This morning I went to the gym, it’s been awhile, in the summer I try to get my exercise in outdoors so I don’t usually notice other people. I saw a fellow exerciser wearing a shirt that proclaimed:
“Wings Hockey”
“51 minutes”
“No Mercy”
“No Excuses”
Four statements all combined into one walking billboard of a tee-shirt. Oddly enough four statements can speak volumes. I’m guessing somewhere there is a hockey team named “Wings”, that this particular league plays three 17 minute periods (never knew that, always thought periods were 20 minutes). This team works very hard, takes responsibility for their actions and results; they accept those outcomes as the inevitable conclusion of hard work. They are without a doubt dedicated and committed to the pursuit of excellence. I did not speak with the individual, but the gist of the tee-shirt leads me to think that good is never going to be enough.
No mercy, this is the one I couldn’t quite grasp. It implies that regardless of the score, up a lot or up a little the team never lets up, they continue to be a team that shows no mercy, they are unable to discern when enough is enough, rather they can discern, they just choose not to ever let up. No retreat, no surrender, no regrets.
Justice says the law is the law. We practice harder, we have more talent, better coaching, and better equipment, therefore, we will run up the score. Justice is served every time punishment is meted out. Driving 75 in a 55 zone, fine is $235, next case please. Late for class, 30 minute detention. Payment is two days late, $34 fee please. Justice is black and white, the time matches the crime. Justice is rigid and alone.
Mercy is justice with compassion. Yes we are better, no we won’t take any more shots on goal, we’ll let you come to center ice unchallenged, and we’ll play our second string. Yes you were doing 75 in a 55, I’ll knock it down to 68 so the fine is less. Thirty minute detention turns into 15 minutes when mercy abounds.
Grace is unwarranted mercy. Mercy says I’ll show compassion, justice demands the letter of the law to be carried out. Grace says yes the letter of the law should be carried out, yes we can be compassionate and lower the punishment demanded by justice through mercy, but, we’re not going to. Grace is the complete and total forgiveness of our debts, even though we don’t deserve it. 2000 years ago grace came to all in the form of Jesus. Today be full of grace in all you do.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Funk
Funkadelic, funkalicious, won't you take me to funky town? I'm in a funk, and I'm not feeling very funky, you could say I'm in a grand funk. The good thing is I realize I'm in it, and because I realize that, I can get out of it. Realizing it alone helps me to pull out of it. I confided my funk to a friend, and by funk I mean to say I am spiritually and emotionally covered in gunk (no attempt to be Dr. Seuss). My friend asked how long has this been going on. Normally I would have no idea, but because I journal and keep an exercise log I'm able to pinpoint when the funk hit. My funk hit three weeks ago. I went from riding 100+ miles per week to 40 miles, I went from eating healthy to eating often, I went from journaling to channel surfing.
Maybe it's been going on longer than I realize, I don't know and I don't care. I can come out of it because I now know where I am. I've been mired in it for a few weeks but have woken up enough to find the way out. The first step is simple. Be still. Ps 46:10 Be still and know that I am God. He is God and I am not. In my mind I see God smiling at me like a parent smiles at a small child who takes those first few steps, or races around the block without training wheels for the first time (wearing a helmet of course).
The second step is simpler, it's time to do something. It's time for movement.
1 Cor 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Training is regular consistent applied effort towards a predetermined goal or outcome (I made that up). My goal is to get people to realize if they know Jesus they need to do something about it, if they don't know Jesus they need to do someting about it. So now I train, I'll ride today and tomorrow, it may not be 100 miles but it will be a start. Most importantly I will be still and know, and I will focus on my goal one pedal stroke at a time.
Maybe it's been going on longer than I realize, I don't know and I don't care. I can come out of it because I now know where I am. I've been mired in it for a few weeks but have woken up enough to find the way out. The first step is simple. Be still. Ps 46:10 Be still and know that I am God. He is God and I am not. In my mind I see God smiling at me like a parent smiles at a small child who takes those first few steps, or races around the block without training wheels for the first time (wearing a helmet of course).
The second step is simpler, it's time to do something. It's time for movement.
1 Cor 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Training is regular consistent applied effort towards a predetermined goal or outcome (I made that up). My goal is to get people to realize if they know Jesus they need to do something about it, if they don't know Jesus they need to do someting about it. So now I train, I'll ride today and tomorrow, it may not be 100 miles but it will be a start. Most importantly I will be still and know, and I will focus on my goal one pedal stroke at a time.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Random Summer Continued
My favorite sporting event just wrapped up, the Tour de France. Being an avid biker I love watching the pros ride across France, Spain , Italy, the Alps and other mountain tops. This year I learned not everyone thinks it's the greatest sports event in the world, guess you have to pedal a lot to appreciate the effort. Lance came back, finished third, actually impressive since he's 37 and the winner is 24, great to see him back. He also provided this years most quotable moment for me. Asked what he plans to do now, Lance replied "I'm going on vacation." I love Lance and what he means to cancer patients everywhere, but I need to point something out here. Lance, you just spent three weeks touring France and staying at the finest hotels with your own personal chef, that sounds like a vacation to me.
I ride the Drumlin bike trail often. I've seen deer, fox, roosters, cats, dogs, all kinds of animals on the trail. Why is it of all the animals I see, only the chipmunks want to play chicken? Why are they so aggressive this year? They literally sit in the center of the trail daring you to hit them, I have not hit any yet, but I've come to close to hitting a tree because I swerved. From this point on, any chipmunk that wants to play chicken, game on. All I know is I never see skid marks in front of squished chipmunks.
Last random thought, I work with some great witty pranksters. Just last week while I was alone in the auditorium, so I thought, a couple of the jokesters sneaked up on me and blasted an air horn 15 feet from my ears. I jumped high and far, almost had to go home and change my shorts if you know what I mean. This morning, and this is still killing me, they poured salt in my unattended h2o bottle, oh what will they think of next? Nothing like good old pie in the face humor. I just wish I was that clever, maybe I can get them to fall for the old "hey your shoes untied" joke. I'll follow up and let you know how that turns out. Man, I wonder what I could do if one of them left town for ten days???
I ride the Drumlin bike trail often. I've seen deer, fox, roosters, cats, dogs, all kinds of animals on the trail. Why is it of all the animals I see, only the chipmunks want to play chicken? Why are they so aggressive this year? They literally sit in the center of the trail daring you to hit them, I have not hit any yet, but I've come to close to hitting a tree because I swerved. From this point on, any chipmunk that wants to play chicken, game on. All I know is I never see skid marks in front of squished chipmunks.
Last random thought, I work with some great witty pranksters. Just last week while I was alone in the auditorium, so I thought, a couple of the jokesters sneaked up on me and blasted an air horn 15 feet from my ears. I jumped high and far, almost had to go home and change my shorts if you know what I mean. This morning, and this is still killing me, they poured salt in my unattended h2o bottle, oh what will they think of next? Nothing like good old pie in the face humor. I just wish I was that clever, maybe I can get them to fall for the old "hey your shoes untied" joke. I'll follow up and let you know how that turns out. Man, I wonder what I could do if one of them left town for ten days???
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Random Summer Moments
The summer is always an enjoyable time of year, it's warmer, the days are longer, we're outside more, seems so much is going on and usually all at the same time. A couple of weeks ago I took a little time off and took part in the summer activities.
Went to two baseball games with my son, one professional, one high school. The high school game was the better of the two. Maybe because a bottle of water at that game was a buck, same bottle 24 hours later in the major league park was four bucks. Maybe it was because it cost more to park at the stadium then we paid for the tickets. Maybe it was because our team won. To be fair, there's no dog like a stadium dog, that's worth the extra money.
Things that make you go hmm... moment of the day. Went to the hardware store to refill the propane tank for the grill (outdoor oven, that's a different topic altogether)they had me remove the manufactures label wrapped around the tank. New regulation requires them to visually inspect the tank for, are you ready? A flammable decal. Yep, seems someone in government discovered propane is flammable and we need to get the word out. I am happy with the new decal they put on my propane tank, I feel safer.
Went to some great bike races on Downer avenue in Milwaukee and in downtown Waukesha. The races took place on a closed course of city streets, one lap was approx. one mile. These bikers fly, speeds in excess of 45 mph, the cool thing is in the pro categories these riders are Olympians, former Tour DE France riders, world class athletes right here at home and it was all for free. Great way to spend an afternoon.
I was so inspired I entered a 20k time trial. Big time racing here, I had to purchase a one day race license, so I think that means it was legally ok for me to go fast(I think it made me faster). I had the same hmm... feeling when I picked up my flammable decal.
I ride a lot and I carry a spare inner tube, a tire changing tool, co2 cartridges to inflate the new tube in case of a flat, I have never used my emergency kit. So applying the wisdom lesson just taught at my church, I removed my kit so my bike would be lighter and I would be faster. I convinced myself that the 10 ounces would be crucial to my performance, never mind the 200 lbs I weigh, and the 18 lbs my bike weighs, that 10 ounces had to go. Hmm... can you believe 22 minutes before I was scheduled to race I got a flat? I'll skip the frantic phone calls to my wife who was at church sending off the high school students on a mission trip, I won't mention the repeated unanswered phone calls to my oldest who was soundly sleeping through all my attempts to reach him. Instead, I'll focus on the race director who not only gave me a tube, but he put it on for me, and got me to the starting line with seven minutes to spare. I raced, I finished, it was fun.
Proverbs 4:6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
Race day I turned my back on wisdom, fortunately not everyone did. I learned a lesson that day, it's good to reach out and utilize the wisdom of others when we need to. Like the prepared race director, others are waiting to help.
I can't wait until I have the chance to repay the favor to a stranger with a flat.
Went to two baseball games with my son, one professional, one high school. The high school game was the better of the two. Maybe because a bottle of water at that game was a buck, same bottle 24 hours later in the major league park was four bucks. Maybe it was because it cost more to park at the stadium then we paid for the tickets. Maybe it was because our team won. To be fair, there's no dog like a stadium dog, that's worth the extra money.
Things that make you go hmm... moment of the day. Went to the hardware store to refill the propane tank for the grill (outdoor oven, that's a different topic altogether)they had me remove the manufactures label wrapped around the tank. New regulation requires them to visually inspect the tank for, are you ready? A flammable decal. Yep, seems someone in government discovered propane is flammable and we need to get the word out. I am happy with the new decal they put on my propane tank, I feel safer.
Went to some great bike races on Downer avenue in Milwaukee and in downtown Waukesha. The races took place on a closed course of city streets, one lap was approx. one mile. These bikers fly, speeds in excess of 45 mph, the cool thing is in the pro categories these riders are Olympians, former Tour DE France riders, world class athletes right here at home and it was all for free. Great way to spend an afternoon.
I was so inspired I entered a 20k time trial. Big time racing here, I had to purchase a one day race license, so I think that means it was legally ok for me to go fast(I think it made me faster). I had the same hmm... feeling when I picked up my flammable decal.
I ride a lot and I carry a spare inner tube, a tire changing tool, co2 cartridges to inflate the new tube in case of a flat, I have never used my emergency kit. So applying the wisdom lesson just taught at my church, I removed my kit so my bike would be lighter and I would be faster. I convinced myself that the 10 ounces would be crucial to my performance, never mind the 200 lbs I weigh, and the 18 lbs my bike weighs, that 10 ounces had to go. Hmm... can you believe 22 minutes before I was scheduled to race I got a flat? I'll skip the frantic phone calls to my wife who was at church sending off the high school students on a mission trip, I won't mention the repeated unanswered phone calls to my oldest who was soundly sleeping through all my attempts to reach him. Instead, I'll focus on the race director who not only gave me a tube, but he put it on for me, and got me to the starting line with seven minutes to spare. I raced, I finished, it was fun.
Proverbs 4:6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
Race day I turned my back on wisdom, fortunately not everyone did. I learned a lesson that day, it's good to reach out and utilize the wisdom of others when we need to. Like the prepared race director, others are waiting to help.
I can't wait until I have the chance to repay the favor to a stranger with a flat.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Excellence
Excellence is the state or quality of excelling. I never have liked definitions of words that include a form of the word itself in the definition. That's just a side thought though. This morning I read another article on excellence, pursuing excellence, seeking excellence, striving for excellence, accepting only excellence, and settling for nothing short of excellence. The author suggest, if we cannot do something with excellence we should not do it, or even attempt to do whatever it is.
I thought about that for a very long time today and have decided that excellence can be very limiting. Most of the things I do are not excellent by my standards and certainly not by my critics standards. Much of what I do though is pretty good, and more often than not, good is excellent. I'm discovering the excellence concept is stifling. When I think about all the wonderful, crazy, insane good ideas that turned out far better than ever imagined, I realize that excellence is over rated.
So I am not a fan of excellence. Excellence becomes an unrealistic standard setting people up to fail. That's why I'm a fan of good.
My son has been has been saying this unknown to me quote lately, "If the sky is the limit, there would never be footsteps on the moon." Those footsteps are a collection of really good ideas, and not one of those ideas alone was excellent. I think excellence is over rated, I think excellence is an illusion that wastes time and energy or worse, stops good from growing.
Do something good today, if it turns out to be excellent well, that's excellent!
I thought about that for a very long time today and have decided that excellence can be very limiting. Most of the things I do are not excellent by my standards and certainly not by my critics standards. Much of what I do though is pretty good, and more often than not, good is excellent. I'm discovering the excellence concept is stifling. When I think about all the wonderful, crazy, insane good ideas that turned out far better than ever imagined, I realize that excellence is over rated.
So I am not a fan of excellence. Excellence becomes an unrealistic standard setting people up to fail. That's why I'm a fan of good.
My son has been has been saying this unknown to me quote lately, "If the sky is the limit, there would never be footsteps on the moon." Those footsteps are a collection of really good ideas, and not one of those ideas alone was excellent. I think excellence is over rated, I think excellence is an illusion that wastes time and energy or worse, stops good from growing.
Do something good today, if it turns out to be excellent well, that's excellent!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Forgiveness
I heard a great definition of forgiveness this week. To forgive means, we will never bring up the topic again with the person we are forgiving and we will never bring it up to anyone else again, ever.
Yes, we'll still remember the transgression and yes at times the pain of the memory will hit us with a force beyond our endurance and at times it will seem like it just happened yesterday. When we forgive though, we let go and the only way to do that is to never mention it again. The pain stays, we no longer name it, we rob it of it's power with our silence, and yet we remember.
God doesn't remember, Is 43:25 "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
That's the difference between us and perfection, we remember, He blots out. Our sins are as if they have never occurred, never to be brought up again, never to be remembered.
In His perfection we are made perfect.
Yes, we'll still remember the transgression and yes at times the pain of the memory will hit us with a force beyond our endurance and at times it will seem like it just happened yesterday. When we forgive though, we let go and the only way to do that is to never mention it again. The pain stays, we no longer name it, we rob it of it's power with our silence, and yet we remember.
God doesn't remember, Is 43:25 "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
That's the difference between us and perfection, we remember, He blots out. Our sins are as if they have never occurred, never to be brought up again, never to be remembered.
In His perfection we are made perfect.
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