You can't ride on an airplane without getting the little presentation, "In the unlikely event of a water landing...". They give this speech even if your flight path takes you over bodies of water no bigger than a mud puddle. I don't disregard the speech entirely though, I don't swim, I fully intend to use a seat cushion as a flotation device, even if another passenger is still sitting on it. But I don't take it to heart because of this theory I have about worry. That worry is a sin is a fact, not theory, worry is unbelief in God's ability to take care of you, but my theory is that worry comes in layers.
Patrick McManus describes worry as a box, how much people worry is determined by the size of their worry box. To add a new worry you must discard one that is already in the box in order to make room. Some people have big worry boxes that can hold dozens, even hundreds of worries. I have a small worry box, it can hold about two. My theory though, is that worry comes in layers, if I take one thing from that layer it is only fair to take them all, but only two at a time. So if I choose to worry about something as unlikely as a water landing over a dry flight path, I must also worry about being struck by a meteor or a hurricane in Montana. Since the other unlikely things on that layer are clearly ridiculous, I choose not to worry about any of them. If your jet is going to crash, water is the least of your problems.
This doesn't mean I don't wear a seat belt or clean underwear, car accidents are likely to happen. And though car theft is rare where I live, I don't leave my car unlocked and running. Reasonable precautions reduce stress. But the saying is wrong "you can be too careful". You can spend a lot of time and energy preparing for things that never happen and you can drive yourself and people around you crazy with all your precautions. Excess preparedness creates stress. Worse yet your testimony can wind up being fear instead of trust.
When I worked at the hospital I could usually tell which rooms the Christians were in by the almost tangible atmosphere of peace. I believe that quality of peace is a Christian's most attractive magnet to draw others to Christ. It is hard to display peace when you are worried about all those unlikely events, and that nonverbal testimony can overshadow your carefully prepared gospel presentation. So listen to the "in the unlikely events. . .", take reasonable precautions and let the rest go. Our path has been laid out by a loving, all powerful God. He wants us to relax and enjoy the flight.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Commando
Fortunately, this blog has nothing to do with "going commando", not wearing underwear. It is about the suggestions found in the Bible. There aren't any. There are only commands. Although a rational person might consider a "suggestion" from an almighty God to the creatures He has made about how to behave on the planet He has also made, to be obeyed as if it was a command, God knows we are not that rational, so He states what He wants from us clearly. Even then we try to find some wiggle room, we think of them as suggestions or principles which we can choose to apply to our lives--or not.
My awakening was about five years ago when I learned at BSF that the gospel is a command to be obeyed. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" is more than a beautiful expression of God's love, it is a command, and the penalty for not obeying is severe. But those of us who have already obeyed that one are not off the hook. "Do not be afraid" is also a command. God obviously understands how hard that is for us because He repeats it so many times, 365 according to some. There must be some significance in that. "Let not your heart be troubled" is also a command, and if we have a hard time doing that, imagine how hard it must have been for the disciples who were losing their friend and master to a horrible death and knew their lives were at risk as well. We let our hearts be troubled over mud on the carpet, CNN, taxes and bad drivers.
It is a dangerous thing to notice commands. For instance, many married couples don't realize the command "Be fruitful and multiply" has never been rescinded. This does not mean couples are commanded to have as many children as possible, relying on "divine birth control" but using existing medical technology for everything else, nor does it mean that couples unable to have children must adopt. God blesses us in different ways. It means that a couple cannot simply choose not to have children and be fully obedient to God, even if our culture approves it.
I have this sneaking suspicion that if I traced the root of all the things I struggle with, I would find some command I have chosen to ignore. When the overflow of my heart spills out my mouth, what does it reveal about what I'm like beneath the surface? Maybe I'm talking about underwear after all.
My awakening was about five years ago when I learned at BSF that the gospel is a command to be obeyed. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" is more than a beautiful expression of God's love, it is a command, and the penalty for not obeying is severe. But those of us who have already obeyed that one are not off the hook. "Do not be afraid" is also a command. God obviously understands how hard that is for us because He repeats it so many times, 365 according to some. There must be some significance in that. "Let not your heart be troubled" is also a command, and if we have a hard time doing that, imagine how hard it must have been for the disciples who were losing their friend and master to a horrible death and knew their lives were at risk as well. We let our hearts be troubled over mud on the carpet, CNN, taxes and bad drivers.
It is a dangerous thing to notice commands. For instance, many married couples don't realize the command "Be fruitful and multiply" has never been rescinded. This does not mean couples are commanded to have as many children as possible, relying on "divine birth control" but using existing medical technology for everything else, nor does it mean that couples unable to have children must adopt. God blesses us in different ways. It means that a couple cannot simply choose not to have children and be fully obedient to God, even if our culture approves it.
I have this sneaking suspicion that if I traced the root of all the things I struggle with, I would find some command I have chosen to ignore. When the overflow of my heart spills out my mouth, what does it reveal about what I'm like beneath the surface? Maybe I'm talking about underwear after all.
Global Climate Weather
When I was in grade school the great fear was nuclear war, in high school it was overpopulation and return of an ice age. After all, an ice age would be much harder on Americans living in insulated homes and wearing Under Armor than it was on our nomadic, fur wearing ancestors. In an obscene way abortion helped the overpopulation problem, in addition to the issues connected with allowing millions of mothers to murder their children, there are now not enough young people being born to support our world's aging population. This was, for some, an unintended consequence, but for those willing to overlook murder, it was probably not worth consideration. Now the great fear is "global warming", oops, make that "climate change".
The term "global warming" has become somewhat unpopular as people are noticing that the weather is colder than before "global warming". The response of the scientific community was an immediate retraction and apology--couldn't resist a little joke there. The response of the alarmists was that the presence of colder weather proved their point. I never had the privilege of taking logic, but I call that logical fallacy the "exactly" argument. That is when an argument is given that totally refutes the opponent's premise and he says "exactly", as if that has somehow proved his point. But since the population at large had a hard time understanding warmer to mean colder, it was just easier to come up with a new term--"climate change".
Once again I do not know rules of logic but I know it is unfair to rename your premise so that anything that happens is said to support it. Even two year olds argue with better reasoning than that. The fact is, weather is always changing, sometimes in cycles, sometimes randomly and man has very little to do with it. I can verify the fickleness of weather from my 54 years of experience. Our newlywed winters of '77 and '78 were exceptionally cold, the early 90's mild, '96 a winter of deep snow. Whether you liked or hated the weather, everyone understood that there was nothing you could do about it.
Climate change advocates believe the problem is industrialized nations and SUVs, however, one decent sized hiccup from a volcano can put more emissions into the atmosphere than we could if every human on the planet drove an SUV. And our efforts to reduce the world's carbon footprint will be about as effective as tossing a virgin down the volcano to stop the eruption. I talked with a man in Arizona whose personal theory for why this winter was the coldest in his 23 years there, was that the earthquake in Indonesia has slightly shifted the Earth's axis. My own theory is that God is laughing at us. "I'll show you global warming." Global warming conferences in normally warm locations have been called off because of snow.
I know God appreciates irony because it appears many places in the Bible, best displayed in the book of Esther. Though God works entirely behind the scenes, Haman is forced to honor his hated enemy Mordecai with the honor he has chosen for himself, and hung on the gallows he had built for Mordecai. God turned the day designated for the destruction of the Jews into an opportunity for the Jews to overcome their enemies.
I am just glad the climate change experts weren't around during the long winter of 1888, the eruption of Krakatoa or the dust bowl years. Since there were no SUVs to blame or jets to attend global summits, they would have proclaimed the end of civilization. So if you are suffering under a cold and snowy winter like I am, perhaps for the first time, don't blame your neighbor's Suburban, blame the"climate change" experts, blame Al Gore, or simply accept the fact that weather is one of the many things man has no control over. You might even enjoy the irony. It's not all that often that Jehovah tells a joke.
The term "global warming" has become somewhat unpopular as people are noticing that the weather is colder than before "global warming". The response of the scientific community was an immediate retraction and apology--couldn't resist a little joke there. The response of the alarmists was that the presence of colder weather proved their point. I never had the privilege of taking logic, but I call that logical fallacy the "exactly" argument. That is when an argument is given that totally refutes the opponent's premise and he says "exactly", as if that has somehow proved his point. But since the population at large had a hard time understanding warmer to mean colder, it was just easier to come up with a new term--"climate change".
Once again I do not know rules of logic but I know it is unfair to rename your premise so that anything that happens is said to support it. Even two year olds argue with better reasoning than that. The fact is, weather is always changing, sometimes in cycles, sometimes randomly and man has very little to do with it. I can verify the fickleness of weather from my 54 years of experience. Our newlywed winters of '77 and '78 were exceptionally cold, the early 90's mild, '96 a winter of deep snow. Whether you liked or hated the weather, everyone understood that there was nothing you could do about it.
Climate change advocates believe the problem is industrialized nations and SUVs, however, one decent sized hiccup from a volcano can put more emissions into the atmosphere than we could if every human on the planet drove an SUV. And our efforts to reduce the world's carbon footprint will be about as effective as tossing a virgin down the volcano to stop the eruption. I talked with a man in Arizona whose personal theory for why this winter was the coldest in his 23 years there, was that the earthquake in Indonesia has slightly shifted the Earth's axis. My own theory is that God is laughing at us. "I'll show you global warming." Global warming conferences in normally warm locations have been called off because of snow.
I know God appreciates irony because it appears many places in the Bible, best displayed in the book of Esther. Though God works entirely behind the scenes, Haman is forced to honor his hated enemy Mordecai with the honor he has chosen for himself, and hung on the gallows he had built for Mordecai. God turned the day designated for the destruction of the Jews into an opportunity for the Jews to overcome their enemies.
I am just glad the climate change experts weren't around during the long winter of 1888, the eruption of Krakatoa or the dust bowl years. Since there were no SUVs to blame or jets to attend global summits, they would have proclaimed the end of civilization. So if you are suffering under a cold and snowy winter like I am, perhaps for the first time, don't blame your neighbor's Suburban, blame the"climate change" experts, blame Al Gore, or simply accept the fact that weather is one of the many things man has no control over. You might even enjoy the irony. It's not all that often that Jehovah tells a joke.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Ancient Phoenicians
This is my third trip to Phoenix but my first time to actually enter the lair of ancient Phoenicians--the RV park. Actually it is more of a gated community filled with mostly "park models", 10 x 30' mobile homes, and sprinkled with the giant RVs typical of retirees with limited driving ability. It is also like a day care because there are lots of toys: swimming pools, playgrounds with shuffleboard and tennis courts, even a giant sandbox where the boys can build villages for model trains. And for the girls there is a beauty salon and spa. There is also "preschool" available in the community center where savvy seniors can study everything from quilting to jewelry making to woodworking.
The community center is also used for a church on Sundays, card parties and various performances throughout the week. I figure the reason for all the entertainment is so people won't notice they are living in tiny cages, like birds. In order to access all these fine facilities, the wrinkled residents ride golf carts or bicycles. What I did not find in the canned community was anywhere to get away from the gray headed league. A place to have a league of my own, unspotted by the age spots of others. It is one of my retirement goals to become a snowbird but I don't want to live in a coop, paying high fees to live stacked together like bacon in a pan.
I want to spend part of the winter where my "pearly whites" (in western Montana winters that means legs, not teeth) can be exposed to the kiss of the sun without becoming red like a giant hickey. I want to see green plants and tanned bodies, not concrete walls and canned hobbies. I want to use what is left of the talents and time God gave me to work for Him; in the service of God, there is no retirement plan. Excess recess reduces fruitfulness. Frankly, it doesn't seem like a good idea to stop investing in heaven right before you cash in. Otherwise, you might have no more impact on the world we live in than the ancient Phoenicians.
The community center is also used for a church on Sundays, card parties and various performances throughout the week. I figure the reason for all the entertainment is so people won't notice they are living in tiny cages, like birds. In order to access all these fine facilities, the wrinkled residents ride golf carts or bicycles. What I did not find in the canned community was anywhere to get away from the gray headed league. A place to have a league of my own, unspotted by the age spots of others. It is one of my retirement goals to become a snowbird but I don't want to live in a coop, paying high fees to live stacked together like bacon in a pan.
I want to spend part of the winter where my "pearly whites" (in western Montana winters that means legs, not teeth) can be exposed to the kiss of the sun without becoming red like a giant hickey. I want to see green plants and tanned bodies, not concrete walls and canned hobbies. I want to use what is left of the talents and time God gave me to work for Him; in the service of God, there is no retirement plan. Excess recess reduces fruitfulness. Frankly, it doesn't seem like a good idea to stop investing in heaven right before you cash in. Otherwise, you might have no more impact on the world we live in than the ancient Phoenicians.
Cheap Shoes
Most of my adult life has been lived in cheap shoes. Not my childhood though, when I was a girl a trip to the shoe store was a magical thing. You sat in a chair and the shoe salesman sat on the stool in front of you, measured your foot, brought you shoes and laced them up. All you had to do was walk around. If I got to wear the shoes home from the store, I was convinced everyone on the sidewalk was looking at them so I goose stepped shamelessly so they could see better. Fortunately, I outgrew the need for expensive, narrow width shoes, unfortunately, shoe stores outgrew the need for the kind of service that had made it so special. These days you find your own shoe, dig your size out of the stacks of boxes and hunt for a place to sit and try it on; the salesperson will then take your money. The magic is gone.
When I started buying my own shoes they were inexpensive, but it didn't matter. Anything that fit worked fine, slip ons, flip flops, no support--no problem. Then, inexplicably, my feet got old. Cheap shoes made them hurt. Eventually even looking at pictures of strappy, unsupporting sandals made them hurt. After my left foot had been hurting for months I was forced to see a podiatrist who diagnosed plantar fascitis, apparently it is caused by having and using feet for a number of years, in other words, getting old. The doctor gave me an arch support, it wasn't too much of a nuisance except in sandals, but I discovered I didn't need it if I bought more expensive shoes.
That was the beginning of the end. Expensive shoes, expensive meds, falling arches, falling. . .everything else. The same calm, quiet conditions I used to require in order to fall asleep, I now require in the bathroom. It takes me two days to rest up from a two day trip. I can't sit still through a two hour concert, especially if I'm on bleachers. Shouldn't a bonus butt be better on bleachers? My knees don't do downhill. My blood pressure is headed uphill. I used to moisturize my feet with any old lotion, now it takes industrial strength shea butter. I suppose the next thing to fail me will be my $7 at home hair dye kits and I'll have to go gray or to the beauty shop.
One of the blessings of an empty nest is not having an empty bank account, which is good because that money will be needed for the expensive things my aging body requires. Would I want to be young again? No, I enjoy the wisdom and experience the years have given me. But I wouldn't mind a body that would be satisfied with simple requirements like cheap shoes.
When I started buying my own shoes they were inexpensive, but it didn't matter. Anything that fit worked fine, slip ons, flip flops, no support--no problem. Then, inexplicably, my feet got old. Cheap shoes made them hurt. Eventually even looking at pictures of strappy, unsupporting sandals made them hurt. After my left foot had been hurting for months I was forced to see a podiatrist who diagnosed plantar fascitis, apparently it is caused by having and using feet for a number of years, in other words, getting old. The doctor gave me an arch support, it wasn't too much of a nuisance except in sandals, but I discovered I didn't need it if I bought more expensive shoes.
That was the beginning of the end. Expensive shoes, expensive meds, falling arches, falling. . .everything else. The same calm, quiet conditions I used to require in order to fall asleep, I now require in the bathroom. It takes me two days to rest up from a two day trip. I can't sit still through a two hour concert, especially if I'm on bleachers. Shouldn't a bonus butt be better on bleachers? My knees don't do downhill. My blood pressure is headed uphill. I used to moisturize my feet with any old lotion, now it takes industrial strength shea butter. I suppose the next thing to fail me will be my $7 at home hair dye kits and I'll have to go gray or to the beauty shop.
One of the blessings of an empty nest is not having an empty bank account, which is good because that money will be needed for the expensive things my aging body requires. Would I want to be young again? No, I enjoy the wisdom and experience the years have given me. But I wouldn't mind a body that would be satisfied with simple requirements like cheap shoes.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Connie Ltd.
In school I was always the youngest and next to smallest in my class, only because there was always one poor soul smaller than me. I was also the next to last chosen for any team sports in gym class, not because of my size, but because I was hopelessly unathletic. I was smart but not gifted. I could sing in a way that didn't hurt people's ears but had limited range and ability. I knew from first grade on that there was a popular group in school and I wasn't in it because I was neither pretty nor rich. Until we moved when I was in seventh grade, I had only one real friend. I couldn't play an instrument, had no artistic talent but was fairly good at writing. I was a devout Mormon and was taught that things we do in our preborn, spirit existence determine our situation in this world, so I concluded that the reason I was neither pretty, popular nor talented and lived in a dysfunctional home was something I did wrong before I was born and couldn't even remember. So far this isn't very funny.
The point is I wasn't chosen, not for sports, not for choir, not for parties. That's why it is so incomprehensible to me that I was chosen by God, to be part of his family and belong to him forever. The more I learn about the grace of God, the less I understand it. I have known me intimately for 54 years and can't think of any reason that God would even notice, much less choose me before the foundation of the world. It could have been pity, but there are many lives more pitiful than mine.
I am no longer a child and now see myself in a more gracious light, I consider myself average. Average height, weight, intelligence, looks, singer, abilities. I am content to be mediocre for the most part because the significance of my life does not come from how I compare to others. My mediocre life has meaning because God chose to save me and even condescends to use me in part of His plan for the world. The fact that I have limited resources to offer Him is no problem because His resources are unlimited. Being chosen as homecoming queen is meaningless after high school, even being chosen as president makes but a little splash in the bucket of world affairs. But I was chosen twice, first by God, then by my husband, that is good enough for me.
The point is I wasn't chosen, not for sports, not for choir, not for parties. That's why it is so incomprehensible to me that I was chosen by God, to be part of his family and belong to him forever. The more I learn about the grace of God, the less I understand it. I have known me intimately for 54 years and can't think of any reason that God would even notice, much less choose me before the foundation of the world. It could have been pity, but there are many lives more pitiful than mine.
I am no longer a child and now see myself in a more gracious light, I consider myself average. Average height, weight, intelligence, looks, singer, abilities. I am content to be mediocre for the most part because the significance of my life does not come from how I compare to others. My mediocre life has meaning because God chose to save me and even condescends to use me in part of His plan for the world. The fact that I have limited resources to offer Him is no problem because His resources are unlimited. Being chosen as homecoming queen is meaningless after high school, even being chosen as president makes but a little splash in the bucket of world affairs. But I was chosen twice, first by God, then by my husband, that is good enough for me.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Poor, and what to do about them
We've all seen those people holding signs at the intersection "Need work/ brain surgery/ God bless you/ anything helps" etc.; my preferred method of dealing with them is to decide it's their own fault that they're poor and drive away. Simple. Efficient. Unbiblical. God has given us many commands concerning the poor and that is not one of them. Naturally, we don't want to donate our money so people can buy drugs and alcohol or gamble and, as Christians, we want to help with their real needs, not the poverty which may just be a symptom, but it is easy to use those pious sounding reasons to be selfish and thoughtless--which also comes naturally.
Before Israel entered the promised land, God gave commands about caring for the poor AND THERE SHOULD'NT HAVE BEEN ANY. Every family entering the country was given a house and land. In the Promised Land Lottery, everybody won. However then, as now, there were people who were unable or unwilling to work or incapable of managing the resources they have. When the Bible was written there was no government assistance and few charities available to the needy, but that doesn't excuse me from either my responsibility to obey or my right to be blessed. And although obedience to God usually results in a higher standard of living, there is no commandment not to be poor. God makes allowance for the poor and so should we.
I have not yet figured out what to do about the poor, but I know we are commanded to care for those in need, that God blesses generosity, and that I am by nature a selfish cheapskate, although I prefer to call it "good with money". Perhaps by showing compassion for the poor I will begin to understand God's inexplicable compassion for me.
Before Israel entered the promised land, God gave commands about caring for the poor AND THERE SHOULD'NT HAVE BEEN ANY. Every family entering the country was given a house and land. In the Promised Land Lottery, everybody won. However then, as now, there were people who were unable or unwilling to work or incapable of managing the resources they have. When the Bible was written there was no government assistance and few charities available to the needy, but that doesn't excuse me from either my responsibility to obey or my right to be blessed. And although obedience to God usually results in a higher standard of living, there is no commandment not to be poor. God makes allowance for the poor and so should we.
I have not yet figured out what to do about the poor, but I know we are commanded to care for those in need, that God blesses generosity, and that I am by nature a selfish cheapskate, although I prefer to call it "good with money". Perhaps by showing compassion for the poor I will begin to understand God's inexplicable compassion for me.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Knock, Knock
Knock, knock. Who's there? Not America's collective sense of humor. It has been poisoned by political correctness. What in years past would clearly be seen as a joke, might now be interpreted as offensive, even hate speech. It is only a matter of time before those who interpret freedom of religion to mean freedom from religion, to decide that freedom from offensive humor means freedom from all humor. We are taking ourselves way too seriously. There is a strange dichotomy in American culture today, in one group are people who can't wait to be offended, they are offended when someone prays in public or pledges allegiance to the flag or similar radical behavior. They feel that these traditional values cast judgment on their own. Some seek offense so they can someday cash in, a sort of lawsuit lottery. Some are offended because it is in their nature, and those who expect to be insulted are seldom disappointed.
The other group also can't wait to be offended; they place calls to shock radio hosts or appear on television programs knowing the guests are habitually ridiculed. To some it is worth the humiliation to have 15 minutes of fame. The humiliation business has never been more popular, court tv, quasi-talent shows and insulting talk show hosts abound on both radio and television. Some well paid comedians have made a whole career out of being flagrantly offensive: old school, Don Rickles, new school, Ricky Gervais. But regular humor that pokes fun at some foible of human nature is considered dangerous. Part of the problem is that many of these weaknesses are now classified as disorders and singling them out, a form of discrimination. People are no longer short or bald, they are height impaired and follicly challenged.
I think it's important that we, as Christians, don't get caught up in the "can't take a joke" mentality. Yes Alzheimer's is a sad disease, but that doesn't mean we can't joke about failing memory. If your loved one is facing Alzheimer's, humor may be your best coping tool. There are some wonderful, Christian attorneys, but lawyer jokes are still funny. Jokes about heaven or hell are jokes, not an assault on our theology. If we can't conquer our obesity, we can at least lighten up, after all, fat people are supposed to be jolly.
I didn't get my sense of humor from my happy home. My mother is a schizophrenic. It is a mostly no fun disease, but even that has some funny aspects. For instance-the good thing about schizophrenics is that they always have someone to talk to. God gives people different gifts to help them cope, mine is humor. And laughing at ourselves promotes humility. God's people are to be characterized by not being quick tempered or easily offended, no matter what our culture practices. If the joy of the Lord is our strength, laughter should be our aerobic workout.
The other group also can't wait to be offended; they place calls to shock radio hosts or appear on television programs knowing the guests are habitually ridiculed. To some it is worth the humiliation to have 15 minutes of fame. The humiliation business has never been more popular, court tv, quasi-talent shows and insulting talk show hosts abound on both radio and television. Some well paid comedians have made a whole career out of being flagrantly offensive: old school, Don Rickles, new school, Ricky Gervais. But regular humor that pokes fun at some foible of human nature is considered dangerous. Part of the problem is that many of these weaknesses are now classified as disorders and singling them out, a form of discrimination. People are no longer short or bald, they are height impaired and follicly challenged.
I think it's important that we, as Christians, don't get caught up in the "can't take a joke" mentality. Yes Alzheimer's is a sad disease, but that doesn't mean we can't joke about failing memory. If your loved one is facing Alzheimer's, humor may be your best coping tool. There are some wonderful, Christian attorneys, but lawyer jokes are still funny. Jokes about heaven or hell are jokes, not an assault on our theology. If we can't conquer our obesity, we can at least lighten up, after all, fat people are supposed to be jolly.
I didn't get my sense of humor from my happy home. My mother is a schizophrenic. It is a mostly no fun disease, but even that has some funny aspects. For instance-the good thing about schizophrenics is that they always have someone to talk to. God gives people different gifts to help them cope, mine is humor. And laughing at ourselves promotes humility. God's people are to be characterized by not being quick tempered or easily offended, no matter what our culture practices. If the joy of the Lord is our strength, laughter should be our aerobic workout.
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