The Comfort of Lying

My wife shared with me an experience she had with someone caught in a lie who refused to admit the lie. She was frustrated because the person attempted to placate the situation by offering a general, broad sweeping apology ("I'm sorry for everything"). However, such an apology often reveals that the person is remorseful because s/he was caught in the lie, rather than that the person is truly displaying a contrite heart.

The ease of lying leads to a misplaced comfort on the part of the liar. Over time lying becomes a necessary component to survival. This is dangerous, because eventually the person will reach a point where truth is so merged with falsehood that the two become indistinguishable.

The band Chevelle wrote a song about the frustration that comes in dealing with a person comfortable with lying to others. The song is entitled, "Comfortable Liar." Here are the words:

Broad, is this sea
The salt, enters the wounds
My take, on you is simple
So heal, your fear
To heal, your fear

Time, spent wading off shore
The calm, before the storm
My take, from you is simple
So heal, your fear
To heal, your fear

You're such a comfortable liar
You're such a comfortable liar
You're such a comfortable liar
You're such a comfortable liar
You're such a comfortable liar

So calm
Cause I said wrong
You comfortable liar
You comfortable liar
You comfortable liar
You comfortable liar
Liar

Ouch, sounds like someone is really frustrated.

Such frustration is warranted.

Savin' Me

Nickelback, a moderately talented band with a penchant for writing catchy lyrics, provides the lyrics for today's blog entry. The song is entitled, "Savin' Me." Here are the words:

Prison gates won't open up for me
On these hands and knees I'm crawlin'
Oh, I reach for you
Well I'm terrified of these four walls
These iron bars can't hold my soul in
All I need is you
Come please I'm callin'
And oh I scream for you
Hurry I'm fallin', I'm fallin'

Show me what it's like
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I'll show you what I can be
Say it for me
Say it to me
And I'll leave this life behind me
Say it if it's worth saving me

Heaven's gates won't open up for me
With these broken wings I'm fallin'
And all I see is you
These city walls ain't got no love for me
I'm on the ledge of the eighteenth story
And oh I scream for you
Come please I'm callin'
And all I need from you
Hurry I'm fallin', I'm fallin'

[Chorus]

All I need is you
Come please I'm callin'
And oh, I scream for you
Hurry I'm fallin', I'm fallin', I'm fallin'

Memories

At least we have the memories.

Gobble, Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blame

Recently, I have witnessed finger-pointing by someone who is hurt by the actions of another person. The situation was resolved, but one member continues to point the finger at another person, even though both parties were clearly at fault. This is seen in how the person attempts to tell people "their" side of the story. Unfortunately, the person is not trying to help, but to defame. Unchecked, such behavior destroys all parties involved.

Hopefully, others involved in the situation will not entertain such "blame rhetoric" and end all attempts by this person to maliciously wound another.

In sorting through my thoughts on all of this I was reminded of a song written by Ed Roland, the lead singer of the band Collective Soul. The title of the song is, appropriately, "Blame." Here are the lyrics:

You pushed me down for all the world to see
I guess that's your price for my loyalty
So while you're tasting sin and swallowing pain
Don't look at me to take your blame

When you're willing to render to the guilt you concede
When truth is your reason then lay the blame on me
When you unveil a conscience and with peace you agree
When love is your constant then lay that blame on me

You lay me out in hopes that I'd wilt away
But strength rained down and love provided shade
So while the pageant of lies still glow from your tongue
Don't blame me for your Kingdom Come

Question your answers
Truth has no anger
Gather up your words
Redemption now offered

Browns Lose Sixth Straight

The "rivalry" between the Steelers and the Browns used to be the nastiest in the NFL. However, since Bill Cowher has coached the Steelers, Pittsburgh is 18-5 against their northern Ohio rivals. In fact, the Steelers have won 6 straight against the hapless Brownies.

HeHeHe

It must really stink to be a Browns fan.

Broken

The jar of clay is broken.

Pieces lie scattered on the floor.

You can put them back together.

You can repair the broken jar of clay.

But you have left. You no longer listen.

And the jar of clay remains broken.

Your warmth can provide healing.

Your touch can provide hope.

You can hold the fallen, broken jar.

Is the broken jar of clay too much of a burden to you?

Will you -- can you -- carry what is left?

Are you there? Will you come back?

No response.

The silence cuts deep.

The broken jar of clay remains ...


broken

Angry Chair

Daily lyrics courtesy of Alice in Chains:

Sitting on an angry chair
Angry walls that steal the air
Stomach hurts and I don't care

What do I see across the way
See myself molded in clay
Stares at me, yeah I'm afraid
Changing the shape of his face

Candles red I have a pair
Shadows dancing everywhere
burning on the angry chair

I don't mind, yeah
I don't mind,
I don't mind, yeah,
I don't mind,
Lost my mind, yeah
But I don't mind,
Can't find it anywhere
I don't mind

The Power of One

He first entered the building several years ago. People were quick to greet him and make him feel comfortable.

Maybe their hospitality sprang from his familiarity. Even though he was new, it felt as if he had been around for years.

People liked him because he never was critical. He would sit and take in everything: Bible classes, singing, sermons, prayers, and Scripture readings. Sometimes he would nod, other times he would look around at others.

Smiles came easy for him. He would shake your hand and ask, "How are you, today?"

The affection of the people for this person began to deepen. They liked him. Never controversial. Usually present. Always quiet and polite.

Sometimes, though, he was conspicuously absent. He seemed to dislike talk about "vision." He frowned when emphasis was made on the relation of values to action and plans for the future. And his head hung when the challenge was made to leave worldly values and embrace kingdom ones.

Thankfully, he was able to reassure the rest of us that we were okay. He would tell us that our spending habits were fine (we deserve these things, and besides it's not like we are spending millions of dollars). He pointed out that we should not feel guilty for how we use our time (people are really busy these days). And he had a penchant for helping us to not get "too carried" away in kingdom endeavors.

His words made sense. "Aren't we all just trying to get by?" he told us. "Life is short, embrace it on your terms," he was fond of saying. His words of counsel resonated with us and he became one of the most loved members at the church.

He did not chastise us for our priorities, he never berated us when we dropped commitments, and he was always so understanding when we presented reasons for why we could not walk in the steps of Jesus (although, he assured us we still were).

He moved away a few years ago, but his presence endured. He had taught us so much. And we had listened with open ears and open hearts. His words matched our feelings and thoughts. And we felt that he made us better people (even better Christians).

I moved away several years after he did and was surprised to get the recent news that the church was shutting its doors. Attendance had dropped (remember the "busy" thing?), ministries had dwindled (remember the "priority thing"), and it was deemed that the best thing was to sell the property and disperse the money to local community organizations.

I called some friends at the church and there really was not much sorrow over the closure. Everyone thought it was for the best. Since I was gone, who was I to argue with them? After all, aren't we all just trying to get by?

The closing of the church caused me to do some reflection. I picked up an old pictorial directory and perused the pages. On the second page, I saw his picture. His image brought a smile to my face, which became a puzzled expression when I read his name. Funny -- I had not remembered his name. But there it was, under the picture:

Ap Atheia

Date

Last night I took my daughter, Hannah, on a date.

We went to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra in concert.

In a word: phenomenal!

The show definitely ranks as the best "rock" show I have ever seen.

Great band! Great show! Incredible special effects (lasers, pyrotechnics).

As my daughter said, "Wow!"

The "N" Word

It is Friday.

I am listening to music and drinking green tea.

Actually, I am trying to recover from watching a "gut-wrenching" video a few minutes ago.

Check out www.abolishthenword.com (sorry, but I could not get a direct link to work)

Also, make sure you watch the introduction.

Eternal Thoughts

Forever ...




that is a long time. It's like an eternity.



What does forever really mean? How is it measured? How do we, governed by time, quantify something that operates outside the realm of time?


And what about "forever" in the Bible? God, according to prevalent interpretations of scripture, has a place for his saints called heaven. The time spent in heaven will be "forever" (there's that word again). Most of us can buy that thought -- who doesn't like the sound of eternal happiness, all problems removed, etc.?

But again, according to prevalent interpretations of scripture, God has a place for those who reject him called hell. The time spent in hell will be "forever." Most of us struggle with this thought. Will God really punish for an infinite amount of time people who commit a finite number of sins? Ah, suddenly theology is not so much fun. Affirm the traditional view of hell and remain accepted among your religious peers. Affirm a different view of hell and be scoffed at by your religious peers. And then again, what if both views are wrong?

What if our view of the afterlife hinders our desire to impact our world? What if it keeps us from being involved in kingdom business as Jesus was in his ministry?

How did most conservative Christians reach the point where what matters the most is right beliefs, rather than good works?

As one author has put it: "Salvation by grace, judgment by works. There's nothing in the Bible clearer than those two realities. Of course, you have to define salvation in Jesus' way, not just modern Western Christianity's."

Brick

Ben Folds (frontman of the former group Ben Folds Five), wrote one of the most intensely personal songs ever recorded. This song is about an experience he had in high school. It ranks in my Top-10 list of most personal songs recorded. These songs often have more substance and are more prone to resist the ravages of time.

Here are the lyrics to the song that Ben Folds named "Brick":

6 a.m. day after Christmas
I throw some clothes on in the dark
The smell of cold
Car seat is freezing
The world is sleeping and I am numb

Up the stairs to her apartment
She is balled up on the couch
Her mom and dad went down to Charlotte
They’re not home to find us out

And we drive
Now that I have found someone
I’m feeling more alone
Than I ever have before

She’s a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Off the coast and I’m headed nowhere
She’s a brick and I’m drowning slowly

They call her name at 7:30
I pace around the parking lot
Then I walk down to buy her flowers
And sell some gifts that I got

Can’t you see
It’s not me you’re dying for
Now she’s feeling more alone
Than she ever has before

She’s a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Off the coast and I’m headed nowhere
She’s a brick and I’m drowning slowly

As weeks went by
It showed that she was not fine
They told me son its time
To tell the truth
And she broke down and I broke down
Cause I was tired of lying

Driving back to her apartment
For the moment we’re alone
She’s alone
And I’m alone

Now I know it

Stainless

The Bulldogs completed CABOSA play with a 16-1 drumming of their final opponent.

Once again, the offense ran like a fine-tuned machine in its constant barrage on the other team's goal. Combined with the always steady defense, the Bulldogs displayed total domination of their opponent.

Leading the scoring bonanza for the Bulldogs was Bailey Freeman with 4 goals. Ashley Faith followed with three goals, while Mandy Sparkman and Brandie Browne each contributed two goals. Scoring one goal each were: Hannah Brewster, Sabrina Smith, Breanna Black, Rebecca Shumate and Katie McKay. Ashley Keel had two scores negated by penalty.

All in all, the Bulldogs ended the season on a high note and sent a message to the rest of the CABOSA league that they are a force with which to be reckoned.

For all you statistic-freaks, the following numbers illustrate the extent of the Bulldog domination in CABOSA play:

77 goals scored
7 goals allowed

Congratulations, Bulldogs. The Bulldogs team competing in CABOSA play is comprised of:

Breanna Black
Hannah Brewster
Brandie Browne
Ashley Faith
Bailey Freeman
Ashley Keel
Katie McKay
Rebecca Shumate
Sabrina Smith
Mandy Sparkman


Personal Note: Hannah, I am so proud of you! You play a position that does not receive much praise or attention, yet you have proved so valuable to your teammates! Thank you for working so hard and supporting your teammates. I love coaching you!

If I Stand

The late Rich Mullins was a spiritual giant who had a knack for revealing deep spiritual truths through his music. Here are the lyrics to one of my favorite songs that Mullins wrote.

There's more that rises in the morning than the sun
And more that shines in the night than just the moon
It's more than just this fire here that keeps me warm
In a shelter that is larger than this room
And there's a loyalty that's deeper than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs that I can sing
The stuff of earth competes for the allegiance
I owe only to the Giver of all good things

So if I stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through
And if I can't, let me fall on the grace that first brought me to You
And if I sing let me sing for the joy that has born in me these songs
And if I weep let it be as a man who is longing for his home

There's more that dances on the prairies than the wind
More that pulses in the ocean than the tide
There's a love that is fiercer than the love between friends
More gentle than a mother's when her baby's at her side
And there's a loyalty that's deeper than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs that I can sing
The stuff of earth competes for the allegence
I owe only to the Giver of all good things

And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home

Richard Wayne Mullins
October 21, 1955 - September 19, 1997

Savior

Thanks, Aaron Shust for the reminder.

I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at his right hand
Stands one who is my savior

I take him at his word and deed
Christ died to save me this I read
And in my heart I find a need
For him to be my savior

That he would leave his place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my savior

My savior loves, my savior lives
My savior's always there for me
My God he was, my God he is
My God he's always gonna be

Yes, living, dying; let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring
That he who lives to be my king
Once died to be my savior

Coffee with Bob

Today God blessed me with a wonderful surprise!

One of my mentors, Bob Brewer, called me to say he was passing through town. He invited me to join him for a cup of coffee. Even though I rarely drink coffee, I was ecstatic to spend some time with Bob.

For a number of years Bob and his wife were active members at the church where I attend. During that time we forged a friendship that has been such a blessing to me and has helped to guide me through the pitfalls that come with ministry.

Bob and I used to meet quite often for breakfast to discuss how God is working in our lives, what God is doing at the church, how we can live more in line with His will, etc.

A few years ago, Bob took the job as the Preaching Minister for the Oxford Church of Christ in Oxford, Mississippi. Since his departure, we have not had as many opportunities to get together, so when he called this morning I considered it a blessing from God.

Thanks, Bob for the call. Thanks for the invitation. Thanks for the encouragement and counsel. You revived my spirit!

And thanks for the coffee.