The Journey

Their city houses were only a few feet apart. Although Ardith hadn’t met her new neighbor, she already knew a lot about her. That’s because their houses were situated in such a way that Ardith could look into her neighbor’s house through a multitude of windows.

Yes, Ardith knew a lot about her neighbor. Ardith knew when her neighbor got up, and Ardith knew her neighbor sewed every day in the late afternoon. Ardith also knew her neighbor wasn’t very clean. That fact was obvious because her neighbor’s windows were so dirty the images Ardith saw were quite fuzzy.

One sunny day Ardith decided to set an example and do some housecleaning of her own. Part of those duties included washing her own windows. After the work was done, Ardith sat down by her dining room window to rest and admire her work.

To Ardith’s amazement, she could distinctly see her neighbor sitting by her window, sewing. Commenting on the clarity of what she was seeing, Ardith said to herself, “Well, I’m pleased, my neighbor has finally washed her windows!” I don’t need to tell you that it was Ardith, not her neighbor, who had the dirty windows.

That’s a story which is, for the most part, made up … for the most part. Indeed, it is more true than we would like. That’s because most of us, in one area or another, could be Ardith. All of us have times when we think somebody else has dirty windows or dirty family laundry, and we jump to some pretty quick conclusions about them.

Such jumping usually is a big mistake. It’s almost always a mistake when we have the very sin or shortcoming about which we judge others. This is just one more reason why we need the Savior and one more reason why our daily prayer ought to be “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.” Thankfully, because God is merciful and because Jesus has offered Himself in our stead, there is forgiveness and the opportunity to change. God grant that we do change and look twice to see whose windows are really dirty.

Heavenly Father help us give our neighbor the benefit of the doubt. May we always make sure there is no log in our eye while we are pointing out the speck in the eyes of others. In the Name of Jesus, our Savior, we pray it. Amen.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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We ought to be something we’re not. I should be smarter, more thoughtful, not so impatient, more self-confident, less risk averse, not so concerned about the approval of others. I should be able to attach a file to an email all the time. I should be able to send the right file. I shouldn’t make so many mistakes in typing. The list is endless. We’re never enough. So, it seems.

We turn into whatever we need to be when first we know that God is with us, just as we are. Saul remained Saul but with a difference when he could believe that despite his weakness and inadequacy the spirit of God was with him. In his case, he became king.

While hard to grasp, God’s presence is not as far from us as we may think. As with Saul, awareness of this makes a difference: looking ahead becomes a lot more promising. In the words of the lead character in Wendell Berry’s novel, Jayber Crow: “Often I have not known where I was going until I was already there…Often my fairest hopes have rested on bad mistakes. I am an ignorant pilgrim, crossing a dark valley. And yet for a long time, looking back, I have been unable to shake off the feeling that I have been led – make of that what you will.”

Maybe we should quit thinking of all the ways we should be different and be glad for the difference God has already made. The grace that has led us this far is not through with us yet… and neither is God through with any of us.

Dear God, “Finish, then, thy new creation,” O God. Change us “from glory into glory, ‘till in heaven we take our place.” Amen.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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We had such a wonderful time at the 55th high school reunion last night… remembering the old days… good old days when we were young… trying to remember who was who. We even stayed out past 9:00pm. We went to sleep with sugarplums dancing in our heads… happy memories.

I woke up this morning only to find out that my blog had some kinda bug, gremlin, or some whirlies mischief happening that would not allow me to send out my blog. UGH! I was not a happy camper… but after four years in the Marine Corps, I’ve never liked to camp. I’ve had my share of mosquitoes that were so big they had landing lights. I’ve wondered what every sound was out there. Was it a Viet Cong or just some noise. Was it a sapper digging his way to the command post. After all that, plus the heat and rain and cold, my idea of camping is the Holiday Inn with room service.

I tried all day to get the blog program to work… with no success. I read the dummies book and viewed the videos about these problems on line. No answers.

In the midst of that channel two’s NFL game was being broadcast in Spanish. What in the world was that all about? The commercials were in English but the commentators speech was all in Spanish. It was the only channel that did that. Shirley called channel two technical support and they said our Time Warner device must be set on a secondary language. With his instructions we finally found that it was indeed set on secondary language. Now, we didn’t do that. It was almost impossible to find the way to fix it… why would we want to listen to the game in Spanish. I am thinking that someone came in the house last night while we were enjoying the reunion and played this trick on us. It would not have been something that we accidentally did… you really have to want to do this to make it happen.

By now we were beginning to think that we had gone round the bend… peeking out the windows to see if the people in white coats were walking toward the house.

Then tonight Shirley was wanting to send out a new email list for the Page Ladies Lunch Bunch… a group of her classmates who meet every month to share a meal, support, remembrances and laughter together. Well, the list on my computer had a watermark that was a pirate… and it looked pretty good. Every time she pulled it up on her computer, the pirate was so dark it made some of the names unreadable. I guess we spent a couple of hours with that. She tried to scan my copy and would get a scanner error.

By now we kinda feel like Lee Marvin in the picture above. Not only are we out of it, but so is our horse. It was a mentally tiring day… and we don’t have a lot of mentally left to lose. In church today we sang “It is Well With My Soul” Got a bit lively with “I’ve Got Joy” and the “Hymn of Promise.” Tonight I really needed those hymns to lift up my spirit. I think Jesus has a strange way of knowing exactly what we need, even when we don’t. I needed to be reminded that all is indeed well with my soul, even with the small, insignificant matters like computer and television problems. He knows and surrounds us with the problems of life are almost unbearable.

And so we pray: O Lord, your grace is sufficient for all areas of my life, from the minor to the major. You pour your grace on us and before us. Thank you for surrounding with your loving arms and lifting our spirit. Amen.

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Something happened while we were at the reunion last night… but my WordPress program will not send out email notifications of new posts. I am working on it and hope to have it up and running in no time… sometime…anytime. I do not have a mailing list so this Facebook page is the only way I may be able to contact you till the work is done.

Hang in there with me.
Steve

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In The Sermon on the Mount Jesus offers two simple but very powerful images of the role of His disciples in the world – to be salt and light. At first sight, salt does not seem very glamorous – but anyone who has had to go on a low-salt diet knows the difference it makes to a meal! The job of salt, though, is not really to be tasted itself – but to bring out the other flavors in the meal. In Jesus’ time, it was also important in preserving food – a vital job in a hot country where food would quickly become dangerous.

In a similar way with light – the job of light is not to draw attention to itself – it is there to allow people to see things that would otherwise be hidden in the darkness.

So it is with Jesus’ disciples – that is us… Like salt, we are not to overwhelm the world – but to bring out the goodness – or preserve the goodness that we find in it.

Like light, we should allow the Light of God to shine through us – not so that we dazzle people with our radiance – but so that they can see the light of truth.

We may be tempted to hide the light – especially when it might get us noticed – or where people would not understand. That is a risk of discipleship – but, Jesus says, that by allowing our light to shine, other people will see clearly and give praise to our Father in heaven.

Another point worth noting is that Jesus was not speaking to the great and the good – He was speaking to a crowd of people who had followed Him to the hillside. He was also speaking about what He saw as real in the here-and-now – not something that would come about when everyone was perfect. Jesus looks at the people before Him – then and now – and says, “You are the salt of the earth…You are light for the world…”

Our role as salt and light for the world is something we are called to do right now – however imperfectly. The little flavor we bring – the small light we can offer – all make a difference to the world. Without us – life is tasteless and dull!

Dear Lord, help me to be the salt and light you called me to become that I may more fully share in the advancement of your kingdom here on earth. Amen.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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Michael Hargrove tells about a scene at an airport that literally changed his life. He was picking up a friend. He noticed a man coming toward him carrying two light bags. The man stopped right next to Hargrove to greet his family. The man motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They hugged and Hargrove heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!” “Me, too, Dad!” said the son. The oldest son (maybe nine or ten) was next. “You’re already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!” Then he turned to their little girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half). He kissed her and held her close. He handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, “I’ve saved the best for last!” and preceded to give his wife a long, passionate kiss. “I love you so much!” He said to his wife softly.

Hargrove interrupted this idyllic scene to ask, “Wow! How long have you two been married?”

“Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those,” the man replied, as he gazed into his wife’s face.

“Well then, how long have you been away?”

The man turned around and said, “Two whole days!” Hargrove was stunned. “I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!”

The man stopped smiling and said, “Don’t hope, friend . . . decide!”

And that’s it, isn’t it? For most of us it comes down to a decision. “Till death us do part.” It doesn’t happen in every relationship, but that is still the ideal that Jesus gives us.

When we step before the altar to wed what have we decided… to make it work at all cost? Or to see how long this will last? Let me suggest to decide together that you will make it work… which means give and take on both sides as you grow and move together to become one. Don’t just hope it will work. Decide it will work. And then stick to it.

Dear Lord, I thank you for my marriage of 53 years. I thank you for all the good times and even the difficult times. I thank you for the love, wisdom, and understanding of my wife. I thank you for the blessings of all these happy years together. Lord, it has been a hoot. You really know how to pick ’em. In and through Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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Well, awhile back we found ourselves without power. Can you imagine what that does to a techy? No Television. No Computer…which means no emails, no Facebook, no messaging; No air-conditioning. No lights. But, aha, I have my iPhone. And an oil lamb.

So here I am (picture this) after activating the hot spot on my iPhone so that I can send and receive emails and get internet – sitting here by the light of an oil lamp typing my devotional on my Mac. Kinda reminds you of Abe Lincoln doesn’t it?

That night we were being forced to slow down almost to a crawl, actually talk to each other (not over the noise of the TV), be quiet, retrospective, and think about quieter times. (The cat actually purrs???)

I know I was thinking that I will be glad when this intrusion into my techy world is over, but perhaps I will appreciate some quiet time – very quiet time at home talking about what test results will produce.

Trim your lamps and enjoy your PB & J by candlelight. We did.

Dear Lord, you know I do like my techy stuff. Oh, how difficult it would be for me to retro to 1900 with the oil lamps and no phones (I or Me or Wii). Thank you for this quiet time to reflect on the many blessings you are giving us, especially the blessing of Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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The image of God as a shepherd runs throughout scripture. What exactly does a shepherd do? It’s a job description that the ancient Israelites would have been familiar with, as would much of the world throughout history, when society was more agrarian. But in today’s world of agribusiness, when only a few farmers spend time on the land or with animals, we have become increasingly distant from this image.

Very few animals get to wander in green pastures these days. Instead they lead miserable short lives in factory farms. This image of God as a shepherd calls us back to a better way, a more beautiful life for the sheep and the shepherd.

I picture an Irish man with gray-flecked hair, wellington boots, a worn tweed jacket and a wool cap. He has a few sheep dogs running around his heels until given some subtle signal to run ahead. The sheep, from a distance, are white fluffy dots in a country landscape, little clouds in a sea of verdant green grass, the quaint local pub rising from the distance like an oasis. That’s the fantasy.

But get up close and sheep are a different matter. They are not white but usually dirty and soiled. Their coats are not soft and fluffy so much as tangled and matted. You wouldn’t want to snuggle with them. They smell. They make weird noises. Lambs are cute. Sheep not so much.

But if the shepherd is God, then you know who we are. The sheep. Lovely from a distance, but messy, smelly and a bit dim-witted when you get up close. And yet, God gets up close. God came to earth in human form, to once again be a shepherd who walks with us through all the valleys of life.

Dear Lord, we understand as a shepherd cares for his sheep, we are loved. Lord, help us love this earth and the creatures we share it with. Let us return to green pastures, in and through Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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