“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.” John 14:21

Needing some shelves in my garage, I was looking forward to the task. It had been many years since I’d done any kind of carpentry work. 45 years ago I had started in carpentry to provide my betrothed a living. It was back then I learned, often the hard way, from a seasoned old codger who expected me to do it right! As I picked up my saw, I remembered!

Whenever hands reach for a saw, a gun, a knife or even the steering wheel of a car, there are rules to LIVE by. These inanimate objects have no brain, but serve as tools to do their master’s bidding. If the user does not choose to follow the rules, life can be severely disrupted! Setting saw on plywood, instinct kicked in and I remembered those commands.

“SET the blade to the depth of the cut. WEAR safety glasses! AVOID the blade! WATCH the extension cord and PLAN for where it will follow. MOVE smoothly with the speed of the saw. For a straight line, watch where you’re going… NOT where you’ve been!” In seconds, I had them down and proceeded. 12” inches later I could tell, by sound alone, I had missed one!

If you’ve ever cut wood with any kind of saw, there is a satisfying rhythm to it. As the blade cuts, it creates a sound. That sound tells an experienced person how fast or hard to push and the resulting quality of the cut. The sound of my saw told me the saw-blade was dull. Not having another, I did the ‘next right thing’ and slowed the movement of the saw.

My Master Jesus has commands, or rules, that He wants me to live by. Though they are in black and white, and sometimes in red, they often turn gray or dull when time comes to actually apply them. ‘Giving’ seems rather simple, until pen and checkbook are in hand. Honoring and obeying? EASY… until a selfish heart is pricked! What then?

The hard way of learning has taught me that there is no way around the hard way. Jesus told me to keep my head in His Word and remember the basics every step of the way. Even when it gets hard.  And that if I watch where I’m going, and not where I’ve been, He will always be out in front. I am simply called to KNOW and DO … the “next right thing!”

Are YOU cutting it with Jesus?

“Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.” Ecclesiastes 10:3

“You’re not going to believe this,” were the first words out of Katie’s mouth as she walked in the door from work. Pulling up this picture taken 10 minutes before, she said, “What is wrong with this world? Are people really THIS STUPID?”  Her naivety can be so cute sometimes!

She went on to say, “whole families traveled the Oregon Trail over 2100 miles without signs this huge and ugly. Yet people can’t cross a parking lot without 3 of them trashing the landscape?” I didn’t have the heart to tell her only about 20% of those Oregon Trail travelers actually went all the way. AND that they trashed Wyoming, sacrificing long term benefit for immediate ease. Fools tend to do that!

Later that afternoon, I pulled into another parking lot and saw a man, about 10 years older than me, drive up in a sporty little BMW convertible (WHY?) with the top down. I watched him get out of his car, then lock the door with the key… the top still down!

Now I admit to being FAR from perfect. Though not be the brightest bulb on the tree, I am not stupid. In fact, ‘stupid’ is at the top of my personal list of intolerable things!  I can handle ignorance. But not the stupid! God made me in His image, gave me a conscience (basic common sense) and later wrote the Bible. While today’s cell phones grant access to every kind of information in seconds, foolishness just seems to grow!

Those signs are there to speak to pedestrians, “Walk Here!” To drivers, “beware of walkers here!” But to the owners, and the zoning officials who require them, the signs say, “don’t blame us if stupid happens… we warned you!” Which is EXACTLY WHY God sent His Son and gave us His Word. So what other name can be given to someone who doesn’t pay Him attention

Does the world see you as foolish for God? Or does God see you as a worldly fool?

“Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:20-21

I have stuff! LOTS of stuff! So much stuff that I have nowhere to put it except for whatever empty space happens to be available when I am done with my stuff! Being a reasonable guy, that space is where I put it. But when I need or want it again, I can’t remember where that was! I need a place for my stuff! Shelves!? Yea!!! Those!

I was given plenty of 2×4’s by someone who had the same idea, but didn’t get around to doing it. I’ve had them for a while. The trouble is, they’re just laying around taking up space until I get around to building them. The trouble with THAT is, what do I do with my stuff while I’m building the shelves over where my stuff is now?!

As I was rearranging and organizing to build shelves to rearrange and organize, I came across some stuff I had forgotten about. A very full case of files from when I was a Scoutmaster, over 20 years ago. Which was about the last time I looked at it!

I was about to just throw it in the garbage… hesitated… looked inside. BIG mistake!

That bag, along with boxes of other stuff… is my life! Looking through it, I remembered the thousands of hours and money I invested in kids… mine and others. Then there’s the tools and materials I use, and still need, to maintain the investment in my home. I can’t just throw those away because there is still a need! So… shelves!

I realize that someday I will be dead and other folks will go through my stuff without the same memories or needs. I’m pretty sure they’ll chuck it all in a trash bin to make room for their stuff! Then I remembered this verse and wondered, “Does Jesus have shelves in Heaven?

If He commands me to store my treasure in Heaven, just where does He put it all when I send it on? Does it take up space? Can it be sorted through and reused? These are silly questions I have no answers for, but they do make me think about the things I store up there.

God is in the People Business. Because of that, whatever I do, with and for people, are the treasures God receives and stores on my behalf. If they are treasures, then they will be worth holding onto and remembering. My job is to send them ahead. God’s job is to store them. How He does it, I need not know? Maybe HE has shelves too!

Are YOU sending anything valuable ahead of you to Heaven?

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15

Indescribable is the perfect word for the gift I ordered for my wife! There are words that may be used to TRY to explain. But they fall short of definition, by a long shot. Let’s just say that the chasm lying between intention and actual has yet to be defined!

While online, an ad popped up from a clothing manufacturer. In 45 years of marriage, I have NEVER had the thought this picture presented. Suddenly, I had an overwhelming desire to surprise my bride with that dress! I could visualize her wearing it and sense her joy when she received this beautiful thing! So I ordered it! And 1 more!

Though it took several weeks, the 2 packages finally arrived. I was SO excited to present this offering of love to my beautiful bride. But just in case I told her, “you don’t have to like it!” Which, as it turns out, MUST have come from the Holy Spirit! Because when she opened the package, her eyes bugged out in a shocking, silent stare.

The look on her face was UN-describable… which means ‘impossible.’ As she stared, she turned the dress over and over, looking at it from every angle. Finally, she spoke… “this thing is uglier than SIN!!! What were you THINKING?” Which gave me the clue that she didn’t like it! But my emotional anticipation of joy had to go SOMEWHERE!

The look on her face set me off. I didn’t think her reaction would be so extreme! Then mine was the same. I started howling with uncontrollable laughter and could not stop! Describing WHY the dress was so bad only made me laugh harder! I hadn’t laughed that hard in years! When she tried it on at my insistence, the laughter bellowed from both of us.  It did NOT look like the picture, but was worth every penny of the $30 I paid for the thing!

While I hid the other package, I mentally analyzed the chasm between intent and actual! Somewhere between theory and reality, I discovered another ‘no-man’s land.’ Having crossed a gulf of sincere intention, I learned that imagination can be very dangerous. I had imagined beauty and appreciation. I got ‘The Comedy Station!’

UN-describable means ‘impossible’ to define. IN-describable means about the same… but go ahead and give it a try anyway! My love for Katie is rock solid real, as is my love for God. And while I may have difficulty explaining or showing it, they both LOVE how I try! It’s the continual trying that makes ALL the difference! Even if it leads to laughter!

How would YOU describe YOUR love for God?

“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” Revelation 21:5

“The Chair” was part of a full Living Room set that was purchased during Christmas, over 30 years ago. We had just purchased our new house, and being much larger than anything we had ever owned before, we had rooms to fill. When Katie saw the red plaid, it jolted her artsy heart and BAM! It was ours. And still is!

“The Chair” has become both HOLEY AND HOLY! It is on this throne where my queen, and God’s daughter, sits every morning to commune with the Master of the Universe. There are holes in places worn out by time. But though the outside wears away, it is still the most comfortable place for her to meet God. And therefore… Holy!

The furniture reminds her of the clothes of the Israelites when they wandered in the desert. It keeps functioning… except for a hole or 2! We have tried several times to find something to replace it. But nothing strikes her like this set did. One year, after visiting 15 stores, I said, if you just stop, I’ll use the money and take you to Israel!

Reading Scripture helps me to know God’s heart. Being a HUGE fan of God’s plan for the future, I’m reminded that He does NOTHING without considering the past! He will take everything that has been corrupted by sin, and make it NEW! He won’t throw it away, He will bring it to it’s original perfection as intended! “God don’t make junk!”

The process of RE-storation is costly and takes a LOT more time. Jesus created everything in just 6 days! Restoration got underway as soon as Eve chomped on bad fruit and has been going on ever since! It’s hard to comprehend, because society applauds throwing out the old to get brand new! An offer I made to my Bride for “The Chair.”

After visiting 5 stores, I cut to the chase… “I’ll buy you a BRAND NEW CHAIR and then have it professionally upholstered in any fabric you want!” THAT put an immediate stop to the shopping. AND to the idea of replacing the chair! She said, “I love my chair! I’m going to redo it myself!” Now how can I argue with that, since she has the same mind as our God! But I ALSO know, like God’s job in restoring EVERYTHING… this ain’t gonna be simple!

Are YOU excited anticipating YOUR ‘All New’ home in 100 years?

“Who is this who keeps darkening my counsel without knowing what he’s talking about?” Job 38:2 (ISV)

It happened TWICE yesterday. And both times, I was talking with a fellow believer about God and His sovereignty. One was just debating for the fun of it. The other was in a HORRIBLE situation. Though from different poles of seriousness, their conclusion ended the same. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.

Bill is my friend and a fellow believer. He’s an old guy who, by even his own account, should have died YEARS ago. My visit to him was more than serious. He was suffering in sorrow because his son was dying! My calling was to pray, encourage, strengthen and give Him Jesus. All was going well, until he said those words!

“I’ll be ok when God sees fit to take him!” Bill and I have a very good relationship. We can shoot straight and ‘tell it like it is!’ But he was just guilty of NOT straight-shooting! So I let him have it… in a humorous bantering way, of course! Cuz even ‘I’ have SOME compassion on the hurting! But… Bill just called my Dad a murderer!

Later, I went to the gym. I hate the gym, but love the guy who owns it. We are experienced Christian brothers able to debate without anger. He’s trying to turn me into a Calvinist. A Calvinist believes that GOD appoints people, by HIS choice, to go to heaven or hell. In other words, GYM-man just called my Dad a murderer!

Now I don’t have stupid friends! For long, that is. But they are not stupid. They read and understand The Word of God better than most. Their words don’t come out because of spite or ignorance. They are simply drawing conclusions from the mysteries that come from real life entangled with the Real God! Just like Job!

To me, saying that God TAKES people in HIS time is to call God a murderer. Saying too, that God creates people to send them to hell, is calling God a murderer. I can’t help but react to the charge, because I KNOW God PERSONALLY as MY Daddy! And NOBODY calls MY DADDY a MURDERER without a fight!

This matter will NEVER be settled, this side of Heaven, because there are Bible verses to support both sides of the argument. As for me, I simply refuse to see my Heavenly Father as ANYTHING other than what He has personally shown me. Perfect in Love… ALWAYS! And THAT is the way ‘I’ see it! To me… any other way is just a bad idea!

How do YOU see God?

“What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” 1 Corinthians 14:26

I’m a child of the mid 50’s. He… maybe the late 80’s. My drumming days were long over before he was even born! When he came to church about a year ago and found out I still have my drums, he told me he was a musician and said, “we ought to get together and jam!

We didn’t know each other and shared only 1 thing… Jesus! The music he listens to, I don’t. Bands he knows about, I’ve never even heard of! His favorite style, as far as I can figure, is more Johnny Cash meets Bob Dylan. Having never heard a cool drum solo from either of their bands, the slow, country, folksy rhythms don’t naturally draw me. And he wants to JAM?

I played drums to all kinds of music with LOTS of musicians… from Rock to polka, my mantra was often, “no, I don’t know that song, but get started and I’ll catch up!” Drumming was my favorite hobby in life, until it got me my FAVORITE thing… my Katie! After her, drumming in bars was happily prohibited. She wasn’t about to lose HER drummer to another groupie!

A few months ago, Steven and I started ‘Jammin.’ Honestly, I didn’t expect much. Still don’t! HE’s more visionary than me… which is a good thing! He comes up with ideas and we’ll start to play. Soon, he’ll let me know with a facial expression that he doesn’t like this or that, or he’ll banter a suggestion opposite of mine. Then I banter back my dusty ideas! Done-ing it!

Done-ing! If it isn’t a word, it should be. 2 men from 2 different generations with completely different styles coming together, rubbing each other’s ideas… sharpening, grinding and sweating in an unfinished church building without air conditioning! FOR WHAT? Did you read the verse? Because the common denominator for BOTH Steven and I lies in it’s truth!

LOVING Jesus is not enough. Lots of people claim to. But what separates REAL lovers of Jesus from the fakers… is a servant’s heart. TRUE Disciples of Jesus Christ FOLLOW Him and DO what He says and showed by example. He SERVED bums like me with the purpose of building up a Bride. Humbled by that thought… He called me to do the same, commanding… “See my Church… DO the same!”

Steven thinks we could become famous. I just laugh at the illusion. But knowing this verse, Jesus Christ personally AND what ‘The Word’ says about the future… Steven has a point! Someday in Heaven, we will be called before Jesus, with an audience of EVERY BELIEVER in the history of the world in attendance, and Jesus will say… “Steven… K.C…. play us a tune!” And the Glory of, from and for Jesus Christ… will dance!

What are YOU Done-ing for His Church?

“Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.” Isaiah 40:17

SQUIRREL!!!!!!!! Every morning is the same routine. Sitting in my chair, I love to spend time with God by reading His Word and letting it soak in. Lifting my eyes to the outside, I am drawn to a flitting scurry of something that, I have learned, is really nothing! But it always makes me wonder!

The house at about the 10 o’clock position of my line of sight has a lot going on back there. The neighbor has set up a feeder that has become the center of several squirrel’s attention. Every morning, they take turns running down the fence row, leaping up onto the feeder and eating the freely supplied food. The activity even seems to be organized! Again, I wonder.

The distraction does me no harm. But I wonder because I just can’t figure it out to a conclusion that makes sense in the scheme of things. God made both man and squirrels. He provides food for both, though the squirrels seem to have an advantage. God provides food FOR them. All they need to do is go find it. Men have to do more for it!

If one is an animal lover, it can be quite entertaining to look out in nature and see God’s creatures abiding within your tax paid space. Giving free food may insure their visit, but it does NOT make a squirrel LOYAL to you. It only makes them a leech!

This scene drew me to a study about how God views me… His created. Just how does God see me and what and how much do I matter to Him? When I came to today’s verse, my world got a little shaky! Am I like one of those worthless squirrels, here only for entertainment purposes to give God the prideful feeling of being a king? It’s a fair question.

I’ve had this silly idea to write about for a long time. But after thinking about it, I have come to a conclusion that may not even become yours. I was created to FELLOWSHIP with God by allowing Him access to my heart in dependence and awe. With Him IN me, I matter TO HIM! I am NOT placed here to take advantage of His provision, or for His entertainment. I am either a SON… or I am nothing!

SO… feeder on God’s provisions… What are YOU to Him… beside cute!?  

“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7

My lovely bride has a different kind of eye than me. If she sees something that doesn’t match or go together, she cannot rest until it is either corrected or out of sight. She can tolerate it… but not peacefully. After all her hard work at Church for Easter, I wanted to do something special for her. But first, I had to use the bathroom! Upon seeing, I was relieved!

It’s funny because everybody has one and uses it several times a day. But no one over 6 years old likes to talk about ‘The Toilet, the potty, the toity! As I stood there looking at ours, it was a mess! Katie had pointed it out several times over the last year, but I didn’t know what she wanted ME to do about it! Then I had a revelation!

Our Toity is old. I have scrubbed it with bowl cleaner repeatedly, and even used lime and scale remover. But nothing on the end of a stick works to rid the ugly scale deposits that remain. Having an idea, a desire and determination… I declared war! With brush, acid and a screwdriver, I got on my knees and my hands began to scrape and chip until… TADAAAA!

Here’s the dirty truth… Sin is Poo! Everybody has it! Even after our old self has been flushed away by Christ’s sacrifice, we still must live with the scaly deposits of stinky, dirty poo. And not just our own. I am often disgustingly affected by what even friends, family and associates leave behind. Scraping my own bowl, I realized HOW I deal with it… matters!

I found this picture today by typing ‘gold toilet’ into Google! Even as I did, I didn’t have much hope. But I was SHOCKED because, what I thought was a joke, is something many people will spend lots of money to acquire! Seeing ‘Gold Toilet’ paper in the search, I realized that the same arrogance that runs through some, runs through me! I don’t like it!

Psalm 51 is David’s plea to God for forgiveness after the whole Bathsheba affair. Trying to rid himself of the stench left behind proved only to make things worse. Arrogance and shame outran his ability to cope when he affirmed that the ONLY way to become clean was to face God and accept whatever punishment He would require. At least God is merciful!

I have a lot of experience in cleaning a dirty heart! Though my poo has been cleared, I am not completely clean. The process of Sanctification requires cooperation with The Holy Spirit. Hyssop was a switch from a tree used to apply the lamb’s sacrificial blood to the doorposts at Passover. And though we don’t use them today, eradicating ugly spots from sin is still an ongoing, painful and required process.

After it was clean, I couldn’t resist. I decided to go buy a new seat as well. Which makes perfect sense! In the sin eradication business, I can’t sit on my own throne and clean it at the same time! What a humbling thought!

So…. how clean and stink free are you… Really!