Bless You

It’s really a strange thing, when you think about it. Someone sneezes and people feel compelled to say, "Bless you!"

Why is that? Isn’t a sneeze the only bodily function that draws such a blessing? Coughs and belches? No! No blessing for those.

Some say blessing the sneeze is rooted in the superstitious idea that either the soul is escaping the body during a sneeze or that evil spirits use a sneeze as an opportunity to enter the body. Interesting!

I’m all for blessing, but let’s go beyond the sneeze and beyond superstition. How about this week we really try to bless other people with words, meaningful words, words rooted in this blessing?

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."

May the Lord bless you and your week. Happy Monday!

What do you see?

What do you see? How would you describe it?

Teachers often use a photo like this to point out that we focus on the black dot, ignoring the white sheet.

This illustrates the way a lot of us look at life.

We fail to see all the goodness, represented by the white space, focusing instead on the little black dot.

It’s so easy to see and focus on the dot!

I can’t ignore the reality of the dot, but I sometimes fail to see all the good, white space that surrounds it.

Anyone else have the same problem?

Pray for your Enemies

"May the fleas of a thousand camels nest in your shorts," Johnny Carson used to crack as Carnac the Magnificent on the Tonight Show.

Is that, or much worse, the kind of prayer/desire you have for your enemies? I think that’s very normal, yet Jesus really challenges us to do something that is so different and so difficult.

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

Jesus did it. He challenged them and rebuked them, but in the end, he prayed for them.

How can I do that? And just what is it that I praying for?

It can only be done by the power of God and by aligning our desire with God’s. His desire? That all people, including those who hate him (and us), come to know him and his love.

God is patient with us and the process.

We need to keep praying.

Is it OK?

Anyone ever ask you, "Is it OK to ____________?"

Maybe you are the one asking the question. Most of us have been on both sides of it.

Christians, I think, wonder about what is permissible. Maybe a better question is this.

What is best and the most beneficial?

As Paul writes the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 10:23, 24 ), he quotes them regarding their permissive approach, and then he suggests a better thing to think about.

"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

Our individual choices impact others, so we follow the model of Jesus of putting the interest of others before our own.

What do you think about that?

Prepare for the Path

"Prepare your children for the path instead of the path for your children."

I really like that!

Do parents sometimes hover around trying to remove all the obstacles for their children, believing they are clearing a way for (vicarious?) "Success?"

Isn’t that a formula for frustration and failure in multiple ways?

Isn’t it much better to simply prepare our children for the inevitable obstacles, disappointments, and failures that will be a part of life’s journey?

There is very little we can control regarding what shows up in/on our path, but we can control our attitude, response, approach, and reaction. Right?

If you have faith, then trusting God is the key.

Teaching our children these things starts with us. Ready? Here comes Monday!

Faithfulness

Faithfulness is defined in various ways, including "adhering firmly and devotedly, as to a person, cause, or idea; loyal," and "having or full of faith."

I think a better way to define it is to look at Phyllis Mundy. She left work yesterday for the last time as a long time employee.

She worked for the same doctor for more than 30 years. She has seen and comforted 1000s and 1000s of parents and children, including four of mine. If you live around here, then she probably did the same for yours.

Faithfulness seems to be a rare quality anymore, so we need to see it and celebrate it. It’s a fruit of the Spirit, a reflection of God’s essence and identity.

Phyllis has modeled it through work and through suffering with various physical challenges over the years, often working while suffering, thinking of others before herself.

She recently received the Heart Award from her place of work. It’s a big award, and those who know her know she deserved it.

Thank you Phyllis for defining and picturing faithfulness!

Two Wolves

A Cherokee elder was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, "A fight is going on inside me, a terrible fight between two wolves.

One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, hatefulness, lust, and lies.

The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, friendship, generosity, faith, and truth.

This same fight is going on inside of you and in all people."

The children thought about it for a minute. Then one child asked his grandfather,

"Which wolf will win?"

The elder replied, "The one you feed."

Galatians 5:24,25

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Look up!

Look! Up in the Sky! It’s a Bird, it’s a Plane, it’s . . .

Do you spend much time looking up? Probably not. That’s why we have to be told to do it. It’s unusual.

If you are like me, then it’s really easy to spend almost all of your time looking down, back, straight ahead, and all around–all on the human/horizontal plane. It can be discouraging, because it’s easy to see problems everywhere.

I need to look up!

Psalm 121:1,2

I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Let’s spend some time today looking up. How about it?

Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but faith looks up!

Resurrection Reality

So what do you do on the Monday after Easter?

If you follow Jesus, then yesterday was probably a big day for you: great worship, large crowds, extra emotion and enthusiasm. It was wonderful!

But now it’s Monday morning. Back to reality.

Yes, but it is a Resurrection reality!

We follow a Savior whose first words after his resurrection included:

"Don’t be afraid."

"Peace be with you."

These are words that work really well all the time, even, and especially, on a Monday.

It's Friday

It was Friday, but Sunday was coming.

Friday was a day of defeat and death. It was a day of darkness and depression. The dream of a new life seemingly was destroyed. Crucified.

Things are not always as they seem! It was Friday--but Sunday was coming!

It took long time coming, but Sunday finally came. Sunday was a day of victory, a day of resurrection!

When we have problems and struggles, trials and temptations, it's Friday, but we know that Sunday's coming as God works out the problems for our eventual good.

It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!

Daily, we are reminded of our ultimate Friday, because daily we see death. But thank God Sunday's coming, when we will share in His resurrection and have eternal life with Him!

It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!

Do the Next Right Thing

What is it?

Do No Harm

Do no harm.

That’s what Hippocrates suggested should be first, way back in the 5^th century B.C., when it comes to medical care. It’s a pretty good approach to life generally.

What happens, though, if you find yourself in the middle of a mess, either one that you created with your words or actions or one that someone else created for you? For a while now I’ve invoked this phrase:

Do no harm.

Those of us who live in the country might say it this way, "If you find yourself in a hole, then quit digging."

It’s really good advice, stated either way.

In the middle of a mess, it’s sometimes best to be quiet, do no (further) harm, and wait. Wait on the Lord, wait on cooler heads, wait on softer hearts.

Do no harm.

Who Are You?

What do you think about yourself?

What do others think about you? (What do you want them to think about you?)

Is there a gap between those two perceptions? Any deception?

What matters, ultimately, is how God perceives us, and the closer we come to seeing ourselves as he sees us, then the closer we are to becoming authentic and having others see us as we really are.

The greater the alignment of the three perceptions–God’s, yours, others’–then the more integrity, peace and joy there is.

These three align for followers of Jesus as we humbly hear God say, "You are my beloved child."

Just Ask

Do you like to ask? Some of us don’t. Embarrassed? Sign of weakness, perhaps? Shows we are not in control?

Recently I saw this Chinese proverb: "He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever."

The Bible, from cover to cover, shows God inviting us to ask him for what we need.

I wonder how much we miss simply because we fail to ask?

Here’s a good place to start (James 1:5):

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.