When the Coast is Clear
“That's when it always happens
Same time every year
I come down to talk to me
When the coast is clear.”
- Jimmy Buffet
The ocean has always been a place of reflection and renewal for me. For some, it is the mountains. For me, it has always been the water.
Recently, Michele and I headed out to Hilton Head Island for the week. Our oldest, David, joined us to celebrate his 24th birthday. Our youngest, Daniel, was on Spring Break and joined us as well.
Hilton Head is not a big spring break destination, so the island was not the least bit crowded. My morning walk on the beach is reflected in the picture above and Jimmy Buffett’s lyrics from the song, “When the Coast is Clear.” The coast truly was clear each morning, offering only an occasional walker who would exchange a knowing nod with me.
Buffett’s song goes on to say…
Hello mister other me
It's been a long time
We hardly get to have these chats
That in itself's a crime
So tell me all your troubles
I'll surely tell you mine
I find the “other me” at the ocean. My guard comes down. My schedule stops. My constantly racing mind slows down. I am reminded of who I am.
The ocean reminds me of the vastness of God and the depths of His love for me. Whenever I stand at the foot of the relentless waves and unknown depths where I can no longer hold onto any illusion of control, I recall God’s words from Job 38 of the Old Testament.
Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?
Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt?
Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.
Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
and a path for the thunderstorm,
to satisfy a desolate wasteland
and make it sprout with grass?
Can you raise your voice to the clouds
and cover yourself with a flood of water?
Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens…
The ocean reminds me of who is really in control, who is truly worthy of our worship, and of the one who can be trusted.
The ocean humbles me before the Creator.
It also reminds me of the One who washes me clean.
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me …” Psalm 51:1-2
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool." Isaiah 1:18
I need a regular trip to the ocean. Not to improve my tan or work on my golf game but for humility and healing.
These past few months, I have been in desperate need of both. God delivered at just the right time.
Always remember…
"Who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name." Jeremiah 31:34-35
I am thankful (and so should you be) that it does not read, “Brian Summerall is his name.”
I think we all need that reminder on a regular basis.
See you at the shore.
Happy Birthday, Dad
This past weekend, on January 27th, was my Dad's birthday. He would have been 93. We lost Dad at age 88 in 2019 after a long battle with Alzheimer's.
On his birthday, I can't help but look back and remember my Dad and the fact that he was the giver of good gifts.
One of my earliest memories of my Father is from the early 70s. It was early evening, and we were running errands. I was in the back seat of his Chevrolet Caprice Classic company car. The radio was on KVIL 103.7. Glenn Campbell's song, "Rhinestone Cowboy," was playing, and an early elementary school Brian Summerall was quietly singing along.
Picture 7-year-old me singing, "…and I'll dream of the things I'll do, with a subway token and a dollar tucked inside my shoe."
Strangely, even though our errands were finished, Dad pulled into the parking lot of a K-Mart. He parked, looked back at me, and said, "I'll be right back." In the 70s, leaving your child in a locked car in a dark parking lot at night was okay.
About 15 minutes later, Dad returned to the car. He reached into the backseat and handed me a record. It was the 45th single of "Rhinestone Cowboy."
I can't hear that song today without thinking of that moment and the spontaneous gift.
Dad was like that. Occasionally, he would have to pick me up from Junior High when mom had a conflict. He always had a bottled Dr. Pepper (glass… the best!) and a bag of "Lance" peanuts from the bank break room vending machine waiting for me as I got in his car.
Years later, when I became an adult, he'd show up at my front door with a jacket from Costco, Alaskan salmon he'd picked up from Central Market, or a bag of fresh peaches from East Texas. He'd buy me lunch every Friday with golf buddies from Preston Trail. His gift-giving went from Rhinestone Cowboy to college tuition for my kids.
Dad, like any father, had his faults, but when it came to gifts to his children, he modeled out what our heavenly Father is like.
"For God so love the world that he GAVE." John 3:16
"If you then, being imperfect parents, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:11
Not only does the giving of good gifts come to mind when I think of Dad, but I also think of our home at the corner of Cliffbrook Drive and Briar Cove.
Dad's last year was spent in a hospital bed in the middle of the living room of that home. When I would visit, I would remind him we had been in that house for 48 years.
"This is kind of a nice place where you kids grew up," he would smile and say, often with his eyes still closed. He was right.
I remember the day we first went to look at that home when I was 7. Dad had gone ahead of us to see it, and my sisters and I met him later with Mom.
We gleefully ran from room to room, claiming our spaces, and imaged what it would be like to live there. On the way home with Mom in the station wagon, we pleaded with her, begging, "Can we get it? Can we get it?"
She replied, "Your father will do his best."
And he did. Soon came the 1970 September day when I left for school from our old house at 6518 LBJ Freeway (yes, we lived on the freeway) and then walked home after school to the new house.
Flash forward to a November Sunday night in 2018, when I locked up the house for the last time, alone… just after the funeral home people took Dad away.
As I stood by his empty hospital bed in our living room of 48 years…
Just five feet from where we decorated the Christmas tree as kids
Right where we played on the floor with the dogs
Beside the chair where he read the morning news, and we listened to KRLD Sports Central and the Tex Schramm and Tom Landry shows together
A few feet from where I took my prom picture with Lindsey Zavitz by the front door…
The Wonder Years theme music began to play in my head… then I heard the narration from the show.
"There was a time when the world was enormous, spanning the vast, almost infinite boundaries of your neighborhood. The place where you grew up, where you didn't think twice about playing on someone else's lawn. The street was your territory that occasionally got invaded by a passing car. It was where you didn't get called home until after it was dark. And all the people and all the houses that surrounded you were as familiar as the things in your own room."
"Growing up happens in a heartbeat. One day, you're in diapers; the next day, you're gone. But the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul. I remember a place… a neighborhood… a house… like a lot of other houses, a yard like a lot of other yards, on a street like many other streets. There were moments that made us cry with laughter. And there were moments, like this one, of sorrow… And the thing is... after all these years, I still look back… with wonder."
It dawned on me as I stood in the quiet, in the now empty living room, in the house I grew up in.
Alzheimer's did not get the final word in Dad's life. Jesus did.
Because… just like my Father prepared a place for us in Northwood Hills, our Heavenly Father does the same.
"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.'" John 14:1-3,6
Just like in 1971, I woke up in one home, left, and then walked home to the new Summerall home my Dad prepared for us.
Dad woke up that 2019 November Sunday morning in our earthly home on the corner of Cliffbrook and Briar Cove. That evening, Jesus walked him home to his eternal home.
For you see, love prepares a place.
One day, we will all wake up in our earthly homes, but as believers, we will be walked to the eternal home our Heavenly Father prepared for us.
It won't be long. I'll see you soon, Dad. And if you could have a bottled Dr. Pepper waiting with a bag of Lance peanuts from heaven's break room, you won't hear any complaints from me.
Kicking Christmas To The Curb?
The joke's on the Christmas tree, New Year's is here
The king of the living room's out on his ear
You take back the gifts that you laid at his feet
And you drag the old tannenbaum out to the street
We took back the star that he thought was his crown
We packed up in papers his bright-colored gown
The lights and the ornaments back on the shelf
His majesty now can take of himself
In a ditch by the roadside he dies like a dog
What once was the Christmas tree now is a log
Broken brown branches half-buried in snow
Are bones of a hero one Christmas ago
But if you look closely, it's easy to see
A tangle of tinsel is caught in the tree
That one badge of honor is all that remains
Of those glorious Christmas tree evergreen days
Evergreen No More by David Wilcox
Okay, the above lyrics by David Wilcox might be a bit extreme, but they do ring true. And if the much anticipated and celebrated Christmas tree does not wind up on the curb, it winds up disassembled and packed up in a box in the dark attic for the next 11 months.
This year, I’m finding that I’m not that anxious to take our Christmas tree down.
Now, I admit that initially, I was not that anxious to put it up, either. Getting up in the attic to get the decorations down, now that the kids are out of the house, takes some extra motivation.
But now that the tree is up and the lights are shining brightly each evening, I wonder if we can keep it up to Valentine's Day.
Why? The tree and its lights bring hope. That’s what they were initially intended for.
Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope that spring would soon come.
According to Scandinavian and Norse traditions, fir trees commemorated the life that stirs even in the most frigid grips of winter.
Evergreens were once brought into the home as symbols of protection. These evergreens were alight with candles. The idea was to “light up” the darkest, coldest conditions.
Saint Boniface, an English Benedictine monk, declared that the evergreen, with its branches pointing to heaven, was a holy tree - the tree of the Christ child and a symbol of His promise of eternal life.
I don’t know about you, but I could always use a bright reminder of hope.
Without hope, it might as well be winter - dark and dreary all year round.
Reminds me of the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia.
"The White Witch?" said Edmund; "who's she?"
"She is a perfectly terrible person," said Lucy. "She calls herself the Queen of Narnia though she has no right to be queen at all… And she has made a magic so that it is always winter in Narnia—always winter, but it never gets to Christmas.”
No Christmas! No Spring! No hope!
So, I might just leave that tree up a little longer. You see, as I watch the evening news filled with stories of the war in Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, the border crisis, another mass shooting, and grown adults bickering like children in the name of a “Presidential” election… I need to glance over and see those lights.
I need to see those beautiful branches pointing towards heaven. I need the “tree of the Christ child” and the promise of eternal life. I need to be reminded that these troubles of the world won't last forever.
Why would I stuff those things in a box in the attic? Who throws hope to the curb?
We need the hope of Christ all year long.
The song “We Need a Little Christmas” originated in the 1966 Broadway hit Mame and was sung by Angela Landsberry (Yes, Murder She Wrote). After the stock market crash of 1929, Auntie Mame tries to hurry up the Christmas preparations, even though it’s still November, hoping it will help take her mind off her lost fortune.
”For I've grown a little leaner, grown a little colder
Grown a little sadder, grown a little older
And I need a little angel sitting on my shoulder
Need a little Christmas now”
Like Auntie Mame, we could all use a bit of light and hope no matter the month or season.
Can’t muster up the gumption to pull the tree off the curb? (I get it). Maybe try one of these four tips to keep hope alive even when things seem their darkest.
1. Gratitude Journaling: Take a few minutes each day to write down things you are grateful for.
"Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Ephesians 5:20
2. Connect with Friends and Loved Ones: Reach out! Grab lunch! Find those people who love you. Encourage one another. Laugh hard together!
“And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone…” Genesis 2:18
“Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
3. Scripture Post-it Notes: Remember when mom would leave you an encouraging note on the napkin in your sack lunch? Leave yourself a few encouraging notes from scripture on post-it notes on your dashboard, mirror, or desk.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path." Psalm 119:105
4. Volunteer: Take the focus off of yourself. Find a way to serve others.
"If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it." Luke 17:33
The Summerall Christmas Tree
Remember, everyone's journey is unique, so finding what works best for you is important. But for me? That tree is going to avoid that attic till at least February.
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1
Oh Holy Night
Written December 25, 2016
I spent Christmas Eve, not in the way I expected last night. My friend, Tod Bush, passed away a couple of days ago. While his brain showed no activity, his body was kept alive on a respirator for the last two days. So yesterday evening, I went up to the hospital for one last earthly goodbye and to try to find some closure.
What I found instead was hope.
You see, Tod was an organ donor, and his body was kept alive so he could serve as a gift to many with no hope. After a tearful “I love you, and I’ll see you in Heaven,” and a final prayer, I sat with his family in the waiting room as this friend I love became the ultimate gift on Christmas.
In the midst of pain and heartbreak, hope entered in right about 8:00 pm in the form of a blue cooler that rolled into the room.
It was accompanied by an EMT and two heart surgeons (one in scrubs and one in golf pants and hat) from North Carolina. They had just landed at Addison Airport and arrived by ambulance. One of the surgeons told us Tod’s heart was going to a man who desperately needed it in North Carolina. While the surgeons were rushed to the operating room with their cooler, we sat with the EMT for two hours and told her about Tod.
Next thing we knew, the EMT got up, the surgeons rushed by, thanked us and told us everything went perfectly, and Tod’s heart rolled out the door in that blue cooler and boarded a private plane to North Carolina.
Jesus gave Tod a new heart when he accepted him at Frontier Ranch 30 years ago. On Christmas Eve, Tod gave that heart to a man in North Carolina to save his life.
“Love so amazing. Love so divine.”
Within minutes, the next EMT rushed in with the lung team. We told her about Tod and his love of the Dallas Mavericks. We told her about the man in North Carolina who would get Tod’s heart and would soon be wondering why he has a strange desire to watch Mavericks games.
After about an hour, his lungs rushed out the door to save a man in Florida.
“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7
The same lungs that God breathed life into for Tod would now give life to a man in Florida. The lungs that climbed mountains so countless kids could hear about Jesus would now give life at sea level.
“A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices.”
It went on all night. They took his eyes so a blind man could see.
“Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?”
He gave everything… heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, eyes, skin, bones, tissue. Coolers rolled out, and planes took off one after another, filled with gifts of hope.
Tod gave everything so that people who had no hope on Christmas Eve would receive the gift of life on Christmas morning.
What’s truly amazing about all of this and the reason it truly stirs our hearts is that Tod’s story is really God’s story. What Tod did for so many last night, God did for all of us on Christmas.
Like the man in North Carolina, God’s word says our heart is defective.
“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9
We are in desperate need of a transplant. Without a donor, we have no hope… no life.
On Christmas Eve, God entered the story. But instead of hope in a rolling cooler, we find it in a manger. Hope entered the world in a baby. Jesus. God with us.
A world with no hope on Christmas Eve, was given the gift of life on Christmas day.
“He came that we might have life and life to the full.” - John 10:10
And just like Tod, God gave everything.
“For God so loved the world, that he GAVE his only son…” John 3:16
“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering… and by his wounds, we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5
The ultimate gift.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” John 1:12
Those who received Tod’s gifts last night got a new life. Those who receive God’s gift today get eternal life.
New heart, new breath, new sight, new life.
So in the midst of heartache and loss last night, I saw God’s story.
I saw what God did for me. I saw hope.
I saw Jesus in Tod when he lived. I experienced Jesus in Tod when he died.
“A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born.”
Alabama, Advent & Hope
Hope. It’s what the first candle of Advent represents. Advent is a time of waiting and anticipation. We celebrate the birth of Jesus and wait with hope for His return.
But what about the other things we hope for and are waiting for in the meantime? What about the places in our lives where we find it hard to have hope?
Our circumstances can sometimes feel insurmountable. Not to trivialize, but I was reminded of that impossible feeling as I watched the end of the recent Alabama/Auburn game.
There were 43 seconds left on the clock.
Alabama trailed their in-state rival Auburn by four points.
It was the 4th down and they had 31 yards to go to score. This would be Alabama’s last play.
A conference championship was on the line. A College Football Playoff spot lay in the balance.
One play.
Realize that teams struggle to convert a 4th and 2, let alone a 4th and 31. Most teams punt on a 4th and 2, but that was not an option here.
Anything short of a touchdown, and the game and season were over.
4th and 31 is pretty much the definition of hopelessness.
Even if you have seen what happened, look again at the video below. Pay close attention to what the commentators, players, and coaches say.
What they say might give us all a roadmap to hope.
Now, let’s look at the quotes in order and see where they lead us.
1. “It was over.”
In other words, it seemed there was no hope. There was no way out of this one. We all have situations like that in our lives. That place where it seems all hope is gone. Maybe it’s a relationship, a prodigal child, an addiction, a financial issue, or a work issue.
2. “There aren’t many plays in the book for 4th and 31.”
You’ve come to the end of your playbook. You’ve tried everything on earth and are at a loss.
Perhaps you can relate to Job when he said, “Where then is my hope— who can see any hope for me?” (Job 17:15)
3. "I pretty much had the losing story already written.”
Oh, how I am guilty of this so many times. I grab the pen from God and write the end of the story. And when I see no hope, the scripts I write in my head are always losing endings. The negative self-talk (or “monkey chatter," as my wife would call it) gets louder and louder in my mind.
4. “I decided to look up and watch and see.”
In the midst of our 4th and 31, we may have exhausted our playbook here on earth and gone as far as we can on our own strength, but maybe it’s time we drop our playbook and look up.
“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)
“Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!" (1 Samuel 12:16)
5. "Believe it or not, we actually practice that play.”
Alabama did not suddenly come up with that winning play or accidentally stumble upon it. No! They practiced it each day at the end of every practice! In a way, you could say that they “practiced hope.”
We need to practice hope as well. It is a muscle that needs exercising; otherwise, it will atrophy and weaken. We are too weak to sustain our personal 4th and 31.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
6. “Alabama found a way to climb out of that grave.”
Thankfully, God does not leave us to find a way out of our circumstances under our own power. If that were the case, we really would have no hope.
“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.” (Romans 6:10)
“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead…” (Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT)
7. “Thank you!!! Thank you very much!!!”
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Overcoming your 4th and 31 situation may not play out like Alabama’s. There might not be as clear of a victory with a marching band and screaming fans. Even so, Paul instructs us to give thanks in ALL circumstances.
No matter what the final play is, we give thanks.
I know how Alabama’s 4th and 31 turned out. But the one I am personally struggling with right now? I have no clue how this one will turn out. But I am thankful for hope. Hope in the Lord.
You see, earthly hope depends on how hard you wish or how many fingers you cross. Heavenly hope is dependent on the strength of the one you hope in. God.
I’m thankful He is much more potent than my wishes and crossed fingers.
Your story is not entirely written, and neither is mine.
God’s book has no shortage of plays for your 4th and 31.
We would all do well to remember that this first week of Advent.
Jimmy Buffett Wisdom
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:30)
That's where the young woman stopped the devotional she was giving to our Young Life camp team meeting. She closed her Bible and stopped reading, leaving Peter drowning and crying out for help.
"I'm not going any further," she said. "I feel like I'm drowning, and I need to know I'm not the only one. The rest of you seem like you have it all together, and I feel alone."
It's funny how we sometimes buy the "Facebook image" other people project. We believe the lie that everyone else's life is a luxurious all-you-can-eat cruise passing us by while we are sinking beneath the waves.
Do you ever feel that way? I know I do. And the holidays can have a tendency to make the waves seem higher and the water much deeper. Due to different circumstances these past few years, the holidays seem to bring that sinking feeling for me. Everyone else is cruising by, and I feel like I'm drowning.
Oh, I try my best to look like I have it together, but that does not change the sinking truth. The fact is that experts will tell you that actual drowning doesn't really look like drowning. In 10 percent of real drownings, adults are nearby but have no idea the victim needs help.
I feel like my life often portrays that same idea. How many people around me, looking at it from the outside, would have any idea I feel like i'm drowning? Probably very few. I attend the parties, lead the workshops, and continue through life, often with a sinking feeling on the inside.
The outward appearance betrays the truth beneath the surface.
If you are feeling that way during the upcoming holiday season, I found some wisdom that was encouraging to me in what might be considered the unlikely source of Jimmy Buffet. (And no, the solution is not a beach and a margarita… though I bet that couldn't hurt.)
Like so many, I was saddened by Jimmy Buffett's recent passing. It didn't come as a surprise, though. Strangely enough, we have a mutual friend who had informed me before his death that he only had months to live. A rare form of skin cancer had taken its toll.
Knowing this, I had listened to much of his older music again over the past many months. But recently, a new song released after his death took me by surprise.
The song is called "Bubbles Up." While it sounds like a new soft drink or a song about a champagne toast, it proves to be much deeper than that.
It turns out that "Bubbles up" was a term Buffet learned in a survival training course he took. In a boat that's capsized or a plane that's crashed into the water, following the bubbles as they always rise to the surface will lead you to safety. The same goes for disoriented scuba divers who are not sure which way is up.
So, for those of us who might feel like we are drowning this holiday season and are not sure which way is up, let me share this Buffett wisdom.
When this world starts a-reelin'
From that pressure drop feelin'
We're just treading water each day
There's a way to feel better
Be well set to weather
The storms 'til the sun shines again
When your compass is spinnin'
And you're lost on the way
Like a leaf in the wind, friend
Hear me when I say
Bubbles up
They will point you towards home
No matter how deep or how far you roam
They will show you the surface, the plot and the purpose
So, when the journеy gets long
Just know that you are loved
Thеre is light up above
And the joy is always enough
Bubbles up
Strangely it seems that this was Jimmy's final message to us all, these wise words from the "Son of a Son of a Sailor."
Feeling like you are just treading water this time of year? Or even worse, drowning? Maybe it's time we took Jimmy's advice and simply looked up.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
Psalm 121 (1-4, 7-8)
God's survival training calls us to look to Him. Cry out to the Lord just like Peter, and say, "Lord, save me!" No matter how deep or dark your waters are, you're not out of reach.
"Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear." (Isaiah 59:1)
When you cry out to him, I guarantee you will find out you are loved.
"...neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is
in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:39)
That the surface is not so far away, and light awaits.
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not
overcome it." (John 1:5)
And the joy of the Lord is always enough.
"The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10)
Usually, I would feel inclined to say "Happy Thanksgiving" this time of year. But this year is different. I will simply leave you with…
Bubbles Up.
Better Than a World Series Walk-Off Home Run
I turned down an invitation to go to the World Series game one last Friday with friends. You know, the game where Adolis Garcia hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to take game one. The one where the crowd exploded with joy as they witnessed one of the greatest moments in Rangers history. Yeah, that one.
You see, it was in 1972 that my father took me up to Sears to join the Dr. Pepper Junior Rangers in their inaugural season. I got my club patch, identification card, and autograph picture of Ted Williams, the team's first manager.
I'm sure there were meetings we were supposed to attend where all of the Junior Rangers would make essential personnel decisions about starting line-ups, contract negotiations, and the pitching rotation. But, I could not drive and had plenty of work on my plate already trying to get through 2nd grade and finishing my latest "Encyclopedia Brown" book report. I must have missed the meetings.
Back to last Friday night. I said "no" to the invitation because Michele and I were flying to Savannah to take our youngest, Daniel, to dinner with their new friends from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). Michele said I could have stayed in Dallas for the game and come out the next day, but I knew Daniel was a bit homesick and did not want to miss the dinner.
While I was looking forward to the time together, I was also equally nervous and slightly uncomfortable going into it. SCAD has a very diverse student body. Michele and I took a trolley tour of Savannah in the fall not long ago, and the tour guide commented on all the beautiful fall colors you see that particular time of year. "Green, orange, yellow, gold… and that's just the colors of the SCAD student's hair," he joked.
In case you have not noticed, I am a 59-year-old white male from suburbia. The kids we were about to eat dinner with did not fit into the nice, convenient black and white boxes that my college roommates seemed to fit so easily in 40 years ago. There are now so many more boxes, sub-boxes, and boxes that have been kicked off and fully rejected by this generation.
I was nervous. How would I fit in? Would I screw up and use the wrong pronoun, whether masculine, feminine, plural, or singular? Would I offend them? Would they even accept me and want to have dinner with an old, conservative, white man from Texas?
Then I got a text from my friend, Austin, who is on Young Life staff. I had shared with him about my upcoming dinner and my nervousness. Austin texted…
"Just had this thought… I'm pretty convinced that if Jesus was going out to dinner with some folks nowadays, his table might look really similar to what y'all's will look like tonight! You're in good company, my friend!"
Austin was right. I was about to be in for a night of great company, like Jesus so often was, and had nothing to be nervous about.
The evening was wonderful. Daniel's friends wanted to meet us at Java Burrito. (I offered to take them anywhere, and that's what they chose… I love that.) We laughed so hard. Those kids are incredibly talented and creative to be at SCAD. Erin and Taylor use they/them as their pronouns, and Megan uses she/her. All I know is that the four of them together are hilarious.
Erin has published their own children's book that teaches kids about dealing with mental illness. This summer, they will be speaking to different kid organizations (community center programs, education) about mental illness and their book.
Taylor does movie and comic book concept art. They love anything and everything Star Wars related. I got to geek out and quiz them on their favorites. (Andor the series on Disney Plus and the movie Rouge One took their top two spots) We both agree the movie "Solo" was never given a fair shake.
Megan creates "Cowboy Art" that is so good her paintings look like photographs. Apparently, she is pretty famous and has had different stories about her on the news. I googled her, and one of her paintings recently sold for more than I paid for our first house.
These kids could not believe we were paying for their meals. And I wonder if they were shocked that we genuinely wanted to hear their stories.
Is there someone Jesus is nudging you to simply listen to? It reminds me of the Walt Whitman quote, "Be curious, not judgmental." I think Jesus would have loads of curiosity and kindness to offer, and I seek to be the same way.
I'm sad and embarrassed to admit that these were kids that, if they showed up at most churches, they would not feel welcome. There would be pointing and whispers. I'm not sure they would make it past the lobby without feeling so uncomfortable and judged that they would leave. And to tell the truth, it's the church I am most sad and embarrassed for, not the kids.
Author Brennan Manning shares a story in his book, The Raggamuffin Gospel -
"The story goes that a public sinner was excommunicated and forbidden entry to the church. He took his woes to God. 'They won't let me in, Lord, because I am a sinner.
'What are you complaining about?' said God. 'They won't let Me in either."
Here is what stuck with me the most from the evening…
When it was time for them to leave, Michele gave each one of Daniel's friends a big "mom hug."
Taylor was a bit stunned and said quietly, "That was really nice. My mom does not hug me."
My heart broke.
Michele went back and gave Taylor a good long hug again.
That was our "walk-off World Series home run" of the evening. That hug. Shoot, it was the walk-off homer of the year, with fireworks blasting to celebrate.
As we walked back to the car, I knew we were exactly where God wanted us to be that evening. I could not help but smile.
Michele asked me later if I was sad I missed seeing one of the greatest moments in Rangers history in person. "Heck no," I answered.
And I'd bet my 1972 Dr. Pepper Junior Rangers membership card and autograph picture of Ted Williams on that, friends.
The Power Of A Cheer
The city of Philadelphia’s slogan is “The City of Brotherly Love.” Most people, however, think it more resembles “The City of Brotherly Shove.”
In 1994, a Gallup Poll named Philadelphia America’s most hostile place. Its citizens are known for their ruthless booing at athletic events. After all, these are the people who actually booed Santa Claus.
The Philadelphia Eagles Santa Claus incident, also referred to as The Santa Claus Game, occurred on December 15, 1968. It was the final week of the NFL season, and the Eagles had only won 2 games that year. Eagles fans in the stands, so upset by the poor season, booed the half-time Santa riding on a float with eight life-sized fiberglass reindeer while simultaneously pelting him with snowballs.
Not much has changed over the last 50 plus years on the Philadelphia sports scene. Most recently, Philadelphia Phillies fans ruthlessly booed their own shortstop, Trea Turner. He was not living up to the expectations of his paycheck. In fact, he sunk to one of the worst hitters in baseball, and the Phillies fans were less than forgiving.
Enter local Philadelphia producer Jack Fritz of SportsRadioWIP, who felt it was time for the fans to take a different approach to their shortstop. He tweeted the following…
Fritz got all the hosts on the station to promote the same idea. It began to go viral on Twitter.
When Trea Turner came up to bat at the next Phillies home game, things were different. The message was different. Instead of the boos of condemnation, Turner received cheers that said, “WE ARE FOR YOU… WE ARE WITH YOU!”
And it was in that moment of compassion and encouragement that things began to turn around for the beleaguered shortstop. While he only got one hit that night, the following day, he homered in a Phillies win and has been on fire ever since. A revitalized Turner has helped lead the Phillies to the playoffs this October, and they hope for a long run.
So thankful for the encouragement of the fans, Trea Turner put up 12 billboards around the city to say “Thank You” to the fans.
The difference between a jeer and a cheer is evident. In fact, it can make all the difference in the world.
Who is it in your world who could use a cheer? Who could benefit from a kind word or simple note of encouragement? Perhaps even a standing ovation when they walk into the office, classroom, or home. I’m serious! Think of the smile on their face when you communicate, “WE ARE FOR YOU… WE ARE WITH YOU!”
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds..”
Hebrews 10:24
The greek word for “spur” in the above verse can be translated as “to stir up.” What would stir up someone in your life more than a standing ovation? Let’s stir it up, people! As believers, we should be first to cheer and encourage others on.
Jim Rayburn, the founder of Young Life, said, “There are thousands of people in this country that no Christian has ever said a kind word to.”
He was right.
Let’s make the decision today to be on the side of cheering and encouraging those God brings into our lives rather than landing on the side of jeering and condemnation. Let’s be the first to come alongside those who are struggling with a message of “WE ARE FOR YOU… WE ARE WITH YOU!”
And if you are the person most needing the encouragement and ovation today. Remember, the citizens of heaven and God himself do the same for you.
“Do you see what this means— all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit!"
Hebrews 12:1 (The Message)
"The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
God Himself is saying to you today, “I am for you… I am with you.” Now go up to the plate of life with confidence, and both enjoy and share the applause of heaven.
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Life Lessons From Barbie
I went to see the Barbie movie. There, I said it.
Now, I do admit that I did not want to go alone. A 59-year-old man going to see the Barbie movie alone in the middle of the day surely puts me on some local "watch list," so I made Michele go with me.
I was pleasantly surprised. I liked it.
Our church has just begun a study on the book of Genesis, and the similarities between Barbie and the first book of the Bible immediately struck me. (There is a sentence I never thought I would type.)
Like Adam and Eve, Barbie has a creator, Ruth Handler.
Much like the Garden of Eden, Barbie is placed by her creator in her version of paradise. Barbie Land.
Every day in Barbie Land "is the best day ever. So was yesterday, and so is tomorrow, and every day from now until forever."
It is not good for Barbie to be alone, so a companion is created for her named Ken.
Like Eve, Barbie wants to seek more knowledge, and thoughts of death enter the picture for the first time.
As a result of this new knowledge, Barbie must leave her perceived "Paradise" of Barbie Land.
Barbie's male companion, Ken, follows her actions and leaves Barbie Land, much like Adam followed Eve's actions.
Once outside their "garden," Barbie and Ken become self-conscious for the first time.
I found a quote from the movie's director, Greta Gerwig, which brings the contrast between life in Barbie Land and life in the "real world" to light.
"How Barbie operates in Barbie Land is she's entirely continuous with her environment. Even the houses have no walls because you never need to hide because there's nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed of. And suddenly finding yourself in the real world and wishing you could hide, that's the essence of being human."
The pink, perfect, plastic world of Barbie and the green, growing garden of Genesis do share parallels. (Okay, spoiler alert. We find out later that Barbie Land is not as perfect as it seems, but you need to see the movie for that part.) The thing that struck me the most in the film that communicated truth was the role of Ken.
The Barbie movie poster reads, "She's Everything. He's Just Ken."
Just Ken.
The movie states, "Barbie has a great day every day, but Ken only has a great day if Barbie looks at him."
Wow.
While Barbie shows that women can do anything and be anything, Ken is merely a sidekick, an accessory. He might as well be a new purse, hat, or pair of shoes for Barbie.
He tells Barbie, "I just don't know who I am without you."
While Ryan Gosling steals the show in his portrayal of the accessory Ken, I was a bit uncomfortable with how he was treated at the beginning of the movie. As a man, it made me uncomfortable to see him treated as less than, secondary, or even an afterthought.
Then I came to a realization. I'm feeling uncomfortable with this two-hour fictional portrayal of men, but women have been treated in the same way by the church for much longer than that.
Just a woman. A sidekick. Less than. Secondary. An accessory.
The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18
"Suitable Helper"
I think our view of those two words might be where we have gone wrong. At first glance, they seem to indicate someone who is secondary, less than, less knowledgeable, or educated.
Well, friends of mine who went for the more expensive seminary degree than I did will tell you this.
The word used for "suitable" in this verse is the Hebrew word "neged." It means in front of, in sight of, opposite to, conspicuous, vigorous, effective, and to stand boldly out.
The word used for "helper" in this verse is the Hebrew word "ezer."
The same word is used to describe God 66 times in the Bible. This "ezer" speaks of God's strength, power, protection, help, and being a rescuer.
A woman is a helper. But so is God. And if you think God is less than, or secondary, or just an accessory, you might want to go back and reread your Bible. (Or at least beware of lighting striking around you.)
"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27
Both are God's image bearers. Both are needed to reflect God's rich glory. Both reflect different characteristics of God. Neither is closer to God.
So when we are tempted to treat ANYONE as less than us, it would do us good to remember Paul's words to the Galatians.
"There is no longer Jew or Gentile, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28
No more "Just Ken."
Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going to watch "The Powder Puff Girls" and "My Little Pony" and see what truths I might find from the books of Habakkuk or Revelation for the next 3 from the TBLC.
Let God Finish The Story
WARNING: Serious Dad Bragging Ahead. Proceed With Caution. (… but if you do, you might also be encouraged.)
My youngest graduated from high school a week ago. I have to admit, there were days of doubt. He’s always been smart, but like his older brother (and probably his Dad), he has multiple learning differences (not learning disabilities): dyslexia and dysgraphia.
That’s why I was so surprised to see the words “Suma Cum Laude” under his name in the graduation program signifying Daniel graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
“Suma Cum Laude” were not words that crossed our minds often over the last few years. To be honest, we were more likely to think the reverse of that, “Lordy Come Soon-a,” as both boys struggled with their academics.
It was his sophomore year of high school when our oldest, David, hit a wall. We had shored him up with every tutor and reading program we could. For years I had told him he was a "Mac" in a "PC" world, which is true. Both David and Daniel’s brains process information differently than other people's. Teaching them the same way as every other kid is like trying to cram a Windows 95 floppy disk into a brand-new MacBook Pro. It doesn't work.
And who wants to be a PC anyway when you can be a shiny new Mac?
Years of being brilliant, creative, and witty, square pegs being hammered into a round hole had taken its toll on both David and Daniel. As David put it, "Eight hours a day is a long time to feel stupid.”
I thank God that David first came to us, eventually paving the way for Daniel as well. Some kids quit and believe the lie that they aren’t good enough. Others act out. Some will try to numb themselves through drugs and alcohol. Sadly, others consider bodily harm.
The boys had a choice to make. Continue to allow their current school to insist they conform to their way of teaching or leave all the friends they had gone to school with since kindergarten. To say it was difficult would be underselling it.
Enter a God who knew David and Daniel long before they were born and who placed Michele and me in the right house before we ever had kids. One of the best schools in the country for students with learning differences, The Shelton School, happens to be within walking distance of our home. People move from all over the country to attend.
The only problem for David was a waitlist of 5 kids hoping to enter the sophomore class. It was the middle of the year, and they said six kids would have to move for David to get in. The school told us that was not going to happen.
Even though there was no room for David, the school agreed to look over his testing and make recommendations for other programs in the area.
Then something completely unexpected happened during our meeting to go over our options.
The conversation went like this:
Shelton Advisor: "We want David to come here."
Us: "You said you have no room, and six people would have to move."
Shelton Advisor: "Yeah, but we think we can change his life, and that's what we get excited about."
Tears. Buckets of tears. That's what happens when someone believes in your child and throws a drowning family a lifeline.
One school says, "Our school is not for everyone." Another school says, "We'll move mountains to make this happen and change his life."
And they did, for both David and Daniel.
Cut to the chase. David went to the University of Oklahoma, earned an academic scholarship, graduated in 3 1/2 years with honors, now works for the #1 YouTuber in the world, and lives in North Carolina. (He’s worked for him since his senior year in high school.)
Daniel entered Shelton in middle school and was reading on an elementary school level at the time. In his junior year in high school, he scored one point short of perfect on the READING part of the ACT. As I mentioned earlier, he graduated Suma Cum Laude and received the highest academic scholarship SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) has to offer. He’ll start there this summer, and I can’t wait to see him fully develop his creative gifts.
Don’t get me wrong. Just like everyone else, we’ve got struggles. There are still sleepless nights of worry. We are NOT the Facebook perfect family and don’t want to even pretend to be.
But please do hear me on this. Whatever your struggle is right now, your story or your kid's story, God’s story is not fully written yet. When we were knee-deep in HOURS of homework and buckets of tears, that was not the ending. Michele and I wasted hours trying to write a future for our kids that was not ours to write. It was God’s pen we kept grabbing as we did not trust the author.
After all, drowning in the storm was not the end of the disciple's story.
“Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Mark 4:38
Jesus never promised clear skies. He just promised us His presence in the storm and that He will get us to the other side.
If I learned anything from David and Daniel’s academic journey, it’s to not race ahead to your perceived ending in the midst of the storm as the disciples did thinking that would drown.
Let God keep the pen. Let Him write the ending. He might just get you to the other side in a way you never imagined. You see, He’s a much better writer than you or me.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
I Miss The 1040EZ
“…Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left Him and went away.” Matthew 22:15-22 (ESV)
This week we all (hopefully) “rendered to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.” In other words, we paid our taxes on April 18.
My accountant must not be fond of me. You see, I am one of those who wait till the last minute to get all of my information in. Seems like every year, my taxes (and life!), get a little more complicated. Each year there are more forms needed, paperwork, phone calls, questions, emails, meetings, and texts. Last Saturday, I found myself up at my office for 5 hours with papers spread across four tables, and I don’t even do my own taxes. This is just the prep work!
I long for the simpler days of my youth when I would, on the spur of the moment, grab the one-page 1040EZ form (how I miss the EZ!!!) and do my own taxes in less than a minute. (I timed it once!)
It used to be much easier to render to Caesar.
Notice the answer Jesus gives when the Pharisees ask Him about paying taxes.
And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Caeser’s likeness and image were imprinted on the coin, so it was to be returned to him.
But what about us? Whose likeness and image do we bare?
"So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created Him." Genesis 1:27
We bare the likeness and image of the living God. It is stamped on our souls. Therefore we are to render ourselves (our hearts, time, and talents…) to God.
But much like my taxes, sadly, that becomes more difficult the older I get. It seems my over-complicated life now requires more forms, paperwork, phone calls, emails, meetings, and texts in order to give back to God what is really His.
The church needs extra greeters at Easter? I’d love to do that! Oh wait, we are having people over for lunch, and I have to get home early to get the house ready.
Men’s retreat this weekend? Well, crud. We were out of town the last two weekends for weddings, and I can’t be gone another weekend.
A missionary is in town and needs a place to stay for two weeks? Great! We’ve got two extra bedrooms. But sadly, they are filled to the brim with “stuff,” and I have no idea what is in half of those boxes, but there is no room to move them to the garage.
You get the point. I miss the “1040EZ” days of ministry. When saying “yes” to God’s opportunities took less than a minute and way less “paperwork,” meetings, emails, and phone calls.
What happened to take me from the days of “EZ” to complicated?
As my life progressed, I went from being a speedboat to a cargo ship. I have taken on too much “cargo,” and these things weigh me down when it comes to saying yes to God.
Jesse Cole, owner of the Savannah Bananas, puts it this way...
“Everything is bigger, bigger, and bigger. I think the key for us… is how quick can you be? How quick can you pivot? How quick can you make decisions. How quick can you take action?”
A speedboat can turn on a dime. A cargo ship takes forever. In the words of Amy Grant, “It takes a little time sometimes, to get the Titanic turned back around.”
The simple yeses when nudged by the Spirit in the days of my youth don’t come as easy anymore. When the Savannah Bananas changed from regular baseball games to Banana Ball, Cole says the decision was easy because as a business, they were still a speedboat.
“We didn’t have to have any red tape. There wasn’t any bureaucracy. It didn’t take so long to turn course. We were able to see something and act on it.”
What about you? When you see an opportunity God brings your way, are you able to quickly act on it? Or is your life filled with so much red tape and bureaucracy that you are way more of a cargo ship than a speedboat?
Ask yourself, who put the red tape there that you are so tangled up in? Hint: It wasn’t God.
Perhaps it’s time to correct course and throw a few (or a lot) of things overboard. Miss those speedboat days? Miss the days of the 1040EZ?
It’s not too late.
You rendered to Caesar this week what bears his image. Let’s remember to do the same for God as well.
“… but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.” Romans 6:13
And unlike my taxes, let’s not file an extension with God. There’s no better day than today to shed some cargo and offer yourself to the Lord.
Watch this 1 minute 19 second video where Savannah Bananas owner, Jesse Cole, shares the benefits of being a speedboat, not a cargo ship.
A New Perspective On Holy Week
Above (second from the left) are my good friends Scott and Kelly Walker on a beach vacation we took last year.
I now know personally two who have come back from the dead. One of them is my Savior and the other is my lawyer.
Let me explain.
My lawyer and friend, Scott Walker, is my age (59). He played football at SMU, and plays tennis three times a week. A couple of months ago, his Apple watch told him he had atrial fibrillation (A-fib), an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm. The normal treatment for this condition is cardioversion, which involves giving the heart a controlled electric shock to restore a normal rhythm.
Having undergone this treatment twice but still winding back up in A-fib, Scott found himself in the hospital with extremely bad news.
He was experiencing systolic heart failure.
This was a shocking diagnosis for someone so young and in great shape. Something had to be done, and quickly, as his heart function was declining daily.
Soon, Scott's heart function was declining by the hour. I received a text one afternoon from Scott that read:
"FYI - Code Blue on me this morning. Ten people rushed into the room and kicked Kelly (Scott's wife) out. Chest compressions brought me back. Quite the adventure for me (I started laughing when I woke up), but Kelly's corresponding adventure was horrible."
Quite the adventure, indeed.
Unable to qualify quickly enough for a heart transplant, the only option besides the looming heart failure was major surgery to implant a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) into Scott's failing heart. The LVAD helps the heart pump oxygenated blood to the body when the heart isn't healthy enough to do so.
Prayers were lifted. A decision was made. Surgery happened the next morning.
Scott now wears a 7-pound battery pack to power his heart. It is connected to an electrical cord that comes out of his side. When he is at home, he is literally plugged into the wall.
Scott's heart, health, and life are tethered, for now, to that battery pack and wall outlet.
The LVAD, however, is only a temporary solution meant only to last a few years. It is a temporary bridge to the future, a permanent solution for Scott, a heart transplant.
That brings us to this week, Holy Week, when "Jesus turned his face towards Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51).
You see, before Jesus came, God's people were also tethered to a temporary solution when it came to the condition of their hearts. Because of their hard hearts turned against God, the Levite priests in the Old Testament were required by the Mosaic law to offer sacrifices to atone for the people's sins.
"This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites." Leviticus 16:34
This, however, was only a temporary solution meant as a bridge to the future, a permanent solution of Jesus's sacrifice for us.
Even today, we often "tether" ourselves to temporary solutions when it comes to our hearts and where we try to find life. Turning to things like money, pleasure, and status might work for a short time, but they will never satisfy or last.
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:14
By turning his face towards Jerusalem, Jesus set the events in motion in order to become our heart donor.
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26
You see, when it comes to our spiritual heart transplant, not just any heart will do. It has to come from someone fully human so they can offer their heart, and someone fully God, so that their heart is sinless.
Thankfully, the only one who was both fully man and fully God voluntarily became our heart donor.
He was not a victim. He was a volunteer.
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8
This Holy Week, we commemorate the fact that just at the right time, while we were still tethered to temporary solutions, Christ provided our permanent solution to sin. We can finally "untether" from the temporary. "It is finished."
"Nor did he (Jesus) enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself." Hebrews 9:25-27
My friend Scott's current condition with his LVAD as he waits for a heart transplant makes Holy Week even more significant to me this year.
God promised. The world waited. Jesus came.
I'm so thankful he willingly "turned his face towards Jerusalem" that Palm Sunday.
P.S. Please join me in prayer for my friend Scott. We pray that God will soon remove his LVAD of titanium and give him a new heart of flesh.
With This Ring
Michele and I celebrated our 26th anniversary this month. A picture from our proposal popped up on FB memories that day. I posted it a few years back to celebrate an earlier anniversary. The picture (above) captures the exact moment I proposed to Michele. Her hand in mine, ring waiting to be given. It happened at a Friday Pearce High School football game night, where she was the dance team director, and I was the Young Life leader. Kids had set us up on a blind date a year and a half earlier, and it had all led to this moment.
Thankfully, she said “yes.” The ring was put on her finger and the Pearce Cheerleaders paraded across the field with a 50-yard-long banner that read, “She said yes… Thanks for Your Support… Registered at Dillard’s and Foley’s…. To Be Continued…”
I’m thankful to say that 26 years later, it still continues.
But I want to go back to the ring. During our wedding ceremony, our pastor, Dave Haney, said something I will never forget about our rings. The transcript is below. I’ve also attached 2 minute video if you are interested in seeing dark-haired, skinny Brian and, of course, Michele looking exactly as she does today.
Transcript:
“Now people say a lot about rings… they talk about how they are round, which seems kind of obvious, …. how your relationship is eternal and all of those things. But I’m not going to say that because it’s kind of goofy.
What I want you to remember as you wear these rings for the rest of your lives is this moment. This is a place where time is standing still. All worries are outside of these doors. Everything that it took to get here has faded in this moment. It’s captured in the beauty of this ring… the perfection of this moment.
So that when the times aren’t so perfect, and the things that go wrong out there start to wear you down, and you are tempted to raise a hand or give up, remember the ring. Remember the moment. Remember the beauty of your commitment to each other.
The ring is unique. There may be other rings like it, but there is no other ring that is yours… that you wear, that fits you, that is shaped for you, and most all that was given to you by each other.
So that when you are apart, when you’re stressed, when you’re frustrated, when you’re arguing, when the moments are not perfect, remember the perfection of this moment and remember the beauty that you wear on your hand that captures it. Remember the perfection of this commitment.” - Pastor Dave Haney, our wedding officiant.
I can’t look at my ring for very long today before I hear Dave’s words in my head. I’m transported back to the moment when time really did seem to stand still. I am reminded of our commitment to one another in the perfection of that moment.
My ring reminds me of what the Old Testament calls an “Ebenezer.” In Hebrew, it means “stone of help.” Samuel erected an Ebenezer in Samuel Chapter 7 so that every time they walked by it, the nation of Israel would remember how God had protected His people and led them to victory.
My Ebenezer, my wedding ring, may not be a stack of stones, but it is a reminder of God’s provision and blessing. It is a reminder of a holy commitment made to Michele and the Lord.
I have another Ebenezer in my life that takes me back to a holy commitment. It’s a die-cast exact model of my old 1981 Monte Carlo that sits on my desk in front of a picture of Michele and me. It was in that car very late one night that I drove down Cliffbrook Drive in the Fall of 1982, right in front of Northwood Hills Elementary, that I leaned out the window and said “yes” for the first time to Jesus. Each time I see that car on my desk or even drive by Northwood Hills Elementary, I am taken right back to that late night as I looked up at the stars and said, “I never knew you did all that for me.”
You see, Tonya Prince (now Tonya Riggle), who was a classmate and friend of mine from elementary school through our Baylor days, had just explained the Gospel to me as we sat on the curb of her apartment parking lot, just across Coit Road from Cliffbrook. We were flying standby to Lubbock that Friday evening to see Baylor play Texas Tech and did not make it on the plane.
I’m thankful we did not make the flight. I think that is the best trade I have ever made. I gave up Lubbock to get heaven. Not a bad trade.
So today, my Ebenezers of the Monte Carlo on my desk, Cliffbrook Drive, and Northwood Hills Elementary take me to a place where time also stood still and a holy commitment was made in the perfection of a moment.
I heard Amy Grant’s song, “Do You Remember the Time” not long ago, and it also took me back to Cliffbrook Drive.
“Do you remember the day you first let Jesus in?
How He gently and tenderly washed away your sin
Don't you know that He still cares the way He did back then?
Do you remember the day you first let Jesus in?”
How about you? Enough of my story. Do you remember the time you first said yes to Jesus? Do you have an Ebenezer of you own that takes you back to the moment? If so, maybe it’s time you got it out and put it somewhere that it can be seen on a regular basis. What do you think that would do for you? How could seeing it more often inspire you?
I see my ring daily, and that’s a good thing. I see the ’81 Monte Carlo almost daily. (I confess that I not only have one on my desk but also have one at home on a shelf by where my guitars and Eagles and Beach Boys album covers hang. You know, the important stuff.)
Maybe it's time for us all to "stack a few stones" in plain view and remember those holy moments.
And just in case you’ve never said “yes” to Jesus before, do yourself a favor. Take your ’81 Monte Carlo for a drive this evening, roll down the windows, and say “yes” to Jesus.*
*Monte Carlo, evening, and windows rolled down are all optional and not required. A simple “yes” will do.
These posts are part of an email the TBLC sends out every couple of weeks called ‘3 From The TBLC.’
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I’m Running As Fast As I Can
It is only January 31st, and after good intentions and New Year's resolutions, I find myself going back to my default mode. Each day I seem to be running faster and faster. Now, if this were related to an exercise routine or weight loss goal, this would be a good thing. Sadly it's not that. It's about my schedule, pace, and the need for rest. It's that voice that says, "You are not doing enough. You are falling behind!"
Again, it's only January 31st, and as I got on the elevator heading to my office this morning, overwhelmed with a to-do list getting longer and longer, the voice in my head said, "Run faster!!!"
That voice always takes me back to one particular first-grade soccer game I attended years ago. The parent of one of my son's teammates was sitting in a nice, comfortable lawn chair on the sidelines. This particular boy was a great little athlete. Always giving it everything he had. He was, far and away, one of the best players on the field. Yet as the boy would run down the field, any time he got within twenty yards of his father, the dad would berate him at the top of his lungs, yelling, "Run faster!!!"
It wasn't just a one-time thing. Every time the boy passed, we were all treated to a disapproving father screaming at his son, "Run faster! Run faster!"
Finally, the son had enough. Fed up with the criticism of the one sitting comfortably in a chair, the next time the six-year-old ran by the sideline near his father, he threw out his arms in exasperation and yelled back, "I'm running as fast as I can!!!"
Mic drop. Dad didn't yell again.
I wonder how many times I have made the mistake of picturing God as the father on the sidelines of that soccer game. Before I knew Jesus, my image of God was of a father far removed from us in the stands of heaven, thoroughly dissatisfied with my efforts, imploring me to do better, try harder, and do more!
Even after beginning a relationship with Jesus, I can see where I often fall into the same trap. I picture myself out on the field of life, trying my best to serve Him, doing ministry, and living my life according to His will. And what voice do I think I hear from the stands of heaven? It's the disapproving voice of a father yelling, "Run faster!!!"
Or, more specifically, "Have more quiet times! Be good! Give more! Go to more Bible studies! Listen to more Christian podcasts! You're just not doing enough."
All the while, I am looking up to God, trying my best to do my Christian "song and dance," and I'm thinking, I'm running as fast as I can!
The only problem with this way of life is that the voice I am answering to is not the Lord's. It's a lie. God's voice is not the same as my earthly father's voice that I tried so hard to please with straight A's every semester or the disapproving dad in the lawn chair on the sidelines.
Want to know what He is really saying? Put away the lies for just a minute, stop looking to the imaginary sidelines, and listen to the voice of your real Father.
"For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, 'In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.'" (Isaiah 30:15)
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret." (Psalm 37:7, NIV 1984)
"Slow down. Take a deep breath. What's the hurry? Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway?" (Jeremiah 2:25, MSG)
God's voice is the opposite of the voice on the sideline yelling, "Run faster!!!" And remember, He's never been content to be on the sidelines, so it's definitely not His voice if that is where you hear it from.
"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV 1984, emphasis added)
He's "God with you, Immanuel," not God disapprovingly sitting on the sidelines in a camping chair. The One who holds the oceans in the palm of His hand can't be confined to a lawn chair, my friends.
If it's not Him yelling, "Run faster!" then who is it? Don't forget, you have an enemy. An enemy who wants you to feel defeated and unworthy and desperately wants you to give up.
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)
"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3, NIV 1984)
When you hear the "Run faster!" voice, call it what it is. A lie. Deception from your enemy who is trying to lead you astray "from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ." It's just plain garbage.
What happens when that voice comes from other believers? Call it the same. Garbage.
Sometimes even those who claim to know Jesus will tell you that you're just not doing it right. I'll never forget the guest preacher I heard who proclaimed from the pulpit that you are a "horrible Christian" if you are not in a community group.
It's a given. Some people will always say you need to do more. Hoops will be put in front of the Gospel. Remember, when that happens, you're in good company. The religious leaders of the time never thought Jesus was doing it right either.
Stop playing the comparison game. And when your enemy or even a fellow believer lobs a "Run faster!" lie your way, instead of throwing out your arms in exasperation, just pass those lawn chairs by. Let the voice of your Creator be your compass.
"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10, ESV)
The loudmouth critic in the lawn chair (whose yoke is anything but easy) doesn't get a vote.
Slow down. Take a breath. Quiet the voice. And if there is a lawn chair near, take a seat and find rest for your soul. Perhaps at halftime we'll all have Capri Suns and orange slices.
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Matthew 11:28–30
The Rule of Life Podcast - Sabbath
What if instead of adding more to your to-do list, you created a day in which you could stop doing at all? This podcast by John Mark Comer introduces and unpacks the concept of Sabbath and how to incorporate it into your weekly schedule.
"The Sabbath is a 24-hour hour time period set aside to stop, rest, delight, and worship. It is the best day of the week. In our era of chronic exhaustion, emotional unhealth, and spiritual stagnation, few things are more necessary than the recovery of this ancient practice."
- John Mark Comer
Listen to the first episode HERE.
Skipping Thanksgiving
It seems like the day after Halloween, Costco and Sam's immediately put out the Christmas decorations. Radio stations switch to "All Christmas, All the Time!" (Note that after New Year's, we don't switch to "All 4th of July, All the Time!" We aren't overrun with John Phillips Sousa stations.)
My friend, Leslie Dawson, once pointed this out to me, suggesting that it shows our lack of gratitude and constant desire for more.
She's right. We often skip Thanksgiving. Oh, we may gather, watch football, and eat turkey, but are our hearts truly thankful?
We go straight from "give me some candy," to speeding past being thankful, to "It's Black Friday! I need more stuff!" (And we will trample people to get it.)
More, more, more…
What doesn't fit in the house goes in the garage. What doesn't fit in the garage goes in the shed. Can't fit in the shed? Rent a storage unit. And don't even get me started about what's up in the attic.
Don Henley of the Eagles puts our lack of gratitude this way in his song, "My Thanksgiving."
"Now, the trouble with you and me, my friend
Is the trouble with this nation
Too many blessings, too little appreciation
And I know that kind of notion—well, it just ain't cool
So send me back to Sunday school."
Maybe Mr. Henley is right and we all could use a trip back to Sunday school.
The concept of "thanks" or "thankfulness" comes up 173 times in the Bible. But let's just quickly look at three of those instances.
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:5-7
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:15
See some common themes? Rejoice, pray, give thanks, and peace.
These are not things to be rushed past. They are not speed bumps on the way to Christmas to be swerved around or run over. They are all worth stopping for.
Maybe that's why the rates of anxiety and depression can run so high during the holiday season. When we don't stop long enough to pray and give thanks, we miss the peace and rejoicing. There is no "merry and bright" in the fast lane. (Surely make you lose your mind.)
Let's make a pact to slow down this Thanksgiving week and show gratitude. Stay at the table a little longer. Tell stories and laugh hard together. Don't rush out the door. Start up a conversation over doing the dishes. Linger in the moment. Take the time to make a list of your many blessings rather than your Christmas list.
After all, we've much to be thankful for. As the guy, who I'll say "pass the potatoes to" on Thursday, said in the song I quoted earlier…
"I've got great expectations
I've got family and friends
I've got satisfying work
I've got a back that bends
For every breath, for every day of living
This is my Thanksgiving" - Don Henley
Happy Thanksgiving!
Lessons in Loyalty from Apple, Oakley, and God
I’m loyal to Oakley and Apple. While that might not come as a surprise to many of you, I want to share with you a couple of stories as to why. I was reminded of these stories in a recent Bible Study I was leading on Romans. The verse we were discussing was:
“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience,
not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”
Romans 2:4
Here are the memories that came to mind.
My son, Daniel, was probably five. We were playing in the pool during a vacation. Daniel was jumping off of my shoulders, and as he did, he accidentally kicked back toward my face and hit my sunglasses. One of the earpieces snapped in two. I realized after the fact that I probably should not wear expensive sunglasses while playing in the pool with my boys.
Knowing my warranty would not cover accidental damage, I packaged up the glasses and sent them back to Oakley with a letter. It stated that I knew the breakage was not covered and explained how it happened. I inquired what it would cost to replace the earpiece. I also explained how I had not taken very good care of the lenses, using my t-shirt to clean them rather than the microfiber cloth they suggested. As a result of my poor care, the lenses were full of scratches. “What would it cost to replace those as well?” I asked.
A month later, I received a package in the mail from Oakley. It was a brand-new pair of sunglasses. No questions asked.
I am Oakley loyal for life.
A few years later, I was rushing out of the garage to pick up my oldest, David, from a Boy Scout camp two hours away. On the way out the door, I grabbed my iPad so he could perhaps watch a movie lying down in the back seat on the way home.
After the four-hour round trip, I realized I did not have my iPad. David slept all the way home, so I never used it in the car. Suddenly I realized I had left it on top of the car as I left on the trip.
Panicked, I went for a walk down our street in the dark. About five houses down, there was the iPad in the middle of the street. It had been rained on and run over multiple times. It was SMASHED.
The next day I took it to the Apple Store. I explained to the Apple Genius what had happened. When I showed her the iPad she laughed, and rightly so. Explaining that I knew Apple Care did not cover accidental damage and basic stupidity, I asked if there was anything salvageable. How much would it cost me to make this iPad whole again?
The young lady took the iPad to the back of the store and told me to wait. Five minutes later, she came back and handed me a brand-new iPad.
“Wait! You are not supposed to do this. I know the warranty does not cover this!” I exclaimed.
She smiled and said, “I know. Just keep buying Apple products.”
I am Apple loyal for life.
I do the same thing I did to Oakley and Apple to God over and over again. And He does what Oakley and Apple did for me over and over again… and again… and again.
Like the glasses and iPad, I am broken beyond repair, and it is nobody’s fault but my own. Blaming someone else is futile and leads to a life of bitterness and playing the victim.
But rather than blame, I approach the Throne of Grace (so much easier than getting an Apple Store appointment these days) and present myself to God.
“Lord, I know it’s nobody’s fault but my own, but here I am again, broken. And I know that you have already forgiven me thousands of times.”
He smiles. Unlike Apple, he does not ask me to wait, and there is no reason to go looking in the back stockroom. Just like Romans 2 says, out “of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience,” my Creator makes me new again—brand new.
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:8-9
I may be Oakley and Apple loyal for life, but I am God loyal for eternity.
It really is “the kindness of God leads you to repentance .”
Again and again and again…
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
You Wouldn’t Believe It
“You wouldn’t believe.” These are the most powerful words in creating an unforgettable experience. They speak to something so outrageous, so surprising, so beyond expectation that there’s only one possible response; tell the story to others.
Jesse Cole - Owner of the Savanah Bananas
It’s the same response to what God has done for us. There’s only one possible response. Tell the story to others.
Like the Israelites, we forget. Take a moment to pause in your day and remember. How has God's kindness, grace & gospel changed you? Is He putting someone on your heart to share that with?
May our lives be a continued testimony of His never failing kindness and grace.