LOVE FIRST...LOVE MOST

ROAD RAGE…AGAIN

It happened again. Road Rage.

I was neither the victim nor the enraged. This time I was responsible for the situation.

I previously shared my thoughts on Road Rage. I trust that your driving skills have significantly improved, particularly in applying the “Love First, Love Most” techniques. I still struggle.

My recent traffic incident did not make me angry or enraged. My feelings were minimal, but the individual in the other vehicle reacted strongly. Restraint was not a word in his dictionary. He went ballistic!

Anger gets the best of us. It brings out the worst in us.

This was the most recent of my bad driving incidents.

I was awaiting the reduction of heavy traffic to execute a right turn onto the congested street. I intended to safely move into the left turn lane before the next intersection.

Ahead, a driver in the left lane halted to permit an approaching vehicle to make a turn into the shopping center. A nice, thoughtful, and considerate individual. The truck remained stationary for several seconds, which created space for several cars to move into the left turn lane.

I assumed this driver was still pursuing CarWorld’s Mr. Congeniality.

I seized the opportunity. There was no danger of a collision. No near miss. I moved into the left turn lane into tenth place.

It appears that securing the eleventh position altered the driver’s demeanor, prompting him to maneuver his vehicle up against my rear bumper.

I ruined this nice guy’s day. Honestly, I mistakenly thought he was making room for me to get into the left lane.

You have seen these super large pickup trucks. Maybe you own one. Extra wide truck bed. Extended side mirrors. Shiny metallic wheels. Gigantic tires oversized in height and width.

A therapist wrote an article on Yahoo suggesting that big truck owners might be overcompensating for perceived inadequacies. I never considered this until the topic went viral on social media and I do not believe there is any truth to the theory.

My only comment is that the only element absent from this pickup was a huge marque sign stating, “Please notice me.”

Well, I noticed. It sounded as if a flock of geese were doing a flyover. Honk! Honk! Honk!

The big truck horn was blaring! Not once. Not twice. Not thrice. Not force.

I take that back. There was some force being applied to the horn. It sounded more like the city’s tornado warning siren.

The truck lights were flashing! Quickly changing from bright to dim and back to bright. Many times. Countless times. Near infinity.

There were numerous hand signals. However, they never differed. Just the same one waving at me over and over!

Road rage was in full bloom.

What would you do if you were in the pickup or in my car?

This might surprise you, but I was at peace through all this. My blood pressure did not boil with anger. My lips did not explode with comments. I felt no need to respond or even acknowledge his anger.

I just patiently waited for the road rage to lessen. It did not help that both vehicles stayed in the same spot for two minutes at the red light.

Not acknowledging his anger only made the wait worse.

When the left turn arrow showed green, I followed the nine cars through the intersection. I hoped Mr. Big Truck would also make the turn. He did. His pickup looked as if it were still attached to my bumper.

I hoped Mr. Inferior Complex would calm down. He had made his turn and his point, yet he continued to show his displeasure. He reacted as if his shortcomings had been exposed.

The lights kept flashing. The horn continued blaring. The hand signals could still be seen in every brief glance through my rear-view mirror.

I quickly moved into the right lane so he could pass. He did. Fast and Furious was not just a movie title.

He honked, waved, and shouted repeatedly. He was sure I was blind, deaf, and dumb.

Of course, all the traffic stopped at the red light at the next intersection. We were beside each other, but not in the way my Side-by-Side ministry encourages.

I smiled as I stared straight ahead. My peripheral vision is excellent. The angry man in the super-sized truck was not looking anywhere else except down at me.

He drove into the sunset, still angry. I regretted ruining his day and likely his night too.

I was not being as spiritual as this sounds. I realized my lack of response just made the other driver angrier. He wanted me to acknowledge his road rage.

Hey, sticks and stones can hurt me, but honking and flashing lights do not. Only sometimes do flying birds ruin my day.

My mind raced through things I could do or say.

I am not as deliberate as Siri, and I rarely follow her instructions. In 600 feet, honk your horn. In 200 feet, raise your right middle finger out the open sky roof. Turn left immediately.

It has never been my style to flip someone off. I am more likely to raise my arms and hands in a questioning gesture.

Using profanity has never been part of my anger expressions. I avoid saying “What the H-E-double hockey sticks?” despite my friend Jeff’s insistence that God knows it is what I am thinking.

“Are you an idiot?” is more my style or “You are a dangerous driving moron!

(My young son once asked if someone had to be a moron to play for the BYU football team. “No, son; they are called Mormons. The morons manage the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks.”)

Sadly, my mind can generate many classic put-downs, far from a Love First, Love Most response.

I repeat for emphasis. Anger gets the best of us. It brings out the worst in us.

Anger at a clueless person is probably the most wasted anger of all. They will not get it. It will not ruin their day as much as the encounter will continue to ruin yours or mine.

None of us are strangers to this kind of driving scenario.

Some people are just bad drivers. Many are distracted by texting. Some drivers are clueless that any other car is on the road.

There are speeders dreaming they are NASCAR drivers. There are senior drivers puttering at a snail’s pace.

Impatient tailgating and irresponsible erratic lane-changing are aggravating. All symptoms of the bigger problem…SELFISHNESS.

Each driver believes the importance of his purpose supersedes that of everyone else.

We all feel that way.

Do not get in MY way. Do not force me to change MY speed or MY direction or MY timing. Everyone plus the stoplights need to accommodate ME.

The reason that does not work is because most everyone else is thinking those exact thoughts…except my grandmother.

In my earlier years, my mom would reprimand my attitude to bad drivers, especially slow drivers. She would say, “Always think; that could be your grandmother.”

My grandmother never learned to drive until she was fifty-five. I can assure you her speedometer never reached fifty-five. NEVER!

That’s right. Share some understanding. The slow erratic driver might be lost or nearly blind. Have some heart!

It would be better to give other drivers the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they are rushing to the hospital or responding to a loved one’s adversity. Probably not, but maybe it is just my grandmother. Please treat her with respect and kindness, the way you would your own grandmother.

And, yes, I know some of your grandmothers. My kids’ grandmother drives like The Little Old Lady from Pasadena. Go, Granny, go!

The degree of anger, like anxiety, shows up in our different temperaments.

We need to be wise.

The difference between anger and danger is the letter “d.” Inappropriate anger can destroy lives and relationships as well as automobiles.

Anger can cause bad decisions. Just a little too much anger becomes dangerous on the roadway and in the home.

The #1 Textbook encourages us to “get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger and replace it with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.”

Forgive yourself for getting angry and forgive the other person, preferably BEFORE you express your anger to them.

We will need the Lord’s help to do that.

Jesus never had “road rage.” He did ride a donkey through some crowded streets. We know he walked through this world amidst the self-absorbed, hot-headed, rude, and crazy people.

Can you imagine crazy Legion driving in a frenzy on the freeway? Or Peter taking out his sword on another driver’s ear?

Or Siri’s instructions causing the doubting directional delusions of Thomas regarding the right way to go? “Lord, we do not know the way.”

No matter who was on the road, Jesus was always concerned about the welfare of others. He always loved first and loved most.

What Winsday Wisdom can we glean from my latest cause of road rage?

Do all things in love…Be patient and kind…Be slow to anger…Treat others the way you would want them to treat you (#1 Textbook).

Treat other drivers the way you would want them to treat your grandmother. It really does not matter if they do not reciprocate in kind. In truth, that is the challenge.

I do not always know what “love first and most” driving should look like. It definitely involves learning to drive “forgiving first and most!“

“STOP. LOOK. LISTEN.” That is not just a good warning for crossing train tracks. It is great advice for “road rage anger.”

STOP before you say or do something to express your anger to the other person.

LOOK to see if it might be my grandmother…OR ME.

LISTEN to God speak to your heart, “Love First and Love Most.”

Remember. Life is about the journey, not the stop lights.

Praying for Safe Driving and Less Stress!

EYES UP! LOVE YOU!

WINSDAY HOPE FOR SUNDAY

Where do you find hope to go on in life when circumstances are bad?

The doors were locked; but suddenly the resurrected Jesus was standing among the disciples and hugging them. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger into my hands. Put your hand into my side. Do not doubt any longer. Just Believe!”

Thomas said, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. But blessed are those who have not seen me and believe anyway.” (John 20:26-29).

I know My Redeemer lives. He lives inside me.

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST MEANS HOPE FOR YOU AND ME TODAY regardless of how dark, difficult, or despairing the present circumstances.

The resurrection of the crucified Jesus is an historical fact based on eyewitness testimony. The event is full of spiritual realities and practical implications for our lives.

Jesus Christ the Son of God, stepped out of the shadows onto center stage in human history not to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.

The gospels record four specific times (while implying numerous times) that Jesus told His disciples in no uncertain terms that it was a necessity of God’s will for Him to be arrested in Jerusalem, beaten, murdered by crucifixion, and then resurrected in three days.

But even His closest disciples did not understand what Jesus meant when they heard Jesus say, “I will rise again three days later.” They not only did not understand it, they also did not believe it; they could not even remember it. So, when it actually happened that Jesus was betrayed, arrested, and then murdered on a cross, their hearts and minds went into fear, shock, and grief.

Here are the facts:

Jesus died on the cross and his body was buried in a sealed tomb and guarded by Roman soldiers.

His death was confirmed by the Roman centurion in charge of the execution, as well as numerous eyewitnesses, both friendly and foe.

2. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE EXPECTED TO SEE OR HEAR THAT JESUS WAS ALIVE. No one.

3. THERE WERE HUMAN AND HEAVENLY EYEWITNESSES that the tomb was empty, and the body of Jesus was gone.

An angel was present to announce that Jesus’ body was not there because He had risen from the dead just as He had said.

The women saw Him. The disciples saw Him. Luke interviewed multiple eyewitnesses with credible testimony who saw the resurrected Jesus.

First Corinthians tells us that, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried. He was raised. And on the third day, according to the Scripture, He appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve, and after that, He appeared to more than five hundred at one time, most of whom are still alive…He appeared to James, Jesus’ earthly brother. He appeared to all the apostles. And last of all, He appeared to me, Paul.”

4. The resurrection of Jesus affirms JESUS is who He claimed to be; He is the Son of God. He did what He came to do. He came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. He died as our Substitute Savior. He rose from the dead as our Living Lord.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. (John 11:25)

5. The resurrection means there is STILL HOPE for you.

That makes a difference in your life and in your death.

Maybe you are paralyzed or confined by fear, anxiety, depression. By physical limitations or uncontrollable circumstances. Maybe your days are filled with suffering and sorrow or sickness and separation. Maybe your nights are dark, and the mornings are darker. Maybe you are seeking to hide from your problems behind locked doors in your house and in your heart. The resurrection means there is STILL HOPE.

Darkness and Death cannot stop Jesus from being with you and for you.

Death is not some distant reality. It could be near to any of us. But death is not to be feared. It marks freedom from everything bad and worthless. It marks the gain of every good God promised.

Your Living Lord has conquered sin and death. That gives us hope in the struggle against sin and the difficulties in life. Following Jesus is not about perfection but direction.

6. The resurrection power of Jesus is at work in your life to make you like Christ:

limitless love
inexhaustible joy
undying hope.

You are now united with Jesus.

What does Jesus want us to do? Love one another first and most the way He loves us just as He said.

The Lord always empowers His instructions. Grace is the life of God living inside of you giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases God (Phil. 2:13).

Where does faith come from? Faith comes from hearing the words of Christ. Saturate your mind with Scripture and practice preaching to yourself the promises of God.

The Lord of limitless love is alive. He has promised to give us help and hope.

YOU CAN FACE THE WORST THINGS, THE HARDEST THINGS, THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS IN THE WORLD, AND YOU CAN FACE THEM WITH HOPE AND WITH TRUST BECAUSE OUR GOD IS ALIVE. OUR GOD IS WITH US, OUR GOD IS FOR US, OUR GOD IS LIVING IN US, OUR GOD IS LOVING THROUGH US.

Our Lord is alive. He is unchangeable, He is unshakeable, He is unstoppable. Death can never hold him. Enemies can never limit Him. Circumstances never control Him. The culture can never silence Him.

The Word of God reminds us that things turn around. The darkest days and the most difficult nights will change some morning.

Everything has changed.

The crucified one is now the Living Lord of all. Death, hell, sin and the grave are defeated.

On the Day of the Lord—when God makes everything right, you will find that the worst things that ever happened to you will in the end only increase your goodness and enhance your joy.

7. CHRIST LIVES INSIDE OF YOU TO LEAD YOU TO OTHERS HE INTENDS TO LOVE THROUGH YOU.

Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; love others as you would love yourself.

It is fairly simple but sometimes difficult to grasp. Just do as He said.

The resurrection power of Jesus is at work in our lives to make us like Christ. Spiritual deadness is changed into life.

Hate is turned into kindness.
Intolerance is turned into compassion.
Anger is turned into forgiveness.
Selfishness is turned into generosity.
Self-centeredness is turned into sacrificial love.
Fear is turned into hope.
Sorrow is turned into inexhaustible joy.

The resurrection of Jesus is both the source and the object of our JOY and HOPE.

PERHAPS THE GREATEST HUMAN DESIRE IS THE NEED TO BE LOVED. YOU ARE LOVED WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE.

THE RESURRECTION POWER OF JESUS IN YOU TRANSFORMS YOUR NEED INTO YOUR DESIRE TO LOVE SOMEONE ELSE FIRST AND MOST.

JESUS IS ALIVE. LIVE LIKE IT.

EYES UP! LOVE YOU!

DREAMS (and a Big Biscuit)

These are the ramblings of a sleepy man.

“I had the weirdest dream last night.”

How many times have you said that?

Sometimes it is the “wildest” or “strangest” or “scariest” or “worst” dream ever. Occasionally, it might be your “best” or “recurring” dream.

Do not worry. I am not going to recall all the dream details to you. But there is something connected to our dreams that has perplexed me.

Why do we feel the necessity and urgency to tell all the “weirdest dream” details to someone else?

We want to share our latest dream. Why?

The other person doesn’t understand how much your dream means to you. They are not interested and often do not care about your dream.

Why do we insist on sharing the names of the people who made a surprising cameo in our dreams? Why the nitty-gritty details? Why the strange scenarios?

Think about that. Are you ever interested or intrigued about the dream details of someone else? I listen to my wife as she describes her dream. I fake interest just as she does when I relate my repetitive dream to her. Even when her dream fascinates me, my mind cannot rise to her level of interest.

So, what is my point? I do not think I have one. I had a really “strange dream” last night with people from my distant past. There were surprising guests in a surreal nighttime drama.

I awakened with a compulsion to tell someone…anyone. Then it hit me like a dream-filled sack of rocks. Nobody wants to listen to the details of my dream. Nobody.

So, I found myself faced with two choices. Write all the dream notes into this Winsday session to waste every reader’s time and trust. Or ask the rhetorical question on each reader’s mind.

Why do we feel the necessity and the urgency to tell someone else all the details of our latest “weirdest dream ever?”

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.

I know you want to tell me about your latest dream. I can sense it. The excitement is building up inside of you. You are a Dream-Topper.

Hey! Go ahead. I do not care.

Have you ever awakened from a dream hoping it was reality? That feeling can be thrilling…or horrible?

We cannot control our dreams. I have fallen asleep to California Dreamin’ and awakened to Nightmare on Elm Street.

I have good dreams and bad dreams. Happy dreams and sad dreams. “Wake myself up screaming” dreams and “Please do not wake up from this thrilling” dream.

My dreams have visited La La Land, Fantasy World, and House of Horrors. I love the nights I revisit the basketball gym. Oh, the sweet sound of swish!

Our dreams are expressions of emotions and experiences. They are expressions of our loves, losses, and longings…. our fears, failures, and fantasies. They even awaken our imaginations of a better life.

Some of my greatest thoughts of life and eternity have been lost in the subconscious cyberspace of my dreams.

All dreams are not just about sleep. Some dreams fuel our hope and motivation to be better or do better.

Sage advice exhorts us to:

“Keep on dreaming.”
“Chase your dream.”
“Pursue your dreams and Never give up.”
“May all your dreams come true.”

Our #1 Textbook records some dreamers.

Jacob’s strange dream involved seeing angels going up and down a ladder to heaven. From the top of the stairway to heaven, the Lord promised Jacob’s homeward-bound journey would be safe and successful.

Jacob’s sons hated listening to their brother Joseph’s haystack dreams. When he told them about his intergalactic dream, they sold him into slavery.

Joseph was the only one willing to listen to Pharoah’s weird dream about fat and skinny cows. That led to Joseph saving the whole world from the nightmare of starvation.

After hearing King Neb describe his crazy dream of a gigantic, beautiful tree being cut down to a stump, Daniel just told the king he was going crazy.

It may be advisable to keep your crazy dreams private.

Daniel wrote down his own wild and weird dream about the future. He thought we might be interested in how this lion, bear, leopard, and strange beast with ten horns would rise and fall as empires in order to introduce God’s Son as the one and only true King of kings with an everlasting dominion.

Solomon desired to tell us all about his dream where God offered him a blank check. In his sleep, Solomon chose “wisdom.” Upon awakening, he discovered God blessed him with everything good anyone could desire.

When the eternal king Jesus entered this world as a baby born in a manger, an angel showed up in his earthly father’s dream to warn Joseph to save his family by getting out of Dodge before a showdown with Herod’s soldiers.

I think my favorite #1 Textbook dream story highlights my hypothesis that we all have this innate desire to share the details of our strange dreams with someone else.

In the Book of Judges, God selects timid Gideon for a monumental task of taking on the mighty Midianite army. On the evening before God used Gideon to free his people from seven years of daily beat downs, Gideon sneaks close to the enemy’s camp to survey the situation.

Gideon overhears a Midianite soldier telling his wild and crazy dream to his buddy.

“I had this funny dream last night about this giant biscuit on top of a mountain. This bizarre biscuit starts rolling downhill picking up momentum until it crashes into our camp and smashes our tent.”

That is a strange dream. Like us, the guy felt he had to tell someone about it.

His buddy could not escape the dream weaver or the big biscuit. Here is where the weird dream story gets weirder and even rises to the level of the weirdest off-the-wall dream response ever.

The other soldier surprisingly states he understands the dream about the big rolling biscuit. Then he unravels his explanation.

“That is not a Pioneer Woman campfire breakfast story. It is more like a Stephen King horror novel. There is this guy named Gideon. His God has given him a gigantic sword. He is going to roll into our camp tomorrow and smash our tents like a big biscuit on a soft egg. Then he is going to take us in his hands, place us all in his mouth, and devour us for dinner. Poof. We are gone…finished.”

Gideon gets excited and courageous about this Top Chef saga. He boldly blows a trumpet and adds some gravy to his breakfast biscuit. The rest is history.

We can understand HOPE without dreaming. We have the #1 Textbook that promises we can live with the confident expectation of seeing all the good God has promised us…Somehow…Someway…Sometime.

On tough days, get a big biscuit and remember Gideon’s story for hope.

Now as to that dream you had last night, I ask again.

What motivates you to share the details of your unusual dreams with others who are more concerned about sharing their weird dreams with you?

Listen to one more detail about my dreams.

Daydreaming is my specialty! Come join me anytime.

EYES UP! LOVE YOU!

TARIFFS and TREASURES

The word for the week is Tariffs. President Trump’s Tariffs have dominated this news cycle.

A tariff is a tax levied by the government on imported goods.

Treasure refers to someone or something of great worth or value.

We all have treasures of some value. We all are affected by tariffs at some level.

My Winsday Wisdom thought is IF YOUR TREASURE IS AFFECTED BY THESE TARIFFS, YOU HAVE THE WRONG TREASURE.

NOTE: The information in this Winsday Wisdom should not be considered personalized financial advice. Consult with a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions. Watch FOX NEWS or CNN for your favorite political opinions. I personally recommend God’s #1 Textbook for both.

Tariffs can help domestic industries and generate government revenue, but they can also create conflicts with other countries which respond with retaliatory tariffs, trade wars, and global market disruptions.

Wall Street’s reaction has been mostly Shock and Awe. This impacts individual investors, family businesses, and global companies, and could lead to higher prices for consumers.

My goal is not to explain, debate, or provide political commentary on the subject. Most of you have an opinion and many of you are experiencing financial consequences, some good, some devastating.

Markets and portfolio values have plummeted while fears have risen. Some people have had their retirement funds rattled. Others of you might possess the economic savvy and nerves of steel to sell high and buy low to increase your portfolios.

I will just summarily describe the financial emotions in this unstable world as nervous.

One benefit of these difficult times is the chance to redirect our focus from temporary things to treasures which last forever.

IF YOUR TREASURE IS AFFECTED BY THESE TARIFFS, YOU HAVE THE WRONG TREASURE.

Every human heart worships something. Every one of us clings to some treasure when times get shaky. We do not want to risk or lose what we value most.

Jesus warned us to anchor our hearts to what lasts forever.

“Do not store up treasures on earth that will fade, erode, or be stolen. Store your treasures in heaven where they are safe and will never lose their value” (Matthew 6:19-20).

REAL TREASURE DOES NOT CRASH OR LOSE VALUE. TARIFFS CANNOT TOUCH IT OR AFFECT ITS VALUE.

Every heart longs to link itself to everlasting treasure.

Tim Keller wrote what others have preached. “If you love anything more than God, even though you may think you are in control of your life, that thing will eventually control you.”

Are increasing tariffs or depreciating treasures controlling your life these days?

Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Where is your treasure today?

“Anything you love more than Jesus will either break your heart or become your master” (Jackie Hill Perry).

Please read that again and think about your life.

“Put Jesus first in your heart, and everything else will fall into its proper place. So do not be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time” (Matthew 6:33-34).

Don’t stress about losses or missing opportunities. Instead, focus on God’s generosity—both to you and through you. Your needs will be met, and you’ll have plenty to share.

“When we treasure Christ, we become better stewards of everything else” (Scott Sauls).

Please read that again and make plans to better your stewardship of all your blessings, including your financial responsibilities.

Side note:

Isn’t it wonderful that God’s blessings come without tariffs?
Isn’t it incredible that God gives away His treasure to us for free?

JESUS IS THE ONE TRUE TREASURE THAT WILL NEVER FADE AND NEVER FAIL.

Listen to God’s #1 Textbook:

EVEN THOUGH the fig trees are all destroyed, and there are no blossoms left, nor any fruit remains; EVEN THOUGH the olive crops all fail, and the fields lie barren; EVEN IF the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, YET I WILL BE HAPPY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION.

The Lord God is my strength; He will get me through this time safely and securely (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

Then the #1 Textbook encourages you to sing those treasure song lyrics with a backup choir and full orchestration. Even though…Even though…Even if…I will be happy because my treasure is safe and secure.

IF YOUR TREASURE IS AFFECTED BY THESE TARIFFS, YOU HAVE THE WRONG TREASURE.

IS IT TIME TO REFOCUS?

EYES UP! LOVE YOU!

TROUT FISHING…AGAIN

Oh, the thrill of trout fishing! This session is for all of you. Those who know and love the thrill of Field and Stream and those of you who fail to see the point, much less the fun of the hunt or cast. I can identify with both parties, mainly the latter.

My wife comes from a family of expert sportsmen in the world of hunting and fishing. They are extraordinary in their exploits. I admire them. My wife grew up riding, hiking, and fishing the Colorado territory. I grew up playing basketball in an Oklahoma gym.

My greatest love about fishing is the enjoyment of the flavorful fish fry by friends like Tommy and Charlie. They know what they are doing both in the catching and cooking of the fish. Mark and Big John can fill their boat to overflowing like Peter and the gang in the Bible. Mike and Tarre take fly fishing to another level of success, unless she trips on the rocks. If only there were a doctor somewhere around!

My dad taught me how to fish. We started at his uncle’s pond. The long hike through weeds and the pond’s prevalence of water moccasins probably diminished some of my enjoyment. Dad loved fishing. I loved going with him when the sand bass were running at Kerr or Tenkiller Lake. (I was a novice, but I was pretty sure the sand bass were swimming, not running.)

On those trips, you just put your line in the water and pulled up a fish, as many and as fast as you wanted. It was all action. I loved it. However, I lacked the patience and endurance of the big bass anglers. I spent most of the time unraveling my fishing line from the tree branches, weeds, or fellow fisherman. I would sit there thinking about how many free throws in a row I could have made during this time.

I am definitely not belittling those who love these things. I bemoan that I am just not particularly good at them and, thus, lack the same enjoyment. I only share these examples of my Fishing World shortcomings to set up the thrill of my trout fishing experience.

When our family vacationed along the Rio Grande in Creede, Colorado, it was no surprise that my attempts at fly fishing were futile. I tried for two days without any success. I looked the part. I had the hat and the waders and the fly rod. I became skilled at whipping that line through the air and sending the fly across the flowing waters. My style exhibited the rhythmic grace and beauty of the fly fisherman’s cast. Poetry in motion. I just never caught anything. Not even a bite.

As I made my way back to the cabin in the late evening, I stopped to look at the river from a crossing bridge. I saw a fairly large trout swimming in an area near the bank. Apparently, some larger trout will stay in a pooled spot that provides plenty of food. Their size allows them to withstand the flow of the river stream.

I went down near the sighting and began to toss my line into the water. Several times. I was not fly fishing; I was just dropping my fly and hook into the water and reeling them back in. The sun set and the skies began to darken.

Suddenly, the line moved, and the rod bent. The fish was hooked. I wrestled him to the shoreline. It was a large rainbow trout. Beautiful and big. I was thrilled. Mostly in shock. I looked around for someone or anyone. Every fisherman needs an audience for moments like this.

This trout was much bigger than all the brown trout I had witnessed others catch. It was the largest fish I had ever seen…of course. Isn’t that what a real fisherman always says?

Then I remembered seeing a posted sign warning about some kind of fish that had to be catch and release only. Was it this one? I was clueless. I knew my relatives and the game warden would frown on me breaking the law. I was too far from the cabin to carry the fish home to ask my wife. The rainbow trout would not survive. I needed a picture of the fish, but there was no camera.

Was this a keeper or a throwback? I panicked. I waited. I looked for someone to ask. The fish was in jeopardy. I reluctantly threw the large rainbow trout back into the water.

Catch and Release. Real fishermen go for the thrill, not the food. Someone told me that.

I returned to the area the next evening after going hitless for another day of fly fishing. I could not see the fun in this sport. A thunderstorm broke overhead, and I was getting drenched. I started the long trek to the cabin. A voice called out to me to get shelter under his roof. It was Wallace Johnson, the father of my wife’s best friend in school.

Mr. Johnson welcomed me into his cabin to dry out by the fire as I waited for the storm to pass. He said he had seen me out by the bridge. He told me there was a big rainbow trout swimming around in one of the side areas. People had been trying to land it for two months. It would look great mounted on his cabin wall. What??? Do I dare tell him???

What I learned in those next thirty minutes changed my life. Well, my fly-fishing life. When I confessed my ineptitude at catching trout, the expert kindly taught me the basics.

You whip the line through the air to keep the fly dry. The rhythmic beauty of a skilled fly-fisherman’s cast was not about the length of the throw but the dryness of the bait so it could float on top of the water. Then you wait for the silver streak. What? I had no idea what he was talking about.

My guru told me to watch for the silver streak, a flash of silver in the water. The silver flash signals the trout is moving toward the surface, going for the fly. That is when you set the hook. I could hardly wait for daylight.

I was out in the water along the edge of the river. Suddenly, I saw the silver streak. I set the hook and pulled. I missed it. But now I was hooked. I knew what I was doing. The next sighting of the silver flash landed my first brown trout. By noon, I had a bag full. Fresh trout was on the dinner menu.

Trout fishing was thrilling. I had become…an Angler, the future cover of Outdoors magazine. I made lasting memories fishing with my daughter and sons along the Rio Grande. I understand why this can be so enjoyable, almost addictive.

Learning to love first and love most is also enjoyable and addictive. It also has to be learned because it does not come naturally. Have you ever experienced that thrill? Yes, it is a thrill when done correctly with an unbiased and unharnessed enthusiasm.

I understand the frustrations and the fears. And the failures. I’ve been there.

I just did not know about the “silver flash” in loving others first and most. Loving others is not about going through the proper motions or using the right techniques. It is not about needing to be fully equipped or sufficiently trained.

For me, the “silver flash” is associated with the eyes of the other person. Do I really see them? Do I notice their needs? Or do I just try to “love” because they are in the vicinity? Maybe I can just do the long cast and keep them at a distance. Too many of us just go through the motions.

I have watched the Master teach his disciples and us as He took us to that outcast Legion, alone and ostracized in a scary world. We saw He loved that loveless and hopeless man. We listened in as he talked to the woman at the well, the whore of Sychar. We watched him welcome Zacchaeus, the corrupt and hated government official.

We observed how he took note of the importance of children and how he gave hope to the suffering. We watched him walk through life as the friend of sinners. We viewed him as a breakfast cook for the working men, thrilled with their latest fish story. He did not just talk a good game; He lived it.

He looked into the eyes of Jairus, the distraught dad of a dying daughter and into the weeping eyes of two sisters mourning the loss of their brother. He noticed the blind beggar and the sick elderly woman. He calmed the storm raging fear in the eyes of the men in the boat. He paid attention to the misguided pride of friends arguing about levels of importance. He saw the little boy with his sack lunch. The multitudes were countless. He saw the “silver flash” in each of them.

Jesus lives in you and me to lead us to others He intends to love through us. He will love them first and love them most. Where are they? Look into their eyes! Their eyes show signs of suffering, sickness, sorrow, stress.

“The eyes are an entrance to the heart” (#1 Textbook).

Jesus told the first disciples what He says to us today. “Come, follow Me. I will make you fishers of men. Love them the way I have loved you” (#1 Textbook).

Imitate God’s love. Your home is the practice field. Get better. Take your love out into this world. Every person you see is fighting some hard, and often hidden, battle.

Look for the “silver flash” in their eyes. Be kind. Be caring. Love them first and love them most. Little by little, love them a lot.

I repeat my description of the thrill of loving another person first and most.

The heart pounds. The clouds rumble. The skies flash. The wind roars. The trees sway. The mountains shake. The stars dance. The angels set all heaven ablaze with shouts of praise…when one set of eyes has been loved first and most.

Oh the thrill when you notice that “silver flash” in their eyes!

EYES UP! LOVE YOU!

GUARDIANS of the GRANDKIDS…AGAIN

My son was recently honored by the basketball Final Four as a Guardians of the Game for Leadership. One would think ‘leadership’ would be a noble aspiration for any grandparent.

Reality is more like, “Which way did they go?”

Some of our grandkids are into Marvel movies like Guardians of the Galaxy. The premise for the movie features an adventurer who must unite four misfits against a cosmic threat to destroy this whole galaxy.

That could describe the misfit grandkids of someone I know. I am not pointing fingers or naming names. I plead the fifth.

The Marvel movie Guardians found a higher purpose for their lives and saved the galaxy.

The sequels describe these superheroes as “without a plan, but they get the job done.”

That would perfectly describe my role as a grandparent. No set in stone plan. Always near ice cream.

Grandkids are the best. I will not use this format to make you gag over my prideful exuberance. Just substitute your kids and grandkids into this fable.

We recently had the joy of having our grandkids around for a while. That does not happen enough. It is fun, entertaining, enjoyable, and tiring. This old gray mare??? (I did not think I should use the more appropriate ‘Old gray stud’) just ain’t what it used to be.

I would not trade the precious and memorable moments for anything.

Unlike Babe, I usually do not have a plan; but I am very good at improvisation that somehow saves the day and keeps the time fun.

Our living area serves as a game room, performance arts stage, gymnasium, wrestling mat, track meet, sports complex, construction site, grandkids’ clothing drop-off center, movie theatre, a gathering place for coloring or reading, and command center for the snack bar to stay open.

It has occasionally served as a medical staging area to stop the bleeding before the trip to Urgent Care for stitches.

Somehow, Babe keeps everything neat, operational, and loving. Since the front of the fireplace serves as the main stage for performers and winners, it has been essential that I clear the area of Babe’s decorative pottery displays before the incoming storm.

This protects the kids and the pottery and the blame Bubba for not being a good Guardian. Before the young company arrives, I move the decorative pieces to a safer area in the corner of the piano room. That space is sometimes used as a doll house or staging area for the next air raid.

The décor is usually protected unless one of our wild rock and rolling Jerry Lee Lewis imitators gets on the piano. Imagine Great Balls of Fire with a Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On.

Chantilly Lace and a pretty face
And a ponytail hangin’ down
A wiggle in her walk and a giggle in her talk
Make the world go ’round

Ain’t nothing in the world like big-eyed grandkids

To make me act so funny, make me spend my money…

Last week, I forgot to move the large red plate and its stand located just left of the fireplace. I noticed a granddaughter leaning up against it as she looked at the family pictures on the shelf behind. At the same time, a bouncing ball and two diving bodies landed near it.

Calling 911 Rescue. I leaped to my feet and quickly salvaged the plate from imminent destruction. It was placed in the safety of the far corner in the adjacent room. It survived the visit just as it had for the previous ten years as each grandchild had his/her opportunities to take it down.

The Guardians of the Galaxy could not have accomplished a better rescue operation. I do feel like a Superhero at times.

After the families were gone and the tears were brushed away, we rested. At least I did until I realized Vicki was cleaning the house. It was time for the Guardian of the Grandmother to step into action.

I pulled out the vacuum cleaner and plugged it in. Vicki said not to do that now. It can wait.

I wanted to help and get everything done so we could both rest and reflect on the good pictures from the time with the grandkids. This was my chance to show how to love first and most. It is not just flowers and candy. Sometimes, it looks like pushing a vacuum cleaner. I did a good job.

As I was putting the vacuum cleaner away, I noticed the large pottery plate. It had survived another Invasion of the Body-Snatchers. This was a good time to get it back to its proper place.

We have a “family truism” that has been passed on to our kids and grandkids:

WHEN WE DISOBEY, ACCIDENTS HAPPEN OR SOMEONE GETS HURT.

There is a reason this saying has survived for subsequent generations. The list is long.

This day, another accident was added to the list.

As I carried the large pottery plate and its stand back to the living area, I bumped a bookcase in the entry way. The impetus started a chain reaction.

Impetus. What a strange word. A powerful force which sets something in motion.

I was hoping this might be a flying saucer. This plate did not fly. It plummeted to the floor like a dive bomber on a kamikaze mission.

In unstoppable slow motion, the plate fell forward and crashed onto the hardwood floor.

Not even a superhero could stop the cosmic damage that exploded my galaxy.

I watched the unstoppable crackup of ceramic pottery bouncing off the wood floor. It went down in one piece and returned upward in several fragments.

The loud crash echoed through the house.

In a nanosecond, I did what my grandkids failed to do in ten years.

Breaking something creates a plethora of thoughts and emotions. Did I do that?

I wished I could fly away. It took every ounce of my manhood not to run for the hills.

When we disobey, accidents happen.

I must disobey a lot. My home was not insured for “Mayhem like this.”

There was no hiding this disaster. There was no way it could be blamed on the grandkids. Trust me. I tried to think of some ways. The grandkids have a bigger storehouse of grace than I do.

The other three matching set pieces stood in motionless mourning for their fallen leader. They were playing Taylor Swift’s song, We are Never Ever Getting Back Together. Never, ever, ever, ever.

My mind was more into the Beatles. Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now I need a place to hide away…

I wish I knew Kintsugi, the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold. It carries the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. I could only hope that someone close to me would continue to embrace my flaws and imperfections.

I Googled kintsugi. The search suggested I try hari-kari.

I scrambled for a broom and dustpan…and a remote hiding place. Maybe the dog could take the fall for this mishap. She stood there watching with pitiful eyes and wagging her tail. She offered her doghouse for an asylum.

I did not break the law or break the internet. I did not even break the rules. But I felt worse than if I had.

Babe was gracious. Above Bed, Bath, and Beyond gracious. I lived to tell this tale.

SHE ASKED IF I CARRIED THE PLATE AND ITS STAND WITH TWO HANDS.

I can honestly say I never thought about using two hands. Sometimes I struggle to hear.

I recently read the quote:

NO AMOUNT OF REGRET CAN CHANGE THE PAST. NO AMOUNT OF ANXIETY CHANGES THE FUTURE. BUT ANY AMOUNT OF GRATITUDE CHANGES THE PRESENT. (Mark and Angel Chernoff)

I wish it were as easy to drop one’s worries, stress, disappointments, and regrets as it was to drop that pottery plate. The longer you hold them, the heavier they get.

I am grateful for Babe’s grace. She showed me the love first and love most of forgiveness. “It is just a thing.” People are more important than things.

I have too many flaws to be perfect, but far too many blessings to be ungrateful. Every day, I become more and more a Guardian of Gratitude. There are many times I feel as if I am falling apart into little pieces.

Broken. Useless. Trash bound.

God’s grace covers my past regrets and future anxieties. Most importantly, God has a plan to rescue and bless me today. Somehow, God always gets the job done.

“God uses broken clouds to produce rain, broken ground to produce crops, broken grain to produce bread, and broken bread to produce strength” (Vance Havner).

“God does not break things so He can fix them; He fixes broken things so He can use them” to bless other people (Bob Goff).

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:7-9).

You have a Guardian of your soul.

Your life does not have to end up in shattered pieces. God turns those broken pieces into masterpieces. God heals broken hearts, broken dreams, and broken lives. You do not have a broken future.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

God’s grace overflows in your life. I hope you see and sense it. Undeserved forgiveness and unearned goodness. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. I hope you express your gratitude for it.

Our Guardian of Grace gives both Pardon and Power.

Pardon from all our selfish “disobedient accidents.”

Power to Love First and Love Most in every relationship.

Wake up misfit. You are a Guardian of God’s Love. You do not have to become a super-hero.

You have been given a higher purpose in life and infused with an overflow of love. Let it flow!

I love being a Guardian of the Grandkids. I also imagine myself as superhero Guardian of their Grandmother Babe. I am just not very great at it…yet. But I never quit trying!

My tombstone will carry the inscription, “Here lies the Guardian of the Grandkids and their Babe…Bless his heart…He meant well.”

EYES UP! LOVE YOU!

STORMS…AGAIN

LOVE NEVER CRACKS UNDER PRESSURE.

Storms will come in life. The question is not IF, but WHEN.

I want to restate my main point before you finish reading or listening.

LOVE NEVER CRACKS UNDER PRESSURE.

This past week’s news focused on storms. There were strong tornadoes and damaging wind-driven fires.

The word “storm” refers to various kinds of weather disturbances. No matter where you live, you have experienced significant storms.

• Winter Storms
• Thunderstorms
• Tornadic Storms
• Firestorms
• Snow Storms
• Hail Storms
• Ice Storms
• High Wind Storms
• Dust Storms
• Storms…Again…and Again.

Storms can be brief or long. They can be dangerous or damaging. We saw both last week.

The #1 Textbook shares the story about the disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee at night in a boat with Jesus. At least four of the disciples were experienced fishermen aware of the lake’s tendency for sudden raging storms.

When this life-threatening storm appeared, it scared them, making them worry for their lives. As the waves crashed into and over the boat, Jesus slept peacefully in the stern section while water began to fill the vessel.

The disciples had been eyewitnesses to the amazing miracles Jesus performed to help those in need. There were many other wonderful and remarkable things Jesus did. If all of them were written down, the world could not contain all the books that would be created (John 21:25).

However, like most of us, they became very forgetful WHEN this storm swept into their lives. This was a storm which awakened their fears and overwhelmed their faith.

At least, they did go to Jesus for help. Their test of faith in the midst of life’s storms was recorded in the #1 Textbook to encourage us to trust the Lord, not IF but WHEN we go through our storms in life. This specific incident teaches Life Lessons for your stormy situations.

The Lord is always WITH YOU in your life storms.
The Lord is always IN CONTROL of your life storms.
The Lord’s love NEVER CRACKS UNDER PRESSURE from your life’s storms.

These lessons must also be applied when storms pop up in your life.

• Personal Storms
• Marriage Storms
• Parental Storms
• Work Storms
• Health Storms
• Financial Storms

Storms will come in life. The question is not IF storms come, but WHEN. Every relationship will experience storm turbulence.

Remember: Love never cracks under pressure.

In stormy times:

Love is an Anchor.
Love is a Lifeline.
Love is a Shelter.
Love is a Strong Foundation.

When the relationship storms come:

• Love is Patient.
• Love is Kind.
• Love is Forbearing.
• Love is Forgiving.
• Love is Long-suffering.
• Love is Faithful.
• Love is Steadfast.
• Love Never Cracks.

Jesus illustrated this powerful truth when He compared a wise man who built his house on the solid foundation of a rock with a foolish man who built his house on shifting sand. (Matthew 7:24-27)

When the storms came in their lives, the house built on rock stood firm, while the house built on sand crumbled.

Your life will inevitably face storms. Disappointments. Difficulties. Dangers.

Apply the truths of love in your stormy relationships.

• Love never keeps a record of wrongs.
• Love never quits.
• Love always perseveres.
• Love always hopes.

Stormy seasons in life reveal that we are flawed and fearful, just like the first disciples. This does not mean we lack spirituality; it means we are human.

We cannot CONTROL when or how bad the storms will be, and we do not KNOW how to react when new storms hit us. This does not mean we are stuck in the storm; it is a reminder to GO to Jesus.

As Paul encouraged Timothy, “Remember Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:8).

Expect storms in life (John 16:33). They will never last forever.

See your storms in the light of the One who controls the storms.

This is just my opinion. The original disciples, who faithfully and courageously spread Jesus Christ’s teachings worldwide, were surprisingly SLOW LEARNERS. Jesus never gave up on them and His love never cracked under the pressure of their flaws and fears.

What an encouragement to me…to us!

Hey Friends! Let’s keep learning!

Here is this week’s Life forecast. There will be storms…again.

MY LAST BREATH…AGAIN

ALL OF LIFE IS A STEWARDSHIP FOR WHAT LIES BEYOND!

EVERY BREATH MIGHT BE THE LAST ONE. That is not cause for fear but for renewed purpose.

Death is certain. The percentages are perfect. It is one common experience we will all share. Death is not funny, but a little humor can ease some of the upcoming grief.

As a college student in Boston, I became fascinated with the old cemeteries along the Freedom Trail. The stone markers. The shorthand summaries. One could imagine life stories connected to the last sentiments.

Ma loved Pa. Pa loved women. Ma caught Pa with another gal swimmin’. Here lies Pa.
I told you I was sick. (Adjacent tombstone) And I was sick of hearing it.
I would rather be reading this.
Here lies my wife. Please let her lie. She’s now in peace and so am I.
We will never know “Why” this chicken tried to cross the road.
I made some bad deals, but I went in the hole with this one.
My wife finally stopped talking so I feel like I am in heaven.
Some thought she was sweet, some thought she was swell, but we all know she went straight to “H-E-Double hockey sticks.” (I think this was a cat.)
Now I know something you don’t.
Here lies the remains of Jonathan Peas under the sod, but he ain’t here, only the pod. Peas shelled out and went home to God.

A very popular testimony reads as follows: As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so you shall be. Prepare yourself to follow me. (Read that again.)

On one of those tombstones, another phrase was etched into the rock: To follow you is not my intent, until I find out which way you went.

Appropriate humor can ease the stress and anxiety of certain death. But do not let the jokes distract you from the value of examining how you live your life. In fact, the #1 Textbook plainly and emphatically states that it is better to go to a funeral than to a party (Ecclesiastes 7:2).

Why? Hopefully, it will cause you to think about how you intend to live the rest of your earthly life. All of life is a God-assigned stewardship.

Have you ever taken time to consider how your eternal existence can be eternal enjoyment?

God’s Word encourages us to contemplate our impending earthly demise and consider our days in order to make the most of our time. The #1 Textbook also points us to the endless eternity beyond so that we live now in faith, hope, and love.

The unknown part of death is one of the hardest concepts to grasp. We fear uncertainty.

Is death something to be feared? Something to hope? Will it be gain for you? Or will it be loss?

Is death a bitter loss or sweet gain? There is a thin line between sweetness and bitterness. In cooking, it could be the amount of sugar.

In spiritual things, the difference is hope. In a multitude of unanswered questions seasoned with blame and bitterness, you can still hope in God. When hope gets fully mixed into the recipe, you cannot see it; you just taste it.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is sweet gain (Philippians 1:21).

Our hope is not wishful thinking or positive confession or some mystical religious concept. Our hope is a Person. His name is Jesus. Hope in Jesus shapes how we live and how we die.

While Hope offers future blessings, Grief and trials are temporary. They last only for a little while, if necessary. Even a lifetime of suffering is just “a little while” compared to God’s promised inheritance of the riches of all His goodness. That inheritance will never perish, become dirty, or lose its value.

Mark Twain was blunt. “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

As one philosopher stated, it is not the date of birth or the date of death that matters most. It is what you do with the dash in between representative of your life’s stewardship. That dash has eternal implications.

ALL OF LIFE IS A STEWARDSHIP.

Enjoy life but live it for God. Rehearse dying. Yep, that is right.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon said this: “No man would find it difficult to die that died every day. He would have practiced it so often that he would only have to die but once more. Like the singer who has been through his rehearsals and is now perfect in His part and has but to pour forth the notes once for all and he is done.”

The “why” and the “dash” have everything to do with your stewardship and your legacy.

What will summarize your dash? What will be your tombstone testimony or memorial memory?

In life, we do not know exactly where the finish line is. We might get to a point where we know it could be in a few days, but most of the time it sneaks up on us.

All of us know we are going to die, but none of us expect it to come when it does. It usually comes too soon in our timetable of life expectancy. So the issue becomes how to finish strong with an ecstatic burst when you do not know the location or time of the finish line.

FINISHING STRONG IS NOT BY CHANCE OR ACCIDENT; IT COMES FROM HAVING A CLEAR PURPOSE.

What is your purpose for finishing strong? Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for Jesus’ appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).

There is a crown of righteousness for all who are faithful to Christ and hope to see Him as their coming King.

What is that crown of righteousness? Theological scholars offer several ideas. For me, biblical righteousness is the “life and love of Christ” placed inside of me by the grace of God. My practice of that life and love of Christ is still flawed here on earth because of the remaining seeds of self-love which continue to dwell within me and war for the control of my soul.

HOWEVER, THE VICTOR’S CROWN WILL BE THE “PERFECTION OF THE LIFE AND LOVE OF CHRIST IN ME” WHICH WILL BE FULLY DISPLAYED THROUGHOUT THE REST OF ETERNITY.

What joy for me and what joy for others who will then be loved by me! I will love them without any selfish tendencies, without any selfish motives, without any selfish expectations. I will love God and love others perfectly, just as Jesus loves me!

That is the championship reward for which we entrust ourselves to the God who causes all things to work together for our good. That is the joy for which we agonize and suffer now.

Fight THE Fight! Finish THE Race! Keep THE Faith! Finish strong with an ecstatic burst into heaven!

John Donne wrote what should be the testimony of every Christian who is rehearsing the day of his death. Study this:

“Death, be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so. For those whom thou thinkest thou dost overthrow, they die not. One short sleep passed, and we wake eternally and death shall be no more.”

No more death.

I love what was written about Enoch in the #1 Textbook. He walked with God.

My parents lived a very impactful life as a Hall of Fame coach and a highly accomplished educator wife. Both started from humble beginnings.

Dad was one of four brothers raised by a single, uneducated mom. They were abandoned by an alcoholic father. They fled his abuse in the middle of the night carrying all their belongings in pillow sacks. Their new home was in an abandoned chicken coup.

Mom grew up in humble surroundings as part of six siblings with uneducated parents. She was proud to be a coal miner’s daughter.

Both parents received many awards and professional acclaim. They positively impacted the lives of thousands of students and co-workers. Much could be written as their tombstone testimonies.

However, they chose their own epitaph. The tombstone plaque simply reads, “Gerald and Beatrice Blankenship, parents of Rex, Bill, Joe.”

That is their tombstone testimony. Their pride. Their joy. Their love. Their legacy.

What a blessing! What a humbling challenge!

To be loved unconditionally and endlessly is a tremendous blessing. It is also a stewardship responsibility to make sure that investment is not wasted.

You and I are loved by the God of Glory, Eternal Creator, Living Lord, Heavenly Father, Loving Savior, Supreme Majesty, and Sovereign King of kings.

We are loved first and foremost, loved most and forever. We are loved before and above everything else with a love that is independent, infinite, and immeasurable in its greatness.

We are loved with undeserved, unchanging, and unending goodness by the One who is Glorious in all he is, Perfect in all his ways, Faithful in all he does. Always wise, right, and good. Always with us and always for us.

And yet, He has no tombstone. He just writes his legacy in the heavens.

GOD of Rex, Bill, Joe, and YOU.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6).

Dear family and friends, please don’t worry about me when my time comes.

I will be cutting down the nets! A victorious, joyful celebration!

Then I will take another breath filled with the life and love of Jesus…never-ending breaths…each breath better than the one before.

Join me in taking a deep breath. What if it were your last breath?

Enjoy your next last breath…again and again.

A Knight in Shining Armor…Again

It was the night I became the Knight in Shining Armor.

I slew the dragon. I beat up the monster. I scared away all the ghosts. And I saved the lovely maiden.

I won her heart…again.

Our beautiful young daughter won my heart at our first meeting. As I pulled back the blanket to get a glimpse of this gift from heaven, she reached out and grabbed my little finger.

Love at first sight. Love always and forever.

For my little sweetheart’s first night home from the hospital, I sat in a beanbag chair and held her all night. I spent the night adoring her and worrying about taking care of her.

So, it was no surprise that in her early years, each night ended up with the little blonde princess in bed with her mother and me. As our family added a baby brother, it became more of an ordeal to encourage my little girl to stay in her own bed throughout the night.

Most nights she ended up back in our bed because she was afraid of the dark. This fear is common among children.

However, my little angel played us like a fear-tuned fiddle.

Her nightly fears seemed to escalate in repetition and extremity until that night it all came to a crossroads. My love and frustration collided.

For the thousandth time, my little girl quietly shuffled into our bedroom and declared she was scared. Even the nightlight was not sufficient for the darkness surrounding her.

I escorted her back to her bed…again. Prayed with her…again. Then gave her a kiss…again. That is what dads do.

She hugged me and whispered about her fears. “Daddy, there are monsters in my closet and ghosts under my bed.”

I finally understood the dilemma. This was not the time for words of assurance. This was the time for action.

It was time to save the damsel in distress.

I rushed out of the room and quickly returned. My head was covered with a silver pot, shoulders draped with large towels, and a broomstick in my hands.

As I galloped into her bedroom on my imaginary white horse, I raised my makeshift sword and shouted, “Do not fear. Your knight in shining armor is here!”

The battle was on! The actions were emphatic. The sounds were dramatic.

I knew if this war was lost tonight, it would be Sleepless in Seattle forever.

I threw open the closet door and quickly destroyed the fire-eating dragon inside. I shouted at the monsters lurking in the dark corners of the room. I beat them into submission, one by one.

This Braveheart screamed, “Freeeeedommm!”

But there were still ghosts lurking under the bed. There was no time to call Ghostbusters. I had a broom. I quickly swept them all out from under the bed. My shouts frightened the scary ghosts as I chased them with my sword from the room, down the hall, and out the back door…never to return.

I returned to hear my daughter declare there was one more monster hiding in the back of the closet. No problem! Clothes and toys went flying as I wrestled with the last monster standing.

I beat him up until the monster begged for mercy. Surrender was not an option. I gave the “thumbs down” motion. This war is over. I carried the last monster’s lifeless body out to the backyard and threw it over the fence.

There is a memorable quote in the Sandlot movie where the baseball star, Babe Ruth, advises young Benny in a dream about the courage needed to retrieve Small’s famously autographed baseball from the nearby yard ferociously guarded by the junkyard dog known as ‘The Beast.’

“Remember, kid, there’s heroes and there’s legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”

My lovely maiden was saved…again. But that night her hero became a legend.

I remain her Knight in Shining Armor. As the years have passed, King Rex has been joined at the Knights of the Round Table by my daughter’s husband and son.

Their innumerable acts of courage and kindness are the stuff of legends!

Girls of all ages dream of their knight in shining armor. Guys aspire to be that silver savior. Others just show up in boots and jeans with no clue what is going on in life.

Courage. Courtesy. Chivalry. Loyalty. Honor.

Fearless. Faithful. Doers of Good.

When was the last time you made a positive difference in someone’s life?

I had a dream last week that I was running for the office of governor. That sounds more like a nightmare. The campaign staff expressed concern because I did not approve their campaign slogans and advertising.

I kept insisting I just “need to do something good for someone today.” (Sadly, this was a dream.) Eventually, the saying and the daily deeds went viral on dreamland’s social media.

Followers began to spread the message and emulate the practice. In my dream, the “One Good Deed a Day” spiraled in multiplication and became a worldwide movement. What a dream!

Why is that not a deliberate reality in my life?

God’s Word instructs us to always do good to others.

Be wise: make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good (Ephesians 5:16).

Honor the Lord by always doing kind and good things for others (Colossians 1:10).

Why does that sound so foreign to our daily lives?

Following my do good dream, I was more attentive to the many acts of kindness by people around me. I watched a guy take someone else’s shopping cart back to the cart area. I witnessed a man carry a woman’s heavy box into the post office. I overheard a lady ask permission to buy another mother’s child candy.

Go good-deeders! Go!

I realize I am not the leader of this movement. I just want an invitation to join you and the other knights at the king’s round table.

Jesus even encouraged us to do good to our enemies.

Love your enemies, and do good, expecting nothing in return…Your reward will be great…You will be acting as sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and to those wicked ones who do not like Him (Luke 6:35).

That is a challenge to add to our plans for the day! We cannot dress in aluminum foil for that encounter. Put on the full armor of God!

Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you (Luke 6:27).

I have enough enemies to sustain my “do good to someone else” project for months.

Does it matter? It is the difference between War and Peace. How do we make a difference in this world as knights in shining armor?

Conquer evil by doing good (Romans 12:21).

Love First. Love Most. Every person. Everywhere. Every time.

Conquer horrible things done by bad enemies by doing good to them.

If each of us practiced that daily assignment, this world would tilt on its axis.

Every day is an adventure to conquer our enemies within and without. Slay the dragon of selfishness. Beat up the monsters of what might have been. Chase away the ghosts of regrets and unforgiveness. Raise up your sword of love and do one good deed for someone else.

One night long ago, one good deed by this knight in shining armor started a new routine of our daughter sleeping safely and soundly in her own bed. She knows there is a “Legend” nearby.

OK, the next Knight in Shining Armor task is to find a way to help our anxious dog feel safe at night outside my bedroom.

THE DOG DOES NOT NEED TO SLEEP IN OUR BED!

MONSTERS, DRAGONS, AND GHOSTS, BEWARE!

Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.

DARK IS THE NIGHT…AGAIN

It happened again. This was the worst.

The darkness began to press in. Press down. Press all around.

It was not the darkness of night. It was that darkness of the soul which battles and baffles us all. Some more than others.

My soul cried. I prayed for the darkness to disperse or, at least, diminish. When that did not happen, I whimpered, “Oh, no” and I whispered, “How long this time?”

Surely you have been there. Perhaps you live with someone who frequently visits that darkened cave. This darkness of the soul is more prevalent for some personalities than others. For some, it is a constant struggle.

I do not suffer as often or as long or as deeply as most. That does not make me a spiritually better or stronger person. That is just the way God wired me in my mother’s womb. I would need to be strong for others or at least put on a good front.

God has been faithful to give me the strength needed to encourage, protect, and hope for those not seeing any light on their horizon.

Last week, I lost all that confidence. It happened in a nanosecond. I was trying to clean something in the kitchen that did not have to be done at that moment. As I approached the trash can, I dropped several plastic water bottles. Two of them still had water in them but no bottle cap.

Water spilled out over the clean floor. Water. Small amounts of water probably rank as one of the easiest cleanup projects.

It was nothing, right? There are no mind readers for experiences such as this. It was the straw that broke this camel’s back.

My life was going through some stressful situations, but things were not abnormal or worse than ususal. However, in that moment, all the weight of that stress seemed to suddenly shift from God’s care to my ineptitude.

Even when I try to help, I mess things up worse. That conclusion on life was an endless echo in my mind.

My life went dark. Really dark.

I began to cry, to sob uncontrollably. I felt as if I were having a nervous breakdown. Thankfully, no one was there to witness the event or my emotional response. Even if there were, they could not have seen into my soul’s darkness.

If you have ever had the lights turned off in your heart, then you know what it feels like.

Difficulty. Disappointment. Danger. Discouragement. Desperation. Depression.

Darkness. Deep Darkness. Depths of Despair.

It feels as if all the weight of the world has been placed on your shoulders and the light of the world has been permanently extinguished.

Frustration: “How long is this going to last?” Fear: “This will never end.”

I open my heart because I know there are others who fight the same battle and wrestle with the same spiritual issue.

Most likely, you have heard or struggled with this thought: “Christians should never be depressed. Where is your faith?”

Have you read your Bible?

What about the cries of David in the darkness? I am so low; all I do is cry all day (Psalm 38). Why is my soul so downcast? Why am I so discouraged? (Psalm 42). How long will you forget me, Lord? Forever? How long will you look the other way when I am in need? How long must I be hiding this daily anguish in my heart? O Lord my God, I do not want to die in this darkness (Psalm 13).

Can we even speak of the darkness Job endured the night the lights were turned out in the land of Uz? (James 5:11). I hate my life. My soul is so bitter (Job 10:1).

Following a great spiritual victory, Elijah sat in the darkness overwhelmed and alone. The great prophet was so emotionally exhausted that he prayed to die. I have had enough, Lord; let me die (1 Kings 19:4).

Paul recounted the dark nights chained in prison, floating on ship wreckage in the ocean, and the many times he was beaten and dropped off at death’s doorstep (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). We were so burdened we despaired of life itself (2 Corinthians 1:8).

What about Moses sitting in the darkness of banishment, grief, and rebellious challenges to his leadership? Hated. Misunderstood. Alone. (Acts 7:25-29). Nights full of weariness, weaknesses, and worries.

Joseph battled distress, rejection, and false accusations for most of his life (Genesis 42:21). Do you think he ever struggled with despair while in the pit or prison or alone in those dark nights of captivity?

Hannah prayed in the darkness for years and years without seeing the light of hope. Her heart was deep in anguish as she wept bitterly night after night under a rival’s ridicule over her childless life (1 Samuel 1:10).

Naomi’s loss of husband and sons left her with no way out of the darkness. I have no hope. I am bitter about life. The Lord’s hand is against me (Ruth 1:12-13).

Jonah saw the prospect of death as far better than what life offered (Jonah 4:3).

What about Jeremiah’s laments of loneliness and insecurity? Will I ever see the light again? (Jeremiah 20:18).

And what about the spiritual darkness and emotional anguish Jesus experienced in the Gethsemane Garden? Jesus was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death (Matthew 26:38).

Have you read your Bible?

In this world you will have trouble and tribulation with many trials and sorrows (John 16:33).

This earthly life is chasing the wind. What is wrong cannot be made right; it is water over the dam; and there is no use thinking of what might have been (Ecclesiastes 1:12-15).

This world is broken. Life has been messed up.

Death is the big reminder of that reality. Sorrow is never far away. The tracks of our tears are everywhere.

Accidents. Addictions. Abuse. Aging.

Failed marriages. Wayward kids.

Cancer. Conflicts. Wars.

Suffering. Sickness. Self-centeredness. (Dare I say it?) Sin.

[Note: I see sin as the attitude and actions of loving yourself more than loving God or others.]

Almost nothing is as it was created to be. We were created to long for good and pursue happiness. However, we do not control the amount or timing of hurts, hardships, and burdens.

At some points in life, the unwelcome circumstances turn out the lights.

What can you do when dark is the night…again?

Have you read your Bible?

Ask the Lord to turn the light back on just as David did in his darkness. O Lord my God; give me light in my darkness (Psalm 13:3).

“GOD IS STILL GOD WITH THE LIGHTS ON OR THE LIGHTS OFF.” (Alistair Begg)

God is the Creator of light (Genesis 1) and the Father of lights (James 1:17.)

The stories of these Biblical examples were recorded to encourage our faith and hope in God.

They all lived in the cave of their heart’s darkness. Some for moments. Some for years. Some in repetitive cycles.

God did not chastise or express disappointment over their soul’s despondency. God turned on the lights. He sent angels. He renewed strength. He encouraged hearts. God gave help and hope, food and friends, compassion and children.

Sometimes, God spoke in a still small voice and sometimes God roared from the heavens. God was always there, even in the dark night.

Have you read your Bible?

All these encouragement examples learned to trust, smile, and hope…again. They had a change of attitude while still in the shadows of darkness.

Attitude is largely shaped by perception of life’s hardships and burdens.

The light of God’s Word helps shape and sharpen one’s perception with the reality of truth.

When, Where, and How does that happen?

Have you read your Bible?

Note: This is important:

THEY LEARNED TO REJOICE BEFORE THE LIGHTS WERE TURNED BACK ON IN THEIR HEARTS.

I will always trust in you and in your mercy and shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because he has blessed me so richly (Psalm 13).

Hannah’s face was no longer sad, and she worshiped God…In due time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son (1 Samuel 1:18-20).

So, with the saints of the past, we trust and hope (and even sing) while we are still in the darkness. We might need to cry some as we wait for the Lord’s timing to do us the greatest good.

You are never alone. The night will be followed by light.

There is always a ray of hope. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is God’s faithfulness (Lamentations 3:21-23).

Compassion always comes after hurt. Hope always replaces despair. Joy always overshadows sorrow. Light always overcomes darkness. Always.

Why so downcast, O my soul? Put your hope in God. I would have despaired except I believed I would still see the goodness of the Lord in this earthly life. Be strong and courageous in my heart as I wait on the Lord. God will help me (Psalm 27:12-14).

GOD IS STILL GOD WITH THE LIGHTS ON OR THE LIGHTS OFF.

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

WHEN DARKNESS VEILS HIS LOVELY FACE,
I REST ON HIS UNCHANGING GRACE;
in every high and stormy gale,
MY ANCHOR HOLDS within the veil.

On Christ, the solid rock I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand. (My Hope Is Built/The Solid Rock—Edward Mote)