When Time Speeds Up

 

When Time Speeds Up

Clocks and me don't always get along! This is from January 4, 2018.
I'm back off the road and becoming reacquainted with bachelor life. I spent almost two weeks living out of a suitcase with my brothers/sisters-in-laws and their extended families. It was great as always! Most of the time when I'm not at school or in worship/Bible study, I'm by myself and it's good for me to break out of my rut. It takes me at least one day to get back on track in Houston. My refrigerator is empty, there is laundry to be done, and as an added twist, I have jury duty tomorrow! I've been able to get quite a bit accomplished the past two days, my first days really of break for me since the not on the calendar vacation that was Hurricane Harvey. School- and basketball- start back next week so it will be back to the routine I know very well.

I need to let you know that I'm not good with clocks. The clock in my car is an hour off for half the year, as is the one on my stove, as I simply don't know how to reset them with the onset of Daylight Savings Time. I can tell time at my laptop but I'm not always logged in and I rarely have my phone turned on. That leaves one main source of the accurate time for me- the digital clock by my bed. (I should interject here that due a quirk in my makeup I keep that timepiece at twenty-two minutes ahead of the correct numbers.) When I returned to Houston about forty-eight hours ago, I noticed something odd; my digital clock was about five hours ahead of time. At first, I thought the electricity had gone off but the clock wasn't blinking as it does with a loss of power. I reset it (at +22 of course) and guess what? It has already gained fifty plus minutes or slightly more than a minute an hour since I walked back in my door. To be honest, the way I set it makes it never right but now, it's more wrong than I want it to be!

As has become the go-to solution nowadays, I entered the following into the search on my Internet: Why is my digital clock running fast? What I found was that this question is not uncommon and the answer seems to be tied into  the electrical current in one's living quarters. I have to admit I got lost in the technical jargon but I'm comforted in knowing it's not my imagination! I used to not believe the standard wisdom that time speeds up as you get older; I've changed my mind. Birthdays and holidays seem closer together than in years past. School years are almost over before I know it and the kids I coached in sixth grade are graduating from college. My dad told me that when we get older, we have a better idea of what our purpose on earth has been so maybe that's a part. The scriptures speak of time frequently from Genesis to Ecclesiastes to the admonition of James to add Lord willing to our plans because we are clueless about tomorrow. We know certain things  will happen scripturally but we don't know if they will come to pass in our lifetime. One thing is for certain- if we live long enough, we'll die so we are all on the clock. Maybe ours is running faster than we know. The time will come when only one thing will matter and that's how we spent the minutes/hours/days/weeks/months/years of our lives. The clock is ticking.

Applicable quote of the day:
Calendars and clocks exist to measure time, but that signifies little because we all know that an hour can seem as eternity or pass in a flash, according to how we spend it. 
Michael Ende

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Lunch And The Ugly American

 

Lunch And The Ugly American

Every day, I send back a report of what I see and hear and think when I'm on my mission trips in Vietnam of which there have been twelve. The following, from August 11, 2010 is from my final trip (so far!) to China and an interesting perspective on culture from a friend of mine who does much mission work herself.
___________________________________________________________

Yesterday, I went to BORDERS and bought a copy of The Ugly American. The reason why is in the following e-mail I sent to family members three weeks ago on July 24. I should finish re-reading it by this evening.

Good evening! This morning, Lavender and I took the thirty minute bumpy bus ride into town to buy some things. She took me to lunch at a hotel and it was excellent; beef strips and cooked onions, lily petals with cashews, rice, and tomato and egg soup. The waitress said it was an honor to serve us because I am from the US! For dessert, we bought ice cream bars for about 14 cents and they were terrific!

Yesterday, I made a reference to being offered cigarettes regularly in China where it seems most men smoke. I received an e-mail from a great friend, Sandy, and I will excerpt it here:
I just wanted to make a comment about being offered a cigarette. Thom and I had a young Chinese man stay with us for 3 months one summer 2 years ago. He barely spoke English. He was a smoker and we tried to get him to quit. We learned how significant it is and how smoking is a big cultural, social thing to them. What he explained to us was that he pretty much had to smoke if a cigarette was offered to him especially by his boss or coworkers. In China, it is a social bonding thing. If someone wants to smoke with you, it is a sign that they want to be friends. To refuse is kind of like not extending your hand if someone wanted to shake hands. They have several different social signs that indicate that they want to connect or compliment someone. Anyway, for someone to offer you a cigarette means that they want to be in conversation with you, get to know you, and bond with you. It is a compliment. I don't advocate smoking, but you might accept it and just hold it or something. Sounds like they like you a lot!

Sandy and I went back and forth several more times talking about one of my favorite books, The Ugly American. Written by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer in 1958, this book is the fictional story of a fictional Asian country and the terrible mistakes US officials made in trying to win the hearts of the people. One of the main characters, an Asian diplomat, made the point that Americans in their homeland are the nicest-kindest-most generous people he had ever met BUT when they travel overseas, they can turn obnoxious and arrogant. In The Ugly American, we also see several Americans who are amazingly effective because they assimilate themselves into the culture and live as the citizens do. They blend in and find out what the people need and how the citizens believe it is best implemented. I read this book as a requirement in a high school English class and it made a lasting impression on me, especially as I have been blessed to do mission work in Honduras, Haiti, and China. It's a book about politics and guerrilla warfare but it has stuck with me in a religious sense. As Americans, we need to be careful how we present ourselves in foreign countries, especially poorer ones. As Sandy's e-mail pointed out, there is so much for me to learn about this culture. I am just glad the Lord is giving me a chance! Thanks for your e-mails and prayers!

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The First Day Of The Week

 

The First Day Of The Week

We still have our Sunday basketball ministry with folks whose roots are in China! This is from January 5, 2014.

As you know if you are a regular reader, our congregation worships in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Besides being part of our English speaking group, I work with, and have for twelve years, our Chinese speaking fellowship. We have a rotating schedule allowing all three language groups to worship although the Chinese meet in the Fireplace Room due to smaller numbers. Part of our evangelistic outreach has to do with basketball. Every Sunday, we open up the gym at Westbury Christian School to the Chinese community to play some hoops. Our minister, David Fang, delivers a Bible message during a break in the action. This past week, David asked me if I would be the speaker today, the first Sunday of the new year. I was honored and spoke about how my faith is based largely on the way I was raised, how believing in God came as naturally as breathing and speaking English. We know what we are exposed to. I related how I can't do anything on my cell phone but my great nephew, Bennett, can because he has been around electronics all of his six years. The players, close to twenty in number, were receptive and two asked for my FACEBOOK info- I'm creeping towards 5,000! When I finished my short talk, Shimin, the guy in the orange shirt in the middle, led the closing prayer. Shimin is a member of our congregation. Guess where he learned the good news about Jesus Christ? Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. I think the Lord would include basketball courts as part of that directive!

Applicable quote of the day:
"Of one the Lord has made the race,
Through one has come the fall:
Where sin has gone must go His grace;
The Gospel is for all."
J.M. McCaleb

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Frontier City

 

Frontier City

I passed this place twice in the past two weeks! This is from January 3, 2018.
I'm back in cold Houston after a twelve day Christmas/New Year's Holiday in very very cold Wichita, Kansas with my family. It's a long drive- about 620 miles- but the roads are interstate the whole way and the only problem is navigating Houston's traffic. I usually leave in the middle of the night but since Monday was New Years, I thought it was safer to wait until daylight Tuesday so hopefully, the inebriated or somewhat intoxicated would be off the road. I heard January 2 was one the most traveled days in the US. I couldn't see it except coming back through Houston which always has traffic issues unless you leave here in the middle of the night!

Since our folks died, I have spent every Thanksgiving and Christmas with Dave and Scott and their families. That makes twenty trips driving to Wichita and twenty trips back. I follow a familiar route; my apartment to 610 to I45 to I 35. I could do it in my sleep but I still keep my GPS on just in case. On each leg of the journey, I pass a large amusement in Oklahoma City. It's called Frontier City and it looks like a fun place. Often, I pass it before dawn so it's hard to see much in the dark. I found out on the internet it's the only amusement park in Oklahoma and it dates back to 1958! It's seen a number of renovations and changes in ownership over the decades and it even has a rock song about it by the Kings of Leon! (One of the band members worked there as a teen.) My guess is that a lot of kids  and not young anymore youngsters have lifelong memories revolving around summers spent on that plot of land. Childhood memories can be so sweet.

I admit I'm kind of fascinated by Frontier City. You know, I've never been inside after all these years and I even very vaguely remembering passing it a when we drove to Arkansas from Nebraska as a boy. Maybe it's the most wonderful spot on earth and I've never found out for myself. But I only go by when it's closed, when it's dark and gloomy. There's no kids or laughter, no sunshine or sno-cones, no families or staging group pictures. When I see it, there is no amusement in the park, just a cold deserted piece of real estate. I've said before that a school without the kids is simply a facility. A theme park without children and their folks is a ghost town.

Last Christmas, I preached the wedding of a former student in Fort Worth. To practice, I spent thirty minutes in our church auditorium practicing in front of empty pews. It was eerie, dark and deserted in an enclosure that would probably seat seven hundred when filled. But a church building void of a gathering of believers (and hopefully non believers as well) has no life. The life is in the flesh and blood. In John 10:10, Jesus explains the fullness of the existence He offers: 
I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.
That's the life I want/we want. Not an empty, lonely life but the joyous, fulfilling life of serving others and serving God. Going to an amusement park with you as the only customer would seem a waste of time. We, and even me, a strong introvert, understand the happiness that comes from interacting with a crowd even of strangers mixed in with loved ones if we come with a common purpose. Movies, concerts, ball games- all these depend to some extent on those who participate willingly. There's enough emptiness in a culture that prides itself in communicating. I pray my life reflects to those I meet the atmosphere of Frontier City in the warmth of summer, not in the coldness of winter. Those out in the cold are looking to come in.

To watch the Kings Of Leon song Frontier City, click or copy/paste the link below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwdxhHaJSY4

Applicable quote of the day:

I look just like the girls next door... if you happen to live next door to an amusement park.Dolly Parton
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

By The Numbers

 

By The Numbers

For over six years, I had a pre-paid cell phone that some anonymous benefactor gave me when Dad had a stroke and I never lost it, a victory in itself. The following, from May 31, 2007, is about my reliance on calling cards for long distance service before I got a real cell phone.

My Dollar General phone card ran out last night. Well, it's down to a minute or two so it's effectively dead. If you want the remaining moments, dial 1-800-808-2816 and punch in the PIN number, 0871 723 1450 and the number you wish to dial. It's on me! I don't have a long distance provider and I try to call my folks every night. These cards have 725 minutes on them which last about two months. This evening, I broke in a new one. The easy part is taking a penny and scratching to reveal the pin number. For the first week or so, I keep the card with me when I call but then the inevitable happens. Without realizing it, I've memorized the sequence and I no longer need to peek. Before much longer, I can punch in the numbers without even thinking and can discard the card totally. Then, in about six weeks, the process repeats itself.

My prayer life resembles my involvement with calling cards. At times, the lists of those I pray for on a constant basis becomes an exercise in rote memorization. Even the names on written down prayer lists come to mind before my eye picks them up. I pray for the girls who played basketball for me over the years every day and the only way to do that is with a pattern. But I worry that I say the names without really thinking about them. Have you ever prayed for someone for an extended period of time and when they pass away, you still prayed for them out of force of habit? It's happened to me on numerous occasions. I don't want to throw my lists away because there is no one I consciously want to stop praying for. Sometimes, a crisis is good for our communication with the Lord because it forces us- at least me- to really focus on our pleadings and praise. Maybe, like my phone cards, I need to reorganize my prayer life every several months to keep it from going stale. Maybe I should pray in a different location or with a different posture or perhaps use a different order or at a different time. My understanding is that my idiosyncrasies are not that important to the One on the other end. I don't have to budget minutes with him....and I never forget the number.

Applicable quote of the day:
"What a lot we lost when we stopped writing letters. You can't re-read a phone call."
Liz Carpenter

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Resting Place

 

The Resting Place

A number of Facebook friends have recently lost parents. It is a grieving process with no exact boundaries. This is from December 30, 2008.

Scott sent me this tonight. Aunt Jerry shot this picture of Dad's headstone at the New Corinth Cemetery outside of Nashville, Arkansas where Dad was interred last April 19. This is the same location where many of my relatives on Mom's side, including my Chesshir grandparents, are buried. Interestingly, Mom and Dad were married in the tiny church building which used to sit on this same plot of ground. This place held great meaning for Dad and by extension, for me as well. We loved going to Arkansas as kids and maybe even more as adults. I'm still coming to grips with Dad's passing and this is one more step along the highway. If I died in the near future, this is where I would want to be laid to rest. (I'm sure Uncle Bill would tell me to hurry up and purchase my own plot!) In the Scriptures, both Jacob and his son, Joseph, gave instructions in regards to their funerals; they wanted their remains to be with their families. The families complied...and so did we with our father. Rest In Peace, Dad.

Applicable quote of the day # 1:
"Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they are dead. Do not write them on their tombstones, speak them rather now instead.”
Anna Cummin


Applicable quote of the day # 2:
"I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.”
Eartha Kitt

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

At The Altar

 

At The Altar

Anger and grudges are hard to reconcile with the word of God. It is especially difficult when the object of your anger is your brother. This is from January 5, 2011. I hope they made up!

My sophomore Gospels class today quizzed over Matthew 5:13-30. One of the questions covered verses 23-24 where Jesus stated this:
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift."
We came to the conclusion that although giving to the Lord is of great importance, Jesus told us that making it right with your brother or sister carried even greater weight. We discussed that some of them (the kids) are angry and they we need to fix the problem with the other person, whether of the spiritual family or biological clan. I saw a short story tonight on Sports Illustrated's website about two brothers that really grieved me. Darryl and Brent Sutter are two of the amazing six brothers in the family who all played in the National Hockey League. Until very recently, they worked together as general manager and coach of the Calgary Flames. Darryl has resigned his position and the two are not speaking although Brent says he has reached out through texts. Working together is sometimes hazardous to family harmony and I know nothing about hockey but I know brothers. After a certain age, you aren't going to get any more. I don't think there could be any better illustration of Jesus' teaching than the Sutters. Maybe it's more difficult to reconcile if you are a public figure but Jesus did not make an exception for the famous. I hope they make up before it's too late. If they do, it would be a great illustration of an altar call.

Applicable quote of the day # 1:
"When brothers agree, no fortress is so strong as their common life."
Antisthenes

Applicable quote of the day # 2:
"It takes two men to make one brother."
Israel Zangwill

God bless,
Steve (Brother of Dave and Scott)
Luke 18:1