Quote of the Day

"It's been a very bad hair year."
~ Kim Thompson

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She was apologizing (which she does waaay too often) for spending more than usual on getting her hair done. We're on a pretty tight budget with the new addition to our family and the accompanying extra expenses for medical paraphernalia.

Apparently Kim felt guilty for spending so much on a haircut and felt (unnecessarily) that she needed to justify the expense. She had gone all summer, living in a hospital room and caring for her mom practically round-the-clock.

It was worth it -- her hair looks great!!!!

Happy Anniversary

Twenty-four (and counting) years ago, today, Kim and I made a (hopefully) lifetime commitment to God and to each other. Those promises have been tested over the course of those years, but so far, by the grace of God, we are still enjoying this exhilarating, exasperating, joyful, sometimes painful, adventure of sharing life together in marriage.

Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She willingly works with her hands.
She rises while it is yet night
And provides food for her household.

She girds herself with strength,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.

Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all."

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

Proverbs 31:10-31 (NKJV)

O Holy Night

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;

It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born!

O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,

Here came the wise men from Orient land.

The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,

In all our trials born to be our friend!

He knows our need, To our weaknesses is no stranger.

Behold your King, before him lowly bend!

O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His Gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother

And in His Name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

Let all within us praise His holy Name!

Christ is the Lord, O, Praise his name forever.

His power and glory every more proclaim!

O night, O holy night, O night divine!

God's Marvelous Creation

On a table in my office there is a picture of me, along with two dear friends, standing on the banks of the Mekong River in Southwest China. Wild, wonderful terrain. So the report from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) about the discovery of "new" species in the Mekong Region of Asia caught my attention.

At least 1,068 new species were identified in the Greater Mekong from 1997 to 2007 -- a rate of two per week for the past decade -- along with several thousand tiny invertebrates. Striped rabbits and a spider larger than a dinner plate are among new-found species discovered in this remote wildlife hotspot.

The Greater Mekong covers portions of China, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand and is described as "one of the last scientifically unexplored regions of the world."

Among the most "bizarre" creatures to be discovered were the hot-pink, spiny dragon milipedes laced with cyanide.

I'm one of those crazy creationists who believes in intelligent design and an infinitely intelligent Designer. To me, the beauty, creativity and intricacy of the natural world point to a Creator.

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made..."
(Romans 1:20)

It is amazing to think that these species have been on the planet the entire time and we are just now finding them. I imagine God enjoys watching the scientists find something "new" that He put there long ago; joining in their jubilation over the discovery. All of creation points to the Creator, and the natural world with all its wonders is the grandest of cathedrals.

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all people life and breath and everything else.

From one blood he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' (Acts 17:24-28)

That we can have a relationship with the God who created us is the most amazing discovery of all.

Simple Christmas

With the economic downturn many families are looking to be more frugal with their gift-giving this holiday season, which is actually a good idea every season of every year. Here are some (hopefully) helpful ideas for spending your time and money wisely this Christmas:

¨Draw names instead of giving to everyone.

¨Let others help; tell them your intention to give less and ask them not to buy an expensive gift.

¨Give family gifts instead of individual gifts.

¨Give gifts only to children.

¨Don’t give children money to give you a gift.

¨Design and make your own gifts.

¨Set a spending limit with spouse and family and stick to it.

¨Don’t buy a gift that simply will be returned.

¨Bake something.

¨Go caroling.

¨Create a homemade gift certificate for a favor or service.

¨Give to mission or benevolent projects in someone’s honor.

¨Give and wrap gifts in a way that cares for the environment, God’s creation.

¨Give the gift of your time and talents—more presence, fewer presents!

¨Teach someone a skill you possess.

¨Make cards or postcards on your computer.

¨Send electronic cards—often FREE.

¨Write a story or poem, make a song or create art as a gift.

¨Write a letter of love and/or appreciation.

¨Adopt a family in the community—names are available through churches or community agencies.

¨Support church missions around the world.

Check out http://simplechristmas.org/ for more suggestions. You might also find this book helpful: “Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season” by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli.

Roll (over) Tide!

Having grown up in Mobile, Alabama I've been a University of Alabama football fan most of my life. Also, having grown up on the coast, I understand the "Crimson Tide" reference; but no, I still don't know why we have an elephant as a mascot. Anyway, my #1 ranked team fell to Southeast Conference rival Florida today.

No I'm not sad; it's just a game. In the spirit of good sportsmanship I offer this congratulatory post to all my friends in Gator-nation. Good job, and good luck. I'll be pulling for the Gators to win the big bowl game and finish the season at #1. That way at least I can say my team only lost one game all season, and only one team was better than "we" were -- this year. Wait 'til next year! Roll Tide!!

PS: No I'm not sad; it's just a game. Slave trafficking makes me sad--and angry. Innocent and defenseless children being abused makes me sad and angry. Lost football games don't make me sad. Half the teams that played this weekend were "losers" -- it's just a game.

Offensive Christ Followers

In the news: OBERLIN, Ohio — A northern Ohio artist known for envelope-pushing holiday displays is back - with Santa Claus in a wheelchair being pushed down stairs by a crazed tree. The Santa in Keith McGuckin's installation at the Oberlin Public Library has no legs because of an accident involving alcohol and some power lines. An accompanying narrative explains that the tree later goes off to a strip club with money from Santa's Salvation Army kettle.

McGuckin's holiday creations have raised eyebrows for years. His 2006 gingerbread Nazis drew so many complaints that he was forced to remove them from a hardware store window. Library director Darren McDonough said the latest display is staying. He jokes that "If a library doesn't have something that offends, it's not doing its job."
_____________________

I'm not endorsing McGukin's work, but I was struck by the statement of the director of the library. There are too many businesses and public places that remove every religious symbol and reference for "fear of offending" some minority group or individual; so it's interesting to see what someone will defend and allow, and what they censor. Interesting.

What really got me is that what Mr. McDonough said of his library could be said of the church. In fact I'll be so bold to say that as Christ-followers, if we are not offending people (especially modern-day Pharisees) then we're not following Jesus closely enough.

Just a few examples that Jesus had a reputation for being offensive:

Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."
John 6:61-65 (NIV)

On another occasion:

Jesus went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
Mark 6:1-3 (NIV)

One more:
"Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him (Jesus) will not be put to shame."
Romans 9:33 (ESV)

I like the advice my friend Mark Batterson gave:
"As a pastor, you have to preach what God put in your heart and let the chips fall where they may. At the end of the day, the only true validation is whether or not we said what God wanted us to say. The sermon your congregation liked the least may be the one God liked the most. Or vice versa."

I think too often the church misses it by offending the kind of people that Jesus most catered to, and catering to the kind of people that Jesus most often offended.

An Open Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

I heard it again today, "Beware of having an open mind...your brains might fall out." I've seen it expressed different ways: "I tried to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out", or "people with open minds lose their brains", or "some people are so open-minded they will fall for anything."

Are they advocating close-mindedness? Slamming open-minded people and implying they are stupid? I've always equated close-mindedness with ignorance, not the other way around.

Personally, I reject both. I choose to opt for a filtered-mind. Not so closed-minded so as to be unable to consider new ideas; nor so open-minded that one becomes gullible enough to fall for anything.

All ideas are not created equal. Some think an idea is good simply because it is new, while some think an idea to be good simply because it is old. Some are convinced that every new idea is bad, while others are convinced that every old idea is bad, outdated and irrelevent.

So we throw out some "old ideas" and traditons that need to be treasured, reject some wonderful "new-fangled" advancements, and hold on to a bunch of garbage--ideas both old and new that are not helpful for anybody.

The filtered-mind considers every idea, and checks it for truthfulness and value. What is your filter? By what standard do you evaluate every notion that vies for your allegiance?

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?". But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthian 2:14-16)

To be led by the Spirit of God, to have spiritual discernment, to have the mind of Christ--to think and act like Jesus. A filtered mind.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

* Just a Thought: some people have closed their minds to even the possibility that God exists, and yet think they are open-minded. Do you know everything there is to know? Let's be generous and say you know 25% of all the world's knowledge (languages, histories of every nation, etc); is it possible that God exists in the 75% you don't yet know? Just a thought.

Inspiration

Sunday was a very busy day, but very fulfilling. One of the highlights was my "brother" Jim L. telling the story about the amazing changes God has made in his life and then singing "He Was There All the Time." Beautiful!

Time after time
I went searching for peace in some void.
I was trying to blame
All my ills on this world
I was in.
Surface relationships used me 'til
I was done in.
And all of the while someone was begging
To free me from sin.

Chorus: He was there all the time
He was there all the time
Waiting patiently in line
He was there all the time.

Never again
Will I look for a fake rainbow's end.
Now that I have the answer
My life is just starting to rhyme.
Sharing each new day with
Him Is a cup of fresh wine.
And oh what I missed,
He's been waiting right there all the time.

(music and lyrics by Gary S. Paxton, who has a pretty incredible life-story of his own)

Field Trip!

Friday night we loaded up two vehicles worth of kinfolk and headed out to the oceanfront of Virginia Beach. On the Boardwalk they have displayed the McDonald's "Holiday Lights at the Beach" sponsored by Verizon--nothing like corporate sponsorship.

It was beautiful and helped everyone get in the spirit of the season. Peggy was very upset and took awhile to realize we weren't taking her back to the nursing home.

Grateful

What a week! We spent two frantic days getting the house ready to fill with people. Wednesday morning my daughter arrived from college; that afternoon we sprung my Mother-in-Law (Peggy) from the (physical) rehab center (you have to clarify those things these days); and Wednesday evening the kinfolk arrived from Louisiana. It was crazy and chaotic in the most wonderful way.

Peggy suffered a stroke five months ago and except for 15 days has been in a hospital or rehab facility every day of those five months. She was overjoyed when her sister Pat and husband Dave walked in--it's a long way from Baton Rouge, LA.

Thursday saw Kim's brother and his family arrive from Northern Virginia with baklava, Italian cream cake and a 12-inch-wide pumpkin pie so we decided to let them in. We enjoyed a huge feast late in the day. Peggy was so tired, but so happy to be surrounded by her family.

After dinner Tyler (age 14) and Katie (age 12) treated us all to a concert of flute and acoustic guitar arrangements which were beautiful. Peggy was exhausted and slept until 10:00 Friday morning and we just relaxed and enjoyed being together and catching up with each other.

Today (Saturday) I'm looking forward to the Alabama/Auburn football game (Roll Tide!!!) and our local high school team playing in the state semi-final game today. Life is good, and will be whether my teams win or not, but I'll be cheering as though my life depended on their victories.

We are so fortunate to have our family together, to have Peggy back home with us, to be in relatively good health, and to be safe and satisfied. We do not take these gifts for granted, and don't ever want to be so arrogant as to think they are of our own doing. It's not that we are lucky; it is better than that -- we are blessed.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17)

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." (Psalm 107:1)

Week in Review

Monday: I have had several ambulance rides, but this was my first one while conscious. I was escorting my mother-in-law from the (physical) rehab center to the hospital for some testing. It was a different perspective. On the return trip with a different crew the driver made me ride shotgun. He stopped allowing ride-alongs in the back after hitting a deer and sending everyone flying around. While watching TV in the hospital waiting room I was touched by young Miss Emily Bear's performance on the Ellen Degeneres show.

Tuesday: I really felt badly for the astronaut on the international space station who lost the $100,000 tool bag. I lost a favorite hat once--great sentimental value. A gift from my granddad. I was five years old... and cried for a whole day. I lost a kid once--but found her within about 15 minutes--scariest moments of my entire life.

Wednesday: celebrated my Mother-in-law's birthday. It was a little different, partying in a rehab center, but she enjoyed a special meal, a beautiful cake, cards and gifts from family and friends, and she had her children and one of her grandchildren on hand for the festivities. News that she has a pretty nasty infection put a little damper on the party.

Thursday: Attended a Leadership Prayer Breakfast with the mayors from 5 cities in the Norfolk, VA metropolitan area, honoring police, firefighters and military personnel. The keynote speaker was H. Wayne Huizenga, Jr., one of the owners of the Miami Dolphins football team--very inspiring. That evening at a local Bar-B-Q joint, sitting at a booth near our table, was televangelist and former Presidential candidate Pat Robertson. Kim made me behave, bite my tongue, and let him and his wife enjoy their dinner... and so did we.

Say Something

I've seen the movie Fireproof and was blown away. It is not the best movie ever made, but is pretty amazing considering the unpaid volunteer cast, with a couple of exceptions, is comprised of untrained actors. My emotions ran the gamut from laughter to tears, with a couple of white-knuckle-sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments thrown in.

In the story hero/fireman Caleb Holt (played by Kirk Cameron) is asked by his father to take a 40-day marriage challenge before moving forward with divorce proceedings to end his seven-year marriage to wife Catherine (played by Erin Bethea).

The “challenge” is presented in the form of a book, The Love Dare, which Holt agrees to read and which eventually transforms him and his view of love, marriage, and faith. The Love Dare is a plot device that became a reality and landed on the New York Times Bestseller list.

So, inspired by the movie, I got a copy of the book--figuring there's always room for improvement...in my case LOTS of room. So lesson one is, "love is patient" and the "dare" for the day is...

The first part of this dare is fairly simple. Although love is communicated in a number of ways, our words often reflect the condition of our heart. For the next day, resolve to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all. If the temptation arises, choose not to say anything. It’s better to hold your tongue that to say something you’ll regret. (excerpt From: The Love Dare, Copyright © 2008 by Stephen Kendrick & Alex Kendrick. All Rights Reserved. used by permission)

So here’s my problem: when I’m hurt or angry I tend to give her the “silent treatment” or a “cold shoulder”, leaving her to guess what it is I’m angry about. I usually don’t have a problem “holding my tongue”, but rather “holding my tongue” is part of the problem.

So a more appropriate dare for me is not only to “say nothing negative” or “hold my tongue”, but rather say something, but make sure that something is positive.

Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. (James 1:19)

Courage

Courage does not always roar.
Sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the day, saying…”I will try again tomorrow.”

~ Mary Anne Radmacher

God Without Limitations

God knows no limitations. To finite human beings, time and space seem infinite, without end; we’re on the inside looking out.

God is not limited by time or space. God is on the outside looking in—time and space are part of his finite creation--God sees the beginning and the end at the same time.

God is writing an epic story, a masterpiece. Sometimes our story takes a tragic turn, but He is at work in every situation to bring about good for those who love Him.

While we may be overwhelmed during the current chapter of our story, God is not overwhelmed. Unlike us, He can see the end of the story.

And so we live with hope... and those who live with God and for God now, will live happily ever after, also.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6

A Pledge to President-elect Obama

Dear Mr. President-elect Obama:

Congratulations on your hard-fought victory and election to our nation's highest office, and becoming the leader of the free world.

I want you to know that I will be praying for you. Not praying against you, or about you, but for you. That is both my pledge, and my obligation as a follower of Christ. In the Bible, the apostle Paul writes, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

And I will do so with a full and undivided heart.

I will be praying for you from my position as a father of two children, and God willing, future grandchildren; that you will have the foresight to think through what your decisions will mean for them as the next generation.

I will be praying for you as a citizen of the United States; that you will seek wisdom from God and humbly submit yourself to His leadership as you lead our nation through economic turbulence, domestic divides, and cultural diversities.

I will be praying for you as a member of the global population; that you will work with other well-intentioned leaders from around the world as we face environmental challenges, wars and rumors of wars, and humanitarian crises.

And finally, I will be praying for you as a Christian; that you will encourage faith in God to flourish and never allow deeply held spiritual convictions to become a matter of ridicule, instead encouraging everyone to grant them a respectful hearing, even if they go against the political policy of your party.

You have inherited more that needs immediate attention than any other president in recent memory. As a result, it has been a hard-fought and hotly contested election. I will pray for you as you lead all who cast a ballot in your favor, and those who did not, to set aside their differences, no matter how deep the divides may be, and work together for our common good.

I will be praying for you.

Pastor Jim Thompson

Adapted from an article by James Emery White. Scripture reference: I Timothy 2:1-2, New International Version.

Who I Voted For

I am a political junkie, but earlier this year Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw (authors of Jesus for President: politics for ordinary radicals) ruined me—in a good way. "It’s easy to have political views—that’s what politicians do. But it’s much harder to embody a political alternative—that’s what saints do".

So I’ve been wrestling for some months with how to vote. I thought about not voting, but couldn't bring myself to do it. I thought of voting for a third party candidate in order to "send a message". I wanted to vote “none of the above”. I wanted to vote against war... and the taking of innocent life, whether it's justified by calling it "collateral damage” or "choice".

I wanted to vote against a political system that wastes millions of dollars on too-long campaigns while citizens go hungry and homeless. I wanted to vote against a system of greed, pride, power and consumption. In short, I wanted to do something radical with my vote.

So I gave it away. I gave up my vote. I gave it to someone who is not allowed to have a voice in such matters. I voted for Rodger, or I should say I voted on Rodger's behalf.

He's a friend of mine who “lives in a large gated community out in the country” who is not allowed to vote. So I gave him my vote. I was his proxy. I asked him how he would vote if he could, and I honored his wishes.

I won’t tell you who we voted for. I voted for giving a felon a voice. Does that make me a criminal…or crazy? Just a simple act of rebellion…and hopefully grace. I wanted to be counted among the "ordinary radicals".

Joseph, Samson, Jeremiah the prophet, John the Baptist, Jesus, the Apostles Paul, Peter and John – just a few people in the Bible who served jail time. God has a special place in his heart for the prisoners.

Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are appointed to die. (Psalms 79:11)

Lord, when did we see you in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:39-40)

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19)

So now I'll sit back and watch the election returns and see if we won. Regardless of the outcome of the election, I feel like we already have.

Election Day

My voting precinct made the national news! We had some malfunctions with the machines, but even before that occurred the wait was 3+ hours... in the rain... to cast a ballot. They finally re-routed the lines inside, wrapped around the gymnasium wall and down a long hallway.

A member of our State House of Delegates was working the lines, not working the polls, but working the lines. Greeting and grinning and kissing babies inside the polling place, 10 feet from the machines. He was wearing a ball cap supporting the candidate of his choice. Our state voting regulations prohibit the wearing of campaign apparel within a certain distance of the polling place. When someone asked him about it he said, "I'm not campaigning, I'm just wearing a hat." Right.

Can't wait for the results!

Election Eve

I am a political junkie, but Shane Claiborne has ruined me—in a good way. Earlier this year I read Chris Haw and Shane’s book, Jesus for President, and have been in a quandary over how to vote—or whether to vote—ever since.

Here’s a bit about what the book’s about:

“The church has fallen in love with the state and this love affair is killing the church’s imagination. Too often the patriotic values of pride and strength triumph over the spiritual virtues of humility, gentleness and sacrificial love. It’s easy to have political views—that’s what politicians do. But it’s much harder to embody a political alternative—that’s what saints do.”

Jesus for President encourages a new kind of campaign, a different kind of party, and a different kind of commander in chief, casting a vision for what the Christian Church could look like if it placed its faith in Jesus, instead of American institutions.

“One thing that’s clear in the Scriptures is that the nations do not lead people to peace; rather, people lead nations to peace…The end of war begins with people who believe that another world is possible and that another empire has already interrupted time and space and is taking over this earth with the dreams of God.”

So I’ve been wrestling for some months with how to vote. I can't wait until tomorrow.

Radical Reformers

On Friday I posted some thoughts about Martin Luther and the Protest-ant Reformation, and the new reformation going on within the church. But there is also a reformation going on outside the church, and in some ways leaving the church behind. This too, is not without historic precedent. At the time of the Reformation in the 1500s there was also a group known as the Radical Reformers.

The Anabaptist were part of the Radical Reformation. They were not looking to reform the Church, but to separate from it altogether. They saw (see) it as broken beyond repair. A distortion of Christ's plan for the church.

Anabaptists ("re-baptizers") in Europe in the 1500s were Christians who held to believer’s baptism, a practice considered heresy by Catholics and the other major religious groups of the reformation period. They rebelled against the Roman Catholic Church and began re-baptizing adults who had followed Jesus, but had been 'baptized' as infants.

Anabaptists were heavily persecuted during the 16th century and into the 17th. They condemned oaths, would not bear arms or offer forcible resistance to wrongdoers, nor wield the sword. They believed civil government (i.e. "Caesar") belongs to the world and many refrain(ed) from voting, holding public office or even pledging allegiance to the flag. Their sole allegiance was (is) to Jesus Christ.

The believer, who belongs to God's kingdom, sees the government as an authority which is to be passively obeyed, but their ultimate allegiance is to God. Some scripture verses that would form the foundation for their thinking...

"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." (2 Corinthians 6:17)

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior. (1 Timothy 2:1-3)

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

I find their stance on the separation of church and state both interesting and refreshing, especially in light of the past few decades where so many relgious folks have been eager to marry religion and politics and return to a church-run state.

Proud to Be An American

Today was a special day. My 20-year-old daughter voted in her first Presidential election--and I was there. Due to attending college many miles away she qualified to vote absentee. I get my turn on Tuesday.

We waited in line together for 31/2 hours! It was hot. There were people there with walkers and canes and wheelchairs. I felt sorry for some of the folks voting today.The polling place has had similar lines all day long, every day this week.

Our area is expecting, and already seeing, record turn-outs. We live in "a battleground state" that could go either way and candidates from both parties have targeted our area for heavy campaigning--between the two parties we've had 5 visits in 7 days.

It was a good experience. Strangers became friends--saving spots in line so folks could take turns retreating to the shade in order to get some relief from the heat and then returning to give their "spot-saver" a turn in the shade.

It was moving to see people willing to stand in line, and endure momentary misery, in order to participate in democracy. To see elderly African-Americans waiting to cast their ballot for "a brother", thinking they would never live long enough to see this day. Military families enjoying having Dad home for awhile. To see young people like my daughter picking a president for the first time. Pride, in a good sense of the word.

Discussions steered toward the weather and local high school football--intentionally away from politics--and that was okay. The crowd knew they didn't see eye-to-eye on issues and candidates. But at the same time they were sharing a common experience--and it was special.

The pride of being an American, of getting a say in how things are run and who runs things, of enjoying the privilege and freedom to elect our leaders--a privilege and freedom that people in many countries would give nearly anything to enjoy. It was special.

When people exited the building others still waiting in line would cheer and congratulate them. It didn't matter for whom they voted, but that they voted. It was a special day, and I can't wait until Tuesday.

Redneck Mecca

I traveled through the tunnel to the big city today, making a pilgrimage to the Bass Pro Shop. It was amazing.

As I parked my pick-up truck in the far corner of the lot and began to approach the front doors I felt the transformation begin--the shoulders pull back as the chest swells, the walk morphs into a macho swagger--I could literally feel the testosterone levels rising with each step.

What is it about this place? The kids can have Disney World, this is the real Magic Kingdom.

The brochure touts the 105,000 feet of shopping space filled with gear for all your outdoor needs. It's mostly about hunting and fishing, with a small section of gifts and trinkets for NASCAR enthusiasts. I'm not really into killing wildlife, but could do some serious damage to my wallet in the hiking, camping and kayaking departments.

My favorite part is the 19,000 gallon fresh water aquarium with the 40-foot rock climbing wall and cascading waterfall.

491 Years Ago Today

On October 31, 1517 a little-known Monk named Martin Luther tacked a piece of paper to the doors of The Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This small act of courage changed the world. This was not an act of defiance as is usually thought. The church faced the main thoroughfare of the town and the church doors functioned as a public bulletin board, a logical place for posting notices and announcements about upcoming events.

Luther's "Ninety-five Theses" proposed a debate about the powerful Roman Catholic Church's practice of selling indulgences. An Indulgence is granted by the church after the sinner has confessed and been absolved of one’s sins. In Luther's Day Indulgences were being sold. Forgiveness was becoming a commercial transaction instead of a genuine change of heart.

Instead of granting an indulgence as a remission of the penalty for breaking church law, making a confession, and then restoring whatever had been damaged - property or human relationships or other serious sins - an indulgence could be purchased.

This was a gross violation of the original intention of confession and forgiveness. As Luther saw it, people were being lied to by church leaders and were being falsely told that they could find forgiveness of their sins, through the purchase of indulgences, rather than through the free gift of God's mercy offered in and through Jesus Christ.

This small act created a controversy between Luther and those allied with the Pope over a variety of doctrines and practices. The Protest-ant movement was born which would reform the Church. When Luther and his supporters were excommunicated in 1520, the Lutheran tradition was born. This in turn would later ease the creation of the Reformed and Anabaptist traditions as well.

So 491 years later the modern church (Catholic and Protestant traditions) is in need of a new Reformation. As Alan Hirsch said, "We've got to get to the place where we believe Jesus is absolutely right about absolutely everything." All reformation is Christ-centered. (Alan also said, "If you're not ticking off religious people you're not following Christ." Can't have a reformation without offending a few Pharisees along the way!)

We need a reformation of deeds more than creeds. A larger percentage of church budgets ought to go "to the least of these" instead of building larger buildings--less focus on personal kingdoms and more focus on the kingdom of God. The church needs to be less self-serving and focus more on serving the broken people among us. The Church needs to put our money where our mouth is, especially in nations like America where the church is consumed with consumerism and materialism.

Our level of biblical knowledge needs to grow, and our level of obedience needs to catch up with our level of biblical knowledge. We need to DO what we KNOW. George Barna recently observed that "Christianity has become a way of thought instead of a way of life." We've created a church culture where we know more and do less all the while thinking we're growing spiritually. A new reformation has begun--may it grow like Kudzu.

Good to Be Back Home Again...At Least for a Little While

The silence on this blog for the past few days has been due to my Mother-in-law. I’m not saying it’s her fault, just that there have been much more important things than blog posts to occupy our attention.

She was hospitalized on Tuesday, October 21 and is still in the hospital. Today is day 11 and each day has brought a new complication. She was moved to ICU Wednesday evening. Her heart is weak following the stroke she suffered in July. Blood clots have formed in her legs and spleen.

It feels as though we’ve been spending every non-working minute at the hospital. Things began looking up yesterday. Her eating has improved, as she had gone several days without food. Her blood pressure, which had been rather low for several days, has been raised and stabilized with medication.

So our past two weeks have been a little crazy. It’s amazing how emergencies clarify one’s priorities; sifting out what’s really important; what’s really deserving of our time and attention. It’s interesting how things going on in the world, things that normally demand our attention and seem so important, fade into the background and become virtually irrelevant when a crisis hits.

It's good to be home for awhile and get caught up on things. Hopefully we'll get Mom home in the next few days.

Ancient Praise

The lyrics to a 3,000 year-old worship song:

I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.

He has put a new song in my mouth--Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the LORD.

Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust,
And does not respect the proud,
nor such as turn aside to lies.

Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works
Which You have done;
And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.

Psalm 40

Broken Hearted

A Christian relief worker was gunned down in Afghanistan today. Her crime? Telling people there is a God who loves them, and showing them in small ways what that love looks like.

Thirty-four year old Gayle Williams worked for SERVE Afghanistan (Serving Emergency Relief and Vocational Enterprise), an inter-denominational Christian charity that helps the disabled.

CNN reported, "The Taliban claimed responsibility for the death, saying on its Web site that it killed the "foreign woman" for preaching Christianity in the country and adding that it had been following the woman for some time."

Walking to work. That's when her murderers took the opportunity to silence her, permanently they thought. They gave her message a wider audience than they realize, and afforded her greater influence than she ever dreamed. Someone so unassuming and non-threatening. And yet these men were so threatened by her presence, her message, her love.

We share with her family and friends in their sorrow and grief. But we grieve with hope. We know there is more to this life than meets the eye, and believe that after this life the best is yet to come.

Uncertainty is Certain

I have a friend who owns a special notebook. It contains questions he's been collecting for several years--questions he wants to ask God. Some are funny:
Why did you make mosquitoes?
Why does the sun lighten our hair, but darken our skin?
Why can't women put mascara on with their mouth closed?
Why don't psychics ever win the Lottery?
Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

Others are deeper, and more difficult:
Why do you allow so much suffering in the world?
If you know everything that's going to happen, do we really have a choice?

We like answers, resolution, loose ends tied down, certainty. Sometimes our faith is challenged by our lack of answers. Like Jacob, we wrestle with God until the dark night fades. We come away with a new identity and a limp; marked for life as a result of the struggle. (see Genesis 32:22-32)

Uncertainty often makes us timid disciples; shrinking back into the comfort of the sanctuary rather than following Jesus into the unknown.

Mark Batterson observes, "Many people think faith reduces uncertainty. Faith doesn’t reduce uncertainty; faith embraces uncertain."

The truth is, we’ll never have all the answers. For some people that's problematic, they feel they can never trust God because He won't answer all their questions.

Jesus never promised security, but he did promise uncertainty. What happens when 'tab A' of experience doesn’t fit into 'slot B' of your beliefs? Our confidence isn’t contingent upon our circumstances. Our confidence is contingent upon the character of God.

To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways; we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness; it should rather be an expression of breathless expectation. ~ Oswald Chambers

"Keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." ~ Jesus of Nazareth

Let It Be

This guy is amazing! In addition to his unique talent, I love his voice and the passion with which he sings this song.

(If you can't get this video to show up using Mozilla Firefox browser try opening it in Internet Explorer)

Staple Free

I went to see the surgeon today. Turns out he didn't insert the mesh as he had originally planned. The hole was smaller than expected, repaired with five internal stitches.

He removed the nine staples from the incision he made a week ago. It was cool to watch...and painless.

The staple remover was a neat little tool. So I'm not allowed to lift anything over 20 pounds for the next five weeks. No kayaking.
No straining of any sort or we may have to do this all over again.

No raking or mowing because of the pushing and/or pulling motion. The timing stinks with leaves falling and yard work waiting.

I hate not being able to go 100%. But it was really cool watching the doc take the staples out of my belly.

In the Shack

A friend recommended "The Shack" by Wm. P. Young. I get lots of book recommendations, and even a few books as gifts (thanks, Roy!). Rarely do I get a recommendation like this one; "Have you read The Shack yet? Whatever else you're reading put it down and read this first!"

It wasn't just the invitation, but the look on his face--eyes twinkling, huge grin--he was glowing. This story had obviously made a huge impact on his life, in his thinking.

So I'm in the shack right now... More later.

Favorite idea:
“Do all paths lead to God?”
“Not at all; most roads don’t lead anywhere, but God will travel down any road to find you.”

Shame on Me!

"Shame on you!" I was being taken to task by a Republican friend who was angry about my post on Monday regarding the McCain-Palin rally in our area.

Her complaints were three-fold:
1: "Preachers should keep their mouths shut about politics."
2: "You heard a racist comment where there wasn't one intended."
3: "Real Christians should be more supportive of the Republican platform."

Interesting.

My replies to her complaints went something like this:
1: "I guess the first amendment right guaranteeing freedom of speech only includes certain citizens."

2: "It is certainly possible that I heard a racist comment where none was intended. I will go back back and read what he (McCain) actually said."

3: "Wow. I would encourage you to read 'Jesus for President' by Shane Claiborne, or just about anything by a guy named Jim Wallis. I assure you, there are people who are Christ followers who are not Republicans...or Democrats...or even Americans."

In addition, at some point in the conversation, I said something like, "Your first and third points seem to contradict each other. Should Christians be Republicans or stay out of politics? What about folks like Mike Huckabee?"

Her reply, and I quote: "If they're not going to support the right party then they should keep their mouths shut!"

(Again, wow!)
---------------------

After she repeated her claim that I heard a racist comment where one had not been intended, I went back to reevaluate my comments.

Here's what McCain actually said (or intended to say, according to the pre-speech manuscript; keeping in mind that sometimes what is actually written is not what is actually said):

John McCain (on Monday): "Let me give you the state of the race today. We have 22 days to go. We're 6 points down. The national media has written us off. Senator Obama is measuring the drapes, and planning with Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid to raise taxes, increase spending, take away your right to vote by secret ballot in labor elections, and concede defeat in Iraq. But they forgot to let you decide. My friends, we've got them just where we want them."

She is right, there is no racially-based comment included in his remarks. That's what he said. So maybe it's racial hypersensitivity on my part. Here's why I heard it that way:

When I consider the many comments I've heard in recent months like "I never thought I'd live to see the day that a black man was living in our white house", and then hear McCain speak of Obama "measuring the drapes", it seemed to me that he was intentionally putting that image in people's minds to stir up fear and motivate some potential voters. I could be wrong.

His point was that "everyone has written us off, but it's not over yet." What people took away from what he said could be another point altogether, and one that he didn't intend to make.

He probably did tap into some people's fears and/or prejudices with the "measuring the drapes" comment even though that was not his intent.

It's Over

The McCain-Palin rally at the Virginia Beach Convention Center just ended (Noon, EST). It's the most energetic I've seen McCain in a while. No, I wasn't there--I watched as a curious citizen via a live webcast by the local newspaper, The Virginian-Pilot.

Most striking oddity: seeing Cindy McCain and Hank Williams, Jr. side-by-side.

Most striking comment: McCain sought to strike fear in the heart of his supporters and motivate them to action by pointing out that he is six points behind in the polls and that Obama is "measuring the drapes" in the White House.

Wholly Terror

One of my biggest concerns: can the dog and Mother-in-law co-exist? Don't get me wrong, they get along great and are good companions to each other. The problem is the dog: he is very protective. I never put it together before, but "terriers" are territorial--duh.

So anyone who enters his space receives a welcome/warning of incessant barking that can endure for hours on end. I'm surprised the neighbors haven't "had him arrested" or "taken him out".

With the parade of would-be home health care providers being interviewed during the past week, the little beast has had ample opportunity to practice his "greeting". I'm to the point where I'm seriously thinking about him needing to find a new place to live.

Until this morning. She was disguised as a nurse, but she is a dog whisperer. Quiet. peace. Calm.

Ridiculous Prayers

I want to see comedian Bill Maher’s new documentary “Religulous”. I love Bill Maher, and agree with him that much of religion is ridiculous--there is some weird stuff out there! I'll admit that much of what I believe is not rational...or logical. Talking serpents, people walking on water, people being raised from the dead. I believe all that stuff is possible.

I like what Mark Batterson writes: "Faith is not logical. But it isn't illogical either. Faith is theological. It does not ignore reality; it just adds God into the equation. Faith is not mindless ignorance; it simply refuses to limit God to the logical constraints of the left brain."

The cartoons in my Sunday newspaper are two-dimensional--width and height. If there is a God (and I believe there is) he would not be 2-D, 3-D, or 4-D. He would not be limited by time and space, or any other dimensional limits. He would be omni-dimensional.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. The sun is 93 million miles from planet earth. Sunlight is only eight minutes old by the time it reaches us. There are galaxies 12.3 billion light years from earth!

Again, Batterson writes: "It’s time to stop putting God in a box the size of our cerebral cortex. When you live with a sense of destiny, rooted in the Sovereignty of God, you can pray the unthinkable and attempt the impossible. To the infinite, all finites are equal.

When you really believe anything is possible with God it changes the way we pray, because we are asking the One who knows no limits!

"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:18-20)

I want to pray ridiculous, God-sized prayers, and watch miracles happen!