Walking The Journey

Alone. Fearful for some, pleasure for others. The fire starts, it grows, increasing and decreasing in intensity. The sun sets, slowly, at its own pace. Darkness takes over light, Stars replace clouds, and the moon shines. Wind feeds the fire, Fanning the flames, heat from the logs. Quiet is the noise that surrounds the crackling of the fire. An occasional car in the distance, an unseen animal wandering around, the intensity of of the peace. Nature has its own pattern, as light and darkness makes its way and its own time, winds come and and go, Flames rise and fall. There is no control within my power, no desires outside of what is around me. Peace and serenity, Darkness, surrounding nature, these are my companions this evening. The power of my God is evident. I am always at His will. I am to walk, and He will set the direction, if I am wise enough to listen. God blesses us with a simplicity of his creation. We must learn not to muck it up with our busyness and our own noise. Pe...

I've been readings "The Promise" by Fr. Jonathan Morris. He has challenged me, not with I did not know, but rather to practice what I already knew.  The social world view tells us we should always be happy, we should not be suffering, and if we are unhappy in life and/or suffering, it must be something we are doing to cause our suffering and/or something we are not doing to alleviate our suffering. Our suffering is our own fault, stemming from our personal inadequacies. Sure, some of our suffering is a result of our choices and believe systems.  We need to evaluate these and begin to making the changes we can to decrease suffering and to improve the quality of our lives.  But isn't suffering, aren't challenges, part of our existence?  Is not suffering part of our life?  Suffering and Challenges can be our most difficult teachers in our school of life.  God tells us not to be anxious about anything (Philippians 4:6), that we can do all things through...

Don't expect those who desire to pull you from God to always be bold and in your face. When the serpent guided Adam and Eve away from God, he simply said, "Did God really say that?". Just a few words to open the doors of doubt and rationalization is often all it takes for you and I too take a step away from the truth of God. Deception often plays to our ego and desire to be self reliant, not God reliant. When we embrace such words and allow ourselves to become more aware and intelligent than God, we open ourselves up to all kinds of lies that exist within the world. The lies are older that you and I and will be spewed from the serpent as long as we are open to listen. We must beware of false gods who desire our attention, even when that false god is self. It is hard to watch someone you love embrace a false god, and it is harder still to see our own false gods that flatter our egos. Our egos tell us God owes us for our good deeds, that God is not as powerful ...

God reminds us of who we are in our journey of life through His creation. Driving this morning on the highway, I entered very thick fog, limiting my vision and awareness of my surroundings. Soon, I left the fog and was greeted by bright red and orange colors of the sun, welcoming me into the light, showing me clarity and direction. I had to thank God for his gentle reminder, "See Me, Focus on Me, and Trust Me - I'll get you through the unknown fog of life". As we encounter the fog of stress, uncertainty, worry, obsessions, etc, take a moment to breathe and STOP: S - stop and remember who you are, where you are, and reality that you are a child of God. T - think it through, don't allow your feelings to run amok (guilty of that one). O - observe your surroundings, remember you are not alone, God's got this, He always has. P - pray, get out of your head (that's a dangerous place to be), plan to be present and in God's future. Embrace the day and...

I had the opportunity to travel alone, driving over 1100 miles, through the prairie and plains of South and North Dakota. I saw God's beauty all around me, the great vastness of land, the beauty of a sunset, the breathtaking wonder of the Badlands, to name a few.  I was able to experience solitude, loneliness, reliance on God, silence, and me in a different way than I had in a long time. During this time, I drove through and stayed in four Indian Reservations, visited three Tribal Colleges, met so many relatives, created new friendships, and gained a refreshing of my soul.  Along the way, I encountered many memorials to people, places, and events that hold significance to Indian people. I walked through cemeteries of my ancestors, honoring them and walking along the memorials that honored their sacrifice. They were there to remind us, never to forget. There are many references in the old testament where God commands man to build a memorial, to create something ...

I've discovered in life that we walk through cycles and that these cycles are like seasons of the year. The seasons travel through cycles and have a pattern. Each season has its own qualities, it's own specifics. Each season relies on the season before it for its own birth and looks to the season after it for its death. That sounds gloomy but in reality, the cycle of seasons are the rhythm of life. We need each season as we move through the years. Serenity comes when we realize the season we are in and learn to understand and accept the flow and events of that season.  We enter our seasons with hope, the blossoms of spring and the great and new feelings that come with reviving rain and the warmth of the son. Our spirits remain joyful and hope and life is all around us.  Summer is a season of contentment, of peace, of relaxation. We walk the earth in new and wondering ways, our senses alive and active of all that lives around us. Fall brings with it beauty, maturity, and...

"There is a dignity about the social intercourse of old Indians which reminds me of a stroll through a winter forest" - Frederick Remington. I like winter, the snow, the cold, and the beauty that winter brings. It has a sense of wonder, of renewal, of a freshness for me. It also brings with its beauty an element of danger, of a wisdom and strength that needs to be respected. If we do not respects its strength, we can suffer at its hand. When I respect winter, I can enjoy her beauty and appreciate the life she brings. Remington's words tell of a respect and honor for the wisdom of the Elders, from a non-Native who found a peace in the presence and lives of the old Indians he encountered. We have become a people who forget the wisdom of the Elders, who want to keep up with the worlds pace and not take the time to be in the greatness of those who walked before us. Being who we are is knowing where we came from, practicing the ways of our ancestors, and listening to the s...

I wasn't able to watch the state of the union address last night, I was teaching an evening class.  I am aware of how polar we are politically these days.  In reading political commentary, many feel that we are more polarized today than we have ever been.  I see this myself as I read Facebook postings.  I don't seem to see much critical thought on either side.  I seem to see more attacks against conservative and Republican views, which might just be due to my own Facebook.  I would enjoy engaging in discussion that is well thought out, looks at facts and reality on both sides, and comes to conclusions based on reality versus political bias and emotions.  I've been reading the book of Genesis, chapters 30 and 31 today, the story of Jacob and Laban, and Jacob's wives, Leah and Rachel, sisters in birth. So much jealousy, so much manipulation, so much deceit, all within the structure of a family.  It made me realize, again, that what we are...

Driving into work this morning, my eyes caught the flashing blue and red lights in my rear view mirror, and I felt my heart skip a beat or two.   The funny thing, the lights were moving in the opposite direction I was moving.   It appears that the police car drove right past me, flipped his lights on after he passed me, and I never noticed that he passed me, and wouldn't have, unless he had turned his lights on. Resembles life, huh.   Ever noticed yourself just cruising along in life, not taking notice of what is around you, ignoring life as it moves on. Ever notice yourself losing interest in hobbies, events, and even people, slowly sliding into survival, letting go of living, your heart never missing a beat anymore, not feeling the love and excitement of life, liberty, relationships, and even God. The thing is, the slide is long, slow, and steady, at such a pace that we don't realize we're no long living life until the changes around us are so huge that we no ...

I spoke to a young lady today who shared with me that that time has finally come, her most loved parent has decided to quit the fight, give up on chemotherapy, and enter hospice, at the ripe young age of 48. Stop for a moment and say a prayer for both of them, and don’t worry that you don’t know who the people are, God knows. The conversation jarred my present time to a time so many years ago, watching my own parent slowly walk into the arms of death, to be greeted by the life arms of his God, of his Savior. Momentary sadness and emotional missing of a man I wish I'd know longer, who I wish knew my children, and then the welcoming flooding of joy and peace that he was my dad, that his pain has long been gone, the pain that this young woman and her parent are just now entering. We need regular reminders like this, of just how blessed life is, and how quickly it can all be taken away. But then, is it really ever taken away? I know that my children can tell stories of their grandf...

In reading Billy Graham today, he points out a human irony that is too painfully true. We humans often have a way of rejecting the best and embracing the worse. Do not get me wrong, I realize and greatly appreciate our human quality to embrace goodness as well, such as how the sports and media embraced the tragic accident of Louisville's basketball player Kevin Ware, supporting him and allowing his true character to shine. It seems to me, and I can say this as I reflect on my own life story, that as we dumb down our moral code and accept more of the world's moral code, and dare I say the media's moral code, we allow more of the worse in life to become more of our normal, and unfortunately, the worse overshadows the best and redefines what is the best. We do it in simple ways, in ways we can all look inward to see. We accept language that we once found offensive as acceptable. We allow our eyes to feed our souls what should never be allowed to enter, what we tell our ...

Have you ever watched the wonder and awe of a child?   They seem to have the capacity to believe anything is possible.   They aren’t limited by the knowledge and doubt that comes with age.   They are also not limited to the critical brain and suspiciousness of people.   Children see and feel and dream and think and just be.   Oh how much some of us old people need to recapture that child of days long ago. Children also have the ability to believe what the labels and blinders of age cloud over in time. Children believe that people are fair, that justice applies to everyone, that if you see it it’s yours, and that people who love them will never hurt them.   As we grow, the child hunkers down   deep inside and the skeptic being created by culture and society emerges and takes the reins of the small ones heart, mind, and soul, asking the question, “Is there really anything good and true to believe in anymore?”. The roads I’ve traveled on my journey have...

The day began early, much earlier than I’d desired.   Being the first morning of a New Year, my daughter desired to welcome the first sunrise of a new year personally, as one might welcome a far away friend.   So we woke up at 6:45 am, threw on clothes, and ventured out into the cold morning of January 1, 2012.   Our goal: donuts before the sun came up and to greet a new sun on a new year’s day.     Mission accomplished, we drove back to share our feast with sleeping family at home. As we drove back, the sun appearing over the trees and homes along the way, my excited angel stated, “The sun is lighting up the sky daddy”, to which I replied, “Yes, the sun chases the darkness away into a new day”.   She agreed with my small words of wisdom and we arrived home, sharing a beautiful morning together, while the rest of the world around us slept on.   Joy comes in the morning, in the darkness of the first day of a new year, shining from the excited eyes of ...

Driving north bound on I-75, destination dinner at an Irish pub; I approached a tow truck on the right hand side of the highway. As I came upon the tow truck, I realized that the truck was broke down, dead on the side of the highway. That occurred to me to be rather ironic, the vehicle of rescue needing some rescue of its own. And off I continued to my dinner of fish and chips and whiskey soaked raisin bread pudding and vanilla bean ice-cream. In reflection, irony seems to occur around us more frequently than we might imagine. In my line of work, this occurs on a daily basis. I have walked with people who have discovered life through their own terminal illness. I have seen marriages burst open in renewed love and commitment through facebook affairs and office romances. I have seen life grow abundantly through forgiveness that was never thought to be given. The people who have found God through running from Him into addiction, pornography, power and control, and corrup...

I often use Google maps when I need directions, times of travel, and/or miles between destinations. In fact, I use Google maps to find locations between 2 places of travel. Google maps are also on my phone and I access directions wherever I might be. I use to use Rand McNally, and even though I like that site better, Google is more accessible. But as you probably know, Google maps are not always accurate and can leave out steps. It doesn’t always account for roadblocks and obstacles. We were traveling through Savannah, Georgia over the summer and I relied on Google maps on my phone to show me the way. I also relied on Google maps to guide me to our friends’ home in North Carolina. As you might guess, Google maps was a nice tool but it wasn’t accurate and often “led me astray”. This reminds me of our travels through life. I have found that the only true road map in life is God’s word and His map for my life. In my earlier days, I would attempt to discover God’s will for my...

The clouds looked liked long jagged white and grey streaks, with touches of darker black, which stretched across the skies.   They represented left over’s from the storms of yesterday, and announced the coming storms that will arrive this afternoon.    The sun shone with warmth and life, breaching through the clouds, declaring a new and glorious day.   All creation of nature seemed to be bright with greens and yellows and occasional color of flowers and flowering weeds, which held their own sense of beauty on a cool and welcoming morning.   I don’t know if all was truly brighter than normal or my senses and awareness were in tuned with the Creators creation this morning. “God of wonders beyond our galaxy, You are Holy, Holy. The universe declares your Majesty, And you are holy, holy”, echoes through my mind, the lyrics of a Third Day song.   The word that rings in my head is not holy as much as wonder.   I look around with wonder, of how can all thi...

While attending a conference last year, I met a dark skinned woman who told a story that so many in the ballroom had little to no struggle identifying with, I being one of those people.   She told a tale of growing up always feeling she was different from others around her, including those in her own house.   She would look into her father’s face; closely observe the contrast of color as she held her mother and fathers hands, the different features of her siblings.   She’d ask when reaching 7 years of age, only to be told that she was no different than they.   It wasn’t until her parents divorced, and in a both evil and misguided attempt by one of her parents to hurt the other, did the truth come forward.   She learned that she was adopted. She soon discovered she was Native, that her deeper complexion was   due to the genetic pigmentation of her Native parents, who’d she’d never be able to find, somewhere in Canada.   She spent much of the next 10 ...

“I have to do everything, it’s not fair”, echoes from down the hallway, as small feet stomp off in utter despair and anguish, bearing the weight of the world.   “You can’t tell me what to do”, softly follows in a whispering cry as a tired soul brushes her teeth, wanting only to go to bed, escaping late night exhaustion.   Oh, how being tired can transform a princess into a pain stricken creature of the night.   We all have our moments, our triggers, that if we are wise, we learn and embrace, to guide us away from negative emotional impulses that result in even worse decisions and regretful consequences.   Triggers are those little switches insides our brains, our bodies, and our souls that when flipped, invite the demons of another world to take over our beings and turn us into schizophrenic psychopaths. Learning and feeling our triggers can rapidly disarm the imps that sneak into our selves and drive behaviors down a road of colliding destruction.   Common tr...

The night is still and my home is quiet. My angelic children are in bed and the big dog is asleep on his back, his long legs reaching for the ceiling. The washing machine downstairs keeps time in rhythmic electronic tones which I cannot describe in words, but I’m sure I could mimic vocally. I think my mechanic of 20 years is the most talented in mimicking noises I’ve ever met. My bride sits quietly on the couch writing and reading, of what I’m not sure. My bed is quietly whispering my name and calling me to sleep. I made the mistake of saying out loud, “I don’t really feel like blogging”, to which my focused wife utters, “Maybe you should blog about that”. I laugh, and then think, “You know, you’re right”. It’s not that blogging is a chore, as it most certainly is not; being much more of a release and a pleasure for me, but then, how often do our pleasures become somewhat burdensome at times. It’s ironic how pleasures in life can convert themselves into burdens within our minds, rob...

Walking through life discovering our wants and needs and how to get and obtain them can be a tricky road indeed. In the words of the great philosopher Mick Jagger, “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well you just might find, you get what you need.” We probably get those two things mixed up quite frequently, the wants and the needs and the differences between them. In reality, I suppose they often appear to be the same thing. A want is a desire for something or someone, like a new car, a certain lifestyle, children, a loving spouse, a nice house, or the family best friend of a dog. A need is more a necessity in order to live life, to function, to survive, such as oxygen, food, shelter, clothing, and income. The fine line between these wants and needs seem to occur on deeper levels, such as spiritual, emotional, and relational needs and wants. The line becomes even more gray and foggy when one takes into account ones culture, norms, expectations, experi...