Genetic Omission

My lineage is replete with hardy outdoorsmen. My grandpa was a stagecoach driver, rancher, police officer and railroad engineer. My dad owned a lawn care business mowing lawns in his seventies. Yep, hardy, rugged, outdoorsy; that’s the prairie stock I come from.

I have learned, however, that we have a genetic predisposition to injuries associated with the presence of mountainous terrain - I‘ve learned it the hard way.

It was the summer of my tenth year and my Sunday school teacher, Cliff, decided that his little cast of rowdies needed an outing. We headed to the mountains in a variety of station wagons anxious for our fill of fresh air and cheap hot dogs. I was amazed as the mountains loomed over our picnic site. I immediately began my ascent with my well used cowboy boots. The yards passed by before I heard Cliff calling me from the camp fire below. As I turned, I slipped and began a rapid descent, one that resembled a snow ball without snow.

It must have been pretty spectacular because I was the topic of conversation even after Cliff found my nose, right earlobe and spleen. I did get hot dogs before anyone else. 

A couple of years later I was in spy mode high atop a mountainous cliff – certain nefarious villains were approaching. I’ve never thought of myself as having a big head but on the day in question, gravity (and that nasty genetic predisposition) caused my body to follow my head an undetermined distance where my head was lacerated with the slender and vertical razor-like appendages of the famed Yucca plant – a temporary set of Yucca dreadlocks. I had green holes in my skull for weeks.

There are more fascinating mishaps that I could share, but for the sake of a more humane account I’d like to move to my thirty-fifth year. My brothers-in-law invited me to an outing in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming. No, I didn’t cause an avalanche and I didn’t slip headlong into raging stream. I made sure I wore sturdy boots with the tire tread of a 4x4 tacked onto the bottom. 

After a sleepless night in which an animal of unknown origin rummaged through the camp in search of one lone Pringle in the bottom of a discarded can we were told that this would be the day that we would go fishing. We were advised to bring our lunch along and pack our tackle, rod and at least 85 pounds of rocks just so we’d have the full experience of being hardy outdoorsmen. 

The promised half mile trek spanned three different time zones. There was a wheezing animal that seemed to be following the group. I was about to inquire further when I realized the wheeze was coming from me. Once again my reputation (and genetic makeup) preceded me. I do have some consolation in the fact that the fishing was so bad that I didn’t have to carry any back to camp.

In 2002 I went back to the mountains with my brother-in-law, Doug. This time we ventured to the Big Horn Mountains and like the crew aboard the S.S. Minnow, some of us accepted a mini-hiking tour of Mt. Akilla Outdoorsman.

“Just follow the stream and you’ll be back at camp in about a half hour,” Doug said as he turned his 4x4 around. Two hours later we were convinced that if we made it out alive we were going to make Doug try the same trip in the dark – without shoes. The brush was so dense and the rocks so abundant that we struggled just to find a way through. Perhaps the most intense moment of our tour was when we climbed a mountain on one side trying to find a way out of the canyon. When this failed, we ventured back down the mountain. Suddenly, my feet slipped as they had when I was ten. This time I left part of my back and a little used elbow on the rocks. I spread my feet in an effort to stop my fall. This effort eventually bore fruit at the lip of a cliff that was the last stop before a 75 foot fall to the rock-filled stream below.

“So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet” (Hebrews 12:12,13a - NLT).

True for hiking and true for our Christian walk - genetics notwithstanding.

He Laughs

I am asked from time to time to reimagine (hopefully not reinvent) Bible stories. This is one of those time. Imagine the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac meeting Dragnet. The hope with a story like this is that it will encourage you to read the original story for yourself and find yourself grateful to a good God for His great plans. - Glenn

The name is Detective Meshech, I work the Admah district not far from the tent dwelling of Abraham, a local luminary. It seems the 99 year-old nomad recently received a trio of visitors, I was charged with determining the nature of their visit since we’d been advised that it had something to do with the downfall of two regional cities.

“They came and told me to change my name - and my wife’s name,” the man replied thoughtfully.

“Was this part of the Federal Protection Program?” I asked.

“What program? You receive a visit from God and He tells you change your name – you change your name already.” Abraham responded with a chuckle. “Have you ever received a visit from God?”

“Let’s see,” I pondered. “No, I don't think so. I'm sure I would have remembered.”

“This explains much,” Abraham said, slapping dust from his clothes. I wasn‘t quite sure I liked his tone. “Later, more visitors came and told me about two cities that were going to be destroyed and then they told me that Sarah was going to have a baby!” Abraham replied in a voice filled with awe.

“The cities in question would be Sodom and Gomorrah?” I queried.

“What? Do you know of other cities that were flattened already? Yes of course Sodom and Gomorrah” Abraham replied. He seemed saddened.

“Thank you for your time, Abraham. This will certainly help in our investigation.” I begin to roll up my scroll.

“What? They came, we talked, promised were made - they left,” Abraham responded.

“Promises? Describe the promises,” I asked as I unrolled my interrogation scroll once again.

“Just that my wife was going to have a baby,” Abraham replied with a broad smile.

“Sir, I do not find the humor in such tasteless jokes,” I replied with a rude look on my face.

“Who’s joking? I chuckled when the One said this to me,” Abraham said, not intimidated in the least by my tough guy persona. “I couldn’t help myself, even Sarah laughed. I don’t think God was so happy, though.”

“What makes you think that?” I asked.

“Probably when He said, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? About a year from now, just as I told you, I will return, and Sarah will have a son.’” Abraham replied.

“I suppose that would lead someone to suspect that He wasn’t ‘so happy’” I concurred.

“I will be a hundred soon and there’s a baby on the way,” Abraham beamed.

“Congratulations from everyone down at headquarters,” I replied flippantly.

“Do you know of a good place for raising children?” Abraham asked.

“I’m not really sure, but I think I’d stay away from Sodom and Gomorrah,” I replied as I recalled the charred remains.

“There weren‘t even ten godly people,” Abraham spoke these words to himself with clenched fists remembering something unspoken.

I moved the conversation a different direction, “By the way, what will you call your son?”

“He will be Isaac,” Abraham relaxed a bit.

“Isaac? Seems like such a strange name,” I replied.

“Yes, so glad you noticed,” Abraham said as he adjusted the halter on one of his camels.

“He laughs?” I ask.

“He laughs - yes, you are right - that’s his name, ‘he laughs’. Does this help you in your indigestion?” the wanderer asked.

“That’s investigation, not - ah, never mind,” I replied wearily.

“Either way, my son will be born in laughter. What? Do you think we thought we would start a family at this time in life? No! Yet, God brought us laughter that began as disbelief and will end with the wails of new life and the joy of old men and ladies.” Abraham finished with a look of high expectation.

I write on my scroll when a certain word escapes me, “What emotion is it that you’re feeling right now. I can’t seem to think of the word.”

“Joy!“ Abraham replied. “The word is JOY! Have you never experienced this?”

“I think I have what I need.” I ignore his question completely. “Please don’t leave the region until this investigation is completed,”

“Where would I go? My family is here and soon I will have a son,” Abraham beamed.

As I walk away I wonder about the laughter and joy found in this dusty tent on the edge of nowhere desperately wishing I could find some of my own.

Not For The First Time

“Humans and fiends rise and you shall be heard, the less then honorable Judge Smooth Tongue presiding.” The court was officially in session.

“I have read the charges against the one named Son of Most High. Serious charges indeed. The regional D.O. is allowed an opening statement.”

“Thank you, Your Despicableness,” the Demonic Oppressor began. “It has come to our attention that The Son of Most High has been involved in crimes against humanity and these crimes have been perpetrated on every segment of society and in all nations equally. He asks anyone willing to listen to allow him to help make choices - many have found that his choices are not in line with their own personal understanding of the world and its environs.”

The D.O. looked at the son and sneered, “He recently came to our region to live as if he were an average, ordinary human. Of course we knew he was not, but many were swayed by persuasive speech and miracles. Thankfully the religious leaders, with whom we have a strong but covert alliance, were more than willing to assist us in attempting to minimize his harmful effects. Furthermore, Most High could have protected those who were close to the son, but he did not.”

Smooth Tongue looked at Most High’s son and asked, “Do you have an opening statement?”

The accused looked at Smooth Tongue until the magistrate glanced away in what appeared to be remorse, short-lived though it was.

“If Most High has nothing to say, the D.O. is free to call his first witness,” Smooth Tongue instructed.

“I’d like to call, Lydia, Your Despicableness,” The D.O. responded.

The crowd hissed and jeered as she walked to the witness stand.

“Is it true that you were once visited by this individual?” The D.O. pointed at the son.

“Yes.”

“Is it also true that you were living a life that you’d come to embrace as your own?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t it also true that the son condemned your lifestyle choice?”

“If you mean he pointed out a better…”

“Just answer the question - yes or no,” the D.O. demanded pounding the witness stand with a tightened fist.

“He saved me from men wanting to kill me because of my lifestyle choice,” Lydia replied with quivering lip as her voice continued to rise in volume. “After he saved my life he told me that I could leave and that I should not sin anymore.”

“How did this make you feel, Lydia?” the D.O. asked smoothly.

“Loved,” Lydia smiled through tears.

The accused smiled reassuringly.

“Smooth Tongue, I demand that this woman be classified as a hostile witness,” the D.O. screamed maniacally.

As the woman left the stand she looked at the accused and mouthed the words, “Thank you.”

The D.O. presented a Pharisee named Nicodemus, Peter the fisherman, and a government official named Pilate. They shared stories that seemed counter to the case the D.O. was attempting to make.

“Your Despicableness, there are so many more witnesses to present, but I am afraid it will do nothing but waste the time and resources of this court,” the Demonic Oppressor finally noted as he sat down and reviewed his yellow legal pad.

Smooth Tongue gazed at the defendant, “Do you have anything - anything at all - to add to these proceedings?”

The accused just looked at Smooth Tongue and said nothing.

“Don’t you understand that the charges against you are serious?” Smooth Tongue inquired.

Still, he sat and said nothing.

“Your Despicableness, this seems to be a tactic he often employs,” the D.O. stood in response. “Records indicate that he was recently tried on other charges and when insults and expressions of loathing were directed at this defendant he remained silent. Frankly, I find this tactic maddening and diametrically opposed to the way we have come to understand the pursuit of injustice as defined in our Oppression Lawbook. If he really has something worth defending why would he refuse to defend himself?” The D.O. paused as he gazed in disgust at Jesus, “The prosecution rests.”

Final comments were made as Jesus looked on. In those halls of demonic injustice the Son of God was ridiculed and demeaned - not for the first time.

“When they hurled insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead he entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (2 Peter 2:23 - NIV).

Tellurium Meltdown

September 12, 1887 - Telluride, Colorado

William Smithson was on his way to Pendel’s General Store. He had staked his claim on a potential mine. He hoped it had enough gold to make surviving a Colorado winter worthwhile.

John Pendel stepped up to the counter at the sound of the bell, “How can I help ya?”

“Just needing an outfit for a mine I laid claim to this morning,” William beamed.

John grunted and pointed to a corner filled with spades, pick axes and other assorted essentials for mining. He’s seen men come and go so he tried not to get too personal with the revolving-door miners.

“I hear they’re doing some good in the mountain hereabouts,” William attempted to strike up conversation.

“Suppose so,” John countered. “Snow’ll be comin’ soon, might want to build a shanty ‘fore ya fancy yourself a gopher.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Will replied in confusion.

John’s prediction came true and Will’s small clapboard shack barely held heat, but he persevered. He mined as best he could and found just enough gold to keep himself fed.

“I’m hungry for a strike,” he told John one morning in exasperation.

“Oh, well you’re in good company Mr. Smithson,” came the storekeeps response.

“This is not what I expected.”

John brought over a coffee cup and filled it for the green horn. “It never is. You scramble for the easy payoff and it just don’t come. You hunger after the mother lode and she lurks just a bit further back in the cave.”

“Why don’t you take up mining, John?”

He chuckled, “‘Cause I want to make money. I keep the miner’s supplied while they go chasing their dreams. I stay inside with a pot bellied stove and a full till. I’m not about to tramp around dark caves in cold mountains wonderin’ if I’m gonna make it through the day. No sir.”

Will remained thoughtful, “Say, John. I noticed a heap of gold stones outside. If that’s gold why don’t nobody make off with it?”

“Probably ‘cause most people round these parts know that there is Telluride Ore. Now, it’s got gold in it, but nobody’s figured out a way to separate the gold from the tellurium. So they bring it to me and I throw it out back ‘cause they don’t want it, I can’t use it, but it draws people to the store asking questions” the store owner replied.

“Well, best be going,” Will said as he grasped the fabric sack of staples and reached for the door. “Say John, I think I noticed a few chunks of coal in that mess, can I take them.”

“Suit yourself,” John replied absently as he worked through the days receipts.

The stove blazed brightly that night as Will slept. The next morning the fire had already burned out. He shoveled some residue away but was met by an peculiar site. It was startling enough that he had to raise his lamp to look. The bottom of his stove was literally covered in gold. What he had presumed was a handful of coal was actually Telluride Ore. The fire burned off the tellurium leaving behind purified gold.

Within three years a gold boom aided by the accidental discovery of the refining procedure of tellurium laced gold helped establish the resort community of Telluride, Colorado.

While the names and specifics of the above have been altered for dramatic purposes, there is truth to be found in Telluride.

Most of us will agree that we’ve faced our own share of hunger for things just out of reach. What’s offered seems much less than we wanted. We scramble for more and find the life we’re chasing is slipping further from view.

Some of us can identify with Telluride Ore, tossed by the wayside because no one in their right mind would consider us valuable. We convince ourselves that we are second class. Yet just like that ore, if you’ve believed in Jesus Christ, you have gold inside. The real McCoy has been there all along. Now God might have to apply some heat to bring that gold out, but the hunger that’s been raging deep within will only be satisfied in the refiner’s fire of God’s love.

“…I will melt you down and skim off your slag. I will remove all your impurities…” (Isaiah 1:25 - NLT)

When gold is purified it becomes almost mirror-like in quality. Have you been through the fire? Your life reflects something. What does it reflect?

When Leader's Follow

(Based on an actual event)

“You know this is not right, Pau!” Manny’s passion was strong.

“What would you have me do?” Pau asked.

“We should stay in the city and celebrate the birth of the Christ,” Manny replied.

This point aroused passion amongst church members. When they were told that the city fathers would not allow Christmas to be celebrated in a manner that honored the Christ-child there was a significant range of emotions.

Some were frightened while others were bold and angry. Some looked for peace while others thought they must stand against such tyranny.

“Listen to me!” Pau’s voice commanded respect and silence. “Tomorrow is a day sacred to those who profess Christ as lone savior of mankind. We have been told that we can not celebrate.”

Voices rose to acknowledge the harsh command of the local government.

“I believe we can celebrate and we will,” Pau said with finality. The crowd seemed conflicted in their response.

“We will leave the city early in the morning and we will celebrate on Mt. Banu. The city father’s have said that we may not celebrate in the city, so we will not. I will not allow the will of our government to make us villains nor will I miss celebrating Christmas when there is a way. Those who wish to join me may come.”

On the morning of December 25th, 2004 nearly 400 Christians walked out of the city and navigated mountainous terrain. They were called names and laughed at as they left, but Pau just ignored the comments and walked resolutely toward the peak.

The day was beautiful on the little Asian island. The Christians celebrated, singing songs about a baby that had come to save the world. It was nearly dark before Pau thought to return to the city, however, it was too dark to safely climb back down. Pau wisely suggested the congregation spend the night under the stars. Hadn’t Jesus Himself done so?

A brilliant blue sky greeted the little band of Christians the next morning. They were happy to have had the opportunity to worship on this mountain. Pau was talking with one of the elder members of the group when Manny began shouting, “Pau, you must come and see!”

Pau stepped close to Manny and looked down as wave upon wave crashed into the city. Buildings were demolished in an instant. It wasn’t long before they saw their city reduced to a fraction of its original size. Old men and children wept at the devastation of the tsunami.

The Christians prayed as they made their way back down the mountain. They were stunned to muted silence as they walked on mud and debris packed streets where homes and shops had once been. Now there was nothing. Most of their own homes were gone.

A city of thousands had been reduced to hundreds. Whole families had disappeared in the waves. Those who lived through the disaster had family members missing. The stench of death was beginning to make its presence known.

Pau hugged and prayed with those who survived, they did not resist.

One of the survivors was a local government official who came to Pau and asked, “How can it be that 400 Christians, in a city that has expressed such hatred, were able to survive without the loss of one person?”

“Our God protected us. What you meant for evil, God meant for good. I am sorry for your loss, but God protected us and now we are here to help however we can.” Pau made a slight bow to honor this broken man.

Time passed and humanitarian aid arrived. Some buildings were rebuilt, others were hauled away bit by bit. If you chance to visit on any given weekend you will find the church of 400 has grown some. If you look carefully you might just see a man in the crowd who was bent on the persecution of Christians. Some might say he had a Damascus Road experience, Pau just knew he needed the Lord and was willing to point the way.

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance" (I Corinthians 13: 4-7 - NLT).

Close Encounters...

“Where should we go for lunch?”

This was a question I asked James and Tony almost every day of our Sophomore year. We had a few viable options that didn’t have the institutional flavor of our alma mater’s lunch program. It was a nice day so we walked to Dermer’s Sausage Kitchen. If time allowed, we would play a game of pinball, eat lunch and get back to school with time to spare. We talked about things I never committed to memory. The next thing I remember is looking up at two anxious faces. I had apparently took an unnatural interest in the ground instead of what was in front of me and in the midst of this unplanned, yet scientific, experiment my head came into direct contact with a window air conditioner. My feet continued their journey forward while my head refused to follow. That must have been the moment when gravity and the subsequent lack of consciousness kicked in.

That day my scientific mind concluded that when one object comes in contact with an object of equal or greater force, then the object of the first part must yield to the force of the second part. In this case it was me, on the ground, knocked out - a victim of a random act of physical violence perpetrated by a rather smug air conditioner.

When my eyes focused there were three things that became rather clear to me. 1) My head hurt, 2) I was really embarrassed and, 3) my friends were looking at me as if I were a foreign exchange student from Mars. I hopped up as if nothing happened. This simple and radically undesirable movement caused blood to race through my body like a sanctioned NASCAR event. Waves of nausea and dizziness pounded my inner beach. James and Tony followed in silence. 

My mind wandered, Suddenly it was as if I were watching a Jerry Lewis movie as he walked into an air conditioner. This action caused him to fall like sun softened taffy. I chuckled - now that was funny! Suddenly I heard James and Tony bellowing a bull moose duet. They were laughing at ME - I couldn‘t blame them. We laughed until we cried, we laughed as people looked out their windows to see if there was a pack of coyotes loose in the neighborhood, and we continued to laugh as mothers rushed their children indoors.

James and Tony were my best of best friends that year. James and I signed up for a trial program in aviation, but when terms like ailerons, altimeter and G-force came up we became paratroopers. We had signed on to learn to fly, not to learn a new language.

Tony and I sang in the choir together and had many of the same interests. The biggest difference was that Tony grew up in a family that was ‘economically confident’. It was amazing to see all the things that he was couldn’t do because of his privileged status. When he played golf I was his caddy. When I stayed overnight at his house, I would do the family dishes while his parents were gone because he and his brother were arguing over who was actually responsible to cleanup. 

We went different directions after that year. Yes, we were still friends but new friends made an appearance on life’s stage and that special bond of tenth grade loosened.

Many years have passed since our noon excursions in search of greasy food and perfect pinball. The paths that each of us followed have taken us far from the sidewalk to Dermer’s. 

Friends come and go but God has promised to take care of us, “You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!” (Psalm 139:5-6 - NLT)

I think it’s possible God laughed with three teenagers who found humor in a close encounter with an air conditioner causing our collective funny bone to be tickled mercilessly. 

After all this time, the memory still brings a feeling of humiliation that fights for equal time with a belly laugh. Do you think God might just understand? He suffered humiliation, and He listened as people said things both unkind and untrue. Yet I wonder if He might just be smiling right now or perhaps laughing in joy knowing that His greatest humiliation was the only thing that could make a difference for His friends?

Simply Day Seven

We've all read the story of the first days of creation. What God made was good and we get to enjoy it everyday, but it caused me to wonder what our initiation into heaven would be like. I know time is something found here on earth and perhaps not in heaven, but I will admit to using time to help describe a transition from good to great. I hope this encourages you to look forward with a little more anticipation. - Glenn

It was the end, but it was the beginning too. In that indefinable moment God brought His faithful to heaven from earth. Heaven was full, brilliant and clothed in radiant light from the throne of God’s grace. Then God said, “Let there be illumination!” and there was. We were filled with understanding of mysteries long misunderstood. God was pleased with our awe. This was the first day of a forever adventure and God saw that is was great.

A river flowed from the throne of God, and it’s waters brought healing as we traveled the streets of gold. God smiled as we dipped our hands in purity and drank deeply of the endless supply. This was the second day of eternity and God saw that it was great.

God gathered us all on a hillside of heaven and men and women of renown were brought before us and answered every question we had ever considered in relation to their walk on earth. Most of us were simply glad to be in His presence and forgot the very questions we once thought so important. This was the third day of time without end and God saw that it was great.

A parade of homes had been planned and created. We were allowed to visit any mansion of our choosing. We thought this a grand notion and visited one or two before returning to the throne to hear the Words of God. We spent the rest of the day in a worship service for the Maker of mansions. This was day four and God saw that it was great.

The next day Jesus preached. All of His disciples were there. Millions of them from every tribe and tongue imaginable. We all basked in the light of His love and life. A new song was fashioned and a choir of millions sang of the majesty of The Redeemer. This was day five and God saw that it was great.

We were reminded by the Creator that we were His greatest creation and made in His very image. We glanced with new appreciation at those gathered around the throne. We wondered if we had ever lived anywhere beyond these gates of splendor. On day six God beheld His children and saw that it was great.

So the introduction to heaven was complete and we all rested in the knowledge that this truly was a place without time and a time without end. It was simply day seven - and it was great.