Wayfarer on the Creative Path

Chapter-a-Day Habakkuk 2

If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time. Habakkuk 2:3b (MSG)

There is a time for everything. That's what wise King Solomon wrote about 3,000 years ago. The Mamas and the Papas even put it to music and made it famous 40 years ago. Some messages bear repeating. We are all anxious children bouncing up and down and whining in anticipation. We don't want to wait. We want what we want, and we want it NOW!

We need to hear the message repeated. Innocent children slow to ponder our Father's words and reticent to let them soak into our minds and heart, we need the constant reminder.

Chill. Be patient. It will happen when it's supposed to happen.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and ashley.adcox

Chapter-a-Day Habakkuk 1

So why don't you do something about this? Why are you silent now? This outrage! Evil men swallow up the righteous and you stand around and watch! Habakkuk 1:13b (MSG)

I learned as a father that, just because I choose to be silent does not mean I don't care. Sometimes I'm silent because there is a greater good that will be served by letting my child experience their current, momentary hardship. I can see the forest when my children can only see the giant tree in impeding their path. Sometimes I'm silent because maturity and wisdom come from having to struggle to work things out for yourself, and learn from the consequences of your mistakes and your successes.

And, sometimes I'm not silent, but my words have fallen of deaf ears.

When I experience God's silence, I try to remember what I've learned as a father.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and stephmel

Taylors Birthday Dinner

It's a little late. It took a while to coordinate schedules. But, we finally got the four of us and son to be out for Taylor's birthday!

Chapter-a-Day Nehemiah 13

Then I directed the Levites to ceremonially cleanse themselves and take over as guards at the gates to keep the sanctity of the Sabbath day. Nehemiah 13:22 (MSG)

I live in a peaceful little town. Every small town has its' quirks. One of the quirky things about my town is that it has historically valued Sunday as the Sabbath, the day of rest. To this day, most businesses do not open. People generally don't mow their lawns or do anything that might make excessive noise to disturb their neighbors. Families go to church. They have dinner together. They take naps. You know what? I like it. Sundays are peaceful. Sundays recharge my spiritual, emotional and physical batteries. That was God's idea when he instituted the whole Sabbath idea.

However, when God principles are policed we easily lose our perspective. When you have to make rules to keep principles (e.g. "You can go outside and play catch with the ball, but if you organize a game you're breaking the Sabbath" because organizing a game is technically work") you quickly stop seeing the forest for the trees. Even Jesus ran into trouble with Sabbath cops.

Slow down. Rest. Take a day to relax. But, remember: working hard at keeping the Sabbath sort of defeats the purpose.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and Virginia Zuluaga

Chapter-a-Day Nehemiah 12

When it came time for the dedication of the wall, they tracked down and brought in the Levites from all their homes in Jerusalem to carry out the dedication exuberantly: thanksgiving hymns, songs, cymbals, harps, and lutes. Nehemiah 12:27 (MSG)

I've been around the block a few times, and I've been to my share of services in all sorts of different churches. I've seen a lot of things dedicated to God: children, buildings, individuals, groups of people, objects, instruments, rooms, houses, etc. In observing all of these dedications, there are a lot of adjectives I would use to describe what I observed.

Sadly, the word exuberantly is not one of them. 

God, help me not to be afraid to worship you exuberantly.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and dydcheung

Chapter-a-Day Nehemiah 11

The leaders of the people were already living in Jerusalem, so the rest of the people drew lots to get one out of ten to move to Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine remained in their towns. The people applauded those who voluntarily offered to live in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 11:1-2 (MSG)

A few years ago, our church planted a new church in a community almost 40 miles away. Several families sold their houses moved. Others committed to drive the 45 minutes each Sunday to help get the fledgling church started. Then, some of those families began to contemplate selling their houses and physically making the move.

I remembered this as I read today of all the people in Nehemiah's day who, after rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem, were committed to moving themselves and their families into the city to care for and defend it.

We live in an age when personal comfort is high on our priority lists and self sacrifice is given little or no regard. It leads me to wonder: What do I believe in, so strongly, that I would be willing to move myself and my family?

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and jay w

A Quiet Fourth of July

Wendy and I slipped down to the lake by ourselves this weekend. The weather has been amazingly temperate and we haven't had the air conditioning running at all. That's extremely rare for this time of the year. A shower came through in the afternoon, but it was otherwise a splendid day. We spent much of the day working yesterday, and had both Wimbledon and the Cubs game on as we worked. Last night there were fireworks in the cove, so we sat on the dock and watched before heading to bed.

I'm up and sitting on the glider-rocker on the back porch this morning with my cup of coffee. Having some quiet time as ducks play around the dock. More of nothing is planned today. We'll likely watch the Williams sister's final this morning and the Cubs again this afternoon. The sky is overcast and the forecast calls for some showers coming through mid-day. I'm hoping it burns through so we can get out on the lake a bit this afternoon. We haven't even had the covers off the boat or the waverunners.

Chapter-a-Day Nehemiah 10

We will bring the best of our grain, of our contributions, of the fruit of every tree, of wine, and of oil to the priests in the storerooms of The Temple of our God. Nehemiah 10:37 (MSG)

In the basement of our house is an old canning closet. My wife and I have turned it into our wine cellar. Walk into our little cellar and you'll find boxes of "Three Buck Chuck" which is our day-to-day house wine. As the nickname suggests, it's inexpensive and remarkably good for the price.  Walk into our home on any given day and you'll likely find a bottle of it sitting on our dining room side board. There is also, in the wine cellar, a number of other wines. There's nothing extravagant in there, but there are many wines that are much nicer and more expensive than our daily house wine.

Wendy and I love to have people over for dinner. When guests are coming for a meal, I will go down to the wine cellar to pull out a bottle of "the good stuff." It will usually be picked with care, considering what we're having. No cheap house wine for our guests!

Isn't it interesting that God calls us to give the "good stuff?" God asks that we honor him with the best we have. He desires the "first fruits." It makes perfect sense. It's no different than expecting that you'll break out the good wine when special guests come to visit.

Why is it, then, that I so often give the King of Kings my leftovers?

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and xrr

Chapter-a-Day Nehemiah 9

Then on the twenty-fourth day of this month, the People of Israel gathered for a fast, wearing burlap and faces smudged with dirt as signs of repentance. Nehemiah 9:1 (MSG)

What am I wearing today?

In a culture in which we can choose any number of ways to present ourselves, I find it interesting to think about the ways we choose to reveal our person to those around us. We are made in the image of the Creator. God expresses who He is in everything He does and everything He makes. We, as His children, likewise express who we are in a myriad of unconscious, metaphorical ways. We are inherently creative, and we express ourselves without ever thinking about it.

What am I wearing today? What am I saying to those around me?

Nehemiah and the gang dressed in scratchy burlap and put dirt and ashen make-up on their faces. They expressed their repentance. The burlap expressed that they were poor in righteousness and deserved the uncomfortable consequences of their wrong doings. Their make-up acknoweldged their frail humanity. From the ash and dirt man was created and to the ash and dirt we will return in death.

What am I wearing today? Not just with my clothes, but with my expressions and my affect? Am I expressing who I am, or who I want to be? Am I repenting, or am I celebrating? Am I hiding, or am I revealing?

Time to get dressed.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and steve vance

Chapter-a-Day Nehemiah 8

He continued, "Go home and prepare a feast, holiday food and drink; and share it with those who don't have anything: This day is holy to God. Don't feel bad. The joy of God is your strength!" Nehemiah 8:10 (MSG)

This past Sunday morning, my whole family was in worship together. It was an awesome hour. The music was great, the message was about sabbath, and we got to share in small groups. We met a wonderful lady and her mother who just moved to our community. After the service, we all went back to the house for Sunday dinner. Wendy and I had prepared to have a special Sunday meal together. We'd thrown a roast in the crock pot and baked potatoes in the oven. We gathered around the table, opened a bottle of wine, and feasted. As we ate, the kids all shared about their experience on a mission to Chicago the previous week. We learned about the people they met and the things God taught them.

It was a great day.

As I read the chapter in Nehemiah today, I thought back to this past Sunday. The people gathered together to hear God's Message read to them and taught to them. They worshiped hard. Then, they feasted in joy with their families and others in need whom they had invited. I like that pattern. We used to do a lot more of that when I was a kid. Worship together, then feast together.

I think we will intentionally do it more often.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and wader