July 20, 2009 in
Determination, Failure, Guilt, Perspective, True Stories with
“Can I go outside?” my seven year old daughter asked as I sat relaxing in the family room at our home. She loves the swing set in our backyard and spends lots of time swinging on the swings. “Sure. That’s fine with me,” I said as she quickly slipped on her flip flops and dashed into the backyard. A few minutes later, my wife came downstairs after waking up from her Sunday afternoon nap and sat with me in the family room. Before I knew it, my daughter was opening the sliding glass door wanting us to watch her new trick on the swing. Her trick was adventurous. After proving that she could use the rope swing to increase her speed on the regular swing, my wife and I continued hanging out in the family room…until the sliding glass door opened once again, but this time my daughter was crying. “What happened?” we asked. She proceeded to tell us (through the tears) that she had fallen off the swing and now her wrist was hurting. Since my daughter is a thrill seeker as well as accident prone, we took her to the local emergency care center where the x-rays revealed a broken radius (the lateral bone of the forearm). This is the second bone my daughter has broken this year and she just got her last cast off six weeks ago! Also, in keeping with her last broken bone, which she broke on my wife’s birthday, Lexi broke this bone on my birthday. I wonder what she will do for Christmas this year?
Today, when we were waiting in the doctor’s office I told my wife, “None of this would have happened if I would have told her that she couldn’t go outside.” Have you ever had one of those moments where you’ve questioned a better outcome if you would have made a different decision? I know I have. Unfortunately, no matter how bad you question your decision, it is already a part of your past.
Instead of attempting to change the past, fight to reclaim the future.
July 5, 2009 in
Determination, Failure, Leadership, Motivation with
We live in a drive-thru society. Most things can be obtained either instantaneously or expeditiously and although I enjoy immediate gain, I believe there are some dangerous characteristics which can possibly result by attempting to acquire quick progress. One of the major perils in an instant society is quitting too soon; in other words, the desired objective is not accomplished within the stated time, so the mission is abandoned or seriously frustrated. While there are the occasional instant success stories, many more are stories of patience and repeated faithfulness. Eugene Peterson refers to this consistency and perseverance, especially in spiritual maturity, as “a long obedience in the same direction.”
As a church planter, I am beginning to understand this principle. The church across the country who has experienced incredible growth in a short amount of time is not to be my standard of success. Even though I can learn from that church and celebrate God’s work in their ministry, they must not become my obsession. My obsession must be the mission God has given to me and I must be faithful to accomplish it.
The principle is still the same regardless of your application. When your relationship is not progressing as quickly as the next person, don’t give up. When you aren’t losing weight as fast as someone else, don’t run out and stock your cupboards with Twinkies. When your business isn’t experiencing immediate profit, don’t sell out.
Be faithful to the mission. Adjust when necessary, but don’t give up.
June 30, 2009 in
Determination, Failure, Life, Motivation, Relationship with God, Sin, Temptation, Transformation, True Stories, Weakness with
Ants were not meant to live in homes, especially mine; but for some reason, ants enjoy the comfy confines of our household. Every single year, usually around this time, we spot those tiny little insects roaming the kitchen and bathroom floor as if they owned the place and although they seem to be oblivious to our presence, we always notice them. I must be honest. I step on the ants. I’m sorry if you are offended by my inhumane actions, but I do. Sometimes I even do the squash and twist to make sure they are dead. The frustrating thing is that even though I’ve put countless ants to death, they keep coming back. I cannot get rid of them. My non-scientific reasoning for failing to exterminate the ants is that I have yet to discover where they are entering; in reality, I could continue killing ants all day long without ever completely eliminating them. I guess my time would be better spent in finding the unguarded source.
Sound familiar? Many people will spend much time and energy trying to correct unwanted behavior (killing ants) instead of facing the real source of their actions. The wise writer of Proverbs says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do” (Proverbs 4:23). When a person’s heart is not guarded by truth and righteousness, wrong behavior will be repeated. Do you ever wonder why you keep looking at porn, continue rising up in anger, or run from the things God wants you to do? And is the real answer found in purity software (which I’m not against), counting to 10 and taking a deep breath, or making deals with God?
Maybe it’s time for you to quit killing ants and begin protecting the place where they are entering.
In case you missed it, read yesterday’s post entitled “One Pastor’s Struggle.”
June 1, 2009 in
Failure, Temptation, True Stories, Weakness, Wisdom with
It appeared to be just another normal day until my daughter decided to swing on the swings at the park by our home. From a very young age, she has always enjoyed spending time kicking her little legs back and forth to gain more height and speed on our swing set in the backyard; however, the swing behind our house is nothing in comparison to the local park’s mammoth swings. Talk about speed and height! Lexi had just begun to enjoy the adrenaline rush experienced alongside swinging at breakneck speeds and unimaginable heights when all of the sudden this unassuming and oblivious boy walked right into her swinging path. Although I didn’t get to see the initial impact, I quickly turned my head when I heard the desperate screams of a mother. Upon seeing her rush to the side of her son, who was now lying on the ground in front of Lexi’s flight path, I immediately knew that she had blasted this poor little guy and sent him sprawling face down in the dirt.
Even though I felt bad for the kid, I thought he should have paid closer attention to the path he was walking. Potential danger always awaits the unassuming.
“Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:26-27).
December 8, 2008 in
Failure, True Stories with
In the late 1980’s there was a commercial on TV which took the nation by storm and yielded one of the most recognized catchphrases of the decade. A company named Lifecall created a device which was targeted at the elderly, who may find themselves in precarious situations needing to call for help. This contraption hung around a person’s neck and if something happened, they could simply press a button and help would respond. It is kind of like OnStar for the body. The TV commercial demonstrated how the device was used by acting out real life scenarios. The one most famous is an elderly lady named Mrs. Fletcher who has fallen and can’t get up; thus giving us the phrase “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”
The other day I could have used one of these. I could not find a laundry basket upstairs anywhere so I decided to tightly wrap all the dirty laundry in a large towel. As I was carrying this oversized load down the basement stairs, I tripped on something and fell right down the stairs with clothes flying everywhere. Leah was working upstairs and the kids were playing in the family room. I’m certain the kids could have heard my thud, thud, thud down the stairs but they swear they heard nothing. Yea, right! A 200 pound body makes a big splash! Even if my wife would have been in hearing distance, she would have glared at me from the top of the stairs laughing…mostly because I would have done the same if it was her! Suffering alone, I mumbled something under my breath –and no, it didn’t have four letters…at least I don’t think so. I checked for any obvious wounds only finding a few, while the most pain came when I woke up in the middle of the night with a stiff shoulder. I survived.
Falling down the stairs can be a dangerous thing, especially for those who are older (although some of you probably consider me decrepit). When we are fragile it is important to have people around who can be there to help in case an emergency or need arises. Many elderly people think they are capable of handling things on their own and refuse to ask for help. I know a few Christians like this. They think they can handle things on their own so they refuse to surround themselves with people who can support them in their spiritual journey. Solomon warned against this type of attitude: “Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
Who is around when you fall and can’t get up?
November 10, 2008 in
Determination, Failure, Funny Stories, Life, Motivation, Sin, Spiritual Disciplines, Temptation, Transformation, True Stories with
Many moons ago, I used to be quite a bit skinner than I am now. Over the last several months I have come across some “old pictures” and willingly admit that there has been a definite change in my weight. I always laugh it off and chalk it up to getting older and my fast-paced lifestyle. If I can be transparent for a minute, I really would like to shed a few of those extra pounds because I know that maintaining a healthy weight will contribute to my overall quality of life. There have even been a couple times over the last several years that I have actually taken steps to lose weight; however, each time I find myself slipping right back into bad habits. So, I decided to contact Richard Simmons and he has agreed to be my personal trainer for the next six months. Just kidding. I know you would have been jealous. I’ve asked myself over and over, “why can’t I change this evident problem?” Each time I arrive at numerous conclusions about my repeated failures. First, I have deceived myself into thinking I am fine especially when I compare myself to others. Secondly, I believe I can handle things on my own without the help of others. Last, I know I will just fail again. These excuses are deja vu because they are the same ones we use concerning spiritual transformation. We think everything is fine the way it is. We don’t want to admit our helplessness to God or even enlist others to support us in our spiritual journey. We quit trying to change because we are certain of looming failure right around the corner. What causes us to buy into these lies? Wrong thinking. If God’s Word shapes our thinking, we will stop comparing ourselves to others and God will be our example for living. God’s Word will then expose our helplessness and drive us to our knees in prayer. This recognition will also cause us to be transparent with others and ask for their accountability in our daily attitudes and actions. The last lie is a little more complicated to defeat because failure is a constant struggle for the follower of Christ. Although failure is inevitable, we should never give up or retreat. We must be brave enough to face these struggles head on and depend on God to provide the strength for us to endure. Maybe you have quit trying to change because of so many failed attempts. Pick up the pieces and start again. The writer in Proverbs reminds us that “a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again…” (Proverbs 24:16).
August 3, 2008 in
Determination, Failure, Funny Stories, Guilt, Sin, Temptation, True Stories with
Our garage has two windows similar to the ones in our home. The only difference is that they are much cheaper because they do not need to be double-paned or anything too fancy. Unlike the windows inside, the garage windows also get very dirty because they are exposed to the “elements.” Flies, bee, and other winged creatures often leave their mark or find their death on the sills of those windows. When I came home from work the other day, I heard this horrifyingly loud sound as well as the buzzing of wings. The sound was coming from one of those windows in the garage. Upon further examination I saw this huge bug-like thing continually banging its head on the window in an effort to fly himself (or herself) to freedom. As a human being I understand that a window is see-through and cannot be penetrated. Before you think you are superior to the insect world, I’m sure some of you reading have face planted into a screen door. You know who you are. I had to wonder what was going through the mind of that flying bug. For three days he was at my garage window. Freedom was right in front of his face, but he could never seem to experience it. He kept banging his head against the window in hopes that this time would be different than the last time.It is very frustrating when you can see freedom, but not experience it. It is very painful to keep ramming your head into the same old thing time and time again, but not be any closer than before. Have you ever felt like this? I have. This feeling usually comes when I am angry with myself for continuing to do that which I should not or ignoring my responsibility for doing what is right. The Apostle Paul felt the same way when writing to the Christians at Rome, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:19). Paul was not making excuses for his sin, but expressing frustration with his own inconsistency in choosing right. At times, I’m sure he felt as if he was returning to the patterns of his old life while at the same time desiring to receive freedom from the bondage of sin. This is where I live everyday. I know what God expects, but I struggle to free myself from the grips of sin. I’m not sure that there is an easy answer for this life. We will always struggle with sin in this life. True freedom will not be realized until Christ returns in the clouds to take those who are His. Until then we must rely on God’s forgiveness. John writes, “If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The good news is that the mammoth, flying insect finally made it out of my garage (after 3 days) and flew to freedom. If he ever gets caught at the window again, I hope he remembers how he escaped.
“Can I go outside?” my seven year old daughter asked as I sat relaxing in the family room at our home. She loves the swing set in our backyard and spends lots of time swinging on the swings. “Sure. That’s fine with me,” I said as she quickly slipped on her flip flops and dashed into the backyard. A few minutes later, my wife came downstairs after waking up from her Sunday afternoon nap and sat with me in the family room. Before I knew it, my daughter was opening the sliding glass door wanting us to watch her new trick on the swing. Her trick was adventurous. After proving that she could use the rope swing to increase her speed on the regular swing, my wife and I continued hanging out in the family room…until the sliding glass door opened once again, but this time my daughter was crying. “What happened?” we asked. She proceeded to tell us (through the tears) that she had fallen off the swing and now her wrist was hurting. Since my daughter is a thrill seeker as well as accident prone, we took her to the local emergency care center where the x-rays revealed a broken radius (the lateral bone of the forearm). This is the second bone my daughter has broken this year and she just got her last cast off six weeks ago! Also, in keeping with her last broken bone, which she broke on my wife’s birthday, Lexi broke this bone on my birthday. I wonder what she will do for Christmas this year?
