While on our trip back home to MT we had the opportunity to go back to our old church for a Sunday service. I don't remember the topic exactly but, Pastor Simmons was talking about where and what we put our faith in. He made some comments to the idea that, we have become a nation that sways depending on who is in the White House ( as if the right guy in the oval office can create heaven on earth and, the wrong guy can lead us to hell in a hand basket.) Do we put our faith in the economy, as if a bear market means we must all be in sin and are being punished and a bull market means the Lord is smiling upon us as a beacon for all to see. Yet, in a country like China where the government reigns and there's little in concern for "The Market" people are coming to find salvation in numbers that make the entire US look small. In these terms, we are a night light trying to outshine a light house beacon.
But what troubled me during the time I sat and listened to these words was not the points indicated, I know where my faith lies. But what does it mean to have faith and find solace in the Lord. What exactly do I have faith in, what do I believe and trust in Jesus? I have faith that God will....fill in the blank. If I know where my faith lies, why do I still feel anxious? What do I not trust? Is my sense of unease and unrest an indicator that I must not really trust in the Lord? Trust in Him for what?
Do I trust that He will upright the economy and make life easier? This is an absurd thing to trust anything in. An upright economy leads to a decadent society that thinks it can pave its own path, why would the Lord want to see this occur. And our historical archive, the Bible, doesn't indicate a lot of times when the Lord went in and made things hunky dory because His people were afraid of hardship. Seven years of plenty meant seven years of famine. 40 years of manna doesn't sound like life living high on the hog.
Do I trust that He will put a godly man in the office that will lead us all into becoming a godly nation? Equally absurd. He puts godly men in homes to lead their families. The man in the office is an indicator of where the country has already come, not an indicator of where it will go. King Saul anyone. The Lord doesn't touch His people thru governments. We are a government of the people, by the people, for the people.
So I sat and pondered this during the sermon, sorry Pastor Stan but the Lord and I have some of our best conversations while you guys are up there talking to the crowd. If I know where my faith lies, in the Lord; what is it I have faith in Him to do? And this is where the Lord blessed me with a picture of my oldest son, Titus.
See, Titus is autistic. He does not like change. This isn't your typical child like aversion to chaos. I often explain to people that there are four levels of stability in all of our lives:
static (predictably predictable) " The minute indicator on the clock just turned into a new number, in 60 seconds it will change again." No questions about it, this will happen over and over again as long as we have clocks. We all know what will happen, when it will happen, how it will happen, and what follows. Predictably Predictable, very few will question or challenge this condition.
Predictable: Sometime today I will get hungry, thirsty, sleepy...our daily habits. We can, to a fair degree of certainty, declare that these things will occur and, give a fair estimate to what period of the day they will occur as well. There is a slight degree of uncertainty as to the exact time, place, or what the meal will be. But we can be safe to say that they will most likely occur.
Unpredictable: Believe it or not, this is still a safe environment, we kind of like living in this state part of the time. It keeps us awake in the monotony. This is the state of life we see a lot of surprises. It occurs within a controlled environment that has a lot of known but only slightly controlled variables (I know, I am an engineer and write like one at times, sorry about that.) Kids at a birthday party that is well chaperoned. There will be spontaneous events and possible unpredicted outbursts of screaming. But the environment is still somewhat safe and controlled.
Chaos (unpredictably unpredictable) A person in great shape, runs every day, eats right and drops dead of a heart attack while reading a bedtime story. Devastating by its result, shocking by its occurrence and, completely unforeseen by anyone around. Or in my sons case, a room full of four year olds all standing up to sing a song. Not one in tune, none singing together, some singing the wrong song and he was caught in the middle of this incredible thunderstorm of unmelodic and non-harmonious mayhem.
Why this list in this post? To help you understand that my son loves to be in the first phase. Some of us see this as monotony run amuck. He sees this as the safest environment known to man and created by God. And I think deep down, most of us would like that kind of stability in our lives too. Our lives are dictated by clocks, calendars, daytimers, alarms, the rising and setting of the sun and routines that help us get thru the day. Titus is simply an amplification of what lies within all of us.
Why is this understanding important? Because when Titus was a baby/toddler, I was still in school chasing my degree and Karen had to work. We had a schedule that was so tight that a five minute delay meant we were off by five minutes for the rest of the day. Yet, every day was a different schedule. And Titus became our little football, handed off back and forth between Karen and I as we navigated the rapids of full time jobs, a house and, chasing an engineering degree. Normal kids become loopy under such condtions. But Titus smiled thru all of it. Down economy and a sad state of affairs with our schools and government, Titus road the waves. High times and good paycheks, Titus road the waves. How can an autistic child that craves a static environment get thru such a chaotic first few years without freaking out on us?
Blue! Not the color or state of mind, the bunny. Blue the Bunny? When Titus was a new baby he was given a blue rag type bunny that was bigger than he was. He liked its ears. He would suck on those ears until they turned brown and we had to wash him. Blue went everywhere with Titus. It soothed him when he couldn't sleep and helped up his first set of stairs. If Titus was there, Blue was too. Titus is nearly 10 years old now and, Blue is still in his bed soothing him to sleep.
The thing is, no matter what kind of world was flinging around my son, Blue never changed. Up early, up late, going with mom, going with dad, in the car, in the truck, going to sleep, waking up...Blue was always there and still the same.
So on that Sunday morning while the pastor was giving his sermon, I was asking the Lord, "If we say we have faith in you, what exactly are we saying and what does that mean?" And the ever the same unchaging Lord showed me a picture of Titus holding Blue by the ears and said to me," If this child can find solace in a little rag doll bunny with wash cloth ears that helped him get thru the craziest days of his life...what do you think will happen to you if you hold onto my hand and seek solace in me?"
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Go Make Your Bed!
Ok, so here is the story.
About a month back I was driving home from a "Dad's at the Helm" fathers group at our church. One of the table leaders challenged us with the thought of, "How many people or families do you know personally that are not well off, poor?" His challenge was for us to find away for us and our family to personally touch someone who could use a helping hand.
On my way home I felt the Lord tell me to make a bed. No, not make my bed, make A bed. See, I have made a set of lofted beds for my kids. These are simple design, plain old pinewood 2x4 constructed beds. Nothing special or fancy, just a plain old twin size bed that sits almost 5 feet off the ground. They open up the space under a bed where toys, shelfs, cribs...whatever needs space can go. I have tinkered with the idea of trying to sell them on the side but, they don't compete very well with factory made fancy bed frames that can be bought on the cheap from places like Target, Wal-Mart and IKEA.
Anyhow, I'm driving home wondering how to meet this challenge and I get a picture of these beds in my head and the Lord says, go make a bed. You make a bed and I'll find the family, okay? Okay.
So, I went to the lumber store and selected some good 2x4's. I was building a bed for the Lord, what a joy. The last few weeks I have been putting in a couple of hours on the weekends and evenings building a loft bed. A plain simple 2x4 pinewood loft bed. I am not one for aesthetics, so those who know me should know that these are very simple designs. With each bed I get a little better. But i worked like I was building a bed for the Lord. He was going to inspect it, he was watching its progression, no short changing or cutting corners.
There have been some delays, there always are when our enemy doesn't want us to finish our work when it is for our Lord. I sometimes worried that I didn't get enough materials. The Lord always coalmed me down and whispered, I have given you exactly what you need. At the lumber store a bought a couple of extra pieces just in case something didn't work out just right. In the end, all was consumed. The Lord knew I would goof up that first few cuts and made sure there was an extra piece for the event. And I always found other things that needed to be done. When we came home from vacation a tree had blown down in our yard. Another disctraction but, the Lord told me I would be able to finish it this weekend, I had an overwhelming sense that I would have the time to do so.
This afternoon, Noah and I sanded it down and dusted it off. Dismantled it and set it in the garage. I took some photos earlier in the day while it was still together. We went inside and I posted it in the FREE section of Craigslist. Within 10 minutes I had 7 responses...and a challenge, which one of the 7 responses was the one the Lord had picked out? So, like any good and wise man, I read them to my ever so discerning wife. She told me she liked two of them but, when she recited which one(s) she liked back to me from memory of what I had read, both of the stories were from the same response, and we had a ringer.
So I graciously told the other responders that I would let them know when the next bed might be available and gave our winner a call.
Her response to my add was plain and simple, their 4 year old had outgrown the toddler bed, needed to upgrade to a big girl bed but, they had 5 kids (4 girls and a brand new baby of 7 weeks) The 4 year old had to share a room with her sisters and a loft bed was just what they had been looking for.
Now, from this response I figured the 4 year old was sharing a room with some of her sisters. My mistake, this is a family of 7 living in a 2 room single level condo/ apartment. All 4 girls are sharing one room. The baby brother is finally home after several weeks in the NICU after being born at 32 weeks. Mom and dad are healthy but are 2 months behind in just about everything. The wife told me they had been watching CL adds for a couple of weeks but the prices were too high for their budget. ( Some CL beds go for less than $50).
On the way there I got nervous over the fact that the bed I had made was simple plain and made of pinewood. I feared that they may be disappointed by the fact that it was still dusty and used carriage bolts. When Noah and I arrived, they opened the door and showed us where the bed was going to go. They had piled all they could onto the other beds in the room to clear a space for this new bed coming into their home. Such a tiny room for 4 girls.
As I opened up the back of our van, the husband, Ryan, came out to help us unload it and was surprised to see what lay in the back of our vehicle. "Wow, you made this? This looks really nice...you made this?" As I helped them assemble it. "wow, this goes together so much easier than that [factory made] one over there." "This is such better wood and so much sturdier than that [factory made] one." "wow, you made this?" "Thank you so much for giving this away, we shopped all over and could never find one we could afford, really, thank you so much."
Here I was worried about making a plain and simple 2x4 pinewood bed and not meeting their expectations and this family was so thankful that they were being given a good sturdy bed that far exceeded what they thought or expected. A little pine dust was minor.
On the way home a fleeting thought went thru my mind that the Lord slapped me for, I sure hope they are a deserving family....SLAP...you don't get to make that decision, you don't get to make that judgement, you don't even have the right to think that thought. You build it, let me worry about who gets it. You keep up your end and let me worry about the other end.
This all still goes back to the whole ox thing. I don't get to brag about the bed, who got it, how it was made, none of it. I just have to build it. It is because of my Lord that I have the mind that I have got to be able to see this bed in my head before a piece of wood is picked, let alone cut. It is because of my Lord that I get to labor in his shop and make plain and simple things. I don't get to see what the Lord does in this family, I just get the privilege of being part of his story in their lives.
Take up my yoke for my burden is lite...you don't get to pick the field.. it is not your place to plant the seed...you may not get to be part of the harvest...you don't get to brag about the crop...you don't get to brag about the soil or the field...you didn't make the furos straight...and you may not be the one to help water the rows...Just pull, and listen to His voice whisper in my ear, "go make a bed....that's nice...right there...good job."
When I got home my wife wanted to know how it went. I have to say, I think I was at a loss for words. You build it, I'll find the family for it, deal? Just pull, let me do the rest. God's requests can be so simple. Go make a bed. That's it. Go make a bed. And because I took the gifts and talents the Lord has given me and put them to work to make a plain and simple bed, the Lord took them and I got to be a plain and simple blessing in someone else's life today. Karen asked me if I needed to go to the lumber store this evening and get materials for another bed.
Though the night was getting long and most stores were closed, I have to admit, I almost took her up on it. I am excited to go and make another bed.
I now have a simple list of people I get to pray for:
Bed #1: Titus and Noah
Bed #2: Ciciley (and Lucas)
Bed #3: Cheryce, Ryan, and a family of 5 kids
Bed#4: Only God knows right now.
About a month back I was driving home from a "Dad's at the Helm" fathers group at our church. One of the table leaders challenged us with the thought of, "How many people or families do you know personally that are not well off, poor?" His challenge was for us to find away for us and our family to personally touch someone who could use a helping hand.
On my way home I felt the Lord tell me to make a bed. No, not make my bed, make A bed. See, I have made a set of lofted beds for my kids. These are simple design, plain old pinewood 2x4 constructed beds. Nothing special or fancy, just a plain old twin size bed that sits almost 5 feet off the ground. They open up the space under a bed where toys, shelfs, cribs...whatever needs space can go. I have tinkered with the idea of trying to sell them on the side but, they don't compete very well with factory made fancy bed frames that can be bought on the cheap from places like Target, Wal-Mart and IKEA.
Anyhow, I'm driving home wondering how to meet this challenge and I get a picture of these beds in my head and the Lord says, go make a bed. You make a bed and I'll find the family, okay? Okay.
So, I went to the lumber store and selected some good 2x4's. I was building a bed for the Lord, what a joy. The last few weeks I have been putting in a couple of hours on the weekends and evenings building a loft bed. A plain simple 2x4 pinewood loft bed. I am not one for aesthetics, so those who know me should know that these are very simple designs. With each bed I get a little better. But i worked like I was building a bed for the Lord. He was going to inspect it, he was watching its progression, no short changing or cutting corners.
There have been some delays, there always are when our enemy doesn't want us to finish our work when it is for our Lord. I sometimes worried that I didn't get enough materials. The Lord always coalmed me down and whispered, I have given you exactly what you need. At the lumber store a bought a couple of extra pieces just in case something didn't work out just right. In the end, all was consumed. The Lord knew I would goof up that first few cuts and made sure there was an extra piece for the event. And I always found other things that needed to be done. When we came home from vacation a tree had blown down in our yard. Another disctraction but, the Lord told me I would be able to finish it this weekend, I had an overwhelming sense that I would have the time to do so.
This afternoon, Noah and I sanded it down and dusted it off. Dismantled it and set it in the garage. I took some photos earlier in the day while it was still together. We went inside and I posted it in the FREE section of Craigslist. Within 10 minutes I had 7 responses...and a challenge, which one of the 7 responses was the one the Lord had picked out? So, like any good and wise man, I read them to my ever so discerning wife. She told me she liked two of them but, when she recited which one(s) she liked back to me from memory of what I had read, both of the stories were from the same response, and we had a ringer.
So I graciously told the other responders that I would let them know when the next bed might be available and gave our winner a call.
Her response to my add was plain and simple, their 4 year old had outgrown the toddler bed, needed to upgrade to a big girl bed but, they had 5 kids (4 girls and a brand new baby of 7 weeks) The 4 year old had to share a room with her sisters and a loft bed was just what they had been looking for.
Now, from this response I figured the 4 year old was sharing a room with some of her sisters. My mistake, this is a family of 7 living in a 2 room single level condo/ apartment. All 4 girls are sharing one room. The baby brother is finally home after several weeks in the NICU after being born at 32 weeks. Mom and dad are healthy but are 2 months behind in just about everything. The wife told me they had been watching CL adds for a couple of weeks but the prices were too high for their budget. ( Some CL beds go for less than $50).
On the way there I got nervous over the fact that the bed I had made was simple plain and made of pinewood. I feared that they may be disappointed by the fact that it was still dusty and used carriage bolts. When Noah and I arrived, they opened the door and showed us where the bed was going to go. They had piled all they could onto the other beds in the room to clear a space for this new bed coming into their home. Such a tiny room for 4 girls.
As I opened up the back of our van, the husband, Ryan, came out to help us unload it and was surprised to see what lay in the back of our vehicle. "Wow, you made this? This looks really nice...you made this?" As I helped them assemble it. "wow, this goes together so much easier than that [factory made] one over there." "This is such better wood and so much sturdier than that [factory made] one." "wow, you made this?" "Thank you so much for giving this away, we shopped all over and could never find one we could afford, really, thank you so much."
Here I was worried about making a plain and simple 2x4 pinewood bed and not meeting their expectations and this family was so thankful that they were being given a good sturdy bed that far exceeded what they thought or expected. A little pine dust was minor.
On the way home a fleeting thought went thru my mind that the Lord slapped me for, I sure hope they are a deserving family....SLAP...you don't get to make that decision, you don't get to make that judgement, you don't even have the right to think that thought. You build it, let me worry about who gets it. You keep up your end and let me worry about the other end.
This all still goes back to the whole ox thing. I don't get to brag about the bed, who got it, how it was made, none of it. I just have to build it. It is because of my Lord that I have the mind that I have got to be able to see this bed in my head before a piece of wood is picked, let alone cut. It is because of my Lord that I get to labor in his shop and make plain and simple things. I don't get to see what the Lord does in this family, I just get the privilege of being part of his story in their lives.
Take up my yoke for my burden is lite...you don't get to pick the field.. it is not your place to plant the seed...you may not get to be part of the harvest...you don't get to brag about the crop...you don't get to brag about the soil or the field...you didn't make the furos straight...and you may not be the one to help water the rows...Just pull, and listen to His voice whisper in my ear, "go make a bed....that's nice...right there...good job."
When I got home my wife wanted to know how it went. I have to say, I think I was at a loss for words. You build it, I'll find the family for it, deal? Just pull, let me do the rest. God's requests can be so simple. Go make a bed. That's it. Go make a bed. And because I took the gifts and talents the Lord has given me and put them to work to make a plain and simple bed, the Lord took them and I got to be a plain and simple blessing in someone else's life today. Karen asked me if I needed to go to the lumber store this evening and get materials for another bed.
Though the night was getting long and most stores were closed, I have to admit, I almost took her up on it. I am excited to go and make another bed.
I now have a simple list of people I get to pray for:
Bed #1: Titus and Noah
Bed #2: Ciciley (and Lucas)
Bed #3: Cheryce, Ryan, and a family of 5 kids
Bed#4: Only God knows right now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)