God is Not My Pet Rock

I admit that I get frustrated by it all sometimes. Some of you are way too young . . . well actually you are way too young, period. But you were not around in 1975. I was a sophomore at Hampton High School, Hampton, Tennessee.

An advertising exec from California went to a local bar for a few drinks. He came home with an idea that made him a millionaire. Gary Dahl created the Pet Rock craze. He marketed a pet (retail 3.95) rock that took no care and still gave its owner a few minutes of pleasure. Name it, train it, and put it on your desk. Talk about it.

No need to defend this pet to your spouse. No costly pet food or messy carpet "spills." The rock came complete with a training manual that was a step by step guide to having a happy relationship with your geological pet (Encyclopedia of Pop Culture). Google Pet Rock. You will chuckle and get an illustration that will speak to boomers.

Seven students, one from Clemson, six from USC died in a fire Sunday morning at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. I have no explanation for why that happened. I enjoyed a great discussion with my group at world headquarters yesterday. We wrestled over the why. I am so glad we did. If I met any family members, I would not even try to explain. I would say something like I am so sorry, I will pray for you all (and have already).

God is not my Pet Rock. He was not thought up in a bar over a couple of drinks. He is not a six month fad. Although sometimes I feel so very uncomfortable about it all, I enjoy His vastness. He is big, really big. Apparent messes bubble up. Disagreements over Him, His purposes and His ways emerge after tsunamis, airplanes in buildings, and burning beach houses. He can take the heat.

Cynthia, you get an assist for this one. The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law (Deut. 29:29). Enough said.

Shower Curtains and Free Tacos

Conrad Hilton acquired his first hotel in 1919. Sixty years leader, the founder and owner of Hilton Hotels was on his death bed. He was asked if he had any words of wisdom. His answer to the world: Leave the shower curtain on the inside of the tub.

He also said something even more profound: Success seems to be connected to action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.

Thinking out loud about discouragement. Courage is required to keep moving. Our enemy in life, or a tool of the enemy, is to remove our courage for some reason. What event, person, or attitude has removed your courage and stalled your forward movement? Keep moving. Talk through it with someone you trust.

Watch Jesus. The rhythm of his ministry and life was movement. The focus was people. Many of them stalled out, on the side of the road. Maybe your next movement will be toward someone stalled out. You will move and help them move.

Our NAMB partners gave us one of the greatest gifts one could ever receive yesterday. The gift of listening. All day long . . . and we are better for it. We committed to action at the end of the day. I hope it matters. A commitment to action usually does . . . Columbia today at world headquarters for meeting week. Oh well. The weekend is on the way!

Get a free taco today at Taco Bell. They are giving them away from 2-5 p.m. because someone stole a base in the World Series. Don't ever say this blog is worthless. Retail value: 77 cents.

We Interupt this Program for A Word from Our Sponsor

Death is an interruption. I spend the last four days reviewing Uncle Tom. His life, his friends, and his stuff were all a part of the review process. I have never experienced death this way. In every death there is a sense of sameness, but also a sense of uniqueness.

Uncle Tom retired at 52, not because he had struck it rich, but because he was fed up with being produce manager at a Vineland, N.J. grocery store. He loved the Philadelphia Eagles and people. He married my Aunt Maryann when she was 39 years old. Uncle Tom was a people machine. From the UPS guy to the employees of Winn Dixie, they all knew and loved him.

Except for Aunt Maryann, we all will just dig back in now. We really don't have a choice. Back to the grind, the roles, the responsibilities, the appointments, etc. For a few of us, an occasional thought in the midst of a busy day about Uncle Tom, will flash in our brains. A Philadelphia Eagles sweat shirt or a leaf blower will remind me of him.

Where do I go from here? Someone will go through my stuff one day. They will see a few books, a Saint' T-shirt, Weight Watcher journals, and baseball cards. They will laugh and tell stories. Why did he keep this? He was always obsessing on these things. Then they will move on. Sobering? Challenging? All of the above. Death is a commercial for important things. Things that will last for ever. People and God's will are two of those things. Pardon me now, while I dig in. I needed the interruption.

Columbia today with the North American Mission Board partners. Big week. Busy Week. More tomorrow.

Clearing the Air - Ocala, FLA

I feel much better now. My Aunt MaryAnn told me when I dropped the heavy wooden object on my sister's head (The Santa Affect), I told her it was an accident. Maybe Santa didn't give up on me after all.

Clearing up business in Ocala with my Aunt. I am not sure why God pauses our daily lives unexpectedly. I noticed this first in 1998 when my dad had by-pass. I know the relationship part of life becomes a priority during these pauses. That is a good thing. We are eating at Panera Bread in Ocala as we speak. I would be doing something else if Uncle Tom had not died last Saturday. I am not glad he died, but I am glad I am here right now.

Did you ever notice that Jesus valued relationships over roles and responsibilities? I know He was the Son of God, so He obviously did things I will/can never do. But the relationship thing was the delivery system for all His important business. Same way He works today. I need to work more like Him. Don't you? More Monday.