Why shy?

Wait a minute.

Jesus willingly hung naked on a cross and allowed himself to be crucified to save anyone who believed in him from their sins, right?

And yet we're too scared to invite a friend, neighbor or co-worker to church ... because we're afraid of what they might think of us?

Huh?

Being Number Two is Job One

On Sunday morning don't even think about what you're going to wear to dress up for church.

Leave your coat, tie and jewelry where they are.

After Sunday School, but before the service starts,  forget talking over Saturday's big game with the deacons.  Or about collecting on your bets.

During the service, stop thinking about how your newly-hired pastor will adjust to tithes plummeting over the past month (as a consequence of "The Failing Economy").

And while the pastor's praying for God's will to be done, never mind considering "having a moment of prayer" with the person who owns the car on your church parking lot stickered with slogans endorsing the candidate opposite of yours.

Don't glance around during the offering to make mental notes about what so-and-so's teen-aged daughter is wearing to church, and forget entirely about reminding the pastor after the service that last week's service ran 90 seconds past noon ... which made finding a seat at Turf n' Stuff next to impossible.

In other words, on Sunday morning, stop thinking about Being Number One.  

--   --   --

Oh boy, then what on earth am I possibly suggesting?

I'm suggesting that you think about putting yourself aside and making God Number One ... and soon as you've got a handle and mastered that one, then start thinking about bowing your head, repenting & praying that God will take control of your life ... even if that means putting your own interests aside and acknowledging your role as Number Two.

Maybe, with all heads bowed, for the first time in your church-life.

--   --   --

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'"

- Mark 12:29-30

--   --   --

I can't even read the word "gyro" on a Greek menu but I'm saying that no matter what translation of scripture you read, be assured that the word "All" means to not leave anything out.

All your mind and strength means Don't Bother trying to impress others with your riches and material success at church ... because wealth didn't come from you and isn't yours to begin with.  It also means stop trying to be the most influential member of the congregation by talking the loudest and being the most argumentative during budget and steering meetings.  

Are we almost through yet?

No, we're not.

All your mind and strength means to stop bullying and intimdating others with retaliation to get your own way ... because you aren't Christ, and Your Way can only lead others in one direction ...  straight to hell.  

"With All your mind and strength" tells us how far we should go to Love the Lord Your God.

And Yes, it All your mind and strength even means getting rid of all the porn, sexual fantasies and emotional bitterness, too.

--   --   --

When the Pharisees tried trapping Christ in their word-snares, he didn't take advantage of the opportunity to push God aside (like we do when we're confronted, emphasizing our own piety and reminding others of our self-importance) to make himself Number One.  

Uh, being 100% sinless, Christ was certainly much more qualified than either you or I to tell others that he was Number One.

Instead, Jesus answered with words that that still make legalists and iron-willed traditionalists wince and start thumbing in their paid-for pew to see if the King James also says:

"And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

- Matthew 22:39-40

Christ had no problem with humility or making himself Number Two, being subordinate to the will of The Almighty.

So stop trying to make church All About Me 'cause it ain't ... and never was in the first place.

"If you love me, you will obey what I command."

- John 14:15

Noah's Big Wood Boat

Built by Johan Huibers of Schagen, Netherland, as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible, this replica of Noah's ark is about 507 feet long, almost 85 feet wide and almost 51 feet tall.

And naturally, it's built of wood.

How fast is fast enough?

"A driver's job is to get the best out of the vehicle he's got." - Stirling Moss

Sir Stirling Moss was a Formula 1 driver between 1951-1961.

As a young man when Moss told his father he intended to be a race driver, his father insisted that he wear a helmet.  To which Stirling replied, "Dad, that's a bit sissy."

Stirling raced in an era when F1 drivers drove 200 miles per hour in open cockpits surrounded by gas tanks with their heads and shoulders exposed above a welded-together chassis.  Life expectancy for a driver was predicted to be between 5 and 10 years, though few had careers lasting nearly that long: between 1953 and 1966, 22 drivers were killed racing, testing or qualifying for F1 events. - source

Nonetheless, 78-year old Stirling still has a competitor's perspective about crashing:

"If you're worried about safety, just go slower."

Going to see a man about a dog

Whas dat mean anyway?

It's an idiom: "If you tell someone you are going to see a man about a dog, it is a way of saying that you do not want to tell them where you are really going."

- thefreedictionary.com

Now, let's use it in a sentence.

"Is Christ the Number One priority in your life?"

"Oh I tried going to church, but being a good person and acting religious with all the other hypocrites didn't help me at all.   Besides, I don't believe in a God who says he loves everybody but still sends some people to hell.  I'd love to explain how mainstream religion changed Christ's message and why everybody's path to salvation is different, but right now I've got to go see a man about a dog."

S.A.L.T.

Pacific Grace

S.A.L.T. stands for  Sail and Life Training Society, a non-profit Christian organization based in Victoria, British Columbia, which provides sail training for 2000 young people per year.

S.A.L.T. owns, operates and maintains two ships, Pacific Grace and Pacific Swift.

Pacific Swift

Check out S.A.L.T.'s home page here.

Horror-Movie Cliches

I usually enjoy don't mind watching a suspenseful horror (not slasher) film; trouble is, finding one worth watching can take years. In the meantime, here's a quick list of tired scary-movie clichés from Mark H. Harris at About.com:

"Few horror movies are truly unique, but some elements are even less unique than others. Here are 20 overused horror clichés that have officially worn out their welcome."


Horror Clichés: Doll HeadsHorror Clichés: Vanishing BodiesHorror Clichés: The Medicine Cabinet/Refrigerator "Boo"Horror Clichés: DreamsHorror Clichés: Excessive BraveryHorror Clichés: The Black GuyHorror Clichés: Helpless VictimsHorror Clichés: The Stumbling Female VictimHorror Clichés: Kids Who See GhostsHorror Clichés: The Wise Old TimerHorror Clichés: The Sixth SenseHorror Clichés: Kill Tease

Day of the Schooners

You shoulda been there to see it live and in-person, no kidding.

This morning the tell-tale helicopter was in the air again, hovering just over the marina.

I climbed out on deck right away to find the cause of the commotion and saw Schooners. Lots n' lots of schooners.

In just over an hour I saw just a fraction, at least fifteen or twenty double- and triple-masted schooners, leaving the Inner Harbor enroute to a 2-day racing weekend in Annapolis.

Pictured up top (from Wikipedia) is the schooner Amphitrite, the world's oldest seagoing yacht.

Below is the 154-ft schooner Shenandoah, a cruise ship out of Vineyard Haven Harbor, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The Shenandoah is the only vessel of her size and rig, without an engine, operating within the United States of America. (photo from their web site)

Bonus Bluebook Points for identifying this classic schooner, pictured below:

Others went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.

They saw the works of the LORD,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.

-Psalm 107:23-24

I believe in I Am

"I am that I am (Hebrew: אהיה אשר אהיה, pronounced Ehyeh asher ehyeh) is a common English translation (King James Bible and others) of the response God used in the Bible when Moses asked for his name (Exodus 3:14). It is one of the most famous verses in the Torah. Hayah means "existed" or "was" in Hebrew; "ehyeh" is the first person singular imperfect form. Ehyeh asher ehyeh is generally interpreted to mean I am that I am, though it more literally translates as "I-shall-be that I-shall-be."" - wikipedia

Keep my commands and follow them. I am the LORD.

- Leviticus 22:31

'Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God.

- Leviticus 26:1

I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

- John 8:58

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

- John 14:6

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

- Revelation 22:13

There's a BIG difference

I never saw an eating place advertise itself with its name followed by Wings and Oysters.  Like, "Salty Joe's Wings & Oysters."

That is at least, not till Charm City.  I mean, there's a fairly BIG difference 'tween the two ... isn't there?

Oysters cling to whatever's comfortable & available and consume organic material over the course of their insignificant lives to build thick shells to protect themselves and culture the pearl that's (hopefully) the cause of what's irritating them on the inside.

What about wings?

Wings were meant to fly.

Copy-a-blog

I hardly read blogs anymore and this was the first time I visited her site but this post from littlesanctuary.com is worth copying and presenting here:

Warfare or Disciple

I think this is sometimes hard to discern. I came across something Blackaby wrote and thought I would share. I know Experiencing God is an “older” study, but if you haven’t gone though it you are missing out.

For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives. (Hebrews 12:6)

There is a tendency among Christians to view anything unpleasant that happens to them as the result of “spiritual warfare.” When a difficulty arises, many immediately ask God to remove their distress. The problem is that their predicament may have nothing to do with Satan or with spiritual warfare. It may appear far more glorious for us to explain our hardships as Satan’s determined attacks against us, rather than admitting that we are merely reaping what we have sown and are being disciplined by our heavenly Father (Gal. 6:7)

What is often mistaken as Satan’s attack may actually be chastisement from our loving Father. If you have neglected your role as spiritual teacher to your children, God may correct you by letting you face the consequences. It would be foolish to pray that God would ease your discomfort. God is disciplining you in order to gain your attention and bring necessary change to your life. How tragic never to make the connection between your problems and God’s discipline. God’s discipline will not help you if you dismiss it as Satan’s doing or spiritual warfare. Not every hardship you face is the chastisement of God, but Scripture indicates that God will discipline you.

If you misunderstand God’s chastening, you may actually blame Him for not answering your prayers or failing to protect you from Satan. Meanwhile, God is warning you of the danger you face because of your sin. Are there difficult circumstances in your life? Could it be the discipline of God? God, whose nature is perfect love, will correct you because He has your ultimate good in His heart.

10 Tips for Pet Owners

My friend Tom sent this along. If you've got (or want) a pet, it's worth the time it takes to read it ...

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3 . Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

Jambo
July 1995