“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you… By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food…” Genesis 3:17-19

This last Spring, someone got the idea to plant a vegetable garden at the Church. Many folks thought it a great idea! So with enthusiasm, several set about planting a garden to keep us all from starving, should an apocalypse come upon us. Since I possess NO skills for farming, I ran to the store to buy cases of veggies! Now, ‘The Garden’ serves only as a painful reminder.

Many a good idea has died on the vine simply because we tend to forget that (#1) no matter what we do, there is STILL an underlying curse upon us all. And (#2) we have an unrelenting enemy who hates us so much, he will not rest until he sees us completely destroyed. As Katie and I set out to undo what the curse had done, we were painfully reminded of those 2 basic truths.

The fence we had put up did little to keep out the rabbits, and NOTHING to keep out weeds. As UV rays broke down the plastic fence, tearing it out proved more work then anticipated. Standing in ankle high weeds trying to cut the zip-ties that held it to poles, I was visited by a welcoming company of fire ants! We hadn’t even started on the weeds and sweat covered my face! I felt cursed!

As I looked over the mess that was supposed to be a garden, I remembered the story of the FIRST Garden from my early Sunday School days. It was GRAND because GOD had planted it! Man was created AFTER everything was already made perfect. Adam and Eve were given the job of being in charge of maintaining it’s perfect standards. But someone got a bright idea… and history was born!

As sweat poured from every pore in my body, I felt God call me into the shade for a moment of His Son’s reflection. There, with the Holy Spirit’s leading, Jesus pulled it all together for me. Within nanoseconds, I was reminded of the curse that STILL exists today. AND of the sad fact that men STILL pursue bright ideas to circumvent God’s initial proclamation by saying “CURSE? WHAT CURSE?!”

I have learned that SOMETIMES… pain can be a blessing. The sad painful fact that sin and satan still reign on this Earth, actually serves to drive me to The Savior. Bad news serves to make the Good News all the more a blessing. Standing in weeds, sweating, with fire stinging my ankles, I actually smiled! Because I was reminded that, thanks to my Savior Jesus Christ, THIS Garden… ain’t my home!

Have you been feeling a little weedy lately? Why not step into the shade with the Son!

“For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” Matthew 13:15

Walking into my daughter’s kitchen, the view through her sliding glass door revealed an unusual sight. Standing on the outside, looking in, were 7 chickens… all of differing sizes and colors. Not being a chicken guy, I didn’t really know WHY they were standing there, since they have their very own fancy, custom built coop to live in. But there they stood… on the outside looking in!

Cori has been raising chickens for years, and while there are only 7 of them, the low numbers do NOT reflect the amount of work it takes to keep them. Whether 7 or 70… chickens need to be kept, fed and cared for. They provide some amusing and interesting entertainment through their daily routine, along with their main purpose… eggs! But like people, they can be both dumb AND cool!

It was dusk when we were ready to leave, AND time for the chickens to go back into their coop. We followed Cori out, wanting to see how she’d get them in there. Curious, I wondered… would she whistle? Call? Cluck? Reaching for a bag, the chickens INSTANTLY ran to her feet, then followed her to the coop. When she threw mealworms from the bag onto the floor, they GALLOPED right in.

The epiphany hit me as the chickens scratched around looking for worms. They HAD been at the glass door because, beside it was where Cori kept the mealworms. They weren’t there because they adored their owner! They wanted WORMS! Sadly, I realized I was looking at the perfect metaphor for the lost of this world.

God created the perfect coop for man’s future. In Eden, no luxury was spared the stomach or eye of man… except for the fruit of 1 tree! And that, just to give them the chance to love Him in return. Sadly, it only took 1 taste to sidetrack mankind for eternity. Even more sadly, after God provided the perfect way for man to get BACK to Him through His son Jesus Christ, men still prefer worms!

How sad it is to watch people fight and scratch for wormy things instead of the real, abundant life Jesus offers to ANYONE who will choose Him over everything else. Tasting worms, and liking it, also produces heartless people who will do ANYTHING to their peers to get more. I thank God that He has provided me with a life filled with MUCH more than wormy things. How about you?

Are you standing on the outside looking in? God wants you IN!

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” Proverbs 31:25

The occasion called for celebration, and we were blessed to be invited to the 90^th Birthday Party of my mom’s oldest friend. They had known each other as young girls, which means like God… Mary Lee has known me since before I was born. The get together was a small affair since, how many people make it that far? But because of her impact on family and friends, it required renting a room!

Kids generally get a Slip n Slide or a Bounce House for their birthday. Cardiac arrest is what those would have gotten Mary Lee. But no doubt she would have tried them anyway. So there she sat… all 4’11” of her (I’m guessing here) with the dignity of her counterpart The Queen of England. Though MUCH more classy and interesting. I can actually say that… because so many people did!

Mary Lee is most known for her quick wit and classy humor. I don’t know how she didn’t make it to Prime Time TV, but she is still the brightest star in the room wherever she goes. The thing I’ve always admired was her ability to wrap a bad situation into a story that had everyone rolling in laughter, begging for more. Because sadly, there were enough bad situations to make her enormously popular.

As each person in the room had a chance to talk about her, I felt honored to be among those who joined in that club. And while it was her humor that was unanimously mentioned, the central processing center for that gift has always been her heart. I can’t rightly say that I ever heard her say anything bad about anyone. But like a ‘lady’ Don Rickles, if she did, they’d always beg for more.

I don’t expect to hit 90, and really have no desire to do so. Life on this planet has gotten a little too icky for me, and since I don’t possess Mary Lee’s ability to turn that much ick into a 90 season comedy show, I’ll leave that to her. For me, the big lesson I continue to work on, until Doctor Death rings my bell, is her ability to genuinely display real love and care for God’s people… with dignity.

So thank you M’Lady for the invite and the gift to aspire toward. But please keep your calendar open… I think I want YOU to do my funeral! 

“‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’” Ecclesiastes 1:2

My mom’s dearest friend from High School is celebrating her 90^th Birthday today. Which happens to be my birthday too! Since my mom is busy doing other things in Heaven, I am planning to attend the celebration. I rented a hotel room in Orlando a day early and started a fun weekend. Yesterday, as I sat beside a lake, I overheard a worker talking about life! He was prophetic!

He was telling a fellow worker about how his life USED to be. “Man… I had clothes and shoes and WHEW! I was fancy!” As he stood there sweating while trimming bushes, I felt God move, so I followed. Popping out from behind the bush I enthusiastically said, “YOU sir, are a WISE MAN!” Looking dumbfounded, I told him that he had just PERFECTLY summed up life! He was perplexed!

I asked him if he knew what the wisest and richest man ever to live on earth had said? With “Huh?” was his reply, I told him about Solomon’s summation of life as “MEANINGLESS!” This seemed to depress him even more, so I added the cure. “Do you know what the ONLY thing that matters in life happens to be? To Love God and follow His directions in the Bible.” A twinkle came to his eye.

This morning, while Katie slept, I went and got a cup of coffee, sat out by the pool, then opened my Bible. But before I even had a chance to read 1 word, I sensed the Holy Spirit of God say, “Good Morning son! And Happy Birthday!” Smiling, we went on to spend some beautiful time together. I was glad no one else was out there because I felt like I was beaming! God… I love Him!

Meaningless? Without God in my life… it would be! But with Him, there is not a thing in this world that I need. Not only did I get to spend meaningful time with Him, I also got a sermon out of it! I’ll share it with the folks on Sunday… because that is HIS purpose and meaning for MY life!

Is YOUR life meaningless… or is it filled with Him?   

“One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.” Proverbs 14:16 ESV

Having just turned onto the main road heading south toward town, I didn’t expect to see one this close to home! But like a polar bear sighting in Florida, there he was! And he was a BIG one! As I got closer, I was able to confirm that, right there in front of my eyes… stood a fool! And so close, I had to swerve to miss him!

He was driving a Cadillac SUV which in some circles for what he was doing, MAY have been a clue! Because sitting askew on top of his car, was a mattress! Putting 2 + 2 together, I knew why he was on the side of the road, because he was trying to retie the mattress to the SUV’s luggage rack. Having had the same experience years ago, I knew his problem was LACK of experience. He was a newbie!

There are some things I have had to learn the hard way! Book studies on aerodynamics in science class was boring. Math and calculations were meant for people who liked that sort of thing. Until one day, while moving a mattress with only a car to do it, I received a ‘show and tell’ lesson in physics. I too ended up on the side of the road trying to keep my cargo from lifting off in the wind!

Using a Cadillac SUV to transport a mattress was NOT what identified the man as a genuine fool. It was his location that made him stand out! With 2 lanes of traffic moving at 55 mph, his car was parked with 2 tires ON the highway! All right lane traffic had to swerve to miss hitting him! The fool was relying on MY actions to avoid imminent danger. Satan LOVES fools!

God’s text book, The Bible, gives me words to live by. Admittedly I have had to learn MANY of His lessons the hard way. But I’ve come to realize that, while more painful and slow, there is nothing wrong with the hard way. As long as learning is the end result. But allowing desires, satan and other people’s ideals to define Truth is truly foolish. I thank God for HIS offered wisdom.

What makes YOU stand out… and is the cargo of YOUR life secure?

“…no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” Ephesians 4:14

It just so happened that I was in the middle lane of a 3 lane highway moving at the speed limit of 55 mph. While I was coming up on a merge from the right… and an eventual reduction into a 2 lane highway, I was unconcerned, having done it thousands of times before. It was then that I saw the smashed bottle, wildly dancing in the center of the road! “Oooo,” I thought. “A metaphor!”

The speed of the traffic caused air currents to spin wildly out of any kind of long term prediction. As a car passed the bottle on the right, the helpless debris was thrust to the left. When a left side car hit the bottle’s position, it responded by veering to the right. Interestingly enough, as the dozens of cars passed, there was no way to determine where the bottle would ultimately come to rest.

There was no doubt the bottle was litter. Also no doubt that WHERE or HOW it got there in the first place would ever be discovered, recorded or told. Was it deliberately tossed out by an unlawful and unconcerned citizen? Was it an accident… maybe falling from a recycling truck or dropped by someone who later became thirsty, but then had no way to satisfy their thirst?

Deep pondering would have to wait because I was in traffic with far more important things upcoming which required my full attention. So I drove… and the bottle danced! But because the bottle lacked a soul and spirit, it’s fate was really of no concern to anyone… including me. But the metaphor started to form when a question popped into mind. What if it HAD a soul or spirit?

There are BILLIONS of people on this planet, and the currents of peoples, governments, groups and individuals blow in all directions. For every thought or idea, there is a counter. Being created as an individual with free will, I am left to decide my own fate. I am not junk or trash, but made for the highest possible honor above every other creature. While winds blow ideas, God awaits my choice!

All the traffic was moving in the same direction, at the same speed. Larger vehicles created more disruption and, like doctrines, had greater influence over the bottle. But when it comes to MY direction of choice for a forever location, my Creator had a PARTICULAR goal in mind from the very start… to make me HIS Child… FOREVER! I am no accident. Neither are you!

Are YOU flowing with His Spirit and goal in mind?

“We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.” Romans 8:23

Our Church has a Memorial Garden in the back, where the cremains of over 2 dozen former Church and family members lie in rest, awaiting the return of our Savior Jesus Christ. It was my father’s idea. He felt that scattering precious ashes to the wind seemed disrespectful. So the Memorial Garden was set up, without markers, as a place go, remember and pray. WORK just kinda came along!

As it stands, only half the Garden has been kept up. That half is where the people are. The other half just kind of… GROWS! And since Florida is a flowering state, stuff grows like crazy! We don’t have a regular gardener, so when things get out of hand, whoever feels led goes to the garden to trim or pull weeds. This last week Katie and I felt led to get to work. This morning… we groan!

‘Out of control’ describes the ‘other half’ of the Garden, and trees, weeds and vines have grown to that state! The ONLY way to get things back under control is to get in there and manually pull, cut, trim and haul away the debris. When the temperature and the humidity hit in the 90’s, desire and expectation often fail to meet! Realistically, it’s gonna take longer than we thought!

As hours passed by yesterday, we both became sweaty messes. Passing a point where I had no more to give, I looked toward the site where my father’s ashes lay and actually felt jealous! Where HE is now, I will go. But not just yet. For now… I work, sweat and groan! As I remembered this Bible verse, my soul became buried in sorrow, but my spirit was refreshed with God’s Hopeful promise!

This world is EXACTLY how it was for Adam and Eve after ‘The Fall.’ The curses of work, weeds, sweat and death remain as evidence of sin’s consequence. Yet my desire to live, enjoy, prosper and flourish point to the inward Truth, written on my heart by God, that THIS is NOT the way things were meant to be! In joyful sorrow, He calms me with His promise… Where He is… I will go… but not just yet!

Will YOU be there with Him? And are you looking forward, with Hope, to the trip?

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

It has been said, “When you play with fire you either get burned or smell like smoke!” And while I don’t know who said it, I can vouch for the accuracy of the statement. Except for now! Technology has proven that as time passes, convenience just seems to happen! And Katie and I were conveniently sitting by a fire, completely safe… and NOT smelling ANYTHING!

A dear friend had asked a favor. He had a large wooden yard ornament that ‘needed some repair’ and, having mentioned that I used to be in carpentry, he sprung the repair request in my direction. “Sure!” I said. “I’ll take a look at it.” When he got it to me, I couldn’t imagine how he got ‘miracle worker’ out of ‘carpentry!’ “Just take it home and look at it,” He said. So I put it in my garage.

Because ‘the thing’ was so broken and rotted, I determined there was no way it could be fixed. Every once in a while he’d ask, “did you take a look at it yet?” and I’d just laugh, thinking there was NO way he was serious! After it sat there for over a month, I heard something in his voice that made me realize ‘the thing’ was VERY sentimental and important to him. So I adjusted my impossible level.

It took a few months and plenty of ‘miracle,’ but it got done and he was more than pleased. One day we received a package at our door. Opening it I found a box of blue, glass rocks and some kind of cover! A couple weeks later an outdoor propane fireplace was delivered. In our discussions I had mentioned that we used a fireplace that burnt artificial logs, but the stink and smoke was nasty!

Last night Katie asked, “would you like a fire tonight?” Instead of a grumpy look, my face just smiled! Being the fire builder, I’m the one who ends up stinking! But now… with only the turn of a knob, we enjoy a clean, non-smelly and smokeless fire! It is WONDERFUL! And it’s all because my friend gave me something I thought was impossible, and then blessed us back in return! Just like God does!

The rules of giving were written BY God! As with most rules, there are doubters and naysayers who question the possibility of receiving AFTER giving! But just like the rule of gravity, how many times does one have to fall off something to certify it’s authenticity? Sitting beside my wife and beside a beautiful fire reminded me that… truly, one getteth AFTER one giveth! But giveth-ing cometh firsteth!

Have YOU tested God’s giving and receiving principle?

“…be made new in the attitude of your minds; and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:23-24

Decorating the house for Holidays is a ‘thing’ for Katie. With the 4th of July approaching, putting up the Patriotic decorations became a priority. My daughter painted a picture of an Eagle’s head we both like, so Katie hung it on the front door. When I shut the door, the painting crashed to the floor, breaking the frame! And while fixing broken frames is not ‘my thing,’ it had to be done.

I learned that PLANNING can take as much, or more time, as DOING! With each repair idea came a need for a different tool. I have LOTS of tools. As I planned my work I worked my plan. But even as I’d line up 1 corner, it would misalign another! Determining I needed either 6 hands or more tools, and having neither, the project is taking longer than I had hoped! Kind of like my life!

There are days when I feel like a broken picture frame. If someone were to ask, “How are you doing?” I’d have to answer, “it’s complicated.” Reading this verse this morning while looking in the rear-view mirror at yesterday, I got a clearer picture of what’s really going on. Being made body, soul and spirit, I realized they go together like gasoline, muriatic acid and a match! Life is WAR!

With NO benefit of choice, I was born an enemy of God. Human sin had placed me in that position. Thankfully, God wasn’t happy about my condition, and took the necessary steps to get me back onto His side… at The Cross! But while the opportunity to ‘get right’ was there, the CHOICE to JOIN God rested upon MY shoulders. The challenge to ‘be right’ still does. And it starts in my mind.

Inside this aging body lies a soul and a spirit. And all 3 are constantly at war! When mind gets an idea, body is too tired. When God’s Spirit calls, soul and body battle to answer. Reading the Bible can give me God’s clear direction as to where I should go, but my THREE-GOS have to decide to unite and actually DO it! NOT doing it can become tiring… and complicated! Because ‘I KNOW!’

I was CREATED in God’s Image to BE and ACT like God. I KNOW when I am not! His Spirit inside continually prompts me to walk in the direction He is pointing. Obeying Him is the only thing that allows me HIS peace and joy. Made to be like the image I hold, I am His framework that constantly needs work to keep it together. I have been framed to display HIS Image!

Are YOU showing Him off?  Or are you in need of repair!  He’s GREAT at fixing frames if you will let Him!