Wednesday, December 29, 2010

And you call yourself a Christian....

What are your greatest grievances against the church? I mean, when you think of the ways that believers fall short of their calling, which shortcomings come to mind?

Do they sin too much? Do they love this world too much? Do they like sports, money or entertainment more than they should? Are they unfaithful in their prayer lives? That’s a big complaint that I hear in church circles. At least once a year, someone will take the stage and say, “We need to pray more people!” Does this phrase sound familiar? “Christians need to get out of the pews and get busy about the great commission.” Does the church serve its community or the world as well as you think it should? Are we evangelical enough? Are we combating aids, child poverty, spousal abuse or drug abuse like we should?

As much emphasis as we place in out Christian community on The Word, prayer, worship, outreach and evangelism, I often question how important these really are. I have a test for you. It’s a very simple test. Complete the following sentence.

Anyone who doesn’t __________ enough, does not deserve to call himself a Christian.
1) Pray
2) Witness
3) Read the Bible
4) Help those in need

What do you think? Some of you already know that I’m being intentionally tricky. There are only a few things that I have found which call for us to hand in our Christian badge. We can’t drink blood. We can’t eat food that we know has been offered to other gods. We can’t continue to intentionally live in sexual immorality and we can’t eat strangulated animals. I would also add murder. If you murder people on an ongoing basis and you aren’t willing to stop, I’m really not comfortable sitting with you on Sunday mornings.

There is at least one other area, that when we fall short, calls our faith into question.

1 Timothy 5:8 (New Living Translation)
8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

I always encourage you to read more than just the tidbits that I post here. In this passage, Paul is speaking to Timothy, telling him that widows should be cared for by their children or grandchildren if they have any. Paul has some serious words, basically saying, “If anyone refuses to provide for their own family, they don’t deserve to call themselves a Christian.”

I’m nearing the end of my Bible again. I’ve been through it a few times, at least four, and I don’t recall such words for any other area of our walk.

Does it happen? Are there people who fail to look after their own ailing parents? Are there parents who seem to find money to support their own personal habit, but don’t have enough to pay the rent or buy baby formula? I’ve seen it in the world. I hope it doesn’t happen in our homes. Is it more common in homes where mom and dad have split up? I have someone in mind at the moment and I don’t think he read this. Apparently, dad always had money to spend on his snowmobile, but never had enough to help support his children. I’ve heard of a mom who spent her son’s university tuition on her own entertainment. Are there children who would let their parents starve? Oh I hope not.

I’m not without sin myself, so I won’t call down fire on anyone. It isn’t like this is a new law, but the principle at work here has little to do with the law, but more of love. When we can’t even care for the people in our immediate family, it isn’t that we have broken a law, but rather, we have denied the faith. Our actions have demonstrated that we really don’t believe in or have any intention of following Jesus.

I’ve never asked you to be evangelists, prayer warriors or Bible scholars. I hope that I do call you consistently to be the dad, the mom, the son or the daughter that you need to be.

My kids are fed and my wife has enough clothing to keep her warm, but I can be very selfish at times. My parents are able to look after themselves at the moment. I just pray that if the day ever comes when I need to be more for the people in my household that I’ll be man enough.

If you are part of my family, I want to go on record by saying that you have been everything to me that I have expected you to be. You have not let me down. So if you lie awake at nights because you don’t feel like you visit often enough, I hope I have set your conscience at ease. If I have failed you, you have to let me know, because I really don’t have a clue.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Odd

I often have a difficult time in putting a name to some of the benefits of being a believer. I mean, it’s not like our troubles go away. We still get sick. We still get cancer. We still eventually die from something. We still have bills to pay. The chances are pretty good that I’ll forget this a year from now, but this evening I have been reminded of one of the greatest privileges of having come to Christ.

Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God.” Hebrews 9:14

When I recall the days of my life before Jesus, there was a strange paradox at work. On one hand, if you were to ask me whether or not I considered myself to be a good person, I would answer in all honesty that I thought I was indeed a good person. The paradox was this – Even though I considered myself to be better than the bulk of mankind, there were so many things that weighed down my conscience. They were things, thoughts, and actions that I was ashamed of.

I now live out a different paradox in Christ. Now that I have acknowledged that I’m a sinner, and received the pardon offered to me by the blood of Christ, my conscience has been cleared. How weird is that? Doesn’t that sound backwards?

Why would a person who thinks they are a good person have a defiled conscience, while the one who calls his sin as sin lives a life of liberation? Is that the way it always is? If you remember your life before Christ, has your experience been similar? If you currently walk without Christ, are there things in your past that crop up to plague you from time to time?

It isn’t that I'm without regrets. I have a few. What has changed is this – the shame is gone. It has been revealed, it has been labeled as vile and nailed to the only place that has the power to cleanse it; the cross of Christ.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Once Saved Always Saved.

I spend very little time trying to sort out theology. I often wonder if this is an area where many believers find that I just don’t ‘do it for them’. Not that I care. Well, I care a little. There are many issues of theology where I don’t even pretend to have found the answer.

The question in the forefront of my mind this afternoon is one of those unsettled matters of doctrine. What do you think about the following phrase;

‘Once you are saved, you are always saved.’

I don’t know about you, but I find that the Bible doesn’t always speak in the same terms that we do. For example, you don’t come across the word, ‘missionary’ very often in the Scriptural text do you? The only place I've seen the word is in the man made headings. We think of church in different terms than the way in which it is spoken of in the Bible. Neither will you read a verse which says, ‘Once you are saved, you can’t lose your salvation’.

As believing humans, there is this tendency to divide ourselves into camps over issues that are not clearly outlined in The Word. We’ll gather proof texts in order to defend our case, intentionally neglecting anything that seems to speak to the contrary of our stand.

I’m currently a part of a body of believers who have the tradition of holding to the doctrine which says that once you are saved, you can’t lose your salvation. Many great believing thinkers take this stand, and I’ve heard some really great teachings from some of them. I just don’t think that The Bible is that clear on the issue.

I am reading through Hebrews at the moment and this afternoon I have revisited Hebrews 6:4-6.

4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.


We’re told that when a person has been enlightened and shared in the Holy Spirit, if they turn away from God, that it’s impossible to bring them back to repentance again. Depending on your stand, you might point out that this passage isn’t referring to people who have really been saved in the first place; that these weren’t people who had received the Spirit, but who had merely tasted Him.

You might be right. I have a question for you. How do you know the difference between having a taste of His Spirit, verses having received Him? This passage doesn’t speak in our terms does it? It doesn’t say if these people were ‘saved’ in the first place. How do you measure whether or not a person has turned away from God? Is it the same as giving up on church? Did the believers in the New Testament ever go to church in the way that we go to church?

I had a friend tell me a few months ago that he wasn’t sure whether or not he believed any more. So I asked him the question, “Are you saying that you used to believe, but now you really don’t believe?” He answered by saying, “I’m not sure whether or not I ever really did believe in the first place.” That makes it simple right? Perhaps he never really believed in the first place so he was never saved to begin with. All we need to do is figure out who really is saved so that we can fill out their separation papers beforehand. So if this guy was never saved, does this passage in Hebrews even refer to him? If he was never saved to begin with, then why can’t he be brought to Jesus for the first time? Do you ever wonder if perhaps you are losing your faith?

If you like definitive answers to questions such as these, I’m not the one to give them to you. We do know that some people are described as having their faith shipwrecked, and Paul refers specifically to two such individuals in 1Timothy 1:19-20. How can you sink a ship that doesn’t exist? If they didn’t really believe in the first place, what kind of faith did they have? If they really did believe, then how could it be dashed on the rocks? Why doesn’t Paul tell us whether these two individuals really were or were not saved to begin with? That kind of commentary might be helpful, but how could he make that kind of assertion? Is Paul God? Does he know for sure who is and who is not saved? How many of us have the kind of insight into the lives of those around us? Do you know who is and who is not saved in order to make those kinds of solid declarations?

I do know a few things. I know that we can be assured of our own salvation. I do know that, whatever it means to have my faith, ‘shipwrecked’, I don’t want that happening to me. I also know that my salvation isn’t like my wallet or anything else that can be misplaced. I know that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. I also know that if there is a weak partner in the relationship, it’s us. I know that we can count on God to hold up His end of the relationship, even when we fail. I know that there is a difference between stumbling versus walking away from the faith – even though I can’t always tell where to find the line between them. Our inheritance as His children isn’t like an investment that can go sour, a car that will rust, an opinion that can be changed or a shirt that can get dirty. (1Peter 1:40)

As far as church circles go, I believe that people should be allowed to walk away. It’s not like we should just let people go without caring enough to ask why, but if that’s what they really want, I don’t think that they should be bullied or pressured. I talked to a man a month ago who said that when he grew up to be a teenager, he didn’t want to go to church anymore. His father threatened to beat him within an inch of his life if he refused to go. That’s just completely wrong.

In spite of the fact that I don’t have all of the answers, I take great comfort in the fact that I can completely rely on God to do what He has promised for those who continue to trust in Him. “...we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.” (Hebrews 6:18-19) Our trust is misplaced if it lies merely in the hands of doctrine, teaching or theology. Our trust rests completely on the finished work of Jesus on the cross at Calvary. I hope that you have found your refuge in Him, and that you remain in His loving care. I hope that you continue to trust Him.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

What I Want for Christmas.

Just in case you haven’t purchased my Christmas present yet, I thought I’d give you an idea as you head out for these last two precious days of shopping.

I have a friend whose son Jesse has Burkitt's Leukemia. My friend's name is Pete and I believe that he only gets a few days off of work for Christmas, which makes these few days all the more precious. At the moment, Jesse is in the hospital with a fever. I’m not here to play on your heart’s strings, but I would like very much if this young man could be well enough to spend Christmas at home with his family. Mom and dad have both been sick and it looks like the rest of their kids are taking ill as well. Please pray that each of them will be well enough to enjoy this time together.

They are a family who love the Lord and who continue to praise Him no matter what hand they are dealt in life.

Please pray. Don't worry about getting me anything else. I'm sure my wife has that well in hand.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

My Goal

I’ve just finished the first round of editing my second book. I often wonder how this sort of thing works for real authors. When they finish a book, do they have a sense of accomplishment? Do they tend to have any kind of assurance that the piece they have written will actually help anyone? When they pen their final words, do they look at their creation and say, “Wow. I can’t believe how profound my words are. Some of these statements are bound to end up on Facebook Status updates all over the world!”?

Whenever I write anything, I ask myself these questions;

“Why do I bother?”

“Does this actually help anyone?”

“Aren’t there people out there who have spoken much more eloquently on the topic? And wouldn’t my time be better spent finding out who that is and directing others towards their work?”

“Will it offend anyone unnecessarily?” (In my opinion, there is such a thing as necessary offense.)

There are many elements to my writings which I know are deficient. I know that I’m not well studied. This is one of the reasons why I consistently ask why I should bother. I do read the Bible, if that counts for anything.

I never planned on living the kind of faith that I have. In fact, I have walked through most of my life without a plan at all. I have resolved to do one thing – I live my days in the hopes that I will be used of God to point others towards Christ. I long to hear only one thing from my Father when I come before the throne; “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Other than that, in earthly terms I really haven’t had any tangible goals. I’m not trying to say that this has been a matter of faith. Some believers really are goal focused individuals and God may even use such people more effectively than He intends for me. There is however one thing that I can point to as being a specific measureable goal as I live out my calling. It might sound silly to you.

Years ago, when I began writing e-mails to the youth in our church, I had wanted to have one person reading my letters for every year of my life. In other words, when I was thirty, my goal was to have thirty people who wanted to receive my e-mails. Now that I write in blog form, I hope that when I’m 40, that there will be forty people who enjoy hearing my thoughts.

Does that sound odd? Does it sound small? As much as I enjoy speaking publicly, and as much as I enjoyed that one time on TV, I have never wanted my ministry grow beyond a place where I am able to connect with those who take the time to hear my thoughts. It’s the same reason why I don’t place much value in what John MacArthur, Charles Stanley or Mark Driscoll have to say. I do however place a great deal of value in what Michael Krahn, Bill Coleman and Arthur Cairncross have to say. I value their input into my life, because when I need them, they are the ones who care. They are the ones who pray. Our Christian celebrities really don’t know whether I live or die.

Thank you for walking with me. I hope that you have a happy Christmas. I look forward to seeing many of you within the next few weeks. For the few of you who live outside of Canada, I pray that the comfort of the Holy Spirit rests with you as He does with all who belong to Him.

God Bless;
Kevin

Sunday, December 19, 2010

You Didn't Have To Thank Me

This morning I was talking with a good friend of mine. We were talking about how frustrating it can be sometimes when you reach out to someone, but the sentiments aren’t reciprocated. Have you ever called someone who failed to call you back? Have you ever invited someone over to dinner, but they never seemed to value you enough to invite you over to their home?

Most of the time, when we have given of ourselves and get very little in return, it’s in our instinct to carry feelings of frustration, and even resentment. As I write those words, I’m thinking of someone I know who I have heard say the following on more than one occasion.

“I feel like I just give and give and I never get anything back. Why do I bother? I think I’ll just live the rest of my life looking after my own interests.”

To be honest, I feel that way myself sometimes. Sometimes when I give a gift, I say that I don’t want anything in return, but something inside of me is hoping that I’ll get something back. I don’t know what it’s like in your life. The scenario might play itself out in your family life. You’ve reached out to your sibling, son or parent, but they don’t even return your calls or even want to come to your home. The only reason they visit you at Christmas is some obscure expression of guilt or obligation. How do you handle that?

Luke 14:12-14 (New Living Translation)
12 Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. 13 Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”

The life that Jesus calls us to is a life that thinks and acts radically different than the way in which we have been programmed. He tells us, that if someone invites us back, that in a way, we’re actually worse off than if the favour had been reciprocated. We’re told that we’re better off to demonstrate kindness to people who won’t pay us back. He says it will be better for us, because God will reward us at the time of the resurrection.

He specifically tells us to look beyond our friends, brothers, relatives and neighbours and to put our energy into people who are unable to repay our kindness. I’m not quite there yet, but I have begun to be at peace when my kindness isn’t returned.

This past week I helped a friend of mine and they gave me a gift card in appreciation. I’m very thankful for the giftcard, but God says that I have already received my reward. I’m not sure how I feel about that.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

I Dream a Dream

How often do you dream? Do you ever have dreams that keep coming back? I had one last night and I thought I’d share it with you, just in case you ever wonder what goes on inside my mind. There are at least three dreams that keep coming back to me. One has to do with our family sawmill. One has to do with the 1989 Ford Probe I used to own. One has to do with my time in university. This is the one that came last night.

It’s at least half way through the semester, if not near the end. Part way through the morning, I realize that I have missed my class. The truth is, I have been missing this particular class for most of the semester. My attendance has been so poor in fact that I have to look at my schedule to figure out where the room is. It happens to be my first class of the day, and most of the time I miss the class because I forget that I even have it.

The class in question is a math class. I know that the finals are coming and that it would be nearly impossible for me to come out with a passing grade. I always take comfort in knowing that I’ll have room in next semester’s schedule to make up for the lost credit. Whenever I look at the subject matter, the questions are far beyond my comprehension. Even though I likely won’t pass, I look at my time table and try to figure out where the class is, even though I know I’ll be walking in late. Sometimes I make it to the class and sometimes I do not. Last night I don’t think I made it to the class, but I did figure out that the class was in the MacKinnon building.

Maybe it’s just a weird dream, but I often wonder why it keeps coming back. I’ve never failed a course. I remember being in University and being told that it’s ok to drop a course before the deadline if it seems way too difficult. It’s better to make up the credit later than to have a failure or a poor grade drag down your average.

I never subscribed to that kind of thinking. In third year, I had a great deal of difficulty in my English course. I played with the idea of letting it go since it wasn’t part of my major, but something just seemed wrong about quitting something that I had started. So I struggled through and came out with a decent, but unimpressive mark at the end of it all. English always has been my most difficult subject. I suppose it’s rather strange that I have ended up spending so much time writing.

There you have it. If you can figure out what’s wrong with me, it would be greatly appreciated.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Where Women Belong...

If you are a woman who works outside of the home, I have two things to say to you. The first is this – Gotcha. I gave it that title to try and bait you. It worked. The second thing that I want to say is sorry. It was rather slimy of me. If you are a woman who works outside of the home and if I gotcha, please let me know.

This was in my daily reading last night…..

Titus 2:4-5 (New Living Translation)
4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, 5 to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

It made me think of Rosie’s comments with regards to Kate Gosselin’s stint on Dancing with the Stars this past year.


Rosie was also surprised by the rise of Kate Gosselin, the TLC star who was recently booted from "Dancing with the Stars."

"Kate Gosselin is suddenly a celebrity. She's on 'Dancing with the Stars' with a new face and new teeth and her eight children are at home. I don't know, it's out of control," Rosie said.


It isn’t like Rosie O’Donnell is trying to uphold any traditional conservative Christian values, but don’t you ever notice or find it funny how someone in Rosie’s place would find fault like that? I probably shouldn’t be writing a blog like this. After all. I am a man. It’s bad form. Beyond that, Paul is telling Titus that the women should teach the women. So it would be out of line for me to even pretend to tell women how to be women. But wouldn’t that be fun?

Sure. I know all about the struggles of being a woman. Feel free to gag.

I’m not going to start on an old fashioned tirade on how a woman’s place in the home, but I will say, of all of the Godly women that I know, when I walk into their home, it’s in order. I don’t know how their homes got in order, but they did. Yes, I am thinking of some women who have jobs.

Sorry girls. I won’t bait you again. (Not this week anyway.)

For the record, my wife works more than I do.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

It's All About Us

Every once in a while, someone in my church will have a need that I feel I can do something about. This past week provided one such opportunity. Within the Christian circles that I run, a great deal of emphasis is spent on being outward focused. A church with an outward focus is supposed to be (I think) primarily concerned with the needs of individuals outside of the church. I might have that wrong.

The way I think that looks would be like this – an outward minded believer’s primary ministry would focus on helping the poor outside of the church, finding the lost (obviously) outside of the church, or helping people with addictions outside of the church. If I’ve got this all wrong, please chastise me gently.

So when I recognize a need of a fellow believer and when I am compelled to do something about that need, I question whether or not ‘it counts’. When we’re led in our hearts to act compassionately towards those within our own body of believers, is it possibly an outpouring of the Holy Spirit through our lives, or is it just another mode of self service?

What are the distinguishing characteristics of a Holy Spirit filled Christian? (Not that there are any other kinds of Christians.) Is it a life of street ministry? Is it the individual who focuses on meeting the needs of single moms? Is mission work in the developing world the hallmark of a genuine Christian? Maybe I’m misinterpreting the words of Jesus, but it isn’t our work around the globe or our involvement in the community that identifies us as the people of Christ.

John 13:35 (New International Version, ©2010)
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”


The way that we love each other, as fellow believers is that very quality which identifies us as having been made right with The Father through Christ The Son. Much of the ministry that I see in the life of the early church could be considered to be what many people might think of as having an inward focus. Many Christians in the early church were extremely generous financially; even selling property and giving it to the Apostles. As far as I can tell, much of it went to help individuals within the community of faith. With what little I have before me, the early church was a community of individuals who cared for each other’s welfare as if they were a big family. Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-35 Most of the work outside of the church had to do with the Apostles publicly testifying to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and performing miracles in His name.

Perhaps the clearest example of compassionate/provisional ministry is shown to us in Paul’s letter to Timothy. 1Timothy 5:3-16 Caring for the true widows of the church was one of the primary concerns of the early church and we not only see this through Paul’s direction to Timothy, but we see it in action from the pages of Acts 6. In what we might refer to as the early church’s first ministry program, 7 men were chosen to oversee the daily distribution of food to the widows of the church.

I don’t even pretend to know what a church should look like. If I had a church, you could guarantee that it wouldn’t get the bulk of its ministerial direction from me. I’m not advocating the kind of faith that willfully and blindly allows non-believers to rot in hell. Neither am I advocating that a church should base its ‘music program’ on playing only the style of music that its tried and true members want to hear. What I am trying to say is this;

It’s ok to love each other.

In fact, I’d personally go a little farther than that. If your brother is suffering from a bout of December depression and he messages you asking to get together soon, it’s ok to opt out of the Friday night street evangelism. In my opinion (and yes, it is only an opinion), part of the attraction to the early Church was the way the believers cared for each other, not for their involvement en masse into the community.

You aren’t allowed to use this as a manual for planning your church’s outreach program, but if we aren’t a people who love each other, if we aren’t a people who help each other, if we aren’t there for each other when we’re needed, why would anyone want to be a believer anyway?

That’ll be five cents please. That’s about what it’s worth.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Show Me.

How do you respond to someone when you really don’t agree with what they are saying? There are times when we need to take a stand and times where it just makes for good diplomacy to let the issue pass. Would you agree? Where do you draw the line though?

Yesterday, a Facebook friend of mine accused me of something that I didn’t quite agree with. I had helped a mutual acquaintance with their car troubles and as a result, the individual in question said that I was ‘very kind’.

I sat at my laptop for a few minutes, pondering how to respond. The person who said it was a believer, so I knew they would understand where I was coming from.

Luke 6:32-33 (English Standard Version)
32 "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

In the end, rather than giving a lengthy rebuttal on how I had not demonstrated Biblical kindness, I merely offered a polite, ‘You’re welcome.’ I was merely doing good to someone who consistently does god to me.

I don’t have a problem with being kind according to the standards of this world. Of course, our culture’s standards are pretty low. I do have a great amount of difficulty in demonstrating the kind of love that should characterize a person who walks by The Holy Spirit.

My boss commented yesterday on how I seem to do a lot to help people. It was nice to hear. I am quite comfortable helping my family, my friends and people in my life group when I have the time. I am not so compelled to go out of my way to help the people who I know complain about me or make fun of me. According to the world’s standards, maybe I am a rather kind and considerate individual, but if we’re looking at what is considered to be Biblical love, I am a dismal disappointment.

I often hear nonbelievers who think that we’re a bunch of hypocrites. I also hear things said about Christians such as this, “If that is what a believer is, then I don’t want anything to do with it.” I have also heard this on many occassions, "The greatest cause of athiesm is this, Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, but go on living lives that are unchanged."

If that describes your attitude towards Christians, I have something to ask of you. You see, I’ve been walking with Jesus for a little over 10 years now and I just can’t be everything that He tells us to be. My challenge to you is this – show me how it’s done. Would you commit yourself for one year to study the Jesus found in the Bible and to faithfully live the life that He both lived and advocated. I just can’t do it. Perhaps you can.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Getting the Word out.

Tonight I’ll be at the Tillsonburg Town Centre on behalf of The Gideons, giving away New Testaments to whoever wants one. If it isn’t too much trouble and if you read this before the evening is over, you could pray for me. It might sound something like this;

“Dear God. I know that Kevin stinks as a personal evangelist. Could you do one of two things for him? Either A) Give him the words to say, or B) Find someone else who knows what they are doing as a replacement for him.

I ask this in Jesus' name.”


Thanks. Have a good night.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

CAS Job Requirenemts

I don’t put my name behind many causes. As I’ve done this, I often wonder if the people in my life think that I am cold. I mean, I don’t copy and paste Facebook comments about cancer, or Earth Day. However I think I finally have a cause to champion.

I think that one of the mandatory requirements for being a Children’s Aid Society worker should be that the individual needs to have successfully raised at least two children to the age of 19. Their children cannot have any criminal record, no past history of open rebellion, or any drug or alcohol addictions. Being an authority on parenting is easy when you don’t have any children.

Before I was a dad, I was sure I had parenting theory all figured out. It wasn’t until I was a father, when I realized that I didn’t really have all of the answers. From time to time, my wife and I come up against obstacles for which we really don’t have it all together. Where do you turn when you don’t have all the answers?

A short while ago, I called up a friend of mine who has raised 3 boys into adulthood. I shared with him some of the struggles I was having with one of my own children. For most of the conversation he just listened. He asked a few questions and shared a few thoughts, but really didn’t have what some people might consider to be ‘the solution’. At the end of our conversation, he offered to pray with me. Before hanging up, he apologized for not being more helpful. I responded by saying,
“Sure, we just walked hand in hand into the Throne room of God, The Supreme Being of the Entire Universe!! No big deal.”

People used to die for that you know. Even though I didn’t get ‘the solution’, I walked away with so much more. What we need in life has very little to do with having the answers. The last thing that I needed was a CAS worker who had all of the government approved solutions, and who was ready to yank my kids from me if I messed up. What I needed was a friend who has gone before me; someone who loves me, someone who loves God and who is concerned about the well being of my family.

So often I find that as believers, if we’re not feeding the poor, saving the lost or providing good answers to spiritual questions, it just doesn’t seem Christian enough. Very little value in our faith seems to be placed on merely being a good friend, a faithful husband or loving Father. I don’t know if the world needs more soup kitchens, more theologians or missionaries, but I do believe that the world needs more fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, neighbours, sons, daughters and friends.

Thank you my friend. You didn’t fix my problem for me. You weren’t supposed to. In fact, you did so much more.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Hearing the Bad News

How do you respond when someone tells you that the life you are living is wrong? What if the thing you are accused of is something that you are powerless to change? What do you do with that?

Last night, my family and I watched one of those thought provoking Christmas movies; The Muppet Christmas Carol. Alright. Muppet movies aren’t generally made to challenge us. The tale is an old one. Ebenezer Scrooge is given the opportunity to see his life as other people see it. He is confronted with the painful reality of who he really is; a stingy, cold hearted, miser. Fortunately, Scrooge somehow has a complete transformation between the time he goes to bed on Christmas Eve and the time he wakes up on Christmas morning.

A close personal friend of mine made a comment on one of my posts a little while back saying that, ‘for the most part, people don’t change.’ He’s right. Yet there is something to be said for having personal resolve, whether to make change in our finances or our personal health. What about matters of sin and righteousness?

Jeremiah 13:23 (New International Version, ©2010)

23 Can an Ethiopian change his skin
or a leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good
who are accustomed to doing evil.


Just as a leopard is completely unable to change its spots, there are things in our lives that we are completely unable to change. So what do you do when someone tells you that your spots are sinful? I mean, if you are a leopard, you can’t do anything about them can you? Where does that leave you? Eternally condemned?

We resent people who tell us that our spots are sinful don’t we? We were born this way. Just as an Ethiopian can’t change his skin (not that there is any need to change his skin), since we are powerless about our situation, the person who is accusing us is either being hateful or trying to bully us. Or maybe we take it even harder than that. Maybe there is something in our mind which isn’t completely at ease with the spots we have, but given the helplessness of our condition to do anything about them, we become seriously depressed, even to the point where we despair even of life.

You see that in the world don’t you? Well, maybe not your world. Your world is filled with nothing but fresh air and sunshine, where life is beautiful all of the time. In the world that I live, people continue to live under burden of the knowledge that the spots they wear, are in fact spots, which cannot be removed.

A friend of mine named Billy found himself in just such a place. Billy worked stocking shelves at Mark’s Work Warehouse. Billy had his own spots that he was unable to do anything about. He was addicted to pornography. It was something that revealed itself during his teenaged years. In those days, Billy used to take comfort on the thought of getting married. Certainly, ‘When I get married’, he thought, ‘then I’ll be able to overcome it, because then I’ll have an outlet for my sexual desires.’

I have a news flash for you folks. Sin doesn’t go away because you get married. So Billy got married, all the while continuing to find ways to look at naked pictures. The married life which he anticipated to help deliver him, only served to beat him down all the more. No longer was he just a teenaged boy looking at dirty pictures, he was now a married man, looking at other women.

In time, God blessed Billy with a child. ‘This should do it.’, Billy thought. ‘How can I be a dad and continue living this kind of life?’ Having children stops you from sinning right? Now his condition was even worse than before. No longer was he the teenager or the married man looking at dirty pictures, he was now both a husband and a father.

What do you do in a place like that? Do you hold your head up high? There are only two options that the world gives us for dealing with our spots. We either live in hiding, or we come out, and in my opinion, neither response are completely liberating. Up until that point in his life, Billy was living in hiding. Fortunately, Bill did have something going for him. He had a friend who persistently encouraged him to go to Promise Keepers.

If you don’t know, Promise Keepers has a bad rap for telling men that they are perverts who need to get right with God. It’s not a popular message is it? A lot of men get freaked out with that kind of thing. How many liars do you know who like to be called liars? Billy knew. He knew that if he went, that he’d be confronted about his sin. How many of you would go somewhere that you knew would do the same? When you accuse others of sin, they think you’re hateful don’t they?

Billy’s friend persisted. At Promise Keepers, Billy learned that he neither had to live in hiding, nor did he have to come out. Coming out is when we reveal our sin to the world in the hopes that people will embrace us along with our sin. Billy realized that instead of hiding or coming out, that he needed to confess. Confession is when you call your sin for what it is, and admit it to God, to yourself and to at least one other human being. Instead of getting all bent out of shape for being accused as a sinner, Billy claims that,

“Other than my salvation, it was the most liberating time in my life.”

How rare and awesome is that?

I present to you, that the story of Ebenezer Scrooge is one of fiction; one which makes us feel fuzzy in thinking that we can change for the better, when in fact, we are helpless to do what needs to be done. We can’t change our spots, but they can be changed for us. Are we willing to see ourselves as we are in the eyes of the only One who is able to do anything about it?

Christ didn’t come to help us feel good about who we are or to build up our self esteem. He came as a light into this dark world. I know it hurts when you look directly into the light, but please consider doing exactly that.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Merry Christmas (Not My Problem)

I really don’t get it to be honest. It’s not that it bothers me. It really doesn’t. I mean, if our Lord was rejected by the world He came to save, why would they want to celebrate His birthday? (Not that I know for sure how close He was born to Dec. 25)

Yesterday morning I woke up listening to the news on BX93 talking about how many people in North America don’t like Christmas. The guy being interviewed on the radio said that we should celebrate a holiday that includes everybody. I’m assuming that the man being interviewed is of the opinion that Christmas is only for Christians.

Maybe I’m crazy, but I really don’t think that the Christmas we celebrate in North America has much to do with Jesus anyway. I’m not passing judgment on you. I’m thinking of my own experience. Sure. I go to church on Christmas Eve. My wife has Christmas music in both of my vehicles. When I became a believer, I even made the really bold move of walking away from Santa. I still do the presents, not because they have anything to do with Jesus, but because I like the presents. I could do without the tree, but where would I put the presents?

Isn’t there something for everyone in Christmas? I mean, if you hate Jesus, you’ve got Santa Claus. If you love Jesus, you can make it all about Him, even though you likely won’t. Can you honestly tell me that the materialism and feasting have much to do with the baby in the manger? So why all of the fuss? Why isn’t it politically correct to wish everyone ‘Merry Christmas’. Why don’t we hear the same objections to Halloween in the public realm? Why don’t we hear complaints saying, “Halloween has its roots in paganism. Not everyone is pagan so we shouldn’t say ‘Happy Halloween.’”?

Perhaps the thought that remains with me the most is when I hear complaints saying that Christmas isn’t for everyone. Here’s the thing. Jesus is for everyone. Suppose I give you a gift. Imagine that it is something small, something like – eternal life. I know it isn’t much, but I wanted to give you something. If you tell me that you don’t want that gift…

HOW IS THAT MY PROBLEM????

It isn’t any different now than it was 2000 years ago.

He came into the very world He created, but the word didn’t recognize Him. He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him.” John 1:10-11

The objections that are raised with regards to Christmas have nothing to do with the holiday itself. The world has little objection to Santa Claus, the Yule Log, family dinners or the new I-Tablet under the Christmas tree. The only objection to Christmas lies in the name itself; Christ.

As Christians in North America, we have enjoyed a rather peculiar
privilege. We have enjoyed a Christian-ish cultural heritage which would have been enviable to the early church. If the world rejected the One that we serve, we can’t really be all that surprised if it wants to walk away from a holiday which carries His title. If anything is out of place, it isn’t that Christmas is losing its ground. The fact that we have had this Christmas as a national holiday, is the anomaly itself.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

For Believers Only

1 Corinthians 7 (New Living Translation)

Instruction on Marriage
1 Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to live a celibate life.[a] 2 But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.
3 The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. 4 The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.

5 Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. But God gives to some the gift of marriage, and to others the gift of singleness.

8 So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. 9 But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.

32 I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. 33 But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife.



If the polygamy issue tweaks your interest, 1Corinthians 7 likely speaks at greatest length of any scripture with regards to marriage. I encourage you to read the whole chapter. I wasn't going to develop this any further, but a friend of mine on Facebook made a comment referring to people who are filled with the Holy Spirit. My last post had absolutely nothing do to do with Jesus, so I felt it appropriate to look at the issue of marriage among those who have been joined to Christ.

In this part of his letter, Paul is addressing a questions that was asked of him. It would be interesting to know what that question was exactly. Wouldn't it? He begins his answer by saying that it is good to live a celibate life. The primary reason for remaining celibate would seem to be because 'an unmarried person can spend their time doing The Lord's work and thinking about how to please Jesus.'vs 32.

If the Spirit of Christ doesn't live in you, then I guess I don't expect you to be concerned with doing 'the Lord's work.'

Married Christians aren't completely free to pursue their calling because they have to think about their earthly responsibilities to their spouse. vs.33 It's not that marriage is a sin. Thank God for that. For those of us who are single, it's better to stay single unless we are unable to control ourselves. vs. 8,9 It's better to be honest with ourselves than it is to intentionally live a celibate life. If we can't control our urges, it's better to find a spouse than to have your mug on the 6:00pm news for sexual charges. It happens. Doesn't it?

If your flesh dominates your life to the point where one mate isn't enough for you, I'm very sorry, but I'm not going to shake your hand and tell you that I'm fine with it. If any of you were to have more than one spouse, what I can definitively say it this-

You aren't all that concerned about doing The Lord's work. Are you? If our interests are divided between Jesus and our spouse, how much more so if we have more than one?

As for me, I have one wife. I'm told that my body no longer belongs to me, but to my wife. vs. 4 Even if she said that she would allow me to have another wife, I wouldn't. Just because your wife says it's ok to have another partner, doesn't mean it's a good idea. It didn't work very well for Abraham. Did it? By the way. I asked my wife and she said no. So it's no.

Basically - if you need even one wife (or husband) - you're weak. If you need two, I guess that makes you pathetic.

Have a nice day.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Why I am Against Polygamy

As I start this entry, I remember back to a time that doesn’t seem too long ago. I think on when same sex marriage was being debated both in the courts and in the political sector. I really wish that I had saved some of the articles I was reading at the time. I remember opponents of same sex marriage claiming that if it were to be accepted, that it would open the door for other sexual practices that were then forbidden; practices such as polygamy for example. The responses that I recall hearing went something like this;

‘That’s crazy. This has nothing to do with bestiality or polygamy. How does this have anything to do with those issues? This won’t open the door for anything.’

Well, we still can’t have sex with Fido, but polygamy certainly has entered the arena of public debate, and I present to you that it likely won’t go away until it is decriminalized. To be honest, I have no idea of why a secularish government wouldn’t allow us to have intercourse with our livestock. In fact, if there is no God, is anything wrong with anything?

Polygamy is a little thornier for Christians than practicing sodomy or bestiality since many of the Old Testament men of faith had more than one wife. I can’t back it up, but it seems to me that polygamy wasn’t so much as a thing that God approved of, but rather something that He tolerated. In the days since Christ, having more than one wife excludes one from assuming the office of elder within the church. I won’t give you the references for that. Do your own legwork.

I have to be honest with you. It’s not that I have been openly accused of being a poor husband or a bad father. However, those are two roles in my life where I never feel like I quite give what is deserved. Last week I went for a date with my wife and we had a wonderful evening together. Whenever we get the chance to get away, we always remark at how we really should get away like that more often. Likewise, I really don’t find that I have sufficient time in this life for each of my children. In the summer, I make a point to have one date night with each of my kids individually and it’s difficult to find even the time for that.

All things being equal, if I were to have another wife and children, all of my available resources are immediately cut in half. If I manage to have even one night a month to get away with a wife, each wife will only have me once every two months. I’m sure the time can be divided equally, but even if it is, it’s half of what would be available to begin with.

For those of you who are husbands, do you really find that you have been there for your wife and children as much as you needed to be? Really now. Could you honestly tell me that you have been all that a father and all that a husband should be?

How about those of you who are wives? How many of you can honestly say the following?

‘My husband spends more time with me and the children than he should.’
‘I was so happy to find out that my husband has another woman to have sex with.’

My wife says that she hasn’t known anyone to have those kinds of complaints. In my own observations, it is FAR more common to hear things such as these,

“I wish he had more time for our family. “
“He spends so much time away at work.”

I know that my opinion doesn’t count for much, because my beliefs affect my opinions, but if the courts ever call me up and ask, I’ll link them to this post.



PS I asked my oldest son if he wants me to have another wife and other children. He said no.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Can it be this simple?

You know, since becoming a believer, I have always believed the words of Jesus as found in the Gospel’s. Now I even have more reason to do so. You see, about two thousand years ago he said something like this;

23 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 25 See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.
26 “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! 27 For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man[e] comes. 28 Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.” Matthew 24

As Christians, we’re always looking for the Anti-Christ as if it’s kind of like a murder mystery where we need to look at clues and ask ourselves, “Is this the guy?” Jesus told us that other people would come claiming to be the Messiah, but we are often looking, not for AN anti-Christ, but THE anti-Christ.

There have been people throughout the ages who have been against Christ, but a friend of mine sent me an interesting video this morning of a guy who claims to be the other Jesus.

I’ve got to admit, I never anticipated THE anti-Christ to be so
forthcoming. I mean, we’re told that his number would be 666, (Rev 13:17-18) but I always figured that it would be some kind of riddle that we would have to figure out. Apparently he does some sort of miracle work, like we were told. He even proudly carries the whole 666 number.

What do you think? Do you think that he is THE anti-Christ or just one among many? Part of me wants this to be the guy. I mean, if the scriptures have made it this painfully obvious, that’s a glory halleluiah moment. How wonderful it would be if the lines really have been made this perfectly clear. It can’t be that simple can it? He isn’t even pretending to be the same Jesus. That would at least leave room for some guess work, but he has set himself against Jesus Christ. I guess that’s the point though isn’t it? He wouldn’t be much of an anti-Christ if he was pretending to play on the same team.

There are two possibilities; either he is The anti-Christ or one of many. If this is the man, then our world will find its conclusion within his lifetime. If that’s the case, I guess I don’t have to worry about growing old since he looks like he has a few years on me. If he’s just one among many, I guess the search continues. Obama anyone?

The guy says that Jesus isn’t coming back on the clouds like He told us. I don’t know about you, but if Jesus had this guy pegged nearly 2000 years ago, I’m going with Jesus of Nazareth. My weatherman can’t even accurately predict the rain for the next day. If Jesus of Nazareth could see 2000 years ahead, that’s the Jesus I’m sticking with.

If you have your doubts about the Jesus who died on the cross for your sins, don’t you ever wonder why there aren’t any alternative Muhammads? Don’t you ever wonder why you can visit the final resting place of every other major world leader, but the Man who divided history can’t be found? Don't you notice how people complain about televangelists who ask for money, but this guy isn't accused of fleecing people whatsoever. It's almost as if his financial success is portrayed as a good thing. Don't you see anything odd here?

I’m not here to convince you. You’ll meet the ultimate end of your choosing. Choose well.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

I Just Don't Know

This afternoon, I read a blog post about youth groups. I have to admit, it has caused me to reflect on my life a great deal. The post asks the question, “Does youth group ruin teens?”

Shortly after having received Christ, my wife and I were led into what many people refer to as youth ministry. So I wonder, did our youth group ruin the lives of those who were a part of it? I don’t know for sure. The truth is, whenever I read articles from people who talk about what youth ministry or what the church should look like, I always walk away rather discouraged, because I really don’t know much about anything.

As much as I’ve tried, I don’t know the proper procedure for making disciples. I don’t even know how to disciple disciples. And even when I have it explained to me by someone who knows how to make a convert, it doesn’t stick. So whenever I reflect on my journey with Jesus, I tend to wonder what it was all for. I’m sure you make a disciple or two every week. Perhaps we should hang out.

My success as a would be youth pastor is questionable at best, so it’s not like you should take my words and use them as a basis for your own ministry, but here are the only things that I ever claimed to know about being used of God.

1. Love those whom God has entrusted into your care.
2. Share The Word with those who want to listen.
3. Pray for those whom God has entrusted into your care.

These are the things that I resolved to do. Whether or not these are acceptable, who knows for sure? I never regret my time with the young people of St. Paul's. In fact, I miss them dearly. Whether successful or not, I don't believe that love is ever a mistake. Being there when someone needs you might not make for a good program, but it has to be part of a faithful walk. Does it not?

Sunday, November 21, 2010

How to Find A Man.

A little while ago, I was asked if I had any advice for ‘young women’ as they consider finding a husband. In my mind, even though men are different creatures, the same principles govern each gender. However, we all view truth as it relates to our own context, so I’m going to take a shot at this from a female perspective.

Treading carefully.

As I consider finding a spouse, I really wouldn’t want to be ‘in the market’. I really believe that love is growing cold and that even for the few who really are looking or authentic love, the pickings are slim. Even individuals who are in the search having a good head on their shoulders get burned, because there are fewer and fewer people who want to be committed in a way that husbands and wives are meant to be.

I don’t have any stats at my disposal, but people seem to be getting married later in life. When I was in my early twenties, my friends started dropping off like flies. Getting married after university just seemed to be the thing to do. It seems that marriage, for most people is like a prison sentence and the only way to escape it, is to remain single. I often hear the phrase, ‘settling down’ as being used in reference to marriage.

I say that, because I don’t want anyone to be surprised if they find someone who might be ‘the one’, but when it gets serious, they walk. In other words, don’t be surprised if you get burned. The person you find might be more deceptive than you think. The one who wants to hold your hand might tell you things that you want to hear and he might even believe himself when he says,

“I’ll never leave you.”
“I’ll always be there for you.”
“Leaving you would be the biggest mistake of my life.”

Just because they tell you those things doesn’t mean that they are true. I don’t want you to be cynical to the point where you aren’t able to enjoy how wonderful it can be to fall in love. I would like however if you would have the mind of Christ when it comes to the person who has caught your attention.

John 2:23-25 (New Living Translation)
Jesus and Nicodemus
23 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. 24 But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature. 25 No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like.

This passage wasn’t written for us as a roadmap to finding the perfect mate, but we see in Him an attitude that can help us protect our heart. Jesus has a lot of people following him. By wordly standards, that would be a good thing. In the world, we value how many people buy our cd’s, watch our movies or follow us on Twitter. We use those as marks for success in a way. However, Jesus didn’t look at His huge Facebook following as an accomplishment. Even though they were with Him, even though they shook His hand and told him how much they liked His sermons, even though they packed the theatre to watch The Passion of The Christ, we’re told that they didn’t trust them, because He knew human nature.

I don’t want you to live being unable to trust, but I also hope that you have a decent grasp on human nature. Don't be deceived into thinking that this person can do no wrong. Just because he’s your biggest fan, just because he buys you flowers, just because he picks you up and takes you out for dinner, doesn’t mean that he actually cares for you. He might merely be in it for what he hopes to get for himself.

Dating tends to be one of the greatest deceptions played out in humanity. When a guy is ‘after you’, he’ll do things for you now that he might not do later in life. I don’t want you to place much value on the things that he is doing for you now. A lot of times, the flowers, the date nights, the wining and dining dry up once you’re married. Sadly, it often plays out as if you are a prize, and once you have been ‘won’, there is little need to maintain the facade.

Again, I don’t want you to be cynical to the point where you can’t enjoy life. What I hope that you are able to do is this; Try to envision what life will be like if he stops doing nice things for you. What is left? Imagine what it would be like if that butterfly feeling in your stomach were to subside? Is there anything left which is admirable about him? What will life with him be like when he’s gone all day long and you’re ‘stuck’ with a newborn and a teething toddler?

Love isn’t that feeling you get when he kisses you for the first few times. Love isn’t when he takes you out on a date. Love isn’t how he looks or how he smells. Love has more to do with what remains after everything else is stripped away, when the feeling is gone and the flowers stop coming.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Morale on the Job

I have a confession that might rock your world. Are you ready? Here it is.

I’m not entirely Blue Collar.

******gasp******

You see, I’ve really been in management since I was 18. Growing up on our family tobacco farm, I was responsible for our employees while still in High School because my dad was driving truck full time. After university, I continued on as plant manager for our sawmill.

In my first couple of years at The Mufflerman, I shed my managerial responsibilities as I started out as an apprentice mechanic. That period was short lived when I soon assumed the position of assistant manager. I often feel as if I’m stuck between two worlds – being responsible enough to be entrusted with a certain amount of responsibility, but I maintain a fond affinity for manual labour.

In my time, I have worked with so many individuals who hate their job. If you ever find yourself in such a place, I have encouraging news. Chances are, your employer wants exactly the same thing that you want; for you to move on. They probably want you to work somewhere else, but don’t have sufficient legal grounds to give you the boot.

In my 20 years in the workforce, from management’s perspective, I can count on one hand the number of people who have left their job where it was actually a surprise. In fact, at the moment, I can only think of one.

Ecclesiastes 3:22
So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot.

I often ponder what causes a person to enjoy their work. I have watched people whine and complain in order to get a raise, only to find their morale dip even lower a few weeks after getting it. I’ve watched people bounce from job to job, being just as dissatisfied with each career. It makes you think that perhaps, the job wasn’t the problem after all.

There is such a thing as being misplaced in one’s career. However, I tend to believe that being able to enjoy one’s work has more to do with having a right heart before God, and that when we walk with Him, we can endure whatever task lies before us; even slavery. Yes. I said slavery. No. I’m not advocating slavery. I’m saying that even a slave can experience the fullness of Christ. I believe that people who work at Tim Horton’s can experience life to the full and even find enjoyment in what they do.

If you hate your job, have you ever considered the possibility that the problem isn’t so much with your boss, your pay or your duties?

Whatever you are doing, I hope that you are able to enjoy your daily tasks. If you don’t, I want you to consider two possibilities.

1 There is a better job out there for you. In which case, you need to go find it.
2 Or this is about as good as it gets for the moment. I which case, be thankful and put on a smile before they terminate you for being a drain on morale.

Remember. Think happy thoughts.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

My Heart's Cry (The Hunting Report)

As most of you already know, I’m back home from my hunting trip up north. No, I didn’t catch anything, even though I shot at one poor deer. I didn’t draw any blood, but I sure scared the daylights out of him. You had envisioned me as being some great natural born killer didn’t you? I’m sorry to be such a disappointment.

The highlight for me was on my second day. We had just finished our morning drive at around 1:00pm and the guys were all headed to their own hunting spots. I don’t like it when I have to find something for myself to do. I much prefer to have someone tell me, “Kevin – you sit here and shoot anything that comes near you.” Or “Kevin – I want you to walk West North West until you reach the Watergglass ridge. Holler every few minutes so we know where you are and answer on the radio if we give you a call.”

Now that I have my own GPS and have much of our territory mapped out, I can normally navigate wherever I need to go. What I can’t do is think for myself. I mean, other hunting types seem to think that they know where the deer are, where the deer are going to be and where they need to wait in order to intercept them. Even though I’ve been hunting for over 20 years, I just haven’t developed that sort of intuition. Perhaps another 20 years or so might do it.

So I’m standing with the guys, and my dad isn't there to tell me what to do. There is another guy who often helps me named Steve, but he isn't there either. Ed is heading over to the white pail. Phil is going to sit on the bald rock. ‘What are you going to do Kevin?’

Oh no. What do I say? Where can I possibly go that will sound intelligent enough? Where can I go that won’t give away the fact that I have absolutely no idea where I should be?

“I’m going to walk out towards the blue trail, heading back through what we used to call the Waterglass drive. Maybe I’ll push something out to my dad.”

It worked. It sounded like it made sense. At least the guys seemed to be ok with it. It was much better than saying, “I think I’ll find a stump somewhere off of the trail and wait for the sun to go down.”

So I walk west for a few minutes and head north. On the way, I soon discovered that the beavers had damned up much of the area, which made my journey difficult. After having crossed the beaver damn, it seemed like a good time to sit down, eat my chocolate bar and have a pop.

It was a gorgeous day. The air was still, which allowed the surface of the beaver pond to appear as a dark mirror for the horizon. The sun cast a comfortably warm stare as I sat enjoying my afternoon snack. I had been reading Paul’s letter to the Philippians the night before and his thoughts became my own;

“For me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” Philippians 1:21

In that moment, I came to recognize my heart’s desire. If I live, I want to continue to be used of God. Otherwise, I just want to go home to be with Jesus. So I asked Him to honour just that. I told Him that if He doesn’t intend to use me for His glory anymore, that I would rather not leave that place alive. The gang knew where I was headed, so they should be able to find my body.

I’ve been in this place many times before. (Not the damn. I mean the attitude.) I have to believe that my prayer is the kind of prayer that He would honour. I have to believe, that since I am alive and back here in Pt. Burwell, that He still has good and productive work for me to do. I have to believe that. I can’t accept that my days might be spent doing little more than building an RRSP, eating food, being entertained and dying.

I don’t know what you want your life to count for. If you like my blogs, I prefer to think that you want your life to make some type of contribution to the Kingdom. I mean, if you’re the type who just wants to make money, drive a truck, champion a cause, eat exotic foods, go on vacations, listen to music and watch movies, why on earth would you connect with what I have to say?

I know I haven’t been perfect. I’ve given my share of bad advice over the years. Most of you have lived through it. I don’t know what lies ahead, but I don’t know how much I’ll be here in blog world. I had a pastor guy tell me that I needed to set a deadline to get my manuscript edited. Since he is a paid pastor, I suppose I should listen to him. If he wasn’t a paid pastor, but just a volunteer, I could discount what he says, but he’s full time now, so it sticks. I’m going to make a conscious effort of have my book edited by the new year, even if that means letting go of some other areas.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Accepting Criticism

How well do you handle criticism? As for me, I really don’t handle it very well. When I come in contact with anyone who is critical of what I say or do, I tend to curl up in a little ball and have a pity party. If the criticism comes from someone who is more ‘conservative’ than I am, I grumble to myself and complain about what legalist they are. If the criticism comes from someone who is more ‘liberal’ than I am, I just get upset and try to reassure myself in that they are likely going to hell anyway.

How about you? Before I went up north hunting last week, I read a story about a lady whose son dressed up as a girl for Halloween. That would likely have went over alright in a public school setting, but her son happened to go to a Christian school. A few mom’s at the school expressed ‘concern’ over her son’s choice in costumes. So mom did what any other Christian mom would do. In her frustration, she wrote a lengthy blog, praising her son for having rocked his girly costume and charging her fellow mother’s as trying to bully her and her son.

I’m walking a fine line here. Our communities are at times a place where we abuse one another and try to force our personal convictions on the other. At the same time, there has to be something within us that is willing to listen to and consider the criticism brought before us. If you are familiar with this story of David, it will make more sense to you….

2 Samuel 16:5-13 (New Living Translation)
Shimei Curses David
5 As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family. 6 He threw stones at the king and the king’s officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him. 7 “Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. 8 “The LORD is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the LORD has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!”
9 “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. “Let me go over and cut off his head!”
10 “No!” the king said. “Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the LORD has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?”
11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul[a] have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to do it. 12 And perhaps the LORD will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.” 13 So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing as he went and throwing stones at David and tossing dust into the air.

In a strategic move, David and his men are leaving Jerusalem, as Absalom is on his way to take by force the throne of Israel from his father. While David is leaving, he is greeted with insults from this man Shimei. As we read the whole story, the curses hurled at David aren’t quite true. Shimei claims that David stole Saul’s throne and that God is paying him back. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it was God who took the throne from Saul and gave it to David.

David’s men respond by threatening to cut of Shimei’s head. Why not? David didn’t steal Saul’s throne. In fact, David had the opportunity to kill Saul himself, but had spared Saul’s life. Off with Shimei’s head. Complain to the pastor. Write a nasty blog in defiance. Stand up for yourself man!

David’s response is anything but human. ‘Let him curse me, for God told him to do it.’ There is no anger. There is no resentment or indignation. How many of us respond that way when we are criticized?

I know a couple who used to go be a part of a local Christian community. They were an active part of the church until someone shared their mind saying that perhaps the couple wore a little too much jewelry. So they did what any other responsible Christian would do. They left and found a church that told them the kinds of things that they wanted to hear.

When we’re criticized, there has to be a part of us which is willing to consider that the curses might be coming from God. We should be able to rest well enough in our relationship with Him, that if we are being wrongfully accused, that He will defend and bless us for our endurance.

Now, this isn’t making an excuse for nagging others into forced subjection. If we’ve voiced our ‘concerns’, unless it’s on SOLID biblical ground, we need to let it go and let them wear a ring on every finger.

I’ll be honest with you. I have a really hard time with this. I’m often afraid to publish some of my blogs and cartoons because I know that they might cut a little too deep. I just don’t want to hit that button that receives any criticism. Let’s face it, none of us like hearing things that go against what we currently believe. Whether we like a message or not isn’t supposed to be the concern; we’re supposed to be concerned with accepting the truth, whether or not it sounds agreeable to us.

2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

We’re supposed to be willing to listen to sound teaching, whether we like the sound of it or not. There is a tendency for us to gather under teachers who tell us what we like to hear and it’s a sin that can be committed from either end of the theological spectrum. Perhaps the people around us are not supposed to approve of what we do or not do in the first place. Like Shimei, maybe God has put an objector in our life’s path for the very purpose of pronouncing a curse. The objections that come our way are either legitimate or they are not. If they are legitimate, then hopefully we have listened. If they are not legitimate, then we can expect to eventually be vindicated by our heavenly Father. Either way, if we are His, and if we’ll endure, we win.

I’m hoping that as I grow in the Lord, that I’ll be more willing to stand on His word and be willing to take objection in the process. I can confidently claim that I do say what I believe I need to say, but I do so with the constant fear of rejection. Hopefully I’ll grow out of that.

As for how much jewelry a Christian is ‘allowed’ to wear, I don’t know. I don’t know how many trips you are ‘allowed’ to take to Disney World either. How many video games am I allowed to have? Is there a number? Or course, if you are thinking of dressing up like the opposite sex, I won’t give you my opinion, but I will leave you with this scripture. If you are indwelt by His Spirit and actually care about what He thinks, I’m sure you can work through the matter yourself.

Deuteronomy 22:5 (New International Version)
5 A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this.

Monday, November 8, 2010

How To Find A Church

Click here; to see the post you've been eagerly awaiting.

One Song

Revelation 5:13-14 (New Living Translation)

13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
belong to the one sitting on the throne
and to the Lamb forever and ever.”

14 And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb
.

We're going through Revelation right now in our men's group on Thursday nights. This has been one part which has remained with me. We get a glimpse of heaven and earth. Every creature in heaven, every creature on earth, every creature under the earth and every creature in the sea are joined together singing one song.

I often get frustrated, as I'm sure many of you do, that the church on earth is as fractured as it is. We are anything but unified. I look forward to the day when this is no longer the case. I look forward to the day when we no longer fight over which song to sing, which holiday to celebrate and whether or not Obama is the antichrist. I look forward to the time when our own personal convitions are all brought in line with the will of the Father. I look forward to the day when my fellow unchurched believers stand beside me, and I with them.

In the meantime, we're stuck with a sectarian church. I'll be posting a cute/offensive video on how to find a church of your own.

Come Lord Jesus.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Another Let Down

I just finished watching The Blind side with my family. I don’t know about you, but whenever I watch a true story about some person pouring themselves into the life of another, I always walk away feeling like I haven’t done enough for those around me. Which is ok I guess. I mean, it’s good to be stretched and motivated to help others. The problem that I often run into is that I want to be more than what I can humanly be.

This coming week, I’m going up north hunting with my dad. I’m not really all that crazy about hunting. It’s not that I mind killing my own food. It’s not that I don’t like the people. I don’t know what it is. There isn’t anything that I don’t like, there are just other things that I’d rather be doing I guess. I mostly go to be with my dad.

The other night I’m talking to an old friend and I’m encouraging him to try and ‘get out more’. He asks me if he could spend some time with me. He’s a great guy, and fortunately a forgiving sort, but I feel like such a stooge.

“Bob. You should have more companionship in your life.”

“Gee Kevin. That’s such a swell Idea. Would you like to get together this weekend?”

“Sorry Bob. I’m too busy. When I was talking about seeking companionship, I was talking about finding someone else to spend time with.”

We can’t be all things to all people and I know you’ve heard me rant on this before. If you have only one person in your life, I suppose it shouldn’t be too difficult to be there when you’re needed. But what if you have two friends and they need you at the same time? I only have two friends, so these kinds of conflicts only arise once in a while. As for the rest of you who have 3 or more people in your life, how do you balance it all?

The sad reality is this – We all have to decide who we are going to say ‘no’ to. Bob. If you’re reading this, I hope you can forgive me for holding true to my commitment with my dad. Actually, I know you can and we’ve known each other long enough that we can rest comfortably and know that we are still loved by the other. I really hope it does work out for us some day.

I don’t always know when to say yes and when to say no, but have resolved to do this;

I do what I can, for those that I can. We’re not expected to do what we can’t do. I do try to honour previous commitments. I guess when my schedule just doesn’t fit with someone else’s; I should be able to sleep with that. Shouldn’t I?

Fortunately, even though our resources are limited, God isn’t so constrained. I have to trust that He is able to meet the needs and act in the lives of those where I have been inadequate. As much as I would like to be, I am not the world’s only God connection. That role has only ever been filled by the person of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps that’s part of my problem. I’m often trying to fill a hole that can only be filled by God. For me, trusting that God is able to minister to Bob’s need, either on His own or through someone else is difficult. What if Bob finds another believer that he likes more than me? What if Bob’s new Christian Super Hero looks better in tights than I do? Or what if his new Jesus Superman knows the Bible better than I do? Maybe Bob won’t read my blog posts anymore. Can I handle that?

Or what if God doesn’t send someone for Bob? Can I trust Him in that too? God doesn’t miraculously fix everything, so what if nothing gets better for Bob, and I wasn’t there to save him?

In short, for those of you whom I have let down, I release you to the mercies of our God. Yet I beg of you, if He sends you a smarter, more athletic Jesus connection, please keep reading my blog. I need the ratings.

Friday, November 5, 2010

What I hope to Accomplish in Life

Paul said it best when he wrote this to the believers in Corinth;

2 Corinthians 12:14
... I don’t want what you have — I want you. (NLT)



And I don't want you for me. I want you for Jesus. Now you know. I don't want you to think that I have a hidden agenda.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Teenage Dream

Tonight was an evening that really helped me to appreciate my wife. It has been a rather discouraging day. I’m not saying that this is what wives need to be. I’m just saying that I don’t know how I could get through life without Barb. She is a living example of God’s goodness to me.

I came home to a warm meal and a soft kiss. My home is the one place where I can consistently come to and know that I’m wanted. Sitting on my supper plate were two Halloween candies from my boys. Don’t ask me where they got them. Perhaps they went trick or treating without my approval.
The things that make home life fulfilling are not of the same substance as your typical Katy Perry song. I don't know if any teenagers read my stuff any more, but if there are, I want to remind you of the things I used to tell other....

If you're a guy, just because she lets you put your hands in her pants, doesn't mean it's love or that she is 'the one'. I don't think teens ever believed me before. Why start now?

The things that make my marriage to be one of the most fulfilling relationships of my life (second only to that of my Savior) are not the same things that are glorified in popular music.

I often wonder if what we have as a married couple is something that is available to all couples. Is this a gift that is available to all couples who are both indwelt and living by the Holy Spirit? Can good counselling make this happen? I'm not advocating a ban on popular music, but in my opinion, the love that we have as man and wife should be the substance of any true love song. We don't 'sleep' together every night, we don't go out dancing on weekends and we don't party. I guess it doesn't sound much fun does it? You couldn't very well make a music video on the life that we live together. If you did, it wouldn't have many hits on You Tube.

There is a huge difference between a life that is fun verses a life that is fulfilling. I have found the latter of the two and am so thankful that I have a beautiful person to share it with.

Praise be to God.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Halloween, Santa and The Tooth Fairy

Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

The highlight of my week so far has been a Facebook discussion on whether or not it is fitting for a believer to celebrate Halloween. You can imagine how peaceful that one went. Before I continue, I’ll just spill my guts.

No. I don’t take my kids trick or treating.

Yes, I think that it is possible to go out on Halloween and still be saved.

No. I don’t think that it is a sin to eat chocolate bars. (Those toffee twist wrapped things perhaps. Who likes those anyway?)

Yes, I think it tends to be a rather dark celebration.

Yes, I allow my kids to dress up. (All throughout the year in fact)

Yes, if you celebrate Halloween, you can come to my church.

Even if we wanted to participate, nobody comes to our house anyway out here in the country. Except that one time 3 years ago. I went to the fridge and grabbed a couple of pops for the neighbor kids. I suppose that makes me a hypocrite.

Can you handle that? If you celebrate Halloween and if you can handle that without getting all bent out of shape, congratulations. You have just demonstrated an admirable amount of maturity.

What should church look like? Should it be a place where we surround ourselves only with people who have the same personal convictions that we do? I’m not talking about blatant sin. I’m talking about extra biblical issues; the kind that aren’t specifically mentioned in scripture. Like the tooth fairy. Satan’s spawn I know, but not everyone has figured that out just yet. (Yeah. That was overkill.)

A friend of mine asked me a question a few weeks back,

“Have you ever tried to sharpen iron using something smooth? It doesn’t work.”

When we sharpen metal, what we are really doing is tearing off small pieces of the object. I know this passage in Proverbs isn’t speaking specifically on Church life. You can take away my Christian preaching stripes if you like. Do you ever wonder why the Holy Spirit only gifts some believers with the gift of discernment? And do you also wonder why He has chosen to bless YOU with that gift, and not the person beside you? :-)

For some reason, God hasn’t created the earthly body of His church to be a monolithic, uniform creature and I often wonder why that is. I know that this is speculation, but could part of the reason be, that some of our growth depends on having people in our lives who rub us the wrong way?

When we get into our debates over what holidays we should be celebrating, what movies we should watch and what kind of music should appeal to our regenerate nature, some people get terribly upset. If I can’t handle the personal convictions of another person, maybe I really am not all that secure in my own position in the first place.

I don’t know why, but the people that God has surrounded me with tend to be secure enough in their own convictions that they don’t get all bent out of shape when they hear that I don’t believe in Santa or the Easter Bunny. Fortunately, now that Halloween and Devil’s night are over, I have a new cause to champion. My friend just told me that the peace sign is an upside down broken cross. Looks like it’s time to mount my hobby horse and ride off into the sunset.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?

These past few weeks have been very busy for me. As far as my speaking engagements go, I should have a bit of a rest. I only have one event on my list for Nov. at Springfield Baptist Church and it’s only like 8 minutes.

As many or most of you know, I spoke last evening at Aylmer’s EMMC. That’s the one that I made the promo video for. Unfortunately, that promo video has already topped my blog for the most hits. It kind of burns me in a way. Out of all the things that I have said in the hopes of being a spiritual encouragement for those who are being saved, the sardonic promo tops the pile. Ugh.

This past summer I had been toying with the idea of joining the EMMC. I mean, whenever I go, they give me a mic, a stage and an audience. Why wouldn’t anyone fall in love with a church like that? My wife and I haven’t went as much as I have wanted, but we’ve enjoyed our time there and feel that it is a place where we could belong.

I’m often torn when I ponder the direction of the earthly workings of my faith. You see, I am constantly bombarded with voices which tell me that I need to pursue some type of preaching career. So, one would think that if I were to join a church that gives me a stage, a microphone and an audience, that it would help to ‘develop’ me in some way.

The truth is, I am doing everything that I know to do. I rarely turn down a speaking invitation. I write what I can, teach when I can, preach when I can and spend time with other men when I can, all in the midst of trying to hold down a job, pay down a mortgage and raise a family.

Matthew 10:11 (New Living Translation)
11 “Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town.”

These are some of the words that Jesus had for His disciples when He sent them out on their first mission trip. (Sort of) He’s sending them out to different towns, so they are to move from place to place. However, in each town, they are to find a place to stay and stick with it while they are in that town.

I’m not trying to say that there isn’t time to move from one church to another. In the case of the disciples, there was a time in which they were to move on to the next town. I wonder though, if Jesus was discouraging a certain kind of behavior. Suppose they were staying at Bob Johnston’s house. What if Jim Smith invited them over? Suppose Jim Smith also had a hot tub and a heated pool. Would that sweeten the deal a bit?

“Bob. Thanks for the donuts and coffee, but I’m heading over to Jim Smith’s house next week because I could sure use a good swim in the evening.”

Ok. So this isn’t deep theology, but there is a fleshiness which has the potential to creep in, even into our calling. I really think my flesh was that the part of me that wanted to become a regular part of the EMMC. There might be a time when I’m called away from my current church, but I don’t have peace that now is the time. Really now. What would it be like to go to a church, primarily on the hopes that you would get more stage time? What then? What if another church had a bigger stage and a bigger audience? Would that be something else to leave for? What if another church approached you that promised to podcast your messages every week, making them available on DVD? What if they had the technology to touch up your facial abnormalities?

I’m at peace with our choice to remain at Faith for the moment. And no. I’m not holding out in the hopes that they’ll give me the stage, the mic or the audience. (They also have a low key light show. Sometimes we even have dancers.) I’m content to teach Sunday School aged children. I’m happy to be an encouragement to the men on Thursday nights.

Thank you EMMC for opening your arms to myself and my family. My wife and I really do enjoy our time with you. Thank you Faith for being our family. And if anyone from St. Paul’s is still listening, I miss my time with you immensely and think of you often.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Too Much Fun

I've made an invitation for tomorrow night in Aylmer. Click on this link if you dare. My wife said that this might be a little too much.

See you Saturday.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Blue Collar Intellectual?

I've been called many things lately. Angsty. Wonderpet. Alright. I did bring those on. The lasted has come from a newer friend of mine. These past couple of weeks, I’ve been getting to know one of the men that works beside The Mufflerman, who has been coming out to our men’s Bible study. I received an e-mail from him this morning, just encouraging me in what I do and saying that he thinks of me as being an intellectual.

That struck me as being rather odd. He may very well be right, but I don’t see myself in that light.

(Did you like the rhyme? That was kind of like Underdog. Wasn’t it?)

Am I an intellectual? When I think of intellectuals, I think of people like Michael Krahn and Bill Coleman.


What is an intellectual anyway? You would think an intellectual would be the kind of person who would know what an intellectual is.
Intellectual 1 Pertaining to the mind, bringing into action the intellect or higher capacities; mental. 2 possessing intellect or intelligence; characterized by a high degree of intelligence. 3 Requiring intelligence or study.

I guess I’m glad that my new friend thinks of me in those terms. I’d hate to be thought of as a moron. Maybe I shouldn’t be processing this here in such a public forum, but I am. There are other times where I have been caught off guard in a similar way. Sometimes when I speak, I’ll have people who tell me, ‘Wow. I can tell that you put a lot of time into researching and preparing.’ Most of the time, when I get feedback like that, those are the times when I have NOT spent much time researching, studying or preparing.

I guess what I do a lot of before I teach or speak, is what the Bible refers to as meditation. In today’s popular terms, meditation tends to be related anything BUT Christianity. It often refers to an emptying of the mind. True meditation has to do with intentional, mindful thought.
In my opinion, we’re all intellectual creatures. What tends to take up the majority or your thought life? Some things occupy our minds whether we want them to or not. Our work lives, relationships or our health concerns often monopolize our thought time.

But what do you enjoy thinking about? What is it that, when you think on it, would be the joyful object of your mind’s eye? There is no shortage of things in this world that vie for our attention. When the World Cup was on this past summer, there was a MacLeans article saying, “Some people think that soccer is a matter of life and death. I can assure you, it’s much more serious than that.’ It might not be soccer, but what is it for you? Do you have your favorite pop culture icons? Are you the person who, ‘just can’t wait to get away’?

There are however, individuals who love to think about God. (And yes. Some of them likely watched the World Cup or the Vancouver Olympics.)

Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In His presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared Him and loved to think about Him.” Malachi 3:16 (NLT 1996)

Here in Malachi, we’re looking at a people who both, fear God and love to think about Him. Other versions speak about them thinking of the honour of His name. Everyone thinks about God. Athiests and agnostics think about God. Find me an atheist website that does NOT mention God. For some people, thinking about God is a tormenting thing. It’s kind of weird in a way. The people who fear God are the ones who love to think about Him. When a person who defies God thinks about Him, I wonder what that’s like. It isn’t pleasurable is it?

I hope that what my friend sees in me isn’t something of knowledge, but rather a man who loves to think about Jesus. If that qualifies me as being an intellectual, I’ll gladly carry the title.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Tough Day At The Office

There are many things that I enjoy about my work. I enjoy when a vehicle comes into our shop, I fix it and it drives away. I’ve been a licensed technician for over 5 years now and I’m quite comfortable doing what I do. There are days however where the general ugly realities of life come to bear. You know. If anything can go wrong, it will. If something is going to go wrong, it will likely happen when the vehicle is under your care. Today was one of those days.

At 4:00pm, I had a car which was scheduled for emissions repair. In other words, it had previously failed an emissions test and I was responsible for finding the problem and repairing it. At the moment, I happen to be the only one qualified to do these at our shop. We had another guy up until a couple of months ago, but he has since moved on to bigger and better things.

One of the difficulties of emissions repairs is that, it’s nearly impossible to be prepared for every pitfall. Just because you find something that is broken, there is no guarantee that there aren’t other problems with the vehicle. Just because you find 10 things that are broken, doesn’t mean that there isn’t an 11th item just waiting to bite you on your backside. You’d pretty well have to be God himself in order to see every possible problem.

We close at 6:00pm and this young lady wanted her car both diagnosed and repaired, which leaves me just 1 and a half hours to diagnose and repair the thing if there is to be time to retest it. Just so you know, there is no way under heaven that I can be humanly expected to do such a thing, but having a personal super hero complex, I set out to do exactly that.

So I look at the gas readings and notice an obvious misfire. I remove the distributor cap and notice that the center terminal has completely disintegrated. That would do it. The center terminal is the very thing that sends spark to each plug wire. Time is still ticking. I now have about 45 minutes to either continue searching, or I can fix the obviously defective item.

So I fix the part that is obviously and blatantly defective, in the hopes that I can get this young lady back on the road for the evening and have her car so that she can go to work the next day. I replace the cap and start the vehicle. Immediately, it runs much smoother than it was before. “Victory!” I exclaim. I warm the car up, do a couple more test to verify my repair and I turn the car off, with enough time left to retest the car. I put on my cape, walk to the front and proudly declare that this young lady will be able to drive home tonight and renew her license plate tomorrow.

As our emissions inspector gets into the car, a funny thing happens. It won’t start. Strange. Cap was busted. Kevin fix cap. Car run now! Kevin smash car no run!!!

So I stay 2 hours past closing time and as Murphy would have it, it now needs an ignition coil. How on earth could I have known that the coil would fail 10 minutes after my repair?

What galls me, is that

Even though I only replaced parts which were completely and obviously worn out

Even though I did everything in my power to try and have her car repaired before close

Even though it isn’t humanly possible for me to have predicted that in the time allotted for the repair

Even though I stayed late for two hours to diagnose the no start

Even though I’ll probably sell her the coil at our cost

…..she’ll probably walk away thinking that I have wrecked her car and done her a grave disservice.

And to the lady – if you are reading this, I am very sorry for you. You seem like a very intelligent woman, so I hope you really do understand. I’ve went to school myself and I know how inconvenient this is. I’ll likely share these words with you tomorrow, but I really have done everything in my power to make this as bearable as I can for you, whether you believe me or not.