Is it The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
Again and again the singers croon it until it’s lost in the shuffle of hurrying feet and trivial conversation. Wonder is reduced to the prices available on “Black Friday” and the surprise discovery of a highly coveted toy. Still, despite the rise of the trivial, there’s a festive feel in the air. The lights; the colorful displays; parties; celebrations of all kinds. People are acting as if something exciting is about to happen. It’s Christmas!
“Christ” “birth” is what that means; the birth of the consummate man; the birth of the hope of all mankind. And the devout, those who believe the “chosen” was born on this “day of all days,” see wonder everywhere. Other worldly beings, formidable in their appearance; magnificently splendid; terrifyingly radiant; have visited ordinary everyday people. Several times a solitary celestial messenger appeared. Another time more than could be counted filled the heavens. A woman who’d never been with a man became pregnant just as the angel predicted. Another woman, well past her child-bearing years, bore a child. The messenger said she would and she did. A heartsick man married his fiancée even though she was pregnant despite his faithfulness to their covenant of celibacy. He married her because an angel told him to. He remained celibate because the angel told him the child was, actually, the Son of the Divine. Prophets broke into song when they saw the baby newly born. The heavens seemed to erupt at his birth. That first Christmas really was he “most wonderful time of ALL years!” This Christmas, hundreds of centuries later is “the most wonderful time of the year." The baby born on this day is worshipped by more people than can be counted dead and alive. His name is today and forever the “name above all names.”
Among the very first people to worship Him were Magi. Magician astrologers, they came from a long line of court advisers sought by Kings and potentates, great and small, for their wizardry. They came to “worship” this Child, they said, because they’d seen “His star;” the star of the “King of the Jews. They came with certainty. They came with costly gifts. They came to “worship” Him.
What was going on in the heavens that convinced these Mesopotamian sages the “King of the Jews” had been born? The answer is in a closer look at where they came from and what their ancestry was.
The Magi were descendants of prominent figures in the courts of Chaldean and Perian Kings whose Empires flourished in the early 5th Century BC. These “wise men” practiced their wizardry in the shadows of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and counseled Babylon’s Persian conquerors. At the height of the Chaldean ascendancy Nebuchadnezzar brought Jewish exiles to the capital of his Empire. Among them were four distinguished young men Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Men of extraordinary character the four quickly gained prominence in the nation of their captors. They were given Babylonian names. Daniel became Belteshazzar. Hananiah was named Shadrrach. Mishael became Meshach. And Azariah was named Abednego. Belteshazzar, in particular, rose to renown among the wise men of the nation. He was catapulted to the highest position in the land next to the King when he accomplished the impossible, saving the lives of all the King’s advisers including his own and those of his Friends. The King had dreamed a dream so terrifying that the trauma of it left him with no memory of what he had dreamed. He called his “wise men” and asked them to not only interpret the dream but tell him what he had dreamed. They could not. The King was furious and commanded that all of them be killed and their homes be reduced to rubble. When Belteshazzar and his friends learned of their fate they prayed to their God; the God of Israel, petitioning their deliverance. Belteshazzar was certain that his God would reveal the dream and its meaning to him and asked the King for an audience with him. The King granted his request. In the meeting Belteshazzar told the King his dream and interpreted it to him. The King, Supreme ruler of arguably the greatest power of that time, fell on his face at Belteshazzar’s feet. He designated him his Chief Vice-regent and the Master of his advisers. More importantly he decreed that the God of Israel was the “one true God.” From that day until his death Belteshazzar became the most influential sage in the region. Three other Kings rose to power during his career. Two of them had dramatic encounters with Belteshazzar’s God and declared his supremacy over all rulers and their own gods. The Ancestors of the Christmas Magi were astounded as they observed this great man who had saved their lives and brought Kings and Princes to their knees before himself and his God. Never, during his years of prominence and influence, did he resort to the astrology and wizardry that they practiced. The secret of his power was found to lie in his God. With rigorous regularity and diligent devotion he maintained a deep intimacy with the God of Israel and received from Him power and prestige unknown to any even Kings. These early Magi knew that Belteshazzar’s God was, truly, the only true God. And they worshipped Him. They listened as Belteshazzar spoke of his God. They heard him tell of an ancient prophecy concerning a “Star” that would rise up out of Israel. He spoke of “Messiah the Prince.” He himself prophesied of a time when Israel would become a world power; when the God, who empowered him, would forever change the destiny of the world. These accounts and the great feats of Belteshazzar and his friends became a part of the folklore of the sages of Mesopotamia and were written into the annals of their history and magic arts. The Magi who came to worship the “Christ child” knew of these feats and were familiar with the annals of their ancestors. But “old habits die hard,” and they returned to the former ways of their fathers and looked to the skies for the “deeper magic” by which to direct the powerful of their day. It was, while looking to the skies that they saw his “star.”
What was it that so convinced the Magi that Israel’s King had been born that they came so far; so determinedly to worship him and lavish rich gifts on him?
Craig Chester, co-founder, and former President, of the Monterey (California) Institute for Research in Astronomy, spoke of the “Star of Bethlehem,” in a lecture during Hillsdale College’s Center for Constructive Alternatives seminar “Man and Creation: Perspectives on Science and Religion.” Chester’s lecture … focused on planetary conjunctions and the unusual occurrence of such interplanetary activity at the time of the Magi’s visit to Jerusalem and, later, Bethlehem. He observed that, “In 3 B.C. and 2 B.C., there was a series of close conjunctions involving Jupiter, the planet that represented kingship, coronations, and the birth of kings. In Hebrew, Jupiter was known as 'Sedeq' or 'Righteousness', a term also used for the Messiah. In September of 3 B.C., Jupiter came into conjunction with Regulus, the star of kingship, the brightest star in the constellation of Leo. Leo was the constellation of kings, and it was associated with the Lion of Judah – a name given to Jesus in the Revelation, and the figure that inspired the lion Aslan in Lewis’ 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.' The royal planet approached the royal star in the royal constellation representing Israel. Just a month earlier, Jupiter and Venus, the Mother planet, had almost seemed to touch each other in another close conjunction, also in Leo. Then the conjunction between Jupiter and Regulus was repeated, not once but twice, in February and May of 2 B.C. Finally, in June of 2 B.C., Jupiter and Venus, the two brightest objects in the sky save the sun and the moon, experienced an even closer encounter when their disks appeared to touch; to the naked eye they became a single object above the setting sun. This exceptionally rare spectacle could not have been missed by the Magi.
In fact, we have seen here only the highlights of an impressive series of planetary motions and conjunctions fraught with a variety of astrological meanings, involving all the other known planets of the period, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn. The astrological significance of these impressive events must surely have been seen by the Magi as the announcement of the impending birth of a great king of Israel.
September 11, 3 B.C., is perhaps the most interesting date of all. Not only was Jupiter very close to Regulus in the first of their conjunctions, but the sun was in the constellation of Virgo (of obvious symbolism), together with the new moon, in a configuration that fits a plausible interpretation of a passage in the Book of Revelation describing the birth of a male child who is to be the ruler of the universe.” … Chester continues. “But if the planet Jupiter was the Star of Bethlehem, or was a component of the events that triggered the visit by the Magi, … could it have stopped over Bethlehem?
The answer is yes. The word 'stop' was used for what we now call a planet's 'stationary point.' A planet normally moves eastward through the stars from night to night and month to month, but regularly exhibits a 'retrograde loop.' As it approaches the opposite point in the sky from the sun, it appears to slow, come to a full stop, and move backward (westward) through the sky for some weeks. Again it slows, stops, and resumes its eastward course. It seems plausible that the Magi were 'overjoyed' at again seeing before them, as they traveled southward, the star, Jupiter, which at its stationary point was standing still over Bethlehem. We do know for certain that Jupiter performed a retrograde loop in 2 B.C. and that it was stationary on December 25, interestingly enough, during Hanukkah, the season for giving presents.”
The Magi did not hesitate. They came with complete certainty. These phenomena, which they undoubtedly saw and trembled at the sight of, were the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Great Belteshazzar. The “Star” had come out of Jacob. “Messiah the Prince” had been born. They came to worship Him. They brought him gifts; gifts suitable for the Supreme Sovereign; the Prince of the Universe.
This is “the most wonderful time of the year”! The most wonderful time of all years! The events we commemorate are of cosmic proportion. Creator and creation have collaborated in the commencement of mankind’s redemption. “Unto us is born, in the City of David, a Savior who is, at one and the same time, the consummate man – the Chosen (move over Keanu Reeves) – and the Lord – God himself in human form.” “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name, which is above all names – Jesus – a name at which every knee shall bow; every knee both in Heaven and on earth.” And on this Christmas, as at every Christmas, “we have come to worship him.”
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Sunday, November 19, 2006
One Summer - Three Lifetimes - 3
The morning after our return Home from the Speaking Tour in Canada the phone rang. We still weren’t quite sure where we were or what time it was. The shock of the phone ringing was nothing compared to the heart numbing news we were about to hear.
Shirley’s Brother, Bill, was calling. He had called his Mother earlier that morning as he usually did. This time she didn’t answer the phone. Uneasy, Bill drove the short distance from his house to her apartment. What he found has left an never-to-be-forgotten impression on his consciousness. His Mother had fallen as she stepped out of the tub after a shower. She was nearly delirious. He learned, later, that she’d been lying in that awkward state for over 2 hours.
Paramedics responded quickly and she was taken to the Hospital where it was determined that she had broken her shoulder in 4 different places and had also suffered fractures to her pelvis.
Shirley’s instinctive response was to fly back to Pittsburgh and nurse Mom through the trauma and care for her as she faced the ordeal of recovery. Her Brother urged her to wait until some kind of prognosis had been reached. After deliberating with Doctors Bill called again. The consensus was that Agnes was being well cared for in the Hospital. All of Bill’s Family and the people who call him Pastor were around her. Shirley would be needed more after Agnes was released from the Hospital. She was reluctant to make a decision without talking with her Mom. When that opportunity came she plead with her Mom to be honest with her. Agnes insisted that she was being well cared for and that she would need her Daughter much more when the work of rehabilitation was taken Home. And so the decision was made. Shirley would wait. When her Mom returned Home she would go back and stay with her as long as she needed her.
The days seemed to fly by. We talked with Agnes several times a day. She seemed to be showing remarkable progress. News that a bed was available in one of the better rehab units in her area seemed an answer to our prayer that she would get the best care at every stage of her recovery. She was moved without incident. Just short of two weeks after her fall Shirley talked with her. She’d had many conversations with Agnes since her move but that evening she was especially upbeat. Friends and Family were there. She even giggled as they talked. The physical therapy, she said, was painful. But she was hopeful. Shirley sensed that her Mom was enjoying her company and ended the call with a promise to phone later that evening. She did so several times that evening and her Mom didn’t answer. We assumed she had removed her hearing aids and didn’t hear the phone.
8:30 the next morning the “bell tolled.” Another phone call from Bill brought news the heart rending news that Agnes was in serious trouble. “It doesn’t look like she’s going to make it,” were his words. About an hour later he called again. His and Shirley’s Mother had died. Shirley’s world seemed, for a time, to have fallen in ruins around her. Every emotion; every “what if?” every decision revisited; every “How can I go on without her?” whirled around her. We’d have to go back now!
Within 12 hours, on September 12, we were on a red-eye through Minneapolis/St. Paul to Pittsburgh. The online fare we were able to arrange turned out to be less than the reduced rate set by the Airline as their “bereavement rate.” Though it seemed God had forgotten us and failed to hear our pleas for Agnes’ recovery this had a trace of the Divine about it.
Thinking back, now, more than two months later, it’s hard to imagine that we could do all that we did in the next seven days. My admiration for Shirley took an exponential leap that week. She was, unquestionably, heartbroken. She and her Mom had always been very close. Most recently they had become even closer. Shirley was, increasingly, despite the distance – though we did have her with us for Winters in recent years – her Mom’s principal caregiver. We’d tease her about her changing role from Daughter to Mother. She coached her about diet and proper use of her medication. She and I would make sure that Agnes got her daily walk in while she was with us. And she always went Home in the Spring in much better health than when she arrived. They talked several days a week by phone. Agnes was the one touchable, visible person Shirley knew loved her without strings. She was her unique confidant. She always had something to say that was encouraging. Shirley was sure, in the throes of the acute pain she was feeling, that there would never again be someone like “Mom,” in her life. Still she took the responsibility of going through her Mom’s apartment cleaning and deciding what should go where. Looking through myriad photos and other memorabilia was almost more than she could bear. But she did it. She and our nieces took some of those pictures and put together a standing collage for the Memorial Visitation at the Funeral Home and the Memorial Service. They also provided all of the pictures that were used for the Memorial DVD presentation viewed during the Service. She was transparently tearful and honest in her grief during the Visitation. Inside it seemed like she was going fall apart. Still she maintained that gracious poise which is so much a part of who she is no matter what the circumstances. She couldn’t speak during the Memorial Service. But she wrote this about her Mom.
“Words are inadequate to completely express my love for my Mother. I feel so privileged to have her for my Mom and best friend. She was a wonderful role model.
I have many treasured memories. Her thoughtfulness, happy times we have shared, the laughter and fun, (I loved hearing her giggle.) and the times of sorrow too. (And she had many of those.)
I can honestly say my Mother exemplified the fruit of the Spirit in her life that is written about in Galatians 5 – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I saw these lived out in her life since I was a small child.
The loss of her is more than I can bear. But with God’s strength I will. Again, something she role modeled for me. ‘Mom, you are a gift from God and Bill and I can honestly say, ‘Her children rise up and called her blessed.’ (Proverbs 31:28)”
Shirley and her Brother asked me to officiate for Mom’s Service and I was honored to do so. In that capacity I was the one privileged to read this simple yet profound expression of love and grief. Jason, our youngest Son wrote and recorded a song in honor of “Grandma.” You can hear that song, if you wish, by scrolling down the sidebar to the left of what you’re reading and clicking on the word “Podcast.” Jason’s Brothers wrote tributes to her. Jon wrote …
“Well Grandma it would be a HUGE understatement to say that when Dad called on Tuesday I was shocked. Some people just seem to be untouchable. And despite the bumps and bruises, aches and pains you have dealt with over the years Grandma, they have all seemed to just blow away like the leaves are starting to do on the trees in my front yard. But for some reason this time was different.
It seems like just yesterday that I was a little kid running around your front yard and I can still picture you going after those kids who threw rocks at me and made me crash on my bike in the alley. I can still picture that massive Christmas dinner you slaved over only to have our entire flu-stricken family sit at the table staring blankly at it. I can still picture you trying to color your hair on a trip out to Southern California and it turning hot pink. I can still picture that plate of roast beef, corn, and mash potatoes that was on the table waiting for me every single time I walked into your house no matter what time of day I showed up. I can still picture you on my wedding day and how proud of me you looked. I can still picture you holding your great-grandson, my son Jonah, for the first time.
What makes this the toughest Grandma is that I can still picture the last time I saw you and I can still recall the thought that was racing through my mind as I walked out of the house and headed to the airport, “That is the last time I am going to see my Grandma”. How quickly I dismissed it. “Not MY Grandma”, I thought. Who would have thought it possible…something getting the better of good old Red.
So now Uncle Bill and Mom don’t have their Mom, and we don’t have our Grandma. What now? Well for me the best thing to do is to sit back and think about how lucky I was to have you for my Grandma.
Mom was talking about how she always saw the fruit of the spirit lived out in your life and I couldn’t agree more. They’re listed as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. I can think of about a million examples of each in your life. But since there is a schedule to keep today I’ll just talk about love…
Whether it was with words or with actions Grandma, you loved. The bible on your nightstand, the strong and crystal clear, “I love you Jon” you always made sure I heard, that embrace that just about took the wind right out of me, the way you loved your family, the way you worked tirelessly to give your family a comfortable life, the way you made sure everyone got a little something when birthday’s rolled around, and the way you still had time to smile and laugh after giving considerably more than I ever thought possible to those around you.
I think it would be a terrible tragedy to leave this world and not have people look back at your life and see in it qualities that held eternal significance. It’s important that your life speak to those around you because I think when it does then we know it’s not necessarily us doing anything special but God working in and through our lives just as he intended to do.
In your case Grandma, you have taught me immensely more than you could ever imagine. You showed me how to relentlessly love. That is about the best way to put it. To love relentlessly without promise of anything in return, without conditions or clauses, and without a moments hesitation. You did this every single day Grandma and for that you are my hero.
We sure are going to miss you Grandma. It’s only been a few days and we already miss you so much. I thank God in Heaven for you and for the life you lived. You lived a life that taught me how far I have to go in my own life and I am sure many other people can say the same. Take care of yourself Grandma, tell Grandpa I said hi, and if you don’t mind, please give me a nudge every now and then when I forget the lessons your life taught us all so clearly.
Enjoy the ride up there Grandma. I love you.”
Jim wrote …
“I really wish I could be there to pay tribute to a woman who exemplified unselfishness. Taking care of others: that is simply what she did. She built a life of faithfulness and care into all of us who knew her.
What has come to mind in the past few days are her special little quirks; her love of junk food when she knew it was bad for her; slowly pulling out a twenty dollar bill and telling me to go to ‘in ’n out burger’ and buy her a ‘double-double.’ ‘And get something for you too!’ ‘Don't tell your mother,’ she'd whisper, knowing Mom would be worried about her health; or stretching her walking distance to reach the Howie's Market – a neighborhood grocery store, about a mile from our Home, complete with old-fashioned bakery and butcher shop – so she could buy a lottery ticket and a chocolate chip cookie, diabetes or not! I mentioned to Dad when I got the news that she'd crossed over that she is having no trouble walking the whole way to Howie’s now. We always knew those cookies were heavenly.
For us who loved her and will miss her company it is tragic. But I can't but remember the words of Jesus that talked about, ‘unless you change and become like one of these little children you cannot come into The Kingdom of God.’ There was and is something so wonderfully childlike about Grandma. I know that blessed God's heart. An innocent West Virginia farm girl who is now blessing his heart up close and personal. I want to be more like her in that; childlike, unselfish, big hearted, constant. I am comforted by the hope that is her reality forever now. I am comforted that she is happier than she has ever been. She deserves it.
We'll miss you grandma. Save a cookie for me.”
On the Monday following the Memorial Service, September 18, Shirley and I, Bill, and his two daughters Nicole, and Kristen drove an hour and a half to East Liverpool, Ohio, Shirley’s Hometown for Agnes’ burial. We arrived ahead of the Coach carrying her body. The girls wanted to eat so we went to a place near the cemetery to eat and run a few errands. Neither Shirley, nor Bill, nor either of the girls wanted to witness the burial. While the others were in a shop nearby I stood in the parking lot and looked across the valley between where I was and the cemetery. The grave where Agnes was to be layed was on a hillside about a mile away. I could see it clearly. As I gazed across the valley I saw the Coach arrive. I watched as the casket was removed and carried to the grave. I could see the men lowering it into the grave. I observed them cover the grave, carefully mounding the earth, and placing the flowers that had graced her casket on top of the mound. It seemed almost surreal; like I was watching a movie of something outside of my experience. Yet I knew they were burying Agnes, “Mom,” as Shirley and Bill called her. In the solemnity of that moment of solitude I felt I had been given a moment alone with her. I knew what I felt for her was genuine respect; even reverence. And I knew I would always hold her in that high regard.
Over two months have passed now. Shirley is still crying, softly, some. She always will. I feel my eyes welling up a bit as I write now. I remember Agnes Bailey as Jim remembered her in his tribute. “A woman who exemplified unselfishness. Taking care of others: that is simply what she did.” I was there when she cleaned up after an incontinent Father-in-law three times in one day; something she did day-after-day for months until her Husband, and his Sisters agreed to put him into a Convalescent Home. I was there when she served her ailing Husband in much the same way. Before I knew her, when she was still living with her parents and siblings, she was her Mother’s “other hand” in the care of a Family of 10 children. I remember her as a fun loving soul who enjoyed watching television. She and I’d laugh uproariously at Jeff Foxworthy or take turns answering “Jeopardy” questions, or completing puzzles on “Wheel of Fortune.” I’d walk a ways with her to help get her “ole hips a movin’” at the beginning of one of her walks. We’d sneak behind Shirley’s back and buy a hot dog or, God forgive us, a plate of “Chili Fries.” She always wanted to “pay for it.” She was a quiet, courageous woman who earned the respect of hundreds of people from “every walk of life” over the 80 years that she lived.
In some ways, as I’ve experienced these last two months, I feel as if I’ve lived many of those 80 years with her and her Family. I am grateful to have taken that walk with her.
Thanks, Agnes, for sharing this remarkable life with us. We’re better for it!
Shirley’s Brother, Bill, was calling. He had called his Mother earlier that morning as he usually did. This time she didn’t answer the phone. Uneasy, Bill drove the short distance from his house to her apartment. What he found has left an never-to-be-forgotten impression on his consciousness. His Mother had fallen as she stepped out of the tub after a shower. She was nearly delirious. He learned, later, that she’d been lying in that awkward state for over 2 hours.
Paramedics responded quickly and she was taken to the Hospital where it was determined that she had broken her shoulder in 4 different places and had also suffered fractures to her pelvis.
Shirley’s instinctive response was to fly back to Pittsburgh and nurse Mom through the trauma and care for her as she faced the ordeal of recovery. Her Brother urged her to wait until some kind of prognosis had been reached. After deliberating with Doctors Bill called again. The consensus was that Agnes was being well cared for in the Hospital. All of Bill’s Family and the people who call him Pastor were around her. Shirley would be needed more after Agnes was released from the Hospital. She was reluctant to make a decision without talking with her Mom. When that opportunity came she plead with her Mom to be honest with her. Agnes insisted that she was being well cared for and that she would need her Daughter much more when the work of rehabilitation was taken Home. And so the decision was made. Shirley would wait. When her Mom returned Home she would go back and stay with her as long as she needed her.
The days seemed to fly by. We talked with Agnes several times a day. She seemed to be showing remarkable progress. News that a bed was available in one of the better rehab units in her area seemed an answer to our prayer that she would get the best care at every stage of her recovery. She was moved without incident. Just short of two weeks after her fall Shirley talked with her. She’d had many conversations with Agnes since her move but that evening she was especially upbeat. Friends and Family were there. She even giggled as they talked. The physical therapy, she said, was painful. But she was hopeful. Shirley sensed that her Mom was enjoying her company and ended the call with a promise to phone later that evening. She did so several times that evening and her Mom didn’t answer. We assumed she had removed her hearing aids and didn’t hear the phone.
8:30 the next morning the “bell tolled.” Another phone call from Bill brought news the heart rending news that Agnes was in serious trouble. “It doesn’t look like she’s going to make it,” were his words. About an hour later he called again. His and Shirley’s Mother had died. Shirley’s world seemed, for a time, to have fallen in ruins around her. Every emotion; every “what if?” every decision revisited; every “How can I go on without her?” whirled around her. We’d have to go back now!
Within 12 hours, on September 12, we were on a red-eye through Minneapolis/St. Paul to Pittsburgh. The online fare we were able to arrange turned out to be less than the reduced rate set by the Airline as their “bereavement rate.” Though it seemed God had forgotten us and failed to hear our pleas for Agnes’ recovery this had a trace of the Divine about it.
Thinking back, now, more than two months later, it’s hard to imagine that we could do all that we did in the next seven days. My admiration for Shirley took an exponential leap that week. She was, unquestionably, heartbroken. She and her Mom had always been very close. Most recently they had become even closer. Shirley was, increasingly, despite the distance – though we did have her with us for Winters in recent years – her Mom’s principal caregiver. We’d tease her about her changing role from Daughter to Mother. She coached her about diet and proper use of her medication. She and I would make sure that Agnes got her daily walk in while she was with us. And she always went Home in the Spring in much better health than when she arrived. They talked several days a week by phone. Agnes was the one touchable, visible person Shirley knew loved her without strings. She was her unique confidant. She always had something to say that was encouraging. Shirley was sure, in the throes of the acute pain she was feeling, that there would never again be someone like “Mom,” in her life. Still she took the responsibility of going through her Mom’s apartment cleaning and deciding what should go where. Looking through myriad photos and other memorabilia was almost more than she could bear. But she did it. She and our nieces took some of those pictures and put together a standing collage for the Memorial Visitation at the Funeral Home and the Memorial Service. They also provided all of the pictures that were used for the Memorial DVD presentation viewed during the Service. She was transparently tearful and honest in her grief during the Visitation. Inside it seemed like she was going fall apart. Still she maintained that gracious poise which is so much a part of who she is no matter what the circumstances. She couldn’t speak during the Memorial Service. But she wrote this about her Mom.
“Words are inadequate to completely express my love for my Mother. I feel so privileged to have her for my Mom and best friend. She was a wonderful role model.
I have many treasured memories. Her thoughtfulness, happy times we have shared, the laughter and fun, (I loved hearing her giggle.) and the times of sorrow too. (And she had many of those.)
I can honestly say my Mother exemplified the fruit of the Spirit in her life that is written about in Galatians 5 – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I saw these lived out in her life since I was a small child.
The loss of her is more than I can bear. But with God’s strength I will. Again, something she role modeled for me. ‘Mom, you are a gift from God and Bill and I can honestly say, ‘Her children rise up and called her blessed.’ (Proverbs 31:28)”
Shirley and her Brother asked me to officiate for Mom’s Service and I was honored to do so. In that capacity I was the one privileged to read this simple yet profound expression of love and grief. Jason, our youngest Son wrote and recorded a song in honor of “Grandma.” You can hear that song, if you wish, by scrolling down the sidebar to the left of what you’re reading and clicking on the word “Podcast.” Jason’s Brothers wrote tributes to her. Jon wrote …
“Well Grandma it would be a HUGE understatement to say that when Dad called on Tuesday I was shocked. Some people just seem to be untouchable. And despite the bumps and bruises, aches and pains you have dealt with over the years Grandma, they have all seemed to just blow away like the leaves are starting to do on the trees in my front yard. But for some reason this time was different.
It seems like just yesterday that I was a little kid running around your front yard and I can still picture you going after those kids who threw rocks at me and made me crash on my bike in the alley. I can still picture that massive Christmas dinner you slaved over only to have our entire flu-stricken family sit at the table staring blankly at it. I can still picture you trying to color your hair on a trip out to Southern California and it turning hot pink. I can still picture that plate of roast beef, corn, and mash potatoes that was on the table waiting for me every single time I walked into your house no matter what time of day I showed up. I can still picture you on my wedding day and how proud of me you looked. I can still picture you holding your great-grandson, my son Jonah, for the first time.
What makes this the toughest Grandma is that I can still picture the last time I saw you and I can still recall the thought that was racing through my mind as I walked out of the house and headed to the airport, “That is the last time I am going to see my Grandma”. How quickly I dismissed it. “Not MY Grandma”, I thought. Who would have thought it possible…something getting the better of good old Red.
So now Uncle Bill and Mom don’t have their Mom, and we don’t have our Grandma. What now? Well for me the best thing to do is to sit back and think about how lucky I was to have you for my Grandma.
Mom was talking about how she always saw the fruit of the spirit lived out in your life and I couldn’t agree more. They’re listed as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. I can think of about a million examples of each in your life. But since there is a schedule to keep today I’ll just talk about love…
Whether it was with words or with actions Grandma, you loved. The bible on your nightstand, the strong and crystal clear, “I love you Jon” you always made sure I heard, that embrace that just about took the wind right out of me, the way you loved your family, the way you worked tirelessly to give your family a comfortable life, the way you made sure everyone got a little something when birthday’s rolled around, and the way you still had time to smile and laugh after giving considerably more than I ever thought possible to those around you.
I think it would be a terrible tragedy to leave this world and not have people look back at your life and see in it qualities that held eternal significance. It’s important that your life speak to those around you because I think when it does then we know it’s not necessarily us doing anything special but God working in and through our lives just as he intended to do.
In your case Grandma, you have taught me immensely more than you could ever imagine. You showed me how to relentlessly love. That is about the best way to put it. To love relentlessly without promise of anything in return, without conditions or clauses, and without a moments hesitation. You did this every single day Grandma and for that you are my hero.
We sure are going to miss you Grandma. It’s only been a few days and we already miss you so much. I thank God in Heaven for you and for the life you lived. You lived a life that taught me how far I have to go in my own life and I am sure many other people can say the same. Take care of yourself Grandma, tell Grandpa I said hi, and if you don’t mind, please give me a nudge every now and then when I forget the lessons your life taught us all so clearly.
Enjoy the ride up there Grandma. I love you.”
Jim wrote …
“I really wish I could be there to pay tribute to a woman who exemplified unselfishness. Taking care of others: that is simply what she did. She built a life of faithfulness and care into all of us who knew her.
What has come to mind in the past few days are her special little quirks; her love of junk food when she knew it was bad for her; slowly pulling out a twenty dollar bill and telling me to go to ‘in ’n out burger’ and buy her a ‘double-double.’ ‘And get something for you too!’ ‘Don't tell your mother,’ she'd whisper, knowing Mom would be worried about her health; or stretching her walking distance to reach the Howie's Market – a neighborhood grocery store, about a mile from our Home, complete with old-fashioned bakery and butcher shop – so she could buy a lottery ticket and a chocolate chip cookie, diabetes or not! I mentioned to Dad when I got the news that she'd crossed over that she is having no trouble walking the whole way to Howie’s now. We always knew those cookies were heavenly.
For us who loved her and will miss her company it is tragic. But I can't but remember the words of Jesus that talked about, ‘unless you change and become like one of these little children you cannot come into The Kingdom of God.’ There was and is something so wonderfully childlike about Grandma. I know that blessed God's heart. An innocent West Virginia farm girl who is now blessing his heart up close and personal. I want to be more like her in that; childlike, unselfish, big hearted, constant. I am comforted by the hope that is her reality forever now. I am comforted that she is happier than she has ever been. She deserves it.
We'll miss you grandma. Save a cookie for me.”
On the Monday following the Memorial Service, September 18, Shirley and I, Bill, and his two daughters Nicole, and Kristen drove an hour and a half to East Liverpool, Ohio, Shirley’s Hometown for Agnes’ burial. We arrived ahead of the Coach carrying her body. The girls wanted to eat so we went to a place near the cemetery to eat and run a few errands. Neither Shirley, nor Bill, nor either of the girls wanted to witness the burial. While the others were in a shop nearby I stood in the parking lot and looked across the valley between where I was and the cemetery. The grave where Agnes was to be layed was on a hillside about a mile away. I could see it clearly. As I gazed across the valley I saw the Coach arrive. I watched as the casket was removed and carried to the grave. I could see the men lowering it into the grave. I observed them cover the grave, carefully mounding the earth, and placing the flowers that had graced her casket on top of the mound. It seemed almost surreal; like I was watching a movie of something outside of my experience. Yet I knew they were burying Agnes, “Mom,” as Shirley and Bill called her. In the solemnity of that moment of solitude I felt I had been given a moment alone with her. I knew what I felt for her was genuine respect; even reverence. And I knew I would always hold her in that high regard.
Over two months have passed now. Shirley is still crying, softly, some. She always will. I feel my eyes welling up a bit as I write now. I remember Agnes Bailey as Jim remembered her in his tribute. “A woman who exemplified unselfishness. Taking care of others: that is simply what she did.” I was there when she cleaned up after an incontinent Father-in-law three times in one day; something she did day-after-day for months until her Husband, and his Sisters agreed to put him into a Convalescent Home. I was there when she served her ailing Husband in much the same way. Before I knew her, when she was still living with her parents and siblings, she was her Mother’s “other hand” in the care of a Family of 10 children. I remember her as a fun loving soul who enjoyed watching television. She and I’d laugh uproariously at Jeff Foxworthy or take turns answering “Jeopardy” questions, or completing puzzles on “Wheel of Fortune.” I’d walk a ways with her to help get her “ole hips a movin’” at the beginning of one of her walks. We’d sneak behind Shirley’s back and buy a hot dog or, God forgive us, a plate of “Chili Fries.” She always wanted to “pay for it.” She was a quiet, courageous woman who earned the respect of hundreds of people from “every walk of life” over the 80 years that she lived.
In some ways, as I’ve experienced these last two months, I feel as if I’ve lived many of those 80 years with her and her Family. I am grateful to have taken that walk with her.
Thanks, Agnes, for sharing this remarkable life with us. We’re better for it!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
One Summer - Three Lifetimes - 2
The trip to Echo Lake, our next destination, would – we assumed – take about three hours. Oddly some bureaucrat, in a moment of complete delusion, concluded that a Friday night – a Weekend night when thousands of Summer cottage dwellers migrate from the city to their lakeside hideaways – would be a great time to shut down three lanes of the 401 (Ontario’s version of a major US Interstate) for paving. Our three hour trip turned into a five hour battle with sleep. We finally fell into bed around 2:00 AM.
Early the next morning I began my next week’s assignment with a keynote address to Echo Lake’s 50th Anniversary crowd. 300 or more Former Campers; former Staff; present Staff and Counselors; Founders; Pastors; and Friends of Echo filled the Big Top – a 3 parapet tent – erected for the occasion. That entire day was a seamless celebration of 50 illustrious years of camps for Kids in the High School and College years. The Organizers – kudos to all of you! – created a day that allowed people every option from sitting and reflecting to reliving the fun things they used to do as Kids though now in somewhat less resilient bodies. It was fun. It was, sometimes, funny. The food was exquisite and plentiful. Above all it was a thrill to reflect on the sacrifices and accomplishments of people whose efforts have made Echo Lake what it is today! These are people who, year-after-year voluntarily – volunteers are the backbone of this Camp and have been since its founding – offered themselves, their Families, and their resources including recreational equipment; boats; water skis and what have you for the Young People of Southeastern Ontario. They made these sacrifices so kids could have fun and find faith in an environment that would always be, for them, a hallowed place among Christian Families; forever Friends and role models of Christians living ordinary everyday lives Jesus way.
Is there any wonder that this Camp – Echo Lake Camp – is one of my all time favorite places and its people among my dearest Friends?!
By Sunday evening over 120 Kids had arrived and a non-stop Week of fun and faith-building was in high gear.
In many ways Echo 2006 was like all the others. Jon McConnell, one of my best Friends, and I ran in the morning. Campers, Team Leaders, and I met in the mornings and again at night to learn and grow in our understanding of Jesus and His ways. The Staff members joined us for the night Meetings. These sessions are, as far as I can understand myself and my mission in life, what I have been made for. When I’m talking with people, young or old, about Jesus I “feel His pleasure.” And I enjoy every moment. I also really enjoy the outdoor, recreational things that happen at Echo. Team building and Team spirit are a big thing at Echo. Every Camper is assigned a Team. College and career age Echo Alumni serve as Team Leaders. The competition is intense. I always pitch for 3-pitch softball. It gives me a chance to meet the Kids face-to-face; get to know their names and a bit about their personalities. I like to hang around the waterfront visiting with everyone. I’ll spot for Jon on the ski boat sharing the thrills of Young People learning new skills. I laugh a lot. You can’t help it. There are few things funnier than watching two guys make a limbo contest into THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY! or High School girls doing tug-of-war while trying desperately not to mess up their nails. The ANNUAL TALENT SHOW is always a kick. This year was no exception. Echo’s version of “American Idol,” was a hit. We laughed ‘til our sides ached at the panel of judges – Meathead or Meatball or whatever his name was, the Coach with a strut reminiscent of all the tough guy coaches we’ve ever had, and the Queen. We laughed some more as Matt – a budding comic for sure – casually, tongue-in-cheek, schooled us in the finer features of flatulence. There were acts that should have been booed out of the building but we were laughing too hard to boo.
Yet, somehow this year was different. On the face of it things were as they should be at Echo. But under the surface in my own spirit something was very different and uncomfortable. It all began with a brief conversation. On the Day of the Anniversary Celebration one of the Staff said to me, almost in passing, “I hear this is your last Echo.” I was stunned! I’d not heard that. And I’d certainly not thought about it. So I dismissed it with a wave of my hand. “This is the first time I’ve heard that,” I said. I assured him that, as long as I was able to communicate effectively with the Kids and have a strategic influence in their lives I wanted to continue my work at the Camp.
Are you like me? Do things like that get into your head and heart and become a mischievous presence that repeatedly nags you and makes a big deal out of otherwise insignificant stuff? This Staffer’s words became one of those things. Out of that momentary conversation a second, ephemeral, personal Echo experience began, for me, and became every bit as real; sometimes more real than what was going on visibly. It turned my Week into a profound consideration of what might be imminent aspects of my personal destiny. Some of my assumptions about what life would look like in the next few years were challenged. And my sense of purpose was shaken.
Among my stronger convictions about life, and our purpose in it, is the belief that the call of God is a forever matter. Given the eternal nature of a person’s mission in the Kingdom of God things like age and retirement are debilitating only if you allow them to be. I have repeatedly, over the years, insisted that I would not let my age deter me from the mission I’ve been called to. If the “sands of time” get in my gears I’ll find a lubricant that has detergent added. If this or that gets stiff or sore I’ll find a new stretch or another technique to loosen things up. I’ll keep my mind active. I’ll never stop working longer and harder than the young guys, reminding them that “old guys rule.” And if I’m relegated to a state of virtual immobility, for whatever reason, I’ll find someone or some gadget that can interpret my mutant attempts at communication so that I can continue to tell all who will listen what Jesus meant when he said, “I’ve come to give my people life; more and better life than they’ve ever dreamed of.
Despite such resolve, this Week at Echo brought me face-to-face with the grim fact that we, ourselves, are the first and most formidable opponent we have to contend with when we determine to achieve out-of-the-ordinary things. I allowed the notion that I might be getting too old to effectively communicate with the kids at Echo to get me out of focus. It took some great Young People – Team Leaders – to get me back on track. They called me aside after an evening session which I thought had gone quite well. A number of people had stepped out and come to the front to “do some important personal business with God.” These Team Leaders told me that they were sensing some sort of spiritual blockage in the Camp. They felt that I had “lost the campers” that night. They wondered if I was OK. They thought perhaps we were “under attack.” They asked if they could pray for me. I readily, heartily agreed. You know by now, I’m sure, what was going on inside of me. “This is your swan song JimmyDee! It’s over!” But, more than anything else, I want my Lord to be pleased with me. So I agreed to pray with these concerned young colleagues. After we’d prayed I shared with them my concern that, perhaps, we should meet each morning for the rest of the Week to pray. I told them I’d observed, in the year I’d worked with them previously, that they had been meeting to pray early in the morning. I told them I had seen a strong, focused spirit in them that year and that significant things happened, then, which could only be explained as God’s response to their prayers. So, we agreed to meet early each remaining morning to pray. This meant I’d not be able to run with Jon and I was bummed about that. But I knew this was the right thing to do. And it definitely was. The rest of our sessions together were rich. The Kids were truly passionate about their spiritual condition and made some radical commitments to the Lord. I left the Camp with a renewed sense that there are some great Young People out there; people our Lord will use to carry on the world changing work of establishing His Kingdom among us.
Echo Lake, 2006, ended on a high note, in my opinion, and our Lord used every member of the Team to bring the Campers face-to-face with Himself and they – virtually all of them – responded by making decisions to trust Him with their lives! I too made the same decision. It will be His call where and when I serve Him. It continues to be scary. I am in uncharted waters; traveling without a map. But I do have a compass. It is the Spirit of the Real Unseen Lord of the Universe. “The cosmos environing us,” as Dallas Willard insists, “is, in reality, a self-sufficing Community of unspeakably magnificent personal beings of boundless love, knowledge, and power.” With that compass I will never get lost. I am His Servant. I can never lose significance!
Over the next few days we spent some time with Echo Friends who invited us to visit them in their Homes. We visited Ottawa, the capital of my Homeland, for the very first time. Grant and Leigh Anne Bifolchi were the consummate hosts. Their Home is magnificent! We enjoyed watching their Son play Hockey. We were given a guided tour of the Capital. Leigh Anne you and Matthew are super guides! And we thoroughly enjoyed looking out over the golf course in their backyard to the forest where leaves were already beginning to change color. We then went to hang out with Jon McConnell and his Wife Bev. I played hockey with him, his Son James, his nephew Jon, and some other guys from Echo. When I stepped on the ice for the first time in 12 years I wondered how it would be. It was pretty shaky for a while and I’m sure it was laughable to observers – if there were any. But I “went for it,” and had a great time. The next day Bev, a skilled pilot, took me flying. We took pictures of Echo Lake from the air. The flight had an amusing twist. After all the checks were completed Bev taxied the plane to the fuel pumps and filled it up. When she attempted to start it again the batteries were dead. We ended up having to push that plane back to its docking site. She insisted we continue with our plans and rented a plane.
Such generosity is just the McConnell way! In their determined loyalty and kindness, despite the fact that they were helping their Son and his new Bride move to Toronto the next day, Jon and Bev drove separate vehicles so she could take Shirley and me to the airport for our trip Home.
Reflecting on these days at Echo and with Friends made through our Echo connection I realized that I had entered a new phase of my life. I’d turned 60 just days before the Camp began. Immediately, on the very first day, I was confronted and challenged with the question, “Will your life be different now?” I had to renew my life commitment to allow God to be the one who would call the shots in my life. Would I serve Him no matter what? Would I give whatever I was asked to give with rock solid determination to give it all, with excellence, ‘til there was “nothing in me except the will within that says ‘hold on”? I reviewed my life. And I determined I would live this new phase – this next life if you like – for Him; in His strength; for His purposes; “with all there is of me,” recognizing that it really is “the Lord Christ whom I serve.”
Little did I, or Shirley, know what lie ahead!
Early the next morning I began my next week’s assignment with a keynote address to Echo Lake’s 50th Anniversary crowd. 300 or more Former Campers; former Staff; present Staff and Counselors; Founders; Pastors; and Friends of Echo filled the Big Top – a 3 parapet tent – erected for the occasion. That entire day was a seamless celebration of 50 illustrious years of camps for Kids in the High School and College years. The Organizers – kudos to all of you! – created a day that allowed people every option from sitting and reflecting to reliving the fun things they used to do as Kids though now in somewhat less resilient bodies. It was fun. It was, sometimes, funny. The food was exquisite and plentiful. Above all it was a thrill to reflect on the sacrifices and accomplishments of people whose efforts have made Echo Lake what it is today! These are people who, year-after-year voluntarily – volunteers are the backbone of this Camp and have been since its founding – offered themselves, their Families, and their resources including recreational equipment; boats; water skis and what have you for the Young People of Southeastern Ontario. They made these sacrifices so kids could have fun and find faith in an environment that would always be, for them, a hallowed place among Christian Families; forever Friends and role models of Christians living ordinary everyday lives Jesus way.
Is there any wonder that this Camp – Echo Lake Camp – is one of my all time favorite places and its people among my dearest Friends?!
By Sunday evening over 120 Kids had arrived and a non-stop Week of fun and faith-building was in high gear.
In many ways Echo 2006 was like all the others. Jon McConnell, one of my best Friends, and I ran in the morning. Campers, Team Leaders, and I met in the mornings and again at night to learn and grow in our understanding of Jesus and His ways. The Staff members joined us for the night Meetings. These sessions are, as far as I can understand myself and my mission in life, what I have been made for. When I’m talking with people, young or old, about Jesus I “feel His pleasure.” And I enjoy every moment. I also really enjoy the outdoor, recreational things that happen at Echo. Team building and Team spirit are a big thing at Echo. Every Camper is assigned a Team. College and career age Echo Alumni serve as Team Leaders. The competition is intense. I always pitch for 3-pitch softball. It gives me a chance to meet the Kids face-to-face; get to know their names and a bit about their personalities. I like to hang around the waterfront visiting with everyone. I’ll spot for Jon on the ski boat sharing the thrills of Young People learning new skills. I laugh a lot. You can’t help it. There are few things funnier than watching two guys make a limbo contest into THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY! or High School girls doing tug-of-war while trying desperately not to mess up their nails. The ANNUAL TALENT SHOW is always a kick. This year was no exception. Echo’s version of “American Idol,” was a hit. We laughed ‘til our sides ached at the panel of judges – Meathead or Meatball or whatever his name was, the Coach with a strut reminiscent of all the tough guy coaches we’ve ever had, and the Queen. We laughed some more as Matt – a budding comic for sure – casually, tongue-in-cheek, schooled us in the finer features of flatulence. There were acts that should have been booed out of the building but we were laughing too hard to boo.
Yet, somehow this year was different. On the face of it things were as they should be at Echo. But under the surface in my own spirit something was very different and uncomfortable. It all began with a brief conversation. On the Day of the Anniversary Celebration one of the Staff said to me, almost in passing, “I hear this is your last Echo.” I was stunned! I’d not heard that. And I’d certainly not thought about it. So I dismissed it with a wave of my hand. “This is the first time I’ve heard that,” I said. I assured him that, as long as I was able to communicate effectively with the Kids and have a strategic influence in their lives I wanted to continue my work at the Camp.
Are you like me? Do things like that get into your head and heart and become a mischievous presence that repeatedly nags you and makes a big deal out of otherwise insignificant stuff? This Staffer’s words became one of those things. Out of that momentary conversation a second, ephemeral, personal Echo experience began, for me, and became every bit as real; sometimes more real than what was going on visibly. It turned my Week into a profound consideration of what might be imminent aspects of my personal destiny. Some of my assumptions about what life would look like in the next few years were challenged. And my sense of purpose was shaken.
Among my stronger convictions about life, and our purpose in it, is the belief that the call of God is a forever matter. Given the eternal nature of a person’s mission in the Kingdom of God things like age and retirement are debilitating only if you allow them to be. I have repeatedly, over the years, insisted that I would not let my age deter me from the mission I’ve been called to. If the “sands of time” get in my gears I’ll find a lubricant that has detergent added. If this or that gets stiff or sore I’ll find a new stretch or another technique to loosen things up. I’ll keep my mind active. I’ll never stop working longer and harder than the young guys, reminding them that “old guys rule.” And if I’m relegated to a state of virtual immobility, for whatever reason, I’ll find someone or some gadget that can interpret my mutant attempts at communication so that I can continue to tell all who will listen what Jesus meant when he said, “I’ve come to give my people life; more and better life than they’ve ever dreamed of.
Despite such resolve, this Week at Echo brought me face-to-face with the grim fact that we, ourselves, are the first and most formidable opponent we have to contend with when we determine to achieve out-of-the-ordinary things. I allowed the notion that I might be getting too old to effectively communicate with the kids at Echo to get me out of focus. It took some great Young People – Team Leaders – to get me back on track. They called me aside after an evening session which I thought had gone quite well. A number of people had stepped out and come to the front to “do some important personal business with God.” These Team Leaders told me that they were sensing some sort of spiritual blockage in the Camp. They felt that I had “lost the campers” that night. They wondered if I was OK. They thought perhaps we were “under attack.” They asked if they could pray for me. I readily, heartily agreed. You know by now, I’m sure, what was going on inside of me. “This is your swan song JimmyDee! It’s over!” But, more than anything else, I want my Lord to be pleased with me. So I agreed to pray with these concerned young colleagues. After we’d prayed I shared with them my concern that, perhaps, we should meet each morning for the rest of the Week to pray. I told them I’d observed, in the year I’d worked with them previously, that they had been meeting to pray early in the morning. I told them I had seen a strong, focused spirit in them that year and that significant things happened, then, which could only be explained as God’s response to their prayers. So, we agreed to meet early each remaining morning to pray. This meant I’d not be able to run with Jon and I was bummed about that. But I knew this was the right thing to do. And it definitely was. The rest of our sessions together were rich. The Kids were truly passionate about their spiritual condition and made some radical commitments to the Lord. I left the Camp with a renewed sense that there are some great Young People out there; people our Lord will use to carry on the world changing work of establishing His Kingdom among us.
Echo Lake, 2006, ended on a high note, in my opinion, and our Lord used every member of the Team to bring the Campers face-to-face with Himself and they – virtually all of them – responded by making decisions to trust Him with their lives! I too made the same decision. It will be His call where and when I serve Him. It continues to be scary. I am in uncharted waters; traveling without a map. But I do have a compass. It is the Spirit of the Real Unseen Lord of the Universe. “The cosmos environing us,” as Dallas Willard insists, “is, in reality, a self-sufficing Community of unspeakably magnificent personal beings of boundless love, knowledge, and power.” With that compass I will never get lost. I am His Servant. I can never lose significance!
Over the next few days we spent some time with Echo Friends who invited us to visit them in their Homes. We visited Ottawa, the capital of my Homeland, for the very first time. Grant and Leigh Anne Bifolchi were the consummate hosts. Their Home is magnificent! We enjoyed watching their Son play Hockey. We were given a guided tour of the Capital. Leigh Anne you and Matthew are super guides! And we thoroughly enjoyed looking out over the golf course in their backyard to the forest where leaves were already beginning to change color. We then went to hang out with Jon McConnell and his Wife Bev. I played hockey with him, his Son James, his nephew Jon, and some other guys from Echo. When I stepped on the ice for the first time in 12 years I wondered how it would be. It was pretty shaky for a while and I’m sure it was laughable to observers – if there were any. But I “went for it,” and had a great time. The next day Bev, a skilled pilot, took me flying. We took pictures of Echo Lake from the air. The flight had an amusing twist. After all the checks were completed Bev taxied the plane to the fuel pumps and filled it up. When she attempted to start it again the batteries were dead. We ended up having to push that plane back to its docking site. She insisted we continue with our plans and rented a plane.
Such generosity is just the McConnell way! In their determined loyalty and kindness, despite the fact that they were helping their Son and his new Bride move to Toronto the next day, Jon and Bev drove separate vehicles so she could take Shirley and me to the airport for our trip Home.
Reflecting on these days at Echo and with Friends made through our Echo connection I realized that I had entered a new phase of my life. I’d turned 60 just days before the Camp began. Immediately, on the very first day, I was confronted and challenged with the question, “Will your life be different now?” I had to renew my life commitment to allow God to be the one who would call the shots in my life. Would I serve Him no matter what? Would I give whatever I was asked to give with rock solid determination to give it all, with excellence, ‘til there was “nothing in me except the will within that says ‘hold on”? I reviewed my life. And I determined I would live this new phase – this next life if you like – for Him; in His strength; for His purposes; “with all there is of me,” recognizing that it really is “the Lord Christ whom I serve.”
Little did I, or Shirley, know what lie ahead!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
One Summer - Three Lifetimes - 1
It all began early in August. Today, almost three months later, it seems like a Summer of many lifetimes. The ironic twists; the constant flurry; recurring questions about phases of our destiny; a shockingly sudden encounter with death and the hairpin turn that it thrusts you into: there are moments when we wonder if it’s real; if maybe we’re watching the living of it all from a theatre balcony.
August 10, 2006 began for us at 3:00 AM. The Shuttle taking us to the Airport arrived at 3:45. Arriving at the airport we casually wondered why all the Satellite News Vehicles – antenna extended. Entering the terminal building we quickly learned why. We had walked into the LAX version of a worldwide melee created by a newly uncovered terrorist plot to use cosmetic liquids and gels to make bombs. People were milling around mumbling. Why did they have to give up all their cosmetics? Why weren’t they were informed.? People were told they could put these “forbidden” items in their bags to be checked. But many of them had checked their bags already and couldn’t retrieve them. So lotions, gels, toothpaste, mouthwash, and various other such products – depending on which agent you were talking to – were declared contraband and had to be discarded. Shirley had to throw around $30.00 worth of recently purchased products into the trash. I asked a guy canvassing for donations to a Homeless Shelter if he wanted my bottle of water. He smiled and said, “Yah!’’ When I offered him my mouthwash he smiled even more brightly and nodded affirmatively. A guy behind me in line joked about the extra large smile and the alcohol in the mouthwash. I smiled.
Simply being cleared to our departure Gate that morning was huge!
Our final destination that day was Toronto, Canada. We were flying American Airlines and would connect through Dallas/Fort Worth. We left LA on time landing in Dallas on schedule. The disturbances throughout the system hit us hard here and we ended up sitting in that airport for nearly two hours longer than anticipated. When we finally left for Toronto we were over two hours behind schedule. Due to inclement weather our pilot flew well outside the original flight plan to avoid heavy storms. This delayed us by another hour. We finally arrived in Toronto three hours late. Our Sister-in-law – the poor soul designated to do airport duty that day – had come to the airport early. By the time we left she’d been in the parking structure for 5 hours. Our bill? … $27.00!
You guessed it! Late as we were, we got caught in “after hours” Summer construction. We sat on a highway outside the City of Hamilton for over an hour. Finally we arrived at my Brother’s house – a new Home for them – at about 10:00 PM Eastern Daylight time. We’d been traveling for over 16 hours.
The next morning began early. We’d scheduled a Family Brunch with my Brothers and Sisters. All but one of them was there. It was a great time! I usually only get to visit with them on these Speaking Tours to their part of the world so we had much to talk about. The time passed so quickly and we were back on the road by 2:00 PM. We arrived at Pine Orchard Camp, the site of our first Speaking Engagement, about 4:00 on the afternoon of August 11. Meetings began that night. I spoke the following evening and then morning and evening through the following week until the evening of the 18th.
This was my first opportunity to speak at Pine Orchard Family Camp and I was thrilled with the experience. The Campground is located about 40 miles Northeast of Toronto in colorful countryside checkered with farmland, forests, and wooded estates. The Camp is rustic but comfortable. The people are wonderfully delightful folk bent on spending quality restful time with Friends who attend different Churches but have shared this Summer Camping experience for often dozens of years. They are also there for spiritual renewal and pursue it passionately. The Worship Team was a gifted group of inspiring musicians with an obvious, contagious love for Jesus. Even the Sound Techs saw their work as a calling. They were highly skilled for the work and “bent over backward” to provide for every need we had. I was completely comfortable with this Team and worshipped the Lord freely. I was regularly refreshed in my own spirit during this Week at Pine Orchard. The traditional Early Morning Prayer Meeting was inspiring. Though this may seem to be a statement of the obvious it is not. Quite often these Prayer Meetings – a common component of “Revival Meetings” – are more about what Evelyn Underhill calls a “pious stuffiness,” than they are about a genuine encounter with the Living God. Much of the credit for the difference must go to Mike Gibney, Pastor of one of the Churches represented at the Camp. Rarely have I prayed with a man who has such a command of the Judaeo-Christian Scriptures and uses them as adeptly, in prayer, as he does. We were, truly, lifted into “heavenly places” as our hearts resonated with the biblical images of our great and gracious God; “Father;” “Supreme Sovereign;” “Shepherd;” “consuming fire.” The tone of the general meetings was clearly elevated by these “seasons of prayer.” The Camp Director was a beautiful young Mother who, along with her Husband, provided Shirley and me with a most hospitable reception and cared for us attentively throughout the Week. Their names are Carol and Frank. The Camp Maintenance Director and his Family live just across the Highway from the Grounds in a spaciously rambling country home set amongst the woods on the edge of pastureland. Horses grazed nearby. Because our accommodation was to be a mobile unit, scheduled to be delivered the next day, this Family - Murray, Anne, and their kids - moved over to a small cabin on the grounds so that we could stay in their Home for the first night. The mobile unit was great. But this Home was superb. I’ve often dreamed of living in a Ranch House, nestled among trees, with horses grazing nearby. For a few hours that Weekend my dream came true. As though this kind of attention weren’t enough we dined sumptuously in the “Dining Hall.” The food was Home Style and generous. The communal seating made for great camaraderie. We felt as though we were making lifelong Friends. And we were.
Some of those Friendships were made on a golf course not far from the Camp.
I celebrated my 60th Birthday that Week. A couple of guys found out about it and treated me to 18 holes of golf complete with a rented set of fine golf clubs. Now golfing with me is a sacrificial thing. Sacrificial for the people I golf with, that is. But these men took it all with lots of humor and typically “guy” joshing. I’ll never forget Rick, Mark, Barry, Terry, Barry, (yeah there were 2 Barrys) and Ed.
There is so much more I can say about the Week at Pine Orchard. I was able to speak extensively morning and night on the subject, “Love is the Greatest.” Working from 1 Corinthians 12 & 13 I was able to emphasize the dramatic ways in which our Lord wants to teach us and empower us to “love” the way He loves. People were receptive. Decisions were made. This Camp uses an “open altar,” – wooden kneeling benches at the front of the Meeting Place where people can come, kneel, and “do business with God.” Nearly every night people came to pray. I knew I was where our Lord had destined I should be.
The most memorable experience at Pine Orchard involved Frank and Carol and their little girl Ashley. Ashley’s 8 years old. A couple of weeks before Camp one of her older Brothers fell and broke his arm. He was wearing the cast at Camp. On the second night of Camp Frank and I were sitting together, worshipping. Someone hurried up to him and emphatically whispered something to him. He ran from the building. Later that night I learned that Ashley had fallen and injured her arm. Sure enough she had broken her arm. More specifically she had shattered her elbow. Frank and Carol had to leave the Camp to be with her. The next day we got word of an even more alarming turn. Due to the stress from her pain and reactions to medication she vomited. A lot of the fluid was aspirated and Ashley’s condition suddenly became critical. Word came to the Camp that the beautiful little girl who’d been dancing around the Grounds just hours before was fighting for her life’s breath. That night I felt strongly compelled to call the entire Congregation to prayer for Ashley. We had her Aunt come to the center of the platform near the altar. We layed our hands on her and prayed for Ashley’s life. Within two days her lungs had cleared and by midweek she was back on the grounds with her Mom and Dad and Brothers and a very itchy arm.
This event melted the hearts of everyone in the encampment into one. I will never forget it!
On the final night at Pine Orchard, Friday, August 18, Shirley and I left for our next assignment 200+ miles away. Our Father had used us to touch and enrich many lives. We too had been enriched.
Thinking back on this Week now it seems as though I lived a lifetime in those seven days. I met many new people and established new Friends. This is the stuff of a life. Shirley and I lived, with these Friends, another chapter in the storied history of Pine Orchard Camp. And we feel as if we’ve lived that story because we’ve experienced it, vicariously, through those who were there year-after-year, and shared their memories with us. We will never be the same again. Our life journey has new roads traveled and new companions for what lies ahead.
The way of our Lord is, most certainly, the way of LIFE!
August 10, 2006 began for us at 3:00 AM. The Shuttle taking us to the Airport arrived at 3:45. Arriving at the airport we casually wondered why all the Satellite News Vehicles – antenna extended. Entering the terminal building we quickly learned why. We had walked into the LAX version of a worldwide melee created by a newly uncovered terrorist plot to use cosmetic liquids and gels to make bombs. People were milling around mumbling. Why did they have to give up all their cosmetics? Why weren’t they were informed.? People were told they could put these “forbidden” items in their bags to be checked. But many of them had checked their bags already and couldn’t retrieve them. So lotions, gels, toothpaste, mouthwash, and various other such products – depending on which agent you were talking to – were declared contraband and had to be discarded. Shirley had to throw around $30.00 worth of recently purchased products into the trash. I asked a guy canvassing for donations to a Homeless Shelter if he wanted my bottle of water. He smiled and said, “Yah!’’ When I offered him my mouthwash he smiled even more brightly and nodded affirmatively. A guy behind me in line joked about the extra large smile and the alcohol in the mouthwash. I smiled.
Simply being cleared to our departure Gate that morning was huge!
Our final destination that day was Toronto, Canada. We were flying American Airlines and would connect through Dallas/Fort Worth. We left LA on time landing in Dallas on schedule. The disturbances throughout the system hit us hard here and we ended up sitting in that airport for nearly two hours longer than anticipated. When we finally left for Toronto we were over two hours behind schedule. Due to inclement weather our pilot flew well outside the original flight plan to avoid heavy storms. This delayed us by another hour. We finally arrived in Toronto three hours late. Our Sister-in-law – the poor soul designated to do airport duty that day – had come to the airport early. By the time we left she’d been in the parking structure for 5 hours. Our bill? … $27.00!
You guessed it! Late as we were, we got caught in “after hours” Summer construction. We sat on a highway outside the City of Hamilton for over an hour. Finally we arrived at my Brother’s house – a new Home for them – at about 10:00 PM Eastern Daylight time. We’d been traveling for over 16 hours.
The next morning began early. We’d scheduled a Family Brunch with my Brothers and Sisters. All but one of them was there. It was a great time! I usually only get to visit with them on these Speaking Tours to their part of the world so we had much to talk about. The time passed so quickly and we were back on the road by 2:00 PM. We arrived at Pine Orchard Camp, the site of our first Speaking Engagement, about 4:00 on the afternoon of August 11. Meetings began that night. I spoke the following evening and then morning and evening through the following week until the evening of the 18th.
This was my first opportunity to speak at Pine Orchard Family Camp and I was thrilled with the experience. The Campground is located about 40 miles Northeast of Toronto in colorful countryside checkered with farmland, forests, and wooded estates. The Camp is rustic but comfortable. The people are wonderfully delightful folk bent on spending quality restful time with Friends who attend different Churches but have shared this Summer Camping experience for often dozens of years. They are also there for spiritual renewal and pursue it passionately. The Worship Team was a gifted group of inspiring musicians with an obvious, contagious love for Jesus. Even the Sound Techs saw their work as a calling. They were highly skilled for the work and “bent over backward” to provide for every need we had. I was completely comfortable with this Team and worshipped the Lord freely. I was regularly refreshed in my own spirit during this Week at Pine Orchard. The traditional Early Morning Prayer Meeting was inspiring. Though this may seem to be a statement of the obvious it is not. Quite often these Prayer Meetings – a common component of “Revival Meetings” – are more about what Evelyn Underhill calls a “pious stuffiness,” than they are about a genuine encounter with the Living God. Much of the credit for the difference must go to Mike Gibney, Pastor of one of the Churches represented at the Camp. Rarely have I prayed with a man who has such a command of the Judaeo-Christian Scriptures and uses them as adeptly, in prayer, as he does. We were, truly, lifted into “heavenly places” as our hearts resonated with the biblical images of our great and gracious God; “Father;” “Supreme Sovereign;” “Shepherd;” “consuming fire.” The tone of the general meetings was clearly elevated by these “seasons of prayer.” The Camp Director was a beautiful young Mother who, along with her Husband, provided Shirley and me with a most hospitable reception and cared for us attentively throughout the Week. Their names are Carol and Frank. The Camp Maintenance Director and his Family live just across the Highway from the Grounds in a spaciously rambling country home set amongst the woods on the edge of pastureland. Horses grazed nearby. Because our accommodation was to be a mobile unit, scheduled to be delivered the next day, this Family - Murray, Anne, and their kids - moved over to a small cabin on the grounds so that we could stay in their Home for the first night. The mobile unit was great. But this Home was superb. I’ve often dreamed of living in a Ranch House, nestled among trees, with horses grazing nearby. For a few hours that Weekend my dream came true. As though this kind of attention weren’t enough we dined sumptuously in the “Dining Hall.” The food was Home Style and generous. The communal seating made for great camaraderie. We felt as though we were making lifelong Friends. And we were.
Some of those Friendships were made on a golf course not far from the Camp.
I celebrated my 60th Birthday that Week. A couple of guys found out about it and treated me to 18 holes of golf complete with a rented set of fine golf clubs. Now golfing with me is a sacrificial thing. Sacrificial for the people I golf with, that is. But these men took it all with lots of humor and typically “guy” joshing. I’ll never forget Rick, Mark, Barry, Terry, Barry, (yeah there were 2 Barrys) and Ed.
There is so much more I can say about the Week at Pine Orchard. I was able to speak extensively morning and night on the subject, “Love is the Greatest.” Working from 1 Corinthians 12 & 13 I was able to emphasize the dramatic ways in which our Lord wants to teach us and empower us to “love” the way He loves. People were receptive. Decisions were made. This Camp uses an “open altar,” – wooden kneeling benches at the front of the Meeting Place where people can come, kneel, and “do business with God.” Nearly every night people came to pray. I knew I was where our Lord had destined I should be.
The most memorable experience at Pine Orchard involved Frank and Carol and their little girl Ashley. Ashley’s 8 years old. A couple of weeks before Camp one of her older Brothers fell and broke his arm. He was wearing the cast at Camp. On the second night of Camp Frank and I were sitting together, worshipping. Someone hurried up to him and emphatically whispered something to him. He ran from the building. Later that night I learned that Ashley had fallen and injured her arm. Sure enough she had broken her arm. More specifically she had shattered her elbow. Frank and Carol had to leave the Camp to be with her. The next day we got word of an even more alarming turn. Due to the stress from her pain and reactions to medication she vomited. A lot of the fluid was aspirated and Ashley’s condition suddenly became critical. Word came to the Camp that the beautiful little girl who’d been dancing around the Grounds just hours before was fighting for her life’s breath. That night I felt strongly compelled to call the entire Congregation to prayer for Ashley. We had her Aunt come to the center of the platform near the altar. We layed our hands on her and prayed for Ashley’s life. Within two days her lungs had cleared and by midweek she was back on the grounds with her Mom and Dad and Brothers and a very itchy arm.
This event melted the hearts of everyone in the encampment into one. I will never forget it!
On the final night at Pine Orchard, Friday, August 18, Shirley and I left for our next assignment 200+ miles away. Our Father had used us to touch and enrich many lives. We too had been enriched.
Thinking back on this Week now it seems as though I lived a lifetime in those seven days. I met many new people and established new Friends. This is the stuff of a life. Shirley and I lived, with these Friends, another chapter in the storied history of Pine Orchard Camp. And we feel as if we’ve lived that story because we’ve experienced it, vicariously, through those who were there year-after-year, and shared their memories with us. We will never be the same again. Our life journey has new roads traveled and new companions for what lies ahead.
The way of our Lord is, most certainly, the way of LIFE!
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
LifeLog - 06.27.06 - Road Trips; Epiphanies; DANCE
June 27, 2006, the third day of the final week of June; another Month on its way into history.
I have to tell you about last week!
Shirley and I have been lamenting, lately , the fact that we haven’t seen our Son Jonathan and his Family since last August. His Son Jonah’s birthday is on the 30th of June. We wanted, so much, to celebrate this, his second b’day. Airfares to their town from here are particularly high; higher than we are comfortable paying right now. We have two old cars. The one Shirley drives needs an engine overhaul. The other needed an air conditioning overhaul. Because this car is over 15 years old the cost of these repairs would be high. Still, we reckoned, we could probably do it. But would there be anything left for the trip? Through these musings we recognized that to “go for it” – fix the old car and set out on a 2000 mile road trip – would be a risk; a BIG step of faith. Was it the sort of risk faith could be applied to? Could we ask our Heavenly Father to intervene so that we could see Jon, and Larina, and Jonah?
We decided we could.
With that decision came a series of developments, none of them dramatic in themselves, yet collectively affirming. The repairs to the car cost us a bit below estimates. We received a small monetary gift on the day before we planned to leave. Once we’d gotten outside of California we found that gas was appreciably less expensive than we’d anticipated reducing our travel expenses significantly.
We left on Sunday June 18 after completing our Church commitments. We drove the 600 plus miles to near Salt Lake City that first night. The roads were in great shape. Weather conditions, though quite hot in the desert regions, were favorable. Our Western States are magnificently diverse and we reveled in the subtle beauty of the Mojave Desert, the red cliffs and mesas of Arizona and Southern Utah, and the fertile plains and wooded mountains of Central Utah. The next day we drove along the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake; over the mountain passes the Donner Party navigated against far greater adversity than we would ever know on this trip; into the breathtakingly rich valleys of the snow-capped Ruby Range of Northern Nevada. Idaho was one vast field of crops, perpetually irrigated by the ubiquitous crawler sprinklers that have made its arid plains highly fertile land. Jonah’s smile, that met us at the door on our arrival, was the most wonderful sight of all!
What a difference a year makes! He had very little hair last year. Now blond curls cover his head. He’s always been very social. He still is. When he smiles delightful dimples enhance the twinkle in his eyes. He giggles a lot. And when he wants you to play with him he’ll get hold of your hand or your clothing and tug you and your heart toward whatever it is he wants you to join him in. We shot a football, a soccer ball, and a multi-colored plastic wiffle ball through the hoop of his miniature basketball stand. We played with trains. Mostly we played with trucks and read books about trucks and talked about trucks. Jonah doesn’t walk much. He runs. He runs pretty much everywhere he goes. What a kick it is to watch him run round and round their cul-de-sac pushing his four-wheel cart tirelessly, seemingly endlessly.
The greatest fun was the sandbox. Jon and Larina had cleared an area in the corner of their backyard for it. They’d done a lotta work. They’d laid a heavy plastic sheet to prevent weeds growing up into it. They’d trucked in a lot of sand. Still there was a great deal of work yet to do. Vegetation had grown all around the area and had to be cleared. They hadn’t yet decided what to do about the perimeter. So Jonah, and “Pa” – we think that’s what he was calling me – spent most of the next three days cutting brush, digging out stumps, trimming shrubbery, setting a decorative stone perimeter, and laying sod. On the afternoon of the party – we were having the party one week to the day before his actual birthday – it was finished and a highlight for Jonah and his friends.
I will never forget those three days. Jonah “hung out” with me a lot. He brought his plastic shovel and helped me dig. He’d carry brush and help pile it. He’d stand and watch. We’d chatter away. He’d say, “Hi you!” I’d say, “Hi you!” There’s a lotta repetition with a two-year-old. We’d take breaks and play with trucks, or cars, or trains. Grandma and Mommy were always close by with water and sandwiches and books. Books are an important part of Jonah’s world. He loves to be read to and point out whatever it is the reader reads about. Mostly that would be trucks and heavy equipment. He has his favorites. One of them is now held together with duct tape and still among his top choices.
Now don’t get me wrong. We were able to spend quality time with Jon and Larina. Jon and I got out for two great bike rides. One along the rapidly flowing Boise River was particularly delightful. The river was running strongly, almost roaring as it cascaded over rocks and weirs. Clear from the melting mountain snow it rushed, glistening among the cottonwoods and grassy fields. Now and again it would wind through deep canyons of centuries old, black rock. It was exhilarating to ride its shores. Shirley was able to spend meaningful time with Larina. Our daughter-in-law is generous with her hospitality. She’s a wonderful Mother. She’s a great companion and support for our Son. She is also a skilled Pilates Instructor working two mornings a week. We’re proud that she has become a part of our Family. Shirley enjoyed stepping in to care for Jonah, fixing breakfast for him on the mornings Mom was at work, as well as whatever else he wanted her to do, whenever he wanted her to do it. She and Larina talked about everything you can imagine a Grandmother and a Grandson’s Mother would talk about. Yes they did a little shopping together. And Shirley took a big load off of Larina’s mind and schedule by cooking all the Pizza and baked goods for the party. It’s hot in Boise this time of year but Grandma spent most of the party evening in the kitchen cooking one large pizza after another and dozens of cupcakes.
As with all things, our visit had to come to an end. We drove the entire 14.5 hours back on Sat. The trip was, again, pleasant. Great weather; excellent roads; more breathtaking scenery; new sights since we took a little different route back; and the BEST company!
One thing, though, almost insignificant in itself, became, for me, the climactic moment of the entire trip. We were traveling South on I 15 toward Salt Lake City. Shirley had found an enjoyable radio station playing songs we could reminisce to and sing along with. One of those songs, Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance,” is a favorite of mine. This time, as it played, I was deeply moved. It seemed an epiphany of sorts. The words brought tears to my eyes.
Listening, feeling the invitation to live life exuberantly; taking it in large portions; savoring every morsel; I realized our Heavenly Father had given us just such a taste of L I F E! We’d given “faith a fighting chance.” We’d taken a risk – a BIG step of faith – assuming He’d want us to have the joy of seeing our Kids. He’d vindicated our trust. He’d provided just what we needed for each day’s travel. An old car, with over 240,000 miles already under its chassis, took and met the challenge of modern, high speed highway travel, in the heat, through mountain passes, and did so without a glitch – a miracle in itself. We’d danced. We didn’t sit it out. We danced. Across deserts, over mountains, beside rushing rivers, through rich farmland, in the Home of a grown Son and his Family, in the backyard playground of a two-year old Grandson, building a sandbox, we danced and made memories. Memories which became for me epiphany – new insight – that afternoon in the car with the love of my life; through a song that could be the theme of the life I’ve chosen. A life I recommend to anyone in the market for authentic living.
Out of the stuff of everyday we found wonder; the bliss that lies beneath the surface of what’s ordinary – the DANCE which is LIFE … JOY – if you’ll "TAKE THE CHANCE!"
Oh!“Taste and see that our Lord is GOOD!” (Psalm 34:8)
I have to tell you about last week!
Shirley and I have been lamenting, lately , the fact that we haven’t seen our Son Jonathan and his Family since last August. His Son Jonah’s birthday is on the 30th of June. We wanted, so much, to celebrate this, his second b’day. Airfares to their town from here are particularly high; higher than we are comfortable paying right now. We have two old cars. The one Shirley drives needs an engine overhaul. The other needed an air conditioning overhaul. Because this car is over 15 years old the cost of these repairs would be high. Still, we reckoned, we could probably do it. But would there be anything left for the trip? Through these musings we recognized that to “go for it” – fix the old car and set out on a 2000 mile road trip – would be a risk; a BIG step of faith. Was it the sort of risk faith could be applied to? Could we ask our Heavenly Father to intervene so that we could see Jon, and Larina, and Jonah?
We decided we could.
With that decision came a series of developments, none of them dramatic in themselves, yet collectively affirming. The repairs to the car cost us a bit below estimates. We received a small monetary gift on the day before we planned to leave. Once we’d gotten outside of California we found that gas was appreciably less expensive than we’d anticipated reducing our travel expenses significantly.
We left on Sunday June 18 after completing our Church commitments. We drove the 600 plus miles to near Salt Lake City that first night. The roads were in great shape. Weather conditions, though quite hot in the desert regions, were favorable. Our Western States are magnificently diverse and we reveled in the subtle beauty of the Mojave Desert, the red cliffs and mesas of Arizona and Southern Utah, and the fertile plains and wooded mountains of Central Utah. The next day we drove along the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake; over the mountain passes the Donner Party navigated against far greater adversity than we would ever know on this trip; into the breathtakingly rich valleys of the snow-capped Ruby Range of Northern Nevada. Idaho was one vast field of crops, perpetually irrigated by the ubiquitous crawler sprinklers that have made its arid plains highly fertile land. Jonah’s smile, that met us at the door on our arrival, was the most wonderful sight of all!
What a difference a year makes! He had very little hair last year. Now blond curls cover his head. He’s always been very social. He still is. When he smiles delightful dimples enhance the twinkle in his eyes. He giggles a lot. And when he wants you to play with him he’ll get hold of your hand or your clothing and tug you and your heart toward whatever it is he wants you to join him in. We shot a football, a soccer ball, and a multi-colored plastic wiffle ball through the hoop of his miniature basketball stand. We played with trains. Mostly we played with trucks and read books about trucks and talked about trucks. Jonah doesn’t walk much. He runs. He runs pretty much everywhere he goes. What a kick it is to watch him run round and round their cul-de-sac pushing his four-wheel cart tirelessly, seemingly endlessly.
The greatest fun was the sandbox. Jon and Larina had cleared an area in the corner of their backyard for it. They’d done a lotta work. They’d laid a heavy plastic sheet to prevent weeds growing up into it. They’d trucked in a lot of sand. Still there was a great deal of work yet to do. Vegetation had grown all around the area and had to be cleared. They hadn’t yet decided what to do about the perimeter. So Jonah, and “Pa” – we think that’s what he was calling me – spent most of the next three days cutting brush, digging out stumps, trimming shrubbery, setting a decorative stone perimeter, and laying sod. On the afternoon of the party – we were having the party one week to the day before his actual birthday – it was finished and a highlight for Jonah and his friends.
I will never forget those three days. Jonah “hung out” with me a lot. He brought his plastic shovel and helped me dig. He’d carry brush and help pile it. He’d stand and watch. We’d chatter away. He’d say, “Hi you!” I’d say, “Hi you!” There’s a lotta repetition with a two-year-old. We’d take breaks and play with trucks, or cars, or trains. Grandma and Mommy were always close by with water and sandwiches and books. Books are an important part of Jonah’s world. He loves to be read to and point out whatever it is the reader reads about. Mostly that would be trucks and heavy equipment. He has his favorites. One of them is now held together with duct tape and still among his top choices.
Now don’t get me wrong. We were able to spend quality time with Jon and Larina. Jon and I got out for two great bike rides. One along the rapidly flowing Boise River was particularly delightful. The river was running strongly, almost roaring as it cascaded over rocks and weirs. Clear from the melting mountain snow it rushed, glistening among the cottonwoods and grassy fields. Now and again it would wind through deep canyons of centuries old, black rock. It was exhilarating to ride its shores. Shirley was able to spend meaningful time with Larina. Our daughter-in-law is generous with her hospitality. She’s a wonderful Mother. She’s a great companion and support for our Son. She is also a skilled Pilates Instructor working two mornings a week. We’re proud that she has become a part of our Family. Shirley enjoyed stepping in to care for Jonah, fixing breakfast for him on the mornings Mom was at work, as well as whatever else he wanted her to do, whenever he wanted her to do it. She and Larina talked about everything you can imagine a Grandmother and a Grandson’s Mother would talk about. Yes they did a little shopping together. And Shirley took a big load off of Larina’s mind and schedule by cooking all the Pizza and baked goods for the party. It’s hot in Boise this time of year but Grandma spent most of the party evening in the kitchen cooking one large pizza after another and dozens of cupcakes.
As with all things, our visit had to come to an end. We drove the entire 14.5 hours back on Sat. The trip was, again, pleasant. Great weather; excellent roads; more breathtaking scenery; new sights since we took a little different route back; and the BEST company!
One thing, though, almost insignificant in itself, became, for me, the climactic moment of the entire trip. We were traveling South on I 15 toward Salt Lake City. Shirley had found an enjoyable radio station playing songs we could reminisce to and sing along with. One of those songs, Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance,” is a favorite of mine. This time, as it played, I was deeply moved. It seemed an epiphany of sorts. The words brought tears to my eyes.
“I hope you never lose your sense of wonder.
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger.
May you never take one single breath for granted.
God forbid love ever leaves you empty handed.
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens.
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance.
And when you get the chance to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance.”
Listening, feeling the invitation to live life exuberantly; taking it in large portions; savoring every morsel; I realized our Heavenly Father had given us just such a taste of L I F E! We’d given “faith a fighting chance.” We’d taken a risk – a BIG step of faith – assuming He’d want us to have the joy of seeing our Kids. He’d vindicated our trust. He’d provided just what we needed for each day’s travel. An old car, with over 240,000 miles already under its chassis, took and met the challenge of modern, high speed highway travel, in the heat, through mountain passes, and did so without a glitch – a miracle in itself. We’d danced. We didn’t sit it out. We danced. Across deserts, over mountains, beside rushing rivers, through rich farmland, in the Home of a grown Son and his Family, in the backyard playground of a two-year old Grandson, building a sandbox, we danced and made memories. Memories which became for me epiphany – new insight – that afternoon in the car with the love of my life; through a song that could be the theme of the life I’ve chosen. A life I recommend to anyone in the market for authentic living.
Out of the stuff of everyday we found wonder; the bliss that lies beneath the surface of what’s ordinary – the DANCE which is LIFE … JOY – if you’ll "TAKE THE CHANCE!"
Oh!“Taste and see that our Lord is GOOD!” (Psalm 34:8)
Saturday, June 17, 2006
LifeLog - 06.09.06 - A Third Letter to a Senator
Senator, I am writing, yet again, to urge you to thoughtfully consider supporting the Marriage Protection Amendment to our Constitution. In the two previous letters I’ve written I have openly acknowledged the influence my faith has in this matter. As a follower of Jesus of Nazareth I am deeply convinced that the understanding of Marriage as exclusively “the union of a man and a woman,” is a Divinely established absolute. Any attempt to redefine it will prove destructive to our nation and our race.
Even as I acknowledge my beliefs as the foundation of my conviction on this matter I must also insist, again, that reason moves me just as strongly. The Judaeo Christian worldview presumes that its tenets are more than religious matters. They are ultimate and final revelations of what is. They are metaphysical. It is reasonable, then, that we would conclude that our existence as a race; the quality of our existence; the “nature” of things is highly dependent on “the union of a man and a woman.” I’ve already stated how obvious this is in previous correspondences. This union alone is the means by which we reproduce. To suggest that the petrie dish can be the new reproductive theatre is to reveal how utterly shallow our thinking has become. It is no less vacuous – and presumptive – than the notion that when we use pre-existent material to produce what appear to be new life forms we’ve “created life.” I’ve also shown, previously, that the “union of a man and a woman,” when it is healthy, provides the best environment for the growing of robust offspring. To deprive this “union” of its exclusive and protected status in our society because it is sometimes found to be unhealthy is no less foolish than to abandon our advances in medical science and throw open the door to every form of alternative medicine because our system has failed to provide us with perfect health. We have a good thing. Let’s expend our resources to make IT better.
These glaringly obvious reasons for protecting Marriage, as we’ve traditionally understood it, are not the only rationale for such action. We must also accept the importance of gender to our race and to the very essence of life as we know it. Gender matters.
The Judaeo Christian story of creation contains an often understated – if not overlooked – view of humankind. The Creator, in His musings, says, “Let us make man, in our image, like ourselves… .” Note the plural pronouns. The Creator is talking to Himself as if He were “Them” selves. It is, in this conversation, that Christians find the first glimpse of the Trinitarian nature of God; a perfect union of three quite distinct persons; Father, Son, and Spirit. This plurality within the unity of the Creator has to be addressed if we want to fully understand how much gender matters to us. The story continues. “So God created man in His own image,” we’re told. But one telling isn’t enough. It’s repeated. “In the image of God He created him,” A second time it is repeated. In the second restatement we encounter the gender factor. “Male and female He created them.” Man, like the Creator, is plural. “In His own image … He created THEM.” Like the Creator, man has distinctive components; two distinct persons in perfect unity. There is something about Woman that is godlike. There is something about man that is godlike. Unique, distinct in their individuality, they are designed to be one; united; together reflecting completely the “image” of their Creator.
Having completed this masterpiece of His creative work God gave “man” as “male and female” their mandate. We’ve already seen the command to reproduce in that imperative. We’ve also considered his instruction to “fill the earth” with their kind. Still there remains another critical aspect to the assignment. It is “rule.” The Creator gave authority to both the man and the woman in a single imperative. Authority, as God originally established it, was to be exercised by man and woman in perfect union; like the union within God himself.
This is profoundly significant to our discussion of Marriage. Not only is Man – as Male and Female – to carry on the creative work of their Creator through reproduction and nurture. They are to exercise His authority over all that he has made and continues to make. In each aspect of their assignment their distinctives emerge. In reproducing themselves men and women play an undeniably distinct role. Likewise their role in the nurture of offspring is unique. As we might expect, in their fulfillment of the command to “rule,” they demonstrate unique understanding and exercise distinct yet equally valuable capabilities. These distinctives stand out and are essential in parenting. But, just as importantly, they are seen in the loving, knowing, and managing that goes on in all of life.
You don’t have to be a genius to see that what was intended originally has long ago fallen into disrepair. As someone said, “there is … a sword between the sexes.” Much of the disagreement about Marriage today is the result of the immense difficulty men and women have understanding and relating to each other. But, again, we would be foolish to abandon, without further effort, the quest to recover what might have been and may yet be.
In her review of a 1991 book on “Men and Women in Conversation,” Ruthe Stein, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle says, “This book – written by a linguistics expert so you have to believe she knows what she’s talking about – could be the Rosetta Stone that at last deciphers the miscommunication between the sexes.” She is reviewing Deborah Tannen’s, You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation. In the Preface to her book, Dr. Tannen, Professor of Linguistics at Georgetown University, writes, “Recognizing gender differences frees individuals from the burden of individual pathology. ... If we recognize and understand the differences between us, we can take them into account, adjust to, and learn from each other’s styles.” Later, she cites, Erving Goffman, whose career in the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago, the National Institute of Mental Health, the University of California, Berkley, and the University of Pennsylvania, spanned three decades from 1952 to 1982.
These behavioral scientists are telling us that gender is here to stay. There are significant distinctives. These distinctives when understood; encouraged to fully develop; and mutually respected and valued can make humans better together than they will ever be in isolation from one another. Even in our interactions and associations outside the Marriage “bond” our unique “sense of what is natural” sets the stage for complementary partnerships that make for more complete fulfillment of ourselves and our life purpose than we could ever realize independently.
In the University Of Utah’s S. J. QUINNEY COLLEGE OF LAW, Journal Of Law & Family Studies VOLUME 6 NUMBER 2, A. Dean Byrd, Ph.D., MBA, MPH, writes about Gender Complementarity and Child-rearing: Where Tradition and Science Agree. (Dr. Byrd is President of the Thrasher Research Fund and Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine with appointments in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and in the Department of Psychiatry. In addition, Dr. Byrd has an adjunct appointment in the Department of Family Studies.) His choice of the term “Complementarity,” is especially significant to my purpose here. It stresses our interdependence as Male and Female and shows how our influence, in partnership with one another, can be so much more profound than when we try to keep the Creator’s mandate alone.
Senator, gender matters. Whether in the home; the neighborhood; at play or at work; in educating or in governing we, men and women, are better together than we are apart. The best parent, the finest mentor, the most beneficent leader is a Team. Partners, male and female, reflecting the nature of their loving, wise, and powerful Creator, complementarily loving, enlightening, and guiding. Please accept the responsibility given you by the Founders. Be the voice of reason in the conversations of government. Tell the people this truth. Give them the opportunity to debate the issue of Marriage Protection authoritatively. Set in motion the process by which our United States can do their part in the ratification of this necessary Amendment.
Even as I acknowledge my beliefs as the foundation of my conviction on this matter I must also insist, again, that reason moves me just as strongly. The Judaeo Christian worldview presumes that its tenets are more than religious matters. They are ultimate and final revelations of what is. They are metaphysical. It is reasonable, then, that we would conclude that our existence as a race; the quality of our existence; the “nature” of things is highly dependent on “the union of a man and a woman.” I’ve already stated how obvious this is in previous correspondences. This union alone is the means by which we reproduce. To suggest that the petrie dish can be the new reproductive theatre is to reveal how utterly shallow our thinking has become. It is no less vacuous – and presumptive – than the notion that when we use pre-existent material to produce what appear to be new life forms we’ve “created life.” I’ve also shown, previously, that the “union of a man and a woman,” when it is healthy, provides the best environment for the growing of robust offspring. To deprive this “union” of its exclusive and protected status in our society because it is sometimes found to be unhealthy is no less foolish than to abandon our advances in medical science and throw open the door to every form of alternative medicine because our system has failed to provide us with perfect health. We have a good thing. Let’s expend our resources to make IT better.
These glaringly obvious reasons for protecting Marriage, as we’ve traditionally understood it, are not the only rationale for such action. We must also accept the importance of gender to our race and to the very essence of life as we know it. Gender matters.
The Judaeo Christian story of creation contains an often understated – if not overlooked – view of humankind. The Creator, in His musings, says, “Let us make man, in our image, like ourselves… .” Note the plural pronouns. The Creator is talking to Himself as if He were “Them” selves. It is, in this conversation, that Christians find the first glimpse of the Trinitarian nature of God; a perfect union of three quite distinct persons; Father, Son, and Spirit. This plurality within the unity of the Creator has to be addressed if we want to fully understand how much gender matters to us. The story continues. “So God created man in His own image,” we’re told. But one telling isn’t enough. It’s repeated. “In the image of God He created him,” A second time it is repeated. In the second restatement we encounter the gender factor. “Male and female He created them.” Man, like the Creator, is plural. “In His own image … He created THEM.” Like the Creator, man has distinctive components; two distinct persons in perfect unity. There is something about Woman that is godlike. There is something about man that is godlike. Unique, distinct in their individuality, they are designed to be one; united; together reflecting completely the “image” of their Creator.
Having completed this masterpiece of His creative work God gave “man” as “male and female” their mandate. We’ve already seen the command to reproduce in that imperative. We’ve also considered his instruction to “fill the earth” with their kind. Still there remains another critical aspect to the assignment. It is “rule.” The Creator gave authority to both the man and the woman in a single imperative. Authority, as God originally established it, was to be exercised by man and woman in perfect union; like the union within God himself.
This is profoundly significant to our discussion of Marriage. Not only is Man – as Male and Female – to carry on the creative work of their Creator through reproduction and nurture. They are to exercise His authority over all that he has made and continues to make. In each aspect of their assignment their distinctives emerge. In reproducing themselves men and women play an undeniably distinct role. Likewise their role in the nurture of offspring is unique. As we might expect, in their fulfillment of the command to “rule,” they demonstrate unique understanding and exercise distinct yet equally valuable capabilities. These distinctives stand out and are essential in parenting. But, just as importantly, they are seen in the loving, knowing, and managing that goes on in all of life.
You don’t have to be a genius to see that what was intended originally has long ago fallen into disrepair. As someone said, “there is … a sword between the sexes.” Much of the disagreement about Marriage today is the result of the immense difficulty men and women have understanding and relating to each other. But, again, we would be foolish to abandon, without further effort, the quest to recover what might have been and may yet be.
In her review of a 1991 book on “Men and Women in Conversation,” Ruthe Stein, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle says, “This book – written by a linguistics expert so you have to believe she knows what she’s talking about – could be the Rosetta Stone that at last deciphers the miscommunication between the sexes.” She is reviewing Deborah Tannen’s, You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation. In the Preface to her book, Dr. Tannen, Professor of Linguistics at Georgetown University, writes, “Recognizing gender differences frees individuals from the burden of individual pathology. ... If we recognize and understand the differences between us, we can take them into account, adjust to, and learn from each other’s styles.” Later, she cites, Erving Goffman, whose career in the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago, the National Institute of Mental Health, the University of California, Berkley, and the University of Pennsylvania, spanned three decades from 1952 to 1982.
“In our society in all classes the tenderest expression of affection involves displays that are politically questionable, the place taken up in them by the female being differentiated from and reciprocal to the place taken up by the male. Cross-sex affectional gestures choreograph protector and protected, embracer and embraced, comforter and comforted, supporter and supported, extender of affection and recipient thereof; and it is defined as only natural that the male encompass and the female be encompassed. And this can only remind us that male domination is a very special kind, a domination that can be carried right into the gentlest, most loving moment without apparently causing strain - indeed, these moments can hardly be conceived of apart form these asymmetries.’
Gender is a category that will not go away. ... it is ‘one of the most deeply seated traits of man’. We create masculinity and femininity in our ways of behaving, all the while believing we are simply acting ‘naturally’. But our sense of what is natural is different for women and men.”
These behavioral scientists are telling us that gender is here to stay. There are significant distinctives. These distinctives when understood; encouraged to fully develop; and mutually respected and valued can make humans better together than they will ever be in isolation from one another. Even in our interactions and associations outside the Marriage “bond” our unique “sense of what is natural” sets the stage for complementary partnerships that make for more complete fulfillment of ourselves and our life purpose than we could ever realize independently.
In the University Of Utah’s S. J. QUINNEY COLLEGE OF LAW, Journal Of Law & Family Studies VOLUME 6 NUMBER 2, A. Dean Byrd, Ph.D., MBA, MPH, writes about Gender Complementarity and Child-rearing: Where Tradition and Science Agree. (Dr. Byrd is President of the Thrasher Research Fund and Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine with appointments in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and in the Department of Psychiatry. In addition, Dr. Byrd has an adjunct appointment in the Department of Family Studies.) His choice of the term “Complementarity,” is especially significant to my purpose here. It stresses our interdependence as Male and Female and shows how our influence, in partnership with one another, can be so much more profound than when we try to keep the Creator’s mandate alone.
“… Complementarity,” Dean notes, “is readily observable in differing parenting styles of mothers and fathers. Not only are fathers' styles highly complementary to the styles of mothers, but research indicates that the fathers' involvement in the lives of children is essential for optimal child-rearing. For example, complementarity is provided by mothers who are flexible, warm and sympathetic, and fathers who are more directive, predictable and consistent. Rossi's research (1987) noted that mothers are better able to read an infant's facial expressions, handle with tactile gentleness, and soothe with the use of voice (p. 113). Fathers tend to emphasize overt play more than caretaking. This play in various forms among the young appears critical for later development. (Yogman, 1982).
A study authored by Marissa Diener, (2002) at the University of Utah, demonstrated that babies (12 months old) who had a close relationship with their fathers seemed more stress resistant than those who did not. Babies who had secure relationships with their fathers used more coping strategies than those who did not. Her conclusion has fascinating implications: ‘there may be something unique to fathers that provides children with different opportunities to regulate their emotions’ (Broughton, 2002 p. Al).
Male and female differences emerge in ways in which infants are held and … in which mothers and fathers use touch with their children. Mothers more frequently use touch to calm, soothe, or comfort infants. When a mother lifts her child, she brings the child toward her breasts providing warmth, comfort, security and protection. Fathers more often use touch to stimulate or to excite the child. Fathers tend to hold infants at arms length in front of them, make eye contact, toss the infant in the air, or embrace the child in such a way that the child is looking over the father's shoulder. Shapiro notes that each of these "daddy holds" underscores a sense of freedom (1994).
Clarke-Stewart (1980) reported differences in mothers' and fathers' play. Mothers tend to play more at the child's level. Mothers provide an opportunity to direct the play, to be in charge, to proceed at the child's pace. Fathers' play resembles a teacher-student relationship--apprenticeship of sorts. Fathers' play is more rough-and-tumble. In fact, the lack of this rough-and-tumble play emerges disproportionately in the backgrounds of boys who experience gender disorders. Additionally, Clarke-Stewart notes, the benefits of this rough-and-tumble play have appeared in child development areas extending from the management of emotions to intellectual and academic achievement. Interestingly enough, fathers' play is related to the development of socially acceptable forms of behaviors and does not positively correlate with violence and aggression, but rather correlates with self-control. Children who ‘roughhouse’ with their fathers quickly learn that biting, kicking and other forms of physical violence are not acceptable. Children learn how to recognize and manage highly charged emotions in the context of playing with their fathers, and such play provides children with opportunities to recognize and respond appropriately to emotions (Cromwell & Leper, 1994).
There are gender differences in parental approaches to discipline. The disciplinary approaches of fathers tend toward firmness, relying on rules and principles. The approaches of mothers tend toward more responsiveness, involving more bargaining, more adjustment toward the child's mood and context, and are more often based on an intuitive understanding of the child's needs and emotions of the moment. Gilligan (1982) concluded that the differences between paternal and maternal approaches to discipline are rooted in the fundamental differences between men and women in their moral senses. Men stress justice, fairness and duty based on rules, while women stress understanding, sympathy, care and helping based on relationships.
The critical contributions of mothers to the healthy development of children have been long recognized. No reputable psychological theory or empirical study that denies the critical importance of mothers in the normal development of children could be found. Recent research validates the importance of fathers in the parenting process, as well. Studies such as that conducted by Pruett (1987) concluded that six-month old infants whose fathers actively played with them had higher scores on the Bailey Test of Mental and Motor Development. Parke (1981) noted that infants whose fathers spent more time with them were more socially responsive and better able to withstand stressful situations than infants relatively deprived of substantial interaction with their fathers. A second female cannot provide fathering. In fact, McLanahan and Sandefur (1994) found that children living with a mother and grandmother fared worse as teenagers than did those adolescents living with just a single parent. Biller (1993) concluded that men who were father-deprived in life were more likely to engage in rigid, over compensatory, masculine, aggressive behaviors later. His research, based on more than 1,000 separate sources, demonstrated repeatedly the positive effect of fathers on children.
Pruett (1993) summarized the highly acclaimed work of Erik Erikson, one of the most esteemed developmental psychologists in the world, who noted that mothers and fathers love differently. A fathers' love is characterized by instrumentality and more expectancies, whereas a mother's love is more nurturing, expressive, and integrative. Mothers care for their young. Fathers baby sit. Mothers nurture. Fathers negotiate. Fathers focus on extra-familial relationships, social skills and developing friendships. Adolescents who have affectionate relationships with their fathers have better social skills, exude more confidence, and are more secure in their own competencies.”
Senator, gender matters. Whether in the home; the neighborhood; at play or at work; in educating or in governing we, men and women, are better together than we are apart. The best parent, the finest mentor, the most beneficent leader is a Team. Partners, male and female, reflecting the nature of their loving, wise, and powerful Creator, complementarily loving, enlightening, and guiding. Please accept the responsibility given you by the Founders. Be the voice of reason in the conversations of government. Tell the people this truth. Give them the opportunity to debate the issue of Marriage Protection authoritatively. Set in motion the process by which our United States can do their part in the ratification of this necessary Amendment.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
LifeLog - 05.28.06 - A Second Letter to a Senator
This letter is the second of three I've sent to our State's Senators as the Senate prepares to debate the Marriage Protection Amendment. This Amendment states, "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman." I believe that as a messenger of the Lord Jesus I must support this attempt to formally recognize by Constitutional mandate what Jesus himself long ago declared to be the only legitimate form of marriage. "At the beginning," he insisted, "the Creator ‘made them male and female,' and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' So they are no longer two, but one."
Senator, my name is Jim Denison.
This is the second letter I have written urging you to thoughtfully consider supporting the Marriage Protection Amendment to our Constitution. It seems incongruous, to me, that something so obvious needs to be re-established as a value by our society. But it does. As the proposed Amendment states, “Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.” And I respectfully ask you to support this Amendment designed to establish as law what has been, since our inception, an unwritten principle of our union. In so doing you will be supporting a relationship that is the very source of the life of the people who are these United States.
In the previous letter I acknowledged my faith in Jesus of Nazareth and my unconditional loyalty to Him. Without question my concerns about marriage spring from my belief that they are His as well. He flatly stated, more than once, that “marriage” as “the union of a man and a woman,” is the Creator’s idea. He insisted that anything other than this is destructive. So, honestly, what I am addressing in this second letter, is rooted in the Judaeo Christian understanding that marriage began, “in the beginning,” that its nature and purpose in human society was defined “in the beginning.” The Creator’s mandate for marriage is found in the Creation story. “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth … .” In the first letter I wrote that “marriage” consisting of the “union of a man and a woman” is the only relationship by which we, are “fruitful and increase in number.” This letter is about “filling the earth.” It is about growing our offspring to maturity until they “fill the earth.” It is about the “nurture” of our offspring. Despite reconstructionist attempts to redefine Family, I insist that the Family, as commonly recognized among those who hold Judaeo Christian values, is the context in which Children develop and grow best.
The fifth of the 10 Commandments Yahweh gave to his people is, “honor your Father and your Mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” This is, as someone else observed long ago, the first Commandment with a “promise.” The promise is simple. Long and good life follows respect for parents, male and female. Given that this is the Creator's Commandment, and his original design for "parents" is the one flesh bond he established, I presume that the promise is contingent on the conditions. Do we want to live well and long? Do we want our fellow Americans to live well and long. Then we must honor our "Father and Mother" and the "union" that made all of this possible. We must encourage them. We must protect their "union." We must give it all the privileges and exclusivity it has enjoyed and more. We must inspire them and all "parents" living in this "union," to remain loyal in their love. We must enable them to maintain and strengthen their bond.
Senator, as I noted in the previous letter, this goes beyond faith and religion. We must see it as metaphysical. It is about our “reality as a whole.” And, because it is about “the real nature of things … it is (among) the most fundamental and most comprehensive of inquiries … .”
Realistically the “traditional Family” is the best environment for the cultivation of love and life. We’ve learned this by trial and error. Like all “good” science, we’ve observed what works and doesn’t. Our laboratory has been real and sometimes very painful life. But we’ve discovered what works. As we’ve gone along we discovered that some things work better than others. With each discovery we’ve improved our efforts to build loving and nurturing Families. To our credit we’ve not given up on the continual quest for even better marriage and parenting habits. Also, to our credit, we’ve never lost sight of the fundamentals; “what brung us here.” We’ve recognized what Steven Covey, in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, calls the “P/PC Balance – the balance between production and production capability.” We’ve not, at any time –‘til now – given even passing consideration to "killing the goose that lays these golden eggs." (Covey's metaphor) We’ve simply assumed that the relationship that’s “gotten us here,” is not to be compromised. Why would we, now, even think of lifting the special status and exclusive benefits we’ve always given to this relationship which nurtures us best?
The evidence is extensive that the “traditional Family” is the best environment for the growing of healthy human beings. You, Senator, may be familiar with the “TESTIMONY OF BARBARA DAFOE WHITEHEAD, PH.D, CO-DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MARRIAGE PROJECT RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY, BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND PENSIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES: U.S. SENATE.” Ms. Whitehead, referencing fragments of this “extensive evidence,” testified:
Summarizing Ms. Whitehead’s testimony even further, for my purposes in this letter, I note her citation of these “benefits to children.”
Senator, you are quite likely familiar with this testimony. Unfortunately many Americans are not.
Once again I urge you to accept the responsibility given you and your Colleagues by the Founders. Be the voice of reason in the conversations of government. Tell the people the truth. Given them the opportunity to debate this issue authoritatively. Set in motion the process by which our United States can do their part in the ratification of this necessary Amendment.
Senator, my name is Jim Denison.
This is the second letter I have written urging you to thoughtfully consider supporting the Marriage Protection Amendment to our Constitution. It seems incongruous, to me, that something so obvious needs to be re-established as a value by our society. But it does. As the proposed Amendment states, “Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.” And I respectfully ask you to support this Amendment designed to establish as law what has been, since our inception, an unwritten principle of our union. In so doing you will be supporting a relationship that is the very source of the life of the people who are these United States.
In the previous letter I acknowledged my faith in Jesus of Nazareth and my unconditional loyalty to Him. Without question my concerns about marriage spring from my belief that they are His as well. He flatly stated, more than once, that “marriage” as “the union of a man and a woman,” is the Creator’s idea. He insisted that anything other than this is destructive. So, honestly, what I am addressing in this second letter, is rooted in the Judaeo Christian understanding that marriage began, “in the beginning,” that its nature and purpose in human society was defined “in the beginning.” The Creator’s mandate for marriage is found in the Creation story. “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth … .” In the first letter I wrote that “marriage” consisting of the “union of a man and a woman” is the only relationship by which we, are “fruitful and increase in number.” This letter is about “filling the earth.” It is about growing our offspring to maturity until they “fill the earth.” It is about the “nurture” of our offspring. Despite reconstructionist attempts to redefine Family, I insist that the Family, as commonly recognized among those who hold Judaeo Christian values, is the context in which Children develop and grow best.
The fifth of the 10 Commandments Yahweh gave to his people is, “honor your Father and your Mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” This is, as someone else observed long ago, the first Commandment with a “promise.” The promise is simple. Long and good life follows respect for parents, male and female. Given that this is the Creator's Commandment, and his original design for "parents" is the one flesh bond he established, I presume that the promise is contingent on the conditions. Do we want to live well and long? Do we want our fellow Americans to live well and long. Then we must honor our "Father and Mother" and the "union" that made all of this possible. We must encourage them. We must protect their "union." We must give it all the privileges and exclusivity it has enjoyed and more. We must inspire them and all "parents" living in this "union," to remain loyal in their love. We must enable them to maintain and strengthen their bond.
Senator, as I noted in the previous letter, this goes beyond faith and religion. We must see it as metaphysical. It is about our “reality as a whole.” And, because it is about “the real nature of things … it is (among) the most fundamental and most comprehensive of inquiries … .”
Realistically the “traditional Family” is the best environment for the cultivation of love and life. We’ve learned this by trial and error. Like all “good” science, we’ve observed what works and doesn’t. Our laboratory has been real and sometimes very painful life. But we’ve discovered what works. As we’ve gone along we discovered that some things work better than others. With each discovery we’ve improved our efforts to build loving and nurturing Families. To our credit we’ve not given up on the continual quest for even better marriage and parenting habits. Also, to our credit, we’ve never lost sight of the fundamentals; “what brung us here.” We’ve recognized what Steven Covey, in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, calls the “P/PC Balance – the balance between production and production capability.” We’ve not, at any time –‘til now – given even passing consideration to "killing the goose that lays these golden eggs." (Covey's metaphor) We’ve simply assumed that the relationship that’s “gotten us here,” is not to be compromised. Why would we, now, even think of lifting the special status and exclusive benefits we’ve always given to this relationship which nurtures us best?
The evidence is extensive that the “traditional Family” is the best environment for the growing of healthy human beings. You, Senator, may be familiar with the “TESTIMONY OF BARBARA DAFOE WHITEHEAD, PH.D, CO-DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MARRIAGE PROJECT RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY, BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND PENSIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES: U.S. SENATE.” Ms. Whitehead, referencing fragments of this “extensive evidence,” testified:
“Today, thanks to resurgent scholarly interest in family structure, we have a large body of social science research on marriage and its effects. Overall, the available research evidence persuasively demonstrates the advantages of marriage for children, adults and the society. Though it is impossible to cover the entire scope of the research in this limited space, let me summarize key findings.”
Summarizing Ms. Whitehead’s testimony even further, for my purposes in this letter, I note her citation of these “benefits to children.”
“Marriage, especially if it is low-conflict and long-lasting, is a source of economic, educational and social advantage for most children. Researchers now agree that, except in cases of high and unremitting parental conflict, children who grow up in households with their married mother and father do better on a wide range of economic, social, educational, and emotional measures than do children in other kinds of family arrangements. According to some researchers, growing up with both married parents in a low-conflict marriage is so important to child wellbeing that it is replacing race, class, and neighborhood as the greatest source of difference in child outcomes.
Children from intact families are far less likely to be poor or to experience persistent economic insecurity. In fact, if it were not for the demographic shift from married parent families to other kinds of family structures in recent decades, the child poverty rate would be significantly lower. For example, according to one study, if family structure had not changed between 1960 and 98, the black child poverty rate in 1998 would have been 28.4 percent rather than 45.6 percent, and the white child poverty rate would have been 11.4 percent rather than 15.4 percent. Children who grow up in married parent families are shielded from the economic effects of parental divorce. Estimates suggest that children experience a 70 percent drop in their household income in the immediate aftermath of divorce and, unless there is a remarriage, the income is still 40 to 45 percent lower six years later than for children in intact families.
Children from intact married parent families are more likely to stay in school. According to a 1994 research review by Sara McLanahan and Gary Sandefur, the risk of high school dropout for children from two-parent biological families is substantially less than that for those from single parent or stepfamilies. Children from married parent families also have fewer behavioral or school attendance problems and higher levels of educational attainment. They are better able to withstand pressures to engage in early sexual activity and to avoid unwed teen parenthood, behaviors that can derail educational achievement and attainment. They are significantly more likely to earn four-year college degrees or better and to do better occupationally than children from divorced or single parent families.
Warm, responsive, firm and fair parenting helps to promote healthy emotional development and to foster emotional resilience in children. Parents, stepparents and grandparents in all kinds of family arrangements can, and do, manage to establish emotionally warm and secure environments, often against daunting odds. However, parents in long-lasting, low-conflict marriages are more likely to have the time, resources, relational and residential stability to coparent effectively. On average, children reared in married parent families are less vulnerable to serious emotional illness, depression and suicide than children in nonintact families. Further, because parental divorce is such a commonplace childhood experience, with close to four out of ten American children going through a parental divorce, it is an advantage to grow up in a low-conflict married parent household undisrupted by divorce. As the American Academy of Pediatrics notes, the effect of divorce on children is more than a set of discrete symptoms. It can be a “long searing experience.”
Finally, in their own future dating and marriage relationships, children benefit from the models set by their married parents. Children from married parent families have more satisfying dating relationships, more positive attitudes toward future marriage and greater success in forming lasting marriages. According to a nationally representative survey of young men, ages 25-34, commissioned by Rutgers’ National Marriage Project in 2004, young men from married parent families are less likely to be divorced and more likely to be married. Among the never-married young men surveyed, those from married parent families were more likely to express readiness to be married than young men from other kinds of family backgrounds. In addition, young men from married parent households have more positive attitudes toward women, children and family life than men who grew up in nonintact families.”
Senator, you are quite likely familiar with this testimony. Unfortunately many Americans are not.
Once again I urge you to accept the responsibility given you and your Colleagues by the Founders. Be the voice of reason in the conversations of government. Tell the people the truth. Given them the opportunity to debate this issue authoritatively. Set in motion the process by which our United States can do their part in the ratification of this necessary Amendment.
LifeLog - 05.25.06 - A Letter to a Senator
This letter is the first of three that I have written and sent to our State Senators in defense of the Marriage Protection Amendment. This proposed Amendment states that, “Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.” The Senate will be debating the merits of this Amendment early in June. I believe strongly that Jesus call to me includes a prophetic mandate. To be his faithful witness I must courageously defend what He defended and condemn what He condemned. When questioned about marriage He clearly stated that the conditions the Creator established in the beginning, remain His will for every time and all people.
Senator, my name is Jim Denison. I am writing to ask you to consider thoughtfully the Marriage Protection Amendment which will establish that “Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.” As a Senator you represent what our Founders saw as a check to creeping populism. They sought, in the Senate, the seasoned, reasoned, more reserved, more deliberate forum of elite wisdom that represented the state legislatures; a check or balance to the “people’s House.” You are to provide to Congress what the 19th Century Journalist, Walter Bagehot called the “Republics … appeal to understanding.” So I urge you to give long and reasoned thought to this matter.
I am a follower of Jesus of Nazareth; one of myriad beneficiaries of His “Amazing Grace.” Obviously this is the primary reason I believe in the importance of “marriage” as consisting only “of the union of a man and a woman.” Our tradition, the Judaeo-Christian worldview, clearly holds that, “… at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’”
But my concern, though admittedly originating and grounded in faith, is also a matter of reason. This issue is metaphysical. It is about ultimate reality and the role of our race in the shaping of that reality.
Frankly, Senator, our future as a species will be significantly effected by our decision as a society to protect marriage as “the union of a man and a woman.”
There are two reasons why this is so. The first is glaringly obvious. Through this and only this union can our race reproduce. Secondly, the view of growing numbers of privileged people, that population growth is seriously out of control and childbearing must be held in check or at the very least viewed as optional, threatens the progress our civilization has experienced in recent centuries.
The first threat to our species is that we are contemplating removing the special status of marriage as “the union of a man and a woman” and the protections it deserves. We are considering a reconstructionist approach to the only relationship by which we humans reproduce. And what will be undone, if that approach is adopted, will certainly be our undoing.
Please understand that I recognize the checkered history of marriage. It has not always been monogamous. The arrangements that have proliferated across our recorded history are numerous and often denigrating to our once noble race. Even the Judaeo-Christian record, in this regard, is marred by sordid stories of abuse. But always, even in the most uncivilized and barbaric societies, protections, though often primitive, have been provided for mating and safeguards established for the nurturing of offspring. Even the most unsophisticated of us know how necessary it is to construct protections for men and women in their childbearing and parenting years.
There is no question that our own society’s record with regard to marriage protection is far from pristine. But is it wise to point out our failures, throw up our hands in resignation, and abandon the supports necessary for improvement? Any reasonable person knows that, for all our failures, we’ve made remarkable advances in our understanding of what constitutes the optimum environment for reproduction and the nurturing of our children. We know as well as ever in our history what arrangements are best for men and women and children if the advances we’ve enjoyed are to continue. Why would we want to abandon the privileged place we’ve given to such relationships now? Consider another aspect of our life as a society where we’ve achieved great advances. In the relatively short life of our civilization we’ve learned a great deal about what constitutes good health. We’ve devised a health care system that is arguably the best ever. Would we be wise to look at setbacks we’ve experienced and are now experiencing, new challenges from more resistant bacteria, strange recently encountered viruses, and mutations of other diseases, throw up our hands in despair, and abandon all that we’ve achieved for something else?
To abandon the exclusive protection and privilege we’ve provided marriage as “the union of a man and a woman” is regressive. We must recognize that. I urge you, Senator, to support a renewed effort to make this good thing better by making it a part of our Constitution. I further urge you to not only protect and preserve this essential institution by a Constitutional Amendment but provide it with additional support in the form of incentives for pre-marriage training, education in conflict resolution, parent training, and the sharpening of other skills that make for thriving homes and families. Our stability as a society will be shored up immeasurably by such action.
Secondly, we must encourage married couples to reconsider the Judaeo-Christian axiom that “children are GOD’s best gift … the fruit of the womb his generous legacy.”
I am living in America today by choice. Canada is my Homeland. As far back as I can remember I’ve admired American life. This is a superior society. Our world needs more Americans; bright, free, optimistic in their knowledge of what can be achieved, and generous because they’ve seen the power of compassionate, shrewd philanthropy. Society will be deprived of this influence if we fail to acknowledge our shortsightedness and renew our effort to support and protect, with exclusive and ever more diligent attention, the only relationship that can perpetuate it. Mark Steyn, Journalist and Author, has shown just how critical this is in an Op-Ed piece dealing with world population.
Jennifer Roeback Morse, author, Life Coach, speaker and a Fellow of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, shows how critical the issue of Marriage Protection is if we are to not only replace but multiply ourselves as World shapers.
Senator, I urge you to accept the responsibility given you by the Founders of this great Nation. Be the voice of reason in the conversations of government. Tell the people the truth. Give them the opportunity to debate this issue authoritatively. Set in motion the process by which our United States can do their part in the ratification of this necessary Amendment.
Senator, my name is Jim Denison. I am writing to ask you to consider thoughtfully the Marriage Protection Amendment which will establish that “Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.” As a Senator you represent what our Founders saw as a check to creeping populism. They sought, in the Senate, the seasoned, reasoned, more reserved, more deliberate forum of elite wisdom that represented the state legislatures; a check or balance to the “people’s House.” You are to provide to Congress what the 19th Century Journalist, Walter Bagehot called the “Republics … appeal to understanding.” So I urge you to give long and reasoned thought to this matter.
I am a follower of Jesus of Nazareth; one of myriad beneficiaries of His “Amazing Grace.” Obviously this is the primary reason I believe in the importance of “marriage” as consisting only “of the union of a man and a woman.” Our tradition, the Judaeo-Christian worldview, clearly holds that, “… at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’”
But my concern, though admittedly originating and grounded in faith, is also a matter of reason. This issue is metaphysical. It is about ultimate reality and the role of our race in the shaping of that reality.
Frankly, Senator, our future as a species will be significantly effected by our decision as a society to protect marriage as “the union of a man and a woman.”
There are two reasons why this is so. The first is glaringly obvious. Through this and only this union can our race reproduce. Secondly, the view of growing numbers of privileged people, that population growth is seriously out of control and childbearing must be held in check or at the very least viewed as optional, threatens the progress our civilization has experienced in recent centuries.
The first threat to our species is that we are contemplating removing the special status of marriage as “the union of a man and a woman” and the protections it deserves. We are considering a reconstructionist approach to the only relationship by which we humans reproduce. And what will be undone, if that approach is adopted, will certainly be our undoing.
Please understand that I recognize the checkered history of marriage. It has not always been monogamous. The arrangements that have proliferated across our recorded history are numerous and often denigrating to our once noble race. Even the Judaeo-Christian record, in this regard, is marred by sordid stories of abuse. But always, even in the most uncivilized and barbaric societies, protections, though often primitive, have been provided for mating and safeguards established for the nurturing of offspring. Even the most unsophisticated of us know how necessary it is to construct protections for men and women in their childbearing and parenting years.
There is no question that our own society’s record with regard to marriage protection is far from pristine. But is it wise to point out our failures, throw up our hands in resignation, and abandon the supports necessary for improvement? Any reasonable person knows that, for all our failures, we’ve made remarkable advances in our understanding of what constitutes the optimum environment for reproduction and the nurturing of our children. We know as well as ever in our history what arrangements are best for men and women and children if the advances we’ve enjoyed are to continue. Why would we want to abandon the privileged place we’ve given to such relationships now? Consider another aspect of our life as a society where we’ve achieved great advances. In the relatively short life of our civilization we’ve learned a great deal about what constitutes good health. We’ve devised a health care system that is arguably the best ever. Would we be wise to look at setbacks we’ve experienced and are now experiencing, new challenges from more resistant bacteria, strange recently encountered viruses, and mutations of other diseases, throw up our hands in despair, and abandon all that we’ve achieved for something else?
To abandon the exclusive protection and privilege we’ve provided marriage as “the union of a man and a woman” is regressive. We must recognize that. I urge you, Senator, to support a renewed effort to make this good thing better by making it a part of our Constitution. I further urge you to not only protect and preserve this essential institution by a Constitutional Amendment but provide it with additional support in the form of incentives for pre-marriage training, education in conflict resolution, parent training, and the sharpening of other skills that make for thriving homes and families. Our stability as a society will be shored up immeasurably by such action.
Secondly, we must encourage married couples to reconsider the Judaeo-Christian axiom that “children are GOD’s best gift … the fruit of the womb his generous legacy.”
I am living in America today by choice. Canada is my Homeland. As far back as I can remember I’ve admired American life. This is a superior society. Our world needs more Americans; bright, free, optimistic in their knowledge of what can be achieved, and generous because they’ve seen the power of compassionate, shrewd philanthropy. Society will be deprived of this influence if we fail to acknowledge our shortsightedness and renew our effort to support and protect, with exclusive and ever more diligent attention, the only relationship that can perpetuate it. Mark Steyn, Journalist and Author, has shown just how critical this is in an Op-Ed piece dealing with world population.
“‘Replacement’ fertility rate – i.e., the number you need for merely a stable population – not getting any bigger, not getting any smaller – is 2.1 babies per woman. … Scroll way down to the bottom of the Hot One Hundred top ‘reproducers’ and you'll eventually find the United States, hovering just at replacement rate with 2.07 births per woman. Ireland is 1.87, New Zealand 1.79, Australia 1.76. .. Canada's fertility rate is down to 1.5, well below replacement rate; Germany and Austria are at 1.3, the brink of the death spiral; Russia and Italy are at 1.2; Spain 1.1, about half replacement rate.” He insists that these statistics are, primarily, “about culture. … if one part of your population believes in liberal pluralist democracy and the other doesn't, then it becomes a matter of great importance whether the part that does is 90% of the population or only 60%, 50%, 45%.
“… If a population ‘at odds with the modern world’ is the fastest-breeding group on the planet … how safe a bet is the survival of the ‘modern world’?”
Jennifer Roeback Morse, author, Life Coach, speaker and a Fellow of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, shows how critical the issue of Marriage Protection is if we are to not only replace but multiply ourselves as World shapers.
“Demographic collapse is hardly surprising. Many commentators have observed that children have become a commodity, an extra line on the accomplished woman’s resume. Few have noticed the short, direct line from sex as a commodity, to sex partner as commodity, to babies as commodities.
“Without permanent bonds between parents, having babies is a risky business. Marriage is the healthiest, most reliable environment in which to bring children from helpless infancy to productive adulthood. But our society has become indifferent as to whether parents are married or not. We are even on the verge of becoming indifferent as to whether children have two parents of the opposite sex or of the same sex. Hardly a cultural environment conducive to having a higher than replacement level of fertility.”
Senator, I urge you to accept the responsibility given you by the Founders of this great Nation. Be the voice of reason in the conversations of government. Tell the people the truth. Give them the opportunity to debate this issue authoritatively. Set in motion the process by which our United States can do their part in the ratification of this necessary Amendment.
Friday, May 19, 2006
LifeLog - 05.18.06 - Da Vinci Distraction
May 18, 2006.
So?!
To hear the promoters you’d think the Apocalypse had begun.
“This is the day that will ‘forever live’ as the turning point of religious history. The Da Vinci Code has been broken. The alleged expose of the greatest “hoax” ever perpetrated on our race is today transformed from the printed pages of a best-selling novel to the cinema screens of the world. The Da Vinci Code, the movie, is released today.”
So?!
Well, simply, it is a cultural event. “The book,” one observer notes, “is a page-turner that revolves around a centuries-old conspiracy that has the Catholic Church hiding the marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.” It is, though, just a novel. The Author acknowledges it’s fiction. But his in-the-know posture, and the volume of historical figures and events he pens into his story – regardless of how accurately – have lured millions of readers to consider it fact. The Philadelphia Daily News, in a May 17 piece titled, Dissing Da Vinci, reports that, “A Canadian survey commissioned last year by National Geographic Channel found that 32% of the book’s readers believed it to be (anything but fiction).” This is a cultural event!
Whether we like it or not it matters to us. Bruce Fisk, Associate Professor of New Testament at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California warns that “Dan Brown – The Da Vinci Code Author – is attacking everything he sees as problematic within organized religion and its claim to have a singular version of the truth. It’s not a book against Jesus. It’s a book against the Church, charging that the Church is increasingly irrelevant.” Reacting to these charges Christian leaders are researching, writing, preaching, teaching, podcasting, even moviemaking in anticipation of today’s release. Darrell Bock, author of Breaking the Da Vinci Code, told the Philadelphia Daily News that since January he’s been “touring the country,” speaking to the issues Brown has raised. A Prep School Scripture Teacher, Bill Donaghy, says he’s done “12 dozen talks” about the Da Vinci controversy in the past two months. Even the little Church in our neighborhood mass-mailed a large, glitzy, card promoting a four week sermon series on the subject. Candidly, when news broke that Brown’s book was being cinematized I wondered about reading the book and following every trail of history and pseudo history it left; becoming a “Code Breaker;” and marketing my own lecture circuit: all of this for the integrity of Jesus of course.
Today I’m concerned about what appears to be a lot of “hype.” There’s a sense of urgency in the reactions to this event. You get the feeling that we must refute Brown or forever lose our credibility. Of course the guy who “breaks the code” most convincingly will be the new defender of the faith: all of this for the integrity of Jesus of course. The problem is that Jesus would quite likely want us to spend our time in other ways. He reveals his bias about hype, knee-jerk reactions, and drama laced appeals in a story. He used stories a lot to show where he stood on things. This guy died and went to Hell. The place was so bad for him that he just had to warn his Family to change their ways and avoid it at all costs. Somehow, in his desperation, he was able to speak with Abraham, who was resting on the other side of the eternal world, and pleaded with him to send a messenger to his loved ones. Abraham’s response is Jesus response to any suggestion that the spectacular or dramatic has any place in his strategy for convincing men to change their views and their ways. “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘If someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” In another instance St. John explicitly tells us that Jesus refused to take the bait of popular appeal surrounding his own emergence as “the Christ; Messiah.” “Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.” He knew that men were energized and seduced by the “signs,” the “sensational, the spectacular, the successful.” He knew that his Kingdom was, to such men, a veritable upside down Kingdom where great things happen in ordinary, often imperceptible ways; where simple things like growing seeds and little children are most significant; where the humble are the greatest. He knew they’d never fit in his Kingdom.
Marva Dawn tells well what this has to do with us and all that’s going on in and around the media circus that seems to entice so many of us these days. Her book Powers, Weakness, and the Tabernacling of God is an incisive challenge to reconsider our relationship with the “powers” of our day and their ways of doing things. She cites Jaques Ellul. “Christians who are ‘conformed to the world’ … are defined by the sociological milieu.” She then recounts experiences of Luke Timothy Johnson in his encounters with the ever controversial and popular Jesus Seminar. Johnson’s book, The Real Jesus, strongly critiqued the “scholars” of the Seminar. He describes what followed. “(T)he sound of my whistle had been caught up into the surrounding noise and orchestrated as part of a continuing media event. … I found myself co-opted by the same process, with the points in my argument increasingly reduced to the level of comments on personalities, or position-taking sound bites. … I was confirmed in my sense that the media is the wrong place for such discussions to occur, not only because of its inability to deal with substantive issues adequately, but because participation in the media’s productions inevitably draws people away from their primary cultural involvements. … I found myself ironically guilty of the criticism I make in chapter 3 (The Real Jesus), that those who seek to influence public opinion do so at risk to the more fundamental and important transformation of minds by teaching.” “Christians still expect,” Johnson reminds us, “a proclamation of the Word of God that is, somehow grounded in the Gospel and pertains to the ultimate realities of their own lives … .”
Jesus and his early followers did not wait for their culture to define their mission. No secular poet or novelist set their agenda. Jesus said, that “anyone who hears the things I say and puts them into practice in daily life” is building on rock solid foundations that will withstand all the adversities, controversies, suffering, and losses that life brings. “I am,” he said, “the way, the truth, and the life.” Even more, he said, the life I provide is “everlasting.” Talk about a “singular version of truth.” This is not “my way or the highway,” as they say. This is, “My way is the highway.” His followers believed what he taught. They believed that he and he alone could salvage them and their fellows. Nothing was more important to them. They would not be deterred. They would not be distracted. Their message must be proclaimed. Their Master, the Teacher had died. And then he’d risen from the dead. Many of them had seen him. Some had seen him frequently for several days. Many of them saw him return to “heaven.” The second person in God, Jesus of Nazareth, returned to reassume his place on the throne of the Supreme Sovereign right before their eyes. No sooner had he “returned to the Father” then he sent his Spirit to be “with,” and “in” them. Inspired and empowered by what they’d seen, and the Spirit of God within them, these men and women went out to proclaim the message Jesus had given them.
This was that message. God has verified that Jesus is his “anointed,” the “consummate man,” by raising him from the dead. His Spirit, the “Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead,” has come to live in you. He “will, by that same Spirit, bring to your whole being new strength and vitality.” The Spirit will “guide you into all truth.” This truth is the body of things Jesus said. The truth is, actually, and, singularly, Jesus himself. As you “repent – i.e. – change the way you think about yourself and God and accept his way of life in preference to your own,” that “same Spirit,” will make you all over again. By degrees you will come to increasingly resemble Jesus. And, like Him, you will live forever in a gloriously renovated, rapturous world you can’t imagine.
Wherever they went, and with anyone and everyone they encountered, they spoke of Jesus; his resurrection, his Spirit’s arrival; the life he’s come to extend to any who will receive it. They had no other agenda. They were certainly not “defined by their social milieu.” They “turned it on its ear.” Before the last personal friend of Jesus had died there were Christian Churches in virtually all the major cities of the Roman Empire. Any opposing voices were discredited by the dramatic life-changing influence of these people whose “rock solid character” verified, beyond dispute, that they “had been with Jesus.” Sure they had their detractors. In many cases their enemies were very powerful. They were frequently killed because their message offended and threatened these power brokers. But they refused to be distracted by such things. They had a message that would, without doubt, lead to change in personal lives and human destiny. Nothing was more important in their minds than to say it over and over and over again. They had decided to stake their lives on it. Belief meant nothing less than this for them.
My contention is that, we, like them, must allow nothing to distract us from the proclamation of this message. We must teach what Jesus taught. We must provide personal support for the living of it. We must do this, by the Spirit who makes sense of it and empowers us, and all whom we influence, to live it. When we do this, one heart at a time, unhurriedly, providing all the instruction and attention needed for authentic life change, no charge of conspiracy or irrelevance will stand. Our defense will be our offense. Questions about the authenticity of Jesus and his way of life will be answered by the quality of lives made like him. Nothing will prevent us from achieving our mission to make disciples everywhere in numbers too great to count and far too focused on the ultimate to be distracted with things as paltry as a novel and another mystery movie.
So?!
To hear the promoters you’d think the Apocalypse had begun.
“This is the day that will ‘forever live’ as the turning point of religious history. The Da Vinci Code has been broken. The alleged expose of the greatest “hoax” ever perpetrated on our race is today transformed from the printed pages of a best-selling novel to the cinema screens of the world. The Da Vinci Code, the movie, is released today.”
So?!
Well, simply, it is a cultural event. “The book,” one observer notes, “is a page-turner that revolves around a centuries-old conspiracy that has the Catholic Church hiding the marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.” It is, though, just a novel. The Author acknowledges it’s fiction. But his in-the-know posture, and the volume of historical figures and events he pens into his story – regardless of how accurately – have lured millions of readers to consider it fact. The Philadelphia Daily News, in a May 17 piece titled, Dissing Da Vinci, reports that, “A Canadian survey commissioned last year by National Geographic Channel found that 32% of the book’s readers believed it to be (anything but fiction).” This is a cultural event!
Whether we like it or not it matters to us. Bruce Fisk, Associate Professor of New Testament at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California warns that “Dan Brown – The Da Vinci Code Author – is attacking everything he sees as problematic within organized religion and its claim to have a singular version of the truth. It’s not a book against Jesus. It’s a book against the Church, charging that the Church is increasingly irrelevant.” Reacting to these charges Christian leaders are researching, writing, preaching, teaching, podcasting, even moviemaking in anticipation of today’s release. Darrell Bock, author of Breaking the Da Vinci Code, told the Philadelphia Daily News that since January he’s been “touring the country,” speaking to the issues Brown has raised. A Prep School Scripture Teacher, Bill Donaghy, says he’s done “12 dozen talks” about the Da Vinci controversy in the past two months. Even the little Church in our neighborhood mass-mailed a large, glitzy, card promoting a four week sermon series on the subject. Candidly, when news broke that Brown’s book was being cinematized I wondered about reading the book and following every trail of history and pseudo history it left; becoming a “Code Breaker;” and marketing my own lecture circuit: all of this for the integrity of Jesus of course.
Today I’m concerned about what appears to be a lot of “hype.” There’s a sense of urgency in the reactions to this event. You get the feeling that we must refute Brown or forever lose our credibility. Of course the guy who “breaks the code” most convincingly will be the new defender of the faith: all of this for the integrity of Jesus of course. The problem is that Jesus would quite likely want us to spend our time in other ways. He reveals his bias about hype, knee-jerk reactions, and drama laced appeals in a story. He used stories a lot to show where he stood on things. This guy died and went to Hell. The place was so bad for him that he just had to warn his Family to change their ways and avoid it at all costs. Somehow, in his desperation, he was able to speak with Abraham, who was resting on the other side of the eternal world, and pleaded with him to send a messenger to his loved ones. Abraham’s response is Jesus response to any suggestion that the spectacular or dramatic has any place in his strategy for convincing men to change their views and their ways. “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘If someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” In another instance St. John explicitly tells us that Jesus refused to take the bait of popular appeal surrounding his own emergence as “the Christ; Messiah.” “Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.” He knew that men were energized and seduced by the “signs,” the “sensational, the spectacular, the successful.” He knew that his Kingdom was, to such men, a veritable upside down Kingdom where great things happen in ordinary, often imperceptible ways; where simple things like growing seeds and little children are most significant; where the humble are the greatest. He knew they’d never fit in his Kingdom.
Marva Dawn tells well what this has to do with us and all that’s going on in and around the media circus that seems to entice so many of us these days. Her book Powers, Weakness, and the Tabernacling of God is an incisive challenge to reconsider our relationship with the “powers” of our day and their ways of doing things. She cites Jaques Ellul. “Christians who are ‘conformed to the world’ … are defined by the sociological milieu.” She then recounts experiences of Luke Timothy Johnson in his encounters with the ever controversial and popular Jesus Seminar. Johnson’s book, The Real Jesus, strongly critiqued the “scholars” of the Seminar. He describes what followed. “(T)he sound of my whistle had been caught up into the surrounding noise and orchestrated as part of a continuing media event. … I found myself co-opted by the same process, with the points in my argument increasingly reduced to the level of comments on personalities, or position-taking sound bites. … I was confirmed in my sense that the media is the wrong place for such discussions to occur, not only because of its inability to deal with substantive issues adequately, but because participation in the media’s productions inevitably draws people away from their primary cultural involvements. … I found myself ironically guilty of the criticism I make in chapter 3 (The Real Jesus), that those who seek to influence public opinion do so at risk to the more fundamental and important transformation of minds by teaching.” “Christians still expect,” Johnson reminds us, “a proclamation of the Word of God that is, somehow grounded in the Gospel and pertains to the ultimate realities of their own lives … .”
Jesus and his early followers did not wait for their culture to define their mission. No secular poet or novelist set their agenda. Jesus said, that “anyone who hears the things I say and puts them into practice in daily life” is building on rock solid foundations that will withstand all the adversities, controversies, suffering, and losses that life brings. “I am,” he said, “the way, the truth, and the life.” Even more, he said, the life I provide is “everlasting.” Talk about a “singular version of truth.” This is not “my way or the highway,” as they say. This is, “My way is the highway.” His followers believed what he taught. They believed that he and he alone could salvage them and their fellows. Nothing was more important to them. They would not be deterred. They would not be distracted. Their message must be proclaimed. Their Master, the Teacher had died. And then he’d risen from the dead. Many of them had seen him. Some had seen him frequently for several days. Many of them saw him return to “heaven.” The second person in God, Jesus of Nazareth, returned to reassume his place on the throne of the Supreme Sovereign right before their eyes. No sooner had he “returned to the Father” then he sent his Spirit to be “with,” and “in” them. Inspired and empowered by what they’d seen, and the Spirit of God within them, these men and women went out to proclaim the message Jesus had given them.
This was that message. God has verified that Jesus is his “anointed,” the “consummate man,” by raising him from the dead. His Spirit, the “Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead,” has come to live in you. He “will, by that same Spirit, bring to your whole being new strength and vitality.” The Spirit will “guide you into all truth.” This truth is the body of things Jesus said. The truth is, actually, and, singularly, Jesus himself. As you “repent – i.e. – change the way you think about yourself and God and accept his way of life in preference to your own,” that “same Spirit,” will make you all over again. By degrees you will come to increasingly resemble Jesus. And, like Him, you will live forever in a gloriously renovated, rapturous world you can’t imagine.
Wherever they went, and with anyone and everyone they encountered, they spoke of Jesus; his resurrection, his Spirit’s arrival; the life he’s come to extend to any who will receive it. They had no other agenda. They were certainly not “defined by their social milieu.” They “turned it on its ear.” Before the last personal friend of Jesus had died there were Christian Churches in virtually all the major cities of the Roman Empire. Any opposing voices were discredited by the dramatic life-changing influence of these people whose “rock solid character” verified, beyond dispute, that they “had been with Jesus.” Sure they had their detractors. In many cases their enemies were very powerful. They were frequently killed because their message offended and threatened these power brokers. But they refused to be distracted by such things. They had a message that would, without doubt, lead to change in personal lives and human destiny. Nothing was more important in their minds than to say it over and over and over again. They had decided to stake their lives on it. Belief meant nothing less than this for them.
My contention is that, we, like them, must allow nothing to distract us from the proclamation of this message. We must teach what Jesus taught. We must provide personal support for the living of it. We must do this, by the Spirit who makes sense of it and empowers us, and all whom we influence, to live it. When we do this, one heart at a time, unhurriedly, providing all the instruction and attention needed for authentic life change, no charge of conspiracy or irrelevance will stand. Our defense will be our offense. Questions about the authenticity of Jesus and his way of life will be answered by the quality of lives made like him. Nothing will prevent us from achieving our mission to make disciples everywhere in numbers too great to count and far too focused on the ultimate to be distracted with things as paltry as a novel and another mystery movie.
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