Ragamuffin Gospel

Your Portion

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Today in our prayer time at The Church at Avenue South, the topic was about how the Levites didn’t get a portion of the Promised Land as did the other tribes of Israel. Instead, they got cities within the tribal territories. God said to them, “I will be your inheritance.”

The girl leading the prayer time went on to talk about how hard it must have been for them to see everyone else receiving a visible inheritance but them.

She went on to say that many people feel that way. They see others finding love, marriage, and family while they wait for their special someone. They see others prospering in their calling while they still wait for theirs.

The natural response is envy and bitterness. It’s easy to jump to quick judgmental conclusions such as “Why them and not me? Certainly I deserve it much more than they, don’t I?”

But think of this. If you belong to God in Jesus, He is your inheritance. Whatever the desire in your heart that still remains unfulfilled, it will find its ultimate fulfillment in God Himself.

The intimacy and companionship of a marriage? The joys of a family? God has promised to be all that our hearts desire. Whatever the need, His grace is sufficient. He is truly enough.

The secret in the waiting is learning to be content no matter what. To choose gratitude for all you have versus being bitter about what is lacking. To live to the fullest every moment and not waste the present by pining for the future or regretting the past.

I’m thankful that God is enough for me, not that I don’t forget sometimes or have my moments of envy and bitterness. Still, the best and most beautiful moments are when I can truly say, “Whatever my lot, You have taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.'”

 

A Year Ago Today

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Thanks to Facebook, I was reminded that today is the one-year anniversary of my fender bender. The car behind me got hit and pushed into me. Thankfully, I sustained the least amount of damage.

Looking back, I see how it could have been so much worse. I could have been the middle car and ended up with damage on the front and back of my car. Instead, my rear bumper was all that needed repairing.

It took some patience and persistence to get my car fixed. The guy who started the whole incident was originally uncooperative with his insurance company, and that gummed up the works for a bit. Finally, he relented and everything got taken care of in good time.

I needed this reminder to help put my life in perspective. Every day that I’m alive is a good day. The only day that isn’t is the day that I fail to wake up at all. That day will be fantastic because I will wake up in the presence of Jesus. That’s truly a win-win.

My rear bumper needed replacing anyway. It had accumulated some dings and scratches in 19 years on the road. I would also seriously recommend USAA for those who are either military or have military family members. They are absolutely the best auto insurance company around.

At the end of the day, if you have nothing else to be thankful for, you can be grateful that you are still here. Let none of us ever take that blessing for granted ever again.

 

Music, Mustaches, and Crazy Kittens

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Today, country music lost two of its best. Both Don Williams and Troy Gentry (of Montgomery Gentry) died. Even when I wasn’t a fan of country music, I still was a fan of Don Williams and his soothing and gentle voice. I confess I’m not as familiar with Montgomery Gentry, but I do know that he was way too young to die.

I listened to Marty Robbins on the way home from picking up a prescription at Kroger’s. I have memories of seeing him and his luxurious mustache on TV (with only Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers sporting better facial hair). He was another one that I liked before officially admitting to liking country music.

At home, I spent some quality time with Peanut, my 4-ish month old kitten who I rescued at the Williamson County Animal Shelter, and who in turn rescued me from grieving over the loss of my 17-year old Lucy who crossed the rainbow bridge in June.

She’s a typical kitten, so she’s hilarious and fun to watch. She can also be affectionate and incredibly cuddly. She does this high-pitched purring thing that’s more like a trilling sound. I’ve never heard it before from a cat.

My musical variety continues during my daily treks to and from work, church, and Franklin. I’ve listened to Queensryche, John Prine, Guns ‘N’ Roses, and Marty Robbins. I believe that crosses past eccentric musical tastes into the category of “They Should Make Pills for This.”

It was a good week. I woke up every morning and managed to avoid the dreaded toe tag, so I call it a win.  When people ask me how I am, I’m answering, “Better than I deserve.” I’m coming to see more and more every day how true that is.

Oh, by the way, Peanut the Spaz says hi.

 

A Good Word from Oswald

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“‘The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life’ (John 4:14).

‘We are to be fountains through which Jesus can flow as “rivers of living water” in blessing to everyone. Yet some of us are like the Dead Sea, always receiving but never giving. Whenever the blessings are not being poured out in the same measure they are received, there is a defect in our relationship with Him. Stay at the Source, closely guarding your faith in Jesus Christ and your relationship to Him, and there will be a steady flow into the lives of others with no dryness or deadness whatsoever'” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest).

I don’t see Oswald climbing the charts as a popular baby name, but the man to whom the name belonged left a legacy of wisdom behind when he died at a young age.

If you want to read about his incredible life, I recommend the book Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God: The Life Story of the Author of My Utmost for His Highest by David McCasland. Here’s a link to the amazon site where you can purchase the book.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=oswald+chambers+biography

I think what he’s trying to get at is that we’re called to serve out of the overflow of time spent with Jesus. It’s no good if all we do is soak up and receive and never share with anyone else. It’s also no good if all we do is serve with no time left over to receive from God.

PS I also recommend My Utmost for His Highest as one of the best devotionals you’ll find. It’s a classic.

 

 

Blow Up Your TV

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“Blow up your TV, throw away your paper
Go to the country, build you a home
Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches
Try and find Jesus on your own” (John Prine)

Sometimes, I think that’d be the best way to live. I’ve come to the place where I can’t trust the news I read anymore. I can’t trust the social media posts I see when it comes to political issues.

It seems that everything is biased and everything is filtered through an agenda. As I’ve said before, I refuse to drink either the blue or red kool-aid and buy into either the Democrat or Republican deception. The older I get, the more independent my political views become.

Maybe I should just move to the country and plant a little garden, eat more peaches and read more books. You know, the real kind with actual pages that you turn.

In the mean time, perhaps I’ll read my Bible more and social media less. I’ll play with my kitten more.

Definitely, I want to get out more while the weather’s nice. There is no better antidote to the culturally programmed anxiety than a hike through the woods or even simply stepping outside and breathing in some fresh air.

I definitely pray more. I’m remembering what Ann Lamott said about how you know you’ve created God in your own image when He hates all the same people you do. I believe Jesus taught us to hate no one and pray for our enemies. That runs completely counter-cultural to the current trend of demonizing your political opponents and mocking those with different beliefs and ideologies.

Anyway, my cat is sitting on my laptop and purring, so I’d better wrap this thing up. Good night, everyone, and pleasant dreams to you all.

 

 

Happy Labor (Free) Day

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Every now and then, it’s nice to have a holiday on a Monday. I wouldn’t want it all the time, seeing as how it makes Tuesday feel like Monday on steroids with all the playing catch-up.

Still, it was great being able to turn off the alarm and sleep in today. My cat Peanut was probably in favor of me not having to get up and be somewhere else at an ungodly hour. She was all for snuggling with me after I finally got out of bed and made it to the couch.

I made progress in a biography about President Harry S. Truman (a bit of light reading), watched a couple episodes of the first season of Beverly Hills 90210 (definitely bringing back some memories), made a Starbucks run (a horchata almond milk frappachino), went to see my grandmother at her nursing home, hiked at Radnor Lake State Park, and vegged (not in that order).

Labor Day means the beginning of the end for summer. I realize the actual end isn’t for 17 more days, but after today, you can’t wear your Hawaiian shirts anymore (unless you’re a rebel like me who likes to defy social conventions and live dangerously).

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that it’s September and we’re already 3/4 of the way through 2017. Whoa.

At least the best parts of the year are still yet to come. Not to mention pumpkin spice everything.

 

 

 

Cheekwood in September

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On this unseasonably fall-ish day, I went to Cheekwood Estate and Gardens for the first time ever. Mainly, it was for the Downton Abbey exhibit in the Museum of Art, but they also had gardens. Hence the name.

I confess that I am nowhere near an expert on fashion or design. I appreciate that the costumes had a lot of detail and that a lot of thought and care went into recreating the look from the upper class England just after World War I.

I was reminded that what I love more than just about anything is watching someone craft or paint or sing or play at something that they obviously love. When I see craftsmanship at its finest, I usually also see someone who does it for the sheer joy of it and not for monetary gain.

And then there were the gardens. Again, I’m no expert, but I do love seeing the riot of colors and patterns in the flowers. I could tell it was way more than someone throwing seeds randomly into the air and hoping some would stick. It took someone who loved what they did and who was a master at it.

Side note: don’t work to pay bills and make money, but work at something you love. Then it’s not a chore that you endure for 8 hours a day, always counting down the minutes to Friday at 5 pm.

My life and your life is the canvas and God is the artist. Nothing happens by chance and nothing catches the Artist off guard. He knows exactly what He’s doing at every single moment and has an end design in mind the whole time. Remember that when you’re in a dark place.

I’ll definitely be going back to Cheekwood, hopefully on a day as perfect as today. Maybe I’ll even take pictures the next time.

 

 

My Mushy Brain Post

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Somewhere between the long work week, the rain, and me getting up at 5 am every morning, my lil’ brain became mush. So don’t expect anything profound or deep from this post. I even made the mental faux pas of saying that Monday was Memorial Day (instead of Labor Day, which is the correct upcoming holiday).

After work, I met up with some fellow Kairos greeters for dinner at McAllister’s Deli. It felt a little surreal, as I used to work at a McAllister’s in Germantown (the one just outside of Memphis, not the one close to downtown Nashville). The food was good (one Spud Max), the conversation was good, the half tea/half lemonade was decent but not great.

Carried away by all the good feelings, I went next door to Golf Galaxy and bought a Yeti tumbler. Yeah, I know. I said I’d rather have a less expensive knockoff. And I don’t even play golf. Chalk it up to the mushy brain syndrome. Plus, I really like the retro green color.

My little kitten continues to be a sweet, affectionate little thing. I believe she’s as grateful today as she was on the day I rescued her and brought her home from the shelter just over two months ago. She likes to cuddle and purr at least once a day, and she seems to like just about everybody.

Right now, I’m content. The only improvement I might make is if I could somehow sleep under a tin roof in the rain. I think that’d definitely help me drift off to sleep faster.

As always, I’m thankful for another day to be alive with my five senses to take it all in. Truly, at the end of the day, it’s all grace and anything good that came my way today is all God.

 

Thinking of Texas Tonight

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 “Do not be afraid—I will save you.
    I have called you by name—you are mine.
When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you;
    your troubles will not overwhelm you.
When you pass through fire, you will not be burned;
    the hard trials that come will not hurt you.
For I am the Lord your God,
    the holy God of Israel, who saves you” (Isaiah 43:1-3, GNT).

I’m seeing pictures and hearing stories out of Texas about the complete devastation from the hurricane and flooding. So many people have lost everything. Some have even lost their lives. I know that the waters are rising and the rain never seems to stop.

It seems that natural disasters and tragedies like this have a way of snapping your priorities back into place. All those trinkets you chase after don’t seem nearly as important as before.

It brings back memories of when Nashville had its own flooding back in 2010. I can’t imagine watching helplessly as all your possessions and heirlooms are lost forever in the waters.

I do know that God Almighty has promised to be present with those in the midst of deep waters. No amount of storms or floods can ever separate any of us from the unfathomable love of Christ.

Lord, be with those who are wading through the deep waters tonight in Texas. Let Your peace that passes all understanding guard their hearts and minds tonight. May Your grace be sufficient for them and Your comforting presence be near to all whose hearts are heavy.

May all find that you are a Shelter in the midst of the storm, and a Strong Tower and Refuge to those in time of need. May all find that underneath are the Everlasting Arms that won’t ever let go.

May Your people be Your tangible presence as they go to where the need is keenest to be with the people who have lost everything. More than any money or material goods we can give, may we be the face of Christ to all those we serve.

Amen.

 

Radnor Lake and Patsy Cline

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I think I picked a perfect evening for a hike at Radnor Lake State Park. Apparently, the rain earlier in the day scared off most people, so there were precious few hikers who were able to witness a picture perfect day for the woods.

It came within a hairsbreadth of fall weather. A few degrees cooler and it would have been autumn. Still, it made for an enjoyable walk. I saw 13 deer, so they had the same idea about getting out in the cooler weather.

On the way home, I had Patsy Cline playing in the car. I’m fairly certain that she wrung every ounce of emotion out of every song she ever sang. She didn’t have to write her songs to bring authenticity to them; she lived the songs.

I’m convinced that she was a once in a lifetime kind of talent that left us way too soon. Still, she left us with a treasure trove of songs full of heartbreak and loss and love found. If you don’t believe me, listen to her version of Faded Love, by far the most gut-wrenching version of the song ever recorded.

It’s been a good Monday. That almost seems like an oxymoron, but I still believe that any day can be a good day if you only choose to look for the good in it and thank God for it.

So, thanks to Radnor Lake State Park and the musical legacy of Patsy Cline, I’d call this Monday a win.