In the beginning the word "Christian" (first used in Antioch) was a noun. Rather than being a "Christian merchant" or a "Christian mechanic," Christians were men or women who had surrendered their lives to Christ and who lived for him. They were quite intentional about this, and when they arose to meet the day, they would ask themselves, "What can I do to serve and honor Christ today"? Thus, their primary vocation was that of being a Christian and whatever they did for a paycheck just made it possible for them to pursue their real work. Denominations didn't exist. Elegant cathedrals and grand meeting halls didn't house the church because the church was the people of God... and they were here, there, and everywhere... serving God with the gifts and talents that He had given to them. Being a Christian was something people were, and others could distinguish them by the fruit that they bore. Christians marched to a different drummer. They had different priorities, and their idea of what it meant to be successful was at odds with the prevailing notions in society. Christians weren't simply a "bit nicer," or more likely to attend church . No, the difference between Christians and others was deep and profound, and it had to do with whom one was worshiping and serving. While others were worshiping themselves and their money, Christians worshiped their God. Their hearts were given to a different master... but it was more than a way of thinking or feeling... because people serve what they worship! They attempt to please their lords; they learn as much as they can about them; they love to spend time with them... and they try really hard to obey them! Indeed, others can easily tell whom you and I are really worshiping by the priorities we display, and by the way in which we live... for the way in which we live is the real measure of what or whom we are worshiping.
We're prone to think that what or whom we love is a private matter- a secret that we share only with God- but in truth... our gods and lovers are plain for everyone to see! If we worship possessions, they'll be be on display; if we worship alcohol, people will see that we can't live without it; and if we worship Christ, people will see that too... in the way that we live! Christians are NOT defined by the churches they attend or the things that they know... but rather by the things that they DO... in day-to-day living. Entire books are written on Christian behavior, but I would suggest that we have a lot of room for growth if the behaviors listed below do not describe us. According to Scripture (read Paul's letters and Jesus' Sermon on the Mount), Christians are those who:
1. Speak the truth in love (where truth and love both matter);
2. Hold fast to what is good (even when it's not easy);
3. Outdo one another in showing honor (be competitive in this area);
4. Live in harmony with others.. (you count and they do too);
5. Go out of their way to maintain the peace (avoid gossip-seek reconciliation);
6. Distance themselves from all that is unholy (no one can serve two masters);
7. Forgive and love others as God has forgiven and loved them;
8. Thirst and hunger for righteousness (and things that build them up);
9. Weep over a broken and hurting world (it's worth crying about);
10. Have a passion for God-talk (in prayer, fellowship, and Bible study);
11. See and respond to Christ as he appears in the least among them;
12. Won't leave home... without their cross AND their armor.
If you and I are doing these things, we are on the right track. If we're not, then we are kidding ourselves. It is as simple as that!
PK IN SWEDEN
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
TO MY WIFE OF 47 YEARS- HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
On this date (Aug. 19), in 1967, on a beautiful summer's night- in what seems like a dream- my wife, Sherry, and I were married in Ankeny, Iowa. It's been 47 years, and I can still see her walking down the steps that ran along side the pool...so young and beautiful... as she approached me and the Lutheran minister who had agreed to marry us. It was a beautiful setting for a wedding. My father was alive then... and in good form. He always liked Sherry and talked to her more freely than he talked to me. My little brother, Randy, was alive then as well, and he was always the life of the party. There were others present, of course, but in a certain way, it was just Sherry and me.
We had only dated for a matter of (a few) months, and no one of sane mind would have said that I was ready for marriage. But we were in love, and Sherry had not yet seen how much growing I had to do. Indeed, I hadn't even met all of my demons myself yet, and life was so very peaceful when we were together. I saw her night after night when we were courting, and it was always magical. Sometimes, we would go out and listen to a piano player, or better yet, a saxophone player; once in a while, we'd get dressed up and go out to one of Des Moines' steakhouses; but most of the time, we just sit in Sherry's efficiency apartment and listened to Rod McKuen... as her window fan whirled in the background. Her place was very modest, but it was a palace to me, and I felt like a king when I was with her. So... despite a dating period that was much too brief, we stood facing one another on August 19, 1967, repeating the vows that we given to us.
We never understood a word of the vows we shared of course. Young lovers never do. Neither one of us knew a thing about forever, and words like "for better" or "worse" didn't mean much either. Not then... although they became clearer as the years passed... and Sherry learned what it was like to be married to an self-absorbed alcoholic. I didn't know it myself when we got married, but as it turned out, I was a very difficult person to have as a partner because I didn't understand what it meant to be a partner. I didn't even understand what it was to love another person (or myself) in depth. I knew what passion and desire were, and I loved the feeling of being "in love," but of the type of love that gives of itself and seeks nothing in return, I knew nothing at all. I'm sure that Sherry was surprised to find out that she was married to a "3" instead of "10," but she stuck with me as I gave myself to God and began a spiritual journey. She also agreed to join me in pursuit of what I thought was my calling to be a minister, and that alone took us to Chicago, Joliet, Kalamazoo, Peoria, and the Quad Cities.
We were nomads on a spiritual journey, as I learned more and more about what it meant to be "together," which I now see as a mutual relationship with both accountability and freedom. I grew in faith and my understanding of love matured, but even then, our life together wasn't all "wine and roses." There were bumps, and hills, and turns even after I became a minister, and there were times when I had to recommit myself to a relationship that wasn't all about me. Sometimes it seemed like we had it made, and sometimes it seemed like we had work to do, but we kept at it... and we never quit talking and laughing together. Commitment, effort, honesty, laughter, faith, surrender- these are the things that make a good marriage. In short, I discovered that mature love is, in large measure, one part commitment, one part surrender, and one part perseverance ... with a dash of romance thrown in. The dash of romance is important, no doubt, but love won't endure without the other ingredients.
Today, on this our 47th anniversary, I write as a debtor. In recent years I've been able to pay Sherry back a little... for the sacrifices she made for me... but I am still far, far in debt to her... for I am sure that 99 women in a 100 would've given me up as a lost cause years ago. Most partners would've grown weary, but Sherry stayed the course and I am very grateful. Even now, I would be much less without her, and I am even more excited to be home with her tonight than I was 47 years ago. Tonight, we will go out for dinner, without the saxophone player and the wine, and then we will go home and talk as we always do. We will laugh together and go to bed, which can still be a delight. But tonight, we will sleep with a little poodle between us and with an aging Sheltie at the foot of the bed. It will be like heaven again, and I will be at peace again- without Sherry's window fan or Rod McKuen's songs. In the morning we will get up and get ready for our youngest daughter and grandson to arrive from New York. What a joy that will be! Indeed, one of the great joys of a long journey is all the discoveries and blessings that come your way. Who would've known, back in '67, that I would be writing a blog which people read on something called the internet? What is more, we could not have known the pain we'd experience when we lost Sherry's mother, my father, and both of my brothers. Neither did we know that our daughters would give us so much unfettered joy... and I certainly didn't imagine being a grandparent to two beautiful girls and a wonderful grandson, or a great-grandparent to a darling little boy (and a southerner at that).
Yes, it's been quite a ride, and I feel very blessed. With gratitude to my Lord, Jesus Christ, without whom I would be of little use to anyone, I say, Happy Anniversary, Sherry! You have made the journey worthwhile.
We had only dated for a matter of (a few) months, and no one of sane mind would have said that I was ready for marriage. But we were in love, and Sherry had not yet seen how much growing I had to do. Indeed, I hadn't even met all of my demons myself yet, and life was so very peaceful when we were together. I saw her night after night when we were courting, and it was always magical. Sometimes, we would go out and listen to a piano player, or better yet, a saxophone player; once in a while, we'd get dressed up and go out to one of Des Moines' steakhouses; but most of the time, we just sit in Sherry's efficiency apartment and listened to Rod McKuen... as her window fan whirled in the background. Her place was very modest, but it was a palace to me, and I felt like a king when I was with her. So... despite a dating period that was much too brief, we stood facing one another on August 19, 1967, repeating the vows that we given to us.
We never understood a word of the vows we shared of course. Young lovers never do. Neither one of us knew a thing about forever, and words like "for better" or "worse" didn't mean much either. Not then... although they became clearer as the years passed... and Sherry learned what it was like to be married to an self-absorbed alcoholic. I didn't know it myself when we got married, but as it turned out, I was a very difficult person to have as a partner because I didn't understand what it meant to be a partner. I didn't even understand what it was to love another person (or myself) in depth. I knew what passion and desire were, and I loved the feeling of being "in love," but of the type of love that gives of itself and seeks nothing in return, I knew nothing at all. I'm sure that Sherry was surprised to find out that she was married to a "3" instead of "10," but she stuck with me as I gave myself to God and began a spiritual journey. She also agreed to join me in pursuit of what I thought was my calling to be a minister, and that alone took us to Chicago, Joliet, Kalamazoo, Peoria, and the Quad Cities.
We were nomads on a spiritual journey, as I learned more and more about what it meant to be "together," which I now see as a mutual relationship with both accountability and freedom. I grew in faith and my understanding of love matured, but even then, our life together wasn't all "wine and roses." There were bumps, and hills, and turns even after I became a minister, and there were times when I had to recommit myself to a relationship that wasn't all about me. Sometimes it seemed like we had it made, and sometimes it seemed like we had work to do, but we kept at it... and we never quit talking and laughing together. Commitment, effort, honesty, laughter, faith, surrender- these are the things that make a good marriage. In short, I discovered that mature love is, in large measure, one part commitment, one part surrender, and one part perseverance ... with a dash of romance thrown in. The dash of romance is important, no doubt, but love won't endure without the other ingredients.
Today, on this our 47th anniversary, I write as a debtor. In recent years I've been able to pay Sherry back a little... for the sacrifices she made for me... but I am still far, far in debt to her... for I am sure that 99 women in a 100 would've given me up as a lost cause years ago. Most partners would've grown weary, but Sherry stayed the course and I am very grateful. Even now, I would be much less without her, and I am even more excited to be home with her tonight than I was 47 years ago. Tonight, we will go out for dinner, without the saxophone player and the wine, and then we will go home and talk as we always do. We will laugh together and go to bed, which can still be a delight. But tonight, we will sleep with a little poodle between us and with an aging Sheltie at the foot of the bed. It will be like heaven again, and I will be at peace again- without Sherry's window fan or Rod McKuen's songs. In the morning we will get up and get ready for our youngest daughter and grandson to arrive from New York. What a joy that will be! Indeed, one of the great joys of a long journey is all the discoveries and blessings that come your way. Who would've known, back in '67, that I would be writing a blog which people read on something called the internet? What is more, we could not have known the pain we'd experience when we lost Sherry's mother, my father, and both of my brothers. Neither did we know that our daughters would give us so much unfettered joy... and I certainly didn't imagine being a grandparent to two beautiful girls and a wonderful grandson, or a great-grandparent to a darling little boy (and a southerner at that).
Yes, it's been quite a ride, and I feel very blessed. With gratitude to my Lord, Jesus Christ, without whom I would be of little use to anyone, I say, Happy Anniversary, Sherry! You have made the journey worthwhile.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
A BIRTHDAY MESSAGE TO ARCHER, AGE 6
Yesterday you celebrated your 6th Birthday, Archer, and I know that you had a wonderful time. Grammie and I called and told you that we love you, but the sounds of laughter and joy made it hard for us to hear one another. So, let me tell you today... that you have always blessed us with a deep and abiding joy. For six full years we've been blessed to see you grow from a (chubby) lovable infant... into an energetic and spirited toddler... and then into a very bright and engaging little boy.
You have worn three different personas already and I must say that you worn them well. When you were a baby, you were a sweet baby. We all tried to meet your needs of course, but mostly, we just adored you. We loved to be with you. Grammie loved to hold you and make over you, and I got a kick out of tossing you in the air (although it made your mom nervous if we were near a ceiling fan).
When you were a toddler, you were an absolute delight. Your picture was in the newspaper, sledding with your dad (on what I think was the only day it snowed that year), and you also made the paper when Mayor Bloomberg held you in his arms. Oh, and I should mention that your aunt, Kelli, and your mom put your picture on the cover of the children's book that they published. You were very photogenic as a toddler, but what I remember most is the walks that your mom and I had with you, enroute to your preschool, and along the Hudson River on our way to the toy store. I always knew- maybe you did too- that I was going to buy you a toy or a giant cookie before we returned to your home, and just knowing that was fun. You had your first "Frosty" on one of our walks, and we often "raced" from place to place as we traveled. You always won the race because you were so fast, but that was fine with me. As a toddler you loved to wrestle with you daddy and leap off the couch with total abandon. Your trust level and your joy were off the charts then, and we will never forget your love affair with Thomas and His Friends.
You were an awesome toddler, Archer. But being a toddler is just a moment in time, and you soon became a little boy... and Thomas and His Friends gave way to Angry Birds and scores of other video games, which we were (and are) very, very good at! Also, you began to have play dates and become part of a larger community. You and your mommy went to the park almost every day and sometimes Grammie and I were able to go with you. You learned to kick a soccer ball at the park, you found and examined worms and insects at the park, and you climbed on things that seemed too high and too big for you. You hurt yourself a time or two, but for the most part, the parks along the Hudson River were amusement centers for you. Now, my little man, you are six years old. You are blessed with two wonderfully gifted and attentive parents. You are an integral part of a strong family unit, and you have two sets of grandparents who love you no end. You also have many other relatives (uncles, aunts, and cousins- even a nephew already) who love you too. They ought to love you, Archer, because you are lovable. Your smile, your energy, your joy, your observations, your comments, your sense of humor, your heart for others... all of these are remarkable, and when the time is right, I look forward to moving to Croton-on-Hudson (or as near as we can get) so that Grammie and I can be present as you grow up. I can't think of a better way to spend the next chapter of my life...because even though you're 6, you're still little.... and there's ballgames to see, goals to score, fish to catch, and things to discuss... as you become an older boy, then a teen, and then a young man.
Never quit dreaming. Never let anyone else define or limit you. Never do or say anything that violates who you are or might become. And remember...that the most real things in life- like faith and love- are the things that cannot be seen, measured, or controlled.
Well, there I go again. It's so easy for Poppy to start preaching. Happy Birthday, Archer. Grammie and I love you at a depth that is too great for words.
Poppy
You have worn three different personas already and I must say that you worn them well. When you were a baby, you were a sweet baby. We all tried to meet your needs of course, but mostly, we just adored you. We loved to be with you. Grammie loved to hold you and make over you, and I got a kick out of tossing you in the air (although it made your mom nervous if we were near a ceiling fan).
When you were a toddler, you were an absolute delight. Your picture was in the newspaper, sledding with your dad (on what I think was the only day it snowed that year), and you also made the paper when Mayor Bloomberg held you in his arms. Oh, and I should mention that your aunt, Kelli, and your mom put your picture on the cover of the children's book that they published. You were very photogenic as a toddler, but what I remember most is the walks that your mom and I had with you, enroute to your preschool, and along the Hudson River on our way to the toy store. I always knew- maybe you did too- that I was going to buy you a toy or a giant cookie before we returned to your home, and just knowing that was fun. You had your first "Frosty" on one of our walks, and we often "raced" from place to place as we traveled. You always won the race because you were so fast, but that was fine with me. As a toddler you loved to wrestle with you daddy and leap off the couch with total abandon. Your trust level and your joy were off the charts then, and we will never forget your love affair with Thomas and His Friends.
You were an awesome toddler, Archer. But being a toddler is just a moment in time, and you soon became a little boy... and Thomas and His Friends gave way to Angry Birds and scores of other video games, which we were (and are) very, very good at! Also, you began to have play dates and become part of a larger community. You and your mommy went to the park almost every day and sometimes Grammie and I were able to go with you. You learned to kick a soccer ball at the park, you found and examined worms and insects at the park, and you climbed on things that seemed too high and too big for you. You hurt yourself a time or two, but for the most part, the parks along the Hudson River were amusement centers for you. Now, my little man, you are six years old. You are blessed with two wonderfully gifted and attentive parents. You are an integral part of a strong family unit, and you have two sets of grandparents who love you no end. You also have many other relatives (uncles, aunts, and cousins- even a nephew already) who love you too. They ought to love you, Archer, because you are lovable. Your smile, your energy, your joy, your observations, your comments, your sense of humor, your heart for others... all of these are remarkable, and when the time is right, I look forward to moving to Croton-on-Hudson (or as near as we can get) so that Grammie and I can be present as you grow up. I can't think of a better way to spend the next chapter of my life...because even though you're 6, you're still little.... and there's ballgames to see, goals to score, fish to catch, and things to discuss... as you become an older boy, then a teen, and then a young man.
Never quit dreaming. Never let anyone else define or limit you. Never do or say anything that violates who you are or might become. And remember...that the most real things in life- like faith and love- are the things that cannot be seen, measured, or controlled.
Well, there I go again. It's so easy for Poppy to start preaching. Happy Birthday, Archer. Grammie and I love you at a depth that is too great for words.
Poppy
Saturday, August 9, 2014
THERE IS A FREE LUNCH!!
I invite you to envision a couple as they stand at the corner of "Easy" Street and "It's All About You" Avenue... and look around the adorable town square. "Look," the woman says, "There's a 'Free Lunch Cafe.' It's over by the 'Cure All' pharmacy, and just across the road from the 'Days of Wine and Roses' lodge." "You're right, dear," the man replies, "It's all perfect, easy, and free. I like this place!" Indeed. Who wouldn't? But there is NO free lunch! Isn't that the truth of it? Doesn't everyone know that? And don't we all know... that if it seems too good to be true... it (probably) is? Of course, we all know that there is no free lunch, nor a free anything at all... because everything has a cost. It may be hidden. It may be in the fine print. It may be down the road; it may come in the form of a deal or a payback; it may be I'll-love-me-as-long-as-you-love-you; or I'll-pay-this-time-if you'll-pay-next-time... but nothing is ever... really free... EXCEPT for the very best things in life. Surprisingly, the very best things in life are free, like life itself, which is a priceless gift- every moment of it- and we do nothing to earn it. It just comes. We arrive... and breathe in free air... and bask in sunlight that's also free! And if we're fortunate enough to love and be loved- we're rich indeed and it costs nothing. Neither does a child's smile, or our dog greeting me, every time I come home, with a toy in her mouth. A prayer is free, loyalty is free... and God's love is free! Always has been. In the beginning, God set us in a paradise... and asked for nothing down. He walked with us in the garden- in the afternoon- and there was no charge. He sent his prophets, through whom he freely gave of Himself, and the Bible says that He loved us so much that he sent his Son... to forgive us and to invite us to spend forever with Him... and neither His sacrifice nor His invitation costs us a dime!
Somehow, somewhere, along the line, someone convinced us that we have to be "good enough," for God's love. Some people believe that the good news is the "too-good-to-be-true" news because it's simple and free! It doesn't seem possible to get everything... for nothing- so many people spend their lives trying to earn, or buy, or deserve...what God has always offered freely- which is His love, forgiveness, new beginnings, and forever. Friends, it's God's nature to love...wait... forgive... invite... and feed us ... free of charge. God has a free lunch- at least one that's free to us. It's a banquet fit for kings and queens... and it's totally free... with no fine print, no hidden charges. If you're thirsty, God said, come to the waters. (Isa. 55) If you're parched, if your throat is dry, if you're stumbling through a desert, if you are straining to climb a steep hill... come to me (He said) for a drink of living water. And if you have no money- that's right, none at all- come into my banquet room, where you will dine on the finest fillets... and the bread of life. If you're hungry, if you need strength, if you've been starving for something that sustains you, if you're tired of junk food, speak right up and order the best heaven has to offer... because the bread of life is FREE. Come into my dining hall... and buy wine or milk without cost. Yes, it's all free.
Come to His table with a sense of joy... because your Lord has prepared a place for you- a place that you need to be in. Friends, when it comes to financial matters, there really is no free lunch. Even most relationships are conditional and they fall apart without reciprocity. We live in a world where we have to be vigilant and wary, on guard and suspect, lest someone takes advantage of us. We live in a world where complete forgiveness never happens and in which it's impossible to really start over. Thus, we struggle to be heard, hide secrets that would give others an edge, and work diligently to pay our own way. It's a rat-race...in which no one wins and everyone loses... because it is forgiveness, acceptance, and a free lunch that we need more than anything... which is why God's Son hung on His cross... and why we feed and drink on the very essence of God during the meal we call the Lord's Supper... which is offered to those who are hungry and thirsty... without cost! This is the Lord's Table. So come, eat, and drink, without money. Come with a sense of community, knowing that you will be communing with Christians in all times and places. Come with a sense of joy, knowing that this meal is a foretaste of the great banquet we will share with God face-to-face; and come with a sense of poverty, knowing that the meal has already been paid in full. Leave your wallets alone. Don't open your purses... because this meal IS FREE! Amen.
.
Somehow, somewhere, along the line, someone convinced us that we have to be "good enough," for God's love. Some people believe that the good news is the "too-good-to-be-true" news because it's simple and free! It doesn't seem possible to get everything... for nothing- so many people spend their lives trying to earn, or buy, or deserve...what God has always offered freely- which is His love, forgiveness, new beginnings, and forever. Friends, it's God's nature to love...wait... forgive... invite... and feed us ... free of charge. God has a free lunch- at least one that's free to us. It's a banquet fit for kings and queens... and it's totally free... with no fine print, no hidden charges. If you're thirsty, God said, come to the waters. (Isa. 55) If you're parched, if your throat is dry, if you're stumbling through a desert, if you are straining to climb a steep hill... come to me (He said) for a drink of living water. And if you have no money- that's right, none at all- come into my banquet room, where you will dine on the finest fillets... and the bread of life. If you're hungry, if you need strength, if you've been starving for something that sustains you, if you're tired of junk food, speak right up and order the best heaven has to offer... because the bread of life is FREE. Come into my dining hall... and buy wine or milk without cost. Yes, it's all free.
Come to His table with a sense of joy... because your Lord has prepared a place for you- a place that you need to be in. Friends, when it comes to financial matters, there really is no free lunch. Even most relationships are conditional and they fall apart without reciprocity. We live in a world where we have to be vigilant and wary, on guard and suspect, lest someone takes advantage of us. We live in a world where complete forgiveness never happens and in which it's impossible to really start over. Thus, we struggle to be heard, hide secrets that would give others an edge, and work diligently to pay our own way. It's a rat-race...in which no one wins and everyone loses... because it is forgiveness, acceptance, and a free lunch that we need more than anything... which is why God's Son hung on His cross... and why we feed and drink on the very essence of God during the meal we call the Lord's Supper... which is offered to those who are hungry and thirsty... without cost! This is the Lord's Table. So come, eat, and drink, without money. Come with a sense of community, knowing that you will be communing with Christians in all times and places. Come with a sense of joy, knowing that this meal is a foretaste of the great banquet we will share with God face-to-face; and come with a sense of poverty, knowing that the meal has already been paid in full. Leave your wallets alone. Don't open your purses... because this meal IS FREE! Amen.
.
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