Extraordinarily Powerful

Why not trust a God whose resume includes created the world in six days.



Just the other day my daughter and I had an interesting conversation. We were discussing how to describe the flavor of a red water ice that we had just both tasted.  My description was lame and forgettable.  However, Sianna, my eleven year old daughter, simply described it as extraordinarily powerful.  She was exactly right.

That got me thinking about other things in life that are extraordinarily powerful and the color red came to mind.  It so happens to be Sianna’s favorite color. The following are three thoughts in reference to the color red starting with mildly important and ending with extraordinarily powerful.  Here goes. 

1-Mildly important thoughts regarding the color red: 12 things I associate with the color red:

--Ketchup                                                        -China
-Fire extinguishers                                           -Santa’s suit
-EXIT signs                                                     -Stop light
-Stop signs                                                      - Jesus’ blood
-Correcting pen                                               -Valentines’ Day
- Hawaain Punch                                             - Coca Cola        
                    
I didn’t even mention the phrases caught red handed, red alert or seeing red or that the Chinese consider the color lucky. However, I believe the most important thing about the color red is that it signifies you mean business. 

2- Fairly important thoughts regarding the color red:

During the time my family and I were in the process of adopting our youngest daughter, Lia,  I had a ritual.  Every day I carried a red marker in one of my pockets. It was a reminder to pray every time I felt it with my fingers for Lia.  Red to me at the time signified a bold faith and also that Lia was from China. Also, it was a permanent maker and it reminded me that there was  turning back from getting Lia.  Whether we got her not, we had to remain faithful.  

Now, don’t get me wrong it wasn’t a good luck charm.  The red marker was just a reminder that my faith was in God and not in myself.  If Lia was going to be a Swavely it would entirely be up to God.  My family and I were just along for the ride.  And what a ride it was, but that’s another story for another time.

3- Extraordinarily Powerful thought regarding the color red:

Here’s a challenge for you, sometime when you have the time, just read the red words in the four gospels of the Bible (Matthew through John).  If you do you‘ll notice the message: Jesus loves you.  You’ll also notice the red words signify that Jesus means what he says.  Either you are in or out with Him, no in between.
 
On a side note throughout the gospels you will see this reoccurring theme: 

1-He performed miracles. 2- He healed the sick. 3- He cast out demons 4- Then people tried to kill him. Jesus went through temporary hell so we might have the opportunity to live with Him in Heaven permanently.  In the adoption community we commonly refer to this as a forever family.

Now back to the red words.  There was a time in my life where my faith was wavering a bit.  I was far from feeling extraordinarily powerful, but rather the opposite.  I was frustrated and afraid of what lie ahead in my life.  My feelings were the problem.  To make a long story short I was feeling deeply depressed and couldn’t pull out.  For far too long I was looking for a pat on the back from Jesus, when instead what I needed was the truth.  

Thankfully my wife and many other people kept encouraging me and one day I happened upon this passage: Matthew14: 25 – 32 (NLT). Here is my paraphrased version.

The disciples were out fishing one night in the middle of a stormy sea, when they saw what appeared to be a ghost coming at them.  Of course, they were scared out of their minds.  Strange as it may sound, actually it was just Jesus walking on the water toward them. To calm them Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid, take courage I am here.  Then in an attempt to verify himself, Jesus encourages Peter to join Him by saying, “Yes, come.”  So, Peter begins walking toward Jesus on the water, full of confidence.  Then he looks around at the strong waves and wind taking his eyes off Jesus and he begins to sink.  In desperation, Peter cries out to which Jesus immediately grabs him and rescues Him. To which Jesus responds, “You have little faith, why did you doubt.”

Now, you may be wondering why such a passage was so extraordinarily powerful to me. It’s quite simple actually; the black words are laced with fear, while the red words are full of confidence.  Jesus called me out.  Like Peter I could do nothing on my own but worry, but when I trusted Jesus He took care of the uncertainty.  Speaking from experience Jesus is in the business of rescuing souls and then using them in ways no one ever could imagine, but Him of course.
  

May our lives, modeled after Jesus’ red words, be extraordinarily powerful to those who witness it.

Swavel

 

Throw Away Value

Everyone has a reason to be here or God wouldn’t have put you here.

 

 

Often, we learn best from things that seem most unpleasant.  For me, cigarette butts have great throw away value.  Allow me to share a few examples.

Over four years ago I had the honor of cleaning up the church parking lot after my brother-in-law’s funeral.  Truly it was a lesson straight from heaven.  Many people had come to pay their last respects to my thirty eight year old, brother-in- law, Ed, who had just passed away from brain cancer.  Though he put up a valiant fight it was a painfully sad and hard day when we had to say goodbye for now.

As a result the church parking lot was littered with cigarette butts.  Many of the butts I picked up were half smoked, either due to grief or the unpleasant rainy conditions.  However, it seemed an appropriate tribute for a man so many loved and would miss so deeply. If grief were measured by cigarette butts, on a scale of one to ten, it would have been an eleven.

My earliest memories of cigarette smoking come from my childhood. To the best I can recall, my grandfather smoked cigarettes since he was a young man.  He never could kick the habit, even after he had a heart attack that nearly killed him twenty five years prior.  My grandfather was far from a weak man, yet it taught me how powerful an addiction cigarette smoking can have on people.

Throughout the years society has seemingly made it tough on smokers.  To begin with the prices are outrageously higher now.  Gone are the days of fifty cent cigarette packs back in the nineteen seventies.  Now you even have to go outside to smoke whether at work or at leisure.  Gone are the days when my grandfather would smoke in his Plymouth Fury, with the windows up.  Now second hand smoke is all the rage.

Often while driving on the highway I have noticed the litany of discarded cigarette butts strewn on the roadside.  These butts remind me of the mess I see when I look around in life, people hurting other people with what appears great malice.  I once heard that anger is just frustrated love. 

In 1970 the Surgeon General issued this warning to the public on all cigarette packs: Cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health. Life should have a similar warning that comes with it: Life may be hazardous to your mental and physical health and most certainly will cause great pain.  Many of us, if not all have felt like those discarded cigarette butts on the highway, yet are incapable of fixing the condition.  Although most of us won’t admit it, from time to time, most of us lose our way.   

This reminds me of a difficult memory from about thirteen years ago.  It was the day after my seven year old daughter, Alisha, had died in a hospital hours away from home.  In an attempt to escape reality I found myself in a convenience store.  For some odd reason the sight of people buying cigarettes, newspapers and other such items triggered a frustration deep inside me.  Quickly I chose to leave the store before I began to scream at someone over something they had no control over. 

 In my befuddled state I just couldn’t understand how everyone else could just continue with life like nothing happened.  In many ways I felt like a cigarette butt that had just been smoked and thrown to the roadside.  No one seemed to care about my plight.  Mind you, it wasn’t their fault, they were just going about their day, like we all do.   How did I know that they had been through a similar heartache?  The truth is I didn’t.  But pain tends to look around for sympathy and when it doesn’t receive it, it lashes out in anger.

This verse from Matthew comes to mind when I consider people who seem to have given up and are difficult to deal with in life.  Jesus said “I desire mercy, not sacrifice, for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” In God’s eyes we are never out of reach; never just cast aside; never a lost cause.  In turn, we should be on the lookout for any opportunity  to extend  mercy to those in desperate need of it.

Each soul is hand crafted by the Almighty and should be treated as such.

Swavel

Hardly Irrelevant

“Things that appear irrelevant yet work: moths have cocoons, bears have caves, and men have fantasy football”

The sitcom Seinfeld was supposedly a show about nothing, yet it captivated millions of viewers.  With that being said, I would like to make a case for fantasy football, which some understandably consider irrelevant.  In the process, I hope to pass along some tips to those who do not understand or grasp this phenomenon. Playing fantasy football, at least for me is my ultimate nothing box.  A place where I can go for a few minutes a day, while I take charge of an imaginary team and make moves no one questions. Not to mention, if my team loses one week I have no fear of being fired.

Before I go any further might I add a disclaimer: I do not condone or recommend that fantasy football should be placed in front of family time and or work around the house.  However, when done moderately can provide an excellent form of relaxation.

So, here are a few key phrases I believe can increase your fantasy football I .Q.

Tip#1: If you’re taking him, he must be a good pick.  By making this statement you will immediately get the attention and admiration of just about any man.  Speaking as a guy, men love approval rather than, my grandmother can pick better than you. 

Tip #2:  Adrian, Aaron or Drew.  If you are feeling brave and the subject of fantasy football comes up you can always drop one of these three names.  Adrian Peterson, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers are all can’t miss players and it validates you as someone that knows a little something about football.  When you pay attention to something men like, you are paying attention to them.

Tip #3: Always pick points.  The reason this works is because your answer is vague, yet empowering.  It shows you care without putting any strain on him to pick someone you might have normally otherwise suggested.  Simply put, you have put the ball in his court.

Tip#4: Put your hand on his shoulder.   My wife taught me this one. More than once while I was doing my Fantasy Football thing on the computer she has gently placed her hand on my shoulder.  Positive reinforcement instead of words can go a long way for men, at least for me.  This lets me know she doesn’t mind me doing something she doesn’t fully understand.  Instead of analyzing me she is accepting me for who I am.  Word of caution, only do this with a spouse or loved one, does not apply to strangers.

Tip#5: Are you’re doing that again?  My last piece of advice is to avoid saying the above-mentioned question.  I understand that this commonly used phrase can be warranted at times.  But, I believe,“ hey honey would you like to watch something together in  few minutes says the same thing without all the angst.” There have been times in the past where I had become too obsessed with being a coach of an imaginary team and needed to come back to reality.

Directly below is a YouTube clip I watched right before I went to my fantasy football draft last Saturday. It is a story entitled “Mr. Irrelevant” that provides some real perspective and few tears as well.  Double click below and enjoy.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:9120618

 

 The story of John Tuggle's battle against cancer and how he affected his Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells and his New York Giant teammates is one that should give us pause.  Like Coach Parcells said, “some attributes you just can’t see.”  Often things that seem irrelevant take on a form of relevance if we do them with fervor and a good attitude.  Like John Tuggle it matters how we do life.

Relevance in life is most often measured not in what you are doing, but in how you are doing it.

Swavel

All-Out Effort

"If a kindness I may show, if a good deed I may do to a suffering fellow man, let me do it while I can….. for it is plain I shall not pass this way again.” -Unknown.

          

Have you ever put yourself out for someone you didn’t know?  You know like helping someone even to the point of your own detriment, like the Good Samaritan did.

Just in case you are not familiar, here’s a quick summary.  Regular guy sets out on a journey and gets accosted by muggers.  They take everything he has leaving him for dead.  Sometime afterward two religious men happen by and see the man’s predicament.  Tragically, neither stops to help, but rather walk by on the other side.  Then a man who was raised to disdain the nearly dead man, stops to assist him.  The compassionate man tends to his wounds, personally transports him to proper care and puts it all on his bill. Now that’s a heck of a guy. 

When I think about story of the Good Samaritan, two common responses run through my mind. The first response, when faced with someone else’s misfortune, is to stand around and do nothing or just to keep moving. The second response, which I believe is the best option, is to go all out and do what needs done with no thought of personal gain.

Just the other week, I read about a guy from Tennessee who on his way to work saved an entire family from harm.  He was driving on a busy road and saw a woman with some kids whose car was struggling with smoke billowing out of it.   He convinced her to pull off the road and then proceeded to get them all out to safety.  The car then caught on fire.  All this as others drove by, only he and one other guy stopped to help. Had the man not acted promptly, the results could have been far different and possibly tragic. However, he put himself out and did the right thing.

 

Then there’s the story of the ill-fated Air Florida Flight 90, which was set to depart from Washington,D.C. on January 13^th, 1982.  However, due to the ice on the wings the plane crashed into the 14^th St. Bridge and then plunged into the frigid Potomac River. On that dreadful day over seventy passengers lost their lives, nevertheless five miraculously survived.

 

One of them survived because of Lenny Scutnik’s fast thinking heroics. At the time, Lenny was a 28 year old government errand runner, who just happened be at the scene. In the icy water, was one passenger, Priscilla Tirado, who was too weak to grab the line dropped from a rescue helicopter. She was yelling out for somebody to please help her and then appeared to pass out in the icy water.

 This is what Skutnik said in response to what he saw, “When the girl needed saving, God had looked around and said, eenie, meenie, minie and you’re mo.  So, I jumped in.”  All this while, others stood horrified not knowing what to do in the freezing temperatures, waiting for the proper rescue teams to come give assistance. So, Lenny took off his boots, dove into the frigid river and swam out nearly thirty feet to get her.  Then, he brought her back to shore where she was transported to a hospital, thus saving her life. 

On a side note, before I discuss my favorite story, I would like to share something personal. When I was fourteen, due to a leg cramp and poor swimming technique, I nearly drowned in a camp lake.  Had it not been for a friend who initially got me back to the surface, then a girl, half my weight, used all her force till she got me to where I could stand safely. I never did get to thank her.  It is an awful feeling to have no control of your own destiny and needing to be saved.  Yet, I am so grateful to be rescued knowing it was none of my doing.

Now here is the heroic tale of Joe Delaney. It was thirty years ago, yet it still speaks volumes to me and somehow has stayed with me all these years.  At the time, Delaney had just completed his second year as a professional football player for the Kansas City Chiefs.  On June 30^th, 1982, he was at a park in Monroe, Louisiana with friends when he heard three boys scream for help in a nearby pond.  The pond was once a construction pit, which had a deadly drop in it, and the boys were in over their heads. Joe Delaney, who couldn’t swim, didn’t hesitate.  He jumped into the pond to rescue them, all the while others watched, afraid to help because of the danger. 

In the end, one boy survived while two boys and Joe drowned.  Although Delaney’s action cost him his life, like Louisiana sunshine, his example still shines today. It left a lasting impression on me, because even though he didn’t survive, he made an all-out effort to save someone else’s life.  He held nothing back and showed that the life of someone he didn’t even know, was more important to him than his very own. 

May it never be said of us that we were just onlookers when others needed a helping hand, and may all our headstones read like Joe Delaney’s:  “Greater love hath no man, than to lay down his life for another.”

Swavel

 

Fun and Games

Fun and games

No one ever fondly remembers the times when they were bored out of their minds .

During my years as an exterminator I used to take an unofficial poll of the board games homeowners most had in their closets.  It didn’t surprise me that Monopoly, Scrabble, and Yahtzee seemed to be in almost every game closet I opened.

Ironically, none of those three are on my personal list of indoor games, best played in air conditioning, I am about to share with you.   Without further adieu here is my list….  

Wii Bowling.  I never thought there would ever be a video game that virtually simulates the bowling experience so well.  And you don’t even have to rent a pair of shoes.  Yet, Wii Bowling is so much fun and so many can play at once.  It’s a great bonding experience as we  all look goofy together flinging our arms up in the air, as we  taunt one another .  My favorite moments however are not when someone throws a strike, but when someone inadvertently throw the ball backwards and almost kills someone in the peanut gallery.

Hangman. This is a classic game that Lia, my youngest daughter loves to play.  It’s simple and is a great boredom buster in our house.  Hangman forces you to think, all the while keeping yourself from hanging high.  Again, another game great for taunting your opponent and you can play it anywhere you have paper or a white board.  No wonder the Wheel of Fortune does so well.

Stratego.  This is a game my middle daughter, Sianna and I love to play from time to time. The game’s premise is a lot like chess in that it requires strategy and much thought, however the goal in Stratego is to capture your opponent’s flag. Normally, my daughter could not figure out my strategy and I beat her.  However in the last month she has beaten me twice.  I could see the joy in her smile as she captured her dad’s flag and finally reached the elusive milestone of beating me in Stratego. 

 

Can’t Stop.  A friend bought this board game for me on my 13th birthday, which happens to be in the shape of a red stop sign.   I’ve been playing Can’t Stop ever since.   This is a highly addictive dice rolling game that requires just the right amount of luck, nerve, and knowing when to quit. The object is to be the first player to reach the top of any three columns, numbering from 2 to 12.  Be warned that in  every game, without exception, there is always someone who always yells, “Ugggghhhh,  why didn’t I stop.”

El Dorado.  This is my dad’s favorite board game from when he was a kid.  Invented in 1941, on the original box lid Parker Brothers describes it as “Game of the World’s Hidden Treasures.” A fascinating aspect of  El Dorado is all the destinations are real sunken treasures or hidden fortunes from Bogota in South America to Ulan Bator Koto in China to Kumasi in West Africa, plus almost a hundred more. My favorite feature of the game is rolling the dice and then moving the metal lanterns (markers) around the board in search of treasure. The object is to get to your location, pay the digging fee in bars and then roll the red dice to determine if you win treasure or not.  Playing El Dorado is just something we always do in my family.

APBA Baseball.  This is a board game I used to play every summer with my childhood friend Joel.  Then starting playing it again as adult with friend, Rob and have since passed on to my son, Jordan.  It includes every Major League Player from the previous year.  For instance, last year it would have include players from Chase Utley to Derek Jeter to Justin Verlander.  One of its best features is it allows you to pick the best of the best and make your own team.  Each player comes with a playing card and correlating numbers which believe it or not make for realistic play.  APBA Baseball allows you to make the same decisions real-life big league managers face every day.  You can choose to hit and run, give the starting pitcher the hook or just swing for the fences.  APBA is a game that takes me back in time to when my biggest care was whether Cal Ripken, Jr. was batting third or cleanup.  Just for the record, definitely without a question, always bat Cal third.

Paydirt ( also known as Sports Illustrated Football).  During my days as a limousine driver this was a NFL themed board game I played religiously with my boss, Steve, who was around my same age.  Sadly, I haven’t played it in years, however I still love it.  At first, we played it to unwind in-between trips and then it became an obsession.  Paydirt is a two player game where you both have charts with corresponding numbers and then you pick a play and roll the dice.  Amazingly, when played with a worthy opponent like my friend, Steve, it quite nicely simulates a real professional football game.  Too bad, unlike Paydirt, real life doesn’t include the razzle dazzle play.

Settlers of Catan.   Some friends introduced us to this board game several years ago and it has become something we teach all our other friends.  This is a game of discovery, settlement and trade that is one of two games our family gathers around the table to play during holidays.  Settlers of Catan is never the same game twice since the board is comprised of puzzle pieces comprised of elements such as brick, lumber, ore, wheat and sheep which you shuffle each game creating a fresh board each time.  If you are feeling cordial you can trade with you opponent, however if your opponent is unwilling to trade you can rob and pillage from them.  The object of Settlers of Catan is to be the first player to record ten victory points and then be heralded Lord of Catan.  That is at least until the next game starts. 

 

Nintendo Baseball Stars.  What I love about this game is there is only 2 buttons on the controller, it’s a baseball game and it is so simple. There was a time when my son was much younger and I could always beat him at this classic video game.  However, currently he is a college student and the opposite is now true.  There is nothing quite like  competing head to head with your son and yelling and hollering at the screen and him.  Especially, when you know it was your fault anyway.   By the way, just this past week he beat me again in Baseball Stars, twice to be precise.  I guess some things never change and why should they.

Ticket to Ride.  The name Ticket To Ride is not only a  Beatles’ song, but in this case is an exhilarating  board game thirty to sixty minutes long worth of fun, cross country train adventure and crushing other people’s dreams. I bought this for my wife about three years ago and now is the other game we love playing at all the family get togethers and when we have friends over.  It’s a very addicting game of intrigue that comes with a really cool, colorful map of North America circa 1910, during when it was fashionable to travel via the railroad.  It also comes with forty five brightly colored box cars per player, which are your makers for the game.  Another awesome feature is the board’s six sections fold into one making it easy to carry.  The object of the game is for players to collect cards of various types of train cars that enable them to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America such as Duluth to El Paso , New York to Seattle and Atlanta to San Francisco, just to name a few.  Ticket to Ride is a rare game that win or lose it’s just fun to get your ticket punched and enjoy the ride.

When it comes to playing games everyone wins when you do things together with the ones you love. 

Swavel