Thursday, June 23, 2011

"Promise Me this Won't Ruin Your Weekend"

So I had just woken up from my nap that I was taking in the passenger seat.  We were getting close to the food exit and since it was past supper time, I was ready for a pit stop.  The only thing on my mind was whether I should get a six inch or foot long.  Our family was taking a two day trip to West Nebraska for my wife's 15 year reunion, and I was looking forward to the mini-getaway and the chance to connect with family.
But then came the question.  As I wiped the sleep from my eyes, my wife asked me, "If I tell you something, will you promise me that you won't let it ruin your weekend?"  Now I was awake.  "Oh boy," I replied as I sat up in my seat.  "What is it?"  My wife then proceeded to tell me that earlier that day she learned that her company was having an important meeting the next day and it was very likely that her entire department would be cut.  Did Subway sell deli ham by the slice?  I had just lost my appetite.
A few years ago my wife showed me an article that listed the "recession proof jobs."  Mental Health, her field, was one of them.  Then, fourteen months ago, my wife's company filed for bankruptcy due to the State's delinquent payments.  But thankfully she was hired on at a new company four days later.  Afterwards, I thought that would be our one "job loss" story.  But here it was a year later and soon the news of another layoff would be delivered - my wife would be out of work in one month.
My reaction wasn't exactly reassuring.  Maybe my nap wasn't long enough because I quickly slipped into "I'm angry at life mode."  Perhaps you seen or experienced it before.  No smiling. Little conversation. And periodic shaking of the head.  My wife did her best to accentuate the positive and express her faith and trust in God.  But I was a pillar of frustration that would not be shaken.
After a restless night sleep, I rolled out of bed bright and early sometime past 9ish.  I knew that God and I were due for a talk.  I spent most of my prayer time venting my frustration and hurling familiar phrases like, "how could you" and "why now?"  Then I flipped my Bible to Psalm 71:1-3.  After reading, "Be my rock of refuge to which I can always go; give the command to save me; for you are my fortress," I broke down and really began listening for God's reassurance and direction.  I knew that I had no reason to be angry at life.  God was there in the midst of our life changing event.
But it wasn't until I resumed my study of Hebrews this week that God opened my eyes to something which I already knew.  It wasn't an "ah ha" moment.  Rather, it was an "oh yeah" moment (others might call it a "duh" moment).  Reading Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever."  That's right.  The same faithful God who helped us through the first job loss was with us for job loss number two.  He hadn't forgot how to provide or comfort us.  And His amazing love and grace still covered us from head to toe.
How could I forget this?  Life's trials and uncertainties tend to shake our faith from time to time.  Honestly, it's not easy to have faith when the world around you cracks or crumbles.  But then again, I can't imagine going through something like this (or worse) without faith and the lasting hope that only can be found in Christ.  I can't imagine being angry and frustrated with life for more than one evening.  And I certainly don't want every piece of bad news to ruin my weekends.
Thankfully this news didn't ruin our weekend and my wife had another job offer this week.  There will still be a brief time of unemployment and it won't be without stress, but God was faithful...again.  We have yet another reason to be thankful, and one more experience that will strengthen our faith.  Even more, we have a reminder of why we must share that faith - because too many people experience these same angry and frustrated times without the hope found in the "oh yeah" moment.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Keep your eye on the ball...and everything else.

Last Saturday was my son's second baseball game.  He is in the coach pitch league where the kids are given three at bats and then a swing off the tee.  There's no keeping score and everybody gets to bat.  With the kids just trying to learn the basics, a ground ball turns into a melee with 5-6 kids trying to pick it up and chuck it to first.
And that is why my son's defensive play was so incredible.  Yes, I'm biased but there is no doubt that it was the best play of the game.  Ask anybody, and if they say different, I want to know who they are.
My son was playing P/3B, the hybrid position that he has claimed his own.  It's where most of the action is.     With him being so close to the batter, I urge him to keep his eye on the ball and be ready.  With those instructions fresh in his mind, a sharp bouncer came right at him.  It hit him directly in the chest and then fell nicely into his glove.  Not taking anytime to celebrate, Jackson turned to throw the ball to first and ran.  That's right, he started to run, just as every other fielder had been doing, towards first with the ball cocked and ready to throw once the distance was manageable.
But after a handful of strides, my son checked to see the status of the batter.  That's when he had a light bulb moment - "I'm running faster than him!"  He veered toward the baserunner and rightly tagged him out.  Even the opposing team's coach (who was pitching) gave him a high five and proclaimed, "awesome" as Jackson gave the ball back.
As we talked about this on the way home, Jackson summarized the play for my wife (who was on nap duty in the car) by proclaiming, "I just realized that I was faster than the runner so I went and tagged him out."  Although we have been trying, like all the other parents, to get him to throw without running to first, this play was worthy of affirmation.  The play itself was great, but his field awareness was especially good.  Because the key to baseball is to keep your eye on the ball and everything else.
I guess that's what the Apostle Paul was talking about with our spiritual lives in Ephesians 6:13 when he said, "Keep your eyes open."  Spiritual awareness is something that we often overlook.  Prayer, being a part of the Church, and studying scripture play important roles in our life changing relationship with Christ; just like keeping your eye on the ball.
But we also have to be aware of what's happening in our culture, our family and relationships.  Ask good questions and be prepared to answer tough ones that will come our way.  This is where wisdom kicks in.  Like Ephesians 5 says, "Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise."  We must stop, look around and think before we act or speak.  When we do so, I believe people will have to take notice and proclaim "awesome."  

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Kung Fu Peace

On Tuesday my son and I enjoyed the second installment of Kung Fu Panda 2 at the Aksarben theatre.  It was $1 popcorn and pop Tuesday so our hands were full of buttered goodness and our mouths were full of laughter as "Po" the Dragon Warrior battled "Lord Shin" of the Peacock Clan and his weapon of destruction.  The action and humor were expected but the lesson on peace was a pleasant surprise.  Po wasn't in search of just victory, but also inner peace as he attempted to discover the reason for his parent's disappearance.  
The lesson and affirmation that Po receives at the end are positive and ample justification for inner peace.  But yesterday my mind began to dwell on the peace that Paul talks about in Philippians 4:6-7.  Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 
The peace that Po seeks out is one that is beneficial but limited.  It puts to rest our anxiousness concerning specific situations for a limited period of time.  Once we achieve that peace it is the result of our own efforts.  Either by accepting our circumstances in a positive perspective or by controlling our emotions, our efforts direct us to this place of inner tranquility.  
This type of peace is achieved in many ways in our society.  Exercise, yoga, meditation, counseling, solitude and even Kung Fu.  The list goes on.  The roots of this approach can be found in ancient eastern philosophies as well as western philosophies, such as the Greek Stoicism that emerged in the 3rd century BC.  It taught the development of of self-control and virtue as a means for overcoming self-destructive emotions.  
Some have suggested that there is a hint of Stoicism in Paul's language in Philippians 4:6-7 since Paul spent a great deal of time among the philosophers in Athens (see Acts 17).  But the reality is, the peace that Paul proclaims in this passage surpasses anything that we can accomplish on this earth.  
Paul is clear that this is not just another philosophy when he uses the phrase "exceeds anything we can understand."  The original Greek for "understand" is "reason in the narrower sense."  Let's face it, our understanding of peace is quite narrow no matter how we achieve it on this earth.  But the peace found in Christ transcends anything we can comprehend - and the best part is, it lasts.  It's not temporary or limited to specific life situations or seasons.  
What separates the Philippians peace from the peace that Po finds in Kung Fu is it's source.  Paul uses the phrase "in Christ" 51 times in his various letters of the New Testament.  This phrase is so common for Paul because it is his one and only power source.  It's no longer himself or religion as he notes in Philippians 3 - "though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could."  He realized that way of life brought little or no peace at all.  It was "in Christ" where he discovered a peace that his mind could not wrap itself around.
I'm sure if Paul were here today he would have enjoyed Jack Black's humor in this sequel and a little "Kung Fu Fighting."  But he would have disagreed with Po's teacher "Master Shifu," the wise old red panda.  True and lasting inner Peace is not found here on earth.  It's only found "in Christ."