Clear Away the Debris

"Constant worship clears the debris from our hearts.  Praise is the cleansing element that flushes the trash of worry and anxiety."

     --- Max Lucado in Help is Here.

What Makes a Good Hymn?

If you page through any hymnal, you will see dates credited to them that range nearly 400 years, with authors from Isaac Watts to Fanny Crosby to Charles Wesley to Bill Gaither.  There are contemporary songwriters who are writing today what I think are also very good hymns.  They may simply be performed in the more complex style of intro, verse, chorus, pre-bridge, chorus, bridge, verse, chorus, outro, etc.

So what makes for a good hymn, anyway?  To me there are four components:

• A memorable melody
• A simple repeating style (verse, chorus, verse, chorus...)
• Good theology in the lyrics
• Sentiment that touches your heart 

These features make it easier to tuck that song away in mind and heart and bring it out from time to time so that you can "make melody in your heart to the Lord"during the day, as the Apostle Paul recommends in Ephesians 5:18-20.

Lately, when I have had occasion to lead worship in our church's "traditional service", I have brought to the congregation some of these newer hymns, written within the last 20 years, to alert my contemporaries that there is good, God-honoring worship music being composed today that could be added to a hymn-forward worship service.  Hopefully, they will be.  In most cases, they are easily adaptable to a historical hymn style, by using simple piano accompaniment and eliminating bridges, pre-bridges and other features that mark songs as contemporary in style.  Here's a few examples:

How Deep The Father's Love For Us

Christ Be Magnified

Yet Not I, But Through Christ in Me

Shout to the Lord

In Christ Alone

O Praise the Name

Hymn of Heaven

Faith to pray for healing?

Have you prayed earnestly for someone who is sick? Even praying for recovery with an earnest belief that God can certainly intervene and heal any illness? James 5:14-15 says: 

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

But what is faith?  Hebrews 11:1 says:

Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.

Do we have from God the supernatural assurance and certainty of a particular healing?  Enough to declare it publicly as accomplished, speaking as it were the very words of God Himself?  

We are told by Jesus in Luke 17:5-6 that the size of our faith doesn't matter, only the presence of it.  We are also told that one of the many supernatural gifts of the Spirit is a "word of faith" (1 Cor. 12:9).  

In other words, we can't "gin up" the faith by gritting our teeth, knitting our brow and straining for it - God either gives that supernatural faith or He doesn't. I think that the "prayer offered in faith that heals the sick" is one where God, miraculously, has revealed to me His explicit intent to heal a specific person at a specific time, and revealed it with such clarity that I can state it with total confidence, with no doubting at all. (James 1:6) 

This is not something I can do, no matter how great my desire for it - only God can grant that revelation of His intent, through His Spirit.  If God has not given me that clear and unwavering faith, however, I can still pray earnestly and trust that the Holy Spirit will curate and translate my weak and incoherent prayers according to the will of God, as promised in Romans 8:26-28:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

I can still pray with great confidence that God hears me (through my advocate, the Spirit) in the courts of Heaven, even if I lack clarity on exactly what and how to pray.  Groans are good enough!

The Holy Spirit as Sherpa?

 From Max Lucado's book Help is Here:

"I call [The Spirit] our Heaven-Sent Helper.  He is the ally of the saint.  He is our champion, our advocate, our guide.  He comforts and directs us.  He indwells, transforms, sustains, and will someday deliver us to our heavenly home.  He is the executor of God's will on earth today, here to infuse us with strength.  Supernatural strength."

Sounds like a combination of a sherpa, a business manager, an attorney, and a nurse practitioner.  Who wouldn't want to go through life with someone like that?

Christ and Culture

In a previous post, I talked about the Gospel being subversive to any culture.  Recently, I listened to a podcast in which the two hosts were discussing the proper response of Christians to culture.  They listed 4 responses that the church should take:

1. Receiving - appreciating in culture that which contains Truth
2. Resisting - speaking out about where culture is denying Truth
3. Repenting - confessing where I have over-emphasized one over the other
4. Reforming - personally being transformed into a closer image of Christ

To hear the podcast, click on this link:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2066787/13195834

Declaring God's Power to the Next Generation

As for me, I will always have hope;

    I will praise you more and more.

My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,

    of your saving acts all day long—

    though I know not how to relate them all.

I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;

    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.

Since my youth, God, you have taught me,

    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

Even when I am old and gray,

    do not forsake me, my God,

till I declare your power to the next generation,

    your mighty acts to all who are to come.

(Psalm 71:14-18)

Let this be recorded for a generation to come,

    so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.

(Psalm 102:18)

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds

(Psalm 45:4-6)

The Human Heart

... flourishes when it most loves others, 

but withers when it most loves self. 

... flourishes when it has hope & trust, 

but withers when it is hopeless & suspicious. 

... flourishes when it is content & grateful, 

but withers when it is discontented & resentful. 

... flourishes when it is lifted up in praise, 

but withers when it finds nothing worthwhile. 

... flourishes in a daily walk with God, 

but withers when it ignores God. 

 

"The rhythm is daily, the pace is a walk."    ----- Gary Runn

The Metaverse as Analogy to Creation

How do angelic beings as described in the Bible navigate in and out of our universe?  Is there a multiverse with certain beings able to move from one universe to another?  Or, are there multiple additional dimensions of which the reality of our three physical dimensions (four, incl. time) are only a subset?  Is Zuckerberg's virtual reality a model that can help us understand God's role as Creator?  Are our physical bodies like avatars for our souls to use in navigating this particular universe?  While doing that navigation can we occasionally encounter creatures with additional dimensionality that seemingly arrive and disappear at will?  When the Bible describes our future heavenly bodies, will they acquire additional dimensionality and thus be able to be in God's presence, whereas right now we cannot be?

Truth vs Culture

Culture differs around the world and changes over time.  The truth of God, as revealed in Jesus the Son of God, does not change.  As culture shifts (whether left or right, collectivist or individualistic, totalitarian or decentralized), the more that it moves away from the truth of God, the greater is its hostility toward the truth of God.  The more it moves away, the more it despises those who hold to the truth of God.  The truth of God is always counter-cultural, it is always subversive to popular sentiment, because it points out where culture is in error. And so culture always hates God, because God stands outside culture and denies its power.  

"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!"  Isaiah 5:20

Jesus-followers need to be prepared to be thought of as subversive to pop culture.  But when culture moves back into alignment with the truth of God, culture's adherents are less at odds with those who hold to God's truth, and there is more peace.  The culture that aligns with the truth of God also sits under God's hand of blessing.  

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Proverbs 13:34

Proposed Study of Jesus' Parables

Intro: 

• What are they? 
• How defined? 
• Structure? 
• Purpose? (to reveal, but indirectly; see Matt 13:10-17, 34-35)
• Topics? (Kingdom of Heaven, God's nature, man's contrasting response)

Each parable: 

• Topic?
• How is God portrayed?
• What is His nature?
• What is God's Kingdom like?
• How do people react?
• Who am I in the story?
• Main point in the story?

Christ's Judgment

John 14:6 raises questions for people when they see Jesus saying "no one comes to the Father but by me".  They ask, well what about those who lived prior to Jesus or who never heard about Him?  John 5:16-30 makes it clear that Jesus will judge all people at the end of history, including the dead who did well and those who did not.  And He declares that He will judge rightly, so in that way all who do come to Heaven will come there through Him - through His right judgment of their heart and deeds.  

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart."  (I Sam. 16:7) 

Settlin' in Kyle

When Jimmy & Allegra came to visit us and Julie in Austin last winter, we went to the Continental Club on South Congress to hear the Hot Club of Cowtown play.  On the way out, Allegra told a story of how when her and brother Austin were little, they would make up songs as they walked around and she wondered if Jimmy ever did that.  He said no, but I said that I did that all the time, still, and proceeded to make up a song about traffic in Austin, and the plusses and minuses of our staying south of town in Kyle next winter.  Here are the lyrics.  You'll have to trust me on the melody, but it's workable.

Startin up my ride, passengers inside

Headin for the east side of the city

It's gettin late at night, party lights are bright

Man, that downtown skyline sure looks pretty 

Everybody's out and cars are all about

Austin traffic just won't let me go

Passengers all gone, finally turn for home

Don't you know the fuel light says I'm low

Oh, take me to a place where driving ain't so hard

But where I still can see some live oaks from my yard

Won't be San Antone, that's bigger by a mile

I guess I might be settlin' in Kyle

Fly past that Tesla site, it's all lit up at night

This bypass drivin is the way to go

Put that pedal down, 10 miles out of town

80 miles an hour seems so slow

South Congress has a sound, there's talent all around

There's no doubt that Austin has a style

I'll miss the Bee Cave sights, but not the red taillights

Those traffic jams are no cause for a smile

Oh, take me to a place where driving ain't so hard

But where I still can see some live oaks from my yard

Won't be San Antone, that's bigger by a mile

I guess I might be settlin' in Kyle

South Congress is a thrill, but driving's just a pill

I guess I might be settling in Kyle.  (not 'fraid to say it)

I guess i might be settling in Kyle. 

What Does God Want From Us?

Psalm 1:1-3

Psalm 15:1-5

Psalm 24:3-4

Psalm 37:11-15

Micah 6:8

Matthew 6:33

Matthew 22:37-40

John 15:9-17

6 P's

 What we need/want from God:

• Protection
• Provision
• Providence
• Prompting
• Perseverance
• Presence

The Poison of Ambition

Many see ambition as the fuel that leads to success and accomplishment, to "going places" in life.  But unchecked, it can also be a cancer, devouring you from the inside, eating you alive, driving you to be constantly dissatisfied with whatever degree of success you have in the relentless pursuit of more.  At its core, ambition is essentially self-focused, a drive toward self-fulfillment, self-actualization.  

Now, zeal for the Kingdom of God is worthy and admirable; but it can easily disguise a prideful motive to chase accomplishment and recognition, generating resentment if others, God included, receive the glory. The notion of "dreaming big dreams for God" can fall into this category.  Be wary of anything that brings you recognition.

To truly find one's fulfillment in God, allowing yourself to be led by God, realizing your potential through focus on God's ability to transform you into your best self, leads to contentment.  Contentment is the antidote to the poison of ambition.

I Timothy 6:6, Php. 4:11-13

Senses: 5, or...7?

We may have more senses than the 5 we usually credit.  

Our physical senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste & touch) allow us to apprehend, comprehend and navigate the physical world around us.

But I think we also have 2 "metaphysical senses" - soul and spirit.

Spiritual sense is that part of us that allow us to apprehend, comprehend and navigate the unseen metaphysical world around us, as well as allow us to interact with God personally.

Soul sense allows us to use emotion, reason and intuition to process input from the other senses, both physical and spiritual.  It allows us to make moral judgments, to draw conclusions about wisdom vs foolishness, good vs evil, integrity vs corruption, justice vs oppression, worldview, conscience, purpose, morality, etc.

Opening Devotional Prayer

Open my eyes that I may see

Glimpses of truth thou hast for me

Place in my hands that wonderful key

That will unclasp and set me free

Silently now I wait for thee

Ready, my Lord, Thy will to see

Open my eyes, illumine me

Spirit Divine

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your word;

Open my ears that I may hear your voice within your word;

Open my mind that I may understand the message to me in your word;

Open my heart that I may believe the truth contained in your word;

Open my will that I may desire, and do, what is written in your word.

Amen, Lord, amen.

With Apologies to Ben Franklin

Late to bed and late to rise

Is a retiree's paradise

Living in the 4th Quarter

The first quarter of my life was spent in learning, growing, coming to faith, finding a mate and and establishing a household.

The 2nd & 3rd quarters (half my expected life) was spent working, earning credentials, raising children, serving in church, giving generously and doing music.

Now in the last quarter of my life, I want to spend it deepening my walk with God, becoming more like Christ as I follow Him, serving others, living prudently and staying healthy.

Philippians 2:12

When Paul tells the Philippians  to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling", what does that mean?  Suppose you have a dread disease known to be debilitating and incurable, leading to a miserable existence and certain death.  Then a cure, 100% effective, is discovered.  It's only drawback is that it is a gradual cure, certain to work, but slowly improving your condition over months and years with repeated treatment.  If you take this treatment, you are saved!  

But you will spend much time recovering, getting healthy, regaining function, until eventually you experience full, complete & enduring good health.  You are saved, yes, but are "working out" that salvation over time - amazed at the progress, grateful for it, but still careful to focus on improvement via the treatment that will save you. 

Can God Be Disappointed?

I know that God carries no illusions about us, He knows full well who we are so He is never disillusioned with us. He is never discouraged by us, but is always loving and forgiving toward us.  But can God be disappointed in us when we make suboptimal choices, when we fail to call on Him for wisdom or deliverance?  I know how it feels as a father when I see my children make choices that aren't good.  How does God feel when I do the same?  Is it like when Jesus grieved of Jerusalem's failure to embrace Him?  (Luke 13:34-35; 19:41-44)

Community of Sinners

The church is a community of sinners, of flawed and broken people who cling to Jesus for hope.  As we commonly cling to Jesus, we wind up also clinging to each other, in all our individual messiness.

In this way, the church is like the homeless community, who are flawed and broken, estranged from family.  In all their individual and collective messiness, they cling to each other, and to helping agencies, for hope.

In this life, we are all dealing with isolation. separated from our true home, stuggling with this life of pain and suffering. We long for the eternal Home which is being prepared for us. 

Trust The Science?

Science is by its nature exploratory, always refining, always discovering, always evolving. It is never settled.  So when you are asked to "trust the science", you are really being asked to "trust the (current state of) science", which is partial at best, and often fallible.  You can't reliably trust science any more than you can reliably trust data, since the data can be partial, incomplete, corrupt, with any analysis flowing from it to be equally as flawed.  Trust should be reserved for that which is complete, reliable, unchanging and morally sound, not for something amoral, speculative and still in development. 

Opposition

If you are going to face opposition and persecution, be sure that it's because you are walking with Jesus, not because you're just an idiot.

Gratitude Sustains Optimism

"Gratitude makes optimism sustainable.

"And if you don't think you have anything to be grateful for, keep looking. Because you don't just receive optimism.  You can't wait for things to be great and then be grateful for that.  You've got to behave in a way that promotes that."

----- Michael J. Fox

Spiritual Communication

Human beings are equipped with the ability to know and understand God (Jer. 9:24) and communicate with Him.  But just as language takes children years of effort to learn in order to communicate well with other human beings, so does spiritual communication take time and effort to learn to communicate well with God.  

In many ways, God is already speaking to us  - we simply need to work at understanding what He is saying and then respond to God in kind. See the example of both John the Baptist and Jesus (Luke 1:80, 2:40).

SHAPE

S - Spiritual Gifting

H - Heart Attitude

A - Abilities

P - Personality

E - Experiences

I am... She is...

I am introverted, she is extraverted.

I am things, she is people.

I am intuitive, she is data-driven.

I am big picture, she is detail.

I am spending, she is saving.

I am concept, she is process.

I am approximate, she is precise.

I am why, she is what.

I am ideas, she is execution.

I am theology, she is praxis.

That's a pretty good pairing.  :)

 

Remember Who It's For

"The work of Jesus in you and for you and through you is for the sake of those around you. The Christian life is the outliving of a God who is indwelling, the living out of a God who is dwelling in."

Dave Clayton, Ethos Church, Nashville, podcast on Colossians 3, A New Community.

"The byproduct of devotional spirituality should always be an increased capacity to love and serve others." 

Kenneth Boa, "Sacred Readings: A Journal". 

Servants Are Always On Call

If I am a servant of the Most High God, He who never sleeps or slumbers, then there is no "off switch" for my service.  I never punch out for the day, I am always on call, always a servant of God, even when I'm asleep.

Daily I should "appear before God" and ask Him to command me, waiting upon His direction. Waiting on Him, waiting for Him, is also essential service to Him.  I know my regular duties, but He may adjust them for today's demands.  Present yourself, and wait patiently, knowing that this, too, is service to the Master.

They also serve who only stand and wait. ----- John Milton

The Living God

If God is indeed living and active, then my relationship with Him must necessarily be dynamic, not static.  If God is static, like a set of rules, principles or ideas, then I manage our relationship and determine where it goes and how deep, like reading the works of Aristotle or Lewis.  But if He is the Living God, then He manages our relationship and takes the initiative in it.  I simply follow His lead and respond to Him. 

Psalm 123:2 

Morning Prayer

As I rise to meet this day

I pray that You will guide my way

Illuminate my every step

And walk with me to be my Help

Blessed are You, O Lord my God, King of the universe, who has created all things visible and invisible, the world and everything in it.  You have filled all creation with life, and have given another day of life to me.  Help me to live it in such a way that pleases You, that I may represent You well to the world around me.  Amen.

Retirement Limerick

 From the invitation to our retirement party, Labor Day 2021:

Look! Our stars have moved into alignment

And we marvel at where all the time went

So come loved ones and neighbors,

Help us rest from our labors,

And ease into that thing called retirement!

Prolepsis

This is a fancy term used mostly in theological circles which denotes a present experience of a future reality.  Examples can be when Jesus was transfigured on the mount in front of Peter, James and John.  The disciples were experiencing a prolepsis.  We also can have a prolepsis of heaven when we are lifted up in the Spirit and filled with the unfiltered joy that our relationship with Jesus can bring - a taste of heaven in the here and now!

Thriving in Crazy Times

Notes from a sermon in April 2021 (mid-pandemic):

Thriving in crazy times requires a Resilient Faith. 

How to do that?

>  Grow stronger in the Word (hear, read, study, memorize, meditate)
>  Gain confidence in God's Providence (His governance of the world)
>  Find encouragement in the hard times (through encouraging people)
>  Develop wisdom in community (listen to those believers who care for you)
>  Experience renewal through God's church (participate in the communal life of faith)

Q. Is there any aspect of your life where you have grown, even thrived, during this pandemic?  Share examples.

A. Deeper in prayer; improved devotional life; experiencing God's protection by memorizing and praying Psalm 91; togetherness in marriage; financial readiness for retirement.

Circumstances

...may turn out differently from what I planned, may be something other than what I prepared for. If God filters my circumstances and directs my steps, then He is never surprised by where I find myself. He is fully prepared for what I am facing, even if I am not. Trust in His preparedness and not in my own.

What is it that you want?

I want to be holy as You are Holy.  

I want to talk with You as a man talks with his friend.  

I want to come to You full of trust as a child comes to his Father, as a boy seeks out his elder Brother. 

I want to see You as You are, in all Your splendor, beauty and power.  

I want to know fully Your character, to be able to grasp the vastness of Your resources on my behalf and experience Your endless faithful love for me.  

I want my relationship with You to be robust and deep and active and strong and intimate.  

I want You above all else, Lord.

Who's Driving?

Like a 3-year-old sitting in Daddy's lap with my little hands on the steering wheel, it may seem to me like I'm driving the tractor, but God has His great big hands firmly on the wheel as well. God may be letting me steer a little bit, but He is firmly determining exactly where we are going.

Retirement Principles

• Daily practicing a God-led life
• You no longer have an earthly master to serve, but you do have a Heavenly one
• Time you used to spend on a paycheck is now available to help others
• Jesus' work in you is for the benefit of those around you
• Get and stay healthy
• Share what you've learned

A Haiku on Autonomy

 Autonomy is

An illusion of power.

I serve The Most High.

Worship - It's For US!

God does not need our worship.  He desires it, however, because it's a vehicle through which He can bless us.  When we come to Him with grateful praise He lifts our hearts to Himself, and warms us with His lovingkindness. We come away refreshed and secure in His love, like a child who has been hugged and held on Mama's lap.  Worship of God benefits us more than it does Him.  

"A grateful heart doeth good, like a medicine." Prov. 17:22

Washing

Not everything gets washed clean in water:

• Dirty paintbrushes get clean with turpentine
• Oily tools get clean when soaked in kerosene
• Greasy pans get clean when soaked in Dawn
• Sinful hearts get clean in the blood of the Lamb of God

Temptations

 ... are like mosquito bites.  You don't usually notice at initial contact, only later when the itch begins.  You want to scratch the itch, because it feels good to scratch.  But don't!  Scratching even briefly feels good, but then it itches worse.  Scratching the itch is not required.  If you don't scratch, it will eventually subside.

The Priority of Christ

 ...should move from Present ---> Prominent ---> Preeminent.

God answers prayer often with small vector changes.

12 Stages of Temptation

1. Readiness to temptation
2. Alertness to temptation
3. Innocent meeting
4. Intentional meeting
5. Public lingering
6. Private lingering
7. Purposeful isolating
8. Pleasurable isolating
9. Affectionate embracing
10. Passionate embracing
11. Capitulation
12. Acceptance

Defense to this:

• Be in the Word of God on a daily basis
• Be accountable to others
• Limit the amount of time spent with a person other than your spouse
• Don't be in the pastorate or counseling
• Admit it can happen to you

Picture of the Trinity

Lots of analogies for the Trinity have been proposed over the centuries, some of which have been called heretical, so this is murky water to wade in, but this analogy helps me best:

The Godhead is analogous to a develop/design/build firm which acquires property, subdivides and designs communities, builds out infrastructure and properties within it, then shows and sells/leases those to others.  Maybe it's all one coordinated Heavenly Enterprise, perhaps in a single Divine Holding Company comprised of three businesses.  This would be not unlike Ghidorzi in Wausau, WI who provides the above services, plus management services, all on property they own and lease to others.

God the Father (Theos, Creator God) is the Designer/Architect, who conceptualizes the community and the plan for structures within it.

God the Son (Logos, Word of God) is the Builder/Maker (Tekton), who expresses the design in reality and forms it into existence.

God the Spirit (Sophia, Pneuma, Breath of God) is the Representative/Agent, who moves people to join the community, take up space in it, and assures their satisfaction with it.

Logos: see Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 1, Chs 22-23,42, and most chapters of Book 2.

THINK Before You Speak

T - is it True?

H - is it Helpful?

I - is it Inspiring?

N - is it Necessary?

K - is it Kind?

How Is God Transforming Me?

1)  Understanding how He uses crisis to transform character.  James 1:2-4 = embracing the trial.
2)  Humility - being willing to serve from underneath, do work that is "beneath me".
3)  Other-centered - what God is doing in me is for others around me.  Open up and reach out.
4)  Obedience problem is really a love problem - stop keeping sin around like you might return to it one day.  Get rid of it.
5)  Transformation is a God-sized task.  I can't do it myself.  He must make up the difference.

Jehovah Anah

Shortly after the previous post in which I discovered a name for God that related to my experience with Him, I received an answer to a desperate prayer for help.  The answer was unexpected and very welcome, helping us to deal with our dilemma of living in two different cities seven hours apart.  In response, I came to another name of God that related to my experience with Him: Jehovah Anah, which means "The LORD will answer".  And He has.  Faithfully.  Not always with a Yes; sometimes with a No, or a Wait and See.  But always an answer.

El Sabab Panah

When son Jimmy was little, maybe 5-8 years old, if we were walking in a store or on a sidewalk somewhere, I would often place one hand on his shoulders right at the back of the neck, and use that to "steer" him toward where we needed to go, rather than let him wander off on his own as he was prone to do.  It kept us connected, and was easier for him to tolerate than me holding on to his hand, since he was getting a little "big" for hand-holding.  Plus, at that age it was a comfortable height for my hand to rest - sort of at my chest level.  His neck and shoulders were still small enough for just one of my hands to shift his direction easily.  

In Summer of 2018, I was in a Bible study led by my brother-in-law & his wife on the topic of the Names of God.  The study encouraged us to understand how God has revealed Himself to us individually, much as He did to the ancients. They named God for how they met Him and what He showed them about Himself.  As I was thinking about that idea, the picture came to me of my hand resting on Jimmy's neck and how I turned him gently in the direction we needed to go.  I realized that God had been doing that to me for decades, and so I gave God a name of El Sabab Panah: the God who directs me, who turns me this way and that, with His hand always upon me.

It was an object lesson also of the Fatherhood of God - how He restrains our inclination to wander off, keeping our focus on where He is going, and never more firmly than is needed in the moment.

Crisis and Adjustment

 God to me following a session in 2018 studying Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby:

"Crisis is transformative, Bill.  And if the crisis is from Me, it will transform you for good, for the purpose to which I'm calling you.  And as to major adjustments, if I am here and you are there, and I want you to work alongside Me, then an adjustment will be needed, won't it?  It's simple, Bill."

Memoirs and Musings

While wintering in Texas the last two years, I've spent time working on my memoirs, which are little more than one-page vignettes of various aspects of my earlier life - curated memories.  I have about 100 pages now, and am current through this year.  Of course, I'll keep writing as new ones are created, but who knows how long that will be, right?  I'm thinking another 17 years or so, if the actuarial tables are right.

So, that goes some of the way to explaining why there has been precious little activity on this site lately.  But there will be more soon enough.  At church, the pastors are preaching through Proverbs, and that prompted an idea for more content here.  I've used the Notes feature on my cell phone to record ideas that I want to retain, but who looks at my cell phone but me?  Better to transfer them to this blog and store them here.  After all, blogs seem pretty permanent right now, and require no maintenance or subscription fees, so... why not?  

Stay tuned for some random thoughts over the next several weeks.  They may not all be profound, but they seemed worth retaining at the time I thought them.  :)