Live Like That

Lately I've been trying to listen to more music and less talk radio, which is a challenge for me.  But as I've left the dial on Sirius 63 (The Message) it's been a good change.  The music helps me stay at peace and talk with God in the car.  And there are a handful of new songs by Toby Mac, the Newsboys and others that I love to crank.  For the songs I like, I lip sync to the chorus or even sing along but that's as far as it goes.  I rarely memorize the rest of the song.  I'm a chorus guy.  You know the one.  The person that sings along with a popular song when the chorus comes on and then quietly mumbles gibberish when the song shifts back to the main lyrics.  Don't worry, I'm pretty comfortable as the guy you roll your eyes at.

A chorus that has really captured my heart is from the band, The Sidewalk Prophets.  Their song, "I Want to Live Like That" has really struck a chord.  The main chorus is this: "I want to live like that, and give it all I have, so that everything I say and do points to you."  There is a great music video of it on youtube to check out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfosSggwQS0

The song is definitely about making a difference in the life we have.  Something I am determined to do - all for the glory of God.  But the phrase "Live Like That," took me back to James 5 where it talks about prayer and faith.  In verse 17 it reminds us that the prophet Elijah prayed for no rain, and no rain fell for 3 and a half years.  Then, when the time came, he prayed for rain, and it fell.  The best part?  James reminds us that "Elijah was human as we are."

Often times we read scripture about spiritual giants like Elijah and think, "well that can't happen to me."  Or "that was David who went on to be King, I'm not going to have those opportunities."  What a giant mistake to think that way.  The reality is, scripture is here to instruct us, guid us and inspire us!  You can pray like Elijah prayed - with great faith.  You can have the heart of Mary Magdalene and the passion of Paul.  They were humans and children of God just like you and me.  The only reason you won't or can't experience the intimacy with God and influence that they did is because we fail to believe like they did and love God like they did.

But because of His grace and love for us, more opportunities are waiting for us.  Opportunities to pray impossible prayers and dream big dreams to make a difference through Christ.  So when the chorus "Live Like That" begins to echo in my car, I believe it.  And I'm ready to experience it.  Are you?    

All Too Real

Have you ever had a dream that was almost too real?  A few years ago I had a dream like that.  I was dreaming that I was in Wal-Mart (that's literally the beginning of a nightmare) and had lost my son.  We have all lost track of our kids for a few seconds, but this time, the seconds turned to minutes and I became frantic.  This dream was probably not very long, but it was long enough to cause real fear while I was sleeping.  I remember finally waking up and being overwhelmed with relief that it was indeed just a terrible dream.  Nonetheless, it was a dream that I would never forget.  Again, a dream that was too real.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago.  I was at the car dealership getting our vehicle serviced.  My son was content to watch Nickalodeon in the kids room, but my daughter has not learned how to be content just yet.  So I decided to let her roam the showroom and climb in and out of the different vehicles to pass the time.  I thought our car would be finished shortly so I didn't bother to tell my son what we were up to.  Besides, he was entranced by the kids movie he was watching.

About 10 minutes after our showroom tour began, Jackson made his way out of the kids room and found me.  With tears in his eyes, he asked, "why did you leave me there."  He explained that he didn't know that we had left and that he was "freaked out" when he couldn't find us.  That phrase troubled me and it immediately triggered the memory of the dream that was all too real.  I knew the panic of losing track of my son, but now I had witnessed the panic from the other side - from my son who was "freaked out" when he couldn't find me.

I apologized to him quickly and reassured him that I wouldn't ever leave him.  Still, this moment stuck with me for a while.  So often we only think of how difficult it is to lose track of our children and we forget what a lost child feels and experiences.  What if my son's fear was twice as much as mine?

All of this reminded me of the promises found in scripture.  Specifically, in Hebrews 13:5 where we are reminded that if you are in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, He "will never leave you or forsake you."  So no matter what the situation or struggle, He is there to walk with us.  We are not alone or lost.  Just as my son will cry out "Dad?" when he's unsure of where I am, we must do the same in our relationship with God.  If we feel lost or "freaked out," cry out to God.  He wants to be our refuge and source of eternal hope.  It's this very real promise that brings an real relief in my heart.

Hope Lives

On November 12, 2010, Port Au Prince Haiti was rocked by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.  19 months later, I boarded a plane in Miami to visit Haiti and see how Convoy of Hope was helping feed thousands of people - mainly children - in the aftermath of this tragedy.

With the earthquake and devastation as my primary point of reference, I came to Haiti expecting to see people who were just making it, and understandably, discouraged.  I expected to struggle with the question of "why" since so many died and many more were injured and homeless.  I equally expected the many Haitians that I came into contact with to be asking the same questions.

But to my surprise, I saw more hope than questions.  Instead of downcast faces, I found lots of smiles.  The kids we visited at the schools and the orphanage were alive and bubbling with energy.  People dressed their best and were proud of whatever job or duty they were responsible for.  The city was alive, even with rubble and trash still surrounding them.  Rather than asking "why," I began to wonder if I could have the same attitude as the merchants selling mangos (which were unbelievably good) or cook who prepared my food.  So many of our connections with people and kids were incredibly moving experiences.

Even more powerful was the trip to the memorial and mass grave outside Port Au Prince.  Behind a small memorial and a hill filled with homemade crosses, lies a canyon where approximately 200,000 of the 300,000 who died are buried.  All of us were speechless.  So much death, yet so much hope in Haiti.

One of the many places where we found such hope was a church that we visited on the edge of Port Au Prince.  It was filled with people who were in the midst of a 12 hour prayer time.  Thinking back to the cries for God in a language that I did not know, I now think of David's words in Psalm 25 - "My hope is in you all day long."  Hope certainly lives in Haiti.

I Still Don't Get It

A few weeks ago I took my two kids to the Amazing Pizza Machine here in Omaha.  If you've never been there, it's like Chuckie Cheese's on steroids.  The food is so-so, the games are fun but pricey and the prizes are mostly lame.  The best thing about the APM is the 72 inch screen in the sports room where ESPN is continually playing (the last room my kids want to eat it). But the kids love the place, so I break down every once in a while and drive the three blocks to get there (yeah, it's that close).

While we were getting our food and heading to our table, I walked past a table with a middle aged lady who had a few plates in front of her.  She was there with family who had just left the table.  I didn't pay much attention to her, but as I walked past her, I noticed her take three slices of pizza from one of her two plates and shovel it into a large ziplock bag under her table.  I had a mental "wow" moment and proceeded to settle the kids into the booth.

Now I have been to a buffet many times, but this was the first time I had seen this.  I wasn't sure how to feel about it either.  I wasn't sure if I should be disgusted that someone would raid the buffet for a weeks worth of food or just feel sorry for them.  For a minute, I began to wonder if I should notify the manager about the freeloading that was happening right under his nose.  I know that sounds bad, but honestly, that was one of my first thoughts.   

Two hours and 600 tickets later, we made it home.  Later that evening I mentioned what I saw to my wife and she commented that she wasn't surprised.  She reminded me that there are plenty of people who see an all you can eat buffet as an opportunity for some extra meals.  I guess that's when I realized something pretty important - I still don't get it.  I still don't get what it means to not know where my next meal comes from.  I still don't get what it means to have an empty fridge.  I still don't know what it means to really go hungry for an extended amount of time.  And I still don't know what it means to go to a buffet in hopes of covering more than one meal.

When Jesus spoke of "the least of these," my first thought is usually the man standing by the road with a sign that reads, "Homeless, anything will help." But the reality is, "the least of these" are all around us. They're living paycheck to paycheck, been looking for a job for months and "going back for seconds" is something rare.  Even though I didn't expect it, "the least of these" were at the Amazing Pizza Machine two tables away.  And with people who need compassion so close, maybe it's time that I look for more opportunities to help rather than looking for the manager.

My Magical Whopper

A couple years ago my wife and I decided to make a change in our life insurance policy carrier.  My Allstate agent, Ryan Grothaus, offered better coverage and a better rate so it was an easy decision.  I'm not aware of discounts for mentioning my agent in my blog, but when they introduce that discount, I've got it covered.  


The paperwork was a breeze, but as is the case with most policies, my wife and I needed to go for a blood check.  I made the appointment and listened with moderate interest to the instructions for the test.  A few weeks past and a reminder for the test popped up on my phone.  It was a busy day, which meant I needed to pick up lunch on the way to the test.  Again, I listened with moderate - correction - little interest to the instructions for the blood test.  I arrived early to the clinic, and while I waited outside for my wife, I methodically devoured a whopper value meal.  With a handful of fries to spare, my wife walked through the doors and immediately gasped.  "What are you doing?"  As I started to explain the obvious, she cut me off and exclaimed, "You were supposed to fast.  This is a blood test!"  


Oops.  Now what do I do?  This was unfamiliar territory.  I've certainly made the mistake of not listening before but never did it relate to life insurance blood screens.  The immediate question was, do I finish the rest of the fries?  The bigger question, however, was will they let me take this test over again?  Before I could decide on the fries, the nurse called me in.  I decided to bring the evidence with me to prove to her that she shouldn't order a triple bypass for me following the results.  She chuckled and said that we would go ahead with this test, and if necessary, do another in a couple weeks (and hopefully I would listen to the instructions for that one).  


A week passed and the nurse finally called with the results.  My cholesterol has always been normal so I knew that any kind of spike would be the fault of the king and his tasty creation.  I listened to the voicemail and was shocked to hear that my results were all normal.  Wow!  I knew the Whopper was yummy but never did I think it had this kind of effect.  Obviously it is possible that the food hadn't made it into my blood stream yet or maybe it was the root beer I washed it down with that helped to neutralize the toxins.  Is it possible that this was a magic Whopper that had special medicinal powers?  Whatever the case, I was relieved to have avoided another needle.  


I was sharing this story with a few friends last week and upon further reflection, I began to think of a favorite scripture in Hebrews.  In chapter 10, the author states, "for our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water."  Now unlike my magical whopper, this is not just helpful, but life changing.  The blood of Christ has the power to cleanse us of our sins and bring peace to our guilty consciences.  Because of the love and grace of God, our past - whether 10 minutes ago or 10 years ago - can truly be our past.  


I had totally forgotten about this story and the mistake I made at the clinic.  But I'm sure that's because I didn't have to pay for it.  We've all had mistakes that we have had to pay for though.  Some have been very painful.  Thankfully, because of the blood of Christ, I don't have to live in shame for past mistakes.  And even more, I don't have to pay for them either.  All of this reminds me of an old hymn my Grandfather loved to sing - "There's Power in the Blood."  There most certainly is.  

Book Review: "Moonwalking with Einstein"

"If only I could remember his name."  "It's on the tip of my tongue."  "I know that I need to pick something up from the store but I can't remember what."

We've all had these moments.  The times when our memories have failed us.  Or is it that we have failed to properly understand and train our memories?  That's the question that Joshua Foer sets out to answer in his 2011 book, "Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything."  After observing and interviewing "mental athletes" - yes, you read that correctly - Foer embarks on a year long journey of discovering the secrets of memory and eventually competes for the U.S. Memory Championship.

I was interested in this book after reading about in TIME Magazine last month.  I feel that I am blessed with a good memory, and I wondered if this book could help me to further improve it.  I can't say that my memory is better after reading this book or that I have memorized the order of a deck of cards recently (a memory competition staple).  But I can say that I have a better understanding of how to remember things that I really want to recall.  Its this new understanding that will help me to remember names more effectively, create more memorable sermon points and remember novel and completely useless facts and stats.  Foer uncovers some valuable insights and tools such as utilizing a "memory palace." One of my memory palaces helped me to memorize the following shopping/to do list (found in the book) in a matter of minutes: pickled garlic, cottage cheese, salmon, 6 bottles of white wine, 3 pair of socks, 3 hula hoops, snorkel, dry ice machine, email Sophia, skin toned cat suit, Paul Newman film "Somebody Up There Likes Me," elk sausages, megaphone and director's chair, harness and ropes, barometer.  Now I just have to worry about forgetting that useless list.

The tools and insights were valuable, but it was the journey that Foer embarked on that made this book a fun read.  Foer found an English mental athlete who took him under his wing and trained him.  Along the way, Foer met with some very interesting people such as the original Rain Main, Kim Peek.  He also tracked down a few individuals with the rarest forms of amnesia to attempt to capture the reasons why we forget.  Furthermore, he had himself tested for his memory capabilities and shared the mysteries of "chicken sexing" (not as bad as it sounds).  These and other fine details helped to make a captivating story.

The great story and the valuable memory tools both served as a reminder that our brain is a magnificent creation.  Even in this information age, most of us have only scratched the surface of what it can do. The fact that there is a man in England who has memorized and can recite the first 22,514 digits of pi is proof of that.  The origin of our awesome brain, however, is where I disagree with the author.  On more than one occasion he refers to the evolutionary process in how our brain has developed.  But almost in the same breath, Foer concedes that science has yet to uncover all the secrets of how our memories function.  This, of course, is problematic since it is impossible to prove that evolution is responsible for the current state and function of the brain if we cannot even explain everything about the brain itself.  Obviously I am approaching this text from a faith perspective, but I still think the scientific and literary community would be well served if they began to embrace the beauty and mystery of God's creative genius.

Despite this hiccup, Joshua Foer's quest to answer the question, "is it possible that we have the capacity to remember everything" is wonderfully interesting and its a book that I would recommend.  After reading this book, you will not only discover how Foer faired at the 2005 U.S. Memory Championship, but you will also be challenged and encouraged to test the seemingly unlimited power of your own amazing mind and memory.

Ash Wednesday - Worth a Shot?

As I'm camped out at my usual studying spot at McDonalds this morning, I notice a group of seniors who have gathered at tables next to me.  It's not a group that I have seen here before, but they all have one thing in common - a dusting of ash on their foreheads.

My earliest memory of Ash Wednesday was when a friend of mine in middle school came to class with ash on his forehead.  My observation?  "Hey, you have some stuff on your forehead."  Cue the theological explanation and the subsequently awkward "ohhhhh, right."

Since then, I have slowly grown to appreciate Lent.  That is, from a distance.  Since I have many Catholic friends, I appreciate the dedication and anticipation for Easter.  But when it comes to observing, listening to conversations of what others are giving up and saying, "thats cool" is as close as I've come.  But just last year I learned of a couple in our church that had begun practicing Lent and that it was a very meaningful spiritual practice.  I had often wondered if I should give Lent a shot in my own walk with Christ.  Now I have a good excuse.  My parishioners have inspired me.

So this year it begins.  The original purpose of lent - a practice that dates back to the 8th century - is to prepare your heart to focus on the sacrifice of Christ by sacrificing something yourself.  When checking out www.whattogiveupforlent.com the phrase "a controlling factor of your life" stuck out. What am I giving up?  Eating after 8pm.  I usually eat one to two snacks at night despite warnings from my wife such as, "Don't do it" and "You don't need it."  Seems like this would be a good place to start.

As with any spiritual practice, the original purpose and design can be lost.  Consequently, the practice becomes an empty ritual.  This was the case for the Pharisees in New Testament.  Even something as simple as keeping the Sabbath had become rigid and legalistic.  As Jesus so adamantly pointed out time and again to the Pharisees, they were missing the point.

But as the prophet Isaiah so aptly described in verses 5-7 of chapter 58, its not about "going through the motions."  Every spiritual practice on the outside should correspond with our thoughts, feelings and actions.  Giving something up must start and end with us offering something up from our hearts.  In other words, as I give lent a shot, I need to worry more about what will change in my heart rather than what will change in my stomach.  And so it begins.

Getting the Glory for Giving the Glory

If one year ago I told you that the two most talked about and tweeted sports figures for the 2011-12 seasons were Jeremy Lin of the NY Knicks and Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos, you would say I'd eaten too many pepto flavored Valentines hearts.  Let's face it - nobody saw this coming.  Tim Tebow, the guy that every sports analyst wrote off as a NFL quarterback, set the football world on its head with win after last second win.  By season's end, everyone was "Tebowing" and talking Tebow.  He set a twitter record and was one of the few athletes to ever stake the claim as the most talked about person in a given week.  And every time he was in front of a camera or mic, he gave glory first to his Savior and then to his teammates.  


Then there is Jeremy Lin (see my youtube video bar). He is an unsigned free agent from Harvard that has spent most of the NBA in the development league or the end of the bench. He is also the guy who everybody looked past and now everybody is wishing they hadn't.  The last GM that cut Lin said this week, "I have egg on my face."  And the former coach of the San Francisco University Basketball Team said, "maybe if I would have offered Jeremy a scholarship, I'd still have a job."  From out of nowhere, Jeremy Lin has taken the NBA by storm.  He scored more points in his first five games than any other player in history - including Michael Jordan.  After his latest triumph - a last second three to beat Toronto - he stepped up to the mic and thanked his teammates for bailing him out (after turning it over 8 times).  Then, he tweeted this: "Gutsy win...5 in a row! This team is so unselfish and has so much heart. Love playing with them! God is good!"  So much for the egotistical superstar.  


What's so surprising in all of this is not the unlikely rise to stardom for these two guys. Its that people are surprised that so many people are attracted to their selfless, gracious and humble attitudes.  People love to love on these guys because they love God and their team more than themselves.  Unfortunately, the biggest stars in sports often have it the other way around.  Who wants to cheer for that?  Best of all, their thanks to God is genuine.  They give him glory when they speak AND the way they play and live.  


Frankly, I'm not surprised that two underdogs with humble personalities and extraordinary faiths are dominating the attention of so many.  I think it's exactly what people are longing for in a hero.  And God found two faithful, obedient and talented men who were ready to get the glory for giving the glory.  I guess all I'm wondering is, "who's next?"

The Plane is Going Down! Oh wait...

Practically everyone has considered the question, "What would you do if you knew you were going to die?"  Unfortunately, for passengers of a British Airways Flight from Miami to London, that question became very real.  A flight assistant accidentally pressed the button that announced that the plane would be making an emergency landing at sea.  Now that will make you put down your package of peanuts.  As the passengers began to panic, a stewardess announced that the message was a mistake.

My first thought after reading this article was, "where is this button located?"  If it's next to the pilot's "fasten seatbelt" button, it should probably be moved.  Something that serious should have one of those button flip cases like you see in films about nuclear missiles.  Because a whoops like that is going to stick with people for quite a while.

My next thought was, "what would go through my mind for the first few moments following an announcement like that?"  It's hard to imagine and even more difficult to predict, but if I were to guess, I would think, "I don't want to die." I mean, who wouldn't?  A close second would be my wife and kids.  Whether they were with me or not, I would gravitate to thinking about them.  I would hate the thought of my kids growing up without a father and also not being able to live out my days with my wife.

After these two sure things, I would venture to say that some serious prayer would be in order.  I'd definitely be praying for a Captain Sully type landing.  And with it, I would surely pray the "if I get out of this thing alive" prayer.  We all have the list of things we want to accomplish and experience, and for whatever reason, we have put them off or have just been too lazy to see these things through.  I know that I would come up with a small yet significant list for things that I would change or follow through with.  I would love to hear from this group of passengers and whether or not it changed the way they lived.

The sad thing is, it shouldn't really take experiences like this to motivate us to maximize our opportunities.  We all know that "life is short" and that tomorrow is not guaranteed for anyone.  But do we live like it?  I love what the Apostle Paul says in the book of Ephesians, chapter 5 - "Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days."  If we follow this word from Paul and make the most of every minute, hour and day, then we don't need any accidental recordings to get us thinking.  Sure it takes discipline, courage and strength from God to make the most of our days here on earth, but God never promised that it would be easy.  So don't put it off.  Spend some quality time with your family, go the extra mile for someone today and see what happens next!