To Jim...

I've written before that I am pretty much a loner, in fact in one of my most recent blogs I likened myself to an island. There have been many, many acquaintances in my life, many people that I am friendly with, but through the years there have been very few that I have considered a tried and true friend. As I was mowing the grass yesterday my thoughts were with one of my rare friends, for he has been ailing lately, and I have been concerned.
As I mowed I tried to remember the origins of our friendship, of when it was that he penetrated my defenses and went from acquaintance to friend. I've known Jim for well over twenty years, first from attending the same church together. But then, in 1991, as I was faced with a divorce, I hired Jim to represent me. As it turned out I wasn't just hiring an attorney I was making a friend- a better friend than I had any right to. Jim kept me on the high road throughout my ordeal when it would have been far easier to get down in the mud like so many divorces revert to. And when he saw the stress beginning to overwhelm me he took it upon himself to arrange a day of stress relief- in the form of paintballing. That was the seed of our friendship, and I'm forever grateful that he cared enough to plant it, and then to nurture it, for our friendship has been a real blessing to me.
Through the years Jim and I have shared too many meals together to count, played tennis, shared thoughts, experiences, laughs and tough times. I was blessed to share the same building with Jim the last several years he worked. Many days we would sit in one another's office and just share, just be friends. It is a rare and beautiful thing that we all too often take for granted until something happens and we find ourselves stripped of that friendship. I really believe that both Jim and I were always aware of how special true friendship is. I always cherished him calling me "my friend" in his Georgian accent, for I truly felt the genuineness of his friendship.
Today I learned that Jim's cancer, that he'd battled into remission for several years, had spread throughout his abdomen and treatment wasn't an option. My heart is broken at the thought of losing one of the few really true friends that I have, but that's just me being selfish. I know Jim, and I know his walk with the Lord, and I'm confident that for Jim death holds no sting. In that Jim and I were very similar- I find the prospect of meeting my Lord far more appealing than life on this earth, but like Paul said, we run the course laid out for us so when our time comes our Lord will say, "Well done my good and faithful servant"... To my friend, my dear friend, I say, "well run my friend. You ran the course laid out for you, and you stood by your principles and convictions. You were and are an inspiration. I only pray I can run my race as well. I love you my brother."
I will miss you Jim. But where you will be know that I follow, and I will see you again Brother. You can bet the farm on it...

The Cult of Catholicism...

So there's rumblings of changes in the Catholic church... There's talk of revisiting the celibacy issue for priests (which, personally, I believe is not a scriptural basis for priesthood- rather a manmade regulation). There's the Pope's shake up of the Roman Vatican... And now, there's a "new" stand by the Church as to the requirements to get into heaven...

""The Catholic Church is basically saying there are people through grace who can come through. Whether or not it's through Jesus … they can still make it to heaven."

Wow. Where in Scripture does it say this!? Matthew records Jesus telling the people that the "wide gate and broad road leads to destruction" and the "narrow road leads to life." Clearly, in his teaching Jesus teaches, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6). Seems pretty clear cut to me. No one gets to heaven except through Jesus.

In college one of my good friends was raised a Catholic, and although a born-again Christian still was a pretty staunch defender of Catholicism. We had some pretty spirited debates, initially began by my comment that Catholicism was the world's largest cult. I challenged him to show me where the Bible says I need to go to a priest, a man, for absolution of my sin when Jesus clearly stated he was my high priest to the Father. I can go directly to him... There were other issues, other discussions, but in the end if a religious group believes that which is contrary to the Bible, then it is a cult. And  this latest "statement of belief" from the head of the Catholic church is clearly contradictory to the Holy Scriptures.
Food for thought...

I am an Island...

Sometimes we hear a song and it just seems to strike a chord, or ring true to life... Today I heard an old favorite, from the early days of Simon and Garfunkel, and it seemed to now define me. ..

A winter's day
In a deep and dark December;
I am alone,
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

I've built walls,
A fortress deep and mighty,
That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain.
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

Don't talk of love,
But I've heard the words before;
It's sleeping in my memory.
I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died.
If I never loved I never would have cried.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

I have my books
And my poetry to protect me;
I am shielded in my armor,
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb.
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

And a rock feels no pain;
And an island never cries.

Sometimes I feel that I am an island, but I know it's an island of my own making- Life is choice, and right now, at this chapter of my life, this is my choice, and who knows what's best for me better than me?

Recognizing the Whisper...

Last night was a perfect night for a fire so I fired up the fire pit and sat out on the deck. It was an exceptionally dark, cool night, which magnified the warm glow of the fire, As I sat there listening to the crickets and scurrying of the night life around me I suddenly felt so close to God. I was just sitting, marveling at His creation, and He seemed so close.
Remembering that feeling this morning it caused me pause, and I wondered why I didn't feel His presence like that all the time, and I immediately knew the answer. Last night I was still, as we are commanded to be in Psalms 46, verse 10; "Be still and know that I am God". When I was still, when I allowed God's presence to be felt, to be known, I was close to Him. It's those times that I get so busy with "life", when I speed from one thing to the next, when my days are a blur- it's those times that God waits patiently for me to be still and experience Him. He doesn't ever stray from me, rather it is I who stray from Him...
I remember the account of Elijah, on the mountain, when God told him his presence was to pass by. Elijah went out and stood and a great and powerful wind tore the mountain and shattered rocks- but the Lord was not in the wind. then There was an earthquake, but the Lord wasn't in the earthquake. Fire followed, but the Lord wasn't in the fire. And last, a gentle whisper, and Elijah pulled his clock over his face as he stood at the mouth of the cave, for God was in the whisper. Elijah heard, and recognized, when he was still before the Lord (1 Kings 19)...   
The thing we don't often hear or remember about that story is when confronted by God Elijah chose to complain to the Lord- to boast of how zealous he was and complain to God how God wasn't holding up his end of the deal. He (Elijah) was all alone! And God responded, telling him to return, for he was not alone, there was a remnant of 7,000 that were faithful to the Lord. Elijah saw his own circumstance, God saw the whole picture. All too often I find myself blinded by my circumstances to appreciate the big picture. I fear that in my rush, my arrogance, and in my inability to be still on a consistent basis I hurt my Heavenly Father... I'm sorry Abba, I'm sorry Father...

Food for thought...