Ah, the power of "a sale" to persuade!
In one of America's favorite coffee shops, there was a small "stocking-stuffer" offered, ON SALE, just in time for the Christmas company coming. I picked one up, and asked: "How much is this?"
The cheerful answer came: "7.95"
Then the second salesperson chimed in: "Buy one, get one free!!"
Sounded good to me, so I picked up a second one and got in line to check out. The bill rang up $11.95 plus tax. Curious math, it seems.
It turns out that the 7.95 was the on-sale price ($4 off). The buy-one-get-one-free was a special at the REGULAR 11.95 price. When I questioned that, the sales crew insisted it was clear. And as I left, after buying the 7.95 deal, they were explaining to each other how all of that was clear.
Once upon a time in the long-ago when I sold shoes and things to pay for college, I had a boss who laughed at his own joke sometimes. He loved to say, "You can offer someone a deal: two for a nickel or three for a dime. Did you know lots of folks will do the three-for-a-dime deal cause they think it's better! Specially if you smile when you say it!"
Not so bad in the nickel and dime business; not so bad even in the coffee business, just small stuff. But when it comes to faith issues, maybe the "sweet deal" that sounds easier-than-Jesus isn't really so good after all. There are lots of "sweet deals" around; maybe we better read Matthew 5-7, and just check if the "sweet deal" actually fits with what Jesus said. Jesus tells the real Good News. Sometimes the other "deals" just aren't real. Check it.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
I Used to Do This
And today, I just want to resume. The reason: I'm working on a book, part history, part novel, and all about an ancestor in terrible circumstances working to define herself. As a hero to me, she lived through harder times than these, perhaps the hardest in Texas history, and emerged as a gracious woman. She knew she was a "daughter of the King" and a "patriot of this country." And when she worked through tough times, there was an echo through our family one generation at a time, laying down the guidelines and the fences, the definitions and the hopes.
It's always that way, certainly not unique to me and mine, but for all of us. Definitions count. That's how you survive economic hard times, that's how you make it as a subsistence farmer, that's how you go through unemployment. That's how you make it through the very best of times, too.
It's like the old, worn declaration from a whole generation of coaches: "We gonna dance with who brung us!" It's what we all do. But sometimes it's hard to tell "who brung us!" When the whole social fabric changes around us, it's hard to tell exactly which one of the masked partners is ours. When we can't quite get the handle on traditional values, we need to re-mark the fence lines, re-discover the core values, and then tell each other the stories of the journey.
So, I just believe there are new parables popping up all around us. I believe God still, as always, speaks through familiar voices, visualized scenes, and surprises, because He has a vested interest in making life abundant for all of us.
Treasures of my life have so often been suggestions from other folks. Here's a book to read..... Here's a song/poem to enjoy..... Here's a challenging question for you..... I disagree with you on ___________; what's your response..... None of us is built to go through ANY day, specially rough ones, on our OWN! God just didn't design us that way, and when we try, it just fails, unless.............
When we do try it all on our own, suddenly there are all these surprising gifts from friends we had forgotten, and all of these become new parables of finding the way.
Share if you like. I do plan to keep it plain and simple, and just share discoveries along the way.
Bryan
Monday, May 16, 2011
Just Semi-New
Peter Marshall, one-time Chaplain for the U.S. Senate and a highly popular preacher and writer, wrote a poem-prayer for Independence Day, 1948, which is a classic, not only for public prayer but also for prayer on a national holiday. Here's the text, from the Dallas Morning News magazine, July 4, 1948:
O God our Father, we pray that the people of America, who have made such progress in material things, may now seek to grow in spiritual understandings.
For we have improved means, but not improved ends. We have better ways of getting there, but we have no better places to go. We can save more time, but are not making any better use of the time we save.
We need Thy help to do something about the world's true problems - the problem of lying, which is called propaganda; the problem of selfishness, which is called self-interest; the problem of greed, which is often called profit; the problem of license, disguising itself as liberty; the problem of lust, masquerading as love; the problem of materialism, the hook which which is baited with security.
Hear our prayers, O Lord, for the spiritual understanding which is better than political wisdom, that we may see our problems for what they are. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen
O God our Father, we pray that the people of America, who have made such progress in material things, may now seek to grow in spiritual understandings.
For we have improved means, but not improved ends. We have better ways of getting there, but we have no better places to go. We can save more time, but are not making any better use of the time we save.
We need Thy help to do something about the world's true problems - the problem of lying, which is called propaganda; the problem of selfishness, which is called self-interest; the problem of greed, which is often called profit; the problem of license, disguising itself as liberty; the problem of lust, masquerading as love; the problem of materialism, the hook which which is baited with security.
Hear our prayers, O Lord, for the spiritual understanding which is better than political wisdom, that we may see our problems for what they are. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Sack Lunch - A Good One to Pass On
The news is full of "international relations". This is the other element, and we can't ever forget this one.
Copied without cuts from a friend:
I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.
Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation.
'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.
'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan
After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time...
As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base.'
His friend agreed.
I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'
Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'
'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class.
'This is your thanks..'
After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room.
A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, 'I want to shake your hand.' Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.
Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.
When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base.
I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base.. It will be about time for a sandwich.
God Bless You.'
Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.
As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little...
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'
That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.
Prayer:
'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.'
Copied without cuts from a friend:
I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.
Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation.
'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.
'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan
After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time...
As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base.'
His friend agreed.
I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'
Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'
'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class.
'This is your thanks..'
After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room.
A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, 'I want to shake your hand.' Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.
Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.
When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base.
I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base.. It will be about time for a sandwich.
God Bless You.'
Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.
As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little...
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'
That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.
Prayer:
'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.'
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Unashamedly Copied
His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools
and ran to the bog.
There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death
The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.
'I want to repay you,' said the nobleman. 'You saved my son's life.'
'No, I can't accept payment for what I did,' the Scottish farmer replied waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel.
'Is that your son?' the nobleman asked.
'Yes,' the farmer replied proudly.
'I'll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy If the lad is anything like his father, he'll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of.' And that he did.
Farmer Fleming's son attended the very best schools and in time, graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.
Years afterward, the same nobleman's son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia.
What saved his life this time? Penicillin.
The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill .. His son's name?
Sir Winston Churchill.
Someone once said: What goes around comes around.
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tough Spirits and Martyrs
Pakistani Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian who had tried to reform the country's blasphemy law, is shot. So opens a news item today. Jesus knew it is/was a tough world when he told us to love our enemies. That did NOT mean to fail to RESIST, but to pray for, even as we defend against. But to live in a spirit of love.
Our choir is preparing (in rehearsal tonight) a work by Thomas Aquinas, sung to a Benedictine Plain-Song. Followers of Benedict were men who worshiped in a profound way, and lived fearlessly in brutal times. For hundreds of years, they lived according to the word of grace, no matter what the world around tossed to them. We need profound worship in these times, even within our layers of comfort and protection.
Here's the text, a phenomenal guide to prayer:
Jesus, I adore thee, Word of truth and grace, who in glory shineth light upon our race.
Christ, to thee surrendered, my whole heart is bowed.
Alpha and Omega be, thou true Son of God.
Taste and touch and vision to discern thee fail;
Faith that comes by hearing pierces through the veil.
I believe whatever the Son of God hath told.
What the Truth hath spoken, that for truth I hold.
Word of God incarnate, Lord of life and light, teach me how to love and worship thee aright.
Holy Spirit, ever bide within my heart, speaking thy commandments, telling all thou art.
Wondrous revelation, verity and grace, Lo, in glory's heaven, I see thee face to face.
Light of endless light whom heaven and earth adore,
fill me with thy radiance now and ever more.
Without something very like that happening in the private depths and in public worship, you just can't go out into the rough world and hold to the course God sets for the disciple.
Shahbaz Bhatti was shot. He prayed before he left home this morning. God didn't abandon him, but sustained him in faithfulness even at the worst. He reminds us of the meaning of the word "martyr". The world works every day to redirect those who would be faithful to Jesus, and sometimes works under very confusing labels.
Facing YOUR heart's enemies, you need time for prayer and adoration of God. We all do.
Our choir is preparing (in rehearsal tonight) a work by Thomas Aquinas, sung to a Benedictine Plain-Song. Followers of Benedict were men who worshiped in a profound way, and lived fearlessly in brutal times. For hundreds of years, they lived according to the word of grace, no matter what the world around tossed to them. We need profound worship in these times, even within our layers of comfort and protection.
Here's the text, a phenomenal guide to prayer:
Jesus, I adore thee, Word of truth and grace, who in glory shineth light upon our race.
Christ, to thee surrendered, my whole heart is bowed.
Alpha and Omega be, thou true Son of God.
Taste and touch and vision to discern thee fail;
Faith that comes by hearing pierces through the veil.
I believe whatever the Son of God hath told.
What the Truth hath spoken, that for truth I hold.
Word of God incarnate, Lord of life and light, teach me how to love and worship thee aright.
Holy Spirit, ever bide within my heart, speaking thy commandments, telling all thou art.
Wondrous revelation, verity and grace, Lo, in glory's heaven, I see thee face to face.
Light of endless light whom heaven and earth adore,
fill me with thy radiance now and ever more.
Without something very like that happening in the private depths and in public worship, you just can't go out into the rough world and hold to the course God sets for the disciple.
Shahbaz Bhatti was shot. He prayed before he left home this morning. God didn't abandon him, but sustained him in faithfulness even at the worst. He reminds us of the meaning of the word "martyr". The world works every day to redirect those who would be faithful to Jesus, and sometimes works under very confusing labels.
Facing YOUR heart's enemies, you need time for prayer and adoration of God. We all do.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Perfect Pitch
She was superb on the key-board, had a really good voice, and was the total accompanist, the full-bore backup to her extremely talented husband.
When we worked on a processional entry one week, I noticed she didn't use a pitch-pipe - just hummed the pitch and off we went. As the choir marched and sang without accompaniment, it was a great sound. Then the daring moment came - the organ came in, and the pitch matched.
I was impressed! Whew, that was lucky! Not at all. Time after time, she sounded the pitch, accompaniment came in later, and everything worked.
More impressed, I noticed her gracious use of her gifts. And because she appreciated others, I began to notice them, and appreciate, too.
God-given gifts, used graciously and well, grow and replicate. That makes the church such a grand fellowship for all of us. There is never just a "single" thing; when it's well done, it makes more and more. And it lasts, as a longer influence than you might ever have expected.
Thank, you, friend!
When we worked on a processional entry one week, I noticed she didn't use a pitch-pipe - just hummed the pitch and off we went. As the choir marched and sang without accompaniment, it was a great sound. Then the daring moment came - the organ came in, and the pitch matched.
I was impressed! Whew, that was lucky! Not at all. Time after time, she sounded the pitch, accompaniment came in later, and everything worked.
More impressed, I noticed her gracious use of her gifts. And because she appreciated others, I began to notice them, and appreciate, too.
God-given gifts, used graciously and well, grow and replicate. That makes the church such a grand fellowship for all of us. There is never just a "single" thing; when it's well done, it makes more and more. And it lasts, as a longer influence than you might ever have expected.
Thank, you, friend!
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