Archive for May, 2009
May 09
There is no place like home
This is absolutely my favorite time of year. I love being at home and watching nature unfold in our own yard. We have purposed over the last few years to add more trees, shrubs, and plants to our little 1-acre lot . So, the trees coming back to life, the lilacs and honeysuckle in bloom, the crabapple trees in full color, the vegetable garden getting planted, the bluebirds nesting in our yard, and the hummingbirds back at the window feeder are all reminders of life—and life more abundantly.
Daily, my wife and I walk around the yard to check up on all of our babies. How are our little trees doing this year? How about the small spruce trees? Is that winter burn or is that tree not doing so well? How are the baby bluebirds doing? It looks like the strawberries are being formed. You get the picture. Through it all, I see more and more detail of those things and I would know if something happened to any one of them. Also, I see God through it all.
I was watching the silver maples shed their load of seeds the other day. I have seen this many times before, but I was mesmerized by the whole thing. The seeds are transported by what looks like a helicopter wing. The wind was blowing fairly strong and some of the seeds were getting carried a hundred yards away from the tree. Ingenious! The seeds go far, but not too far.
There is no way that the design of those seeds could possibly happen by chance. It was designed, from the beginning, to do what it does. It is a tree, it does not think, it just does what it was designed to do.
There is only one explanation—a designer. The only possible designer is God.
I see this all over the place through the nature in our yard. I see examples of His handiwork everywhere. The more I slow down and watch, the more evident it becomes. I did not need to travel to the Pyramids or Hawaii to find Him. I have found a level of happiness and satisfaction by finding God in my own backyard. I hope you too can find Him in the most usual of places.
May 09
A Day of Honor
I am no soldier.
I have not served our country.
I have not made that type of sacrifice for a cause.
I am a creature of comfort
I too easily serve my own flesh.
I live in the luxury of their blood.
And as I sit here tonight and breathe in the sweet smell of spring, I am humbled by what they have done for me. At peace in my own yard, in perfect weather. I purpose to not take what we have for granted. This is an awesome country. We are free. We are prosperous. We have unlimited potential.
I put into remembrance the price that was paid for me to live a life so grand. 675,000 of them. Many more have continued to be haunted by their experiences. The eloquent words spoken by President Lincoln to a mother who lost her five sons in battle, speaks volumes for the gratitude of such service.
Dear Madam,
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
Abraham Lincoln.
The only thing I can add is this:
Thank you.
May God bless all those that have paid such a price for the freedom that we enjoy today.
May 09
I have had enough
I was mowing the lawn tonight, which I love to do, and I noticed a little louder than usual sound coming from the mower. At a convenient point, I stopped and did a little motor inspection. I had a cracked muffler, and a big crack at that. It was sounding like the muffler was not even attached. I took off my ear protection and yikes, it was loud.
Yesterday, as I was walking around the yard, I noticed one of my trees, a 7-footer, looked a little peaked. The buds had formed, the leaves we out about an inch, but then nothing. All of the other crimson maples were fully leafed out. Had it died?
Earlier this week, some other tree and shrub issues came to light. I had a mature burning bush, a couple of arrowood viburnum, a couple of small river birch, and a four-year old bur oak that died. I have never had that kind of winter kill before.
A few years back, I remember believing that everything I planted would not only survive, but thrive. I made that confession over them all. I had not doubt that they would do just that. And they have. The last couple of years, I planted more trees and shrubs, but did not make the same confession.
Why didn’t I do the same for those? I failed in a very basic principle. Do not forget the Lord. When things are going well, you tend to drift from the those things that bring blessings into your life. You put a little less effort into it, and start taking things for granted. Hey, things are going well, I don’t need anything else.
Tell me, when you are working and things are going great, aren’t you proud of yourself? Look at what I did! Anyone else need my help? I have all the answers! You get all nice and puffed up, just prime pickings for the big burst.
So, that’s it! I am done yo-yo-ing with those things of the Lord. I will be more purposeful to give thanks to Him in ALL things. I know the blessings I have are from Him. I know I would not be where I am today without Him. I purpose to give Him the glory and honor in everything I do. Amen.
May 09
If I was a rich man
What is a rich man anyway? Is it material wealth? I looked up the definition of rich, and out of the 10 definitions, only one has to do with money. So let’s say it is material wealth, is that a bad thing? Everyone strives to do well financially, so why is it when there is a level of success in that arena, all of a sudden that person is scorned upon?
Is it jealousy or that pious attitude that you know better on what you would do with that wealth than the person or entity that has it? “Well if I had that much money, I would do such and such”.
Isn’t it all relative anyway? I mean the “rich” guy should sell his big house and cool car to live more modestly. Then he could do more for the (fill in the blank) _________. But compared to 90% of the world, we in the US are richer than most everyone. So why don’t you go sell all your stuff, live like they do, and then YOU can do something about whatever “it” is that you are concerned with.
Or maybe it isn’t all the rich people. It is just those rich preachers. You know, all they want is your money. Hmm? I think all churches take offerings. Why do they do that? Is it to just keep the local church afloat? Don’t you think churches want to have influence? If the values and morals that the church represents were to exert a greater influence on society, don’t you think we would live in a better world? I do.
You pay for movie tickets, tickets to the ball game, restaurants to eat out at, and the like. Do you care what they do with your money? No, since you received some value with your purchase, you are satisfied. With the church, you personally benefit and the ability of the church to exert a greater, positive influence on society expands as well.
So what’s the rub then with the church and money? It is as if you become the moral authority and whatever passes the acid test for you, you’re fine with it. Whatever does not, you feel like you have a legitimate gripe. The thing is, there is only one person’s action that you are accountable for, and that’s yours.
Do I agree with everything the “church” does? No, but so what! Tell me, is there anyone, or anything you agree with 100% of the time? I give because of what He has done for me. I give because I want the influence of the church to grow. I give because I want the influence of the Word of God to touch people’s lives. I will leave the management of that money to the people that will ultimately be accountable for how it is used. And personally, the more I have, the more I can give. All to the glory of God!
May 09
Dandelions, the king of weeds
I was out mowing the lawn tonight for the fourth time this year. I thought I do a pretty good job of keeping the lawn looking nice, but then I noticed them. What were they? The enemies of the lawn. Weeds! Dandelions, creeping charlie, and clover.
Well what the heck! You want the grass, trees, and shrubs to grow and thrive, so you treat them nice, water them, fertilize them, and give them a regular hair cut and trim. Some parts of the lawn do well, some not so much. Some trees and shrubs are doing well, some are dying.
But those weeds. You attack them, pull them out, put weed killer on them, and generally try to choke them out… and they still thrive! So with all the disparaging treatment, why do the weeds seem to multiply? There is more weeds this year than last. Then, in mid-summer and into the fall, I start forgetting about them. The blooms die and they start blending into the lawn. Out of sight, out of mind.
It reminds me of those little issues I am trying to take care of in my life. Being a better husband and father, getting into the Word more, and finishing those open items that continue to gnaw at me. The "biggies" have been dealt with, but those pesky little ones are tough to completely eliminate. Sometimes they pop-up, flower, become apparent to everyone, bloom, and then drop seeds all over the place. Then as time goes by, they just blend in with the rest of my life. Then again, they pop-up again, worse than before.
If I was persistent in taking care of them, they would not become the nuisance that they are. It’s not a once-a-spring chore, it is regular effort throughout the season that gets results. I purpose to become a regular weed puller in all areas of my life on a more consistent basis. Not through guilt, but because I want to exhibit the love that He has shown me.
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