225 N Waco ~ Wichita KS

I’ve been wondering this past couple of weeks what my legacy might be at some future time, whether near or far, when I have taken my final breath.  This thinking has been brought on by recent deaths of people that I know, as well as my apprehension of the assurance of my own aging and “maturing” in a physical sense.  No, I’m not going off the cliff.  But I think there comes a time in the lives of many when a little introspection comes into play.  And that’s a good thing, I think.

Peter says, in Acts 10 and verse 38 that Jesus “went about doing good.”  That’s a kind of generic statement; yet one that is full of meaning.  Peter goes on to say specifically that Jesus healed, although he did many more things under the banner of “doing good” than just healing.

We would do well to take to heart Peter’s statement about Jesus and ask ourselves whether the same could be said of us.  Can we easily be characterized as someone who goes about and does good?  What do people think and say about us now?  What might they say following our passing from this life?  What kind of people are we?  Do we love God?  Do we love our neighbor?  Do we demonstrate it in any measurable ways?

One man I know goes about and does good, and does so quietly, without fanfare, and with almost too much modesty.  He not only works at his day job, but does odd jobs for people in the community, mostly senior citizens, who have nowhere else to turn.  He fixes windows, changes light bulbs, carries off trash, and does a host of this type of thing for no pay and no recognition.  One day I happened to see a work list he had—install a small window air conditioner, repair a screen, and a couple other things that would be done in the next day or two for someone who otherwise could not afford to have it done and couldn’t do it themselves.

I know others who volunteer at schools and daycare centers, provide meals and transportation, visit shut-ins, help seniors (and others) navigate the maze of medical care, clean up trash along river banks and road sides, tidy up landscaping at a non-profit center, donate clothing and food, mentor children and teens, handle a myriad of tasks that keep a church congregation or non-profit organization on an even keel, make phone calls to folks who need to be checked on daily, and buy lunch for a service man or senior citizen.  You can surely add your own to the list.

I have always thought that as long as we draw a breath in this life, there is a purpose for our being here.  Whether we have full use of our physical, mental, and emotional selves or not, there is something we can do to make the world a better place; to “go about and do good.”  What about you?  Do you follow the example of Jesus as told by Peter?  What will people say about you some day?

Lord, Forgive Us

This weekend has been a kind of a roller coaster for me.  Normally, I’m rather even-keeled, at least to the casual observer.  However, some things have happened to upset my cart.

I visited a friend who now is in the nursing home, and is not expected to live long.  She has taken a rather sudden turn downward, and the spiral has just continued on.  She and her husband were members of our church, but joined with another church in the community a few years ago.  Seeing someone decline in this manner brings time for pause in one’s own life.

In reading the obituaries in the newspaper over the weekend, I learned of the passing of a friend and relative by marriage.  Barbara was a compassionate person, and although she had her share of pain in life, always had a smile and kind greeting.  The world was a better place in Barb’s circle of influence.  We will attend the funeral later today.

One of our life group loved-ones had surgery a week or so ago.  Last night he had emergency surgery to repair a “leak” in the internal suture site and to clean out the abdominal cavity.  He is very ill and recovery will be a long, arduous process.

All of these things and more continually remind us of the brevity of life and the fragility of our health and well-being.  I fail to understand why anyone would think they have the world by the tail when they are literally seconds from a cardio-vascular event, tragic accident, or debilitating personal setback.

The passage in Hebrews which says that Jesus Christ “upholds all things by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3) is probably a little more literal for me than for many.  I take that to mean that in the course of events, it is Jesus who enables me to “live and move and have my being” as a Godly elder often used to say in prayer in the small church where we worshipped for many years.  I think he was on to something in that we exist as we are because it is Jesus Christ who enables that…a conscious, active working in the creation (and in our lives) to make it (and us) what He wants it (and us) to be.  And that without this active effort on the part of Christ, we would not even live, let alone “move and have our being”.

These things kind of put everything into perspective, again, for those of us who tend to lose sight of the truly important things in life.  When we become much more concerned about the guy who cut us off in traffic, or the winner of the latest reality TV show, or whether we’ll get to see the latest blockbuster movie before it comes out on DVD than we are about love for God and loving our neighbor as we do ourselves, we’ve lost our perspective.

Lord God, forgive us of our selfishness and conceit.  Teach us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you.

Sidetracked by a Train

Today as I was walking in our parking lot toward the building to work, I heard a train whistle rather clearly.  Now, that’s something that doesn’t happen with great regularity here, as there is usually a lot of other noise downtown, and the atmosphere many times doesn’t carry those kinds of sounds very far.  But today was different.

The whistle came from the southwest, which meant the train was on tracks that were in the Harry Street and Seneca/Meridian Street areas.  That’s at least a couple of miles.  The sound, however, was very clear and distinct, as if the train was just a couple of blocks away.  And I knew from the sound of the whistle that the engine was moving slowly…probably doing some switching in the yard that’s down that way.

I was sorely tempted to get back in my pickup and find the train.  I like to watch those large beasts as they work with loads beyond my comprehension.  There’s a certain fascination with the noise, mechanics, and aura of railroading that I share with many others.  I didn’t get in the truck, however.  I stayed the course and went to work.

For just a brief moment, I was distracted from the work at hand.  For just a quick second, I was sidetracked (no pun intended) from my responsibility to get to work on time and was pulled toward something that would accomplish no good purpose other than allow me to waste some time.  For a fleeting breath, I was ready to abandon my schedule for the day and succumb to a flash-in-the-pan thought.

You might tell me that it’s OK sometimes to go off on an adventure.  And I would agree that sometimes it’s a great way to enjoy life and learn.  But today I had a schedule to keep, a meeting to attend, and other responsibilities that really needed to be done.  Yet I almost threw all of that out in favor of chasing a locomotive horn.

What is it that causes us to lose our focus?  Why do we fail to concentrate on the matters at hand?  How is it that we get way off in left field when we should be on second base?  Do we do this with spiritual things as well as the other “things” in life?

Paul said one time, “I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.”  I think Paul was probably sidetracked a few times, but he had the right idea.  He realized that the prize offered by God is well worth the effort needed to obtain it.  And he understood that diligence is needed to stay “on task” and complete the course.

Being the hands and feet of Jesus in this life isn’t a cakewalk.  Sometimes it can be the most difficult thing you have to do.  But the reward for faithfulness, diligence, and tenacity is greater than anything you can imagine.  One translation of the passage above says, “I press on.”  I like that even better, as it tells me I need to be putting my whole being into this business of being a
Christian.  A half-hearted effort isn’t going to cut it.  “Lord, work with me.  Encourage me to whole-heartedly be the person you’d like me to be.”

One Week at a Time

Have you ever had one of those weeks that just seemed to be a waste of time?  You know the kind.  You were seemingly thwarted at every turn from doing the things you had planned that day, or you were trudging through a bad cold or other illness, or perhaps worse news came on top of bad.  Sometimes weeks are like that.  It’s bad enough when days are like that, but like the long, hot summer, when those days stretch into a week or more, life can really become, well, to put it bluntly, a bummer.

Now, I’m not one of these doom and gloom people who sees the glass half-empty or looks under the rocks for conspiracies that make life miserable.  I am blessed by God with generally good health, great work to do, and a network of support few people have.  So when something like even a bad cold that turns into some kind of lung-related infection comes into the picture, I naturally feel like I’m spinning my wheels and going nowhere very quickly.

But there are also some lessons in a week like that.  I am reminded that some things just aren’t as important as I may at first have thought they were.  I learn to be patient with my body and with medications that heal.  I thank God for the blessings that I may have ignored in times past and gone.  And I slow down (admittedly not something I would do voluntarily) and observe, think, and deal with things I have shoved to the back of my mind for far too long.

God provided a day of rest not only for himself at the creation, but also for the creation itself…a day out of every seven to rest, refresh, and recharge.  I think we would do well to look at that example and decide within ourselves that we function better as human beings, and the creation functions better, if given a chance to rest.  And sometimes when we don’t do that, our bodies will say, “Whoa!”  We’ll be forced by whatever mechanism…illness, cardiac issue, or whatever, to stop for awhile.

It’s better so far this week.  Although I know I still have a bug, it’s close, I think, to being down for the count.  I am blessed.

A Home Run

Our church family has been working with Franklin Elementary public school for a number of years.  The school is near the building, is situated in an older neighborhood, and has needs just like any public school.  We have, over the years, done a lot of things with them, including hosting a fun night for parents and kids, a math night where we concentrate on fun math games the kids can enjoy, and a reading program to help the kids motivate to read.  We also volunteer as mentors; we work with the afternoon latchkey program; we provide meals for teachers during conferences.  That isn’t a complete list, but you get the idea.

We do these things not so we can get new members, although we certainly welcome anyone who would like to join us in our walk with God.  Nor do we do this so we can somehow benefit financially.  We don’t charge for anything we do there, and we certainly don’t expect any payment for anything.  We do these things because we believe that all people matter to God, and therefore, all people matter to us.  We do these things because we believe that we are here to serve and to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  And we do these things because we believe it is our privilege to “offer a cup of cold water,” so to speak, in the name of Jesus.

One of the teachers at Franklin came to our services this past Sunday.  She’s not a member here and to my knowledge had never been here before.  She asked to speak before the congregation about the work at Franklin.

The short, five minute presentation was a home run in my mind.  She articulated well the exact reasons why we do what we do, and expressed gratitude that there are people who care and are willing to give of time, money, and energy for other than a selfish or self-centered purpose.  She clearly had prepared what she was going to say and said it well.

We too are grateful for the spirit of cooperation and the great reception we receive when we work with the school.  The kids seem to enjoy the activities we do and we are blessed in developing relationships with the kids, parents, and staff.

Thank you, church, for your support of not only the Franklin ministry, but also the other ministries that we do.  We truly are blessed, and we pray that God always is glorified.

Stormy Weather

The tornadoes and storms came though our neck of the woods last weekend.  Those things can be reminders of a lot of things…God’s power, our frailness, God’s protection, our inability to control the weather, and others you can undoubtedly think of.

One thing I was reminded of was remembering what my grandfather and aunt had to say about those kinds of storms in the “olden days”.  This was in the days before “Storm Team 12”, before storm chasers, even before radar, radio and television.

I recall my grandfather talking about a “cyclone” as he called it, that came to the southern Nebraska prairie in the late 1800’s.  He was talking about the storm first taking out this farmstead, then that home, then changing direction and hitting yet another farmstead, etc.  He said that when they went with their wagon to assess the damages, it looked like the thing almost was alive the way it seemed to change direction to wreak maximum damage.

My aunt said often that she would not go to the cellar (she didn’t have one anyway), but would just stay where she was.  She said she was not afraid, and that God would take care of her regardless of what happened.

I have to wonder what folks in the “olden days” thought about tornadoes.  They didn’t have radar that could see through the storms.  They didn’t have the scientific explanations regarding supercells, wind shear, and other phenomena.  They just saw what they saw, and had to make the best of it.  And my aunt was right, of course.  As a Christian, she knew that God would indeed care for her whether she was alive or dead…and she had nothing to fear.

We could take a lesson or two here.  First, just as those folks had a limited understanding of tornadoes and storms, when it comes to understanding God, we just see what we see and have to make the best of it.  We truly do see “as through a glass darkly,” as Paul said.  The fact that we don’t’ see the entire picture (and wouldn’t understand it if we did see it), doesn’t make God any less real or relevant.

Second, we truly do have nothing to fear.  We have been told over and over that God will never forsake us, will care for us, and will keep His promises absolutely.  And we have seen evidences of the truth of those statements in His dealings with people in times past.  We have no evidence to suggest that anything in these statements regarding God’s provision is changing or has changed.

“Be not dismayed whate’re betide; God will take care of you.  Beneath His wings of love abide; God will take care of you.”

Renewal

Jay Plank

It used to be, years ago, that summers tended to be slower, and people didn’t pack in so many things in their summers like they seem to do today.  One could look forward to summer as a time to catch up on things not done the rest of the year.  For students, summer was a time of rest and relaxation (except for household chores or for farm kids who ALWAYS had work to do).

Now, it seems like we try to put as much in our summers as they’ll hold without bursting at the seams.  Our summers seem to just be an extension of every other time of the year when we feel like “The hurrier we go, the behinder we get.”

I’m even seeing some of that in finding teachers for summer adult classes.  Several have commented that they don’t feel like they can take a class this summer due to already-planned obligations of some kind.  They have, though, graciously asked to take a class in another quarter, which I am happy to oblige.

I wonder if in our busy-ness perhaps we need to take more than just a couple of hours or an afternoon as a sort of “Sabbath” from the hustle of living in today’s world.  I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to always wanting to be on the go, never satisfied with just being rather than doing.  Seldom do I think to take time to think, re-connect, and refresh.

There is value, I believe, in reminding ourselves that even our Lord at times “Went up onto the mountain by himself to pray.” (Matt 14:23).  He knew that preaching, teaching, and leading were very important aspects of his ministry; yet he left the disciples, the crowds, the noise, and the commotion of his popularity to refresh, renew, reflect, and reconnect with the Supplier of strength, peace, and joy.  Seems there’s a lesson there.  Maybe we need to heed it.

The Comfort of a Promise Kept (Absolutely)

Jay Plank

This past week I wanted some time during our Sunday worship service to tell the seniors that the bi-monthly dinner had been moved from April 2 to April 16 due to a conflict in scheduling.  Normally, that kind of announcement is done while the collection baskets are being passed.  I visited with Rick and we made arrangements for me to get up and do that at the proper time.  He also gave me a couple more announcements to make during that time.  Additionally, at the end of the offering time I was to ask the congregation to “Take a moment and greet your neighbor,” which is normally done by Eric our worship leader.

It turned out that I was also the alternate to introduce the “Gifts of Gratitude”, as we call our collection and offering time.  The regularly scheduled person was not available so I was tapped for that responsibility as well.  Following my short intro to the collection time, I just stayed at the microphone and started the announcements I had been given.  I got through the ones Rick gave me, gave another announcement regarding the missions pledges, and then ended with the “greet your neighbor” thing.

The one thing that I had gotten up to do I had forgotten to do…announce the change in the senior bi-monthly.  Everything else went as planned.

Do you ever do that?  You go to the store for something and end up getting four other things, but forgot to get what you went for.  Or you call someone and end up hanging up without ever broaching the original subject of the call.  How do you feel afterward?  Silly?  Unintelligent?  Forgetful?  Are you angry with yourself because you didn’t do what you intended?

I don’t know about you, but I tend to get angry with myself for having failed to do what I intended to do.  I berate myself and call myself all kinds of things I would never call someone else.  I really am kind of hard on myself and am not sure I understand why.  I suppose I shouldn’t get so down on myself when this happens.  I should look at it more as a recognition that I’m not perfect and never will be.  Instead, I lambast myself unmercifully over the smallest of failures and wonder how anyone could be so scatter-brained as I.

One thing I do know is that we all fail.  We all have shortcomings and we all are unable to fully carry out what we say we will do all the time.  I cannot absolutely rely on myself, nor can I absolutely rely on anyone else.  Some people are more reliable than others, but we all are fallible when it comes to doing what we intend to do.

God, however, never fails.  “I will never fail you or forsake you,” he said to Israel in Deuteronomy 31.  The Hebrew writer and Peter bring that same promise to New Testament Christians by repeating that quote in their writings.  For me to say “I will never fail you,” is an exercise in futility.  For the God of heaven and earth to say it is the comfort of a promise absolutely kept.

The Process

Jay Plank

From the moment of our conception, if things are normal, we change, grow, mature, live, and eventually come to the end of life.  The process is normal.  It is inexorable.  The process can be delayed sometimes, but not stopped.

Many times we can “push back” the process with medications, surgery, diet, exercise, and so on.  We get sick; we take medicine; we bounce back to health and things go back to just as they were.  However, one of these days, for all of us, something will happen that we will not be able to bounce back from and things will never be the same as they have always been.

We’ll break a hip.  We’ll get cancer.  We’ll be in an accident.  We’ll suffer from a debilitating condition (ALS, arthritis, etc).  And things are never the same afterward.  Our lives are filled with doctors’ visits, surgeries, medication regimens, calls for prayers, and gross changes in the way we live and our daily routines.  And things just aren’t the same.

I’ve seen it all too often before.  During my stint on EMS, we’d be summoned to a home where a little old man had called for help because his wife had fallen and couldn’t get up.  In rural Harper County where I worked, many times this was a retired farmer couple who had moved into town.  The man still wore overalls and boots every day, and the woman still cooked, cleaned, and kept up the apartment or small home.

As we would wheel the little old woman who had broken a hip out to the waiting ambulance, her husband would hover over her and go out with us, having a few personal items (usually hers) in his hands, ready to go to the hospital.  I didn’t say anything there, but I knew…I just knew…that their lives are now probably forever changed and will NEVER be as they were.  She may not survive the surgery.  She may be wheelchair bound for the rest of her life.  They may have to move…again, to an assisted living or nursing facility.  She may never clean or cook again.  And I wondered if the little old man and his wife were beginning to come to that understanding as well, even at this early stage of the event.

As we continue to work with our Seniors, we need to maintain an understanding of the process of life and the difficulties that many times naturally manifest.  These can easily result in changes in mood or temperament, and may even involve manifestations of anger or depression.  Understanding the process doesn’t necessarily make it any easier, but does enable us to provide appropriate support and care, along with a better idea of how to pray and petition the God of heaven on their behalf.

Rainy Days & Mondays

Jay Plank

I’m really not sure what to make of today.  It’s Monday, and it’s supposed to be the day when people dread going back to work and getting into the “grind”.  And the day is starting out to fit the part.  It’s rainy, cloudy, and miserable out there for anything except maybe frogs or the ducks and geese that line the river just behind our building.  Someone passed me on McLean Blvd coming in to work this morning, then moved back into my lane and preceded me all the way to the building at a reduced rate of speed, it seemed.  I wasn’t a happy camper as I pulled into the church parking lot (a fine attitude, I must say, to begin the work for the Lord this day).

Also, I received a book order this morning at work that had a book in it that I didn’t order and didn’t have a book in it that I did order.  So I’ll have to deal with that today.  And the rain is changing my plans for the day as I’m sure it is changing plans for a lot of people.

But is Monday just a day to be endured?  Must we mope and trudge through the day with not a hint of sunshine (figuratively-speaking), no fun, no laughter, no joy?  Must we growl at the person who splashes us when passing us on the freeway?  Do I rail at the people who filled the order for the books incorrectly, telling them how incompetent they are?  Really?

Isn’t Monday much what we make it?  Isn’t it our choice to make Mondays the drudgery that they seem to be?  Isn’t it our choice to mope through the day?  Isn’t it our choice to work so hard at relaxing over the weekend that we are dog-tired come Monday morning?

In reality, most days are what we make of them.  Most of the time, we really can choose our attitudes.  Much of our discontent comes from our own self-centeredness.  Now, there are exceptions, I believe.  Sometimes events just seem to spiral out of control.  Sometimes we are having one of those down days where nothing seems to be right.  Don’t let anyone fool you; we all have those days.  No one is immune.  But, by and large, our days are what we make of them.  And we can choose to be ungrateful and belligerent, or we can choose to be thankful and humble.

God, forgive us.  We are sometimes selfish, greedy, and totally into ourselves.  We are blessed beyond abundance, yet we moan and groan about the rain, the wind, the perceived incompetence of others, the seemingly never-ending cycle of Mondays, and those who pass us on the road.

We don’t think about the fact that we are dry, comfortable, healthy, and well-fed.  We ignore the awakening of the earth, the renewing of the creation, and the beauty that is spring.  We fail to acknowledge that we have the prospect of obtaining material blessings which are a phone call or electronic order away.  We fail to thank you for the incredibly complicated systems which create, catalog, warehouse, and ship these blessings to us.  Nor do we understand that each Monday is a gift from you…that we exist right now because your son “upholds the creation by the word of his power.” And we think we are somehow entitled to hurtle a 3,000 lb piece of metal alloys and plastic polymers down a smooth, paved road instead of walk, use a bicycle, or ride a mule.

It’s a wonder, God, that you still love us.  It’s a greater wonder that you want to be in the same place with us some day; that you made that possible by your Son accepting “the cup”(“If it be possible, let this cup pass from me…”).  We’re amazed that you give us “all things pertaining to life and Godliness”.  The song says that you say, “How I love you, child! I love you!  How I love you, child! I love you!”  God, forgive us.