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What Happened After Dark?

September 8, 2011 in God, Relationship with God, True Stories, Truth with 0 Comments

Since the beginning of the school year, it seems like we have been busy every single night, which means that some other things in our schedule had to be put on hold…like mowing the yard.  I finally realized that the yard could no longer be ignored unless we wanted to compete with the Amazon jungle, so I decided to cram it in right before the sun went down.  I knocked out the front yard without any visibility issues, but when I arrived in the back yard the light was quickly fading.  Rather than leaving the yard half done, I determined to quicken my pace and try to complete the job even though there was limited light.  Miraculously, I was able to finish the entire yard in just 30 minutes, which is approximately 15-20 minutes less than it normally takes.  I was proud of myself, that is, until I woke up the next morning and noticed that some sections of grass had been missed the night before.

The darkness limits what I see, but light exposes the truth.

If you are walking in darkness, you may not think you are missing something; however, when you are walking in the light, you will know if you are missing something.  Since the apostle John identifies God as light (1 John 1:5), He becomes the ultimate determiner of truth, which means that the truth cannot be known without exposure to God and His word.  The more a person is exposed to the Light, the more he or she will become aware of the darkness in his life.  This is one of the major reasons I believe that those who walk closest to God often feel the most unworthy to be in His presence.

If you constantly feel the weight of your sin as a result of being exposed to the Light, be grateful to a God who reveals the darkness in your life and leads you into the light.

My Wife, the Bully

March 12, 2011 in Family, Funny Stories, Honesty, True Stories, Truth with 0 Comments

This morning I was getting ready for work and my wife said to me, “I don’t like your hair.  You are doing it like an old man.”  She’s a bully.  I then turned around so she could take the dagger out of my back.  Yes.  I have been doing my hair differently.  Several weeks ago I decided to let my hair grow out and try styling it a little different.  Sort of like an 80′s throwback with the part and everything.  People keep saying, “Oh.  I see you are doing your hair differently.”  Translated, this means, “I don’t like your hair” because if a person really likes a change you’ve made, they will usually compliment you and not just acknowledge the change.  Right?

So, when my wife told me she didn’t like my hair, I wasn’t offended.  I really wasn’t.  She has earned the right to be honest with me.  Leah and I have been married for almost 14 years (I’m doing the math in my head right now to make sure I got that right) and our relationship demands honesty, even when it may be offensive.  So often in our relationships we hold back in fear of offending a friend or family member; however, your silence may be interpreted as approval.  Although I would agree that honesty needs to be tactful, it is still important to be honest.  The writer of Proverbs 27:6 has these words to say about lovingly rebuking a friend, “Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.”  If you love your friend, you will tell them the truth.

Oh well.  The next time you see me, I’ll probably have a new haircut.  I guess I’ll never be able to grow that mullet.  My achy, breaky heart.

The Day I Lost My Mind

September 8, 2009 in Character, Failure, Fear, Funny Stories, Guilt, Life, Perspective, Reputation, Transformation, True Stories, Truth, Weakness, Wisdom with 0 Comments

My eyes burst open and I quickly looked at the alarm clock on my nightstand; although I cannot remember the exact time, I’m certain the clock revealed that it was well after midnight. The sound of the front door opening had been enough to thrust me out of sleep and into ninja mode (whatever that is). Most people would have sprung out of bed, but not me. Still half asleep and lying in bed, I slapped both of my arms down on either side of me as if to brace myself for what was about to happen. Listening more intently to the sounds coming from downstairs, I heard the pitter-patter of my dog’s paws walking through the hallway. “Great,” I thought. “The thieves had broken into my house and were now taking my dog captive. They must have muzzled her, though, because I never heard her bark.” As all these thoughts were running through my mind, I glanced over in order to see if my wife was hearing what I was hearing; however, she was not there. I then became extremely alarmed because I would normally send her downstairs to check out any unfamiliar noises. Who was going to do it now? Gradually, I came to my senses and realized that the reason my wife was not in bed was due to the fact that she was letting the dog out to use the bathroom.

The mind has a tendency to play tricks on a person, especially those who are absorbed with guilt. The wisdom writer reminds his readers of this truth when he says, “the wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions” (Proverbs 28:1). Hidden sin and unresolved conflict can result in a person living their life in fear of getting caught, even when no one else may know what they have done. A guilty conscience tends to have a misconstrued view of reality, while the clear conscience can experience a life of freedom. I think I’d rather spend my days being bold as a lion instead of feeling as if I am being chased by them. How about you?

 

Navy Blue vs. Black – Is There Really a Difference?

February 17, 2009 in True Stories, Truth with 0 Comments

A couple weeks ago I purchased a black pair of casual shoes. Typically, I’m not a big connoisseur of shoes but I thought they were cool and were also very, very cheap so I slapped down some cash for them. When I first wore them to work, I had to find a pair socks to wear with them so I rooted through my sock drawer and pulled out what I swear were black socks. Upon arriving at work I sat down to talk with someone and crossed my legs (in manly way, not a feminine way), but as soon as I did my heart sank. The well-lit office, unlike my darkened bedroom where my wife was still in bed, had exposed the fact that my socks were blue, not black. I swear when I left the house they were black…maybe the cold weather made them change shades. There is nothing worse than wearing the wrong color socks, except maybe wearing non-matching ones, which I have also done before.

Light has a way of expelling the darkness and revealing what is really true; however, seeing the truth is under the condition that we allow ourselves to be exposed to the light.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).