"You, O Lord, are the lifter of my head"

In the last sermon he preached before he went home to be with the Lord, Dr. Rick Ferguson told an anecdote about an elderly lady who was driving her car.  When it began to conk out on her, she managed to coast off to the side of the road.  Soon a Good Samaritan gentleman stopped to help her.  As he was toying with the car trying to figure out what was wrong with it, he noticed that the gas gauge was all to the “E”.  “Well, ma’am,” he began.  “I think the problem might be that your car ran out of gas.”  The lady replied, “Well, do you think it will hurt it to drive it home that way?”  Then Pastor Rick asked this question: “Have you ever felt like you’ve run out of gas, but you had to keep going anyway?”
 

I relate to that question, more than ever before, and I can certainly answer with a resounding yes.  I often feel this way.  What is the reason for this?  Many readers will know the answer, but I’m going to state it again anyway: it is because three years ago, my dad unexpectedly entered his Heavenly reward.  Dad shouldered many responsibilities and burdens that I took for granted, but now, I feel the heavy weight of them.

I’ve been ministered to by many great Christian songs these three years, but to give just one today, I’ve been reflecting on the song by Colton Dixon simply called “You are”.  Check out these lyrics: “When I can’t find the words to say how much it hurts, You are the healing in my heart; when all I can see are broken memories, You are the light that’s in the dark.”  I miss my dad every day, but there are those raw, emotional, visceral times when I truly can’t “find the words to say how much it hurts” to be without him. 

The song goes on to say, “And when my circumstances leave me with empty hands, You are the provider of my needs.  When all my dirtiness has left me helpless, You are the rain that washes me” 
(for the full lyrics, and more information on the song, check out https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/coltondixon/youare.html).  

God is the One that has been good, faithful, kind, and generous to me these three years.  Psalm 3:3 says, “But You, O Lord, are a shield about me; my glory, and the lifter of my head” (ESV).  He is the “lifter of my head” because I know my dad is experiencing the wonders of Heaven, and one day, I will see him again.  What a day that will be!

Kevin

Celebrating Independence Day

If you’ve spent any time on this blog, you know that I enjoy sharing the origins of holidays.  Today is the 4th of July, or Independence Day.  This is the holiday that celebrates America’s independence from Great Britain.  This came, in large part, because of a document that details America’s ideals – the Declaration of Independence.

 

One helpful resource states, “Many times casual students of history tend to bypass the Declaration of Independence declaring that the document was written as a response to the taxation without representation that King George was imposing on the American people.  While this is in part true, this is far from the whole story.  The Declaration of Independence came about after a long period of suffering and even bloodshed on the part of the new American colonies.  The events leading up to the Declaration of Independence can constitute a whole study in and of themselves.  The document was carefully crafted to include all the reasons that separation was being demanded by the young country against the most powerful force in the world (on land or sea) Great Britain.

“The timeline of the Declaration took place over several weeks.  The Declaration was the result of several meetings and several different drafts: not a single copy as history would have us to believe.”  The article goes on to cite that from June 12-27, 1776 “Thomas Jefferson, at the request of the committee [appointed to compose the document] drafts a declaration [of independence].”  It also states that from July 1 to July 4, “Congress debates and revises the Declaration of Independence.”  (Source: https://www.surfnetkids.com/independenceday/265/what-any-citizen-should-know-about-the-declaration-of-independence/ )

Something that caught my attention was the high price for signing the document.  “There were 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence…In the time following the signing of the Declaration of Independence we see that the British threats were serious, as five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died…Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned, losing all of their earthly possessions.  Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.  Nine of the fifty six fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.”  (Source: https://www.surfnetkids.com/independenceday/258/who-signed-the-declaration-of-independence/ )

The just cited article concludes with this: “These men had everything to lose and risked it all to declare that citizens of America would no longer be forced to subject to the whims of unfair British rule.  Because they did, we live in a nation with liberty and justice; a nation that is united and seeks to foster general welfare and justice for all of us who have the privilege of being Americans.”

Kevin 

"Perchance to Dream" - birthday blog for 2018

I recently had one of those “Wow, I’m getting older” moments.  Last year, the classic TV show, “Batman: the Animated Series” celebrated its 25th anniversary.  It was in 1992 that this amazing show debuted.  I remember with fondness when this show was first on TV.  One website was spot-on when they said: “Over the last 25 years, there have been six Batman movies, multiple cartoons, dozens of toys, at least one massively successful video game franchise, and countless comic books.  But it was Batman: The Animated Series – which premiered Sept. 5, 1992 – that provided this era’s definitive version of the Dark Knight” (Source: http://ew.com/tv/batman-animated-series-episodes-ranked/).

This article goes on to showcase their list of 25 best “Batman: the Animated Series” episodes.  Several websites have similar lists of their favorites.  Every single one of the lists I came across mentions an episode called “Perchance to Dream”.  Rightly so, this is an excellent episode.  It is in my top 5 of best “Batman: the Animated Series” episodes ever made.

 

In the episode, Bruce Wayne wakes up to find that his life is completely different.  His parents are alive; he is engaged to Selina Kyle; and someone else has taken on the role of being Batman.  In essence, he is trapped inside a prison of a life of his heart’s desire.  But he refuses the fantasy, and he escapes (quite ingeniously, I might add).  The same article I cited from earlier has an intriguing comment on this episode.  He states, “Bruce doesn’t give into this temptation and rejects this world, choosing his dark crusade instead, which is one of the most heroic and heartbreaking things we’ll ever see him do on the show” (http://ew.com/tv/batman-animated-series-episodes-ranked/#6-perchance-to-dream-season-2-episode-1).  I wholeheartedly agree.

Today is my birthday.  Thinking about this marvelous Batman episode made me stop and ask myself this question: What would I do if I were introduced to a dream world like Bruce Wayne was in that episode?  Would I have the character to reject the fantasy and choose the harder life?  As I think about my life, I won’t sugarcoat it: sometimes my life is difficult.  The unexpected passing of my father almost three years ago changed my life.  I was the one that needed to pick up his torch and to shoulder the responsibilities he carried.  In short, my life has turn out differently than I ever could have imagined.  But I want to live this life because it is the life God has for me.

Kevin

Two heads are better than one

How time flies!  It was 10 years ago today that my brother, Mark, married his bride, my sister-in-law, Tiffany.  I remember the day like it was yesterday.  I had the great privilege of being Mark’s best man the day that we welcomed Tiffany into the Bauer family.

I wanted to include the vows that Mark said in the wedding.  Incidentally, Tiffany said the same words, except for the beginning.  “I, Mark, take you, Tiffany, to be my lawfully wedded wife; my constant friend; my faithful partner, and my love from this day forward.  In the presence of God, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow: to be your faithful partner, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow.  I promise to love you unconditionally; to support you in your goals; to honor and respect you; to laugh with you and cry with you; and to cherish you, for as long as we both shall live.”

At one point in Mark and Tiffany’s wedding, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 was quoted.  It reads, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.  Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.  And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”  The old saying is true: two heads are certainly better than one.  Congratulations on your 10th anniversary, Mark and Tiffany.

Kevin

When God says "no"

There are times in life when God says “no” to something that you wanted.  This was something that you felt was reasonable, but He mysteriously chooses to decline your request.  I could cite several illustrations of this in my life, but let me give you just one example. 

Today at work, I learned that a coworker of mine recently got engaged.  While I’m certainly very happy for her, she is probably 20 or 21 years old (although I’m guessing on this; I don’t ask a female her age).  Her life story is to get engaged in her 20’s.  By contrast, I’m turning 37 next week, and I’ve never been married, or engaged.  It doesn’t mean that I’ll never be married, but to this point anyway, God has said “no” to this desire.

How should you respond when God says “no” to you?  Actually, I addressed this in a blog back in January of 2012.  In a blog I titled “God’s ways and man’s ways” I began by talking about how there are times in my life when God chose to go in a different direction than I anticipated.  And then I said these words:

“Have you ever been there?  You thought God was going to go one way, but instead He went in another way altogether, and it shocked you.  What do we do in these situations when God makes absolutely no sense to us?  In Isaiah 55, God says, 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.' 

I own a precious cat named Belle.  She is my faithful companion.  Wherever I go, she goes.  Recently, I was playing a video game and, of course, Belle was right there with me watching me play.  It occurred to me that my cat had absolutely no idea why I was holding a controller and looking so intently at a TV screen.  Furthermore, if I stopped and explained to her what I was doing or why I was doing it, she wouldn’t get it.  My thoughts and ways are higher than hers.  I think that’s an example of how we are with the Lord.  If God stopped and explained what He was doing and why He was doing it, we wouldn’t comprehend a single word of it.

In those times when I became perplexed, even angry, at the way God is moving in my life, I have discovered that the best thing to do is to submit to His way.  One of my favorite preachers, Michael Youssef, recently said in a sermon that when God’s plan differs from ours, the best course of action is to realize that God’s plan is far superior.”  

I conclude by stating that I affirm once again today what I did back in 2012: God’s way is best.  I trust Him and His plan for me. 

Kevin

Father's Day, 2018 - Unforgettable

Way back in 1952, Nat King Cole performed a song written by Gordon Irving.  I want to dedicate it to my dad.  The song says, “Unforgettable, that’s what you are; unforgettable, though near or far.  Like a song of love that clings to me, how the thought of you does things to me…Unforgettable in every way, and forever more that’s how you’ll stay.”  https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/natkingcole/unforgettable.html

Whether you are talking about his faithfulness to God and his family, his genuine humility, his meticulous attention to detail, or his incredible sense of humor that no one else can ever duplicate, my dad Jerry Bauer, is unforgettable.  He is with Jesus in Heaven, but he will also be in my heart forever.  His example of love and selflessness remains with me to emulate and inspire.

Unforgettable

Happy Father’s Day!  

"Passing the torch"

In 1993, a TV show called “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” premiered.  The popularity of this show cannot be overstated.  One website puts it this way: “Mighty Morphin’ Powers Rangers is one of the few shows in the 90’s that managed to become so ubiquitous, so iconic, that it transcended its medium to become a full pop culture phenomenon” (source: https://unwinnable.com/2012/11/23/mighty-morphin-cultural-phenomenon/).  How very true.

In the middle of that first season, a new character was introduced.  His name was Tommy Oliver.  Originally, he was an evil Power Ranger, thanks to the spell that was put on him by Rita Repulsa (the main villain of the first season).  When the spell was broken, he was offered the chance to fight alongside the other Rangers, and defeat Rita.  He accepted.  As time went on, he proved to be a valuable ally.  So much so, he was eventually promoted to be the leader of the Power Rangers.  Years passed; his teammates changed, as did the weapons, and the version of the Ranger powers as well, but Tommy remained the faithful warrior.  One website was apt when it described Tommy as “a legend among the Ranger community” (http://powerrangers.wikia.com/wiki/Tommy_Oliver).

But ultimately, the time came for Tommy – and the rest of his veteran teammates – to retire.  In an episode titled “Passing the Torch”, Tommy chose a valiant young man named T.J. to be his successor, and new leader of the Power Rangers.

 

I can relate to some of the feelings that T.J. must have been feeling.  I say this because almost three years ago, my dad finished his race.  He passed the torch to me.  Like Tommy, my dad is considered a legend.  How do you take over for a legend?  Every day I feel the weight of the solemn responsibility of carrying the torch, and walking in the footprints that Dad walked.

To conclude, I’m strangely comforted by the fact that T.J.’s Ranger team was an impressive team.  No, T.J. couldn’t be Tommy; that would be impossible and unreasonable to expect.  But the next season – “Power Rangers: in Space” is one of my favorite seasons of Power Rangers.  Just thinking about that season makes me want to watch that epic adventure again.  T.J. and the team served in a way that would have made Tommy proud.  This parallels the call in my life to carry the torch and serve with humility, courage, and nobility.

Kevin