A Time to Remember

Ecclesiastes 3 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." ~Ecc. 3:1-11 (KJV).

While the phrase, 'a time to remember' is not included in this particular passage, there are many instances in Scripture which talk about remembering.

10 years ago on Sunday, the world as I knew it changed dramatically, permanently, tragically. Several airplanes were hijacked by terrorists and were flown into the World Trade Center. A third plane crashed in the Pentagon and a fourth was intended to be crashed at the White House. All four places were and are places of national significance.

I was young, but I still remember the hush, the tension, the uncertainty. No planes overhead, few cars on the road. I remember watching on TV as they played over and over the replay of the World Trade Center. I remember Dad saying more than once: "Life is going to be very different from now on. This world has changed forever." It did.

Because I remember, I am saddened as I realize that many people don't remember. They were either too young, or they have forgotten. Yes, it was ten years ago. But ten years is not that long. Surely we could have remembered the sacrifices that people made. It is time to remember.

I am saddened by the lack of remembrance. I still tear up a little as I think about this event. It was a huge turning point in history. It is equal to any number of other turning points. The Great Awakening, the American Revolution, the Civil War, the World Wars, the Exodus. We remember those thousands of years later. Why have we forgotten this less than ten years later? Yes, it does cross our minds this year. After all, Ten Years is special. Like an anniversary. But it's not an anniversary. It's a memorial. We ought to remember, we ought to teach our children to remember. Think of all the ways it has effected us. Tighter and more objectionable airport security is only one poignant example.

(My apologies, this just posted before I finished.)

Think of the sacrifices others made. Like the fourth airplane. Why didn't it hit it's target. Because the passengers on that plane sacrificed their lives instead. Most notably a man named Todd Beamer. These people have names. They were real. Let's remember. (A book review on Let's Roll by Lisa Beamer will be on the Bookworm's Resource page shortly)

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born and a time to die..." A Time to Remember, and a time to forget.

Schemes

Here's a list of things that I think would be fun to do sometime:

• Have a Bible-read-aloud party. It only takes 77 hours...=) Well, maybe a New Testament read-aloud for a start. That only takes 15 hours. You could totally do it from 9-6 for two days with room for lunch and breaks. Or three afternoons...
• Go Christmas caroling. Share the gospel in-between two songs.
• Go on a short-term and long term mission trip to somewhere
• Have a party and invite people off the streets. A real party, with hats and cake and noise makers. Like the parable of the wedding feast in the Bible. Maybe invite a few additional Christian friends to balance it out. Make it a party as if they were your best friends instead of people you don't know or instead of a free meal for homeless or something.

Company Behavior

I have a question for you. What do you do when a special friend you haven't seen in a while calls to say they're coming over and are only 15 minutes away? You lounge around waiting for them right? Yeah, right. If you're anything like me, you probably rush around the house picking up things, taking out the trash, stuffing things in closets, maybe change out of your work clothes into something nicer, start some coffee, throw some cookies on a plate, tell the kids to behave extra well...And THEN, you lounge around waiting, right? Probably not. You've probably used all your time. As they walk up to the door, you put on your best smile and your mind races as you think of the dirty laundry you forgot to pick up in the living room, the crumb you notice on the entry floor, the dirt mark on the carpet that you didn't have time to vacuum, and the toy under the couch that you didn't quite shove back far enough.

This last week, I was reading the Gospels. I was reading two different versions, so I basically read them all twice. Anyway, I happened to notice the words, (about 8 different times or more) "Watch and pray, prepare your house, for you do not know when the Lord will return, and it will be like a thief in the night." (Paraphrase) And then, on top of it all, I had a discussion loosely based off of these words and the topic of company behavior with Mr. O. (A good friend from church)

And, I got to thinking.

Ok, now for a rabbit trail. Am I allowed to say I was thinking? I took a personality test, (very fun and accurate, the link is http://www.personalitypage.com/high-level.html and you can read the descriptions of your personality here: http://www.personalitypage.com/high-level.html) Anyway, my type was a something something "T." T stands for how much I relying on Thinking vs. Intuition (N) I got a T, but, apparently, I only Think 1% of the time. Or maybe it's supposed to mean that during my life I will have only Thought for 1% of it. So the question is, if I say was Thinking, am I using up my 1%? Um, yeah, that was a rabbit trail. A big one.

Anyway, I was using 1% of my brain, and I connected the two.

So, here are the facts.
1: Jesus WILL return.
2: It'll be like a thief in the night.
3: If you know the thief is going to come, you get ready for him. You set up a barricade, hide the silver...etc.

Logical Conclusion:

We know He's coming, so we prepare for Him. But since we don't know WHEN He's coming, we have to be prepared all the time! I know, we've all heard that before. But hey, Scripture talks a lot about how we need to remind ourselves/our children of these things.

So, Unlike our scenario at the beginning where we rush around fixing things at the last minute and not having time to do it all, we should KEEP our house in order all the time. Yeah, right! I can hear humphing in the background. Like anyone can do that. I've got 10 kids...or, a job...No one can keep their house clean all the time. Yes, I know, I can't do it either. But you can try. Because, Like our story at the beginning, He IS an unexpected guest. A special one. One who will see the toy under the couch, the un-vacuumed floor. And he'll say: I told you I was coming, why didn't you make ready.

But if you TRY...Sure, maybe it won't be possible to get all the way into that corner over there. He'll see it, but He'll know you tried and He'll say: Well done, good and faithful servant.

What would the world be like if we were on Company Behavior all the time? If we always wore our best smile, if we always behaved extra well...?

An Everlasting Impact

Warning: This Might be a Long Post! But it's worth it, so keep reading! =)

I am a slim acquaintance with several cool people down in Oregon. Actually, I really only know most of them by sight and reputation. I might have passed the time of day with a few of them. But, they're pretty nice people anyway. I 'met' them through various channels, mostly speech and debate, but also Christian Home school Network and Christian Heritage. (The middle one is the one that hosts the Home school Day at the Capital) I'll refer to them as: Mr. QC, Misses SB, RA, and LM. Also, one of their friends, whom I don't claim acquaintanceship, Miss EG. All that to say...

I learned a few weeks ago that Mr. QC had lost one of his best friends in a water accident. Jimmy Brazell was only 18 or 19 years old. Not that much older than myself. I was privileged and impacted by the eulogies which my acquaintances wrote. I didn't know Jimmy. I hardly know his friends. But, bear with me as I share some of the excerpts.

QC:
"Jimmy had a way about living life that was contagious to all who were around him. He set a high standard. He lived with a passionate love of God. He loved people and wanted to see them found by the Savior. Jimmy cared...
Jimmy was one of those few people you'll meet in life who will truly inspire you to live differently. Jimmy had such a passion for living a life for God. He loved God's people, and He loved the lost. Jimmy was blessed to be a shining light for our Savior in a dark and dying world. ...but now he's gone. Jimmy had a huge impact on my life, and I know that he affected hundreds and thousands of others.

Every breath I breathe is a gift. Jimmy filled every breath that God gave Him, speaking truth, grace, and love. Jimmy is going to be so, so incredibly missed. The last day of July will always have a new special significance to those who loved Him. I want to see Jimmy again. ...and I will. He's in heaven singing and making music, worshiping at the feet of Jesus, in God's loving care. I'm so happy for you, my friend. So happy. I miss you so much, and someday I'll be able to come see you. I love you, and I can honestly say that when I grow up I want to be like you.

When I grow up, I want to be like Jimmy."

SB:

"Jimmy was an indescribable person. But... I'll try to describe him anyway with some key words. Please read each one slowly, they are each such an beautiful part of who he was.

Love. Passion. Smiles. Understanding. On fire. Worship. Genuine. Excitement. Adventurous. Eternal perspective. Encouraging. Faith. Musical. Peace. Funny. Depth. Laughter. Wisdom. Pure in heart.

I only knew him for one week, but his impact has already been astounding. Here are a few of the most important things that Jimmy has taught me:...Jesus is Everything...Life is a Gift...Live with Joy...Worship is Constant...Be Ready...Look Forward...Jimmy has impacted me in so many ways. And I pray that whether you knew him or not, you won't forget the things he showed us in his life. Remember that Jesus is worth everything. Remember that your days are a gift, so live them full of the joy of our salvation. Remember to constantly worship our God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And be ready each day for what we should treasure and look forward to the most: living eternally with the Lover and Savior of our souls."

RA:

"There are some people who you meet once and know you will never forget. Jimmy Brazell was one of those people. They are the kind of people you learn something from...Jimmy taught me what it means to live each days as if it were your last. After two near-death experiences, Jimmy understood, to a level most of us don't, the frailty of life. He knew none of us are assured tomorrow. And his life demonstrated a passion to make the most of every moment.

Jimmy taught me that even the smallest, most mundane tasks, could be exciting, if you were willing to see the potential in it. He knew God worked in the small things.

He taught me that loving people is always worth it.

He taught me that you make the biggest impact on someones life not by showing them how much you know, but by letting them know how much you care about them.

He taught me what it means to leave everything out on the field. Never hold back. Never keep some in reserve. Give everything you've got.

Jimmy taught me that joy is a choice.

He taught me that there is no fear in death.

He taught me that strangers and pilgrims on the earth have no regrets when leaving to their final homeland.

He taught me that even the most painful experience can also have joy, if we have lived for Christ.

He taught me that someone who shines Christ leaves a legacy that continues after our time on earth is over.

He taught me what it means to live in light of heaven."

LM:

"I only knew you for one short week, but one week was enough for Christ to shine into my life through you. I remember the time I spent around you, and I see Jesus...While I am incredibly sad that you're gone, the legacy you've left is one that inspires others to focus on loving Christ, and that is truly beautiful. Moreover, where you are now is infinitely more wonderful and glorious. Now you're home. Really home. And I can't wait to see you there.

Jimmy, I met you and I saw Jesus. I love you, friend. See you soon."

EG:

"From the very start Jimmy had a true and genuine love for people. When he would talk to you, he cared so much about what it was you would say. He gave such words of encouragement that could not be compared. Then the day he shared his testimony with me was when I saw how committed he was to his relationship with Jesus. He lived every day as if it was to be his last. I remember talking with him as he would share of his greatest joy and desire which was to share the Gospel. There was a light in his eye when he would talk about his life and how God had impacted how he lived. The things he said stuck with me and I can honestly say the kind of friend, encourager, and sibling in Christ is the kind of person that I want to be. He had so many things in his life that he could have taken for bad, but he turned it into joy and faith in Jesus."

I don't know about you, but I was almost moved to tears by these tributes to a guy I never knew. Remember, this guy was young, as young as I. Here's my open-ended question that I've been asking myself ever since I read these. "Am I the kind of person, even now, who would leave this kind of everlasting legacy behind me?" Are you? What are people going to say about you when you die? Are they going to talk about meaningless things such as how you like to make birdhouses? Or are they going to talk about what really matters; your relationship with God and others. Your fire for God. Your love for others.

Water Worries

One doesn't often realize how much one takes for granted most of the time. A simple gutter for instance. One assumes that when one purchases a home, the gutter system, and everything else for that matter, will be in working order. The idiosyncrasies of a home however, are usually not found until a date long past the purchase date.

In this particular home of ours, purchased in late summer, the gutters appeared to work just great. Whatever rains occurred over the next year or so were mild. On the surface, it was the perfect house. Then, we decided to put in risers, (whatever that is) for our septic system. That winter during every rain, two things happened: the septic alarm went off, and the side yard flooded. The second occurrence, for my brother and I, was lovely. We no longer had to go way into the woods to the storm pond to float boats made of sticks. We had our own pond right outside the garage door.

After that, every year, we dug up the yard. Every summer we dug it up, and every winter it flooded. We discovered somewhere along the line that when the risers had been put in, the septic tank had been cracked. After numerous patches which were, at best, merely patches, we put in a new tank. Correct me if I'm wrong, but, as I recall, this new tank was also cracked. I don't think we missed a single year digging up that yard.

We also discovered however, that the gutters on the house were a major part of the problem. You see, when you build a house, the gutters are supposed to be directed away from the house. These gutters however, merely went into the ground and stopped.

So, one summer, we dug up the yard. Again. We made all sorts of ditches and things crisscross all the way to the road. One would think we were having another Trench War or something like they had in the World Wars. Boy, it was a mess! We became adepts at shoveling HEAVY gobs of wet mud. It was clay too! The worst!

As a youngster slightly too young to help much with such work, one of my main jobs was to water the sod.  The sod was piled high off to the side. You had to use two hoses to get to it. The hoses stretched a long way across the lawn, across the ditches. Must have been a mile. (Hey, poetic license! Besides, I was young. My perspective was different.)

One day, we had some friends over helping. It was almost lunch time, so the ditch-diggers were taking a break. I had stretched out the hose and was watering the sod. All of a sudden, the steady stream of water from my house disappeared. Departed. Vanished. I suspected trickery. After all, I was young, but I was not naive.  I looked over at my at my resting, innocent, sister and friends. They were sitting close to the hose by the ditch.

I yelled at them. You know, like: HEY! DID YOU KINK THE HOSE!?

I got innocent stares. You know, like: "Who me?"

Says my wonderful sister: "Maybe it's plugged. Try looking down the hose and see if you can see anything."

Did I say I wasn't naive? I looked down the hose. Voila! The stream of water magically reappeared and I got it in the face. I looked up and saw both my sister and one of the friends with the hose in their hands. Caught red-handed!

I was pretty mad at the time. But looking back. It's pretty funny. It's a wonderful lesson in appearances. Next time, I'll pay attention when my mom says "appearances are deceiving."

The Life of a Weed

Ok, so maybe the theology is a little off, but hey! Here's a short story I wrote a few years ago. Enjoy! See if you can guess what I didn't want to do at the time.

The Life of a Weed by Source of Joy

Have you ever thought about how the weed feels when you pull him from the ground?  You probably haven’t.  If you really knew how the weed feels about it, then you probably would not pull them.

A seed once fell into a piece of ground. Using plenty of sunshine and rain, it grew to a large height and began bearing its own seeds. Unfortunately this plant had several things against it. First of all, it was a dandelion; secondly, it was growing in someone’s nice, neat garden.

This particular weed had had a blessed life so far, (The Gardener was on vacation) it didn’t even know that there was evil in the earth, that is, not until the Gardener came back.

 At this point, the weed began to feel a trembling in his roots. The ground shook, the earth broke and crumbled, and then…he was grabbed hold of and choked tightly, his beautiful leaves were torn off, it was as if he had lost a limb. He felt his roots being strained, and then they came out, one by one. His heart was broken and his last thought came as he felt himself thrown through the air and then began to burn.

Do you not think that this is a sad thing for the poor weeds to go through? To have their limbs torn off, to be choked, to be torn from your home, tossed through the air like a sack of potatoes, and then burnt? Alas, this is but one example of a million sad tales. Will no one do anything for the poor endangered weeds?

Brought to you by Homes for weeds.com; Caution: The Gardener of our lives is Never on vacation!

The weeds of the world, (or, the tares among the wheat) are going to be pulled someday. What are you going to do to save them?

We Solved the Problem

How? We initiated a government take-over.

Well, not really. Only in theory actually.

We, that is, some friends of mine and my brothers, sometimes talk about the government's problems. This last week, we were talking about the debt problem. (Surprised?)

Now, I'm not a politician, businessman, economist, or anything else and neither is anybody else except one, and he's not any of those three named. But, we all understand some basic principles of economics and business. And, we all know our Bibles pretty well.

So, what's our solution? How do we solve the government debt problem. (Actually, we solved the international debt problem too.)

We write off all the international debts and start over! Simple right? Logical? Some might not think so, but it must be good, after all, it's in the Bible. Do you remember in Leviticus, (or one of those first five books) about the year of Jubilee? Basically, everything that was borrowed and not returned before the year of Jubilee was written off at the year of Jubilee. (Every 50 years).

That's the Biblical basis. Here's the business basis. My sister has worked for people, (doctors, insurance etc). It's a basic general business practice to write off debts after it's been a long time. (Unless you're really stingy, but, even then, you hardly ever get payed anyway.)

So, if everybody in the world writes off all their international debts, and cuts spending, only internal debts will be left. A reasonable tax should cover that. So, then you can lower the rest of the taxes so that it is reasonable plus a reasonable profit and voila!

We may not always make the best decisions, but, it can't be worse than it is now. Let's hear it for our government take-over !(Just kidding)