LifeVesting » Consumers

Oh Baby It’s Cold Inside!

Andy Wood — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:38:42 +0000

It usually starts in the fingers and toes. Then blitzes the middle of the back, radiating out from there.

It’s cold. Oh baby, it’s cold. And those extremities start to go into rebellion. They just…don’t… want… to… moooove.

Do you know what I’m talking about? Throw on the socks, wrap up in the blankie, and you’re still shivering. Body parts you usually ignore are sending you a signal – Do something now! Your ears – normally quite the lady or gentleman – are getting a bit irritate with all this. Your already-cold nose starts running – for cover.

Oh baby, it’s cold.

For relief, you look outside for some sunny encouragement. What you find are swelled up birds, vapor-blowing animals, and icicles on your icicles. The ground is so frozen that even with the howling wind (was that a chill that just ran up your back?), nothing moves.

And then, there are the joints. Oh my, the joints. Hip – snap. Knees – crackle. Ankles – pop. As you trudge along outside, you’re a walking bowl of cereal, only this one hurts.

And the eyes! How easily and readily they water to protect themselves from the raw, frigid air – air it seems you could cut with a knife, if only you could move your arms to make it happen.

Oh baby, it’s cold.

There’s a place on the back of your neck – just at the hairline – that refuses to be comforted. Scarves or coats are well-intentioned, but just don’t get it done. You can feel that, can’t you?

Would you believe that some people build houses out of ice – to keep them from freezing to death? Now that’s cold. So cold that to inhale deeply without some sort of protection would literally scar your throat. So cold that people can actually lose fingers or toes and not feel them right away.

And nothing commands silence like the cold. Ever notice how – like now maybe – you instinctively open and close your jaw and mouth just to make sure it can still operate? And when you do try to talk, the ch-ch-chills m-m-make it s-s-so hard to g-g-g-get the words out right. Your lips feel like popcicles in pain.

Oh baby, it’s cold.

So, just out of curiosity, what’s your chilliest member right now? Your toes? Your right foot? Ears? Neck? Shoulders? Left knee? Back? (Was that another chill that raced up your spine?) Are your eyes watering? Is your breath shortened, even though you’re probably reading this in a heated room?

How about your heart?

Ever hear someone describe a cold-hearted person?

Unfeeling… unbending… unyielding… uncaring.

Eyes that cut through you like an arctic wind. A tongue that bites as cruelly as the worst ice storm. A jaw frozen into the shape of an angry corpse.

The cold heart has a memory that never forgets the slightest offense, and never forgives the humblest offender. One that dismisses the “good times” and “good old days” as never having happened.

Without a shred of compassion, a cold heart stares blankly at the suffering of others – or worse, finds pleasure or entertainment in it.

Sometimes depressed, the frozen rage of the cold heart lives in a world that is hopeless to change and is unmoved by cheery platitudes that everything is going to get better.

The cold heart lives on this side of a vow that no one or nothing will ever cause it pain again. It expertly raises the hopes and desires of others – even children – only to crush them again and again with no sign of remorse.

(Does this remind you of anyone?)

The cold heart is motionless. Immovable in the worst sort of way. Stubbornly dug in, or violently opposed – to you, to the world around them, even to God.

And that…

That…

…is how the Lord Jesus would prefer your heart to be…

…compared to one that is comfortably lukewarm.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot! So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth! (Revelation 3:15-16, NET).

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Every Day, Remember…

Andy Wood — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:07:01 +0000

(Sort-of-random thoughts at 30,000 feet with a lot of free time on my hands…)

It takes minutes to make paper fly; to build something capable of carrying you long distances takes months, and a lot of helpful, smart people. The same is true with your important dreams – and your character.

You were created with the language of Forever in your heart, and nothing else will satisfy.

“I will” spoken with resolve has power, but your resolve will be tested and the limits of your willpower will be exposed.

You were not born with the wisdom and capacity to wait, but wisdom and reward waits for those who learn to.

God created the world for you, not you for the world – but He does hold you accountable for leaving it better than you found it.

A thousand opportunities dance before those whose eyes are open to see them. Ten thousand chances pass by those too lost in fear or consuming to notice them.

Summers are God’s way of showing that you don’t have to be in a classroom to learn.

I just saw a man express his gratitude by giving up his first class seat to a woman… who happened to be wearing a United States Army uniform. I wonder how I can say thank-you to somebody today.

I will always respect the one who can wait (there’s that word again) with discipline, but then decisively act with courage.

I’m not so sure that God has a plan for you so much as God has a plan period and invites you to participate joyfully in it… Or bruise yourself on it.

Till you’re actually looking death – yours or someone else’s – in the face, it’s wise to hold your claims and criticisms loosely and humbly.

Even in a techno-driven, knowledge-drunk world, it’s still important to know who’s got my back and who’s standing beside me.

Till you’re actually looking death – yours or someone else’s – in the face, it’s wise to live with passion and abandon.

Till I’m touching the face of my Beloved, this world will never quite feel like home.

You and I may hear the exact same audio data, but filtered through our unique experiences, beliefs, imaginations, loves, and expectations, the song we hear can be radically different.

Whether you cry in desperation or you sigh with satisfaction, your God-only-wise knows your cries and your sighs before they ever make a sound.

Here in the world of the humans, our greatest craving – and greatest fear - is to be truly known.

My arms may offer fleeting encouragement, but His arms really are everlasting and strong.

God’s promises and truth work everywhere and anywhere, for anyone, including you.

Wander from the truth if you want; truth is still truth. Anywhere you go you will either align yourself to it or burn yourself on it.

Every day, remember three things: You. Are. Loved.

I don’t know how I discovered it at such a young age, but a long, long time ago I realized that you are who you are because of the people who love you.

So whose identity is being forged by the love you show (or fail to show)?

In your heart – your meditations, your passions, your desires, and your spirit – lies the DNA of your future. The biblical word for that is “wellspring.”

Believe what you will and a rudder for your life direction is turned.

I often find it necessary to adjust or reverse the rudder in my heart by changing or challenging what I believe.

If you want to have some good clean fun, when you’re on a plane and the flight attendant is doing the safety demonstration, holler out “and breathe normally” after every phrase. S/he will think this is very clever and funny; don’t ask me how I know.

Nobody says “forevermore” anymore. We’re too caught up in “forever more” (yes, there is a difference).

I’ll wait for Who or what is important to me; to wait upon the Lord is an expression of worship because you are saying to the Father, “Your control of the plan is more important than my control of the clock.”

You will know what makes someone tick (or what ticks them off) by what they give away their moments, money, and meditation to. The hours in a day, the currency in an account, and the focused thoughts in a mind and heart all become reflections of the values and personalities of their holders.

One thing you may not want to announce to the passengers if you’re the pilot: ”Ladies and gentlemen, we’re waiting a few minutes at the gate because we have a fuel leak in engine number one. This is normal on the first flight of the day.” Said the guy sitting by me, “Now what he tell us that for?”

One thing you may have difficulty explaining if you are a flight attendant or airline anything: ”Ladies and gentlemen, we will charge you $50.00 for each of the bags you check, but if you overload the plane with your luggage, we’ll delay takeoff and then check it for free.”

The time will come when all those who know Christ will live in a perfect world, prepared for them by the Lord Jesus Himself. Until then, there will always be [fill in your own blank here or just use one of mine...] airports, meaningless bowl games, traffic lights, receipts, and football fans who are jealous of the SEC.

There is no unity like that which grows out of shared love – and that includes intimacy with God. When all I can do is bring my concerns, joys, longings and heartbreaks for those I love to Him, I discover again that He loves them more than I do, and I experience an intimacy with Him I wouldn’t have any other way.

The beauty of any journey, beyond the journey itself, is knowing that someone – or Someone – is waiting to greet you at the journey’s end.

When all is done that can be done then you’ll find that God is just getting started.

Whether you find me here or I see you there or we meet somewhere in-between, let’s vow to be found sowing the seeds of tomorrow and expecting a harvest of eternity.

Look for me in a discouraged, dispirited crowd, and as God is my helper, you’ll never have to look for very long. I’ll be the one gently insisting that the end of the story has yet to be told about you (or me) yet.

When you begin to run, whether it is out of fear or desperation, excitement or anticipation, make sure you’re running toward your Heavenly Father… Or back to Him.

If I must give God time, I want my waiting to be with arms outstretched, heart expecting, faith enflamed, and love alive. Impatient as I can be, I fear that I won’t do that well. But however fleeting or faulty my faith or performance, “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day.”

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Passing Shadows

Andy Wood — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:33:53 +0000

Lord, what are mortals, that you notice them;

mere mortals, that you pay attention to us?

We are like a puff of wind;

our days are like a passing shadow (Psalm 144:3-4).

As this shadow passes across another year, what’s obvious on the playground becomes clearer in life: the further away from that initial push, the shorter the passes are.

So…

You can pretend the shadow doesn’t exist…

Search for temporary, artificial pushes…

Surrender to futility and fatality.

Or…

You can embrace the shadow with childlike wonder…

Knowing that all shadows – including this life – are silhouettes of something real.

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What To Do When You Realize You Aren’t Going to Change the World

Andy Wood — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:20:52 +0000

Change your nation instead. Or your community. Or your neighborhood. Or in those really desperate cases, change yourself.

Changing the world has become a cliché.

“This generation will change the world.”

“You have the power to change the world.”

“That [insert role of another person] you [insert action you perform] may just change the world someday.”

Maybe they can. Maybe you will. And yes, it is possible.

And no, you probably won’t. The world is mighty stingy with who it allows to change everybody on it. It just doesn’t give up control that easily. And when it does, you’re likely to wind up dead in the process. Or hated by a lot of people. Turns out many people don’t really want to be changed. Imagine that.

I’m really concerned for a lot of people – maybe you – who have been told all their lives how awesome they are, and they have been led to believe that all they need to do is show up in their awesomeness, and universal forces begin to converge to produce galactic change.

Guess what? It probably ain’t gonna happen. And in other news, my son, who works at Sears, just told me that the Kardashian Kollection just was moved to the clearance aisle. Ouch.

Unless you’re one of the less-than-one-percent who has the gifts, platform, or patience to be a revolutionary, the world is not your oyster. So what do you do if you are one of the 99%? Well, I suppose you could band together with a bunch of other frustrated people and make a scene. Demand that the world changes to suit your preferences, or at least hand over some of that money. That’ll change something, for sure – most likely your mailing address.

But who said “changing the world” is the only measure of success? When did the only two choices become “world changer” and “nobody?” Maybe what the world needs is not somebody who can revolutionize it, but somebody who can train up and nurture its kids. Maybe what the world need is not somebody who can sell a new idea (much as I love ideas), but somebody who can execute the old ones brilliantly. Maybe what the world needs is not somebody who can innovate, but somebody who can stabilize. Maybe what the world needs is not somebody with a face and body for television, but somebody with a heart and soul for quietly adding value by sitting down to dinner a few times a week with the whole family.

Boring, I know. Decidedly nonglamorous. But dripping with character.

I hope you’re young enough (I’m 53 and I think I am) to learn from the unknown monk, who wrote somewhere around A.D. 1100:

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town, and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

Yeah, I know. I’ve quit preaching and gone to meddling. But what if changing the world really did start with changing yourself? What if that brick wall you keep running into isn’t really the rich and powerful or heterosexuals or men or women or the entertainment “industry” or the Bowel Championship Series or the Democrats or the Republicans or the Federal court system or white people or illegal aliens or drug cartels or Disney or Walmart or the Yankees?

What if the brick wall is insane belief that everybody and everything but you needs to change?

What if the brick wall is the smug complacency that somehow leads you to believe that you’re entitled to happiness as you define it – just because you’re, well, you?

Grow up. Please. We need you to show us the way. There’s still time.

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The Glassblower

Andy Wood — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:51:54 +0000

Guided by a clear vision of what could be, and wisdom and skill known only to master craftsmen, the glass blower takes raw, shapeless material and goes about his work.

Molding.

Forming.

Bending.

Shaping.

A beautiful form begins taking shape, made possible by the searing flame.

If the little glass cylinders were given a vote, they’d choose to remain cool.

Comfortable.

Unbent.

Unremarkable.

But masterpieces only materialize when the clay says to the potter, “Have your own way.”

Or when stiff glass (or stiffnecked people) submits in faith to the heat of the furnace and the heart of the Creator.

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On and On

Andy Wood — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 06:57:43 +0000

I grew up in the Deep South in the 60s and 70s. There, when my African American friends wanted to know my address, they had a unique colloquial way of asking. They would ask, “Where you stay?”

I don’t know where the phrase originated. What I do know is that the question – Where you stay? – resonates on a much deeper level than just my physical address.

Had we lived a century earlier in Great Britain, the question may have been something along the lines of, “Where do you abide?” Or “Where is your abode?” Again, the question has to do with a physical house, but it communicates something much deeper.

It’s a question of the heart, not just the body. It’s a question of your dreams, your company, your vision, your love. It’s a question of what you hang on to and what you let go of. Of who or what touches you for a moment, versus who or what changes you for a lifetime. Of where you turn for security and where your heart finds its permanent places.

Where you stay?

When Jesus Christ invaded history, one of the possibilities He brought with Him was a whole new way of relating to God. In Old Testament times, walking with God was a matter of keeping the commandments, offering sacrifices for sins, and a relationship in which the Holy Spirit would come and go.

Jesus brought something new. He made it possible to abide – to stay – in communion with Him. Not on again-off again. On and on.

Here’s how the Easy-to-Read translation expresses His words in John 15:

Stay joined to me and I will stay joined to you. No branch can produce fruit alone. It must stay connected to the vine. It is the same with you. You cannot produce fruit alone. You must stay joined to me.

“I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I to you, you will produce plenty of fruit. But separated from me you won’t be able to do anything. If you don’t stay joined to me, you will be like a branch that has been thrown out and has dried up. All the dead branches like that are gathered up, thrown into the fire and burned. Stay joined together with me, and follow my teachings. If you do this, you can ask for anything you want, and it will be given to you. Show that you are my followers by producing much fruit. This will bring honor to my Father.

“I have loved you as the Father has loved me. Now continue in my love. I have obeyed my Father’s commands, and he continues to love me. In the same way, if you obey my commands, I will continue to love you. I have told you these things so that you can have the true happiness that I have. I want you to be completely happy. (John 15:4-11).

Stay joined. Stay connected. Continue. On and on.

Where you stay?

What does it mean to stay joined or connected to Christ? Three things are mentioned here:

On and On Communication

To stay connected means to keep the communication flowing. You abide in whoever you communicate with. To stay connected with Jesus means letting Him talk to you and you talking to Him. Not here and there. On and on. The Bible phrase for this is “pray without ceasing.”

Shouldn’t prayer be a discipline, with times and places? Sure. It should also be a lifestyle – completely unstructured, continually aware. Listening on and on. Interceding on and on. Turning troubles over to Him on and on. Praising on and on.

Shouldn’t we labor in prayer? Yes. But never any more than you pray from a position of resting in the Lord. Keep the flow of communication open – here, there, wherever you find yourself.

On and On Love

“I have loved you as the Father has loved me,” Jesus says. “Now continue in my love.”

Your relationship to Jesus is a love relationship first. If you ever lose sight of that, you cease to abide in Him. The problem with a lot of people is that they love Jesus like they loved their high school girlfriend or boyfriend. Maybe it’s time to stop dating Jesus, and realize He has something much more intimate and consistent in mind. Read these words again:

I have told you these things so that you can have the true happiness that I have. I want you to be completely happy.

Think about this. If you are a follower of Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwells in you, then like a vine-and-branch relationship, right this second there is an on-and-on flow of life and love toward you. You don’t have to make it – just take it. Enjoy it. Be completely happy in it.

On and On Obedience

We never outgrow obedience. This is how we demonstrate who or what we’re following, and who or what we love. And you are obeying someone or something right now.

Sometimes people get a shady idea of grace. They assume that grace qualifies us to disobey God. Nothing could be further from the truth. Grace – truly understood – motivates on-and-on obedience to the will of One who would love me so much.

But this isn’t just obedience to a static set of instructions. It’s an on-and-on obedience to the promptings of the Spirit. A continual awareness, as you seek Him, of His heart, priorities, and passion. Sure, you follow the ones that are aimed at everybody. But just as faithfully, you respond to the directives that are aimed at you alone.

Much is made in the Kingdom about “entering in,” whether we’re talking about salvation, the Spirit-filled life, maturity, or praise and worship. But what’s left after we’ve “entered in?”

Abiding. On and on.

It’s not always as glamorous or exciting. But it’s even more essential.

Where you stay?

In Him, my Dearest Friend. On and on.

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Four Windows Into Your Heart

Andy Wood — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:41:59 +0000

Think fast! What’s the difference between a test and a temptation?

Fast answer: Nothing.

Slower answer: One comes from the devil and one comes from the Lord. But did you know that the same Greek word is used for both? Check out these familiar words:

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.… Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires (James 1:2-3, 12-14, emphasis mine).

Each use of “trial” or “tempted,” translates the same Greek word. What that means in practical terms is that the same experience that tests you at the point of your faith lures you at the point of your desire.

Think of every experience as windows into different sides of the same house. Only the house is your own heart. From the front angle, you can peek in on what you believe. From the back side you can see what you fear. From one side you can see your deepest longings; from the other side, you can see your most selfish cravings. Your experiences, no matter who sent them, light up the house and reveal what’s inside.

Here are some every-day illustrations:

Becky

Becky has a teenaged son. Long ago, when Jason was still a baby, she “turned him over” to the Lord to protect and care for. She believes he is in God’s hands. She also knows he’s an hour late getting home on a Saturday night. His probably-dead cell phone goes straight to voice mail. Let’s take a peek into the windows of Becky’s heart.

Front side (faith): She believes, at least in her head, that the Lord is his protector.
Back side (fear): She is powerless to do anything at this point, so she imagines, with great detail, that something terrible has happened.
Left side (deepest longings): She desires a safe, happy son who lives a long, productive, happy life with many children (her grandchildren, of course).
Right side (selfish desires): She wants to knock his block off for “making” her worry. Or better still, find a way to punish him emotionally to get back at him for traumatizing his mother like that.

Five minutes later, Jason creeps in the door. How does Becky respond? That’s the test. That’s the temptation.

Paula

Paula is 18 and feels trapped. The product of a dysfunctional home, she’s been disappointed time and again by people she trusted, so she keeps a protective shell over her heart. At this point in her life, she just wants out of the house. And that’s where Jonathan, age 21, comes in. He doesn’t have much going for him spiritually. Professionally either, for that matter. But he seems safe. Reliable. And he doesn’t seem to demand too much in terms of emotional intimacy. She can’t say she loves him with abandon, but she gave up on marrying Prince Charming a long time ago.

Front side (faith): Paula believes that God has a plan for her life. But she also believes that God helps those who help themselves, and “if it’s to be, it’s up to me.”
Back side (fear): She is terrified of spending the rest of her life feeling alone and rejected or living in constant drama.
Left side (deepest longings): She wants more than anything to be loved for who she is, unconditionally.
Right side (selfish desires): She wants to always be in control of the situation – and the people in it – in order to feel safe.

Jonathan is planning to take her out to celebrate their dating anniversary tonight. She knows he is going to propose. That’s the test. That’s the temptation.

Blake

Blake seems to be carved out of pure potential. He’s bright, likeable, and a natural leader. Many things have come easily and effortlessly to him, and frankly, Blake prefers it that way. He tends to bail on friendships that get complicated. He quits jobs and ends relationships at the first sign of conflict or real stress. And now, with grad school approaching and his wedding less than two months away, Blake discovers his fiancé Jasmine, whom he loves very much, has some pretty serious medical issues.

Front door (faith): Blake believes that God can make a way where there is no way. He also believes, more than he knows, that difficult situations must mean he should look for an easier path.
Back door (fear): He is afraid of disappointing the people who have told him all his life how awesome he is. He is also terrified of failure. But his greatest fear of all is simply not knowing what lies in front of him.
Left side (deepest desires): He longs for his life to count – to make a significant contribution somehow in the world.
Right side (selfish desires): He won’t let anything or anyone stand in the way of his great purpose in life – whatever that is.

Blake’s phone rings, and it’s Jasmine, in tears. The doctors have confirmed she needs surgery and extended treatment and therapy beyond that. The wedding will have to be postponed. That’s the test. That’s the temptation.

Your Turn

Okay, your turn. Look at your biggest life situation right now. Is it money? A relationship? A decision to make? Take a peek inside the four sides of your heart.

What do you believe? About God? About life? About people? However you respond to this situation, you will be broadcasting your truest beliefs, loud ‘n’ proud.
What to you fear? Answer “nothing,” and I’ll call you a liar. Get clear on this one, and it will amaze you how much pain and trouble you can avoid.
What are your deepest, noblest longings? Whatever the situation, somewhere deep in your heart you long for something good, acceptable, and perfect. What is that?
What are your rawest, most selfish desires? You may not be proud to admit it, but look at it for what it is.

So… given that we’re all such a mixed bag, how do you choose well? How do you invest in your future and eternity and keep from making choices you’ll spend a lifetime regretting?

Tell you next time.

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The Grand Celebration That Wasn’t

Andy Wood — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:57:02 +0000

A Fable about leadership, teamwork, unity, and of course, honey…

It was a lovely morning in the Hundred Acre Wood, where Christopher Robin’s friends lived and played. The bees were abuzz making their honey (and You-Know-Who knew just who it was for).

Kanga had already gotten an early start on motherly things, while Roo was playing close by.

Piglet was pacing about his tidy home saying “Oh Dear, Dear, Dear” because he knew something Important was about to happen, but he couldn’t quite remember what it was.

Rabbit was tending his garden, nervously glancing around for signs that he soon may be bounced by Tigger.

Eeyore was a bit confused as he chomped on a thistle because he couldn’t think of anything to be gloomy about.

Owl was remembering the time to no one in particular that his great uncle Waldo on his mother’s side did something famous because it happened on a lovely day such as today.

And Winnie the Pooh? Being a Bear of Very Little Brain, he was sitting at the Thotful Spot, thinking. And wishing for just a bit of honey, because as everyone knows, bears think better when their tumblies aren’t so rumbly. And there’s nothing like honey to take the rumbly out of the tumbly.

This was no ordinary day after all. This was the day of the Grand Celebration. They weren’t quite sure what they were celebrating, but everyone had agreed that today would be a fine day to celebrate it.

It all started when restless Roo and playful Tigger were frolicking in the forest and Roo said for no particular reason something like, “We should have a party tomorrow and invite all our friends.”

“Tiggers love parties!” the bouncy cat replied. “We should invite old long ears!”

“We should invite everybody!” Roo exclaimed. “We will call it the Grand Celebration.”

“Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Tiggers love Grand! And the more the merrier,” Tigger exclaimed.

And so it was decided. And the playful pair started to invite their friends.

“Mama!” Roo said. “Tomorrow we’re going to have a Grand Celebration! Will you come?”

“That will be nice, dear,” Kanga said, busy with dinner. “Just be careful and make sure to clean up your mess.”

“Ooooh, Tigger!” Rabbit shouted as he shook the dirt from his face and ears. “Stop bouncing me!”

“Can’t help it, ole’ buddy ole’ pal. We’re having a Grand Celebration tomorrow, and everybody’s invited. And you know, Tiggers love Celebrations. Can ya’ come? Well? Can ya’?”

“If you’ll promise not to sneak up on me and bounce me into tomorrow (sigh), I suppose I can come,” Rabbit replied. Everyone knew that also meant Rabbit’s Friends and Relations.

“Will there be honey?” Pooh asked when Tigger and Roo told him the Delightful News.

“Of course!” Roo said gleefully. “What’s a Celebration without honey? Now Pooh, would you invite Rabbit and Owl?”

“That’s a fine idea,” the chubby cub said as he made off for Piglet’s house in the middle of the beech-tree.

Piglet was sweeping in front of his door and thinking about his grandfather, Trespassers Will, when Pooh walked by, lost in thought.

“Hello, Pooh!” he said. “Where are you going?”

“Oh, hello, Piglet! I’m going to see Owl and… oh… well… there you are. Not Owl, of course. You’re Piglet. But I’m coming to invite you to the Grand Honey Celebration tomorrow.”

“Oh my,” Piglet exclaimed. “I never knew Honey had its own Celebration. I would be most delighted to come.”

“It was my idea,” Pooh said.

“The celebration?” Piglet asked.

“No, the honey, I’m sure.”

“So how are we celebrating?” Piglet wanted to know because Piglets ask questions like that.

“Oh, in the usual way, I suppose,” Pooh replied.

Meanwhile, while all this was going on, Roo and Tigger had caught up with Eeyore, who had just figured out that he would never think of a day of the week that didn’t end in “Y” because, well, they all did, and that was pretty disappointing for some reason.

“Eeyore,” Roo squealed. “Do you want to come to the Grand Celebration tomorrow?”

“Don’t see much reason to celebrate,” Eeyore droned in his low voice. “But thanks for noticin’ me all the same.”

“Come on, Long Face!” Tigger chimed in. “Everybody’s gonna be there.”

“Suppose I will,” Eeyore said. “It’s not like I have anything else to do, which I don’t.”

Owl told his friends Pooh and Piglet much the same thing, but he took a whole lot longer to say it, what with telling stories about other Grand Celebrations he was reminded of so that by the time he was finished nobody remembered for a minute or two why Piglet and Pooh had knocked on Owl’s door in the first place.

And so the Day arrived. Rabbit was wondering what time the festivities were supposed to begin and, of course, in what particular order they were to take place. But no one had bothered to establish a proper starting time. So he and his Friends and Relations stayed busy – or at least looked so.

Piglet was a bit disturbed that no one had mentioned whether Heffalumps or Woozles had been invited and was considering sending his regrets, but wasn’t quite sure whom to regret to.

Roo was getting into some sort of mischief when he was supposed to be cleaning up his room, while Kanga was hanging laundry on the line and planning meals and worrying about her boy’s safety and things.

Eeyore had been looking yet again for a lost tail when he found an especially tasty clump of thistles.

Tigger had forgotten his promise to Rabbit and was bouncing at breakneck speed toward his vegetable garden – the one that had the sign saying, “NO TRESPASING, STEELIG, OR BOUNSING.”

And Winnie the Pooh was just about to explain to Christopher Robin that today was National Honey Day or something like that. Or if not, it should be.

When all was said and done it was a fine day. But there was no Grand Celebration, even though everybody had agreed to have one.

Agreement is one thing. But sometimes agreement isn’t enough. Grand Celebrations call for something more. Something like teamwork and Unity. Grand Celebrations are the result of having:

One spirit – committed to mutual success.

One mind – agreed on the same goals and on the priority of those goals.

One effort – “rowing in the same direction,” toward the same prize.

“Christopher Robin,” said Winnie the Pooh to his Friend.

“Yes, Pooh?”

“Do you suppose that if tomorrow we had a party for the bees, they could bring the refreshments?”

“Silly old bear.”

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Five Forks in the Road

Andy Wood — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:34:14 +0000

This may be a leap, but let’s assume for a minute that you know what it is you want, and you’re pursuing it. I don’t mean what you’re conquering in your search for lunch. I’m talking destiny, journey-of-desire stuff. Maybe it’s to influence or gain the approval of someone. Maybe it’s wisdom to make good choices or the ability to do something that’s hard or impossible for you right now.

Regardless, have you ever noticed that sometimes getting there feels like an eight-lane highway? And other times, the minute you start moving in that direction it feels like you just turned onto a muddy jungle trail?

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the journey launches like gangbusters, but then stalls or stagnates?

Chances are, you came to a fork in the road and made a wrong turn.

Robert Frost was right in his famous poem about the two roads and choosing the one less traveled by. What he failed to mention was that life or any worthwhile pursuit is a series of forks in the road, not just one. One road leads to a path that makes it easier to pursue your dreams; the other leads to mediocrity, failure, and defeat.

Appearances are Deceptive

Paths that lead to mediocrity and failure are well-worn and popular. They require the least mental effort or “soul work.” But what starts off as the path of least resistance quickly turns to the path of resistance-beats-my-brains-out.

Other paths may appear to require a lot of work or may leave you feeling isolated and alone. But somewhere in that spiritual, emotional, and mental work you activate forces that begin to carry your load, increase your speed, and move you in the direction of your truest desires.

The other tricky part about these forks in the road: Most of the time you come to them and make your choice without even knowing it. With hardly a second glance, just yesterday you made decisions that led you toward freedom or toward bondage. Toward abundance or toward scarcity. Toward exhilarating increase and growth or toward stagnating complacency.

What if you could recognize these forks in the road when you pass them? What if you could make more conscious choices about whether you were making it harder or easier on yourself to achieve your dreams or desires?

I think you can. Here are five forks in the road you deal with continually.

1. Abundance vs. Scarcity

Whatever your desired destination, are you approaching it from a perspective of abundance or a perspective of scarcity? I can give you a hundred reasons why it won’t work. Why whatever it is you want is impossible, that only a few “lucky” people actually get that, yada yada yada.

Scarcity thinking is hip these days, and maybe for what looks like good reasons. Everywhere you turn, it’s all you hear about. We’re out of money, out of planet, and – if you listen to the news long enough, you’ll figure out – out of ideas.

Abundance thinking is rare these days. But it’s still grounded in truth. We live in an abundant world, designed by an abundant God, who makes it possible and holds us accountable for living an abundant life. And what looks impossible to us is easily solvable to Him.

God has given you more reasons to expect to succeed than the world has ever given you to expect to fail. But it takes the eye of faith and a sense of expectancy to see it. That is abundance thinking.

Abundance thinking asks: How would I approach this if I knew I had God’s limitless resources available to me?

2. Legacy vs. Consumption

This road less travelled thinks ahead. Really ahead. As in, beyond your lifetime.

And yes, it’s pretty lonely. Despite the repeated messages about sustainability and green thinking related to the environment, we’re still a world of consumers. And I’m not just talking about money.

Consumer thinking is based on the idea that I should pursue whatever I want in the moment. That may be a bag of Doritos or a lazy afternoon on the couch or an RV like my brother-in-law just bought or a government benefit. It may be something less tangible, like pleasure in the moment or popularity. Regardless, happiness to consumers is measured in terms of getting what I want right now.

But at what cost?

Sometimes it’s little-to-nothing. But sometimes it’s at the expense of our influence, or our children’s or grandchildren’s happiness.

Legacy thinking is r-a-r-e. It asks questions that require ugly words like discipline and sacrifice to answer. (Generational note: I’m a Baby Boomer. We let others do our discipline and sacrificing for us.) Legacy thinking considers the kind of things people will remember us for after we have died. The kind of world tomorrow’s child will inherit because of us.

Legacy thinking asks: How will I approach this in a way that it will live well beyond my lifetime?

3. Increase vs. Complacency

Here’s a scene that I have seen repeated in dozens of different settings. Somebody comes in for coaching or counseling and shares how they want their lives or marriages or careers or whatever to be different.

So we talk some, and eventually I ask, “What are you willing to go differently?”

And I get this deer-in-the-headlights look.

What? Me? Change?

(Sigh.)

Complacency thinking assumes that we can get what we want without changing or growing. Somebody else may have to change or grow, but not us!

Increase thinking is based on a different assumption. If my goal is more peace at home, then the assumption is that I need help in being more peaceful! If the goal is to increase my income, the assumption is that I need to develop or grow or change or learn to position myself to receive more. From a faith perspective, increase thinking knows God can make me a doctor, but will probably make me go to medical school anyway.

Increase thinking asks: How can I approach this differently so that I grow and change?

4. Freedom vs. Bondage

This is where the journey to your dreams gets ugly the quickest. You want to influence somebody else’s behavior, but can’t even influence your own. You want to make a wise decision, but remain attached to pleasing someone else. You want to feel good about yourself, but keep destroying yourself with shameful thinking. You want to take that trip, but you’re still paying for those Christmas presents. From 2002.

Bondage thinking is driven by two surprisingly controlling words: “I must!”

I must do this perfectly.

I must be free of pain.

I must be in a relationship.

I must do what it takes to make him/her happy.

I must hang on to my money or possessions no matter what.

So we make decisions based on thoughts that seem right or feel good in the moment. But what makes it bondage thinking is that later those decisions come back to collect more from us. And more… and more.

Freedom thinking looks for ways to make decisions today that free us up to make even better decisions tomorrow. Freedom thinking doesn’t negotiate with giants – it looks for ways to kill them. Freedom thinking says, “I’ll do more than I have to today so that tomorrow I can be free to do nothing at all.”

Freedom thinking asks: How can I make choices today that will serve me later rather than me serving the choice?

5. Eternity vs. Time

Not all expressions of abundance, influence, increase or freedom are manifested in this life. Is that OK with you?

Would you be willing to wait 40-80 years and hear the Lord God say, “Well done! Here’s a reward that will last forever!”?

Surprisingly, the most popular answer to that is, “No. I want what I want now.” This is what Jesus referred to as “storing up treasure on earth” (Matthew 6:19). Time-bound thinking is sense-bound thinking. I want to see my reward now. I want to hear my praise now. I want to feel good now. That’s what makes those other words from Jesus so haunting: They have their reward in full (Matthew 6:2, 7).

Eternity thinking is willing to sacrifice the self-driven motives of the short term to lay up treasure in heaven. It focuses on what I can give, how I can pray, how I can serve – and let’s God take care of the benefits.

Eternity thinking asks: How can I make an impact on my eternal good by the choices I make in this situation?

It’s pretty easy to see why this is so rare. But if you find yourself living with the same frustrations, seeing the same old results, or wishing for a change that never happens, don’t you think it’s time for a different approach?

There really is a more excellent way.

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The Vapor and the Shadow

Andy Wood — Mon, 09 May 2011 11:02:11 +0000

I believe that it is not dying that people are afraid of. Something else, something more unsettling and more tragic than dying frightens us. We are afraid of never having lived, of coming to the end of our days with the sense that we were never really alive, that we never figured out what life was for. – Harold Kushner

The great Presbyterian pastor Donald Grey Barnhouse was once riding in a funeral procession in Philadelphia when he noticed a large cargo truck running in front of the procession. From the way the sun was positioned, he noticed that the truck was casting a large shadow on the sidewalk. That shadow crossed light poles, road signs, and even people, and didn’t harm anything. No one would want to be in front of the truck, mind you, but the shadow was harmless.

Every one of us was born on the other side of something called “labor.” We enter the world completely helpless and fragile, totally dependent on the protection, care and kindness of others. We borrow the oxygen and assorted things for a span of time the Bible calls a “vapor.” Despite our claims to ownership, we take no possessions with us. And we end our sojourn on earth passing through something called a “shadow.”

Birth is a labor soon forgotten…

Life is a vapor quickly fading…

Possessions are an illusion suddenly passing…

Death is shadow silently creeping…

Is there any wonder we struggle sometimes to know what’s real? And what’s valuable?

All the Vain Things That Charm Us Most

Geniuses that we are, left to our own devices humans come up with novel solutions to our problems, and strange answers to our questions. Nowhere is this truer than in our solutions to the search for the real and the valuable.

Take pleasure, for instance. Shouldn’t you do it if it feels good? Doesn’t it make sense to spend a lifetime in the pursuit of pleasure? Just one problem. Most of us are born in pain and die in pain (or numbed to oblivion). If pleasure is the answer to what’s real and valuable, shouldn’t it offer something at life’s ultimate moments?

How about possessions? In Job’s words, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return.” Andy Andrews puts it like this:

“Life is like a game of Monopoly. You may own hotels on Boardwalk or you may be renting on Baltic Avenue. But in the end, it all goes back in the box. The next generation will be getting out all your stuff and playing with it or fighting over it.”

Pride has the same problem – people pursue it in more ways that I can count. But at the time when pride should offer the most answers – birth and death – it is strangely silent and missing.

The Choice

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days…” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20, NASU).

In anticipation of the fulfillment of all their dreams – the entry to the Land of Promise, Moses the Man of God lays out a choice – life and death. The blessing and the curse. Speaking to a generation that had witnessed the needless deaths of their parents due to unbelief (they were dying before they were dead), Moses says, “Choose life while you are alive!”

A world of pleasure awaited them on the other side of the Jordan. But life wasn’t found in the pleasure. A land of wealth – “flowing with milk and honey” had their name on it. But the real and valuable wasn’t found there, either. An identity as the people of God’s choosing, and the terror of other nations gave them reason to be proud. But as they would later learn, not even their birth heritage guaranteed them the blessing.

How about you? When you’re living somewhere between the Vapor and the Shadow, where do you turn to find the real and the valuable? After all, you only get one of these to invest. Where do you find life? Try these:

1. The people you love.

Who’s in your heart? That’s real. That’s valuable. More importantly, whose heart do you rest in, whose memory do you live in, whose imagination do you play in, and whose dreams do you wait in? To them you have become real, valuable, and alive.

In the classic children’s story The Velveteen Rabbit, the toy Rabbit asked the Skin Horse about being Real.

“When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.

“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time… Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

2. The followers you lead.

I was having coffee with a friend the other day and the conversation turned to people in the Bible. “I think Paul is still getting his reward,” I said, “because he’s still influencing people to this day.”

Peter’s still challenging people to “get out of the boat.” David continues to this day to raise up giant slayers. Martha’s sister Mary continues to define extravagant worship for new generations of women and men. Abel “being dead still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4).

Someone follows you, too. And just as you continue to be influenced by those who live on through you, they can continue to follow you long after your Vapor disappears in the Shadow.

3. The lessons you learn.

Something about the teachable moments and the joy of discovery give form and substance to life. Whether it’s my grandson learning to say “Tigger” (his newest word) or me learning a handy dandy new software application, the sense of increase is priceless.

More vital than knowledge, however, is the wisdom that must come to make it real. Choosing life and blessing means going beyond facts and data. It means having a teachable spirit, a discerning eye, and a developing sense of maturity. Even when the dash between our birth date and death date seems woefully short, wisdom gives substance to the Vapor.

4. The destiny you chase.

This may be an uncomfortable question, but I’ll ask it anyway. If you keep going in the direction you’re going, where are you going to wind up? Wherever you’re headed, you’re eventually going to get there. That’s why it’s a good idea to take a look at where you’re headed.

“Choose life,” Moses said. How? By loving the Lord, obeying His voice, and holding fast to Him. What does that have to do with destiny? Everything. And not even death can change that.

Put this in your theological oven and bake it:

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth (Hebrews 11:13, NASU).

Translation: What you believe and who you pursue live on in you and through you, even after your life on earth is over.

5. The values you hold.

The principles you live by, the priorities that order your day, the issues and commitments that hold sway over you – these make your life real and, hopefully, valuable.

If you’ve never developed a personal mission statement (I actually have three), it would be a healthy exercise for you. Here’s one I developed after answering (from the heart) three key questions:

My primary purpose in life is to create a world of personal fulfillment by communicating truth with passion and personally encouraging others.

One way to clarify your values is to write your own epitaph. How do you want to be remembered? Just remember – others will record your values by what you actually do, not just by what you say.

Birth is a labor soon forgotten…

Life is a vapor quickly fading…

Possessions are an illusion suddenly passing…

Death is shadow silently creeping…

With no guarantees other than this moment, what will you do to make your sojourn real and valuable? Between the Vapor and the Shadow… choose life.