My Journey Part-8

This is #8 of a nine-part series.
If you'd like to skip to a different chapter,
Just click on the My Journey series
under LABELS (Top of the page, on the right side of your screen).

My next post is coming soon. It'll be another in my
Commentary On Our Culture series - A piece on the Green Movement
and our relationship with the environment!

It's a picture-perfect Saturday morning and I'm pacing the concrete floor of my garage. The Sun's rays have cleared the tree tops and the long shadows are in full retreat; they're all that remain of the previous night - that and a heavy dew. Ah yes, the dew - millions of tiny droplets sparkling in the dawn's early light. Their collective moisture has given the countryside a good soaking; it's the reason for my delay but soon they too will burn away and the conditions will be ideal. The turf will be dry and several hours will pass before the midday heat sets in; several hours 'til the kids (with a little help from Duchess, our knuckle-headed dog) have strewn their bicycles, toys, and various articles of clothing across the property.
Name your diagnosis if you're so inclined: A clinical disorder, a malady of the brain or maybe I was dropped at birth. Whatever the reason, I'm one of those odd-ball individuals who actually enjoys mowing the lawn. For some - probably most fellas, cutting the grass is nothing more than a long, dirty and sweaty hike between the tool-shed and his favorite chair, cold beverage, and the ol' ballgame on TV. For me, it's another outlet for creative expression. Did I just write that? Yeah-yeah, I know - it sounds like a puddle of dribble from some tofu-eating, art festival type. So... for the sake of perspective, let me mention that I also fell trees, split wood, own a gun, and know how to clean & gut a fish! (Okay, I admit it - I like art festivals too. I guess my skull is just a left brain/right brain battle ground!)
Now where was I? Oh yes - mowing the lawn. You can tell the difference between the job done by a guy like me and the one done by some Joe whose mind never really left the family room - his brain remained parked in front of a large plasma TV the whole time. Meandering back and forth, Joe is not the least bit concerned about patterns or straight lines as he leaves clumps of wet clippings in his wake. After all, if he waited 'til the turf was dry or took some extra time to perfect his technique, he might miss the first couple of innings - I guess it's just a simple question of priorities. As for me - well, I like ballgames & beverages too but I also want my work to have good form; to demonstrate attention to detail. After the equipment is put away and the clippings are swept off the porch; with the scent of fresh-cut grass yet lingering in the air, I walk the land I've just groomed and find the straight lines and consistent patterns pleasing to my senses. What I behold resembles...well, it resembles one of the ball fields on TV (that is if you squint & look past the dandelions!)

My wife & I with our two oldest kids attended
this game at Comerica Park back in 2007.
Now that's a lawn!

Aha - dry at last! I ease my 54" Bobcat mower from the garage, adjust a few settings, and pull the starter cord. A pair of morning doves frantically flap their wings, making a hasty retreat from their roost as the powerful engine awakens from its seven-day slumber. After a couple of trips around the perimeter of the entire property, I'm now ready for my first pass across the field and I want it to be perfectly straight. This will be the standard for all the rows which follow it. Neither Joe nor the morning doves appreciate the effort but to me, it's a work of art; the first brush-strokes on a two-acre canvass!

To cut a straight path, I don't focus my attention on the ground directly in front of me but rather that which is far afield. I choose a stationary point in the distance - a tree or maybe a fence-post and fix my gaze upon it. Proceeding toward the distant object, I sight it in with the center of my machine, I do not deviate from my course nor do I take my eyes off of my mark. I reach the end of the run and come-about. Craning my neck, I look back upon my work and give myself a nod of approval. The four and a half foot wide swath I had just carved across the property couldn't have been straighter had it been laid out with a giant ruler! The remaining round-trips across our parcel are accomplished with an equal amount of care & precision until I've completed the job. A few hours later and I'm relaxing in my hammock while enjoying a few moments of quiet reflection; giving some thought to this juncture in my life - this juncture and lines in the grass.
My thoughts these days are largely occupied by the difficulties we're grappling with. Questions, elusive answers, agonizingly slow answers... My waking hours - sometimes, even my sleeping hours are spent mulling over our options and trying to redeem my time as best I know how. I must confess that some days I'm frustrated to the point that I feel I may burst - like my innards are about to reach critical mass and a melt-down is imminent! Some days I sit in quiet circumspection and a wave of sadness overwhelms me. We're losing our home - I'm not sure when or how we'll secure a new residence though we must accomplish this soon. I've not yet settled the matter of whether we'll even be able to remain in this state! There's this nagging sense I can't seem to shake - that following close behind me are the hounds of regret for whatever decisions I make.
Folks, you look for answers on the phone, in the mail box and while negotiating with others. You hone your skills, read books and scripture and search your hearts and minds for wisdom and discernment. You bend the knee and beseech the Lord for providence - for guidance. And yet while you're looking in one direction, God sometimes drops a profound answer right in your lap - while gently swinging in your hammock with grass clippings still in your hair!
Look far afield! Don't focus on the conditions around you; don't become entangled in what lies on your left or calls to you from your right. Never mind what's behind you and don't make a habit of navel-gazing. Rather, fix your gaze on your destination! To do otherwise will invariably lead you to stray off course. The bumps and irregularities in the turf are inevitable as you press on but they must not become your focus - note them; adjust to them but do not allow them to become a distraction! Prayerfully consider your goals and apply all due diligence and tenaciously set out to achieve them!

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!"
For it is He who delivers you from the
snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
For you have made the LORD, my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place.
No evil will befall you, Nor will any
plague come near your tent.
For He will give His angels charge concerning you,
To guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands,
That you do not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and cobra,
The young lion and the serpent
you will trample down.
"Because he has loved Me,
therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him securely on high,
because he has known My name.
"He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
"With a long life I will satisfy him
And let him see My salvation."
Psalm 91 (NASV)

One of my readers asked me to post a photo
of our lawn so here it is. From up in the
tree-house, you can't tell it's just a bunch
of country weeds!

My Bob Cat

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and kind words.
Just a quick up-date:

• My household is in the early stages of bankruptcy and foreclosure.
• My brother and I have formed a new company and have been operating it since the end of the first quarter.
• Thus far we've been able to keep the company operating in positive territory.
• We took a 50% pay-cut in order to allow our new venture to gain some momentum.
• We must be able to grow the company steadily in a tough market in order to restore our incomes to the level we need to support our families - a tall order but there have been some encouraging trends in the past few weeks so we'll see.
• Housing for my family is a critical issue and we're exploring a few good possibilities.
• At times, the stress takes its toll but God is using these times to strengthen us - of this I have no doubt!
  

United We Fall

Making my way home today; cruising along I96-west, my head was occupied by nothing in particular. I suppose I was mulling over the business of the day or maybe my agenda for tomorrow - I really don't recall. That is until my mind was brought into sharp focus - a billboard caught my eye and the old synapses started firing. "Now when did they put that one up?" I said to the empty seat beside me. Does the image above give you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside; does it give you a greater sense of security? An adorable little girl on her daddy's shoulders waving old glory; surrounded by a diverse throng holding fast to the same devotion; look at it - you'd be hard pressed to find a more innocent and inspiring portrayal of civil expression.

But...what about the words - the message we're all supposed to take to heart? Those words - they bothered me all the way home. I rolled on through the familiar countryside of our rural community, all the while that message was replaying in my mind.

What makes
us great.

UNITY
Pass It On

Well...okay then, I'll pass it on - that is, I'll pass on my editorial on their roadside proverb. I hope you don't think me a kill-joy but I feel compelled to dissect that happy little message. So then, is that really true - does unity make us great? Now I assume from the context of the accompanying image, "us" infers the United States of America. Unity - it's a notion tightly woven into our history. About 210 years ago, a revered statesman from our nation's founding gave his final public oration:

"Let us trust God, and our better judgment to set us right hereafter. United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs."
-Patrick Henry

"United we stand, divided we fall' - it originally appears in a couple of Aesop's fables from around 600BC. Today, it's one of the most widely recognized quotations among the American people. So why does that billboard, in all its warm, cute, inspiring, feel-good imagery bother me? Aren't they expressing the very same sentiments that Patrick Henry spoke of? Is it not one of the foundational ideas for western culture - dating back to the ancient Greeks? As I explore these ideas, let me first put forth the following premise - that by "great" the billboard folks are speaking of our nation's virtues; our quality as a people and not our economic and military might.

So then, does unity make a nation great? Does it make any set or subset of individuals great? Look at the images below. Now you must admit that there's a strong unity among the people pictured there - am I right? In those examples, do you see a people elevated to greatness or degraded by their unity?

Go back and carefully read the entire quote from Patrick Henry's speech; are there any conditions to his admonition unto his fellow Americans to unite? Did he not qualify the Aesop quotation by first mentioning a trust in God? Faith is foundational to "that union upon which our existence hangs." - isn't it?
Unity doesn't make a people great; it's that which they're united by that makes them great! The Nazis were united around a false ideology. So was fascist Italy and imperial Japan. All throughout history man has sought to be united around his own fallacious ideas. God didn't have much esteem for man's unity when, at Babel they sought to build a great tower as a monument unto themselves, did He? Instead, He confounded their plans and scattered them - divided them!

When I saw that billboard, the warmth of the image was chilled by message. I shuddered as I thought of what has happened to my people - my culture. Just what banner am I being asked to unite under these days? The cute little girl and the stars & stripes; the solemn display of patriotism - they're not enough to overcome the gauntlet of man-centered ideas I'm assaulted by each day. Consider these words by another founding father:

"Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other". -John Adams

Our nation isn't great because of its unity. In fact, it was born under a great deal of disunity. An uneasy tension had been brewing for years as a growing number of colonists were no longer content to be united under British rule. They chose contention over tyranny. Yet, not all of them - many were indifferent if not opposed to the revolution. Our nation is great because of its constitution - written under the premise that all men are created equal and that our rights come from the Creator rather than the benevolence of government. We've wandered so far away from the freedoms found under a constitutionally limited republic and what we're left with is by and large, hostile towards the very ideas upon which liberty is possible. The moral fabric of our nation has become threadbare - battered by the winds of godless thought. Therefore, I'm inclined to resist the notion of unity with a people who've jettisoned the values that made it great. Without faith in God, that roadside message is as hollow as the empty beverage cans that litter the tall grass in its shadow. Unity at the expense of well-founded values is worthless! Look to scripture; did Christ command us to preach unity? Well...did He?

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Matt. 10: 34-37 (NIV)

I love my country but I cannot unite with a people so hostile to Biblical truth. By simply holding fast to the values this nation once held in common, I and those like me have now been labeled as extreme - even potential terrorists! If we the people unite around man-contrived values, then we will lose our greatness. I am writing this knowing that the majority of my readers are people with whom I'm indeed united - in Christ. And so I want to caution my brothers and sisters to discern everything. Whether it be a clever ad campaign or the postings in this blog, I encourage you to filter it all through God's Word.
As citizens of this nation, it is our duty to uphold the biblical values upon which it was founded; to do our utmost to influence the course of our society. We cannot do that if we sully ourselves by adopting the prevailing thoughts of contemporary man; laying aside truth for the sake of unity.

Two words

Of God
-Those two words
make all the difference in the world.

Back in 1989, a new clothing label hit the market under the name No Fear. Before long, their moniker was plastered everywhere as the youngsters of the day seemed to latch on to its bold, implicit message. Those two words aptly expressed the attitude of a large segment of our society - a youthful generation coming of age.
Now, I'm not the trendy sort - never have been. I don't get my clothes from shopping malls. The Gap? I haven't darkened their doorway since the early '80s so I couldn't tell ya what hangs from the racks in places like those. Walmart - need I say more? Nevertheless, ambling along through life in my discounted denim & flannel duds, even I eventually noticed the t-shirts and bumper stickers.

They where everywhere - it got to be so you couldn't drive to the corner market without seeing at least one of those stickers displayed on the rear window of someone's car. I'll bet you've seen 'em too; usually accompanied by a little counterfeit Calvin character urinating on some object of the driver's scorn. Oh, and let's not forget the obligatory call letters of a local rock-n-roll FM-station.
Whether I'm sharing the road with the daily rush of commuting motorists or visiting the home of one of my clients, I make an effort to note the various clues people leave as to who they are - what they live for. It might be something brash and audacious such as a Darwin fish on the bumper of a car or perhaps something more subtle and endearing - maybe a copy of Pilgrim's Progress on someone's coffee table. I like to study people; to understand their view of the world; to discern the trends in my culture.
No Fear - really? No fear of what; of...anything? If that be your motto - your approach to life, upon what is your fearlessness based? Do you mean to say you have nothing to fear - that the consequences of your decisions and behavior are irrelevant? Is it a willingness to step out of your comfort zone and take some calculated risks. Do you have a noble objective in mind - or is it reckless abandon just for the thrill of it?

Those words and images people display on their fading garments or the rusting surfaces of their rides to work - I slow down to read 'em. Sitting in traffic, I often pray for the bearer of the more obnoxious of these social statements.
Take a good look at the guy in the photo above, he didn't do the math - and they never found his body. Two plus two equals four. No Fear plus Of God equals...well, you do the math! The ideas you live your life by - they have consequences. If you've assembled your own creed; cut & pasted with bits of disjointed ideas brought to market via bumper sticker slogans and pop music lyrics, you have every reason to fear - you're speeding toward your eventual demise! "But hey, what ride!" you say. This No Fear Of God generation is wholly given over to its own amusements. A people such as this - they stand for nothing therefore they will fall for anything. It's a natural progression; a consequence of the past few generations having been taught that they are merely the product of their environment - that they're accountable to their own desires rather than the Creator's. Truth be told, their bumper stickers should read, No discretion, or No Discernment, or No Clue...

¹ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

⁵ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

-2 Timothy 3: 1-5 (KJV)

To you, it may seem a paradox but if you wish to truly live your life with no fear, you must have fear - Fear Of God! I've known far too many youngsters who've abandoned the faith of their parents. Raised in Christian homes, taught from scripture and exposed to sound doctrine throughout their formative years, they cast it aside to follow the enticements of contemporary thought. Kids who know the truth, willfully reject it; filling the resulting void in their hearts with a set of values of their own making. In a vain search for something to add "meaning" to their lives, they ignore healthy fear as they go from thrill to thrill.
Of God - are you? Consider the words of Jesus Christ:

^{24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.}

^{25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.}

^{26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?}

^{-Matthew 16:24-26 (KJV)}

The Race

"Daddy, can we work on it today...Can we? You said 'soon'...Is it 'soon' now? Daddy? C'mon Daddy!"... It's early April and anyone who's ever been involved in scouting knows that the big race is fast approaching. Cub Scout packs everywhere are preparing for their annual pinewood derby. The count-down to our race is at T-minus-seven days and Benjamin & I have been busy. Bed-time rules have relaxed a bit for my second son as we've spent time together out in my work-shop this past week, working on our entry in this year's event. Ben's car joins a long lineage of wooden racers; crafted by father & son - working together, attempting a winning design. We've come up with a number of fun and whimsical cars in derbies past: Sleek dragsters, rocket-cars, a couple of American flags, even a choo-choo train. I once entered my own car in the open class a few years ago - it was a bed! You know - a mattress & headboard; it was a cute little scaled model, complete with a comforter, matching pillow case, and a little fella snoozin' under the covers. I named it, "fast asleep" - It lost.

Our oldest son, Bradley decided to enter a choo-choo
a few years ago. It took first place for craftsmanship!

Over the years, we've taken some first-place trophies for craftsmanship and won a few races but it's been quite a long spell since anyone in our family took the overall first prize in a pinewood derby event - some thirty seven years, actually! I can still recall the thrill: It was the early 1970's, my dad & I rolled out a dark metallic blue little number (the same color as dad's Oldsmobile) and it easily won every single race. I remember the ride home that night in the back seat of dad's '69 Cutlass Supreme, holding my car in one hand and a big blue ribbon in the other. I also vividly recall the realization that none of it would've happened without my dad. Would you believe I still have that car? I do - what's left of it, anyhow.

Here's ol' blue from '72.
My kids have since pulled the wheels off.
Hey, that's no way to treat a champion!

Fast asleep!

THE RULES:
Width - 2 3/4"
Length - 7"
Width between wheels - 1 3/4"
Bottom clearance above track - 3/8"
Weight - Not more than 5 ounces

Each boy is given a kit with all the essential raw materials - A block of wood, four wheels, and four axles. The finished product must comply with the above specifications or it will be disqualified. The project begins with a sheet of paper - after the boy decides on a theme or type of car, he begins to draw his ideas. With a little direction from his dad, a feasible design is worked out and the outline is transferred to the block of wood. Sawing, shaping, sanding - the boy learns some basic woodworking skills while his dad leans over him; steadying his hand. Each year, the boy's own hand grows more capable as he learns to manipulate the various tools; transforming a formless block of wood into something resembling what he had hoped it would become.

Ben begins to work his design.

It's more than a fun distraction - a mere amusement, it is an opportunity for a dad to impart some important qualities onto his son. The easy thing to do would be to hand Ben his derby kit, show him the design parameters, and let him loose in the work-shop. The resulting car, if completed at all, would fail to qualify for the race - the dimensions and weight wouldn't meet specs, the wheels wouldn't be properly aligned, and the youngster wouldn't know how to make the adjustments necessary to be eligible.
It's not unlike the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father. There is a rule book - scripture; there are all the necessary raw materials with which to build my life - body, mind, & spirit; there are tools; parents, church, school, friends, etc. God didn't simply drop me into this world to fend for myself - He knows my frame, that I am weak and that I'll never qualify by my own attributes or skills. Therefore, He became flesh and dwelt among us. In Christ Jesus, I am qualified and as I press on with my race, the Holy Spirit guides me; steadying my hand as I wield the tools He's provided me!
Tomorrow is Easter - Resurrection Sunday and I can't help but remember the great price which was paid to qualify me for the race; for the kingdom of God! Thank You Jesus!

Ben brought home a couple of awards last year!

Today, we applied the first of several coats of paint. When finished with that, the wheels will be carefully attached and aligned for optimal performance. I'll let you know how we fare.

UPDATE:

Ben's car didn't win any races
but was given an award for
most unique.

Ben looks on as his car races toward the finish line!

Ben's car & trophy.