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Recently the life odometer rolled over another year so it was only fitting that a little tune from Willie Nelson caught my attention. The song is titled “Funny How Time Slips Away” and it is one of his signature songs. I realize that Willie is, for some, an acquired taste. I do not endorse Willie’s recreational choices or his tax paying discipline but I do love his ability to make lyrics real. In this song he laments the loss of a love.

Well hello there my it’s been a long long time
How am I doin’ oh I guess that I’m doin’ fine
It’s been so long now but it seems now it was only yesterday
Gee ain’t it funny how time slips away

It is not really funny how time slips away. It is downright scary. It seems like yesterday that I was playing sandlot baseball as a kid. Moments ago I was in high school being ADD before ADD was cool. It feels like yesterday that I met the stunning Joni Banks and somehow conned her into dating me. Couldn’t have been too long ago that I donned the hideous baby blue tux to wed my beloved. Wasn’t it just weeks ago that three adorable baby boys came into our lives? And how is it possible that I am now directing the baseball exploits of athletes that were not close to being born when I started this gig?

Time does slip away. The best line on parenting I have heard is that the days are long but the years are short. Amen. I now am the father of a 38 year old, a 36 year old, and a 30 year old. When did that happen? Married almost 40 years. Are you kidding me?

I have had, if I may borrow the franchise of Frank Capra, a wonderful life. Not devoid of tragedy and trouble to be sure. I have lost a very dear nephew to leukemia, a daughter to terminal birth defects, my father and mother and many other family members and friends. My bride battled cancer ten years ago. No one gets out of this life unscathed. But we are blessed beyond comprehension. I believe that is because we have found our reason for being here. Rick Warren summed it up nicely in an interview.

People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond, In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body – but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillion of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act, the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn’t going to make sense.

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you’re just coming out of one or you’re getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that’s not the goal of life: The goal is to grow in character, In Christ-likeness.

If this is the warm-up act for my eternity gig on the main stage then all of this is merely preparation. Football players hate the two-a-day practices in the brutal heat. But they love the exhilaration of victory that the difficult preparation makes possible. Sometimes the two-a-days of life seem cruel and without purpose. But my understanding of the God who made me and His purpose for me allows me to believe there is purpose and design. I don’t always see it. I love being happy and carefree. But if my purpose is preparation for my real gig then I can trust that God is growing me in character. Paul wrote this in the book of Colossians.

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (Col 3, NLT)

The song continues…

I gotta go now I guess I’ll see you around
Don’t know when though never know when I’ll be back in town
But remember what I tell you in time you’re gonna pay
And it’s surprising how time slips away

The songwriter is correct. In time you’re gonna pay. But not in the sense that the lyric implies. And not in the heavy handed way that too many Christians threaten eternal damnation to those who oppose them. We are created to be in fellowship with our Creator and you will pay a price if you ignore that truth. You will pay a price of less fulfillment, purpose and joy during this life. Time is slipping away for all of us. Enjoy the journey of preparation. We never know how many mile markers remain.

I am partnering with Patriot Paws and donating a portion of the advances and royalties for Stay and my next book releasing in 2017. Patriot Paws is an organization that trains service dogs to assist veterans who deal with PTS, mobility and  other injuries.

Go to Amazon, Barnes and Nobles or other book sellers to buy a copy of Stay. Then private message me at my Facebook author page and I will send you a personalized autograph plate to place inside the book. Here is an example…

Give a special gift (or receive one) and help a wonderful cause!

I was honored and blessed to witness a very emotional day at Patriot Paws recently in Rockwall, Texas. “Matching Day” was the culmination of two years of training for some special service dogs and two years (or more) of agonizing waiting for some deserving veterans.

The graduating service dogs are introduced to the veterans during some training and social sessions. The staff watches the interaction and chemistry between various canine/veteran combinations. Then the trainers match the veteran with the best fit for their needs.

The veterans might have had a hunch but did not know for sure until the official “Matching Day” ceremony. Watching the tears stream down the faces of these men as they officially met their new companion was heartwarming. Many of you know that I have committed to share a portion of royalties and advances from Stay and my next book project due out in 2017 with the Patriot Paws organization. After watching Friday I am convinced I made a great decision to partner with this group.

I had the privilege of presenting personalized copies of Stay to each veteran. I am not one to cry easily but it was quite easy on Friday as I watched these men become a team with a faithful friend.

This is just one of four amazing stories. Bomber is a yellow Labrador that was just a few days away from being euthanized at a shelter. Someone saw something in this puppy and they paid $5 to save him. Bomber found his way into the Patriot Paws training program and he was a natural. He graduated recently and on Friday was paired with a deserving veteran. How cool is that? This is Bomber.

His new human teammate shared that he had been abandoned and raised in a foster home. One rescued hero and one rescued service dog make for the kind of story that we need to hear more often.

I remembered receiving a phone call a few years ago from youngest son and dog lover Brett. He had spotted five abandoned puppies along the side of the road in Waco. He tried to round them up but could only catch one. Brett called to let me know that he intended to bathe, feed, care for the dog and then take him to the Humane Society on Monday for adoption. I knew I was in trouble when Brett decided to let me know what his rescued puppy looked like.

I called the lovely Mrs.Burchett. “He is working me,” I told her. “He is falling in love with this dog.” On Sunday I was driving through Waco and I stopped to see Brett and his alleged short term friend. The way this puppy followed Brett around and looked at him was astounding. He appeared to sense that Brett was, for him, the canine version of Amazing Grace. That dog seemed to understand that he once was lost and now was found. Maybe if we remembered our dramatic rescue along the side of the road to destruction we might gaze at our Rescuer more consistently with such a look of adoration.

I also started falling in love with this improbable mutt and concluded that our family dog population had just increased. Brett was scheduled to take “Trigger” to the vet for shots and a checkup on Monday. On that day another phone call came. Trigger had become violently ill overnight. The scourge of too many abandoned puppies seemed to have attacked this sweet little ragamuffin mutt. Trigger had contracted Parvovirus. Brett’s words were heartbreaking in their honesty and love.

“Dad, I don’t think he is going to make it. But at least he knew he was loved for a few days.”

That remark from my youngest touched my heart and made me think that this is a microcosm of ministry. Sometimes it is heartbreaking. The results don’t always match our desires. But if we can love the down and out like Jesus at least they know they have been loved and they will know the source of that love.

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
“Then these righteous ones will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ And the King will tell them, `I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (Matt 25, NLT)

The results are not guaranteed when you minister to the least of these. But when we do minister to the least of these we show them the very face of Jesus.

This one had a happy ending. Trigger was in the hospital for 12 days of intravenous feeding and medication. I earned hundreds of airline miles on my credit card thanks to Trigger. He and Brett have been best buddies going on ten years.

Those canine connections are life changing. Finding that puppy changed my son. Finding service companion friends for our veteran heroes is changing lives one four legged friend at a time. If you are looking for a place to give that you know will produce good results I would suggest you check out Patriot Paws. I am grateful that I found them. With your help, like that rescued puppy Trigger, these heroes will know they are loved.

I have some really exciting news to share today. I am so proud to announce that I will be partnering with Patriot Paws to share a portion of royalties from my book Stay. I was looking for an organization that modeled the many lessons we learn from our canine friends that I wrote about in Stay.

Patriot Paws trains service dogs to assist, comfort and love disabled veterans who have suffered PTS and other injuries in the service of our country. The dogs are provided at no cost to the veterans.

Patriot Paws fit perfectly as a partner with their commitment to faith, our wonderful veterans and the unique connection dogs have to the emotional well-being of these heroes.

The added bonus was the prison offender training program that is giving hope, love and life purpose to many for the first time. Certified service dog trainers from Patriot Paws work with the inmates and their dogs at the correctional institutions on a weekly basis. In addition, the Executive Director, Lori Stevens, and her trainer assistants hold training classes for the inmates at the correctional facilities once a week. The inmates live with their dogs in dormitory-like space in each unit, which includes outdoor areas for the dogs. It is a remarkable program and the current recidivism rate of those who have trained dogs and been paroled is less than three percent! This is truly a win-win program.

I am proud to support Patriot Paws with a portion of proceeds from my book sales and by getting the word out about this special organization. Today I will send the first check to Patriot Paws from royalties from Stay. Every copy sold going forward will benefit this wonderful organization. I encourage you to watch this video about Patriot Paws.

To celebrate I am offering a free personalized autograph plate for every book sold for the rest of 2016. Simply private message me at my Facebook author page with your address and information on how you want the book signed.

You can order the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other booksellers.

One more bit of news. I will also be donating a portion of the royalties from my next book that will be released in 2017. Details coming soon!

There is much written about Good Friday. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross is incomprehensible to my puny human intellect. There is much written about Easter Sunday. Christians around the world rejoice and proclaim that “He is risen!”. But there is not nearly as much written about one of the saddest and most confusing days in history. The Saturday between the Friday horror of Jesus on the Cross and the Sunday mystery of the resurrection. Some churches do observe Holy Saturday but it was never a tradition in my faith upbringing.

I have been thinking about what that day must have been like for those who dropped everything to follow Jesus. How crushing those events had to be. I imagine the fear they felt that they would also be killed. And for what? On Saturday they feared they had given their careers and their very souls for a false hope.

I think in particular of Peter. I identify so much with him. Like him I throw down bold statements of loyalty to the Lord and then betray them. Like him I draw attention to my own accomplishments instead of recognizing where my accomplishments come from. Like Peter I am a generally sincere but desperately needy follower of Jesus.

You know the story about Peter before the arrest and mock trial of Jesus. Jesus tells Peter that he will deny him three times before the rooster crows at dawn. For many years I breezed by the setup to that prediction.

“Simon (Peter),  Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”  (Luke 22, NLT)

Jesus had already prayerfully pleaded for Peter to be used in a powerful and redemptive way before the failure, shame and repentance that Jesus knew was about to happen. Our sin does not take Jesus by surprise. Why does His grace and forgiveness surprise us?

Like me, Peter did not hear the tender words of encouragement from the Lord. Nope. He blustered.

“Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.”

After the arrest of Jesus a suddenly less bold Peter followed the crowd. He denied to a servant girl that he knew Jesus. He denied his alliance to another bystander. The crushing sorrow and shame of what happened next is hard to fathom.

About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.”

But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.

I imagined what the expression might have been on the face of Jesus when He turned and looked. I suspect it was a look of sadness, compassion and longing to comfort His friend. But what Peter probably saw was only disappointment and failure. Peter’s tears likely flowed until they could no longer flow. I suspect it was hard to even breathe. His heart literally ached within his chest. His mind could not imagine any future hope. I wonder if he thought about running away or even ending it all. I wonder if he could think at all.

That Saturday was one of the worst days in history and Peter may have felt the pain of that awful day more intensely than anyone. He did not know what would happen the next day. Peter did not yet understand what Jesus had been telling him.

When Luke recounts that Jesus appeared to the Disciples the only one mentioned by name is Peter. What gives me hope this Easter season is the tender story of Jesus affirming and reinstating Peter to be a leader who would “feed His sheep”. That is the grace that changes a heart.

I can betray Jesus. Ignore Him. Live selfishly. At some point I once again recognize my desperate need for Jesus to rescue me. For the one millionth time I turn to Him. And what happens? He lifts my shame bowed head and looks deeply into my eyes. He tells me how much He loves me. That is grace. That is real. That is love. Maybe I won’t have a day quite as bad as Peter on that horrible dark Saturday but his story of redemption encourages me this Easter season.

He is risen! He is risen for me! Jesus is pleading for me that my faith will not fail. What a joyous hope for all of us this Easter.