As I watched some of the Phoenix Open today, the thought hit me that golf is a game where striving for perfection is a constant. Then, I realized that I don't always enjoy playing golf with one of my closest friends. In 30 years of playing with him, neither me nor either of the other two guys in our foursome have beat him. Of course, it goes without saying that in his younger days, he carried a PGA pro card.....
I can't figure out whether I am just jealous of his accomplishments or hopeless about ever reaching his level of ability. These days, he probably doesnt play even as often as I do and yet he still beats me every time we get out there together.
I bring this up because it struck me today that a lot of us Christians probably feel somewhat this way about God. Think about it....He is perfect in every way and we can never achieve it. Not only Christians but those that are unchurched or non-believers may be turning their backs because of this very fact. The thing is though that the Lord never "shows off" His perfection. It just IS.
The fact is that there has never been nor will there ever be played a perfect game of golf by anyone. It was once said that nobody would ever want to play golf with a perfect golfer and based on that, the perfect golfer would thus give up the game. My friend loves the game as much as he ever did and has never given it up. Thank God that He hasn't either.
Have a blessed Sunday tomorrow!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Fat on Fat Tuesday
I was watching the festivities in New Orleans on the morning news and was intrigued by the hooplah that surrounds Fat Tuesday celebrations in New Orleans. I wondered how many of the celebrants knew the meaning and facts behind what they were doing.
Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season which begins with Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is a day of repentance and it marks the beginning of Lent. (Ashes were used in ancient times, according to the Bible, to express mourning. Dusting oneself with ashes was the penitent's way of expressing sorrow for sins and faults.) Lent is the 40 day period, according to the Bible, that Jesus was separated into the desert to fast and pray (during which He was tempted by satan).
Thus, we are called upon to contemplate during Lent our repentance and what that really means in our lives and the lives of others. As Lent ushers in the Easter season, let us all remember that Christianity is based on one single solitary thing....an event. An event that had never occurred before and one that has impacted the world profoundly and eternally unto this day and forever more. That event was not His death, but His RESURRECTION. It repaired and restored what had gone wrong in Eden, so long before. Your repentance and giving up anything for Lent is your acceptance of what happened as the life blood by which you have been saved!
Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season which begins with Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is a day of repentance and it marks the beginning of Lent. (Ashes were used in ancient times, according to the Bible, to express mourning. Dusting oneself with ashes was the penitent's way of expressing sorrow for sins and faults.) Lent is the 40 day period, according to the Bible, that Jesus was separated into the desert to fast and pray (during which He was tempted by satan).
Thus, we are called upon to contemplate during Lent our repentance and what that really means in our lives and the lives of others. As Lent ushers in the Easter season, let us all remember that Christianity is based on one single solitary thing....an event. An event that had never occurred before and one that has impacted the world profoundly and eternally unto this day and forever more. That event was not His death, but His RESURRECTION. It repaired and restored what had gone wrong in Eden, so long before. Your repentance and giving up anything for Lent is your acceptance of what happened as the life blood by which you have been saved!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Trying Out a New Thing
My wife got a belated birthday present yesterday....a new I-Phone. She had been waiting patiently since November until her existing contract with the phone company ran out so she could upgrade at a discount price. She is truly a "gizmo freak" and simply could not wait to get her hands on an I-Phone.
She arrived home and excitedly began showing me it's features and I smiled warmly inside to see her pleased with her new gizmo. Her first chore with it was to download her favorite pics of our grandsons so she could readily have them at her fingertips.....
I remember how I felt when I first decided to try out Jesus Christ as a new thing. I could not wait to learn about Him and to find out if what they all said was true and to discover new things that perhaps no one else had found in Him. Now five years into it, I am still learning and still amazed at His teaching. Here are some wonderful features if you are in the market:
1. He comes with a comprehensive user reference guide called the Bible.
2. His Grace is the most amazing thing in the history of all the world.
3. His kindness and understanding will guide you through the worst of times (even better than a GPS.)
4. His Love can be felt every single day.
Finally, and this is the best part of all....He is FREE! No charge, no fine print, no exceptions, no contract, and 100 percent guarantee.
She arrived home and excitedly began showing me it's features and I smiled warmly inside to see her pleased with her new gizmo. Her first chore with it was to download her favorite pics of our grandsons so she could readily have them at her fingertips.....
I remember how I felt when I first decided to try out Jesus Christ as a new thing. I could not wait to learn about Him and to find out if what they all said was true and to discover new things that perhaps no one else had found in Him. Now five years into it, I am still learning and still amazed at His teaching. Here are some wonderful features if you are in the market:
1. He comes with a comprehensive user reference guide called the Bible.
2. His Grace is the most amazing thing in the history of all the world.
3. His kindness and understanding will guide you through the worst of times (even better than a GPS.)
4. His Love can be felt every single day.
Finally, and this is the best part of all....He is FREE! No charge, no fine print, no exceptions, no contract, and 100 percent guarantee.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Visiting Home Home and Being Homesick
For the past couple weeks, I have had the blessing of visiting my parents and family at home. I had to leave my existing home to go out of town on business and have been able to stay at my "home home" with mom, dad, my sister and my brother in law. Now, I find myself becoming home sick to get back to my immediate family especially since my oldest son and his wife had their new baby this past week and I havent had the chance to hold him.....
I dont get to go "home home" very often though, perhaps 2 or 3 times a year since it's such a long distance. So I am trying to be patient.
It has been said that home is where you hang your hat but I dont find that to be true. It's optimistic but not practical. The Bible has countless stories of homecomings both in the Old and New Testaments and I am trying to relate this experience to any of them. I think what the Lord is tring to tell me is that no matter where you go in the world though, you are always at home in His Kingdom and time and distance are meaningless. Today, Sunday, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
I dont get to go "home home" very often though, perhaps 2 or 3 times a year since it's such a long distance. So I am trying to be patient.
It has been said that home is where you hang your hat but I dont find that to be true. It's optimistic but not practical. The Bible has countless stories of homecomings both in the Old and New Testaments and I am trying to relate this experience to any of them. I think what the Lord is tring to tell me is that no matter where you go in the world though, you are always at home in His Kingdom and time and distance are meaningless. Today, Sunday, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Oh, To Be There
Last night, Elaine and I watched a Christmas special featuring the Mormon Tabernacle choir. The choir reminded me of what the Bible spoke of as a Heavenly Host that appeared to the shepherds, singing and praising God on high. I thought how wonderful it would be to experience what they did exactly the same way. To witness the sky light up and to be visisted by actual, real Angels sent by the Lord. How wonderful it must have been when they found their way to where the Christchild lay in the manger and to be able to experience first hand that He was sent as the Savior of the world.
I suppose one of the best ways we can celebrate His birth is to try and put ourselves there 2000 years ago. Try to imagine the excitement, the beauty and the shear reality of the scene. For me, Christmas is being there. It is stepping back in time and feeling the burden being lifted as those Angels tell us the Messiah has come!
This year, I invite you to celebrate with me. Put yourself there and revel in the awe, the majesty and the wonderful promise He has made to us all. As we lead up to Chrismas day, 2009, remember the Angel's words, "Fear not, for I bring you good news of great joy."
I suppose one of the best ways we can celebrate His birth is to try and put ourselves there 2000 years ago. Try to imagine the excitement, the beauty and the shear reality of the scene. For me, Christmas is being there. It is stepping back in time and feeling the burden being lifted as those Angels tell us the Messiah has come!
This year, I invite you to celebrate with me. Put yourself there and revel in the awe, the majesty and the wonderful promise He has made to us all. As we lead up to Chrismas day, 2009, remember the Angel's words, "Fear not, for I bring you good news of great joy."
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Shopping At Christmas
I got up early yesterday and got an early start on shopping. It seems I always wait til the last minute to Christmas shop, partly because I always dred the crowds and I really don't enjoy going to malls.
I'm such a skeptic too. I noticed that the cashiers and sales people in the department stores were all displaying smiles that to me seemed artificial. And all the shoppers appeared stressed to me. There must have been a couple thousand shoppers in the mall and about 90 percent of them had no packages in their hands. It seemed as though they were all trying to make up their minds what to buy but couldn't quite get there......me included.
My wife had given me a list of things she'd like to have for Christmas and you would think I would have no problems finding everything on it. I came to realize it wasn't the list itself but trying to make each item I purchased special, just for her, was the chore. You know, the outfit had to be her color, the slippers had to be her style, the jewelry had to be her brand....
By the time the day was done, I had walked what seemed like a hundred miles. I did find all I was looking for and came out with a different frame of mind. As I was driving home, I wondered at the choice of gifts the wise men brought to Jesus when they visited him. How did they choose what to give? What thoughts went into choosing and did they worry about whether it would be pleasing to Him or Mary or Joseph? I had found myself worrying about whether the gifts I give will be pleasing to the recipient when in fact, my wife will be pleased no matter what I give her, even if every item given is not on the list.
Shopping is a lot easier if you just remember what our Lord said...."It is more blessed to give than to receive."
I'm such a skeptic too. I noticed that the cashiers and sales people in the department stores were all displaying smiles that to me seemed artificial. And all the shoppers appeared stressed to me. There must have been a couple thousand shoppers in the mall and about 90 percent of them had no packages in their hands. It seemed as though they were all trying to make up their minds what to buy but couldn't quite get there......me included.
My wife had given me a list of things she'd like to have for Christmas and you would think I would have no problems finding everything on it. I came to realize it wasn't the list itself but trying to make each item I purchased special, just for her, was the chore. You know, the outfit had to be her color, the slippers had to be her style, the jewelry had to be her brand....
By the time the day was done, I had walked what seemed like a hundred miles. I did find all I was looking for and came out with a different frame of mind. As I was driving home, I wondered at the choice of gifts the wise men brought to Jesus when they visited him. How did they choose what to give? What thoughts went into choosing and did they worry about whether it would be pleasing to Him or Mary or Joseph? I had found myself worrying about whether the gifts I give will be pleasing to the recipient when in fact, my wife will be pleased no matter what I give her, even if every item given is not on the list.
Shopping is a lot easier if you just remember what our Lord said...."It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Let It Go
As I approach my retirement date (January 22, 2010), I have a lot of loose ends at work to get tied up. One of them happens to be going through my files and discarding anything that isn't needed to be left behind to future folks doing my job. This morning, as I was going through these files, I came to one that was rather large. It housed expense vouchers that I had completed for various business trips over the years.
I found myself reading some of the business reasons for trips to various places like Dayton Ohio, Rochester New York, Bristol Tennessee and began remembering the details of those trips. Some dated all the way back to 1988!
You see, I have always had this paranoid thought in my head that one day the company may want to audit my vouchers and by hanging on to them, I would have a way to defend myself. I began thinking about what Jesus said according to the Gospel of Matthew....Chapter 6, verse 31: "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Over all the years of my career, I always had the fear that "big brother was watching". And now, as I throw away these files, it seems like I kept them all for nothing. As I think about our Lord and Savior, I now am striving to let go of a part of my life that has ruled me for 36 years....I'm finally letting go of "work worry". Yes, I am a little apprehensive about the days to come, only because I do not at this time know what they may bring. But I do know one thing...I will go wherever He may lead me.
I found myself reading some of the business reasons for trips to various places like Dayton Ohio, Rochester New York, Bristol Tennessee and began remembering the details of those trips. Some dated all the way back to 1988!
You see, I have always had this paranoid thought in my head that one day the company may want to audit my vouchers and by hanging on to them, I would have a way to defend myself. I began thinking about what Jesus said according to the Gospel of Matthew....Chapter 6, verse 31: "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Over all the years of my career, I always had the fear that "big brother was watching". And now, as I throw away these files, it seems like I kept them all for nothing. As I think about our Lord and Savior, I now am striving to let go of a part of my life that has ruled me for 36 years....I'm finally letting go of "work worry". Yes, I am a little apprehensive about the days to come, only because I do not at this time know what they may bring. But I do know one thing...I will go wherever He may lead me.
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