The Fatal Christmas Letter

In the weeks before Christmas many of you begin composing your annual Christmas letters. These warm reminders of our friend's successes for the past calendar  year usually land for a short stay scotched taped to a kitchen window or refrigerator door. My wife and I have noticed over the years that many of these letters come complete with neon smiles and anecdotes about how well Little Johnny is doing at Harvard, descriptions of his new BMW and how his name made it to the top of the "Dean's" list. But the real truth is what they lack, as they seldom relate the tragedy that stricken and strikes all of us in our daily lives. Rarely is there a note that there has been a calm passing of an elderly family member. Pain and suffering is conspicuously absent from their prose. The bright, white light that pours out of these envelopes upon opening them requires one to dawn  sunglasses before succumbing to total blindness. These sugar coated, cotton candied telegrams of praise often seem to lack a warning label on their exteriors  that the  contents is dangerous and miss leading. So in the hopes of redeeming this annual tradition I have been wanting to write my own Fatal Christmas Letter. And  maybe while you may  insist that I am writing out of jealousy  and envy I must endeavor to  pen this dark Christmas Greeting in the hopes that you find this fictitious family worse off than you. The following words while being completely manufactured may indeed reflect many real life American hardships and struggles. In the words that follow you might see something familiar or see some truth that you would  never read  in your typical  Christmas letter. Truth that  is often covered up with a band-aid, whitewashed or swept under the rug in the hopes that the New Year will bring something real, tangible and different like our answered prayers for new hope and happiness.

Dear Smiths,

Hello? Is anyone out there? Thank the Lord 2010 has come to a final end...

Our electricity was turned off a couple of months ago. The bone chilling cold has aggravated my rheumatoid arthritis crippling my fingers making it extremely difficult to hold this ink quill and so I'll need to make this short. From deep within our misery living in Hell Bound, Minnesota where we daily scratch off the days  while we await to see if indeed there is still a sun in the heavens that may  one day come back and thaw the ice off our living room walls.

Fred continues on in his third straight year of unemployment after losing his job at the seven-eleven due to a shoplifting conviction. The addition of the sexual harassment allegation did not help his case any which by the way is still tied up in court. Lately, most of his time is  spent  by using what little change he gets from recycling, on liquor down at Moe's Bar. On another note he was arrested outside Moe's last week for indecent exposure and is patiently waiting his trail in his cell in the Hell Bound Municipal Jail.

I myself continue  battling severe depression. The fumes from the neighboring formaldehyde factory which waft over and into the house seem to be helping  my bi-polar condition but also make me slightly dizzy. At least with Fred being incarcerated the daily beatings he'd been inflicting on me have stopped which is allowing the bruises on my face to heal. The local power Company  HBG&E has declared eminent domain on the back 25 feet of our property and will begin construction of their Hell Bound Power Link on Monday. I was wondering why they just don't work at night instead of snarling traffic all day long? They reassured us that the 100,000,00 gigawatt, coal-oil powered transmission line only caused nausea in small laboratory animals and did not seem to affect the 3 human test subjects who passed away last Friday. HBG&E construction crews have completely shut down the main road through our town so I guess there is no need to open the doors to our mortuary allowing us some much needed rest.

Little Johnny is recovering from his heroin addiction at the local methadone treatment center and is showing some signs of coming out of his coma.  Caroline has taken over his paper route for the last twelve weeks so she has been unable to finish her studies at Gene Simmons Elementary School. Our teenage twins Mick and Mandy have landed jobs with a travelling carnival company called "Dire Straights" and are currently cleaning up after the elephants in the show. Although we have not received any correspondence with them in several months? But at 15 years of age what can you expect?  Karl had to pawn his guitar last week in order to keep the cable satellite Internet going and pay for his tobacco habit. Needless to say he wont be playing down at Moe's tavern any longer. Molly was a singer in the band. Baby Ellie is showing signs that her two month old cold and congestion is clearing so I guess we wont need the blanket donations we received last month from the Salvation Army. Finally, some good news...We all had a warm night on Thanksgiving snuggled together in the Hell Bound Urgent Care Center. Eddie got twelve stitches in his right cheek from a freak accident he received while protesting against HBG&E's new power link. I really believe the nice HBG&E employee just did not see little Eddie standing there as he was wielding his kamas, nunchakus and Samurai katana sword. Merry Christmas, Be warm and be filled.

 

The Voyage of The Dawn Treader

     C.S. Lewis's  The Voyage of The Dawn Treader premiered Friday December 10th. It is a five star, five popcorn movie to be sure! Fox 2000 Pictures and Walden Media are getting my props for their superb production, special effects and their casting of the actor  who played Eustace Scrubb. Please support their wonderful efforts by not going to see it just once but again and again and again.

     There is one scene from the film where Lucy, who is now 15 years old, verbalizes an incantation to enable her appearance  to change into the woman she most admires. Lucy is now transformed through this magic and the aid of a mirror into the image of her older sister, Susan. What Lucy desired was to grow up and become someone else than who God had meant her to be. Have you ever wanted to become someone else? Have you ever attempted to become that person at any risk or at any cost to your family or friends? The mirror image of Susan begins to fade back into Lucy once again as Aslan, the great Lion, appears in an ethereal wisp of a ghost. Aslan asks Lucy, "Lucy, what have you done child?". Because when she turned into Susan, Lucy ceased to exist and never had been born. Which meant she never would have discovered the wardrobe and the magical land of Narnia in the first place. We all have a purpose in life but  the trick is to find out what our purpose is?

     I remember a similar figure in a garden many years ago asking Adam and Eve the same type of question "Adam, where are you? Why are you hiding?". When we miss God's mark for our lives, we fall short. To use an archery term we "sin" and miss the target with our arrow. God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. He exists as perfection  in all His ways from everlasting to everlasting. Our first reaction when we blow it is to cover it up or hide our mistake from everyone. I say we need to start admitting when we are wrong, when we fail, except the consequences by pulling up our bootstraps and moving forward. It is much simpler to do the job right the first time rather than having to re-think or re-do.

     Watching the movie was a very relaxing and enjoyable experience. I absolutely loved this film! It is a film you can take the whole family to see. My personal belief is that we need to send a positive message to Hollywood. By showing support and spending our dollars to go see The Voyage of The Dawn Treader we are  sending the message that they need to produce more movies of this kind. More movies of this kind  would leave a lasting mark on the film industry and have such a positive effect on our society. There are already  too many slasher, hateful and violent movies playing on the world screens. All you have to do is to turn on your TV and just watch your evening news channel to get your fill of reality. The world could use more messages of a positive kind. Messages of hope, joy, peace and love! What we need to hear is  the good news that there is still hope for the world in which we live. 

Turning Over The Tables

     I love Jesus. I love Jesus because He did not put up with the religious leaders of His day. No, I know what you are thinking that I missed the whole salvation thing, the power in His blood, His death and more importantly His resurrection. But I love Jesus because He was a real man. Worldly men, in this life, crave power and I believe live in such a way that they continue to lust after it. Even many so-called religious leaders today also lust after and wield power in their feeble attempt to keep God holy. As if God needs any help with that?

    There is nothing new under the sun. Footnote here, I owe  king Solomon for that one liner,because he nailed it. If we were to time travel back to the days when Jesus was growing up in Israel, we would see some all to familiar scams. Some of the religious leaders were making large profits off God's requirements that were contained in the law. Basically, it worked like this. Man is sinful, in fact our hearts are desperately wicked with no hope of redemption on our own merit. So these Rabi's, scribes and other powerful men with religious titles had figured out how to make money in the Temple. Once every calendar year it was required for all practicing Jews to come and sacrifice a lamb to atone for their sins. In the book of Leviticus we find all the rules and regulations for these sacrifices. One rule was that the sacrificial  lamb had to be without spot or blemish so you would have to find and pay someone in the Temple employment  to inspect your offering.

    I kinda think it must have been like haggling with a used car salesman on the car lot or maybe it was like an over zealous cop who pulls you over and wants to give you a ticket to up his quota for the day. This religious person or maybe priest would 99.9% of the time find a blemish and turn down your offering. However, I imagine the conversation went something like this..."Come right this way, Mr. Jacob, please look over here we have some very nice year old lambs. Fed with only the best feed and who were raised to have only the purest, snow white wool and at such a bargain today! For you, Mr. Jacob, 30 pieces of temple currency"  Says the half shaved, dirty temple shepherd  while scratching himself. "Whats that? you don't have temple currency? Mr. Jacob, well that's really not a problem my brother Chaim over here will trade your Roman coins for Temple coins at a very low  10 to 1 exchange rate step right over here and we will get you clean in God's eyes". The temple lamb probably constituted all the other rejected lambs left behind by all the Israelite travelers.

    Do you see why I love Jesus? Jesus  was the The Lamb of God who was without spot or blemish! Jesus offered His life for us on a Roman cross at no cost and while we were yet sinners. Friends, salvation is a gift from God. Praise be to Him.
  
   You cant fleece the flock of God and continue in it for very long! God will be satisfied. But that is what some churches are doing today , fleecing the flock. The fleecing comes in different ways wearing many disguises. Jesus said, you can tell what kind of tree you have by the fruit it bears. When a large portion of church revenue goes back into peoples lives who  need help, that is when God is satisfied. Its hard to find fault when missionaries are digging water wells in a hot, dry village in Africa! Or a team of Southern Californians go down into Peru to bring medical supplies that they purchased with their own money to freely give to the native Indians living in the mountains. That is what having a heart like Jesus is all about.  But woe to the churches who have a false front, the pastor has his name on a parking space and rarely acts like a servant at all! Can he be seen picking up trash on the church grounds or unclogging a bathroom toilet? In fact, if the pastor has become too important to serve maybe he should step down from the pulpit?
    Jesus on the very night before He would give up His life looked forward to celebrating the Passover meal with His disciples. Remember Jesus is our Passover Lamb. As they lay on the floor reclining before the Passover meal an argument arose among all the disciples as to which one of them was the greatest. I wonder if that has ever happened in any of our present day churches? So our Lord, Jesus, stopped what He was doing, girded His loins with a towel and  filled a basin with water. He then, starting with the closest man to Him, bent down and gently washed all of their feet one after another. Do you see why I love Jesus? Jesus showed us by His example how to be great in God's kingdom by serving others, putting others first. So you wanna be great in God's kingdom then start by washing someones feet.

   
  

Refuge: Island of Misfit Toys

     I love the Christmas season! With all the food, colors and smells that remind us our  get-togethers with friends and family are right around the corner. As a kid I couldn't wait for all the Christmas decorations and bright, colorful lights to start popping up on the houses in my neighborhood. My favorite television shows  like "Its a Wonderful Life", "Its Christmas Charlie Brown!" and "Frosty the Snowman" would be scheduled into the seasonal, weekly programming. Do you all remember the TV movie "Rudolf the Red nosed Reindeer"?  There is one scene from the movie where the three of characters run away from Santa's Village to the island of misfit toys. They didn't  fit into Santa's Village because they were all thought to be flawed in some way. For example, the rest of Santa's reindeer laughed at and made fun of Rudolf's red nose, remember it even glowed! And there was the elf, who didn't want to make toys but rather wanted to become a dentist. Bringing up the rear was a burly, gold miner who couldn't seem to locate the allusive mineral any time he landed his pick in the snow and ice.

    Have you ever felt like you don't fit in somewhere? Maybe at church? When all the people around you seemed connected, engaged, smiling and enjoying fellowship while you are just sitting there unnoticed, another broken toy destined for the island of misfits. I know that feeling, its a very ugly feeling especially when its coming from people who are calling themselves Christians. Ergo, I didn't feel like going to church, would you?

    So in our script our actors end up after a long, cold boat ride on the island of the misfit toys. The island becomes a sanctuary for toys that are not functioning as they were once designed. For example, the Jack in the Box doesn't open when the crank is turned, the doll has lost a button eye, the remote control plane cant fly and the locomotive has no whistle. So while our three friends successfully reach their destination, the island of misfit toys, they quickly realize that they are not as bad off as the rest of the broken toys around them. But they were just made in a different way with special gifts and talents. After their epiphany they can now start their return trip back to Santa's Village to help their friends.

   Its really sad to think about how many people who come to church just to "fit in" don't end up actually doing that? In fact they don't even get a "hello" or a handshake? They were probably motivated  by loneliness and were just waiting for someone to notice them sitting there...but nobody did. And they often leave feeling worse than when they first walked into the building.

   Refuge means: shelter or protection from danger or distress. A place of protection. We are all refugees, and we need a shelter from all the garbage that exists in this world. My refuge is God. He supplies all my needs. I want to not only welcome people to the safety of God's protection but continue in fellowship with them and grow as a family. The idea of the "church" of late is really misunderstood, many believe it is a place to "Do your time" show up on Sunday and keep checking your watch so you don't miss the football game that starts at noon. I believe as children of God we need each other. Its in that common bond of believing in Christ that we find true fellowship, love and refuge from our fears.

    So back to the story of our three misfits.  Rudolf, the red nosed reindeer,  because of his glowing red nose was able to provide the needed light for Santa's team of reindeer to be able to fly in the very dark, inclement weather that would have normally grounded Santa's Sleigh. The young elf had been told and pushed into thinking that he had to make toys because that is what elves do but what he really needed was to follow his heart and use the gifts that God had given to him in the field of dentistry. And the burly, gold miner while he searched everywhere for gold and riches never really looked in the right spot! He never found gold but he did find two very golden relationships with a red nosed reindeer and a tooth pulling elf. So be sure to smile warmly, give a hug or two and reach your hand out to someone who is hurting this Christmas season. Merry Christmas!

Whats in a Name?

 “The gospel of Luke presents the perfect, divine Son of God, as our great High Priest, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, able to extend help, mercy, and love to us.”  J. Vernon McGee

    

     I love the gospel of Luke. Its where we see the birth of the Perfect Man and the announcement of the births of John and Jesus. After the prophet Malachi spoke as a prophet of God about the coming Messiah there was 400 years of silence until the angel Gabriel appears and speaks to Zacharias. God’s first words after His long silence was “Don’t be afraid!”  Isn’t God wonderful! He cares about every little detail in our lives. Look at some of the names we find in the beginning of the book of Luke.

Zacharias means: “God Remembers”

Elisabeth means: “His Oath”

When you put them together you get “God remembers His oath”. 

     What oath, you might say? Take your pick. Look at Psalm 89:34-37: “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips. Once I have sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah”. The book of Malachi is the final book in the Old Testament.  There would now be 400 years of silence before God would speak through the angel Gabriel to Zacharias as recorded in Luke 1:11-17.  A New Covenant is going to be born beginning with the birth of Jesus and will go into effect at His death. The Israelites were becoming complacent once again so the Prophet Malachi comes to warn them and call them to spiritual renewal. They were going through the motions of religion but their hearts were not after God. God wanted a real relationship with them, not just the outward appearance of obedience (religion). Look at Malachi 3:1; this verse foretells of John the Baptist preparing the way for the Messiah (Jesus). Also in this verse, Jesus is referred to as “the Messenger of the covenant”. Between verse 1 and verse 2 of Malachi chapter 3 is where we are at the present time in history as verse 2 has yet to be fulfilled. Mark 1:2 identifies Malachi 3:1 as being John the Baptist. Also Malachi 4:5 is quoted by Luke and Isaiah 40:3 is quoted by Mark to describe John too. Elijah will be coming to prepare the way for the Lord before the second Advent of Christ. Jesus will return to the earth at His second coming after the Great Tribulation period which is foretold in the book of Daniel.

     Now in verse 18 of the first chapter of Luke, Zacharias responds to the angel Gabriel “How can I know this?”  In other words “I don’t believe you or No way that can happen!”  I believe our response to God is often very much like Zacharias. “No God, you can’t do that for me!” please someone tell me why we don’t really believe in God and what He can accomplish?

Elisabeth and Zacharias are told to name their promised son John.

John means: “Yahweh has been gracious”

    Gabriel is very busy during this time in the history recorded in Luke chapter one. He now  appears to Mary and Mary is told she is going to have a Son too. Although the child she would give birth to would be the Son of God.  She also responds with doubt but unlike Zacharias she is not made mute. Its interesting that Zacharias doubted and was made mute while Mary doubted and she is not made mute. Some of us feel that Mary didn't doubt the same way Zacharias did but Mary's concern was more "How is this going to be accomplished since I am a yet a virgin. 

    Mary is told to name Him JESUS. Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua in Hebrew which means: “Yahweh is salvation”   Jesus Christ means: “Yahweh is salvation” and the title of “anointed one” or “Messiah”.  Jesus is the clearest picture of God the world has ever seen! Immanuel, which means "God with Us"  

    So this Christmas season as you trim your tree, bake a ham or just hang up some lights remember God is with us! He always was, always is and always will be what a comforting thought that is. What a gift to the whole world was this Emmanuel and never forget that God would never push you into anything against your will. Salvation is the gift of God, its free for the taking but one must make up his mind, reach out and receive this wonderful, glorious gift! Jesus!

The New Church

    I'm studying today for our first church meeting and bible study of  Refuge. God is so very good! We will be studying the gospel of Luke and there is so much information there just in the first couple of paragraphs of chapter one. So I will have to break out my guitar, dust it off and practice a few worship songs. Cyndie P. has opened up her home in Alpine, Ca. as a place where we can start to gather new members to the fellowship. She has also offered to help me with worship. She has a very beautiful voice and is a very hospitable host, thank you Cyndie!
   There is this pastor and friend of mine, Greg Kelly, who is a really gifted young man. God has given him a real talent to be able to communicate His word in a very "down to earth" kind of way. Greg  is a very funny person, his quick wit allows him to often draw and shoot from his hip. He is also a very capable  bible teacher, who is able to present God's word in a modern way that makes it come alive even more than usual. Greg is married to Katie and has two very energetic, beautiful children.
   Greg and I will be equally sharing all duties and tasks associated with the shepherding of a church body. Eventually, I will be teaching a mid week "Through The Bible" study while Greg will host a High School / College age fellowship at his home. There will be plenty of work for all of you to do so please come and get involved. Greg and I will also be hosting a radio talk show which will premiere early next year on San Diego's own K-Praise KPRZ 1210 AM, stay tuned in for more information.
    So here I am on the eve of becoming a senior pastor along side of my good friend Greg and together with the support of my wife Pam, Greg's wife Katie and the power of the Holy Spirit we will be witnesses to what God can accomplish when people yield to His leading.

The Book Project

    So I want to write a children's book. What do you all think? But I have no idea how to produce the manuscript, where to send it, if it would be a profitable experience or a complete waste of time? I have already began writing the story which takes place on a horse ranch and involves a couple of very cute donkeys but there is this voice in my head, no maybe it is more of a feeling of doubt that is telling me to stop before I even try and get the paper and pen out. So here I am asking my small and humble readership "What do you all think?". The story will not be another cookie-cutter religious book about Noah building the ark or a cutesier little A B C book, although the latter sounds like an easy project, but rather a real life drama where the actors are donkeys.

    Doubt and fear are two of our very worst enemies. They always are with us, they never really go away but hide inside our souls like a retro-virus just waiting for the opportunity  to appear bringing with them all of their trappings of defeat. These feelings are not from God because God is not like that, He wants us to prosper. He wants us to realize our dreams as long as they fit into His will for our lives. So where do these enemies of doubt and fear come from? Well, just think about the fear of failing for a moment. What is the worst thing that can happen to us? Lets jump into skydiving as an example, if your parachute fails to open you will surly die and the seconds  leading up to death would be horrific. Or maybe sailing to Hawaii, where the sail boat could spring a leak brought on by the repeated ramming from a large pod of Killer Whales who are waiting and eyeing you as the boat disappears beneath the water. OK, so I get fear so lets look at doubt. I'm standing on the side of the freeway its rush hour traffic can I successfully run the entire width of the freeway without getting hit by a single car. Or maybe I have smoked cigarettes all my life. Say, 5 packs a day and I'm doubting if this will increase the  likelihood that I will get lung cancer?

     How many people actually make it to the top of Mt. Everest or swim the English Channel? Not many, is it because its only super people who train and have developed skills that allow them to conquer their fears and doubts? OK, that is kinda true so now we are getting somewhere. I'm convinced personally that anyone can accomplish anything if they only would put their mind to it. Is it possible that your parachute wont open? Yes! Is it possible that your sailboat might sink? Absolutely! But life is for living and we need to take some risks in order to keep our fears and doubts in check. Do you know that there are people who do not leave the false security of their own home?

     Some folks never venture out the front door of their houses and what a tragedy this is. Contently sitting on their couches watching the Nature Channel while nature is just waiting for them in their very own front yards just steps outside their front doors. Get Off  Your Couch! Then there is the group of people that most of us are in who hear and read about life's success stories and wonder if we could invent something or accomplish some great task that no one has yet to complete. This group is a very large group of people of which you and me are a part. Our problem is that while the front doors to our  houses do not present a problem we allow other people with their own doubts and fears to cloud up our skies and bring those dark, gloomy rain clouds that will eventually  put out our fires and rain on our parade. 

     So I'm gonna throw caution to the wind, get my butt off my couch, step out of my front door, turn my laptop on and write  this children's book about 3 donkeys  Bonnie,Clyde, and Roxy. It might not ever get published let alone end up on the New York Best Sellers book list but I will have the satisfaction of thumbing my nose at my fears and doubts and sending them back into their dismal hibernation. So, are you ready? All donations and advance signed book sales can be sent to PO Box 771 Alpine Ca. 91901 , please include a postpaid self addressed book-sized envelope. And please allow some time for my doubts and fears to beat me up a bit.

Doldrums

    Doldrums. Do you know what they are? Do you know where and why they exist? Did you know that 75% of the earth's surface is covered with sea water. The great oceans of the world are a large part of God's design for us to be able to live and thrive on planet Earth. The oceans are teaming with life and the majority of that life is found along the shallower, continental shelves of the continents on which we live. I live in San Diego, California where the ocean has a large part in contributing to our local economy. Commercial fishing boats regularly haul in tons of fish, other boats harvest kelp that can grow up to 18" in a day. Sport fishing boats too add another dimension to our economy by offering tourists a ride out to the rich, fish laden kelp patties off our local coastline. Sailing boats also grace the surface of our local waters as their sleek hulls glide effortlessly through the crest of a glassy, rolling sea wave. Its on these sail surfaces of sailboat's large, triangular sails where the wind's power can be  captured and redirected. This force when redirected through the mast and tiller breaks the water's surface tension propelling the boat through the water.

    Its interesting to me that  Dr. Luke, inspired by God writes that on the day of Pentecost God's power was revealed from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind that filled the whole house where they were sitting. When the Holy Spirit filled them, they all began speaking to and hearing each other  in their own native languages. The experience of the filling of the Holy Spirit was so severe that some men, who were not involved in the filling,  said in mocking voices " They are full of new wine".

    It is the filling of these humble men, who by the way were ready and willing to receive, that I wish to contemplate. In some ways God's children are like the sails on a great ship that when we make the choice to open ourselves up it then becomes possible for God to fill us with His great power. And just as in the mechanics of a sailboat, we then allow God's power to propel us through the waters of life. If one has ever been on a sailboat it quickly becomes clear that wind can appear in all shapes, sizes and sometimes chooses not to show up at all.

    The doldrums are found on an area on our globe, which is located at the equator. It is an area where winds are not consistent but are actually for the most part non-existent. Many sailors have drifted for probably what seemed like endless days and nights before finding the beginnings of a light trade wind. What hope that light breeze must have offered to them after bobbing around on the surface of the sea. The doldrums give you a feeling of despair where all of your hope evaporates into thin air. A haunting feeling that God has forsaken you, taken away His Holy Spirit and that your faith has gone overboard and is somewhere lost at sea. It is during these hopeless and trying times that as human beings we might desire death as a welcomed friend.

    Friends, if you ever feel like this know that you are not alone. Hold fast to your faith in God. If you don't yet have a relationship with Him, call out to Him and He will hear your prayers. And know that when you are in the doldrums it might look like a hopeless situation from your viewpoint but  be reassured that your drifting will not last forever. For on either side of the doldrums there is always waiting new hope! For while the Earth continues to turn God's refreshing gentle breezes will always be waiting  for you to open up and fill your sails with His never ending, powerful, rushing wind!
     
    

Crossroads

    Have you ever been down that road? Its a road that you know where it will take you and so you travel down it with the knowledge and security that you will reach the end and your final destination. But what about those unfamiliar journeys? Where the road does not seem so familiar and you pass street after street and don't know if and where you should make your next turn. You have arrived at the crossroads.
    The young man stood very still in the twilight hours of that November morning. The air was heavy with dew and there was a distinct fall snap that chilled Chuck to the bone. He had three things with him  as he stood in the dark shadows of the trees which were growing along the shoulder of the dirt road. In his hand was his guitar case that he held as if it was a trust-worthy weapon, in his heart was his faith which his mother had instilled in him at a very young age and covering him were just the clothes on his back, old and worn,  a steady reminder of why he was running away in the first place. Chuck was the eldest son of a Louisiana share cropper who was setting out on his own in search of fame and fortune.What he would find was his fate.
    "What do you have there?" a voice shatters the stillness of the morning and sends Chuck's heart rate into an irregular beat as a huge push of adrenalin courses through his blood vessels. Chuck startled, backs up a couple steps in the opposite  direction of the voice. "Is that some kind of an instrument?" the stranger's voice while still hidden in the shadows begins to sound slightly less threatening to Chuck but instinctively  he takes another couple of steps backwards. "Who are you" Chuck musters up a bit of courage and begins a conversation with the darkness. 
     "Who am I? Who are you is the question of the hour or better yet who would you like to be?" Now the voice was beginning to sound very familiar almost like Chuck's father only with a touch of charm and class not associated with a southern  cotton farmer. Now as the first light of the morning began to beam over the distant hills Chuck could begin to see the silhouette of a  tall man. He was very well dressed in a black suit, white silk shirt complete with a tie and felt hat. There were no wrinkles in his face but he had the aire of a man who was well educated well beyond his years.
     "Well...." sheepishly Chuck begins "I would like to play this here guitar in New Orleans!"  The tall stranger stepped out of the shadows and into the light "I'll make a deal with you my young friend" the tall man says as a  hearty smile reveals two rows of perfectly straight white teeth. "What kind of a deal" Chuck reluctantly offers in a bid to discover who this stranger was and what he really wanted. "I know allot of people son and I can make your dreams come true not only in New Orleans but in Nashville too!" Chuck set his guitar case down and offered the man his hand. The man's grip was strong, warm and he felt as if this man was telling him the truth. "Why it wont cost you any money" the tall man chuckled "But it might just cost you your soul...So do we have a deal?" Chuck's  load now lightened he began to feel like he was as  free as a bird with no burdens and reached out once again to shake the tall man's hand only to watch it dissolve into thin air. In fact the tall man  had completely vanished as quickly as he had come.
     This story while being part of  our American folk lore has some interesting parallels to our lives today. If we say that the tall man was the devil himself then we know him to be the father of lies. Coming as an angel of light Satan wants to deceive us and see him as a good man and not the hideous creature that we have heard conjured up in our children's stories. Its this red humanoid, grotesque face holding his devilish Triton that helps to convince people everywhere he is nothing more than a mythical creature. This view is definitely unfortunate but probably part of his plan anyway. In his beginnings Satan was  in fact the most beautiful creature God created. Key word here is created, Satan is a created being. What fills Satan and caused him to fall in the first place is pride and that is why God hates pride so much as a sin. Satan offered to give the young man his dreams and the young man gladly shook on the deal.
     While our dreams are important sometimes they are not really what we need in the end. The fame and fortune of a popular musician may lead to an empty life of loneliness, pain and suffering. Many musicians have died due to drug and alcohol abuse an affliction which is usually brought on by loneliness. Being in the lime light and those velvet curtain calls are not what you might think they are. Being on the road day after day eating fast foods and staying in endless hotel rooms is not my idea of fun. Gobs of money in the hands of a lonely man can only bring  bitterness and destruction. Most, but not all, of Hollywood's Stars have had turbulent lives that usually end in their premature deaths or loss of their initial fame and fortune. God says "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but ends up losing his soul?"
     A couple of weeks ago I was up in Tustin, Ca. where I met Kenny who played "Pugsley", a childhood star on the 1960's hit sitcom "The Adams Family". The show still runs world wide and has developed into a "Cult" classic. Kenny was cheated out of his residual program stock years ago. And at the age of 50 he was however not happy, successful or gleaning anything from his stint as a child actor on the glamorous studio sound stages of  Hollywood. In fact at the age of 12 he was told by his agent that his career was over and that he had been "Type Casted" and nobody wanted to hire him. Ouch, what a blow for anyone especially a child to take, a blow that must have sent Kenny reeling. At the spry age of 14 depression began to set in and led him away from school and into a life full of drugs and alcohol abuse. He has worked on and off as a "Grip" performing behind the scenes lighting and camera set up and rail  moving. Today, Kenny has a long black beard, kind eyes and a testimonial of where stardom has deposited him...homeless on the streets of Pasadena.
     So if you are ever somewhere you didn't expect to end up and a tall man, nicely dressed appears out of nowhere and offers you your dreams, you had better take a deep breath and ask God which way He wants you to turn.
   

Road Rage

    "Get Out of My Way!" the woman in the red sports car screams at the top of her voice while cutting three lanes of traffic, running a red light as she continues flying down the center divide in search of an opening in rush hour traffic. Sound familiar? Road Rage is an all too common event of late. I am also guilty of that ugly crime and deserve a scarlet "RR" around my neck, fettered hands and feet to be left on public display in community stocks.
     So yesterday God nailed me and the verse "Be sure your sins will find you out" came to my mind. I usually can be described as a normal, defensive driver with the occasional "You Idiot" now and again. But today  my old nature reared its ugly head allowing God to hold me accountable. I was driving on Jamacha ( which is pronounced Ham-a-shaw not Jamaica for all you East Coasters ) in the left hand turn lane with my blinker on as the left hand signal arrow flashes beckoning me to begin my turn onto Chase Ave. As I start to turn an older man in a red truck opposite me figures he does not have to stop and wait his turn at the red light so he executes a California rolling stop and basically rolls through the red light.
     Take a guess at what came out of my mouth? Yes, you guessed it, "You Idiot!". First, why did I have to respond that way? And second, It was my turn to be sure but whats the trouble if I allow him to go ahead of me how much could that possibly slow me down?  Why do we feel like we own the road in front of us? Well, I was not gonna have it any of that today so I gunned the accelerator, came up along side him and gave him a look that could kill with my brow wrinkled and firmly displaced against my normal, sweet and precious looking face. In the back of my mind something "clicked" and I thought there was something here that looked familiar. Oh well, what ever no big deal he will get over it  after all I am a black belt now. So the car I am driving in is my work truck complete with my company name and cell phone plastered on the tailgate and yes, you are one step ahead of me, my cell phone rings.
     So courageously, I did not answer it.  When I checked my messages I found the message to be an old friend who I had not seen in fifteen years who was the old man driving that red truck who, saw my name, phone number and decided to call it what it was "Road Rage"! The blood rushed to my face and sheepishly I dialed his number back. "Hey Bill", as I put my tail between my legs  "So Dean, having a little road rage are we?" on and on he rattled off how much I was a total idiot. Ouch! it hurts to be humbled but I took my punches like a man let my tail back out into its resting position. Bill was right I was being selfish and God used him to rebuke me and keep me accountable.
     Folks, we need this kind of accountability especially if it hurts. We need to slow down, I mean really slow down, take a very deep breath and remember we as Christians are representatives of Christ. Its no wonder people don't want to go to church with a bunch of us who act as selfish as the rest of the world. We have become new creatures in Christ so let us start acting like it. The human race needs more accountability. The law is like a mirror in our faces pointing out our flaws and how much we need grace. Christians are the salt and the light of the world so it has to begin with us! If we can be nice others will want what we have if we are just like the world what kind of witness is that? Lets take a first step and when we go home lets remove all Christian bumper stickers and plastic fish from the rear of our autos until that day when we can be gracious people. Step two let us all stop being so selfish. Don't forget to Breathe in and out.

Through The Crawl Space

    I hate my job! Do you have a crawl space under your house? Have you ever gotten up the courage to open the hatch and crawl in? Its dark, wet, cold and there are mice, rats and spiders that lurk in the dark shadows that conceal ere corners underneath  your house. So lately, Ive been writing on my  facebook page that I would do almost anything at anytime to have some work during these dismal, dark days of unemployment. Well, be very careful what you ask for you might just find yourself opening the hatch and dropping down into the great abyss of your house's crawl space.
   It's Monday morning, I  disdain Monday's, the phone rings "Hello its Greg! Hey, I have a water leak in a copper pipe under my house would you like the job?" Greg frantically asks. "Well, ah sure, great when do you want me to do it?" Dean reluctantly responds. Knowing that the words "What are you doing right now" were forming on Greg's tongue even before he had finished speaking. Now, I dislike being unemployed and because I am self employed I do not collect unemployment insurance checks like the rest of you. So with a glad heart and a reluctant "Hi ho Silver and away!" I loaded all my tools, materials, grabbed my overalls and headed into the twilight of a new morning.
    When I opened the hatch to the crawl space  there was something  like a rushing wind and a sound like air releasing upon the opening of a hermetically sealed coffin. The breeze rushed past my face pushing my hair out of my eyes as my mind ran wild with thoughts of what unknown  fate awaited me in the pitch black recess below the floor boards. I could hear the sound of something scampering away from the new light that was now shining in through the hole and whatever it was sounded big enough to stop me from  venturing down into the 24" by 24" opening. My flashlight needed new batteries but from the faint, orange glow I could make out footprints in the damp soil directly below me. Cautiously, I dropped into the hole, lowered my head and held my breath as the last thing I saw was an extremely worried expression on Greg's face as he breathed a sigh of relief  and farcefully offered the encouraging words "I'll be right up here if you need anything!".
    I spent the next 12 hours in that crawl space below their house cutting, fitting and soldiering the copper pipe that had deteriorate through a process known as electrolysis. I never actually saw any monsters below their house or found a treasure chest full of gold bullion but just a long day of hard work and perspiration. The next day I was extremely sore from laying on the damp concrete and soil that the foundation of the house was built on. I woke up feeling like someone had repeatedly me hit me with a sledge hammer and then left me for dead.
   I'm looking forward to the day when I will be a full time pastor and can leave my tent making days behind me. I'm feeling pretty certain there wont be any physical crawl spaces in the Christian ministry arena but the reality of human misery still lends me to believe that there will be other problems to solve and mountains to climb. God was teaching me something down there in the damp, dark crawl space. The lesson was  that we need to be certain of the deals we make with Him. I don't believe sometimes we really think He will deliver but deliver He will! Remember that whatever we ask for we might just receive! Fully exhausted, I climbed out of the hatch, dusted myself off, climbed into my truck and headed back to the office to await my next fatal phone call.

Directions

     "Please! Don't ask me to stop while I am driving to ask for directions!" he exclaimed as the car motored past yet another highway exit. " You don't know where you are going, do you?" Alice chided him. "Just keep your silly kids quiet so I can concentrate on what off ramp to take" Fred exhausted, was mumbling and feeling a little like maybe Alice was right, he was lost. It was now 4:30 pm and the night was falling quicker than usual, daylight savings time had now come and gone. The shadows of the freeway signs were stretching out into long ghosts of figures and the kids were getting more and more restless, Fred too was getting mighty hungry. "Alright, I'll pull over at the next exit, we can grab some fast food, stretch our legs and I'll ask for directions" Fred reluctantly gave into Alice's request and with a crack in his usually confident voice heralded the hoisting of the white flag and an early surrender.
     Let let me ask you a question. When you buy something from a department store and it needs some assembly do you first pour a cup of coffee, sit down with your reading glasses on and pour over the directions until you completely understand the order of assembly? These instructions or directions were left in the bottom of the box printed neatly on a piece of white paper sometimes in seven different languages.  No! Why would you do something so silly like that after all you are a man! Who is fully capable of assembling anything, anyone  can throw  in your lap. Hey, and even if you do end up with some extra parts maybe they were included by a company employee who was just bored stiff with his job and wanted to mess with you. Or possibly the extra parts were just a manufacturers oversight.
     So there you are it's Christmas Eve, the fireplace is glowing seven times hotter than hot, it is 11:59 pm and you have several presents hidden in the basement that you have been assured by your wife only need some minor assembly. Now someone has thoughtfully laid out a plate of freshly baked, hot chocolate chip cookies and a glass of ice cold milk that takes you less than a minute to down. Feeling like super dad you soar over and rip open  the  box that looks way too small to contain a bicycle. Now you are thinking "How hard can this really be?" and then you remember not wanting to pay the extra $ 25.00 dollars to have the cocky, teenage, Christmas bike builder assemble it for you. After all you are a man and completely capable of completing the task. A decision that would turn out to be your first mistake but not your last. It is now 12:30 am the cookies and milk didn't settle as well as you would have liked when you remember turning 48 last year and receiving a lactose intolerant badge for your birthday.
     The clock begins to click and tick off the minutes to 2:00 am as you feel blood coursing through your veins and hear drops of perspiration dripping from your brow. As you wipe your forehead, you reach for the wrench you will need to align and tighten what you think is the last nut on the bicycle's back wheel.You notice a small, zip locked, plastic bag sitting on the floor by the empty bike box. The baggie contains some small parts, your eyes are not what they use to be but the large bright orange letters on the label clearly say "Important Brake Parts...Safety spring must be installed prior to mounting the back wheel." Your life flashes before your eyes, you can feel an irregular heart rhythm and the cookies are on their way up!
     The older I get I now see how important it is to follow directions. Step by step, from 1 to 2 and then on to 3 its an order of operation that clearly works and was designed to save time and energy from having to redo and repeat a task. You know, our lives can be just like that. We have been given much freedom to be sure but God has a plan for our lives that when followed step by step it will help us from repeating difficult and often  painful situations. If we choose not to follow God's directions which He  has carefully outlined in His book then we have to accept the consequences of broken dreams and a box full of extra parts. Also, I have  a couple of Christmas season suggestions: Pay the $25.00 bucks to have the bicycle assembled for you, don't drink the glass of milk and read your bible.

Footprints

   What do you leave behind as you travel through your busy day? Footprints. They are everywhere, some going here and there leaving a rabbit trail for others  to look back upon and discover how you lived your life. Police use our fingerprints to solve crimes, they also use tire tracks from the cars we drive and they use our footprints that the soles of our shoes impress on the soil beneath us as we walk. Man has left his footprints on the surface of the moon and in the snow packed glaciers high atop Mount Everest. When rainy days come we continue our walking journal by trudging in mud onto the carpets and floors where we live and work. The desert sands are so dry and void of any moisture they don't hold the shape that our feet express as we walk upon them. The sides of the impressions just slip and slide back into place, crumbling into their original shape, almost like we had never been there in the first place. Do you leave behind enough evidence to convict you of being kind? Do you leave behind evidence of selflessness or do your footprints reveal a strictly prideful life of only following your self interests? What kind of impressions do you make on your world?
    I found some footprints on my garage floor and front walkway. Someone had spilled some black, powered dye on the ground and  had tracked footprints everywhere. You could see where all the footprints had traveled round and round, up and down the front steps, back into the garage and of course they made their way  into our house. Everyday we have a new opportunity to make footprints! We make choices to go here and to do this or that. What if everywhere we ever walked in life and everything we ever did in life was recorded by God? Would our footprints lead to others who may have needed our help in one way or another or would they be seen as just a pair of lonely feet walking selfishly onward actually avoiding groups of others who may have needed someone?
    Well, I'm here to tell you that for people who have put their trust into Jesus Christ there will be a life review. It's referred to in the bible as the Bema Seat Judgement of Christ and it is where believers in Christ will be rewarded for what they did with their spiritual gifts and abilities that the Holy Spirit imparted to them. Being a Christian is like being molded into the expressed image of God's Son, Jesus. We become  little Christs or rather Christ like. Now this is going to be a very joyous day for many who have ran the race to end in the image of their God but for others in our Christian community its going to be a very disappointing day where they receive little or no reward what so ever. If you don't believe in God or have never heard His plan for your salvation then you have a bigger problem and are in grave danger!
    So leave footprints and take only memories as you travel along your path through life. Look at all the life around you while taking time to stop and smell the roses, thanking God for what He has done. Look down at your feet and discover where they are taking you and where you have been. Make changes in your course that will steer you into the paths of others, get involved in life. Use your hands to reach out to others. People are dying everyday and some are all alone longing for a visit from anyone. Keep in touch with your family and  renew relationships with your friends. Make lots of footprints!

Wondering Out Loud

    Have you ever caught yourself wondering about things?  Like what kind of machines are used to make toothpicks or jawbreakers? If you stop once in awhile to smell the roses or read the ingredient list on the label of manufactured goods then maybe you've read what is in  toothpaste? There are radioactive isotopes in it and a waste product from aluminum production called fluoride.  Huh, why am I putting that stuff in my mouth when the dental hygienist wears a lead apron and stands behind a shielded wall before being exposed to X-rays? Also, along the same lines I have heard that mercury is put into vaccines to preserve them then it gets injected into our bodies? The EPA has passed laws that remove lead from the paint that you roll on your walls but the FDA allows mercury be used in our vaccines?
    Why do the people who park in disabled parking places never look like they have any disability or limp, use a wheelchair and are usually in fantastic health?  Red lights mean stop, green lights mean go so why do yellow lights mean go faster? One day while driving to work, I passed a young man in the middle of the street with a sign that said "Homeless and need money!"  but he had a venti, mocha-carmel latte in one hand, dressed in nice clothes and with his other hand was talking on his cell phone. Now the funny thing was I watched as people stopped to give him dollar bills. When I was growing up gasoline was .25 cents a gallon, water and air were still free and usually someone came out to pump your gas and wash your windshield.
     Do you ever really take time out to ponder things? Why every election year we hear "Change, change, change" from the candidates but get little or nothing that even resembles that the last guy who was in the office has even boxed up his things? Why do we have such strict sewage restrictions on land but our oceans are all one huge toilet where its legal for ships to dump sewage and what ever else they wish untreated right out into our waters? OK, our public governments like the Building Department for an example, they are here to protect and serve  so have you ever been down to your local building department? Your visit will not feel much like you are being protected or cared for in fact they should pass out cyanide tablets and razor blades as you take a number for counter help. Why do highway crews always close down one lane of traffic during peak traffic hours like at 8:00am or 3:00 pm? When you bake fresh bread at home it will last maybe 3 days before getting mold on it but store bought bread will be looking perfect for three weeks?
    I think Christians are like that loaf of 3 week old bread, they look really good on the outside but inside their hearts are spoiled and full of filth. They have received a mountain load of grace but spoon out very little of it to others around them. They are quick to tell you how to live but slow to make changes in their own lives that reflect being Christ like at all. Christians often shoot their own wounded and leave them to slowly bleed to death along side the road of life with a quick smile and a bold "I'll be praying for you!". Christians are a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Some Christian groups  are like one big "Hypocrites Anonymous" meeting where  you can hear "Hi! my name is Dean" lets shake hands and be friends but please don't ask me to really help you do anything or be honest about what my life is really like. Christians often drive too fast, never put their turn signal on but always have a bumper sticker plastered to the back of their car with the words "I'm saved but your going to hell!". They cheat on their taxes, race to take the front parking spaces at church and are always fighting to be first in a line. I say its time to change people!
    Maybe things have become that way  because we are just too busy and selfish to make time to change. God said that we are to meditate daily on His word. He also instructed us to be washed by the water of the word. How is your prayer life and are you reading your bible or are you contributing to the stench in our pews?  Do you ever wonder out loud?

Friday Testing

     I have always hated testing. I detest it. Testing during my school years was the very worst thing I can remember. I had one teacher in the 5th grade at Ballentine Elementary School, Mrs. Gott, who made the entire class on each Friday of the week march out to the baseball diamond in single line formation, stand behind home plate in a group and at the sound of her  whistle begin to run a  race. A race that launched us out to another home plate on another diamond that was at the diagonal to our own  at a  distance that seemed extremely large for the average 5th grader to run. The start of the race would begin when she decided to blow her silver whistle. The actual time that it took her to  blow the whistle and for my nerves to stop turning my stomach upside down and inside out seemed like an eternity. But then almost suddenly the shrill came and tennis shoes started kicking up the infield dust as the mongrel herd of kids competed for first, second and third place. Every Friday.
     I made a mistake that first Friday morning while racing around the course, I came in first and won. Now, you would think that winning this race would be a good thing and a mighty accomplishment but it was not. For the rest of that entire school year I hated Friday mornings. My nerves were shot by  10:00 am race time on Friday making it almost impossible to  think about or focus on anything else, especially my studies.
     I use to pray to get a twenty four hour flu bug on Thursday night. Saturdays became the first day of the week for me and every Thursday became "Dead Man" walking day. To me it really was like taking that final long walk to the gallows every Friday only over and over again. You see as I kept on winning the class race each Friday another week would bring yet another challenge to my crown. A challenge and a crown I would have gladly given up at any moment to any one asking if I only could of.
     The other kids suffered too. There were two other kids, Gary and Barbara, who were literally right on my heels every Friday race day. I wonder what they were thinking as they tyred to catch me and if they knew what they were doing to me by pushing me to run faster and harder than they did? There was something to be said about the rest of the kids because they were the  smarter ones by staying in the back of the pack not winning or losing they gracefully jogged the course while joyously laughing and talking on their way back to home. But it was very different for me.
     Randy was always last. I think I understand Randy better than most of the kids. He quickly became the brunt of all jokes about how he carried  more baggage than most of us and won his own title of being the biggest loser. Randy was in the same boat with me except he endured additional punishment from the other kids. During that particular school year I believe I lived my entire existence from birth to death and beyond. I only wish Randy and I could have been in the flock with the rest of the sheep having avoided being standouts at all.
    So now let us  time warp to the year of 2010 when once again I feel like I am being tested only this time it is by God. Unemployment is a pit. A pit that at times can feel like its deeper than you can climb out of, darker than the actual day where shadows cast mountainous  but hollow images of  our reality that keep our eyes on them and away from our God. All my prayers these days have been focused on two, no three areas of  life, my family, getting work and the new church plant. God is faithful for sure. I remembered this morning during prayer what I had asked God to do for me (this is an ongoing prayer of mine). I have been asking  that  He would refine me by pulling  away the dross, cutting out my heart of stone and to put a new heart inside of me. A heart that would always respond to Him "Here I am Lord send me!". I want to be a servant, a vessel that God can fill at any time for His purposes. I want to be totally submitted and surrendered to Him. Now here I am at a point in life with zero work leads, no income pushing  a wheelbarrow of debt when I realized  I am in the exact place where I asked God to put me. A place where I am totally depending on Him. Not on my skills or my government to bail me out but only on Him, my loving God  the Shepherd of my soul. I know the shadows will continue to cast their long scary figures at dusk in their attempts to keep my eyes off my God but  I will not fail this test as Proverbs 3:5,6 remind me to: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways  acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight. I am going to win this race not on my own merit  but only through God's unending love for me!

Why Are Men So Dumb?

     God created Adam first, right? Adam gave names to all the animals in the garden. Have you ever pondered on that? The naming of the porcupine makes some sense, you know with all its quills and little spines, as you might get "porc-ed" by them. I can  even see the naming of the duck has some merit as the bird flew too close to Adam's head he had to "duck". But just think about some of the other names Adam gave the animals. Giraffe, elephant, even lion or tiger were names we have grown up with but what do they really mean and in what language did Adam first speak them? A better question would be who was Adam speaking to?

     Now God is omniscient which means  He  knows everything and He cant learn anything. He knew Adam was all alone in the garden and that he would become very lonely so God made woman. Now 50% of my readers are women so you can bet the bank I'll be treading very lightly here. It's no mystery why God made woman so beautiful, with all the right curves in all the right places, but why did God make man so dumb? A better question would be "Why did He leave man in charge"? How many Geo-Political debacles have we been dragged through because of bad decisions made by powerful men? How many women in history have shouted from the roof tops "Worship me, I am God!" Man's certainly not a creature whose first reaction is to nurture, no but rather to pick up a stick and beat his brother to death with it.

     My wife Pam is no doubt much more intelligent than I am and she is my peer. She has two bachelor degrees in the science field, works part time, is able to keep the house looking immaculate, does Crossword and Sudoku puzzles the latter of which I am still trying to understand how to add up all the numbers. But let me ask you this, if she is so smart why did she marry me? Someone who drops his clothes on the floor as he makes his way to the shower. A man who when he cooks ends up with more food on the floor then in his mouth. A person who has never; washed a load of clothes, made up the bed, cleaned up after a meal, changed a diaper, disciplined his children, planned a romantic moment, balanced a check book, paid any bills, washed the car, you know its a miracle I have survived at all in this world.

     So back to the beginning where God put Adam to sleep and removed one of his ribs. He then fashioned woman from this flesh. Remember, God made Adam from the dirt. God called this new creation "woman" because she was taken out of the man. Eve was always intended by God to be Adam's equal and to complete him which is exactly what women do.

     So what's all the fuss with the battling of the sexes, and all the miss understandings about? Men and women have different roles in God's plan. Men are the protectors and while racing  through life towards the finish line they are really preoccupied with that purpose. Men are always thinking about what might happen around the next corner and have multiple plans brewing in our minds at any one moment. But men, despite all their faults, have a few redeeming traits as they have painted some of the most beautiful paintings in the world, built some of the tallest buildings, penned some of the best literature, sailed the first ocean crossings, ran the fastest mile and yes, invented Sudoku puzzles. But if I were Adam, I would have named woman...."Priceless".

Pauline

    Death is many things. It is an absolute, definite ending to the participant but a lifelong scar for all friends and love ones left behind in this physical world. The question all of us should be asking,  is there more to a person than just a shell or as the Apostle Paul described our bodies as "our earthly tents"? Does a human being posses a spirit, soul that has conscientiousness and continues to exist  after life leaves our physical bodies? Is our spirit immortal or is only God the Great Immortal Spirit?
    On October 27th, 1993 I received a call from my dad that my mother, Pauline, had succumbed to lung cancer after three months of living in continuous, brutal pain. Even though I had time to make my peace with her and prepare myself for her ultimate passing the reality of it was like something was taken from me that I could never get back.
    Grieving is a process and it  never ends although time is somewhat of a sedative. Maybe that is why Jesus said that in heaven He would wipe away every tear. You see, there are tears in heaven or why would Jesus be wiping them away? So October for me truly brings with it the darker shades of Fall, tears for fears and heart felt memories of my mother. The reality is that she has long since disappeared into history and I wont see her again until I too get to the other side.
    The other night on late night talk radio the guest was describing other past lives he had lived. And describing places he never visited in this life. Now I cant explain why he saw what he saw but this type of extra life experience is getting more popular. There seems to be a snag though, most people talk about extra life experiences where they are famous people nobody ever says that they were a criminal or trash collector in another life? I believe it is appointed once for man to die then comes judgement.
    In John 3:16 God tell us how much He loves us "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that who so ever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life". Now in this scripture we have God telling us that if we don't put our trust into Jesus, His Son we will perish. Perish means to cease to exist so eternal life is a gift and a state that God imparts to who He wills. I want that gift!
    In the book of Revelation God tells us that if your name is not written in the book of life your soul and spirit will be cast into the Lake of Fire, which is the second death. So here we have two words, perish and second death,  these don't make me believe our souls and spirits exist forever on our own merit? I'll take the free gift from God which is eternal life through His Son Jesus!

Halloween Debate

     Some things are meant to go together! Ham and beans, chocolate and peanut butter and of course human beings. When people get married it's like a three stranded cord that is not easily broken where the third strand is our relationship with God. So here's my question to all of you that sprang up over our Halloween debate; Should Pastor Greg and I be total clones of each other or can we compliment each other by bringing to the table a difference of opinions? Greg and I in some ways are like night and day where the darkness takes over after a beautiful sunset and even though the two are very different from each other in the end they make a whole unit of one complete day.
     So in that light...It amazes me how many Christians are not educated about the Fall festival of Halloween. Pastor Greg says it is one of his favorite holidays, but it's not mine. Now, I probably already lost about half of you because of your love for the Fall season, spiced cider, pumpkin pie, candle lighted gourdes, pumpkins and costume parties. What some of you are not aware of is a side of Halloween that is very real, very dark and gloomy. So before I loose the rest of you who have already ran out and purchased your Halloween costumes let me say this. I too love the Fall season as the weather starts to cool off knowing that Thanksgiving is right around the corner but all the mischief, lawlessness and crime that comes in tandem with the Halloween spirits is not welcomed.
     Halloween on a consumer level is just one of a handful of holiday's that is targeted by many manufacturers solely to capitalize on all of us. I walked into Wal-Mart the other morning and was kinda surprised to see artificial Christmas trees on display when Halloween was yet a week away? Do you think corporations are making any money off the holidays we choose to celebrate? I know what some of you are thinking... "If I want to buy costumes, candy and party props that's my business not yours!"  Many of you feel that people who are down on Halloween are "Legalistic Christians" and giant wet blankets but I would say in my defense "Be a Berean", Google "Halloween" to discover for yourselves the history and origins of the celebration that you so lovingly embrace. You are going to discover that there is no love in it.
    Pastor Greg, on the other hand, has a different perspective in that history has been written from  the victor's stand point and that Druid traditions have been distorted. Now remember Greg is a full blooded Irishman. So is this what the Apostle Paul was talking about when he said that he could be all things to all people and that eating meat offered to idols was no problem for him? What about the whole Not Of This World movement and God's idea about the bride of Christ being set apart and made ready for her bridegroom? Greg's bottom line is that all the holiday's we celebrate are a direct result of the Catholic Church's response to counteract the Pagan Nature Festivals of that time.
    My proposal: I personally believe that many of  the festivities associated with Halloween are really fun and should continue in a different light and not necessarily be associated with the Christian church's alternative of a Harvest Festival. Here is some food for thought, is celebrating Halloween like celebrating Satan's birthday? Or how about this...its been said that for a Christian to celebrate Halloween is like someone from the Jewish faith celebrating Adolf Hitler's birthday. So by all means celebrate death if it is that exciting for you but if I had to choose a fabricated holiday, I'll take Christmas any day. Our God is a God of life! (Zoe) He sent His one and only Son that you may have life and life more abundantly.
    So what do you say?

Epiphany

Epiphany \ fr Gk epiphaneia meaning an appearance or manifestation esp. of a divine being.
    As the warm water from the shower head began to wash  away the dirt after a day of spraying wall texture in the nursery at Calvary Chapel La Mesa,  I had  an epiphany or so I thought. In the Apostle Paul's  letter to the Ephesians  Chapter 5 verse 26 he talks about the word of God washing us clean through the washing of water by the word. A type of spiritual soap, if you can imagine,  that can reach or get at  those recesses and hidden places of our hearts and minds.
     So my shower time epiphany was something this Pastor had said to a friend of mine many years ago. "You will never teach from my pulpit!". Now my first feelings upon conjuring up this ugly remark was one of  anger but now as the water began to cleanse my outer body I could feel a spiritual cleansing begin to heal a much deeper wound that was hiding in my heart.
    Maybe you have experienced this or know this to be true but people can become too possessive of their positions, ministries and totally forget who gave them the opportunity to serve in the first place. Even in my own life I find myself saying something like "Oh, you must come to my church where I will be pastoring when it starts up early next year".  Pride is poison, a deadly poison the most dangerous disease a Christian can contract. Humility, on the other hand,  is the only antidote when properly applied in the right amount can reverse the adverse infection from pride.
    So there were really no divine beings with me in the shower last night. There were no visions of Mother Mary not even the face of Jesus in the moisture accumulating on the glass of the shower walls but only  a still, quiet, gentle voice begging me to listen and follow Him down the path to freedom. I love my shower time.

The Key

    So I collect junk. There was a time in my life where I would see something sticking part way out of a trash can and have to slam on my brakes, pull over and skillfully dig it out without soiling my office clothes. People throw away all kinds of cool things. You would be surprised at what you can find in someones garbage, just ask any FBI agent.
   Somewhere along my travels I found an old porcelain antique door knob with the original skeleton key in it. I grabbed it. I just knew I could use it! Now, I had that old door knob and key for I don't know maybe 25 years. It sat in an old tool box under my work bench collecting allot of dust. Until one day it made the most perfect gift imaginable.
   Pete Briscoe is probably one of the most talented, young pastors on the rise in America. He pastors the Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in Carrolton Tx. http://www.btbf.org  Pete is talented to be sure but what makes Pete so important is his ability to totally surrender to and be led by the Holy Spirit. You see when God wants to use someone He first looks at the heart. So often I want to tell God how were going to do it but He insists on a humble, surrendered vessel that He can fill. I don't know why but people are often frightened when God's Spirit is moving. I have seen it happen time and time again when God starts moving in a church, half of the people get it and half totally shut God down. It's a mystery to be sure.
   So what does Pete have to do with the doorknob story? OK, so I parted with my prize possession and removed it from under the protection of my work bench and the one quarter inch of dust that was shielding it. You see I needed a special gift for Pete. Not just any old trinket or kink knack  would do so for some unknown reason I thought about the doorknob that I had not previously thought about since the last time I cleaned up my shop. So I boxed up that old door knob, addressed the box and shipped it off into the wild blue yonder of the United States Postal Service. A day later it arrived back at my house. True story.
   Pete eventually received it and he assures me that the doorknob and key are sitting somewhere in his office at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship. Maybe a surprise visit might be in order. You know that old knob is a piece of history it could have been turned by Abraham Lincoln on the night he drafted the Gettysburg Address or could have been locked to hide  Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis. Is there anything to glean here or a  moral to this story? Well, "One man's trash is another man's treasure" I think that is how God looks at us! We are His treasure. We were once lost but now are found. By the way, for the record God has delivered me from dumpster diving.

Firewood

     Today I drove to the Houlihan's, where I cut and split firewood for our wood stove at home. Our central heating and air went out a few weeks back (during the heat wave of course) and because I'm out of work we cant fix it. But I praise God for our wood burning stove and Paul Houlihan who allowed me to split the wood in the first place!
      Some of you who already know me  have heard that I have been out of steady work for at least 7 months. Yes, its true and I'm getting down to my last container of flour and  a very small jar of olive oil. What happens when it runs out? I'm wondering if one day I will make my last piece of pita bread and then die.
      It's not that I'm a slacker, right?, although my wife's "Honey Do" list is getting longer than Santa's long white beard. The reality of it is I think God is testing me for the coming church plant with Greg. He wants to see if I can trust Him completely. I am so excited about our new church with all of its  new possibilities. People need a different way to fellowship and break bread together because there are way too many "Mega" churches with their cookie-cutter themes and where people end up getting  lost in the Mongol Hordes.
     For the record,  I  am pursuing this new church plant with a brilliant, young, Irishman named Greg. It must be the luck of the Irish or my luck in having two great friends in Paul and Greg. I must get back to the firewood story. So Mr. Houlihan knew I had been out of work for awhile and so he says to me "Dean, why don't you come over and split some fire wood for your wood stove?". There is something to be said about a man who works hard at the task God has given to him. I'm a worker at heart and don't like sitting around doing nothing. Mr. Houlihan gave me exactly what I needed which was a hard day of  work and of course I'm now basking in the warm, red glow that is coming from my wood stove. God, thank you for friends! Greg, do you think we could have a  wood stove in our church?

New Wine In Old Wine Skins

I love the fall. I wish I lived somewhere on the East Coast, like New Hampshire where the crisp fall weather brings the beautiful colored leaves to all the surrounding hills and mountains. unfortunately, I live in Southern California where maple trees give way to palm trees and crisp, chilly air yields to hot, dry Santa Ana winds. It's during these days in September and October that the grape harvest is right around the corner. Have you ever heard the saying "Nobody puts new wine into old wine skins"? So what is all the fuss about putting new wine into old wine skins? Well, first of all these words were spoken  by Jesus and written during the first century. Glass bottles were kinda hard to come by so the people of the time would use animal skins to hold liquids. Fresh, new skins had "stretch" built into them allowing the new wine to exspand as secondary fermentation continued.
Stay Tuned in For Part 2

The Covenant Project

      Pastor Greg and I are starting out on a huge, new adventure; Planting a new church somewhere in the East County of San Diego, California. We have already taken a couple of steps in our journey and left behind some footprints. But walking with the Holy Spirit can sometimes feel like taking a detour on the highway where you think you know where you are going, then comes the detour demanding that you now go down a completely different road. Now we are driving through an uncertain neighborhood full of new obstacles along the way. Life too is like that but I like the feel of a roller coaster ride anyway with all of  it's bumps, jerks and dark tunnels. So here we are hiking, somewhere down the path possibly mid way across the stream with water rushing past our ankles and wet feet when suddenly, Greg says to me "I hate church". Should I be worried?
      Read what Greg said about it!  Insanity      http://adhclatrd.blogspot.com/