Episode I: The Miracle of Christmas.

     It's the Christmas season, but hurry, it ends soon. All the bargains, all the treats, all the opportunities to watch your favorite holiday shows or travel to see your favorite light display, they soon will be gone. Hurry, the time is short.
     In Branson Missouri there are theaters of every kind. One in particular does spectacular productions of a few Bible stories, and it being the season, their current production is "The Miracle of Christmas". Last year we took in this show, and it is a very traditional telling of the story of Christ birth, done in a spectacular musical style. It was enjoyable. This show starts early in the fall and is advertised everywhere.
       The other day I heard a radio commercial for the show and the ending line was something like, "..get your tickets soon, The Miracle of Christmas ends December 31!". And it stuck me, how this advertisement may speak more truth than many Christians want to admit. Does the Miracle end as soon as Christmas is "over"?
      I know that my own mailbox has been flooded with charitable pleas, but as soon as the last store closes on Christmas Eve, the red buckets will disappear and with them will go part of the miracle of human compassion.   
      I also know that due to the generosity of others some people will have their best meal of the year, and then it'll be back to mac & cheese and beans for the New Year. The Miracle of Christmas will end. Our fascination with lighted houses will turn into, "Hey, it's over! Move on" Already, people are saying the season can't get over too soon. Next season, please. In the retail world I live in that will be the diet season.
      But back to the Miracle of Christmas, the miracle does not have an expiration date, and continues, but only if we allow the Miracle to live in us. Christ in us is the miracle, and Christ doesn't have a limit of a 30 day deal for feeding the poor or helping those who are without work or who are grieving. It's not just a December offer, its an all the time, everytime, anytime offer.
      I guess I wrote this to remind myself and perhaps you also,that as we take down the tree, eat the last of the leftovers and wonder if anyone will know about the returned or re-gifted gift, that this is not the end.
      The Miracle of Christmas does NOT end at 12 midnight December 25, it's only the beginning. In the Church year, this is the new year, Episode I, if you will of the Miracle.
Peace my Friends. 

Rocky Mountain High

Back in 1972, I purchased the album "Rocky Mountain High" by John Denver. I still have that LP, it's a little scratched and fuzzy sounding, well actually, I have 2 copies, and one is still pretty good. I thought the title song was the coolest song ever, and still do. There's something in the words, to me, that talk about getting a clear vision of life, of your life, and following that dream.
We have vacationed and camped in Colorado over the years. We would often leave in the middle of the night with the boys asleep in the back, as we tried to get across half of Kansas before daylight. Usually our goal was to be at the edge of Colorado, in Garden City Kansas or maybe Burlington Colorado,  in time to camp at the end of the first day.
Then, early the next morning, we would enter "Colorful Colorado" and begin the ascent to the mountains. We always commented on the city limit signs which changed from displaying population numbers to declaring the elevation of said town. After everyone was awake and the first round of snacks had been passed around, we began to anticipate the first hint on the horizon of the far blue horizon that would be the Rockies. Over the years it became a tradition and later an annoyance to teenagers, that with the first sighting of the mountains, I would play on the tape deck or just spontaneously begin to sing "Rocky Mountain High". It was always an inspirational moment. Seriously, it was. There is something in that far off horizon of snowy peaks that has beauty, mystery and the promise of adventure.
Camping and hiking and driving to see the sights. Garden of the Gods, peering over the edge of the Royal Gorge, or the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, or climbing the tallest dune at the Great Sand Dunes National Monument (getting the Great Sand Dune Sunburn), were all fine vacation things to do.
The Rockies are, for us, a place to run away to. A place that is both, in physical placement and spirit, far from the everyday life we live.
Three weeks ago Regina and I headed to Colorado for the end of summer vacation. 7 days in the mountains to get away from it all. We had a great time, staying in an unheated cabin in Grand Lake CO, on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park.We saw historic sites, ghost towns, rushing rivers and of course snow and road construction.
We came back relaxed and ready to get back to real life. Real life? As we drove home on Thursday, with the blue horizon of mountains in the rearview mirror, I wondered about real life. Some of the pictures we took could be post cards, and we wondered if this were where you lived, if this were YOUR real life, would it be just a boring or ho hum as living in the Ozarks can be to us?
Real life? The question is just that. What is it? When we got back, real life kicked in, Regina has 2 jobs and mine had just grown in responsibility by more than double. Real life was here, waiting. But you know, I have tried to keep that Rocky Mountain High in my hip pocket to pull out and remember and use to refresh. Mini trips with John Denver singing in the background while I eat a burger in my car, or starting the day looking at pictures we took while there, remind me that, even though it was only a few days, it was for those days, my real life. I believe dreams and memories are the same in our lives. One is the life we have lived, the other the life we will live, if we only catch the vision.
As I have thought about our mountain vacations I was reminded of how many times in the Bible references to the mountains occur. I guess a mountain high has always had it's spiritual aspects. Moses, Abraham, Elijah, and Jesus all had mountain top experiences. Think about yours!
Peace my friends.

A vacation day in Kansas.

A week in Colorado, the perfect escape from a hot dry summer here in the Ozarks. It had been several years since we had visited our other favorite state. We made plans and the last week of August we headed west,a full 7 days of being gone.
We always allow one day to get across Kansas, and it seems no matter which route we take it takes about the same amount of time:hours and hours.
I had been reading (again) William Least Heat Moon's book PrairyErth a 624 page ramble around Chase County and the Flint Hills of Kansas. The Flint Hills I know of, because they are often mentioned in conversations with my good friend, Kansas native, Steve. Anyway, Moon talks of the land, the people and the history of not just Chase county, but all of Kansas. This has helped me to look at Kansas, the not so flat land in a different way, and on this trip I was determined to enjoy the ride and look at it from a pioneer perspective and perhaps with an eye as to what could be loved about Kansas (other than purple Wildcats and mutant blue and red birds). Let me also mention that my family lived in southeast Kansas for 2 years and that we did come to know some of the ways of the the people there. People of the prairie, people of the open sky, people of the stinky wind. But, while there we were generally only looking forward to the day we could get back to the Ozarks (trees, blue water, clean breezes).
I am not a Kansas hater, but like many (most perhaps) appreciation for Kansas is stronger among the natives. But attitudes can change, and I think mine has.
The trip began with us driving, roads that first half of the day,very familiar to me.During the 2 years of life in Kansas, I had a sales route which extended from the Coffeyville Dalton Museum to the Yellow Brick Road of Iola to the twin cites of Fredonia and Neodesha and the Safari museum in Chanute. In our heading west on Hwy 400. Although the road was much improved, the condition of the towns it had bypassed,and many family farms and homes along this "new" road were showing signs of abandonment and deterioration.
The day we left was what is known as "bluebird day" in the Ozarks. Clear blue skies, sun shine, a breeze and, once we not far into Kansas, green fields of corn, hay and fat slick cattle gave the day a pastoral look that made me smile.
We drove all day, and were able to maintain a good pace, even quickly riding the tide of traffic through Wichita. It was amazing how quickly the metro of this conglomerate of towns on the the plains, turned back to farmland. As we continued north I noted how few billboards advertised upcoming places or places of interest, because there weren't any. And in my new perspective, I saw this as one of the beauties of Kansas, the shear nothingness, not of the land, but of the things people bring with them. The sprawl of Wichita is limited by the number of people who really want or need to live there. The billboards limited by what is ahead (only 2 ADULT places between Wichita and Colorado on I-70).
Most people, and I have been one, complain about this nothingness, but on this trip I took notice of several features. One was the sky, there was lots of it, and nearly everywhere you looked from I-70, the land touched the sky. This is not the same as touching the treeline, or the mountain tops, or the city skyline, the sky touches the earth, and it is impressive. And speaking of the earth, I tried to look at the land in a more narrow focus to see what was really there. It's kinda like the difference of using your camera in profile mode, or landscape mode. On this trip across the grass sea, I saw more detail. There were gullies where entire cars had been used to stop erosion, only their 1930's headlights now showing. Lines of cedar trees marching along a fence line where they had been planted by roosting birds. Broken windmills on abandoned wells tilted against the wind and abandoned feed lots, home now to one lone horse and tall weeds clinging to the falling down lot fence.
I found my self looking close and looking far and trying to imagine what it was like when it was truly tall grass prairie for as far as the eye could see. A perspective that also included the promise of mountains somewhere in the distance. Then there was the wind, not so stinky here north of the many feed lots, but as always, blowing. Over the years as we have traveled across Kansas, I have watched for the windmills. Windmills and sunflowers are icons of Kansas. As we came through the rolling hills west of Salina, there was something in the distance that I just couldn't place, something big, but not clicking in my brain. We continued our barreling down the interstate, suddenly my brain finally put together what the eyes were telling it, windmills of course, no, take that back, wind turbines, huge white three bladed towers standing on the north side of the interstate, for as far as we could see. On the way back home I measured and this army of the the green future, stood alongside the highway for more that 15 miles. It was amazing. Later we saw one of the blades on a truck on I-70, it was the length of the trailer.
This whole thing reminded me that Kansas is often thought of as empty, useless, boring, etc. But just as it does with wheat, corn, and cattle, Kansas supplies the nation and the world with the common everyday things, that so many people have no idea where they come from. So now, it seems, power will be added to that list. The wind always blows in Kansas an unending resource.
So on this vacation I found that Kansas is more that meets the eye, or the imagination. Even though I am still not a person who would chose to live there, I do understand that those who do a little more perhaps. They are there because,like their pioneer ancestors,they see a potential in Kansas that most would fly by or prefer to sleep past. To all my Kansas friends, thanks for the slice of bread this morning and the quarter pounder for lunch, without these would this wouldn't be America?
Peace my friends.

Relight the Pilot Light!

When I was a kid, my dad's parents were just moving into the modern age. I can remember when they didn't have an indoor bathroom, got water from a well ,had one of those huge console radios that was as tall as a 7 year old, heated their house with a wood stove, and fact, they not only had a wood stove in their living room, but also a wood cook stove.They didn't even have a car. Going to their house every Sunday afternoon was a step back in time.
One modern convenience they did have was a gas cook stove. Powered by propane, this stove was a marvel to all of us grandkids. At our house, the cook stove was electric,turn the knob and things started to heat up. But at my grandparents, the cook stove was always active, due to the pilot lights. Each of the burners had a little flame that was always there waiting for the command to fire into action to heat water or cook some delicious meat. This was so cool. We kids were of course mesmerized by these little flames (being boys, any flame would do). The problem was we also couldn't resist blowing them out. This usually got us in a little trouble, and then someone would have to relight the pilots.
That was my first experience with pilot lights. The future would bring others,on hot water heaters and furnaces. As an adult you begin to understand the importance of a pilot light, especially if you are the first in the shower early in the morning and the water is cold because the pilot light went out. The same feeling when you wake in the night and the house seems really cold...the pilot went out for some reason.
How the pilot light plays an important part in these appliances is obvious, there has to be a starter, a spark, some intricate part of the mechanism that is always warmed up and ready to ignite the whole structure, where a stove burner or rows of burners that boil water to send to the shower.
Lately I've thought about that pilot light in life. Who or what is it? And what can cause it to go out?
So let me conclude this post with some questions, what is your life pilot light. What keeps it lit and what can put it out? Does there seem to be a coldness in some part of your life? Does it need to be re-lit?
Peace my friends.

Something Meaningful

Lest I forget, here's some more about my Oklahoma half marathon experience that really makes it more than a race. I use that term loosely in my case, for by the time I finish, all the "racers" have had their massage, shower and lunch, but I digress.
The Oklahoma Memorial Marathon is billed as "A Run to Remember." The remembrance,is not referring to me remembering what a good time I had, or what a great T-Shirt I got, it's about remembering those who died in the Murrah Building bombing in 1995.
Each mile of the course has banners flying from street light posts, utility poles and such, with names of the victims. For me this is inspiring. As we crazy people run the streets of Oklahoma City, the crowds along the way shout encouragement, but they also tell us "Thank you, for coming, for remembering!" For many of them this yearly event is meaningful, it proves to them that they are not left alone with their memories of that life changing event.
To me it has meaning in that I cannot do the race without taking stock of my own life, and the fact that I, like you, hope that what I do in this life has or will have meaning. Each of us it seems is looking for something with meaning to make us feel alive, or to last beyond the years that we live.
Many times in discussions with people I work with, we often turn to the idea of retirement and what life after "work" will be like. Most often the statement "When I retire, or when they let me go, I would like my next job, or retirement to be something with 'meaning'." Usually, we who are gathered, all nod and acknowledge, that we too, would like to do something with "meaning".
Well, after marathon weekend in OKC, I often do reflect on what in life has meaning. It's not the first time I have come to this conclusion, but I realize again that amid all the demands of life, that everyday has meaning It has to, otherwise, the motivation to go out there, well, it just doesn't exist.
For marriage, raising two sons, inviting daughters into the family,and looking forward to grandchildren all has meaning. If I take the perspective that all life has meaning, even my job as a cheese salesman, then how can I not look forward to tomorrow. Life is all meaning.
As many of you know, I am a John Denver fan. Why? Because so many of the songs he wrote or performed spoke to me as a teenager trying to find meaning in life during the early 1970's when our culture and society seemed to be in chaos. Schmaltzy as some of those songs may seem, there is meaning there. So when it comes to this getting older issue, there's one song that really says a lot, if not all about where I am now, and meaning. Like the people in Oklahoma City who see meaning in a group of people running through their neighborhoods on a Sunday morning, I look for the meaning of the past and the future. Here's some of John's words that seem to fit me now.
Poems,Prayers and Promises, by John Denver, copyright 1971.
I've been lately thinking about my life's time,
all the things I've done and how it's been,
and I can't help believn' in my own mind
I know I'm gonna hate to see it end.

Now jump to the first line of the chorus...

I have to say it now it's been a good life all in all,
it's really fine to have the chance to hang around,...

And that says it for me. Just having the chance to hang around, that in itself has meaning. Look for your meaning today.

Peace my friends.

168 Seconds.

Yesterday I ran in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. This is my 7th time of traveling the 5 hours to run either the full marathon (26.2 miles 3 times) or the half (13.1 miles, 4 times). My first year was 2003 and it was the 3rd year of the event. That year there were about 4000 participants. We lined up before daylight on a windy Sunday morning after hearing an inspirational sermon, and music at the "survivor tree" on the grounds of the National Memorial. Not only was this my first time at the event it was my first ever marathon.
It was exciting to be pressed in between the sidewalks with all these people who had a common purpose: Run the race before us and finish, upright, about a block from where we started.
Over the loudspeaker that morning, above the loud rock music, the announcer thanked all the sponsors, and introduced dignitaries and guests. Told us to look for the celebrity runners, including 1972 Olympic marathon gold medalist Frank Shorter (whom I met and got his autograph). All this was going on over the din of 4000 nervous and excited people, anxious to be on their way. Waiting for the starting horn.
As we all talked and speculated about what the day would bring,the tone in the announcer's voice turned serious as he began talking about the morning of April 19 1995, when a truck bomb blasted the Federal Building, killing 168 people including 19 children. I was trying to hear, but the people kept on talking. He closed by announcing there would be 168 seconds of silence to honor those who died that day. I thought to myself, "yeah, right." Just as he finished the statement, I was amazed as the entire crowd , this street filled with 4000 plus people, became completely quiet. The only sound was the morning song of some bird, being picked up by the open mic. I had never experienced anything quite like it. Standing there for over 2 minutes, in silence, honoring people most of us did not know.
Yesterday, April 25, 2010 was the 10th year of the marathon. There were over 23,000 participants according to the TV reports, and when at 6:20, the announcer called for that 168 seconds of silence, I was again amazed and moved as 4 city blocks packed with people became one silent voice, honoring those who died 15 years ago.
When I closed my eyes at the beginning of that 168 seconds, it was dark, when I opened them the glow of the sun was just starting to peek through the clouds. When I looked up,there were in front of me two women hugging. Both had tears on their cheeks. Who were they? I don't know. But I do know that 168 seconds of silence for them was golden.
For me that 168 seconds was the only time I was still for the next 2 hours as I ran the 13.1 miles that brought me back to the finish line, just a block from where I began.
As I think about that silence, I think that everyday, 168 seconds of silence and stillness is probably what I need. A time of stillness, to think about and remember not only what God has done for me, but also those people who are or have been in my life and helped me get to where I am.
Take a moment of silence now, maybe 168 moments, as a suggested time, and remember.
Peace, my friends.

A Solar Life

"Sunshine On My Shoulders", "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", "You Are My Sunshine", "Sunny" and the list goes on. All these songs about sunshine. Why? What is it about sunshine that makes us want to sing?
It's been a dreary and cold winter here in the Ozarks, below average temperatures, more snow than we've seen in a couple of years and a general "blah" feeling has seemed to grip me and others around me. Finally the sun shined on us on Friday, and everywhere I went and the people I talked to during that time were, well different. Then, the sun went away, and the weather man, and the TV news people and the people at the grocery store were bemoaning the passing of the sun. It was like for that short moment when the sun shined, we were all charged up. Our hopes were lifted and although nothing about our health, or our economic situation changed,it just felt different. Hey, even chat on Facebook took on a more positive tone. We were at that moment, solar powered.
Life is like that too. Without a positive influence, or a "sunny" outlook, all of life can be "blah". We need to be solar powered, and you know what? We are.
What we forget is that the sun is always shining, even at night the moon reflects it's light. It's not that the "sun is not out" it's that the sun is obscured. Even on those days when it's not "shining", my solar path lights are gathering energy, so they can shine in the dark, plants are storing up the daylight and are measuring it in their cells to prepare for bursting forth when the tilt of the planet gets just right.
I guess my point is that as a Jesus follower, I do live a solar life. That even in the times when the Son is obscured, I know He's there. Even when I wish the sky was clearer, it really is clear enough for me to live and enjoy. If everyday were clear and bright, it wouldn't be life, it would be Arizona (Ha!). Anyway, just be encouraged my friends, Spring is almost here, Easter is near and your solar batteries will not run out if you keep your face turned toward the Son!
Peace my friends.

Oh, little Snowbird take me with you!

Remember that song about the snowbird. "take me with you, to the land of gentle breezes where the peaceful waters flow.."? Well, we went there last week, it's called Arizona and it was great. Our first winter vacation and now it's easy to see how addictive living in those gentle breezes can be.
Did we want to leave? No, well, yes, well.It was after all, a vacation, and tomorrow the real world demands my presence. But I'm going to do my best to imagine the cold wind blowing through the Ozarks has traces of that warmer Arizona air. I'm also imagining that the spring which is on the verge of happening out there in the desert is just a few weeks away from arriving here.
I'm counting on it!
Peace my friends.

Running around.

End of the week and my mind is running around from one random thought to another and one of the thoughts is literally about running. It's been Toooo Cold and it's been Toooo crazy around here and so since January 1, I have ran almost NO MILES. No real surprise, it happens every year it seems. December and the holidays and cold, short, dark days hit and I almost become a "used to be" runner. The weather and the dark are known enemies of my desire and enthusiasm, and so I find myself running less and spending more "down-time":defined as time on the couch, time pigging out on chocolate and other holiday goodies and time spent whining about the awful weather!
So now the snow is almost gone and the temperature is nearly normal and tomorrow I'm up and out early to go running over rocky hills and through the creek and muddy paths. And thus I will return to normal(as normal as a runner can be considered). Some people need a winter cruise, some a session at the tanning salon, and others a good stiff drink to get through winter. I KNOW what I need! I just need to DO IT. Lace up the shoes, layer on the clothes and step out. And that's exactly what I'll be doing Saturday morning.
Busiek, 7:30 am, east parking lot, I'll be the couch potato wearing running shoes , hope to see you there!
Peace my friends.

Check your dashboard.

"I checked my dashboard and Bill has me going to....." is the message on my email Monday morning, from someone I work with. The dashboard being the location on the computer to find out where to work next week.
Being a child of the 1950's growing up in the 1960's and 1970's, the moment I read the word "dashboard" the image of the instrument panel of my very first car leaps to my mind. I can't help it. There in living color is the view through the steering wheel of a green vinyl covered 1968 Dodge Dart dashboard. The PRND1D2L indicator glued on top of the steering column and the white on black speedometer with gauges for all the information you would ever need. The Speedometer,of course, letting you know if you were within the limits placed by higher authority, so as not to get a ticket. ALT for the alternator to let you know if your battery was charging as you cruised down the road at 55 mph. The fuel gauge, obviously to check to make sure you could make it to the next station where you could fill up with .59 cent per gallon gas, and then the Oil light and the Temp gauge,the two most concerning and possibly menacing indicators on the dashboard. When the oil light came on you knew you were in serious trouble and if the temperature gauge was too far toward the "H" you should be concerned. With all these important items the rest of the dashboard was completed by the AM radio, the heater (no air conditioner) and the glove box. Cloth and vinyl seats complimented the completely carpeted floorboards.
So how did the dashboard of the past become the dashboard of now? I tried to find out where the term originated and here's one explanation I found from takeourwordforit.com "Interestingly, this word did not arise during the automobile era. Instead, it originated around 1846. Unfortunately, that's all I've been able to find, so far, on this word. I can guess that, when riding in a carriage or buggy on a badly rutted road, one was "dashed" (`hurled, knocked, or thrust with sudden violence') into the dashboard fairly frequently.
Since this column was originally posted, a reader has indicated that the dashboard prevented rocks and mud from "dashing" riders in buggies and buckboards, and this sounds like a credible explanation for the word's origin."
So I don't know if that is true, but I do know now that the use we make of the word dashboard is not so different from that of my 1968 Dart. In our work world we check the dashboard to see if we are where higher ups want us to be doing the thing assigned to us at the pace expected. We may judge if we are going too fast or too slow for the assignment and we may also measure our level of energy and enthusiasm for the task. In all the dashboard is the new agenda,the new itinerary, the electronic date book.
As I thought about this I considered what my spiritual dashboard might look like. What gear am I in, Drive, Neutral, Reverse, or maybe I'm just parked. How's my fuel level? Filled up and ready to hit the road, or am I running on fumes, afraid that if I drive too fast or too much farther, I'll be stranded with no help. Checking the alternator making sure it is my charging battery. And of course the oil light, trusting that that lubricating influence down deep in the core is there to keep things running and cool under pressure, so the Temperature gauge stays right where it needs to be.
Right now, my spiritual dashboard seems to be pretty normal. There's not too much that is making me run Hot, and the study I'm doing keeps my battery charged. No oil light on and fuel is available. But just like that Dart dashboard, I need to keep it in front of me and be aware of any changes.
So, how's your dashboard.
Peace my friends.

Location, location, location.

For Christmas my family got me a great unexpected gift. A GPS(Global Positioning System?) Garmin device to wear on my wrist when I'm out running, hiking or just walking around. This really cool gadget that is totally unnecessary to have a successful run. It measures my pace, my time, my heart rate and distance. When I get home, I can download the information and get a detailed a computer generated map and graph of all that happened during the run. So far my new friend,"Garmin" has not helped me run faster, but it has caused me to run farther and does allow me to determine if a run was successful or not. Using this information I can measure myself and then also determine if the location, the trail or route is one I wish to run again.

So here I am at the beginning of another year, and it's time to stop a moment,and you know, check where I am in life. How was the last year, and where do I plan to go in 2010? For me this means checking my internal GPS, or God Positioning Sense. For me the real measure of the journey is not how much has been accomplished, for that is done and past, but what and where will the next year take me. Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew chapter 6) so I try not to. So living in the now of today is really all I should be concerned with, and to do that I need to not only know my current location, but at least know that God is leading me and keeping me on the the correct trail. To know that I need to check the location of my heart, and get my position right. This is a daily task. Just as I check my Garmin for pace and distance, to see if I am meeting my goals, so must I check my pace and direction of life to know my location and ensure I am not off track.
So for the new year, I am checking the God Positioning System with more reading which is easy, but just like running, I am committing to more doing. Will the two GPS units help me in this? I am counting on it.
I'll let you know where I am on this as the year progresses.
Peace.