My Journey Part-9 A Tale of Three Houses

This is #9 of a nine-part series.
If you'd like to skip to a different chapter,
Just click on the My Journey series
under LABELS on the right side of your screen.

Be like a solid tower whose brave height remains unmoved by all the winds that blow; the man who lets his thoughts be turned aside by one thing or another, will lose sight of his true goal, his mind sapped of its strength.
- Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

A house sat empty, nestled in a wooded hillside among a stand of tall pines - waiting...waiting for the sounds of family; of the daily clatter of life under its roof once again.

More than four millennia ago judgment came upon the Earth as "were all the fountains of the great deep broken up". Our world's outer crust was shattered as the waters burst forth. The great deluge dramatically changed the surface of the land; buckling and stressing it. The mountain ranges of the Earth were heaped high and valleys were cut deep as the entire globe sought some measure of stability - a tentative state of equilibrium. Throughout the generations of man since those terrible days, the ground beneath his feet has remained unstable - still displaying visible scars and enduring a host of festering wounds. He has felt its awful effects right down into the very footings which bear the soil upon which he toils. And to this day, we all have an inescapable sense; a perception that something is amiss with this world in which we dwell.

A man worked in the heat of the tropical sun each day - month after month; spending nearly all he had until his house was ready; eager for the day he and his wife would call it home. He was like so many others in his economically depleted city - doing what he must to survive; using what skills and wares he could bring to market to provide sustenance for his family.
Today, the walls he'd so laboriously erected along with the roof that rested atop them tumbled into a heap. With an acrid cloud of dust hanging in the air, the man desperately clawed at the debris that hours ago had been his home. With his bare hands and makeshift implements, he dug into the pile; hoping to find his wife alive. He didn't. You see, the man is a Haitian and that mound of rubble is one of countless others in Port au Prince. The Earth shook today and it's likely that thousands have perished. Many more are wandering through the devastation with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The world looks on - horrified by the images of broken children and bewildered adults; of destroyed homes; of destroyed lives. Some will ask, "where is your God?' How can a loving God allow such misery?"

August 29, 2009 - a mild, late-summer Saturday morning and the house was buzzing with activity. Friends and family arrived early to lend a hand - there was much to do and only a day in which to do it. Bed frames were disassembled, boxes were passed along a human chain toward the exits and pieces of furniture were carefully maneuvered through doorways. An entire household was being loaded into a moving van and a few accompanying vehicles.
By midday, the house was emptied of all that had accumulated under its roof over the past several years. Gradually, the noise faded, the hustle & bustle gave way to a somber stillness. A single pair of boot heals slowly paced the well-worn wooden floor. Echoing through the empty house, those footfalls were the only remaining sounds. I paused at the front door long enough for a last glance around the room; wanting to somehow mark the moment and give it a special place of remembrance in my thoughts. A couple of dust balls swirled on that bare floor - caught in the eddying currents of air created as I pulled the door closed behind me. And all was silent. Moving day had finally come.
Last year as the snow and ice gave way to the warmth of springtime, we had to face the reality that personal bankruptcy was the only option left to us. With almost no working capital, we pressed on in our effort to begin again - building a new business on the bare foundations of the old one. I had little if any expectation that we would prevail. With no cash on hand and a depressed market, I went through the motions of establishing a partnership with my brother; convinced it would fall short of sustaining both our households as well as our parents. By April, we knew we would be losing our house.
I prayed each day; asking God for wisdom. I needed answers. Where was God leading my family? Was He purposely uprooting us to be transplanted into some other community? How would such a move be accomplished given our current state of affairs? One thing was clear: if we were to remain in this community, then either our business would need to prosper quickly or I'd need to seek out another opportunity to replace the income I had lost.
As we moved into late spring and our first full quarter in business was behind us, I took a look at our numbers. I compared our profit and loss from the same quarter of 2008 to our performance in 2009. I checked my figures and then rechecked them. "Was this right - did I miss something?" I thought. There was a significant swing from deep deficits to profitability! Though it was way too early to call it a trend, it appeared to me that God was giving me the encouragement I needed to go forward boldly. It would seem that He was answering my queries; granting me enough vision to press on with our efforts to remain in this community - to remain here and seek His will for me, my family and our business.
My wife and I began to search the area for our new home. We had about six months to get this done but practically speaking, we'd need to accomplish it much sooner than that with a new school year on the horizon. Prayerfully, we asked to find a new home and have our household functional by summer's end. The search proved difficult and at times very frustrating. There are many homes on the market right now but our particular needs narrowed the offerings down to but a few. Given our financial situation, conventional financing was out of the question - we'd need to find a seller willing to negotiate either a lease with the option to purchase or a land contract. Furthermore, the property needed to be large enough to accommodate a family with eight kids, have an out-building which could house our business, and fit our housing budget!
By July, we had exhausted all but one property. It was a bit on the small side for us - sort of like trying to jam a size 10 foot into a size 8 shoe but we were excited about the possibilities. I was fairly confident that this was to going to be our new home. God seemed to be blessing our business and providing for us the means to remain in the community we had grown to love so much!
We waited for over two weeks as the sellers considered our offer to purchase under a land contract. Late in the afternoon on August 6, I was feeling a bit anxious as I ambled about outside our home; asking God for some answers to this question of housing. The clock was ticking - not only our clock but the bank's clock as well! My prayer concluded as I heard the phone ring inside the house. The answer had come - it was "no". I felt the color drain from my face as our agent continued to speak. He went on; offering some suggestions or some such thing but I heard nothing after the "no".
After sundown that evening, I stretched my legs and went for a long walk. I needed some time with my Father. The first mile or so I just vented my pent-up frustrations: If this is where God wants us to reside, then why all the roadblocks? As I made my turn to head back home, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit restoring my strength and resolve to trust in my Heavenly Father and follow his lead. I recalled the long hike I'd taken back in March (see My Journey Part-6). Along the frozen shores of Lake Michigan I had found a piece of driftwood which now hangs in my shop as a reminder that I am not adrift - floating aimlessly in a sea of uncertainty. God has a plan and a purpose for everything in our lives and if we're willing to follow Him, He'll lead us to places we could never imagine! They're not roadblocks, they're directional signs!
A couple of hours later, I strode through the door with a new measure of resolve for finding God's will for me and my family. My wife greeted me as I walked into the living room. "I think I've found our new home" she said; gesturing me to have a look at her computer screen. Feeling a bit incredulous, I humored her; not at all in the mood for looking at more properties at the moment. I immediately recognized the house from the photos on the listing page - we'd seen it back in April; right across the road from the very first house we looked at with our agent. A beautiful house; nestled in a wooded hillside among a stand of tall pines...and well beyond our price range so it was no more than a passing curiosity at the time.
With my wife looking over my shoulder; eager to know my reaction, I read the property description:

~Over 4,400 square feet - more than enough room for our size 10 family. Check
~Over four acres of land - more than enough room for the kids to romp. Check
~Large kitchen and spaces for my wife to conduct her home-schooling. Check
~A large heated out-building with office space, a full bath and plenty or room to store equipment and supplies. Check
~A monthly payment that fits our budget. Check
~A large deck with a screened gazebo. Okay, that's nice too! (Check!)
~A hot tub, jacuzzi, theater room with an 8-foot high-def projection TV. Uhm...Are you kidding me, God? (Check?)

The place had been sitting on the market for months with no offers. The owners, having already moved to Arizona decided to go ahead and offer it as a lease with the option to buy - just one week prior to us exhausting all other possibilities! Negotiations took place and an agreement was reached.
As the summer dwindled and the trees started to hint at the onset of autumn, we filled that house on the hillside - filled it with the sounds of family; the daily clatter of life were once again heard beneath its roof. And our children began their school year - right on schedule!

Three houses: One filled, one emptied, and one destroyed
They have a common thread; they sit upon uncertainty.
They're all part of the same story - the struggles of man in a fallen world.

This world is fallen and broken; it is passing away. We know not when the very ground under our feet might be shaken. Do you trust in markets and economies - in business models and bottom-lines? Do you derive your security and sense of well being from your home or your health? Do you believe that the incessant tinkering of men will ultimately create stability and universal happiness? Well, then you're destined for disappointment my friend. There is but one unshakable foundation upon which to build your hope - Jesus Christ!
The past couple of years have been some extremely trying times for my family. We've sailed through some very stormy seas and there's no guarantee that our future doesn't hold more of the same. For reasons I may never know, God chose us too endure such times as these and He also saw fit to measure out to us some unexpected blessings as well. Why? Why does God allow what He allows and stays what He stays? Why did I and my family find ourselves moving into such a nice setting while others, perhaps more deserving of such a blessing, languish in their troubles? How can a loving God allow such misery in the world? I won't even attempt to offer a complete answer to such questions - none of us with our finite perspective can begin to wrap our minds around the ways of God. However, there is one thing I've gained through my own adversity: a stronger faith and belief in God's providence and His perfect plan to integrate my life into His kingdom. This world - such as it is, is not how God intended it to be - not what was originally created. The curse of original sin brought futility to all of creation way back in Genesis 3:17. The very hill upon which our new home sits bears in its soil the scars of that curse. Yet God's plan for me and my family is older than the hills. For He knew us before the foundations of the world were laid. You see my friends, we're not some accidental concoction brewed from the elements and left to careen down life's road - undirected and without purpose. The things which befall us, however wonderful or unpleasant - they're all useful tools in our lives. God uses such things in preparation to fulfill His good works in us and through us! Whether in prosperity or in great need, I'm convinced that God's glory will be accomplished in my life - and in all those who seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness!
I trust that God will use my story to somehow edify and encourage you as you seek His will in your life.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."John 16:33 (New International Version)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."Jeremiah 29: 11-14 (New International Version)

On The Green In Two Strokes

FIRST STROKE (Part 1)

My pickup truck rolls to a stop in its usual resting place in our driveway. The motor is turned off and the cab is nearly silent - just the metallic jingle of my keys as they're extricated from the steering column and that distinct tink...tink...tink noise a hot engine makes as it cools down - ahh, and a long sigh from the exasperated driver. There are some days my friends; some long, difficult days when I've just about had all I can take of what the world portions out.

So I just linger there a in my seat afew moments; thinking back on the previous dozen hours. The day had begun poorly - not a good start at all. Every one of our kids were in a quarrelsome mood. It seemed as though they couldn't even tolerate their own shadows! I recall the door closing behind me as I left the house that morning, muting the sounds of several petty arguments. My poor wife was still trapped in there to fend for herself; refereeing such minutia as who gets what cereal box and "he's lookin' at me, make him stop! Waaaaa!" From there, I was more than willing to move on to my own battles. Yet as the day wore on, home didn't seem such a bad place to be after all: A number of contentious phone conversations, fruitless attempts to accommodate a few unreasonable folks, the disappointments and frustrations that arise when other people fail to meet my expectations, an endless stream of depressing stories from the news outlets I read and listen to, and to top it all off - the combative and inconsiderate drivers I shared the road with while making my way home. As I sit there; wondering what awaits me when I walk back through our front door, I give a somewhat spiteful chuckle, recalling a song from my favorite version of Dickens' A Christmas Carol:

(Click on the title below to watch a clip from
the film. If you share my somewhat twisted
sense of humor, you'll laugh as
Albert Finney sings in that scene)

I HATE PEOPLELeslie BricusseSung by Albert Finney in the film "Scrooge", 1970.

Scavengers and sycophants and flatterers and fools,
Pharisees and parasites and hypocrites and ghouls,
Calculating swindlers, prevaricating frauds,
Perpetrating evil as they roam the earth in hordes,
Feeding on their fellow men, reaping rich rewards,
Contaminating everything they see,
Corrupting honest men – like me.
Humbug! Poppycock! Balderdash! Bah!
I hate people. I hate people.
People are despicable creatures,
Loathsome inexplicable creatures,
Good-for-nothing kickable creatures.
I hate people. I abhor them...

I'm jolted back to reality as a couple of grubby little faces are pressed and contorted against the glass of the driver's side door. "Daddy...Daddy...Daddy - Daddy's home! More grubby faces appear as they make their way from the sand box, the woods, or other remote corners of the property - A slight smile threatens to crack my face. I part the crowd with my door as I exit the vehicle. "Here ya go Ben, carry your Daddy's briefcase into the house. Laura, you can take my lunch box" I say as I drag myself toward the front porch, the dinner table, and ultimately my favorite chair.
A change of clothes, perusal of the mail, a little light banter around the dinner table and eventually I collapse into my old trusty recliner. With remote in hand, I indulge myself with a little mind-rot as the TV awakens and begins to glow. Scrolling through the various offerings, something grabs my attention on the channel guide - Life After People. "Hmm", muttering to myself - Scrooge's song still echoing somewhere in one of the folds in my brain, "Now there's an interesting thought!"
The series is presented weekly by the History channel (now just what a show that prognosticates future scenarios has to do with history is beyond me - but I digress). It's an imaginative look at what would happen to all of man's buildings and technology in the decades that follow the sudden absence of the entire human population. It depicts the slow advance of forests and animal habitats; reclaiming the acreage once occupied by people, traffic, and buildings. As I sat fuming in my driveway earlier, the notion of wiping at least most of mankind off the face or the Earth wasn't all that far from my thoughts! And I must confess a certain measure of amusement upon seeing what I'd just witnessed on TV - a computer-generated rendering of the Eiffel Tower crumbling to the ground as its rusting remains slowly succumb to the elements! And yet, this show's premise bothers me. I believe it's evidence of the slow, steady creep of an insidious deception in our culture - especially pronounced has it been in recent years. Namely, that mankind's presence in the world is eclipsed by the greater value of his environment; that we're an affront to nature; an encroachment upon it. That the Earth and all it contains has intrinsic value and purpose apart from the presence of human beings. In short, we are nothing more than a product of the natural, undirected workings of the universe - highly organized concoctions brewed from the periodic table of the elements! More on that later. Meanwhile, indulge me if you will as I lay some anecdotal groundwork with a couple of stories - true stories I believe to be relevant to the topic of this piece.
A few years ago my brother loaded up his van, secured the trusty ol' Coleman pop-up to the trailer-hitch, and took his family on the road for a week of fun and adventure - camping in one of the state parks in near-by Ohio. He was carrying on the traditions that we had grown up with - enjoying the outdoors as a family. The scents and sounds of a camp-site are indelibly etched into my own memory as I'm sure they are his. The experience of immersing myself into vast forested acreage and tranquil waterways; exploring trails and paddling a canoe; settling-in for a serene evening around a crackling campfire - bothered only by the inevitable sibling skirmishes, a few biting insects and that confounded wisp of smoke that always seems to follow you no matter what side of the fire you're on!
Well folks, nowadays there are some new annoyances to contend with - as my brother and one of his boys so unpleasantly discovered. I believe it's embedded into the genetic make-up of a child - that irresistible urge to look for the perfect climbing tree and to accept the challenge to touch its upper boughs! It's a rite of passage of sorts for a kid - at least it was for me. My young nephew found such a tree in that Ohio camp-ground; wasting little time scampering up into its leafy realm. As he was enjoying the view from that lofty perch, a uniformed figure emerged from the shadows and took up a position below him. As my brother later related this story to me, I could just see that guy in my mind's eye - some Barney Fife type character standing with his hands on his hips citing a ridiculous park regulation which forbids tree-climbing. My nephew (the perp) was summoned from the branches, reprimanded, lectured about how climbing a tree puts un-do stress on it and warned not to climb any more of them!
No, I didn't make this story up - oh how I wish I had! How I wish I still lived in a culture where a youngster in a tree was a welcome sight rather than a misdemeanor. Anyone with an ounce of sense would know that that tree (or if you prefer, the victim) must withstand far greater stresses on its limbs each time a spring thunderstorm rolls through the area! Barney, the defender of trees; the voice of the helpless wooded beings of the forest - he and those who impose such foolishness upon people seem to lack any measurable amount of sense! Really now, what's to be gained from treating those who are simply engaged in a harmless, time-honored activity as if they were rogues and vandals - huh?

"All right young fella, climbin' trees
is against the law in this neck of the woods.
I'll let ya off with a warning this time
but you just mind yerself
'cause I'll be watchin' ya"

Here in Southeastern Michigan, we have a local park system known as the Huron Clinton Metropark Authority - boasting a number of venues offering plentiful hiking, boating, picnic grounds, etc. Over the years, one of my favorite haunts has been Kensington Metropark. I'm particularly fond of strolling along the many miles of hiking trails found there - it's a place where I can go to steal away for a little while when I need some quiet solitude. I remember a particular warm autumn day a number of years ago when the park authority unveiled their new policy regulating leaf collecting. Yes folks, that's right - leaf-collecting! Is there anything more destructive to the environment than the occasional third-grader collecting a handful of red maple leaves to take home & press in a book? For goodness sake - this raping of the land must be stopped at all cost before it's too late!

Really now - are these folks serious? If they've got that much time on their hands - so much that they need to dream up nonsense like this, then perhaps they might take a few moments to do a little math like I just did:
Kensington Metropark has over 3,000 acres of mature forest encompassing Kent Lake - a 1,200 acre back-water created back in the 1940's by damming the Huron river. Oh, and ironically enough, felling the trees that once stood in that valley - the stumps of which are still visible beneath the surface of the water! Anyhow, according to my research, one acre of mature forest has an average of 250 trees. That would equal approximately 750,000 trees in Kensington. I've learned that the average mature tree has some 250,000 leaves on it. Therefore, Kensington's trees produce an estimated 187,500,000,000 leaves annually - imagine having to bag all those & take 'em to the curb! Are you still with me? Okay then, according to statistics I got from the park's own website, approximately 450,000 people visit it's grounds during the fall color season. Now, what would you assume to be the percentage of those visitors who'd be even remotely interested in taking a few leafy mementos home with them - 1%? Perhaps 5%? I seriously doubt any more than that but I'll assume a very generous 10% just to demonstrate the absurdity of all this. So then, 10% of the autumn visitors would equal about 45,000 people and they might take - oh, I'm gonna guess ten colorful leaves home with them; a whopping 450,000 leaves! That's less than what two trees produce annually - probably less than most of you rake up in your own back yards each fall and let's not forget it's spread out over 3,000 acres! Of the nearly 188 trillion leaves shed annually by the park's trees, we're talkin' about .00024% or put another way - jack diddly squat! Undoubtedly, more leaves blow into the park from neighboring private property than what you'd reasonably expect people to collect with their kids while teaching them to...uhm...appreciate the handiwork of God (a.k.a "the environment")!
I'm not suggesting that regulation of human behavior is unnecessary. On the contrary, scripture clearly teaches of the need for a governmental authority to restain man's fallen nature; keeping his tendency to destroy himself in check. I live next to a township park and serve on the committee which regulates it; giving its operation oversight. Therefore, I'm well aware of the need to have in place sound policies and ordinances to curtail certain human behavior which, if left unchecked, would eventually blight such places. What I'm saying is that parks are there for people - to be enjoyed by people. Therefore, they should be preserved for people not from people - a very important distinction. In the former, people are stewards of the land; in the latter - invaders; trespassers! If you prevent a child from climbing a tree or cherishing a few autumn keepsakes then you're instilling in them the notion that their very presence is somehow damaging the ground upon which they stand - your guiding principles are a bit skewed - however well-intentioned they may be.
The crux of the matter; the root of this whole environmental debate is the condition of the human race - I'll delve into this further in Part 2. 'Til then, consider with me some insights from the Word of God:

18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
19For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
21that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
Romans 8:18-22 (New American Standard Bible)

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.

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.