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The Weather Outside is Frightening

Is anyone sick and tired of the cold winter weather yet? I know that I’m counting the days until our average daily temperature begins to rise on January 23rd. Sure, it is true that we don’t have negative 40 degree Fahrenheit wind chill temperatures like North Dakota or the most snowfall recorded to have fallen since record keeping began 120 years ago in Vermont, but it is nevertheless cold and icy outside. And I hate it!

Talk about a deep freeze, two thirds of the United States of America has been under this most recent arctic blast. Maybe some of you read where this recent cold snap has frozen iguanas, and they are going into a deep sleep and falling from trees near Miami and southern Florida beaches. Watch out down there for those former green vegetarian pets trying to warm themselves on sidewalks, driveways, and roads. Maybe someone can toss them some dark green leafy vegetables.

Turning Over a New Leaf

 Just right up the road from my home in Springfield, Missouri, our cold weather didn’t deter two women to stand out on a street corner clad only in lettuce bikinis. With the temperatures near zero they felt it was the perfect time to draw attention to themselves promoting vegan diets.

Come on lettuce ladies! I prefer to make a change for the better by being a broccoli boy with my clothes on and warming my chestnuts by an open fire. Shouldn’t you be down in Florida wrapping those iguanas in lettuce blankets? Not only that, but don’t you know how many vegetables had to die for your salad?

At least this very cold winter weather didn’t put a damper on our Holiday break. My son has summed up his Christmas school break with an additional third week of vacation. Certainly he was not complaining while much of our community was shut down with snow and near record cold temperatures.

Dream Weaver

My final month of 2009 went relatively smooth. Especially when all of last year's Christmas lights worked. But for some reason on the first morning of 2010 I was awakened in what seem like a state of emergency with my heart pounding rapidly. “Phew! Exhale! It was again only a dream.” Even with it being before dawn's early light I was thankful to be awake from that psycho-pseudo astral plane. Without going into detail I wasn’t on that Dream Weaver Train with the song “Twelve Day’s of Christmas” being played over and over, with four French hens trying to peck me to death while ten lords were leaping. Sigmund Freud must be the conductor on that Polar Express.

Boogie-Oogie

In my younger years I was not a morning person. I preferred the night life and it was if I had to boogie-oogie till I couldn’t "boogie-oogie-oogie no more". My energy level actually increased after midnight. But now my mornings - even before sunrise - are my favorite time of the day. Even though the sky is still black, I joyfully anticipate my hot cup of coffee, as my fireplace begins to take the evening chill from the air. And I must say that recently my heating system has had difficulty conquering the outside blowing cold. BRRRRrrrrr! And while most of the world around me still snoozes before sun up, the city lights twinkle bright over the valley north of my home. There is still solitude and it is the best time to reflect before daylight brings about our decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.

Happiness is Temporary

Joy is Permanent

In reflection about 2009 there is a saying, “Happiness is only temporary and fleeting, but joy is a deeper more permanent condition.” Over the holidays I spent some time reading about other people and their lives. Cold negative giant snow drifts of life are trying to cover them up in despair. For them finding happiness can be a serious problem.

When we are troubled sometimes we can find comfort in some composed words. That’s why I like to share moments of time in a song. It’s as if we nod along and sing together as one. Maybe this song was written for you.

Let’s be thankful that we are not warming a Slim Jim over a candle for something to eat and spend less time on Spacebook and I-face. Wink!

Here's to another New Year reassuring our hearts all will be well…Greg

Christmas is the spirit of love and it doesn’t come just once a year. When we celebrate Christmas everyday we are never alone.

From my heart to yours I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Greg

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and Angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But where with for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.

Poet Christina Georgina Rossetti 

My stomach tried to take-over for this year’s Thanksgiving Day feast. But the waist band of my pants reminded me that it’s still the wrestling Title Belt holder with it’s strangle-hold around my gut. It’s difficult to resist seconds when there is plenty of slow roasted smoked turkey, crackling, crunchy sweet honey glazed ham, and who can resist more fluffy, flavorful mashed potatoes, whipped perfectly in cream cheese and butter. But what really tightened the squeeze was that homemade Missouri Mennonite coconut cream pie and my daughter’s serious homemade pumpkin cheesecake. Winner…Winner…That’s Thanksgiving Dinner.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Usually, we all just go about our business. Our minds have eternal daily planners, turning pages, relegating our weekly routines. Time goes by, we carry on, and keep on the go. We share a little of this and a little of that. Then something happens that changes everything in a blink of an eye.

This year’s autumn trail has been very bitter, definitely not sweet in that it has been an unfortunate ending for acquaintances, friends, and family without a shot at late maturity. For any of us witnessing families lose loved ones to an accident, dreaded disease, or tragedy at a young age should cause any one of us to shudder.

It’s so true that no parent should ever have to bury their child no matter what their age. The pain can seem to be so insurmountable that they wish that they themselves could take their child’s place. Grief surely has no respect for any age.

Everyone of us can think of a life changing moment. I’m not talking about those little special pieces time. Life changing moments are when everything is going to be a whole lot different, never the same, from that point forward.

I immediately think of two distinct moments in my life. (Actually, I just thought of a third moment.) As I reflect, that third moment should always be the main moment that defines me because it was orchestrated from heaven. How many distinct moments will we have or have to endure in a lifetime I wonder? Of coarse the answer will vary between each and every one of us.

Over the last five years I’ve now realized that I have more of a tendency to just keep my distance, be an observer, and take a few notes.

For those of us who take our journaling seriously we have all experienced a pilgrimage. Some of us have become more acquainted through Blog Quest and are definitely a part of an expanded community. It still amazes me that you will still come by and take some time to read through my babbles, jokes, and even put up with some of my preaching. But I digressed…

I usually avoid writing about difficult times and certain situations because I’ve always had a heartfelt desire to be an exhorter. There are appropriate times to share my testimony personally with someone or with a group. Like what it felt like to be paralyzed, not being able to walk, laying in a bed most of the time, and be incontinent. But it has to be the right situation to share. Please take no offense because I’m very cautious with whom I share my testimony with. It’s really not just for new or for those few old friends to show up to know what’s up and have something to gossip about. Nope! Everyone and everything is not for a blog, Facebook, Myspace, Youtube, or reality television episode.

Nobody can fully truly understand situations unless they have been there or done that. There are just some things we are not going to fully understand unless we experience those situations for ourselves. Only if you have been in those trenches (for example like abuse, addiction, deadly diseases, and military warfare) will we ever fully grasp the depth of those certain conditions.

I’m reminded of a personal conversation someone shared with me that was so down right evil that I stated, “I don’t understand how anyone could do such a thing.” Their reply, “You don’t want to be able to understand.”

Hence, very difficult times for others in my immediate family and people whom I have become acquainted with has been why I had to almost completely step away from my computer. It is kind of like going off into the wilderness.

Life has a way of testing our beliefs. Just when we think we got it going on, the bottom falls out, and our clown nose falls off. That’s when our intellect wants to mess with our faith.

How Come You Let That Happen?

What’s With All This Disparity Between Your Promises and World Realities?

Oh yes! Just like you I ask these questions about paradoxes. Don’t be fooled - I’ve also witnessed the mightiest men and women of God do this too! Some of the greatest theologians battled with these questions.

This world does have an obscure dark side that at times hurls bombs of tragedy to bedevil, confuse and disconcert. I recently finished my months of study in the Book of Job. There was a point in this Godly man’s life when he had become so befuddled and wretched that he asked God why he was even born.

There are some things in life that will happen that we can never predict. Those unspecified occurrences or dastardly deeds that never in our wildest dreams could we ever imagine to have to face. We always like to think we and our loved ones are invincible. It’s as if it will always just happen to the other guy. We even like to think that death is always so far away. But in reality always surrounding us is darkness. Any sort of darkness is never an old friend.

When my cousin’s last moments of physical life were shared with me, and with the passing of our most recent Veterans Day to honor those who have served with their lives for others, a few words written by Commander Richard Byrd seem fitting. Commander Byrd is famously noted as a polar aviator and explorer. During a six month winter stay at the South Pole, when the sun does not make an appearance above the horizon for four months, Commander Byrd wrote a few sentences in his journal that were later edited for publication:

Then three weeks before the sun was to due to peek once again above the most southern tundra horizon he wrote:

This is about three people. First, a newlywed, a 25 year old woman. Second, a wife, mother of three young children, almost 30 years old. Both also daughters to a mother and father. Third, my cousin Brian, a husband, recently a brand new father, a son and a brother, 47 years old. Their ages all different but all three seemingly young, beautiful, and stylish in their own way.

There has been years upon years of research and fund drives. The annual KTTC/Eagles Cancer Telethon in Rochester, Minnesota, also the home for the Mayo Clinic, has again begun auditioning acts for it’s January show in 2010. This will be the 55th year for this cancer fund raiser. Through the years I have even had family members participate. Everyone’s goal as in any cancer charity drive is to help raise money so researchers and doctors can still try to find a cure for this dreaded disease. Yet, cancer still doesn’t discriminate. Three more people that are victims from an evil cruel work.

There were days, weeks, and months of prayer spoken over each of them for healing. Everyone waiting and wanting a miracle. And all the while the effects of chemotherapy and the spirit of cancer took it’s toll. Finally, all three of them became confined to their beds not being able to speak or care for themselves.

Regardless of who we are, our beliefs, or faith backgrounds, that previous paragraph should make any us have a sense of grief for others. Cancer is such a tough merciless disease. Cancer is never kind hearted or a gentleman. Cancer is a beast that destroys the beauty in a person. There is absolutely no beauty in cancer. It is always a beast.

In succession, it’s these three families that brought me to a point of silence. Nothing to say. Nothing to share. Just a loss for words and an empty notepad for an extended period of time. However, eventually, when we shut-up and shut-off, we have to find words to speak because silence can also be like the cancer beast that grows.

When I attended college in Oregon, I had to read Scott Peck’s New York Times best seller, The Road Less Traveled. The first chapter was entitled, Problems and Pain. The first sentence reads, Life is difficult.

It was not too long after that when I first truly (raising and flicking two fingers on each side of my head) that I became a Christian. I thought all my problems would be solved. The road of life would be silky smooth and life a piece of cake. I would have good health, a good marriage, and good times for everyone all around me. Yep, life seen through rose colored glasses.

Hello! That hasn’t happened. I’m willing to bet it hasn’t happened to you too. No matter how much we watch our words, pray the right prayers, and do our best to follow a moral code, those unspecified occurrences even some bad deeds are going to be dealt. We don’t always know what cards we are going to get.

Blaise Pascal, a famous scientist and mathematician saw faith as if he was playing in this year’s World Series of Poker with our lives being like a cosmic wager facing some uncertainty from a deck of cards. This seems fitting when we think of God like a pit boss. We place our bets, not knowing which cards are exactly left in the dealers deck hoping to win a spiritual victory bracelet.

I’ve wondered a lot about what my cousin now see’s after his last physical breath. He’s now disengaged from this world where the gaming of callous, selfish, greedy people still exists.

None of us can remember our births. We really don’t want to imagine our deaths. Birth, life, and death is a circling process. The premature death of a loved one raises many questions with no easy answers. Hallmark Cards, flowers in vases, or words of condolence are thoughtful. But they really don’t ease a families pain. You don’t ever get over it. The scar never goes away.

The only thing that really eases the pain for families and friends is the supernatural world outside of our natural world. But we all have questions about that. Certain family members have asked me about heaven. They have even asked questions about the Holy Trinity.

I don’t profess to be a know it all. I’m just an ordinary person trying to figure things out too just like you. But no matter what we really need to investigate our questions and worries. We should live to continually learn and as I like to say, “Always remain teachable” and now add, “Be a work in progress making personal changes for the better.”

As I currently sit at my laptop on this cloudy fall day in the Ozarks suddenly the sunlight slips through the clouds, sheds light through the window to my left producing my dim reflection on my laptop screen. Fifty years of life, and I can make out looking into the screen that my face is little more gaunt, and a little more weary from earthly battles. Some things I don’t want to remember. But today it’s as if they were a necessary transition for me to remember.

I’m very fortunate and am very thankful to still be an earthly survivor for my family. I hadn’t spoken to my cousin Brian in years. But when I heard how much he enjoyed his quiet time by the lake or by the ocean I knew we were connected as thinkers. Just like how our grandpa would sit and contemplate.

Towards the end of this past summer, there was this one day that Brian felt well enough to join our families in Minnesota away from all his treatments at the Mayo Clinic. After making peace with them all he stepped away to look over a field. I believe, I have this vision, that like commander Byrd he was looking over the land and viewing the horizon. Even though it was daylight there was that gloom of funeral darkness hanging around. But it was on this day He began to see the vastness in the sky, that twilight coming over the horizon, targeting him specifically and showing him that everything was going to be alright in God’s Light.

- Randy Alcorn

I apologize for being away but it was a necessary time to reflect. But I promise I won’t ever give up. You never give up either…

In closing, these words come up from my heart:

Greg