What a difference a day makes.

1968: Hair!

The years go by like stones under rushing water. 

Each year, on December 28, I pause and reflect. It's easy to forget what life was like 49 years ago, what life could have been like, had God not intervened that evening in 1968. 

It was the last Saturday night of the year; I had a plan, and it certainly did not include an up close conversation with God. He had a different plan and, as it turns out, it changed my life...forever.

But the path to that evening in 1968 started ten years before, when my Grandmother, who lived with us at the time, would gather me up and carry me off to Church and Sunday School, what amazing grace!  I still have my first Bible, the one mom gave me to take to church with Grandma. I didn't know, until I was a young adult, that my grandmother faithfully prayed for me each day--that "BJ would experience the power of Jesus in his life and embrace Him as his Lord and Savior." She eventually moved back to her roots in Fort Scott Kansas. But I continued to get myself to church until 8th grade.

I don't recall why I decided to "drop out" but I'm sure it just didn't feel very cool to attend church and Sunday School any longer--and since I went by myself, it was my decision to make. Fast forward to the fall of my Junior year in High School. One evening I landed at a Campus Life meeting (thank you Pauline Adams!) at the home of a classmate; it was the kickoff for the school year and as advertised, it was a "Burger Bash," all you could eat and attracted a huge crowd of students. 

I got more that evening than a big meal. The Campus Life leader, Mark Zier, gave a short talk to close the event and he asked the crowd..."If you died tonight, do you know where you're going?" I didn't. It bothered me for a few minutes, then I moved on.

On the evening of December 28, 1968 I was set to attend an "After Christmas" party with some buddies (Jerry McClain was driving). Our "wires got crossed" (coincidence?) and they never showed up; stuck, I recalled something was happening at the Rec-center with Campus Life that night--they called it a Campus Life Rally. There was a girl I had some interest in and I knew she would probably be there (I was right); I managed to catch Mark (Zier) before he'd left his house. He was delighted when I called, and he swung by and picked me up. An evening of activities, music and then a guy, Roger Cross, got up and challenged me again about my life and death. This time I was ready and wanted to get this question resolved; Mark talked with me and then invited me to pray a short, simple prayer to embrace Jesus as Messiah, and the rest...is history.

Our 2nd date 1969

Three weeks later I went to the Ventura Campus Life Rally. Mark asked me to share about my recent conversion experience with that half of the county I grew up in. Mark mentioned a girl he thought I'd really like, a cute Sophomore at Buena High School named Laura, he wanted to introduce us. He was right. In that span of three weeks I'd had two introductions that literally changed the direction and the outcome of my life: I'd trusted Jesus Messiah and met my future wife--we married 3 years, 48 weeks and 6 days later.

My home was a rather complicated place (aren't most?). Lot's of love, AND pain. I was carrying some emotional baggage by that time and was making some bad choices. Jesus changed all that in an instant. The baggage was there--in fact it didn't get fully "unpacked" for years. But His presence in my life set me in a "best direction" that just never wavered. Laura's family embraced me as a "son" as our relationship grew; they, especially her dad (my dad died suddenly in 1970), filled a great need in my life.

In the 80's there was a popular gospel song written by Bill Gaither that describes my story, I get choked up every time I sing it; the chorus declares..."Something beautiful, something good; all my confusion He understood, all I had to offer him was brokenness and strife, but He made something, beautiful, out of my life."

December, 28, 1968. What a difference a day makes.  

Thanks be to God for our Blessed hope!

Life is fast.

Live it well...M6.8 bN

Wait.

Wait.
Be still and wait.
A glorious calling.

Trust God and wait.
He comes in the silence.
He inhabits the stillness.

Those who wait, rise up on wings of eagles.
Those who wait, run and grow not weary.
Those who wait, walk and do not faint.

Wait.
Be still and wait.
Emmanuel. God. With. Us.



Life is fast.
Live it well...M6.8 bN

Blessed.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve 2017.

I am blessed. Not because life hasn't taken anything away from me, or disappointed me. Not because every dream I ever had for my life has played out in spades.

I'm blessed because the older I get, the more acutely aware I am that life is hard, harsh--unfair and riddled with sorrow. Yet in spite of that, as I look back I see God's fingerprints all across my 64 years.

I'm thankful for my family of origin. It was a perfectly normal not-perfect home; but we were loved, and the provision was so sacrificial. I remember Hody's Drive-in, singing in the family station wagon, Christmas mornings, baseball card collections, my parents trusting me. Back yard barbecues. Working in the family business. They gave me my foundation, my work ethic, many of my core values and showed me what it means to be a responsible adult.

I'm grateful for my brother and sister, Brad and Tamara. I was the proud younger brother to Brad and the protective older brother to Tamara. I love them both and appreciate all we share and their part in making me, me.

I'm thankful for my Grandma Blankenship and my Aunt Carolyn who stood in the gap for me, prayed for me and lovingly intervined on my behalf when I desperately needed an advocate...for my cousin Patty who was like a big sister to me.

I'm thankful for friends made a life-time ago that have come back into my life through social-media. The memories we share form a strong bond and a rich tapestry woven from the community we shared together growing up in a little town North-West of LA called Thousand Oaks. These people helped give me a good start.

I'm thankful for Mark who showed me what effective faith consisted of and then mentored me in the early years of my walk with Jesus Messiah; introduced me to the girl who would become the woman I've shared my life with for nearly 45 years and challenged me to pursue a call into ministry--which extended into 26 years.

I have been blessed by friends in 4 different States;North Carolina, California, Illinois and Indiana, over the past 45 years. People have loved us well at every stop; they mentored us as a "just married" college couple at Duke, befriended us as co-sojourners with growing families in our early years when I was a young Merchandising Exec, allowed us to lead them as their "clergy couple" over 18 plus years as a Lead Pastor at three stops--California, Illinois and Indiana. Many of these folks remain in close contact with us.

I'm thankful for the years I spent a Duke University--an opportunity that wasn't even on the radar when I finally sat down to consider where I might pursue my college ambitions--yet when the time was right, God delivered me to that place--and a paid-in-full promise.

I'm thankful for my Talbot Seminary experience. The timing was all wrong, but so right. This was such a formative time in my life. My brain finally unfolded and study became a discipline that shaped my life and my ministry.

I'm thankful for Laura, my wife. As I mentioned, we will celebrate 45 years of marriage on January 5, 2018. She is my very best friend. She has worked along side me, loved me, made our home a place of nurture for our children, supported us all in the pursuit of our dreams. She has stood by me through some very deep water, I'm so grateful. She is an immensely talented woman with special gifts as a musician, homemaker and grandmother.

I'm thankful for Laura's parents, Gene and Janice. They loved us well and were generous with their love, wisdom and support. They left such a legacy of Godliness and service. They became a second set of parents to me--so critical because I lost my dad at age 17 and my mom at age 31. They stood in the gaps for me.

I'm thankful for my kids, Erin and Joseph. They have become such good citizens, parents and are raising their kids with love, grace and sacrifice. They are my friends; intelligent and stimulating, opinionated and articulate. They have such passion for the ideas they believe in. Best of all, they love Jesus Messiah and endeavor to live in a manner that reflects His image to their worlds.

I'm thankful for Matthew and Miranda, my son and daughter-in law. They are talented, compassionate people, love my kids well and are wonderful parents. I prayed even before our children were born for that person they may eventually share their lives and dreams with. God did good. They are companions on the Way with our children and have established homes that honor Christ and serve Him.

I'm thankful for our four gandchildren, Braden, Kellen, Gabriella and Grayson and an as yet not born second grandaughter (Joseph and Miranda) due in March 2018. Grandchildren are everything that's right about life. Pure joy, delight, potential. There isn't anything quite like the blessing grandkids introduce into our lives. These four, plus one, make my heart explode with joy, pride and thanksgiving.

Our firstborn grandson Braden, marks his second Christmas in the company of King Jesus. He lost his battle with cancer on June 28, 2016--passing into his Savior's loving arms. He lived it well. The legacy he left behind is a blessing--his courage, his story, touched the lives of thousands of people all across the nation. One of his last wishes was to "see the word of his testimony spread" and it has in a fashion only God could have orchestrated. He was diagnosed in February 2015 and it has been such a difficult journey, a journey God has made with us. We have seen such goodness and generosity from people, many who were strangers before this disease brought us together--many remain strangers today, but generous benefactors none-the-less. It's humbling. It's transformative. We will be together with Braden again, at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, because of our blessed hope--Jesus Messiah.

I'm thankful for our faithful family pets who have shared life with us and made our lives better in ways we could not have expected...Alphie 12 years, Max 13 years, Barley 15 years, Kate 15 years, Lily 9 years in progress and Chance 5 years in progress.

I'm thankful for 26 years we invested in ministry, the good, the bad and the heart-break.

I'm thankful for my last 16 years with State Farm. A great opportunity to pursue another side of my gift-mix. It's given us security we never anticipated we would enjoy. It has been a wonderful platform from which to make hard-lives easier--truly a market-place ministry.

I'm thankful for physicians who have done an amazing job over the last 25 years in controlling my diabetes--all my organs are healthy and I still have all my fingers and toes; and most recently in giving me a shot at putting the disease into remission by making it possible for me to lose 136 pounds since July 2015. Doctors Knight and Knapp are great healers.

So much to be thankful for, so little space and a memory dimmed by 64 years. That said..."Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above ye heavenly hosts, praise Father Son and Holy Ghost."  

Breathe it in and let it out.

Life is fast.

Live it well...M6.8 bN

Feeling G-old.

Conventional wisdom is that "the benefits don't outweigh the tradeoffs" associated with growing older.

True enough.

But IF, through that process, one discovers tenderness, that...is a "state of being" more precious than gold.

Feeling old? Try a little tenderness. Make it GRACE.


Life is fast.
Live it well...M6.8 bN

It's Simple.

God's love is simple. The Word became flesh.

"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners...God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us..." Romans 5.6,8

Wow. Christmas is joyous because God's love never fails.

To all our friends, family and those who stumble into this blog posting, Merry Xristos and best wishes for a prosperous New Year.   Life is fast.


Live it well...M6.8 bN

Yes. Black lives matter.

As the year comes to a conclusion, I am reminded of Lincoln's words, from his 2nd Inaugural Address, spoken to a nation torn apart, divided and at war with itself. Those were difficult days.

Distress continues to divide us. As we wage an un-civil war of words--and worse--over civil rights, let us never forget that because this Nation lacked the moral courage, the humanity, to end slavery--we paid; the blood of 620,000 lives lost, an economy that took generations to rebuild and a Nation adrift. Make no mistake: Black lives matter.

On that day as the Civil War raged Lincoln said...

"... Fondly do we hope--fervently do we pray--that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether.' With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan--to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."

With malice toward none, with charity for all...let us strive to finish the work...a lasting peace, among ourselves and with all Nations. 

God bless America and empower us to be that city, set on a hill, shining brightly--hope--for our Citizens and the World to behold and believe in again.

Live it well....M6.8 bN

Truth & Physics.

Truth is to living what physics is to life.

We can't "see, smell or hear" the laws of physics, but without them, nothing works; that which we do see, smell and hear is the result of these laws being applied with purpose or spontaneously.

In the same way truth is the rail living rides on. Ethics, the rule of law, cultural norms, relationships, parenting, good government, freedom--to name but a few aspects of living--all work based on a set of core values, derived from the common grace of God, who wired humankind with an intrinsic sense of what truth is and an understanding of what's "right."

Truth, like physics, does not function in a deterministic way. I can ingore Newton's Law of Gravity and embrace a belief that I can float, then step of top of a tall building. Newton's Law does not override my choice. But my choice to embrace and believe I can float will not prevent a very bad outcome.

One can choose to believe that truth is relative, subject to change, given to multiple definitions or simply an outdated cultural moray. People, and cultures, can choose to ignore the truth, or worse, be deceived and believe a lie--at great peril. The result/reality of these choices is sobering. Living spirals out of control. Chaos trumps the rule of law, justice becomes a myth, bondage becomes the norm and brokeness the face of a nation.

Life does not work without physics. Living does not work without truth.

"...And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”   John 8.32

Life is fast.
Live it well...M6.8 bN

Grief remembered, reminded.

December 7, 1941. 
2400 dead. 1200 wounded.
18 US Ships and 300 planes destroyed or damaged.

"A date that will live in infamy"   

President Roosevelt

"I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant and instilled in him a terrible resolve."  

Admiral Yamamoto

Both men were right; the world was rescued from an Axis of Evil, but not before millions lost their lives and the planet was gashed by a nuclear weapon. 

America, an idea that produces passion to sacrifice. Freedom isn't free.

Life is fast.
Live it well...M6.8 bN

Metrics Matter

This from the closing "reveal" scene in The Delivery Man...

"I'm a meat truck driver. I'm an incompetent meat truck driver." To which his father replies "You ARE an incompetent delivery man. It takes you four times longer to deliver the meat than any other driver. But, every where you go, they love you."

So how do you measure success? 

Metrics matter.



Life is fast.
Live it well....M6.8 bN

Lost AND found.

Christmas is, for many, a difficult passage at the end of each year. Because our memories are so strong, and so many memories are surfaced by this blessed time of year, those who have experienced loss, feel it most acutely over the six weeks from Thanksgiving to the New Year. I'm reposting a blog I first wrote five years ago about the mystery and paradox we call "loss." Life doesn't come with any any guarantee. Our family absorbed a crushing loss eighteen months ago when Braden, our 14 year old grandson, died after a intense sixteen-month battle with cancer. 

For those in pain today...

"Loss. I've had my share over the years.

Two weeks after I graduated from High School, my father died, I was 17. In 1984, just after my 31st birthday, my mother died . I was 38 when I learned I had diabetes. I began a 'rest of my life' battle with skin cancer in 1996, at age 43. Disappointment...oh my, where do I start. Failure--several crushing instances. Unrealized dreams, of course.

My story isn't unique. It's called, 'being human.' Loss is just a part of the 'living experience.' Life is hard, and, can be very harsh. Loss, though we all face it, is not simply a one size fits all process. For some, loss means never experiencing 'what could have been.' For others it's remembering 'what was.' For all of us it's losing people we love, to death. Life's 'Harsh passages' include broken relationships, disease, tragic accidents, children 'lost' in adolescence and never able to move on to productive adult lives, addiction, betrayal, unfaithful spouses and/or friends, failure...have I described your 'loss-story' yet?

Recently, an extended family member, and friend, facing a number of very difficult circumstances posted a comment about loss, she concluded, 'Easy to be philosophical...easy to be grateful too.' As I paused to reflect on her words, I was struck by this profound insight.

'Easy to be grateful too...' Really? We can't, generally, control loss. Bad things happen to good (and bad) people. We can, however, control our attitude and our response to loss. We can ask 'why me?' or we can declare 'why NOT me!' That's the 'philosophical' part.

The 'grateful' part comes when, our pain notwithstanding, we aren't swallowed by bitterness; through the darkness of the moment, we still see the sunshine we've experienced over the years--as well as the expectation that the sun will shine again. Loss frames our perspective. It reminds us of the providence of God and the blessings we enjoy and have enjoyed through the ebb and flow of life. It's ironic, loss and gratitude are two sides of the same coin. Tennyson understood this when he penned 'It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.'

The sentiment that struck me as so profound was 'easy.' It just never occurred to my friend to not be grateful. The emotional and spiritual place that she 'lives' made gratitude a logical extension, not of her pain, but of His promise. The Psalmist (42.5) said it this way...

'Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God.'

Loss isn't abandonment. It isn't the death of hope. It's an intersection of life where one can step back and see life not just for what it isn't, but for what it is; it's at that place, in that moment, we see the goodness of God, and it's 'easy to be grateful.'

Lost and found. A fitting description.

'The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is His faithfulness;
His mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, 'The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in Him!'” 

Lamentations 3.22,23 NLT

I will Hope. I choose hope. I thank God for my blessed hope, Jesus Messiah.


Life is fast.
Live it well...bN tGit

Saying Goodbye.

This is a blog I posted two years ago, today. It's about saying goodbye to our faithful pet companions. So many of my friends crossed this bridge in 2017--I repost it here for you--insert the name of your beloved pet and describe them, remember them...and as a memorial to Karma--gone two years now--and the inspiration for these good words. For those not fortunate enough to have a pet like these...perhaps 2018 will be the year you see your life transformed by the unconditional love of a faithful pet companion . I hope so.

"I have loved dogs since I was very young boy and a little poodle mix followed by brother home. We named him 'Yogi' (the dog not my brother) and he filled our home with love for just about 11 years. One evening we found him lifeless, out in the yard. We speculated he'd had a stroke. I was crushed.

I've reprised that loss four more times: Alphie age 8, Max age 13, Barley age 14 and Kate age 15. Each time they pass into my memory--I'm crushed, again. Yet once I move through my grief, I can't resist the compulsion to find our next dog companion and start the cycle again. My lovely Lab Lily sits with her chin wresting on the top of my feet as I type these words. Chance, our dashing Dachshund, is rattling (his tags drag on the laminate floors) round the kitchen.

So somewhere down the line I have a least two more gut-wrenching 'letting-go' passages to make. I have a friend who just today put her lovely dog, Karma, down. Karma was loosing her battle with cancer and it was time for my friend to let her best K9 friend go. Why do we do it? My friend posted a quote this evening on her Face Book feed. It explains why pet owners put ourselves in the way of certain heartbreak.

'There is a cycle of love and death that shapes the lives of those who choose to travel in the company of animals. It is a cycle unlike any other. To those who have never lived through its turnings or walked its rocky path, our willingness to give our hearts with full knowledge that they will be broken seems incomprehensible. Only we know how small a price we pay for what we receive; our grief, no matter how powerful it may be, is an insufficient measure of the joy we have been given.'

Suzanne Clothier

That's it! Look at that, '...our grief, no matter how powerful it may be, is an insufficient measure of the joy we have been given.'  My life has been better because of my love for my dogs, and most especially, FROM my dogs.

So, tonight I celebrate a lovely dog named Karma, her big empathic eyes and lovely brindle coat are a magnificent memory now. She 'got' my friend, she loved my friend; she trusted my friend. A wonderful tribute to the connection they shared for 8 years. Yes, dogs make life better...and parting? Parting surely is sweet-sorrow."


Life is fast.
Live it well...bN tGit

The Reason for the Season?

WE are the reason for the season. It was rescue mission!

"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners...God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us..." Romans 5.6, 8 NLT

Christmas is joyous because God's love never fails.

Shalom L'Chaim, through Jesus Messiah; let it be.


Life is fast.
Live it well...M6.8 bN

My Christmas Wish List

You may be familiar with the list of 7 Modern Sns--or not; the conditions it describes are infamously familiar to us all: 

• Wealth without work
• Industry without morality
• Worship without sacrifice
• Politics without principles
• Science without humanity
• Knowledge without character
• Pleasure without conscience...

This, then, is my Christmas wish list for America in 2017: Work, morality, sacrifice, principles, humanity, character and conscience. 

My prayer for  2018 and beyond:

Father create in us a hunger for what is righteous and just. Help us to understand that...

• ...Wealth driven by lust for money is evil and work is an honorable endeavor that gives us meaning and purpose. 
• ...Industry must produce access to opportunity for all.
• ...Worship demands a values-centered life and requires sacrifice.
• ...Politics is the business of the people and is a noble and self-sacrificing life-call.
• ...Science can create in us a deeper spiritual hunger. 
• ...Knowledge is a path to humility. 
• ...Pleasure is the by-product of good character.

May we be given clarity to "Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God" (Micah 6.8)  through Jesus Messiah, let it be. 

Life is fast.

Live it well...M6.8 bN

The MAIN thing.

On December 28, 1968 (age 15) I said "yes" to Jesus, and in that moment my life was transformed. 49 years since then is...a few. My life has a not always been a clear reflection of His presence, but it has for the most part been, by His grace, a slow and steady "long obedience in the same direction."

The dynamics of our culture, over my lifetime, could be described as a devolution from "conscience" and evolution to "relevance" as our moral compass. It's ironic that the most extreme expression of the conservative mind, libertarianism, is in many ways the penultimate form of liberalism. My point is that "systems of thought," even theological systems of thought, can't change the trajectory of the human spirit. God does that one person, one decision, at a time. We just don't have the temperament to pull that off. History is filled with movements which morphed into extremism that marginalized human beings, in the name of a "greater-good," producing tyranny and crimes against humankind.

It's not my job to save my culture from itself. The part I have been given, as a Christ-follower, is to point the people in my sphere of influence to God, who can. This is "the main thing" for me. I'm not called to point them to "systems" or movements that will save the day, but to the God of eternity who loves human beings with an everlasting and long suffering love, a transformative love. He does the formative work in transforming people; this, can change culture.

So then, how can I keep the main thing, the main thing?

• Be humble. 
• Be accountable.
• Love my spouse. 
• Act as an agent of peace. 
• Trust in the power of God. 
• See people the way God sees them.
• Talk to people about Jesus Messiah.
• Focus on walking close to God on a daily basis. 
• Empower my kids and grandkids with a legacy of godliness. 
• Declare the principles and precepts of God in a loving, inclusive way. 
• Love unconditionally my enemies and those who might seek to hurt me. 
• Pray for those raised up as leaders in my church, community and nation.

All this said... "12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us (me)." Philippians 3.12-14 NLT

Systems and movements, by their very nature, devolve. God, "is the same yesterday, today and forever."

I choose God. He produces change which gives me, gives us all...HOPE.

Press on.


Life is fast.
Live it well...M6.8 bN

Thanksgiving Menu.

Thanksgiving is on the horizon. We are blessed for many reasons. One stands above all the others: God.

We will gather to pause and reflect on God's mercy and grace again in 2017. It never gets old. You see His mercy and grace, what the prophet Jeremiah refers to as His "steadfast love," NEVER fails to show up--it's New EVERY morning.

Like every family, we've needed an abundance of His stedfast love in 2017. We have leaned hard into our weakness and distress, there to discover God's strength and goodness. We continue to walk through the loss of our beloved grandson Braden--he flew into the arms of Jesus 17 months ago.  Then of course there are all the "usual suspects" that threaten our calm-delight and challenge us to keep our eyes fixed on our great God and Father in heaven.

Through it all--God is, has been and will continue to be a Strong Tower for us.  The Apostle Paul addressed the impact of our Heavenly Father on our flawed and fragile state in his letter to the church in Corinth (4.6b-10ff)...

"...God, who said, 'Let there be light in the darkness,' has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

8 We are PRESSED on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are PERPLEXED, but not driven to despair. 9 We are HUNTED DOWN, but never abandoned by God. We get KNOCKED DOWN, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through SUFFERING, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies."

The life of Jesus, seen in OUR bodies--THROUGH...our suffering.  The world has been bent by sin...and that has produced an environment that generates suffering and loss.  God didn't do that, sin did it.  He is engaged in a plan to restore the planet, in the meantime...He is restoring people, one-by-one, when through effective faith they embrace Jesus Messiah as the risen Son of God and Lord of all (Romans 10.9,10).

After effective faith comes the privilege of being fragile Clay Jars filled with the light of the Glory of God shining brightly for others to see, to contemplate...the life of Jesus in our bodies?!  It's a mystery--HE uses me to reach them.

I am grateful for this assurance that my suffering is NOT in vain. God redeems it; using it to reveal the life of Jesus to my sphere of influence...restoring people one-by-one.

Thanksgiving 2017...

Father in heaven, I am profoundly grateful for assurance, presence, sustenance,  strength, purpose, tenacity--Your steadfast love; profoundly grateful for my redemption and restoration; profoundly grateful that Your grace and mercy have been embraced by my kids, my grandkids; profoundly grateful that joy has come through mourning. Thanks be to You my God for our Blessed hope.  Empower me to be an radiant Clay Jar, Through Jesus Messiah, let it be.  

Really thankful. 

Life is fast.

Live it well...M6.8 bN 

Thanks GIVING.

The harvest is nearly complete. It's Monday, two more days to Thanksgiving.

These are times that challenge us all; but joy, real joy can't be touched and isn't determined by circumstance...

"Lord empower us to drill down deep and discover joy in simplicity, profound blessing in being alive; a kind touch, a gentle word, a thoughtful deed, a smile, a poignant moment. Use us as instruments that produce a concert of joy wherever this week takes us; where life takes us. Asking, seeking, knocking...Through Jesus Messiah, let it be."

Make this a happy Thanks GIVING.


Life is fast.
Live it well...M6.8 bN

Out of the Gray.

Lake slips into a mist of gray
Horizon framed by trees stripped by Fall, bracing for winter.
Seasons change, storms pass.

A metaphor for life?
Fifty shades of gray, stripped by storms bracing for loss.
Where is hope?

A Blue Herron floats over surface.
The Spirit floats over chaos.
Flashes of color break through the mist.
Seasons change, storms pass.
God--not lost in mist; clear and present in the gray.
Hope.

Life is fast.

Live it well...M6.8 bN

Help getting home.

This song has been on my mind and heart over the past several weeks. 

I know that someone, perhaps you, is out there struggling, searching, feeling lost, but unable to find your way to the calm delight we all long for--and you are ready to embrace a new way.

Jesus said... "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11.28,29

Listen to Revelation, a soulful heart cry for new direction and real meaning for life. If it resonates with you and you'd like to know more, contact me at goodneighbaier@yahoo.com.

You are loved.

Life is fast.

Live it well...M6.8 bN

Help.

Listening to the 1965 Beatles tune this morning, "Help."

"When I was younger, so
much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone,
I'm not so self-assured
Now I find, I've changed my mind,
I've opened up the doors.
And now my life has changed
in, oh, so many ways
My independence seems
to vanish in the haze
But every now and then
I feel so insecure
I know that I just need
you like I've never done before.

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you, please, please help me?"

As I was taken back to another (MUCH younger) time in my life, it occurred to me that the (young) Beatles had uncanny insight in writing about what happens to us as we move through the final third of our lives; a time filled with change we 't can't control, loss we can't prevent and tradeoffs driven by, that's right, change and loss.

While we can't "do it all" anymore (not that we ever could!), the tenderness we experience as our spouses, kids and friends stand in the gaps is profound. It's in those moments we discover the rich, mysterious, blessing of interdependence.

Help is good. 
Life is grand.

Life is fast.

Live it well...M6.8 bN

Its Enough.

Today's predicted high: 51. "It's begining to feel alot like...WINTER."

But that's just fine. Lawns are--almost--done for the season, the air is crisp and filled with the fragrance of fresh coffee. As the season changes and our pace slows down, a new perspective emerges.

We glance back--and give Thanks. We look up--and are humbled by "the Word made flesh." We anticipate 2018--and feel energized by the prospect of a fresh start.

That said, life happens TODAY. Today is where we live; that's all we have, that's all we need.

Its enough.

Father in heaven, may Your grace empower us to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly wth You, TODAY.


Life is fast.
Live it well...M6.8 bN

Trying Times.

"These are the times that try men's souls" wrote Thomas Paine in his pamphlet The American Crisis published December 23, 1776.  The Colonies faced the almost certain prospect of defeat in their war for independence--for liberty.  Paine implored Americans "don't give up the fight!"  

As the curtain begins to drop on 2017: we are racked by recriminations, accusations and at times violent "resistance" fueled by an angry election for the 45th President, between two very flawed candidates; our economy remains fragile, the world is a more dangerous place than ever, we face the prospect of a nuclear Iran--still, an ascendant China, rouge-state North Korea, and troubling news about the future of Healthcare; all made more ominous because of poor leadership--on both sides of the aisle--from those we've elected to make good decisions.

That said, the fact remains that every generation of Americans has been forced to face down a crisis; yet they survived, thrived and grew strong on an IDEA called, America.

We must remember to "keep the main thing," the main thing. The "idea of America" has been the fuel driving our resolve to be one nation, under God, indivisable, with liberty and justice for all; an idea those who traveled this way before us thought to be worth sacrificing, fighting and dying for. Indifference to this "big idea" is the real, the urgent threat to our liberty.

Resolve to do your part; work hard, make informed decisions, be a person of strong character, celebrate interdependence and respect people who disagree with you--but press them to think outside their "box" and you, think outside yours. Don't give in to tyranny, fear or indifference--be strong and of good courage. Don't tolerate incivility; choose kindness.

Invest in a legacy that will inspire a new generation.



Live it well...M6.8 bN

Life is Short.

When the road of life is clear and smooth,
too often we miss the beauty within our easy grasp.
We gaze ahead with intensity 

through the portal which beckons us,

"...move quickly along the way! 

Life waits...just ahead." 

Indeed it is the journey, not the destination 

that unravels the mystery.

Life is short, live slow...and well.

Life is fast.

Live it well...M6.8 bN

Keep your eye on the ball.

The cardinal rule of good hitting--baseball, golf, billiards--is of course, "keep your eye on the ball." 

That said, my mission as a follower of Christ--to proclaim the truth about God, His love for humankind, His provision for our redemption--does not require me to fear a culture filled with souls who "are like sheep without a shepherd."  It does NOT require me to win the so-called "culture war."

Jesus saw the crowds of distressed people and was "moved with compassion" all the way to the Cross where He crushed the power of sin, once-and-for-all.  God's Word makes it clear who the enemy is..."For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places"  Ephesians 6.12

God's Word tells me what it is I must do to engage these evil adversaries and prevail; keep my eye on the ball...

"10 ...be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."  Ephesians 6.10-24

Note that this passage does not instruct Christ-followers to revile the sinner, legislate a solution that protects my family, leave the Union, or disengage from "life in the world--not of the world."  This is not a political war, not a culture war--it is a Spiritual battle that calls for weapons fashioned by God for taking down, taking back, strongholds.  Our weapons?  See...truth, righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, faith, salvation, God's Word, intercessory prayer, wisdom from God to speak the truth in love with boldness behaving as an Ambassador/Doulos (bond-servant) for the King.

When we allow ourselves to be drawn into a "culture-war" mentality, we lose; people yet to trust Christ and experience spiritual re-birth lose.  We allow the "the rulers, the powers, the world forces of darkness, the spiritual forces of wickedness" to pick the time and place of the struggle; we lay the Armor of God aside--and we are impotent in the face of such evil. It's high time believers figure out "who and where" the enemy is and the rules-of-engagement; then take the fight to the enemy as per Paul's instruction in Ephesians 6.10-24.  Only then will we see the tide of evil begin to recede. 

We will not prevail in the long-term by building higher walls around the spiritual reservations we have fashioned our churches into,  by asking Focus of the Family to lobby our politicians, by finding conservative-too often shrill--politicians to write laws and pack the courts; cursing-the-darkness won't win the battle. 

Choose God.  Love people.  Know who the enemy is and "10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."  Ephesians 6.10   

Our battle is NOT against flesh and blood.  The stakes are infinity higher than a culture-war; eternity hangs in the balance for those yet to embrace Christ with effective faith.  

For the sake of the Kingdom, and especially those who have not yet secured a place in the Kingdom through effective faith in Christ, keep your eye on the ball.

Life is fast.

Live it well...M6.8 bN