It’s been a couple of months since I took the time to write. I suppose my head is still swimming from all that I have learned about myself over the past few months. My time of vacation was wonderful and came a just the right time! God taught me a lot of things during this summer… most of which I think I’ll keep to myself for right now. I just really wanted to spend some time with my wonderful wife, and with God, while resting up on Big Turtle Lake. It was really “our time” and not an opportunity for me to find new gems to write about.
I will have to confess that during my God time this summer I learned a lot about me. If the truth be known, I probably learned more about the layers of stuff I added over my real self to create a false self. And, the reality of seeing the contrast in those two selves in the quiet of a Minnesota dawn helped me to shake myself out of the false self, and see myself once again as the man God called me to be.
Sometimes we try to clothe our false self with accomplishments, and glory, trying to make ourselves something we are not. And because there isn’t any substance to the false self, when all the coverings are stripped away, there is little left.
I’m working hard to take apart in small pieces my false self and allow my true self in Christ to emerge. It’s easier said than done! My desire to please people, along with all the expectations people have of me, as well as those I place on myself, have created a pretty thick web of coverings to shed.
I think that the most important blessing I’ve received through my time of rest was to help find who God has called me to be in Christ. I began to reconnect with the real me through silence and solitude, as well as trusted relationships. The silence and solitude was important because I’m still trying to find ways to escape the distractions and noise that continues to bombard my life and simply add to the confusion of who I truly am.
I especially am thankful for my trusted relationships. These special people in our lives are not the people who tell us what we want to hear, or the critics who are speaking out of their own personal pain, but they are the true, trusted friends and family, who can give me honest feedback about what they see God is doing in my life. They are people who can tell me when they see inconsistencies between how I’m acting, and who God has called me to be. They will come alongside me and coach me through the most difficult times, and be an encourager as I search for the person God created me to be.
While I know that these two things…solitude and relationships…may seem to contradict each other… they really don’t. It was Deitrich Bonhoeffer who said “Let the person who cannot be alone beware of community. Let the person who is not in community beware of being alone.” We all have to find this balance. Maybe I’m finally beginning to get it.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
GONE FISHING
I am preparing for some time relaxing and fishing…maybe catching up on my reading, so this will be my last post for a while. I thought this excerpt from Thomas Merton's book "Thoughts in Solitude" would be something I would like to share with you while I take a time of rest.
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so. '
But I believe that the desire to please you
does, in fact, please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this
you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore, I will trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so. '
But I believe that the desire to please you
does, in fact, please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this
you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore, I will trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Monday, June 20, 2011
I LOVE FISHING!
"As He (Jesus) was walking along the sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen. "Follow me," He told them, "and I will make you fishers of men!" Immediately, they left their nets and followed Him" (Matthew 4:18-20)
There are only a few things that I can do that will take my mind off of the stresses of life and work. There are only a few things that I do where I can lay aside all of my cares, at least for a while. And, one of those things is fishing. I love fishing! Vacation time is on the horizon, and, I am looking forward to spending a few weeks up north on Big Turtle Lake in Minnesota...just fishing.
I love to be in the boat and apply everything that I have learned about fish to outsmart fish. I love to catch fish. I love to eat fish. I love everything about fishing. I don't even mind cleaning the fish that I catch. There are a few jealous friends and relatives that make fun of the size of my fish…and, I do have to confess it’s true that I have no trophy fish on my walls. Some days I really catch a lot of fish... but, you know,…even if I hadn't caught a single fish… I still have had a good time. I just love fishing.
Jesus said that we are to be "Fishers of men." I am a "fisher of men" in my preaching. You are "fishers of men" when you show others Jesus in you. We may only be the bait with God holding the pole, but none the less we are all "fishers of men." We are to be constantly thinking of ways in which we can spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the people in our realm of influence who need Him.
Obviously, we cannot expect to "catch" every lost person with the message, or with our worship music, or with our programs or events, any more than we can expect to catch every fish with our bait. But, we go; and we tell; and we share; and we win some; we disciple them. We do it the best we can so that others might learn to become fishers of men as well. I love fishing! How about you?
There are only a few things that I can do that will take my mind off of the stresses of life and work. There are only a few things that I do where I can lay aside all of my cares, at least for a while. And, one of those things is fishing. I love fishing! Vacation time is on the horizon, and, I am looking forward to spending a few weeks up north on Big Turtle Lake in Minnesota...just fishing.
I love to be in the boat and apply everything that I have learned about fish to outsmart fish. I love to catch fish. I love to eat fish. I love everything about fishing. I don't even mind cleaning the fish that I catch. There are a few jealous friends and relatives that make fun of the size of my fish…and, I do have to confess it’s true that I have no trophy fish on my walls. Some days I really catch a lot of fish... but, you know,…even if I hadn't caught a single fish… I still have had a good time. I just love fishing.
Jesus said that we are to be "Fishers of men." I am a "fisher of men" in my preaching. You are "fishers of men" when you show others Jesus in you. We may only be the bait with God holding the pole, but none the less we are all "fishers of men." We are to be constantly thinking of ways in which we can spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the people in our realm of influence who need Him.
Obviously, we cannot expect to "catch" every lost person with the message, or with our worship music, or with our programs or events, any more than we can expect to catch every fish with our bait. But, we go; and we tell; and we share; and we win some; we disciple them. We do it the best we can so that others might learn to become fishers of men as well. I love fishing! How about you?
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
I AM BLESSED TO BE A DAD!
As Father’s Day weekend approaches…I found myself reflecting on what a blessing God gave me in allowing me to be a Dad. It has been a true joy. I heard it said that “What you're never told is that fatherhood is ‘for life.’” Your children never want you to think of them as children, but to you they always are. Whatever their age and in whatever circumstances, you remain responsible and always available. Gradually they adopt the same thought about you.”
Another old saying says, “Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad.” I never thought much about being a father, or even about whether my own father was a father or a dad, until I was an adult. But, I think that once you’re an adult, you have the wisdom to see your father for what he is and was, and what he does, or has done for you and your family, over the years. I hope that when that analysis for me as a dad comes to my daughters, it will be one of cherished smiles and great memories.
Thinking back on the earliest days after Sara and Erica were born, I can remember how they just filled our days! But, they also strengthened the bond between their mom and I, as we worked through the nights they captured with late night feedings and diaper changes. That’s what moms and dads do…they make room for these helpless and innocent creatures in their lives, regardless of how difficult and taxing it can be. Yet, my girls could do no wrong. Connie and I loved them, nurtured them, and tried to give them all that we could. As they began to grow, all we could see were bright futures ahead for them.
As toddlers, they were so precious! As they grew into childhood, we recognized just how bright they were. I loved the “daddy date nights” when we got to just hang out for a bowl of jello at their favorite restaurant, or a movie, or just shopping. I enjoyed so much that look on their face when I caught them looking up to me expectantly for a word of praise or even a hint of a smile, to let them know that, yes, I had seen their effort on the swim team, or the tennis court, or on the softball team….and I was proud of them regardless of the outcome.
When the teenage years came, we discovered their willfulness, as they began to stretch their boundaries,…but what a joy it was to be their dad! Through high school, they both just shined! Not only were they both excellent students, but they were so grounded. Their friends were a joy to be around, and they knew and demonstrated what it meant to be a true friend to others. When we dropped them off at college, they tears flowed until we were 50 miles away, not because of sadness, but because of the wonderful young women we were so blessed with, and the pride that swelled inside us to see them moving into a new and exciting place in their lives. Those college years were a growing time for both our daughters and us, as Connie and I learned life with just the two of us again, and as Sara and Erica learned how to become independent.
The years slipped by so quickly when we proudly watched them graduate with high honors from college, ready to start life, and all it was to bring for them. The time came too soon when their longing to be free would materialize. They had learned how to talk, how to walk, and how to run. And, now they were ready to fly…and to care for themselves.
But, even after that walk down the aisle with his precious daughter on his arm… remembering all the memories that they had shared growing up… a father's heart does not forget that these are his “little girls.” He knew they were different from all those other father’s girls, because they were his. Planted in them were seeds of dreams and plans for the future. And, now has come the time to wander out in search of their dreams…with another man in their life. Nothing can stop them, not love, not money, not even teams of wild horses! They had grown up. And, it was time to leave their mom and dad’s embrace.
I really can’t say that a father’s love is greater than that of the mother’s. The roles of dads and moms in a child’s life complements each other. One can nurture, and support, and encourage, while the other can discipline, instruct and protect. They both just affect their children differently. And, while children can find the heart and inspiration in life from their mothers, they can find the strength and will to live a good life from a father’s love. So, while I can’t say a father’s love is greater than that of the mother’s…I can say that Moms already got their shot on Mother’s Day…this weekend is all Dad’s!
Daddy’s heart still breaks when he sees when they hurt, and he has great joy when he sees them happy. But he tries to step back into shadows to allow them space to be the great daughters…and now wives and mothers…that they have grown to be. But, shadows or not, there remains a love that only a father can give. The love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. The love that never fails. No man will ever love my daughters the way their dad does.
Sometimes dads don’t say, "I love you" as often as we should, though the feelings are always there. He tries to speak his love unselfishly by giving all he can to make his daughter’s, (or son’s) dreams come true. Sometimes the love that dads feel is just too big for words, yet a father’s love is irreplaceable…it's real, and it’s true. A father's kiss is pure. It comes from the one man who will always be there…full of love for his girls. There is nothing he wants more than to bring hope, joy, and faith to those daughters he loves so much.
As a dad I hope to always be the friend my daughters need when they have no one to turn to, knowing I will support all their dreams… no matter what. When they need to cry, I want to have a shoulder ready. When they laugh, I want to laugh with them. Sorry girls….there is no replacement or substitute…I’m the one you are stuck with! You have one father. But, know that even if you ever think the world has turned its back on you…your Dad will always be there for you.
"Thank you God, for the priviledge and honor of being a father to such wonderful women. Amen"
Another old saying says, “Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad.” I never thought much about being a father, or even about whether my own father was a father or a dad, until I was an adult. But, I think that once you’re an adult, you have the wisdom to see your father for what he is and was, and what he does, or has done for you and your family, over the years. I hope that when that analysis for me as a dad comes to my daughters, it will be one of cherished smiles and great memories.
Thinking back on the earliest days after Sara and Erica were born, I can remember how they just filled our days! But, they also strengthened the bond between their mom and I, as we worked through the nights they captured with late night feedings and diaper changes. That’s what moms and dads do…they make room for these helpless and innocent creatures in their lives, regardless of how difficult and taxing it can be. Yet, my girls could do no wrong. Connie and I loved them, nurtured them, and tried to give them all that we could. As they began to grow, all we could see were bright futures ahead for them.
As toddlers, they were so precious! As they grew into childhood, we recognized just how bright they were. I loved the “daddy date nights” when we got to just hang out for a bowl of jello at their favorite restaurant, or a movie, or just shopping. I enjoyed so much that look on their face when I caught them looking up to me expectantly for a word of praise or even a hint of a smile, to let them know that, yes, I had seen their effort on the swim team, or the tennis court, or on the softball team….and I was proud of them regardless of the outcome.
When the teenage years came, we discovered their willfulness, as they began to stretch their boundaries,…but what a joy it was to be their dad! Through high school, they both just shined! Not only were they both excellent students, but they were so grounded. Their friends were a joy to be around, and they knew and demonstrated what it meant to be a true friend to others. When we dropped them off at college, they tears flowed until we were 50 miles away, not because of sadness, but because of the wonderful young women we were so blessed with, and the pride that swelled inside us to see them moving into a new and exciting place in their lives. Those college years were a growing time for both our daughters and us, as Connie and I learned life with just the two of us again, and as Sara and Erica learned how to become independent.
The years slipped by so quickly when we proudly watched them graduate with high honors from college, ready to start life, and all it was to bring for them. The time came too soon when their longing to be free would materialize. They had learned how to talk, how to walk, and how to run. And, now they were ready to fly…and to care for themselves.
But, even after that walk down the aisle with his precious daughter on his arm… remembering all the memories that they had shared growing up… a father's heart does not forget that these are his “little girls.” He knew they were different from all those other father’s girls, because they were his. Planted in them were seeds of dreams and plans for the future. And, now has come the time to wander out in search of their dreams…with another man in their life. Nothing can stop them, not love, not money, not even teams of wild horses! They had grown up. And, it was time to leave their mom and dad’s embrace.
I really can’t say that a father’s love is greater than that of the mother’s. The roles of dads and moms in a child’s life complements each other. One can nurture, and support, and encourage, while the other can discipline, instruct and protect. They both just affect their children differently. And, while children can find the heart and inspiration in life from their mothers, they can find the strength and will to live a good life from a father’s love. So, while I can’t say a father’s love is greater than that of the mother’s…I can say that Moms already got their shot on Mother’s Day…this weekend is all Dad’s!
Daddy’s heart still breaks when he sees when they hurt, and he has great joy when he sees them happy. But he tries to step back into shadows to allow them space to be the great daughters…and now wives and mothers…that they have grown to be. But, shadows or not, there remains a love that only a father can give. The love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. The love that never fails. No man will ever love my daughters the way their dad does.
Sometimes dads don’t say, "I love you" as often as we should, though the feelings are always there. He tries to speak his love unselfishly by giving all he can to make his daughter’s, (or son’s) dreams come true. Sometimes the love that dads feel is just too big for words, yet a father’s love is irreplaceable…it's real, and it’s true. A father's kiss is pure. It comes from the one man who will always be there…full of love for his girls. There is nothing he wants more than to bring hope, joy, and faith to those daughters he loves so much.
As a dad I hope to always be the friend my daughters need when they have no one to turn to, knowing I will support all their dreams… no matter what. When they need to cry, I want to have a shoulder ready. When they laugh, I want to laugh with them. Sorry girls….there is no replacement or substitute…I’m the one you are stuck with! You have one father. But, know that even if you ever think the world has turned its back on you…your Dad will always be there for you.
"Thank you God, for the priviledge and honor of being a father to such wonderful women. Amen"
Monday, June 13, 2011
YOU ARE A PEARL OF GREAT VALUE
“The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:45-46
Back in my days in the jewelry business, one of my favorite gems…I think because it was the only gem created by a living organism…was the pearl. You can almost get lost in the beauty of a high quality pearl because of the warmth and glow that is found in no other gem, due to its very unique beginning. A salt water oyster embeds itself in the muck and mire of the ocean floor. The formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle tissue and the shell,… which irritates the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to try to cover up that irritant to protect itself. So, the mantle tissue of the oyster covers the irritant with layers of a mucus like substance called nacre. The nacre substance is the same substance that is used to create the shell. That is why you see the beautifully iridescent mother-of-pearl layers on the inside of the oyster shell.
Those humble beginnings hardly seems to be an appropriate setting for something as beautiful as a pearl. Yet, I have seen strands of magnificent South Sea pearls valued at 100’s of thousands of dollars! And they shine and glow with a radiant beauty despite their early environment. One of my most difficult tasks was to evaluate those pearls for appraisal and determination of value. Not only were the obvious factors, color, quality of skin, roundness, iridescence, etc, all important…but there was the internal factors that could only be determined by x-ray that could determine if the pearl was cultured with man’s help, or if it was a magnificently rare pearl created by the oyster.
I think the same can be said for us as well. No matter what kind of bad situation your life may be in, God sees way beyond that. He sees you as the valuable and worthy person you really are. God goes beyond your own self assessment and the assessment of others who are looking at your outward appearance, and He goes directly to the inside, the heart, the unknowable part of you to make His own appraisal of your merit and significance. God sees the pearl. God looks beyond where you were, and always sees something special in you…and He gave everything to have you for His own!
“Thank you God….I am grateful that You look far enough in me to see what is hidden inside. Thank you for seeing past my being but an ordinary man, and seeing me as one of great value to You . Amen”
Back in my days in the jewelry business, one of my favorite gems…I think because it was the only gem created by a living organism…was the pearl. You can almost get lost in the beauty of a high quality pearl because of the warmth and glow that is found in no other gem, due to its very unique beginning. A salt water oyster embeds itself in the muck and mire of the ocean floor. The formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle tissue and the shell,… which irritates the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to try to cover up that irritant to protect itself. So, the mantle tissue of the oyster covers the irritant with layers of a mucus like substance called nacre. The nacre substance is the same substance that is used to create the shell. That is why you see the beautifully iridescent mother-of-pearl layers on the inside of the oyster shell.
Those humble beginnings hardly seems to be an appropriate setting for something as beautiful as a pearl. Yet, I have seen strands of magnificent South Sea pearls valued at 100’s of thousands of dollars! And they shine and glow with a radiant beauty despite their early environment. One of my most difficult tasks was to evaluate those pearls for appraisal and determination of value. Not only were the obvious factors, color, quality of skin, roundness, iridescence, etc, all important…but there was the internal factors that could only be determined by x-ray that could determine if the pearl was cultured with man’s help, or if it was a magnificently rare pearl created by the oyster.
I think the same can be said for us as well. No matter what kind of bad situation your life may be in, God sees way beyond that. He sees you as the valuable and worthy person you really are. God goes beyond your own self assessment and the assessment of others who are looking at your outward appearance, and He goes directly to the inside, the heart, the unknowable part of you to make His own appraisal of your merit and significance. God sees the pearl. God looks beyond where you were, and always sees something special in you…and He gave everything to have you for His own!
“Thank you God….I am grateful that You look far enough in me to see what is hidden inside. Thank you for seeing past my being but an ordinary man, and seeing me as one of great value to You . Amen”
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