Karen and I are in South Carolina babysitting Abby. Our oldest son and wife are in China to adopt baby girl #2. Life is different with Abby but good. She is easy to please. She laughs at pawpaw when he makes funny noises, loves french fries, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, counting things and the tickle spider.
We went to Westminster Presbyterian Church yesterday. It was different but good. We ate at a Mexican food place after church. It was different and not so good.
Anyway I made an effort to avoid all the 9/11 stuff on TV yesterday. I just didn't want to do the 9/11 thing. It's been on TV for a week already and watching more of it was more than I wanted to endure. I'm kind of glad we are out of town because there was a big county wide 9/11 event at the local football field last night and if we had been home I would have had to go. Sounds cold-hearted I know.
Of course I couldn't escape it altogether. There was some mention of it in church though not as much as I expected and I did see a few minutes of it on TV from time to time. As midnight approached I began to feel hopeful that with the start of a new day it would all be over and life would be normal again.
I feel bad about my attitude, even a little guilty. I know we need to remember but...
I really don't need to be reminded that our world has changed since 9/11. There are news stories on TV everyday to reinforce the ongoing reality of it. My family has experienced it in a personal way (though to a lesser degree than many) since my oldest son has done tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The present realities of people going through their own 9/11 experience in the hundreds of families whose lives have been impacted by the fires in Texas, those I know who have lost their job, or who are battling cancer, make THE 9/11 seem just a little less important.
There will always be a 9/11 of some sort to deal with. As I get older I find myself growing more weary of it and longing for genuine change. The preacher reminded us that in such a world Christians have good news to share that alone can change the future for ever.
I hope those of you who read this will not think of me too harshly. I have taken a big dose of 1Peter 1:3ff to help restore my soul and I'm feeling much better.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Bin Laden's Death
I was in my study. The TV was on in the living room. Gradually I realized that someone on TV was very excited. I went to see what was going on. Bin Laden was dead. I watched for a while. I was a surprised that I didn't feel something more than I did. He was dead. I think he got what he deserved. Over the past couple of days there has been an endless parade of news casts, blogs and op-ed pieces about his death. Almost all of them applaud his death as a just end to an evil life. I agree.
I'm proud of our service people. It was a gutsy call by our military to go get him and they are to be commended. We have waited ten years for this moment. I'm not surprised that the celebrations were so exuberant and I don't fault those who were celebrating. But for some reason it bothered me and I am perplexed by that.
I'm certainly not sympathetic to radical Islam. These are dangerous people who want to destroy us. I'm for keeping those we capture in Gitmo forever and if we bring them to trial then do it in a military court. I think Pres. Bush was correct to take the war to them. I don't want a mosque built in NYC anywhere close to the WTC site. But, there is still that uneasy feeling. It's not that we killed him but something about the celebration of it that I was watching.
Death is a terrible, final thing. It seems to me that it should cause us pause, make us feel a little uncomfortable even when it is the death of an enemy or and evil person. Such people are also created in the image of God. The promise of Jn.3:16 is for them as well as me. The death of a Bin Laden reminds me that "the wages of sin is death". That is a terrible thing.
I'm grateful that this man will no longer be able to inflict evil on people any more. He will face the judgement of God and then ultimate justice will be dispensed. I'm glad that there is the gospel promise that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". Otherwise I would be in a world of hurt along with old Bin.
I'm proud of our service people. It was a gutsy call by our military to go get him and they are to be commended. We have waited ten years for this moment. I'm not surprised that the celebrations were so exuberant and I don't fault those who were celebrating. But for some reason it bothered me and I am perplexed by that.
I'm certainly not sympathetic to radical Islam. These are dangerous people who want to destroy us. I'm for keeping those we capture in Gitmo forever and if we bring them to trial then do it in a military court. I think Pres. Bush was correct to take the war to them. I don't want a mosque built in NYC anywhere close to the WTC site. But, there is still that uneasy feeling. It's not that we killed him but something about the celebration of it that I was watching.
Death is a terrible, final thing. It seems to me that it should cause us pause, make us feel a little uncomfortable even when it is the death of an enemy or and evil person. Such people are also created in the image of God. The promise of Jn.3:16 is for them as well as me. The death of a Bin Laden reminds me that "the wages of sin is death". That is a terrible thing.
I'm grateful that this man will no longer be able to inflict evil on people any more. He will face the judgement of God and then ultimate justice will be dispensed. I'm glad that there is the gospel promise that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". Otherwise I would be in a world of hurt along with old Bin.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
All Men Are Like Grass
When the Bible says we are like grass withered by the sun south Texas folks know what that means. It's a way of life down here. This past week has reminded me of this.
Last Friday - Good Friday I did the funeral for a friend who unexpectedly died.
Sunday morning I had to help do the "Sonrise" service because the Methodist pastor who was supposed to lead it had experienced a heart attack on Thursday morning while participating in a prayer group.
Tuesday I learned that the lady who cuts my hair has cancer and is having surgery this morning as I type.
My mother-in-law went in the hospital this week.
On Wednesday morning I did a grave side service for a man in our town. He wasn't a believer as far as I know. The only people at the grave side besides myself were two people from the funeral home and the lawyer appointed by the court to take care of his affairs. It was a sad thing. He died alone, unmourned.
This morning I awakened to news about the killer tornadoes in Alabama.
It's been one of those weeks.
Life is fragile - like windblown, sun dried grass.
Thank God for Resurrection Sunday!
Death is certain for all of us and it can come in many ways - but it is defeated by the resurrection of Jesus. Those who are in Christ share in that victory. Hallelujah!
Sadly, not everyone is a believer who shares in this hope.
It struck me as I was preparing for the graveside of the man mentioned earlier that there are at least a half dozen churches in our town. He was even married to a lady that once attended my church once in a while. He had a friend who lived across the street who is a believer. Yet none of us were able to influence him for Christ. I'm not sure any of us really tried to. I know I didn't. Guess we all figured he was a lost cause, a hopeless sinner, beyond redemption. Maybe we were to busy doing other good things for Jesus and just forgot that he needed Jesus.
In these uncertain days we who are believers must be more intentional about sharing the hope we have in Christ. Many of those around us are as the apostle says without God and without hope. I hope I don't have to do anymore gravesides like that again.
Last Friday - Good Friday I did the funeral for a friend who unexpectedly died.
Sunday morning I had to help do the "Sonrise" service because the Methodist pastor who was supposed to lead it had experienced a heart attack on Thursday morning while participating in a prayer group.
Tuesday I learned that the lady who cuts my hair has cancer and is having surgery this morning as I type.
My mother-in-law went in the hospital this week.
On Wednesday morning I did a grave side service for a man in our town. He wasn't a believer as far as I know. The only people at the grave side besides myself were two people from the funeral home and the lawyer appointed by the court to take care of his affairs. It was a sad thing. He died alone, unmourned.
This morning I awakened to news about the killer tornadoes in Alabama.
It's been one of those weeks.
Life is fragile - like windblown, sun dried grass.
Thank God for Resurrection Sunday!
Death is certain for all of us and it can come in many ways - but it is defeated by the resurrection of Jesus. Those who are in Christ share in that victory. Hallelujah!
Sadly, not everyone is a believer who shares in this hope.
It struck me as I was preparing for the graveside of the man mentioned earlier that there are at least a half dozen churches in our town. He was even married to a lady that once attended my church once in a while. He had a friend who lived across the street who is a believer. Yet none of us were able to influence him for Christ. I'm not sure any of us really tried to. I know I didn't. Guess we all figured he was a lost cause, a hopeless sinner, beyond redemption. Maybe we were to busy doing other good things for Jesus and just forgot that he needed Jesus.
In these uncertain days we who are believers must be more intentional about sharing the hope we have in Christ. Many of those around us are as the apostle says without God and without hope. I hope I don't have to do anymore gravesides like that again.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
I'm Back
Some time ago I connected with with an old friend through the magic of modern technology. We hadn't talked in a while and it was good to catch up. Since then we have been able to stay in touch.
Ive been out of touch for a while but I'm back. I hope we can stay in touch. It is hard for me to write but I'm going to try. I just hope I can write something useful that folks will enjoy reading. I guess we will have to wait and see about that.
I hope you have a good Easter weekend. My youngest son and his family will be here for a couple of days. We are going to celebrate our grandson's 16th birthday. Doesn't seem like he should be that old but he is. I'm going to cook him a steak.
My other son is in Kuwait so we won't get to see him or his family this year but this Easter we will be enjoying the same resurrection life and that's what really matters.
Ive been out of touch for a while but I'm back. I hope we can stay in touch. It is hard for me to write but I'm going to try. I just hope I can write something useful that folks will enjoy reading. I guess we will have to wait and see about that.
I hope you have a good Easter weekend. My youngest son and his family will be here for a couple of days. We are going to celebrate our grandson's 16th birthday. Doesn't seem like he should be that old but he is. I'm going to cook him a steak.
My other son is in Kuwait so we won't get to see him or his family this year but this Easter we will be enjoying the same resurrection life and that's what really matters.
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