Be Prepared. A Lesson Learned?

I recall joining the Boy Scouts many years ago.  Their motto is, “Be Prepared.”  The mindset is that a scout should try and be able to respond to an emergency or situation by being trained and, if possible, have survival supplies on hand.

This week I experienced a situation in which I was not prepared.  Colorado law requires all drivers to have insurance on the vehicles they drive. In addition, one must carry proof of insurance. The insurance companies print info cards to accommodate this need.  I generally keep mine in the glove compartment. (Who keeps gloves there anyway?)

This week I needed to go onto Fort Carson army post.  My truck is not registered to drive on post and so I am required to go through a certain gate and show proof of insurance and state registration (and also promise to behave if my name ends in “bin Laden”). As I drove there, I checked for my required info and found my Colorado registration paper and…. four insurance cards that all expired in 2009 (please note today’s date!)!!

At that moment I pulled over and frantically searched for the correct card. However, it was no where to be found.  I, begrudgingly, turned around and headed to the house wondering what I might have done with the current insurance card. Surley I did not procrastinate in putting the card in the truck (see previous post). I searched throughout all the files and piles that I believed might have the card. No luck. 

I considered calling the insurance company to ask them if I could get a replacement card, not that I’m experienced in this.  It is at that time I noticed an envelope that had fallen next to a chair. Could this be the end of my search? Maybe. The return address showed the insurance company.  I tore it open and there it was: the correct card! By that time, however, it was too late to make the trip on post.

I recall my days in the Air Force when I would need to take a vehicle to the flight line to inspect a bomb assembly on an aircraft. I was required to do a quick visual inspection of the vehicle; tires, oil, etc. I also needed to check the glove box for certain authorization papers. Once the check list was complete I could put the vehicle in gear and press the pedal to the metal…er… safely drive off. 

Today I jump into my truck and head to my destination… obviously unprepared.

I wonder how many of us fail to do a spiritual check before we head out for the day. Are we spiritually prepared for the uncertainties of life? Have we prayed or read Scripture to train and equip us for the day’s journey? Or do we just assume that we have what we need?

BTW. Today I got the new insurance card for the next six months.

A lesson learned? We will see.

 

The Price of Procrastinating

 

OK. So the writer’s block has got to go. That’s my excuse, etc. 

Actually, if you know me, one of my many faults is procrastination.  I know something should be done yet I put it off. Well, not the start but the completion. I have the intention of coming back to it but somehow continue to postpone it. Psychologists would say that I just do not want to do it in the first place. (No, I’m not seeing a “shrink” although many people have wondered whether I should.) So maybe that’s why I do not sit down and type out this blog. Sigmund Freud would say there’s some deep seated emotional/mental conflict going on about me and my mom or something like that. 

Back to procrastination. See how that works? I begin to write an article on putting things off and then I’m talking about therapy. I blame this on my version of attention deficit. 

Take last Saturday, for example. I started out trying to organize my garage/storage shed. I’ll pause for those of you who are laughing so hard at the thought of me using the word ”organize” you cannot continue to read. OK, back to the story. I’m pulling items out and find something that needs to go into the utility trailer. So I take those things to the trailer and, once there, realize I had put off something I needed to do to the trailer. I work on that project and then find something to take back to the garage. Back to the garage I restart that project so now there are two ongoing activities. In the garage I find my pick and shovel that I had misplaced and remember I needed to do some yard work. Stay with me now! 

The back yard is an area my wife and I use to entertain our granddaughter, Kyra. There are toys and a sandbox. In the summer we put out the small pool for her.  However,  roots from a nearby tree have broken through the grass and now run along the ground, half in-half out. So, project number three begins. I’m digging and chopping roots in the yard. Procrastination? No way! I’m taking care of this now!! Yet this is where the truth hits home. 

When I first saw those roots, about three to four years ago, they were no thicker than a broom handle.  The length of the roots on top of the ground were about a foot long here and there. But now, they have taken over much of the yard and have become  a trip hazard as well as a challenge to mow around. As I begin to dig and chop I discover these  roots, once small, are now almost as thick as six inches and extremely difficult to remove.  By sundown I had only extricated a few of them. 

Just knowing we should take care of something is not enough. There are issues we all know need to be dealt with in our life that we tend to put off thinking it will either go away or we’ll find the time “later”. Maybe it’s spending more time with family, confronting a relational issue, dealing with a substance abuse situation, getting a handle on our finances, or it could even be facing our spiritual needs.  What happens is that they become more complicated and more difficult the more we procrastinate. The danger at that point is that we are overwhelmed with the situation and then we what? Yes, that’s right. We put it off to another time! 

 The one thing we cannot afford is putting God off.  Potentially, my garage could never be organized (a real possibility), but if I fail to deal with my relationship with God, or lack thereof, I will miss out on so much of what He has for me. 

God loves us so much yet we have so much spiritual junk, the bible calls it sin, we continue to procrastinate dealing with how to get this stuff out of our life. And like my garage, the more we wait the more junk accumulates and causes problems. The Lord is the best at cleaning us up and restructuring our life. We have all sinned and do not deserve any good thing from God. However, He has provided the remedy through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Becoming a believer is to trust in the forgiving grace of God and committing our self to Him. To postpone that decision has eternal consequences. Once a believer, we must maintain an ongoing awareness of any negative roots appearing in our life and deal with them immediately. 

Although I did finish the utility trailer project the garage and backyard still needs work. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. Pray for me!!

 

Who’s In Control?

How would you like to be an owner of a Toyota automobile? My wife, Maggie, is and that makes me a little uncomfortable. Ok, a lot!

 The chilling stories of sudden acceleration and inability to stop have filled the media. One such event tells of an individual who feels the car accelerate and notices the cruise control light come on. The problem is they did not turn on the cruise control. The vehicle speeds up while the driver frantically presses on the brake to no avail.  Some of the stories have had tragic endings. Most have left the operators fearful about driving again.

 Toyota has attempted to clarify the problem. Their explanations range from the somewhat humorous — wandering floor mats that wedge themselves against the accelerator– to the unsettling, “we don’t know.”  Whatever it is, many people are upset about their Toyota experience. This gives new meaning to their “Oh what a feeling” slogan.

 The automaker’s engineers have advised drivers that if they encounter this “problem” they should attempt to place the gear selector in neutral, firmly press on the brake, find a place to pull over, stop, and shut off the car. OK. But how does this get us to our destination? We have places to go and things to do!

 Our journey in life seems to be in constant movement. We often feel that we know where we are heading and have a plan. However, the unexpected happens and we find ourselves careening out of control anxiously trying to manage our situation. We say, “if things would just slow down I could get a handle on life.” In reality, we have no clue how to get control. Our life has become a Toyota! 

 It is the Lord who told his followers to “come aside and rest awhile.” He also declared, “peace be with you.” What? Maybe in Jesus’ time one could experience that but there are just too many things going on in our culture and day. How can we fine rest and peace?

  Jesus had a lot to say about rest and peace. He said to come to Him and we will find rest. The Lord reminded his followers that true peace is putting life under God’s authority and control. It means trusting Him.  In essence, He tells us that there are times when we need to disengage, slow down, stop, and even shut down our plans and wait for Him.  He wants to repair our broken life for one that he can maintain and direct. Life will still have its unexpected events but knowing we have placed our life in God’s hands will allow us to travel in peace.

 

Matthew Charles Sims (1982-2008)

I waited until today to post this week’s blog. Two years ago today, February 19, I opened the door to see a deputy sheriff and an individual representing the coroners office. They were there to notify me of  my twenty-five year old son’s death. Matt had been killed that early morning in a traffic accident. I invited them to speak to me privately downstairs. I felt I needed to hear this before Maggie, my wife and Matt’s mom, was told.

As the officers left the house I dreaded my next responsibility.  As much as my heart was broken I knew the news would be devastating to Maggie. I have experienced many difficult moments in my life but the hardest thing I’ve ever done was to tell her that her son was dead. Her emotional cry was one that only a woman who has lost one of her children can identify and relate. A father loves his children and grieves their loss but a mother’s heart is entwined in a way men will never fully know.  

I then proceeded to call Matt’s older brother, Josh, and his younger sister, Amy.  Their response of sadness causes me to tear up as I write these words. They both loved Matt very much and were connected in a way only siblings can understand.

Matt had been a special kid even before his birth. Maggie experienced three miscarriages before Matt was carried to term.  The name, Matthew, means “Gift of God”.  Although he was a more challenging baby than his older brother, we rejoiced at this addition to our family. 

The Christmas season following his first birthday changed our life. Matt, at sixteen months, was diagnosed with meningitis. He was very sick and as a result he became profoundly deaf.  Nevertheless, God gives grace and we began the journey of discovering how to raise a deaf child in a hearing world.

I have always been amazed at Maggie’s love for our children.  Each one is precious to her. With Matt’s communication challenge, she poured herself into deaf education and learning sign language.  Matt would be a part of our life no matter what the obstacles.

I am reminded of so much of Matt’s life journey and those who loved him. Matt was embraced by our extended families and he knew he was loved by them.  The acceptance and involvement of Matt in the life of our church, GracePointe, has endeared me to our church family like nothing else could. The commitment and patience of the staff at the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind  in the athletic and academics departments shaped Matt in such a positive way. Matt had so many friends and they were so special to him. Matt’s best friend, Jason, was and is beloved by us. 

It is now two years later. I think back at the words of comfort and expressions of care we received before and after the funeral. The Lord was with us as we walked “through the valley of the shadow of death.” The strength of Josh and Kevin, Amy’s husband, during those difficult days blesses my heart even now. This week, friends and family have reminded us of their love and prayers for us.

Does one ever “get over” something like this? No. We deal with personal reminders of Matt all the time. The death of a child, no matter what their age, will always be raw. However, events in life can be used by God in ways we could never imagine. Matt made the wrong decisions that day and it affected and continues to affect those who knew and loved him.

I believe Matt had trusted in Jesus for his salvation. Our actions do not negate God’s love for us. I, therefore, believe one day I will see my son in heaven. That is true grace. I do not deserve to be loved and forgiven of my sins yet because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus I am promised that I will  see the Lord and those who have gone on before us. And that is why I put my faith and trust in Jesus and choose to follow Him.

I will see you again, my son.

 

Ashamed No More!

Although New Orleans is no stranger to celebrations, the Super Bowl victory of the home team, the Saints - over the Indianapolis Colts sent the denizens of the Big Easy into frenzied pre-Mardi Gras festivities. It was a decades old wait for those supporters who have experienced many seasons of frustration. The joyful release was highlighted with a TV news item that especially caught my eye. A long time “fan” was shown burning a large paper sack with a couple of eyelets cut into it, like a mask.  For many years some football fans were so embarrassed with the Saints that they called the team the “Aints,” and wore the bags over their heads at the games. It was as if they did not want anyone to know they were associated with the team. Now that has all changed.  The masks are now fireplace powder, just in time for Ash Wednesday!

However, there have always been the diehard faithful fans who have proudly worn the name of their team on shirts and hats, flown banners and continued to proclaim, ” If not this year then next year!”  When most of the populace were easily ashamed of their team this group stayed true.

The bible teaches us to not be ashamed of the Lord Jesus or His words. If we are embarrassed or ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of us. Although I do not fully understand what that means it is obvious that the Lord considers this an offensive action on our part. We insult God when we, by actions or words, deny Him to others.

Jesus has never done anything worthy of us being embarrassed about Him. He lived a perfect life, demonstrated true love to the Father and to the hurting, and died so we sinners can have forgiveness and a new life. Jesus won the victory. There will not be Salvation Bowl II or XLIV. There was only one and Jesus conquered sin. And that should be cause for us to burn our “shame sacks” and celebrate openly everyday.

 

First Words

Technology is amazing. In my lifetime I have witnessed and experienced the explosion of electronic devices that once were sci-fi dreams. Now I am observing my typed words on a small screen (laptop) that gives me the ability to correct  mistakes without having to use “white out” or correction tape. If you do not understand that last sentence then, well, you just don’t understand!

Having one’s words go out into the vastness of the web to be potentially viewed by others is a bit daunting. Who will read this, if anyone? Where do they live? Why would they care what I say? Can I write something that will interest them or, more important,  help them. I’m sure other bloggers have considered the same questions, yet this is me. Nevertheless, the journey of a thousand words begin with the first keystroke.  (No my first blog will not be that long)

How we use words is indicative of not just our educational experience but our character and nature. Jesus is called the “Word” in John’s gospel. Many scholars have tried to teach us what that means from the translation of the Greek, logos, to the philosophical expressions of the first century. For me, it means that our incarnate Lord was what God wanted us to know about Himself.  He wanted to communicate His essence in a way that could be “heard” by people. When Jesus used words He expressed truth that even two thousand years later we strive to understand and obey. 

I am definitely aware that my words do not come close to the profoundness of the Lord. However, my desire is to use His words as they have impacted and challenged my life. In so doing, may my words convey and possibly impart a sense of hope for someone.

So the journey begins.

 

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