Discipleship Series III: Seeing Jesus In You

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” – Mark 9:17-18

Background

We pick up where we left off in our last lesson, with Peter, James and John reveling in this extraordinary experience of having seen Jesus transfigured and glorified before their eyes. Jesus told them to keep it to themselves, and this was a good thing, because they were about to go into a situation that needed a different type of focus.

The rest of the disciples had been left at the bottom of the mountain while Jesus and the three spent time apart. While they were there, a man approached them looking for healing for his son. Try as they may, they were not able to fulfill the man’s wishes. You would think that they would have been praised for even trying – showing enough compassion on the man and his son to engage in what was a pretty difficult task, but this didn’t happen. The simple request unfulfilled turned into an all-out argument, the crowd against the disciples.

As disciples, we face the same challenges. Like the rest of Jesus’ followers, these challenges can come out of the blue, and be disguised as a loving request of a father for his son. In these situations, it is important that we understand not only what people are looking for, but what they see, for it dictates not only how we operate in the situation, but what we do before the situation ever comes up.

Single Lens

Peter, James and John were left with two things: their teacher, and a command: “Listen to him”. As they came down the mountain, Jesus told them not to tell anyone about their experience until he had risen from the dead. While on the one hand they “listened to what he said and didn’t tell anyone”, they got caught up in side views of what he was talking about

They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?” – Mark 9:10-12

Peter, James and John got stuck on something they couldn’t understand, but rather than listen to what their teacher had to say about it they tossed it around between themselves. They probably came up with every conceivable explanation of what this could mean – maybe he was talking about being accepted by people, or waking up from a long sleep. Maybe he was going to go through something as bad as death and come out of it. Whatever explanations they may have agreed or disagreed on, what was clear was that they didn’t have Jesus’ view of what he had said.

Rather than ask a clarifying question, his followers diverted the question to something they thought they knew something about, or at least they had enough information to ask intelligently. Jesus, however, showed that he had one focus – the path that his Father had for him. Even though Jesus answered the question, he opened the door for the disciples to re-engage in the uncomfortable statement he made prior. As disciples, we have to realize that Jesus’ plan and desire for us will not be thwarted by what we put in front of him, and he will often return us to the one lesson he wants us to learn. In addition, as disciples, we have to learn to be as Jesus was – solely focused on the path that God has for us, and not deterred by what others bring to us.

There is a “U” in “They”

Jesus and his followers went to rejoin the rest of the disciples, only to find a crowd around them, and the teachers of the law in argument with them. As Jesus tried to understand what was going on, the man at the center of the story stepped up to tell his side.

Teacher, I brought you my son who is possessed by a spirit… I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not – Mark 9:17a & 18b

While it is pretty subtle, what the man said is actually very telling for the life of the disciple:

I brought him to You, but they could not…

For the man, and probably for the crowd, there was not much difference between the teacher and the disciple. When the man saw the disciples, he saw Jesus. He expected from the disciples what he would have received from Jesus.

Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” and Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. – II Kings 2:12-15

Everyone knew that Elijah’s time was short. They could have taken the time to spend with Elijah, get his last bits of wisdom and prepare for the departure of their friend and mentor. What the prophets of Jericho did, however was watch Elijah’s disciple, Elisha. They had an expectation of what would happen, and as soon as Elijah was gone, made that expectation known – they saw Elijah in Elisha. The disciples of Jesus probably thought the man was coming to them, but truthfully, he was coming to the Jesus in them. The man had an expectation of success because he had seen Jesus, knew what he was capable of, and if these were his disciples, they would carry the same weight and power that Jesus did. One of the most telling quotes about discipleship comes from Mahatma Gandhi:

 “I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ”.

Gandhi expected to see the “U”, or the you, in them – to see Christ fully represented in those who were his followers. Similarly, the man who wanted to see his son healed expected to see the life, faith, and power of God represented in the disciples in the same way it was represented in Jesus. This is why there was no praise in the failure, no “good job, thanks for trying”, no appreciation for trying to show some compassion. The man could have gotten that from anyone – he was looking for God to be revealed. As disciples, we have to understand and keep focused on the fact that the world wants to see, not nice Christians who are no different than them. They want to see God represented

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. – Romans 8:18-19

Creation, the world, our neighbors, our family, the person sitting next to you on the bus wants to see the “U in they” – the Christ in us. They want to see the nature of the children of God revealed in us. Anything less is a travesty, because it will never represent the God that we are supposed to be following. As disciples, we are Jesus to those around us, and are the closest thing they may ever get to Jesus – or, depending on how we represent him, the closest thing they will ever want to get to Jesus.

All Things are Possible… but we could not…

Jesus took care of the situation, but not before straightening out some of the thinking of the crowd and the man. When their expectation wasn’t met by the disciples, the man and the crowd blamed the disciples for the outcome. Jesus helped the man to see that he had a part to play in the result

“If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” – Mark 9:23

The good thing is that the man was not only willing to believe, but willing to admit that he had a hard time believing and needed help. No doubt this is why he came to the disciples in the first place, having exhausted all other measures. Because we tend to make God our last resort, we are particularly sensitive to the result, knowing that we have no other recourse after that. Prayer is usually our final step, but what happens when even that is not enough?

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” – Mark 9:25

The father believed… the disciples believed… and yet here was a boy still suffering from this spirit. Something was wrong – a formula was out of whack, a step missed… something needed to be fixed in this picture. Jesus’ statement not only caught hold of the man, it also caught hold of the disciples – mainly because they were already feeling the sting of failure and condemnation from the crowd.

“Everything is possible for one who believes”…

They did what they had been taught, they remembered how Jesus had done things before, they knew they had authority, but none of it was working. The disciples went from being “the go-to people” to being students of the teacher again. They had to be taught, not just how to cast out difficult demons, but how to live as disciples.

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” – Mark 9:28-29

This begs the question: when did Jesus pray about this situation? We don’t read anywhere that he stopped to talk to his Father before taking action.  We could assume that he was praying silently while the crowd was all up in arms and he was talking with the boy’s father, but that doesn’t seem to fit into the context of his statement. The word for prayer, προσευχῇ not only refers to the act of prayer, but also speaks of a place of prayer. Places where one could go and commune with God in prayer, not just throwing up a quick prayer in the time of need. Jesus’ time of prayer with the Father in private prepared him for dealing with the spirit in this situation. Similarly, as disciples, what people will see in us of the life of God will not be determined by how we jump to action in public, but rather how we prepare ourselves in private – how we come away to those places of prayer and dedication, communing with the Father where no one can see, receiving from Him what our focus and path are to be. Jesus had already modeled to the disciples what that life of prayer was to be. He was now bringing them back to it – “if you want to act like me, you have to do so in everything – in the private things as well as the public things.” As disciples, the only way that we can truly demonstrate the life of Jesus is to do it at all times, private and public, doing what He did, living how he lived.

Meditation

-          What challenges to your faith have you faced, especially ones that presented themselves as nice and inviting? How have you responded to those challenges, and what was the result?

-          What uncomfortable lessons has God brought to you over and over? How have you tried to divert yourself and God away from the uncomfortable?

-          What is God’s path for you? Why is it difficult to stay focused on that path?

-          What of Jesus do people see in you? Do they always see it? Is it something that they can rely on where God is manifest, and not you?

-          Do you realize you are being watched? Does that make you uncomfortable? Would you change something about yourself if you knew you were being watched? If so, why haven’t you?

-          When do you pray about situations?

-          Where is your place of communion with the Father?

Where does the time go?…

I was going through my posts last night as I was doing some cleanup and organizing on Kid Stuph. It was good for a number of reasons. First, it gave me the opportunity to see where I have been, what my mental and emotional state was like, and how my blogging has (ahem) improved. More than that though, it gave me opportunity to look at what I set out to do a year ago, and not lament the fact that I haven’t achieved all of my goals (trust me, that is a vast improvement).

See, as I was going through the posts, I came across my birthday post from last year. In it, I was pretty optimistic that the coming year would be great for me. I “had a feeling”, and it was a good one. Looking back over the past year, I probably should have taken that post and glued it to my eyelids, as there were parts of the year that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Then again, looking at it in retrospect, I can’t say that I would be where I am now if I hadn’t gone through some of those difficult times. Do I welcome the hard times? Heck no, but I can appreciate, with Joseph, how God can turn even the worst situations into something beneficial.

So, another year has passed, and I will be adding another number to my age at 6:23 tomorrow morning. More than a number, I want to add something of significance to the coming year. I don’t have to save the world, or hit the lottery or anything like that (although, if anyone has any tips, I’m open :-) ).  I do have my goal of finishing my novel before the calendar year is out, and I took a significant step to map out weekly goals to get me there (this is good for me) and actually put it on my calendar, with reminders and all. The novel, however, is my thing. What I really want to do is make a difference in the lives of people around me. I have been blessed to be able to do that, but I think I want to be more intentional about it. Spending more time with people, making myself available, using my gifts for the benefit of others.

I love having people around me who are doing just that: Hannah Katy and Estrella Azul making the world a better place through love letters. J Clement Wall challenging us to love fiercely through her love project. My daughter Imani Tahira, telling the stories of the hurting, lonely and disenfranchised through dance. The list goes on.

My hope is that this time next year, I will be different. Better. Not better because I have done something to improve myself, but better because I have taken every opportunity to make others better.

Here’s to another year. It will both go slow and fast, but regardless of where it goes, it will be important what I, and we, leave along the path.

Notable Notables

If you want to find a simple way to lift the spirits of people around you, write a love letter. Hannah Katy gives you everything you need to participate: http://www.moreloveletters.com/

Estrella took the love letter idea and decided to touch people that aren’t even expecting it: http://estrella05azul.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/love-lettering-my-world-a-summer-of-love-letters/

J. Clement Wall started a movement, just asking people to be willing to love. Imagine the possibilities: http://www.ahumanthing.net/

Imani Tahira and Tahira the Pure Dance Theatre have become the voice of the voiceless through dance: http://tahirapdt.wordpress.com/

Learning a Thing or Two…

(I started this post a little while ago, but with my travel, wasn’t able to finish it until now. Interestingly enough, I’m finding that what I’m experiencing now is an extension of what is in this post… I’m thinking there will be a “part 2 to this…)

The last couple of weeks have been pretty intense (2 sermons, 6000 miles, 4 planes, 2 hotels, oodles of meetings, and one great performance by Tahira The Pure | Dance Theatre). The next few don’t show any signs of slowing down.

In the midst of this, I received a call from a good friend, letting me know that her father was in the hospital, and it was pretty serious. Her father has been a mentor and inspiration to me from the very moment I met him. There are very few people that are authentic as he is. I knew I had to visit him, if for no other reason, just to honor this man that in many ways I want to emulate. I also felt that it was an opportunity for me to minister to him… at least, that’s what the expectation always is. People in the hospital, or in dire circumstances need someone from the “outside” to cheer them up, give them hope, and help them to go on with life. Not saying it is not true, but in a lot of situations, it so narrows the scope of what ministry is, or can be. This was the case with my friend’s dad.

I rolled up to the hospital, pretty much expecting the worst, yet in the back of my mind, I really should have known better. I toyed with the idea of taking my bible, so I could have some inspirational stuph to read, fulfilling my role as a minister and such. I figured he would have one of his own in the room, just knowing him. I decided to take it just in case, and headed up.

Visitors were limited, feeding into my thoughts of him being in the worst possible situation. Not only that, but I had to wear the facemask, so all of this was confirming the idea that “I” was going there to help “him”…. I couldn’t have been more wrong…

I walked in the room, and this man was smiling, making jokes, and looking like his old self. If it weren’t for the tubes and stuph beeping every now and then, you wouldn’t know there was a thing wrong with him. Was this the same man that was literally at death’s door a couple days ago?

He recognized me right off, and then the ministry, encouragement, hope and stuph happened… but not from me to him. He did as he has always done. Mentored me without knowing it, showing me what a life of faith is, and giving me a picture of a life of no regrets. He reminded me of Paul, who said “if I go, it’s great for me, but if I don’t, it’s great for you”. For him, he was with his Lord, regardless of whether it was on this side of “the river” or that side. I would say he talked my ear off for a good 30 minutes, about how great he was doing, about how God was taking care of him, and then turned to me and said “Ken, I want to hear about you! What’s going on with you?”

I was speechless… thinking of the comparatively minor battles I had been facing, I just got a lesson in perspective. Truly, it would be something that would continue for the next few weeks. I told him a little of what was going on in my life, but that I wanted to shut up and hear him.

The conversation continued, and we both benefited from it, but I would have to say I received the lion’s share. He might disagree, just because he is like that - very humble and giving.

Perspective… it’s a wonderful thing, or at least can be. If a man, strapped to a hospital bed with tubes all over the place can be thankful about where he is at, and not let that slow him down from being the man he knows he is to be, how can I look at my life and have that same freedom and thankfulness?

I’m willing to learn…

Kid Stuph is growing up…

Not really . Just getting a well needed facelift. When I first started the blog, I knew that the format was only going to satisfy me for a short time. I didn’t like the fact that the older format only had a fixed header, and just some of the text and layout was a bit cramped for me. So I had a flash of inspiration today and decided to make changes. I started working on the new layout, and then, it was all about the header. Now to answer the obvious question, yes – that is me in the Frontier Village stocks .

Originally, I was going with a cute pic of Josh when he was young, but I was in a bit of a quandary: Would people assume that it was me? Would it be fair to the rest of my kids? And, would that pic really capture the essence of what the site was about? After all, the site isn’t about children… it’s about kid stuph… What is kid stuph anyway?

That is a complex question to answer, but I think I can summarize it this way. The mind of a child is open, willing to learn, willing to try, capable of enormous amounts of love and has no pretense about giving that love. To a kid, things just make sense. Play time isn’t scheduled – it just is. Friends are friends forever, even after a fight. Forgiveness is a given. Questions are asked without the thought of offending. This is kid stuph…

Kids have to learn who to hate, what groups are better than others, who to shun and how to act better than others. Seems that when we teach kids this way, we forfeit the very wisdom that they naturally have. I teach and train people to run more efficiently, and one of things I do is point out how many very young children do it naturally. We develop bad habits as we grow, and in many cases, have to go back to what we originally were, as kids, to do it right. This is kid stuph…

Belief is kid stuph. Kids believe in God, Santa, Easter Bunny, monsters under the bed, super heroes, loving parents, a good world, and G.I. Joe with a Kung Fu grip. Kids believe they can do and be anything, and that’s just how it is supposed to be. Kids believe that they are right, but that you can be different, and that’s ok. Kids are curious enough about your differences, but not enough to lose you over it.

I think you get the idea. Kid Stuph is about shedding the trappings that keep us bound in a form of adulthood, and learning to embrace simple truths that are truly freeing. Love. Life. Wisdom.

I must give thanks to Estrella Azul, for adding her unique expertise to the banner, doing what I could not. I had just written about doing stuph together, and here it is, exemplified. This, my friends, is Kid Stuph

One Is the Loneliest Number…

My mom’s favorite story of me is when I was very young. I would go into the kitchen, take all of the pots and pans out of the cupboard, climb inside and sit there. I would be there for hours, by myself, in the dark, just chilling out. Every once in a while, she would open the door and ask me if I was ok. I would nod, and she would close the door. As I have grown, I haven’t changed that much. No, I don’t climb into dark cabinets, but I do enjoy my “by myself” time. For me, it’s not really “alone” time, because I do best in that space when I have access to people. If no one is around, the loneliness can become very big and unbearable

I’m kinda weird (ok, very weird), in that I get my energy by being inside myself, but I do it best when I am with people. My sermon prep is usually done, not in a quiet lonely place, but in cafes, coffee shops, almost anywhere that people gather. I love people, and love being around them, even if we are not actually dealing with each other. I think I was able to stay in the cupboard so long because I knew my mom was right there, and would give me the right amount of interaction. Connecting with people, even distant connections,  allows me to be “alone” without being lonely… weird, but true…

This year, I think I have been more intentional about being with people. Reconnecting with old friends, and finding new ones. In the process, what is interesting for me, is that I have found that I want to meet more people… this is new for me, but it has proven to be wonderful. The new friends I have made have expanded my knowledge, my emotional capacity, my concept and understanding of the world. Interacting with people is like a fine meal – it satisfies you and makes you want more.

One of the most exciting parts of meeting new people is being invited to be a part of their life. It’s one thing to know who they are from the outside, quite another to hang out with them, have a meal with them, or participate in something that is very near and dear to them. It is creating a masterpiece together, putting each other’s uniqueness into the project, making it something more than you ever imagined. My friend Vic and I get together every now and then, and get a hangar steak dinner at The Tied House. As much as either of us enjoy the meal, we enjoy even more seeing the expression on each other’s face when we take the first bite, and the conversation the ensues from our enjoyment of the meal. Vic started talking to me about a venture he is looking into, and invited me to consider being a part. That blessed and jazzed me to no end, not so much because of the venture, but because it was something I could do with my friend.

I have also been talking to Estrella about guest posting on each other’s site. There is something very intimate about writers sharing their pad. I have had the privilege of guest posting on Fear of Writing a couple times, thanks to my friend and writing coach (in that order) J. Each time I have met someone new, and received good feedback on my submissions (writers can be so cool ). I’m in the process of putting together my post for Estrella’s site, and can’t’ wait to see how it will blend with the wonderful items she already has. The invitation to participate in Estrella’s site has given me inspiration to go to my alone place and not be lonely.

Ok, I couldn’t resist… because I love the song, and some of y’all will remember the fashions:

Notable notables

Estrella Azul’s site, “Life’s A Stage” http://estrella05azul.wordpress.com/

J Clement Wall on “ZebraSounds” http://zebrasounds.net/

Milli Thornton’s “Fear of Writing blog” http://fearofwriting.com/blog

The Stuph of Dads…

My weekend was pretty planned out, to the point that I thought I wasn’t going to get around to doing a post. I literally had “things to do, places to go, and people to see”. Some of my plans fell through, but all in all, it’s turning out to be a good weekend. But back to the post…  I realized this morning that I never thought about doing a Father’s day post, and it made me wonder, “why”?

I love my dad, but I didn’t really grow up with him. My parents split when I was young.  I do remember him coming over from time to time to take us kids for a few hours. I was a little envious that he ended up with an apartment near the beach, and as a young kid, loved going there, pretty much for that reason only. Still, that seemed like the exception rather than the rule, so I didn’t develop a close relationship with my dad, or know what that is supposed to look like.

There were some other men that unknowingly fulfilled the role of dad for me. They did it at arms length, being an example, teaching me along with their own kids, and displaying manhood to me. I’m grateful to the men of St. James for that, and appreciate every opportunity I have to tell them so.

Last night, we sat down to a pre-father’s day dinner, and my kids talked about a lot of stuph… stuph that makes me wonder if I could have been a better dad. I remember Jon talking about compassion being a two-edged sword, and giving the example of times when I would help the neighbors with money or food, from the little reserves we had. I wonder what he would have thought if I had told the neighbors no, because I had to take care of my family first? Stuph to ponder. I wonder what would have happened if I took more opportunity to explain why I felt it was important to display compassion, even when we had little to give… maybe I did, but in his young mind, he focused on what he saw, rather than what I said…

Maybe that is the stuph of dads… traditionally, moms are the close, touching, nurturing ones, and dads are the distant, sometimes aloof, vision casting ones. My daughter and I were talking to the proprietor of the restaurant, who was admiring her name, because it was close to her sons. She said that it meant faith, and Imani and I both said that we knew that. The owner was surprised that we knew that, and Imani responded “that’s why he named me that”, which blew her away. Imani has totally taken to the reason for her name. I loved putting that vision into her (don’t get me wrong, I am a totally touchy-feely dad too ).

I had the other blessing this week to talk to some other kids I raised. Kids that call me their father (actually they call me their black daddy. Long fun story for another time). They were recalling how I was able to father them, be there for them when they wanted me, and sometimes when they didn’t. I love the fact that being a dad is, or at least can be, larger than just doing it for your own kids. There are so many out there that need role models, love, and fathering, and having the opportunity to be and do that is awesome.

I’m curious, as I consider my own fatherhood – what is the stuph of dads for you? How was (or is) your dad a good dad, or what would make your dad a good dad? I can always be a better one, cuz fatherhood never really ends.

To those of you who are fathers, I wish you the best father’s day ever, and for you to get one more chance to be that for your kids

My Favorite Things…

The last couple weeks, I’ve been a grump. Not a big grump, but just enough for me to know that I was a grump (I’m sure others noticed it too). When I get like this, I get silent and invisible. Not a good thing when you are trying to have some level of online presence (not to mention being a good friend and family man). I tried to figure out why I was a grump – maybe I was working too hard, too many projects, not enough fun stuph… don’t know.

Battling the grumps can be difficult, cuz there’s something strangely intoxicating about being a grump. You become weirdly self-aware, while you are being self-absorbed.

Frankly, like Oscar’s trash can… it stinks…

As i thought about how to battle the grumps, I got some clues from some unexpected places and people.

yes, it’s all about my favorite things, counting my blessings, being grateful for what I actually do have. The fun thing about it is I didn’t just have to think about my favorite things, I had (and will have) the chance to experience them. Life can really be good, with the right perspective. So, what are my favorite things?

• Spontaneous get togethers with friends – this past weekend, I got a surprise ticket to a wine festival in Monterey. What a great time. The wine was spectacular, there was a clam chowder competition, and the weather was great. This week it continues with more friends. Hanging out, having dinner, giving gifts… friends are the ultimate anti-grump
• A good (really good) movie – The other night, while I was in the depths of the grumps, I ran across one of my favorite movies, Strictly Ballroom. I love that movie. It always touches my emotions in a special way. I grew up loving dance, but didn’t get the opportunity until my daughter started dancing, and I was able to compete alongside her. There are not many movies I watch multiple times, but this one, definitely.
• Finishing a project – I like it when I can figure out that one thing that is keeping me from completing the project, and finally getting it done. Closing the book on a project makes me feel real good
• Good hugs – not wimpy, professional, politically correct hugs, but real hugs. Doesn’t matter whether it is guys or girls, kids or adults, but the more the better. If nothing else, good hugs are the best defense against the grumps (here’s a secret… virtual hugs are also great. Thanks J and Estrella   )
• New recipes – trying something new, creating in the kitchen, it’s so fun
• Doing things for people – Aside from hugs, this is probably the best way to get rid of the grumps. Remember, the grumps cause you to focus inward, making you a black hole of emotion and energy… grumpy people have an uncanny ability to drain the life out of any and everyone in the vicinity. However, turning it around and doing things for others causes your light to shine, and that’s what you are made to do.

So, what are your favorite things?

The View From 35000 ft…

Well, not literally… I didn’t get my normal window seat, but at least I am not scrunched in-between a couple of people and all their stuff. 767′s are good for that.

I’ve been thinking about the recent events, and love the preponderance of blogs, comments, posts, etc. about the action against bin Laden… to a point. Something in me started going real deep, and I found myself asking how I felt about the whole thing. How I continue to feel… I gotta tell you, it’s pretty weird to me. I do applaud the efforts of the military in completing the mission (you will notice through this that I am going to refrain from standard commentary, for a purpose). There is something to be said when those who claim resposibility for bad things are brought to justice. Again, applaud. However, as I sit here, literally at 35000 ft, watching my plane monitor tell me that the temperature outside the plane is a balmy -72 degrees (yes, that is minus 72…), I’m almost forced to look at the world, my world a little differently. So, I ask myself… how do I really feel?  Here, then is a download of some of my real feelings, in no particular order:

 - I hate the fact that we were even put in this situation. That there would be such an ability and willingness for a person/people to destroy the lives of others that we are forced to have to take such an action.

 - I hate that we as people in this world spend more time figuring out how to divide and destroy, rather than how to unite and build.

 - I detest the ease at which we can find money to build new jails, and in the same year fire teachers for lack of funds

 - I remember my first job, working in an amusement park. I had the wonderful task of working in the picnic area, where corporations and organizations would celebrate anything and everything over food, drink, and general fun. My colleagues and I spent the day cooking tons of hot dogs, hamburgers, fried chicken, corn on the cob and other such things, and always without fail, at the end of the day, there was food left over. We’re not talking about a couple plates – garbage cans full of food. On once such occasion, I filled up a 50 gallon garbage can full of perfectly good, freshly cooked corn on the cob, and was ordered to take it to, not the soup kitchen, or the rescue mission.., to the garbage! Outraged? Absolutely. People are starving, not only around the world, but in our backyard, and we would rather let them die than get involved and provide out of our surplus

I listened to President Obama’s speech, and was captured with the enormous task he was faced with. He could have made it about his presidency, about answering those who questioned his ability, etc. I admire the fact that he took time to honor the victims and families of 9/11 as well as the Muslim community. The other thing that I so appreciated about that night, and continue to do so, were all the posts and tweets thanking our military for risking their lives constantly for this operation, and every other time they put themselves in harms way, so we can be free to live and love and argue and fight and make up again. I wish they never had to do it. I hope that my son who is enlisted never has to see war, but if he does, I applaud him for what he is giving to not only me, but to his generation and every generation after him.

I’m sure there will continue to be news reports in the days to come about the minutia of the operation (they have already figured out who sent the first tweet in Pakistan when the helicopters came in… really?), but I’m pulling out of it. Not that it’s not momentous or important, and not because I am trying to be different, but because I think there is a more appropriate response now that it is done.

In the middle of my flight, I sit here glancing over people to peek out the windows every now and then. It looks peaceful. Beautiful. Majestic, if you will. Our world is vast, and colorful, complete with plains and mountains, rivers and deserts. Things and people that look, feel and sound different, but together produce a harmony, a collage, a masterpiece that appears so wonderful, at 35000 ft. To me, I take it as a sign. What can we do – I do – to help bring harmony to our world? To bring understanding where there are differences? To love, when the world wants to hate? I don’t have the answers… or do I? My eyes are open to the possibility, and I am willing. Maybe that’s the start.

What does the view look like for you? I’d love to look at it with you, to see the beauty you see, to experience the wonder of the world through your 35000 ft view.

one example of bringing harmony to our world is J’s Love Project. If you haven’t taken the challenge, now is a great time to start. You can click the banner to the right to learn more

“Why” is the question… “What” is the answer…

 When my daughter was about 5 years old, we stopped into a fast food place. Next to us in line was a young guy, early 20′s, leathered up with a spikey mohawk.  To see that now is no big deal – I see 8 year olds sporting the Do, but then it was pretty risque’. Anyway, he was pretty comfortable in his hair, and I was comfortable in his comfort. I have seen pretty much every type of style, so he didn’t faze me. Kids, however, have a way to draw you into the most ridiculous and uncomfortable situations. My daughter lookup up at him, and without any hesitation, looked at me and said loud enough for everyone to hear

Daddy, why is his hair like that?

He didn’t flinch, but since he was no more than 2 feet away, it was obvious that he heard her. I imagine that there was some level of satisfaction that his hair was noticed – if it were me, I would have taken it all in. In any case, the daddy in me kicked in, and I didn’t want my daughter to be freaked out by someone that looked, well, different. My response? “I dunno… you’ll have to ask him”. She really wasn’t that interested. We got to the front, ordered our food, and left. after that, it just became a memory…

This week has been a week of “why’s”. Earthquakes, Tsunamis, thousands affected, innocent people losing everything, including their lives. Heck, I don’t even have to look around the world to ask why. My world looks like it is heading one way, then there’s a roadblock…

Why?

There’s a kind of power in “why”. Really. Normally we think just the opposite, but “why” gives us a certain ability to handle our current situation, to deal with the hurt, the disappointment, or our feeling of helplessness over what we are facing. Asking why means that someone has to answer. Even if the answer doesn’t make sense, we are now in control… I asked, they answered, I have accomplished something.

This is also the danger in why… it is a big tease, because in the end, the answers don’t always help. One of my favorite bible stories is when Jesus is strolling with the disciples, and they pass a guy born blind. In an uncomfortable moment, these guys who had been helping others (with Jesus’ help), weren’t really sure what to do with this man and his need. But they could do something… they could ask “Why?”

Jesus, why is this guy blind? Whose fault is it? His own, or his parents?

You can hear the guy saying “I’m right here! I can hear you!” Anyway, I love Jesus’ response to the disciples. Paraphrasing, he says “you guys are focusing on the wrong thing. Instead of trying to know something about this, you should be trying to do something about this.” Opportunity is most often disguised in a “why”.

So, instead of spending my time asking “Why?”, it’s time to look to “What”. What can I do with the unexpected twist in my life? What can I do to help out in Japan? The wonderful thing about focusing on “what” is that it takes us out of our own need and feeling of helplessness. We might feel powerful asking why, but true power comes when we do something about the question. The other thing that happens is that others are willing to join you when you ask “what”. I applaud those that have already done the “what”, and started funds to help the victims of Japan. Red Cross, America Cares, and other reputable organizations give us opportunity to turn “why” into “what”. Even J’s Love Project is an example of taking action instead of just trying to understand.

I’m not throwing out “why”, for, like my daughter, sometimes you just want to know. But when I see those in need, I’m trading my “why” for “what”. I invite you to do the same.