This has been the most non-blogging week ever.

All is silent here in blogger-land. For some reason, that strikes me as odd. But, I suppose we all have our reasons. Me? I've thought about it, but sinus ickyness has put me in bed early.

On a vaguely related note, I have to say Hallelujah! for the weather today. I confess that this winter has really gotten to me. I usually take the weather as it comes with minimal complaining. Working outside will do that to you. It is what it is. But this long, cold, wet winter has broken me. I AM OVER IT.

I can't remember the last day that I was able to remove a single article of outerwear. I've had to wear a toboggan (which I hate to wear) everyday, and with a hard hat over it, it's more uncomfortable than a prostate exam. Not to mention that with these ears, a toboggan hardly does its job well.

But today, oh lovely day, the sun shone in my world. I was out of my coat and coveralls before lunch, no toboggan all day, and the sun actually burned my cheeks a little. Not bad for mid-40's.

Funny how a warm (relatively) day can improve your spirits. I was like a kid all day long. My mood was much better, and I didn't even gripe about having to work until near-dark.

But, never fear. As always here in our little neck of the woods, we'll have all the little sub-winters to deal with. That's okay, though. I can make it until spring, I think.

Also, I would like to say, "Praise God. He is faithful, He delivers, and He doesn't forget about us. Even when we may think He does."

It's coming...

When I was but a wee lad, one of my favorite shows was Captain America. It ran in '79 or '80 and starred a guy named Reb Brown. I don't recall seeing him in any other shows.

I've never been the type to follow shows religiously. I usually watch television when I have time or between books. Truth is, I could probably save a lot of money by getting rid of my tv and never miss it. But then I couldn't watch my cute little red-head on 7th Street Theater. That I would miss.

I notice how people today all follow shows with passion. I doubt that any of them are worth it, really. But folks would rather die than miss Idol or Bachelor or CSI or any of the other addictions out there. I guess I just don't get it.

I don't think there's anything wrong with watching tv so if you think I'm gonna rail against the mind-numbing tool of Satan, sorry to disappoint you. But I do think that the quality, or I should say standard, of shows these days makes it necessary for us as Christians to guard our minds with greater care. I say this from much experience.

A few years ago, I didn't really censor what I watched. In fact, I personally owned seasons one and two of the Chappelle Show, and countless other movies that are not for the innocent. If you've ever seen or even heard of Dave Chappelle, then you know why that is a problem. But I was eventually very heavily burdened by the conviction that I didn't need to view such things. God started getting on me about how my life matched up with the things I was teaching and professing. So, with some regret over the amount of money I had spent on DVD's, I purged my collection. It only hurt for a minute.

I really haven't missed any of it and I think I sleep better at night. On some level, I feel that my witness and my relationship with God are better for it (duh, right?).

My point is that we teach and preach holy, Christian living but do we really want to practice it? We pat ourselves on the back for our influence and testimony out in the world, but do we really have the testimony of Christ that we think we do?

Television, movies, music, books and magazines, you name it. The world of entertainment has rapidly grown more and more ungodly. Now, you can roll your eyes and call this old-fashioned Bible-thumping if you want, but there really isn't any gray area here. We have to get our lives in line with what Christ wants if we're going to make any progress for Him. Especially those of us who are teachers and people of influence in the church and student ministry.

I have many other areas of my life that need this same tweaking and with God's help, I hope to bring them into Biblical standards as well. We're back to that whole accountability thing again. Funny how we always come back around to that.

So, here's to Captain America and all the other decent shows that seem to have gone the way of the dodo. You know, the kind that don't require running the kids off to bed. So go ahead and watch your favorite shows, but why not make your favorites a past-time instead of a passion? Better yet, why not change your standard of favorite?

Amen! Pass the plates.

Pip, pip! Cheerio!

Life truly is like a box of chocolates. At least my work life is. I went to work today expecting a normally cold and crappy Monday. I was right for the most part but there was this one little thing...

As soon as I got to work, we were sent to Tazewell Pike to replace a broken pole. FYI: Tazewell Pike at 8:45 Monday morning is comparable to... Daytona Speedway with grumpy drivers. Nevertheless, off I go. We set up our work area and blah, blah, blah, work talk, work talk, more blah.

My partner, David, was up in the bucket so I was standing in this driveway near the pole. I glanced toward the house and saw the homeowner, whose yard this broken pole was in, walking down toward me. Great, here comes my daily tongue-lashing for blocking a driveway/muddying up someone's ditchline/gumming up traffic/not having the phones repaired fast enough. You'd be amazed how belligerent people get sometimes, and just because we are easy targets.

So the guy approaches me and I remove my hardhat and safety glasses (out of courtesy), put on my best public relations smile and await the tsunami of obscenities and hatred that typically comes my way.

He says, " 'ello, chap! Might I trouble you with a query?"

I snicker inside my head, not sure if he's messing with me or if I'm having an Alzheimer's moment.

So, to avoid seeming like a smart aleck but hoping to break the tension, I reply, "Query away, my good man!"

The guy lost it. He nearly busted a gut laughing.

"I wasn't expecting that!"

"Well, I didn't expect to be called "chap" in northeast Knoxville." And we shared a good laugh or two and he eventually reveals why he came down his driveway in thirty degree weather to talk to me. Turns out he was just curious about where he could place his new mailbox post in relation to our new telephone pole. His mailbox was wiped out by the same car.

He said, "I don't know all your regulations because I'm not from here."

"No kidding." And we laughed some more.

"I just moved here from England and your community ordinances and the like are very odd. By the way, what do you call those here?"

"You mean the pole? The telephone pole?"

"We call them telegraph poles over there." Interesting.

"What part of England?" I'm sure it must have sounded like Ainglund to him.

"I was born in Cheshire, it's near Manchester. Then I moved to London and then here to America."

He said all of this in the most pleasant English accent I've ever heard. He looked the part, too -- very clean-cut, Tom Hanks hairstyle. His voice was sort of in between baritone and tenor and his eyebrows lifted when he emphasized a syllable. I never got his name, but it should have been Neville. Or Pip.

We talked on and I told him I have researched my family history to England, the township of Headley-Hampshire, and have thought about visiting there just out of curiosity. Believe it or not, he actually knew the place.

"It's quite lovely there. It's in the south. You simply must visit. You should plan on at least two weeks, though. London is so filled with things to do that you will have to drag yourself out of there. Here, let me recommend a hotel; near Tower Bridge, I believe it's called the Tower Hotel. Very nice, four-star but affordable. And take the trains when you can. It's the most fascinating way to see everything. There's a depot near that hotel."

I couldn't resist. The opportunity presented itself so I just couldn't stop myself.

"Platform 9 3/4?"

He horse-laughed. He said J.K. Rowling has done more to advance the English culture than "any resident of Buckingham Palace." He then shook my hand (in a very awkwardly English way), and bid me farewell.

It just proves how random life can be sometimes.

I've started something fun...

Fun for me, anyway. I'm reading the Bible chronologically. Maybe some of you have done this. It's really alot like a one-year plan but it's divided into sections according to the order in which they took place (as far as the theological community is concerned) instead of how the books are ordered.

For instance, you read several chapters of Genesis but then skip to Job and read it in its entirety, then back to the remainder of Genesis. I never really considered that Job took place that far back. I'm fascinated by that, to be honest.

But I'm enjoying it and it kinda puts things in a different perspective. If you're a complete weirdo like myself, then you can envision yourself as a traveler sort of walking a timeline and stopping at different intervals and watching the events of the Bible happen in order. That's what I do.

I think I'll call it, "Chuck's Excellent Adventure." No phone booth, though.

Righteous, dude!

"Allow myself to introduce myself..."

Actually, this is the Wolfe family. Pictured here (around 1910) are Louis and Maggie, with children Delia, Louis David, Eliza Pauline, Cleo, Mandy, and seated second from the right, Sophronia Isabella. She is my great-grandmother.

Some of you know that I've been working on a family tree. These good folks are part of that tree. The photo was used in a 1996 News-Sentinel article about my cousin Gene who was trying to correct mistakes made by the government regarding our bloodline. He spent seven years traunching back and forth between the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, and the tribal government in Cherokee, N.C. He eventually got everything straightened out and has agreed to help me trace the Indian bloodline by providing me with the mountain of information he gathered.

Tracing this line has been the real problem because the records only go back a few generations. In fact, Louis is as far back as I have been able to trace. But Gene has assured me that he has information that goes back much, much further, so I am really excited. This comes with some guilt because I did my politicking with him at the funeral home. Make hay while the sun shines, I always say.

Anyway, just thought I'd share. I think it's interesting that great-great-granddaddy Louis (I think this is where I got my cheekbones) was a holiday kinda guy. He was born on Christmas eve in 1871, and died on July 4th, 1936. My great-grandmother, who was known as Isabella, was born in 1896 and died at 100 years old. I remember going out to see her when she lived nearby in her late eighties. She was always laughing and had this big... well...typical old lady figure that shook when she would get really tickled about something. It was more of a cackle than a laugh. I keep looking at this picture of her and can't help but be amazed at what a beautiful girl she was.

It's a family trait.

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!