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.

It pains me to say this, but, Happy New Year

You see, I think New Year's is a silly holiday. The world can't even agree on when to celebrate it. The Chinese celebrate Yuan Tan, the Jewish New Year is Rosh Hashanah, and so on and so forth. I read one time that it all stems from a Babylonian celebration of the Vernal Equinox or something.

Now that I have that off my chest, I must say that I'm happy for a new year to come. Not that '09 was bad or I want to forget it or anything like that, but '010, as I'm calling it, is potentially very exciting for several reasons.

According to the lovely Ms. Sarah, I will find my wife early this year, a fact which I'm still in doubt of. I've filed that away in the "Yeah, whatever" category.

But what really excites me is that this year is beginning with something that other recent years have lacked: awareness.

Benji preached it tonight and I've heard it from several others that there is just something missing. Maybe it's nothing huge or catastrophic, maybe it is, but people seem to be longing for more, and that more is a good more. Not more money or more earthly stuff but more God. I believe that it must thrill God to no end when His children recognize that there is room for improvement, sincerely desire that, and seek Him. This means bye bye comfort zones and hallelujah here it comes.

I began to think about past resolutions that I've made. They were nothing more than wishes or hopes really. Seldom have I really decided to allow myself to be changed by God without regret. Usually I end up slinking back into the same old comfortable routines by mid-February. Then later that year I'm pouring out my heart to God asking Him why things aren't different. Why am I still unchanged?

"Talk to me God. Speak. Please! I'm sinking here. What more do You want from me? Let me hear from You. How am I supposed to move forward if You won't tell me which way to go? Are You listening?!? What can I do?"

"Just listen. To Me."

"God, I need to know what You want from me. I'm willing, see? I'm humble and contrite and everything else You say You love, so, what's the hold-up? What else should I do?"

"You could try obeying. I generally like that alot."

"I'm waiting for the go-ahead, God. Ready, willing and semi-able, that's me. I've got my ear to the ground and I'm waiting for a sign. Call me 'Change the World Chuck' because it is on now. Just stop the sun or part Fort Loudon or something and I'll be on my way."

"You don't need a sign. You need to read. I've written it all down for you. Plain as black and white. Pun intended."

So you see how it usually goes; me waiting for an answer that's already been given. I guess I'm just weary of making promises that I don't keep. So this year, and you all are my accountability, I am resolving:

to give God what He wants and that is first priority in my life and all the little parts of me that I've been withholding for so long.

Lofty goals, yes. But He promises to be there to help me and guide me along the way. All it takes is true surrender.

I hope your new year comes with a desire for God's desires.

I'll bet Professor Trelawney didn't read the story of Saul.

I've been reading tonight about King Saul. This won't be anything new to most of you but I feel the need to share.

What comes to mind when you think of King Saul? Do you think about the failed first king of Israel? Maybe a selfish man whose life is a monument to disobedience? You'd be right on both counts, but there is more to this feller.

Saul was a farmer. He was from the smallest and least important tribe of Israel. The Bible says that he was the handsomest man in all of Israel, and from the shoulders up he was taller than any of them. I'm not sure if that means he just had a really long neck or not. But Saul was chosen by God to lead His people. That tells me that God saw in Saul something He liked. He saw someone who would obey Him, and God promised to make Saul prosper if only Saul would follow His commands.

Fast forward a little bit and you'll see that Saul was supposed to wait in Gilgal for seven days until Samuel showed up to tell him what God wanted him to do. But Saul grew tired of waiting, all the people were getting a little worried, so Saul took it upon himself to offer a sacrifice to God. Sounds like a good thing, doesn't it? God loves a good sacrifice, right?

Nope. When Samuel finally shows up, immediately, and conveniently, as soon as the sacrifice had been offered, he blasts Saul. Saul's excuse is that the people were scattering, the Philistines were knocking on the door, and he figured he had not sought God's favor so he'd present a burnt offering to God. In our way of thinking, that seems like what we'd do. "I'm not feeling God right now so I'll just do a little something for Him to brown-nose a little bit." We do love to pamper God, don't we?

But Samuel tells him he has acted foolishly by not keeping the commands of the Lord. And what's worse, Samuel tells Saul that if only he'd obeyed, God would have established his kingdom forever. But now, his kingdom shall not continue.

A few chapters further (this is all in 1 Samuel 9-15), Saul again disobeys by sparing King Agag and some livestock after God had instructed him to kill all the Amalekites and their animals. And, again, he offers an excuse that he was sparing the finest animals to make a sacrifice to God. He always credits his disobedience to doing what he thinks God would be pleased with.

I'm always amazed at what God said next. He tells Samuel that, "I regret that I have made Saul king." Ouch! That had to hurt. So Samuel tells the king that because he rejected God, God will reject him from being king. (FYI, since Saul didn't kill King Agag like he was supposed to, Samuel hacked him to pieces). But pay close attention to what Samuel says of God:

"Has the Lord great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." --1 Samuel 15:22

And also, "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry." --15:23

Wow. God just wants us to obey. He doesn't care about what sacrifices we might make thinking that we are pleasing Him. Obedience to Him is what He really wants; listening to His voice and doing what He says. It isn't about coming up with things that we think He would like, it's about doing what He says He likes.

Divination is defined as, "the art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers." God says that when we rebel against what He commands, we might as well be using sorcery or witchcraft. Disobeying God is the same as looking to Satan to achieve our goals.

The Bible then says that presumption is the same as idolatry. Presuming to know what God wants is the same as worshipping a false god; that false god being ourselves because we presume to know the mind of God.

When I look at my own life and when I watch the lives around me, I can see a lot of presuming going on. "God wants us to do this", or "God would approve of that", and so on and so forth. I think the biggest example of this is when people wrongly say, "This is God's will." We seem to have a lot of trouble in humbling ourselves and just following. Maybe it's the world we live in that teaches us to be strong, ambitious leaders who always have the answers. Maybe we actually have been programmed to make a decision and stick with it no matter what. I know for myself that the coming year needs to be one of listening and following instead of making decisions based on what I think God should, or would want.

Presumption, by the way, is "an attitude or belief dictated by probability." God is alive and guiding our every step. We don't have to deal in probabilities because He is right here with us to tell us what He wants. No guesswork involved. Isn't that the most amazing thing you've ever heard?

Are our burdens as heavy as we make them out to be?

I saw this game while out Christmas shopping the other day and it reminded me of the single funniest moment of my life. If your curiosity has been piqued, feel free to ask Juli about it, but be prepared for her to run away and sit on the terlit and have a good cry.

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Our Sunday school lesson this morning was from Philippians chapter 2 and talked about the sacrifices Jesus made to come down and live among His creation. Have you ever really stopped and given thought as to what Christ walked away from? Heaven, paradise, never-ending peace and joy, eternal worship, complete freedom from the effects of sin, just to name a few. He had existed in heaven since heaven's beginning and He chose to leave it behind. He willingly left the place where we long to be in order to come and live in the place we long to leave. I'll never understand that, I don't think.

What about His life while here? Paul writes that Jesus "... made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant" and that He "... humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death." So, He voluntarily left paradise to come to a fallen and sinful world, and once He was here and human, He takes on complete humility and becomes a like a servant. The Creator comes to serve His creation.

Was His impending death the only worry Jesus had? Sure, that was enough; more than anyone else could handle, but in thirty-three years there must have been other cares and burdens that He had to bear. The temptations He faced would, actually do, stump the rest of us. I would wager that the full force of hell was behind it. But, as a man, Jesus would most certainly have burdens and trials. And it was all by choice.

So how come our first response to burdens and trials of our own is to try to shed them? When the storm hits, why do we immediately pray for the calm? It's as if we think anything that makes us feel bad is straight from hell and it is God's responsibility to rid us of it. "Okay, God, you said to call out in my day of trouble. Well, I'm in trouble, so, a little help."

"As to thy burden, be content to bear it until thou comest to the place of deliverance; for there it will fall from thy back of itself." --John Bunyan

Shouldn't our first response be to pray about the reason for the burden before we slap the "yucky" label on it? Are we so comfortable and arrogant that we think we are above sweating it out, even when God deems it necessary?

Jesus carried with Him the knowledge of His coming death and all that He would suffer prior to it. But, with all His power, He still walked directly toward it. He knew that what lay on the other side was worth the struggle. I wonder if many Christians today deny themselves the blessings that come from bearing burdens because they look to quick-fixes for deliverance rather than letting the purposes and plans of God play out?

Just thinkin' out loud. Happy Monday.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I'll make this quick because time is something I have very little of at present.

Speaking of presents (Ha!), I got a little gift from the boss man today. I had planned on taking off half a day Christmas eve because I had exactly four hours of vacation left. This afternoon, however, my boss asked me, rather covertly, if I would like to just take all day off because, "...it's just too much hassle for me to find a only a few hours of work." Well, far be it from me to cause my supervisor any hassle, so I gladly accepted his offer. Nothing beats a day off. Especially Christmas eve.

Since this will likely be my final post before the big day, some happy birthday wishes are in order.

Jesus, I suppose a happy birthday wish would grow old and tiring to the Eternal One but I want to wish You one just the same. I say it with a tear in my eye, not because it's special to You but to me. And because, even after thirty-one years of following You, I am still shamed at the lack of passion, devotion and love that I show You on a daily basis. Surrender, dying to self, letting You wreck my life, and all the other phrases we use to try to explain what You really want from each of us are goals that I seem to never reach. If New Year's resolutions mean anything in Your kingdom, then know that mine is to stop asking for more of You this year and realize that what I need to do is to give you more, all, of me. Forgive me for failing to celebrate Your life, and Your resurrection, with each beat of this wicked heart. I truly love You.

Rachie!!! Happy birthday to you, dear. You are truly one of the most wholly beautiful people I have ever known. No one makes me feel loved quite the way you do and I wish you the greatest of days, and a very merry Christmas to you and The Don.

Sweet, sweet, controlling, female noble Sarah. It seems like just yesterday that you were only a butthole and now you've blossomed into such a beauty. And I am privileged to have been there all along the way. You brighten up my house each time you walk in the door (even though you bring that feller with you) and I wish you many cookies and poots on your special day.

And to the other one or two persons who might read this blog, I wish a very merry Christmas to you and God's best for your life.

"Do you hate yore mama?"

Well, I am still on an old movie kick so here's one of my all-time favorite comedies. It's called No Time for Sergeants (1958) and it pretty much launched the career of Andy Griffith, pre-Mayberry. The Broadway version of this movie is responsible for introducing Andy to Don Knotts, which you can see here.

Andy plays a hick plowboy from the sticks who gets drafted and shipped off to boot camp. He runs into all sorts of situations that are foreign to him, including the scene above which is his first encounter with a psychiatrist. It's a classic case of the dumb confounding the wise (shameless plug) as his simple, common sense approach to life totally flusters the poor shrink.

So here's a laugh, on me. Stick with it for the full seven minutes and you'll be glad you did. Besides, it's nearly Christmas so what else have you got to do at work?

In another scene, Will Stockdale (Andy) and his new buddy, Ben Whitledge, see a female Air Force captain for the first time. Will is struck dumb.

Ben: Will! Stand at attention. What's the matter? Ain't you never heard of the Womens Air Force?

Will: You mean they got their own?!?

Ben: Yeah.

Will: Against our'n?!?

Less is definitely more. I hope everyone laughs today. But I hope your laughter is due to something innocent and simple. That's the best kind.

Happy Christmas Eve eve.

Hey, all I can say is...

...hands off 'cause I saw it first. Nothing says Christmas like a tacky sweater.

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I've posted about this before (actually I think it was last year) but I want to share it again because it is one of my favorite parts of the Bible. I have way too many favorite parts to actually call anything a favorite part but you know what I'm sayin'.

Anyway, here's a merry Christmas treat for you courtesy of John -- the Apostle, the Revelator, the one whom Jesus loved.

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.--Revelation 12:1-6

Fo' mo' days!

Good grief!

I've posted several things this past month about Christmas movies and such. I really do love most of the classics that air this time of year but this one tops them all.

It debuted in 1965 and, thanks to Linus Van Pelt, just might be the only time that some people hear about Jesus all year. But there's a sad side to this.

Charles M. Schulz was a member of the Church of God for most of his life. He belonged to the same fellowship as Bill and Gloria Gaither. But late in his life, he converted to, or at least embraced, secular humanism. Just to familiarize you with it, here's one of the tenets of secular humanism:

Reason, evidence, scientific method - A commitment to the use of critical reason, factual evidence and scientific methods of inquiry, rather than faith, in seeking solutions to human problems and answers to important human questions.

Sounds intelligent, huh? Well, sure. Just take a look at our world and you can obviously see that we humans are perfectly able to solve all our problems using our amazing intellect and scientific reason. There's heavy sarcasm there y'all. But it does remind me of one of my favorite quotes. "Science isn't."

The idea that humans are god-like enough to have the capacity to solve the problems of the human race is completely absurd to me. If that were the case, then why is there a Christmas? Why would God, should you believe He's there, feel the need to be born among us and provide us a way to Him if we have all we need without Him? He wouldn't. Hence the point.

More and more these days you'll hear those really, really smart and intellectual types telling you that science and art and philosophy are all proving that there is no God, no Son of God, no heaven and hell. We, as humans, are becoming more and more enlightened and gaining in knowledge of the universe and our place in it. Our ever-expanding universe stands as its own proof that God and Christianity are ancient myths devised to provide comfort and purpose to those poor, misguided, ignorant people of past centuries. The facts to support this are all around us and in us, they say. "They" being the really, really smart and intellectual types.

I say they are absolutely correct. Our world does indeed stand as proof. But I don't think it proves what they think it proves. I see a world that mankind has ruined. I see a world that human reason, scientific method, philosophy, and humanism have left in chaos. This is the final step in mankind's rebellion against its Creator. For thousands of years, humans made idols of gods to worship. Now, man himself has become his own idol.

During the first successful years of writing Peanuts, Schulz said that he was thankful for what he had been given, and believed that Chuck Brown and the gang would far outlive him. But just prior to his death, while battling colon cancer and failing eyesight, he was very bitter about having to retire due to health reasons. He said, "I never dreamed this would happen to me. I did not take it away. This has been taken from me." Needless to say, a human god's own fragile body is sure to disappoint.

Other notable secular humanists include Albert Einstein, John Lennon, Carl Sagan, Jon Stewart, Kurt Vonnegut, and Frank Zappa.

It's truly a sad thing when someone turns their back on God. Maybe it starts with a simple desire to find more. Maybe someone is pulled away by distractions or misplaced affections or busyness. Maybe they just simply decide to walk away. Who knows? But no matter what the reason, it's all Satan's original deception to make us believe we don't need God because we are capable enough without Him.

So pay a little more attention to the words of Linus. Make sure that you really, really know what it's all about. Make sure that this wonderful holiday is spent focused on the One whose name it bears.

What's in a name?

While I was perusing the bookshelves the other day, I ran across a sale book titled The Dictionary of Bible Names. Naturally, I bought it. It contains every name in the Bible and its meaning, along with the Scripture reference. It's a pretty cool book.

Just looking at some of the names and what they mean is very eye-opening. Names were taken very seriously back then. They carried meaning and symbolism, and they were sometimes like a monument or reminder of certain events or works that God had done in the lives of the people involved.

God placed importance on names, as did Jesus. Remember Abram, Sarai, Jacob, Simon, and Saul? They all had their names changed. And it was usually for a purpose.

Another astonishing tidbit is that there are over 2000 names in the Bible. There are Hebrew names and Greek names and hyphenated Babylonian/Assyrian/Persian names. They all meant something important.

I was telling Sarai Mays tonight (by the way, Sarai means controlling) that I don't think people these days place the same importance on a name. People tend to choose names that they think sound cool or pretty instead of something that carries meaning. That's a shame, I think.

I know that my name, Charles, is French and means "manly" (yeah, I giggled, too), and Howard, which is English and means "brave, guardian of the home." I think "home" might mean THE home.

By the way, I've looked up most of your names, too.

One name not found on any list is... well, let me tell the whole story.

Sunday night at church. Controlling Mays, I mean, Female noble Mays and myself were talking while Benji and the boys were practizing. I was singing along with them to (I think) One Way Jesus. I was in one of those goofy, random moods so I kept singing "One Way Yeshua" and we all had a good laugh. Then Sarah says:

"How about Yahweh, Jr.?"

Quite possibly the funniest thing I've ever heard.

Uhh... for my German-speaking readers???

This scene is from Artists and Models (1955) with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Martin and Lewis movies are some of my favorites. Dean always plays the cool ladies man and Jerry is always, ALWAYS the stooge.

In this movie, Dean is a writer who is having a hard time landing any kind of contract and Jerry is his friend/roommate who is having weird dreams about "Vincent the Vulture." Dean starts copying down the dreams and his comic books become the latest smash. During all of this, they meet two ladies who are in the same situation and, of course, Hollywood love blossoms.

Prior to the scene above, Dean has just fallen in love and his gal enthusiastically reciprocated. So he's having a good day. Just watch the way he tip-toes around, strutting proudly. He's got that, "You make me feel like a schoolboy" attitude. You can't watch this and not smile because, at least from a male perspective, this is how being in love makes you act: ridiculous, with a touch of I don't care who knows it.

Dean Martin has always been one of my favorite singers. I've got a thing for a crooner's voice like that; it's probably envy because mine sounds like a cross between an old chainsaw and a drunk goose. The "Lucky Song" is one of those that I sometimes walk around singing all day because it's catchy and fun.

So, consider this something to just take away your pre-Christmas stresses for a moment. Even if you don't like old movie/musicals, you have to admit that they make you feel good. Watch a Martin and Lewis movie sometime when you want to laugh. You'll also get to see where Jim Carrey got his inspiration. He's a modern-day carbon-copy of Jerry Lewis.

Bonus clip! --"I can't keep this dickey down, Ricky!"

This just never gets old...

If I remember correctly, this is the most recorded song of all-time. It's not hard to understand why, especially if you like snow (duh) and Christmas. Put the two together and it's the perfect day.

This clip is from Holiday Inn, made in 1942. It's my favorite movie of all-time. Irving Berlin wrote White Christmas for this movie, so what you are watching is the first time anyone ever heard this song. Because of its popularity, the movie White Christmas was made twelve years later, starring, of course, Bing Crosby because nobody else can or should ever sing this song.

I think the reason I like Holiday Inn so much is because it is what all movies should be. Movies today are made with some agenda in mind. It seems that there is always a political or social theme in modern movies. Old movies like this one were simply an escape. When Holiday Inn was made, there was a stinkin' world war going on. People could go and leave their cares outside the theater and just be taken away into a world that was funny, sweet, romantic, and completely un-real. Maybe you think that we're better off today in our more enlightened, more scientific, and more realistic world, but I think we've short-changed ourselves. And the condition of our world proves that. The old saying goes, "Life imitates art." Well, we have become what the world of media told us to become.

It's too bad that you have to go back 50-60 years to find a movie that's clean, but not a kid movie.

Anyway, I watched about three old movies tonight so this was on my mind. I'll post some clips of those soon.

And since it's Christmas time, be sure you watch Holiday Inn. Along with the clip above, another favorite part is Easter Parade (gotta love Easter, right?). Ya gotta be impressed when a director can make you feel springy in black and white.

"If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn't be more surprised."

I am T-A-R-D, tired. Too much for one evening. But I want to share some exciting news.

Today after work, I had a meeting with the rest of the Technology committee (yes, prestigious, I know) at a business in Alcoa. This particular company has been chosen by us to install the media presentation system in the sanctuary. Today's meeting was sort of a final walk-through with the equipment we'll be getting and one last demonstration, and, of course, final numbers.

The exciting part of this, from a strictly gadget standpoint, is the super-cool touch-screen controller. It's amazing. From this one controller, we'll be able to control the TV's, lighting, cameras, computer, DVD player, and in the future, even security system and thermostat.

These will all be set up on presets, meaning that when the choir finishes singing, and it's preachy-time, touch one little icon on the screen and the lights will automatically dim in the choir loft and spot the pulpit and stage. Just between you and me, that's awesome!

You can touch another little icon and lock down every single outside door, just like in the movies! Or, adjust the temperature in the room the same way.

But the real motivation behind the whole project is the plasma TV's. If you were there Sunday morning and had to endure the fiasco with the projector-on-the-pulpit, and the drop-down screen, you will appreciate the renovation. We'll have two 65" plasmas on each side of the baptistry "window" and two 58" facing the choir on the walls above the doors. We're finally approaching the 21st century at SCBC so hang on, don't be scared and it'll all be over soon. It's called progress, people.

But I want to be up-front with y'all. I have been on this committee for three years now. This project has taken nearly two of those years to put together and finalize, with others, not me, doing the legwork. I am all for this because: 1) it's a worship tool, it's modernizing, it's a sign that we aren't dead yet, and 2) it causes us to spend money.

Yep. I said it's a reason to spend money. What I mean is that our church has had a healthy bank account for quite some time, and it's growing. That's awesome. But if it's there and stays there, then there's a problem. A church with a fat vault is a church that is not giving it all to God. I don't think that our community is that well off. There are areas that could use that money. I wish with everything that we were spending this on other things instead of TV's. I could live without this new media system. It will be nice but I have worshipped just wonderfully without it for years. It's a take or leave for me.

But if we aren't going to spend money on really, really important things, at least spend it on something. At least turn loose, open the coffers, and show that we don't worship that fat bank account. Just get rid of it. Spending it on the building may be on the bottom of the list of importance, but it will spend just the same. Use the blessing if you want further blessing.

Make sense? Maybe not to anyone but me. I know it doesn't sound logical to know there are needs and then approve spending the money on wants, but I think the big step is spending at all. It won't hurt, I promise, and maybe it will prove to certain church members that it's just money. Money is of no use unless it's being used. And hopefully, this will lead to more that we can spend on the really significant and eternal things.

But the TV's are sweeeeet! just the same.