spirituality

Three More Days of 2014

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I really can’t believe it. Only 3 more days left in the year? 72 hours? It seems like it’s only been a month since we rang in 2014. Two, tops. Seriously, the year has flown by. But in a little over three days, we’ll be ringing in 2015 with all the usual pomp and circumstance but sadly with no Dick Clark. I still miss that guy.

2014 has been anything but expected, but it’s been good. Why? I’m still here. That’s the best reason of all to celebrate– being alive for one more day.

I’m not dying just yet. I’m just extremely grateful these days, most of all for the gift of life.

Here’s a sampling of some of what I’ve written this year:

https://oneragamuffin.wordpress.com/2014/11/25/my-commentary-on-current-events/

https://oneragamuffin.wordpress.com/2014/11/16/6882/

https://oneragamuffin.wordpress.com/2014/03/09/life-lessons-from-a-great-movie/

Those are three randomly chosen blogs that I wrote at some point during 2014.

On a side note, 2015 is the year we finally catch up to Marty McFly from Back to the Future fame. As you remember from the 1985 classic, he first went back in time to 1955 to save his parents’ marriage (and as a result, he saved himself). In the sequel, Marty goes into the future to save his kids– October 21, 2015 to be precise. Of course, there’s a third movie where Marty goes back to 1885 dressed up as a pink Clint Eastwood. But that’s not important right now.

I have to admit most of the clothing looks like the 80’s on steroids. I’m thankful that current fashion isn’t based on Back to the Future Part II. Especially not that jacket with the retractable arms. And the technology has surpassed in many ways what the movie envisioned for 2015 (like for instance the very excellent blu ray version of the Back to the Future trilogy).

I’m still waiting on the hoverboards. And I can’t wait to see what God will do next in 2015.

Falling Back Again

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It’s that time again. Time to turn the clocks back one hour. I’m not exactly sure why we still have to do this. Why not just leave the clocks alone and skip the spring forward part as well? Daylight savings is so overrated.

Of course, there’s the small bonus of getting to sleep an extra hour. Unless you’re like me and end up staying up two hours later than usual and actually end up losing an hour of sleep.

It would be nice to be able to set the time back to a period when everything was going great and life seemed easier to manage. Maybe when you were in college or maybe that one job that you really loved. Maybe it was a time when you had a great group of friends and made some really special memories. Or maybe it was a relative that you didn’t appreciate enough at the time and would give anything to have one more conversation.

I still think that for me, this moment is my best moment because God is in this moment and when He’s at work, anything truly is possible. So I choose to be where I am right now in this moment so full of possibilities and potential.

I might go back and bring the old gas prices back with me. Especially from when I was in high school. Man, I wish that were possible.

Trusting in True Love

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charliebrownisokay

“But for my part I trust in thy true love.
My heart shall rejoice, for thou hast set me free.
I will sing to the Lord, who has granted all my desire” (Psalm 13:5-6).

That’s where I am, folks. My life hasn’t turned out like I thought it would, and that truly is okay. It only means something better’s coming.

I still believe that with all my being. I still believe that God has taken me by a unique path because He has unique blessings in store for me.

Maybe that’s you. Maybe your life hasn’t turned out nearly to be what you’d thought it be at this point. Maybe you haven’t hit those all-important societal markers that tell you that you’ve arrived.

Maybe you don’t have kids. Maybe you’re not married. Maybe you’re (gasp) still living with mom and dad, It’s easy to feel like you’re the world’s biggest failure.

But maybe, just maybe, that’s where God has you for a reason. Maybe, just maybe, you’ve got something special coming and you’re just not ready to receive what God has in store for you right now.

I know that the Bible is replete with stories of people who had to wait for their promise from God. Joseph, Moses, Abraham, and David are just a few out of many. So if you’re waiting, you’re in good company.

The point is that what God has promised to you is truer than your present circumstances. In fact, He is so true to His word that whatever He’s promised is as good as done and you can truthfully say right now that God has “granted all my desire.”

That’s not an easy place to be, waiting on God’s promises. Waiting is never easy. But it is a good place. And always, always worth it.

 

 

 

Why I Still Pray

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Yeah, what he said.

You’d think I’d be a lot better at praying by now, considering how many tests I’ve taken in school and how many job interviews I’ve had over my lifetime. But as it turns out, I’m not. It would be fair to say that most of the time I really suck at prayer.

There have been times in my life where I simply couldn’t find the words to pray. Other times, I couldn’t focus long enough to string together two sentences in prayer.

Sometimes, I can only pray short prayers like “Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy” or “Abba Father, I belong to you.”

Sometimes, the words flow. It feels like they are coming from somewhere other than from me, like the Holy Spirit is the one praying in me. Or if you like, God in me praying to God.

I do agree that prayer changes me more  than anything. It changes my perspective and gets me out of my own myopic, self-centered little world. Prayer helps me to see that this is not my story that I’m living, but God’s story  that He’s invited me to be a part of.

Rick Warren was right. It’s not about me. It is completely and totally about God. Always has been, always will.

So that’s why I pray.

 

My Favorite Day

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wtp

If you asked me right now what my favorite day was, I’d have today it’s today.

Today is the day I’m alive. Today is the day I’m given– not tomorrow or yesterday, but right now.

I found out today that my cat Lucy is 76 in cat years. She’s no spring chicken. As much as I’d love for her to live forever, I know she won’t. There’ll be a day when I’ll have to say goodbye to my little furry friend.

The point of that isn’t to be excessively morbid, but to remind myself that I have her today. That’s why today is best.

I’ve said it many times before and I don’t claim that it’s my own original thought, but gratitude is what makes me love today. Gratitude makes what you have enough, as one of my favorite writers, Ann Voskamp, put it. Finding joy in each moment comes from giving thanks for the little blessings that I normally take for granted.

I’m not saying today was my best day ever in terms of one of those magical movie days where you get the dream girl and win the lottery.

I ran the media at my church today and managed not to blow anything up. I made less mistakes than the last time and felt more comfortable in what I was doing. Plus, I really felt that God used my small contribution in helping people draw closer to Jesus.

I had a good lunch at Chipotle. I went to Office Depot and found a phone cover for my iPhone 5 for only  . . . wait for it . . . . $5. I call that a win.

I got to see my sister and her family and her lovable dog that I get to take care of from time to time.

That’s the operative word. Like I heard in a sermon, the life of the believer itsn’t a “have-to” but a “get-to.” I get to worship Jesus, not just in that one hour when I’m singing songs or hearing God’s Word read aloud, but hopefully 24/7 in whatever I’m doing to the glory of God. I get to find out about Him through His word and through sharing life together with fellow believers. That’s a good thing.

So I’ll agree with that ol’ bear. Today is my favorite day.

Mosaic

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christ-mosaic

I had an epiphany of sorts today. It started at Kairos when Mike Glenn spoke about how the Church has been at times on the wrong side of race relations and how 11 am on Sunday is still the most segregated hour in this country.

I thought of a mosaic. Or you can substitute a stained glass window if you want.

How boring would it be if every single piece was the same color? The same shape?

What if every single person were exactly like me? Just a lot of carbon copies of Greg running amuck? That’s a scary thought.

Like Mike Glenn said, you’re not wrong, just different. You’re you, unlike anybody else who has ever lived. And that’s a good thing.

I’m personally glad that not everybody looks or talks or thinks like me. Even if some of those people do and say things that I don’t agree with.

I believe it’s wrong to look down on someone because he or she is different. That means different race, different body shape, different upbringing, etc.

It’s easy for me to criticize someone who sins differently than I do. It’s easy for me to crusade against those vices I don’t struggle with.

But God loves all these people. Even the people I have the hardest time loving. Even those who have the hardest time loving me.

I think everybody discriminates against something. It’s the old sin nature in all of us, the part that was broken by the fall. But Jesus’ love is powerful enough to make the brokenness whole again and to make us new creations who can learn to love all those He loves the way He loves.

The Things Ahead

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I’ve had the privilege of knowing some really amazing people in my life. One of them, Derek Webster, is moving to Illinois to take a pastorship there. I’m happy for him but sad at the same time.

It seems that in this lifetime, I’m saying goodbye way more than I’d like. Too many friends and family have moved away or moved into new phases of their lives. Some have passed away.

I wish I could say that goodbyes get easier but they don’t. They still suck.

But what makes it easier for me each time is the knowledge is that the best truly is yet to come. This is not my best life now, but each little setback and disappointment and trial that I go through is preparation for a future that I can’t see yet, but one that will be better than I ever imagined.

I’ve learned (or truthfully, I’m still learning) the art of cultivating gratitude and thanksgiving. Learning to count my 1,000 gifts. Seeing life through the lens of how blessed I am instead of focusing on what I don’t currently have.

I still have days when I’m incredibly selfish and immature, days when I have a bad attitude and a quick temper. But thankfully, those days don’t define me anymore. Nor are they the end of my story.

I can see God at work in me, chipping away these rough edges and creating spaces where His colors can shine through. It’s not easy and it’s not always fun, but it’s always worth it.

So thanks, Derek, for being a part of my life and a good friend and a great inspiration. I can’t wait to see what amazing things God has in store for you next.

“But as the Scriptures say,No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heardand it has never occurred to the human heartAll the things God prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9)

One Thing I’m Thankful for Today

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Note: I want to say this and get it off my chest. It’s one thing to be depressed and quite another to struggle with clinical depression (which thankfully I never have).

You would never say to someone with a broken ankle, “Just walk it off. You’ll be fine.”

Then why do we say things to clinically depressed people like, “Snap out of it” or “You obviously don’t have enough faith or you’d be over this” or “Just pray harder and you’ll be okay.”

To borrow something Rick Warren said, a broken brain is just as broken as a broken arm or leg or ankle. Just because you can’t see the ailment doesn’t mean it’s not there.

End of soapbox.

I’m choosing to be thankful that I only moderately sprained my ankle when I rolled it while cutting the backyard. For a second, it felt much worse. I got light-headed and nauseous, which is never fun.

But thankfully, I’m only limping a little with minimal pain.

I suppose I’m also thankful that I can walk. Oh, and that I still have two feet attached to two legs.

So many people go without those things I take for granted. Not just being able to walk, but being healthy and having a good job. Some people would give just about anything to be where I am. Why should I complain?

God, if I don’t say it enough, thank You for this beautiful life and another day to live it. You know I don’t deserve it, but You give it anyway.

I’m both thankful and blessed.

What I Had For Dinner

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I’m currently house- and dog-sitting for a friend. It just so happens that the house and dogs are in Bellevue, just nine minutes away from Loveless Cafe.

So guess where I had dinner tonight.

Ding-ding! You got it! Loveless Cafe!

I figured since I was so close to this Nashville landmark, I might as well take advantage of proximity.

As soon as I walked in and gave my name to the hostess, she took me to a table. No waiting. It was a God-wink moment for sure. Also, it’s a weekday, but still. That has to be some kind of a Loveless record.

I had some of the world’s best biscuits that were so good they’d make you wanna slap your momma. Sorry, mom.

I had chicken and waffles. Together. And as everyone should know, chicken + waffles = 😊 (that is, one very happy Greg). It was a very non-gluten-free meal, if you know what I mean, but oh so tasty.

I recommend this place very highly.

Not Forgotten

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It’s funny that it took the death of Robin Williams to put him back in the spotlight. Suddenly, all his movies are flying off the shelves at places like Best Buy and Barnes & Noble and seemingly every other hashtag is some variation of either #ohcaptainmycaptain or #riprobinwilliams. Before he died, I hadn’t really thought about him much. Or at all. At least not in a long, long time.

We as a culture are so good at eulogizing and paying tribute to those we’ve lost, but not so good at remembering them while they’re still with us. And we have such short memories. Soon, we’ll be back to business as usual– until the next tragedy or until the next big celebrity passes away.

But something occurred to me just now.

There is never a moment when I am not on God’s mind. There’s not a time when He doesn’t see me and what I’m going through. There will never be an instant when He doesn’t love me as unconditionally and completely as if I were the only person on the planet.

You hardly ever hear anyone talk about Whitney Houston anymore. Or Philip Seymour Hoffman. Soon, all the talk about Robin Williams will die down and we’ll find something new to talk about.

But not in a million years will my God forget me. Not in a billion years will He ever desert me. His love for me will never ever decrease by even one iota. Not even if I were to forget Him.

I’m sitting in St. Paul’s with the lights off. It’s dark and quiet and still. The only sounds I hear are the hum of the air conditioning unit and the occasional pops and creaks of the old floorboards settling.

I am at peace. I’m reminded of what’s really important and what really matters. It’s not what you have or what you do for a living or who you know. It’s about being known and loved and cherished perfectly by the God who made you.

Remember this one thing if nothing else. You are not forgotten.