The final blog of 2016

I want to wrap up my 2016 blogs by speaking about something that, until recently, I didn’t really know; I had a vague inkling but I couldn’t articulate it before now.  That would be this: whenever you are in a storm of life, there is a propensity to focus on the pain, heartache, and agony you find yourself in.  I think this is natural and understandable.  But the danger of this mindset is that it effectively blinds you to all of the good gifts that God has graced you with.

My eyes were opened to this notion through the words of Ravi Zacharias.  Ravi speaks about this in his fantastic book “The Grand Weaver” (a book that I would highly recommend to you, by the way; just the introduction is worth the price of the book).  He puts it this way:

“More and more when something terrible happens, we declare “That’s life!” – as though disappointment and heartache declare the sum total of this existence.  We miss the roses and see only the thorns.  We take for granted the warmth of the sun and get depressed by the frequency of the rain or the snow.  We ignore the sounds of life in a nursery because we are preoccupied with the sounds of sirens responding to an emergency.”

I deeply resonated with those words.  Because of the acute pain of my dad passing away 17 months ago, and the aftermath of this event that still affects me to this day, I have a tendency to be "preoccupied with the sounds of sirens" as Ravi Zacharias put it.  Like it or not, I know pain.  But, the truth is, there are also delights, enjoyments, and blessings in my life.  Ravi's words presented me with this challenge: don’t let the suffering of life desensitize and numb me to the gifts of life.  I grant you that this perspective is a difficult one to balance, but it’s one of the things I’m going to focus on cultivating.

In the spirit of contemplating the good things in my life, I wanted to conclude by thanking you for taking the time to read my thoughts.  I painstakingly pour my heart and soul into these blogs.  It’s such a blessing to know that you are reading this content.  Thank you so much!  If it is the Lord’s will, I’ll share with you again in 2017.  Until then, as my dad used to say, “God bless!  Keep your hand in His hand, and keep on keeping on.”

Kevin

Even in heartache, "I have a hope"

I want to highlight a phrase from my dad’s prayer that I shared last time.  He said, “This is the hardest season for many people, because of their circumstances.”  He’s right.  Speaking for myself, this time of year is tough because it reminds me afresh that my dad is no longer with us.  While I’m certainly glad that Dad gets to enjoy eternal bliss in Heaven, he is missed here.  The grief continues.

I am now acutely aware of instances of loss.  Because of the news, social media, or simple word of mouth, I hear about events of loss seemingly every day.  For some, this is their first Christmas without their parent, spouse, child, sibling, best friend, or grandparent.  You can’t see it, but these people are essentially walking around with a hole in their heart.

And then, of course, there is the pain, heartache, and anguish that many are feeling that may not involve a loved one passing away, but suffering is still an inescapable fact of their life, nevertheless.  Some are dealing with deteriorating health, job loss, slander, escalating family conflict, or broken dreams.  Furthermore, to quote from my dad’s prayer again, there’s also the “lonely, and the brokenhearted.”  For so many, this is not a time of fun and games.

    

However, there is hope.  I was recently listening to a Christmas CD by the group Selah.  In a song entitled simply “Joy”, the group says to God, “You gave us reason to see past the pain of today; we celebrate.”  That reason is Jesus Christ.  A line came to my mind from a song that I sang years ago at a church: “I have a hope, and my hope has a Name.”  It’s true!  No matter what the suffering, Jesus is the reason to celebrate this season.

This Christmas, despite the pain and heartache, I celebrate Jesus Christ.  I celebrate how Jesus was born to die on a cross for my sin and your sin.  I celebrate how Jesus obtained salvation, forgiveness, and reconciliation with God.  As one Christmas song puts it, “Hark! The herald angel sing, glory to the newborn King…God and sinners reconciled.”  There is no greater gift than to remember afresh that, because of Jesus, I have a right relationship with God.

I know this blog is longer than usual, but I cannot end without expressing one last thought.  Someone may assume that because Jesus died on the cross for all of humanity (this is true), all of humanity is therefore in a right relationship with God (this is false).  No, Jesus’ offer of reconciliation with God is available for anyone and everyone, but you have to take it, as you would take any gift.  John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed on his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  If you’ve never taken this important step, please do it today; what better time to do so than this Christmas season?

Kevin 

Christmas prayer

Just as I did at Thanksgiving, I want to share a prayer that my dad gave on the radio.  It is a tremendous blessing to have this prayer in my possession (this particular prayer blew me away, so get ready).  It is also a blessing to be able to share it with you.  The legacy of my dad’s life, as I see it, is his faith in God.  May these words inspire us to live a life of faith and trust in the God of the universe, as he did.  By the way, this content was originally delivered back in 2005.

 

“Father in Heaven, we bow at Your feet and give You honor, praise, and adoration.  Today, as we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Christ, we bless Your name and give You praise, as You are the reason for this season.

Just as the shepherds were thrilled at the Christ child’s arrival, we cannot help but long for the time when Jesus will come again and You’ll receive us unto Yourself, where we’ll worship and serve You, eternally.

Today, Father, as You are aware, many people are hurting.  We know that this is the hardest season for many people, because of their circumstances.  Lord, we pray that You will be the lifter of their heads, help them to somehow see beyond their circumstances and rejoice in You today.  Comfort, heal, and bring forgiveness where it’s needed, Father.  

God, we thank You for embracing the widow or widower today, the lonely, and the heartbroken, and for making Your presence real to them, in the midst of a trying time.

We pray for families that are gathering together.  Even in the midst of celebrating Christmas, trouble and tension may come to the forefront.  Please help them to be at peace.  Help them to rejoice in the differences of the way in which You made people and families; to embrace those differences, and not let them be a stumbling block.  Help people to hold their peace and to put a guard at their lips, as You have instructed in Your Word.

God, again, we rejoice in the birth of Jesus.  Thank You that He came to Earth as a baby, to be our sacrifice, and that through Him we might have eternal life.  We worship and celebrate the birth of Your Son.

It’s in the strong, precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray, amen.”

"What child is this?" (part 2)

Let me just pick up right where I left off last time.  I want to begin with a fascinating verse from Isaiah 52.  Isaiah 52 speaks of what the text calls a servant.  In verse 14, we read that this servant’s appearance will be “disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness.”  This is describing the excruciating punishment that Jesus endured.  Jesus was flogged, beaten, and crucified on a cross.  Many criticized Mel Gibson’s depiction of Jesus’ suffering in “The Passion of the Christ”.  They asserted that it was too violent.  But Gibson insisted that it actually wasn’t violent enough.  Isaiah 52:14 confirms his claim.

In Isaiah 53, we continue to read of the servant’s suffering.  “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (verses 5-6).  Once again, this is a prophetic description that was written centuries before the prophesied One ever arrived on the scene.  Yet, it’s a clear picture of the love that Jesus has for mankind.

Back in April of 2011, I wrote a blog about a comic book storyline from 1993 where Superman fought a powerful villain named Doomsday.  Doomsday had no conscience, heart, or restraint.  Such a monster would have destroyed countless lives had it not been for Superman’s heroic intervention.  Ultimately, Superman delivered a finishing blow to the villain; Doomsday was defeated, but in the process, Superman also passed away.

 

In his book “Who Needs a Superhero? Finding Virtue, Vice, and What’s Holy in the Comics” H. Michael Brewer writes, “Behind the slumped figure of the dead Superman, an upright piece of broken lumber juts from the wreckage.  The tattered cape of the Man of Steel hangs on the board and flutters in the wind.  In my eyes, that heaven-reaching timber casts the shadow of the cross over the scene.  [To see Superman] dying to rescue Metropolis points our hearts toward the true Savior who died for the world.”

What child is this?  This is the foretold servant who was born to die.  We celebrate the birth of the Christ every Christmas because this child grew up, and He died a brutal, excruciating, horrible death to pay for the penalty of mankind’s sin.  Once again, Isaiah 53:6 reads, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray…and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  Adrian Rogers once wrote, “At the cross, sin was not overlooked.  Sin was atoned and paid for.  God’s greatest righteousness confronted man’s greatest wickedness, and righteousness won!  Peace was attained through the blood of the cross.  Thank God for the cross!  Thank God for Jesus!”

My heart is full as I conclude this blog.  In the words of that Christmas song “what child is this” I want to “haste, haste, to bring Him laud, the babe, the Son of Mary.”  You see, I am nothing more than a sinner saved by grace.  “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.  Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow,” says the old hymn.  What bliss to know that my sin is forgiven, pardoned, and cleansed!  There is no greater peace, joy, and happiness than have a friendship and fellowship with God.  This relationship began when I put my faith and trust in Jesus when I was six years old, and it will continue forever, even after my Earthly existence has ended and I am in the presence of Jesus in Heaven.

Kevin         

"What child is this?" (part 1)

One of the popular Christmas songs asks this question: “What child is this?”  One line for that song is, “What child is this, who laid to rest, on Mary’s lap, is sleeping?”  What child is this?  It’s a vital question.  Who is this Jesus?  Why do we stop and contemplate His arrival into this world every December?  I want to delve into this question.

A great resource for us when pondering this issue is the prophetic book of Isaiah.  Thousands of years before Jesus ever arrived on the scene Isaiah presented us a picture of who Jesus was going to be, and what He was going to do.  For example, Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin shall be with child and will give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel.”  Jesus is the only one in human history to ever be born from a virgin.  Cynics try to disprove this amazing prophecy; they claim that “virgin” simply means a young maiden.  But think about it: why would a young maiden giving birth to a son be “a sign” from God?  That doesn’t make sense.  In Matthew 1, the author states unequivocally that Jesus’ birth is the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.

But there’s more.  In Isaiah 7:15 we read that this coming One, this person that will be born from the womb of a virgin, He will actually “reject the wrong and choose the right”.  This is a stunning representation of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is sinless.  No one else can honestly claim that he “rejects the wrong and chooses the right”.  I certainly would never make that claim.  But Jesus can and did.  In John 8:46, He said, “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?  If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me?”

There’s a second text in Isaiah that I want to look at today.  In Isaiah 9, we read, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (verse 6).  Once again, this was written centuries before Jesus’ arrival on Earth, and yet we see Jesus clearly in these words.

I wish I could camp out on this verse; it is a rich, deep passage.  In fact, I could probably spend the whole month of December on this verse alone, but for today, let me underscore one phrase in particular: note that Isaiah predicts that this One who will come will be called “Mighty God”.  

Read the gospel accounts and it’s quite clear that Jesus isn’t just a mortal man; He is also God.  I could give several examples, but consider an episode in Mark 4.  One night Jesus and the disciples were in a boat and a fierce storm overtakes them.  The disciples freak out, but Jesus gets up and He actually commands the storm to stop, it obeys and there is an immediate calm.  No ordinary man could do such a miracle; only God Himself!  Once again, cynics try to disprove it, but Jesus really is “Mighty God”.  

       

What child is this?  To sum it up for today, Jesus is not just another religious leader or popular teacher; on the contrary, Jesus is the sinless God-man, unlike everyone else in history, He entered the Earth through the womb of a virgin.  This miraculous event was predicted thousands of years before by the prophet Isaiah. It was God's sign to all mankind.

To be continued!

Kevin

Are you in a storm of life?

If you are still looking for a Christmas gift, I would like to recommend Tim Tebow’s new book “Shaken” to you.  The subtitle is “Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms.”  As I said in the last blog, storms are an inevitable part of life, Christian or not.  In this book, Tebow candidly speaks of the storms of his life, and how God sustained him through it.  Let me give you a quote to whet your appetite:

“One day, according to the world, I’m on top of my game, adored, praised, and respected.  And the next, I’m at the bottom of the heap, cut, criticized, and torn down.  You know what I’ve learned in the process?  How important it is not to allow either the highs or the lows in life determine who you are.”

 

A little later in the same chapter, he says, “While many know about my career highs, few know about the lows.  Like having to learn that God’s plans are better and bigger than mine, feeling torn about the future, and working through my dreams being shattered after being cut from three NFL teams.  I admit, writing this book hasn’t been easy.  It was tough to relive some painful memories.  But I’ll say that in those places of doubt and even darkness, I’ve realized that who I am has nothing to do with wins or losses, applause, or negative criticism.  It has to do with whose I am.  Knowing this I can live out what the king of ancient Israel wrote in Psalm 16:8:

I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

In the endorsement section of this book, Judah Smith, a pastor, writes, “Whether or not you’ve followed Tim’s career, Shaken speaks to something we’ve all had to deal with – trusting God when the plans for our lives don’t work out as we expected.  Tim shares his journey from the Broncos to the Jets to the Patriots and beyond with refreshing honesty.”  I hope you will consider adding this book to your collection.

Kevin    

"Tis the season to be jolly"?

After what I said my last blog, I can practically hear the cynic saying, “I’ve heard this God pitch before.  If I become a Christian all my problems will magically go away.  I’ll live a life of ease, comfort, prosperity, abundance, and pleasure, right?”  The short answer is no.  But let me elaborate.

In John 16, Jesus is speaking His final words to His disciples before He gives His life on the cross of Calvary.  The disciples are the men who spent extensive time with Jesus.  If anyone was going to get some sort of preferential treatment, it would be them.  Well, check out verse 33 of John 16; Jesus says, “In this world, you will have tribulation.”  Notice that Jesus didn’t say, “In this world, you will have wealth, riches, and healing, if you name it and claim it.”  He didn’t say, “In this world, you’ll have “Your Best Life Now”” (to quote a book title from a popular but erroneous church leader).”  No, Jesus said to His closest followers, in no uncertain terms, “In this world, you will have tribulation.”

If you’ve decided to commence a relationship with Jesus Christ, that's wonderful; praise God. But don’t be misled or deceived; just because you made this important choice, it does not exempt you from pain, suffering, and trouble.  The Bible says, “It rains on the just and the unjust.”  Life on this planet is filled with tribulation, pain, and heartache.  For example, the Lord, in His mysterious will, chose to take my dad home to Heaven much sooner than I ever expected.  So this time of the year is a bittersweet time for me.

Of course, I know I’m not the only one suffering; life is difficult for many others as well.  Some are dealing with rebellious children, a rocky marriage, intense financial struggles, betrayal, false accusations, or health crises.  I’m not ignorant of the distresses of life, believe me.  For many, “’tis the season to be jolly” is a remote thought!  Painful circumstances such as these won’t be magically avoided just because you are a Christian.  However, the believer does have some advantages that the non-believer doesn’t have.  Let me highlight an important one today:  

The last sermon that my dad heard on Earth was delivered by a guy named Brad Ellgen. At one point, Brad made a statement that, at the time, I had no idea how apropos it was going to be to me.  He said that people always declare that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.  But no one ever fleshes out what that “wonderful plan” is.  This plan is not to win the lottery and have all your ailments healed; rather, God’s plan is to always to be with the Christian, no matter what intense difficulties may come.  “That’s God’s plan for our life,” he stated.  “Not that we will be spared pain, not that we will spared hardship, but that God will be with us.”  “In this world,” Jesus said to His devoted followers, “You will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome with the world.”

Kevin         

The all-knowing, omniscient...Santa Claus?

It has always seemed rather odd to me that there is a song about Santa Claus with this lyric: “He sees you when you’re sleeping; he knows when you’re awake.  He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!”  The song I’m referencing is called “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”.  The implication is that Santa is some sort of all-knowing being.  Such a notion is, of course, preposterous.  But I want you to think about this assertion with me for a moment anyway. 

If such an idea were true, it’s interesting how people seem to intuitively know that they haven’t been good; they have only warranted a lump of coal in their stocking.  This was recently evidenced to me when I was shopping at a retail store.  Two Christmas shirts caught my attention; they are humorous, but also illuminating.  One said, “Dear Santa, I can explain.”  Another read: “Dear Santa, define good.”  Rather than parading their own goodness, they are offering excuses.  I think it’s an accurate assessment of the human heart.  

The fact of the matter is this: even though Santa Claus isn’t an all-knowing omniscient deity, the God of the universe has perfect knowledge of everyone.  In Psalm 139, the writer says to God, “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.”  God knows.  And, make no mistake about it: He sees that we are not “good for goodness sake.”  He sees that we fail, falter, and sin.  "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

A few months before my dad passed away, he had the opportunity to interview Greg Grandchamp on the radio regarding his book “In Pursuit of Truth”.  Check out this excerpt from that book:

“In the eye of the Lord, none are good, not even one.  All are deserving the wrath of God.  But more importantly, by believing you are exempted from Christ’s redemption, you completely cheapen, and even dismiss, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.  I know the thoughts: “Thanks, Jesus.  Appreciate the attempt…but nobody can forgive me, and no sacrifice will ever be enough.”  However, He already knows precisely who are you and what you’ve done.  And He sacrificed [Himself] anyway because He loves you.”  Amen to that!

Later on in the book, Grandchamp writes, “Christianity is a person.  It is a relationship with that person…our sin has caused a cavernous gap, one that we cannot – in our own effort – cross.  Christ is the bridge that reconciles us with God.  All we need to do is choose it.”  It’s my prayer that, if you’ve never done that, you would do it today.

Kevin

Thanksgiving aftermath blog

I had a very good Thanksgiving celebration yesterday.  My mom and I spent a large portion of the day with my sister-in-law’s family.  The highlight of the day for me was when, before ate our food (which was a huge feast, by the way) we went around the table and expressed what we were thankful for.

To set the stage, let me remind you that, in September, I had previously mentioned in this blog how that family was sent into grief from their Grandma passing away.  They continue to cope with her loss to this day.  The tears still flow freely and easily in that house.  This is something that I can obviously relate to.  In fact, their loss has tied the hearts of the two families together in a way that it wasn’t when my dad was still with us.

For several reasons, I had made the decision that I was going to talk about God in some way.  I was going to be bold about my faith.  So when it came to me (I was the third one to speak in this gratitude exercise), I acknowledged to everyone the loss, pain, and grief that was in our midst, but added that even in the midst of this difficult reality, God has still given us so many blessings that we couldn’t count them all if we tried.  To present just one, I mentioned the gift of family and friends.

Mom said that she was thankful that, even though we miss Jerry, we know that he is in Heaven today.  She also stated how she was thankful for the “surrogate family” that had invited us to the Thanksgiving celebration.  Another at the table mentioned how she was thankful for the Lord’s presence, how His presence affects every relationship in her life; and how no matter what happens in life, He is there.  Someone else eloquently stated how wonderful it is to be standing on, as he put, “the solid rock of Jesus Christ” even in the middle of the intense storms of life.  Amen and amen!

As we were eating, I was reminded of a line of that prayer from my dad that I shared yesterday.  Do you remember it?  Dad had prayed, “As families and friends gather, we pray that they will indeed praise You, from whom all blessings flow.”  I had to briefly stop eating because a wave of emotion hit me when I realized something: God had answered my dad’s prayer.  

For that situation, setting, and get together, a prayer that Dad had prayed years before had come to fruition in that room.  I know how easy it would have been for me to just mention what I’m grateful for, but not include in my comments the One that provided those gifts in the first place.  Others also chose to speak boldly for the Lord.  I’m so happy to have been a part of that holy moment.  I’m grateful that God’s name was lifted high in praise and honor!

Kevin

Thanksgiving prayer

Happy Thanksgiving! Today’s blog will mostly be the words of my dad.  For several years, part of Dad’s ministry as a Christian radio announcer was his afternoon prayer time.  I remember that he received numerous compliments regarding his prayer time.  I often expressed my appreciation for it as well.  His prayers were sincere, genuine, powerful, and riveting.  It is for this reason that I am so happy to be able to present to you a prayer from my dad that I have in my possession.  

Here now are the words of Jerry Bauer, the man I got to call my father:

“Father, we come into Your throne room today with praise and appreciation on this Thanksgiving Day.

At this time of the year when we give thanks, we thank You, Lord, for the tremendous blessings that You have poured out on this country.  We thank You for our forefathers who determined that our nation would be “under God.”  We pause and give thanks to You today, just like our early countrymen did so many years ago.

We pray a special prayer for America.  We pray that she would repent and turn from her ways and that she, once again, would indeed be a nation “under God.”

Father, we cannot get to each individual request today, but we lift up those people who need prayer this afternoon.  Physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial hurts and needs are all around us.  We pray that You would be near and dear to those hurting today, that You would lift their burdens.  Fill their hearts with joy today as they remember what Your Son has provided for us.  We pray for hope, Lord, for hurting people – true hope – which only comes from You.

Lord, thank You for the privilege of coming to You and laying down our burdens; and for the privilege of praising You with our lips.  Help us to thank You and praise You with our lives lifted up to You.  Father, for what You do through our lives, we humbly thank You.  As families and friends gather, we pray that they will indeed praise You, from whom all blessings flow.

It’s in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray, amen.”

Attitude of gratitude (part 3 of 3)

The other day, I had a thought that I’m convinced was God speaking to me.  He said, “Gratitude is a choice.”  You see, it’s easy for me to focus on the burdens of life.  Just contemplating another holiday season without my dad is very difficult.  But more than that, the pressures of everyday life can easily overwhelm and discourage me.  It’s easy for me to focus on the acute losses, financial strain, heartache, stress, holiday blues, and the perpetually uncompleted tasks.

I wanted to be vulnerable and honest with you here because I didn’t want you to think, “Kevin is writing about thankfulness.  I guess he has arrived when it comes to gratitude.”  That’s simply not the case.  By speaking of an attitude of gratitude, I’m not setting myself up as this faultless example on the subject.  The reality is I have needed these gratitude themed blogs as much as anyone.

As I said, the Lord seemed to impress to my spirit that, even in the midst of all these difficult circumstances, I was to make the conscious decision to practice gratitude in my life.  Ever since He communicated that to me, I have constantly made the choice, when I see that I have been operating from a mindset of ingratitude, to stop it, and choose instead to operate from a mindset of thankfulness.  This has required constant discipline.

I’ve chosen to share all this with you because I think we have a tendency to focus on what we don’t have, rather than everything that we do have.  The Bible says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  I think it is a healthy exercise for all of us – whether it’s November or not – to stop carping, grumbling, fussing, and complaining; instead recall afresh the numerous gifts that God has so graciously given us.  Remember: gratitude is a choice!

Kevin    

Attitude of gratitude (part 2)

Last time, I began a list of items I’m thankful for, each correlating to a letter of the alphabet.  I stopped in the middle, at “M”.  This last half was more difficult than the first, just because of letters like Q and Z.  I had fun though!  Without further ado, let’s resume.

N: Nourishment. I may have surprised you with this one.  Hunger and thirst are very powerful motivations; that’s why I submit that food and water are incredible gifts for which we should be thankful to God to receive.

O: Olfactory sense.  That is, the marvelous gift of the sense of smell.

P: Preaching/Sermons.  Just as food is nourishment for the body, Biblical sermons are nourishment for the soul and spirit.

Q: Quantity of life.  Psalm 139 says that God predetermines the number of our days before even one of them unfolds.  Quantity of life, therefore, is ultimately in God’s hands, and I’m so thankful for this fact.  I’m also grateful for whatever amount of days God has chosen for me.

R: Roam.  According to my thesaurus, some synonyms for “roam” are words like “stroll” “walk” and “traverse”.  I am thankful for the ability to stroll, roam, and walk!

S: Songs/music.  What a gift!  I have found that when I’m discouraged and depressed, it’s helpful to listen to uplifting, edifying music.

T: Taste/touch. That covers the five senses; sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.  I’m appreciative to God for each of them.

U: Unseen realm of Heaven.  It was Greg Laurie who said that whenever a loved one passes away, you begin to live with one foot in the door of Heaven.  He’s right.  I certainly have gripped tighter to the reality of Heaven than ever before since my dad passed away.

V: Vehicle. My car has endured a lot over these years, but it continues to get me from point A to point B.

W: Writing/words.  I love to write.  It is a wonderful gift for me to write in this blog.  Further, when I say “words” I mean the ability to speak.  If you’ve ever temporarily lost your voice due to a sickness, like I have, you know what a wonderful blessing it is to have a voice to speak.

X: (E)xercise.  Here’s another sensational gift!  It’s wonderful to work off the stresses of life by exercising.

Y: Yahweh/Jehovah.  Did I surprise you with this one?  George W. Knight and Rayburn W. Ray in their book “The Illustrated Bible Dictionary” write this regarding their definition of Jehovah: “A translation of Yahweh, a Hebrew word for God in the O.T. [Old Testament] that indicates His eternity and self-existence.  This word is based on a Hebrew verb meaning “to be”; thus, the name “I AM” by which God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14).”  No matter what I go through, I am thankful that the eternal God of the universe – Yahweh – is always with me.

Z: Zany moments.  My life can be intense, chaotic, and heavy; I’m thankful for every instance of zany, light, silliness that comes my way.

The grand truth is that even though I’ve listed twenty-six things I’m thankful for, I have only scratched the surface.  There’s so much more that I didn’t mention!  This is not even close to an exhaustive list.  What I’m trying to convey with this is how it’s important to practice thankfulness and gratitude in life. 

To be continued!

Kevin    

Attitude of gratitude (part 1)

In the spirit of this Thanksgiving holiday season, I wanted to present a series of blogs on an attitude of gratitude.  To begin, I wanted to share a list of things that I’m thankful for, from each letter of the alphabet.  Let me just dive right in and you’ll see what I mean.

A: American.  Whether or not your favorite Presidential candidate won in the recent election, it’s still a tremendous blessing to be a citizen of the United States of America.

B: Breath.  Every breath that we breathe is a gift from the hand of God.  While it may be easy to do so, we should never take it for granted.

C: Creation.  Recently, I was driving to work, and the sun was just beginning to rise.  I was treated to one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen.  Everywhere you look, you see the beautiful creation that Almighty God created.

D: Diversion/decompress.  I love to be able to rest, decompress, and recharge after a hard day by watching an old TV show that is a wholesome sitcom.  The sitcom I’m referring to is the delightful diversion of the “Dick Van Dick Show” (I can’t help myself with the alliteration).

   

E: Eyes/ears.  Once again, it’s easy to take the gift of sight and hearing for granted.  I, for one, want to stop and express my gratitude for these incredible blessings.

F: Faith.  Simply put: without my faith in the amazing God of the Bible, I am nothing.

G: Grace (and mercy) of God.  If I didn’t have the grace and mercy of God, I would be sunk.  Praise the Lord for His abounding grace and steadfast mercy to me.

H: Health/healings.  I recently came across the last Thanksgiving list that my dad composed.  One of the things he said he was thankful for was health.  I echo the same sentiment for myself.  Health is a gift that is very fragile.  I’ve been reminded of this many times in my life; I’ve been miraculously healed by God on more than one occasion.

I: Impact and influence of my dad.  I will always be grateful for my dad’s selfless influence and example.  I'm inspired to follow in his footsteps.

J: Job. Thank God for the blessing of a job!

K: Kindness. The word “favor” could also be used here.  I’m blessed with kindness or favor in my sphere of influence.  Whether we are talking about family, friends, coworkers, etc. I am showered with kindness.  Perhaps that’s because I try to be kind in my dealings with others, and because (as the Bible says) you reap what you sow, kindness is given back to me.

L: Laughter.  I hope one of the things that I’m remembered for long after I’m gone is how much I laughed.  Laughter is like a medicine for whatever ails you.

M: Mom.  The Bible says to honor your father and your mother.  Even though my dad is in Heaven now, I continue to honor him.  I also honor my mom.  Further, I consider it a sacred responsibility to take care of her as best as I know how.

To be continued!

Kevin

The epic World Series of 2016

There’s a memorable scene in the movie “Rocky 4”.  Rocky Balboa and his massive opponent, Ivan Draco, have fought for 14 rounds.  The bell rings for the commencement of the 15th and final round; as the two fighters are about to battle again, the announcer asks, “Which one of these two magnificent fighters will still be standing at this end of this round?”  I had the same question when the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians went to Game 7 in a riveting World Series.  It really was two heavyweight fighters that battled toe to toe all the way to the final round.

Congratulations to the Chicago Cubs on finding a way to win it all!  It’s remarkable to think about how long it has been since the Cubs won the World Series (it was way back in 1908!).  I know Cub fans worldwide are elated for their victory, and they should be.  This was a series where the Cubs faced elimination from Game 5 to Game 7, but they simply refused to quit.  What an example of resolve, grit, and determination!

In sports, the winner is remembered while the runner-up is generally forgotten or perceived as a failure.  This is a real shame.  The Indians should also be commended for their will, perseverance, and heart.  This was a series that featured two evenly matched teams.  Somebody had to lose.

Kevin

Trusting God in the midst of life's surprises

The pilot episode from the TV show “Frasier” has been on my mind of late.  In one scene, a woman calls in to Frasier’s radio show, distraught over the loss of her relationship with her boyfriend.  “I’m a mess,” she says in tears.  “It’s been eight months.  The pain isn’t going away.  I think I’m in mourning or something.”  Frasier answers her with compassion, “Claire, you are in mourning.  But you’re not mourning the loss of your boyfriend; you’re mourning the loss of what you thought your life was going to be.  Let it go.  Things don’t always go as we plan.”  The irony is Frasier was the one who had a dream of what his new life in Seattle was going to be; it differed significantly from anything he could have ever imagined.  It took Frasier the whole episode to be at peace (somewhat) with the unexpected turns in his life.

Frasier, and his dad Martin, dreamed of a certain kind of future, but life circumstances played out very differently for both of them.  I can resonate.  I’ve used this quote before, but I love it and it’s worth repeating.  Barry Allen (A.K.A. the superhero known as “The Flash”) once said, “Everyone secretly thinks they have figured out what their life is going to be like.  But what no one ever considers is that life has its own plans for you, whether you like them or not.  And so you’re left with a choice: you can either embrace the change and move forward, or fight it and be left behind.”

Even though I am not in the same predicament as Frasier’s caller, Claire, Frasier’s words to her still impacted me.  A part of the grieving process for me was the realization that not only would I have to face a future without my dad, but I was also losing what I thought my life was going to look like.  The landscape of my life has changed forever.  I’m in a life chapter that I never could have envisioned.  But I put my hope, trust, and confidence in God and His will for my life.  I say to God what it says in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy will be done.”

Kevin

My Presidential election thoughts

I have never in my lifetime seen a Presidential election like this one.  It seems to me like these two candidates not only vehemently disagree with each other, but they also can’t stand being in same room together and having to share the same air.  It’s been so vicious and nasty.  I thought this was highlighted when, in the second debate, the question was asked, “can each of you say something nice about the other?”

There are several comments that I want to make about politics and the election today.  First, I want to encourage everyone to vote.  It is such a precious gift that we in the United States of America have the opportunity to choose our leaders.  Don’t stand on the sidelines.  The other day, I saw a bumper sticker that said something to effect of, “I’m not voting for either candidate.”  While I concede that both candidates have troubling issues, we can’t let that persuade us to give up and not vote at all.  You play the hand you’ve been dealt.  Vote.  Vote your conscience.  Vote for the candidate that most closely lines up with your convictions and values. 

Back in December of 2013, I wrote a blog called “Where is your hope?”  In that blog, I mentioned several examples of where people can put their hope.  I don’t want to rehash the whole blog again here (I’ve included a link if you are inclined to re-read it), but if I were to amend that blog, I would include the arena of politics.  It’s so easy to get swept up in putting all of our hope and trust in our preferred party or candidate getting into the White House.  Psalm 42 gives us excellent advice: “Put your hope in God” (verses 5 and 11).  The old hymn says, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

http://kevskorner-kevin.blogspot.com/2013/12/where-is-your-hope.html

The other day, when I was cleaning the dining room at my work, I noticed that someone had left a small pamphlet behind that they obviously didn’t want entitled “Who America Needs”.  It was put out by a ministry called “Moments with the Book.”  I was in full agreement when I read these words: “The main problem we have in America is the same issue which has plagued mankind since the beginning of history – the problem of sin in the human heart.  Despite our best efforts, we will not find the remedy to this problem in any policy or president.  There is only one person who has the answer for sin…He is Jesus the Son of God.”  As I said, it’s important to vote.  But don’t put all of your hope in trust in politics.  Put your hope and trust in the God of the universe who is in complete sovereign control.

Kevin

Reflections on life, loss, and legacy

Before I dive in, let me express a personal word to you.  I am quite frustrated that I’m not able to spend more time writing blogs.  As you see in the sidebar, I have only written 38 blogs this year.  That’s close to my record low of production in this blog (in 2012 I only wrote 41 blogs).  The lack of content doesn’t imply that I don’t care about blogging anymore; I do care.  But I carry a lot of my dad’s responsibilities since his passing.  First and foremost, this includes taking care of my mom.  I wanted to document this fact.  I wanted you to understand my frustration.  With that stated, let’s move on.

One of the interesting components during the grieving process is, at night, you can dream about your dearly departed loved one.  I’m not an expert on dreams, but apparently, the subconscious brain remembers the way life used to be.  I’ve had a few of this particular sort of dream of late.  I was with my dad, spending time with him, as if nothing had happened.  The dream is happy, but when you wake up from such a dream, you remember afresh the present reality of life.  You remember again the magnitude of the loss, and just how drastically the landscape of your life has changed.

While it’s true that my dad is no longer with us (the Bible says, for the believer in Jesus Christ, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord), there is a very real sense that he will never be gone.  Let me try to explain what I mean with a story of something that happened to me at my work at Chick-fil-A:

The other day, I was complimented for the way I took orders on what we call headset; this is the device that we wear to communicate with cars that pull up at the drive-thru speaker.  I was told that I greeted each car as if the customer was my best friend.  I thanked the person and said that I inherited my dad’s radio voice.  At one point in the conversation, this customer commented that it’s not just the voice; it’s also the heart.  She then asked this captivating question: “Did you inherit your dad’s heart?”  My answer, in part, was that my dad was very selfless, and I want to follow in his footsteps.

My dad’s example lives on.  I will strive to follow his unselfish example.   I will strive to live my life selflessly, as he did.  I will strive to follow his legacy of humility, love for others, honorable ethics, integrity, and faith in God.  The saying is “like father, like son.”  Of course, in some cases, a son has to make his own path because the father’s life wasn’t worthy of emulating.  But that’s not the situation here.  In my case, I am honored to take the baton my dad has passed on to me.  Or, as I put it to that dear customer, I want to follow in his footsteps.

Kevin

The ministry of grief

I’ve been told that one of the interesting aspects of this blog is that there is a wide variety of subjects that I bring up.  This is evident just in looking at the last few blogs that I’ve written.  I do have a lot of interests.  But when I started this blog back in 2011, I never would have thought that one of the subject matters that I would tackle is my own personal grief.  My father’s unexpected passing turned my world upside-down.

To lose someone that you love is excruciating pain.  For me, it was the most intensely painful season of my life.  And that pain never really goes away; you just adapt and get used to the aching hole that the departed loved one’s absence leaves in your life.  But there’s another interesting phenomenon that occurs when you lose someone you love: stories of other people’s loss hits you differently.

For example, on September 11th, we commemorated the fifteenth anniversary of the horrible events of 9/11/01.  Before the Patriots/Cardinals game kicked off on Sunday Night Football, they played the recorded thoughts of President’s George W. Bush and Barack Obama.  President Bush’s words in particular gripped me.  He spoke of how for so many it was just another day of football, but for the thousands of people who lost loved ones that horrendous day, 9/11/16 was a very difficult day.  I was hit with a wave of emotion and near tears at that thought.  I instantly resonated with the intense emotional pain of those families.

Recently I learned of another loss.  My sister-in-law’s Grandma passed away a little over a week ago.  I didn’t have the opportunity to spend a lot of time with her (just at a few family get-togethers), but I know the agonizing pain that is gripping my sister-in-law and that whole family who loves her.  Incidentally, if you are a praying person, please keep them in your prayers.

Did you notice my blog title today?  I called it 'The ministry of grief.'  What I mean by that is because God helped me trudge through my intense grief, I now have a responsibility to turn around and help others in their grief.  2 Corinthians 1:4 says that God “comforts us in all our troubles so what we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”  By the way, I know from personal experience that one of the best ways I can do this is to cover the mourning with prayer.  Not to try to offer concise explanations or try to force them to just get over it and move on with life.  There is no quick fix when it comes to losing someone you love.  Grief takes time.

Kevin 

Contemplating Spider-Man 4

Here’s an interesting trivia fact: after Spider-Man 3, Tobey Maguire, Kirstin Dunst, and Director Sam Raimi all planned on returning to make Spider-Man 4.  And why not?  Each of the Spider-Man movies were huge blockbuster hits.  This film was to have Anne Hathaway as Felicia Hardy; John Malkovich was in talks to play the Vulture; and Dylan Baker was finally going to make his transformation from Curt Conners into the Lizard.  But after several script rewrites, the film was ultimately abandoned in 2010.

In the words of Sam Raimi: “I wanted to make Spider-Man 4 to end on a high note, the best Spider-Man of them all.  But I couldn’t get the script together in time.”  So he went to Sony Pictures and announced, “Go ahead with your reboot, which you’ve been planning anyway.”  Thus the Andrew Garfield era was ushered in.  I’ve included the link where I got this information, should you be interested.  I personally would have loved to have seen Spider-Man 4.  I was disappointed that it never made it to the big screen. 

http://spiderman.wikia.com/wiki/Spider-Man_4_(cancelled_film) 

So what might have happened in Spider-Man 4?  I don't mean the Sam Raimi version of the film with the Vulture.  That's off the table.  We do, however, get a palatable answer from You Tube of all places.  There are people on You Tube who upload fake trailers for movies.  I have to confess that I generally don’t care for these fake, fan-made trailers.  However, I really liked one submitted by someone named smily179 for Spider-Man 4.  In it, we are introduced to a future for Peter Parker and Mary Jane that is quite plausible.  It is as follows:

After the events of Spider-Man 3, Peter and Mary Jane get married.  They eventually have a son and name him Harry, in honor of Peter’s best friend Harry Osborn.  Years pass.  Harry Parker (played by Andrew Garfield, which is a brilliant idea) is now a teenager.  But a dangerous mercenary named Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) has come to learn of Peter Parker’s secret identity.  To draw him out, he attacks those closest to Peter (including the shocking and tragic murder of Peter’s Aunt May).  

Peter knows he has to stop Deadpool, but he doesn’t have to do so alone.  Peter’s son, Harry, seeing his responsibility, decides to fight by his father’s side. Harry Parker actually has spider abilities as well (presumably they were reproduced from Peter) meaning Deadpool contends with two Spider-Men.  In my mind, after Deadpool is defeated, Peter retires and passes the torch to his son. Like father, like son!

What an imaginative and creative idea for a film!   I have to give credit to smily197.  Even though there’s never going to be a Spider-Man 4 film, this fan-made trailer for a non-existent movie gave me the closure that I didn’t even really know I needed for the Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man era.  

Kevin 

Contemplating Spider-Man 3

Next year – 2017 – the film Spider-Man 3 will celebrate its ten-year anniversary of being released.  This is astounding to me.  I still vividly remember the first time that I watched this movie in theaters with my brother.  It certainly doesn’t seem like this film is that old already, but it is.  To commemorate this fact, I wanted to talk about this film.  I know I could do this next year, but I figured now was as good a time as any.

Whenever I talk about Spider-Man 3, I have to make this disclaimer lest I lose all credibility as a superhero enthusiast: Spider-Man 3 is far from the greatest superhero movie.  This Spider-Man installment has noticeable warts and flaws.  The film is too long.  There are too many characters.  And there are way too many story lines – Harry Osborn’s amnesia, for example, should have been eliminated from the final script.  I could mention more, but you get my point.  This isn’t an unblemished superhero flick by any stretch of the imagination.

 

But, blunders of the film notwithstanding, I still firmly believe that there are praiseworthy elements to this movie as well.  In fact, back in 2013, I wrote a two-part blog that I entitled “6 things I love about Spider-Man 3”.  So check that out, if you are so inclined.  Having given the introductory material let me dive in to the main content.

 

One of the main story lines in this film is how a mysterious black, alien goo (officially called a “symbiote”) bonds with Peter Parker.  At first, Peter loves the increased power that the suit gives him.  But the symbiote’s influence makes Peter/Spider-Man darker, angrier, and more violent.  In preparation for this blog, I watched portions of this film again, and it struck me how the black suit seems to be a metaphorical indication that the host is harboring bitterness, rage, and unforgiveness.  This was certainly the case for Peter for most of the film.  But it’s true of another character named Eddie Brock.

Eddie Brock is an interesting study (to say nothing of the fact that he was portrayed by Topher Grace; something that angered many fans).  Eddie Brock is Peter’s Parker’s rival.  The previous photographer of the Daily Bugle had quit, and both wanted to fill the vacant spot.  The editor, J. Jonah Jameson, issues a challenge: whoever can bring in a photograph of Spider-Man as the menace of the city that Jameson believes Spidey to be, that person will be rewarded with the job.

Brock resorts to trickery and deception; he doctors a fake photo of Spider-Man in the throes of crime.  Peter, still in black at this point, rightfully exposes Brock’s plot, but he does so with much more vengeful hate than was necessary, even going so far as to call Brock “trash.”  Spidey is exonerated, but he has gained an enemy.  The next time we see Eddie Brock, he goes to a church.  He is so angry, he actually asks God to kill Peter Parker.  Ultimately, just after Peter rejects the suit, the symbiote bonds with Eddie Brock, creating one of Spider-Man’s most formidable opponents: Venom.  Incidentally, he is never once referred to as Venom, a fact of the movie that still really bothers me to this day.  But I digress.

In the exciting conclusion, one can clearly see Eddie/Venom’s rage toward Peter.  For example, at one point, he essentially tells Peter, “You humiliated me, now I’m going to humiliate you.”  Once again, as I said before, the black suit is an indication that the person is harboring vengeance and unforgiveness.  This whole thing was a simple matter of revenge for Eddie.  He could have let the whole matter drop, but he never did.  I think this conveys an important truth: while we can’t live without being hurt, we don’t have to be like Eddie Brock; we can choose to let it go.  We can choose to forgive.  That’s why I love the ending scenes of Spider-Man 3.  Forgiveness is extended on multiple occasions; it is beautiful and glorious to see.

Kevin