In the Moment

Be present in the moment,

Set all else aside,

All the weight upon your shoulders

Will soon slide

Into the waters.

Be present in the moment,

Leave cares for another day,

Focus on the task at hand;

You will see the way

Across the waters.

Be present in the moment,

Focus on the now,

Let time fade all around you

When you don't know how

To face the waters.

Be present in the moment,

Let your heart be filled with praise,

Know that God still loves you

And that you He will raise

Above the waters.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." -- Isaiah 43:2

The Other Side

Even when the obstacles seem insurmountable

And the path ahead just fades and disappears

Keep moving, searching, seeking,

Have faith He will provide

A way to overcome your growing fears.

Though the way becomes quite narrow and you fear a mighty fall

Step forward with your eyes upon the prize;

Let one foot lead the other,

Don't look down but, trust in Him

And one day you will find to your surprise

You have reached the other side.

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." -- Philippians 4:13

One Step at a Time

In this world of anger, hate and fear,

Seek peace in contentment.

Follow the path set for you

One step at a time --

Even when you seem to be alone.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things." -- Philippians 4:8

The Power of Christmas

At the center of Christmas is a child.

That child grew into a man who changed the world.

That he was more than just a man

Is the center of a faith

Necessary

For that change.

It is not in an institution,

But, in the power of God

That transcends this world.

"For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" -- Romans 1:17

Venturing Forth

From behind my guarded walls

I peer into the distance

Where enemies abound

And opportunity awaits.

Dare I venture forth

Into the great unknown

Where I might fall before the powers

Who seek to slay me there?

Or, do I wait behind my walls

Until the day I die

Alone and afraid

Of that which I might have conquered?

Step forth into the world

With eyes wide;

Armored in Truth,

Shielded with Faith.

Ephesians 4:10-18

A Mighty Presence

My thoughts soar

Beyond the ability

To express

With earthly words

That which

Fills my heart

And senses

As I desire to share

With you

The joy

Of knowing God's presence.

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.  Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth."  Psalm 96:11-13

Resolving Images

I looked

And the image was true.

Shaken,

The ripples blurred

That which had been clear

Into something

Obscure.

My sense

Of purpose which drove me

Dissolved.

The world changed

Into one that lacked direction.

I hesitated,

Confused.

In faith

I stepped into the future

Boldly.

With decision, pathways

Resumed their focus around me

And peace

Returned.

Some Things Last

Monument Rocks, on the Smoky Hill River in Kansas, is a little off the beaten path today, but it was once an important marker for travelers headed west.  The formations are also known as the Chalk Pyramids.  They are made of Niobrara Chalk and are the remains of an ancient seabed formed during the Cretaceous Period.  I made a side-trip to them a number of years ago and was happy that I did.  They are an interesting remnant of a time long ago.

I was browsing through old photographs on my computer and came across these.  They made me think about how some things, and some people, manage to weather the onslaught of time much better than others.  These have managed to stand for roughly 80 million years.  I don't think I will make it that long.

These formations make me think of the things that endure no matter what fad may come and go -- things like integrity and honesty.  They are anchors to which we can hold fast -- or, be held fast -- in times of storm.  When all else fails, they remain.

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.  Do every thing in love." -- 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Hang In There

Sometimes a photograph doesn't really need much explanation.  I suppose it seems a strange subject in a way, but I was impressed by the tenaciousness of this tree and couldn't resist memorializing the image.  Notice how the roots on the side next to the water are stubs.  Debris brought down by raging torrents in time of flood have severed those roots and left nothing but knobby remains.  Yet still the tree clings to the bank and its roots penetrate the soil and hold it in place.

Those same roots also help to stabilize the bank and keep it from caving into the waters as they rush by.  Rather than allowing that precious resource, built over hundreds of years, to be washed away and turned into silt as it mixes with plant detritus before being deposited somewhere down stream, that soil remains in place to nourish plants that provide food for the wildlife harbored there.  This tree literally gives root to an entire community.

I know a few people like this tree.  They have been battered and torn by life, yet still they hang on.  They anchor families and sometimes entire communities because of their tenaciousness.  In this year of floods across the Midwest there are many farmers who would fit that category.  In spite of the rushing waters that stripped the soil and covered the land with debris, delaying planting long past the optimum, they have persevered in their quest -- no, their calling -- to grow food for the world.

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." -- 1 Corinthians 15:58

That Which Dwells Within

Sometimes when I write,
The thing that is on my mind
Is wondering if
There is something I might say
That would make a positive impact
On one of my grandchildren
Who might read the words
At some point in the future.

I think,
Deep down,
What all of us really want
Is to know that what we did
Made a difference
For someone else.

There are other times when I write
That I think of those
In other parts of the world
Who might happen upon my words by chance
And read them,
Wondering who this person was
And why they think/thought the way they do
And just possibly
Find something positive there.

I think,
Deep down,
What all of us really want
Is to know that what we did
Made a difference
For someone else.

There are other times when I write
That those people
Who I came across at some point in time,
Whether classmates, or acquaintances,
Or friends through the years
Might read my words
And realize that who they knew
Wasn't all
Of who I am.

I think,
Deep down,
What all of us really want
Is to know that what we did
Made a difference
For someone else.

Ultimately,
I hope that somewhere in my words,
People who might read them
Will see that,
In spite of my flaws,
Jesus is firmly at the center
Of what I believe
And who I am.

That, I think,
Deep down,
Is what I should want most of all --
Knowing that what He did
Can make all the difference
For someone else.

"For God so loved the world, He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not die, but have eternal life." -- John 3:16

Choose to Care

Caring is a decision.

What is it that makes us choose to care for some things and not others?  Why do we value some things or, some people, above others?

Value is something we assign.  It is sometimes related to the cost, but not always.  Sometimes it is related to the uniqueness, or scarcity.  Usually, value is related back to self -- what is it to me?  How does it affect me?

When it comes to people, we usually value family above all others.  Is that impulse driven by genetic coding that is focused on perpetuating our own familial line?  That perception sums up what most scientists believe -- that it is all about preserving our own genetic lineage.  After family, we tend to value friends -- especially those we believe will aid us in time of need.  Again, it is all self-focused.

After friends, we tend to value those most like us.  This is the source of racial, or national pride.  We believe those like us will be most likely to have similar values and cause the least amount of harm to us.  Again, self-focus.

One of the things that is most difficult for anyone who believes in God is that He makes no distinction between people.  He values all the same and offers the same opportunity to all races, no matter what they have done as individuals, to enter into His presence by the divine gift of His Son.  He also has called us to love, or value, as He does.

If we would learn to care about others as God cares for us, this world would be a very different place.

Choose to care.

Navigating Life

The advent of GPS Navigation systems certainly changed the way we travel.  I recall some of my earliest experiences with it.

Not long after it became a common tool for automobiles, I went on a trip across Kansas and through Missouri with a feedlot manager calling on some of his customers and doing a couple of producer meetings.  I was fascinated by his TomTom GPS system -- especially when we reached a point where the maps had not been updated to reality.  A new bridge had been put in which we crossed.  On the navigation screen of the TomTom it showed us crossing the river with no highway -- we were offroading it over water.

A few years later I was on a customer prospecting trip in Kentucky with a colleague who worked for the manufacturer of a product we were using.  We headed out of Lexington into the hills of the backwoods part of the state following his Garmin GPS system.  He had plugged in the address of a veterinarian whose clinic was somewhat off the beaten path.

We started out on a major highway and then, following the directions of his Garmin, turned onto a smaller highway which led to a barely paved blacktop which eventually turned to gravel.  After many miles of gravel road we were sent down a smaller gravel road that showed much less travel and eventually turned into a couple of tracks with weeds growing in the middle.  We passed a number of questionable places along the way and a couple of times, thought we heard banjos playing (just kidding).  The road eventually ended at a locked gate.

The Garmin showed we were about 1/2 mile from our destination which lay on the other side of the fenced pasture in front of us.  My faith in the navigation system was somewhat tested on that trip.  We had to backtrack about 30 miles and take a completely different route to get where we were going -- which, by-the-way, was across the pasture from where we had ended up previously.

[As I write this, I suspect I may have related this story previously.]

It seems there is a setting in the GPS system that gives you the option to choose the "shortest route" or the "fastest time" to your destination.  You also can program it to avoid toll roads if you so choose.  Frequently, the shortest route is not the fastest time as we found out in Kentucky.

Anymore, I use Google Maps on my phone.  It is usually up-to-date and I can easily look at optional routes.  Others will argue there are better map software applications, but I haven't found one yet that beats Google's version.

I'm not sure why this came to mind this morning unless it is just a reminder that there are many roads we travel in life.  Sometimes the route to the destination isn't the obvious one -- what appears to be a direct path is often the most difficult and may lead to a dead end.  It also reminds me that we need to trust the Navigator.  Fortunately we have One who is always up-to-date and takes us down the best path to our destination if we will trust Him to do so.

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."  -- Proverbs 19:21

The Light You See

In pride I stand
With arms spread wide
Bathed in brilliant light.
The center of attention,
All eyes turned to me,
I feel it is my right.
Why not me?

Then I see
That blinding pulse
Has my soul laid bare.
Don't place me here,
Don't look at me,
It isn't really fair.
Why me?

The two of us
All wrapped as one
Fall to our knees in shame.
The outward me,
The inward me,
Are really all the same.
Who am I?

Then Jesus whispers
In my ear
"It isn't about you.
The light you see,
It shines on me,
And I am always true.
I AM.

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.'" -- John 14:6

Why We Are What We Are

Sometimes I think about the past
And all that I've been through;
The ups and downs, the good and bad,
Things I have done and didn't do.

I wonder at the path I took
That brought me to this place
And think if I had chosen differently
How it might have changed the race.

Then I realize it's not about
The things that I have done,
It's about the people I have met
And the victories I have won

For God has set the path for us
While we are here on earth
Based on the things we need to learn
As we grow from our new birth

As followers of the mighty Son
Who came to give us life
That we might live forever
Once we leave this world of strife.

Filling the Bucket

"In the morning when I rise,
In the morning when I rise,
In the morning when I rise
Give me Jesus."

-- Negro Spiritual of unknown origin likely composed by a slave

Some days songs just pop into my head.  I suspect most people experience it.  This morning the Jeremy Camp version of "Give Me Jesus" is rolling through my head on continuous loop.  I wonder sometimes what sets off such things?

I suspect it is current circumstance and needs that rise out of the heart that drive it.  I believe God supplies us with answers to those things which challenge us.  If we will feed ourselves with His Word and with songs generated from that Word, He will provide them as needed -- they will rise up out of seeming "nothingness" to provide comfort and peace.

Take time each day to feed your Spirit so that when needed, there will be plenty to draw upon.

Anchored to the Immovable

At times it is easy to forget the things that provide an anchor.  We allow ourselves to be tossed about by events and circumstances rather than to "catch hold" of something stronger that will allow us to ride out the storms.  That is the purpose of an anchor -- to hold us to something that is immovable that will be unaffected by the storms that rage.

There are many kinds of storms that affect us.  Yesterday was one of those days when we knew thunderstorms were coming from the west.  We knew far in advance that they were likely to bring severe weather and so we prepared.  Fortunately, the severe storms missed us, but the point is they were the type for which we could prepare because of advance warning.  Often, storms pop up quickly, with little advance warning and they can bring hail and wind or, even a tornado.  They often catch us unaware.

Weather is one type of storm, but the kind that truly impact us are the ones that challenge us in other ways.  It could be illness, job loss, death of a family member, or many of the other things that create difficulties for us on journey through life.  Sometimes we can prepare for such things but, at other times they happen without warning.  Those seem to be the kind that are most troubling.

I was reminded of this aspect of life this morning as I looked at one of my favorite passages in the Bible:  James 1:2-7

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you many be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

God has given us the tools to ride out the storm.  Faith is our anchor that ties us to the immovable.  I pray this morning that your faith is in the Truth which is Jesus.

Sometimes

In stillness,
God is.

In silence,
God speaks.

In patience,
God moves.

In hearts,
God loves.

Sometimes
We must be patient;
Silently waiting
In stillness,
Allowing God to work
In our hearts
To change us
Into what He
Would have us to be.

Worth It

Sometimes I have to take the time
To sit there in the shade
And look across the landscape
That the hand of God has made.

The cares upon my mind
Just seem to fade away
And I find that I have rested
In the middle of the day.

We must have a need
That is wired into our soul
To touch His Holy Presence
As we work toward the goal

Of living out our calling
While here upon the earth.
It is only in His Hands
That we can realize our worth.

Timing

Rain.

Cattle.

Travel.

Disparate pieces of a bigger puzzle coming together in ways unforeseen.

People.

Places.

Conversations.

It's crazy how things fit together in ways we could never imagine.

Change.

Ideas.

Projects.

Meetings that come together when they seem impossible.

Life.

Faith.

Process.

Growing patience through the waiting out of God's timing.

He Is Risen!

Sometimes only the old hymns will do....

Low in the grave He lay --

Jesus my Savior!

Waiting the coming day --

Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose,

With a mighty triumph o'er His foes

He arose a Victor from the dark domain,

And He lives forever with His saints to reign.

He arose!  He arose!

Hallelujah!  Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed --

Jesus, my Savior!

Vainly they seal the dead --

Jesus my Lord!

(Chorus)

Death cannot keep his prey --

Jesus, my Savior!

He tore the bars away --

Jesus my Lord!

(Chorus)

"Up From the Grave He Arose" also known as "Christ Arose" -- Robert Lowry, 1874

Lowry, a Baptist preacher, also wrote "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus" and "Shall We Gather at the River."  When asked about writing a hymn Lowry said, "It must be readily apprehended by the Christian consciousness, coming forth from the experience of the writer, and clothed in strong and inspiring words."