The Cross

Vertical and horizontal

The relationships we hold

Between heaven and earth

and others and in our lives

It all starts with the vertical

For the strength of this bond

determines the altitude of all

The cross pulls it all together

The one who hung in the balance,

who was sent to restore relationships

carried them on His shoulders

We can live out the horizontal

by pursuing the vertical and

living with those around us

Wisdom and Faith

When I was younger I wanted to get more wisdom.  Not to blow my own horn but I always seemed to be wise beyond my years.  There were just things that I understood before my friends.  I wasn't the smartest person in my class but there were things in life that were plain to me that my friends missed.  

I remember reading about wisdom once.  Some people view wisdom this way.

Picture yourself being in an Air Traffic Control tower.  From this vantage point, you can see everything that is happening.  You know were all the aircraft are.  When a controller requests a plane to change altitude or speed or make a turn you can see why.  The reasons are clear because you can see how everything reacts and plays together.  It makes sense.  But this is not wisdom.  

Some of us think that if we could see all the pieces we would be wise.  That is not wisdom. Wisdom doesn't know everything.  

Wisdom can be illustrated like this.

You are driving down the road in your car.  The road takes a turn to the left.  You don't question why the road bends to the left you turn with the road.  You can't see everything going on around you but you are cautious and watchful.  Personally, I try to see what's going on at least 2 to 3 cars ahead of me.  If the brake lights go on a few cars ahead, I take my foot off the accelerator.  I would rather have an accident be in front of me than be a part of it.  

Wisdom takes the cards that are dealt and make the most of the situation.  You understand that sometimes we don’t choose between right and wrong.  Instead, we decide between what is better and best. We don’t always know which is which.  We should seek council from those who know more than us.  

The bible says that God’s word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.  The lamps that were used in the bible days didn’t give much light.  However, they did allow a person to see the step ahead of them.  When you take that step, you can see the next one -step- and the next one -step- and the next one -step- and the next one.  Have faith that God can guide you one step at a time.  

The Bedspring from Hell

This is just a silly story

When I was single and out on my own for the first time, a friend of mine gave me a bed to use since I didn't have one yet.  She said the only problem was that there was a spring coming through on one side.  I thought a springy bed was better than sleeping on the floor.  I was grateful and thanked her for the bed.  

Little did I know that this was the spring that was sent on a mission from Satan himself  Since the spring made a small hole on the opposite side of the big hole, I put a towel over it.  I made the bed and went to sleep looking forward to a night of relaxing, blissful rest.  

The beast had other plans.  It sat there, biding its time.  It plotted and planned until the precise moment when I would roll over onto it.  I lay there drifting in the highlands of my mind when it happened.  

I rolled over onto the spring.  The spring stretched its entire length to maximize the penetration it could make into my body.  Like the whalers of long ago, I was harpooned in the backside.  I let out yelp and sprung (no pun intended) out of bed and lay on my stomach so I wouldn’t bend or break the skewer that I knew was protruding from my buttocks.  

Visions of emergency room doctors and nurses passing out at the sight of the hideous spear flashed through my mind.  I mourned the fact that I may never run again let alone walk.  I might not even be able to sit properly.  

As I lay there moaning, my roommate walked in the room.  

“What are you doing on the floor?”  he asked.

I figured he must be half asleep and, therefore, blind.  How could he miss such a large spring sticking out of my butt.  

“Dave, the bed stabbed me.”  I said.  

“Where?”

“What do you mean where?  It’s right….”  I looked behind me.  There was nothing there.  That crafty spring had made its way back into the bed without anyone seeing it.  My roommate snickered, rolled his eyes, and went back to his room.

Though I vowed to never be harpooned like that again, there were many more nightly contests with the evil bedspring.  Fortunately, I have lived to tell the tales.  

He`s Still Working On Me

God loves you.  You may have heard that before.  The statement may mean the world to you or you could care less.  I've been on both sides of the equation during my life.  Regardless of where I am in my walk with God, He continues to demonstrate His faithfulness to me.  

Many years ago, my youngest daughter was having her weekly Sunday night can't-go-to-sleep-because-of-school-anxiety episodes.  We sat down for a talk.  I read some verses from John.  It was the chapter where Jesus is talking to the disciples before he was betrayed.  I was trying to show her that she can trust God because He wants to best for her.  We talked about praying and how God answers prayer.  He either answers No, I love you too much, Not yet, or Yes, and here's more.  

She asked, "What if I ask God to do good on my test and He says no?"

I said that I don't pretend to know what God thinks in all circumstances.  Still, if He is our Heavenly Father, He knows what is best.  She still wasn't convinced because she felt desperate to do well on the test.  

She has an electrical outlet across the room from her bed.  I said, "What if we had a toddler that wanted to stick his finger in the outlet.  If I'm a loving father, would I let him do it?  L agreed that someone who cares wouldn't let them do it.  I went on to say that the toddler really wants to do this and doesn't understand why they can't have what they want.  Any caring grown up would understand the child's disappointment.  It's not always easy to communicate your knowledge to them so they REALLY understand the danger.  

While I may sound like a good parent, (I feel I do ok) I needed to speak to myself.  There are situations in my life where I have fears and I know that God wants to work in these areas.   I don't want to let Him even though I know it would be for the best.  Surrender can be hard.   I'm getting there step by step.  God is faithful to continue working on me.  

Leading to Faith

The Hebrews were free.  They saw many miracles and signs from this God that said they belonged to Him.  All they knew was slavery and the treatment they received from their taskmasters.  Now, not only were they free, they left Egypt with riches.  God led them through the desert and, the biggest miracle of all, parted the Red Sea from them to escape from the Egyptian chariots.  

Now in the desert they hunger and thirst.  They grumbled against Moses.  They felt it better to be enslaved than to die in the desert.  So God promised them meat at night and bread in the morning.  Quails visited the camp at night and an odd substance formed from the morning dew.  

As a method of drawing out the faith of His people, God only allowed the Hebrews to gather enough of the morning food for each day.  On the 6th day they were to gather enough food for the following day.  They proved their faithfulness by only gathering the days’ food every day but the 6th.  They could gather no more.  Those who tried learned the food spoiled. 

Such an odd command from God.  What was the point?  

His people needed to learn that they could trust Him to meet their needs.  We, I, need to trust God to meet our needs.  From where did God rescue you?  Have you learned to trust Him?

God's Plans, My Plans

Growing up, we have dreams of what we want to be when we become adults.  I remember I loved watching Gilligan's Island.  I wanted to be a professor because I wanted to know a lot of things.  I've always been a curious person and liked to pick out one of our encyclopedia's and flip through the pages until I found something that looked interesting.  Then I would read about it.  I still like learning.  I was disappointed when I was told that to be a professor, at least like the character on Gilligan's Island, I would have to study math.

Upon graduating from high school and going to college, I wanted to continue using my vocal and acting skills.  I started writing poetry so I could become more skilled at writing lyrics.  I studied music in college and was a voice major.... for 1 year.  Ear training kicked my butt.  Still, I became a little more adapt at music and wrote a couple short songs on the piano.  One day, I would like to take piano lessons.  For years I said I would do this when the kids move out.  Now if they would just move out.

I believe words have the power to inspire and heal.  For many years, I have wanted my words to make a difference in someone's life.  Actually, I have long wanted to make a difference in the world.  I have done may part here and there.  I donate time and money to various causes.  I want to do more.  Which brings me to my real point.

For a few years, getting a dispatcher's license was a thought that rolled around in my head.  I had various reasons not to pursue it and I didn't.  About a year ago, I told a dear friend why I decided to finally close the door on the whole idea.  I wanted to write and inspire people.  I knew that if I was on my death bed and didn't pursue that, I would regret it.  If I didn't pursue a dispatch job, I would be okay.  Apparently, God has other plans.

All the arguments I've had about why I couldn't/shouldn't do it, disappeared.  Now I am in the midst of studying for that license.  Last night I was reminded again of my desire to write.  I rarely use my artistic side.  I don't know why I'm being led down a path that seems contrary to where my heart is.  I have no regrets of not putting more effort into pursuing my dreams earlier in my life.  Still, one has to wonder about God's plans sometimes.