11:35

The other day I was thinking about the shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept.”

In context, as I’m sure many of you know, Lazarus has died. Lazarus was a friend of Jesus’ and the brother of Mary and Martha. But what stands out in the story is not that Jesus wept, but that he knew Lazarus was sick and didn’t do anything about it for two or three days. And after Jesus weeps, he ends up resurrecting Lazarus from the dead anyways. So, the natural question to ask is, “Why did Jesus weep?”

In the story, the people see Jesus weeping and they say, “See how He loved him.” Clearly they thought Jesus was crying because He had lost a loved one. But I wonder, could He have been weeping for something larger, especially considering that He knew He would resurrect Lazarus? Could Jesus have been weeping because He saw the sorrow that death caused amongst the crowd? Could He have been weeping because He knew we weren’t created to die? Or could He have been weeping because He knew that what was happening with Lazarus would soon be happening to Him?

What do you think? Why was Jesus weeping?

A Riddle (Narnia)

Last time I wrote, I said I was going to give you something to chew on; I just had to keep my mind moving and be intentional. Well, today my mind was a-movin’ and now I’m ready to be intentional. So here’s the riddle:

In The Chronicles of Narnia there is a creature named Tumnus. Tumnus’ appearance is similar to a character in mythology. Which character does he resemble?

Also in The Chronicles of Narnia, particularly in chapter 11 of Prince Caspian, there is a scene of dancing around Aslan. In the midst of this dance is a boy named Bacchus and an old man named Silenus. Both of these names refer to characters in mythology. But what is the significance of the dance?

Now, if you’ve answered the previous two questions, here’s the big kicker: What do we do with this knowledge?

Saying Something

This month marks a year that I have been writing on this blog. Now that’s saying something.

A year ago, I was thinking about so much and learning so much that I just needed an outlet. I wanted to write, and so I did. But now, after writing nearly two blogs per week, I feel like I’ve run out of words. Not really, but kind of. Let me clarify:

Last year at this time, I was sitting in class for 16 hours per week, absorbing information. Then I’d go home and spend about 30 hours per week studying, reading, and learning. My brain was getting crammed and my heart was being challenged. But now, I’m working a job for 40 hours per week where I really don’t have to think. I do mindless manual labor or mindless computer tasks. Yesterday, I hammered some nails. Today, I opened 300 individual documents and clicked print on page 1 and 2, leaving page 3 out. Four hundred and fifty times, click, click, click–ahhhhh!!! And at home, I’m admiring my daughter and helping my wife and walking my dog. As you can surmise, there’s not a lot of time for in-depth thought and new learning. I try my best to learn in the car, but it’s limited.

So, a year later, being in the circumstances I’m in, what can I offer you? A LOT! I just have to keep my mind moving. And be intentional.

I’ll give you plenty to chew on–just wait!

Signs

Signs.

What comes to mind when you hear that word?

An octagon colored red?  Two golden arches? A swoosh? A movie from the early 2000’s?

What about “writing in the sky?” Like a sign from God? Did you think of a sign like that? Have you ever been given a sign like that?

This week, I was given a sign like that. There was no writing in the sky, at least not that I saw. There was, however, a variety of circumstances pointing in the same direction. Here’s what I mean:

I’ve been trying to decide what to do about work. Right now, I’m a seasonal employee, but that stint will run out in March. Already, I’ve begun the job search and there have been a few openings for which I’ve applied. Recently, I saw a posting for a job that would be with the same organization, but it would be full-time, it would pay more, and it would be closer to home. Sounds good, eh? But the problem is that I have been feeling stirred to do something different. That is, I want to use my brain at work. And, I want to work with my brain. I think God has given me a good noggin, and instead of using it, I’ve been doing a mindless job, a manual labor job. So, I’ve been thinking, why not look for another type of job, a job where I’ll use my brain? I started praying.

  • First sign: God says write a letter to this guy who does the type of work I’m wanting to do.
  • Second sign: God gives me two Scriptures to look up. I look them up and both pertain to the type of work I’m wanting to do.
  • Third sign: I try applying for the other job (the full-time one with the same organization, closer to home, and better pay), but I can’t do it. The online program won’t allow me to submit the application–three different times!
  • Fourth sign: I receive a random newsletter in the mail and the first article happens to be about the type of work I’m wanting to do.

So, what should I do with all of this? I think I should go for it! And wait patiently for all of the circumstances to fall into place. After that, I’ll let you know what I’m doing at my new job.

The Man, The Myth, The Legend (1)

A few weeks ago, I met with a man for dinner. He’s an adopted child, ex-crack addict, multi-millionaire.

Odd combo, eh?

That’s exactly why I met with him. Not because he’s an oddball, but because I can learn a lot from him. So a few weeks ago, we discussed current events, cross-country expeditions, and past experiences. Tonight, we met again and discussed the Bible, architecture, land development, The Sanctuary, and future plans.

As we conversed, he drove me in a golf cart around his wooded property. We took some trails, sat at a picnic table, watched a deer, explored his garage, and chatted in his kitchen. There was a beautiful flow to the afternoon/evening, and I know I left encouraged. Encouraged to be a better husband, a harder worker, and a more faithful user of my talents. This man has used his talents well and he has reaped bountifully, not only physically but also spiritually. I pray I do the same.

Paper in the Wind

Tom Petty sings a song about how the days went by like paper in the wind. Today, I was thinking about that.

Six years ago, I was gearing up for a Saturday afternoon game as a college football player at Taylor University. Six years ago. Unbelievable.

Five years ago, I was getting acclimated to Bible college, packing up for the wilderness trip.

Four years ago, I was living on a guy’s couch, doing my second year of Bible college, and teaching a study up at Taylor University.

Three, I was healing up from a shattered nose and reading Captivating (hoping to figure out the female persuasion).

Two, I was immersed in political science, preparing a paper for a conference in Tennessee, and being a bad husband. (I wouldn’t tell my wife I loved her. My reason: I didn’t want to wear out the phrase.)

One year ago, I was living in Portland, getting to know the Bieri family. My wife and I were beginning to attend a marriage class at Imago Dei, and I had just told her that we could start trying to have a baby.

Now, I’m a working man, starting a church/community with some friends, and raising a baby girl.

The days are going by like paper in the wind.

So I ask you, “What were you doing at each of these times?”