It's been a while since I've posted. Last night there was a massive lightning storm over the DFW area. My hotel room flashed bright lights for a couple hours with deep thunder rolling in the background. I didn't enjoy the strobe effect. Since it was too noisy and bright to sleep, I watched from the balcony. Every second or two the sky lit up in spectacular fashion. I started wondering about the purpose of lightning. I didn't come up with an answer but I have discovered a few lightning facts:
1. Lightning is mentioned 46 times in the Bible. Thunder is mentioned 30. (www.crosswalk.com)
2. In ancient cultures, lightning represented power and was sometimes used by Greek and Roman gods to punish mankind.
3. The Navajo tribes linked lightning to the thunderbird which is their symbol for salvation and divine gifts.
4. Each year the National Weather Service hosts the Lightning Safety Awareness Week.
5. The original version of St. Nicholas' story referenced two reindeer - Dunder and Blixem. These later became Donner and Blitzen. Originally these were the Dutch words for Thunder and Lightning.
6. There is an annual conference for survivors of lightning strikes.
7. Lightning strikes the earth 100 times per second. That's about 8.6 million times a day.
8. Lightning strikes Central Africa more than any other place.
9. There are 21 million ground strikes per year in the United States.
10. Tampa, FL receives more lightning strikes than any other city in the United States. Maybe they should change the name from the Buccaneers to the Dodgers?
11. The average lightning strike carries 10-12,000 amps of electricity.
12. Sleep experts say when someone dreams about lightning it usually represents a sudden or shocking event has taken place in their lives.
Armed with this knowledge you too will be able to hold an intelligent conversation with someone about the amazing atmospheric phenomenon called lightning.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Looking for Some Dark
Here’s another childhood fear: The Dark. How many of you were afraid of the dark? I was. Sometimes I still am. Do you know what evil lurks behind the closet door once the lights are out? I remember when my youngest daughter, Ashlyn, was about three. She used to love playing with flashlights. Running all over the house, she shined her flashlight all the time. She liked them so much people gave them to her as Christmas presents. One night as she tiptoed down the hall shining her flashlight, I crawled up behind her whispering, “What are you doing?” In her three year old voice she whispered, “Looking for some dark.”
Looking for some dark! What a powerful statement. Are you looking for some dark? Matthew 5:16 – Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. The Newsboys wrote a song about this called Shine. Shine, make them wonder what you’ve got; make them wish they were not on the outside looking bored. Light exposes darkness. How long has it been since you’ve intentionally looked for darkness?
Our world is dark, and lost without Christ. We are the light of the world! Make a commitment today to seek something dark and expose it; not in a judgmental, harsh way but with the love of Christ. Shine your light as you look for some dark.
Looking for some dark! What a powerful statement. Are you looking for some dark? Matthew 5:16 – Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. The Newsboys wrote a song about this called Shine. Shine, make them wonder what you’ve got; make them wish they were not on the outside looking bored. Light exposes darkness. How long has it been since you’ve intentionally looked for darkness?
Our world is dark, and lost without Christ. We are the light of the world! Make a commitment today to seek something dark and expose it; not in a judgmental, harsh way but with the love of Christ. Shine your light as you look for some dark.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Childhood Fears: Monsters
Do you remember your childhood fear? Some may have had more than others and some may have been more intense. All childhood fears feel real no matter how fantastical they appear. You may have feared monsters, the dark, spiders, snakes, strangers, or getting lost. Do you remember how scared you were? How real the fear felt? No matter how improbable, the feeling of fear was real. As we grow older and mature our fears change. As an adult you may fear losing your job, failure, your spouse or maybe even God!
With Halloween approaching it seems like a good time to explore some of our childhood fears from a different point of view. We’ll start with one of the most common – Fear of Monsters. Do you remember the bogey man or in my case Gill Man? Gill man was a creature my uncle made up to scare us. Gill Man lived in the Gulf of Mexico. He walked on two legs and ate little children. Later, I found out Gill Man was loosely based on the Creature form the Black Lagoon.
Children and adults are afraid of monsters. That’s why we created superheroes. They protect us from monsters. Don’t tell a child either aren’t real! Our minds believe in both. Real fear comes from our enemy, Satan, who spends his time creating monsters. Superheroes usually win by turning the situation around. What’s the opposite of fear? Whether you’re afraid of the monster under your bed or in your closet, remember God is not the author of fear. Monsters are real and we face them daily. Perfect love casts out all fear. Revelation 12 - …And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.
With Halloween approaching it seems like a good time to explore some of our childhood fears from a different point of view. We’ll start with one of the most common – Fear of Monsters. Do you remember the bogey man or in my case Gill Man? Gill man was a creature my uncle made up to scare us. Gill Man lived in the Gulf of Mexico. He walked on two legs and ate little children. Later, I found out Gill Man was loosely based on the Creature form the Black Lagoon.
Children and adults are afraid of monsters. That’s why we created superheroes. They protect us from monsters. Don’t tell a child either aren’t real! Our minds believe in both. Real fear comes from our enemy, Satan, who spends his time creating monsters. Superheroes usually win by turning the situation around. What’s the opposite of fear? Whether you’re afraid of the monster under your bed or in your closet, remember God is not the author of fear. Monsters are real and we face them daily. Perfect love casts out all fear. Revelation 12 - …And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
I Can't Dance
Eating lunch today at Five Guys with Shirley, Delaney and Ashlyn. Somehow we started talking about ballet. I was reminded of my ballet career. Shocking I know but I did have a brief ballet career. I was cast in Mobile Ballet's performance of Sleeping Beauty and another company's performance of the Nutcrakcer paying in South Mississippi. No sure why I thought it was important to let you know I was in two ballet's; I guess you needed to picture me in tights.
Five Guys has the best burgers. Well, maybe not the best but they're pretty good. I enjoyed Sleeping Beauty more than the Nutcracker. I'm glad my dance career was short lived. Five Guys has good fries, also. I can't believe Florida won today because of two bad penalties called against Arkansas on the game-tying drive. Auburn lost to Kentucky and the Tide ran over the Gamecocks. Purdue upset Ohio State! What a day. No ballet dancing just football. Maybe I can tryout again. It's almost time for the Nutcracker!
Five Guys has the best burgers. Well, maybe not the best but they're pretty good. I enjoyed Sleeping Beauty more than the Nutcracker. I'm glad my dance career was short lived. Five Guys has good fries, also. I can't believe Florida won today because of two bad penalties called against Arkansas on the game-tying drive. Auburn lost to Kentucky and the Tide ran over the Gamecocks. Purdue upset Ohio State! What a day. No ballet dancing just football. Maybe I can tryout again. It's almost time for the Nutcracker!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
I Wanna Be An Airborne Ranger - for Jan
Seeing a commercial for Airborne last night reminded me of a story. Weird how everything reminds me of a story? Airborne is the tablet you mix with water to take so you don’t get sick. A good friend had a unique experience with Airborne. OK, all you therapists, psychologists and counselors, I know when someone says something about a friend it usually means they’re talking about themselves. Not this time! I can’t reveal my friend’s name due to a confidentiality agreement I signed but I guess I could mention his initials – JH.
It seems that JH was not feeling well. Being the YOUNG, able-bodied man he is, his wife, Jan Hetherly, had to take care of him. While packing for a business trip, Jan gave JH a pack of Airborne. He thanked her and slipped it in his pocket. Later, sitting at the gate waiting for his plane, JH decided to take his first Airborne tablet. Have you ever seen a sea gull eat an alka-seltzer? I don’t know why that popped in my head. It has nothing to do with the story!
JH popped the quarter-size tablet in his mouth thinking he was supposed to chew it. Yes, this is the part where you start laughing. Within seconds the tablet reacted with his saliva thus causing JH to begin foaming at the mouth. I bet he looked like he had shaving cream all over his mouth! What a sight that must have been – a well-dressed, sharp YOUNG man in an airport foaming about the head and face. Talk about a security nightmare.
These are the day’s airport security personnel live for. Can you imagine them telling their spouses about the crazy guy who foamed at the mouth at work today? Needless to say, JH doesn’t take Airborne any more and Jan is perfectly content because she doesn’t have to clean goop out of his shirts any more.
Does anyone know if John Hetherly is still working in Cali?
It seems that JH was not feeling well. Being the YOUNG, able-bodied man he is, his wife, Jan Hetherly, had to take care of him. While packing for a business trip, Jan gave JH a pack of Airborne. He thanked her and slipped it in his pocket. Later, sitting at the gate waiting for his plane, JH decided to take his first Airborne tablet. Have you ever seen a sea gull eat an alka-seltzer? I don’t know why that popped in my head. It has nothing to do with the story!
JH popped the quarter-size tablet in his mouth thinking he was supposed to chew it. Yes, this is the part where you start laughing. Within seconds the tablet reacted with his saliva thus causing JH to begin foaming at the mouth. I bet he looked like he had shaving cream all over his mouth! What a sight that must have been – a well-dressed, sharp YOUNG man in an airport foaming about the head and face. Talk about a security nightmare.
These are the day’s airport security personnel live for. Can you imagine them telling their spouses about the crazy guy who foamed at the mouth at work today? Needless to say, JH doesn’t take Airborne any more and Jan is perfectly content because she doesn’t have to clean goop out of his shirts any more.
Does anyone know if John Hetherly is still working in Cali?
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Gun Shot Wounds, Car Accidents and Zombieland
Trauma Center now open. Gun shot wounds, heart attacks, car accidents, swine flue, etc. - All of these can be found at your local trauma center. Hopefully, this can be said of your local church. Traveling extensively has given me a unique perspective. I have met people from all over the world. Each state, city and neighborhood come together providing culture and flavor. Visiting Los Angeles and driving through Compton, strolling into a deli close to Central Park in New York, catching a Cubs game in Chicago or watching a rodeo in Mesquite, TX. That’s Mesquite not Mosquito.
In all these places, I’ve noticed one thing exactly the same. They all have those blue road signs with a capital H. You know the one’s I’m talking about. The sign for a Hospital. Every city has at least one. Those blue H signs are everywhere. The signs serve as signals letting you know help isn't far away. What an amazing analogy for the Church!
Think about it. Is there a better trauma center than the Church? Of course not, Jesus established His Church to be a trauma center. A place for people to come for healing. We know the Church is made of local congregations serving God faithfully. Is your local church a trauma center for your city?
In the book of John chapter 11 the resurrection of Lazarus is recorded. After Jesus called Laz from the grave, he told the people standing around to loose him by taking his grave clothes off. Laz was bound, gagged and probably hopping around like an idiot trying to walk wrapped like a mummy. That had to be a funny sight! I bet he even fell down a time or two. Do you think Jesus could have called Laz from the grave without leaving the mummy wraps tied around his cold, dead body? Of course. Jesus was giving us a picture of the Church.
When someone comes from death to life, it is the responsibility of Christians to help them take off their grave clothes. People come to the Church with problems, insecurities, sins and all kinds of trauma. We are responsible for their growth. We loose the grave clothes! Sinful people are bloody, bruised, dirty, smelly, and bound. You know, kinda like they’ve been dead!
Be mindful this week that God may bring one of the walking wounded or the dead your direction. I know Zombieland is huge right now but don’t take the opportunity to blast them. Take the opportunity to be the doctor God gifted you to be and take them to your trauma center. After all, He is the great physician!
In all these places, I’ve noticed one thing exactly the same. They all have those blue road signs with a capital H. You know the one’s I’m talking about. The sign for a Hospital. Every city has at least one. Those blue H signs are everywhere. The signs serve as signals letting you know help isn't far away. What an amazing analogy for the Church!
Think about it. Is there a better trauma center than the Church? Of course not, Jesus established His Church to be a trauma center. A place for people to come for healing. We know the Church is made of local congregations serving God faithfully. Is your local church a trauma center for your city?
In the book of John chapter 11 the resurrection of Lazarus is recorded. After Jesus called Laz from the grave, he told the people standing around to loose him by taking his grave clothes off. Laz was bound, gagged and probably hopping around like an idiot trying to walk wrapped like a mummy. That had to be a funny sight! I bet he even fell down a time or two. Do you think Jesus could have called Laz from the grave without leaving the mummy wraps tied around his cold, dead body? Of course. Jesus was giving us a picture of the Church.
When someone comes from death to life, it is the responsibility of Christians to help them take off their grave clothes. People come to the Church with problems, insecurities, sins and all kinds of trauma. We are responsible for their growth. We loose the grave clothes! Sinful people are bloody, bruised, dirty, smelly, and bound. You know, kinda like they’ve been dead!
Be mindful this week that God may bring one of the walking wounded or the dead your direction. I know Zombieland is huge right now but don’t take the opportunity to blast them. Take the opportunity to be the doctor God gifted you to be and take them to your trauma center. After all, He is the great physician!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Bully Beatdown
The weekend is over so it's time to post something new. I was watching old UFC fights earlier wishing I was young enough to get into that sport. How cool would it be to put someone to sleep with a rear naked choke or drop elbows after passing full guard? Watching the fight got me thinking about a few fights I was in as a kid. One in third grade when I jumped from a three foot wall on top of a guy knocking him down. It was on then. He started it! The safety patrols broke us apart. I still remember the hallway filled with other kids cheering as we were drug to the office. We were like heroes. I remember someone saying I looked like Starsky or Hutch jumping from the wall. An old reference I know but remember it was in the 70's.
One of my best fights came in fifth grade. It was my first year at a new school. There was this big kid who picked on me everyday. He was a jerk; calling me names, pushing me around, knocking books out of my hands. I avoided him as much as possible; hiding in the locker room or eating lunch by my self. I remember avoiding everyone during recess. Did I mention he was big?
One day, he picked and picked. I was tired, embarrassed and humiliated. Walking through the hall, leaving my locker he knocked my books out of my hand. Kneeling down, I picked them up as everyone laughed. Even then I was a little sarcastic - shocking to think about I know - but true. Kneeling, I made a decision. It was now or never! Still on my knees, I shouted out loud "Let's get ready to rummmmmbbbbbbbllllllleeeeeeee" and came up swinging! I'd like to say it was classic form, UFC style, kicks, punches, elbows. It wasn't like that. I connected several times but only in an odd spastic way. Form didn't matter, I beat the crap out of that kid! Guess what? I enjoyed beating him up! I'm not sure what came over me but I'm glad I did it. Sorry, no spiritual meaning or metaphors. I'm glad he got the beatdown he deserved!
One of my best fights came in fifth grade. It was my first year at a new school. There was this big kid who picked on me everyday. He was a jerk; calling me names, pushing me around, knocking books out of my hands. I avoided him as much as possible; hiding in the locker room or eating lunch by my self. I remember avoiding everyone during recess. Did I mention he was big?
One day, he picked and picked. I was tired, embarrassed and humiliated. Walking through the hall, leaving my locker he knocked my books out of my hand. Kneeling down, I picked them up as everyone laughed. Even then I was a little sarcastic - shocking to think about I know - but true. Kneeling, I made a decision. It was now or never! Still on my knees, I shouted out loud "Let's get ready to rummmmmbbbbbbbllllllleeeeeeee" and came up swinging! I'd like to say it was classic form, UFC style, kicks, punches, elbows. It wasn't like that. I connected several times but only in an odd spastic way. Form didn't matter, I beat the crap out of that kid! Guess what? I enjoyed beating him up! I'm not sure what came over me but I'm glad I did it. Sorry, no spiritual meaning or metaphors. I'm glad he got the beatdown he deserved!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)