A Beautiful Place

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Back in the early 90's, Christian singer/songwriter Wayne Watson recorded a song entitled, "A Beautiful Place." It was a song about how the difficult times and painful circumstances in our lives can lead us to, well, beautiful places.  One of my favorite parts of the song was the short bridge...

And the unspoiled beauty of the wisdom of God lies in the wilderness

Up there beyond the easy reach

Where the journey takes a little more faith I guess, I guess.

And then the chorus...

Mistakes and misfortunes will come and go

But to try and to fail is no mistake

Sometimes a rough and a rocky road

Is gonna take you to a beautiful place

I was thinking about that song last night as Sue and I were enjoying the view from the deck of the house we have recently moved into.  We were amazed at how we ended up in such a beautiful place.  For the almost 27 years that we have been married, and all the places we have been, all Sue has ever wanted was a house with a wrap around porch.  All I have wanted was a quiet cabin in the pines near the mountains. And, here we sit with all of that and so much more.  This house (a blessing that was made available to us by the people who built it but cannot live in it right now) is so amazing that we often feel a pang of guilt that we get to enjoy it!  Beside all the beauty and top of the line features inside, it sits nestled in the trees, on the backside of a hill with a view facing the mountains and very little noise except the birds and squirrels, and the wind as it moves through the pines.  We wake up to deer outside our windows and see wild turkeys and lots of horses on the road down to the valley below.  The air is always clean and fresh and cool, with the hint of smoke from our wood stove.  I'm pretty "okay" with the situation. Can you tell?

The road to this beautiful place has been long, and at times painful.  There were moments when I wondered if we had made a wrong turn.  But, we kept going, trusting that the Hand that leads us is faithful to every promise made.  While bouncing along the road, we have learned so much about God, and ministry, and faith, and we have been so blessed by the people we have been privileged to know and serve and share life with.  I can honestly say that I value this place (and the church I currently pastor) so much more now than I ever would have before.  Sometimes it takes miles and miles of difficult travel, with bumps and ruts and dust, to help you appreciate what you can so easily take for granted before that ride.  A rough and rocky road really can get you to someplace special.  And when you get there you realize that it is really worth it.

All glory to God,Who leads and guides us with great love and unfailing wisdom.

Sometimes I Can See Well Enough, But Not Good Enough

"I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word." Psalm 119:15-16

I did it for the third time this morning.  You would think after the first, or at least the second time, I'd learn.  But, I did it again.  On Tuesday mornings I get up at 6am and walk from the house we are living in to the church (just across the street) to lead a Bible study.  I try to keep the house as dark as possible so as not to wake up Josiah, and to give Sue a few extra minutes of sleep.  I have all my clothes waiting in the bathroom, so I can get dressed without disturbing anyone.  I turn on a small light in the kitchen that reflects just enough light into the living room so I can see to put my shoes on, then I grab my Bible and keys and head out the door.  It never strikes me until I get to the church that I forgot something very important - my glasses.

I suppose that after more than ten years of wearing glasses, putting them on first thing would be second nature.  But it isn't.  The problem is that I can see without them.  My vision is not so impaired that I immediately recognize my need of them.  I can see most things fairly clear, and I can even read things that are of a decent size without having them on.  It is not like the world is one big blurry mess if I don't have them on.  So, in my rush to get out the door and because nothing is demanding a clearer view, off I go.  I finally realize my failure when I open the pages of my Bible and THEN the world becomes a blurry mess.  What I really need to see, I can't see, without the help provided by my glasses.  Those little black letters all just run together and I can't make heads or tails out of them without stretching my arms out to their limits and squinting and straining and twisting my neck in all kinds of ways.

This is true in life too, isn't it?  We see the world around us just good enough to make us forget that we need help to see what is really important.  Then, when situations and circumstances arise that are important, and they demand a clearer vision, too often all the little pieces become blurry and we can't make sense of what they are telling us or what they mean. We struggle to see the truth, and what is a warning is not recognized because it is not clear to our eyes.

O how thankful I am for God's Word!  If it weren't for the lens of the Scripture, I would only see what my eyes (weak as they are) are capable of seeing, and I need to see so much more!  I need to see so much that is small and seemingly hidden, but of timeless value for me as a husband, father, friend, and pastor.  I cannot afford to allow eternal truth to be blurred or missed by eyes dulled by temporary images of grandeur.  I need to put my "glasses" on every day, knowing that it is the only way I can see what is really important.

A Lesson from the Lottery

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." 

 (Matthew 6:19-21)

This morning the radio announced that two people had won the BIG lottery.  One was from Washington, and the other from Idaho.  I couldn't help for just a moment (really, that is all it was!) to be a little envious. I mentioned it to Sue as Josiah was getting ready to head out the door to school, and we were talking about it together.  Josiah wanted to know what I would do if I won $300 million - what would I buy with it? I told him I didn't really know - that is a lot of money and sometimes having that much of it can make your life much more difficult than easy.  Josiah promptly told us how if he won the money, he would go out and buy lots of video games.  Of course, I wasn't real pleased with that response, so we talked a little more about it. It's tough when your dad is a pastor.

But, then I realized I am not that much different in my thinking.  I have a heavenly Father who offers me infinitely more than any lottery could supply, and so often my desires are so earthly and temporary.  My flesh craves things that will not last, and wll rust and fade and lose their shine. O how I long to have as my greatest desire that which reflects the brilliance of eternal glory.  When will I learn that I have already become rich beyond all earthly measure in what really matters?  My prayer this morning was that God would give me a heart that sees beyond the glitter of this world so that I can embrace the glory of heaven.

Sadness and Joy

We were grieved to lose yet another pet - and one we had just gotten to know.  Peewee, after only being with us for a week, had to be euthenized yesterday due to a serious illness .  He had been on an antibiotic and an anti-parasitic medicine due to issues we noticed when he "found us".  When we took him back in for a follow up, he not only hadn't gotten any better, he had gotten worse.  The Vet, based on his experience, felt that the outlook wasn't good for him and Sue and I didn't want to prolong any suffering so, once again we had to make the difficult choice.  We were pretty bummed.  So was Josiah.  But, these things are all learning times; times when we can talk with Josiah about the harsh realities of life, and the goodness of God in the midst of them. He cried.  We cried.  And we move forward.

The sadness of losing Peewee came after a sad weekend.  I was asked to lead a memorial service for a seven year old girl who unexpectedly passed away about two weeks ago.  There is nothing more heartbreaking than to see parents struggling through something like this.  Making it more difficult was the fact that I didn't know this family, and they live out of state so any kind of follow up will be a challenge.  Needless to say, after the trip to the Vet, I was kind of emotionally spent by last night.

But, this morning I myself was reminded of God's goodness and hope.  I was able to visit with a young couple from our church who just welcomed a new little boy into their lives.  "Myles" was born last night and was peacefully sleeping in his daddy's arms while we visited.  What an awesome and beautiful scene!  As I drove back to the church to get to work on all the stuff that I have going for this week and this weekend, there was a peace in my heart.  In the midst of all the sadness, there was still reason to rejoice.  A child was born!  Thank you, Lord, for Christmas, and THE CHILD - Jesus - that was born to bring us joy and hope.

A New Friend...

God's timing is rarely ours. We lost a special "friend" just before we moved to Montana - "Benny" (Josiah's beloved cat) was diagnosed with feline HIV and we had to make the difficult but humane decision that causes tears all the way around. It was too soon for us, because we'd only had him for about 18 months, and Josiah was really attached to him. He had rid our house of mice, and even brought us a fresh rabbit one afternoon (he was so proud!). He was patient with our little boy and allowed Josiah to pack him around and treat him like a house cat - a humiliation I'm sure to most proud tomcats. We told Josiah that when we found a home of our own in our new town, we'd find another cat for him. Since we arrived in September, Josiah has been patiently waiting. Well, that new home still hasn't materialized, but the Lord saw fit to bump up the arrival of a new "friend" for Josiah.

Sue and I were sitting in the house yesterday, when we saw a black and white kitten coming down the stairs from Grace's house to the ground level where our apartment is. Normally, when we open the door, the local "visitor" cats take off like the wind. This little guy did the opposite. He saw me, and came running. He raced past me and into the house, sniffed around, and promptly curled up on Sue's lap, purring like well tuned motor. He was pretty thin, and probably (due to the cold weather and snow) hadn't eaten in while. So, we gave him something to eat and drink, and the adoption process was complete. I guess we measured up so he decided to keep us. Needless to say, Josiah was pretty happy when he got home from school.

God's timing is not ours. But, all time is His, so we will just trust Him and enjoy what He brings. Say hello to our new friend, "PeaWee", the latest addition to our family.

Parenting: A Third Phase

Back in September, Sue and I entered into a third phase of our parental experience. The first phase, obviously, is when our children are totally dependent upon us to meet their needs. They live under our roof, and by our rules. As they get older they are able to make some decisions, but for the most part, we were responsible to make sure they are safe, healthy, and happy.

The second phase is when they are "out," but still around. You know what I mean; when they are out of high school, and legally responsible for themselves, but have not really severed that tie to the washing machine, couch, and refrigerator. Maybe they are in college, or have their own apartment. Let's be honest, as parents we grumble about this, but we really kind of like it - at least we still see them every so often and can have some input into their lives, even if it is just some food or the occasional few dollars we slip them for a little gas.

For us, the third phase was when we moved from Kentucky to Montana, and left our older two kids in the Bluegrass State. Rachel's wedding last week was an even stronger indicator of our curent location on the parenting chart. Saying good bye to my oldest boy, and my daughter and new son-in-law on Saturday left us in the frighteningly awkward position of...not knowing when we would see them again. This is new territory for us. You see, even though we lived 80 miles from Rachel, and 50 miles from Andrew, we always saw them during the holidays, and on various and sundry weekends when Andrew needed a home-cooked meal, and Rachel needed to do her laundry. That won't be happening now that we are 1900 miles away.

This new phase is going to be difficult. Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to be strange without them. But, we trust that God will get us all through it, and future times together will be that much more special because we understand in an even deeper way the value and blessing of family. And, we thank the Lord now even more for our little "late" gift - Josiah - at least we have a phase or two longer with him.

I Had Her First...

Put some kids and a few toys together, and it won't be long until you hear, "It's mine! I had it first!" The argument always starts when one child decides to take the toy that another child has been playing with. Strangely, that is what I felt on Friday evening just an hour or so before I performed the ceremony that united my precious daughter, Rachel, to her fiance, Brian. The beaming mother of the bride had come into the church auditorium and grabbed my hand, then led me to the room where Rachel and her attendants had been busily getting ready for the event. When I walked through the door, there was my little girl - and all I can say is that I have never seen her more beautiful. Needless to say, the hug was long and the tears were falling.

The thought then occurred to me that I got to see her in her wedding dress before Brian did. But, that is only right, isn't it? I was the first man to hold her. I was the first man to dance around a room with her. I was the first man to wipe the tears from her eyes. I was the first man she said, "I love you" to. I had her first! But, then I remembered that ultimately, she wasn't mine. She belongs to her Creator, the One who formed her in the womb, and has every day of her life written in a book. And, on the page marked "October 15, 2010", the story of Rachel's life tells of how the one who had her first, humbly gives her to the one who will have her for the rest of her life. Brian has her now, and I will step back and be the #2 guy. I'm okay with that, because I know Who is writing the story, and He always does things perfect.

For twenty special years, she was mine. Thank you, Lord, for letting me have her first.