Monthly Archives: November 2016

I awoke this morning looking forward to my wife’s return.  She’s been off with relatives enjoying sun, fun and fellowship.

Which got me thinking.

Often one of our greatest motivators in life is the “next thing”.  We imagine having visitors, staging events, building something, finishing renovations, and a host of other activities.  As the completion date approaches, we wait in anticipation.  Afterwards, even failed events are stored in our memory bank – for withdrawal on a rainy day.

When you can no longer physically attend the “next thing,” or find that you are restricted – is there another “next thing” that you tap into?

As I have rubbed shoulders with seniors (the ones that are older than me), I find that heaven gets talked about.  “I think God forgot me,” is a comment I’ve heard more than once.  “I’m ready any time,” is another wish expressed to me. “I’m looking forward to heaven,” is not an unusual response.

And so, if you are with seniors or terminal patients, you will find that they have a “next thing” in mind.  We may want to tell them that there are still things to do here on earth.  We may need to spend our energy on planning their next thing with them. 

Use your imagination, and join them as they plan.  Your effort will be appreciated.

What does prodigal mean?

I’ve always thought of the Biblical story of the prodigal son.  The word prodigal seemed to imply a run away, a ne’er do well, an ungrateful person.

Not so.  Prodigal is all about lavish generosity – to the point of foolishness.  The prodigal son was all about someone who spent without regard to wisdom or sensibility.

In our vocabularies, we incline towards the use of words based on current understandings, or implied ideas.  Etymology – the study of evolution of words – can often bring us to a new understanding. 

That’s what I love about the bucket of definition.  As you stir the word in the bucket, old ideas become clear and new images emerge as evolutionary sediment settles to the bottom.    And sometimes, it seems that a lightning strike to the bucket causes a new definition to emerge.

Just a bit of a thought – not an electronic bit, but a sizable bit – but then I may be a bit off on that, just in case you get bit with word fever!!

I was talking with a pastor yesterday.  Sort of a get acquainted opportunity.

We shared our backgrounds.  I’m a networker and tried to find geographic or relational connections.  There were no significant points of contact.

Other than the running theme of being/having been pastors. 

The business of pastoring connected me with a local church and congregation for many years.  Management, membership, money, and many other administrative tasks were a part of the job.

Then I retired and found that I was still connected to the church.  By people and passion, and perhaps the personality of a pastor.

I believe in Jesus.  I believe that God has swung wide a door to his living room through Jesus.  I want others to know about this opportunity.   I guess that’s why I am called a Christian.

Not all fellow pastors are as passionate or even as dogmatic as I am. 

So, back to meeting the pastor.

We came to a point in our conversation as we talked of being Christian pastors.  He outlined the “at least” question.

“Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus?”

Spiritual leaders nowadays allow for Jesus in their worldview, but dig no deeper than good teachings.  Scratch the surface of their beliefs and if they do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus they are not Christian.  They may be moral, cooperative, nice people.  They are not Christians.

Both of us affirmed that we believed in the resurrection of Jesus.  More discussion will follow, I am sure.  And perhaps more “at least” questions.

But right now, at least, we start in the same book, while enjoying the journey of figuring out if we are on the same page!