This was actually a quote from Seneca…
Do not be concerned with yesterday for it is gone and tomorrow has not yet come. On this Thanksgiving day, live in the moment and be happy, content and grateful.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone…!
Folks are trying to hold it together, but the fear is visibly palpable. It’s March 2020 and we’re at the beginning of the COVID19 (coronavirus) pandemic and life as we know it, at least for the present time, is rapidly changing. And, things are going to be different. Mandatory school and non life-essential business closings, bare supermarket shelves and people walking around in hospital masks are now the norm. “Social Distancing”, the physical act of keeping about 6’ of distance between each other to prevent the transmission of the virus, is an everyday practice. For the most part, the majority of us are just trying to lead normal lives, but the overwhelming sense of “what’s next” is on everyone’s mind. People are afraid for their jobs, their kids, their loved ones, their money, their future and just about everything else that on a normal day may have been a passing thought and dealt with on a topical level. Not now though. It’s become a pervasive worry and the uncertainty of it all is causing stress on a monumental scale. Fear is the new norm.
For believers, it’s no different. We feel the fear, the trepidation, the uncertainty and we worry about the same things everyone else does. The difference is we know that in a world “out of control”, there is one constant…one thing that is “in” control. The one entity that will not “leave us or forsake us”. One unchanging being that knows how we feel, loves us in spite of it and provides the comfort only a Father can provide. God is that entity.
I recently read an Instagram posting where a woman wrote that the only thing we should be doing about the coronavirus is panicking. Her elderly mother was going through chemotherapy and with her compromised immune system and the coronavirus at our doorstep, she believed that panicking would be the only thing we could do that would get the attention of “those in charge” to do something to flatten out the rising curve of the epidemic. I felt so very sorry for her. To feel so out of control that her first response was to panic in an effort to make others take note of the gravity of the situation made me grieve for her life and her spirit. How very sad…
In the bible, Mark, chapter 4, Jesus and his disciples were in a boat during a violent wind and rainstorm, the waves crashing over the bow. His disciples were, in a word, freaking out. Jesus however, was asleep in the front of the boat and they were incredulous. They woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus calmly got up, rebuked the wind, rain and waves and said “Quiet! Be still!” The foul weather immediately died down and it became completely calm. He then turned to his disciples and said “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
Our faith should reflect that even in the midst of utter calamity, of what on the surface appears to be a possible disastrous and catastrophic future, we hold steadfast to that one calm constant. We look to the one thing that remains peaceful and still and provides love and comfort, even in the face of possible death to those who love Him. You’ll notice I said, “Should”. Is it sometimes difficult? Yes. Can it produce doubt? Yes. But, those who sincerely love Him come back to Him. We come back to the Father because that is where those still waters are found. Remember the boat?
The future is uncertain. That is for sure. All we can do is pray that while God’s will is done, He continues to protect and provide for His sons. And, we are all His sons. Our walk on this earth is temporary and as we go about our daily lives, we must be a reflection to others, who may not believe, of the very thing in which we find solace. Allow the fear to be your strength, allow it to motivate you to now do better. Look to help others in any way possible so people can ask themselves, “What does this person have that makes them behave this way, to walk without fear?” The words “Do Not Be Afraid” are repeated in the bible approximately 365 times…an everyday reminder of where we should place our faith. It is not about us now; it is about all of us. And, it starts with you. Crush the fear.
I work in Center City Philadelphia and walk the two blocks to and from the train every day. Most days are routine, except for the occasional, errant person yelling or screaming about things like the world coming to an end or telling me my cell phone is on their brain frequency or sometimes even about the conversations they’ve had with the mounted police horses. Normal stuff.
One afternoon last week however, as I crossed the street and stepped onto the sidewalk, I saw something out of the corner of eye. It was on the pavement, moving fast but immediately caught my attention. At first, I wasn’t sure what it was, as it was moving at an angle toward me and I actually stopped to watch it. It was extremely thin, flat, perfectly round (about the size of a half-dollar), and all rusty with a few small holes in it. The wind must’ve caught it just right as it was rolling upright on its edge similar to what a Frisbee might do when it hits the ground after being thrown, then rolls vertically. It slowed as it got close to me, then veered away when it got about six inches from my shoes. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it because it kept rolling and doing little jumps and just wouldn’t fall over. I lost sight of it when it rolled out into the street, under a moving car and was gone by the time the car passed by. It was then that I realized it was an old, flattened bottle cap.
I know…you were expecting something a bit more exotic. Nope, it was just a flat, rusty old bottle cap, with too many years of age for me to even imagine. It had probably laid in the street over those years in the heat and in the cold, in the wind and the rain and had been ridden over and crushed by countless vehicle tires. I couldn’t get that bottle cap out of my mind and thought about it on the rest of my walk to the train and even during my ride home.
I thought to myself, “OK Lord, what are you trying to teach me here?”…His response was awesome.
That bottle cap has obviously lost its original intent and purpose and can no longer keep a beverage stored fresh and safely in its container. But, it hasn’t lost its eternal purpose. I know it’s an inanimate object, but it got your attention, didn’t it? How things (or, people) start out in life is not necessarily how they’re going to end it. And, for the most part, that difference can be as vast as the ocean. Maybe that bottle cap’s final purpose was to get you to write this story so others can read it and learn from it. But, then again, maybe not…you lost sight of it and for all you know, it could certainly still be doing its little old bottle cap dance for someone else. You won’t know until you stand before me!
The real issue is that My purposes are all that really matter. Things…and people too, will lose their original size and shape, get old and a tad rusty and over time even get some extra holes in them. But, it’s MY purposes in life that count. Age and size and shape and condition and mindset and attitude don’t matter one iota. Whether you’re twenty-six or ninety-six, My purposes for you in this life don’t end until I bring you home. Don’t let your present age or condition or situation allow you to get comfortable, or worse, lethargic. You already know from your own life’s experiences, that present circumstances can be fleeting and temporary. And, even though some transitions may have been unpleasant and uncomfortable at the moment, it always worked out, didn’t it? Continue to always look to Me for your direction and know that no matter what, I will always have something new for you. Exciting isn’t it?
Continue to roll, dance, jump, take chances and enjoy yourself while keeping Me always present and the Holy Spirit’s counsel always active. Be like that rusty, old windswept bottle cap…keep moving, have fun and live your life to its fullest.
I plan to do just that…
And, I’ll never, ever look at a bottle cap in the same way again!
There are those who walk in foreign lands
Many, many miles away…
We think of them and they think of us
In more ways than we can say…
Keep them forever in your hearts
So they may always know…
You love them more than words convey
That soon, they may be home to stay.
During the holidays, please keep those members of our military who are not home this year in your thoughts and prayers. And, that they may come home safe very soon. We owe them such an incredible debt of gratitude and thanks!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you who are serving…
Please take a moment today to remember those in our military who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. And, as today’s world climate grows ever more violent, remember too those who are on the front lines giving all they have, often with their lives. For THEY are the TRUE heroes of our time…
The following is taken from http://www.BLACKFIVE.net
The Washington Post brings us the story of the Dutch who continue to honor the fallen Americans who fought the Nazis.
On Sunday, they came again, bearing Memorial Day bouquets for men and women they never knew, but whose 8,300 headstones the people of the Netherlands have adopted as their own.
For the American relatives of the fallen, it was an outpouring of gratitude almost as stunning as the rows of white marble crosses and Jewish Stars of David at the Netherlands American Cemetery. Each grave has been adopted by a Dutch or, in some cases, Belgian or German family, as well as local schools, companies and military organizations. More than 100 people are on a waiting list to become caretakers.
Story here:
Well, my family and I are back in the good old Garden State. The year we spent in Colorado was one of growth (and, hopefully) spiritual maturity. But, it was a rough and difficult process. Because, when you’re going through a baptism of fire, it’s not pleasant. Not one iota. Being stripped down in almost every facet of your life takes a toll. However, as I said, we knew it was for a reason, but that didn’t make it any easier. The refinement of something is very often only successful through that very thing being put through intense heat. And, believe me…we felt the heat. However, we knew it was for a purpose. His purpose. And, we’ll rest and find peace and joy in that. A spiritual walk, at times, will always have in it struggles and challenges. It’s what God does to bring us to the place where He wants us to be. Without it, we just won’t have the foundational and spiritual anchor(s) to succeed in what He has for us. A father disciplines his children and it’s no different with our heavenly Father. No matter if you’re 18 or 80…you can expect it to happen.
I may have mentioned this scripture in another blog essay, but I think it bears repeating again. James 1:2-4 (NIV) says “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” All the apostles experienced it. Open the bible to just about any page and you won’t be able to read very much until you see it for yourself. And, believe me…our experiences come nowhere near the pain and suffering they went through.
Consider it pure joy. Well, that was the most difficult part for us, but with His help, that’s just what we found. We realized that we didn’t want to lack anything and that this process was essential to bring to fruition just such an outcome in our lives.
So, right now, we’re looking forward to seeing what He has for us. The excitement we feel can barely be contained. We know that what lies ahead will be for a greater good. Not only for my family, but for those we love and cherish too. My wife and I were blessed to have secured employment here in NJ weeks before we left Colorado. And, we know there is purpose in that too. There’s purpose in everything. In a spiritual walk, nothing occurs by accident. The orchestration is incredible and it’s amazing to watch the Lord do the work. To be able to see the thread of Christ in our lives as we go through it is reason enough for us just to have a relationship with Him. But, He wants more for us. And, THAT is pure joy.
From school, movie theater and shopping mall spree killings, to local and national acts of terror, to the kidnappings, sexual assaults and murders of children, there is no escaping it. No matter how hard we may try, whether it is in our own backyard or across the country, it is ever-present and unfortunately widely pervasive. These crimes have no jurisdictional boundaries. They happen in large cities and they happen in the smallest of sleepy little towns in the most rural of states. Just when we think we’ve seen the worst of the worst, another monster wrapped in human skin does something that tops the last act of unfettered cruelty and malice. I’ve given up trying to explain, much less understand these horrors and the people that perpetrate them. Explanations like “it was just the act of an insane person” or “they just lost it somehow” or “how could someone do that in the name of a religion?” (insert whichever one you’d like here) always seem to come up a bit short when I try and wrap my mind around it.
Over the years, I’ve seen my share of misery and malevolence. I was a cop for 25 years in a municipality just outside picturesque Camden, New Jersey. Now, for those of you not familiar with Camden, it competes annually with Detroit and St. Louis as the most crime ridden cities in the nation. Shootings, murders, sexual assaults, armed robberies and the like are everyday and commonplace occurrences in and around Camden City. However, I’m not talking about city type crime for purposes of this essay, I’m referring to the type of crime that defies the ability of the human mind to fully comprehend it. The type of crime that leaves you a bit shaken even if it happens a thousand miles away from you. The type of crime that you feel compelled to discuss with a perfect stranger in the grocery store or at the coffee shop hoping that they may be the one person who has a plausible explanation for its occurrence. Some will say it’s a sociological thing, some that it’s from a screwed up childhood and some will blame video games. To me, it’s fairly basic and that is that one must take personal responsibility for their actions and stop displacing blame. But, I digress and as I said, I’m done with even trying to have a modicum of understanding beyond the fact that evil is evil. Period.
So, to my point…I have a real concern. Not a concern for myself and my family (although I do greatly care about their welfare and safety during any given day). No, I have a concern for the children of the future. If at my age I am already becoming somewhat desensitized and detached from emotion when these things happen, (although it does still affect me in certain ways) I can’t imagine what the future looks like for a young person who’s life (I believe) is going to be filled with this type of evil much more than mine was. I firmly believe it’s only going to get worse. I’m concerned for my grandchildren (when they come) and I’m concerned for their children. Scripture talks about these days being filled with all types of evil and it becoming more and more prevalent every day. So, are these kids going to become so immune from feeling anything when these things happen because of their frequency that they dismiss it as just another news story, and then change the song on their ipod? I don’t know, but I certainly hope not. Once a complacent and uncaring attitude sets in, it can be extremely difficult to reverse it.
But, there is hope…
So, what can we do? Well, we can pray of course. But, we can also walk in the knowledge that God is our provision and our protection. He is not only “in” control of everything, He also “has” control of everything. So, for us to really grasp and comprehend these acts of evil, we have to fully understand that they’re not a surprise to the Lord. He doesn’t sit upstairs and say “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe that just happened!”. The first thing one might say is “why would a supposedly merciful God allow such a thing?” I don’t know. But, what I do know is that the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are often times just that…mysteries. Sometimes God reveals the answers and sometimes He doesn’t, (I know I’ll most likely “respectfully” have a few questions when I stand before Him). That is why there are many times no plausible, visible explanations to abhorrent, random acts of violence and evil. The reasons are only known to God. And, He grieves too. We can teach our children these truths at an early age which will allow them the ability to understand and process these things when they occur. I know this may or may not make it easier to swallow or understand, but for me it keeps me grounded in the fact that The Father is in control…not us. And, I really, really like it that way. To be continued…
Well, here it is…my first blogging essay. It wasn’t easy coming up with a first topic and as I write, I’m still not sure what it will be. But, I think that’s what the desire to write can sometimes do to a person…even if that person likes to write, they very often come up empty. Oh, don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty I’d like to say, even if I’m the only one listening or reading it. But, it’s the content of the writing that’s got me a bit stumped. God has given me not only the desire to write, but I believe the ability to write. It’s taken me quite some time to prayerfully consider what it is He wants me to say and what it is He wants me to relay to others. But, before I go on, I want to say that the few prior sentences have nothing to do with religion, nor will this blog. It has to do with relationship. And, that is a relationship with Jesus Christ. OK, good. I got that out of the way. I won’t be Bible thumping or standing on my soap box pontificating. That is not the purpose of this blog. What IS the purpose of my blog is to bring to light the life (and, often times struggles) of a Christian man through his everyday walk, experiences and sometimes meandering and tumultuous life, hence the term “The Ascent of a Son”. I am a son of God. And, I am and will be continually ascending upward to be more and more like Him, (plus, I also wanted to include a mountain term as that is where I live and that is what I love). Now, this isn’t to say that I have no peace and joy in my life, I do. But, the reality and honesty of it is that some of the time it just isn’t that way. And, I think that it’s the same way with the majority of Christian men and women. The walk with Christ is a difficult one. And, the bridge between fleshly, soulful desires and the desire to be obedient to the Lord and what it is He has and wants for us in our lives can be a tenuous one. But, I guess that’s what these essays will sometimes be about, (hey…I think I just came up with the topic!). So, I guess if you want religion or religious dogma and the like, this may not be the website for you. There are plenty of places for that all over the internet. Now, this isn’t to say that I won’t throw in a few scriptures from time to time to reinforce my point(s), but the majority of the time it will be real life issues experienced from the view of a Christian man. I was going to insert the word “mature” man there, but my wife might have taken issue with that.
During my life, I’ve seen the world from many different and often polar points of view, but I am still living a life of learning, discovery and training and I’ll always want it that way. In some respects, I’m still in an “early learning” stage of things. But, I guess that’s the beauty of learning…you start out slow then get those wonderful “Ahh Haa” light bulb moments. And, come to think of it, there will probably be a lot of those as I continue to write this blog. Hopefully, not only for myself, but for you too.
So, these essays and experiences are for those men (and, women) who are continuing to walk with the Lord, but as a dear friend once coined the term “while holding onto the Cross, I sometimes get splinters in my hands”. I hope you all come away with something that you can use in your own lives to help you find that place of balance while still loving the Lord and finding and living in His peace, love and joy.
I wholeheartedly welcome your thoughts and comments too…so, please feel free to offer them as you deem fit, (but, please keep it clean though!). So, welcome everybody! Let’s take this journey together and maybe, just maybe, we can teach one another and have many more of those wonderful light bulb moments in our lives…
The Ascent of a Son 