During this past Sunday’s service, our pastor also interviewed his brother and sister-in-law about new mission work which they were involved in. The wife said something that sounded like it would make a great quote, and I don’t know if it was original or something she’d heard. I didn’t write it down, so I’ll have to paraphrase. She said that “I can’t look in two directions at the same time, so I choose to look ahead.” I know that she meant we have to let go of our past in order to move forward, which I understand, but as the analytical guy in me started to dwell on the comment, an early childhood warning came to mind: “Look both ways before you cross the street.”
Okay Randy, what the heck does that mean? Our parents wanted to keep us safe from harm. It was advisable to look left, then right, before moving forward across the street. This is a lifelong lesson that we should not neglect, even if crossing at a traffic light. We may not be able to look in two directions at the same time, but we can look around before making that final decision. God also gave us a pretty good ability with peripheral vision, so we can take a step back and see a broad scope of the area on either side of the direction in which we are heading. We have peripheral vision, we can turn our heads, and we can move our whole body in any direction we choose. And, with our additional senses, our brains can analyze all these inputs to help us determine the wisest choice before sending that motor input to our legs. I guess what I’m saying is that while we may choose to look ahead, it is our abilities and experiences which God enabled us to endure, that help create the person we are today. When David came to a point in his life where he would face Goliath, God had already trained him spiritually, mentally, and physically through his years as a shepherd tending his father’s sheep.
We can never really let go of our past, because that is an integral part of who we are now. Hopefully, we can extract from the good and the bad, to honor God with our lives as we look forward and cross the street.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
I am an introvert
Yesterday, Pastor Mike explained that he was an introvert, and that introverts recharge their battery by having some alone time. Whereas extroverts get recharged by socializing and being in public gatherings. His explanation offered some insight for both Carol and I, as to why I like my solitude, as opposed to being a social butterfly. Even though I am also an introvert, I do need friendships and people to confide in. At the moment, I am lacking that closeness, outside of my wife (who is also my best friend). Not having a job does limit my social interactions slightly, but we do have friends at church and in the paddling club. I just seem to have one of those personalities that takes longer than one or two meetings for me to befriend others. I believe that I’m a pretty nice guy, and if I were you, I’d like me. But, I am an introvert and it does take some time to draw me out of my shell.
I do believe that my introvertedness (is that a word?) was a learned behavior. Somewhere, there is an 8mm video floating around that shows I had no shyness as a child whatsoever. I was really a ham, at least in front of family. As a young boy, I seemed to show no ill-effects of the year or more that I spent as a little boy whose mother told him not to smile. You see, when I was around five years old, I fell down the basement steps and hit my mouth on a vent register. I had chipped and broken teeth, and looked nasty if I grinned. Either it embarrassed my mother, or she was trying to help me avoid embarrassment, but forever I was told not to show my teeth when I smiled. I looked like a pretty serious kid with that little lip-closed grin of mine. And naturally, it took another forever before my baby teeth started falling out and my new teeth came in.
Anyway, back to the learned behavior. I remember in elementary school, I was quite the social butterfly. I liked to talk. I talked to all the kids in class. In fact, I talked too much. At least that’s what my teacher thought. I remember being sent out to stand in the hall on more than one occasion. That was the punishment. You had to leave the classroom and stand in the hall. So, what might be considered as having an outgoing personality now, was squashed in the classrooms of Joshua Howard Elementary School.
I was also an only child for the first nine years of my life, so I learned to entertain myself in fantasy and imagination. Back then, mom’s didn’t have their own cars to cart you around town for extracurricular activities. There were no soccer leagues, and I was too small to play on the kid’s football teams. How many of us little boys were outcast in the early 60’s, because there were size and weight limits to play in organized sports? I liked football too! We would play tackle at the playground, and with my low profile, it was hard to bring me down.
Oh, and then there was the glasses. Getting glasses in second grade was another event to push me towards introversion. I have always been one easily drawn to tears. I still am, as my wife and kids can attest to. So getting teased about glasses, or about anything, definitely caused some withdrawal. Again, back in those days, you had two choices to the type of glasses you could wear - brown or black. Solid horned-rimmed spectacles were the name of the game. The word “dork” wasn’t even invented yet, but it may have made its first appearance in all the things that kids could come up with as they teased me for wearing glasses. We can be so cruel as children. An yes, there were times when I was dishing it out without a thought of how much I might be hurting another life, crushing them emotionally. The old “sticks and stones” stuff that the adults would preach was a lot of crap. I think physical cuts and bruises probably healed a lot better than those emotional wounds that sometimes scarred us for life. To all those others that I may have hurt; forgive me. I am sorry.
I do believe that my introvertedness (is that a word?) was a learned behavior. Somewhere, there is an 8mm video floating around that shows I had no shyness as a child whatsoever. I was really a ham, at least in front of family. As a young boy, I seemed to show no ill-effects of the year or more that I spent as a little boy whose mother told him not to smile. You see, when I was around five years old, I fell down the basement steps and hit my mouth on a vent register. I had chipped and broken teeth, and looked nasty if I grinned. Either it embarrassed my mother, or she was trying to help me avoid embarrassment, but forever I was told not to show my teeth when I smiled. I looked like a pretty serious kid with that little lip-closed grin of mine. And naturally, it took another forever before my baby teeth started falling out and my new teeth came in.
Anyway, back to the learned behavior. I remember in elementary school, I was quite the social butterfly. I liked to talk. I talked to all the kids in class. In fact, I talked too much. At least that’s what my teacher thought. I remember being sent out to stand in the hall on more than one occasion. That was the punishment. You had to leave the classroom and stand in the hall. So, what might be considered as having an outgoing personality now, was squashed in the classrooms of Joshua Howard Elementary School.
I was also an only child for the first nine years of my life, so I learned to entertain myself in fantasy and imagination. Back then, mom’s didn’t have their own cars to cart you around town for extracurricular activities. There were no soccer leagues, and I was too small to play on the kid’s football teams. How many of us little boys were outcast in the early 60’s, because there were size and weight limits to play in organized sports? I liked football too! We would play tackle at the playground, and with my low profile, it was hard to bring me down.
Oh, and then there was the glasses. Getting glasses in second grade was another event to push me towards introversion. I have always been one easily drawn to tears. I still am, as my wife and kids can attest to. So getting teased about glasses, or about anything, definitely caused some withdrawal. Again, back in those days, you had two choices to the type of glasses you could wear - brown or black. Solid horned-rimmed spectacles were the name of the game. The word “dork” wasn’t even invented yet, but it may have made its first appearance in all the things that kids could come up with as they teased me for wearing glasses. We can be so cruel as children. An yes, there were times when I was dishing it out without a thought of how much I might be hurting another life, crushing them emotionally. The old “sticks and stones” stuff that the adults would preach was a lot of crap. I think physical cuts and bruises probably healed a lot better than those emotional wounds that sometimes scarred us for life. To all those others that I may have hurt; forgive me. I am sorry.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Bob Fell
Bob Fell, John Moldovan and I were the key employees selected to bring the integrated logistics support management expertise for the Cadillac Gage products into the Louisiana company. I considered Bob and John as my friends, having worked with them both since 1981. They had been with Cadillac Gage much longer than I had, but both were too young to retire.
At the time, I was taking classes at Wayne State University, but hadn’t quite yet earned my degree. My daughters were quite young, and I was fearful of giving up a good salary and benefits. Textron offered an excellent relocation package, so I accepted the offer to stay with the company. I was still young, and figured there would be more opportunities in a large company.
When we started work in Louisiana, things begin to look gloomy. The organization structure was not the same as ours in Michigan, so I was placed in one department and Bob was put in another. Neither of us retained our hierarchal status, and we had little to support our ongoing projects. John decided early on that it was not for him, so he ended up back in Michigan working for General Dynamics. He’s still there and going strong.
There were many mistakes made in the whole process, but I won’t expand upon them here nor dwell on the past. No sense in exposing the skeletons at this point. My friend Bob ended up with bone cancer, and passed away after a few years down in Louisiana. It was sad to watch him deteriorate, but it was good to know that he had come to accept Jesus during his struggles. If you knew Bob, you would accept that as another one of God’s little miracles. Bob used to call Carol and I “Mr. and Mrs. Perfect.” He knew that I had strong morals, and that I tried hard to live a Christian life. When I was released from Kuwait, and was quoted as saying “I prayed for peace,” Bob started calling me Billy Graham. He was a kidder. I always felt that Bob would have made a great replacement for Johnny Carson. He had a quick wit, and somehow he could get away with off-the-cuff remarks and innuendos without getting into trouble. Well, maybe once he didn’t get away with his comments, but we’ll let Bob rest in peace.
Bob had a couple of Frank n’ Ernest cartoons framed on his wall. One of them had a caption that read “Bob’s prejudices are all in line with company policy.” The first time that I met Bob was during my job interview for a tech writer position. He asked if I had a sense of humor? He asked what nationality I was, and I told him that I was half-Mexican. Then he asked me, “Do you know why blacks don’t marry Mexicans?” I told him no. He said “because they’re afraid their kids will grow up too lazy to steal.” That was Bob. I got the job. I guess I must have laughed at his joke. We shared many more jokes and good times through the years.
At the time, I was taking classes at Wayne State University, but hadn’t quite yet earned my degree. My daughters were quite young, and I was fearful of giving up a good salary and benefits. Textron offered an excellent relocation package, so I accepted the offer to stay with the company. I was still young, and figured there would be more opportunities in a large company.
When we started work in Louisiana, things begin to look gloomy. The organization structure was not the same as ours in Michigan, so I was placed in one department and Bob was put in another. Neither of us retained our hierarchal status, and we had little to support our ongoing projects. John decided early on that it was not for him, so he ended up back in Michigan working for General Dynamics. He’s still there and going strong.
There were many mistakes made in the whole process, but I won’t expand upon them here nor dwell on the past. No sense in exposing the skeletons at this point. My friend Bob ended up with bone cancer, and passed away after a few years down in Louisiana. It was sad to watch him deteriorate, but it was good to know that he had come to accept Jesus during his struggles. If you knew Bob, you would accept that as another one of God’s little miracles. Bob used to call Carol and I “Mr. and Mrs. Perfect.” He knew that I had strong morals, and that I tried hard to live a Christian life. When I was released from Kuwait, and was quoted as saying “I prayed for peace,” Bob started calling me Billy Graham. He was a kidder. I always felt that Bob would have made a great replacement for Johnny Carson. He had a quick wit, and somehow he could get away with off-the-cuff remarks and innuendos without getting into trouble. Well, maybe once he didn’t get away with his comments, but we’ll let Bob rest in peace.
Bob had a couple of Frank n’ Ernest cartoons framed on his wall. One of them had a caption that read “Bob’s prejudices are all in line with company policy.” The first time that I met Bob was during my job interview for a tech writer position. He asked if I had a sense of humor? He asked what nationality I was, and I told him that I was half-Mexican. Then he asked me, “Do you know why blacks don’t marry Mexicans?” I told him no. He said “because they’re afraid their kids will grow up too lazy to steal.” That was Bob. I got the job. I guess I must have laughed at his joke. We shared many more jokes and good times through the years.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
A Company Man
I was listening to a Zig Ziglar CD, and he told a story about a man working for the railroad out in the hot sun, when a train came along and pulled off on the side track. A man yelled out the window and asked if that was so-and-so working out there? It was, and the man on the train invited him inside to talk. When he came back out, the other workers were impressed. “You’re friends with the vice president of the railroad?,” they asked. He told them that 30 years ago he and the other guy started working at the same time. The others asked how it was that he was still working out in the hot sun, while the other guy is now vice president? His answer was that 30 years ago the other guy “came to work for the railroad company, and I came to work for $1.35 an hour.” Pretty insightful. There are a lot of things that I seem to find out later in life. Thankfully, I don’t think that I am too old to learn new things. I am often led to wonder how different I may have turned out, had my dad lived a little longer. I was only 14 when he died, and still had so much to learn. But he did die young, and it hasn’t always been ‘A Wonderful Life.’
At one time, I was working for Cadillac Gage, my first real job after the Navy. I was working for the company, and appreciative of my salary and the benefits that the job provided my wife and I, and the family to come. I was treated with respect, provided training, and put into situations that provided opportunity for my professional growth.
Along the way in its corporate history, Cadillac Gage became part of a small conglomerate as part of Ex-Cell-O Corporation. Then, it became part of an even bigger conglomerate as part of Textron Corporation. As individual employees, our efforts to contribute to the success of a company became less important, as long range vision succumbed to short term profit and loss statements. As a new strategy to cut expenses and provide the Cadillac Gage legacy products at reduced production costs, our business was merged with another Textron subsidiary in Louisiana. Out of the many people who were loyal to the company, only a handful were selected for relocation. Unfortunately, for those of us who did make the move, there was no excitement for the Cadillac Gage business, the products, or the people who came with it. We were the “damn yankees” who were looked upon as failures in the corporate structure, and a big inconvenience to the status quo of the Navy business at Textron Marine Company. If my desire at one time was to be an integral part of the Cadillac Gage team, and its success, I suddenly found myself as part of the unwanted vehicle group, working to overcome attitudinal and cultural barriers.
- to be continued -
At one time, I was working for Cadillac Gage, my first real job after the Navy. I was working for the company, and appreciative of my salary and the benefits that the job provided my wife and I, and the family to come. I was treated with respect, provided training, and put into situations that provided opportunity for my professional growth.
Along the way in its corporate history, Cadillac Gage became part of a small conglomerate as part of Ex-Cell-O Corporation. Then, it became part of an even bigger conglomerate as part of Textron Corporation. As individual employees, our efforts to contribute to the success of a company became less important, as long range vision succumbed to short term profit and loss statements. As a new strategy to cut expenses and provide the Cadillac Gage legacy products at reduced production costs, our business was merged with another Textron subsidiary in Louisiana. Out of the many people who were loyal to the company, only a handful were selected for relocation. Unfortunately, for those of us who did make the move, there was no excitement for the Cadillac Gage business, the products, or the people who came with it. We were the “damn yankees” who were looked upon as failures in the corporate structure, and a big inconvenience to the status quo of the Navy business at Textron Marine Company. If my desire at one time was to be an integral part of the Cadillac Gage team, and its success, I suddenly found myself as part of the unwanted vehicle group, working to overcome attitudinal and cultural barriers.
- to be continued -
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Religion and Politics
What is the difference between religion and politics? We all serve someone, whether we acknowledge that someone or not. Our country’s political system was designed in such a way to ensure that the people ruled. “We the people” choose those in government, who share our values and beliefs, to represent us in the larger political body. The president, the house, and the senate are supposed to serve us. Something is awry when the government becomes bigger than the people, and the servant-master roles are reversed. The intent of our founding fathers was for our government to operate with the understanding that there was a higher power. As ‘One Nation Under God,’ if we are to be recipients of God’s blessings, we must be obedient to His commandments. Unfortunately, we are no longer a Christian society. The devil has gotten us so confused and off track, we are losing sight of the true God. No more Ten Commandments, no more prayer, no power beyond what I make for myself.
I can remember starting each day in school with the Pledge of Allegiance and singing My Country Tis of Thee. What a better way to start your day than with song! What do they do in school today? Where’s the joy? This morning’s news had a story of a 15-year old boy who beat a girl, putting her in critical condition, for a text message that he didn’t like. What happened to the male credo handed done throughout the ages that “you don’t ever hit a girl!”? This is a sign of our future without God in it.
Let’s get back into the Word. I love the acrostic, Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. We have been given the word of God, protected through the ages, in the Bible. Read it, pray about it, live it. Make a concerted effort to start your day and end your day in communication with God. What can it hurt? From what I see, we can definitely do worse.
I can remember starting each day in school with the Pledge of Allegiance and singing My Country Tis of Thee. What a better way to start your day than with song! What do they do in school today? Where’s the joy? This morning’s news had a story of a 15-year old boy who beat a girl, putting her in critical condition, for a text message that he didn’t like. What happened to the male credo handed done throughout the ages that “you don’t ever hit a girl!”? This is a sign of our future without God in it.
Let’s get back into the Word. I love the acrostic, Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. We have been given the word of God, protected through the ages, in the Bible. Read it, pray about it, live it. Make a concerted effort to start your day and end your day in communication with God. What can it hurt? From what I see, we can definitely do worse.
Friday, March 19, 2010
last day of winter
They say you are not a leader if no one is following. Does that mean you are not a writer if no one is reading? No, that wouldn’t be the same thing. That would be like saying you are not a singer if no one is listening. It’s one of those ‘does a tree falling in the forest...?’ questions. I am a writer. I can write fact or fiction, prose and poetry, and even songs. In fact, I have had college courses and attended additional seminars and classes in some of these areas. I am a writer, and it pleases me to write. It can also be therapeutic. By now, you could be thinking that this guy needs help. Don’t we all?
Have you ever tried to psychoanalyze yourself? I think I’ve put myself into a hypnotic trance, and don’t know enough to snap my fingers and wake myself up. On the count of three... Just kidding.
Sorry that I slacked off on this blogging thing. I did write my little article for the LCP Newsletter. Nothing exciting. If I get out on the water and catch some fish from my kayak, then that would be fun to write about.
So, what’s going on today? The weather here is beautiful. Tomorrow is the first day of Spring, and it should be in the upper 70’s in the low country. I should be outside working in the yard right now, but I hurt my foot doing jumping jacks the other day, and I can hardly stand up on it. I went to the doctor’s this morning, just to make sure that nothing was broken. I think I’ll live. The doctor prescribed an anti-inflammatory, and sent me for x-rays. Another dollar towards that high deductible. That reminds me of the health care bill vote that’s supposed to take place on Sunday. I don’t want my tax dollars to support abortions, or buy healthcare for individuals who cheat the system. Many changes are needed, but I think that our Government should tackle those on a smaller scale. Prioritize and focus. Instead, we’ll get some trillion dollar package that will miss the mark, hurt quality, and feed the lawyers. But I’m not big on politics, and that is not my purpose for blogging. I’ve tried to overcome my cynicism, as it usually demonstrates my ignorance rather than my wisdom. Life is good, I am blessed, and I am loved. What more can a man ask for?
Have you ever tried to psychoanalyze yourself? I think I’ve put myself into a hypnotic trance, and don’t know enough to snap my fingers and wake myself up. On the count of three... Just kidding.
Sorry that I slacked off on this blogging thing. I did write my little article for the LCP Newsletter. Nothing exciting. If I get out on the water and catch some fish from my kayak, then that would be fun to write about.
So, what’s going on today? The weather here is beautiful. Tomorrow is the first day of Spring, and it should be in the upper 70’s in the low country. I should be outside working in the yard right now, but I hurt my foot doing jumping jacks the other day, and I can hardly stand up on it. I went to the doctor’s this morning, just to make sure that nothing was broken. I think I’ll live. The doctor prescribed an anti-inflammatory, and sent me for x-rays. Another dollar towards that high deductible. That reminds me of the health care bill vote that’s supposed to take place on Sunday. I don’t want my tax dollars to support abortions, or buy healthcare for individuals who cheat the system. Many changes are needed, but I think that our Government should tackle those on a smaller scale. Prioritize and focus. Instead, we’ll get some trillion dollar package that will miss the mark, hurt quality, and feed the lawyers. But I’m not big on politics, and that is not my purpose for blogging. I’ve tried to overcome my cynicism, as it usually demonstrates my ignorance rather than my wisdom. Life is good, I am blessed, and I am loved. What more can a man ask for?
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Revelation 6
I wasn't very dedicated today, and time does not care. You get out of bed and go through the motions, and all of the sudden the day is over. I did do a little cooking, practiced my guitar, let the dog in and out a few times, but in the end it feels like I did nothing. I didn't write the article about last night's speaker at our LowCountry Paddler's club meeting. He was good. The presentation was about kayak fishing, which is something that I really want to do. I will write up the article and submit it for next month's newsletter.
I have still yet to get into a new routine since losing my job. For awhile, I had a good routine going and got the house painted. Mostly, my routine is to scour e-mails and internet sites for potential jobs. I have been praying about all this, and have worked to make my daily routine begin with God. I say my daily prayers, and then do some bible reading. I'm reading Revelations right now, and trying to take it slow. I have a pretty good study bible, so that helps explain a lot of things. I wrote up my own notes on Revelation 6 which is provided below.
Revelation 6 - from my New Geneva Study Bible, New King James Version
"Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “come and see.” And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer."
Was this Jesus, as some suggest. or perhaps the Holy Spirit that was promised to man after Jesus’ ascension? I think that would make sense, as the Lamb is Jesus. Therefore, He is sending the Holy Spirit to mankind, as promised, and the enemy He is conquering is sin.
"When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword."
This horseman has been succeeding since the fall. Was John’s vision the future or the past. The interpretive difficulty in many areas of the Bible is that we try to apply our laws of physics, our understanding of time, to God’s Word given to man. But, His ways are not our ways. He is not limited by any sense of laws and time. He is the I am.
"When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.""
My study Bible says that this signifies famine, and that all of our earnings will be needed just to buy food for survival. I would have to learn more about Christian/Jewish symbology to add my two-cents. What do scales normally imply? To us in America, it usually means justice. My Bible also suggests that the oil and wine may imply “that the rich will still be able to indulge themselves.” But, oil and wine are central to Christian sacraments. Oil is used for anointing, and wine represents the blood of Christ and the covenant. I might think that these are not harmed so that man may still have time to accept Jesus in the midst of tribulation.
"When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Com and see.” So, I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth."
Again, this rider has been loosed on the earth since the fall of man. These curses were not what God desired for man, and these curses will be ended when Christ returns. Come Lord Jesus.
"When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed."
Here again, is another area involving time. Also, some might acknowledge this verse as indicating there is an interim place where we go after death, awaiting the coming of Christ to call us by name and bring us to the place He has prepared for us.
"I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”"
Who will stand indeed? Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord. We have recently witnessed that earthquakes can truly move things out of place. The event in Chile should show us once again that the word of God is truth, and all that is, is under His control. God is mighty, God is awesome, and God has forgiven me! “Yea, though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Thank you God.
I have still yet to get into a new routine since losing my job. For awhile, I had a good routine going and got the house painted. Mostly, my routine is to scour e-mails and internet sites for potential jobs. I have been praying about all this, and have worked to make my daily routine begin with God. I say my daily prayers, and then do some bible reading. I'm reading Revelations right now, and trying to take it slow. I have a pretty good study bible, so that helps explain a lot of things. I wrote up my own notes on Revelation 6 which is provided below.
Revelation 6 - from my New Geneva Study Bible, New King James Version
"Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “come and see.” And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer."
Was this Jesus, as some suggest. or perhaps the Holy Spirit that was promised to man after Jesus’ ascension? I think that would make sense, as the Lamb is Jesus. Therefore, He is sending the Holy Spirit to mankind, as promised, and the enemy He is conquering is sin.
"When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword."
This horseman has been succeeding since the fall. Was John’s vision the future or the past. The interpretive difficulty in many areas of the Bible is that we try to apply our laws of physics, our understanding of time, to God’s Word given to man. But, His ways are not our ways. He is not limited by any sense of laws and time. He is the I am.
"When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.""
My study Bible says that this signifies famine, and that all of our earnings will be needed just to buy food for survival. I would have to learn more about Christian/Jewish symbology to add my two-cents. What do scales normally imply? To us in America, it usually means justice. My Bible also suggests that the oil and wine may imply “that the rich will still be able to indulge themselves.” But, oil and wine are central to Christian sacraments. Oil is used for anointing, and wine represents the blood of Christ and the covenant. I might think that these are not harmed so that man may still have time to accept Jesus in the midst of tribulation.
"When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Com and see.” So, I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth."
Again, this rider has been loosed on the earth since the fall of man. These curses were not what God desired for man, and these curses will be ended when Christ returns. Come Lord Jesus.
"When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed."
Here again, is another area involving time. Also, some might acknowledge this verse as indicating there is an interim place where we go after death, awaiting the coming of Christ to call us by name and bring us to the place He has prepared for us.
"I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”"
Who will stand indeed? Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord. We have recently witnessed that earthquakes can truly move things out of place. The event in Chile should show us once again that the word of God is truth, and all that is, is under His control. God is mighty, God is awesome, and God has forgiven me! “Yea, though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Thank you God.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Being Left-handed
On Saturday, I tried to be left-handed. It is difficult to switch hands from the norm. I didn’t attempt to use an unfamiliar hand for something that might be critical, like signing my name on a check, but I did try to consciously operate as a left-hander for the day. I ate my morning cereal using my left hand. I brushed my teeth using my left hand. When I sipped water, I switched the way that I cupped my hands. That felt really weird. When I clasped my hands to pray, I thought about adjusting my fingers, and putting my right-hand thumb on the top of my other thumb, but that seems like what a right-hander might do naturally. There are a lot of things that I already do, favoring my left hand. Maybe I already pray left-handed. Then again, when I place my hands together without intertwining my fingers, it’s my right hand that goes on top. Okay, so where am I going with this. Why would I want to change to a left-hander? Because, by all accounts, that is what I should have been!
When I was a baby, I had a tendency to use my left hand. Of course, I don’t remember this, but in those days, parents were encouraged to “help” their children become right-handed. I try not to blame my mom and dad, but I can fault the doctors and experts of the day, for suggesting that parents change the biological tendencies of their children from being left-handed to right-handed. I was supposed to be left-handed. My body and my brain were wired to function that way. I wonder if I would have been half as uncoordinated as I was when I was little, if I would have been allowed to be left-handed?
Some of the articles I’ve read on the internet suggest that this forced change upon children may have been related to stuttering. Thankfully, I did not stutter. But, I was uncoordinated, and my handwriting was terrible. That is the only thing that I ever received an ‘L’ (Low) in on my report card in elementary school. I suppose you can't cry over spilled milk, but if I were allowed to be left-handed, I probably would not have been so clumsy as to knock the glass over.
Somebody else had an interesting theory that Jesus and God (though one and the same for discussion another time) were left-handers, because the Bible says that Jesus sits at the right hand of God. The writer reasoned that this was so they didn’t bump elbows when they were eating. It was a humorous attempt to glorify left-handers, but maybe not so far off as one might think. The Bible does say there will be feasts in heaven. I like a lot of different foods down here, and I can’t wait to sample some of the dishes to be served in eternity!
When I was a baby, I had a tendency to use my left hand. Of course, I don’t remember this, but in those days, parents were encouraged to “help” their children become right-handed. I try not to blame my mom and dad, but I can fault the doctors and experts of the day, for suggesting that parents change the biological tendencies of their children from being left-handed to right-handed. I was supposed to be left-handed. My body and my brain were wired to function that way. I wonder if I would have been half as uncoordinated as I was when I was little, if I would have been allowed to be left-handed?
Some of the articles I’ve read on the internet suggest that this forced change upon children may have been related to stuttering. Thankfully, I did not stutter. But, I was uncoordinated, and my handwriting was terrible. That is the only thing that I ever received an ‘L’ (Low) in on my report card in elementary school. I suppose you can't cry over spilled milk, but if I were allowed to be left-handed, I probably would not have been so clumsy as to knock the glass over.
Somebody else had an interesting theory that Jesus and God (though one and the same for discussion another time) were left-handers, because the Bible says that Jesus sits at the right hand of God. The writer reasoned that this was so they didn’t bump elbows when they were eating. It was a humorous attempt to glorify left-handers, but maybe not so far off as one might think. The Bible does say there will be feasts in heaven. I like a lot of different foods down here, and I can’t wait to sample some of the dishes to be served in eternity!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
fuzzy picture
I have taken on this challenge to force myself to write. Blogging is one of the suggestions for aspiring writers to get in the habit of writing. I guess it is calisthenics for mind and wrist. It is definitely a workout on my wrist. I need to find a new computer table. My keyboard is too high, and my chair is too low. I probably need to buy one of those ergonomic keyboards, if I am going to continue down this path.
Yesterday, I posted a snapshot of where I am today. But, it is a fuzzy picture, and not complete, so please don’t rush to judgment on whether I am someone to like or dislike, someone to listen to or ignore. I believe that God has brought me through quite a lot in my life, and maybe some of the things I’ve experienced would be worthwhile to share. Maybe some of these things, once shared, will help others to realize that they aren’t the only ones who make mistakes, who suffer, who live with guilt and shame, and at times feel alone and helpless. What a blessing to feel all these emotions, or some might say a curse. It is probably a little bit of both. We are blessed, because even in our hurting we live. And, living, we get a glimpse of some goodness that exists in this world. God created this world, and at one time called it “good.” [Here is where I have edited out some rambling into the curse of man. Because I don’t have the credentials of some institution, I will withhold my thoughts, and hopefully your thoughts of “what makes this guy think he knows so much?” I don’t want to preach, at least not yet, or our journey together might end too soon.]
Yesterday, I posted a snapshot of where I am today. But, it is a fuzzy picture, and not complete, so please don’t rush to judgment on whether I am someone to like or dislike, someone to listen to or ignore. I believe that God has brought me through quite a lot in my life, and maybe some of the things I’ve experienced would be worthwhile to share. Maybe some of these things, once shared, will help others to realize that they aren’t the only ones who make mistakes, who suffer, who live with guilt and shame, and at times feel alone and helpless. What a blessing to feel all these emotions, or some might say a curse. It is probably a little bit of both. We are blessed, because even in our hurting we live. And, living, we get a glimpse of some goodness that exists in this world. God created this world, and at one time called it “good.” [Here is where I have edited out some rambling into the curse of man. Because I don’t have the credentials of some institution, I will withhold my thoughts, and hopefully your thoughts of “what makes this guy think he knows so much?” I don’t want to preach, at least not yet, or our journey together might end too soon.]
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Let's Start This Again
Yesterday I posted a light blog; probably not how I intend to use this medium. I planned on writing my blog in advance of posting to it to the internet, to give me time to review my thoughts. But, if I review them too much and revise them, they may get watered down and become more like what the world would want my thoughts to be like. Does that make sense? So, let’s back up and start over. Below is what I had originally written as my next post. Some days I may offend, some days you might laugh, some days you might cry. I can be pretty complex sometimes, and many times way too serious. It is not my intent to offend, but I would like to cause some to reflect and to think. Maybe blogging will help me do a better job of that myself. I will likely post some of my poetry on this blog, and some of my songs. As I said from the start, this will be a journey. I welcome those who choose to walk along side of me.
I am writing to everyone. I am writing to no one. I am writing to God. But that’s not true. I speak to God daily. I don’t need to write to Him. So, I’m writing to me, reflecting back to myself the unspoken thoughts of my life. Where do I begin?
I’m 55 and out of work. Our pastor is currently preaching a series on living your dream. I’m not very happy with these sermons. They are causing me to reflect too much, to question the choices I made, recognizing the mistakes I made. But God knew what I would do. My foolishness has been His training ground. My desert time has been His time to allow me to ferment. Once again, He is turning water into wine.
I suppose we should get this out of the way right up front. Immediately, you should recognize that I am a Christian. If not, well I am. I am also a conservative republican, based on a philosophy of personal freedom as opposed to allowing the government to rule over me. I am married and still content after 29 years. If we’re laying it out up front, I am against abortion and gay rights. Homosexuality is a choice, one that our society is making easier every day. As with any sin, it is another area where Satan is deceiving mankind into believing that it is an acceptable way to live. How can it be wrong? It hurts no one. But that is just one more lie tossed out by the father of lies. It hurts God. It hurts families. It hurts me.
Why does it hurt me? Because I recognize it as another soul lost. Another human being led away from the truth, and shrouded in darkness. My daughter says I’m ‘homophobic.’ I’m not fearful of homosexuality, I’m saddened, saddened by the turning of the tide. Battles are being lost, and I’m not even in the fight. I sit on my recliner, watch the news, and shake my head. I tell myself that I’m a ‘prayer warrior,’ helping the Kingdom by praying.
Jesus prayed, but then Jesus moved. He moved the world. He moved man from darkness into light. It wasn’t just the blind that He helped to see, it was all of mankind. Jesus brought truth back into the world. “If you know me, then you know the Father who sent me.” Hard to believe that He wants me to be able to say the same thing. So, let my prayer for the day be, “Lord, point me in the right direction and help me to move.”
I am writing to everyone. I am writing to no one. I am writing to God. But that’s not true. I speak to God daily. I don’t need to write to Him. So, I’m writing to me, reflecting back to myself the unspoken thoughts of my life. Where do I begin?
I’m 55 and out of work. Our pastor is currently preaching a series on living your dream. I’m not very happy with these sermons. They are causing me to reflect too much, to question the choices I made, recognizing the mistakes I made. But God knew what I would do. My foolishness has been His training ground. My desert time has been His time to allow me to ferment. Once again, He is turning water into wine.
I suppose we should get this out of the way right up front. Immediately, you should recognize that I am a Christian. If not, well I am. I am also a conservative republican, based on a philosophy of personal freedom as opposed to allowing the government to rule over me. I am married and still content after 29 years. If we’re laying it out up front, I am against abortion and gay rights. Homosexuality is a choice, one that our society is making easier every day. As with any sin, it is another area where Satan is deceiving mankind into believing that it is an acceptable way to live. How can it be wrong? It hurts no one. But that is just one more lie tossed out by the father of lies. It hurts God. It hurts families. It hurts me.
Why does it hurt me? Because I recognize it as another soul lost. Another human being led away from the truth, and shrouded in darkness. My daughter says I’m ‘homophobic.’ I’m not fearful of homosexuality, I’m saddened, saddened by the turning of the tide. Battles are being lost, and I’m not even in the fight. I sit on my recliner, watch the news, and shake my head. I tell myself that I’m a ‘prayer warrior,’ helping the Kingdom by praying.
Jesus prayed, but then Jesus moved. He moved the world. He moved man from darkness into light. It wasn’t just the blind that He helped to see, it was all of mankind. Jesus brought truth back into the world. “If you know me, then you know the Father who sent me.” Hard to believe that He wants me to be able to say the same thing. So, let my prayer for the day be, “Lord, point me in the right direction and help me to move.”
Friday, March 12, 2010
Stem Cell Treatment for Dogs
Last night our local news aired a story about an old dog that was being treated with his own stem cells to counter his hip problems. After a week of treatment, the dog was moving great. One drawback was that his whole rear end was shaved. He might have gotten away with it if he were a poodle. Carol gave me a look like ‘we could do that for Champ.’ There was no mention in the story of what the cost for this treatment might be. The vet said that they removed stem cells from the dog, overnighted them to California for processing, and then overnighted them back for injecting into the dog. Cha-ching! I explained to Carol that there was a way less expensive shot that we could give to Champ and he wouldn’t be in pain anymore. She didn’t think that was a good solution. Champ is 13, and has slowed down in his old age. I take him for a walk each night, just past the corner and back. It takes about 30 minutes. I don’t think that he’s in any pain, just slowed down a bit. He also has trouble going up the steps. Maybe I should invent a doggie-walker, or doggie-wheelchair. He might like me to build him a ramp too. On second thought, I still think the ‘shot’ would be cheaper.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
'RAND'OM NOTES
Background: I’ve titled my blog ‘Rand’om Notes. It is the same title of a column that I once wrote for a church newsletter at Christ United Methodist Church in Fraser, Michigan. I edited and published the small newsletter in the early 80’s. It allowed me to release some of my creative energies at the time. Though I have enjoyed writing as far back as I can remember, my job back then (and for many years to come) was working as a technical writer. Very dry for the most part, but it paid the bills. It was a skill that paid the bills for most of my career in the defense industry. That career has taken me from Michigan, to Louisian, and now South Carolina, with a few adventures overseas along the way. That may be something to explore down the road.
I'll pause here, before I start rambling. My mind wanders sometimes, my thoughts can be quite random, and also my name is Randy, hence the title 'Rand'om Notes. So there you are. This is my first blog, a step in a new direction. We’ll see where this journey goes from here.
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