Steven Covey came up with that simple yet brilliant statement. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. It seems to be easier said than done for most of us - myself included.
We know it when we see it. Jesus' life was marked by a relentless focus on keeping the main thing the main thing. It kept him continually at odds with the religious leaders of his day who would rather ride hobby horses than truly follow the Living God. Mother Teresa and Gandhi also seemed to be able to keep the main thing primary in their lives.
More often than not, keeping the main thing the main thing leads to conflict. Folks are more comfortable with peripheral things. They're easier to do and easier to comprehend. They're also more about us and less about - well, the main thing. Maybe that's the crux of the matter.
At the deepest level - en lo mas hondo de mi ser - in my marrow - I want the focus of my life and energies to be on the Main Thing.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Sunday, October 7, 2007
UK and Diana Krall
Thursday night I was watching theUniversity of KY vs. South Carolina and talking to my mom on the phone. I noticed that there were a lot of Kentucky fans in South Carolina and commented to my mom that it seemed like a long way to travel. She responded, "It doesn't seem any farther than Nashville is from South Central VA."
She's referring to my trip to Nashvegas to see Diana Krall in concert this summer. Yeah, and I drove. To mom (obviously), that seemed a bit extreme. The thing is, I had an extreme desire to see Diana Krall in concert- I've wanted to see her live for years. The truth is, I probably would have traveled farther than Nashville.
I guess it's a matter of priorities. I'm not a KY or a SC fan, I just wanted to watch some football. I probably would travel a fair distance to see the Steelers play (and regularly drive to see them when they're in Charlotte). Folks are willing to go the distance for whatever's important to them.
Christine Dente sings a song entitiled How Far, How Much where the question is posed, "How far would I go to show I love you so, I wonder?" I think it's an excellent question to ask. The "you" in this particular song is God. For me, God is priority #1 and the question is apt.
God in Christ went the distance for me (and you too) -- all the way to the cross. He willingly laid down his life. How far would I go to show I love Him so?
She's referring to my trip to Nashvegas to see Diana Krall in concert this summer. Yeah, and I drove. To mom (obviously), that seemed a bit extreme. The thing is, I had an extreme desire to see Diana Krall in concert- I've wanted to see her live for years. The truth is, I probably would have traveled farther than Nashville.
I guess it's a matter of priorities. I'm not a KY or a SC fan, I just wanted to watch some football. I probably would travel a fair distance to see the Steelers play (and regularly drive to see them when they're in Charlotte). Folks are willing to go the distance for whatever's important to them.
Christine Dente sings a song entitiled How Far, How Much where the question is posed, "How far would I go to show I love you so, I wonder?" I think it's an excellent question to ask. The "you" in this particular song is God. For me, God is priority #1 and the question is apt.
God in Christ went the distance for me (and you too) -- all the way to the cross. He willingly laid down his life. How far would I go to show I love Him so?
Friday, October 5, 2007
Smelly Music?
In some ways, music is like a smell.
They say that the sense of smell is linked in some very basic way to memory. Certain odors will prompt the memory of an event. For instance, perfumes may remind you of certain people. Smells can also evoke emotions, positive or negative that relate to our memories of events. Yesterday, I was taking a walk and smelled a cigar. Not a malodorous, cheap cigar, but a fairly decent one. The smell of good cigars reminds me of my father. I like the smell. It reminds me of the feeling of safety and security I had as a child.
Music does the same sort of thing. I've got Sirius radio, and love the 70's station. There's just nothing like music from the 70's, is there? My kids are amazed that I seem to know every song. Many of those songs carry memories. Many more evoke feelings: the feeling of the world opening up in new and exciting ways, feelings of confidence (and sometimes of insecurity), feelings of love - or rejection. Overwhelmingly, though music from this era makes me feel great.
It's an amazing power, isn't it? The power of words and music together forming part of the framework of someone's life?
They say that the sense of smell is linked in some very basic way to memory. Certain odors will prompt the memory of an event. For instance, perfumes may remind you of certain people. Smells can also evoke emotions, positive or negative that relate to our memories of events. Yesterday, I was taking a walk and smelled a cigar. Not a malodorous, cheap cigar, but a fairly decent one. The smell of good cigars reminds me of my father. I like the smell. It reminds me of the feeling of safety and security I had as a child.
Music does the same sort of thing. I've got Sirius radio, and love the 70's station. There's just nothing like music from the 70's, is there? My kids are amazed that I seem to know every song. Many of those songs carry memories. Many more evoke feelings: the feeling of the world opening up in new and exciting ways, feelings of confidence (and sometimes of insecurity), feelings of love - or rejection. Overwhelmingly, though music from this era makes me feel great.
It's an amazing power, isn't it? The power of words and music together forming part of the framework of someone's life?
Thursday, October 4, 2007
The sky is beautiful at this time of year. Whether it's the moon at night or the clouds during the day. The sky is dramatic in the Fall. Sunrise and sunset are equally lovely. This morning there was a rainbow shooting up in the west.
My daughter (adjusting to her 1st year of high school) said, "Maybe the rainbow's a sign that I'm going to have a good day." Wouldn't it great if we could see a sign in the sky and know with certainty that it portends a good day!
Though we can't tell by rainbows or stars or anything else we see on our way to work or school that things are going to go our way, we can know that God is with us. And as the Creator of ALL, he'll guide us through every circumstance "good" or "bad"and use it all as a means of guiding our lives and shaping our hearts.
My daughter (adjusting to her 1st year of high school) said, "Maybe the rainbow's a sign that I'm going to have a good day." Wouldn't it great if we could see a sign in the sky and know with certainty that it portends a good day!
Though we can't tell by rainbows or stars or anything else we see on our way to work or school that things are going to go our way, we can know that God is with us. And as the Creator of ALL, he'll guide us through every circumstance "good" or "bad"and use it all as a means of guiding our lives and shaping our hearts.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Did You Know
Did you know:
- In Louisiana biting someone with your natural teeth is "simple assault" but biting someone with your false teeth is "aggravated assault"?
- The banana is the world's largest herb?
-Unlike love and warranties, pollen actually does last forever?
-According to marine biologists, whale songs are said to rhyme?
- A group of tigers is known collectively as a "streak".
- In Louisiana biting someone with your natural teeth is "simple assault" but biting someone with your false teeth is "aggravated assault"?
- The banana is the world's largest herb?
-Unlike love and warranties, pollen actually does last forever?
-According to marine biologists, whale songs are said to rhyme?
- A group of tigers is known collectively as a "streak".
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
He's Feelin' So Fly
I had a conversation with my friend Patrick today. I've known Patrick for about 8 years. We're work buddies. We've shared lots of life over the years we've been friends. I've cried at his dad's funeral and at his wedding. We've fought together in the trenches at work. Patrick is an amazing fellow and an inspirational follower of Jesus Christ.
A few weeks ago Patrick blew out his ACL playing basketball. To fully understand the impact of something like this, you need to know that "Basketball jones, I got a basketball jones, I got a basketball jones oh baby oooheeooh" was written about him.
But rather than be devastated and drown in self-pity, Patrick decided to discover what God had for him. He worked hard in physical therapy before surgery, came through surgery like a champ, and now is in physical therapy again - working hard to regain mobility. Patrick's doing his part, and God is faithfully doing His.
I asked him how he's doing today and he said:
- "God is encouraging me as I'm praising Him."
- "I feel so triumphant, so liberated, and I will never forget leaning my crutch up against the wall and walking away from it. It has to be a taste of what those people that Jesus healed felt like."
- "If I had wings I could fly."
It puts me in mind of Toby Mac's song "Feelin' So Fly":
There ain't a day that goes by
That I'm not singing Your praise
There ain't a day that goes by
That I'm not completely amazed
A supernatural high
Your love is simply insane
You got me feeling so fly
It's amazing how God blesses beyond our thoughts or expectations in all things - if only we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand.
A few weeks ago Patrick blew out his ACL playing basketball. To fully understand the impact of something like this, you need to know that "Basketball jones, I got a basketball jones, I got a basketball jones oh baby oooheeooh" was written about him.
But rather than be devastated and drown in self-pity, Patrick decided to discover what God had for him. He worked hard in physical therapy before surgery, came through surgery like a champ, and now is in physical therapy again - working hard to regain mobility. Patrick's doing his part, and God is faithfully doing His.
I asked him how he's doing today and he said:
- "God is encouraging me as I'm praising Him."
- "I feel so triumphant, so liberated, and I will never forget leaning my crutch up against the wall and walking away from it. It has to be a taste of what those people that Jesus healed felt like."
- "If I had wings I could fly."
It puts me in mind of Toby Mac's song "Feelin' So Fly":
There ain't a day that goes by
That I'm not singing Your praise
There ain't a day that goes by
That I'm not completely amazed
A supernatural high
Your love is simply insane
You got me feeling so fly
It's amazing how God blesses beyond our thoughts or expectations in all things - if only we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand.
Monday, October 1, 2007
On the Closing of a Church
It's pretty darn sad when a church closes its doors. Yesterday I attended the final service of a small Presbyterian church in my town. It began as a mission of a larger Presbyterian church, planted in a mill neighborhood in 1919. Ideally, the church would have been there as a beacon of hope and proclaimer of grace. Maybe it was.
Over the years the neighborhood changed, as neighborhoods are wont to do. It became integrated, perhaps even predominately black. The congregation did not change. It did not integrate. Why? I picked up one of the visitors cards from the pew yesterday. It originated from the 60s, and depicts clean cut smiling folks - women in hats and gloves. The families on the visitor card do not reflect the demographic of the neighborhood.
I attend the largest Presbyterian church in town. We once boasted a congregation of close to 1,000. I think there may be 300-400 on the church rolls today. Our church is located near downtown. In our case too, the demographics of the church do not match the demographics of the neighborhood. The church does reach out to the neighborhood, serving lunch every Saturday (the only day of the week the week the Salvation Army does not offer a meal). But in worship on Sunday morning, most of the faces are white.
I sit on the session of the church, and the decline in membership is a concern. I can imagine session meeting from the church that just closed sounding similar. How much of a concern is it truly? Are we willing to change the demographics of the church? Are we willing to integrate? How 'bout changing worship, sharing power, opening up to CHANGE?
Part of God's great charm is that he always calls us into a wider place. But getting there means being open to change, discomfort, and pain. The alternative is a long, slow death. May God grant us all the grace to follow where his Holy Spirit leads.
Over the years the neighborhood changed, as neighborhoods are wont to do. It became integrated, perhaps even predominately black. The congregation did not change. It did not integrate. Why? I picked up one of the visitors cards from the pew yesterday. It originated from the 60s, and depicts clean cut smiling folks - women in hats and gloves. The families on the visitor card do not reflect the demographic of the neighborhood.
I attend the largest Presbyterian church in town. We once boasted a congregation of close to 1,000. I think there may be 300-400 on the church rolls today. Our church is located near downtown. In our case too, the demographics of the church do not match the demographics of the neighborhood. The church does reach out to the neighborhood, serving lunch every Saturday (the only day of the week the week the Salvation Army does not offer a meal). But in worship on Sunday morning, most of the faces are white.
I sit on the session of the church, and the decline in membership is a concern. I can imagine session meeting from the church that just closed sounding similar. How much of a concern is it truly? Are we willing to change the demographics of the church? Are we willing to integrate? How 'bout changing worship, sharing power, opening up to CHANGE?
Part of God's great charm is that he always calls us into a wider place. But getting there means being open to change, discomfort, and pain. The alternative is a long, slow death. May God grant us all the grace to follow where his Holy Spirit leads.
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