Three Questions about Kindness

What is an act of Kindness?

     We all have an idea of what kindness is, but what is it?  Kindness is an action.  It is

Love.  When we show others kindness we give them something without expecting

anything in return.  As a christian this is one of the most important things we should do

in living the life that the Father has given us through His Son.  We  should love our

neighbor as ourselves.  

     Yesterday, as I was watering the plants in the front yard, I noticed the grass needed

to be cut.  I told myself that I would do that Sunday afternoon when it would be cooler.

I didn't waste another thought about it as it was on my to-do list. My wife and I enjoyed

the rest of the day spending time together.  We took care of the garden and loved being

with each other. We were shocked by hearing of the loss of a friend and talked about

the strong faith of his family and how that faith in Christ would get them through this

difficult time. We prayed and went to bed.

     When we got up this morning and were getting ready for Church we heard the

familiar sound of a lawnmower running.  Our dogs started barking at the front door.  As

I went to look out the front, there was my neighbor mowing my yard.  I was moved by

his kindness. This wasn't the first time he has done this for us. In the past two years

as we were recovering from surgeries and lengthy illnesses he would cut our

lawn just being a good neighbor.   I went over and touched his shoulder and told him 

thank-you.  He said it was nothing.  I shared with him my heartfelt blessing of

showing this christian what really it is to be a neighbor.  I love this neighbor,

he shows love more than some Christians I know. He doesn't have to cut my

grass.  He understands what it is to be full of kindness. He shared with me that

as soon as he gets done, he will cut another friends yard.  He was moved by my

thanks.  My neighbor opened my soul to what being full of love means by

showing through his action what a good neighbor truly is. 

Why do we fail in sharing Kindness with others?

     We fail in sharing kindness with others by not bringing action to the words we speak

or hear or by not fleshing them out each and everyday.  Why do we do this?   We get

caught up in the busyness of life and forget that we need to bring action to the words

written in the Bible about loving the Lord, others and ourselves.  It's because of our

selfish sinful nature.   We want what we want when we want it.  Often forgetting that life

in Christ is sharing, living, and loving those around us.  If we don't love or encourage 

others we miss the blessing of life.  The blessing is the gift we share.  I could have

gotten upset about my neighbor cutting my grass, but what would that have done?

Nothing, but alienating and showing him how ungrateful and selfish I am.  I wasn't

going to deny him the blessing of gifting us with kindness.  That would 

have been wrong in so many different ways.  I wanted him to know how much I

sincerely appreciated his gift.  His gift to us enabled me to see the grace of Jesus this

morning in the most simple way.  Thank-you. My mind was opened to the reality of

being kind to others. This was a true biblical lesson in the flesh.

How can we give Kindness to others?

     We can give the gift of kindness to others by simply doing.  This one is simple.  Put it

into action.  This example is simply an illustration, when you go to get a drink for

yourself grab your significant others glass and fill it first. Don't ask just do it.  If you

notice that someone is looking for something, assist them.  If you see a need in helping

someone else then go and do it. The key is doing without looking for acknowledgment

or credit.  It should be something that you can do without anyone knowing that you did

it. If you can't do it without someone seeing or acknowledging it do it anyway.  Accept

the responsibility to bring kindness to the front.  We've all heard the statement, "Pay it

forward."   Give it away by acting with a loving heart and you'll release the kindness that

God has blessed you with.  Loving Kindness is an Action. Make it happen. 

Why Should We Return to Normal?

Why should we all return to our normal lives?  

     We shouldn't.  We should be running away in terror.  The normal part of life isn't good for us.  We need to have angst, pain, suffering, and grief.  The difficult things only make the beauty of life so much better.  The moment of silence as you gaze into the eyes of a loved one.  The gentle touch of your lips as you kiss your grandchild, your wife, or friend.   These are the moments.  Our life is full of life and we need to have it shaken up to understand the Grace of the Father.  The peace that comes with such a deep satisfaction of knowing our Lord loves us.  This is powerful stuff. 

Does your past rule you?

     It's wonderful how we get insight into our life especially when it concerns emotions and feelings with those that are close to us.  This includes small things that we permit to become huge life threatening issues. Many times we cling to our past wanting to give credence to the stability we felt.  This isn't the way to live, the past is over and we have to step forward.  Our senses give us an anchor to events or things of the past.  Think of a time where you have smelled something and it immediately took you to that memory event.  It could be something pleasant or something so bad that it makes you ill.  Learn to embrace the new feelings of letting the bad things go.  Our Father wants us to embrace the joy that comes with a life full of Him. 

Who's your Daddy?

     Our King is Lord of everything. Everything He has under His dominion.  He is the Creator.  We were made in His image.  We were given power over the earth and all things on it. Even with all that we are full of Pride. We desire to be in control of everything when we are masters of nothing without Him.  How much more does the Father love us?  The world knows the story of Jesus and His walk to the cross, the redemption of our souls to have a Life eternal with Him.   It didn't end at the cross.  We need to look at the end of the road, the journeys end.  The beginning of Life eternal with Jesus.  That is hard to grasp.  Our flesh lives in the now.  It wants to be comfortable. It desires pleasure.  It wants to be in control.  We have to let the Holy Spirit blow all the way through our flesh.  We need to let the Holy Spirit take our comfortable lives and make us groan under the pressure.  Only then can we see the Love of God as we serve for His glory and not our own.  How much more can we show the Love of Jesus in our lives? 

Don't you Love Him?

     We need to quit treating our family and our friends like they are our mortal enemies.  We need to show the Love, the true love of the Father in our relationships with family and friends.  It is a command.  Jesus gave it to us as a command.  We are to love God with everything we have.  We are to love our enemies as our self, we are to love our neighbor the same.  What does that mean?  It means get on your knees today and ask your wife, husband, father, mother, daughter, son, nephew, niece, or grandparent to forgive you for treating them like crap! It means getting on your knees and asking your close friends for forgiveness also. It means getting on your knees and telling your church family you are sorry for any wrong that you have done either intentionally or not to any of them.  It means getting on your knees with your hands clasped together praying for the Father to release you from this pain. It means giving yourself up to Jesus to use you as a conduit for His service, that your life this day forward would be changed. That you will not let your flesh rule you, but let God shepard you to His Love and Grace.  

     His Grace and Mercy is more than enough.  We all know the Lords prayer or we should. Why does it have that part in it that we all say, "...on earth as it is in Heaven?"  What does that Will mean?  It means changing the norm on Sunday and everyday.  It means getting over the control of what we believe about our church.  It means letting go of traditions and boundaries conceived by man to let His church become real, as it is in Heaven.  We have no right to make His church ours.  NONE.   The body of Christ has to be His church.  We need to let it all go and bring His church to earth.  Think about this.  How do you think Jesus looks at our churches each Sunday?  Is He be proud to see us all gathered in celebration without our neighbor there with us?  The church should be community.  It should be a celebration of Worship for Jesus and all should be invited. All should be invited every tribe and nation. 

What does Luck have to do with anything? 

      Who comes to mind when you think of a person that you've seen that is down on our luck?  Notice the down on our luck?  It means you have a comfort zone and you have looked at someone within a circumstance and said to yourself, "there go I but for the grace of God."   You know what I'm talking about. 

What do you think Jesus thinks of that?  We have no idea what that brother or sister is going through, but here are judging them in their circumstance.  We have to stop that.  Jesus wants us to walk up to them and tell them that He loves them.  You know I'm right.  

Let Him work in you.

     I know that I'm right because Jesus is working in me.  He wants me to be His.  He Loves me.  He loves those we despise, He loves those in prison, those that cause us harm.  He loves our enemies.  He loved us first.  How can we not love Him back?  Why would any of us want to return to the same ole thing.  Not being changed for His sake.  I sure don't want to be normal.  I want to be His servant, don't you?

The Christmas Story of Eternal Youth

What gift can you give to parents that have everything they want?  Time with family is the correct answer to the question.  They would love to spend the Christmas Holidays with their children and grandchildren.  I would love to spend the Christmas Holidays with all our children, spouses and grandchildren.  Also the rest of my family, my sister and her family, my brother and his family.  We always have such a joyous time.  My wife and I haven't had the chance yet to spend a joyous Christmas with our son and daughter-in-law and his beautiful family.  My family has been blessed in having spent so many Christmas's around the world growing up.  One joyous Christmas we were all in Texas a few years ago...

The entire family was enjoying each others company and the festive good times were full of laughter and story telling.  My mother and father were sitting on the couch and other family members were all sitting or lounging around the spacious living room sipping on beverages and eating the wonderful snack food.

The conversation came around to automobiles.  This subject is one that our dad is an expert and my brother is a close second.  We all were talking about the best vehicles we've ever owned.  Then it happened. Dad started talking about the Mercedes he didn't buy back in the sixty's, and the Rambler Station wagon that he bought new.  This automobile reminded me of the Groswald's National Vacation ride.  It became our tour boat a la resistance.  We took that car across the country at least two times on round trips. Oh, the pictures we would pose for and guess what was in the background almost every time?  Yes the nice white station wagon.  You all know the shots, here you see the lovely North Dakota countryside, behind the family and the car.  The highways back then weren't Interstates, they were  two lane roads with large trucks on them, but not semi's.  If you were going faster than the cars you came up on you had to pass on the left.  No shoulders on the roads either.  Did I mention the air-conditioning, windows down, and no listening to the radio in the back as the wind blowing through your hair almost whipped your ears off.  Sticking your hands out or putting your head to close put you in danger of being a windshield for the bugs that missed it the first time.  No seat belts, really, you could stand on the floor in the back seat and look over the dash at impending doom at seventy miles an hour, especially when passing on two lanes.  It was a wonderful time to be a kid.

Our family made weekend picnic trips.  They were some of the best times in my young life.  We loved seeing the countryside and places of interest, and drinking  a cold bottle of soda while the gas was filled up by an attendant.  Windshield wiped clean, the air and oil checked these were normal things.  My dad could ask directions, let me tell you.  It only took a few times from mom to remind him that we were lost.

When my father came back from a remote assignment in Alaska, we were told we were moving to Alaska.  Alaska, the land of the midnight sun.  The decision was to drive the ALCAN  Highway, but then it was getting close to winter time and it would be treacherous.  The family would board the ferry in Seattle and take it to Prince Rupert, British Colombia, then drive the rest of the way to Anchorage.  This was the winter of 1965.  The snow was already falling heavily way up north, after we departed Seattle. The ferry had all the vehicles below and it was such a fun cruise for us as kids.  I don't really think that my dad was sick that much , but most of my memories of that trip I don't remember seeing his smiling face a lot, except for a dinner or two. No sweat dad.  Mom was a trooper, though.

We finally got out at Prince Rupert and as my memory serves me, we fueled up and told the authorities that we were going to drive on to Haines Junction.  It was already dark for most of the day with only a few hours of daylight.  In those days you had to let them know when you left as it was a long drive over snow covered roads that had shoulder poles over six feet tall  as markers so you could stay on the road. My parents were in the front bench seat, my sister on the bench seat in the back, my brother in a niche in the very back with the luggage.  I was on the floor board over the hump.  We had beds made up so we could sleep.  I remember waking up at some time, listening to my parents talk to each other and my brother and sister sleeping away.  My right hand was under the front seat near the railing when my fingers touched a cold metal screw driver.  I was just trying to relax and enter that calm sleep state again when I took the screw driver and lightly starting tapping the seat rail.  Now imagine this, here you are driving your family a long distance in a vehicle that has served you well, the miles on it are over a hundred thousand, the engine is aluminum. Yes, back then there was concern over aluminum blocks.  All of a sudden you hear a tap, tap, tap... It is rhythmic, you've trusted this car.  I hear my dad ask my mom to see if any of us kids are awake.  I keep up my sleep action as survival mode has kicked into my psyche.  Mom moves over me and looks, she can't see my hand under the seat and she sits back down.  I continue to tap, tap, tap.  As Dad speeds up I tap faster, as he slows down I tap slower.


So here I was sharing this story with the family, everyone laughing and rolling, except one person... Guess who that was, my dad looked like he was thirty years younger and started to get up.  He had the "look," on him and I kinda laughed. He finally realized that his whooping my butt wouldn't do any good now and he smiled.

Had my dad caught me doing that years ago, my parents would have arrived in Haines Junction with my mom, brother and sister.  They would have said they didn't know what happened to ten year old Chris and that it was awfully cold and snowy on the road.  Sometime in the spring they might have found my body with a look of fear on my face and a screw driver in my hands.  Just kidding, but that's what vision I had as mom leaned over the seat to check on us.   I had to continue tapping until I fell asleep and the screw driver had to be removed as evidence later.

The Joy of  spending Christmas with Family enables us to share wonderful heartfelt stories with our families and to see the Joy of the Holidays on our family members faces.  I will cherish the look on my folks face that year in Texas.   The look was one of they really could have gotten away with it.

Merry Christmas Mom & Dad

Love you...


photo courtesy of flikr

Gimme a Break...

Why do we always feel the need to discuss our points of view about one political party over another especially after a truly divided election?  The issue isn't about changing the other person or their point of view.  It should be about what we have in common.  I've been guilty of wanting to rub those with opposing view points with little digs when the opportunity presents itself.  It is in my sinful nature. It is what makes me a man, but disgraces the man that I am to be.  

We as Christians have become polarized.  We want to change the others that support the other party. All the usual arguments take place.  The Democrats issue claims that Republicans are against the right for women to choose what to do with their own bodies, and that Republicans are against homosexuals or gay rights, and that Immigrants shouldn't be given amnesty for being in the country illegally, and that they don't care about unions and representative rights.  Democrats claim that Republicans are not representing the people and their rights.  They state Republicans don't care about the poor or those in need and they have lost touch with the common man. Republicans are racist, they want to keep the poor, poor.  Republicans are evil, and that they don't care about anyone but big business is the mantra. What a lot of bad things to say about half of the electorate.  

Now Republicans say that Democrats are for a woman's right to choose any form of birth control including the destruction of a child within the womb.  That Democrats are for increasing the need for the government programs to assist those that don't work, or those that have a want. That taxes must be increased to pay for those programs.  That it is the responsibility of those with businesses to pay for those that don't.  Republicans state that Democrats have become socialists. Democrats believe in freedom for anyone to be able to marry anyone they desire in spite of law this is according to Republicans. The back and forth argument  continues...

Now throw in the Christian perspective.  Oh, how the mud slinging continues... Recent Democratic Christian comment has included the above mentioned about their Republican counterparts.  How can Republican Christians vote for a non-christian?  They would never do that.  Republicans respond with How can Democratic Christians vote for a non-christian?  A President who is Muslim, oh, no he's a  Christian, really?   

Why do we get so righteous over politics?  Before we start arguing over who is right and wrong or which party is the best for us as Christians, let's be bold.  The commonality of our Lord Jesus is the connection here.  Wasn't there a Roman Centurion who had faith in the Lord?  Of course there was, Matt 8:5-13.

Do you think for a moment that He was the same politically as the Sanhedrin or the disciples? No, he wasn't. 

How can we as Christians co-exist with our politics?  We can't.  We are not of this world and we need to suck it up and get over it.  Now which party should you belong to?  I'm not going to tell you.  That decision is for you and the Lord. 

What do you believe about a person's individual right to do whatever they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone or anything or break the Law?  Is that Okay?  Is that conforming to the world view?  

Is it okay for a person to kill another person?  Is it okay?  What about a murderer? What about an accident?   What about an unborn child?  

Is it okay for two consenting adults to marry?  Is it okay for an adult and a teenager to marry? What if one of the teenagers is fifteen?  What if they are really mature?  Should there be a national issue with that?  

Is it the governments responsibility to take care of it's citizens?  Should the government be the biggest employer in the United States?  Do you look at Matthew 5:3 and think of the poor?  Shouldn't that be the poor in spirit?  That doesn't state the physical condition, but spiritual.

As His disciples aren't we supposed to Love one another?  So what does that mean to you?  Does it mean that you only Love those that agree with your point of view?  What about the orphans, widows, or the poor?  

Do you believe in contracts?  Does your word mean as much as your signature?  As Christians shouldn't we believe in our Contract the Bible to live accordingly?  

We need to bring change to this world and we aren't going to do that by always wanting to impress others with our point of view without discussing what we believe in.  

I Believe that Christ died for me. The Lord shed His blood and sacrificed His Life for me.  He purchased me  a sinner because He loves me.  That He doesn't care about my political point of view, He cares about my Spiritual Point of Grace.  He is coming back!  I thank the Holy Spirit for keeping me focused on this short foo-foo life. I Thank my God for the world I live on, and the country I breath in.

Peace and Love to you my brothers and sisters in Christ.  

 

We are Dying Socially

We are dying socially. We don't engage with people on a personal level enough. We lock in on our own personal world through technology. We live with distraction. We don't listen to the world crying out. We have become calloused to our neighbor. We don't know our neighbor or his family. We are becoming a nation of lost personalities. We idolize cable and satellite. We idolize our smart phones. We latch on to our computers and book time with short quips as dialogue. We don't spend enough time unplugged to see that our country is dying. We are in trouble. We have created this nightmare ourselves. We are ruled by those we have put in power. We have given up our rights as citizens. We don't know what a citizen is anymore. We love things more than each other. We strive for victory when we don't know what it is we are winning. We are lost. The world we once knew is gone. We cry for mercy when we don't have any concept of what it means. We lose our language each day we text or tweet one another. The damage is done.

We are looking for salvation in the wrong place. We need to go to a quiet place and reclaim our heritage. We need participate with each other in projects that change lives. We need to journey without our technology and only use our hands and feet. We need to find value with one another through listening and caring for each other. We need to lose ourselves outwardly for a better purpose of giving love to our fellow man. We need to care for one another. We need to be with one another. We need to find personal meaning with our creator. We need a personal relationship in order to be that person. We need to value the meaning of the Word and it's power. We need to pass on our mistakes and take hold of our future. We can overcome. We can be redeemed.  We includes me. 

Meet you in the War Room

"Fight for It!"  Don't Surrender!  It is worth everything you have within you to keep.  You must do everything that you can do to keep it.  It is a coward that surrenders and let's it all go away. The Love you had is worth it, as is the memory of that feeling of being complete.  The decision of giving up on the relationship is being a coward.  It is truly a miracle that Jesus didn't give up on us.  Oh, He could have and think of all the testing He got in fulfilling the purpose and plan of His Father.  

Every relationship has trouble and difficulties.  I know, I was most of the difficulties in my relationship with my beautiful wife.  I was a control freak and didn't even realize it.  I thank God that He isn't one.  Why do you think we have free will?  How can you love someone or something without free will? It is the ultimate freedom to Love.  Controlling someone or something is just so wrong in any relationship. So is giving up! I know that I'm going to touch some nerves here and that's okay.   The Lord showed me that He was in control and that for me to understand His Love I had to bow down to His Will.  His words to me as I let my controlling issues pass. "I will bless you and I will still Love you."  

For Jesus loved me First, and I really believe that will all my soul.  My key to freedom was forgiveness.  I was able to truly forgive myself and others through the Lord.  After all, He was beaten and tortured mercilessly for me and you.  He Fought for it. He didn't surrender!  He gave it all in His nakedness on the cross.  Our lamb of God, our redeemer.  It didn't end there, He was buried in a Tomb and rose again in Victory, but wait, He ascended into the Glory of Heaven promising His Return.  He Promised!  He didn't surrender with His relationship with me or anyone else.  He told me that He loved me and that He wouldn't abandon me.  I believe Him.  Shouldn't you?  

So why do we treat the ones we love with such distaste, is it because we can't change them to what we want?  Or is it because we see in them the things that remind us of our failings.  Are we jealous of each other because he/she does something so much better than we do?  Why do we do that?  It  is due to our own insecurities and issues.  I know because that has been me.  When people find out how long I've been married , often the response is, "Really, how could you stay with someone that long, or how did you find someone to put up with you that long?"  I laugh.  It has nothing to do with me or my wife.  It has to do with the Lord.  Oh, I'll give my wife most of the credit because it's true.  She fought for me, She didn't surrender. She always  prayed that I would be the Man that God desired for me to be. She saw the potential for a Warrior King, a Legend in His own Mind, she saw it in me, even when I couldn't.  

Relationships need nurturing and care.  The Lord uses His Word and our Prayers to reach His inner most chamber.  The War Room, where He reassures His creation. Yes, we are His creation.  He wants us to fight for our marriages and our families.  It is the legacy of His Love for Us.  I'm going to continue to Fight for marriages and relationships and be the Leader that He has called me to be.  I won't surrender for the Savior is with me.   He is waiting for you to pray and fight for Him and this world.  Don't be remembered as a coward.  Stand up and fight for your current situation.  If you believe in the Lord you will do it with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul.  

See you in the War Room.

How crazy is this?

How crazy is this?  We spend our lives walking around in a daze.  Not paying attention to the real world around us.  I'm guilty.  When you leave the sanctity of your castle, you glance at the neighborhood quickly as you hurry to your car.  All is good.  The checklist in your head is checking off all the items that you know need to be taken care of as you progress.

Door locked, check.  Glance at it to make sure.
Neighborhood Free of People, check.  Look around once more to see if anything is out of place. Nope, good.
Glance at car before entry, check.  Dang it's dirty, note to self, wash this thing please, check.
Unlock door, check.
Climb inside, insert key, check.  Oh, put on the seat belt, it's only a short trip, put it on, check.
Check the station, volume and rotate to desired mood setting station,  check.
Turn on key, check.  Glance around inside then outside, listen to car sounds, check.
Put car in reverse, check.  Slowly back up toward street, check.
In the street, watching for other vehicles, children, or distractions, check.

Mind blank, body on full auto, check.  Driving, check.

We don't engage. Check, no really check.

Now let's engage not enrage one another.  Yup, let's engage NOT enrage one another!  We live in the best country in the world. The best!  Everybody wants to come to America and have the Freedom we have.  Our founding Father's built this Nation.  Our History shows the struggle to maintain it.  We have had disagreements and arguments between our ideals before.  It has even caused the Civil War.  Our families have banded together to make this a land of opportunity.  When things haven't gone the way we expect them to go we have all had the opportunity to vote and make a change.  We have engaged the process.  We are facing a difficult time.  The economy is not good. Look around you.  How many businesses are no longer there that were there four years ago?  I'm not placing blame here, I'm wanting you to engage.  Each time you go to the gas station to fill your car up, is it more or less than four years ago?  Engage with me.  I'm still not placing blame.  What has the government done for you in the past four years?  Should it have done all that for you?  In the past four years have you left a job for any reason and are no longer receiving any help?  Are you working two jobs now that don't compare to the job you had four years ago?  Engage with me.  I'm still just asking questions.  Do you really know the inner circle of the White House?  Really?  Can you name the Advisers to the President?  Do you know the members of the Senate?  The members of the Legislature?  Are you scared of what will happen to our country after the election?  Why are you so scared?  There are three branches of government and there are checks and balances in the system.  In the past four years who had control of the Senate?  Who had control of the Legislature?  Why couldn't they and the President build a budget?  Please still engage with me. Do you think that the next four years are going to be better if the present folks, the Senate, House of Representatives, and the White House stay the same?  The nation voted four years ago for change, it changed. Was the result today the answer you were expecting?  If it was, so be it. If it wasn't then who should be changed?  Do you know which President has used the most Executive Orders in the History of the Nation to gain unlimited power without using the other branches of the Government?  Do you think that is a good thing?  Why is the use of fear driving this election?  Do you actually think that women are going to become second class citizens and have no rights after this election?  Why?  Don't women in the countries we are currently fighting in have great freedoms?  Don't get enraged, just engage.  Don't we have more citizen rights than other nations?

Please engage this voting season.  Please don't enrage.  We have done that in our History before and it hasn't been good for anyone.  We may disagree, but we should have more to agree on together than anything.  When we think that one party is fighting to take away rights, look at the big picture.  Where else in the world could people have the opportunity to do pretty much everything and complain about it?  No where else.  If you think that it is better somewhere else, then please move there, cause I've been there and someone there would love to take your place.  Don't  enrage just engage.

So Engage with one another, Don't enrage one another. Check.