A Gift of Perspective

Earlier this month, I preached from 1 Corinthians 6 about lawsuits between believers. In our extremely litigious society, it seems you can't tell the Christians from the non-Christians when it comes to "getting what I'm owed." I thought I did justice to both the biblical context and an application in today's society.

Later that week, I received a note from one of our "little old ladies." We have a wonderful contingent of widows who fill in everywhere at the church from cleaning to rocking babies to sleep. She wrote how her husband had gone in for a simple surgery. But, what was to take two hours lasted over four hours. The surgeons had nicked an artery and it took 10 pints of blood to repair. Later, her husband suffered another incident because of the surgeon error from which he did not recover.

After his death, the hospital came to her with a release form to sign. She said, "I hardly hesitated at all in signing the form. Although I didn't come from a wealthy family, they provided a wealth of Christian values and virtues. I moved on from that incident rather than letting it prolong and, perhaps, control my whole life."

This is just another example to me of the wisdom of age. Our culture says to squeeze those incompetent people for every cent. Get revenge. Get what's "owed" to you. My elderly friend knew that this price was much too high to pay. Once again, I'm awed by the experiences of my older friends!

2 Samuel 16-17

Connecting

When I try to access a website, my Internet Explorer says "connecting." It's more of a wish than a statement. It's really saying "I'm doing my best to connect ... but we won't know for a second or two."

I've felt disconnected from a lot of things in recent days, especially God. It's not a major "I'm losing my faith" type of disconnect. It's the lack of connection that comes with changing seasons and busy schedules. I wrapped up my Fall-Winter refereeing season a few weeks ago. I do get a great level of enjoyment out of it ... I was ready to stop. It could be that District Cup coincides with one of my busiest times as a pastor. Heartache and sorrow seem to ramp up during Christmas rather than taking a vacation. Over the years, I've realized that I can only take so much. This goes against the grain of my thinking that I have to be some type of "uber-pastor" who - much like the Energizer Bunny - just keeps going and going. I have to take breaks.

And, the breaks also coincide with a desire to reconnect with God. I am well aware that it is never the case of God moving away from me. How can an omnipresent God be anywhere else but right here? It is my awareness that ebbs and flows. I am so very thankful that He does not treat me like a teenager who has missed his curfew. Instead, He allows me the joy of His presence, realizing that the consequences of being disconnected are enough to drive me back to Him.

2 Samuel 14-15

Do You Hear What I Hear?

I finished up officiating league play here in Citrus Heights, CA today. I had at U-14 boys recreational match and a U-14 girls recreational level match. It was curious that the more physical play was on the part of the girls. They would work to establish position by throwing out arms and elbows. I had to blow the whistle a number of times within the first five minutes of the match to get them to settle down. Even then, I gave a verbal warning to one player for persistent infringement (She settled down for the rest of the match and played quite well).

The boys match had some interesting grumbling. I heard a defender mumble "Why do they let these old men referee anyway?" I'm 57 and Paul is over 60 (Logan our other AR is 19), but we could still beat most of those kids down field. When a ball went out of touch, I asked the player, "Did you intend for me to hear that comment? Because, if you did, I would have to act on it." He was strangely silent after that, although I did get an occasional "glare."

It's interesting to watch players and coaches snipe and complain at referees, and then become indignant when we actually respond with cards or warnings. If you don't want us to hear it, don't say it. If you want us to hear it, get ready for the consequences.

Still, setting aside the few players who made themselves miserable, it was a good day for soccer. We had a good laugh when one of our younger officials came racing off the field in the middle of his game. His dash was to the port-o-potties and his return was greeted with cheers from players and fans. We will not soon let him forget it!

Betwixt and Between

It was inevitable, but I still didn't see it coming. It is one of those incidents in life that throw most people (including me) into an emotional tailspin. In the morning, I'm listening to someone share how helpful I've been in their life. They thanked me for the effort I had put in on their behalf. In the afternoon, I received word that someone else was extremely disappointed in me because they felt I had abandoned them.

At least for me (because I tend to be a "glass, half-empty" type of guy), the praise of the morning was eclipsed by the criticism of the afternoon. I'm vulnerable when this type of criticism comes because I am always second-guessing myself. What more can I do? How much more effort do I need? The standard for success - or acceptance - seems always to be changing. I have to fight down the feeling that I am "bad" because I don't measure up to someone else's expectations. It makes me want to avoid them.

I remind myself that I have failed the Lord many times, yet He still loves me. He loves me not for what I do, but because of who I am based on what His Son did in my place. At first, this thought seems like pulling up a tattered blanket on a cold winter night. It provides scant warmth. But, where else do you go? I can spout my feeling of being treated unfairly to others, but that only sets people up for being polarized. I can try to justify myself, but those who have brought the criticism will not be open to listening.

It is only God, who knows and understands all motives, who can bring peace and healing.

2 Samuel 12-13

Noble and Base

Humans are a curious combination of that which is noble and that which is base. In just a few chapters of 2 Samuel, we see this portrayed in the life of David, King of Israel. He takes into his care Mephibosheth, the crippled son of his former adversary, Saul. He makes a place at the royal table for him. I imagine that ever after when the dinner bell would ring and the David's courtiers would gather, here would come Mephibosheth. He would limp to the table, but there would be a grin on his face (and soul) because he was an object of grace.

Then, just two chapters later, we uncover the tawdry tale of David and Bathsheba. This is David at his worst - lustful, scheming. He panics when his cover-up doesn't go the way he planned and sends an innocent man to his death.

Although not to this degree, I can easily be "David." There are moments where the Spirit of God brings out the best. I move in a manner for which God created me. Then, there are those times - both deliberate and unintentional - when I seize control of the reins of my life and ride off into stupidity.

The only thing that saves me is God's enduring grace. It's His grace that chases me down and shows me the sin - the error of my ways. It's His grace that allows the consequences of my actions to turn be back to Him. He will not allow me to keep going in a direction away from Him because He loves and delights in me.

2 Samuel 9-11

Pulled

I was thinking today about how I am pulled in so many directions in life. I was reading an article about the use of the latest technology in ministry and, at the same time, I'm thinking about how it is been quite a while since I got away for a day of prayer and silence. One part of me likes and appreciates the gadgets of technology, but the other side sees how they can really interfere.

It's easy at this point to say that one has to have "discipline." Having discipline in a specific area is easy, if you enjoy that area. If it is an arena of struggle, then it becomes "discipline."

This is one reason why I cringe at the view of the Christian life as some terrestrial cruise. You wander around this huge ship being entertained and having all your needs met. There are no storms and if there are financial issues, you just need to have more faith.

Reality says that problems exist and life "sucks." The concept of "happily every after" is one for fairy tales. Reality says that life is a journey, a pilgrimage, through a land that is not really our own.

It takes a lot of time and contemplation to get back to what is really "me." I'm sure there are people who can do it in a split second, but I have to sit and think. Is what am I doing ... is how I'm thinking really me or just something that has been shoved at me by others?

2 Samuel 7:18 (NIV) Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?"

2 Samuel 7-8

Propinquity

My wife, Judy, and I tried an old exercise with a new twist. We put an executive chair together - one of those comfy, tilt and turn models. Early in our marriage, we would find ourselves at odds whenever we had to work together. I am one for reading the instructions (many times) and then going methodically through the steps. Judy, on the other hand, is much more intuitive - "Directions? We don't need no stinkin' directions!" It led to many a frustrating experience as the main issue would get confused and we would be frustrated.

The main issue is to enjoy ourselves. The construction or building of something takes second place. Yes, either one of us could probably have done it faster according to our own lights, but we would have lost that sense of propinquity (just being in the moment together).

The chair is finished and I now reside in relative comfort when I work from home. But, the memory of a job and a moment well done will last a lot longer.

2 Samuel 4-6

Refereeing a Friendly

A "friendly" is a soccer match between two teams with nothing really at stake. It's more European-speak for an exhibition game. I say that because the play can often be anything but friendly.

But, yesterday I refereed a "friendly" with a whole different spirit. It was an elementary school match between Vacaville Christians School and Southpointe Christian School. Southpointe is in south Sacramento, an area that is known for limited incomes and opportunity. Vacaville, on the other hand, is a fairly well-to-do school in an upscale neighborhood.

But, you couldn't tell the difference out on the pitch. The kids were bright-eyed and brought a curious mixture of intensity and sympathy to the game. They still tried hard to work the ball up and down the field. Goals and shots on goal were greeted with assorted cheers and groans. But, there was also a different dimension.

I don't know if any of the spectators caught it because the numerous incidents were so fleeting. A player would go down, a foul would happen or a ball ricocheted off a head and you immediately heard this from the opposing team, "Hey, are you okay?" Usually before I got back to check on the player, there was someone from the other team helping them to their feet or just asking if all the marbles were still in the brain.

I needed a match like this one. After spending the last two weeks mainly officiating whining coaches and players, it was like a breath of fresh air. Sure, there might be only one out of the two dozen or so kids that might go on to a club team ... but, so what? It was nice to see and be reminded that this is a "game!"

2 Samuel 2-3

Out of Sync

The last few days have felt "out of sync." I know that this is not a very good description, but it is a very good feeling. Synonyms might be "out of tune," or "out of rhythm." It means that one is still playing, but something just isn't going/feeling right.

It might be that in a space of ten days I officiated 12 soccer matches. They were not international level matches, for sure. In fact, most of them were Under-12's and lower. Furthermore, the issue is not even how well or poorly I did in those matches. The issue is my recovery time. I pushed myself through a five-match tournament this weekend and found myself drained. I had enough energy to watch television and that was it. I was pretty uncommunicative around the house. When Sunday came, whatever reserves I had managed to upload were soon exhausted at church. If I was a computer, I would have been in sleep mode for the rest of the day.

A friend offered a word that I've heard before about running myself ragged. At first, I pushed back on the idea. But after second (and third) thoughts, I realized it was not so much a criticism as it was a statement of reality. I just don't have the reserves that I had when I was younger.

Even as I type those words, there's an ominous feeling to them. It means that I am still heading into largely uncharted waters. This can be frustrating because at this time of my life I had hoped for more clarity and confidence. Hadn't my father seemed so confident and assured at this age? Or, was he just as "out of sync?"

The result is that I must not try harder. This is usually the advice given to all situation where discouragement is felt. Trying harder just leads to more frustration. It's time to step back and re-group. It's time to admit limitations and learn to live with a new normal.

Although intimidating, the resources are still the same. There is nothing that can separate me for the love of God in Christ Jesus. He still holds me securely. I still have all of what He has promised. I just have to adjust the focus of my life's picture.

2 Samuel 1

Floppers!

Ugh! I hate soccer players who flop (Okay, so "hate" is a bit strong, but it is very annoying). I'm doing a U-12 game on Monday and I have a boy from one team who continually flops and begs for the call. Rather than own up to the fact that he messed up his attack, he's on his knees with arms outstretched. Gee, I wonder where he learned that trick?

It's the same in all sports. The kids pick up the habits of the adult players ... usually the bad and obnoxious ones. Later in the same match, the boy scores and then does a "fly-by" as he heads back for the re-start. "It's just youthful enthusiasm," some say. I would respond that it is choreographed. The young man did not think of these moves by himself ... he's imitating. Fortunately, this team has a coach who jumps all over that type of behavior. I suspect the young man will have toned it down the next time I see them.

I know that in other parts of our society, young people are imitating some of the better aspects of life. I just wish that it would be more true of those in the athletic arenas. Sadly, what we continue to see (and have reported) is the taunting, thuggish type of posturing.

Read about the last days of King Saul and his sons in 1 Samuel. I felt kind of a sadness as I realized that Jonathan (the friend of David) went down with his father. It gives me pause to wonder how many good people have "gone down" because they insisted on trying to rehabilitate those who refused to grow.

1 Samuel 30-31

Words from the Weekend

It was U-14 and U-12's again this weekend ... but I was assigned one U-8 Girls game! I usually get assigned one of these U-Little games when they want me to train another ref. This time I was hooked up with Blake. Blake played for me way back in the day and now has grown (physically and emotionally) and become a pretty good referee.

We started out just cracking up as we were checking in the teams. There is always one little girls on a U-8 team who is a chatterbox and thinks any conversation is directed toward her. I started by saying, "Hello, Ladies, my name is Mr. Allen and this is Mr. Magda. We will be your referees today." No sooner were these words out of my mouth than one of the girls supposed it was an invitation to talk. She starts jabbering away about having seen us referee her older sister's game and that we did a good job. She was just getting to the good part when the coach quietly said, "Janice, let the referee's finish their job." She brightly said, "Okay" and gave us the royal nod of her head to proceed. Only in U-8's!!!!!

Also ran into a contrite coach this weekend. He only fielded nine players at the start of the match (the others didn't arrive until well into the game) and you could tell that with a full complement of players this team would have been competitive. He was trying to urge his team on for most of the game. When their opponents passed for the fourth breakaway in a row, he yelled out at the AR "[Expletive deleted] Get in position and call the offside!"

When then play went out of touch, I jogged over and met the coach at mid-field. He was already hanging his head and apologizing. He noted he was way out of line, but I still booked him. The problem was that I think he was exactly right! The AR on that side has a history of not concentrating and getting behind the play. I noted that for the rest of this match and the next one, he had superior concentration. When we debriefed after the game, he tried to put the blame on the coach. I didn't let that get excuse even see the light of day. I'm hoping he's taking these corrections to heart.

Running the Pitch

This weekend was one for running - really sprinting - up and down the field. I was assigned U-14 and U-12 games ... but for some reason the kids kept making long passes. I'd have to churn down the field to get in position, only to have them pass it long the opposite way. After a few minutes, I found myself longing for a ball kicked way out of touch or a shot on goal that would miss and roll for miles.

I had to really dig down deep the last half of the last game. I had made the rookie mistake of not having enough to eat during the day so my energy was very low. I start growling to myself in order to hustle up the field and get in the right position. Fortunately, the end of the match came and we didn't have too much added time. It felt good to hear from one of the coaches that they appreciated my hustle even in the waning moments of the match.

But, I got to thinking today about a friend who is in the hospital. He had a stroke back in August and it has pretty well laid him up. His speech centers are functioning, but the left side of his body is not coming back well (on top of all this ... he's left-handed). I'm watching him and his wife have to "dig deep" to stay in the game. It's easy for me, on the outside, to wonder why he doesn't do all his physical or occupational therapy. It's easy for me to second-guess decisions that they are making as a couple. I want to try to hold back from making these judgments because this is one field that I've not yet had to run. It's easy to ask "what if" or "why don't you" when you're on the outside. It's a whole different matter when you are the one on the inside.

I'm also still struggling with the issue of why doesn't God just heal my friend and get on with it. I listen to other people talk about their "miracles." I read the New Testament and see Jesus and the apostles healing people. Why not my friend and why not now?

And ... I realize that this is a slippery slope. This is Job barking at God while not realizing his own limitations. I guess a better response is "Yes, I believe. Please, Lord, help my unbelief."

1 Samuel 27-29

The Sound of Silence

I worry, at times, that all my interaction with God and His word washes over me without leaving something, a residue, behind. I rush to get a sermon finished. There are Bible studies to prepare and materials for discipleship to formulate. But, in all this, it can easily slide off of me.

I know that this is one reason the saints of old were so persistent in their demand that those who follow Jesus spend time with Him. It's in the combining of tasks with Jesus where something is lost. Oh, it's still valuable. It's still important, but I wonder if it is diluted.

One of our young men commented last night at our Men's Huddle (men's group) that he was concerned about this new regimen of prayer he has started. When questioned, he noted that in the silence and waiting on God a lot of ugly stuff about himself rears up - stuff that he'd rather not encounter or even consider.

I noted - for him and myself - that this is exactly what silence before God is supposed to do. It brings out the infection of our souls so that the Great Physician can treat it. It is not easy and it is not without its hurt and pain. But, it is necessary for spiritual health.

1 Samuel 25-26

A Day with Jesus

I worked on bringing Jesus into the mundane aspects of my life today. At first, this goes against the grain of my spiritual up-bringing. It sounds like an excuse for not "setting aside daily time with the Lord." Even as I typed that last sentence, I felt the guilt start to well up inside my soul.

It would be one thing to "give the day to the Lord" as an after-thought. But, this was something I planned to do. I knew I was going to be all over the place with chores and activities. I knew that it would be a long time before I could sit still. But, now that I am stilled, I can acknowledge that it felt good.

As I was getting my car washed today, a toddler (whose mom was waiting for her own car) walked over to me and raised his hands. I was caught off guard and immediately eye-balled the mother. She said to go ahead, so I picked up the lad and we spent a glorious 10 minutes looking around and naming all the things we could see. No agenda. No hurry. Just noticing cars, trees, balloons, people and the assorted other stuff that went by. I walked away with a wave of my hand and a smile on my face.

You never know who may come along when one takes time to invite the Lord to come along.

1 Samuel 22-24

Amongst the Clutter

I spent part of the morning wrestling with technology as I installed a new flat-screen monitor for my computer. While I was back among the wires and cables (having forgotten a flashlight, of course), I was thinking about how cluttered my life had become. It's not cluttered in the sense of junk all around the house or the garage loaded to the rafters. I don't have to call the folks from Clean House to come and do an intervention.

The clutter begins in my soul. I look around the landscape of my life and look at the large number of projects and promises, resolutions and reminders that have gone undone. I always have good intentions, but the in-box never seems to empty. As one wag put it, it's like I'm rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

Now, this could be cause for despair. I could ignore my inner thoughts with peanut butter cookies and ice cream. I could bury myself in a favorite book. Or, I could slowly expose this condition to One who loves and delights in me.

Although it seems silly, one of the games most people play with God is that of hide-and-go-seek. The game is as old as Adam and Eve, yet we persist in thinking that if we don't verbalize or think about issues; then, God doesn't know.

He knows. He knows and He's waiting for us to come and talk to Him about it. It is in this conversation that the tangled lines of our life relax and unknot. The desperation begins to ebb and we begin to see a clear path.

Now the difficult part is the next step ... for we must now begin to do what we've been talking about. It starts with a successful first step. The step does not have to be hurried because it needs to be successful. Then it needs to be followed with a second and a third step. Soon, one finds themselves walking toward the goal they always desired.

The Joy of the Lord

Nehemiah 8:10 is often a misapplied verse. The context is the end of a long day of confession and repentance by the Jews who had returned to Israel to help rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. It's after all the physical labor ... and the spiritual fine-tuning that Nehemiah utters these words: "Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (NASB).

It's the last phrase that causes the confusion. People talk about the joy of the Lord as if it is something that they manufacture inside themselves. But, Nehemiah is referring here to the joy that the Lord has for us! This is where our strength comes from ... in knowing that our Lord delights in us.

The counterpart to this in the New Testament is the story of the Prodigal Sons (Yes, plural because in the story both sons had, in effect, run away). For the wayward younger son, the joy is seen as the father - who recognized him coming home from a long way off - comes and greets him with a very culturally-unconventional run and bear-hug. It's show to the disgruntled older son when the father "goes out and begs" this truculent heir to come and enjoy what the father is enjoying.

Joy is not artificially manufactured in the life of a Christian by subtle tones or music. It is a fruit that is produced by the Holy Spirit, especially as we contemplate our Father's joy and delight in us!

1 Samuel 20-21

Empty Nest

With both sons away at college (Stephen at Humboldt State University in Arcata; David at the University of the Pacific in Stockton ... although he's doing a semester overseas in Japan right now), Judy and I have begun to experience the "empty nest" syndrome.

I admit to teasing the boys that when they were out of the house how much better my life would be. And, yes, there are some things that have changed for the better. Bathrooms stay cleaner. There's not the wrangling over who is going to use the car when or who needs to use the computer RIGHT NOW! I can watch the television shows that I want to watch and actually eat all the peanut butter cookies.

It's the subtle things that are missed. It's the things that made David and Stephen who they are. The humor. The different interests. Even watching them come to grips with the greatest teacher in the world - reality - proved to be interesting.

I realize I'll be singing a different tune when they come home for the summer and want to have all the same independence that they had at school. There will be tussles about how to contribute to the family and so forth. It's all part of growing up.

Both them and us.

Time Keeps on Slipping, Slipping Away

I admit to being fascinated with time ... especially when I feel I don't have enough of it. As a student, time would seem to drag during the school week. On weekends, it would fly by at supersonic speeds. As an adult, I've had times of boredom where the hands of the clock seemed glued to a particular hour. And, like today, I'm wishing for 27 hours in the day.

Haddon Robbinson, Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Seminary, noted that there are some preachers who can preach for an hour and it seems like 20 minutes. Then, there are others who preach for 20 minutes and make it seem like hours!

I have to reluctantly agree with those who note that everyone has the same amount of time and it is how we use it that makes the difference. I don't like it ... but I agree. I can find a time or two - usually in the last 24-48 hours that I made choices that now effect my present use of time. I can kick myself or just get on with it.

1 Samuel 18-19

A Tender Privilege

Wow! It was hard to get my engine revving on Sunday. It might be thought that pastors wake up with boundless energy, jump into their preaching clothes, and head to glory (Okay, maybe there are pastors who do this). On the other hand, I ooze out of bed, crawl to the shower, slide into my clothes, dawdle to church, all the time praying that God would give me a shot of the something to produce some type of feeling.

So was my prayer yesterday when I was but yards from my house on the way to church. God chose not to answer my prayer - at least in the way I wanted Him to. It was through interacting with God's people both old and young. It was playing with the worship team. It was teaching my single high school student and college student. It was laughing with the ushers and greeters before church. It was getting up on the platform before friends both old and new.

There was no "sound as of a mighty rushing wind." There were no "tongues as of fire." There was just a growing sense of rightness as we moved through our worship celebration. There were the head nods, the laughter, the occasional comment voiced in a response. There was the enjoyment of opening up God's Word for His people - and making new discoveries for myself as I spoke.

Then, it came time for the benediction. I've gotten more thrilled with doing a benediction over the years. In the early years of ministry, it was Porky Pig doing the final words ... "TTThat's all, Folks!" I've grown to see how it can give a sense of blessing and wellness to people who are going to walk out and face all the things we just talked about. It's not a pep talk, because I'm not asking them to draw anything out from themselves. Instead, I'm asking our Father to provide for them what they need.

1 Samuel 16-17

Over-Coaching

They had me officiating the U-8's today. I must admit I get a real kick out of these little ones. They are often so confused about what to do in the game that, as a referee, I spend a lot of time pointing them in the right direction and explaining what their coaches didn't tell them.

Most coaches at the recreation level (it seems especially true the younger the players are) tend to over-coach. These little guys and gals are out on the field and they have three coaches yelling at them, along with a host of parents, all giving contradictory information. I know that some leagues have a "silence" rule, but I don't think that helps the coaches improve. The reality is that once the kids get out on the pitch ... they're going to do their own thing.

My other peeve is when coaches yell at players for things that they (the coaches) have not yet covered. There was an indirect free kick for the purple team and the green team's coach was screaming at them to "build a wall." These poor kids had no idea what they were supposed to do. Some of them looked like they were hunting for a contractor or at least bricks and mortar!

When I referee the U-Littles, I try to "teach" them something about the game as they are playing. Years ago, when my guys were little, I saw a referee beautifully handle a U-8 game while at the same time instructing parents, coaches, and players. That's a primary reason that motivated me to get into refereeing.

Growing Old

I have a new way of interpreting my age. You may have watched the TV show "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-Grader." I measure my fitness by whether I'm still faster than a 15-year-old.

My first experience with a competitive level tournament was a shock (remember, I didn't start officiating soccer until I was in my 50's). They assigned me as an AR (linesman) to a U-17 girls match. When the whistle blew, the ladies just took off on the attack. I found myself TRAILING the play. Fortunately, the ball went out-of-touch and I was able to catch up. The center referee gave me a look as if to say, "Are you going to be able to handle this?" I assured him I could, but I was hard pressed.

I'm finding more and more that I have to use my "smarts" more than my speed, especially as I officiate older youth soccer. It's a matter of anticipation and reading the play. There are still times when I have to chug down field. I do okay, but there's usually a price to be paid after the match is over!

I am also a witness to an older generation that is starting to pass. These fine men and women are now having to cope with advancing age. Bodies are failing. Minds are working more slowly. I realize that this is just the "way of all men;" but I can see the frustration. I've experienced the frustration as my mind says "Go" and my body says "No."

In Psalm 90:12, Moses penned "Teach us to number our days so that we might present to Thee a heart of wisdom." Scholars believe that Moses was in the twilight of his life when he wrote this psalm. Most of his companions from the Exodus were now gone. As he looks back over the history of his life, he reminds us that, indeed, our days are limited.

Carpe Diem! It's not just for speakers of ancient Latin. It's a rallying cry for all of us. "Seize the day!"

1 Samuel 13-15

A Strange Association

I thought of a strange association as I was working out this morning. As I hang around more experienced soccer referees, these men and women are constantly upgrading their officiating skills. They are reading the Laws of the Game, Advice to Referees, and all the memorandums put out by U.S. Soccer. It's the referees at the lower levels that seem to disdain this practice of "sharpening the saw." I've heard some of them brag how the only time they read the LOTG was to pass the initial referee exam! And ... it shows out on the field.

In a similar manner, as I hang around more experienced Christians, these men and women have an insatiable hunger to understand God and the Bible. They are constantly reading the Bible and exploring not only the best in scholarship, but also their own hearts. It's the immature that disdain this practice of "sharpening the saw." It has been noted that the average Christian only really recalls a couple dozen verses or passages from the Bible. No wonder this lack shows up in life.

1 Samuel 10:9-12:25

Big or Little

I must admit that I have not had much use for blogs. I occasionally read a friend's writings or the musings of some "deep" thinker. But, the average stuff I just ignore.

Yet, here I am grinding out my own thoughts in cyberspace. And, for what purpose? Is it the short version of the great American novel? Or, is it just the sense that our thoughts - no matter how focused or diffused - are important to us.

We want to be taken seriously by others. But, we must first take ourselves seriously on a certain level. I'm not referring to the grimness that comes over some who are overly-serious about every move they make. I refer to the importance - the nobility - of what we do in everyday life. We must not confuse simple with simplicity. What we do may seem simple and trite, but it may have far-reaching implications.

Every important person in my life is there not because they dumped some "great thoughts" into my head (although many did just that). They are there because they had the uncanny ability to be present in my life. Their presence and their memory has stuck with me.

And, I am never the same.

Stumbling at the Start

The first blog ... it's like a plunge into a cold swimming pool. The hesitation. The questioning. Then, you just dive in ... and hope you don't hit your head on the bottom. My eyes are quickly drawn to the other tabs on the template and I wonder if I "should" have started by reading the instructions (We're all much safer when I read the instructions).

Yet ... who's going to criticize? The professional bloggers? I think not. Each of us in some way have exposed our ignorance, prejudices, sins and such to the world through the written and spoken word. To come down too harshly is an invitation to get poked back.

So, relax (this is as much for me as it is for those who read) and enjoy. Learn. Question. Grow.