Story
...now browsing by tag
Wednesday, October 9th, 2024
Famous people born on October 9th. Tony Shaloub (OCD Monk). Jackson (“Doctor my eyes” & “Mr. Bojangles”) Browne. John Lennon (Ever heard of him?). Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap and Star Trek: Enterprise…See a pattern? NCIS: New Orleans). Sharon Osbourne (oh…yay). And others.
Famous people who died on October 9th: Oskar Schindler (a hero to many). Jacques Derrida & Che Guevara (I should be sad to them gone why?). And others.
One more: Me. 🙂 It is funny how perspectives change…but then again, they really don’t. Life is just looked at from different angles. When I was a young boy and my parents were in their 30s and my grandparents were in their 50s, I thought they were ancient. 🙂 As I aged, so did they. My mom had medical issues in her 40s that required surgery; my dad had a heart attack at 48; my grandfather had a knee replaced in his 70s. His job with USS and his bowed-legs did him in. I’ll soon be joining his club due to my own bowed legs and playing sports (especially basketball) way past my prime. My age and his are eerily close. My mom went to be with Jesus one month shy of her 72nd birthday from a rare form of lung cancer which struck woman who were non-smokers. My grandmother died of lymph node cancer. My grandfather lived to be close to 90. My dad died at 90 with Alzheimer’s.
All of that seems surreal when one is young and looking through the window. But, in time, that window becomes a mirror. At 72, I’m not ready to cash it in. I’m not ready to retire. I absolutely love what I do and don’t see myself doing anything else (especially being a Walmart greeter). 🙂 But I also realize my time is not in my hands. My favorite verses of the Bible are found in my favorite chapter: Psalm 37. They have sustained me and are my go-to verses. “Trust in the Lord and do good…Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you….Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act…Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper-it only leads to harm.” (verses 3-8). Verses 23-25 says, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned.” (NLT)
I, you, have no control over our future. My DeLorean can be packed and ready to travel but no time machine can change God’s plans and timing. Yes, I am 72. I have less years left than I have lived. But I know, while I have no control over how many, I do know I want to live them full tilt. While Jo wants me to retire, or at least slow down (to a crawl), that is not my plan…unless God says otherwise.
Have a full and blessed day my friends. I certainly plan to do so. As an old song once said, “The longer I serve Him the sweeter He grows.”
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Death, Full life, God, God's Plan, Ministry, Old age, Opinion, Perseverance, Reflection, Scripture look, Story, Thanksgiving, Worship
Tuesday, October 8th, 2024
There are some stories that make me smile and chuckle, but also mess with my mind at the same time. The daily devotional, Our Daily Bread, had the following story in today’s devotion:
“When people think about the 100-meter dash, current world-record holder Usain Bolt comes to mind. But we can’t forget about Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins. In 2021, Julie crossed the finish line before all other runners to win the 100-meter dash in the Louisiana Senior Games. Her time was a bit slower than Bolt’s 9.58 seconds-just over 60 seconds. But she was also 105 years old!
Now, honestly, doesn’t that bring a smile to your face and make you chuckle just a bit?
There’s a lot to be said about a woman “running sprints” at the age of 105!! I turn 72 tomorrow and I’m not ashamed to admit that she would outrun me. I certainly ain’t the man I used to me. 🙂 With the prospect of a knee replacement in my not-so-distant-future (about a month), her feat is even more astounding. I’ve been told that after the replacement I won’t be allowed to run (as if); jump (double as if); or lift more than 40 pounds (that is bending down and lifting with my legs, like squats (again…triple as if). Individual dumbbells are okay…but I’ll try to restrain myself, lest I show off. 🙂
All kidding aside, I simply cannot imagine doing what Julia did.
To be honest, I’m more concerned about running the race of faith, of standing firm and true to Jesus, no matter my age. Whether 71 (for one more day); 72 or more for years beyond; staying true and running the race with perseverance is on my radar. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” (NLT)
Run the race…no matter your age. Persevere…no matter the circumstances. Win the prize…no matter the challenges!
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Jesus, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Perseverance, Reflection, Running the Race, Scripture look, Story
Thursday, October 3rd, 2024
“I’m nobody.” “I’m inadequate.” “I have no status.” “I have no talents or skills.” “I have nothing to bring to the table.” And the penultimate: “I can’t.”
Those are often short little comebacks we use when asked to do something out of our comfort zone, or when challenged by something out of our wheelhouse. We often shrink in fear because we just don’t think “we got it” or to put it another way: we think we don’t have the “it” factor (whatever “it” is).
Step back for a moment and take a breath. Imagine if some of the Bible characters said that and were paralyzed by fear:
- David was the runt of the litter. Not even his dad thought he could be a candidate for the next king.
- Gideon was hiding, crushing grain while in hiding out of fear of the Philistines, when the angel appeared to him and called him a “mighty man of valor.” 🙂
- Deborah became the only female judge because she was willing to trust God (unlike Barak, her counterpart).
- Peter was a blue-collar fisherman trying to keep his head above water (pun intended) making a living.
- Caleb and Joshua stood against the odds (10 other spies) to say, “We can do this. We can take this land.” They spent the next 40 years wandering the wilderness because the other 10 spies were able to convince millions of people to be afraid.
This brings to mind verses in I Corinthians 1. Verses 27-29 say, “Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.” (NLT)
The world see humility and trust in God as silly, as a sign of weakness. Foolish is the word Paul uses. Little do they know God’s presence and power make all the difference in a believer’s life.
So…step out today in faith. Take that step which seems so scary, so unsure. Your nothingness, your inadequacy, becomes much in God’s hands.
Besides…can’t never did anything.
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Faith, God's Plan, Inadequacy, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Perseverance, Reflection, Story, Surrender, Trust
Monday, September 30th, 2024
I know I’m early. Like almost 3 months. September 30th to December 25th early. Not a snowflake has fallen. The temps have not dropped to frost level. I haven’t seen men in red suits yet. Sadly, I did see displays this past Friday. By now you know I’m referring to Christmas.
Here it is September 30th and I’m pulling the “early Christmas move” I accuse Hallmark and different stores of doing. Halloween hasn’t even arrived and I’m talking Christmas! Mine is a lot different. Knowing Christmas will be here sooner than I expect, I begin reading devotionals in September. I’ve already read one and have 2 in the works. It not only focuses me on what is to come, it also feeds my “pastor/preacher brain.” 🙂
What spurred me this morning was talk about names. I have never really liked my name. I don’t mind “Bill”; I’ve never been fond of “William.” I definitely don’t like my middle name or the initials that go along with it. Try monogramming WAG or BAG. See what I mean? My middle name distinguished me from my dad and kept me from getting the moniker of “Junior.” As bad as I think my name is, I found one that may take the title of “Worse Name in the World.” In I Samuel the wife of one of the priests gave birth to a son in great stress when the news came that the Ark of the Covenant was stolen by the Philistines. (Where is Indy when you need him?) She named her son…wait for it…Ichabod. Ichabod! It means “the glory has departed.” I realize there is significance there since a heathen nation was now in control of the Ark. But can you imagine going through life with a name like Ichabod? Imagine the jokes about the “ick factor.” Imagine introducing him to your parents: “Mom. Dad. This is Ick.” I know silly.
All kidding aside, there is one Name that changes everything. Say His Name in a crowded room. A speech. An interview. Watch people’s reaction. Man and women known for their speaking suddenly become speechless. Uncomfortable. Suddenly the “Aaaah yeah” factor comes into play.
J.E.S.U.S. The Name above every name. The Name the Apostle Paul says will cause “every knee to bow and every tongue to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Phil. 2:10-11) Carry that name with you today. Wear it proudly. Speak of Him in awe and wonder. There is no other name like His.
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Christmas, Jesus, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Story, Worship
Thursday, September 26th, 2024
Have you ever noticed how we grade sins? Let’s, for the sake of argument, just grade our sins.
- Grade 1- the really bad ones. Adultery. Murder. Homosexuality.
- Grade 2- Cheating. Lying (as far as its not a “little white one”). Theft.
- Grade 3- Division. Lying (little white ones). Laziness.
Granted, that is not an exact science. I’m only using it as an example of the way we grade our sins: some are really, really bad; some are so-so; some not so bad. We could even add a category of justified sins if we want. And, of course, there are many more sins we could list.
I left one out…on purpose. That’s because it is not seen as a really, really bad one and is even overlooked or simply forgotten. Let me give you a hint:
“Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.” Pr. 26:20
“Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.” Pr. 26:22
Okay…so I guess that is not so subtle, is it? The “respectable” sin, the “acceptable” sin, the one not graded harshly is G.O.S.S.I.P. On a scale of 1-10, gossip might hit a “3” on the Sin-o-Meter. That’s tragic though. Gossip has killed more people that we could count. While some would never consider carrying a firearm to take someone’s life, they have very little qualm about using their mouth to snuff out someone’s reputation, good name, future, friendship, etc all in the name of “passing along” some information.
Let’s get it through our heads-and hearts-that gossip is a deadly sin, capable of destroying lives, taking out families, even companies. Let me close with a thought from Proverbs 26:
“If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead. A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin.” (Verses 27-28)
Just those two verses should sober us up real quickly. Let’s stop the GOSSIP.
{All Scripture from the New Living Translation}
Posted in InTheShadow | 10 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Gossip, Harmful words, Kindness, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Sin, Speech, Story
Wednesday, September 25th, 2024
Yeah. I know it’s early. Early for what? “I know Bill does these devotions at 0-dark-30. Is that what he means?”
In all honesty. No. As soon as I write what is to follow you will understand.
In one sense, the whole of Scripture is both a lesson in history and a promise for the future, in order that we may become like Jesus and glorify Him in the present. It’s often been said that in the Old Testament Jesus is predicted, in the Gospels He is revealed, in Acts He is preached, in the Epistles He is explained, and in the book of Revelation He is expected. (p.159)
Okay, so may that wasn’t so revealing. 🙂 This will be:
Christmas isn’t only a celebration of what our newborn King came down to earth to save us from; it’s a celebration of what He came to save us for-eternal life with Him in His perfected kingdom. (p.163)
Now you get my drift? This whole month of September I’ve been reading a new book by Alistair Begg entitled Let Earth Receive Her King. Yes. Christmas devotions. 24 of them to be exact. The preceding two excerpts were from #23, which I read this morning. “Seems awful early to be reading Christmas devotions,” you might be thinking. Really? Have you seen the Hallmark Channel? Christmas in July…August…September…October…you get my drift. 🙂
Putting all kidding aside, as I read #23 today-and particularly highlighted those two excerpts as I read-it struck me how the Scripture all comes together. It is like one big woven story. I once heard someone say, “There is a scarlet thread that weaves its way from Genesis to Revelation.” I’ll add to that: the thread makes its way from the heart of the Garden and Adam’s sin through the sacrifices directly through the heart of the cross all the way through to the return of Jesus.
See the Bible as a whole-not as random pieces slung together. It tells a story-a redemptive story-one woven through the fabric of every scene, specifically designed for us to see and know and learn.
Don’t neglect the Book. And don’t slough off the story of Christmas…even though it is only September. In this one way the Hallmark Channel can teach us that the Christmas story-the real Christmas story-is timeless and to remembered all year long.
{Selections excerpted from Let Earth Receive Her King by Alistair Begg- The Good Book Company- Copyright 2024}
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Christmas, God's Plan, God's Word, Jesus, Opinion, Quiet Time, Reflection, Salvation, Scripture look, Story
Tuesday, September 24th, 2024
“Becoming a Christian doesn’t make one sinless, but it ought to make one sin less.“ (Conway-p.35)
I’ve been reading a book the past few days entitled Does Christianity Still Make Sense? by Bobby Conway. Conway was a pastor, a host of the YouTube podcast One Minute Apologist (now called Christianity Still Makes Sense) who went through a crisis of faith-a dark night of the soul-where he questioned his Christian faith. He came out on the other side and has written a book looking at objections to Christianity. One of those is answering the question “Why are there so many scandals in the Church?” The follow-up question is the next chapter, the oft-used “Aren’t Christians just a bunch of hypocrites?”
No doubt those are two questions that crop up again and again. I’ve been asked them and I’m sure if you are a pastor or a Christ-follower, you have also. Maybe you have even asked them yourself.
I’ve often been tongue-tied trying to answer those questions because I know I struggle with that. I know I’m a sinner and sometimes exhibit that truth way too much and find myself a very poor representative of Jesus. But I’ve also come to the conclusion that the saying I started out with depicts me. While “I’m not perfect, just forgiven” can be flippantly tossed out to justify sin, I’m not trying to do that here. Exact opposite actually. Just because I have been forgiven doesn’t mean I won’t sin. I’m not sinless, but I should sin less.
Does my sin discredit Christianity? No. Just because a batter strikes out, he doesn’t represent the whole team. Just because I fail (sin) does not mean Christianity is a failure. The ultimate example-Jesus-never sinned. My trying to be like Him won’t make me sinless, but as I have said, it should make me sin less. My ultimate goal-any Christ-followers goal-should be to represent Jesus as close as we can. I will never do that perfectly.
Christianity doesn’t rise and fall on me. My sin brings a stain, but doesn’t undermine the rock solid truth of Jesus as the perfect and firm foundation. Is sin a problem? Yes. Is hypocrisy a problem? It can be. But Jesus offers the solution to the problem. If you or someone you know keeps using these excuses, stop making excuses by pointing fingers at fallible people and start looking at an infallible Christ.
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, God, Hypocrisy, Jesus, Lifestyle, Opinion, Reflection, Sin, Story, Truth Telling
Monday, September 23rd, 2024
Let me start out by saying, “What a weekend!” That is not a complaint; I am stating a fact. An outdoor wedding with a rehearsal that held so many moving parts it was way beyond my norm. Did I mention it was an outdoor rehearsal in 90+ degree weather? 🙂
Saturday, the day of the afternoon wedding, was brutal. Friday night brought a rain shower of 10-15 minutes that elevated the “sticky” factor. On Saturday, the sun was bright and poured down on us mercilessly. I went through a towel I kept handy and barely had a dry spot on the clothes on my body. I think even my tie was wet. 🙂 If nothing else, it was from the sweat that poured down from my head to my face and went everywhere. Did I mention it was an outdoor wedding in 90+ degree heat? 🙂
You get the picture. Sweet relief came when the sun went behind the clouds for about 45 minutes of the outdoor reception. But then… Did I mention the reception was outdoors in 90+ degree heat?
Again…I’m sure you get the picture. The bride in her gown. The groom in his dress blues. He never complained until the next day when I heard him say. “I was hot and couldn’t wait to take them off.” Logan and Kathryn have a story to tell of their 3 years of dating. It started when Kathryn’s family decided to go to school in our district, leaving the one they had been in all the way to her Sophomore year. Logan’s inquiry of “Who is that new girl?” led to a friend getting a name and number. The rest is history. Much of their dating has been long-distance since he was two years ahead of her and enlisted in the Marines. They have a story to tell of their courtship and wedding, and now of their life together.
Their marriage is a cord of 3 strands: Logan, Kathryn, and God. They have put Him at the foundation of their relationship from the start and I’m sure He will continue to be. I challenged Logan to lead his family with love. I challenged Kathryn to fill her family with love. And challenged them both to allow Christ to be the foundation of their home and the source of that love.
Knowing them…I have no doubt they will. They will have more of a story to tell. Their honeymoon will take them through Gatlinburg and surrounding areas and then to Quantico where he is stationed and where they will make their home for the next year and a half. I can’t wait to hear their story!
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Jesus, Leadership, Love/Marriage, Opinion, Reflection, Story
Wednesday, September 18th, 2024
I read the following story recently. I thought I would share it with you:
In 1942 Davis Ellis was hired as educational director for Allstate Insurance Company. His job was to recruit and train female insurance agents during WWII. In 1950 Ellis’ daughter got sick with hepatitis. One morning as Dave headed out the door for work, the family physician called to let the family know that he was very concerned about JoAnn and that he was calling in a specialist, a Dr. Keyser. That evening when Ellis returned home, his wife, Helen, rushed to him and threw her arms around him. “Dave,” she said, “the specialist has examined JoAnn and Dr. Cummings tells me that JoAnn in in good hands with Dr. Keyser.”
JoAnn recovered, and later that year, Ellis was part of a group working into the night to plan Allstate’s ad program for the coming year. Dave Ellis remembered how his anxiety eased when hearing those words: in good hands. He suggested using it as a slogan, along with an illustration of a pair of hands cradling a car. “You’re in good hands” has been Allstate’s slogan ever since. (found in Saved by Nancy Guthrie-p.127)
Just so you know, this is not a commercial for Allstate. My insurance company has been a “Good Neighbor” for close to 50 years. 🙂
But here is my thought I’d like you to ponder as well: Many people deem trouble and suffering as a bad thing. To be transparent, I’ve done my fair share of complaining, whining, and even crying when situations seem to keep coming and want to overwhelm me. But one thing I need to, no, want to keep in mind is that every moment, every event, is either a learning moment or a teaching moment. I can use it to learn something or use it to teach something. Mr. Ellis used the moment with his daughter to learn something and then, in turn, use it to teach/share into a positive lesson.
In I Corinthians 10 the Apostle Paul is writing about Israel’s history in the wilderness and says these words: “These are things that happened as a warning to us.” (v.6). In verse 11 he says, “These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us…”
Waste nothing. Learn from it. Teach it.
{Note: All Scripture from New Living Translation}
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, God's Plan, Leadership, Ministry, Opinion, Perseverance, Reflection, Scripture look, Story, Suffering, Trials
Wednesday, September 11th, 2024
“NEVER FORGET!”
It’s hard to. Those words will be spoken and heard a lot today. Anyone who was alive and old enough to understand knows the significance of today. If you are like me you know where you were and what you were doing when you first heard of the well-planned, but cowardly, devastating attack on American soil. Life has never been the same and seeing the images again reminds me of watching the Twin Towers burn and then collapse. I’m also thinking of the all-too-brief days following when politicians put aside their petty gripes against each other and sang “God Bless America” on the steps of the Capitol. I’m also thinking of the few brief days/weeks when hearts became sensitive to God’s role in the founding and ongoing history of our country. I’m also thinking of when it wasn’t so much “God Bless America” but “America Bless God.” Many churches saw spikes in their attendance as people sought solace in the face of such tragedy. Sadly, it died quickly.
September 11, 2023 a double rainbow appeared in the NYC sky where the Twin Towers used to rise. The rainbow is a symbol of God’s presence and promise that He would never again destroy the earth by a flood. It is a promise from a faithful and true God.
Jesus has given us a reminder to remember Him by. Just as there will be gatherings today to honor the 3000+ souls who lost their lives 23 years ago (and since), so this memorial reminds us of the loss of life, but also the gaining of something greater. It reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice-one Man dying for the sin of the world. The perfect, sinless, Son of God, our Savior, taking the place of sinful, rebellious, unholy people to make the ultimate sacrifice to die in our place.
NEVER FORGET. 9/11. The cross of Calvary and the price paid for people (you and me) who didn’t deserve it.
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: 9/11, Crucifixion, Forgiveness, God's Plan, Jesus, Opinion, Reflection, Sacrifice, Salvation, Sin, Story
