Think About It

Have you ever heard death referred to as having lost someone?   Well, the other day, I heard a song by Bradley Walker that struck quite a chord with me.   In the song, “We Know Where He Is”, the singer recounts the death of his grandfather.   The old man had been faithful in his spiritual walk, so at the end of his life he observed, “We haven’t lost him, we know where he is.”.   While it might be a common expression to say that we “have lost someone” when they pass, but when they have been faithful, they are anything but lost, they are safe and secure in the hereafter. Some of us might have been raised not to take our salvation for granted, but does that mean we have to live in doubt?   Interestingly, the writer of I John seems to tell us we don’t have to live in fear.   We are encouraged, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (I John 5:13).   Wouldn’...

I think I have a new favorite Winter Olympic sport.   I would say that curling is tough to beat, but Ski Mountaineering (aka skimo) is pretty compelling.   I had never heard of the sport until I learned there was a participant from where we used to live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.   Even that connection wasn’t enough to make me do too much research, but as soon as I started watching, I was hooked.   I believe it is one of the toughest events in the games.   First of all, skiing uphill is bad enough, but having to do that AND run up steps in ski boots is brutal.   You would think that the downhill portion might be a break, but by that time in the race I assume your legs are on fire to the point that just staying erect would be challenging.   The sport requires training, commitment and developing muscle memory!   Yep – it is cool to watch … Nope – I am not going to sign-up to try it!   As I reflected on it, these are some of the same requiremen...

             When you open your social media accounts, what do you expect to see?   When you turn on the news, what do you expect to hear?             The other day, after opening up my Facebook page, I caught myself scrolling down to the posts that tended to make me irritated.   If I was being honest, I probably am more apt to read a news article that I know will get me fired up.   Doesn’t that seem odd to you that I would linger more on things that aggravates me more than find something that will bring me peace and comfort?   I don’t know that I used to be that way, but I think that it just goes to show how easy it is to choose the slide that leads to a pit of muck and mire.   I don’t necessarily “like” it, but I do find myself doing it.             So, what can I do about it?   First, I need to make a conscious effort...

I’ve got an interesting factoid for you:  on this date in 356 A.D. Constantius II ordered the closure of pagan temples and, thus, prohibited public access to them.  What a change from a Roman world that just a few centuries before this had embraced paganism to the point that it felt justified in persecuting Christians.  When you think about it within a modern context, it seems that distancing itself from paganism sounds pretty good doesn’t it – or does it?  Now, before we move forward, I must admit that I am happy that I live in a pro-Christian society.  Are there times when people treat us less than pleasant because of our beliefs?  Sure; but all-in-all, we are free to worship as we see fit and openly live our lives based on a belief in God.  However, we must be careful not to rely on a government’s backing to practice our faith.  I am sure that the Christians under Constantius II were happy for the change in policy, but righteousness cannot mere...

When people see us walk into a room, what do they do?  Do they come up to us, shake our hand and visit with us or do they head to a back corner of the room and hope we don’t see them?  Now, that might sound a bit harsh, but we know that it is true because we tend to do that when certain people enter our space.  So, are people glad to see us or are they happier to see us leave?  What makes our aura positive or negative?  I think that most of it has to do with the type of vibe we exude.  (I know that sounds kind of cosmic but hear me out.)  If we are the type of people who walk into a room with a smile on our face and words of encouragement on our lips, people are apt to be drawn to us.  If, on the other hand, we are cantankerous and curmudgeonly, people are apt to avoid us.  Even if they do acknowledge us, it may take hours for them to recover from our negativity.  A lot of us see ourselves as chameleons who reflect what is going on in ou...

A friend of mine has a poster on his wall that warns, “Be decisive.   Right or wrong, make a decision.   The road of life is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision.”   Now, first of all, let me apologize if I offended anyone with that image, but I have to admit it does bring to mind some pretty powerful imagery.   Now, having said that, I think that within that statement is something that has caused some indecisiveness for some of us.   If we categorize decisions as being right or wrong, we may be adding some pressure on us that can lead us to shut down.   Sure, there are times when we are faced with right and wrong choices – especially when it comes to temptation and sin.   There are times when we must choose between good and evil.   However, I believe there are many more times when our choices come down to the difference between good, better and best.   When we have choices, there are often times when the outcome is not as c...