Updating

(If computer analogies are just not your cup of tea, you might want to get a real cup of tea and skip the reading of this entry. Just saying . . .)

I spent about thirty minutes this morning downloading updates for one of my computer programs. The first three of those updates were downloaded and installed in a matter of seconds. I credit my new computer with its faster speed and better memory for the fast processing.

The fourth download (and the last) took the remaining twenty-nine minutes and thirty seconds. I blame the slowness on the software company, the size of the update, and the speed of the internet. I believe that my new computer was as frustrated as I was that this download was so slow to be installed.

Well, it is obvious that I am not a computer genius, but I know enough to understand that software requires updates periodically. I understand that these updates may be for the purpose of fixing a glitch (a technical computer term) in the existing software, adding a new element to the software's functions, simplifying a process, or changing the appearance of the program. It doesn't really matter to me what the update is designed to do, I just accept as a needed change.

While I can easily accept the need for updates on my computer, I have a much more difficult time accepting a needed update for me personally. Some of these may take years to install. Updates related to my eating habits are usually the hardest to install unless they are fried and covered with gravy - those go in fairly rapidly.

My personal updates are mainly supplied from four strategic sources - my wife, office staff, doctor, and God. Those first three sources certainly have my best interests at heart and really do care that I update. Their suggestions carry varied degrees of importance and intensity. The update categories include relational issues, organizational agendas, and diagnostics. Surprisingly, each of those updates that I have eventually downloaded, installed, and utilized have really made a positive difference in my life.

When an update notification comes from the fourth source - God - it is always marked "Urgent," "High Importance," and "Critical." I wish that I could honestly say that I immediately take note, download, install, and begin using the new update. Unfortunately, just like my response to updates from my other main sources, I procrastinate and continue using an older versiion until all support for the old version is withdrawn. Then, and only then, I begin to recognize the real significance of this latest update.

Why did I write this particular entry? Maybe seeing it in print will cause me to become more punctual in keeping my life updated. If I can do that with my computer, I should be able to do it for me even more so. After all, I am a top-of-the-line model created by the Creator who made me in His Image. I should take care of myself because God has placed a high value on me by demonstrating His love for me. Oh, you are also a top-of-the-line model, and He loves you too! Do you happen to have some updates that need to be downloaded and installed? Today might be a good day for it.

High Hopes

Another hot day in North Texas and yet I have a lot of ourside yard work that I need to get done. If I let the circumstances of weather discourage me, the yard will never get done. I need some encouragement. Music helps - I often listen to my iPod while working. My playlist is mainly, well, totally, either country or The Eagles. However, this song poppped into my head this morning and I can't get rid of it. Frank Sinatra made it popular.



I have hopes that are higher than just yard work. I still have hopes and prayers for our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren. I have hopes about a better world, peace, a lack of hunger and disease, and love among all people. I have hopes about seeing a great movement of God that will sweep around our planet making a difference in the way we relate to each other and reshaping the eternal destiny of billions of people.

High hopes - for them to become reality rather than just dreams, a great deal of prayer and hard work will be required. I am betting that you have some high hopes also. Just like my yard, they won't get done if all we do is sit around and think about them. I am going to pray for some shade and a cool breeze for this evening and in the morning, but I still must start the mower and push. I am going to pray for God to make a God-sized change in the lives of people worldwide, but I am also going to make myself available for Him to use me anyway His wishes to make that high hope a reality. What about you?

Making Changes

For the past hour, I have been updating the appearance and information on this blog. It was just time for a change. Some changes are easier for us to make than others. The changes on this site were fairly easy to make. Except for deleting an old picture of my grandchildren, the changes were made without much emotional attachment.

There are some changes that we must make from time to time that come with a high level of attachment. A change in one's family structure - birth of a child; marriage of child; or the death of a loved one - require deep, emotional and physical changes as one adjusts to a new set of relationships. Likewise, moving from one home to another carries a high level of change with it.

Some changes would seem to be simple because they would be so beneficial, but some of those changes are the most difficult. When one's doctor suggests a weight loss or an exercise program would result in greatly improved health, it seems like a simple decision because we all desire good health. But the lure of an extra hour's sleep or a cheeseburger with fries makes the actual change more difficult.

I have just experienced another birthday. Despite all the well wishers and delicious cake, changes are coming. While some people are gracious to lie to me that I still look quite young, the truth is that I can get down on the floor to play with my grandchildren, but I really could use some assistance when it is time to return to the world of adults. I know why older people eat dinner so early in the evening (or mid afternoon). We older adults now go to bed (or at least fall asleep in our chairs) at the time we used to eat dinner. I have noticed that the hair in my ears grows faster and thicker than the hair on top of my head.

I am certainly no expert on making changes, but I have noted a few things that might be helpful to someone else besides me. It is good to have those who truly love you and care about you to be your supporters when making changes. It is necessary to persevere - change doesn't happen easily. If you mess up, start again. To make really lasting change, our reliance cannot be on just ourselves, family, and friends. Lasting change only happens in our lives when we allow God to provide the strength and empowerment that none of us has on our own.

Interpreting the Words of Another

One of the hottest You Tube videos around features a set of twins who seem to be intent in conversation. Because of their age, their speech is babbling to most of us, but they seem to have a sense of what they are trying to say.

While their antics and conversation are fun to watch, it has also become quite fun to listen to people interpret the conversation. Some have said that the discussion is all about socks and fashion. The mismatched socks on one twin and the single sock on the other certainly could lead to that conclusion. Others have said it is about the refrigerator and perhaps what great snack might be hiding behind closed doors. Still others have supposed that it is nothing more than the mimicking of conversations that they have observed in adults or even their parents.

While we may never know what they were discussing, we are reminded that we all have conversations from time to time that require interpretation. This can happen because we use different definitions of the same word. Confusion in conversation is sometimes the result of culture differences. There are other times that we are just looking at opposite sides of the same problem or discussion point while believing that we are looking at the same side. And of course, sometimes we do just speak different languages.

Talking and communicating are not synonomous terms. For communication to take place, listening, understanding, clarifying, and interpreting may all need to take place. Today, I was just wondering how many domestic and even international incidents might be prevented if our real intent was to communicate rather than talk. As for me - well, I think they were discussing an obvious wardrobe malfunction!

Watching Japan

Over the past week, the attention of the world has been focused on Japan. The 8.9, now upgraded to 9.0, earthquake, the 23 foot Tsunami, the countless aftershocks, and the failing nuclear reactors have kept our attention on news footage and update bulletins. The tremendous destruction,the loss of life, and the ongoing suffering have been the main focuses of most news reports.

However, I have picked up a thread of reporting that needs more coverage - it is the way the Japanese people have responded to the disaster and to each other. One brief account featured a restaurant that is providing free meals to people in their area. The cook lost his home but comes to work to help others. Grocery store shelves are nearly empty but people wait patiently in line to buy a little for themselves and some for their neighbors. Gasoline shortages have resulted in lines of cars miles long, but no one gets out of their car to fight. I have not seen any reports of looting although stores that still stand, stand without guards.

I know that we do not have a picture of every person or every village, but still, I am impressed with the human decency that is being demonstrated during a most difficult time. I cannot help but compare what is going on in Japan to New Orleans following Katrina. The news was filled with crime, looting, and hording. What a different picture we see in Japan!

We import excellent automobiles and outstanding electronics, among many other things, from Japan. I am just thinking this morning that we could use an import of some of the human kindness that is being demonstrated day by day. Continue to pray for those who are enduring so much.

We All Make Excuses

Since the first of December 2010, the list of excuses I have heard has been lengthy. They include busy holidays; out of town; company in town; snow-ice; sick; snow-ice; Super Bowl; Jerry's fault; and of course, snow and ice. Before anyone comments, yes, I know that I have not written anything here since November 2010. Why you ask - see the list above!

The sad truth is that we all tend to make excuses for the things that we fail to do and for the things we did. On the golf course, I usually try to let my fellow players know how bad or stiff my back is on that particular day. If I get behind with emails or phone messages - do you know how many people dropped by the office unexpected - all with emergencies?

From sports to politics to business to religion and even to family, we all have a tendency to cover ourselves with a blanket of excuses. I just wonder - are we trying to convince everyone else that we are really perfect despite being overwhelmed by emergencies or suffering from pain. My guess is that no one - not even our mothers - really see any of us as perfect. Afterall, even grandparents, if they are really honest, must admit the lack of perfection even in their grandchildren by age 13, if not sooner.

I am thankful that God didn't discard us at the first hint of our need to make excuses. Remember it was when God asked Adam if he had eaten of the tree that God had commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from, Adam exclaimed, "the woman you gave me the fruit." We have all been offering excuses ever since. But God sent His Son Jesus into our world to pay the price of all our wrongs and excuses.

The truth is, I have no excuse for neglecting this blog. I just procrastinated. I don't want to abuse God's gift of forgiveness by constantly doing things wrong or by sinning so that I cover myself by excuses. But I sure am grateful that He extends forgiveness to someone like me - a person who knows no better than to try and cover my sin with excuses.

When the Holidays Run Together

Most of us have voiced our displeasure with the retail insistence of stacking holiday merchandise on top of other holiday merchandise. There is no other way to explain how a turkey wound up on top of a Christmas tree instead of a traditional star. I am writing on Monday before Thanksgiving and wondering if I should be deciding what size heart-shaped box of candy I should buy my wife for Valentine's Day.

The truth is that I like to keep my holidays separated in time and thought. As much as I like Christmas, I refuse to decorate for the Christmas season until after the last bite of turkey and dressing have been consumed and the final whistle has blown for the last football game.

Don't get me wrong - I really like Thanksgiving and Christmas and all the other holidays for what they signify. The food is great; being with family is wonderful; and a little time off from work is relaxing. But ultimately, I want to hold on to Thanksgiving as a day unto itself because we all need a time to stop, reflect, and give thanks. I don't deserve the family, friends, and possessions that are part of my life. But along the way, God chose to bless me with that which I didn't earn nor deserve. The greatest such blessing was His gift of grace. At Christmas, I will celebrate that gift even more.

So this week - I give thanks for all the blessings that fill my life.
At Christmas - I will celebrate the birth of Jesus who ultimately paid the full price for my sin that I might have eternal life.
On New Year's Day - I will rejoice in the start of a new year and the opportunities it brings.
Valentine's Day - I celebrate the love that have with my wonderful life.
Arbor Day - Who knows - by then, I may be in the mood to plant a tree.

I just don't want to let the holidays run together so that I miss their singular meaning. Happy Thanksgiving!

Teams, Celebrations, and Values

The previous two evenings have been real times of celebration. On Tuesday evening, October 12, 2010, the Texas Rangers major league baseball team beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5 - 1 to advance to the next round of the playoffs. This was their first playoff series to win in the history of the team. To a Texas Ranger fan, it just doesn't get any better (unless they also win the next playoff series. To top it off, one of their top players has an issue with alcohol. To celebrate the win, they sprayed Ginger Ale on each other instead of the traditional champagne so that he could be part of the celebration. What a demonstration of being a real team!

When I thought it couldn't get any better, on Wednesday evening, October 13, 2010, in Chile, rescue workers completed the task of safely getting all 33 miners out of the mine where they had been trapped for 70 days. The first 17 days they existed on 1/2 cup of milk, two spoons of tuna, and a cracker, once every 48 hours. The government of Chile with help from nations all over the world mobilized an amazing rescue effort that resulted in a tremendous celebration as each miner emerged from the mine. The miners themselves had times of work, exercise, and encouragement as they passed the time hoping for rescue. One miner said that there were actually 34 of them - God was always with them. Their team effort and the efforts of the rescue team is one that will inspire people for years to come.

As much as I like baseball, I was reminded this week that it is still only a game even though a group of men demonstrated class and true teamwork. Their effort was worth great joy to the players and their fans. It will also be worth quite a few dollars to the players, coaches, and owners of the team. Their celebration was memorable.

The rescue of the miners was not a game; it was real life. The lives of 33 men were directly impacted by the work efforts of hundreds and the prayers of tens of thousands. Their families experienced the joy of the return of husbands, sons, fathers, and brothers. Many of them will also benefit financially as their stories are told and sold to various media outlets. Their celebration was priceless.

In the course of our busyness and interests, it is easy to believe that the most important things are whether our team wins or looses a game. This week we have all been reminded that human life is of much greater value than all the games that will ever be played. It is reason enough to celebrate life and the God who created life, and made man in His own Image.

Are Some Things Too Hard?

When my grandfather died at the age of 68, my grandmother said, "This is too hard; I can't make it through." But she did. In fact, she lived another 25 years, baked chocolate pies, and quilted with a ladies group from her church.

When my daughter was in high school, she brought home her literature book and threw it down saying, "No one can understand this Shakespeare stuff; it is too hard!" But we waded through Mr. Shakespeare's tragedy and our daughter made a good grade. However, she is still not a fan of Shakespeare.

Right now I am working on an assignment related to a church that just seems too hard. It occupies my thoughts and keeps me from focusing well on other important tasks that also need to be done. I keep putting off finishing this particular assisgnment because my mind says it is too hard.

Are some things really too hard or do we just imagine that they are too hard? The real answer to both is probably "Yes." A great number of things are beyond my limited skill set and always will be. Some of those things are just beyond my physical strength to do while others are impossible for me because of a lack of knowledge. And some, well, they just paralyze me and keep me from ever trying. My guess is that all of us could fill in some blanks and name some specific areas that we would label as being too hard for us.

If I were to stop this post here, I would be very discouraged, but there is more to say and a reason to hope. Some of the most difficult tasks I have ever been given came from one who knew all of my strengths and all of my limitations. Even with that knowledge, he gave me tasks that were simply too hard for me. And yet the surprising reality is that I accepted the challenged and saw those tasks completed. Am I just an overachiever? No! But I am a believer. In the Bible, Paul wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13). When Jesus' disciples pushed for an explanation about how something that to them seemed impossible could happen, Jesus told them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

There is no doubt - for us, a lot of things are way too hard - literally, they are impossible. But the impossible often becomes the possible when God is involved. My impossible assignment with a church can be accomplished as long as I am willing for God to be in charge and I am an obedient follower.

The Other side of an Issue

The following post is an article that I wrote to appear in the June 2010 issue of the Connections, a monthly newsletter published by Denton Baptist Association.

“The Other Side of an Issue”

In 1979 I was the pastor of a church in a small college town. Three men in their late 20s on student visas from Iran began attending our church. Their religion was Islam but they wanted to find out about Christianity. When the government of the Shah of Iran collapsed and he went into exile, they returned to their native country of Iran and the new leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini. I had spent several hours with them over six weeks answering some of their questions. I still wonder what impact that time had upon their lives as they returned to a revolution in progress.

Today, political and religious persecution in Myanmar (Burma) has resulted in people leaving their homeland rather than returning to it. One of those groups, the Chin (they are officially sanctioned as political refugees by our nation), began settling in the North Texas area particularly in Lewisville. As awareness of their presence grew, a new church was begun in our association focused on reaching the Chin people. The ministry expanded as more Chin moved to the area to include helping these refugee families find housing, enter the workforce, learn English, and adjust to their new home. FBC, Flower Mound, has been instrumental in developing a refugee ministry to the Chin and have been joined by The Village Church in making a lasting difference in the lives of these families.

Sometimes people arrive in our country not because of politics or education but for economic or safety reasons as is often the case with people from Mexico. One Hispanic congregation in our area is located in a rural area of our county. While the surrounding countryside appears only sparsely populated, on Sundays the church overflows with people of all ages. Many of the members are citizens of this country, but many are not. Of those that are not, many are undocumented. Week by week, people hear the faithful preaching of the Word and many are saved and baptized. Lives are being changed.

Each of these true stories represents the other side of immigration. The political side makes the news. Like you, I know that we have many immigration issues that need solutions. Securing the borders, determining who can receive government benefits, and managing 12-20 million undocumented immigrants currently in our country are just some of the issues that our nation must resolve. But the other side of immigration – the human side – is often ignored or neglected.

I believe that regardless of how someone arrived in our country and regardless of his status, the church composed of followers of Jesus has a God-given responsibility to minister to everyone and to share the love of God with all. In Deuteronomy 10:18 (NIV), the scripture says that God “executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.” As Baptists, we have raised huge sums of money to send missionaries all over the world to share Christ. Today, the world has arrived in our country. Shall we now turn the other way and ignore those who sojourn and live among us?

The opportunities for the church are limitless in these areas today. If language is an issue, then the church can teach English in homes, churches, and even where day laborers gather. If education is an issue, then the church can provide mentors and tutors in the schools. If nutrition is an issue, then the church can offer help in meal preparation and healthy eating. If morality is an issue, then the church shares Jesus and teaches His Word.

My ideas are not creative; they are only listed in the hope of opening our eyes to the people around us and their needs. As we see them, let’s begin to minister, not based on documentation, country of origin, or world religion, but on the basis of Jesus’ example and teaching. It was a Samaritan who stopped by the road and bandaged the wounds of the beaten Jew and provided for his care. Regardless of your political views on immigration, the humanity of all people cannot be neglected or ignored. How will you and your church represent Jesus to humanity in your community?

Serving a Community and Its People

The flooding in Nashville has greatly impacted the lives of people, their economy, and their welfare. The Grand Ole Opry was flooded out of its current location. It will take some time for repairs to be made before they can go home again. But the show has continued to go on. They performed at two former locations for the Opry, but both are not large enough venues for today's audiences. I just read a few minutes ago that Two Rivers Baptist Church has offered the Grand Ole Opry the use of their large auditorium for their shows. This is a tremendous testimony of diverse parts of a community pulling together to help each other. It also helps validate what I have been saying for some time - country music crosses a multitude of cultural lines as it speaks about the good and the bad in the lives of common people.

I wish had more stories than I could ever use of churches reaching out to make a difference in their communities. I never would want churches to lose sight of their first priority of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with people to give them the opportunity to become His disciples. But I do believe that one of the ways that a church gets the listening ear of a community is by serving and meeting real needs just like Two Rivers is doing in Nashville.

Of course, each of us can take similar steps in our own lives. We can find those individuals who need some help with a yard they can no longer mow, a tire they can't change, or the need for a listening ear to share some of their life with.

Haiti, Chile, and Nashville are all places that could use our help. A neighbor next door, a school done the street, and a small business owner at the next intersection might could use our service too. At least give it some thought as you listen to some good country music and remember a church that is providing space for the Grand Ole Opry.

Wiser or Just Older?

As a child, I never understood my grandparents talking about the years flying by. To me they seemed to take forever. Christmas and birthdays were the slowest times of all. Today, I speak the same words my grandparents uttered - "the years are flying by and birthdays come all too frequently!" It seems prudent to do some self-evaluation around a birthday. With this rapid passing of time, it appears that need to slow down for a moment and ask myself a very personal and critical question - "Am I getting any wiser with the passing of these years or am I just getting older?"

The truth is that I really don't feel comfortable answering that question in something as public as a blog. But the reality is that people around me are answering that very question about me with each passing year. They don't give me the answer in so many words but they certainly make the assessment based on the conversations we have, the decisions I make, and the observations they have regarding my behavior. With that in mind, I might as well confess my own thoughts about myself.

There is no doubt that some of what happens in my life as I grow older is just that - growing older. My hair is retreating from my head and making its way into my ears and nostrils. When I get up in the mornings, I sound like a cereal - as I move, I hear "snap, crackle, and pop." My favorite stories are really my favorite stories. I like them so much that I tell them over and over to the same people. I forget people's names - rarely do I forget my own but I think that is only a few birthdays away. I do have one of those plastic containers for sorting my morning and evening medications for a week. While I have two great doctors, visits to their offices have not become the highlight of my social schedule - yet! My other holdout on the aging process is that I refuse to eat oatmeal or prunes. Blue Bell and Mexican restaurants have much more to offer.

On the other side of this question - am I getting any wiser - I struggle a little more to be honest and accurate in my evaluation. I still do some impulsive spending, but I am watching carefully my retirement account. I am more concious about what is best for my body, but - well you already read the Blue Bell and Mexican food comments in the paragraph above.

Accomplishments are important, but I believe today that relationships are more important. My wife, our children, their spouses, our grandchildren, our parents, and our friends (old and new) hold greater importance to me than what I will accomplish today.

While I became a Christ follower at the age of 10, there is no doubt that my faith is stronger today than it has ever been. No, it is not just because I am closer to death than when I was born (the truth is that we all are) but rather because I see the real differences that Jesus makes in how we determine values, how we can love others, and how we can truly serve.

Like most of us, I have some things in my past that I wish I could go back and do over - not because they were so much fun, but because I would do them right this time - or at least I think I would. I don't know if that is a sign of wisdom or just regret.

This I do know regardless of whether you think I am just older or maybe a little wiser - I am blessed with the life that has been given to me. My wife is the best. I married way over my head. My children make me proud everyday. My grandchildren bring joy with their energy and their curiosity and sensitivity. My job holds my interest and challenges my knowledge and abilities daily. My God is great beyond my simple words to describe. I love and I am loved. Maybe, just maybe, I am both older and wiser.

It Is All in Your Head

The phrase "it is all in your head" sometimes causes us to take offense. We may interpret that statement to mean that whatever ailment we have complained about is, in reality, simply part of our imagination and not real. The truth is that many of the things we experience begin in the brain and can be treated in the brain. One concert master found this to be true related to the tremors in his arm. His situation and correction were reported by Diane Sawyer on ABC Evening News (watch the video).

I watched the report and began to wonder - are there some things in my brain that need to be adjusted to improved the way I live. No, I don't play the violin, or any other musical instrument for that matter. But I do have impulses in my brain that certainly affect my life in a negative way - the impulse for another piece of fried chicken or seconds on dessert; the impulse to tell someone off to relieve my stress but to greatly add to theirs; or just the impulse to waste time on something trivial when more important matters wait. (I know that those don't sound like deep, dark sinful impulses, but you didn't really think that I was going to confess those things to everyone who can read a blog, did you?)

In 1972, Charlie Shedd wrote a book titled "The Fat Is in Your Head." His point was that we all make decisions and choices about the kinds and amounts of food we eat. If we want to be thinner or healthier, we must decide those things and then make choices that are consistent with the choice.

I would consider a surgery like our violinist friend had if my irregular impulses would be corrected. The results could be the beginning of not only a weight loss journey but maybe, just maybe, there would be a few other things improved along the way.

The reality is that surgery is not the key for myself and probably not for you either. The key for us probably doesn't even fall in the categories of stronger self control, determination, or will. The key may be a spiritual one in that we begin to allow the God who created us in His image to have control in our decision-making and actions that we take as a result of those decisions. He alone has the loving power to control my impulses and give me the desire to live life His way rather than mine.

When You Are the Boss . . .

I watch television for escapism. My favorite shows are mainly investigative dramas. But I have stumbled upon a new CBS program that may make my list of programs to record. "Undercover Boss" is a reality show in which a CEO of a major corporation goes undercover to discover the real jobs and real people within the larger framework of the business. The result is that the "boss" often discovers that some jobs are harder than he understood; some employees are doing more than what is expected; and the basic needs of the employees are usually not known by their supervisors.

This is one program that actually has some lessons worth learning that are applicable to anyone who has a responsibility in working with or supervising others. Some of the best include:

1. Take time to get to know your employees - listen to what they say.
2. Become familiar with what the business is really about.
3. Treat people decently and respectfully regardless of positions and roles.
4. Make decisions based on real information rather than rumored information.
5. Security and safety are major needs for all employees.
6. We don't always know as much as we think we do.

Note to Self: Listening is not just hearing words. Real listening is hearing words, noticing body language, sensing the heart and emotion, placing the communication in context, and offering a response that is genuine and appropriate.

When Do We Start the Doings?

Ron Hall and Denver Moore are known for their first book "Same Kind of Different as Me." Their story centers around how Denver Moore, homeless, is befriend by Ron and Deborah Hall and Deborah's subsequent battle and death from cancer. Their second book "What Difference Do It Make?" is a continuation of their ongoing true story.

In this second volume, Denver Moore asks a probing question of Ron Hall: "Mr. Ron, all these white folks be invitin us to their Bible studies. How come none of 'em's invitin us to their Bible doins?" (p. 152)

Several years ago, a friend of mine told me of inviting a new Christian to his church one Sunday morning. When the worship service concluded, the new Christian asked my friend, "But when do we do the stuff?" He was referring to the things he had read about Jesus and disciples doing in the Bible.

Could it be that we are too busy hosting studies that we have scheduled ourselves out of doing? Just saying . . . as I sit in my office, in front of a computer writing a blog . . .

A Fresh, New Year

There are some things that are just at their best when they are brand new - a new jar of peanut butter; fresh clean sheets; the first spoon of Blue Bell French Vanilla or Dutch Chocolate ice cream; the smell of a new car; and the first cry of newborn baby. Of course all of us would put different things on such a list. I already wish I had listed "opening a new book from a favorite author" and "the first corn, green beans, and new potatoes from the garden."

While all of those things are great, perhaps nothing seems better and fresher than the start of a new year. Resolutions designed to improve oneself; better organized stuff; an uncluttered calendar; and a rested body and mind all cause me to believe that 2010 will be a great year. Of course, I had some similar thoughts about this time a year ago related to 2009. But the economy, bad decisions, careless eating, wasted time, and an illness or two messed that year up badly.

The truth is that this year could be great or it could be a lot like last year. The key to which way it goes is in my possession. It all has to do with self-discipline, attitude, and faith. I really wish there were a way to blame failure and disappointment on something or someone other than me. But since reality is imbedded in my personal 2010 resolutions, I guess that I need to acknowledge that my actions or lack of actions, my reactions and thoughts, and my personal faith or lack of faith have much more to do with the evaluation of a given year than the actions of anyone else.

God has created a fresh, new year for me to live. My responsibility is how I will choose to live it. My prayer becomes - "may I live this year in a way that will honor the One who created it."

Does Great Talent Equate with Great Person?

Over the last few days every media outlet has saturated us with information, adulations, and memorializations of Michael Jackson. During this extravaganza of video and commentary, there has been a tendency to not only recognize the musical genuis of Jackson, but in so doing, to equate that musical genuis and greatness with personal greatness. Is that reality?

My personal opinion, which probably only has value to me, is that just because one possesses great ability or talent does not mean that individual also is, or was, a great person. The truth is that some people with great ability are actually quite mean, arrogant, selfish, and even cruel.

Don't misunderstand me. I never met Michael Jackson. I only know him as most of us do from his music, from news reports, and from interviews. He was a gifted performer. He could moon walk before we had a name for it. He could sell albums because the music drew us in and was different from most of his contemporary musicians. But he also held his child over the balcony ledge. He was addicted to pain killers. He had major personality and emotional issues.

So - if the microscope is placed against my life or against yours, we probably all reveal some good, strong traits, and some pretty strange behaviorial issues. In other words, as John Ortberg revealed in the title of his book: Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them, we are some of those "everybodies."

My whole rant is this: I want us to start looking for greatness in the lives of those people who make a true difference in the lives of other people - those who make the most money, get the most publicity, and have the highest popularity are not necessarily the greatest people. There are teachers, police officers, firefighters, doctors and nurses, farmers, writers, and even an occasional minister or two who may measure up past those who were blessed with great talent and ability.

Nostalgic Closing

The local news in Denton, Texas, this week included the closing of the two Piggly Wiggly grocery stores in town. While this doesn't compare to the President speaking in Cairo or the Texas Rangers leading their division, it does elicit a certain sense of nostalgia. These are the last two known Piggly Wigglys operating in Texas. I may be one of the people responsible for their closing. In almost two years of living in Denton and fifteen years working in Denton, I have only been in one of the stores and that was only one time. I think I bought some candy - not a big purchase.

But my nostalga is not about the last ones in Texas; rather, it goes all the way back to my childhood in Temple, Texas, where my mother seemed to always shop the small grocers - Dooleys in Troy, Wrights, Spot Cash, and Piggly Wiggly all in Temple. The thing that stands out to me fifty plus years later is that all the employees seem to know your name and knew where everything was on every shelf. As a child, I often ate a package of Mrs. Braid's chocolate cupcakes while we shopped. At the checkout counter, the clerk rang up an empty wrapper. If you went to one of these stores to run an errand for your Mom, you could tell the clerk what you needed and they could tell you what brand your mother usually bought. It was a day of personal service that has slowly slipped away as the smaller gives way to the larger. The need today is to recapture the friendliness and customer service of the smaller and place it in the larger. I just shop better at the grocery store if I am eating chocolate cupcakes.

Iraq, the Economy, Swine Flu, and Everything Else

The headlines from the world's newspapers would all be alike if they were written in a common language. The fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan held the most column inches for an extended period of time. Our minds were focused on how many troops were being killed each month or each week.

The only thing that moved our thoughts from the loss of human life was the loss of money out of our pockets. Suddenly, people lost jobs, corporations and individuals filed for bankruptcy, and homes went into foreclosure. The economy replaced Iraq as our number one news concern.

I that how we will pay for dinner would still be at the top of our list if a pig hadn't coughed on a bird that flew over a person depositing some virus into the air that was inhaled and the swine flu became a reality. School closings, reported cases, number of states reporting cases, cases world wide, and number of deaths from the swine flu has grabbed the spotlight in the papers, on television, and across the internet.

Makes you wonder what's next! Don't misunderstand me - I am not making light of any of these happenings. Each one is very serious. Each one is greatly affecting human life. Each one increases anxiety. And yet, we have survived them one by one. Just as we have survived countless other headline grabbers.

Does that mean that we will always be survivors? Not necessarily. But I do think that we must keep in mind that life is filled with crises. These come in the forms of war, crime, economic upturns and downturns, disease, accidents, relationship breakups, and countless other subject headings. The focus I must maintain in all of these situations comes together in these three statements for me:

• While the events of life may surprise me and even catch me off-guard, God, the creator of this world and redeemer of it through Jesus Christ, is never surprised by events and is never caught off-guard. I will trust Him.
• While I don't know the answer to every dilemma that I encounter, I know that God does. My job is to work and respond under His leadership in both times of peace and times of confusion. I will obey Him.
• While I have no desire to be killed in war or die of a pandemic disease or become homeless, I will not be afraid and will not go into hiding because such possibilities exist. I will live this life to the full extent that God gives me strength and capacity. I will serve Him.

How we choose to live life is a choice. I have made my choice. Have you thought about how you will choose to live your life?

Given a Chance - People Will Surprise Us

Although I would say that I am opposed to making determinations about individuals based on their appearance, the truth is that I am probably as guilty of this as most of us are. I came across a clip on You Tube yesterday that is from the reality show "Britain's Got Talent." The clip is seven minutes long. But I encourage you to watch it in its entirety before going on with this essay.

The questions are simple - was I in the group that laughed and thought it must be a joke? How often have I chosen friends, employees, or even who to sit by in a doctor's waiting room based on appearance or age? Is is possible that I have missed some of life's greatest gifts and experiences by not taking the time to discover their hidden talent and thus discover the genius?

In the Bible there is a passage in which one of God's prophets is sent by God to annoint a man to be the next king of Israel. The prophet goes to the home of a man who has seven sons. Upon seeing the oldest of the seven, the prophet knows this must be the one who will become king because he is tall, strong, and regal in appearance. But God reminds the prophet that God looks upon the heart of a person, not upon the outward appearance. The one who is eventually annointed or chosed to be the next king is not the eldest son but the youngest. He was not waiting in the house but was out taking care of the sheep.

So how do you think we should look at people now?