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Balding, burning, and renewal

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As is custom on my day off, I went out fishing-this time with a buddy. A buddy who also happens to be a part time guide. So when we don’t catch fish, its the fault of the fish, not the fisherman. I managed a few big trout and a small flounder. But it was a really a slow day. 

Regardless I returned home with a bit of a burn. Not on my face, hands, or neck, but the top of my head. Not as bad as this gentlemen pictured, because I have a bit more hair. For now.
I’m truly getting older now, and balder. My buddy who is about 45 or so fished without a hat. I forgot to put on my infamous Orange Bucs hat and simply used a visor. People like Steve Spurrier can wear visors in sunny conditions. People like me, sadly, can’t. I was hoping to catch some redfish. Instead I caught a red scalp. My scalp now has a reddish hue. At least its pretty.
Outwardly my body (and specifically my hair) is wasting away. But inwardly, Paul contends that we are being renewed ‘day by day’ (II Cor 4). And even though sanctification is the work of God’s free grace (WCF), we do have a responsibility in that renewal. We throw ourselves wholly upon the gospel of Christ, repenting, resting, and reflecting upon His work.
Losing one’s hair is only a small reminder; I understand that. But my sunburned head reminds me that my body is wasting away (even though I’m hoping to get 60 more years out of it; who knows if that will be granted or not) but inwardly I’m called to actively run, ‘day to day’ to the gospel to be renewed. Hair is temporary, but so is hope. One day, I’ll need neither, for I’ll have all the hair I can handle and no need for hope. I’ll have sight of Christ.
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Another Bradenton Herald Article

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Some of you locals may have read my Bradenton Herald article. In case you haven’t and would like to do so, here it is. Of course the title bandit struck again and butchered it. My original title wasn’t all that good-I had a bad ‘title day.’ But it is supposed to read: How’s Your Offensive Line?

Again, not great, but better than the crud ‘they’ came up with that had nothing to do with the article. Oh well. Maybe its time to get a lawyer….
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Me-Harmony

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I guess because Valentines Day is approaching I’ve had some ‘love’ thoughts and feel its an apropos time to share them. The other day I was watching a Saturday Night Live Commercials special that my Pops had Tivo’d (or DVR’d or whatever contraption he has). Since the best cast members, in my opinion, are no longer with the show, or no longer ‘with us’ at all, I never really watch it anymore. 

However I do take advantage of their commercials when I get a chance. Most SNL commercials make me laugh. One of them I found quite clever: Me-Harmony. I searched all over “You-Tube,” with high hopes of finding that video. No dice. So I’ll just have to describe it to you with words and a still picture; sorry that’s all I got.
Anyhow, as the name suggests, the commercial is a take-off from Eharmony. Those who found true love on the commercial say that they’re tired of trying to match up with people who may have different interests. At ME-harmony, the founder comments, “We only ask questions about the most important person: YOU. We match you up with someone who is exactly like you on every level.” And then they reveal their match. It’s either a female or a male version of themselves. 
Several thoughts came to mind, but I could only put one into words. 
My closest friend is just like me. We’re both ordained PCA ministers in Florida who are similar in personality, interest, family background, experiences growing up. Even our wives have similar personalities to each other (though quite dissimilar to us). But I’m glad my wife is different than me; I can’t imagine being married to a female version of myself (its kind of scary thinking of what that would look like). And I’m glad I have some friends who, while sharing similar interests, are way different. Surrounding myself solely with people who have the EXACT same interests, gifts, personality, experiences, doesn’t sound ridiculous. In fact, things might be easier on some levels. But just look at the picture above. It really does look that ridiculous. 
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A command for all times

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I’m currently preparing a special Valentines Day lesson for the youth, and continuing through a marriage and relationship series in Christian Ed. So love is in the air, I guess.

In our Christian Ed class on marriage and relationships, we’ve been unpacking what it means for husbands to love their wives and now we’ll turn to what it means for wives to submit to their husbands. And I’ve also been personally studying this Ephesians 5 passage in my devotions. One thing that I’m really struck by is how counter-cultural and ‘ahead-of-the-times’ this passage really is.
 
But for most in the world, this seems so backwards. Like going back in time. Someone in my community group informed me last night that Huckabee was asked this submission question in a debate. Does your wife ‘submit’ to you?
People hear such words as ‘submit’ and don’t read the husbandly role of ‘love.’ If you think about how few rights women did have back in the day, this verse really was ‘ahead-of-the-times.’ If you think about how women need to feel cherished, protected, sought after, its quite down-with-the-times. That means relevant if you’re not ‘with it’ and ‘hip’ like myself. Husbands primary need is to feel respected. Once again, that fits.
The husband cannot rule over (what people think of when they think ‘submission’) the wife. In fact he is to cherish and nourish her as if she were his own flesh (Eph 5:29). How strange might this have been for its first pagan or Jewish hearers? It might have seemed quite anachronistic, like a command from the future. And now today folks think of this command as an abacus-not necessary in our calculator world. But its really down-with-the-times and is consistent with the needs of humanity. 
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Before the Blue Brothers there were the Brothers Karamazov

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You’ve probably heard of the expression: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Well, I would like to introduce a new aphorism: “Don’t start a book without looking at how many pages it has.”

A church member and I swapped books the other day. I lent him a previously borrowed submarine book; he lent me The Brothers Karamazov (don’t ask me how to pronounce it-I hear different pronunciations every time someone brings it up). Without looking at how many pages, I commenced reading this book. And when I start something, I have to finish it. All 776 pages of it. 
So while Amy is reading Baby This or Baby That (not real titles), I, the good husband, am reading Dostoevsky. Well, I finally finished that beast a few nights ago and will be reading Babywise next, and chasing that down with another baby book or two. 
But I do have some thoughts on The Brothers Karamazov that I feel are worth sharing with you: my loyal, semi-regular, or first time blog reader. Dostoevsky brings up several issues in the book that prove to be quite prophetic, as well as pathetic (both for Russia).
One of the main characters in the book departs from a Christian worldview (that many of the characters embrace) and embraces Atheism. But at least he is consistent with that worldview. His mantra becomes “Everything is permissible.” Without the existence of God, there is nothing inherently wrong with actions one would normally consider wrong: stealing, murder, lying, etc……It may be against the law, but no one can argue that it is truly, essentially, right or wrong.
Unfortunately for that main character, another character actually bought into that atheistic, nihilistic system of thought, and followed through with a terrible crime. A severe backfire. And of course there was no remorse. Then he followed through even further with that and did the only logical thing left (according to Camus)-kill himself. 
Fortunately many folks today don’t live consistently with their atheistic view. However some do, and some did. As the person who lent me the book suggested, this thought was only the harbinger to the dictatorial communism which took over Russia some years later.
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A different winter resident: The White Pelican

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Yesterday I spent some time doing what I normally do on my day off: fishing. No pictures to show from that trip. It was quite slow, with only some ladyfish and 2 ‘rat’ reds (meaning small-17-18 inches or below-now you know some fishy lingo) to show for my efforts. 

Regardless, I was still blessed by the site of my new new favorite bird: the White Pelican. In case you don’t know much about these winter resident only birds, they’re really quite amazing. 
First of all, they look like the regular Brown Pelican, but they’re almost completely white with a black patch under their wings. So they look a bit more pretty than our regular Brown Pelicans. 
But the 2nd and coolest thing about them is the way they feed. They don’t dive bomb pods of baitfish like the Browns (and I have nothing against dive bombing pelicans-I think that’s cool: to each bird his/her own) but paddle through the shallows, and dunk their large bills in the water to scoop up baitfish.
Their body style looks the same as the Brown. They just feed in a totally different manner. God created two birds so similar, and yet they feed in totally different manners. Even when they share the same waters. I think that’s cool.
I wonder what the Browns think of these Yankee birds coming down to fish in the same waters. Its hard to tell if they actually get along, or just tolerate each other, since I’m not a bird watcher. They don’t fight, but the Whites and the Browns don’t make it a habit to hang around each other. That whole birds of a feather thing, I guess. 
I’ll pay closer attention next time I’m out. But thus far, I can’t draw any conclusions that would help the us regulars and winter residents get along any better. No lesson, just information. Sorry.
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Tom Terrific?

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Last night I watched one of the most exciting Superbowls I’ve ever seen. And yes, I actually was able to watch it. We always have a youth group party, and its usually at a house with a huge yard, huge driveway, additional garage upstairs-room. Translation=the kids don’t watch the game. 

This year a different family graciously hosted it. With a different venue, less room, and plenty of couch space, we actually watched the game. Honestly it was a little freaky, kind of twi-light zone-esque; the youth were actually watching the game too. Weird.
Regardless I witnessed the ‘best quarterback ever’ (according to some) look like he could have played for the Bucs. He really looked average. Not so much because he was bad, or because he was hurt, but because the defensive line put pressure on him. His incredibly protective offensive line gave up 5 sacks and left him getting hit all game. It was beautiful.
Brady is good, but part of his goodness depends on the strength of his offensive line. It really does. 
It reminded me of the body of Christ. The church is described as a body in I Corinthians. The letter begins with divisions among the body, where different factions claim allegiance to a certain apostle or church planter-(Peter, Paul, Apollos). But Paul points out that each part of the body needs the other parts to survive. The hand can’t say to the eye, “I could do without you bro.” And vice versa. 
 
Both football and the church are ‘team sports.’ If the pastor is the quarterback, then much of the rest of the body comprise the offensive line. As we saw with the Patriots, the offensive line is really the key to the game. So is the congregation. A congregation using their gifts, serving, reaching out, ministering mercy and the like is a congregation firing on all cylinders. Throw in the preaching of the word and other pastorly duties, and you got one heck of a team. 
The main difference is that our enemy is not the Patriots, Baptists, Methodists, but the world, flesh, and the devil. That’s who we compete against.
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Love is Grand; Divorce begins at $295

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Driving to work today, I passed by a house with a van I see virtually every day. The van advertises the ASAP divorce-here’s an actual picture of the van. Several thoughts popped into my overcrowded mind (so obviously something had to go-hopefully it wasn’t worth hanging on to).

First of all, their slogan is absolutely hilarious and catchy: “Love is grand. Divorce begins at $295.” It makes me laugh. I think its clever.
But it also makes me sad as well. Divorce is a sad thing. And I realize that in some cases its quite biblical, and in many others there may just be one ‘guilty’ party. And even where its not biblical, there is forgiveness, and I don’t look down at divorced people like they have three eyes (if we were ‘keeping score’ they could look at me like I had 5 eyes). I really don’t, and I want to make sure that is SUPER clear. So please don’t be offended.
What I find the saddest part is the ASAP. I know that most people don’t look for biblical standards in marriage, so they won’t think to look at biblical grounds for divorce. I get that. But what big decision do you really want to make ASAP?
Even when the decision to get divorced has been decided on, should one hasten one of the bigger decisions of his/her life? The other day I was talking with someone who had a couple in his church file for divorce-and do all the fun stuff that came with it like empty bank and assets and the like-only to totally reverse his decision in a few days. 
But in general, what big decisions in life should we make ASAP? Usually wise counsel, the Word, prayer, opportunities, closed/open doors all play a part in our decision making. But one thing that all have in common is time. Big decisions, no matter what they are, usually take time for all of the aforementioned.
 
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LOST: A show about Junk in the Trunk

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Finally it’s here. The 4th (I think) season of “LOST.” Amy and I are huge fans of the show. For some reason they decided not to air any new episodes this fall, but instead to wait for the Winter. I really don’t understand what goes on with all that stuff. It really makes me mad that TV shows can basically do whatever, and I’ll still be hooked. Guess the problem really lies with me then. Hmmm.

Regardless, one of the things I like so much about “LOST” is that the everyone on the island has some serious baggage. EVERYONE. They all come from family situations that leave something to be desired: shame, poverty, abuse, neglect, alcoholism to name a few. 
All of the junk starts to come out immediately after they crash on the island. In fact that’s why very little ever seems to actually happen on the island; the episodes consist primarily of flashbacks to their lives before the island. Yet no one ever actually talks about their junk. They’re ashamed.
 
The church is no island. But it does bear some resemblances with the island on “LOST.” When we’re in the church, junk does come out. The closer we’re in relationships with others, the closer we are to seeing their junk-and them seeing ours. That’s normal. If we leave for another church, we’ll get their junk, and bring ours with us. If we become cynical about the church, and isolate ourselves-calling everyone hypocrites-then we’re simply in denial about our own junk. 
But unlike the ‘island folk,’ we need not be ashamed of our junk. Our junk is covered by the blood of Jesus, and so we can admit it freely (though easier said than done). 
And yet like the island, our junk will come out. Fortunately for us, our junk isn’t seen by millions of viewers, but primarily before one who has taken that junk to the cross. While our junk will remain until we leave this ‘island,’ it doesn’t need to alienate and destroy our relationships. Just some thoughts to pass on from one junker to the next. 
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A better voter turnout: for me that is, not Guliani

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Yesterday Amy and I performed our civic duty of voting. And we were rewarded richly with an “I Voted” sticker for our 5 minute effort. Not bad this year.

Last year, on the way to vote, we got into an accident. An unsuspecting teenager rear ended us and did about a grand of damage to the Civic. In addition, I partially tore or bruised (I can’t remember what Doctor Pops said) my labrum. So it was an accident that had repercussions for several months until I was able to get back to working out. 
This year I printed out the directions to the precinct. Last year we were actually heading in the opposite direction when we get nailed. Unbelievable. 
For some reason it was part of God’s plan that we got into that accident. Why? I’ll never know. But I’ll also never care, so no problem.
But it is interesting to know that there are myriads of ‘little’ choices that we make everyday that can have big consequences-good or bad. However that shouldn’t make anyone freak out or over-analyze stuff. 
Only ‘good’ things are going to come to Christians (whether they cause pain or not-the ‘good’ is our sanctification), so we can relax. Even the hairs on our head are numbered so God is involved in working all things, even small decisions, for this ‘good.’ So we can move forward in confidence, be responsible-try to remember to print out maps if needed-and trust God with what happens.