Friday, May 18, 2018

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I think some of our best family memories are from our camping vacations. See, we got real close - I mean, literally - sleeping together in our little tent. We enjoyed beautiful scenery, great outdoor-cooked meals, a peaceful environment, and living by the sun. Of course, there are a few downsides - like those very dark nights in very dark campgrounds.

I can remember our boys' ambivalence to walk to the bathroom on nights like those. They had the need to use the facilities and that was undeniable, but the dark path and the dark woods...well, they were scary, especially knowing there were bears in those woods. But one thing would un-paralyze them - when they reached up in the dark and found my hand. Once they were holding their father's hand, you know what? They could keep walking into the darkness.

Thursday, May 17, 2018

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Several years ago on an Indian reservation, a friend there told us about an elderly neighbor of hers who had taken an unusual pet into her house. It was a half wolf and half dog. Half wild and half domesticated, and as it turned out, big trouble. One morning that wolf dog picked up the lady's granddaughter and began to carry her away. The grandmother saw it, and she screamed at the top of her lungs. The animal stopped and froze in this moment of evident struggle between his wild side and his tame side. The wolf dog looked straight at this screaming lady, totally unafraid; his wild side wasn't scared at all. His wild side wanted that child. But then in one dramatic moment, the animal dropped the child and let her go. The tame side finally won, but there were still a lot of scars.

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

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I was speaking for a youth camp, and I'd been pouring out my heart to those teenagers in service after service. At the end of the week, some kids came up to me and said, "Do you know what really affected us the most this week?" I was kind of waiting to hear which message, or which illustration, or which challenge had impacted them. It wasn't any of those things. These teenagers said, "You know, Ron, we've been watching you with your wife this week. We've seen how you treat her, how you put your arm around her, and how you talk to her. That's what impressed us."

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

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Roger was the father of a friend of mine, and he was a very successful businessman. That's probably why a neighbor approached Roger one day and asked him if he wanted to be involved in a new hamburger chain he was starting. It was a little outfit called McDonald's. Roger was offered the fourth franchise in this brand new venture and a founding share. Roger thought about it and then said, "No, thanks." Ouch! Later, another neighbor came to Roger and told him about this new business he was launching called Service Master. Would Roger like to get in the ground floor with an investment? Roger thought about it and said, "No, thanks." Double ouch! As McDonald's and Service Master grew to be some of the most successful companies in the world, I wonder what must have gone through Roger's mind. He had been on the brink of so much wealth, but he missed it because of one decision.

Monday, May 14, 2018

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You hear a lot of talk about Biblical prophecies being fulfilled and about the signs that precede Christ's return. But when you're little, all this talk about how things are going to end can have an interesting effect. One friend of ours told me recently about his little boy. He said, "Daddy, I sure hope Jesus comes real soon." His Dad asked him why, and the little boy responded, "Well, I'm really looking forward to sitting on Jesus' lap, and I'll be seven pretty soon. If Jesus doesn't come soon, I might be too old to sit on His lap!" Dad was able to give his son the good news, "Son, you are never too old for Jesus' lap." Oh, I love it!

Friday, May 11, 2018

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Norma Jean was born on a cold, snowy day after a battle just to get into this world. Norma Jean - a little white calf whose mother wouldn't have anything to do with her, and she lay out in the snow and the cold for many hours, actually, before her owner realized her predicament. That newborn was in pretty bad shape, with her hind legs not even supporting her when she tried to stand. Her attempts to get up were, well, they were pitiful. Kenny is a teenager, and he doesn't live on the farm where that calf was born. But when he saw her, he offered to take her and try to pull her through. The farmer was pretty pessimistic about the calf making it, but Kenny arranged for her to stay in a stall in a friend's barn. Every morning, he drove to that barn before school, and he faithfully fed Norma Jean a big bottle of milk substitute, and he slowly nursed her back to health. You know what? Eventually, that calf who had been on her last legs literally was now bouncing all over the place on four good legs!

Thursday, May 10, 2018

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Yes, it was during those days of tribulation when our son was learning to drive. He made an interesting observation about our family chariot. He said, "Hey, Dad, this car really runs smooth." That was interesting, because that car had 150,000 miles on it! It definitely showed it on the outside. I mean, look, it had celebrated about ten birthdays and you could tell. But a lot of parts had been replaced along the way. The reason that car ran so well? Well, it just had so many new parts on the inside!

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

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Having seen far too many traffic accidents in my travels over the years, I appreciated a story I heard some years ago from Adrian Rogers. A lady was driving down the highway when she came upon the scene of a terrible accident. She got out of the car, and she saw this driver who had been thrown from the car. He was seriously injured and he was bleeding profusely. Later the lady recounted her response to this heart-rending scene. She said, "Thank goodness, I remembered my First Aid just when it was needed the most, and I immediately put my head between my knees to keep from passing out!"

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

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I've got to tell you, it was a nostalgic time when we drove away that last time from our home of 24 years. We left behind a lot of memories in the walls, and a couple in the tree in the far corner of the backyard. See, when the kids were little, Karen and I decided we wanted to build the kids a tree house. So we made a plan, got some lumber, and started our little project. We laid down a couple of boards between two branches – it was the beginning of a floor for the tree house. Then we took a break. And we kept taking a break, and we never went back. Oh, yes, we intended to finish that house – but right up until the day we moved, those boards were all that ever happened.

Monday, May 7, 2018

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Seattle-Earthquake! As I watched those words appearing on CNN's Breaking News years ago, it really caught my attention in that airport. I expected to see the word "earthquake" associated with a place like California or other parts of the world, but that day it was Seattle-6.8 on the Richter scale. Now, thankfully, the damage was not nearly as great as it could have been, but the experience was a sobering reminder of how unstable the ground beneath them really is. During the quake, a camera was rolling during a meeting in a conference room, and the video showed the reactions as the realization dawned on each person that his world was suddenly shaking. One moment, it was business as usual. The next moment, man, everything was moving.

Friday, May 4, 2018

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Linda, one of the members of our ministry team, married a guy with an eye. I mean, an eye for artistic possibilities. Ted works on home improvement projects, and he actually helped to improve our home a little bit not long ago. For example, he created this beautiful shelf in our living room. It's made from wood that he scouted and found in the nearby forest. My wife said, "Hey, we're the only ones with a shelf just like that." Ted does originals. Recently, he took Linda out into the woods to see a tree that he thought had tremendous artistic possibilities. So, he envisioned out loud what he wanted to make of it. Linda's comment on this little field trip was slightly amusing: "Ted saw this beautiful work of art. All I saw was a tree."

Thursday, May 3, 2018

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Our family has had the wonderful opportunity of visiting some of the most beautiful places in America, and taking in some incredible views. From the top of towering mountains, from the edge of the Grand Canyon, and in my wife's estimation, often too close to the edge. There's good news and bad news about getting real close to the edge. The bad news is. it is dangerous at the edge – you can fall off. But the good news is, the view from the edge is spectacular!

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

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For the most part, Spring is a season we really look forward to. I mean, everything's blooming, colorful. Unfortunately, though, Spring isn't just flowers-it's floods! Some folks who live by rivers and streams, well they hold their breath a little each Spring. Every year we see vivid pictures of whole areas submerged under floodwaters, and we hear interviews with victims who have lost a lot of their possessions. But invariably, you will hear those victims say, "But we're thankful that at least all of us are safe." You know it's true. I mean, things can be replaced...people can't. It was back in the spring of 1997; it was Kentucky's turn to get hit by major flooding. On the news they showed a list on the wall-a list that was pretty moving to see. At the top were these words: "Missing people," then the names of loved ones who were missing in the flood. But some of those names had a beautiful five-letter word scrawled over them: "Found."

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

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We were with our Native American team to Alaska, and I probably ate more salmon and learned more about salmon than I had all the rest of my life. We were in the Kodiak area one day, and our host took us to this neat little swimming area with a charming little waterfall. And I watched this salmon trying to jump up the waterfall to the stream above it. And he made it! I thought, "Man, that's the gutsiest fish I've ever seen!" Our host explained to us that the salmon was actually heading home - back to where he came from originally. Apparently, after a salmon is spawned, he heads downstream and ultimately out to sea where he spends a lot of his life. But eventually he seems to hear the call to go back to where he came from, even though it means a rugged upstream swim. Something summons him to fight his way back to where he began.

Monday, April 30, 2018

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I have had the wonderful privilege of being in all of the United States actually. One of the last I had the opportunity to visit was one of the most beautiful - Alaska. When I went there the first time, I was impressed with the motto they had on their license plates. It seemed pretty appropriate. "Alaska - The Last Frontier." I can see why they say that. There are hundreds and thousands of miles of unpopulated expanse, abundant wildlife like bears and moose and eagles, great untamed areas, even some untamed people. There's a wildness that does seem to make it the last frontier.

Friday, April 27, 2018

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Now it's pretty rare to see an eagle in our area, so I've had to settle for another bird that at least soars like an eagle. They're the turkey vultures that I see circling overhead so often. I actually love to watch their gracious flight. I mean, I hate to think about their repulsive diet. But as you know, these vultures like to chow down on dead animals. Wherever you see vultures, you can pretty well assume there's a carcass somewhere nearby.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

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My wife and I had an unforgettable time on the little island of Haiti some years ago. You know, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and a heartbreaking place for anyone with a little compassion in their heart. While we were there, missionaries told us about one recent tragedy that was indicative of so many in the lives of these beautiful people. There had been an epidemic of conjunctivitis, or "pinkeye" as it's often called. Women were frustrated by having their eyes crusted over or just running like they do with conjunctivitis, so they tried what they thought might cure it-bleach. They rubbed bleach in their eyes. You know the outcome.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

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I've traveled a lot. Of course, sometimes I drive, and time matters a lot. So over the years, I've learned a fundamental secret of making great time on the open road. Not speeding – just driving steady. Over and over, I've watched what I call a "spurter" come roaring up behind me. (You've seen them too.) He does everything but push you into the right lane. He's obviously well into the State Trooper Zone as far as his speed's concerned. So I move over...he roars past...but I catch up with him a few miles later without ever changing my speed. See, he's settled back into the right lane, just cruising along. (Have you passed this guy, too?) He speeds in binges, he floors it one minute and then he's just tapping the accelerator a few minutes later. I usually make excellent time driving places, and I've talked to other marathon drivers who are used to getting places fast. And we pretty much agree. How do you trim hours off a long trip? A steady foot. The fast way to get somewhere is not with big spurts, but with a consistent, steady speed. 

Monday, April 23, 2018

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There was a movie years ago called "The Horse Whisperer." I thought it was about a man with laryngitis, but it's actually about this man who has an amazing ability to gentle horses-horses that it seems no one else can tame. In fact, the main character was modeled after a real man whose skill in gentling and training wild mustangs is almost legendary. In the past, people have used some pretty brutal methods to force a horse into submission. But the real horse whisperer doesn't "break horses." He uses body language and, yes, some quiet talking as his tools to gentle a horse that otherwise would be uncontrollable.

Friday, April 20, 2018

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One of our team members reminded me the other day of how I felt about junior high school lunches. He was talking about it in our team devotions. Few of us remember those 7th or 8th grade cafeteria lunches with great fondness. Friday wasn't bad – that was French fry day. But most of the other days – who knows what some of that stuff was - mystery meat! We'd complain about the food, we'd trash the food sometimes, and sometimes we even had a food fight with it! Hey, it's junior high; what do you want? There were many days I wasn't too excited about what was on my plate. There still are.