It's That Time of Year Again - A Christmas Family Short Story

The Prince of Heaven

This is a fictional story of simple kindness and the result of being available to be used by God - in His timing. The characters and events in this story are not meant to be biblical accounts, just one of many other possible stories that could be told of the birth and life of Jesus.

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Carousel

Colorful horses galloping around in beautifully synchronized herds. Brightly painted structures with lights and loud sounds of joy and laughter; benches and rest for the tired and feeble to rest yet still be part of the group. You might think I am describing a race track, or park somewhere in the past, with horses and carriage rides as part of the day's normal series of events. Actually, I am thinking more along the lines of the great carousels that used to dot the countryside a few decades ago. If you look closely, you will still see a few grand ones here and there. From really large and extravagantly decorated ones in the popular theme parks to the modest few that you find at the country fair, carousels are still a popular ride with the young and old alike. Lines to ride them are full of every race, age, and personality type. Interestingly enough, the ride isn't just about one kind of horse or pony or one particular color. There are ponies that are dancing wildly and ones that look to be walking peacefully, and everything in-between. When you get on the ride, you search for just the right one, and suddenly, there it is. There isn't a way to describe it, maybe it's your favorite color, or the look painted on the horses face; perhaps it's just a mad rush to find an empty one. What about the real carousel with the two benches on it? Why the bench? Isn't this about the fast animals, and enjoying the "ride" and the wind? It seems that not everyone is ready, or able to sit in the saddle.

    When I look at my life some days, it feels a lot like a carousel of craziness. A merry-go-round of work, kids, volunteerism, after-school sports, taking care of loved ones, and on and on. As young adults, we stand in line waiting for our chance to mount our life's steed. We pick the color and the type of "life" we think that we will lead, but in reality, most of the time, it's just a mad rush to find an open ride, to find our path onto, and around, the carousel of life. Wouldn't it be good just sometime, to sit on the bench? You see, sitting on this bench isn't like being out of the game, this bench is on the ride, just a little more laid back than the "mounted horses" part of life. I can certainly attest to my life being busy like that, too rushed to find a way to enjoy the view. I keep waiting for it to slow down so I can catch my breath, or change my position, but as we all know, you can't move around until the ride comes to a full and complete stop, and life rarely does.

    The really interesting part that I learned about carousels was this, if you found yourself a little sick or dizzy, you could look at the center of the machine. This part usually housed the moving engine mechanisms. Sometimes it even held the organs and musical equipment of the older types; but best of all, it always seemed that it was just barely moving, in relation to the rest of the surroundings. With all of the outside structure rushing around, one horse chasing the horse in front of the other, the center of the whole thing seemed to move slowly, and with purpose. Focusing on this would give you less sense of movement, and it always helped me to feel better when I started getting green from going in circles.

    If your life is a spiral of out of control dizziness and unobtainable goals, even a small part of the time, maybe it is time to focus on the center of your life. When you look at where your values and central thoughts lie, what do you find? Do you see your job, your impressive new car, or maybe your kid's latest sports schedule? Do you see the long list of needs or debt piling up? Let's imagine for a minute what God thinks of that picture. 

  

ShoeBox Thoughts - The Book, it's here

     As many of you know, I have been working on a book that would bring these messages into physical form and today I have finally accomplished that task. Over the past two years I have put together past published works, and some new pieces just to keep it fresh, into a devotional book called, "ShoeBox Thoughts, Messages from the ShoeBox Prophet". I know, it's a surprise title choice isn't it? But my purpose has always been to share these thoughts and life lessons with as many people as I could, so this book is an extension of this blog ministry, perhaps going where the internet cannot, or just giving someone a chance at real world, hands-on time for some basic heart and  mind thinking.

    The past two years were not without hardship in our house; losing my mother, both parents are now with the Lord, and my wife being diagnosed with one of the worst forms of breast cancer, I can say without a doubt, that going through these messages and editing often reminded me the author, that I continue to need them, and to be reminded that I need God's grace and mercy every day. In fact, my wife Michelle says on occasion, you need to go back and re-read what you wrote about how your acting. Just confirming that I will never be more than one beggar, showing other beggars, where to find food and shelter in Christ.

     It is my earnest prayer that after reading these messages, and listening to God's whisper in your ear, that you will share them with those who are hurting and lonely, without the hope that we cling to through the Good News. They need us to show them that "all have fallen short", and we walk together. This book is just another tool to allow us to share the message of love and grace that keeps us afloat and alive in a life of continuing storms.

UPDATE 12/5/2017:

     Use the link below to check out my sales page for ShoeBox Thoughts, both versions are now on one page for your convenience. It is for sale on Amazon, and various outlets around the world.

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Click here to go to my Amazon sales page for Paperback & Kindle

     Also, you can follow the link below to my authors page on Amazon. It will give some additional background from time to time, and also gives others links back to this blog. 

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    More than anything, I want to say thank you to everyone here that has commented and left me notes or sent email. I am doing life every day just like you are, and the encouragement and friendship mean a lot to me. I hope to return to writing more blog pieces now that the editing for this project is complete, it has been a great experience but an exhausting one creatively. Now, back to writing.

God’s mercy and blessing be with you all.

Randy

Can I Have a Glass of Water..

     As young children, from the darkness of our sequester of bedtime, it rises from our racing and fearfully busy minds; from a mere idea to the quiet unheard words slipping through our lips. No answer, we raise our call another level of urgency, a little louder. Again with a cough and a clearing throat, we call out to our parents, "daddy, mommy, can I have a glass of water?" Is it that we are really thirsty, or do we fear the loneliness and dark seclusion? For me, it was one more chance to hear the voice of my mother or father saying, "it's okay, don't be afraid". I always took a drink, waited for another hug, and slipped away peacefully into my dreams. It never seemed too late or too much of a bother, for them to assure me that they were still there, that everything was okay, and that I was safe in their care. There are times in the darkness of my life, and the desperation of the hour, that I call out to God, just like the younger me did for that last cup of water at night. That last chance to know that everything would be alright. Our God hears your prayer, no matter the hour. No matter how desperate.

   Fear is something that we feel from a very early stage in our life. It can be severe enough to cripple our sense of adventure and stunt the natural quest for excitement, or it can be just enough to keep us honest and respectful of the power and dangers of life in general. Fear from the unknown can be hard to overcome; then there is just plain being scared. We have all been scared of one thing or another. Failure at school or at work, failure to have courage enough to ask that special someone to dance, failure to be a successful parent or spouse. Fear can keep us from failure, it can also most certainly keep us from trying.
   As a young child, we call out to our parents from our bed, "can I have a glass of water?" I know that I did this quite often. So much so that my mom started sending me to bed with a small glass of water, just in case, (something that I continue to this day). I am not so sure that I was really all that thirsty, I was afraid. The fear of the dark, and being alone gripped me beyond my ability to manage with counting sheep. It was the comfort of hearing her voice and seeing her face, that put my fears to rest. Sometimes she would sit there by my bedside, turn off the light, and tell me, "close your eyes and go to sleep, I'm here, there's nothing to be afraid of". I can still remember her touching my forehead to comb back my hair, and whispering "goodnight".  I seemed to always find rest in that, no matter how fierce the monsters were.

     Is it 2 am in your life? Does the world around you seem a dark and lonely place? A place where you have nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. The pressures of life, in general, have become your monsters under the bed. The addictions that you hide have transformed into your most feared "boogieman".

Fear becomes failure when we lose hope in ever finding redemption or a way out of where we have put ourselves in life. 

When we look around and see nothing but darkness in our surroundings, then the fear of the dark itself becomes a very real adversary.

     In Deuteronomy 31 verse 6, Moses is preparing to hand over the leadership role to Joshua. After decades of miracles and wandering through the desert, victories of just keeping that many people fed and alive, he was getting ready to die. I am sure many feared what life would be like without Moses, a legislator and judge of sorts, but no doubt also a fierce leader and someone whom they trusted with their safety and their family's future. In their time of fear he spoke words that said, be strong and be brave, don't let others push you around. Don't give that a second thought, because God, our God of deliverance, walks ahead of your path. He takes every step with you,  He will not fail you and He will never leave you. What a morale boost Moses gave to his new leaders, and the entire group of followers. Just like my mother, encouraging me to close my eyes, that everything was okay because she was on duty. God reminded them through Moses that He was still with them, that they were strong and blessed, and that He would never leave them. Likewise, He is telling each one of us that same thing today. He is there in our darkness, watching over us. When we call to Him, He brings our "water" and listens to our ramblings about monsters under the bed, or in our closet. He walks our path in front of us, like a good parent would, to be nearby when, not if, we need His help.

     In the past few years, I have lost both of my parents. My dad several years ago, and my mom just recently. I had great parents, they were not perfect, but the type that was supportive, and always wanting me to earn what I had.  I can honestly say that there is a fear, a finality if you will, that those persons that held such unconditional love for me are now not around anymore. The two people that I knew would always keep my best interests in mind, aren't here to call about my problems and concerns. I know what the people felt like when they heard that Moses was not coming with them into the promised land. Depressed, afraid, lost. It might be that you too are feeling those kinds of emotions inside yourself at this moment. Whether you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, a parent, spouse or precious child; it is a fear and sadness more gripping than we can describe, with a depth like an abyss. Possibly for you, it is a financial train wreck costing you everything, or just a general sense about yourself that you are not worth the trouble to save.

     As ragamuffins, we all have those fears. Worthlessness, anger, being scared and feeling spiritually destitute and completely alone. There is One who gave everything He had to get to know you. Who decided long ago that you were worth everything, and that you should never be alone. I would remind you to call out to God for Him to come and sit with you for a while. Just like my mom used to do for me when I was so afraid of the dark, Jesus is waiting and ready to be with you through your brokenness and life struggle. His water will do more than quench a mild thirst, the living water of Jesus can change your night into day and can turn your mourning into dancing. Trust that He is there, call His name, and the glass of water that you receive will never run dry.

Prodigal

        Many times in my own life, I have judged myself. Judged by critical standards and by soft, far too forgiving standards. I have run from authority, and run toward it for shelter after doing something dumb or immature. The one thing that my parents gave me as a gift, without financial cost or my working to earn, was the acceptance that they had for me being me. Not that they looked the other way when I was wrong, they didn't. They usually let me know it when I was doing something of concern to them. Unfortunately that didn't always translate to me making a change or doing what they wanted, there are sure some pitfalls that I could have saved myself from drowning in. But that's life, that's learning, and sometimes, that's painful.

         In our lives there will be paths that we must walk alone. Sometimes they will be hurt, and sometimes we just chose the wrong one. You and I have both done that; we have been on a path toward destruction, one that could have ended up very badly for us. Somewhere, hopefully you made a change, saw a way out, a light at the end of your tunnel. However, perhaps you still live in fear and darkness, I tell you that many days I feel as you do in that dreadfully murky place. The future is easy to obscure, and hope is a fragile thing when life reminds us that we are not in charge. When we put our hope in finances or careers that can disappear quicker than they are earned, we run the risk of opening the doorway to disappointment and losing our real self-worth. Likewise, failing to spend time with family and friends can leave us feeling unloved, and desperate. Or maybe you're not getting along with a spouse, parent or child, what happens to those whom we know if we give up? Is it us that are lost, or those that we disagree with? Have you hurt someone while on this path or been hurt through someone else's choice to walk away or their direct intention to cause you pain?
  Regardless of the source, there is peace and shelter for your heart. There is also a guide to how to deal with those who are lost, or adrift in life's sea of despair. If you are the ship sailing with no direction and no anchor, there is hope and grace for you too. But maybe your asking, why should anyone care? Why do I write to you when I don't know you? And especially, why would God care what happens to a person that has chosen to walk away from the love and warmth of a family or God? 

        While Jesus was in ministry in and around Jerusalem, he often angered the religious leaders of that time by teaching and hanging out with ordinary people, and on occasion eating with that crowd of "sinners". A crowd that the leaders deemed unworthy of such direct contact, if Jesus was indeed who he said that he was, or even just a temple rabbi. They looked at such non-clean people as unimportant and lower class. When Jesus got the chance to tell them why, he said something like this, if you had a flock of animals that were making your living with, and meant everything to the survival of your household, you wouldn't want to lose even one of them. In fact if you did find one missing,  you would leave the other 99 in good care and go to attempt to retrieve the one that was lost. Without a doubt, you would even be happy or celebratory about getting back the one that was lost. His point was this, why wouldn't he be trying to reach out to the lost? More over, why is it not surprising to us, those cast aside by "the religious", that the leadership of the church or local government wasn't happy with him. This meant that they would have to share their power; but more than that, it would have meant that they shared their importance and status with the lowly public. Those motives of judgment aren't old or new to this world, there was self indulgent greed then, and there still is today. But a true shepard, isn't worried about losing power or prominence, it's about finding the lost.
  Now back to you and I, it should be a little more obvious now what kind of attitude that we need to have when it comes to seeking and serving the hurting, the abandoned, and the lost. No matter what stage of despair or regret that you and I find ourselves in, there is grace and hope in the shepard, Jesus. Our torn and raggedy lives are the very thing he seeks to renew. But how do we do that for others when we are ragamuffins ourselves? How will people look at us when we try to help someone else from the heap of our own ruins? Well first of all, get your heart in the right place, make sure that you're not seeking something in return; helping others isn't about the reward, although there will be one. If you seek the reward most of all, your help will be as worthless as an umbrella of mesh in a downpour. If your motives are righteous, that means without greed or self grandiosity, then don't worry about what others think or say. That isn't to say that good council shouldn't be listened to, you should always seek the ear and wisdom of someone that you know and trust to keep you accountable and on task. But the nay-sayers, let them scoff at you for your efforts, you're in good company. Remember that the religious leaders hated Jesus because he sought out the meek and the hurting, no matter if they were the "in" crowd or not.
  If you are like me, long before now you have asked the important question of why. Why do we need to help each other? Why do we need to change at all? Why does God want us to do this seeking for Him, can't He do it? And why Randy, do you write these irritating questions? I'm not sure that I can answer the last one, but the first questions are a little easier. In  John 21: 15-19, Jesus asked John one question, three separate times. He asked John if John loved him. Each time John answered, Jesus replied with feed my sheep, to the immediate irritation of John I might add, it was as if the group of them needed to know the simplicity of the message and the mission. Find those in need, do something about it. Paraphrased here as: Live as a follower of Christ, serve as best you can to find and "feed" the lost, and love one another as brothers and sisters in one big family. It seems to be that middle one that really gives people the most trouble, serving.
       Thinking again of the prodigal story, I am reminded of the father running out to meet his son. His son was dirty, smelled like a barnyard, and hadn't even uttered any words of apology, yet his father met him on the road, with a big hug and kiss. Tell me again how you and I can't have grace and forgiveness because of what we have done in our past. Time after time, Jesus told his disciples to go, feed my sheep, go and make others like yourself. He taught them not to look at the outside, and that sin was sin, call it what it is, forgive the ragged sheep, and bring them home.
        I know that each of us have our idea of what God must think of us. The truth is, in his eyes we are as filthy as any drugged out prostitute, or as unlovable as an abuser of others, but through the sacrifice of His son, and His representation of our lives before the Father, we each become the perfection that is only found through being born again. It's not science or science fiction, it's not something that you show someone in your hand, but it's as real as the sun that warms the daytime. We are all prodigal children. Sometimes we are the sheep needing to be found, and other times we are the ones doing the finding, I think that's all in God's plan. He uses us right where we are, still a little dirty from the barnyard of life. And without a pedigree of whose at the top of the list and whose at the bottom. Read the passage in John 21 again, go ahead, I'll wait. It's one description for all of the lost; I read nothing in there about the really nice award winning sheep getting priority or the ugly, half bald, sheep getting pushed to the back of the line. Just all of us raggedy sheep in this together, and one Father ready to run down the road and meet us at the point when we realize that we can go home to him. Whether you are searching for sheep, walking the prodigal path back towards home, or still feeding the pigs in the slop, never judge others by the way they look on the outside, and don't stop thinking of yourself as a child of the King. He said that he stands at the door of every prodigal heart and knocks, hoping to find each and every one of His lost and hurting raggedy children, a status and mission by the way, which you and I both share.

Luke 15: 6 / John 21: 15-25

Sorry to Bother You..

Do you feel like you are bothering God when you pray?

     It seems to happen just as you get to the best part of your conversation, or just as the most important point of what you have to say is coming out of your mouth, the phone rings or the door bell chimes, and all at once your thoughts are thrown under the proverbial discussion bus. If you have children then it can and will happen just about anytime, important or not, the interruption. The point in time where someone else's concerns or thoughts become front and center, and that thing that you had hoped to share, important, life-changing and all, just has to take a back seat. These moments are when you come to realize that most peoples priorities are not the same as yours.
     This scenario really seems to strike a personal note, when we are sharing our hurt feelings, or a special burden that we are dealing with. It is all to easy to feel unimportant when others have a different view of what should come first, either in life, or in simple conversation. Learning to listen is a very important part of being in a relationship, what ever kind of relationship it is that you are in. Teddy Roosevelt had a saying that I heard many years ago, it goes like this, "people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care". Simply put, if you spend all of your time in a relationship expounding on how smart you are, or how good you do something, and lack the skill to hear others when they need you too, then all of your educated mastery and effort aren't helping them one bit. To others in your relationship, you might just seem like an uncaring know-it-all; someone a bit too self-centered to really be interested in the thoughts or concerns of others.
     One thought that I have had over the years was how does God care for each one of us, listen to us, and take interest in our toils, while doing all of the rest of the things a universal God would have to do? Does He care about the little aspects of our lives like school tests, and stress at work? When I fail to plan well enough for my monthly bills or put myself into financial hardship due to bad decisions, is He going to help with that too? When I pray for things that I care about, why do I feel like I am interrupting Him and taking Him away from other things far more important than mine. Isn't He needed somewhere else for life and death things like healing cancer or stopping the persecution of His followers? Surely He is.
     Like the good parent, He is always listening for our call, and knows our needs before we do. How He does it all and hears each one of us without distraction, even scripture says that understanding some things of the realm of heaven are simply beyond our comprehension. If I some how had the knowledge to write it all down, and tried to explained it here in this message, it is likely we still would not understand any of it. He is God. A being of wisdom and mystery, and answers for some of our questions will just have to wait. But some questions have answers in plain sight, such as the question of Him really caring about our lives or not, both for the grand and finite issues, there is a direct answer. In 1 Peter 5:7 it says to give all of your troubles to Him, because He loves and cares for you. There is no definition mentioned of the severity of the troubles or the value according to their importance, size or limit; in fact, it says give Him "all" of your troubles. The way I see it, that means both big and small. That's every school test and quiz. Best friends that have an argument with each other, all the way up to spouses that are giving up on their commitment, He cares. Lost puppies and kittens to children who have run away, He cares. Our stressful lives rob us of our joy in life, I am quite sure He also cares about that. It would seem that no concern or crisis of ours would be too large or too small because He said, bring all of your troubles to me. It isn't a bother, it's love.
     It is our good fortune that in God's kingdom, we never need to wait to talk to Him. We are not interrupting when we pray, we are empowering the spiritual realm and acting just as we were taught. Jesus went straight to His Father in prayer many times, and He taught us to do nothing less. Just make sure that you don't wait until a crisis occurs to make that connection. Though I know and believe that even your first whisper towards heaven is heard and answered, it doesn't make sense to live life without that connection of grace from God. It is free after all, no roaming fees apply, nothing embarrassing required.
     God's plan for us is to realize this kind of lifestyle in our day to day walk. Praise and prayer are regular activities of a righteous life path. Although we often struggle to set aside our 'perfect' time or place, God doesn't have that problem. He is always available, always waiting, and compassionately listening for our quiet call of His name. In Thessalonians 5: 16-18, God says to stay positive and pray all the time, pray through good times and bad, no matter your place or status. It goes on to say that this is God's exact life plan for everyone, constant and consistent prayer. As ragamuffins, we are all tired, worn, and occasionally feeling a little less than worthy to bring our needs before an all-powerful, omnipotent being. But time and time again, that is exactly what we are instructed to do. Each  of the disciples of Jesus had to learn how to deal with failure and loss. They said the wrong things, ran from what was right and honorable, denied their status and involvement with Christ; and yet He continued to pursue their hearts and minds, convincing them one by one, that He really was who He said he was, and that He loved them in spite of their scars of failure and their tears of sorrow.
     What great news to you and I, there is no line to form, no number to take, we only have to speak His name, and His promise says that He is listening. Remember not to confuse that fact that you don't get what you want, with Him not answering. A great deal of the time, He answers with His plan in mind, and not ours. But He does answer. But if you never stop to ask, thinking that he can't possibly find interest in your needs or hurts, you will never know the peace or joy, that comes to you when you see the full and complete process and end result, answering your cry. You are not an interruption, not wasting your breath, or crying out your voice into an empty void; you are a child of the King, and He has said it in His word, and proved it throughout history to His people, that He longs to hear us call His name and commune with Him. I am quite sure that there is no happier occasion in His kingdom, than when a long lost child begs for Him to hear his or her voice. In a loving family, welcoming home those who have been away is a special moment; from a few hours to a hand full of days or years that have slipped by, you and I are welcomed before the Lord, invited no less, by His Son. He is our example in finding an audience of acceptance and love, One who always hears, and is never bothered by our presence or interrupted by our prayers to our Father.


1 Peter 5: 7 / 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (MSG)

Revision

  We live in an era where the family structure has taken a beating with the popular opinion that "it takes a village" and not necessarily good parents to raise and train our children. While I don't deny that good mentors and even a few great teachers along the way taught me some important things about life and myself, the thought that I am talking about here are parents that relinquish or even shrug their responsibility to nurture and raise their children to be the best that they can be. I am always shocked to hear people agree that parenting today is harder than ever and that they welcome the influence and uninhibited input from our schools and media. I may be wrong, but looking back in my family's past, I see plenty of tough times. My parents came from relatively poor families, and as kids, my brothers and I had to work for things that we wanted. Extravagance was never part of our lives. So it seems perspective makes a big difference when you are looking at your surroundings, both financial and spiritual. As small children, we all learn our value and self-worth in a few short years. We pick up the mannerisms and habits of our parents or guardians, good and bad. If you have ever struggled with your self-image, an addiction, or abusive behavior because of what you learned as a child, then the rest of this message is focused for our mutual thought and healing.

     What formula in life can take children who overcome a family history of drug and alcohol abuse or physical and mental exploitation, and lead them to become happy and healthy adults, seemingly free from the hereditary hangups of their past? How do you take a tragically bad memory, learn and grow from it, without digging it up all the time? Just referring to it in a discussion can seem to cause us to relive it again and again. My mom and dad both came from families where alcohol and the abusive behavior of their fathers were almost considered normal. Neither my mom or my dad brought up those bad times very often, most of the time they only referred to their families' in good ways and how they had learned from the bad experiences that they never wanted to burden their children with such pain. And they never did.

     They were so convinced that they could alter who they were, that they took what were sometimes extreme measures, to make sure that the example that they set for us boys was not one filled with the same abuses that they had grown up with. They began by first dealing with their own lives. I think they decided that if they didn't have those things in their lives, then we would learn that it wasn't necessary to have them in ours either. Within their self-examinations, they also returned to roots involving the church and began to seek out God. Both of my grandmothers were very good women; although my mother's mother admitted that she wasn't a very good judge of men, married four times and eight children; one day as a young boy I asked her if she was ever going to get married again, without any time to consider the answer, she retorted, "I surely don't need another man in my life". For all of my life, and until her passing, she was true to her word. My father's mother was a very religious and kind spirit, she provided the very early dialog that pointed my mom and dad towards the church. I think that was the final step for them in finding what could make a difference in changing their life... Eventually, they found and started to attend a very actively growing and friendly church. In the lives of my brothers and myself, that church and the determination that my mother and father had to change their lives for the better, created a paradigm shift within our family, one that would change the course of who and how my brothers and I grew up. Certainly, we were not perfect, we made our share of mistakes and got ourselves into plenty of trouble, and still do on occasion. However we all grew up to find success; success in business, success in marriage, and success with our families and children. How can you look at that outcome and not realize that mom and dad had really figured out something big?

     You may find yourself being that person who needs to do the changing, or you may be the one hoping to live through something horrible and are simply trying to survive. I encourage you to find something positive and real, not fantasy or a temporary fix, to put in your field of emotional and spiritual vision. Try not to focus too much on what is painful or wrong in your life; instead, seek out the One who made every part of you. The creator of who and how you are. It may seem overly simple, but God does have a plan for you, and it isn't being abused or abusing others, or yourself. I don't want to talk specifics about steps to success here, there are plenty of groups and organizations out there that do that. I am talking to you directly and saying, we all have our life moments when we have to rise above the noise that is the evil and sorrow of this world. My point here is simply to reaffirm to you that it is possible to overcome such adversities. Regardless of the method that you choose to make change happen, be encouraged that success is within your grasp. Remember that you may not be able to change your past, but you can decide that your future will be different. You choose each pathway in your life, and how you choose will determine not only your destination but the legacy you leave when you're gone.

     There are so many self-help books out there, and slickly advertised plans that are guaranteed to "fix" your life and make you happy, it boggles the mind to think about the money we all spend, trying to find that permanent fix to our addictions, depression or failed marriages. But it's like someone who's trying to quit smoking. They can chew the special gum, get hypnotized, wear a hidden patch, or go to meetings with other smokers that all talk about quitting in-between "smoke" breaks, but until they decide to quit, until that, "I'm quitting right now" moment comes to them, most of these other answers will be short-lived and ineffective. That said, let's look at our own lives, the real picture of it, not the mask we wear in public, at church or to work. Maybe you always feel overwhelmed with mountains of depression or an addiction that controls your every train of thought; In the quiet of your own heart, and without the distractions of your life crowding inward, ask yourself for an honest answer to this question, do you really want to make a change? Is it time for a paradigm shift in your life? If so, then now may just be your time to put your mind, heart, and soul at work together toward a common goal, to make the things you need to change in your life, become reality.

  Start by seeking God. Have a conversation with Him, and be honest. Pray for strength and wisdom to identify the habits and the people in your life that need to change, or completely be rid of. Sometimes we hang on to people and things that just remind us of where we have failed. Choose those whom you can talk to, and don't just dump on them, listen; and be open to the thinking that you can change. To be clear, I am not saying that everything or anything is your fault. Change sometimes means that we are giving others too much responsibility in our lives. There are far too many avenues to explore here to usher in a new you in this short message, but if I can keep it simple and just say, God understands who you are. He knows your habits, and how hard it is to put them down. All He asks of you is to try. To seek help where it can do you good. Find friends and a church that makes a difference in your life, one where you are moved to stretch your spiritual legs and grow. Real followers of Christ, Christians, are still at best, sinners. So don't put anyone on a pedestal. Live in His grace, it is free, and it's the only secure path to finding peace. Learn to love yourself in spite of what you see in the mirror of your memories. God's forgiveness is fathomless, that means as far as it is from the earth to the sky, and then a thousand times more, He has forgotten your failures. Choose to end your addictions, abuses and bad habits and give them over to His love and grace. That probably will not be an easy thing, it usually isn't, but it is a worthwhile endeavor. You and your family can start today on your path of deliverance from whatever separates you from the perfect path God has chosen for you. Do not give up when you fail. The disciples failed, lied and hid-out to save themselves during their painful learning process, and God picked them up, dusted them off and helped them to become more than they could ever dream. You can live a life of purpose, overcome your past and its hold on you, but the first step is yours, you have to seek God and accept the grace and love that He will pour out on you. It's not easy, I know all to well the trap of fear and complacency when it comes to change, but the joy and freedom that will come from winning this battle, and the story you will have to share with others that suffer from the same trials you have won victory over, will shine the light of glorious transformation over your life, and prove beyond a doubt, that God is a God of renewal and revision for the beggar standing at the doorway of grace.

Our Last Day

Much has been written and said about what we would think of or do, if we knew today was our last day. Life is done, the great beyond begins tomorrow. Period. Would you think first of your children and their lives? Maybe you would write a quick letter to them, telling them that you love them, and impart some sort of lasting wisdom through your final words. For most of us I think, the thought of our last day is not one filled with joy, and suspenseful excitement. We fear those notions of finality. Of taking that next step on our own, where no one can come to our aide, or hold our hand. Although I know, and you should too, that Jesus came into this world so that the exact moment we fear the most, would be His best and most welcome wonder. We will not go into the future life, away from this world of pain and disappointment, alone. The grace and love of Jesus Christ will go with us. Comforting and contagiously helping us know that we are not unattended, but surrounded by family. The heavenly family.

          With that fear settled, and looking back at that last day of your life, what would you do? Who would you talk too or council? I know my own list is long, and probably impractical. Impractical because a day only has twenty four hours in it, and the plans and lists of people and things to see and accomplish would take more time than one twenty-four hour span. Precious time that I wouldn't have left, if it was my last day that is.

Thinking about it, I have come to a simple conclusion. Live every day as if it were your last one. Certainly a cliché, I know, but when I asked you earlier, what you would do, and who you would seek to be with or talk to, you knew as soon as I asked it, that your mind came up with far more things on that kind of list, than you could possibly do in the time given. That it might actually take a lifetime to say and do the things that you felt that you had yet to do. That is absolutely, without a doubt, the correct thinking. It does take a lifetime. You can either make yours a lifetime of blessings and learning from your mistakes, or you can let it weigh you down, repeat wrong after wrong, and leave a life full of regret, loss, and unimaginable sadness. That's really what free will is all about. The freedom to choose right or wrong. But it's more than that. It's also the freedom to do or choose wrong, and then later, choose to make it right, and learn from your experience.

          Even more than choosing to do better, freedom to choose gives us the opportunity to share with others our struggle in things or places where we have been wrong, or perhaps wronged. It allows us to give hope to others and offer them what wisdom that we have learned while we were in that low place. The freedom to choose gives us the chance to experience the greatest blessing in this world that I think there can possibly be. The chance to help someone else that is hurting, or downhearted. To give them a glimpse into what their future could be, by showing them that you have made it past those difficult times. That life can and will get better. Not perfect, but better. You are given the grace of your rescue, to offer the hope of rescue to someone else. This is an experience extremely hard to equal in life.

          In my last day scenario, I see my children grown and strong. Strong in spirit, and in faith. And also in wisdom. The wisdom to see others in need and respond. The righteous intellect of the Samaritan, who gave without wanting anything in return. It is easy to teach your children to be weary of this "evil" world. It's not hard to show them skepticism and have them grow into adults with no respect or morals to bind their thoughts. What is hard, and will be a sign of my success in life, is knowing that my children love God, love others, and live lives worthy of the respect of their peers, with grace, strength, and wisdom.

          Matthew 6:34 says that we should turn our full attention towards what God is doing right now. Don't become worried, or get upset about what may or may not ever come to pass tomorrow or the next day. God is here today, tomorrow and beyond, to help you deal with everything that comes your way, and He'll help you at exactly the right moment.

          That message is repeated in the Bible so many times it isn't hard to find sermon after sermon to substantiate what it says. Do not worry about tomorrow. But for me at least, it just isn't that easy. And what if there wasn't going to be a tomorrow? This seems to be where faith and knowing Jesus personally, fits into the answer column to all of our questions. If we could just know without any doubt, that He was indeed here for our every concern; That He hears our whispering prayers of desperation, and at that moment when this day is your last, He will welcome you with a hug and a warmth that we have only dreamed of in our best of times. Then, at that time, maybe we could know without worry or fear that tomorrow would be fine with or without us. That all of our depression and hiding in dark and quiet spaces would fade away into his presence.

          The reality of all of this is, with our simple acceptance of His gift of forgiveness, and our obedience to do the best that we can to follow Him and His plan for our lives, we open the doorway to the peace and warmth of Heaven's Prince. Though it's hard to wrap our independent human minds around it, God has made a way for us to know Him in a way that can and should, give us the wisdom and the resolve, to trust that when He says He will help us, at just the right moment, He will do what He has promised to do. Realize something for yourself today, each of us has stress and struggle within this world. To each one of us the ability to deal with our hardships comes in different strengths. In other words, what might seem world ending or horrible to you might not seem as bad to someone else. Maybe their struggles look easy to you, you who have never been a day on their path. So most importantly, don't judge or dictate for others what the definition of a crisis is. But offer the hope that comes through knowing Jesus as your best and personal friend.

          On my last day, I hope that I have lived life, like every day mattered. That I didn't waste opportunities to help others when I was called to be there for them. I pray that I have done everything that I can to show my children that faith and family, and the loyalty to it, cannot be over emphasized. That how I lived was my testimony to what and who I believe in. On that day, I want my wife and children to know that they were loved without measure, and my friends to know that they were cherished and enjoyed. You see the list can be quite definable, when your priorities are where God aligns them, and not where our selfish hearts put them. Examining that outcome for myself, I would say that I have some work to do. That I often fall short of living out what I just wrote. Maybe you do too. But God knows our shortcomings. He wants to see us succeed, but He is all too ready to help us up when we fall.

          Maybe today we can all take a step towards the goal of not worrying about something that hasn't yet happened. Taking one step of faith at a time, both you and I, can learn to trust that God does do what He says that He will do. Matthew 6:34 says it; God will help you deal with whatever hard things come to you, when that time comes. Whether it is a school final that we didn't study for, bills that we can't afford, the loss of a job, or the loss of a loved one, He will be there at just the right time, if we trust Him. And know, that the future will still be in His hands, on our last day.

Matthew 6:34 Msg

Inventory

     Taking inventory of our lives and actions, what a daunting task. When I think of it I am both terrified, and joyful. Because like most of you, my life is full of failures, some of them whoppers to be honest. But also some really wonderful times sprinkled throughout a life of learning what it means to be human. When I was younger, I worked part-time in the summer and winter breaks as an inventory specialist for a local tractor company. Actually, I started out hoeing weeds and picking up litter, and as they ran out of things to assign to me, I was put to use performing the least favorite task of just about everyone that worked there. No, it wasn't being the bathroom janitor for a bunch of burly mechanics that spent their lunches at the near by flea market enjoying the local taco truck cuisine. I was put to work in the parts warehouse, opening every drawer, looking on every shelf, counting how many nuts, bolts, and washers that the company had on hand. The regular parts staff usually hated this job. But for me, it was money for girls, cars, and all those other things a high school boy needs or wants, so I was open to pretty much whatever it took to get paid. One thing that I learned from that experience was to be thorough. Count twice, check and recheck, never assume.
     When I think of taking inventory of my life actions and attitudes in that same thorough way, I start to run for the proverbial door to escape my own condemnation. If we look back on our own failures and emotional tragedies with the power of the 'truth', we will find that we are all evil by nature. In fact the Bible points out that we have all lived lives that have fallen short of God's plan for us. (*) That we are all sinners in need of a miracle to fore go the just reward earned through the deeds of our nefarious nature. Certainly we should look back. Not to judge ourselves as evil, but to learn and improve from our mistakes. Forgiveness from stupidity and ignorance, should not be viewed as a license for repetition. Looking back, taking inventory of our lives, must include the sight correction that grace affords us. Don't use that opportunity to pronounce yourself unworthy, or worthless, use the knowledge of the past to inspire your future. See the good in your life, not just the bad. In all of us is the ability to feel overwhelmed by life's speed and relentless tug to do more, be more, accomplish more. That idea is a trap.

     I spoke of life lessons, higher learning and success often with my Dad. He was a kind soul, with a flair for wisdom through experience. One day we were talking about a man that I knew from work, he was going to school at night and online to finish his masters degree. The man had spent countless nights apart from his children, become somewhat estranged from his wife. He had lost part of the fire to pursue happiness without the reward of money, or power. I'm sure you're beginning to see the picture. My Dad finally asked me, "how much do you think is enough"? He was asking me to think about the man's situation; was the fact of having the degree, going to school, worth the losses he was experiencing in his marriage, his home, and family? As God would have it happen, a day or two later, that same man asked me into his office to discuss a business matter. When the subject of his hard word and struggle with school and the decision of whether or not to continue with it came up, I just listened. I didn't go into his office intending to say anything about what my Dad had said to me. After a minute of talking he paused, and I finally asked him what my Dad had asked me, "how much is enough"? We discussed the raise that it would afford him and his family. We talked about the respect of his peers as he would then be as "successful" as they were. I just kept asking him the same question, but in different ways. Will this degree make you closer to your wife? Will this promotion help your relationship with your children. We spent a few minutes taking inventory of the causes and effects of his choices. Later, he eventually decided to postpone his masters efforts until his children were older and he had more time. And happily, his marriage, children, and his promotion all worked out for the best. That day did make me think about my own choices though, and take a hard look at why I was pursuing some of them.

     When you look back and inventory your own life, what will it consist of? Where will your priorities and gifts be accountable? I am not saying that higher learning and gaining a degree or promotion isn't Godly or the right thing for you to do. What I am saying is, why are you doing it. Is it a positive in your life? In the life of your spouse or family? Or is it weighing you down, changing your priorities to less than righteous plans? It doesn't have to be job or school related. Putting your priorities anywhere that takes away from your responsibilities to your spouse, family, or faith is the way that your inventory gets altered. You see, we all have inventory. Choices and events in your life, both good and bad, create inventory. We control what kind of stockpile that is built up as a result of our lives and efforts. Do you suppose that when we stand before God, in the life after this one, and He asks us, "what have you done for My kingdom?" that you or I would likely answer; I abandoned my kids and wife in order to complete my degree, so that I could gain respect or get a raise. Do you think that we will answer, I didn't spend time at home, because I was serving and volunteering at my church, they needed me after all. Again, I'm not trying to say that being successful, or having a great higher education, or serving in your church or community is a bad thing; please hear that. But the inventory that is really important, the account that God seeks from you and I the most, is our inventory of people. How many lives did you affect for good? Did you love your kids and teach them the honor and respect of having a great earthly father? Did you stand by your commitment to love their mother through sickness and health? That is the inventory that someday, you will be asked to recount. Did we feed the hungry, cloth the poor. And try this one, did you share the grace of the Gospel with someone that really desperately needed to hear it? Money, fame, education and power, those things alone don't make a good inventory. Most of the time though, they don't ruin it either. We do that all on our own. When we rely on our status to make us happy or worthy, we've set ourselves on a path towards disappointment in God's eyes.

     When you look back at your life, whether you live to be 20 or 100 years old, what will you see? Will you see the emptiness of success without God's calling upon your life, or will you see the balance of serving His purpose and loving others into His kingdom. The storehouse that I want to see in my life's history is full of family and friends, but less familiar faces as well. People that I ministered too without knowing it or them necessarily, by living a ragamuffin Christian life. A life that isn't perfect, but is seeking to do anything that I can, to share the grace that I have been given. It may be that your time has come to adjust your inventory. That's what we used to do when the number of actual items found in the stock room didn't match what the list said we should have. If you have been looking into your own personal storehouse of life and are not liking what you see, adjust your inventory. Take the proactive approach to change your priorities, to seek God's plan in your life, to make your marriage and your family the valued asset that it's intended to be. Seek out the Master's list for your inventory, and in the end, the result on that day He calls you to recount your life's priorities, you will find it full of loved ones that know God's grace, family members that love and respect you, and a lot of surprising strangers that, through your life of virtue and goodness, are better off for having known you.

(*) Romans 3:2

The Strong Survive.. Or Do They

  These thoughts may be a bit self recriminating but as always, the intent is to share my thoughts, and find solace or maybe a hint of a solution in the process of writing them down. Though sometimes I tend to paint with a broad sounding brush, the focus is the topic and how it affects those that indeed fall into the category and subject. My apologies to those of you who have already discovered the secrets of living or do not suffer from the points made hereto.. 

  In wars of times gone by, the brave and the courageous have conquered and fought for the good and the bad. Men and women, who felt a calling of leadership, whose compulsion to be more than ordinary, were the backbone of creating a society of liberty, with rights and privileges. Truly, you cannot have freedom without sacrifice. Over time this burden can become heavier than all the weapons of war itself. Being a strong leader, or the protector of family and virtue, it's a heavy burden to evaluate where duty and love intermix with the stress and dangers of life and doubt. As parents we want to impart on our children the values that we hold dear, the memories that we made with our parents and mentors, renewed and imprinted into their lives. Husbands and wives, doing whatever it takes to protect each other, to spare each other from the stresses, the disappointments, and the pains of life and loss. The 'Strong' hold closely to the value of protecting who and what they hold dear, even if it means sacrificing themselves in ways unknown to those around them. It begs the question; how long can a 'strong' leader continue to sacrifice? What price is paid internally for telling yourself that others are more important than yourself? Over time, piece by piece, you make a deal with yourself saying that it's necessary to protect the ones that you love, or the things the you cherish. Think of it like this; people in life or death situations, the foxholes of life, often pray to God that if He will save them, they will give up some bad habit, or addiction. For strong leaders, heroic leaders, its often a promise to themselves, a deal with the devil within, that if they can just hold on, and be the person everyone expects them to be, the knight in shining armor, that then and only then, will they be given the chance to be called successful, respected, or worthy. Self destructive? By their very nature, some leaders give so much of themselves that it does become self destructive. History shows us over and over where good leaders are destroyed little by little when they give more of themselves, or think more of themselves, than they should.
  I want to focus on just one man of history and biblical fame in my thoughts here. David was born into a family where his worth was subject to jokes and ridicule. His youth was spent in the shadow of his brothers. But God had a plan to use David to lead and protect the people of Israel. Without retelling you the whole story, which you can find in Samuel, Kings and various books of the Old Testament, I am just looking at how leadership eroded Davids inner self. But more importantly how he handled it. And how God handled it! David lived and lead through victories and personal defeats. Some of his actions were despicable, but God loved him and continued to bless and use him. Why? I think it was because David continued to seek the presence and love of God. He found sorrow in his mistakes and grieved the pain that he caused to the innocent. His heart found God's love, one mistake and one victory at a time. This is the message to us from God, and the point of this writing. As leaders; as parents, wives, husbands, and just about anyone that you can think of, God asks us to seek Him in the things that we do. Our leadership skills will be our undoing if we think that we are capable of always being right! Through mistakes, and a humble, heartfelt remorse, we learn to value others and know the frailty of love, respect and friendship. This is how 'The Strong' survive- with success. David instructed his successor, Solomon, to honor the friendships and loyalties of their allies. He also reminded him of the fate of their enemies. Throughout his life, failures and successes, God used and blessed David. And he ended his life on earth regarded as a man of God, and loved by God. 
  Though you and I may never lead a kingdom of David's wealth and power, we do lead. We have children who need mentors and guidance, we have spouses who need love and grace, and we work and live with others who are constantly watching to see what is so 'different' about these Christians. What I hope they see in me, are not all of my failures, but the fact that I keep looking to God and saying, "I'm ready to try again". Do the strong survive? Yes they do; whether they survive and continue as successful, respected men and women depends largely on how they handle their failures in life. It takes very little courage at all to quit when a person fails. It takes a lot of courage to admit your were wrong, and try again, using wisdom and humility to continue to lead or mentor. I hope you haven't given up on yourself, or on how God can use your place in this life to help, mentor, lead and bless others. Somewhere there is a person, or persons, that He has placed in your life-path for just that purpose. How you live and lead through your mistakes is just as important as how you live and lead when you are victorious and successful. The 'Strong' do indeed survive, but they thrive when they realize that alone they are not strong, but with grace and perseverance to seek God and live genuine lives, they can and will survive not only as leaders, but as respected, Godly heirs to a kingdom greater than David's ever was.

Randy
May 17, 2015

Vanishing Heroes

Growing up, I had my idea of what a real hero looked like. For a lot of little boys, it’s their Dad, or a big brother, I was no different. His heroes became my heroes. John Wayne’s personal beliefs about manhood and style of justice fit right in with my dad’s ideals. “I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.” I was never allowed to bully or start fights. I was taught to respect others, and their property. But on one occasion when I was bullied and beaten up, my Dad became angry, and it was mostly when he found out that I had refused to fight back. I was concerned that I would be in trouble just for being in a fight. What he said was this, “son, when someone pushes you long enough, and far enough, it’s time to stop them from pushing. You have to defend what is right, what is yours, and what you believe to be true." Needless to say, that was the last time that I was ever bullied without giving a response of resistance, or full out violence.

            I think the trouble today is that we have so ingrained our children to think that they can talk or negotiate their way out of anything. That no matter how evil or violent the aggressor, responding in force, or with gritty determination to defend themselves, is always viewed as socially wrong. There are many names and titles for what people call this theory. But it seems to have one major effect that I have come to question; What happened to all our heroes? Year after year we honor those who have passed, and recognize them as irreplaceable characters of honor, or defenders of the weak or oppressed. When I think of today’s movies and television, heroes do not come to mind. Actions becoming of heroes don’t even come to mind, so what’s happening?

            Surely dads, moms, brothers and sisters are still heroes to the young, but in this day of zero tolerances, the life lessons that we used to see as constructive and necessary are looked at with progressively convicting eyes, those who think- peace at any cost. It is that philosophy of passivism that, when not balanced with responsibility, is developing a generation of people that won’t stand up for themselves.  Leading through ethical, principled strength and responsible values is looked at in our progressive world as unacceptable and outdated behavior. Stopping a bully through returned aggression, is somehow a "barbaric" ritual that is no longer needed or welcome in our “modern” society. Let me remind you of what my dad told me so many years ago; he said, "son, when someone pushes you long enough, and far enough, it’s time to stop them from pushing. You have to defend what is right, what is yours, and what you believe to be true". These are the very principles that formed The United States. The very ideals that made us free to worship and serve God in our own way. The same freedom that God grants you every day, when you decide where your loyalties and treasures will be placed. Heroes aren't something you can make, or train. Heroes do what they do because they love or admire something too much to lose it! They are willing to give everything that they are, to preserve what they hold dear, and what they love. We can all be heroes, or... we can just keep looking for them. To be certain, we need to honor those who came before us and those who continue to give of themselves; some gave all that they had so that we could live and die the way we do. Free. Free to choose right. Free to defend the weak and oppressed, Free to be the Heroes for today.

-Randy Dysart (Dad)

for SR Dysart, Joshua R.                                                                                       ~ ShoeBoxProphet