Real Life Change

Jesus, Can I Borrow Your Pillow?

2011-07-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but it seems like there has been one story that's dominated the headlines for the past month. Of course I am being facetious. The debt ceiling debate, talks, analysis and commentary has lead to temporary paralysis for our country as the rest of us wait for something to be voted upon, or dare we hope, passed in Washington D.C. No matter where your political ideals rest, most of us agree that we want something done and soon. And once it's finished, I submit that the phrase "debt ceiling" be officially banished from use in mainstream media.

But until then, what are we to do? Yes, we can call our Congressmen, Senators or the White House, but in the end, it's out of our hands. And that's the toughest part to swallow. Our future is, for the most part, out of our hands. It's disheartening and frustrating, and if you spend too much time reading and listening to the talking heads concerning this issue (as I have), then you end up worrying. Because when something big is on the line and we don't have any control, the natural tendency is to worry, be fearful and stew over it.

This is where I was on Tuesday morning as I surfed through articles online explaining, or rather reiterating that things haven't changed and we are still headed for crisis. I was worried. If this continues, how bad will things get? How should I prepare? Were the Mayans and John Cusack right about 2012, and the end is really near?

When I went into my extended prayer time, I was still worrying. It was hard to concentrate during prayer so I started sifting through scripture and ended up in Mark chapter 4. At the end of the chapter we find the disciples getting bombarded by the waves as Jesus was snuggled up to a pillow at the back of the boat. The disciples rushed to Jesus and woke him up to ask, "don't you care that we are all going to drown?"

After reading this a couple times, I had two questions. First, what kind of pillow was Jesus sleeping on? I have a new Tempur Pedic pillow that rocks but I'm not sure it would keep me asleep at sea during a storm. My other question was, did Jesus calm the storm to teach the disciples something about their faith or say "peace, be still" so he could hurry up and go back to sleep. Let's face it, being woken up from a nap or too early in the morning is quite possibly the most frustrating thing ever. I am slightly annoyed when my wife wakes me up a few minutes before my alarm is scheduled to go off. If I'm woken up to early and in the middle of a dream (where, let's say, I'm fixing pancakes for Warren Buffet), the only thought on my mind is how quickly can I get back to sleep and finish that dream? With that in mind, I have to believe that Jesus wanted to say, "you woke me up for this? Don't you remember who my Dad is?"

Even though we're amazed at Jesus, the subtle beauty of this story is that we all relate to the disciples. We all rush to the back of the boat and scream, "God, don't you care?" We all worry too much about anything and everything that we can't control. And if the crisis involves money, you can be sure that we will scream so loud that God and anybody near us would have trouble sleeping. This story reminds us though, that if we are riding in the ship with Christ, you don't have to worry. You don't have to scream. You don't have to fear. You can grab your favorite pillow, bean bag or snuggie and cuddle up in the back of the boat. Why? Because of faith. As the book of Hebrews puts it, "faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

Jesus Christ is the reason for our faith. He is the only one who can bring real and lasting peace to any situation. Whether Washington DC figures out the mess that is before them or not, we can comfortably rest in the peace that Christ is with us. If a storm is just ahead, we can weather it with Christ's help. As the scriptures remind us, He wants our burdens and He really does care. In fact, with a storm on the horizon, we might as well stop worrying and move to the back of the boat. As the disciples learned the hard way, that's were its most comfortable.

The Legacy of Star Wars

2011-07-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

It's 5pm on Friday and I'm finishing up the day on my computer at home. I'm doing this with the sounds of Lego Star Wars echoing through my basement. My son is guiding Darth Vader through the various levels of his favorite game. Two years ago I dressed up as Darth Vader and delivered his 4 year old Star Wars cake to his birthday party. Not long after, we were looking through my old pictures and found a snapshot from my four year old party in 1979. I was wearing a Star Wars shirt and blowing out candles atop a R2D2 cake. Imagine that.

This is a familiar story for our generation. The love for "the Force" that is passed on (genetically?) from father to son. "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" is recognizable to young and old in America and beyond. When I passed on some of my old figures that I had saved - including the iconic Bobba Fett - my son was in awe. The awesomeness of Star Wars began in the 70's, elevated through the cheese of the 80's, was re-imagined at the end of the 90's, survived Jar Jar Binks at the turn of the century, and has cemented it's place in every toy aisle and video game store for the foreseeable future.

The vision of George Lucas for this amazing story is well chronicled and a great story within itself. United Artist and Universal Studios passed on the script (I wonder how much cooler Universal Studios would be if they hadn't!). Harrison Ford thought "A New Hope" was weird and that the lines in the script were...uh..."crap" that you could only type, not speak. An early private screening of the first installment with Director friends like De Palma, Milius and Spielberg produced only one positive review (Spielberg). The process for getting A New Hope to the screen was a stressful one for Lucas including a diagnosis of Hypertension, budget battles with 20th Century Fox and with last minute edits, including Obi-Wan's death (since he wasn't needed in the next two films).

Lucas and his producers didn't know what to expect on opening day. Producer Gary Kurtz was doing a radio call-in show when, to Kurtz's surprise, one of the callers raved in detail about the movie. The caller finally admitted, "I have already seen the movie four times." Lucas spent most of opening day in a sound studio and only realized it's fast start after being hit up for autographs at lunch time. Years later and billions of dollars later, Star Wars is recognizable on every continent and most countries. The logo is on toys, clothing, televisions, video games and much more. Despite it's humble beginnings, the vision of creating an epic story surrounding the journey of a lone jedi and his lost father would not only hit the screens, but also transform a generation and impact many more to come.

This had me thinking about the epic story found in the Gospel and the legacy of Jesus Christ. Over 2,000 years ago, God sent his Son to Earth, to the little town of Bethlehem, to walk among us, to teach us and to later die for all of us. More people misunderstood Him than embraced Him. He wasn't anything what people were expecting from a Messiah. The religious institutions hated Christ and were determined to kill Him. His ministry was only chronicled by a handful of disciples and yet years later, the life changing message of hope and grace was spreading like wildfire. The life saving vision of God through the life, death and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ could not be contained.

Today, the legacy of Christ can be found in the slums of Calcutta, in mega churches in Seoul, Korea, in Cathedrals in Rome, in rural churches in Indiana and even in the jungles of South America. The teachings of Christ, although sometimes abused and used for greed, are still adored and embraced by billions around the world. The stories about Jesus that my Great-Grandfather shared with my Grandfather are the same I share with my son at the dinner table, in the car and before bedtime. The Christmas story has been shared from father to son and mother to daughter more than any other story. Passed on from generation to generation, the legacy of Christ will continue to transform lives until the very end. And the kicker? The end, with Christ, is not the end. It doesn't end with Vader saying "Nooooooo" (or with Rebels dancing at Endor for those who pretend the last three don't exist). What makes the legacy of the Gospel so special is that it includes this life and the next. Now, I'm not sure what to expect when the next life comes, but I am confident - because of Christ - that the awesomeness of it will far exceed that of Star Wars. And I'm very thankful for that.

Thank you for raising your rates!

2011-07-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

I wonder what the board room at Netflix is like today? After announcing a new pricing plan that raises rates 60% for anyone who wants both streaming online and dvds in the mail, the reaction has been less than enthusiastic. As of today, there almost 60,000 comments (and netflix is deleting hundred's by the hour) on the facebook page about the price change, most of which are very negative in tone.

Last night I checked out the page and spent a few minutes reading a few of these comments. I chuckled at some of the creative stabs at Netflix and their rate hike. I also checked Google news and the articles covering the backlash. On person commented that they had a four dvds at a time plan with online streaming that was going from 24.99 to 34.99 and had decided it was cheaper to buy the movies. I love movies, but who watches that many movies?

My wife and I discussed it as we are Netflix users. We'll probably drop having one dvd mailed to us. We're confident that life will go on since currently a movie will sit on the counter for days. But as I laid in bed last night and thought about it more, I really started to get angry. No, I wasn't angry at Netflix or "corporate greed" as one disgruntled customer put it. I was frustrated that 60,000 + people could be so angry about an issue that has no lasting value to our world. I shifted my thoughts to more important issues, and as my frustration built, I kept my wife up a little later when I started asking her what we could do to help children who were victims of abuse. Why is it that people can be so upset about meaningless issues in sports, pop culture and entertainment and practically ignore significant issues such as poverty and child abuse? I should know the answer to that question since I have been guilty of obsessing over the meaningless minutia in our world. When I lived in Springfield, MO, I wrote a letter to the editor of the News Leader about why Pete Rose shouldn't be allowed into the Hall of Fame. And they printed it. With my picture. Yikes. So I know that it's easy to get caught up in the less important issues and lose site of the big picture.

But we do this with countless big issues staring us in the face. What would happen if we transferred the energy we wasted into areas of life that mattered? If we stopped getting angry and motivated by the things that people won't be talking about one year from now? Instead, we could focus on issues that could really make a difference. For example, did you know that every 10 seconds a report of child abuse is made in this country? And that almost five children every day die from some type of child abuse (more than 3 out of 4 are under the age of four). Now that's something to get outraged about. That is what is keeping me up at night recently.

What if 60,000 people a day did something to prevent or raise awareness about child abuse (other than those already doing it)? What if 60,000 people a day started tackling poverty? God created us with the capacity to serve Him and serve others. And when we begin to discover and enlarge this capacity, God can use us to do great things for others. This is what Bill Hybles wrote about in his book, "Holy Discontent." The journey of following Christ should lead us to find that one aspect of our broken world that when we see it, touch it and hear about it, you are so troubled by it that you must get in the game and do something about it.

But our Adversary would like nothing better than for our redemptive energy to be wasted. For us to never uncover our "Holy Discontent." That's why we are tempted to go through the motions and get wrapped up into the petty things in life. All the fun, yet less than meaningful stuff in our lives are not worth hours on the computer or long rants on radio shows. Find a real problem and fix it. Choose a real cause and embrace it. Get involved in your local church and live out your faith!

I may sound outraged, but honestly, this is the stuff that saddens me. I Corinthians 2:9 reminds us that "No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no eye has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." The reality that there is so much more for people to experience in an active relationship with God makes it very difficult to see people wasting their energy on the mundane and meaningless. And after reflecting on the 60,000 posts and what really makes me angry, I find myself thankful for the 4-6 hours I won't be wasting because of Netflix's new plan. So, thank you Netflix for saving me time and energy. Time and energy that will be spent better elsewhere. And to the 60,000 people who commented, as the saying goes, there are indeed "greater tragedies in life." Find one.

Thanks for letting me smell your car!

2011-07-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

When my wife told me we would be going to Swedish days in Holdrege, NE a few weeks ago, I began to wonder what kind of food they ate in Sweden. Scandanavian fish? Some type of blue and yellow dessert? Turns out they eat burgers, brats, burritos and funnel cakes. Frankly, I think I'd like the food in Sweden!

Surprisingly, the food they served at Swedish Days wasn't even the highlight of the event for me. After the parade, we made our way to the town square. Our first stop was the bouncy house for my son and his cousins (there was an age limit). Once my son got his fix in air time, I knew where I was going next - the car show. One half of the square was lined with classic cars. I picked up a voting ballot (for the top 5) and began my trek along the street of dreams.

Mustangs, Chevelle's, Camaros and Vettes. They were all represented well. I came across an amazing 60's Firebird from Cozad, NE. The owner was my age and had received the car for his 16th birthday from his Father. I was a little jealous at first. Then, I was thankful. I had a GMC Truck when I was 16 and two speeding tickets in the first year. A Firebird would have at least tripled that total.

After seeing most of the cars, I turned the corner to look at the last quarter of the show. That's when I saw it. A 1971 Mach I Mustang. The same car that my older brother owned when he was in High School. This one was royal blue and my brother's was competition orange. Other than the color difference, it was the same car that I rode to school in from time to time when I was 6 and 7 years old. Imagine that. Being dropped off at elementary school in a 71 Mach I Mustang. It didn't really help with the ladies, but what a rush!

I took a couple laps around the car, admiring the details and original body and look. Then, without knowing what was in store for me, I stuck my head in the passenger side window. It was unavoidable. The smell of the original interior. The combination of the leather seats and vinyl dashboard was unmistakable. I literally had goosebumps. It was if I was transported back to 1982. I stepped away from the car and almost got a little emotional. (Cars are one of the few things guys can get a little teary eyed about).

Quickly, I pulled it together and then shared the experience with the family. They admired the car and my story, and my son decided it was enough to vote #2 for this vintage hot rod. Before we moved on though, I had to thank the owner. I stopped and asked the closest person in a lawn chair - a lady in her late fifties from rural Nebraska - who just happened to be the owner. "Thanks for letting me smell your car," I said. She smiled big as I explained the thick memories that rushed back into my mind with just one whiff. She understood since she had purchased the car new, which gave her 40 years of these memories. I thanked her once more and swiftly made my way to the last set of lesser cars so she wouldn't think I was some creepy guy smelling her car. The smell and memories stayed with me most of the day, and even though I didn't get a funnel cake, it was definitely a good day.

As I gratefully reflected back on the Swedish Days car show, which, by the way, had no Swedish cars, I was thankful for a brother who took the time to drive me to school when I missed the bus (I'm sure it was occasionally intentional). And for the amazing gifts of memory and sense of smell. I mean, how awesome is it that one smell can take you back 30 years! God's creative design never ceases to amaze me.

"Promise Me this Won't Ruin Your Weekend"

2011-06-23T23:08:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2011-06-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

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."

Kung Fu Peace

2011-06-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

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."

Oprah's Asterisk

2011-05-24T22:55:00.000-07:00

After 25 years, today is the last time the Oprah Winfrey show will be aired. For some that might be sad while others are breathing a sigh of relief. Whatever camp you fall into, everyone would agree that Oprah has significantly influenced our culture (just see the 2008 election). No doubt she is talented, driven and truly cares about people. Although I have had my fair share of angst with some of Oprah's stances and promotions, she has raised awareness about important issues such as child abuse, health and wellness concerns and much more.
Now you may be wondering, "does this guy tivo the Oprah Show everyday or something?" No, I'm not a closet Oprah fan, but my wife has recorded the show for a few years now and watches the episodes that interest her. In the process, I've been roped into watching some of her interviews.
Last week, in fact, I found myself sitting down to watch her second interview with James Frey. Frey is the author of the memoir, "A Million Little Pieces." After receiving the seal of approval from Oprah (and the millions of readers that accompany it), it was revealed that Frey had embellished critical parts of his memoir to make it more interesting to readers. This led to a 2006 interview where Oprah reamed Frey and the publisher for allowing this to happen and for subsequently embarrassing her.
On May 16, Oprah sat down with Frey to apologize for her treatment of him on the show five years ago and give him yet another opportunity to explain himself. I was definitely interested in this interview because although Oprah was rather rough on Frey in the first interview (and caught some heat for doing so), I still feel that Frey needed a heavy dose of truth since he essentially deceived people with his story in order to achieve success and make a name for himself as an author.
Frey's explanations for his actions were underwhelming and predictable in the interview. "I think most authors do this," is a good summation of Frey's response. The part of the interview that was most intriguing was one of Oprah's last statements to Frey. I had to stop and write it down. Here it is in its entirety:

"I know everybody is acting and behaving in their life according to where they are in their own evolutionary process. Wherever you are. All of us are in different spaces and nobody has the right to judge anybody else and where they are in their path."

With all her success and positive influence, these statements have frustrated me the most about Oprah. Many times I've heard this type of commentary from Oprah and told my wife to turn her off. Because of her power and influence, she has been given a pass on whatever she says about morality, religion and life. Thus, the promotion of her philosophies like the one in this quote is a giant asterisk next to all that she has accomplished - because she has endorsed to millions a mixed bag of spirituality and postmodern morality.
Now this particular statement does have a context, which I have already given. But since Oprah uses the words "everybody" and "anybody," I know that she is not limiting it to James Frey. Her words were all inclusive so that James Frey and anyone watching could buy in to her own philosophy on life.
After grabbing a scrap of paper and rewinding a few times to copy this quote down, I immediately began to wonder what would happen if this quote were applied historically, morally and spiritually? First, the historical implications would be disastrous. Could you imagine if people responded to Hitler's Third Reich with that statement? How about the issue of segregation in the 50's and 60's? Or even more recently, the destructive Bernie Madoff who swindled billions from innocent people? Obviously, Oprah wouldn't apply her philosophy to those situations. Most would agree that these situations are clearly evil and those individuals and groups were on the wrong path and deserve to be judged and punished. Hindsight is pretty simple though. It's when we approach the present day that things get sticky.
Let's shift our attention to the moral implications then. What if the Golden Rule - often accepted as a good standard for morality - were substituted with the Oprah rule? That is, "everybody is acting and behaving in their life according to where they are in their own evolutionary process, so no one can be judged. Right and wrong are decided by your individual space." Believe it or not, we are already there. It's the ever popular, "truth is in the eye of the the beholder." Or for Frey, it was his belief that "most authors do this." There is no absolute right and no absolute wrong. But here is where the contradictions start piling up. As a victim of child abuse, she would never apply this philosophy to predators and abusive parents. Yet still Oprah has bought into the postmodern idea that your standards and beliefs can shift from one situation or individual to the next. I would suspect Oprah would defend her statement by claiming that everyone and anybody would understand that those situations (abuse, murder, etc.) wouldn't apply. This is the unproven assumption that every reasonable person would not apply your individualized morality to behaviors that are obviously wrong. But how could they be wrong? They are in their own "evolutionary process."
How about, "Treat others how you want to be treated" and taking responsibility for your actions? I would regain respect for author James Frey if he would have pulled all his books from the shelves and refunded everyone who purchased the book. Instead, he has profited from his deception, excused it and was able to promote his new book, "The Last Testament of the Holy Bible" on Oprah's show last week. Frey wasn't judged by Oprah. He was awarded for his behavior!
As silly as Oprah's comment is, it really should not be surprising. Two thousand years ago Paul warned of this type of influence in his second letter to Timothy: "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths" (4:3-4). "Wherever you are," pretty much sums up Oprah's spirituality. Scientology, New Age, Christianity or a combination of all three. According to Oprah, there is no absolute morality or truth. To claim that would have alienated her from the Hollywood elite. Unfortunately, that's what many people's itching ears want to hear. And honestly, it saddens me that an extremely gifted and loving person like Oprah has delivered such a message, and equally disappointing that millions have listened to it.
My sincere hope is that Oprah will return to her roots in Christ and that her listeners could hear the real truth. And wouldn't that be great? Such an incredible voice proclaiming the one and only truth. Now that's something I'd tivo.

Costly

2011-03-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

"One Million Workers. 90 Million iPhones. 17 Suicides. Should we care?" This was the cover of Wired magazine this month. The article chronicled the working conditions in China where iPhones are made. Interesting and surprising read. Or is it? We all know that the products we enjoy in this country - everything from our favorite shirt to the phone stuck to our hand - has the label "Made in China/Bangladesh/India" on it. We routinely ignore these labels. Even with stories like this one, we ponder for a moment and then conveniently forget the real cost of our stuff. These are countries where there are no mandatory posting of workers' rights, and the word union has little or no meaning. Let's face it. We love our stuff and the only cost we truly care about is what we see on our bank statement.

But the true cost of our stuff isn't the only area where we ignore the subtle costs that relate to the critical areas of life. What is the true cost of a husband regularly tuning out his wife in favor of Sportscenter? Intimacy. Growth. What is the true cost of busyness? Burnout. Stress. What is the true cost of three trips to McDonald's every week? Trips to the doctor. Angioplasty. Deep down we know that these possibilities can become realities if we continue ignoring the risks. But the cost of change is the most difficult for us to accept. Changing our behavior is not comfortable. It's painful and hard work. The idea sounds great, but when it costs us something, our excitement wains.

I guess that's what Jesus was talking about in Luke 14 when he said, "Sit down and count the cost." Deciding to follow him is a serious decision. Say yes to Christ and his teachings only if you are willing to embrace ALL of his teachings and weave them into the very fabric of your being. If you don't calculate the changes necessary, it will cost you. You will be frustrated, unfulfilled and disappointed. In the end, you won't change and everyone will see you as a fraud.

A life following Christ is one that embraces the cost of change. I cannot forget who made me, and certainly can't forget who transformed me. And when I begin to depart from Christ's teachings, mess up or forget my purpose, it is His grace and forgiveness that reshapes me once again. This is a costly process. It costs me my pride, my desires, my independence and more. I don't always give up those things in a timely fashion or without a fight, but when I do, it's worth it.

Just like Jesus' followers in Luke 14 needed wake up calls, so do we. Sometimes it's a doctor's visit. Other times it's a heart to heart with a loved one. Wired reported that once the suicides reached double digits, Apple decided they needed to change some working conditions. That's a costly wake up call. Fortunately, a Christ follower who is faithful in the community and prayer/devotional life has two advisors that will prevent such a costly wake up call. The first is the Holy Spirit who is our "Counselor" and will nudge us gently when we start to forget the cost of our actions. The other is our faith community, or as the New Testament consistently refers, the power of "one another." Fellow Christ followers must also nudge one another when they start down a path that will prove costly. God has built in these safeguards because He knows the difficult nature of counting the cost.

I guess that's what I love the most about this journey. Yea, it's costly. But I'm not walking alone. And as someone who lived life without Real Life Change before, I know the rewards are worth it!

The Church of Hate

2011-03-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

A few nights ago, my wife and I were watching the news when they began covering the Supreme Court decision regarding activities of the Westboro Baptist Church. The group who has tormented and antagonized countless people. Most recently, their target has become the families of our fallen heroes. I understand why the Supreme Court protected their speech, although like the majority of people, found myself shaking my head once again at the ridiculously hateful methods of this so called Church. As I'm shaking my head, my wife asks, what's your stance on this church?

Up until that point, I hadn't thought about it much past my frustration and anger towards them. I had wondered what I would do if they showed up at a friends funeral or elsewhere in Omaha and I was nearby. I'm not a violent person, but honestly, I would have to hold myself back from beating the love of Jesus into them (many people have had to do this already). Seriously, I wouldn't act on that, but that's the first thing that comes to mind for me. But that is what hate can produce - anger and more sin.

The Apostle John said "For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." (I John 3:11) Obviously, Westboro Baptist has no intention of spreading love. Their message of hate and judgement is light years away from the message of forgiveness, grace and transformation that Christ taught and lived. Even more, John also reminds us that "God is love." With this in mind, it is clear that not only is their message void of love, but also they themselves are not of God. In fact, the best characterization of what they represent is found in I John 3:14, where John reminds us that "whoever does not love abides in death." So it's rather a cruel irony that this group is spending so much time at funerals.

I doubt many would argue that Westboro Baptist is a group who is hateful and not of God. But I think the deeper issue is one that is so often overlooked. As I studied scripture and thought about this group, I began to think of the word "twisted." Ever had someone intentionally twist your words and used them to hurt someone else? That is what is happening here. The group from Westboro is deceptively and hatefully twisting God's Word - which has great power and truth - and in doing so, has inflected a great deal more hurt than what an ordinary Joe would. For the sake of their own agenda and publicity, they have carved out small slivers of scripture in order to justify their methods and message. But this twisted message is the worst kind. When the true Word of God is twisted and manipulated, the wounds often go deeper because the wounded then begin to wonder why people from a "church" would do this, and even more, why a God of love would allow this? But the reality is, the source of this deception is "the Father of Lies." Westboro Baptist is not working on behalf of God, but for Satan himself. And his goal is to steal, kill and destroy. Make no mistake, this group is on a mission of destruction by way of hate.

How do we respond? Not surprisingly, it starts with love, especially for those who are being wounded. Most of us can't do this personally, but we can pray for the families of soldiers and the many others who are targeted (the list is long). This is what Paul talked about in 2 Corinthians when he called believers to pray and "pull down strongholds." The other prayer is for Westboro. Yes, Jesus said that we must "love our enemies" and "pray for those who persecute you." Pray for the children who are growing up in this mess and for God's swift justice (Luke 18:18) to come down on the leaders of this group.

The most important thing to remember is that no matter how much hatred this group spews, the love of God "never fails" (I Cor. 13:13). The true followers of Christ must share His truth, grace and love. Then, God's light will shine through this darkness.

White Out

2011-01-19T09:18:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday was our first real taste of Winter here in Nebraska. I was hoping that the weather man would be wrong with his forecast as I loaded up my five year old to head to Holdrege (to drop him off) and then to Kearney for Minister's Retreat. Snow began to fall just as we left Omaha which had me wondering how much had fallen on the interstate going west. My first hour and a half was pleasant considering the amount of snow falling. The wind was drifting the snow lightly over the road and visibility was fairly clear. It was sort of cool to watch as I was driving and listening to "How to Train Your Dragon" and a sermon cd simultaneously.
But when I reached the Grand Island exit, things worsened considerably. The outside lane began to disappear under the coating of tightly packed snow. I slowed from 70ish to 55-60 mph and many other drivers did the same. After about 15 minutes, visibility reduced dramatically and I started seeing vehicles on the sides of the Interstate - some with people trying to dig themselves out. Those who chose not to slow down were paying a heavy price for their carelessness.
The most challenging element of this drive though, was the semis who continued to barrel down the interstate at 65-70mph. The majority of the traffic had slowed to 45 and the result of these semis passing you on the outside was terrifing. With each one, I gripped the steering wheel and waited for them to pass. But even after they passed, the worst was yet to come. The semis woul leave behind a giant cloud of snow that would last for 5-10 seconds (it seemed much longer). In effect, with each semis passing, you were driving in complete white out. I would slow down briefly, wondering if someone ahead of me would stop abruptly. There was no way of knowing what was ahead of you. I simply had to hold my breath and move forward.
After arriving safely in Holdrege and then later in Kearney, many fellow ministers recounted the same fears and anxiety of driving in this type of weather and we all had our own opinions of the semi drivers who were wreaking havoc on others. Oddly enough, those same semis piled up in a multiple (20+) vehicle accident that shut down the interstate near Gothenburg farther west.
I reflected back on this drive this week as I read 2 Corinthians 5:7, which states, "...we walk by faith, not by sight." In other words, following Christ will at many times be like driving in white out conditions. There will be dangers and the destination may be hard to recognize, but with faith and obedience, He will get us there. The great thing is, because of His power, love and grace, we don't have to be afraid. As Paul stated in Philippians, we can "press on with confidence." The journey of faith is not easy, but the best part is that we don't have to travel it alone, and yes, Jesus will take the wheel (cue Carrie Underwood music). Ok, that's my first and last country music reference in my blog. But seriously, I'm so thankful that I made it through the storm, but I am equally thankful that I am walking by faith in my journey with Christ.

"A date which will live in infamy"

2010-12-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

Whenever December 7th rolls around, I stop and think about how much the world changed on that date. On that morning, our country was at peace and doing all that it could to stay out of the evergrowing World War. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor changed the course of countless lives. Thousands were killed in that attack alone and thousands of Americans would die for our country in the following four years. One family lost all three of their sons on the USS Arizona as it sunk to the bottom of the Pacific.
If you ask someone who was alive about the attack on Pearl Harbor, they will immediately tell you where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. Moreover, they will likely explain the flood of emotions that were created by this horrific news. Veterans of WWII will pause to remember what happened on this day. Others may do more to remind as many as possible the significance of this date.
But what I realized today is that with each and every new generation, dates like December 7th are remembered less and less. Part of the reason for this is that new dates - like September 11th - replace older ones since personal experience plays a huge role in our memory. The risk for future generations, however, is that the lessons learned and sense of appreciation for who we are as a country can and will be lost if a date like December 7th becomes just another event in a history book.
I know that as a parent, I must do all that I can to remind my son and daughter of the importance of these dates. Even more, it's paramount that I impart the spiritual knowledge and understanding that surrounds these world changing events and, more importantly, the events and people found in scripture. I desparately want my children to grasp the lessons learned from dates like December 7th and with it the relevant truth found in the Bible.
All of this reminds me of a passage found in Psalm 78.
"I will teach you hidden lessons from our past -
stories we have heard and known
stories our ancestors handed down to us
We will not hide these truths from our grandchildren
we will tell the next generation about the glories deeds of the Lord
about his power and his mighty deeds."
Let us not hide the truths from our kids and grandkids. We must pass them on. So, tonight, my son will learn about "the date which will live in infamy."

Can I eat now?

2010-10-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

About four months ago, my wife and I sat and talked with an Orthopedic Surgeon (the one who operated on my knee a few years ago) to find out the damage inflicted on her knee from the car accident last April. After he wiggled and pushed on it for a few seconds, we heard the dreaded words - "you have a torn ACL." We later scheduled her surgery for 7 weeks after delivery of our little girl. At the time, I knew that it would be interesting for us to have an infant, 5 yr old and a mommy on crutches. Little did I know, it would be more than interesting!
As doable as it sounded, the first 10 days after the surgery proved that I didn't always have enough hands, time or energy to keep up with the needs of three people. I remembered how to do laundry, cook and say "Yes, dear" more times in a day than I can remember. Because of this experience, I've gained a new perspective on being a dad and a parent. What surprised me is the effect it has had on my faith.
A few days ago, I fixed a meal for my son and a lactose free meal for my wife as well as helped set my daughter up for a nap. After I thought everyone was settled, I sat down to eat my enchallada meal only to be asked for to more things from my wife and son. Once I completed my tasks, I sat down again to eat and asked in frustration, "Can I eat now?"
With my belly full and some time to myself later that night, I realized my selfishness and reflected on Jesus words, "if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Most Christ followers would recognize and be able to quote this passage as it is central to the teachings of Jesus. But, as I discovered, quoting the passage and living it are two very different things.
A friend of mine recently commented on this passage and described the challenge as "intentionally putting yourself at a disadvantage." So, this would be like us constantly allowing others to cut in front of us while we are waiting in line for our wants and desires. In other words, denying yourself is admitting your wrong before the argument starts, making your "me time" into "her time," voluntarily giving up the remote control (yeah, that's tough), and asking "what can I help you with" BEFORE you have to say, "yes, dear."
This isn't easy for anyone but that's because its not natural. Normally we listen to ourselves first and wouldn't dare let someone ahead of us. Our needs, time, money and wants come first. Our culture drives that into our heads, and we have to - with God's strength - do all that we can to drive it back out. That's the battle. Self vs. Others. At some point we all want to be first in line. We all want to stop serving others and serve ourselves. We all want to just sit down and feed our own face.
Yea, we all have to eat and I needed nourishment from my enchalladas that night. But what if I would have sat quietly and reflected on the many three times my wife served me after surgeries? What if I would have shown my son an example of a joyful servant?
Obviously, I have a long way to go in this area. Most of us do. Even during our best days, its only a matter of time before our wants and desires push others out of the way. Just like shopping on Black Friday, our wants and desires want to be at the front of the line to get the best for ourselves. But, as Jesus taught, and more importantly, lived out, we have to be willing to push ourselves to the back of the line and let others go first.

In Awe and Wonder

2010-09-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

So there I am, standing in the delivery room minutes after my wife has delivered our second child (delivering faster than Dominos as a friend remarked). Watching the nurses check her over, the fact that I was a Dad again was just beginning to soak in. Then, little Haven was placed in my arms and it really hit me. This beautiful child, who will forever be part of me and my wife and an awesome creation of God, is really here!

I watched my wife carry this little heartbeat and kicking machine for 39 weeks. Moms have the unenviable task of laboring and sacrificing for nine months but also the privelage of bonding in a way that Dads will never understand. Us guys are excited and supportive but our jaws don't drop until that beautiful creation reaches our arms (in my case, it was a watery discharge building up in my eyes). It's an unforgettable and irreplaceable experience to fully realize in just a few moments what you have taken part in creating and will now be responsible for.

As I looked upon my daughter's face, I found myself filled with an incredible sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of this new life that I was cradling. God already knew Haven before she was born and had protected her and my wife during an intense auto accident. This moment was a special one for our family, and I was infinitely thankful for God's grace and provision.

My sense of awe and wonder reminded me of the many times those words are used in scripture. Wonder is a word used throughout the OT to describe extrodinary and hard to explain things (pele'). Many times it is used to desribe God and his masterwork. We find this word in Psalms 89:5, "The heavens praise of your wonders." Just as explaining God and his love are difficult to put into words, describing what it feels like to be a Father of a daughter for the first time is next to impossible.

As for the word "awe," it is used in the OT (such as Ecclesiastes 5:7) and is from the root word Yare' which means to fear, revere, or in this case, "to stand in awe of." This word is in some ways the action form of wonder as it refers to our feelings and attitude of respect and awe before God and his creations. I hope that I never lose my sense of awe for the work that God has done and will do in Haven's (and my son Jackson's) life.

Just like the worship song, "I stand in awe of you," yesterday's experience in the delivery room is a vivid reminder that I have two incredible wonders in my life that I can be thankful for and stand in awe of. Today, I will join heaven and praise God for His newest wonder!

Old Friends

2010-07-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

I went home to see family this weekend for the 4th of July. But I was also able to see some old friends too - which was nice. Well, it was more than nice. Seeing old friends that I went to elementary, middle and high school with is rewarding. To reconnect with people that you haven't seen in years and have the ability to just pick up where you left off is something very rare outside of your family. This only works with the people you spent your formative years with. Old college buddies seem to have only a limited connection. And people from your previous employment - if that was your only connection - seem to drift apart too easily for us to reestablish a meaningful friendship.

Not so with our friends from 8th grade. These pals know more about us than some of our current friends. And the stuff we went through with them - like puberty, peer pressure and our first dates - those are experiences that produce bonds stronger than any super glue.

All of this reminded me of a line from a movie about this kind of friendship, "Stand by Me." After the narrator has taken us through a two hour retelling of a powerful journey he shared with three of his 12 year old friends, he concludes his story and the movie with this quote: "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. But who does?"

That about sums it up for me. But this line of thought led to the spiritual reflection concerning our friendship with God. For the spiritual giants of scripture, friendship with God was very real. Abraham is recognized in scripture as "a friend of God." And David was "a man after God's own heart." Then there's Jesus' famous line, "Greater love has no man than this - that a man lay down his life for his friend."

This amazing friendship is not lost in the words of scripture. It can be found in real life today. And interestingly enough, we can discover it by applying our 12 year old habits. Start telling God everything. Just like we shared our biggest dreams and deepest secrets with our friends at school, God wants to hear them from us. If you want examples, check out David's Psalms. To keep these conversations going, we need time with God. The kind of time we spent with our friends hanging out every chance we had after school. We all have interesting stories to tell from when we were 12, and just think about the stories we could share if we hung out with God in prayer and scripture for a fraction of the time we spent with our buddies in school. Boy would we have some good ones.

Friendship is a universal need, and yet so many people are living without it. There are people we come into contact every day who would love to have just one friend right now like the one they had at Summer camp when they were 12. But it doesn't take a class reunion to have a friend like that again. It just takes a willingness to open up to God and spend some time getting to know the One who desperately wants to be your friend.

What We Learned - Part 5

2010-06-03T11:05:00.000-07:00

In the week following my wife losing her job and then her getting into a car accident, I talked and prayed with lots of family and friends. Obviously we were in the middle of a trying time and eagerly accepted the kind thoughts and words from others.

One of the conversations that has really stuck with me is the one I had with a friend and fellow Pastor. I explained to him that we were both pretty exhausted but that we were finding strength in God, and He was carrying us through. His response really summed up how much we take this strength and presence for granted. He said, "It makes you wonder how people get through this kind of stuff without God." Now, the long answer to that statement is more than this blog can handle. But the short answer is, all people struggle big time when they go it alone in this world, and sometimes they don't make it through.

The fact is, without God we all struggle. Its just that sometimes we only notice our struggle when life throws us a curve ball, or as we just experienced, when life knocks us down completely. I am grateful that we had God's strength during this time. Honestly, I don't want to imagine going through crises, or life for that matter, on our own. Instead of scrambling or panicing (which I have done in the past), we waited for God to carry us through. Certainly reminds me of Isaiah 40:31. "Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint."

What We've Learned - Part 4

2010-05-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

I remember it like it was yesterday. My wife called me on a Friday morning four weeks ago and notified me that her company would not be able to continue and would be closing its doors. Later, she dropped my son off at the church and with tears in her eyes went back to her office to pack up her belongings. I finished off what work that I could concentrate on and headed home.

That evening my wife and I were treated to Pizza Hut delivery with my in-laws. We had a good time discussing how our son had little idea about how big a deal this situation was. After hearing the news about her job, my wife cried in the car for a while with Jackson in the car. A few minutes into the tears and sniffling, my son asked Candace if she could get a tissue and blow her nose as her crying was "a little to loud." If only we could handle life's hard knocks with the ease of a child.

As my wife downloaded her day with her mom, I went to the bedroom, shut the door and spent some time reading the Bible. I went back to Mark 5, which I had read a few days earlier and was happy that I did.

After waiting for Jesus to arrive at his home and heal his daughter, Jairus receives news that she has died and that Jesus shouldn't bother. But Christ responds with great words of encouragement for the father - "Don't be afraid. Just have faith." As I read those words that Friday evening, I wept a little as the peace that only God brings came over me. Later on that evening, I read it to Candace before bed. Such a simple message, yet it carried so much power with it. Even though our life had become very unpredictable, we knew that God was with us and we didn't need to be afraid.

What We Learned - Part 3

2010-05-04T23:42:00.000-07:00

Last year my wife was reading an article about the economy and what experts called "recession proof careers." She told me that both mental health and clergy where on the list. After my wife's company went bankrupt and she called me, choking back tears, to say that she no longer had a job, we now know that nothing is recession proof and that so called "experts" writing articles may have given themselves their title.

But even more than a lesson on sketchy journalism, my wife and I were reminded of a truth that has endured for thousands of years. There is only one place to find geniune, fail-safe security. As Psalm 144 describes, "The Lord is my loving ally, and my fortress, my tower of safety and rescuer. He is my shield and I take refuge in him." We knew this truth before my wife lost her job and was in a car accident. But it is in the midst of these life changing experiences that God's Word becomes very real.

Up until April 16, we had our life and future mapped out. We had our necessities and more taken care of. If we wanted to go out to eat, we jumped in the car and drove to the food court in the mall (we've always been pretty froogle). Honestly, we didn't have to worry if a check would clear. Yes, we were blessed, but honestly, had probably taken it for granted. More accurately, we unintentionally had assumed the sole responsibility of keeping our family and livelihood secure.

After losing her job, my wife remarked to me that "now we know where we really find our security." This comment was a stark contrast from our thinking a year before when the experts told us our careers made us safe. And as I was reflecting back on our experiences today, I thought that it was only fitting that earlier in April we selected the name for our unborn daughter - Haven. One day, we will share with our little girl about how God reminded us - while she was in the womb - that our safety, security and refuge is really found in Him.

What We Learned - Part 2

2010-04-29T22:40:00.000-07:00

After my wife returned from her trip to San Diego a few weeks ago and unpacked, we had some time to chat for a while at home. She told me all about her vaction with her sister, and I let her know all the guy stuff that Jackson and I had fun doing while she was away. Once Jackson was tucked in, I explained to my wife that I wanted us to spend more time together in prayer and devotions. We decided to make 10pm a regular prayer time.

We took turns each night of the week praying for our family, her job, the church and friends. Also, we looked at scripture together and discussed what God was saying to us. It was refreshing and relaxing. Our devotions were challenging and encouraging. And it was exactly what we needed. This was a habit that we had been instilling in our son but had been largely missing as a couple. We knew that getting back to this regular time together was overdue.

What we didn't know was that Candace was going to lose her job at the end of the week and the following week would be in a head on collision while driving home. As I look back, our moments in prayer and scripture were preparation for the coming storm. God was strengthening us and readying our hearts. All too often we run to drop to our knees in order to pray and seek God when life gets out of hand. There is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes we need to run to God and have a wake up call. However, I'm thankful that when our life was tipped upside down, we were already on our knees and prepared to trust in Him.

What We've Learned - Part 1

2010-04-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, April 10, my son and I were getting ready for a guys night out at the Qwest Center. With my wife in San Diego, I had tickets to the Gravity Slashers motorcross event. Just before we jumped in the car though I received a disturbing phone call. My Mother-in-law notified me that the local paper was reporting that my wife's company had filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. Little did I know that this was the beginning of a life changing two weeks for us.

My heart sunk with the news. It was unexpected, and I had no way of calming my fears for my wife and our livelihood. I didn't want to call my wife on the last day of her vacation and report that her job was in jeopardy. Instead, I put on a smile and tried my best to enjoy the motorcyles flying through the air.

Upon my wife's return, I let her know the story that was in the paper and the obvious concerns. She called her supervisor and discovered that there was a plan in place to reorganize the company and that her job was safe. Over the next few hours, my wife spent time talking to her family and calming their fears. A few family members had spent the last night losing sleep (like me) and praying.

After talking with them, my wife thought they were worried for nothing. But as we now know, they were praying for a purpose. My wife's job wasn't as safe as she was being told. Our life was about to change and God had people praying ahead of time.

Jeremiah 29:11-12 reminds us, "I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen." God certainly has a plan, but that plan unfolds when we and others seek him in prayer.

One thing we've learned from this experience is that even though we didn't know what was ahead, God did and had people praying for His plan. Thanks to those who prayed in advance!

How much more?

2010-03-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting two families in out church at the hospital after the birth of two babies. The births happened a day apart and the mothers were sisters, which made these days extra special for them.
As a Pastor, I enjoy visitation and being an encouragement to people. Visitation for a new birth is a little different though. When I walk into that hospital room, there is joy and plenty of encouragement and smiles. Nine months of anticipation and diligent planning has just ended with a life changing moment. I'm just there to congratulate and bless the wonderful new addition.
Now that my wife and I are expecting our second child, the planning and anticipation begins for us. We are dialoguing about names, planning for maternity leave and much more. I recently reflected on the planning and preparation for a new baby along with the planning that God has for us. In the book of Jeremiah, we find that God has great plans for us. "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
That scripture in and of itself is encouraging. But I have also considered the words that Christ used many times to express the great love and power of our Heavenly Father. Jesus loved to use the phrase, "How much more?" For instance, "how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?"
When I think about this phrase in relation to the planning that occurs for expecting moms and dads, I wonder, "how much more is God planning for this child?" This thought is very encouraging and brings a great deal of peace to my heart. So the planning continues, on earth and in heaven.

I'm gonna score!

2009-09-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

This Fall my son started competitive soccer in the Under 5 division of Omaha Football Club. I am the Assistant Coach of his team, "The Huskies." It's a great group of boys who are starting to learn and love the game of Soccer. Each week we have a 45 minute training session and a 45 minute 3 vs. 3 game. There are four goals (one on each side of the small field) and no goalies. The ball is continuously put back into play from one corner of the field in order to maximize touches for the players. It's different at first, but the kids catch on and it gives them a lot of experience and fun.
Last week's game was our fourth one and it was against the Punishers. The name of the team was deceiving because they only had three players and two of them had little interest in soccer that day. In fact, one of our players switched jerseys and played for the other team so we didn't have to wait for the coach to convince all 3 to be on the field at the same time. All of my boys wanted to play, but because it was especially muggy that afternoon, all of them were eager to rest and drink Gatorade too. So substitutions were a bit more frequent than what you would see in the World Cup. I guess at 4 & 5 years we have to temper our expectations a bit.
By this game, all of the Huskies had scored at least one goal except for one player; little Braden. Braden is the youngest and smallest player on the team. He tries hard but gets pushed off the ball easy and frustration sets in fast. But last week's game was different. Braden was getting opportunities to dribble and shoot. Finally, after putting one in the net for the Punishers, Braden scored a goal for the Huskies. It was a great moment for Braden and his Mom who feverishly cheers him on during the games.
Towards the end of the game Braden's Dad showed up. And since his Dad hadn't made it to any of the games yet, his Mom made sure to announce this to Braden. I made sure to sub in Braden for the final 5 minutes of play hoping he would get a chance to show off for his Dad. Sure enough, in the last minute of the game, Braden got a hold of the ball at midfield and broke away toward the goal. As he approached the goal, anticipation was building for a perfect scene as Braden's Dad was sitting just a few feet away - prepared to celebrate the moment the ball touched the back of the net. As Braden's Mom yelled, "Shoot Braden! Score!" Braden put his foot behind the ball and struck it well. A little too well though as the ball soared just over the net.
Unlike professional soccer fans who mock players that shank a shot over the goal, all the parents encouraged Braden with a chorus of "good try!" Soon after, the game was over and following the post game handshake with the Punishers (who we punished), the boys scurried to the sideline for Caprisun and fruit snacks - two more things you won't find in professional soccer. I watched as Braden got a hug from his Dad and walked off the field jubilantly with him. I realized the momentary disappointment had passed for Braden and was appropriately overshadowed by the mere presence and support of his Dad.
Reflecting on this later, I realized this was an image worth remembering. So many times in my spiritual journey, I have missed the goal by a mile and then proceeded to alienate myself from God in shame. But over time and because of the promises of grace and forgiveness through Christ, I found that God is still cheering me on. As long as I continue to do my best to love Him and love others, I don't need to dwell on the disappointments. I don't have to hide my head in shame. I can confidently run to the sideline, grab my juice box and smile up at my Heavenly Father. And the best part is that He's already smiling back down at me.

188 mph and still didn't escape

2009-08-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, a motorcyclist in Iowa made a critical decision in his life. While traveling 89 mph in a 55 zone, the cyclist was spotted by an Iowa Patrolman. Instead of pulling over, the man had a not so bright idea. "I'll outrun them." He proceeded to accelerate his Suzuki Hayabusa to the eye-popping speed of 188mph as he swerved between cars, rode the shoulder and used thin dotted line between lanes on I29 to navigate traffic, and in the process, leave the squad cars behind. He thought he could escape. There was one little problem; the plane tracking him above.

The other day I was thinking about how exhilarating and frightening this ride must have been. I'm sure the rush of adrenaline this man experienced was beyond what we could imagine. But I wonder if he ever paused for a second to think how close to death he was? One foreign object on the shoulder, like a semi's tire tread, could send the bike and him out of control. An unexpected lane change from a car - one that was expecting a bike traveling at over 150mph - would spell disaster. Still the rider traveled all the way to Omaha where he thought he had found the perfect hiding spot. Again, he had not outran the plane.

After his arrest, the cyclist acknowledged that had he know that he would have been caught, he would have never tried to escape. Interesting hindsight, yet not very surprising. I doubt many criminals, after being caught, are thrilled with their decision to try and run and have no regrets even though they were unsuccessful.

This motorcyclist reminded me, oddly enough, of myself. Not because I like to ride motorcycles at speeds of 100mph (I've never even ridden a motorcycle). No, the reason this story reminded me of myself is because at one time in my life I tried to outrun God, which I found out is even crazier than trying to outrun an airplane. Following high school, I spent the first 4 years of my life trying to escape God's love for me. I wanted to go my own way and do my own thing. It took a while to realize that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't resist or escape God's plan for my life. I knew the truth about His love for me, and once I slowed down and accepted it, I regretted trying to run in the first place (although God has used those 4 years in many great ways).

Some might say, "you're a Pastor, that's different." But it's not. God's love is amazing and enduring for one person as it is to the next. He plays no favorites. He's just looking for the people who are willing to slow down and let Him into their lives. It takes humility, openness and us loving God back. Once that starts, you realize that running wasn't that fun after all.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20090806/NEWS01/708069818/0/FRONTPAGE

What did she just say?

2009-07-31T11:56:00.000-07:00

I arrived at a local hospital yesterday for lunch with someone, and because it is a busy hospital, finding a parking spot was going to be challenging. I waited for car to leave for a while, but as I was waiting, I saw a front row spot open up so I sped over a couple rows and snatched it up.

As I prepared to exit the vehicle with my Arby's feast in hand, I looked in my side mirror as another car that was circling for a spot drove by. I don't know why I glanced at this moment, but in doing so, I witnessed the other driver's reaction to me getting the spot she had been searching for. Since I am an above average lip reader, I was immediately able to pick up on the word she used to describe me. Obviously I can't repeat this word, but it's safe to say that it's not one that any of us would use around our mother. And, since we were in a hospital parking lot, it should be noted that the word is not used by gynecologists during examinations.

Oddly enough, after uttering this word and driving to the next row, this woman found a spot. I was a few hundred feet ahead of her but wondered if I should slow down and ask her if she really thought that was an accurate description of a person who got the parking spot she wanted and whom she did not know at all. But since I had hot Arby's roast beefs in my hand (of which a friend was waiting on) and I didn't want to risk being beat up by a woman twice my age, I decided to move on to my lunch.

But the incident stayed with me. And did so for a couple of reasons. I was reminded that the words in James 3 - "Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way." The tongue is indeed a powerful tool that sometimes becomes a hurtful weapon if we're not careful. This woman didn't see that I read her lips and I doubt she was frustrated enough to say that word to my face. It could be that her day was going poorly or that the stress of her hospital visit got the best of her. I hope that it was just a moment of weakness - we all have them.

This parking lot encounter also reminded me to say "what if" before I get frustrated and lash out at other people in the privacy of my car or elsewhere. It's easy to do. But if I consider the feelings of that person and their reaction to my words if they heard it, then the times I am tempted to be loose with my words - no matter how justified I think I am in calling someone stupid or whatever - I will reconsider and keep my mouth shut. Or better yet, use my words to uplift, encourage or compliment someone. I know, easier said than done. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't try. It's either that or I start parking really far away in spots that no one wants, which is a more improbable solution.

The Circle of Life

2009-07-10T20:45:00.000-07:00

When I hear of the phrase "circle of life," I usually think of the cheesy Elton John song in the movie The Lion King. But recently that phrase is taking on a new meaning.

About a month ago my wife asked my son Jackson what kind of birthday party he wanted, and he quickly answered, "Star Wars!" This came after I told him he couldn't watch Star Wars until his 4th birthday. As a boy (and an adult) I was a huge Star Wars fan so I found it interesting that my son was also becoming enamored by the franchise. Even more, I realized that after looking through some old photos that my 4th birthday (in 1979) was also a Star Wars party. Wow. Now that's the "circle of life."

I will really enjoy the party tomorrow. It will be a great celebration for my son (one that he has been counting down for a while), and it will be a bit nostalgic as well. I will love taking a picture of my son in his Star Wars shirt and Jayhawks hat. He's definitely taking after his Dad in many things. Thinking about it tonight, however, has made me hope that my love for Star Wars and Jayhawks are not the only loves I pass down to my son.

In fact, I hope tomorrow is a joy and a reminder that more than my interests and hobbies, I want to pass down my love for Christ. I know that it's my responsibility to demonstrate the love of Christ in a very real and consistent way so that my son will want to know more about Him. Sure, I will continue to read Jackson the Bible, take him to church and pray with him. But I know that my son must witness my love and devotion to Christ in order for him to really want to experience a relationship with Jesus. I can't make him love Christ or convince him with eloquent speech. It's up to me to show him what matters most. So, let the parties continue and the Jayhawks keep winning, and more than anything, may Christ live through me.

Bloopers

2009-06-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

I had a nice lunch with a friend of mine today. At the pizza place we were eating at, they had a few TV's with ESPN on. I noticed the special segment they were running was on bloopers of the week. They highlighted a second baseman from the Mets who dropped a foul ball and cost them the game against the Yankees. Another player, from a team who I used to love - the Cubs - caught a fly ball in the outfield, and thinking it was the third out, tossed it into the stands for a lucky fan. Unfortunately for him, there were only two outs and a man on base - who subsequently scored.

After watching the plays 3 to 4 times (since ESPN loves to over-analyze), I started to wonder how long those players would have to hear from the fans about their mistakes. Even more, how long would these guys punish themselves?

Although I am not a Major League baseball player who plays on national television, I have made my fair share of mistakes as a Husband, Dad, Pastor, etc. But I have had a few that were extra embarrassing ones as well as some that have hurt myself or others a great deal. Haven't we all? It's those big mistakes that really stick. The type of mistakes that cause us and others to analyze them over and over again. Their the ones that make us wish we had a rewind button, or better yet, one of the deneurolizers from "Men in Black" that we could use on everyone we know.

One of the many reassurances that we have from the Bible is that our mistakes, no matter how big or embarrassing, can be wiped away for good by God through his Son Christ. Scriptures tell us that when we take our biggest mistakes to Christ for forgiveness, "He will remember them no more" (Hebrews 10:16-18).

But sometimes I forget this, and as a result, I punish myself for while. I soak up the guilt until I almost drown. With my head just above water, I realize God is just waiting to wipe the guilt and shame away forever and make the slate clean again. Then, I finally let it go and move on.

So I guess these two fielders reminded me again that even our biggest mistakes can be forgotten by our God and Savior. No matter how big, He is ready and willing to give us a clean slate. It's up to us though, to let go and forgive ourselves. As for the Cubs and Mets fans? That will take a few big hits, home runs and diving catches to earn their forgiveness. I guess we can all be thankful that God is neither a Mets, nor a Cubs fan. http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5025941

Ready to Bloom

2009-05-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been out of sync. Not able to concentrate as well and my prayer times are unclear too. Today though, I was praying in my bedroom and during the prayer I was briefly distracted, or so I thought, as I began thinking about the roses I planted a couple of weeks ago.

Two weeks ago I decided to buy 5 rose bushes and plant them in a bare spot beside my house. I had never planted rose bushes before, and proceeded to plant them just like every other flower or shrub. But later that night a friend mentioned how difficult roses can be to plant and take care of. I did some quick research and soon realized that I had not taken this project as seriously as I should have. After reading some good tips, I went and purchased some compost (aka manure) and some bananas. I also dug out some coffee grounds. According to some rose bush enthusiasts, roses love bananas and coffee grounds.

So, I dug up the newly planted roses and replaced some of the dirt around them with compost, baked banana peels and coffee grounds. I also put some peat moss around the top of the soil for added moisture absorption. After my research and hard work, last week I had yellow and red roses blooming.

Back to the prayer. God brought the roses to my attention to show me that planning and care that I put into the roses (which was a lot more than anything else I planted) was the same level of commitment and care He put into his plan for me. It was good to hear that, although I wondered how the banana peels factored into my spiritual life. (;

A New Level of Complaining

2009-05-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of this year, we did a series at church entitled 24. We had 5 challenges that were 24 themed. One challenge was 24 hours without complaining. Once you started the challenge, anytime you failed, you had to start over. It took me a several tries before I made it the entire 24 hours. Even though I really dislike others complaining, this exercise helped me realize how much complaining I did myself.

Right now I am reading through Jeremiah, and as I read through chapter 20 earlier this week, I was struck by Jeremiah's complaint in chapter 20. Jeremiah, amidst his ranting, cries out to God, "I wish I was never born." Now that is a new level of complaining. I know I have had my fair shair of "pity parties," as my mother would call them, but those complaints would never reach the point that Jeremiah arrived at in his prophetic journey.

As I reflected on Jeremiah's statement, I realized that there is some good perspective to draw from it. First, as bad as it may get for me, I will probably not have an entire city/country that hates me and criticizes me. As difficult as things may get, I have plenty of friends and supporters that God has put around me. The other thing that Jeremiah's complaint has brought to my attention is that during our lowest points in life it is important to be open and honest with God, but to do so with an attitude of honor and love for God. In this same rant, Jeremiah makes it clear that, "the Lord is with him like a mighty warrior," and that we should praise Him who will rescue those in need.

So, thanks Lord, for staying right by my side and listening to my many complaints. Help me to remember that you are the "Mighty Warrior" that is ready to fight my battles for me.

Fear Factors

2009-04-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

I remember watching that show called "Fear Factor" when it first came out. It was interesting to see what they would use to try and frighten or gross someone out with each week. Whether it was lying in a coffin full of snakes or eating a pigs head, the folks at NBC always had something new and disgusting for contestants to overcome. After a while though, the show became rather routine since most people would eat anything (or at least try) and risk whatever with 50k waiting at the finish line.

But it seems to me that between the TV news, the paper, Oprah, Dateline and the rest, there is a new, yet less entertaining reality show that is ongoing. The constant message from these outlets is "what you should be afraid of now." Identity theft, scams, swine flu, the economy, gas prices - the list goes on. After I watch or read something like this, my initial reaction is, "how should I protect myself from this? What should I do to prepare for the worst?"

Once panic gives way to reason, however, I begin to accept that there will always be something that I can choose to be afraid of. And that's the key; it's a choice. As a person of faith, I know that God is bigger than identity theft or the most recent flu epedimic. I always try to remind my self of the 23rd Psalm where it says, "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me." That verse is both comforting and challenging. It's great to know that God is with us no matter what the newest scare is, but it is a very real challenge to remember that when it hits home.

Time Thieves

2009-03-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

This week I was chatting with someone about a recent hassel they endured when switching cable companies. The switch took way too much time away from him and his family and he was very upset with that company. I couldn't blame him. In fact, I could relate. Recently we updated a few rooms in the house by selling some furniture and electronics and changing things around. It all started with, "I've got an idea." But the idea and the plan did not go smoothly. A faulty cable resulted in multiple trips to Sam's Club and the furniture has been a whole other ordeal.

As I have reflected back on these situations, I now describe them as more than a hassel - I think the proper description would be "time thieves." These are situations that usually begin with good intentions and end with regret and little added value to our lives. I can think of many times that I wanted to save us money or improve something, only to regret it later because of the time and energy it took to accomplish my original goal.

So, in looking back, I wondered, "how can I avoid these time thieves?" The best solution I came up with was to use the lesson I learned at the end of a regrettful situation - such as, "it wasn't worth it" - and apply it to my future decisions. Moving forward then, I should ask myself, "is it worth my time and energy to do this?" Once I ask myself that question, I will remember the failures of the past and the time I have lost. And hopefully, I will be able to accurately determine whether my "idea" is really a good one.

Lost and Found

2008-11-19T12:03:00.000-08:00

Last night was a bit frantic for me. My favorite metal Bible was missing. I looked everywhere for it. The usual places: my office, by my bed, the kitchen, the car. No where. It became clear that I had left it somewhere else. I had lost it.

I started worrying a bit. What if I couldn't find it? This was a Bible that I purchased six years ago and I used in devotion for much of that time. My highlight marks, underlines, and notes would be gone. Yes, I could buy another one, but it wouldn't be the same. Before I went to bed last night, I remembered that I had read the Bible over lunch at Burger King while Jackson was in the play area. At 11pm, I wanted to drive over there and ask if they had it. But I waited until morning.

Next morning, at 9:30am, I went to Burger King. I asked the cashier if they had a Bible and a book and she went to check with the manager. I watched her ask him and was relieved when he came out of his office with my Bible.

I'm glad that I am at a place in my journey that I was that concerned about God's word being lost. But in reflection, I realized that it took me a couple of days to miss it. As I move forward in my journey, I want to miss reading His Word as much as I missed my Bible when I thought it was lost.

A Happy Meal Perspective

2008-09-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I took my three year old son to McDonald's for a nutritous lunch. He was looking forward to two things: a happy meal with a new star wars toy and some quality time in the playland.

Once we arrived, Jackson assisted me with the order, as always, waiting until I finished with his order and chiming in, "and a toy." The cashier then informed us that they were out of star wars toys - the ones in the display case next to the order counter for children to drool over. Instead, kids had their choice of one of three (rather lame) Ronald McDonald toys. My son snatched up the most interesting one and I grabbed the grub and we headed to a booth near the playland.

After we started eating, I asked Jackson if he was disappointed that they were out of the Star Wars toys. He replied, "yea." Then, I followed with another question, asking him if it made him sad. His second reply took me by suprise. Jackson, without hesitation and with an animated voice, said, "nobody died!"

I nearly choked on my fries hearing his response. I then chuckled a bit and said to my three year old, "your absolutely right. I am glad that you have such a good perspective on this."

As I think about my own life and the circumstances that sometimes don't go my way, I can always remember the wisdom of my son and his ability to put things in eternal perspective. If he can do it at 3, then surely I can do it at 33.

Getaway

2008-07-24T10:40:00.000-07:00

I left earlier this week for a 2 and a half day prayer retreat. I got a hotel room and spent time at the public library in Kearney, a church, the hotel breakfast room and my hotel room to study, journal, and pray. I didn't have one moment that was revolutionary or anything. But the time away and alone was good. It was great to be quiet before God and focus on him.

I won't be able to do retreats like that often, but who says retreats have to be miles away and for days? Jesus would often sneak away from the crowds and his disciples, but never for long distances. Retreat and solitude is necessary and possible for everyone. The real question is whether you want to make it happen. Being alone with God is very vulnerable and it's easy to be afraid of what God might reveal to you. But the reward is certainly worth the risk.

As my getaway was coming to an end, I clearly didn't want it to. It wasn't long enough. But I will be grateful for the time I had, and use this experience as motivation to "sneak away" much sooner.

I would love to cancel this appointment

2008-07-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, following my lunch with other Pastors at Qudoba, I found myself in my car in the parking lot brushing my teeth. Not my normal routine. But since I was headed to the dentist, I thought it was the right thing to do.

Upon arriving I was ushered into the first chair available and was welcomed by a familiar face - the tarter pic weilding dental assistant. She asked how I was doing and I groaned, "ok." She sarcastically remarked how enthusiastic I sounded to which I responded, "to be honest, I don't like coming here." Her reply was meant to be thought provoking as she reminded me that there were plenty of places that are worse. I calmly responded with a matter of fact statement, "I have not been to those places yet."

This lighthearted discussion about my disdain for the dentist office helped me get my feelings off my chest a little bit but didn't stop the assistant from going to work on my teeth. I usually start a countdown during the appointment, counting off each tooth she finishes, but this visit was different. I decided to go about things differently.

I stopped focusing on the many things that bothered me - the corny music playing, the boring artwork on the wall, the off-tune humming of the assistant, and so on - and decided to pray and think about better things. I thanked God for the fact that I live in a place where I can have someone clean my teeth. I prayed for some requests that were on my mind. And I thought about more pleasant things in my life.

Not surprisingly, my visit didn't seem to last as much as the others. It was at miserable as usual. This had me thinking about Paul's words to the Philippians in chapter 4. "Do not be anxious about anything. But in everything give thanks." In everything! That includes trips to the dentist. Is "everything" possible? Not sure, but I think its worth a try.

By the way, I get to try this strategy again in two weeks as I have to get a filling. I am going to start giving thanks in advance.

Light the fire

2008-06-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

After spending a couple of hours working in the yard last weekend, I came back inside at around 8pm ready to eat something. I forgot that I had agreed to grill out. I really needed to clean up first so I asked my wife to start up the grill. I gave her simple, three step instructions to get it started and heated up. She hesitantly gave it a shot, but after I came out from cleaning up, I realized it hadn't gone as planned. I soon realized that the problem wasn't hers. The electric ignition switch needed a new battery.

This was frustrating for my wife who foresaw not being able to complete this task. It was frustrating for me because I knew that I would not be able to ask her to do it again.

Its difficult to try to do something again after you failed the first time (especially when it is an easy task or something that a lot of other people can do). In my own spiritual journey I find myself telling people to press on in an area of their life, but don't understand why they give up so easy (since in my experience it was easy for me).

But there are areas in my life where I do the same thing. Praying for healings is a scary thing for me. Whether I am praying for my own or someone else, I know that there have been times when God didn't answer. This makes it difficult to keep asking. But James 1 and Luke 11 have encouraged me to keep asking. Because maybe I haven't knocked enough times. I know God is all powerful and loves us, so its sometimes just a matter of timing and perseverence. So, lately I have been praying, "Lord, help me to not give up on asking you. Grow my faith through this experience."

I look forward to his answer, no matter how many times I have to ask.

Thankful

2008-06-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning, 2:25am, and we awake to a loud rumbling. The storm is here and not far away. For others, its in their neighborhood or headed for right for them. An F2 tornado that radar hasn't even detected yet.

The next morning the strength of the storm is fully realized. By a handful of people, its in the form of their roof or half their home gone. One family wasn't home, thankfully, and the father wondered out loud as he looked at the open sky from his daughter's room, "what if we had been here?"

I wondered about the closeness of the storm as well. What if it had landed in my back yard? On my roof? As scary as that thought is, I am thankful that God is watching over me and my family. I can be reassured that even though there are countless uncertainties in this life, his love for me is unchanging. And for the times when danger is near, I have God as "my shield" there to protect us.

When I prayed with my son the following night, I reminded him of the short prayer that God answered when we prayed the night before; "Lord, we pray for our family - protect us."

I am thankful God was listening.

Too many seeds

2008-06-03T10:45:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks I have had an extra chore to do in my yard thanks to my two silver maple trees. At least once a week, I go out to my driveway and sweep up the countless "helicopter seeds" that have fallen from my trees. Sometimes I use my blower and other times I work with my push broom and send the seeds out to the street. I also have to take time to clean out my flower bed because the seeds find their way into it since it sits next to my driveway and under the tree.

Last week I was doing this process and during the middle of it I gritted my teeth and exclaimed, "I hate these seeds!" As I continued the clean up process, I started to think about how nice it would be if followers of Christ could continually dump seeds of kindness, love, grace, mercy, peace, etc. onto the people and places in our lives. What if the seeds of Christ that we are spreading where everywhere? What if we literally spread so many that it would be annoying, or better yet, impossible for the enemy to clean up?

Thinking about the seeds like that and imagining this kind of impact that I could be a part of - and hope that I am actively being a part of - made the seed clean up process a little less frustrating. So each Spring, these seeds will be my reminder of what we can do by spreading the seeds of joy and hope found in Christ.

The Police Rule!

2008-05-19T00:10:00.000-07:00

So last week I went to see The Police in concert, my first concert in about 5 years. I am pretty picky about music, limiting my music selection to about a dozen musicians / bands. My two favs are The Police and U2. The unique sound of the police and the unbelievable talent of the band's members is what I love the most. They only made four albums, but that was enough to establish some timeless hits.

The concert, not surprisingly, was the best I had seen. The music and vocals were great and the hd projection screens were a nice touch. Even my wife, who isn't a big fan, liked the show. Afterwards, though, she made a comment that rang very true for me. "Wouldn't it be great if people worshipped God the same way they worshipped this band tonight?"

I agree wholeheartedly. The people, athletes, musicians, etc. that we so easily worship are, we often forget, human. They don't have any special powers or auora surrounding them. They are ordinary people doing extrodinary things. God, on the other hand, is loving , all-powerful, awesome, etc. But because we can't see Him, it is very difficult for us to fully engage in the same worship we regullarly participate in at stadiums and arenas every week. The funny thing is the short and long term gains for worshipping God far surpasses any rewards from concerts or events. If only more people could understand and experience this reality.

Tree Watching

2008-01-09T12:59:00.000-08:00

Last Monday we returned from a Holiday trip to the metropolis of Osage City, KS to see my Father and Stepmother and family. It was a nice three day getaway highlighted by my Dad and I watching old movies late into the night.

We left in the morning so we had the rest of the day to unpack and settle back in. I took the wheel and put in some music of my own liking as I knew the trek from Topeka to Omaha wasn't exactly the most scenic.

But there was a stretch of 60 miles just before the Nebraska state line that caught my attention. I began to notice the damaged trees along the road. I remembered the ice storm that hit a few weeks back and I realized that this stretch was hit the hardest. Most of the biggest trees had lost the top branches. Some trees were split in half or had limbs still dangling.

As I continued to fix my eyes on these trees, I began to wonder how many of them would survive. What would this landscape look like in the Spring and Summer? Only time will tell of course. But there is one thing that will be a determining factor. The trees that are deeply rooted with extensive root systems will stand a better chance for survival.

In my spiritual life I know this is true too. When I am deeply rooted into scripture and my relationship with God, the damage the storms of this world do to me is more easily repaired. But the times in my life that I have allowed other things to pull me out of the ground, those times have been the most difficult to recover from. For 2008, I know that it will be very important for me to stay rooted in what's most important.

Not Fair!

2007-12-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I spent the day tieing up some loose ends and running errands with Jackson. By the end of the day I was ready to have a little fun and didn't want to fix dinner myself. So, I decided it was time for a trip to Dave and Buster's. I figured Monday night would be slow and enable Jackson and I to play the games crowd free.

I was right. Only a handful of people were there so Jackson and I went to work on the skee ball, pop a shot, and any other game that caught his eye. After about 30 minutes our card was nearly spent so I convinced Jackson to play the horse racing game again. It was a game that could entertain 12 people, but you only needed two to start. The object was to roll billiard sized balls into three different holes marked "walk," "trot," and "gallop." Which hole you made it into determined how quickly you made it to the finish line. The nice thing about the game was the 50 tickets given out to the winner. Earlier we had cashed in since we were the only two players. As we sat down and started the game, I had that same outcome in mind.

Naturally, I had to help Jackson a bit. It's a tricky game for a 2 year old. So as I carelessly rolled my ball up the game board with little urgency, I would then turn and assist Jackson with his roll. After about 6 rolls, I heard "down the stretch they come" which signaled the race was nearing an end. But just a few seconds later, the bell rang and it was over. I thought I must have had some good last rolls and proceeded to look for my tickets to be spit out. But to my surprise, nothing.

Then, I turned and looked to the end of the game - some 20 feet away - and sitting at the first chair was a 12 year old boy who had been wandering the game floor since we had arrived. He was looking at me with a sly smile. Just before the game started, he had jumped on the first chair knowing he could cash in.

My first reaction was, "no way did he just do that." How could he take these 50 tickets away from my 2 year old son? Look at how many tickets he has! This can't be fair. I quickly burried my frustration and proceeded to the prize room with our meezly 250 tickets. After 20 minutes in the room, I realized that my son wasn't missing those 50 tickets. He didn't care about the big, expensive items. He was happy with the orange and blue mini basketball he had picked out.

My son showed me something that night. Although life is unfair and full of disappointments, we can still find plenty of good things to be happy about. We can choose to look around and see what we don't have or didn't get this Christmas season, or on the other hand, we can look beyond the big stuff and find the small, yet significant treasures that mean the most. Like spending an evening with your child.

Time Out

2007-11-27T09:46:00.000-08:00

The holidays are always a great time to visit family and friends. We traveled to Kansas last week to visit my family. It had been a while since I had seen two of my brothers. It didn't take long before we were joking around and carrying on - just like old times.

But after I gave my younger brother a hard time about something, he jokingly responded with what he thought was a harmless, "shut up." What my brother had forgotten was that his two year old and my two year old were in the same room. I quickly reminded him of the fact and we all agreed that he deserved a "time out." Later that day, however, he slipped again and said the same two words. So, it was back to the corner. He knew his mistake a moment after the words left his mouth.

This experience reminded me about the words in James 3. "If we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could control ourselves in every other way." Our tongue is a powerful thing and when it is left to just our control, trouble always follows. The key is to continually pray for self-control (one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit) and fill your heart with uplifting things so that positive words will flow out of your mouth.

I wish that my brother's mistakes had no ill effects. But not surprisngly, my son repeated that phrase more than once the next day. His time outs were a powerful reminder of the "wild fire" effects that our tongue can have. I know I won't be perfect in this area but it is up to me to keep God in control of my life and practice my own self control as much as possible.

Sit, wait, wonder

2007-11-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

It was Thursday at 1am and Candace came running to the bedroom shrieking and pleading for me to help with the dog. Wrigley, our dog, had come to the back door with a opossum in his mouth. Not exactly the cleanest of critters for him to bring to us, but it didn't surprise me as the neighbors had warned us of a sighting a few weeks ago.

On crutches, I was pretty useless in dealing with this problem (removing the opossum and cleaning the dog) so I suggested that Candace give the dog a bath and get me the video camera so I could film the opossum for a few minutes to see if he would rise up from his charade and scamper off the deck. I pulled up a chair and turned on the camera. There I would sit, wait, and wonder. Fifteen minutes later, I was sitting by the back door and losing hope that I would witness the success of one of nature's most interesting defense mechanisms. Finally, I went to bed knowing the fate of the opossum.

Early the next morning, the opossum was still there as my father-in-law stopped by to dispose of our dog's catch in a sealed trash reciptical. The opossum's strategy backfired. Wrigley didn't walk away from him and he wasn't able to come to life and climb the spruce to safety.

As I reflected on my fifteen minutes in front of the back door, I thought of Christ's ressurrection. After countless times of Jesus warning his closest friends and followers of what he had to do, you would have thought that a few of them would still have hope of his return. Instead, his disciples were scared and bewildered following the crucifixion. And even after Christ rose on the third day, it took some convincing on Jesus' part so that the disciples would believe he was really alive.

Isn't it great that we don't have to sit, wait, and wonder? Jesus is alive! And so is our hope - because of Him. Too often I take for granted my hope for the future. I watch the news and read the paper and shake my head. But in the end, I am not worried because my future is secure. I don't have to sit, wait, and wonder if things will get better. All because Jesus did rise again.

RSVP

2007-11-06T16:55:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I received an invite to a "getting to know the neighbors" dinner. Our back yard neigbors, Jerry and Mary, were opening their home and wanted to connect 5 of the families during dinner. I made plans to attend with Jackson as Candace had to work. And at 6pm we walked over to their home with our covered dish and rang the doorbell. Mary answered and we greeted her and asked if the dinner was still on. Her reaction was puzzling as she mentioned that she was hoping that I would have called. I apologized and realized I had missed something. Then Mary told me that no one had RSVP'd and they had postponed it. Oops.

Mary asked us in and we went to the back deck and spent time chatting with them. It was nice to get to know them, but as Jackson and I became hungrier by the minute (and the potato salad by itself wasn't the meal I had in mind), we decided to head home and find something to eat.

Looking back, I am reminded of the story Jesus told about the Wedding Banquet. The king sent out invites for his son's wedding but they refused and after further rebellion by his servants, the king said "go to the street corners and invite anyone you can find." The result? The wedding hall was full of people, both good and bad.

I wondered today, what's that mean for me? What does this story mean for our church? Well, the one thing that sticks out from Matthew 22 is the word "anyone." In our efforts to invite people to church, and most importantly, to Jesus we can't forget that word. I hope that in my life I am always looking for anyone to share my story with. I often pray for God to show me someone that I need to talk with, but maybe I should just start with anyone.

Wrong Question

2007-10-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

I remember four years ago sitting in a Dr's office and on the edge of tears wondering, "why is this happenning to me?" I had just been told that I needed major back surgery and it would take a few months to recover from it. The timing seemed all wrong. We were getting close to leaving for Omaha to come start the church plant. Surely God wanted to heal me. Many people prayed and I continued to believe, but on October 31, 2003 I still went under the knife and spent the next 5 weeks in recovery - and another 8 weeks in rehab.

Four years later and I have just went under the scope for my knee - definitely not as bad as the knife in 03 - and I have realized something important. Whenever we are forced to endure hard times, it's an opportunity to ask an important question - "God, what do you want to teach me through this?" Besides, back and knee surgery seem like nothing to the 5 year old enduring kemotherapy for leukemia. We will all have pain, suffering, difficult emotional times, and unusual circumstances, but instead of crying out "why me," we need to ask "what now?"

This doesn't rule out a miracle. It doesn't mean we accept what's going on as a permanent reality. No, it means we have to begin to search for the divine purpose. Is God teaching me something through this? Is he revealing something that I wouldn't have seen otherwise? Does he want to use this as a chance to witness to someone? During our tough times or at the close of them, God always has something amazing in store.

I have already grown through my experience on crutches and who knows what God will do in the next 3 weeks. I pray that God continues to use my bum knee for his purpose. And that I will never stop asking, "God, what now."

No Frogs for Me

2007-10-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

I was reading Exodus 8 a few days ago and came upon the story of the plagues. The second plague that God unleashed on Egypt and Pharoh was that of the frogs. We are told that the Nile swarmed with frogs. They were literally everywhere. And when Moses gave Pharoh the choice of when to be relieved of this disaster, Pharoh said "tomorrow."

Now there is a dangerous word. Tomorrow. Instead of choosing to end the plague right away, Pharoh, in a fit of pride, chose to sleep with the frogs. Crazy, huh? Why not end it there? Why not admit defeat? Why not do the right thing right now? Such is the human condition - constantly putting off till tomorrow what we should be doing today.

As I reflected upon my own life, I began to rack up a long list of important things that I had put off. Yes, I have a good excuse right now to put some things off until later, but there is always some excuse readily available. One of those things was quite simple. For quite a while, I had wanted to have a family devotion time. Instead of the three of us reading our Bible's and praying separately, I thought it would be best to set a time for all of us to spend that time together.

It was time to stop saying "tomorrow" and make it happen. So, on Sunday night, we all had our Bibles and read together. We closed our time with a prayer. Monday night came, and at 8:30 (our designated time), we came together again for time with God. It felt good to stop saying tomorrow. It felt good to do the right thing today.

Breaking News

2007-10-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon was like every other rehab day for me. After eating lunch, I laid down and strapped my knee in the "legasus" - a machine that slowly raises and lowers my knee to a 70 degree angle. The Dr. wants my leg in there for 6 hours a day. Yes, I said 6 hours. So, I read for a while, then became a bit bored and turned on the tv. Immediately, I began to read the "breaking news" across the bottom of the screen. The news that Steve Pederson was fired as the AD at Nebraska.

I picked up the phone and called my brother in law as I knew he would want to hear the news. We spent time talking about the change and the others needed for the Husker program. I continued to watch as the Chancellor explained his decision, and then proceeded to answer 20 minutes of questions. Towards the end of his time at the mic, I stepped back from the situation and considered the amount of criticism that Pederson has endured. No doubt his decisions, personality, and the nature of his position brought on this criticism. But I can't imagine Pederson thought there would ever be a firesteve.com website.

That website had over 20,000 hits this past weekend, and upon hearing that, I had to check it out. But after watching the press conference, checking out the site, and really thinking about it, I wondered if the creator of that website would allow anyone to critique or judge his job, family, friendships or any other role in his life by the same measure he was judging Pederson - a man he probably has never even met. A man with a family. A man with emotions. A man with dreams.

The web designer, like countless other Husker fans who were posting on message boards and calling into radio shows, forgot about the person they were directing their venom towards. Sports do that to us. I have become caught up in my passion for a game or team and criticized someone because of it. But does that make it ok? That it's just sports?

The answer for me is no. Jesus was clear in Matthew 7 that we shouldn't judge others unless we want to be judged by the same measure. Now I doubt that my words directed at a tv screen in the heat of a game will be of eternal consequence. But I do know that a pattern of critical behavior can spread to other areas of my life and cause me to forget about the real person on the other side of my criticism. I don't want that to happen. And neither does God.

The Rental

2007-10-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

I spent the day checking off the last "to do's" before my operation tomorrow (knee to be scoped). One of those things was to call the hospital and double check the time of the surgery and my preparations. The nurse told me a lot of things I already knew, but one of her last questions was something I hadn't covered. "Have you gotten your crutches?" I didn't know that I was suppose to get them. Since I haven't needed them before, I thought they would provide them. Oh well, the nurse instructed me to go to Bakers and rent them, so I did.

As I was hauling them to my car I remembered how much I was dreading having to use them. Just the word crutches has a negative stigma attached to it. But within moments of dreading the crutches, I also realized that it will be a good reminder of my own spiritual condition.

It's not easy to be totally dependant upon God. Before my journey of faith started, I was very independent. I wanted to do it all on my own. I wish I could say that I have learned my lesson, but I still like to take the reins and make it feel like I am in control.

To be totally dependent on God, though, is not like walking with crutches. Your not hobbled or laim. Rather, we can willingly share our joys, burdens, fears and problems with a God who is loving, powerful and gentle. "Come to me, all you who are wearied and burdened, and I will give you rest." Christ wants to both lead us and comfort us in our time of need. He will walk ahead of us and clear the trail, and when we get tired, he will let us lean on him, or better yet, carry us. If these crutches remind me of a God who will do that, then they are worth the hassel.

More than enough

2007-10-02T19:30:00.000-07:00

As I was eating dinner tonight and watching the news, I listened to the reporter interview the Omaha Food Bank about their shortage. The reporter explained that gas prices and lack of food drives in the summer have led to the shortage. Higher costs cause most people to just complain, while people who are already in need struggle to get by.
After listening, I went to my pantry and opened it. More than enough. Even with another big gas hike, we wouldn't go hungry. I then remembered the conversation that I had with the service tech on my furnace yesterday. We talked about the need for a more efficient and newer furnace (mine's 30 yrs old). But there are people who don't have any heat source going into this winter. I have more than enough.
This reminds me of one of the most challenging passages in scripture. "I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me." (Matt. 25:45)
Obviously we can't help everyone. But when we have more than enough, then we should move beyond our petty complaints and reach out and lend a hand. Next time I stress about a high bill or unexpected cost, I will go to my pantry. A little perspective never hurt.

The Spider's Web

2007-09-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had a few minutes to kill before an appointment and decided to stop at a garage sale that featured many boxes of books. I picked up a couple that immediately caught my eye and ultimately one more as I saw a small paperback book entitled "Spiders and their Kin." For $.50, I had to have it. I wanted to know more about the eight legged friends that had made their home just outside my garage.

As I was getting into my car a few days earlier, I noticed that a spider had built its web just outside my garage door. Unfortunately for this spider, the web was directly in the path of my car as I backed out. My car took the beautiful work of this spider with me as I left for the day. The next morning, however, as the garage door went up I was pleased to see that the spider had reconstructed its web and it was better than the one before. Plus, the spider had learned its lesson and moved the web closer to the house and out of the path of my car. That web is still there today as it continues to collect the bugs that are trying to make it into my house.

The beauty of God's creation never ceases to amaze me, and in this case, I had to stop and appreciate the spider's ability to persevere, and more importantly, its ability to learn. Instead of spinning the web in the same spot, the spider moved the web to a better location. It may seem presumptious to think that a spider can learn, but even if you categorize it as instinct, it is still worth our admiration.

This is especially true when we consider that nature's instinctive learning compared to a human's spiritual learning skills can sometimes prove to be a mismatch (not in our favor). How often do we experience stress, anger, regret, grief or other emotions as the result of our own doing only to repeat those same actions, which later result in the same consequences? Too often. The Bible and the rest of history tells us that we are poor learners. We love learning the hard way - over and over again.

Th book of Proverbs reminds us that we must constantly be learning in order to grow in our relationship with God. "Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights." (Prov. 18:15) The next time I experience a set back in my spiritual journey Iwill remember the spider's web. And as I move forward, I will hopefully move the web closer to my home.

Did you forget me?

2007-09-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we all witnessed a game that was less than competitive. Despite their efforts, the Huskers were no match for the Trojans. The game reminded me of a soccer game I officiated two nights earlier. It was an under 10 contest that featured two teams which were very different from each other. One was quick and skilled, while the other was not so quick and still learning the game.

Within two minutes, the skilled team was ahead. After 10 minutes they had three goals. At half time, it was 6 to nothing. As I watched this unfold, it was tough to see eight boys celebrate their dominance while eight others wondered if they would ever have something to cheer about. At the final whistle, it was 12 to nothing. I did my best to console the boys and their coach and reminded them that things would get better.

For us, sometimes we find ourselves watching other people celebrate great things and wonder if God has forgotten us. In Psalm 13, David asks that very question, "how long will you forget me?" I know that I have prayed that before - God, have forgotten my needs? Will you ever give me my moment of celbration.

But as David puts it at the end of Psalm 13, God's love is unfaling. That means He won't forget us. And we can trust in him. And we will have our time to celebrate.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

2007-09-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I traveled to Holdrege to pick up Jackson from his Aunt's. I arrived at dinner time so we enjoyed a pizza hut feast before we left. I thought I would let Jackson play a while longer before we took off, but the weather had different plans. Shortly after dinner, it started pouring outside. I had not checked the forecast and my family didn't have TV yet, so I made a split second decision - leave quickly and try to get ahead of the weather.

Once we left Holdrege, the rained stopped and I thought my strategy worked. However, once I reached Kearney, the sky began to look very scary. I stopped for gas and ran in quickly with Jackson for a pit stop. On my way out I heard the clerk's radio and the storm warning identified the monsoon just outside of Gibbon. I knew it would be close, but pressed on.

Twenty minutes later, the storm had slowed traffic to about 50mph. The hail and wind kicked in and forced me and other drivers to the shoulder for more than a few minutes. When I first pulled over, I turned to Jackson (who was finding it impossible to go to sleep) and told him to pray to Jesus for help. He did. And with every question about the rain and when it would stop, I asked him to pray, and he did. Before long, Jackson was praying without my prompting, and it became obvious that he was calmer than I was. I know he was unaware of how bad the storm was, but I was still amazed. His childlike faith was growing right before my eyes and not only did it comfort me, but it inspired me. No matter what the storm, I hope my faith can be 2 years old a lot more in the future.

Contemplating Yardwork

2007-09-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

First off, the answer to last week's question - 3500 (according to Mythbusters).

Yesterday I spent a few hours, as I do every week, mowing and trimming my yard. Plus, I had a few other chores that I came up with to make sure the lawn was looking swell. After I was finished though, one thing was clear; my front yard looked twice as good as the back yard. Because of the abudance of shade and my preference to keep up the front more than the back (expecially with trimming), the back yard as suffered a bit. Fungus has attacked the lawn in the back leaving unsightly brown spots and weeds have crept up along the back fence. But I continue to do just enough with the back yard since I know that less people will see it, and frankly, I am tired of keeping up with it.

It really made me think about our spiritual lives. We all have the areas that are easier to take care of and more visible. Maybe our work performance or our relationship with our friends. Then, there are the things that require more attention and are tougher to keep up with; our family life, our daily time with God, and managing our finances properly. These things will only be seen by a few so instead of doing our best, we are tempted to just get by with the minimum.

The cost of neglegance to our spiritual and home life is much greater, of course, then neglecting our back yard. But I have to say that it is just as easy for us to allow this pattern to develop. If we allow things to go for too long, the results can be disasterous. Jesus told the Pharisees that they were "white washed tombs." That is, they were shiny clean on the outside, but dead on the inside. We should do all we can to avoid this label.

We are usually neglecting something in our spiritual and family life. The only question is, what are you going to do about it? I have recently been asking myself that and doing the hard clean up work necessary to make sure the outside and inside (or front and back yard if you like) match up. The time, energy, and emotion aren't easy to spend, but the price is worth paying if you want your whole life in God's hands.

God's Funny Like That

2007-08-27T19:17:00.000-07:00

This Saturday morning God showed me something pretty special. No matter what the circumstances, He is always able to work things out for His good.

About a month ago I started making arrangements for our annual sno cone giveaway at the parade. I wanted to improve the experience and spoke with a new business that was started out of the Cookie Company called "Paradice." I offered our spot and idea with us paying the bill to make the sno cones free. The owner was receptive to the idea and I waited to hear back. But after a couple of weeks, I decided to move forward with the way we have always done it.

To my surprise, the new company along with a baseball team had already made arrangements and in our spot! The owner didn't realize that it was our spot and was sorry, but now I had a new problem. What were we going to do at the parade? Frustrated, I went for a drive and started praying. Then, out of no where, I thought - balloons. So, I ordered balloons with "I love Millard" and our website. Then, the owner of the cookie company offered us free cookies to hand out as well. I had a good conversation with her and felt it was the best thing to accept her gracious invitation.

Then came the parade. The owner of Paradice set up a tent and had the cookies ready. She helped us get things ready and we had a great time of conversation. Unfortunately for her, there was another sno cone stand set up a few feet away. I realized, maybe God wanted us to do something new, and needed to get our attention. After a couple hours of blowing up balloon after balloon, I looked down Millard Ave and was amazed to see our balloons lining the street. You couldn't miss them if you wanted to. Even the volunteers noticed how much better the balloons turned out.

Its amazing how God works things out. Just when you think things have turned out for the worst, He surpises us. God's funny like that.

Reciprocation

2007-08-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

After returning from a week in Indy, I was surprised to find that my lawn wasn't all that tall. I knew that we had received 2-3 inches of rain and my sprinklers had been running. Once I examined the lawn a little closer I realized that our neighbors had mowed our lawn with their push mower. The smaller tracks were a dead giveaway.

A day later I saw the two teenage boys playing basketball and stopped to confirm. With a big smile, they said, "yes we did." I told them thanks and asked them how it was (pushing it since I have a rider). For two young, growing boys, it was a breeze.

As I drove away, I realized that something pretty cool had happened. Reciprocation. The week before, our neighbors were gone and we took care of their cat (real hard) and picked up their mail. When I mowed my lawn before they returned, I trimmed theirs, as the sidewalk around their house needed attention.

I didn't expect anything when I did it, as I have done it before. But it was nice to see my act of kindness returned. Its contagious, this kindness thing. And now, I need to pass it on.