Have you ever gotten lost?

I got lost last night. I was leaving the funeral parlor in Watertown after paying my respects to the family. I headed back the way I came but at the third light I saw a sign that pointed out a different way back to the highway.

I had to make a decision. Should I go back the way I came or follow the sign and discover a possible short cut. I felt like a little kid as I chose option two. I was up for a bit of an adventure. How could I go wrong?

Twenty five minutes and 16 miles later, I had to chuckle to myself. I had not only gotten lost but I ended up heading to Danbury instead of back to Hartford. I thought about the fact that too often we end up doing the same thing in other areas of our lives.

We think we know a short cut or a better way to get things done than the straight and narrow path God has laid out before us. We cut corners a little bit, tell a fib here or there. We push the envelope and try to squeeze our way into the places we want to be whether or not they are good for our soul. And when we get lost, we throw up our hands and ask why God let it happen.

The truth is that even though following the tried and true path may seem boring at times, we always get where we want to go. That's worth something. It also pleases God.

So next time I go awandering, I'm going to try and remember how I got lost this time. Maybe the ride home will look a little brighter.

Cal

Sewing seeds of faith

He didn't even remember me. Dick Bausman was the man who encouraged me to take a student pastorate during my seminary days. He was my practicum leader in my second year of seminary. He told me that I had good instincts for ministry and suggested I see Dr. Orlando Tibbetts about candidating for a position in a small church in Rhode Island. His reference and encouragement led to me accepting the call to my first church, the Cross Mills Baptist Church in Chalrestown, Rhode Island.

On Saturday I saw him for the first time in 25 years and he had no clue who I was. I had to laugh. I had followed his career from afar, always noting where he was. He was one of those men who had been influential in my life and I was a blip on his radar screen that had long since disappeared.

Don't get me wrong. I am not stewing over it. Actually it made me realize just how God works in getting things done. He uses us to plant seeds in everything we do. God uses every word, every smile, every bit of love and encouragement to reach people and touch their lives. We might have an effect on somebody we meet along the way and not even aware of it.

As if to punctuate this point, God with his great sense of humor, set me up this morning. At 6:00 a.m. I went to McDonalds for a bagel and a coffee. As I was standing in line waiting for my order, one of the ladies who worked there looked at me and said, "I know you!" She looked vaguely familiar but I couldn't place her. She continued, "You married me in New London last year." I said, "Congratulations. I hope you guys are still going strong."

So you never know the good you will do. Just keep following Jesus and you will be a blessing to those you meet.

Cal

Introducing Jesus to a friend

You can find some cute things on God tube. I found this little ditty tonight. Enjoy!

Cal

Road signs from God

I love breakfast. This morning I went to Old Tymes and had the basic two egg breakfast. I know it isn't good for my heart and my cholesterol, but I don't do it every day. It is one of those things that I do on occasion that simply adds joy to my plate.

Do you have things that you do that accomplish the same thing? For years I played softball. After a broken leg, two dislocated shoulders, a broken finger and numerous scrapes, bruises and minor injuries my wife made me quit. When I asked her why she simply replied, "You should know better than to ask!"

Some people like to shop and they just get a thrill out of picking up a bargain. Others like to go to a good dance club and have a good time. Some folks stop in at one of the Casino and play for a little while.

I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with any of these activities. When done in moderation they can be very helpful in allowing us to unwind and enjoy life. The problem is that too many of us go overboard. Our "fun" button gets stuck and we go to extremes and end up hurting ourselves. We eat too much, or drink too much or stay out too late or break something. The fun then begins to turn around and bite us.

The Bible talks about doing things in moderation. Life is really about balancing everything we do. God warns us that when we step past the boundaries he has put out there, we are going to end up in trouble and distress.

When I was little I didn't like the fact that my parents told me I couldn't do certain things. As I grew up I began to understand some of their warnings and realized that they were there to protect me more than anything else. The same is true with God. The admonitions in the Bible, the Commandments, the warnings arise out of God's deep love for us and his desire that we live long and fruitful lives.

So think about what you are doing especially if the Bible throws up a red flag. It just might save your life.

Cal

Are you ready for your debate?

I was watching the debate tonight and I had a terrifying thought. What if we had to run for the position of follower of Jesus Christ? What if we had to prove ourselves to God before he voted for us. Would we rehearse and study up so that we wouldn't sound foolish? What parts of our track record would we bring up and tout before the Lord and what part would we hope he wasn't aware of? How many times would we duck the question and answer in a way that brings out our strong suit? Would we point the finger of blame at someone else or would we stand up and admit when we were wrong?

It's a scary thought. Thankfully we won't have to do that. Why? Because we have an advocate that is a master debater. He'll stand up and defend us before God. He will even go so far as to take our punishment if the tide goes against us and someone has to pay the price. Actually, he already has so the verdict has been set aside and we can start over and live to his glory. Praise God!

Cal

Where is your label from?

I am sitting here looking at a bunch of very pretty return address labels that I received from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital. They have my name and address on them with some lovely scenes in the corner. The amazing thing is that I didn't order them or give anything to the hospital to get them. They just arrived in my mailbox as a free gift.

I haven't used any yet, but I am going to when I send out a few letters this afternoon. Nobody will know where I got them. They aren't part of an advertising campaign. They will actually make me look pretty good and even very trendy.

It got me thinking about the way God operates. He does the same thing. He blesses us before we even do anything to honor or serve him. God doesn't withhold his benefits or his love until we accomplish a certain number of things. He gives it freely in advance of anything we can or will do.

He called Abraham to follow him and told him he would be the father of a great nation and a light unto the world. He told David that he would be king and that his house would reign forever even before he was a man. He told Peter, Andrew, James and john that they would be fishers of men before they even dropped their nets to follow him.

What's even more amazing is the fact that as the apostle Paul tells us, that while we were yet sinners, God gave his son for us. We didn't do anything to deserve God's grace. He made the first move with the hope that we would respond in love and embrace his gift going forward.

I thank God for that. Now we can accept his gracious gift and use it to bring glory to God.

Cal

A lesson learned

Someone once said that "perception is reality." This is a great statement that speaks volumes about the way we interact with each other. I learned how true it was the other day when I received an email from a friend of mine who took exception to an article I passed on to him and a few others.

My friend read this article and immediately jumped to the conclusion that I was bashing not only his political candidate but a whole other class of people. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. Yet, his own internal filters picked up certain words and he jumped to a conclusion without regard to our friendship and our history.

He did exactly what he accused me of doing. He put me in a stereotype and found me guilty. The truth is that I was guilty because I had sent him that article. It didn't matter what it said. What mattered was how he took it. For that is what got him going. He perceived that article as an attack on what he believes in. I should have been more sensitive.

I think that is what the Apostle Paul was talking about when he said that even if all things are lawful, it doesn't mean we should do them. We need to be sensitive to others feelings and perceptions. We don't always need to be right or to prove our point. We need to consider how others will see what we are saying or doing.

I've always believed that dialogue is important. We need to talk to each other, build relationships, and find common ground if we are going to be true to God. So it means understanding that everything we say and do can be taken in more ways than we know. It means living with the truth that perception is reality and that if we want to serve God, we need to remember that whenever we do something.

Cal