Rant

I have friends and relatives who post on Facebook, and I'm sure you do as well. It has become the most amazing thing - millions and millions of people have accounts there, and it seems that most of my friends and a whole lot of my relatives post there daily, if not hourly. I put up photos of things I am doing all the time.

But - what to do about behavior. What I mean is: what to do when I come across a picture posted by a person who I care about who posts pictures of themselves involved in self-destructive behavior? You know - them in a drunken stupor, or at a drinking party, or a drug party, or holding a joint, needle, spoon, coke line or other drug-related paraphernalia? I'm not talking about them at a work meeting at a bar, where everyone has a drink in front of them - I'm talking about a constant flow of pictures with behavior which has been proven to destroy lives when practiced with regularity. Yes, it breaks my heart, and I suppose I should stop and pray on the spot. Most of the time I do. But it is getting to be the standard, not the exception. I guess I should never assume that just because a person has been raised right that they will continue to live right - but how can I have input into those lives? What, if anything, can I do when I see them wandering? I want to love them back to righteousness - not condemn or belittle them. I want to say, "I know! This stuff IS inviting, and when you surround yourselves with friends who live like this, it seems the right way to live. I understand! But it will kill you!"

So - are these people all becoming defiant? Rebellious? Angry? Bitter? Or is society just getting to the point where we accept any kind of behavior, and mock those who sit and try to call us to righteousness instead of those who party hardy?

I suppose the rule applies: don't post anything on Facebook which you don't want the whole world to see. How about giving it some more thought and ask - would seeing me drinking or cuddling while wearing scant clothes (or fill in the blank here) break the heart of your parents, grandparents, pastor, friend, etc. You can't 'aim' the photos so only another wild child sees them. So - shows who's opinions you value, and who's you don't.

OK - Rant off.

Limitations.

We have a cage for my dog. It's a bit oversize for her, actually, but she sleeps in it every night. It was part of the 'deal' which helped me talk my loving wife into allowing us to add this creature to our lives - "she sleeps in a cage, how much mess could she possibly make around this place?"

Yeah, right. It's funny that the dog does enjoy laying right near us at all times. I take her with me to San Diego in the truck, and she will sprawl across the rest of the bench seat, but she has to have her head on my lap or at least touching against my leg. And at home, IF we are sitting nearby, she will go lay in the cage and sigh. It's her 'den,' her little private place.

OK - so the bloom might be off the rose a little bit on the animal - but the cage sits there in the corner and it makes me think.

Do I have limitations in my life? Hard lines I have formed which I will not cross? Some of them are like the dog's cage: they are useful, positive, good healthy control and even safety. Once I even put the dog's cage into the back of the truck and she went with us to the lake, an hour drive one way. That time the cage was not a limitation, but a tool to allow more freedom. Without it, she would have had to stay home alone, something she despises.

So what limitations do I have which give me freedom - and how often do I let limitations become anchors - things which limit me, stymie me, even grieve the Spirit of God?

I think it's time to look at limitations, lines, barriers, limits in my life. God, show me the good ones and help me bolster them. Show me the ones which limit me from doing the things you have called me to do. Bust those down, turn them to rubble.

Amen.

An Advertisement for Christians...

I saw an add for "Christian Debt Services" on line the other day. I didn't go to the web site, and I can't find it again so I can't give you all the info on exactly what they offer, but I simply want to say that as I glanced over at the ad, my mind thought I was looking at an ad for "Doubt Services."

I think THAT would be far more useful to Christians, don't you think?

Lake prayer

I am headed to the lake today. Some friends and some relatives are coming along, and yes, even the dog. But we have tried to get out there three other times this summer, even going so far as to get the boat out of the warehouse, dust it off, gas it up and have it sitting in front of the house "on the hook" waiting patiently to get wet. And we even had various friends who spent the night on our various couches so they could go with us - only to not go.

What happened to keep us dry? A webcam.

Yes, the lake we go to is called "Castaic," which is apparently "Windy beyond all use" in some alien tongue. And it does get a bit windy sometimes. So much so that if we get a couple of hours on the lake from sunup to about eight we are happy. If we get to enjoy the lake till noon we count it as amazing. But it is the closest large lake to home, and when it's good, it's REAL good. So we try and try.

And the webcam? Well, they have set up a web site with an automated weather station with wind speed and direction, and a webcam - so I can get up and see the lake right from here. We can then make the decision whether or not to make the one-hour drive, or just go put the boat away. And mope. The picture above is fresh off the webcam. OK - so the sun isn't up and you can't see a thing, but I have sandwiches to make and iceboxes to pack, so check back here later if you want to see how it turns out.

Today? Looks good. Funny - I was just thinking the other day that I have asked God for a webcam into my future. I have never used those exact words until right now, but that's pretty much what I want when I ask Him for help in deciding my future plans. I say, "Which way should I go here, Father?"

But I may very well only be offering two choices -

So - today I take the Spiritual Webcam offline. Lord - I'll go where you tell me. No, I'm not going to offer you two or three choices of things I want to do, or directions I want to go. I will open the field to all you have. Anything. Oh, and as long as I'm praying, can we have a nice day at the lake today?
Thanks Lord,

Amen.

New things. It's time.

I am sitting in my office. The phone is not ringing. People are not walking in. The place is a ghost town. Hope has sold a few spas lately, but we are still not covering expenses. I am getting more and more sure that it is time to give up. Quit. I'm not a quitter, generally. But I think it may be the time to look into something else.

Now - just so you know - at the exact instant I typed the above, the phone rang, and somebody was asking for directions. They came about three minutes later, and bought a new cover for their Hot Tub, a $425 (plus tax) sale. That's a nice bonus! But it still doesn't pay the rent. It would pay the rent on a storage facility, or smaller place, but I really do think God is trying to show us it's time. Time to move on.

Add to that the fact that I was listening to a sermon by my former pastor (Dr. Tony Cervero) and he said, "there are times we may think it's all over. But it's never over until God SAYS it's over."

So - is that what you are saying God? You started plenty of people over in the Bible. Moses - and NO I'm not trying for any comparisons here - blew it big time. He spent 40 years in the desert as a result, but God used him in a huge way.

Dear God:
I am ready to start over again, if that is your will. Direct me, free me from the things which would hold me in place, and let me know if it is truly time. I'm yours, and I trust you.

Amen.

The favor of God

We have enjoyed the favor of God, my family and I. I love that phrase, "the favor of God," because for most of us it means some certain level of comfort, money, security, and things like that. But what if God decides that He needs to help us develop character? Or that we need to drop a few possessions along the way so that we may more fully focus on Him, on others, or on a Holy lifestyle? What if we simply are bogged down by a love of money and things, or what if our security (faith) begins to be derived from our income or our bank account instead of God himself?

These are all good questions - don't you think?

Exodus 32:11
But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. "O LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?

I'm back

Well - I went to Weight Watchers today for the first time in months. Months!! Wow - how could so much time pass so very quickly? Well, it did. And that's not all that happened quickly - I have gained weight.

I found a long time ago that I need a very simple recipe for losing weight: watch what I eat, and exercise daily. So simple. Yet, I slowly tapered off of watching what I was eating, and my exercise slowly dropped from little to none.

But -

I'm back. I walked this morning. Then I went and weighed in. And I am about to go over my tracking program to be sure all my favorite foods are correctly listed so I know how many points I am consuming with each and every morsel. And - I hope I'll get to post a weight loss amount next Monday, a week from today.