I cleaned out a drawer in my nightstand. In it, I found an old note a sweet friend had written me. She signed it with Acts 20:24. I read that verse in my quiet time this morning. And that is the purpose of this blog. That is the purpose of the second part of my life. "But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God." -- Acts 20:24 (The Message). That is the purpose of this blog.
I want to tell others not so much the diary of my life. No. I want to tell others where I see God in my life. I want to tell others about His good works and His incredible, extravagant generosity.
And may the final verse to grace my nest be Matthew 25:21: "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness."
For now, though, this blog is all about Acts 20:24. I want to finish what God started: His story in my Empty Nest -- Feathers in My Hair and all.
That's my life verse. And it's fitting that I start out this blog with this verse. For my life is 'all good.' Not perfect, but 'all good.' I am on the threshold of an empty nest, a vast new chapter in my life. I will, in another post, explain why there are feathers in my hair. But for now, I must answer this question: why blog?
Why blog? Yesterday I cleaned out a drawer in my nightstand. In it, I found an old note a sweet friend had written me. She signed it with Acts 20:24. I read that verse in my quiet time this morning. And that is the purpose of this blog. That is the purpose of the second part of my life. "But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God." -- Acts 20:24 (The Message). That is the purpose of this blog.
I want to tell others not so much the diary of my life. No. I want to tell others where I see God in my life. I want to tell others about His good works and His incredible, extravagant generosity.
And may the final verse to grace my nest be Matthew 25:21: "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness."
For now, though, this blog is all about Acts 20:24. I want to finish what God started: His story in my Empty Nest -- Feathers in My Hair and all.
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