Texas seasons can be brutal for plants and trees. Last summer the heat and lack of rain impacted a new tree Joni and I had planted that spring. A deep winter freeze added to the struggle. As spring began we were not sure if our tree had survived. Day after day the limbs were barren. Then one glorious day tiny buds began to appear on the branches. These green buds sprouted in defiance of summer and winters brutal assault. I stopped and meditated on the miracle of life emerging out of barrenness. I thought of the words of philosopher Bernard Williams. “The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.” I love that. Is there anything more hopeful than watching the beauty of budding leaves and blooming flowers turning the melancholy of winter into a wondrous palette of invigorating colors? Every spring is a reminder that God will bring beauty from darkness and life from death.
Continue reading...
In my mind there is no more special day in sports than Opening Day in baseball. It is an annual rite of Spring to post this article on the magic of Opening Day. The smell of freshly cut emerald green grass delights the senses. The base lines painstakingly and perfectly defined by a grounds crew that is committed to perfection on this day. Red, white, and blue bunting give the ball park a festive World Series look. The players bounce around like little boys. They seem a little extra grateful that they are paid to play a kid’s game. The hot dogs taste like gourmet food. Humphrey Bogard wisely said that “a hot dog at the ballpark is better than a steak at the Ritz”. Souvenirs a young fan begs for become treasures to be kept until adulthood. And then it becomes a challenge to explain to your wife why a twenty-five-year old bobble head needs to be in the
Continue reading...
Toby Keith wrote a song called “Don’t Let the Old Man in” that was inspired by Clint Eastwood. The song has incredibly helpful applications in my life as I grow older and as I grow as a Christian. Let me explain. Keith wrote the song after a conversation with Eastwood while they were playing golf. Clint was about to celebrate his 88th birthday by going to film a new movie. Toby Keith was blown away and asked him “how do you do it, man?” Eastwood answered, “I just get up every morning and go out. And I don’t let the old man in.” That stuck in Toby Keith’s mind and he penned the song that was featured in the movie “The Mule”. The lyrics are inspiring for me in this season of life. Don’t let the old man inI wanna leave this aloneCan’t leave it up to himHe’s knocking on my door And I knew all of my lifeThat someday
Continue reading...
Joni and I watch a lot of HGTV shows together. I love how they take a house that is dysfunctional and ugly and make it useful and beautiful. The process is intriguing. Identity the problem. Come up with a new plan. Demo the old stuff. Rebuild with hard work. Results? Amazing. Too often we take that process and convert it into a do-it-yourself project to grow as followers of Jesus. The results? Not so amazing. I tried executing the DIY blueprint over and over. I am dysfunctional. Check. I have identified the problem. I believe God has a plan for my life. Check. Now I need to rebuild my spiritual dwelling place. This is where I veered off the Biblical script. I thought the self-demolition of my sinful behaviors and personal remodeling of my life would be based on my hard work. Bad plan. Jesus doesn’t remodel a messed up structure. He builds a completely new one on the day
Continue reading...
When I feel a bit discouraged or sad I like to cue up songs that remind me that my hope was, is, and will always be in Jesus. Today I listened to Michael W Smith sing a hymn that was written in 1918. That makes this week’s song even older than me. Helen Lemmel, an accomplished hymn writer and soloist, titled the song“The Heavenly Vision”. But most of us know it by the first line of the refrain, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus”. Turn your eyes upon JesusLook full in his wonderful faceAnd the things of earth will grow strangely dimIn the light of his glory and grace I love the concept of turning my eyes toward Jesus but I am all about application. How can that action cause my struggles to dim in the light of His glory and grace? I think there are two foundational steps to get me to that place of comfort with Jesus. Step one
Continue reading...
Identity theft is a huge problem. It is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States and recent stats suggest that as many as 15 million cases occurred in the past year. The rise of identity theft has produced a number of companies that protect you from criminals that might steal your good name and credit rating. A few years ago one of my card numbers was compromised and some low life was merrily buying electronic gear on my tab in Malaysia. Fortunately that was fairly easily resolved since I could prove I was safely hunkered down in North Texas when the purchases were made. It occurred to me that another identity theft occurs in the lives of Christians all the time and there seems to be very little uproar about it. I pondered if I could start a company to protect followers of Jesus from this serious and sometimes tragic crime. The crime is Christian identity theft. Any follower of Jesus has the
Continue reading...
Perhaps it was my early church teaching that causes me to struggle with the concept that God loves me. I believe He can love others. I believe He loves the homeless person on the street and the struggling inner-city mom trying to hold her family together. But I am less sure that He always loves me. I know me. I know what lies hidden in my heart. I know my reactions. I know my thoughts. God knows all of that too. So in the sad and difficult moments I wonder how He could possibly love me. Perhaps that is your struggle as well. Philip Yancey wrote these thoughts in What’s So Amazing About Grace. “Sociologists have a theory of the looking-glass self: you become what the most important person in your life (wife, father, boss, etc.) thinks you are. How would my life change if I truly believed the Bible’s astounding words about God’s love for me, if I looked
Continue reading...