“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.” Isaiah 11:6

Decisions, decisions! Yesterday I had a number of errands to run…some to the north and some to the south. Some were necessities…others simply favored choices. I didn’t realize I was mentally planning the route, timing and how I was going to get everything done in the most efficient manner, when it hit me…”when had I become a strategist?”

I remembered growing up as a child and being forced to go where I did not want to go. Being small, my mom couldn’t just LEAVE me and go do her thing. She had to take us kids WITH her. Mom took me places I had absolutely NO interest in going. And being on the “hard to handle side,” I know I didn’t make the trips easy. Yesterday, while comparing then and now, I came to appreciate being able to go where and when I please. Except…

When shopping for butter, I generally go for lower price. A prescription’s location may be at the same place I can buy butter. But if the butter is a lot more money there, I MAY be able to get it cheaper when I go the other direction to get pool supplies. All this head spinning decisionry is based upon acquired knowledge and experience. BUT…will all my decisions end up being the BEST ones for me? And who’s evaluates THOSE?

In the Millennial Kingdom, when Christ rules, HIS knowledge will be pervasive. So much so, that EVERYONE will KNOW it… automatically. Vipers will know their place and little children will be honored by all creatures as being at the top of all created things. EVEN ABOVE ANGELS! God’s Wisdom will be part of every thoughtful decision. Which made me wonder…what am I thinking about now?

Because of the Cross and God’s Grace, God has us in a position to sow and reap. We can choose to know and follow God, or do our own thing. What most don’t think about is…every decision IS being evaluated. As the seconds tic into years, what we decide becomes who we are and what our Children and legacy becomes. Is doing MY thing the same as doing HIS? Because there WILL be an accounting.

I realize I am being reminded that God wants to considered in EVERY decision I make. No matter how small. Even if it’s about where I buy butter. After all, and after I consider it….He MAY have a divine appointment waiting for me at a certain dairy counter!

“My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…” Galatians 4:19

Over a dozen of God’s kids took several months to plan, choose, order, figure and labor over placing a lighted cross on the new building. The timing, in my experience, was rather quick… since ‘Church’ is a place where individualism is NOT to be applauded. Teamwork had finally gotten the job done, and all that was needed was to look at the finished project. Last night at dusk, Katie and I drove over to take a look.

Being a ‘Congregational Church’ means things usually take longer than normal to get accomplished. Which is OK… since we are operating with Eternity on our side. When we arrived at the Church, both of us gave the “OHHHHHH” gasp of approval. We parked, then walked out to the road to set in the grass and stare at it. Then… my wife started asking questions.

“Do you think it’s big enough? Is the color the prettiest one we could display? Do you think it will get brighter the darker it gets? Do you think people will notice” In retrospect… they were not only good questions for the cross…they also reflected questions about how our Church folks appears to the people in our collective world.

The goal of God is that “Christ be formed” in His children. No person who calls themselves a Christian is independent. We are called to become 100% DE-pendant on Christ for our decisions, directions, power and actions. It is a long and tedious process that is NEVER over. Being in ANY form of ministry is to keep that goal in mind in as we teach His kids to shine for brighter Him.

As I thought about it, setting in the grass getting nipped at by mosquitoes, the measuring guide for a successful Christian Life really is the cross. A symbol of the horrific suffering and death of our Savior on our behalf, becomes a continual gauge of how well we are shining for Him. Are we big, pretty, bright and noticeable enough to those around us? That is a question EACH of us must ask…together. 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

I look and walk on it every day. It lies directly under my feet and is less than 6 feet from my eyes. During my week, It requires more effort and time than anything else I own…next to my wife that is! But while I work at trying to keep it pretty, green and under control from the outside…I just discovered my lawn has been under attack from an enemy… on the inside.

When I stand overlooking my lawn, it looks pretty good…though I am no expert at lawns. To me, one shade of consistently, textured green is the goal. But last night, it was a different texture that had caught my eye and caused me to bend down for a closer look. I would have preferred not to notice!

Among the green grass I discovered some different shaped leafy things. I gently tugged at one, pulling up at long stringy weed well over a foot long! Then another… and another. This intruder seemed to have a brain all its own. It grew by weaving its way under and through the grass. And right under my nose! It was everywhere! I was shocked because…all along… I thought I had a pretty nice lawn!

Getting down and dirty with my grass is not a habit. And if appearances are all that matter, I STILL have a nice lawn. My neighbor came over and even so when she saw me setting down in the battle zone. She too, had been deceived! It was only by taking a closer look at reality that I had discovered a hidden enemy within. I must confess, it wasn’t the ONLY thing that required a different perspective.

Something caused a stir in soul and spirit yesterday…AGAIN! It is so much a part of me, that I hardly even noticed. Until I did. There, nestled among my character that ‘I’ don’t think is so bad, lay a hidden enemy that I discovered is NOT there to be enjoyed. This enemy had invaded and been living there a LONG time unnoticed. Until I did!

Now the next question it the most troubling one of all! It is the one God is asking my inner me. And you even know what it is… “Now that you know, what are you going to DO about it?” Choices Choices………..

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…” Philippians 3:20

“How YOU doin’ taday?” was the question. My friend had asked it of me, later in yesterday’s afternoon. A question USUALLY begs an answer, but this question really doesn’t want a ‘thorough’ one. It is more of a greeting than a question. A long explanation is not only not necessary…it is frowned upon. So the customary and acceptable answer came out as, “Fine.” Truth be told…I wasn’t!

Oh don’t get me wrong.. It wasn’t like anything was terribly WRONG. It was just that everything wasn’t wonderfully RIGHT either! It was a day where everything I touched seemed to go wrong. From laying down my keys and not remembering where I put them to taking time to sort through thousands of bolts to find 5 correct ones…but finding only 3…at 2 different hardware stores! And then I lost my phone!

The mood meter in my soul was steadily rising from ‘Eeyore the donkey’ to ‘Chicken Little’ as I eagerly searched, retraced my steps, and then called in my wife to help. I had had it at the church… but not at home. The trip home was on my motorcycle. “SURELY I hadn’t laid it on the passenger seat before I had driven home!!!!” I thought. But it was nowhere to be found. Anxiety arose, as what I had taken for granted steadily became my most prized possession! But that is EXACTLY what had happened.

In a last ditch effort I began walking the path I had ridden an hour before…EAGERLY searching and hoping and…there it was! Lying face down ON the road…unbroken! It was like a miracle and I praised God for the gift of NOT getting what I deserved for being so unappreciative and clumsy. My emotions went from panic to supreme joy in an instant! Having lost a phone once in my life, I KNEW what LOST really meant.

I am a found lost person. Which seems like an oxymoron. But it is truth. And I don’t find myself thinking through the consequences of that as often as I should. Being a Believer in Christ, I am mostly hopeful that things should go well. When they don’t, I get rather down about it. My phone episode made me wonder if I have it backwards.

Being a citizen of Heaven is not my typical mindset. I think from where I AM…NOT where I am going to be. Thus, the journey of my spirit, encased in flesh, is an emotional one, as I go from pain to joy to pain again. Paul just gave me a different perspective with 2 words that do not typically go together…and turned them into a goal. “Eagerly await!” It’s a BIG God lesson. Which makes me wonder if HE had anything to do with my phone????

“Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” Psalm 105:4

A medical professional was the one who made the statement and I could not agree more. “I’m over it!” This coved-19 ‘pandemic’ is WAY past old. Restaurants have been opened for a week, with limited seating, but the people’s experience hasn’t changed. In fact, it seems to have gotten worse!

My hot water heater sprung a leak so my woman and I headed to one of the big hardware outlets. We entered to find practically EVERYONE wearing masks and gloves. Loud speakers blasted out command warnings on ‘safe distancing’ which we have heard for almost 2 months now. The difference was…MORE people were ‘masked up’ than ever! Their actions showed no relief. “I thought… it’s too much too late!”

I asked an employee where I could find my part. “Second section, on the left, from the end,” he huffed. He hadn’t even paused to look me in the eye! After looking there for almost 10 minutes, I saw him coming from the other end of the long isle. “I’m sorry pal…”I can’t seem to find it,” I shouted. He responded… “THIS end!” and gruffly handed me my part.

I got to the grocery store and came upon a man wearing a bucket over his head with a clear plastic cutout. A sign on the back of the bucket said something like, “I’m healthy and I’m going to stay that way!” Behind the plastic he was wearing a mask! And he was buying a lottery ticket! That did it…”You are absolutely crazy!” I gruffly said! “Jesus is what you need.. NOT a lottery ticket”

The Bible verse today is ONLY good and true if God’s strength and face are ALWAYS available! Apparently, according to God’s Word…they are! The verse before it says, “let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.” So I concluded…”if I am seeking the God’s face, Glory and strength… should I not be exhibiting Joy?” It was THEN…that that still small voice inside my spirit whispered…”Then why aren’t’ you??? Bucket head!?????”

“Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.” Matthew 24:28

I was at the church with a couple young tough guys to dig a trench. One of them was attracted by movement on the front, sloping lawn and said, “look there’s a tortoise!” When I followed his gaze, I saw what to me, was a ‘turtle.’ Which was interesting. Walking over to take a look, it appeared to be digging with its back legs. A thing turtles do! Soon…it got even MORE interesting.

We set to work, when about 20 minutes later my eye caught movement. It didn’t register at first, but a crow, starling, blackbird or whatever, had apparently seen the same sight we had seen earlier. The turtle was gone, but where it had dug was of particular interest to the bird, which was now pecking at the turtle’s dig sight. 2+2 soon added up and I intervened by grabbing a cement block and placing it over the spot of attention.

Looking back on the whole thing is now of considerable interest to me. A turtle, or a tortoise, made a trek across a 5 acre property and scratched in the sand. What we saw was a wonder of God’s creation as it laid its eggs. What the crow, starling, blackbird or whatever saw…was food! After bearing witness, I chose the side of the testudine!

One of the biggest wars that we face in the 21’st century is the war for attention. All around the world politicians, companies and activists are ‘actively’ trying to grab our eyes, ears and hearts to win attention. With both money and power at stake, the one who grabs the most attention wins influence. No matter if its Godly or evil! It has become an intense war.

I told people about the experience and received accolades for protecting the turtle’s interests. Which proves life is better than death. But then I thought about the bird! What if my interference caused it to starve to death??? And then I thought about the turtle…

It was a painted turtle. I looked it up. Seth called it a tortoise because it was on God’s lawn… which the difference. Turtles live MOSTLY in the water while tortoise’s abide MOSTLY on land. NOW I wonder if turtles have a sense of humor!! I went over later and gently pushed the dirt around (doing just what the bird had done) to see if there were any eggs. And couldn’t find a thing!

MAYBE the turtle was like the politicians or media and just wanted to gain attraction or a laugh? I mean, isn’t it funny, queer, weird and ironic what gets our attention? ESPECIALLY since you probably just noted I just wrote the word ‘queer!’ I think the lesson Gods wants me to get is that I should be MUCH more careful as to what gets my attention!

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” Philippians 2:12

Its been a long couple months of not ‘being out.’ With this pandemic thing going on there wasn’t really a lot of options. Restaurants and businesses were closed so, other than working around the house, boredom set in. BUT…I hadn’t expected for it to make itself at home!

Katie has an electronic bathroom scale that was given to her as a gift. It hides in the darkness of her closet and is rarely seen by me. But when it it quit working and she tried to change the batteries, she pulled it out and set it on the counter. That’s MY cue to take a look at it. After pronouncing it dead, and after having nothing else to do and nothing to lose, I took it apart. Which went rather well…until I STEPPED on it for a test run!

I was in absolutely horrified! I am not a health nut or physical fitness freak. I blessed with good genes (except for the cancer one) and pretty much eat what what I want. But there it was…3 digital black numbers staring up at me screaming ’190 -how do ya like THAT….pig!” I had gained at least 10 pounds and had never weighted that much in my entire life. THIS was not acceptable!

I don’t know about nutrition and exercise. When satan comes to tempt me, it isn’t uncommon for me to say ‘yes yes!’ so losing the weight is foreign territory for me. As is self discipline! But the decision to either accept my weight or change it were the only 2 options. So I quickly invented the ‘S&S’ K.C. Diet. ‘Sweat and starvation!’ I made up outside manual labor jobs to do and replaced food with water. This isn’t fun!

Jesus said to ‘WORK!’ Which is kind of the opposite of His FREE gift of salvation. Which makes Christianity easy…and yet hard. It’s FREE… but it costs you your LIFE! And you only get HIS life when you GIVE YOURS away! Oh…and FREE includes WORK! But if I want to be rid of the piggy, sinful flesh, I must WORK at following HIS Spiritual plan for me. He’s very patient…but persistant!

I read that following Jesus is at LEAST a tough as learning how to play the piano. It takes time and discipline. Even if one doesn’t HAVE it! And there is no quick or easy way. In THAT domain I have learned a fairly good system. I call it the ‘S&S’ K.C. plan. More SONful…less SINful. And no…it isn’t usually fun either. But Jesus and I are working on this FREE thing together. Since ‘HE’ IS the scale.

“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30

Bill had heart surgery and was going to be laid up for a while. Going through the Dollar Tree, I spied a Sudoku book and thought…why not? I mean… it’s a time killer, aids in concentration, is in large print and only costs…well you know. I hand delivered it to him, and a few days later it was handed back. I should have thrown it in the trash.

I didn’t…so it’s in my bathroom where, working on my concentration seems to have become a priority. One rule I learned about Sudoku is that it should be done with a pencil and eraser. But all I had was a pen. Not a good start. THIS particular book seems more advanced than most because easy… ain’t! But it DID get me a $100 belly laugh when I opened it and saw this!

Katie found my book while taking a bath. I wasn’t there when it happened, but the evidence told the entire story! Having messed up a couple of so called ‘easy’ ones already, she simply turned the page to start a new puzzle…and stopped…just that fast! She heard me laughing in the other room and put 2+2 together. “You found my nine!” she exclaimed! Smart girl!

I wasn’t laughing AT her. After all, she is a wise woman who rests somewhere at the pinnacle of God’s intended for women. I was laughing at the irony of how easy it is to make ‘easy’ so hard! After all, the evidence of MY failure lay just 5 pages before hers! And as I thought about it, I have to admit…I have NO idea WHY that ‘9’ was so funny!

Anyone who is a ‘born again’ believer in Jesus Christ knows that being one is NOT easy! In fact, my relationship and love for Jesus Christ is SO tight, I could laugh in His face at this Bible verse and say, “WHAT on EARTH were You THINKING?” and get away with it! But I also know Him well enough to KNOW… HE wouldn’t get the joke! Because HE… was serious!

Why do I make following Jesus Christ so HARD when HE makes it clear that it isn’t supposed to be? Why do I walk around most of the time feeling like a LOSER instead of victorious? If light and easy are HIS way…why isn’t it? I think it may have to do with my own expectations.

Katie told me that when she picked up the book and looked, her immediate thought was, “OH…this will be easy..” She wrote her answer based on her expectation. And was wrong! When we feel foolish, it’s humanly easier to just walk away than to correct or start over. Impressions are just that powerful…unless you’re Jesus. I just read, “The cross is proof that Jesus doesn’t ultimately expect my perfection.” if so, then start over’s are just plain normal. And THAT, my friends, makes me smile!

“…everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:8

Standing before me, looking more like a surgeon than a waiter, I had asked. And though the mask he wore hid his face, his whole body was rebelling at the question. So I asked again, in a different way. And he lied to me…again!

Being the first day the restaurants were allowed to open after the ‘pandemic,’ it was a fun occasion for us. I missed taking Katie out to eat. I also hated that restaurant employees had it hard and planned on a good meal and nice tip. Wearing a hat with a cross on it, I made sure my waiter knew where I was coming from. I thought we hit it off…since he called me ‘my friend’ several times. He seemed genuine and I genuinely I liked him…until the lie!

It was check time, and I just decided to throw it out there along with the big tip. “So… are you a Jesus guy?” He gave me the ‘blow off’ answer… “I believe in God.” So I asked the next question. “Which God?” It seemed he started speaking in tongues! Because what he answered made NO sense at all. “I don’t presume to know about different gods and believe”… blah blah blah!

He had shown promise! In his concern and fear about a virus, he seemed ripe to discuss the subject of something MUCH more certain and worse… hell! But no! He showed no concern, care or interest in even pursuing the subject of salvation! And it is more frighting to me than any disaster. People today talk endlessly about temporary things, but not about eternal things after life ends! Death looms over us all…and few consider to ask about a solution!

Even though he showed no signs of interest, I pointed to the cross on my hat and explained the torturous death Christ died for HIM.. out of love. I then handed him a card with the Gospel, even though he told me he had heard it all before! This morning I prayed for him, and ASKED God to give my waiter ‘friend’ a little kick in his spiritual buttuski.

After considering the scenario over and over again, I did everything I could have done. Jesus asked me to ask the waiter. I asked Jesus to serve the waiter. Which leads me to ask… What is Jesus asking YOU to ask for?