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Monday, 02 November 2009

  • Solo(r) Cups for Communion

    Clear plastic Solo(r) cups are ubiquitous.  Common.  Nothing special about a clear, plastic cup. 

    Juice is also not that special.  Expressed from the crushing of grapes.

    But if in the right context, it is special.

    Every Sunday morning, we celebrate the Mystery of the Ordinance of Communion or the Lord's Supper, at Grace - we stop and we obey our Master's teaching: "...do this in remembrance of me." (Lk 22)
    But this past Sunday, we couldn't find the really special, priceless, not-found-anywhere-else, hand-made-with-love communion cups we normally use - expertly created by our dear friend (and former member) Janelle McGuire.  We had to use something.  Anything would do, really - so we used clear, plastic cups.

    I didn't see the majesty in it until Rick talked about it.

    It is not the vessel that holds the element that matters - and the juice is not anymore important (my apologies to my transubstantiation friends).  It is the glory of Master - and the remembrance of what he's done for us. 

    And I'm glad that he's chosen normal, average, ubiquitous things, to transport that which is holy and lovely to Him.  For the Believer, it is precious because of the symbol it represents: I am - and always will be - loved and cherished by my Father!

    And I think of another scripture:

    6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Cor. 4:6-7)

    For those of us at Grace - really, every Believer - we make no small boast in this.  God has called us to bear the Light of Truth and Grace to the world - and we marvel that he's chosen to use "jars of clay" - fragile, ubiquitous, average vessels - to display his all-surpassing power.

    I want to keep our beautiful communion cups.

    But I'm glad for the reminder that God's chose to use average stuff to display his glory. 

    And who is equal to such a task?  (2 Cor. 2:16)

Tuesday, 28 July 2009

  • Just a Pinhead of the Sun's Power


    At the encouragement of my pastor, Rick Hale, I'm reading Richard Swenson's More Than Meets the Eye, and I'm just awash in thought and contemplation. 
    Have you ever read something where each page just makes you just have to put it down and think?  I'm stunned by the majesty and genius of God in everything from the formation of the constellations, the randomness/order of the subatomic world, the glory of my body's ability to perform and the fact that God has even more surprises I can imagine!   It is so great to think that one day, I shall ask Him, and he'll tell me. 
    And I can trust Him. 
    Imagine this: on page 148, Swenson says this:
    The core temperature of the sun is fifteen million degrees centigrade.  It is so hot that a pinhead heated to the temperature of the center of the sun "would emit enough heat to kill anyone who ventured within a thousand miles of it," explained physicist Sir James Jeans. 
    Can God handle that?  Can Jesus pop that pinhead in His mouth?  Can He go deep within the core of the Sun, look around, pat the walls, smile while he examines the explosive conversion of hydrogen to helium? 
    Do we realize that even though we're 93 million miles away, we're PERFECTLY aligned in orbit and distance?  Scientists tell us that a scant 2% more or less from the Ol' Sol would fry us or deep freeze us? 
    And still, 99% of all the usable energy on Earth originates from the sun. 

    I want to try to understand quantum physics ... but I just can't. 
    I'd like to understand the story behind "Schrodinger's Cat" but I don't get it.
    I'd like to understand that God - who is outside of the space-time continuum - sees the ALL like a book - he knows what's at the end, as well as the beginning.  So ...

    What, really, are my problems?  What is too big for Him to handle? 

    My brain hurts.  I just don't get it.

    But I don't need to. 
    At the risk of sounding simple*, I think I just need to know this:

    Jesus love me.
    This I know.
    For the Bible tells me so.
    Little Ones do Him belong.
    They are weak - but He is Strong.
    Yes!  Jesus loves me! 
    Yes!  Jesus loves me!
    Yes!  Jesus loves ME!
    The Bible tells me so!



    * I know I'm simple. I don't pretend to be smart.  Mark Twain quipped: "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."

Thursday, 23 July 2009

  • I Want to be a Dad Like This

    This happened in 2007, but it's still a great story.  Most of us worry too much over our kids - for good reason: the two-legged predators out there are the scariest!  But we have to teach our kids to respect the dangers in the wild and live in harmony.  Occasionally, though, a dad has to do what he can to protect his little ones.  

    Chris Everhart?  I call him the real BraveHeart!


    Ex-Marine Kills 300-Pound Bear With Log

    The Incident Is the Latest in a String of Bear Attacks

    June 22, 2007

    Chris Everhart just had a Father's Day he'll never forget.

    The ex-Marine saved the lives of his three young sons when a 300-pound bear attacked their Georgia campsite last weekend.

    While cleaning up after dinner, the family came face to face with the large animal.

    "From out of nowhere we heard this loud crash," Everhart said on "Good Morning America." "For a second, I didn't know what it was, but I realized it was a bear. I went to the back of the Jeep to get my pots and pans to scare the bear off."

    At the same time, Everhart's 6-year-old son, Logan, tried to frighten the animal. Instead of running away, the bear turned on the boy. Logan's brother, Kyle, tried to help him.

    "I threw about five rocks at the bear to keep him away," Kyle Everhart said.

    Realizing his sons could be killed, Everhart grabbed a log and threw it at the bear's head, striking and killing him.

    "I forgot all about pots and pans and picked up whatever I could to try to distract, fend off, do what I could to get this bear away," Everhart said.

    Latest in a String of Bear Attacks

    The Georgia campsite incident is the latest in a string of bear attacks. One week ago in Utah's American Fork Canyon, 11-year-old Sam Ives died after a black bear dragged him from his tent and fatally mauled him.

    The same bear ripped through another couple's tent hours before the attack. It was later killed and airlifted out of the park.

    In upstate New York Monday, a black bear was caught strolling in and out of yards in a small residential neighborhood.

    Jim Karpowitz of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources believes the abundance of bear sightings may be due to recent droughts.

    "When it's hot and dry like this bears are short on food and they go looking for food and sometimes they create problems," he said.

    For Everhart, the 300-pound bear that attacked his sons was almost a problem too big to handle.

    "This one got a little too aggressive for me," he said. "If the bear had gotten near my kids, I would have just jumped on it. Knowing me, that's what I would have done, anything to make sure my kids were safe."


Thursday, 02 July 2009

  • Snakes in the Playground

    Here's the strange and tragic tale out of the headlines.  Of course, there is a metaphor.

    A pet python broke out of its holding tank and strangled a two-year-old girl in the bedroom of her home in Florida, local authorities said.

    The 8ft (2.5m) albino Burmese python had also bitten Shaiunna Hare on her forehead several times.

    Charles Darnell, the snake's owner and boyfriend of Shaiunna's mother, stabbed the python and prised the child away, but she died before paramedics arrived.

    Authorities removed the snake from the home after obtaining a search warrant.

    Officials said Mr Darnell did not have a permit for the snake. He could face child endangerment or other charges.

    Everglades breeding

    According to police, Mr Darnell said he had put the snake in a bag in an aquarium container on Tuesday night, but awoke the next morning to find it missing.

    Bobby Caruthers, from the sheriff's office in Sumter County, central Florida, said Mr Darnell "ran immediately to the infant's room" and discovered "the snake on the child".

    "He also said he observed bite marks on the forehead of the child," Mr Caruthers said.

    Wildlife officials say they are growing increasingly concerned by the proliferation of pythons in the Florida wilderness.

    It is believed that some have been released by pet owners who can no longer care for them.

    The snakes are breeding in the Everglades, where they have no natural predators.

    Burmese pythons can reach a length of 16ft (5m) and live for 30 years.

    The US Humane Society told Associated Press news agency that at least 12 people have been killed in the US by pet pythons since 1980, including five children.

    We should rightly be horrified by this story.  How could anyone put such a dangerous predator near a child?  We have no idea what kind of safeguards this man put up - probably pretty good ones.  But the fact remains: some things just don't belong in the house.

    There are other things we allow in the house that are deadly or deadlier that we allow in the house:

    • Unfiltered, unsupervised and unaccountable media access.  I've heard kids cuss and portray attitudes and sexual innuendo that would embarrass the most hardened person - where did they learn that?  Mom's and dad's allow the strangest videos and movies to be watched both from the screen, internet and DVD.
      As a parent of a teen, it's hard to sit down and talk about what they hear, see and what our kids are tempted to do with their friends.  Get over it!  Just do it!  Be a parent, not a friend; place boundaries and limits. 
    • Attitudes and conversations that adults should discuss alone. Kids will pick up on our language, attitude, criticism and praise.  Do they hear us admit good things as well as critical things of people?  When we're criticizing a teacher, leader or government official, do we also mention it's blessings?  A teacher commented to me about the rudeness and attitude of a child.  I lamented but she explained: when the parents of this child came in and cussed her out, she understood - the child only knows what is taught by example.  Do you cuss in front of your kids?  They will, too.  Do you allow bad or off-colored jokes?  They will, too.
      Here's what's cool: it goes the other way around, too!  They will demonstrate great attitude and great character when we demonstrate it, too.  But it's "caught", not taught.
    Probably the worst snake we allow is that of simple acedia. What is that?  Acedia is "a state of listlessness or torpor, of not caring or not being concerned with one's position or condition in the world. "
    Most parents are so busy with other things, they don't talk to each other about real plans for their kids. 
    Most of us plan our vacations better than we plan our spiritual and moral game plan for our kids. 
    Listen!  It "just doesn't happen." 

    Pr. 12:5 -- "The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful."  Do you really want to trust Dr. Phil and Oprah for your family?  Take examples from Hollywood?  Please ... can you hear the hissing?

    Pr. 15:22 -- "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."  Who are your Godly advisors?  They should be pastors and dear, deep spiritual friends who have the scars to prove they've gone that way.

    Pr. 16:9 -- "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."  Plan, seek the Lord, re-adjust when he tells us to!

    But most of all, we want our sons and daughters to want one thing: to give their lives to Jesus Christ.  If I could, I would make a deal with God: My life that they and their posterity would choose this as their life theme verse:
    Pr. 16:3 -- "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

    May the Lord bless us though we don't deserve it.  May we make the hard steps, and be a generation full of praise, virtue and knowledge of God ...
     6 so the next generation would know them,

           even the children yet to be born,
           and they in turn would tell their children.

     7 Then they would put their trust in God
           and would not forget his deeds
           but would keep his commands.

    Ps. 78:6-7

Tuesday, 09 June 2009

  • 2009 Milkman - III

    Here are my thoughts of the Milkman 2009.  Perception can be a funny thing.  I figured that, since I train year-round, I'll have no problem (except for the open-water swim) to get through this year.

    Well, then reality proves what is really going on! 

    This year, my bib number was 427.  I'm fitting into the 40 - 44 age group and I placed 107th out of 146 contestants.  I didn't see any guys my age on the run, unless they were passing me!  Why?  The winners were posting times like, 1:02:09 ... AMAZING!  But I loved this year because I erased last year's embarrassing struggle.I finished last year, but I felt like I "cheated" by having to catch my breathe with the life-guards and by walking most of the 5K.  This year, I didn't do that.


    Here are my thoughts after I've had a little time to dissect what I did right, wrong and what I'm learning from the race.

    • This is the first time I've used a Tri-Wet Suit from Neosport.  I got it for $119.  It was amazing to use!  It gave me an extra amount of bouyancy and really smoothed out a more level form.  I still get nervous in water I can't see in - but for the most part, it wasn't fatiguing and it went without incedent.  Swimming at Bottomless a couple of times really helped take the edge off. 

      The temp was almost too warm, though, as I felt too warm towards the end of the swim.  But it beats a dry-drowning incident! So, as long as it's legal, this is a perfect example of utilizying technology to benefit your race!  My swim was 13:04.5 with at T-1 of 2:09.8.  Taking off the suit slowed me down quite a bit.

    • I want to get my weight down so, under doctor's recommendation, I'm trying some whey protein and creatine in a meal substitute to help build-up damaged tissue and lose fat.  I've done it for two weeks and it doesn't seem to be working.  In face, I suspect that my CRAMPING issues were more about too much invested in whey protien and creatine, and not so much about hydration and electrolyte levels.  I'll try it until the product is used up and I'll go see the doctor.  Of course, if I keep eating hamburgers and hotdogs at dinner, that's probably a problem, too.  Cramping occured in both calves (couldn't walk right for 3 days!) and right vastus medialus and sartorius.

    • Biking was okay.  I did it in 43:28.2.  I compared this to a cyclist I respect who was part of a team and he did it in 39:54 minutes, so I'd say my time was decent, considering that he only had to concentrate on one aspect.  Wind was from the South East and increased in speed towards the end of the bike leg, so it kind of helped going out; it made you suffer going in.  I ate one Gel Pack and downed a bottle and a half of water.  I started to develop a cramp in my right calf.  Transition time was 1:22.5

    • Run was horrible and painful.  At 32:14.7, that's over 10 minutes per mile!  I started with cramps in both calves and knew it was going to be bad; the best that can be said was that it was a consistant jog!  I found out that my shoes (new Mizuno Wave 4, with less than 30 miles on them) are not meant to be run in without socks - I got a couple of blisters.  Near the end I got cramps in my interior/medial thigh above the knee.  I think that I might get some of those zip-ties I see other racers use. 

    I could have shaved off a couple more minutes, but I'm still very pleased.  A 16 year old who is a GREAT swimmer also competed and his time was 1:26.  He did the swim in half my time, and was a couple minutes faster on the bike, but I actually beat his run time.  I think I can beat 1:30.  I'll ask around but I'll try this:

    • Cut the whey protien and creatine a couple of weeks before the race.

    • Always have a long bike ride in the week of 30 - 50 miles.

    • Do a "brick workout" once-a-week ramping up to the race.

    • Swim more at bottomless with the suit. 

    • add more technology changes (tri-top with pockets in the back, and zip-ties on shoes)


    One more thing I am proud I did.
    I made sure that before I raced, I read the scriptures and dedicated the race to the Lord. In fact, every day, must have that same sense of dedication.  I'm not doing this selfishly.  I'm doing this for Him - that he might be proud of action done in faith - living out that desire that I believe he paced within me.  I learned a lot about just persevering and going on.  I know I'll be able to pull a few more lessons in life from this race, but for now - Soli Deo Gloria!

    2009 Milkman

    Bib #: 427
    Total Time: 1:32:19.6

    500 m Swim: 13:04.5

    T-1: 2:09.8

    20 km Bike: 43:28.2

    T-2: 1:22.5

    5 km Run: 32:14.7

    Men's placing: 107th




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