Making Good Sense

"I don’t like to make sense all the time.  Making sense is no fun." (My son quoting me on Facebook)

This blog is in response to the quote above that my son attributed to me weeks ago and then said, “I’m sure my dad can explain.”  So, here goes….

Just for the record, I don’t mind making sense, however, it tends to be a struggle. Saying whatever comes to mind tends to be what I naturally do. It's a struggle to censor everything I say. Here is an example of something I normally would say without being filtered:

Cows have best friends.  This conversation happened a few Saturdays ago when my family was having a game night where my nephew, Eric, was present. Consequently, I started the conversation off with this thought.

The quote "Cows have best friends," comes from a Christian radio host named Brant, who is known for saying random things. He stated that he had no point or agenda, just that he read this in an article and the survey was done by a college somewhere. It made sense to me, "cows have best friends" and when they are separated, they get lonely.  

Trees can talk to other trees. This is a little nugget that my nephew, Eric, shared with me; in response to my "cows have best friends" comment. He is a lot like his Uncle Aaron and tends to say what he is thinking, to which I related immediately. After I asked him to explain, he said that trees can communicate with each other through their root system. Trees talk to each other – how cool!

Cockroaches can live without a head. This is a cool, yet gross fact and how I responded back to my nephew, Eric, after the talking tree comment. Being an ex-exterminator this is a random fact I always have in my hip pocket. This is a fact that I heard repeatedly being an exterminator and people enjoyed sharing with me on the off chance that I was unaware.

Now it’s time to make sense again. Here is a list of personal things, not comprehensive might I add, that make sense to me:

Being a dad. A few weekends ago while I was at a WaWa convenience store, I saw a guy wearing a black hat with bold letters emblazoned on it. Expecting to see NYPD, instead I saw DAD. This makes sense to me that being a DAD matters and is so important that I better not screw this up.

Being a husband. This completely makes sense to me and has since the day I took my vows some twenty-four years ago. In my opinion, a man needs to lead, provide security, and love his wife without reservation. I am still learning, but my wife is worth the effort every single day. 

God knows better than I do.  A weekend or so ago, my family and I encountered something odd. We were walking along the beach, when everything turned considerably darker. It was so noticeable that we all commented on it. When we looked up, there was a lone cloud (a very thick cloud considering the light difference) covering the sun. In moments, the sun broke free. It made me feel quite small and so not in control. If God can create the world in six days, who am I to question Him and the power at His disposal.

So, back to answering the quote Jordan attributed to me. 

 "I don’t like to make sense all the time."  Paying attention to my every word takes considerable effort for me. However, with that being said, if I want others to take me seriously I must put in the time whether I like it or not. My history has been one of not being taken seriously and I believe that because I say what comes to mind. Simply put, as an adult I need to make sense more times than not.

"Making sense is no fun." This simply is a dumb statement that I made off the cuff.  I am working on putting my brain in gear first, before my mouth responds. However, old habits are hard to break and I’m still working on that. As my son reminded me the other night, just saying whatever comes to mind has it consequences. 

 

In closing, if I could retract what I said, this is what I would say instead:  Making good sense is always worth the effort.

Swavel

Cross References

Never forget that despite its difficulties, it is a privilege to carry the cross of Christ.

 

 

We all have moments when we lose focus. Recently this has been a struggle for me as a follower of Jesus.  According to Matthew 16:24 these are the requirements:  If any man will come after me he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.  It is easy to say, yet so hard to do. 

Just a few weeks ago on Friday, April 19^th my family and I had the privilege to volunteer at an Andrew Peterson concert, joined by special guests the band, Caleb.  The concert was held at the Shrine of St. Anthony’s, a place of solitude and serenity located in Ellicott City, Maryland.  Our job was to hang out in the lobby and represent Show Hope, an organization which helps orphans and also supports adoption.   

Although there for a noble cause I learned some very profound things I wasn’t looking to find. That night I observed three references to the cross given by a caretaker, a daughter’s mother and a singer. 

1-The cross reminds me to give my all to Jesus

The first person I met when we arrived was the curator, Joe.  Before the concert began he gave me a brief tour of the beautiful monastery where the concert was to be held.  While he showed me around he explained that St. Anthony’s was built in 1931 and was a replica of similar structure in Italy. It was during this time that he showed me the crucifix that at one time resided in Babe Ruth’s orphanage in Baltimore.  

In Joe I had met a man whose occupation consists of service.  He job is to help friars and monks who care very little about the outside world and its influences.  However, from what I could gather, he took some risk to bring a Christian Contemporary singer like Andrew Peterson into such a revered place. Conversely he never revealed to me why he brought Andrew to such a small venue, where only two hundred or so people could comfortably fit.  The only connection he mentioned seemed to be they were both from North Florida, which Joe told me more than once.

During the concert I snuck in the back and found an empty seat next to Joe.  No one seemed to be enjoying the concert more than he.  As we sat together my eyes caught something in the background in the dimly lit room, directly behind the band words were written boldly over an archway right over Andrew Peterson’s head.   God had framed it so the light captured this phrase like a snapshot:  May I never boast of anything but the cross…

There was more but that was all I could make out in the dim light.  Yet, it spoke volumes to me as I sat next to the curator I hardly knew and for reasons unknown to me was willing to take a chance and bring performers into a sanctuary that may be louder than what was appropriate. Yet he did it anyway.

 Joe reminds me to give it all, like Christ on the cross.

2-The need to lay it all down at the cross

Our contact for the evening was a perky young woman who works for Show Hope, who I will call Sandy. During the concert my wife and I began to chat with her as we shared about our two trips to China and her time there as well.

There was something endearing about her candor with folks she didn’t really know, except we were joined but the fact we all had a heart for the orphans. Sandy even revealed that her favorite color is mustard yellow, after my youngest daughter revealed hers was purple, Then, she began to reveal her heart and began to share about her mom.

Sandy's mom sounds like a truly remarkable person worthy of admiration, even though I have never met her.  Somehow through her daughter’s stories I feel as though I have met her.  She went on to explain that her mom had always wanted to travel, but never got the opportunity.  In essence she did travel vicariously through her kids.  One lives overseas, one lives on the coast, and her daughter has been to China.   Her cross was preparing her kids to do what she dreamed of doing and never got to do. 

This sacrifice reminded me of the movie, Passion of the Christ.  Each year at Easter I watch it looking for something new to take away from it.  This year what stood out was Mary, the mother of Jesus.  More precisely it was the scene with Mary kneeling at the cross while Jesus hung dying.  The pain in her eyes told me if she could have, she would have traded places with him or better yet taken him home.  Yet, she knew she could not have what she desired.  So, Mary laid down what she wanted in obedience to God the Father. 

Sandy's mom is a great reminder of what a mother will do for her kids and shouldn’t we all be willing to lay it all down at the cross for those we love.

3- The need to humbly bear our cross.

The first time I met Andrew Peterson two years ago left an indelible impression on me.  It was about eleven o’clock at night in a church parking lot as my family and I were leaving the concert.  There was Andrew Peterson singing cross legged on the sidewalk giving a free personal concert for a handful of fans who were still hanging around.  His actions reminded me of something Jesus would have done with his disciples.

On April 19^th I was reminded yet again of how followers should act like Jesus.  When Andrew spoke, at least to me, his voice sounded like someone who had been with Jesus. He reminded me of a modern day disciple, mind you not someone who had it all figured out. When he spoke and when he sang there was a special tone that came through that was entirely genuine.  It made my ears perk up, he wasn’t yelling at me; rather he was offering loving advice.  He even mentioned how he was tired of feeling guilty and that God was constantly out to get him. 

The fact he reminded me of a disciple was ironic because his name Andrew Peterson is comprised of two disciples’ names: Andrew and Peter and better yet they were brothers.  So, his name is quite suitable.

This time before the concert began I personally got to meet him.    It was through the privilege of loaning him my raincoat and holding the door for him during a rainstorm.  His demeanor was that of a humble man.   He did not ask someone else to get wet on his behalf, nor did he complain that my old raincoat was falling apart at the seams, which it was. He epitomizes for me what someone who bears his cross and follows after Jesus should look like.  Not someone chasing success but rather the Savior.

Through his refreshing honesty Andrew reminds us of the need to humbly bear our cross. 

When people see us, let out lives speak boldly these words: May I never boast of anything but the cross…..

Swavel

 

Honorable

Read stories to your kids when they are young and when you grow old your grandchildren will thank you for it.

 

The following is a story I wrote for my daughter, Sianna, when she was about seven years old, based on a character named Ninja Girl.

                                                           

                                                                

HONORABLE

It happened one night after bath time. 

Out of nowhere, she appeared in her unsuspecting brother’s bedroom.  “I am NINJA GIRL, she exclaimed, with her bathrobe flowing in the breeze and holding her sidekick, a teddy bear named Soft.  Her brother nearly jumped out of his skin as she struck a pose, like any good self-respecting ninja would do. Then he smiled, laughed, and finally hugged her. Ninja girl scowled.  “Ninja girls should bring terror, not happiness to their victims.” So, off she ran down the hall to pursue her next unsuspecting victim.

Then, it happened again.

Coming down the hallway she came upon Rex, the family dog.  "I am NINJA GIRL!" she exclaimed at the top of her lungs, as her bathrobe twirled in the breeze. Then Rex panted, barked, and licked her on the face; the dog version of laughing, smiling, and hugging. “Ninja girls should bring sheer terror to unsuspecting victims, not joy,” she said disgustedly. So, off she ran down the hall stomping her feet, while clutching Soft, in search of another victim. 

A few minutes later, it happened again.

She snuck into the living room where mom was snuggled up in her warm, fuzzy blanket checking her e-mail. Seizing the moment, she sprang into action as struck a pose and said, “I am NINJA GIRL!”  This time her bathrobe twirled a little less, while still clutching her sidekick, causing mom to turn with a start.  Mom smiled, then laughed and hugged her little girl. "You’re too cute," Mom replied.  “Ninja girls are not meant to be cute, they’re supposed to strike fear into your heart.” So, she ran out of the living room with her head down, with one last hope.

In the end, she discovered what she had been looking for all along.

Her last opportunity was in the kitchen. She held her breath and moved quiet as a mouse. That is where her dad was scooping ice cream into a cup making a homemade chocolate shake. Then she snuck up behind him, while holding her teddy bear, Soft, struck a pose and announced at the top of her lungs, “I am NINJA GIRL!”  Dad was so startled by all the noise that in mid-scoop, he flung some chocolate ice cream on the floor, and knocked Soft out of Ninja girl’s grasp. With one hand over his heart and a paper towel in the other, he took a deep breath. Then he smiled, then laughed and then he hugged his little girl. “Daddy, I am so mad, I want to be scary, not cute,” sobbed the disappointed little girl.

 

Pulling up a chair, dad motioned for his little Ninja girl to sit down. “Sweetie, let me tell you a not so ancient Chinese secret.” Pausing for a moment, he picked up her sidekick, Soft.“ If Soft could talk, he would tell you this: it is most honorable to leave a trail of happiness behind you not fear, laughter not tears, smiles not frowns, and hugs rather that emptiness.” Then Ninja girl smiled, then laughed and she bent over and picked up Soft and gave him a big hug. “Daddy, if Soft could talk I think he would ask you to make me a Ninja-sized chocolate shake.” With that, dad smiled and began to stir the ice cream. 

Now, go out and be honorable or Ninja girl will give you a karate chop!   Hi-Ya!!!!!

Swavel