A Sucker for Valentine's Day

I like Christmas and the holiday fun, remembrance of the real reason for the season, as well as many other Holidays.  But the most fun for me is to put dreaming into action on Valentine's Day.  I like to do more than just flowers, candy, or a card as I do that during the year for no occasion.    There were years that this day was not fun and had lost desire to make it a fun day, but I refuse to live in the past and look forward to celebrating the day with my lovely bride of almost 12 years.

I appreciate Lynnette's willingness to tolerate my strange actions and behavior, whether dressing semi formal, just walking around with no purpose, an unplanned picnic after church, or just  doing silly things for her.  You;ll have to ask her for the details as some of them are in my book.  Keeping romance alive year after year is not a chore but should be a joy for all of us. 

What I really wish for everyone today is to take away is that love is more than a box of candy.  It is spending time with someone special.  Letting them know they are special.  Make quantity and quality time with them.  Know that in making them feel loved, you will be loved.  Take the time to let someone special know they are special and know that it more than just a card, dinner, candy or flowers as an obligation.

Take the time to see what really makes them smile and facilitate the day to make them happy and feel loved.  If you do not have someone special, find a friend and just spend time with that friend.   Your day will come to be the receiver or giver of dreams.

Most important for today is John 3:16 - "For God  loved you so much that he gave Jesus so you will not be destroyed but have a whole, everlasting life.  (Message)

Know that YOU are loved!

Taking Advantage of Grace

It was during four years at the young age of 24 that I had the privilege to sit on the bench as a Municipal Court judge in the state of Ohio. During the next four years I heard and judged over 4,300 cases. Why did I become a judge? There were many times I asked myself that question while arraigning someone or cleaning up paperwork at 1:00 a.m.  I still had a full time job.

Previous judges had the reputation of being unfair or playing “favorites”. Therefore, I believed that a Christian  would make a better judge.   I learned many life lessons during my tenure on the bench with one of the most prominent being that guilty people want to get “around the law”.  On more than a couple of occasions, I was asked to “bend the law” to help an individual.

Some people used my personal convictions of grace and mercy as a reason why I should let them “off the hook”. It was during those times the verse in Matthew 5:17 became important to me. One case in particular comes to mind. A young 25 year old man had been arrested for assault on a four-year old boy. The man lived in an apartment complex and had been drinking in a local bar for most of the evening. When he arrived home, he was so intoxicated that he knocked on the door of the wrong apartment. When a strange woman opened the door, he barged in and began yelling at her to get out of his apartment. Then her little boy came out of the bedroom, and the man picked him up by his tee shirt and threw him into the refrigerator. The incriminating evidence included a hospital report and the bloody tee shirt.

The man pleaded not guilty because he blamed the bar owner as being responsible for his condition. When he was found guilty of the crime, he asked me for grace and mercy. At that time, I openly acknowledged God’s mercy and grace in my life as I often discussed such things from the bench (I could do that in my court).  I reminded him that God’s grace was not to be used as a license to break the law.

I concluded by telling him that laws were created to protect people and when they are broken, consequences follow. I visited him in jail afterward to discuss his real problem of alcoholism and his need for a relationship with the Lord. When he was released, he got help.

God’s grace does not mean that we are not guilty for our actions. There are consequences for inappropriate behavior and actions.

For Christ followers, the difference is that Jesus stands before a highest Judge and says, “Yes, he is guilty, but I took all his punishment on the cross. Look at my hands. My grace has covered those sins.”

Each of us should revisit our relationship with Christ. Knowing Him does not excuse us from obeying the laws of the land. Rather, we should strive to keep the laws as a testimony of our love for the Lord. We should deeply appreciate His grace, and realize that our sentence has been permanently commuted.

Honorable Judge Gary Balser

The Heart of Valentine's Day!

Valentine’s Day can be a day of joy, frustration and sadness. Whether it was established as a religious holiday, remembering a martyr, celebrating a Greek god’s son, or even the promotion of card, chocolate, or flower companies, we use this holiday to reflect how we feel about someone special. Historically, the red heart is a Valentine’s Day symbol that represents “love”.

Centuries ago, people did not know that the heart pumped life sustaining blood through their circulatory system. However, they did realize that the heart beat faster when a person was excited or frustrated. For this reason they believed that the heart was the center of one’s soul.

The Bible references the “heart” over 865 times. These include references to emotion, feelings, attitude, and action. Now for the connection. Without the heart, our blood would not circulate throughout our bodies. We could not fight infections; we could not keep the brain sharp. For those in the medical field, you can name numerous other vital needs for the heart. We are all familiar with the vital role that the heart plays in our bodies. We run, walk, eat right, and try and keep the physical heart in shape. What about the heart that the Bible speaks about and the reason for celebrating Valentine’s Day?

When you give your heart (feelings, emotion, dedication, love) to someone they get a lot of attention. Recall the start of a relationship? There were e-mails, telephone calls, gifts, and numerous gestures to openly show your affection for someone. As the relationship matured, other interferences of life pulled us away from all that attention. Did we care any less? No! It’s just that we should have developed the closeness that a maturing relationship brings without all the ecstatic noise. But, by no means should it stop the open romantic affections for each other.  I have been on my emotional honeymoon for over eleven years and will continue to fix a hot breakfast for my beloved every day.

Our relationship with our Lord should mature in the same way. Recall when you first gave your life and heart to Him? Joy and excitement was felt by you and was shared by everyone around you. Then either we matured the relationship with the Lord or pulled away to our old lifestyles. You control the relationship.

As you celebrate Valentine’s Day, remember that everyday should be a “heart” day for special people in your life. Most importantly it should be a “heart” day for the one who breathed life into you and started that heart beating.

Jesus and UFO's

As for me it is fascinating to watch the UFO programs on TV today.  I actually saw a UFO in 1965 on my home from work at 9:30 p.m.  But that is for another time. 

One show, “Jesus and UFOs”,  finds the narrator beginning in Genesis with Moses and Enoch. The case for rationalization of miraculous events quickly assumed that the times Moses was on the Mount talking to God, the division of the Red Sea, and other instances were actually the activities of space ships and aliens that presented themselves as Gods.

Enoch being taken into heaven without experiencing death (Hebrews 11:5) was offered as more proof of UFO abduction.

Listening to each event in the Old Testament, the narrator rationalized that God and the angels were really visitors from another planet who used their space ships to direct the lives of these people who called on God. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by alien lasers fired from their ships.

I almost turned the channel on the TV  then the program came back from commercial and began to discuss the birth of Christ. They said, as fact, that Mary was abducted by an alien and impregnated, then returned to earth to carry the child. The angels in the field were aliens pointing the way to their success. According to them, the powers of Jesus were just those of a normal alien in a human body.

Time and time again I talked back to the television and almost turned it off, but wanted to see how far they would go to try and destroy Christianity. Only one time did I hear the narrator talk about the events being “a possibly” or “might have been”.

It was left to the viewer to rationalize whether fact or theory. Then I thought, that is exactly what Satan wants us to believe.

There is no need for “Faith”, “Belief”, “Love”, “Grace” or “Relationship”. Satan wants us to think there is no entity more powerful than our rationalization of a UFO and aliens who should direct our lives and our religion.

Since the producers of this program do not discount that Jesus lived, taught, healed, died, and rose again, they use something we know very little about (UFOs) to move us away from a personal relationship with the Lord.

To them they want us to get rid of faith in God’s miracles, the creation around us, and His living in our heart but instead to believe that our religious relationship should be built on Unidentified Flying Objects and aliens. 

Let’s see, experiencing a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe or looking skyward for the invasion of something unknown.

Not a tough decision, huh?

Example of a Way Out Dreamer

Dreaming can come in many ways such as night dreams, day dreams, meditating, studying, or just sitting by a quiet stream.  Some are strange and others immediately make sense.

I was asked recently, "What do you see as a strange dream?"  Well, for me strange is in the eye of the listener.  Recently I woke up about 4:00 a.m. from a dream that was so real.  We were at our Faith Promise church campus in Maryville and had just finished a great time of praise and worship.  The lights went down in the auditorium and in walked the pastor on the stage.  Nothing unusual yet. It was not our current pastor but his son Micah and he began to speak.  But during my observation I quickly realized that it wasn't him really standing on stage.   It was a hologram and he was actually speaking  at another campus.   My mind went, "He looks, acts , and talks so real and he is right in front of me."  It was live with no delays, blurs, or distortions and as vivid as if he were standing right in front of us.

I awoke and thought,  "OK, I've been watching too much Star Trek Next Generation."

It has been on my heart for the need of a Saturday night service at our campus and other new campuses coming on line to reach those people who work on Sunday and have no relationship with the Lord because of their work schedules. It is difficult without a ton on money to support a satellite service to transmit live TV pictures.

So that morning I thought, is there something like this out in the marketplace?  My searching took me to a company that is finalizing the process for exactly what I dreamed.  Check out the link below.

So even when you get a strange idea, don't dismiss it quickly because many times it is God's way of tapping you on the shoulder to not limit the Lord and what he might be telling you.  Not everything will be an instant success, but it may be a trigger for someone else to bring a dream to light.  Just know that God speaks to us in many ways, so don't miss His sweet voice talking to you.  It may be through your dreams.  Just listen for His voice.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4154967235785606148#

Dreaming Like a Child

Growing up and working on a farm, you really did not have a lot of time to be a carefree child.  Each day there were chores to do and things that kept you out on the farm from morning until way after dark.

One thing that drove my Dad crazy was my day dreaming.  I was good at that even though I could hoe a straight row in the garden.  On my way to garden down over the hill, I would detour to the creek and begin to watch the water flow, the fish and frogs in their routines, study the fossils, and do everything but get to the garden.  When I finally made it to the garden an hour or so had passed so to say the least when my Dad would come to check out my progress, he would be quite upset that I had not accomplished more.

I could watch birds fly high in the sky and think of ways I could fly.  I tried flying off the barn roof and then build a parachute to catch my fall.  But in my dreaming I did not think of the physics behind the time from the jump to the land.  I could play like a child and not worry about anything happening to me.

This continued as I played softball from age 15 to 45.  It was the kid coming out in me.  Even when I tore the Achilles tendon at 42, I healed and went back on the field the next spring.  Playing a softball game with our church,  I tore the calf muscle away from the tibia at age 45, I knew my playing days were through.  As for softball, playing the game was finished.

Quickly I learned that even though the body will not play like a child anymore, my mind has never stopped playing.  That's where the dreaming continues today.   I give credit to the Lord for things that are not yet to be developed in my brain with some of them just believing in the impossible.  Sometimes ideas just come flying out my mouth or on paper.  I know it is the Lord having fun with who I am and we both love it.

Even though my Dad wanted me to not daydream, I realize it was the Lord giving me a gift.

If you have something pop into your head, never dismiss it as nothing, because you never know when the Lord is just talking to you and has wonderful plans for you if you just listen and act.  Never lose your childhood day dreams because it may be more than just idle time wasted.

Just Too Busy

OK Lord, it’s late and I was so busy I forgot to get my thoughts down on paper for tomorrow’s blog.  Humm . . . come to think of it, I didn’t have time yesterday to spend time with you, Lord. Or the day before was such a blur.

I’m brain dead for an idea.  What’s this?  Bill Hybel’s book, “Too Busy Not to Pray”.  It is dusty and laying on the back of the shelf.   Great sense of humor Lord!

Sometimes we all get caught up in the rush of the moment of being too busy to spend any time with the Lord.  There are great reasons like work, children, husband or wife, chores, or numerous other activities at work and at home.  We are faithful for a period of time and talk to the Lord each day.  Then one event or more turn our routines upside down.  I must plead guilty!   The reasons that I rationalize in my mind, as to why I have not prayed more and spent time with the Lord, are poor at best.  Like yesterday.

Another rational I have used is that God really has a lot more important things to do than listen to me.  The rational is that my stuff is so petty and sometime way out there that I do not understand.  Then in reading the scripture today, I know that it’s not about our petitions in prayers but in the relationship of prayer.  He knows what we need and responds to it so well.  Yet it is us who need to understand that we do not accomplish great successes on our own.  This realization of appreciating the Lord’s work in our lives comes from opening our eyes to the beauty around us in God’s creation.  Maybe it’s a morning sunrise, listening to the birds greet a new day, even in our clod weather and snow, or watching our children being so innocent when they sleep.  God’s involvement with us personally is written all over those things and so much more.  We just need to take a deep breath and slow down.

We should try spending more time in strengthening our relationship with the Lord and not just have a formal religion.  Talking with the Lord when we’re not just asking for help may be more rewarding than pleading with Him to give us help during a crisis.

He may even show us a dusty book sitting in the back of a shelf.

Matthew 7:9-11    Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread?  Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish?  As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Getting the New Day Off on the Wrong Foot

I had all these things planned to get done this morning when I got to work.  No I did not write them down because a 6:30 a.m. I had them well entrenched in my brain because that's what ADD people have a hard time doing in placing tasks on paper. 

I get to work a little late and plan for my quiet time, reading, studying, and getting the day off right, just like I have for the first month of the year.  My mistake was to open my email, and check my voice messages.  One required an immediate call back and action.  Then sales orders came in that had to be filled before 10:00 a.m. while at the same time  preparing for a meeting at noon, and then before I knew what time it was, I was off to the meeting, which was a great meeting.    Nevertheless the day is more than half gone, no Facebook  and I still need to do my quiet time. Yet I have five things I need to get done before tonight. 

So I decided to get today's dreamer thoughts down on paper along with what needs to be done and then TAKE the time for quiet time.  For me multitasking is fun if you have 35 hours in a day but not in the hours left for today.

I have full confidence that the Lord will guide me the rest of the day once we have had time to talk. 

How many days do you start the day off on the wrong foot?    My wisdom knows that focusing on Him first makes everything else go smoother even when things don't seem to look like they are going  the right way.

Tomorrow is a clean canvas for each one of us to give our lives away to the Lord, His work here and with the 24 hours we have can plan on getting back on the right foot.  I intend on doing that!

Dreamless Day

Today is one of those days, where dreaming would be nice, but it ain't going to happen.  Creativity is replaced by "just getting by".  We have four wonderful pets that act like kids.  Rosie, our smallest dog at 30 lbs.is the Alpha dog and rules the house over three dogs who are bigger than 65 lbs. 

So last night I got to bed early only to be woke up by Rusty, our Golden Retriever needing a potty break outside.  The problem was he had to go past Rosie.  Rosie stood her ground and Rusty just barked.  Rusty refused to go outside past Rosie even when I went into the garage as a buffer.  So I had to let him out the back door.  That was at 2:00 a.m.  Then Rusty and Roxie began to bark in order to get back inside.  Finally I held Rosie and they came into the garage.  Things settled down by 3:00 only to have the same event again at 4:00 a.m.   Now all the dogs were awake and ready to play.  By 4:30 I figured there was no more sleep or dreams for the night so it was a shower, breakfast and then off to work.

Wouldn't you know that as I left, every dog was back to sleep.  Even no barking when I left the house.

In my quiet time this morning at work, I was reminded of times when I worried about everything and pleasing everyone only to go days with little sleep.  To my amazement, it was when I really gave things to the Lord that He gave me peace and rest.  I am thankful for the Lord taking my worry's and appreciate the night rest to rewind and dream.

Finishing my quiet time, I just figure that I have to love our pets where they are and maybe give them something to sleep all night so they can dream.

Just a thought!

Paying Attention

Most people who know me know that for me, paying attention to directions is difficult. So you can imagine what it is like to train one hundred to one hundred and fifty junior high school students a lesson in paying attention.

Yet each summer for five years, my task for a Christian wilderness camp was to train young people to learn about the signs of nature and that  paying attention could save their lives. On Sunday night we would set up camp, and a group of twenty to thirty students would listen while I presented them with facts on surviving in the wilderness at night. It entailed everything from reading constellations, looking for paths, following creek beds, and the moss on the north side of trees. We would continue the discussions for about two hours until about 10:00 p.m. Then we took them on a night hike.

The camp had 98 acres with about 55 acres being wooded. I would be at the head of the group and meander through the woods. At times I would make a circle and cross over the path. This would go on for about ten minutes and the students would be led to the edge of the wooded area at the far end of the property. The students were then told to get us back to base camp. The counselors went to the back of the group and just followed wherever the group led us.

The “cool” kids would immediately take the lead and off the group would walk. After wandering in the woods for up to one or two hours and enduring the grumbling of being tired, the real leaders would emerge. It was usually a quiet camper who had remembered the training. This new leader would talk about the signs they were taught earlier and look for an opening in the woods to study the sky or find the moss on the side of trees. Once they followed the signs God had placed before them, they arrived at the base camp within fifteen minutes.

The Lord has given us Scripture and friends to teach us about love, hope, joy, and direction for living a fruitful life. Sometimes, though, we do not pay attention to His directions with signs that our lives are wandering in circles or heading into dead ends. It  is only when we get back to the basics that the Lord has taught us do we get home and find the peace we are looking for in life.

So my question toady is, why wait until your life is a mess before turning back to the Lord?   Why not pay attention to the directions God gave us in the Bible and avoid the pain of some of our mistakes?

Talking with the Lord and studying His word daily can help us stay on the path of living a fulfilling life.

Even if we do not naturally follow directions.