Fear Itself

 

Fear Itself

 

I still lift weight three-four days per week but no longer on the WCS campus as I did when I wrote this almost 21 years ago. Many of us like being scared of a movie but not so much in real life. Coming into an empty school building very early in the morning can bring on skittish nerves! This is from 11-28-05.

As I do each Monday-Wednesday-Friday from August through May, I arrived at our school building this morning at 4:45 to work out. I used to lift after school but there were too many conflicts with meetings and kids going through their strength routines. One thing about 4:45 a.m.- you don't have to fight traffic to get to the equipment. My workout takes about one hour and fifteen minutes and leaves me physically drained. Most people like having a lifting partner but I prefer going it alone. When I have a partner, I talk and I don't get as much done. Finishing up, I make a quick trip to my apartment to shower and return to school before 7:00 to start another eventful day.

You might think the hardest part of my routine is getting out of bed or finding motivation to go if I don't feel great. Neither of those are accurate. The most difficult thing I deal with is walking into the building. We have a large complex and it can be incredibly dark and spooky at that time. I peek around corners and flip on light switches to assure myself that I am not about to be attacked by some unknown, unseen bad guy. My skittishness this morning was compounded by something I saw on the news while I ate breakfast. Did you know ABC has a news show at 3:30 a.m.? It was about the recording of 'voices of the dead' from 'haunted' houses. Now, my belief of the scriptures leads me to have doubts about that stuff but it was on my mind as I came into the school. My hair stood on end as I walked a deserted hallway and I felt the wall for the next light switch. Of course, there was nothing there- there never is. But an ice machine rumbling in the cafeteria becomes a potential threat to my safety. Last week, someone left a radio on overnight somewhere in the area and I could hear it. THAT was unnerving! I don't really calm down until the next person, Roger Ramirez, arrives at about 5:30. Then, I breathe easier and concentrate on improving my muscle mass rather than dodging the bogey man. You are supposed to do some cardiovascular movements to get you heart rate up- I have automatic rapid pulse without running at all!

There's something about the dark that unnerves us. The Bible constantly contrasts light and dark with light standing for good and darkness representing evil. We associate darkness with the world of sin and Satan while we pair the Father-Son-Holy Spirit with light. I'm no veterinarian but I have never seen animals afraid of the dark. They seem comfortable at any time. My students tell me they would never come into the school building alone when I do but it would not bother them in the afternoon. Brightness reassures us that we will be OK. Jesus contrasted two types of people in Luke 16:8 when he classified all of us as either 'people of the world' or 'people of the light.' In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes what are known as "The Seven 'I AM' Statements." One of these, in John 8:12, states "I am the light of the world." But look what Jesus says in Matthew 5:14 when he declares "YOU are the light of the world." In a sense, he puts the same characteristic on the believer that he has himself! The world is looking for physical light and spiritual light. Jesus said we should let our lights shine so God would be praised. A hidden light isn't doing much good. Children love the Bible song, This Little Light of Mine (I'm Gonna Let It Shine!) It is so simple but it is the essence of evangelism. Jesus tells us in John 3 that if "we live by truth, we come into the light." After we come into the light, we must stay in the light. That's what I want to do in the morning- stay where it's light and stay away from the dark. There was a gospel hymn we sang when I was a boy called In the Land of Fadeless Day. The song was about heaven and the last three words of each verse and the chorus were identical: 'no night there.' There will be no night in heaven and no fear in heaven. It will be all light. No peeking around the corners and no scary ice machines! Nothing will be there to threaten us. The truth is, nothing can really harm me if I rest in the love of God. I just have to remind myself at 4:45 a.m.!

Applicable quote of the day:
"Work hard.
Speak the truth.
Trust in God.
HAVE NO FEAR."
sign on the desk of Harry Truman

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Stringing It Out

 

Stringing It Out

COVID changed all our plans! This is from July 24, 2021!

Normally, I spend July in Vietnam, working with the school and congregation which came about from the efforts of missionary Tom Tune. As you might guess, my annual trip was postponed for the second summer in a row due to the pandemic. Lord willing, I will return to Can Tho next summer! This cancellation left me with time on my hands which normally is maxed out with planning and traveling and hopefully, planting the seed. Four weeks ago, I was getting pretty antsy so I called my brothers, Dave and Scott, to see if they would put up with a short visit from me. I got the thumbs up from both so sixteen days ago, I made the 625 mile drive to Wichita and split time between their homes which are roughly two miles apart. Both run summer camps  and Sally and Karen, their lovely wives, work so I had some time to myself. Time to yourself away visiting is better than time to yourself when are at home or at least I perceive it to be!  

When I first talked to Dave, he suggested the two of us take a road trip to Campbell, Nebraska, the small town where he started his teaching/coaching career as well as married life with Sally. Then, we would continue on to our home town of York, Nebraska. There were landmarks along the way to Campbell. We passed near the geographical center of the US which is right outside the small town of Lebanon, Kansas. We got gas in Red Cloud, Nebraska, home of famed Midwestern novelist Willa Cather. My favorite tourist attraction, though, was in the tiny (population 469) village of Cawker City, Kansas. There, on main street, sits the world's largest ball of twine. Apparently, it receives a great number of visitors even though Dave and I were the only two present during our five minute stop. It is immense! We took the prerequisite pictures before heading back north to the Cornhusker State which was the day's final destination. (I should note here that there are several other giant twine balls which make some claims to be world's this or that!)

Like everything, there is a backstory. The Cawker City ball was started in 1953 by Frank Stoeber who had heard about a similar endeavor in Minnesota which was several years old. In 1961,  Mr. Stoeber deeded his creation to the small community and it has resided there to this day. But it is a growing organism. Each year, the town holds a twine a thon, a typical rural picnic/celebration with the caveat that the celebrants add twine to the attraction. Also, folks passing through can stop at a local business and a nice lady named Lottie Herod will gift you some twine to add yourself! Your twine is added to the running weight total which was 19,873 pounds in 2013. Wish I had known- Dave and I could have added our two cents, I mean lengths, to the accumulation! 

You know, that initial piece of twine that started this stringed colossus will never be seen again; it's buried deep within that huge sphere. Who knows if Mr. Stoeber had any idea what his obsession would become. Most things start small. As humans, we were microscopic at conception. The world's great novels began with the author as a child learning the alphabet. I always like Jesus' analogy of the mustard seed, which He calls the smallest, becoming a big tree where birds could nest. Come to think of it, birds love gathering twine for their nests! In Matthew 13, which is full of short parables, Jesus states the the 'kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed...' There are commonalities that to me, at least,  the twine possesses that the kingdom should also possess. The people freely share it with others, especially strangers, and acknowledge its value. It's out in the open and not hidden away from view. It's available to anyone who takes the time and has the interest. And, it's constantly growing, if not everyday then at least on a regular basis. My guess is that the good folks of Cawker City see their ball of twine as a blessing, both financially and insuring their home is more than just a dot on the map of Kansas. My prayer is that as believers, we comprehend the blessing of the kingdom of God in our lives. It seems the Savior constantly made teaching points from what He witnessed going down the road. I think He would have had a ball in Cawker City.

Applicable quote of the day:
Baling twine.. able to turn any equestrian , rancher or farmer into Macgyver.
True Western Living

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Daily Grind

 

The Daily Grind

First thing every morning,  I remover my mouth guard. Why do I need a mouth guard you ask? Keep reading below from March 29, 2010!

I reached my dentist's office this morning before 7:00AM. Downtown Houston is eerie and almost eerily charming before the masses arrive. This was an easy appointment, as easy as they come. Apparently, according to my dentist, I grind my teeth and I need a mouth guard. There are people I trust implicitly and Dr. Charles Campbell is one of them. If he tells me that I need something done, I have the procedure with no qualms. Today was just the fitting and Dr. Campbell's assistant went over a few tips for cleaning, insertion and removal, etc. Tonight is the maiden voyage for my new piece of equipment. What a great incentive for going to sleep!

I don't know what makes me grind my teeth. This actually is the second mouth guard Dr. Campbell has made for me. I accidentally threw the other one out about nine years ago. Maybe that's why I'm a teeth grinder; I lose almost everything! The dental community says grinding, medically termed bruxism, is caused by stress in our daytime lives. I don't think I have stress but I do know I'm a lousy sleeper- I never sleep more than several hours without waking up and that has been since early childhood. You know what I don't like about teeth grinding? It's spiritual application. Seven times, the Biblical synonym, gnashing of teeth, is used in the New Testament and always coming from the mouth of Jesus. (Six times in Matthew and once in Luke, if you're interested.) Each time, it is in the context of eternal punishment. And each time, those in that uncomfortable position certainly aren't sleeping. I doubt the Evil One will be offering mouth guards to his eternal guests. And on the other side of eternity, the companions of Jesus won't need them. They won't be sleeping either; too much singing going on!

Applicable quote of the day:
''Anger is implanted in us as sort of sting, to make us gnash with our teeth against the devil, to make us vehement against him, not to set us in array against each other.''
Richard Savage

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Game Ball

 

The Game Ball

Our first game is rapidly approaching! The following, from November 29, 2005, is about another of my teams and my assistant coach at the time, April Cusic, now McGee. She was a kindergarten teacher and my assistant coach at WCS for two years: she was terrific in both roles. But, her heart was in missions and she left to prepare to tell the people of Brazil about the love of Jesus with her  husband. I/we still miss her.

We had a trophy presentation today in middle school chapel. My 7th-8th grade girls' basketball team won the consolation round of the St. Marks Episcopal tournament right before Thanksgiving and this was our first assembly since. I am proud of these kids. 'Overachieving' is an overused word in sports but it applies to what these kids have done. The Lady Wildcats have won four times when I, their coach, thought we would be lucky to win a game. So much for adult faith! We do many trophy presentations at Westbury Christian School. We have two assemblies per week and we like to give honor when it is due. A third place piece of hardware might not seem like much to those accustomed to the million dollar spectacles played out on the NBA/NFL/Major League Baseball stage but it is huge to 12 and 13 year old girls. Surrounded by our team, I presented the trophy to Greg Glenn, our WCS athletic director. But that wasn't the end of the ceremony. I missed the last game of the tournament because of a conflict with holiday airline schedules. My assistant coach, April Cusic, coached the girls in my absence. It was her first time coaching by herself and she led the girls to a victory over John Cooper, a school which beat us twice last year. April is one of our wonderful kindergarten teachers and tremendous with the young ladies in our program. To show our gratitude, we autographed a basketball and presented it to her. At our team meeting , five girls said they wanted to say something in the presentation but when the microphone was staring them in the face, they froze. Maybe next time- public speaking is a challenge for any of us. It was a great moment for April and the kids. They need her and today, they let her know that they do.

Someone once said, "All you need to know about awards is that Mozart never won one." There is some validity in that statement. I let my players vote for all the awards we give at our athletic banquets and the truth is, I don't always agree with the selections. At times, the obvious choice to me is not who the kids pick. They have a different angle of vision than I do. My vantage point is court side while theirs is on the playing surface and in the locker room. Jesus singled out people for special recognition who his followers would have overlooked or disputed their worthiness. A Roman centurion was said to have greater faith than any Israelite-you know that had to please the disciples who were fiercely proud of their heritage. The Master praised the offering of a woman who gave a minuscule amount but percentage-wise put all of us to shame. He called the tax collector Zacchaeus a 'son of Abraham' after the huge crowd lashed out at Jesus for inviting himself to dine with perhaps the most hated man in Jericho. That's the kind of recognition I love- the unexpected, off the cuff praise. The term in the modern vernacular is a "SHOUT OUT." Jesus was the king of the shout outs. He praised those who never got the pat on the back or what my Dad calls The Blessing. We all have the ability to bestow The Blessing on those in the orbit of our lives. You know someone who, like April, deserves a game ball. You have it in your power. You don't need a NIKE ball (although they are nice) or a Sharpie to attach your signature to a round piece of leather. Be creative: a little praise has the ability to change a life. Just ask Zacchaeus when you arrive in heaven!

Applicable quote of the day:
"Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust."
Jesse Owens

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Holidazed

Holidazed

We are entering into the holiday portion of the year with three major celebrations coming in the next seventy-five days. Not all holidays are created equally!  What good is a holiday if nobody knows? The following thoughts are from October 8, 2006. 

Tomorrow is Columbus Day. We have no school so I am excited. My list of tasks requiring attention is rather long so it will be a catch-up day. I am going to get a haircut. There are in excess of one hundred Bible exams, almost seventy of them essay tests, for me to grade. My brother is coming in two weeks to do a tennis clinic for us at Westbury Christian School: the cleanup push in my apartment is ON. So, I am grateful for the day out of school but to be honest, the holiday is meaningless to me. I doubt many of my students know why we will have only four days of school next week but I heard no complaints. Columbus Day has been a federal holiday since 1971, set aside on the calendar to commemorate the explorer's journey to the New World. I know that several cities have parades in honor of the event but any significance of the day is lost to me. Every other holiday I can think of evokes some sort of emotional response except this one. Maybe the meaning has simply lessened over the decades. But, once you celebrate a holiday, you would have a difficult time removing it from the calendar. Try taking a vacation day from a mail carrier, a bank teller, or heaven forbid, a school teacher!

I think there is a measure of Columbus Day mentality in the way we view our religion. We do something simply because we have done it that way repeatedly in the past. Times of community worship or Bible study become an obligation instead of the joy they were intended. Individual reflection and prayer becomes rote, lacking any real celebration of the Creator who gave us the intellect to praise and meditate. The Fourth Of July and Veterans' Day spark feelings of gratitude in my heart while this second Monday of October will just prolong the weekend for me. I know Christopher Columbus left a profound footprint on the history of this hemisphere and the ripple effect has washed every other continent in the intervening five hundred years. It's just easier to blow it off than to pay any attention to this holiday. Forgive me, Lord, if I treat your sacred days in the same manner.

Applicable quote of the day:
"If Columbus had an advisory committee, he would probably still be at the dock."
Arthur Goldberg

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Time And Condensation

 

Time And Condensation

This devotional from October 23, 2018 is about a trip back to my home town.
The past weekend a whirlwind for me. I flew out of Houston Thursday after my last class and was picked up by Dave in Wichita. At 6 AM Friday, Dave, Sally, Scott, and me drove from Kansas to York, Nebraska for Dave's induction into the York College Hall Of Fame. It was a wonderful affair followed by golf, a York High football game, family gatherings, etc. in the thirty hours in our hometown. We drove around to see our schools and the houses we lived in and the places we played ball. We drove through the cemetery where some of my childhood friends are buried and reminisced about what happened here and there. And then we drove back to Kansas and I flew back to Houston.... and I seamlessly moved into the routine I've followed for decades.

I'm not positive but I think this was only my fifth time in York since 1977. Our folks moved to Texas in 1976 and we had no relatives left behind. I returned to coach  American Legion baseball one more summer after they relocated but then I drifted away as I began my teaching and coaching career. As  I walked through the crowd at the ball game, I searched for familiar faces but came up empty. (We were asked to sign a petition to recall the mayor!) A few were vaguely familiar but not close enough to risk embarrassment should I be wrong. Dave and I commented that except for some new bleachers and scoreboards, the scene as York thumped Crete had not changed any since we were boys running around those same Friday night contests. What I did find disconcerting was how time had shrunk the places etched in my memories. Maybe it's because I've lived for two decades in one of the biggest US cities or maybe it's just the way I want to remember. I walked into the gym in the York Community Center where I probably played more indoors than in any other facility. I asked Dave, at least semi-seriously, if they had moved the walls in. It was so small stacked up next to my mental picture. It was almost as if time had played a trick on me. Maybe I just played a trick on myself.

Time to me is incomprehensible. I just don't get it but maybe I'm not really supposed to. We can't see it but we can see what it does. It ages us and the things we build although nature seems immune. I was pleasantly surprised that all the many trees that line the streets of York seem to have grown and provide much more shade than I remember! Moses in Psalm 90:4 writes that time and God have a relationship we can never quite wrap our collective heads around. 
A thousand years in your sight
  are like a day that has just gone by,
  or like a watch in the night.
It's like our Father blinked and decades have passed. The reality is that I blinked and blinked and blinked and have distorted what I once knew first hand. It's been said that truth and memory are related but not identical. Thomas Wolfe famously authored You Can't Go Home Again about a man and his hometown's reaction when he wrote about it. I disagree; I believe you can go home again and should go home again. You just have take into account the millions of blinks since childhood. And that I have changed. Thank goodness for the dreams awakened in a little boy's heart on the plains of the Cornhusker State. Those can survive the visual blurring of inanimate objects and the romanticizing of youth. I can live with that.


Applicable quote of the day:
As time passes, the actual complexity of our history - even of our own personal experience - gets buried under the weight of the ideal image. 
Stephanie Coontz

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Table For Thirty

 

Table For Thirty

 

The holiday season is coming at us at breakneck speed! Dave married into one of the most unique families I know and they make a big deal of these occasions.  The following is from thirteen years ago, December 29, 2009 and it illustrates the coordination of living arrangements with family!

During this holiday season in Kansas, I'm shuttling back and forth between Dave and Sally's house and Scott and Karen's home. I started at Dave's, moved to Scott's, transferred back to Dave's, and tomorrow will make the final venture back to Scott's. It's a simple journey, only a drive of several minutes, with the loading and unloading of a suitcase and a backpack. My itinerary has, for the most part, been centered on my brothers' traveling to see their wives' families. And tomorrow, Sally's clan is making to the pilgrimage to Wichita. It's a big deal. In spite of Meagan, Betsy, and Courtney doing the Lord's work as we speak in Africa and not being included in the final head count, there will be thirty relatives staying with Sally and Dave. Thirty, as in two-and-a-half dozen, for several days. I am in awe. I have a difficult time planning supper for myself, let alone twenty-nine additional mouths to feed. I sat with Sally and her son/my nephew, Ben, yesterday as they charted sleeping arrangements. It was as incomprehensible to me as my feeble attempts at learning to speak Mandarin. But, they have it all calculated and everyone will have comfortable quarters. Today, Susan, Sally's sister who lives forty-five minutes away, came over and the siblings cooked and shopped and cooked some more. Let me go back to my previous statement of incredulity. I have no idea how to plan menus for that many, let alone actually carrying out the cooking and cleaning up. No caterers- they are handling it all by themselves. There may be a glitch here and there but I'm sure they will pull it off. Sally and company are masters of entertaining.

When my classes cover Jesus dining at the home of Martha as reported in Luke 10, we talk about the most common treatment of the story, which is Martha's anger at her sister, Mary. Many scholars assume that Martha was the older of the two, based on this incident and the particulars of the death/raising of their brother, Lazarus. In our discussions, many of my female students, especially those with younger sisters, admit they would have reacted in the same manner as Martha faced with her circumstances. Now, factor that even with the apostles tagging along as they surely did, Martha was faced with thirteen guests for one dinner versus the triple that number that Sally is expecting over the course of days. Some of my students will tell you that any such gathering in their families is an invitation to a emotional bloodbath. Not my sister-in-law's family. Jesus gently chided Martha with the admonition that Mary, who was soaking in the teachings of the Master, was better serving the Lord than by setting the table. Sally's family has that part covered, too. All, excepting the little children, are Christians and most of the young people have served overseas in mission fields. If it's possible to have your cake and eat it, too, Sally's brothers and sisters will pull it off. And I am left with one conclusion, both religious and practical in nature; Dave married into a wonderful family.

Applicable quote of the day:
"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.''
Jane Howard

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1