My Ongoing Thoughts

JOINED TOGETHER

6/8/2023

My precious wife had a birthday recently. I had asked her about a dozen times what she wanted for her present; to which she never replied other than simply to say, “Let me think about it.” Naturally, it was only after I grew tired of waiting and had gone out and bought her two or three things that she up and told me what she really wanted.

And what did she request? Of all things, a Legos table, complete with pull out drawers and two matching chairs. The 30 inch square top of the table is fitted with the small raised dots common to all Legos, obviously intended to be the base for grandiose building projects dreamed up in the minds of eager little construction engineers.

As you have likely already concluded, she did not want the table to play with herself; but rather for our grandsons to enjoy. Anyway, it arrived and the two of us took about thirty minutes putting it together. Thereafter, it sat upstairs for a couple of days awaiting their arrival. Needless to say, when they happened upon it, all else was forgotten as they busied themselves with the creation of their respective masterpieces.

A lot of memories came to me as I observed them playing there. In my day, it was Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, and PlaySkool Plastic interlocking bricks. But, oh how I loved them all. I could busy myself all afternoon on a rainy day with such toys.

Still, none of these would ever go on to become the worldwide sensation that Legos has become today. From humble beginnings in 1949, Legos have grown to become “the world's most powerful brand”, complete with its own international day of celebration each year.

Of course, if you have ever played with Legos, you understand the basic premise. Each piece is attached to and/or built upon another. In this sense, every single piece counts. And while every single piece is indispensable, so also are each of the other pieces it depends upon. And while each piece, in and of itself is relatively small, when linked together, Legos often make up massive and impressive feats of engineering.

I share this because, for me, it is a picture of the church of Jesus Christ. The New Testament gives us numerous pictures of the church; and one of these is that of a building. In chapter 2, verses 19-22 of his New Testament Letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul puts it like this:

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

To this, the Apostle Peter adds these words (in chapter 2, verses 4-5 of his First New Testament Letter):

“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

In each case, believers are likened unto stones being built upon the foundation of Christ and up into an edifice that glorifies Almighty God. Resting upon Him, we each link together with others, doing our respective part to build up the building which is the church for God’s glory!

There are no insignificant Lego pieces. Neither are there any insignificant believers. Whatever your role, whatever your part, whatever way you are designed to fit into the whole, find your place, get connected, and do your part for the kingdom. Others are dependent upon you. As is the perfect will of God!

SOURCES:

LEGOS INFO:

https://www.bricksmcgee.com/blog/international-lego-day-lego-facts/;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego.

SCRIPTURES:

https://biblehub.com/niv/ephesians/2.htm;

https://biblehub.com/niv/1_peter/2.htm.

OF LESSONS LEARNED AND BLESSINGS EARNED…

6/4/2023

As I pen this blog, it is exactly forty years to the day since I graduated from college. Given that about a zillion other people besides me also hold university degrees, I suppose my son was right when I told him this earlier today, and his playful response was: “Well, so did I, but I’m not bragging about it!”

In my defense, and at the risk of sounding a little braggadocios, I grew up in a farming context where formal education was not highly prioritized. Thus, my grandfather quit school at the end of the third grade to go home and work on the farm. All his life thereafter, he could barely read, could write little more than his own name, and knew only the rudiments of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

His son (and my father) later followed suit and quit school after the tenth grade. He could read and write; but when the world changed and he could no longer make a living farming, he regretted not ever having finished school. So much so that, in mid-life, he pursued his general equivalency diploma in order to progress in the modern working world.

Hence, when I graduated high school at age seventeen, I had technically accomplished something no male member of my family had ever done. And when I then graduated from a major southern university four years later, I had truly taken a step into the unknown.

But I thank God for my education. It clearly opened a lot of doors for me down through the years that would not have otherwise been opened. I also learned a lot in those four years, not only in the subjects in which I double-majored, but in life as well. Many of those lessons have also served me well down through the years.

Naturally, I wanted all three of my children to go to college as well. I am thankful that they each did, and also that they each graduated with degrees from state universities. As did their respective spouses. There is little doubt that they are where they are this day in life due largely to their educational achievements.

And now, I find myself in the position of hoping that my seven grandsons will one day follow suit. Having said this, I realize that the world is changing. In many respects, college degrees are no longer valued in ways that they once were. Nor are they necessarily needed. After all, no less an individual than Bill Gates quit Harvard to start a computer business! And Elon Musk quit graduate school at Stanford to go into business on his own!

Still, I continue to believe in the value of education. In my own case, I followed by Bachelor’s degree up with both a Master’s and a Doctoral Degree. But increasingly, what I truly value in a person is the ability to learn from life and then to apply what they have learned, irrespective of their level of formal education.

Thus it was that a little impromptu exchange that recently took place between my oldest grandson and myself was so heartening to me. The little league baseball team he plays on (as either pitcher or as first baseman) managed to go undefeated for the whole season. At their little awards picnic following the final game, they enjoyed pizza and cake. Thereafter, each player was given a bag of goodies and a trophy.

At the conclusion, as he brought his newfound hoard over to show his grandmother and me, I jokingly told him to give me that trophy, so I could put it in my own room at my own house. (I am forever teasing him, his brothers, and his cousins in just such a way.) He looked at me, and shaking his head from side to side in response, said flatly: “NO, you gotta earn it!”

I put on quite a big show of acting all disappointed; but inside I was shouting to beat the band! Why? Because, from my perspective, at the tender young age of six, he had already learned one of the single most important lessons there is to learn in all of life: “You gotta earn it!”

A flood of memories came back upon me… I could hear the truths being poured into me as a young lad as both my father and grandfather said things to me like: “Nothin’ in life is free, son!”; “There ain’t no free lunch, boy!”; “You can have anything in life if you will just work for it!”; “All your life, remember this – nobody owes you anything!”; “Whatever you want you can have – you just gotta pay for it!”; and yes… “If you want it, then go earn it!”

Sorry to be a bragging grandfather here, but my wife and I are starting to feel pretty good about the first grandson down the shoot. If he spends the next half century knowing he has to earn it, and then truly does so, he’ll turn out okay!

In the meantime, the same Bible that tells us that hard work is required of us if we expect to receive and enjoy the rewards of life (Proverbs 14:23, Proverbs 12:24) also tells us that those who do not do so should expect little reward for their lack of due diligence (2 Timothy 2:5, 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12).

And for these reasons, I will always be encouraging my grandsons to learn and to earn. That is to say, to learn early these essential lessons, and then to get busy earning their way in this world!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://www.openbible.info/topics/hard_work;

https://billygraham.org/story/5-things-the-bible-says-about-work/;

https://biblereasons.com/reasons-to-work/.

A MOST MEMORABLE MEMORIAL DAY

5/30/2023

Like many of you, I have many a happy memory of Memorial Day weekends. Over the years, these have involved trips to the beach, weddings, family get-togethers, picnics, cookouts, campouts, ball games, and even rainy weekends spent watching war movies. But I must confess that this past Memorial Day may be my best yet. Allow me to explain…

When I was called into the ministry, I followed the Biblical example of Abraham and literally marched of my map. After college, I moved 1000 miles away to seminary. Thereafter, I served the Lord in accordance with His calling in three different states, all before retiring after my final pastorate here in beautiful east Tennessee.

As I did, most Memorial Day weekends were spent centered on church activities; although, in the latter years, I intentionally made more time for family activities. These days, I find that my plans are more centered on family than other concerns.

And yet, this year, on Memorial Day weekend, with my three children and their families preoccupied with other plans (mostly associated with the end of the school year), I found that I had some free time. And I decided to put it to good use.

When my wife and I retired, we moved to an address that happens to be located on a road bearing my last name. I have begun investigating the origins of the name, and have concluded that I may well be related to the Jacksons for whom our road is named; but if we are, it is clearly in the distant past.

(Both the progenitor Jackson for whom our road is named and my own ancestors came from North Carolina about the same time. Given enough time of my own, I hope to resolve this historical enigma.)

The point of all of this is that, here while back, I felt led to volunteer to help out with the upkeep of the old Jackson Cemetery located at the end of our road. But I must confess that my motives are not totally altruistic.

You see, my own forebears showed up in my home county in Georgia over two hundred years ago. I am the first one to leave that community in all that time. Hence, the vast majority of my immediate ancestors (male and female) are all buried in one of three cemeteries, all less than five miles apart.

Given that my home church requires a person to be a member to be buried in their (increasingly crowded) cemetery; and given the fact that, as a minister of the Gospel, I moved my membership to whatever church I happened to serve at the time, I no longer qualify to buried next to my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Leaving me with a quandary as to where I myself would one day be interred.

Having pondered this matter, I decided to approach the caretakers of the nearby Jackson Cemetery and see whether or not if I helped to maintain it, I might one day be permitted to be buried there. The response was affirmative; and thus it was that I committed to cut the grass on Memorial Day in advance of the cemetery’s annual reunion in which the decedents of deceased persons gather for a memorial observance the first Saturday in June.

Now, do not get me wrong. I am not looking for affirmation here. As I have asserted, my motives were somewhat selfish. But I spent some five hours, cutting and weed-eating and raking the cemetery all by myself this past Memorial Day.

And yet, as the Lord so often does, He found a way to bless me in the process. In cutting the grass and trimming the headstones, I happened across a marker that identified the grave as that of a sailor, a “Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class” in World War Two who “gave all he had in service to his country” and who was also “buried at sea” in March of 1943. Clearly, the ground below the marker was hallowed but empty.

For just as clearly, the marker, situated as it was between the headstones of his parents and grandparents, had been placed there in lieu of his own body. And thus, the message it displayed was impactful!

As I continued along, trimming the row of graves in which this stone lie, I found myself reflecting on the significance of the marker I had just encountered. Here I was, a relatively secure husband, father, and grandfather, with little to no threat to that security, enjoying my retirement and doing precious little beyond what was required of me.

And who had made this possible? In part, a young man laid out before me who had never even had the opportunity to marry, let alone have children or grandchildren. And who also never had the opportunity to have an education or a job or a career. In short, I had everything he had not ever had. And yet, without him I would never have had anything I ever had!

Suffice it to say that I was moved by this thought. I stopped my trimming; and made my way back to his marker. There I paused and thanked both the Lord and this young man for making possible all the blessings I have ever enjoyed, I enjoy today, and I ever will enjoy!

I will never know that young man this side of Heaven. But I will know him there. And once I do, I intend to thank him personally. After all, without the sacrifice of him and so many like him, what would I have this Memorial Day? Very little to be sure!

The Bible tells us that Jesus once said that “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend.” He proved that when He laid down His own life for our redemption. And in so doing, He laid down, not only His life, but His gauntlet!

I thank God for the untold numbers of people who have sacrificed for me to have all that I now have. And more than ever I find myself determined to give something back! As God gives me opportunity, may I do just that!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://biblehub.com/john/15-13.htm.

SEEN AND UNSEEN!

5/26/2023

Sometimes the coolest things pop up in the headlines. Witness an article by Maureen Mackey, managing editor of lifestyle for Fox News Digital, that appeared on www.FoxNews.com this very day titled “Amazing Likeness of Dolphin Seen in Stunning Drone Photography from Wales”.

The article goes on to show an aerial photograph taken over a harbor in Wales that bears a remarkable similarity to a giant dolphin. Little wonder that the subtitle of the article read “Once Seen, It Cannot Be Unseen”.

It seems that a Colwyn Bay photographer named Rhys Jones, who has been taking drone photos as a hobby for the past two years, said he was amazed to see the likeness in an aerial picture he took over Pwllheli in Wales. Though he had taken his drone over the marina many times, this was the very first time that he noticed the aquatic appearance of the landscape.

Here is the picture as reported by numerous news organizations around the world…

I like what one person jokingly asked: “Was this created on porpoise?”

Jones’ other pictures, including aerial photos of double rainbows, castles, highways, landscapes, towns and villages have gained a lot of interest from locals on his Facebook page, Pwllheli Drone Photos.

As impressive as the picture is, I must admit that what first caught my attention was the phrase contained within the subtitle: “Once Seen, It Cannot Be Unseen”. I had heard this phrase before, but had not given it all that much thought. But ever since I first read the article earlier in the day, I have had little else on my mind.

As I reflect on my life, I recognize that many an image has been burned into my mind. The vast majority of them I am thankful to recall… fond memories of my childhood, the first time I saw my future wife, the birth of my three children, etc…

But there are also a few memories I have of things I wish I had never seen... a dead pet lying in the road, a friend in the act of betraying me, an unfaithful girlfriend, etc…

While on a trip to Israel several years ago, we spent over a week visiting most of the major Biblical sites the country has to offer. It just so happened that out tour culminated with a visit to the Knesset, the Shrine of the Book (built to house the Dead Sea Scrolls), and one last stop at the Holocaust Museum.

I am glad we made the last stop. I learned a lot as I toured the museum. But I respect the statement made by one man on the tour. When I discovered that he desired to stay on the bus and not participate in the tour, I asked why. His response was that he felt terrible about what had happened to the Jews of Europe in World War Two. But this was the one and only time he would visit the Land of the Bible, and he did not want all his wonderful memories acquired there to be punctuated with the sad memory of that tragic event.

One can debate the rightness or wrongness of his stance. That is not the point here. What is the point here? It is that we all have certain memories that we are glad we have, even as we have certain other memories that we wish we did not retain.

For my part, I have seen and my mind has recorded enough bad things. I think from this point onward, I too will do my best to take in more favorable memories and avoid acquiring less favorable ones. In the end, I’ll likely be better off for it.

One cannot help but wonder if the Apostle Paul thought along these lines. After, in the midst of a passage bout finding peace, he makes these statements to the believers at Philippi (chapter 4, verses 4-9):

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Clearly, our peace of mind is connected to what all we think about. And given that so much of what we think about has to do with what we see and hear and gets recorded in our memory, then surely it behooves us to guard our eyes and ears!

STORY SOURCE:
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/amazing-likeness-dolphin-seen-drone-photography-wales.

PICTURE SOURCE:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-65702555.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/philippians/4.htm.

A MATTER OF RECORD

5/21/2023

The news this day contained a story about a two thousand year old receipt found in Jerusalem. The article, titled “In the Footsteps of Jesus: 2,000-Year-Old Trade Receipt Found in Jerusalem” contained the subtitle “An Ancient Receipt Has Been Discovered Along the City of David's Pilgrimage Road”.

As Caitlin McFall, reporter for Fox News Digital covering Politics and U.S. and World News explains, the significance of this small stone is immeasurable:

A small fragment of a stone tablet was found with the name "Shimon" inscribed in Hebrew, reportedly accompanied by lines of letters and numbers suggesting a financial record was taken and indicating that money was involved in a transaction.

"At first glance, the names and numbers may not seem exciting, but to think that, just like today, receipts were also used in the past for commercial purposes, and that such a receipt has reached us, is a rare and gratifying find that allows a glimpse into everyday life in the holy city of Jerusalem," the IAA said in a statement posted to Facebook.

Four other similar Hebrew inscriptions dating to the Early Roman period, the era also known as the time of Jesus Christ, have also been found in Jerusalem and Bet Shemesh, according to Excavation Director Nahshon Szanton and Esther Eshel, an epigraphist and a professor with Bar-Ilan University.

But the most recent discovery is the first of its kind to have been found from this historic period within boundaries of the city of Jerusalem.

According to researchers, the inscription was carved using a sharp tool on a chalkstone slab, which was traditionally used as an ossuary or burial chest in Jerusalem and Judea between 37 B.C. to 70 A.D.

The historic receipt was found in the lower city along the Pilgrimage Road, roughly one third of a mile in length and connecting the city gate from the south of the City of David to the Temple Mount. This road "essentially served as the main thoroughfare of Jerusalem at the time," the IAA said.

"Each piece of information, and certainly an ancient inscription, adds a new and fascinating dimension to the history of the city… It is not a coincidence that the many discoveries which are being revealed in the excavation shed light on the centrality of this road even during the Second Temple period. With every discovery, our understanding of the area deepens, revealing this street's pivotal role in the daily lives of Jerusalem's inhabitants 2,000 years ago."

As one who has been privileged to travel to Israel on multiple occasions, I am not surprised by this discovery. Sitting at the conjunction of three continents, the city of Jerusalem has a long and varied history. It follows that it contains innumerable hidden records.

Many significant names have been associated with this one city: Abraham, David, Solomon, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Alexander, Pompey, Herod, Pilate, Jesus, Peter, James, Stephen, Paul, Godwin, Baldwin, Saladin, Suleiman, Allenby, Ben Gurion, and Netanyahu, to name but a few. But for every name remembered by history, there are doubtless untold millions not remembered.

And that is precisely why discoveries like this carry such great significance. They speak, not to the great, but to the diminutive; not to the significant, but to the insignificant; not to the famous, but to the so often overlooked and otherwise forgotten. For this small receipt represents the day to day interaction of untold billions of people throughout history.

Think about it. We live our lives and go about our daily activities. As we do, we leave behind a seemingly insignificant record of where we went, what we did, who we saw, and how we lived. And from the world’s perspective, that is all there is.

But from God’s perspective, there are no insignificant things, no insignificant actions, and above all, no insignificant lives! Indeed, every single thing each and every one of us thinks, says, and does is seen by Him. And yes, they are also recorded by Him!

The Bible tells us that “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3.) It also tells us that “He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.” (Job 28:24.) And it also tells us why this is: “No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account!” (Hebrews 4:13.)

My strong suspicion is that, whoever “Shimon” was some two thousand years ago, he never dreamed that his little transaction would one day out there in the future be made known to the entire world. And by that, I mean (in the words of Jesus) unto all of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and even unto the uttermost part of the earth!

For what it’s worth, Shimon (whoever he was) is not alone here. Jesus once told us that each and every one of us will one day give an account for every seemingly innocuous word we ever uttered!

Be honest, my friend. If you knew that there would eventually come a day in which any and every interaction (whether as word and deed) you ever had with your fellow man would be made known to everyone who ever lived in the history of entire world, how would that affect your behavior this day?

More to the point, how would (and should) it affect your current behavior given that it would one day be revealed in the halls of eternity?!

STORY SOURCE:

https://www.foxnews.com/world/in-the-footsteps-of-jesus-2000-year-old-trade-receipt-found-in-jerusalem.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://www.openbible.info/topics/god_sees_everything;

https://biblehub.com/parallel/matthew/12-36.htm.

HANDY MAN!

5/16/2023

Back in the day, James Taylor won a Grammy for his version of the song titled “Handy Man”. He was not the first to record the song. That honor went to Jimmy Jones back in 1959. But his version was clearly the one most remembered.

According to the song’s lyrics, the singer is a handyman who fixes broken hearts 24 hours a day, and who further states that “If your broken heart should need repair, then I am the man to see!” Clearly, the singer is asserting that he is the man to see whenever any young lady has been wounded by love.

The year Taylor released his version of the song (1977) was the very year I met the young lady who was destined to become my precious wife. Many a time we listened to that song together. And yet, little did I know at the time how prophetic the verses of that song would one day prove true. Now I do.

As I referenced in an earlier blog last month (HELPING HANDS - April 11, 2023), my wife recently had to undergo Carpel Tunnel Syndrome surgery. In short, her hand was wounded. At the time, both she and I assumed the procedure and its after effects would last just a couple of weeks or so.

Now, five weeks later, we realize how wrong we were. While we are grateful that the surgery was successful, and that her hand is certainly getting better, we realize that the time frame for healing we had originally envisioned was clearly shortsighted.

As it stands, she will not be released by her physician to resume normal activities for another three weeks. That continues to mean no lifting of any object over one or two pounds. It also means no activity that involves vibration of the hand, which might have a negative impact on the healing of the nerve(s) in her wrist.
In other words, that means she cannot wash dishes. Nor can she wash clothes. Above all, it means that she cannot cut grass!

Please understand that the latter activity is something that she dearly LOVES to do! She loves to mow; so she cuts the yard; and I trim, edge, weed-eat, and blow the clippings off the driveway.

My point here is that if you know my wife, then you know she is not one to lie around and make excuse for inactivity! Hence, you will understand how and why she is going crazy with frustration, not only as she has felt tied down for the last five weeks, but even worse, as she will invariably be tied down for another three weeks to come.

For my part, I have found that this whole ordeal has become, for me at least, a time either to put up or to shut up! Sure, I could be her “Handy Man” and do all I could to fix her broken world. No, I could not fix her broken hand. Only the Doctor could do that. But I could wash dishes, clothes, and the like. I could even cut the grass she so obviously likes to cut. After all, what is a mere two to three weeks?

But two to three weeks soon became five weeks. And then we learned that this was projected to stretch out to eight weeks. Ouch!

Now, let me be clear. I am not looking for an “Atta boy!” here. When we went to the altar, we pledged that we would stick together in sickness and in health. But, like all couples, we have a de facto division of labor. And during this time, my share of that labor has slightly increased.

I trust you get the point. It has been said that marriage is not a 50/50 proposition. Rather, it is more like 100/100. If you love someone, you give 100%, at all times and in all circumstances! Given this, there is no doubt that what I have been called upon to do for my wife is a labor of love.

What is more, she has been called upon to do the same for me at times. And when those times have emerged, she has proven faithful. Witness my blog post of 3/24/2018 titled “STEPPING UP!” when I had to have foot surgery, and was laid up for several weeks. At that time, my loving wife did for me what I now gladly do for her.

Witness further my blog post of 05/25/2021 titled “A MATTER OF DAYS”, wherein I detailed an unexpected surgery I underwent as a result of, of all things, an infected hair follicle on my leg. Throughout that entire ordeal, who stood by me and saw me though the whole affair but my precious wife?!

I share that thought in light of what the Apostle Paul testifies to in his Second New Testament Letter to Timothy (chapter 4, verse 17), wherein he states: “But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength… And I was delivered from certain death.” The Apostle Paul clearly knew what it was like to have the Lord alone stand beside him when he was facing a serious crisis that could even prove deadly.

For my part, I too can testify that the Lord has stood by me through multiple difficulties. For that I am thankful! But I can also testify that my precious wife has done the same thing. And for that I am thankful as well. Given this, far be it from me not to do the same for her now!

In the Old Testament Book of Proverbs (chapter 18, verse 22), the Bible affirms whoever finds a wife finds a really good thing! I can affirm that truth!

What is more, the Bible also tells us (in the New Testament Book of Galatians, chapter 6, verse 2) that that whenever we bear one another’s burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ! Christ stood by Paul. He also stood by me. But so did my wife. For this reason, may I now be faithful to stand by her!

You see, my precious wife has fulfilled Galatians 6:2 on my behalf on numerous occasions. I can only hope that she now finds herself on the receiving end of just such blessings. And for all these reasons, I’m now glad to be her “Handy Man!”

SONG SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handy_Man_(song);

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Taylor;

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jamestaylor/handyman.html.

PREVIOUS BLOG POSTS:

https://www.cleoejacksoniii.com/my-ongoing-thoughts/helping-hands;

https://www.cleoejacksoniii.com/my-ongoing-thoughts/stepping-up;

https://www.cleoejacksoniii.com/my-ongoing-thoughts/a-matter-of-days.

SCRIPTURES:

https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/4-17.htm;

https://biblehub.com/proverbs/18-22.htm;

https://biblehub.com/galatians/6-2.htm.

THINKING NOTHING OF IT!

5/11/2023

It all happened so quickly. Indeed, there was little I could do to prevent it. My son and I were mounting a clip, designed to hold a fire extinguisher, onto the wall of the garage. I say the wall. Actually it was on a steel girder that stands between two large garage doors in the garage. Therein lay the problem, though, as we found ourselves having to drill a hole through a quarter inch of solid steel beam.

Despite the use of an impact drill, a metal drill bit, and cutting oil, we still found ourselves having to apply a tremendous amount of force in order to bite into the steel. It was exhausting work; and we had to take turns at the drill. It just so happened that it was during one of my turns at drilling that the bit actually broke through the girder. Whereupon, with me pushing hard on the handle, the bit lunged forward about three to four inches before the drill chuck slammed up against the steel.

Sadly, as the drill lunged forward, the outside of my right forearm slammed into the rack of the adjacent garage door. At the time, the pain was enough that it smarted pretty badly. But I appeared none the worse for the experience, and quickly brushed it all off.

Imagine my surprise then, when about ten minutes later, I glanced down at my forearm and saw that a large pump knot had developed. It looked as if someone had cut a lemon in half lengthways and then inserted half of it under my skin.

The strange thing is that, while there was some residual pain from the original impact, it was not as if I had a broken arm. There simply wasn’t enough pain involved to warrant such a conclusion. And yet, the knot persisted. Indeed, if anything, it even kept growing slightly bigger. Anxiety and fear of the unknown quickly compounded any physical pain I was enduring.

Thirty minutes later, the fire extinguisher had been installed, the tools had been put away, and I and my wounded appendage were ensconced safely in the house. A quick google search told me that I needed to begin an immediate regimen of on again, off again icing of my pump knot. After a quick shower, I got down to the business at hand.

The thirty minute cycle was repeated three times before I went to bed; and when I awoke the following morning, the swelling was markedly reduced. What is more, there was very little pain. In fact, I thought I was home free until my wife commented on the tremendous bruise on my right forearm. I went to the bathroom, flipped on the light, and examined my arm more closely, only to confirm what she observed.

I have now carried that bruise for three days. Ugly as it was at first, fortunately, with each passing day, it has become less and less noticeable, even as the swelling and pain have all but disappeared. My suspicion is that within another week, the whole episode will be over and forgotten. I will be thinking less and less of it.

This entire ordeal strikes me as illustrative of life. Think about it… Most anything worth undertaking usually involves some cost. That is to say that somewhere along the way, a price has to be paid. And when that price is being paid, it can often be painful. But in the end, when whatever was deemed worthy or valuable enough to pay such a price has been accomplished or achieved, the degree of pain associated with its acquisition then seems to fade.

Witness the physician who slogs his or her way through years of courses, degrees, and internships to acquire the title of M.D. Or the MLB player who endures spring training, a long and grueling regular season, the playoffs, and then a seven game stretch before taking home a World Series ring.

The same can be said of an Olympic athlete and a gold medal, a prize-fighter and championship belt, a burgeoning author and a bestseller, an inspired inventor and a better mousetrap, or any number of a thousand other entities who realized their dreams only through persistence and determination.

In all these examples, an extreme price was paid before the ultimate victory was obtained. And while the price was no doubt painful at the time it was being paid, in the aftermath, it was all but forgotten.

Above all, witness the experience of our Lord and Savior, about Whom the Bible says… “Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

The word translated as “disregarding” here is the Greek word “kataphroneó”, which means “to think little of”. This tells me that, despite the unimaginable pain and agony associated with being crucified, Jesus chose to think little of all of it in light of the joy that awaited Him once He had completed His mission, redeemed mankind, and was given a place of honor at the right hand of God in Heaven!

The fire extinguisher is now hung. The pain is all but gone. And in all likelihood, I will continue to remember the pain involved in making this happen less and less. But I will always have the satisfaction, every time I glance at that same fire extinguisher, of knowing that whatever it cost me in terms of pain and discomfort, the price I paid was well worth it!

No doubt our Lord feels much the same way about what happened at Calvary!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/hebrews/12-2.htm.

WORD STUDY: https://biblehub.com/greek/2706.htm.

JUDGMENT DAY!

5/6/2023

I wasn’t joking. I mean just what I said back on August 1st of last year when I posted a blog about my new orchard. At that time, I referenced the dozens of trees I had recently planted there. I also expressed my frustration over my “Dwarf Red Delicious Apple” that had been given a prominent front-row spot right behind the barn.

Despite the fact that I had cultivated it, watered it, fertilized it, etc…, it nonetheless declined, shriveled, and eventually, even up and died on me. And now, true to my word, I did what I said I would do. I yanked it up by the roots and threw it on the burn pile!

In its place is a “brand spanking new” tree, all of 18 inches tall. And though it is small in stature, it is nonetheless vigorous and full of life. Already, in its short time in the orchard, it is has taken root, produced foliage, and begun a very evident skyward climb. I have all confidence that it will one day produce fruit in abundance.

I’m glad to see that. After all, I have lavished attention on it. That is to say, I have showered it with water, fertilizer, and mulch, as well as a protective cage within which to grow. In short, I have bestowed upon it all the affection and consideration I did its predecessor. And now, I await its response.

Of course, as I referenced in that previous blog post, all of this reflects the story Jesus told in the New Testament Gospel of Luke, chapter 13, verses 6-9, commonly referred to as the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree…

“A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine. But if not, you can cut it down.’”

The Bible affirms that God is a patient God. He pours out His blessings time and again upon individuals, upon communities, upon nations, and upon civilizations. Just as He does for churches. And yet, as His Word attests: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded!”

For my part, I was patient and longsuffering with my “Dwarf Red Delicious Apple” tree. And this is not without reason - for that tree, above all others, was intended to produce my favorite fruit. You might therefore say that it was intended to be “the apple of my eye”!

But alas, despite all my attentions, despite all my affections, it still failed to live up to my expectation. Now, it fails to live at all.

And in all this lies a lesson for all of us. You see, our God is a good God. He is a gracious God, Who pours out His blessings upon us one and all. Indeed, He lavishes each of us with attention and affection. But even as He does, He also harbors expectations for us. And rightfully so.

Little wonder then, that His Word also says that His Spirit will not always strive with us. Simply put, there is a limit to His patience.

How dare we, therefore, fail to live up to God’s expectations! To whom much is given, much is indeed required. And should we fail to live up to and fulfill our God-given role and responsibility, then we should not be surprised when we find ourselves supplanted by some other entity upon which God pours out equal blessings! For to whom much is given, much will indeed be required!

SOURCES:

PREVIOUS BLOG POST:

https://www.cleoejacksoniii.com/my-ongoing-thoughts/apple-turnover.

SCRIPTURES:

https://biblehub.com/bsb/luke/13.htm;

https://biblehub.com/luke/12-48.htm;

https://biblehub.com/psalms/17-8.htm.

https://www.biblehub.com/genesis/6-3.htm.

A SIGHT WORTH SEEING!

5/2/2023

How many of you have ever seen either the bumper sticker or the car tag that says, “LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY GRANDCHILDREN”? Well, I do not my best not to flood my blog posts with an incessant array of stories about my seven grandsons. But if the truth be told, it has not been easy! And so, today, I just cannot resist relating just such a story…

My daughter has three little boys. The oldest, at age 6, has been playing baseball for a couple of years now. The youngest one, at age 2, has a year or two before he is old enough to play. The middle one, age 4, started playing T-Ball for the first time this year.

After sign-ups, he got all excited. And then the day came when he got his uniform. He got all decked out the moment it arrived. He had a hat, shirt, pants, a glove, and a bat. He had his mom send word; so my wife and I went over to see him in his finery.

When we arrived, he stepped out in full regalia. He then paraded repeatedly around the living room all full of himself. As he did, he kept on looking at me saying over and over again: “Look at me, Granddaddy, look at me, Granddaddy!” Needless to say, he was a sight worth seeing!

Fast forward three weeks… It is now opening day; and while he is once again decked out, he is no longer in the relatively safe confines of his living room. Now, he is actually out on the field playing ball. Or so was the expectation.

For now, even though he was once again decked out in all his finery, it was time to play ball. And when the ball was put into play and snaked its way out to him where he had been ensconced by the coach in the relatively innocuous position of short field, it was indeed time for him to play ball!

Unfortunately, as you may have already surmised, he did not have clue what to do. Despite a chorus of instruction from the bleachers, several of his teammates, and, above all, his coaches, did simply not have a clue what to do!

A vastly more experienced 5-year-old infielder had to run out and retrieve the ball and throw it back in. Only, by then, two runs had crossed the plate and the batter was standing on second base.

Now, don’t flood me with hate mail. I and the rest of his family all know that he will figure out how to play the game in time. After all, his older brother certainly has. After all, the two of them play on the same team; and his older brother finished the game with 3 hits, 5 RBIs, and having gotten out most of the opposing hitters by fielding their batted balls at the pitcher’s mound and running them down and tagging them out on their way first base. (Ooops! Here I am telling you about my grandchildren!)

Still, it is not the oldest, but the beloved second grandson that I wish to focus on here. You see, for all his finery, for all his adornment, for all his strutting around in his uniform, he simply did not have a clue about how to actually play the game of baseball!

Despite how proud he was of how he looked, he just had no idea
of what his coach expected of him as he actually played the game! And this leads me to my point…

As I reflected on all of this, I could not help but think of Jesus’ story in the New Testament Gospel of Luke, chapter 18, verses 9-14…

“9To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’

13But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

In Jesus’ story, the Pharisee was obviously quite full of himself. Decked out in all his finery and adornment as he was, he clearly wanted others to know just how impressive he was, as he strutted before them right down front at the altar!

And yet, the glaring truth is that he did not have a clue about how to actually please Almighty God!

By contrast, in Jesus’ story, the poor publican did. He humbled himself before Almighty God (as well as all others who cared to look), and prayed that Lord would grant him mercy. As a result, Jesus tells us that he, and not the haughty Pharisee, left the House of God that day justified.

My little grandson, in his simple, unassuming 4-year-old innocent naïveté, reminded me of a tremendous truth – the same one asserted here by Jesus. And that truth is that everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted!

The real question, of course, is whether or not you, too, see this. For at the end of the day, it is far, far better to actually fulfill the part one has been allotted than it is just to look that part!

And that alone looks like it is a sight worth seeing!

SCRIPTURE:

https://biblehub.com/bsb/luke/18.htm.

"YOUR CALL!"

4/29/2023

You gotta love it! I know I did. I refer to the recent headline on www.Newswer.com that read This Town's Little League Has ‘Ingenious’ Plan for Unruly Parents: In Deptford, New Jersey, Abusive Spectators Will Have to Take On Umpire Duties or Be Banned. The article, posted on April 28, 2023, admonishes its readers to think twice before yelling at the local Little League baseball umpire.

The writer, Jenn Gidman, writes:

“If you've ever attended a children's sporting event, you've likely witnessed a select few parents who get a little too much into the game, becoming agitated from the sidelines and even berating the refs or umpires. One New Jersey town has come up with a solution for that, and it's one that Good Morning America calls ‘ingenious.’ Now, unruly spectators who get confrontational with the umps at Little League games in Deptford Township will have to volunteer as umpires themselves for at least three games.”

She continues by quoting Brian Barlow, who founded the Offside Facebook page to “shame bad parents” and shine a light on how umping and refereeing aren't as easy as they seem: “People are very comfortable making officials uncomfortable, so it's about time that we've reversed the trend and started making people uncomfortable who are harassing officials.”

It seems that the new rule in Deptford came about after two volunteer Little League umpires recently quit within one week's time. Local news stations reports that the bad behavior is happening at local youth football and soccer games as well. According to Don Bozzuffi, head of Deptford's Little League: “They're coming here, they're being abused, they don't need that.”

He further notes that, sometimes, the police even have had to be called. And that is why volunteer umpires are now simply walking away. That is also why, now, if a baseball game attendee in Deptford gets up in the ump's face or otherwise violates the code of conduct, they will have to put in their own three games as an umpire before they are allowed back as a spectator.

And the rule is ironclad. Per NJ.com, “If the loose cannon refuses, they'll be banned for a year from all of the town's youth sporting events.” The article concludes by quoting Bozzuffi as saying: “We need you to come and see for yourself how difficult it is out there!”

As I read this, I could not help but reflect on the number of times I have personally witnessed what might appropriately be termed as inappropriate parental behavior. I can only hope that others cannot say that about me what I can now say about others here!

But even if one has never attended a Little League baseball game, let alone yelled at a Little League umpire, the article is still convicting. I say this because I believe it speaks to a deeper, broader human propensity: that of judging others, and in the process, inadvertently inviting the judgment of yet others upon oneself!

Jesus warned against this in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew (chapter 7, verse 2, NIV), when He said to us: “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” The New Living Translation of this verse reads: “For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”

And so, my friends, to judge or not to judge. It’s your call! Just be careful if you freely dispense your pronouncements upon others. Because, if you do, you might just find yourself being freely dispensed upon!

STORY SOURCE:

https://www.newser.com/story/334592/think-twice-before-yelling-at-your-kids-ump-here.html.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/matthew/7-2.htm.

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