CHICKEN WHAT?

I’d love to say that I was itching to write, but I’m pretty sure I was just plain itching.

I came down with chickenpox. Apparently I had never had chickenpox as a child, and I was never vaccinated either. Ironically, I caught them from an adult who had had chickenpox as a child and was experiencing a recurrence or something known as shingles.

The good news is that I was able to spend about two weeks at home with my family. The bad news is that the first week was all blisters, itching, headaches, fevers, chills, and abdominal pain.

I’ve recovered quite a bit of lost Bible reading, and I have played numerous games with my children (Nerts). My mother-in-law spent about eight days with us; she helped out a lot and the children love having Grandma around (I have no idea how we will go back to life without her). Also, amidst all the suffering and turmoil, I answered the phone in pain to discover I had been promoted at work and received a raise. Praise God!

Anyway, there were no complications with my chickenpox, and except for a few scabs and scars there should be little physical evidence of the event. Our family is closer, however, and we definitely have a greater appreciation for our health.

So, as always, we thank God…even for the chickenpox.

A Thief in the Night

A man I once called brother was recently killed. Armed men kicked open the door and gunned him down. I say that I once called him brother because while we were definitely related, it had been quite some time since we had practiced anything that might be deemed a relationship. This almost complete absence of a relationship left me wanting with respect to the appropriate emotion for the death of a brother. Our father and grandmother are both quite saddened, but the most I can seem to muster is regret and…well, awe.

I regret that we did not have a better relationship. I regret that I did nothing to improve/develop our relationship. I regret that our society has degraded morality and human life to such extent that gunning a man down in criminal pursuits warrants little more than trivial consideration. I especially regret that he is dead.

I am awed that something as vibrant and inspiring as life can end so suddenly and pointlessly. I am awed by the fact that there is only one standard and one Judge to whom we must all answer. I am awed by the fact that my brother’s sins are no greater than mine and his forgiveness no less. I am especially awed by the will of God; He raises one up and casts another down according to His glory.

If his life did not serve You, Lord, then let his death. Have mercy on his soul, please forgive him his sins, and let Your justice reign.

I most remember his smile.

He was 38.

Resolutions for the New Year?

Lose weight
Exercise a bit everyday (if only five minutes)
Get back into running
Golf more
Read more
Write more
Study the Bible more
Pray More
Be more active in church
Submit to the Lord
Watch less television
Surf less internet
Be more productive
Take my children outside more
Play with my children more
Play with my wife more
Get swim lessons for my daughters
Get dance lessons for my daughters
Get music lessons for my daughters
Practice guitar
Help more around the house
More spirit less flesh
Eat less junk
Eat less
No soda
Focus more at work
Less “work” at home
Pursue a Masters degree
Learn more about computers
Communicate better with my family
Swear less while driving
Swear less (even to myself)
Drive safer

…believe it or not the list goes on. I was going to adjust the list according to priority, but I thought the way it came out in free flow was more indicative of my human nature. I get to thinking about all my shortcomings and get so distracted by all the things I need to do to improve myself, that I forget what is most important.


But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matt 6:33-34)

The Greatest Gift of All

I got a dollhouse for Christmas. I know, it seems like an odd gift for an adult male in his thirties, but it is probably my favorite gift. I also got some tools for the project (big manliness bonus) and a few books for direction and education; it’s a complete package. Now, I get to build a dollhouse for and with my daughters. Do you see why it’s my favorite?

In a word: Promise.

It has promise for quality time with my children, promise for giving them an idea of how much I love them, promise for valuable lessons in patience and discipline, and promise for smiles, hugs, kisses, giggles, and hours of fun. There’s promise for more than just Christmas day. There’s promise that they’ll eventually understand that my life is for them.

But, what if the box stays in storage and collects dust as I devote myself to my career, watch my team in the big game or my favorite shows, or explore my self through other hobbies? Would the promise diminish? No, I would.

We have received the greatest gift of all: a promise of forgiveness and life everlasting. We only need to turn from our careers, our televisions, and especially ourselves, dust it off, and embrace it…for more than just Christmas day.

Embrace and celebrate the grace of God…all year round.

Cousins, Whales, and Rollercoasters...Oh My!

We went to Seaworld today; our family, my wife's brother's family, and her parents. While obviously Seaworld is an arbitrary ingredient in all this, that's where we were when our two oldest rode their first rollercoaster. It was the most fun I’ve had at a theme park, ever.

I wasn’t all that keen on the touchy-feely, inner-faith, “mother earth” nonsense, and I was shocked that so many parents allow their daughters out of the house dressed like little mini-harlots, but I was very taken by the wide eyes, gleeful screams, and joyful smiles.

They dropped like stones when it was all over.

An Answer To Prayer

I was at the office when I first saw the story about the Dominguez family lost in the woods while looking for a Christmas tree. I seldom pay close attention to the news, because the facts are so seldom included, so I let the story glance off my mind, and I went back to work; “that sucks, poor guys lost in the woods.”

I noticed the story again a bit later and realized that at least two of the lost people were children and a third must have been their father. As a dad, a hit closer to heart, but I was a bit preoccupied, so I let it just glance off yet again; “dang, a father with his kids, bummer.”

A conversation broke out a bit later about the dangers of hiking around in the snowy woods, and we began covering details of the story and debating about the slim chances of survival of such an unfortunate little group. Having a good deal of experience with relation to nature, the elements, and the necessary gear for survival, I announced that there was little hope, and my co-workers seemed to accept my judgment.

At that moment the story caught my attention with a camera shot of a woman on the phone; she was suffering. Her pain struck me. As I closed in on the screen to get more info, they flashed up the four pictures, and I could still see the woman in my mind when it hit me; “Oh Lord, please.”

When I got back to my desk, progress on any task was out of the question. I clenched my stomach with my hands, it seemed to be the only way to keep from turning inside out. I needed to scream or cry or something…I had to do something (I’ve never had a panic attack, but I imagine that’s what it must feel like).

I prayed.

“…You can raise them from the dead…”

It was so incredibly relieving, I could just feel the peace and calm beginning to come back, then…

“…but not my will…”

I felt as if I were jumping off a cliff I had just climbed, and expecting to fly; it was worse than the panic attack.

“…Your will be done.”

The issue was…settled.

Thirty minutes later, with no thoughts set on that poor family, I glanced up coincidentally and caught a glimpse of the television as the alert broke that they had been found. I yelled out loud, “YES, THEY’RE SAVED!” I did a little skip and pulled off a fist pump into the air that I defy even the great Tiger Woods to match (don’t embarrass yourself, Tiger, just stick to golf).

I was then asked, “Do you know them?”

I didn’t know what to say.

Bold Compassion Versus Humble Faith

“Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (Gen 18:23)

I’ve always found the conversation between Abraham and the Lord in Genesis 18 very interesting. Abraham is negotiating with God to save “the righteous” in Sodom, and starts by asking if God would reconsider destroying Sodom if there were but 50 righteous people there…then 45…then 40…30, 20, and finally 10. The Lord said that he would not destroy Sodom for the sake of 10.

Abraham, in a fit of compassion, is so bold as to question the Lord.

I thought it interesting that Abraham stopped the negotiation after 10. According to all that we know about God, I feel pretty confident that God would have spared Sodom for the sake of even 1 righteous person. Of course, Abraham failed to realize that there is none who is righteous; no, not one. Every person in Sodom was a sinful, fallen man, and they all deserved death (it is the wage of sin).

How often do we do that? We get our own standard stuck in our head and then we either question God’s wisdom and will for man, or we ignore it altogether.

Compassion is a dangerous area. No one wants to be mean; no one wants to be the bad guy. Then, the world hits you with the old, “I mean, come on, you will not surely die, for that?” Satan didn’t just get lucky with that argument, he crafted it very purposefully. If we can be reasonably convinced to doubt or question the wisdom of God based on our own wisdom, our own understanding, or our own hearts, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

We will eventually presume to have a better judgment of mercy, righteousness, and salvation than even God.

Lord, You alone are the Truth, the Light, and the Way, help us to trust and follow You.