Changes in Time

We’ve all heard it: “The only constant is change”.  True, so true how we enable change by each decision. There is nothing more certain than change. It is amazing how this truth reveals itself in the development of a child, circumstances and chance meetings at work or at the store, or even at the loss or gift of a loved one.

Soon our son, Kai, will be 9 months old. What an awesome journey motherhood is for a woman. A gift that is so simple to miss entirely, especially when immersed in the day to day functions of care-giving. Today is the day for a change; to allow Today to be its own gift.

Each morning my grandmother woke up, made her bed, and said “This is the day the Lord has made” I finished it “and I will rejoice and be glad in it”! Then we made coffee and shared our thoughts for the day along a walk down her country dirt road. Those memories bring peace and joy into my heart as I think about the impact she made in my life. I wonder if my kids will remember these things as they age, or will the minutia of life get in the way absorbing the memories into the oblivion.

Taking time to “be” with one another, shedding the clock, all technology, responsibilities, and issues is where my Today is found. As Kai takes his morning nap, I can feel Today returning to our house. It’s a wonderful feeling to live in the moment and capture the essence of being who we are created to be, free in Christ – indeed.

A while back I wrote a little poem about Today, called “Remember Today”. At the time the world as I knew it was about to close in on me. I did not know it at the time but soon after this amazing experience I would face three solid years of pure torment. Looking back, the Today journey God blessed me with kept me. When I say “kept”, I mean it really did give me hope that one day would be like that one again. I say all of these things to myself, primarily. Because I know change is coming again – but if Today is the day, and He has made it – then all is well, and I can go there again – with those I love, because it is no fun to experience Today alone.

“Remember Today”

When its all said and done
Did I reach everyone
You set before my path
Each time I let pass
to do the things You ask
Plays tricks on my mind
Each time I fall behind

So what can I say
What can I do
to stay here with You
in this moment of time
It fly’s, it fly’s away
Never again will this be the same
so the next thing to do
Is remember today.

Living for You is like a dream
but I can’t feel You with me
there’s so just too many things to do
How can I follow along
When I’ve done so many things wrong
These thoughts, they beat me down
Take one look at our world around.

You reached me, I heard the call
With this grip You have on me, I won’t fall
God, help me, I need to believe
My life is Yours, to shine
I’ll ask for your heart – to give you mine
And live every breath to give to someone else.
So, what can I say….

 

Entertaining the Angels: Part 3

Tsunami Saturday Continues

It is still Saturday. Tsunami Day. Worship is nice. Genuine at least. Announcements, followed by …. what? A homeless person walks in. He is stumbling and murmering. He places his last quarter before shouting

“I give you all I got! It’s all I got! What do I gotta do? You tell me what I gotta do, I’ll give it all, just give me Jesus. It’s all I got, I give it all to you people!!”

My heart sinks. I have never seen a more beautiful display of surrender. I could relate, very well. My life too, was in Gods hands. The only difference was that my roof was provided for by an addict. I was not complaining. I could have easily been this man. I cried. What happened next shocked me. Maybe I was the only one surprised to see the ushers of the church escort him out.

They lead him out like he was disturbing the peace. To me, he resembled perfect peace. He resembled me. They were leading me out of the sanctuary too. The only thing that separated me from that man were the old ‘preppy’ clothes I wore. No one knew my plight, but I was accepted. I did not belong there either. I got up and went to the cross out back, on the hill. I knelt and asked God to not let me hate them. I prayed hard. I cried hard. I did not want to hate them for not seeing Jesus in their own church. They ushered this man out to the cross. He said “What are you going to do, crucify me?” It looked as though they might. But I was there.

Everyone stopped. He ran to my side to ask if I was o.k. I told him I was sad and that I missed my kids. He told me about his. He began to tell me the reason he was there. He was there to entertain the angels. I believed him, because I could not tell if he was real or sent directly from God for that moment in my life. Twelve others joined me as he spoke about his journey. He was escorted off the property a few moments later. The people listening were changed by his story at the cross. I was amazed. The wait was worth that moment. I went back to the house on the beach with the roommate who stayed behind, it was still standing. God stopped the tsunami and let me see the Real Jesus. It was still Saturday.

The story of that man, from Juno Alaska spread to the whole island. I knew we would meet again.

 

Entertaining the Angels: Part 2

The Church

You visit a church. Not just any church, one your friends recommend. This church has a branch in your hometown, that your parents enjoy immensly. You visted once before and enjoyed the Youth Pastors message.

He taught in flip-flops. You love that the kids can Rip-stick around the open concept, looking out over the ocean with a large Cross, situated on the mountainside. There’s a quaint little bench settled nearby to enjoy the reverent beauty of the sacrifice God made for us two thousand years ago. You remembered that they fed the congregation after the service. You remember how the youth who greeted you remembered your name because you met them at a coffee shop. You went back. This visit was different.

Your opportunities to go to church have been stifled by transportation issues for two months. You finally meet someone willing to take you to church. You are thrilled. You miss your home church, the worship, the people, the community and your kids back home. You’ve been in this foreign land for months with no money, only God. Your friend finds you a Gideon Bible. He tried.

You read the New Testament handout you found at the last church service you attended, months prior. Your soul starves for Proverbs and some fighting stories from the Old Testament. Your days pass. Finally, a tsunami comes, forcing you out. You end up at a friends house who has a friend. He’s going to church. He asks you to go. The day is Saturday, you think. All of your belongings are with you, because you evacuated. You were woken up at 4:00AM with the warning. Get out or face impending death. You pack.

Your room mate has no gas. No money either. He uses it to buy pot. You are stuck. You made friends with the neighbor. He wants to go to higher ground. He gets you and all your stuff there. You sit outside all day and decide to broadcast live. Others need to know you are o.k.. People help you. People watch you. People wonder about you. The tsunami never comes. You leave. You go to your other friends house. Your roommate hates you because you found higher ground. He wanted to stay. You don’t know where you will stay tonight. You meet another stranger at your other friends house. This one wants to go to church. Your higher ground friend and your other friend leaves you alone this new, stranger friend. The day is still Saturday, you think.

You talk. He loves the Lord. He is not bad looking or weird. Just a normal guy with a really bad crush on his ex girlfriend. He tells you his life story. You are tired and just want to take a shower. You take a shower in your other friends house. You load your belongings. For the fourth time that day, in your new friends truck.

Now you are on the way to church. You do not know that this new friend brings his latest fling-of-the-week to church. Thankful to be ignorant and going to a familiar place, you arrive Home at last. It took a literal tsunami to get you there. Now you can hold a Bible in your hands. Sing songs and be around other people like you. Then you realize the truth. You have changed. You are no longer blind. God opens your eyes.

 

Entertaining the Angels: Part 1

.Entertaining the Angels

Part 1
Do you know how we look to the Angels? Hilarious. Each day the stage is set. The camera is rolling and we are given our lines, scenes, make-up and wardrobe. The activities of each day define our choice of words, clothes and the route we take along the way. Predictably boring, to us. Not to them. Picture this. When I dress up and think I look all hot, it makes them laugh, hard. Actually, I’m certain it was me who started the “look cute when you work-out” style at my gym ten years ago. That fad is way over, but it still lives on. Now I’m starting the “Trecks-and-boardshorts” fad; as if Houstonians have any use for either one.

Yesterday, the real life Rocky Balboa walked into the gym to perform jump-down-spread’em jacks in front of me, bandana and all. At first I wondered if this person was intentionally sent to help me laugh again. He helped me giggle at myself, because I know that is exactly what people say about me. Then, I thought it was because of the light headedness from the ab work-out, when yesterday was “ab-day.”

At first I saw him and wondered if Aaron (trainer dude @lafitness) saw him as well. Aaron was brilliantly distracted by his own script with the how-to-use-the-not-so-hard-to-use tricep machine. I was completely impressed that he saw him and did not flinch. That confirmed that this person was sent for my sole entertainment. Just before my torture tricep session, “Eh, Rocky!” escaped my lips. By now, Aaron has had three whopping doses of my personality, and has become used to being the singular audience member of my one man show.

Laughter makes a workout seem fun. When the Real Rocky Balboa shows up on the set, it deserves a standing ovation. Attention must be drawn to this supporting actor, because he stole the show! He was awesome entertainment and I give him two thumbs up, so do the Angels. Even the lady in the sauna got a good laugh and me laughing. Now, laughing at me is easy, I have no choice. I’m free.

Oh man, my son just got sprayed in the face when he turned on the water hose. Classic. What matters most is he laughed at himself, too.

The whole chain of Hawaii got to laugh at me for a few seconds this week. I realized that when you are living, life is funny. We were advised to enjoy the activities at Kaua’i Team Challenge, a ropes and adventure course designed to help at-risk youth overcome tough obstacles. Once we forgot cameras existed, life happened. We worked as a team, having never met before. Watched couples lead one another through physically draining activities and learned about trusting strangers. Little did they know my daughters fifth birthday was at a Rock gym. I once had a fear of heights; it vanished on a skii lift – after I came downhill.

Honestly, I was excited to see what fears were left. It was the blind leading the blind. During the episode, I lead my blinded partner right into a tree. I thought “bark” would work; my parther thought otherwise. She related it to our previously decided command to turn right: ruff-ruff. Big miscommunication. We could not use words to clear the air. She must move forward into the unknown. We had no other choice. The least I could do was soften the blow. I put my hand where her head would hit the tree and gave the command for forward: chuga, chuga. The rest is history, and I snorted on cable television.

When designing our language, we did not consider a roadblock. We often rely on expert advice to help us through life. What if these trusted advisors do not see your roadblocks? When God speaks His language, we will run into some trees. He knows the roadblock and exactly how you will respond. He softens the blows and gives us time to laugh, learn, heal, and get up again.

For more entertainment, you can watch episode “KTC” on Inspiration Channel on the Hawaii cable network, http://oc16.tv.

 

Live from Kaua’i Tsunami Alert

Here’s some of the live coverage from the tsumami on Sunday.

It was the island’s largest entertainer this year. It brought more views than the Jewish rapper. I think the next big thing is Startup Weekend, Hawaii!