Laundry day

It's Thursday, in case you didn't know. What you may or may not know is that Thursday is typically laundry day here at Mr. Chuckles's's's house. I am usually very busy on M, T, and W, so this is the perfect night for me to come in from work, shower, don my pj's, and be a housewife. I call it therapy.

I do two loads of laundry per week. Always. One for anything that's not dark, and one for everything else. If anything fades or colors blend, I'll never know it anyhow. I just cram it in there and forget about it.

But my duds get clean and they feel snuggly soft and smell good, so I consider it successful.

But what if...

...we had a laundry day, spiritually speaking? Follow along, here. What if we all had a day, or days, if necessary, where we all aired it out? A day to pile up and sort out all the stuff that makes life complicated and shove it into the mix and churn it until it comes out brilliant white and spring fresh.

I can say with a fair degree of certainty that we all have issues with people. We smile and act all polite and loving, but corral the crowd into separate herds and the eyes start rolling and the criticism begins. I'm guilty of it, and honestly, you are too, aren't you?

Maybe I'm being unrealistic but I wish we could all suck it up, put on our thick skins and hear what people say about us when we aren't listening. You've wondered that, haven't you? Haven't you been around a group of people who are tearing down someone and you have a sneaking suspicion that YOU are the inside joke when you aren't around?

And what about the ones you tear down? Don't you sometimes feel bad for speaking or thinking things about someone that you normally overwhelm with kindness?

I can't help but wonder how great it would be if the air between us was clear. If we came face to face with the truth that we really aren't always right, that other people are just as put out with us as we are with them, then maybe we could see things more clearly.

There is an old Cherokee prayer that says, "Oh Great Spirit, grant that I may not criticize my neighbor until I have walked a mile in his moccasins."

Yeah, I went there.

Here's a fun little quote...

Perhaps it is the most dangerous of all positions for a man to become well known and much respected by the religious world, and yet to be rotten at the core. To be where others can observe our faults is a healthy thing, though painful; but to live with beloved friends who would not believe it possible for us to do wrong, and who, if they saw us err, would make excuses for us--this is to be where it is next to impossible for us ever to be aroused if our hearts be not right with God. To have a fair reputation and a false heart is to stand upon the brink of Hell.

Even when it doesn't make sense...

I'm watching a movie right now about Joseph. It's one I've seen a hundred times but I really like how it emphasizes Joseph's complete reliance on God. The movie also shows how sometimes relying on God requires going against the grain.

Being the eleventh-born of twelve brothers must have been hard. In those days, order of birth meant everything. The first-born would gain the father's blessing, and thus become the leader upon the father's death. But Joseph received Jacob's blessing over his brothers. That alone is enough to distinguish Joseph as special. Not to mention all the other things that happened in his life.

Joseph wasn't afraid to stand for what was right, even when that meant facing the wrath of his mean-spirited brothers. He proved himself loyal to his father, and Jacob honored him for it. He also proved himself loyal to God throughout his life, and God blessed him, and the nation of Israel.

Joseph spent his life obeying and following God. That usually meant facing opposition and hardship. I can't help but wonder how many times in that dried up well, or as a slave in Potiphar's house, or in that Egyptian prison Joseph asked God when his obedience and devotion would bring blessing.

Eventually that blessing came. Not just for Joseph, but for his father's household and for all of Israel. Joseph's willingness to go against the grain and stay true to God gained him his father's blessing, Pharaoh's respect, and God's rewards.

I won't say that there is a point to all of this, but I do feel like it's relevant. There are some very important decisions forthcoming for all of us. There are many changes happening right now in the life of our church, some are good and some are not. Some are unnoticed. I think it's worth mentioning that we should all make our decisions based on what God says to us, not just what the popular opinion is. Maybe that means going against what everyone else thinks, maybe it doesn't. But as long as going against the grain is staying true to God's Word, then blessing will follow.

Voila!

I have now posted some pictures from D-Now Oh-Ten. Click here to view them.

Sorry for the delay. I slept Monday away, went back to work Tuesday, did Food Pantry and Sunday School stuff, straight to church Wednesday, and... oh yeah, had a family funeral thrown in there, too.

And I couldn't access my old flickr account so I had to build a new one. Due to the rain-soaked telephone facilities, my internet was intermittent so only about one-third of the pictures uploaded. I'll let you all know when the rest are on board.

Add all that together and you can cipher why I am posting this at 12:30 a.m.

Hope no one was too put out.

Arrivederci.

I love cameras

They allow you to capture people as they really are. I think this photo shows the true spirit of the weekend: crazy fun with a dash of hilarity thrown in. These gals are always on for a pic. I just have to get near them and they start with the "candid poses." Especially Kurtney, who made me retake this picture until I finally caught her not grinning.

It was a great weekend. I know all those involved had a great time. I especially liked seeing some of our kids at Angelic Ministries. They did a great job as they served lunch to the homeless community, and they all did it with a smile.

Over the next few days, I'll post some of the pictures from last nights festivities. I'll start with this one. It's one of my favorites.

Don "Inspector Gadget" Kelly. He played the part perfectly.

It's that time again

Disciple Now. I hope everyone's home-owner's insurance is paid up.

I looked back to exactly one year ago in my blog archives and saw something amazing. The things I posted prior to last year's D-Now were much more anxious and giddy than this year. Everything was focused on drawing together and becoming a family. JGen was still young and rolling like a freight train, and things were shaping up to be exciting and earth-shattering.

So I wonder what is different this year? The vibe seems different.

For one, last year we had roughly 40 kids. This year, we have that number in high-school boys alone. We've added a D-Now for the pre-youth age kids and that number is astounding. So, all told, I think the head-count for people this weekend is above 150. That's just unreal.

Maybe there is a nervous apprehension about this weekend. The number of students alone is humbling. Maybe it's the curriculum. The whole focus is different. Let's face it, the things we talked about and prayed for last year have come to fruition. Our student group is closer and more regular. The leadership this year is made up of a who's who of SCBC youth group graduates and that is very cool.

I know that's alot of random, choppy thoughts but my point is that this year has excitement of its own. Just because the vibe is calmer doesn't mean the intensity is less. Personally, I'm looking forward to this weekend for different reasons than last year. I'm looking forward to someone realizing just who they really are in Christ. I'm excited for that heart that will see that the things we morph ourselves into in order to fit in are pointless and that being who we are, who God made us to be, is where we find true joy and purpose. That's a lesson that I had to learn the hard way after a long time of chasing the world's ideas. I believe that God will use this weekend to spare someone that worthless journey.

So here we go. Hang on.

Well, zee snow eez a leetle early...

About four days early, to be exact. See, I'm on vacation next week and I would love nothing more than to look out my window and know that I have nowhere to be and nothing to do but park my rear on the couch and stare out the window between naps. This is a recharge vacation, not a trip vacation.

I absolutely LURVE the snow. I like how everything kinda glows after dark. I like how it suppresses the sound of footsteps, and practically every other sound. I like how it decreases the traffic on the roads. And I like how it's just so darn pretty, even when it doesn't totally cover the grass.

Working in a snowfall is kinda cool. Things sort of slow down, like your in a dream sequence in a movie. Of course, when it's booger-freezing cold outside like it has been lately, it's not so fun, but there is still something special about a snowy day.

And about that vacation. I do love a good vacation. I have methodically scheduled a week off every three months this year. If nothing changes, that in itself will make 2010 enjoyable. Whether the weather is good or bad, whether you're traveling or not, any day off is a good day. Especially the week of Disciple Now, when I have much to do to prepare.

That's really all I have to say tonight. I can hear the groans of disappointment from you already. But don't despair, I'm sure there are other ways you folks can entertain yourselves.

By the way, I went by church on the way home and from there to my house, the roads were treacherous. Tipton Station was really, really bad. I drive in this stuff whenever it hits and this is the worst I've seen the roads in years. So please be careful if you have to get out. It only takes a millisecond for your tires to break loose, as evidenced by the ditch I landscaped earlier. No harm done.

The Wee Hours

While most, probably all, of you good people are happily sleeping away these cold, dark hours of the morning, I am blogging. It's 3:05 a.m.

I got home from work today with a stiff neck, a ridiculously bad headache, a shiver that runs to my core, and total exhaustion. It's cold, in case you haven't noticed. So all I wanted to do when I got home was put on my pajamas and crawl under a blanket for an hour or so.

Which I did, for the next ten hours. I haven't slept like that in years. This happens from time to time. I go and go and go and push myself without really resting much and eventually I just crash. The body, especially an aging one, can only go so long.

We're like that with God, too. We push ourselves spiritually, constantly over-stretching ourselves, trying to get by on the rest and refreshing we got months ago, and eventually we just crash.

If I rested regularly and took care of my body's needs for downtime on a daily or weekly basis, I wouldn't come to a point where I stopped functioning for while. If I took care of my spiritual hungers and needs on the same regular basis, I wouldn't get to a point where I just stopped working and sort of ran on fumes. I would always be alert, ready to be used if the need arises, sensitive to God and what He's saying, and attentive to opportunities that come my way.

I really think this is the reason that so many of life's little situations and stressful issues become obstacles for us. These things like choices and decisions that should be simple, no-brainers turn into huge mountains that cripple us because we aren't alert and healthy enough to hear and know God's counsel on the matter. So we start to rely on the "fumes", the parts of ourselves that kick in when we're in survival mode, and the parts that are most easily influenced by doubts and confusion. It takes strength and stamina to run the race and we have to stay in shape in order to perform well and fend off those confusions.

So, sleep well, folks. I'm on watch for the next few hours, apparently. It's all good, though. Maybe I'll catch some of the Meg Ryan marathon that's on the Estrogen Network.

"Let's start the new year right..."

Happy '010, y'all! I thought I'd begin a year of posts with a nice quote. I am not usually a huge Max Lucado fan. Nothing wrong with him, I just tend to read others who lean different ways, and who write a little differently. But I have been reading one of his books that I received as a Christmas gift and this chapter really made me stop and rejoice in the goodness of God for a while.

Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." --John 1:46

When Nathanael doubted that anything good could come out of Nazareth, Philip's response was simply, "Come and see."

Nathanael's question remains: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Have two thousand years of Christianity changed this world? Is the life of the young Nazarene carpenter really worth considering?

The question still lingers.

And the answer of Philip still suffices. Come and see.

Come and see the rock that has withstood the winds of time. Hear His voice. The truth undaunted, grace unspotted, loyalty undeterred.

Come and see the flame that tyrants and despots have not extinguished.

Come and see the passion that oppression has not squelched.

Come and see the hospitals and orphanages rising beside the crumbling ruins of humanism and atheism.

Come and see what Christ has done.

Come and see the great drama threading through the twenty centuries of history and art.

Handel weeping as he composed The Messiah.

Da Vinci sighing as he portrays the Last Supper.

Michaelangelo stepping back from the rock-carved David and bidding the stone to speak.

Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Come and see.

See Wilberforce fighting to free slaves in England -because he believed.

See Washington at prayer in Valley Forge -because he believed.

See Lincoln alone with a dog-eared Bible -because he believed.

Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Come and see. Come and see the changed lives:

the alcoholic now dry,

the embittered now joyful,

the shamed now forgiven.

Come and see the marriages now rebuilt, the orphans now embraced, the imprisoned now inspired.

Journey into the jungles and hear the drums beating in praise.

Sneak into the corners of communism and find believers worshiping under threat of death.

Walk on death row and witness the prisoner condemned by man yet liberated by God.

Venture into the gulags and dungeons of the world and hear the songs of the saved refusing to be silent.

Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

Come and see the pierced hand of God touch the most common heart, wipe the tear from the wrinkled face, and forgive the ugliest sin.

Come and see.

Come and see the tomb. The tomb once occupied, now vacant; the grave once sealed, now empty. Cynics have raised their theories, doubters have raised their questions. But their musings continue to melt in the bright light of Easter morning.

Come and see. He avoids no seeker. He ignores no probe. He fears no search.

Come and see.

Nathanael came. And Nathanael saw.

And Nathanael discovered, "Teacher, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel."

Max Lucado, "A Gentle Thunder"

Methinks thats a really good thought to begin a new year on.