15 Years Old

I met a man a few days ago who had to be in his 80s or 90s. He was wearing a hat that had a logo on it that read, "Veterans of Underage." I rarely miss an opportunity to thank military veterans when I see one. This day was no different. Assuming his hat meant he was one of those men who lied about his age when he signed up for military service, I asked him how old he was when he enlisted. He response floored me. "I was 15," he said.

Immediately my mind raced back to the days when I was 15. Days when you could find me hanging out with my friends. Days you would see me playing baseball, or football, or some game on Atari 2600. Yet, here was a man who suited up in military attire, took up arms and set out to free the world from madmen like Hitler and Mussolini. What a contrast!

I can't help but wonder what his mom thought the day he came home and told her he had enlisted. To be honest, its hard to imagine. For those of us born after that generation, I truly believe we have no clue. It was a different world then. A world in which boys didn't lose themselves in a virtual gaming world. No, this was the real deal. A world in which you didn't get unlimited lives. This was a world where the blood was real and the risk was high. This was a time when heroes weren't rock stars or athletes. It was a time when our heros where boys who were willing to preserve our freedom even if it meant losing their very lives.

I didn't have time to hear this man's whole story, but I'm sure he had one that would have kept me on the edge of my seat and brought me to tears. I struggle a bit when I see men like this because I know they won't be with us much longer. What a tragedy it will be, and how much poorer we will be when that generation is no longer with us.

I look around and I see a world consumed with this idea of entitlement. A world that's screaming for their rights and what they deserve. A world for the most part unwilling to make any sacrifice to preserve the freedoms and liberties we have. Of course, I'm not referring to our military men and women of today. They are a small remnant though in a world that's forgotten what it took to get where we are. Today if a 15 year-old boy or girl were to lie about their age and enlist, the military would have a lawsuit on their hands. Yep, times have changed.

I'm not advocating 15 year-olds in the military. I'm pretty sure you'll agree that the idea of today's 15 year olds in the military is quite a scary scenario. I'm thinking I wouldn't feel all that safe. At the same time, somehow, the idea of this gentleman I met being a defender of my freedom set me at ease. Perhaps, it was the gaze in his eye and the weathered skin that told the story of a man who had been to hell and back. I'm not sure. And perhaps, my view of this man at the age of 15 is way off. Still, somehow I know that even at 15 years old, I would sleep well knowing this man was defending my freedom.

At 15, I was shooting spit wads across the room, my mom had to wake me to get ready for school and I complained when I had to mow the yard. At 15, this man was dodging incoming shells and firing at the enemy. Indeed, times have changed. I'm just so thankful for all those "Veterans of Underage," and the parents who made those incredible sacrifices. Without those heroes, it is no doubt that my life at 15 years-old would have been much different.

God's Not A Weatherman

I had an interesting conversation with my 8-year-old son a couple days ago. Here's the gist of it.

"Dad, is it going to snow?"

"Well, son, one thing I've learned is that when it comes to snow, you can't always trust what the weatherman says."

"I guess your right. I think I really only trust the radar."

It looks like my 8-year-old has learned a valuable life lesson. Here, in Southeast Texas, snow is a rare find. I can probably count on one hand how many times I've seen it actually snow here. Naturally, when the weatherman says there's a chance, there's a bit of excitement in the air. And, when he says there's an 80% chance like he did this week, even the biggest skeptics can start to believe.

Even with a huge chance like that in the forecast, we awakened this morning to find no snow on the ground. I thought it a bit humorous today when one local weatherman fielded some questions from some elementary children who were a bit upset at discovering the ground absent of white fluffy snow this morning. He tried so hard to explain what happened and why there was no snow. Needless to say, I think most kids didn't really care about why it didn't snow, they just are bummed it didn't.

With all our modern technology, forecasting the weather is still done with a great margin of error. The computer models, the weatherman's expertise, and the hopes of all the children still can't make this process an exact science. While they are much more accurate than they were a few decades ago, they still miss it. The truth is, the job of forecasting the weather requires a great deal of speculation and educated guessing. Sometimes they nail it and sometimes they don't.

Back to my son's comment about the radar. He's figured out that the radar represents what's happening now. It's not forecasting. It's not guessing. It's what is. If he sees rain on the radar, he knows its raining right then and there. Its not hard to trust something like that. It's real. Although the radar may show its raining hundreds of miles away you can rest assured that its raining there even though you are not there to personally witness it.

Our faith in God is a great deal like that. We don't see Him, yet we know He exists. Like that radar screen, God's Word reveals truths about Him. Those truths, coupled with our faith launches us past the point of believing into the place of knowing. A place of assurance. A place that doesn't require any of our five physical senses to experience anything in order to know with confidence. My son never has to see the storm with his own eyes to know that it exists. All he needs to see is the image on a radar and he knows it is. Our Creator is revealed throughout Scripture. Page after page, there He is. Yes, He's in heaven, He's here on earth and He's everywhere else. But, in Scripture we can see Him. Not with our physical eyes, but with the eyes of our understanding, our eyes of faith. He's more real than anything we can see with our natural eyes.

Our biggest problem is we trust our five physical senses more than we do God's Word. Our five physical senses though are a lot like the weatherman. They can't always be trusted. No, I'm not dissin' the weatherman. I'm just making a point, that if we want to trust in something that is absolute, unchanging, and completely stable, then we'll have to learn to tap into this thing called faith. We'll have to learn how to gravitate toward believing God's Word more than we do our five senses.

God is real. His kingdom is more real than this world we live in. His kingdom is forever. Its eternal. The economy in His kingdom doesn't rise and fall. He's not on His throne wringing His hands and working up a sweat at all the calamity that's going on in the world. He's not worried about how things are going to play out. He's not sitting around throwing around odds with the angels as to whether things are going to go as planned. He wrote the script and it'll play out the way He said it would. He's at peace because, His kingdom is superior to the one in which we live in here on this earth. When our faith is rooted in His kingdom, then all is well with us. When our faith is truly in Him then we can walk through life with an assurance and confidence that is puzzling to those who trust in things that are filled with uncertainty.

The kind of life God designed each of us to live is one in which our trust and confidence is in Him and nothing else. God's not a weatherman. His Word is not full of speculation and educated guesses. His Word is full of truth and absolutes. When He speaks, its a done deal. Faith anchored in Him will prove to be more certain than confidence in anyone or anything else.

The Flying V

On a recent trip home from Tennessee, while I was traveling through Arkansas, I discovered what apparently must be the winter home for literally hundreds of thousands of geese. They were everywhere. Everywhere I looked there was one flock after another flying in their "flying v" formation and ponds that appeared to contain more geese than water. All my life I've seen geese flying overhead but this is the first time I've seen where they are heading.

Of course, I had to hop online and find out about as much as I could about my newly discovered winter home for geese. Apparently in recent years, the number of geese that gathers here every winter has grown astronomically. They fly for thousands of miles all the way from Alaska, Northern Canada, and even Greenland.

Now, if you've ever read about geese you know that their "flying v" formation is not an accident. It is a highly sophisticated formation that utilizes drafting and uplift to make the long haul easier on each individual goose. Using this formation, the geese can add over 70% to their individual flying range. Because the front of the formation requires more work, they work together as a team, taking turns carrying the load. And if one becomes weak or ill and can no longer fly, two other geese escorts it to the ground and stays with it until it can fly again, leaving no goose to fly on its own.

Because their migration requires thousands of miles, individually this migration would be near impossible. But working together in teams, these geese make it happen. South for the winter and then again North for the summer. Year after year they make this trip and arrive at their destination because they understand the strength in numbers and the value of community.

Like geese, we were not meant to walk through life alone. We were created for community. While we can accomplish much on our own, it only scratches the surface of what we can accomplish together as a team. In one of Paul's letters to the Corinthians, he touches on this topic describing the church as the "body of Christ." Here, he reminds us that we are part of a bigger picture than just ourselves. We are all members with different gifts, abilities, and callings and God puts us all together to work as a team. It is when we function as one, headed in the same direction, and all understanding where we are headed, that we become the most efficient for the Kingdom of God.

We must all understand the the value and efficiency of the whole is always greater than any individual alone. At the same time we must always remember the importance and value of each individual and their necessity to the entire body. Paul instructs us that each part is important and without each part, the whole body suffers.

If you're not part of a local body of Believers, find a place where you can plug in. Not a place where you can sit comfortably for an hour a week, but a place where you can plug into a community and lock arms with others as you set out to do the work of the Kingdom. That's what you were created for. In that setting you'll discover that you'll accomplish more for the Kingdom of God than you could ever do on your own.

Animals, A Pile Of Poo, And A Little Baby

We took a family trip to the zoo this week. Now, while I don't get too much out of it when the animals are laying around asleep, I don't think I ever get tired of watching them when they are active and moving about. My boys are much the same. If an animal is just lying around sleeping, they don't much care about standing around observing that. They are ready to move on to the next one. On the particular day we went we were able to watch the elephants chowing down and moving about, after watching them for a few minutes, one of my boys pointed to a pile of something on the ground and asked me, "Is that elephant poo poo?" I responded with an affirmative and the look on his face was priceless.

Now, while I enjoy visiting the zoo, the animal droppings and the smell they create I could do without. But, if you're gonna have animals, that comes with the territory. There's no way around it. Live animals equal poo and the stink that comes with it. That's just the way it is. As we made our way through all the animals at the zoo, the stink was everywhere. When we got to the chimpanzees, I'm convinced one of them was playing with poo and was wiping it all over the observation window. Yes, I know that's disgusting, but that's the kind of thing you see at the zoo.

If you've ever been to the zoo or visited a farm, you know exactly what I'm talking about here. There is just this odor in the air and images that you can't ever forget. Now, with that in mind, just think of the night our Savior was born. When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem that night, there was no place for them to sleep except a stable. A barn, if you will, complete with animals and all the stuff that accompanies them. There in the middle of the night, the King of all kings, was born. Right, there with all the animals and the stench of animal poo in the air, God's Son entered our world.

Have you ever wondered why there? God, who created this planet, chose a messy stable. He chose a stinky, dirty, barn to welcome His Son to the world. I'm thinking He could have chosen a much better place than this, but He didn't. A shelter for animals was His choice. So, there Mary gave birth and wrapped Him in rags and placed Him in a feeding trough. There among all the animals, God came to earth.

I'm pretty sure that on that night, if we would have been able to take a family trip by this stable, one of my boys would have pointed to a pile and asked me, "Dad, is that donkey poo poo?" I know we all have an idea of that night Jesus was born but lets get real. If we watched all this play out, we would have thought nothing special of the entire event. A man and his wife with no place to stay, bedding up for the night in a stable and giving birth right there. Which brings us back to why?

Why did the Creator choose this kind of place for His Son to be born? I can't help but think it paints a great picture of why He came. He came because of our mess. He came because this world was a messy place. He came because fixing our mess would require Him to get right in the middle of our mess. Yes, He was born in a messy place but His purpose would send Him on a journey that would prove to be even messier. And every second of every minute of the time He was here, was spent cleaning up the mess we ourselves had created.

This Christmas season, we'll see lights, and bright colors, and take part in festive events. We'll decorate our trees, and wrap our gifts in shiny paper. We'll display our attractive nativity sets in a place where all can see. And in the middle of it all, our challenge is to be careful not to lose sight of the night, God sent His Son to be born in a stinky, dirty, barn complete with animals and animal poo. Because, in that barn that night, with animal aroma in the air, God entered our world in order to rescue us. Yep, God was ok with becoming messy if it meant saving us. So, while there were many places that could have welcomed His arrival, I'm thinking God knew what He was doing when He picked a stable on the special night.

We Can Learn A Lot From A Place Called Narnia

Today marks the opening day of the latest movie in a series of movies based on C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia." I was able to catch a pre-release screening of "The Voyage of The Dawn Treader," and I have to admit in my opinion it is the best of the three movies so far. Though I think you would love the movie, I'm not attempting to make this BLOG an ad for the movie.

For those who haven't read the book, I'll try not to spoil the movie for you. But, there is a part in the story where the character Eustace becomes a dragon. Having given into his "flesh" if you will, he becomes something he hates. No matter how hard he tries, he can't fix himself. He can't rid himself of the thing that he has become. And, though he has friends and family who see him in this state, nobody can help him. Interesting enough, Eustace is a good dragon, but even being good, doesn't fix him.

Not sure if you've ever been there, but I'm thinking the story of Eustace is one that most of us can relate to. I'm thinking C.S. Lewis had a great handle on humanity and the struggle we face to fix ourselves when he penned this story. Its a struggle that dates all the way back to the beginning. In the garden of Eden, something tragic occurred that left us all fighting to get back to the place God designed us to be. Adam and his bride, tried to fix the situation with fig leaves and found that was about as effective as putting a bandaid on a severed artery. We don't use fig leaves today, but our attempts are just as futile. Just like Eustace, we try and we try, but every attempt is a complete failure. No matter what we do, we can't shed the dragon skin. We can't fix ourselves, and no loving friend or family member can fix us either.

I'm thinking Paul understood this when he wrote in Romans, "The things I don't want to do, those are the things I do. And the things I want to do, those are the things I don't do." Paul understood, C.S. Lewis understood, and believe me, our Creator understood better than anyone. He saw us in our hopeless estate, and knew that mankind had no hope in fixing himself. He and He alone could save us. The price for Him would be a hefty one, but somehow and someway He found us to be worth it. Our liberation would require nothing short of His sacrifice. His willingness to pay that price, indeed set us free from the dragon we had become. He removed the dragon skin, but more importantly, He changed our identity from the inside out. And though we may act like that dragon from time to time, it is no longer truly who we are.

I'm not sure where you find yourself on this journey, but Jesus came not simply to offer you a ticket to heaven someday. He came to liberate you here, and now. There is indeed a freedom that God designed all of us to live in, but apart from Him we can never obtain it. Jesus came to give you life! A life of freedom! A life worth living! If you find yourself like Eustace in Narnia, no longer able to recognize the being that you've become, and longing for the kind of life you know you were created for, there is hope for you. In Narnia, C.S. Lewis called Him, Aslan. His name in this world is Jesus. The prayer isn't some long and difficult religious one. Its one that simply comes from the heart of one who has come to the realization that they can't fix themselves on their own. It goes something like this, "Jesus, help me!"

Thanksgiving....So, That's What This Is All About

I was out running a few errands a few days ago and had to run by the grocery store. Now, I don't know if you've ever experienced a grocery store a few days before Thanksgiving but let me see, what was the word I used to describe it? Oh yeah, "INSANE!" Wall to wall people with shopping carts fighting for space in the aisles and stretching, reaching, and grabbing for stuff. A complete mad-house if you will. This particular store had a couple of people with microphones wooing people to try some particular food item. Personally, I think it was just adding to the confusion. It took me several minutes just to navigate through the crowded produce section. And, of course, after I made it through, I realized I had forgotten something on my list so I had to fight my way back through. And that was just the beginning.

I noticed, as I made my way through the store, the looks on most of the faces I past. Not alot of holiday cheer I must say. I'm sure had I looked in the mirror, I would have seen the same kind of expression staring back at me. I was not having fun. Ok, that's a little understatement. Let's just say I could think of several places I would rather be.

As we head full throttle into the holiday season, I can't help but think with all the "stuff" we have to do, we have become so good at missing the point of it all. Think about it. I'm in the middle of a crowded store where people are purchasing their food for their Thanksgiving celebration and I can't help but think how many were missing the spirit of the holiday. I know I was for one. I remember standing there thinking, "Please, get me out of this store!" Yes, I admit it, Thanksgiving was the furthest thing from my mind. The noise, the crowd, the craziness of it all did a great job of helping me lose sight of why I was there in the first place.

I was there because of Thanksgiving. I was there because I needed to pick up some last minute things for our Thanksgiving meal. A meal that I'll share with family and friends. A meal that I'll eat in a free country. A meal that I can afford to prepare. A meal on a day that we set aside to give thanks to God for all that He has blessed us with. I'm not sure about you, but my life is good. Its extremely good. God's blessings overwhelm me constantly. I have so much to be thankful for. We all do. Even if we are surrounded by negative things right here and right now, we all have so much to be thankful for.

Our problem is that we are very good at focussing on all that is wrong rather than all that is right. I'm thinking God knew that when He inspired Paul to write, "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things." The truth is that whatever we focus on orchestrates our life. If we choose to focus on the inconveniences, the negatives, and all our problems, we will journey through life, depressed, upset, cranky, stressed, and critical. On the other hand if we can learn to focus on all the goodness that God has blessed us with, then all the negatives pale in comparison.

One of my closest friends is bringing his mother home from the hospital today. She suffered a massive heart attack almost two weeks ago. The doctor informed the family this week that 1/2 percent, yes .5 percent of those who have that kind of heart attack live. Not only did she live, but she is alive and kicking. Also, today a couple we know is bringing home a young daughter from Ethiopia that they have just adopted. Its been a long, drawn out process, but today that journey is complete and their family of 4 just became 5. Stories like that are going on all around us and it really helps to put things into perspective. I know that not all stories have happy endings. Let me rephrase that. I know that there are some events in our lives that aren't happy ones. The happy endings are the result of what we do when those difficult times hit us. The key is in that moment, in the middle of that event, we can still choose to set our minds on the goodness of God rather than our current circumstance. Yes, we can choose to look at all that is wrong, but there is so much more good surrounding each one of us. And, if we can make a practice out of focussing on that good, it will re-order our life.

God is good! He is always good. His goodness surrounds each and every one of us. Regardless of what is going on right now in your life, it doesn't change who He is and how He relates to you. True, genuine thankfulness, is birthed in the heart of those who really know that. Over the course of the next few weeks, you'll be challenged to lose sight of the important things in life. You'll be tempted to forget what this season is all about. My challenge to you is, in the middle of it all, to remember who God is and how He's blessed your life. Perhaps, you struggle to find His blessings in your life, but you can start with John 3:16. If that was the only thing we could find that was good in our life, that alone would be worth a lifetime of thankfulness!

Thank God The Stink Is All Gone!

I went fishing the other day. I didn't catch a thing. Not sure of what kind of fish might be in this particular fishing hole, I tried several options. Lures, fake worms, and my personal favorite, stink bait. Hopefully, you can hear my sarcasm loud and clear concerning stink bait. I hate it. It stinks really bad. And once you touch it, your hands stink. You can wash and wash and wash and still the stench lingers. Its absolutely putrid. Why we humans would ever eat a fish that would devour this stuff is beyond me. Yet, I really like catfish.

This day though there would be no catfish. Just the stink. And like always I washed, I sanitized, and then washed and sanitized several more times. Then, I took a whiff of my hands only to smell the stink, mingled with the aroma of the soap. Yep, it was still there. I was stuck with it for a while. I could try covering it up, but trust me it was still there.

Not sure about you, but I've tried that same method when it comes to getting rid of the stink in my life. You know, that stuff that stinks in the nostrils of God. Diligently I've worked, trying to clean up the stink. I've attempted time and time again to get myself clean, only to find that nothing I do comes close to making me smell any better. Sure, I may cover it up, but truth be told, the stench still remains. My best falls so very short of any aroma that would ever be pleasing to God.

I just thank God that getting rid of the stink, isn't up to me. He saw me in my helpless state, and stepped in to remedy it all. The One Who knew no sin, and was never tainted with any kind of stench, chose to become my sin and smell like me. In doing so, He didn't just cover my stink, but washed it all away. Now, a perfectly pleasing aroma rises from this person I now am and I now stand perfectly acceptable to God.

As I write this the smell of the stink bait has faded away and for that, I am extremely thankful. More importantly though as far as God is concerned, my stink hasn't just faded away, it's as if it never was there. Though, I am not completely sure how God pulls this miracle off, one thing is for certain....I thank God the stink is all gone!