In early 1995 I took my amazing $300 tax return and blew it in Mecca ('REI', for the uninitiated). Bought a sleeping bag, tent, and 2 bananas ('bandanas', again, for the uninitiated).
Being the crazy rebel that I am, I refused to purchase common red bandanas, but instead opted for a light-blue and a tan bandana, which would ensure I always know which ones are mine (there's nothing worse than having a big bandana party with all of your friends and not knowing which ones to take home at the end of the night).
Ol' Blu (that's the blue one's name) was a faithful chap. Served in whatever capacity needed at the moment: a sweat rag, dew-rag, tourniquet, blanket, ear-warmer, snot-rag, dish-rag (this list is not necessarily in chronological order), food-prep station, strainer, way to meet the ladies ("Wow, that's a nice light-blue bandana you've got half hanging out of your pocket. I bet you can tell a few stories about him." "Why yes, I can."). There has hardly been a time in 15 years that I have not taken Old Blu with me on any trip of length or into the great wide open. The roughness of the cheap cotton had worn as smooth as a baby's bottom. I had even contemplated making a pair of underwear out of him.
Today, just a moment ago, my 2nd child walked in to show me a picture she made, which turns out was composed of a number of pieces of cloth cut up and taped together to in simple beauty. Ol' Blu played his final role, one he shall never return from, as the cut up front door, sidewalk and chimney smoke of my daughter's craftsmanship.
There was a moment I was tempted to react, to cry out in loss at Ol' Blu, to exclaim words of sorrow and anger at the senseless butchery. But how is a 7-year old to understand, and what can I do now to repair him anyway. He died as he lived, a servant to all. I will miss him.
14 August 2010
18 July 2010
Psalm 37 (edited for brevity)
Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.
Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth.
The Lord laughs at him, for He sees his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow to cast down the afflicted and the needy, to slay those who are upright in conduct.
Their sword will enter their own heart, and their bows will be broken.
Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD sustains the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will be forever.
They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, and in the days of famine they will have abundance.
But the wicked will perish; and the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.
For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, but those cursed by Him will be cut off.
The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way.
When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.
I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.
All day long he is gracious and lends, and his descendants are a blessing.
Depart from evil and do good, so you will abide forever.
For the LORD loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
The wicked spies upon the righteous and seeks to kill him.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand or let him be condemned when he is judged.
Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
I have seen a wicked, violent man spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.
Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.
Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright; for the man of peace will have a posterity.
But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked will be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.
For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.
Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth.
The Lord laughs at him, for He sees his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow to cast down the afflicted and the needy, to slay those who are upright in conduct.
Their sword will enter their own heart, and their bows will be broken.
Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD sustains the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will be forever.
They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, and in the days of famine they will have abundance.
But the wicked will perish; and the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.
For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, but those cursed by Him will be cut off.
The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way.
When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.
I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.
All day long he is gracious and lends, and his descendants are a blessing.
Depart from evil and do good, so you will abide forever.
For the LORD loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
The wicked spies upon the righteous and seeks to kill him.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand or let him be condemned when he is judged.
Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
I have seen a wicked, violent man spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.
Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.
Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright; for the man of peace will have a posterity.
But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked will be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.
23 May 2010
Walk Small
I continuously attempt to clean myself up to be able to stand before God.
We always have intentions to stand forthright before fellow man. To look another in their eyes, to protect you name in your community, to be able to walk tall not due of pride but because of integrity. And then I turn away from man and towards Jesus... and I cower. I do not measure up. I cannot stand before Him.
And my response is to turn away and push to improve myself so that I may return to stand tall before the King. Yet as I am refined (of both my discipline and the Holy Spirit's efforts) and return before the throne, deeper issues appear before me. I am once again exposed for who I am.
If I was to accept that I cannot rightly stand before Jesus, that I must bathe in His grace, what would life then look like?
We always have intentions to stand forthright before fellow man. To look another in their eyes, to protect you name in your community, to be able to walk tall not due of pride but because of integrity. And then I turn away from man and towards Jesus... and I cower. I do not measure up. I cannot stand before Him.
And my response is to turn away and push to improve myself so that I may return to stand tall before the King. Yet as I am refined (of both my discipline and the Holy Spirit's efforts) and return before the throne, deeper issues appear before me. I am once again exposed for who I am.
If I was to accept that I cannot rightly stand before Jesus, that I must bathe in His grace, what would life then look like?
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