The Walking Dead - First Time Again

This past Sunday night, the new season of The Walking Dead began with our survivors trying to adapt to life in the so-far peaceful town of Alexandria. The people of Alexandria have been living a sheltered life, almost completely oblivious to the dangers outside. And so comes our group - Rick, Glenn, Maggie, Daryl, Carol and the rest. They have been fighting "walkers" (zombies) for around two years, but they have an uphill struggle convincing their new friends to learn. Because where is the danger?

It was a very puzzling plot line for the last few episodes of Season 5. Yes, the people of Alexandria were naive. No, they were not equipped to deal with the dangers of the zombie apocalypse. But why? Why had they been so sheltered? Why were their walls not being swarmed by the walking dead?

And then, as the new season opened, we saw this:

It was a quarry. A ravine filled with hundreds - no, thousands - of walkers. Trapped by the walls, and trapped by some large commercial trucks that blocked the openings. There they were, all these deadly creatures. The town had been safe because they were trapped, trapped nearby, just out of their view. But always out there, always on the verge of escaping. And the time was coming when they would escape. Soon. How would Alexandria prepare? What was the plan?
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And so it goes. For many of us, we are cruising through our day-to-day, mundane lives. We're reasonably happy. We're mostly safe. We have fallen into a routine that we fool ourselves into thinking will go on forever. Or at least for a while, and we'll worry about the after when we get there.

But lurking are the walkers. Just beyond our walls in the quarry. Danger, heartbreak, cracks in the armor. Things that can bring the walls come crashing in. Walkers named...

• Cancer
• Greed
• Accidents
• Selfishness
• Hatred
• Heart disease
• Resentment
• Hurricanes
• Lust
• Death of loved ones
• Earthquakes
• Sexual permissiveness
• Laziness
• Anger
• Tornadoes
• ..................................

And on and on and on.

Lurking in the quarry, waiting for an opening.

Rick and the residents of Alexandria have a plan. What is your plan?

My only plan, my only hope, for dealing with the hundreds of manifestations of death waiting to devour me is this: Trust in the God of the universe, and put all my hope in the saving death and resurrection of his Son. He is sovereign over the world and over all the forces of sin, evil, and destruction that want to take me down. He won't keep me from having to face them. But his power will bring me through them.

How about you? You have a quarry full of walkers too; I know you do. Please don't just whistle in the dark, pretending they'll never come out. Oh, they will. And what will you do?

Random?

In the zombie apocalypse world of The Walking Dead, we see characters dealing with some of the most important issues in life: survival, freedom of choice, hope, family, community, forgiveness. I see so much in the bleak world that speaks of how important hope is in the midst of our fallen creation. So you can imagine how fascinated I was to see the wall sign in this picture during the recent episode "Four Walls and a Roof":

For those of you who did not grow up in a small church, let me assure you this style of sign is very common. It usually has statistics such as attendance and offering amounts on it. But in this church, where the priest Gabriel has holed himself up to escape the "walkers," it has a list of Bible verses. Needless to say, I had to look them up. Surely there is no detail from these talented writers that is there by accident. So what do they say?

Romans 6:4 - Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death; so that as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Ezekiel 37:7 - So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

Matthew 27:52 - The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.

Revelation 9:6 - And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

Luke 24:5 - (A)nd as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"

Yes, there does seem to be a thread of a theme, doesn't there? Each verse has some sort of reference to death and/or a renewing of life. One speaks of attaining life by dying to yourself. Another speaks of the impossible, dead bones coming back to life. Out of context, the verses are very strange - maybe that's part of the point.

The last two are the most interesting to me in the context of the show: 

• Clearly, the show's zombie apocalypse is a world where many people despair of whether life is even worth living. And in a way the show's premise is a representation of this verse: People don't really die, they just become walking, shallow shells of themselves.
• And the question "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" lurks in every corner of this world. And perhaps our world, as so many people live empty lives.

Anyway, a very interesting group of verses, clearly displayed for a reason. While I've shared a few thoughts, I'm not sure what they're getting at.

So what about you? Do you see a theme? Or do you think it was just a random collection, a meaningless prop?

What do you think?

Time out

Sometimes you just have to call a time out.

Today, August 15, is a regular time out for me. Today I step away from work and from my everyday personal life. I will spend some time alone, and it will help me refocus on what's really important.

As many of you know, today is my late sister Kim's birthday, and 18 years ago today there was a terrible accident that claimed her life. Because of that, I have chosen today as a personal memorial day for all those I love who have gone ahead of me. But you know what? I have written about these things before, and I think the best way to share my heart is to point to these previous posts. So here are links:

Today I remember (a tribute to my sister)

An annual reminder (an explanation of why I take this day)

No more night (A reminder that death is not the end)

If you have the time, I ask humbly that you click on these links and do a little reading. If you do, I pray that you catch a spirit not of sadness, but of rejoicing in the memory of great lives and the hope that we have in Jesus.

Remember those that you miss. Remember the love. Remember the joy. And thank God for their time with you.

God bless.....

A terrible thing

Death is a terrible thing. It is the enemy. There is no silver lining.

In this scene from the movie Dead Poets Society (1989), a young student has just committed suicide. Just how awful is death? Well, here.....



Waste. Tragedy. The end result of living without hope. It was true for Neil, and today we saw it as the the life of Robin Williams ended.

There is a deep, sad, irony in watching this movie now. We see Williams' character trying to come to grips with the path that led his student to despair. And from now on as we watch this, we will not be able to escape the awful fact that this was a path he would one day travel himself. And we are all the worse for it.

Yes...death is a terrible thing. It is the enemy. There is no silver lining.

What's that you say? The silver lining is that it is a bridge to the afterlife, where everyone will be happy and where our dreams will come through?

I don't think so. I believe the Scriptural message that death is the end result of our rebellion and where the path of human self-reliance ultimately leads. It is a horrible enemy, one that made Jesus weep with sorrow and anger at the grave of his friend Lazarus.

But it is an enemy that he defeated. When the Messiah Jesus rose from the grave, he took away its awfulness. He robbed it of its debilitating power. And he created the hope that for his followers it would not have the final say.

Death has robbed us of a great talent today. We will miss his humor and ability to make a story come alive; those who knew him well will miss so much more.

Death, you stink.

But you. Are. Done.

The Fault in Our Stars - thoughts, part II

Saturday night I shared some random thoughts on The Fault in Our Stars. You might say it was my review, of both the book and the movie.

I left one topic for a separate blog post though, mainly because it tied so closely to two recent posts and so I wanted it to get top billing, so to speak. That topic was a conversation between Hazel and Augustus about the afterlife. The conversation was in both the book and the movie.

Here is the context for the conversation:.

Augustus, Hazel, and Hazel's mom have traveled to Amsterdam to meet the author of a book that Hazel loves. The book about cancer and death rings true, and since Hazel has terminal cancer (not a spoiler - we know this from the first moments of the story) she wants to ask the author some questions about the ending. So, as she and Augustus are at dinner in a luxurious romantic restaurant in Amsterdam, Augustus asks her about whether she believes in an afterlife. Obviously, this is not just hypothetical speculation for them.

The conversation went something like this: Hazel thinks that forever is an incorrect concept. After a little joking, she first says a short no - no afterlife. Then she wavers, admitting she's not sure. The Augustus gives his thoughts: yes, absolutely. And then he elaborates, and this is the part I want to focus on:

Yes. Yes, absolutely. Not like a heaven where you ride unicorns, play harps, and live in a mansion made of clouds. But yes, I believe in Something with a capital S. Always have.

- The Fault in Our Stars, p. 168.

Now, I didn't expect the characters in this story to believe in a Biblical picture of heaven. It's not that kind of story. But his comments are telling.

They tell me a lot about what the world thinks a Christian view of heaven is. In summing up what he does not believe in, Augustus mentions several things that I think are the typical picture of heaven. This is the picture reinforced in movies and books such as Heaven Is for Real, and in the tendency of people to imagine their loved ones in a heaven that they have fashioned from their own minds. I don't know where the image comes from, because it's not Scripture.

So Augustus, I agree with you: The true heaven is not a place where you ride unicorns, play harps, or live in the clouds. It's also not just a place for our spirits to live forever. People do not become angels. And it's not just floating around in the light feeling happy and singing hymns.

So what is that "Something with a capital S"? This is the picture painted by Scripture: Jesus rose physically from the dead, preceding those of us who believe in him and will be raised one day. When a believer dies, he/she is in the presence of Christ right away, but that's not the end of the story. When the Messiah returns to the earth, he will redeem it, bring heaven and earth together in one reality, and we will reign over the redeemed creation with him forever. Nothing about harps. No unicorns. Just a world where man will bear the image of God forever, as we were originally intended to do. And it will be all about him, not us. It's going to be awesome!

It's soooooo much better than the images that Augustus rejects. No wonder people don't get more excited about it than they do. But if they had a true picture....oh yeah!

I love that a book like The Fault of Our Stars raises these hard questions. The skepticism of Hazel and Augustus reflects the uncertainty of our day. Stories like this make us examine life and question where our beliefs come from. Jesus came to bring us the answers to these hard questions. And that is good news.
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References for further reading:

Surprised by Hope - NT Wright

Heaven - Randy Alcorn

The Fault in Our Stars - thoughts, part I

Read the book. Saw the movie.

I thought the movie was a really good adaptation of both the sprit and flow of the story. The acting was outstanding and conveyed the emotion of this powerful story. Although there were some aspects of the plot that were condensed for the sake of time, it was faithful to the story. So my thoughts are not so much about the movie or the book, but about the story itself.

For those who don't know, the story is about a pair of teenagers who have been dealt the unfortunate hand of being, as the book calls them, "cancer kids." The key characters are a guy and girl who realize they are likely terminal and their parents. It's a story which attempts to deal realistically with what it's like to try and find meaning in life with the specter of death hanging over your head.

As I read (and then watched), here are some random thoughts I had:

• Much of the story centers around Augustus' fear of oblivion. He wants to make sure that he is remembered for something significant and that his death has meaning. This is one of many emotions in the story that rings true. I think that deep down all of us want our lives to mean something. Whether we live 18 years or 80, we want it to matter than we've been here.
• Hazel is focused, almost obsessed, with the need to face her fate realistically. She rejects what she considers to be false hope, and either corrects or ridicules those whose language belies denial of the truth that she is going to die soon. Early on, she makes a speech to her support group that went like this:

"There will come a time when all of us are dead. All of us. There will come a time when there are no human beings remaining to remember that anyone ever existed or that our species ever did anything...Maybe this time is coming soon and maybe it is millions of years away, but even if we survive the collapse of our sun, we will not survive forever...And if the inevitability of human oblivion worries you, I encourage you to ignore it. God knows that's what everyone else does."

To me, this speech underlies the entire theme of the book. Because if Hazel is right, all the despair and depression and pessimism about cancer and death makes sense. But if she's wrong...

• Despite the lack of hope, there is a tremendous amount of love displayed in the story. And I don't mean the romantic love based on attraction - although it's there. The love Hazel's mom has for her; the unselfishness of Augustus in so many ways, toward Hazel but also toward his friend Isaac. I could list so many more examples and be more specific, but then the post would come with s spoiler warning. Read it or see it for yourself - you'll be moved by howe love permeates the story.
• A word on the title: As you may recognize, it's taken from a line in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, where Cassius says, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves." The idea of the quote being that our fate is not a matter of bad luck but rather the result of our choices. Of course, the book/movie is taking the position that having cancer is indeed a matter of fate. And it is. But like any other fate, how we respond to it is everything. I believe that in many ways the story's characters rise above their cancer, showing the title to be a lie. But in other ways they do not.
• Dealing with grief. There was no sugarcoating on that. I remember what it's like to know someone I love is going to die soon, and the grief is as real as the grief after they're gone. And I saw that depicted as I remember it.

You know, we're all terminal. The short time we have on earth is passing by so fast. So if we're honest with ourselves, we all need to know how we are going to process our impending deaths. In that sense, The Fault in Our Stars is a story for all of us. To be fully prepared for death, I believe the resurrection of Jesus can give us the faith, hope, and love to be ready for it. What does it look like to face it with love but without faith and hope? This is it, and it's done very well.

Highly recommended for the questions it asks and a realistic picture of death as the enemy. But the premise that facing death with joy and peace is a fairy tale - that is just not true. It is for many, but it doesn't have to be. Thank God for that.

Next post: Hazel and Augustus' discussion of heaven (page 167)

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

WARNING : CONTAINS SPOILERS

A few days ago I went to see the latest telling of the story of the amazing Spider-Man. This is a story I have loved for most of my life. I remember reading the comic books and watching the TV cartoon for hours as a child. I would dress up and pretend to be Spider-Man. (In fact, dressing up and playing superheroes was something I spent way too much time doing.)

As I got older, I appreciated something about the Spider-Man legend that made it different from other superheroes I liked. I realized that this was the story of a young man - really a teenager - who was confused about life and how to deal with it. Raised by his aunt, never knowing his parents, trying to figure out how to have a girlfriend and a double life…Peter Parker is a conflicted character. Which makes him a great subject for a story.

I loved the movie series that starred Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, and the first installment of the new movie series was, in my opinion, even better.

I even enjoyed the Broadway musical, Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. Although I was definitely in the minority on that.

But this movie. What I really, really loved about it was something that a lot of people hated. The ending.

LAST WARNING!
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When Gwen (Emma Stone) fell down that clock tower and Spider-Man's attempt to save her failed, it was one of the most powerful moments I've seen in this type of movie. It felt real, and it was heartbreaking. Then watching him visit her grave for months, and watch the video of her graduation speech…seeing her memory inspire him to keep going in honor of her memory. That was the stuff life is made of.

Really, this movie was about facing death and how we handle it. Peter (Andrew Garfield) learning about his parents and processing that, the things he learned from Aunt May about how she moved on from Uncle Ben's death - they all came together when all of sudden Gwen was snatched away from him.

Death is our greatest enemy. It snatches those we love away and suddenly our lives are never the same. Thankfully, it is a defeated enemy, but that's the subject for other posts (like this one). The point from this movie was: It's real, we have to accept it, and we have to process it so that we can live productive lives.

Jesus has the last word over death. But while death is allowed to continue its doomed reign, we can - and must - go on living.

Yes, movies with happy endings are awesome. We all like happy endings. But in life, there is heartache. And I love a movie that reminds us of that and helps us process it. This was a good one.

The resurrection and the life

Friday afternoon I went to see a movie. The movie Heaven is for Real was timed by Hollywood to open the week of Easter, no doubt to attract a large Christian audience. After all, we are the ones who talk about life after death…and heaven. What better way to draw us to the cinema than to have a Hollywood-produced movie about heaven with real high profile actors like Greg Kinnear?

I was disappointed. Not in Hollywood, of course (promoting truth is not what they're there for), but in the way in which this movie has been embraced. The message of the movie - which was obviously aimed to appeal to Christians - fell soooooooooooo far short of the good news of Easter morning. I don't know exactly what the little boy portrayed in the movie saw, or how it happened. But I do know that it was not the gospel of eternal life that our King Jesus brings us. Every person in Scripture who got a glimpse of heaven was overwhelmed with the glorious presence of God. Isaiah. Ezekiel. Paul. John. They all were so captivated by the glory of the Lord that they fell on their faces, unworthy. None took a casual stroll through heaven, sitting on Jesus' lap and visiting with loved ones. When you come into the presence of the Almighty, he will have your full attention.

This morning we celebrate the Resurrection. Jesus defeated sin and death on the cross, and then his victory was sealed when he rose from the dead on the third day. Today is a day to have a party…so I'm going to! Worship at sunrise and later in the morning, lunch with family, and then a huge celebration with family and friends. Jesus has defeated death, and so our destiny is not some vague hope in a heaven that people with near-death experiences may or may not have seen. He is, as he said, the resurrection and the life. No, the Messiah will descend from heaven, do away with all the corruption of the present world, unite heaven and earth, and we will rise to be with him forever. He rose, the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18), so that we can follow him in resurrection.

That's something to celebrate!

Google vs. Death

I got a text from a friend today. Seems he saw the magazine to the left in the stack of the waiting room where he was…well…waiting. It's from last September but it grabbed his attention. And especially this week - Holy Week - it grabs mine as well.

I tried to find the article online but without a subscription I could only see the first couple of paragraphs. I need to find it and read the whole thing, because it is definitely an intriguing premise. Basically, Google is founding a subsidiary (known as Calico) focusing on health and aging, with the goal of significantly extending the human lifespan.

And so the cover asks the question, Can Google solve death?

It's a question that strikes at the heart of our greatest fears. If there is something, or someone, out there that can "solve death" it would change everything.

And that is why the good news of Jesus is so…good. For the entirety of human history, we have been slaves to death. It is the greatest enemy. It snatches away those we love, and one day it will get us too. It is so insidious that facing it moved Jesus himself to anger and tears (John 11:33-35). It is something we hate, and we have good reason.

But death's days are numbered. The King of the universe entered his creation, spent his life announcing  the kingdom of God in both word and deed, and then did the most amazing thing ever. Even though he was God, he subjected himself to death, and by the very act of that submission, defeated it. That victory was confirmed by God on the third day when he rose from the dead, never to die again.

Because of this singular act (and the death and resurrection are a singular act - one without the other would have been meaningless), we know that he is the King. His resurrection power is available to us daily, and he is the first of many to rise bodily. The message of Easter is that through the death and resurrection earth has been claimed by heaven. When he returns, we who follow him will rise again and reign with him forever. Wow!

So, go ahead Google. Fight death, find ways to extend life. That would be cool. But ultimately, no - Google will not solve death.

But that's okay. Because Jesus has.

What's next?

A little over two weeks ago, on a Sunday afternoon, I got the word that actor Philip Seymour Hoffman had died at age 46. He was a brilliant actor who enabled the telling of many stories. From all accounts, he was not only talented but also a devoted father - one who successfully fought off the demons of addiction for much of his life, but succumbed at the end. He will be missed.

But in this post I want to touch on a statement that was made at the end of People Magazine's article on his death. Not because it says anything about Mr. Hoffman, but because it says a heck of a lot about the way we look at death.

At the end of the article, his friend and former director Matthew Warchus made this statement: "All I can think is that he's sitting up there and giving one of his dark, big chuckles."

Sitting up there.
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All through human history, man has believed that there is something after death. For most, this belief involves some esoteric spiritual existence that is totally unrelated to our physical life on earth. And most believe that it is going to be a good thing. According to a book by Sam Storms, more than 80% of Americans believe in an afterlife, with another 9% saying they aren't sure. 76% believe heaven exists and almost that many, 71%, believe there is a hell. But here is the amazing part: Despite that, less than 1% believe that they are going to end up in hell. Almost all believe that they will somehow be "sitting up there."

This would lead you believe that most of our opinions about the afterlife are wishful thinking - as agnostics and atheists would affirm.

Former Mars Hill pastor Rob Bell seems to agree with this sentiment. It is affirmed in almost every discussion of someone who has passed on, just as with Mr. Hoffman. The 1974 Righteous Brothers hit Rock and Roll Heaven memorialized music greats Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jim Croce, and Bobby Darin with the lyrics…

If you believe in forever, then life is just a one night stand.

If there's a rock and roll heaven, well, you know they've got a h--- of a band.

(Yes, it is a clever twist of words on the two destinations.)

Yep, we fashion heaven to fit our own world view. Wishful thinking, right?
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So it is into this world of uncertainty and wishful thinking about an afterlife that Jesus of Nazareth bursts onto the scene. During his three-year ministry, he proclaimed that he would do something radical. He did not proclaim that when he died his spirit would mysteriously go to a better place. Not even close.

The message of Jesus was that after dying a sacrificial death he would physically rise from the dead and live forever. Furthermore, he would be the first fruits of his followers. The hope of the Christian faith is that because Jesus physically rose from the dead, we will do the same.  Heaven and earth will meet and God will dwell among his people forever.

And then he did it!

The hope of the Christian faith is not that our spirits will live on after we die. Most of the world, Christian or not, believes that. No! Our hope is that, while we will be in God's presence when we die, that is just the beginning. Because he lives, we will live too. We will participate in his resurrection.

How different this is from a vague belief in an afterlife. It is a specific faith in a specific future based on a specific historical event.

He is risen. And so we will rise as well if we place our trust in him.

It can't come too soon.


What do you believe about death? Is it comforting to have so many different opinions? Or does it cause you to question the concept? How is Jesus' message different from the common belief?

Another year

Another year is gone. Another one about to begin. Of course, this is true every day. Every day ends a period that is one year long and starts another one. But when a calendar year comes to an end, it's typically a time for reflection and looking forward.

I've got to say, the thing that strikes me as 2013 comes to an end is how fast the time of this present age is rolling by. 2013 was another remarkable year, but it really doesn't seem like it could be a whole year. It seems that life unfolds like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you are to the end, the faster it unrolls. It truly won't be long before my time in this life is done, and I need to make the most of it.

Of course, it's easy to focus on the big events, and they were memorable.

Alabama winning its 15th national championship only 7 days into the year:

Traveling to London with my awesome nephew and nieces:

Serving God with an amazing team of friends, old and new, in Ethiopia:

And, afterwards, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a little sightseeing in nearby Tanzania:

All very exciting, and times I will never forget.

But 2013 was defined just as much by daily life, the little moments that emerge a day at a time. The ones that are part of doing life with family and friends. Things like:

• Weekly Monday night gatherings at my sister's house with family and a couple of close friends,
• Getting to see my dad almost every day as I pick up my dog from his house after work,
• Getting together with a small group of close friends to eat pad thai, talk, pray, and even watch a little TV,
• Lunch after church on Sundays with family,
• Going to work each day, looking for ways to glorify God through my work and working relationships,
• Going to football games in the fall with my family, allowing us to spend a whole day together,
• A weekly Wednesday morning small group, challenging each other to live out our faith,
• Weekends visiting good friends and family, and being there for each other in times of need,
• And sooooooooo many more that I don't have time to name.

It's this daily march toward the future, loving God and others in work and leisure, that really defines a year. And I am so grateful for every person that God has put in my life, making those days seem to fly by.

So, for events big and small, 2013 was another fantastic year.

And now it continues, just with another number at the end of the date. Hello 2014. Let's do this.

Hope

Last Saturday I was in Tallahassee. I thought I was here for one thing, but I was wrong. I was here presumably to see the big football game between Florida State and Miami. I often come to see an FSU game when Alabama is off. But God really had me here to be with my friend Steve and his family as his mother Karen went to be with the Lord.

I won't even try to describe how wonderful she was as a mother to my friend and his sister. I'll leave it to her family who wrote the extended obituary in the link:

Karen Elyea

Yes, she will be missed terribly. But as I reflect on her life tonight, I know that she lives on in two important ways:

First, her character lives in everyone that took time to let her into their lives. God has put each of us on earth to make a difference, and each of us will change the lives of those around us, for better or worse. For Karen Elyea, it was so much for the better. Her husband, son, daughter, grandchildren, and yes, friends (like me) are different and better people because we knew her.

Second, she literally will live forever. This is the hope that was brought to fruition by Jesus when he died and rose from the dead. Death is the enemy; don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise. It is not just a peaceful means to pass into eternity. But it is a defeated enemy. When Jesus was resurrected, death lost its power and we no longer need to fear it. 

So when we say goodbye to Karen at her service tomorrow, we can and will be sad. But we will also be flooded with hope, the hope that comes because Jesus lives. Not only is she in God's presence now, but one day she will rise like him and participate in the coming together of heaven and earth for eternity. And so will we, if we put our faith in Jesus.

And that makes all the difference. 

Gravity

While on our way to see the Bama-Kentucky game tomorrow, we stopped in Nashville tonight and saw the movie Gravity:



Having seen this trailer weeks ago, I had looked forward to seeing it very much, and I was not disappointed.

I expected a thriller with the suspense of whether the astronauts played by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney could survive. But it went way beyond that. It addressed questions like...

• How does our life experience affect us when we encounter a crisis?
• What would I think about if I believed this was the day I was going to die?
• What is it that makes us want to keep fighting when everything is against us?
• Do you and I have something like that in our lives?

All these questions addressed against the backdrop of lonely souls high above the earth. Throughout the movie, you could see the earth below, a mass of water, land, and clouds. And it made me think about the billions of stories going on below, all obscure and of little importance to our characters.

While those stories are unknown and in the background, the desire to be part of the earth's big story is at the heart of all of us. Gravity, drawing us back to earth. 

Not a bad night at the cinema. Now...on to Lexington for some football.

In memory of Phil Richardson

You never know the influence you have on others. You just don't.

The year was 1987 and it was the biggest faith leap of my life. Through a series of events, I knew that God was leading me away from a teaching career but I didn't know exactly what he was leading me to. Then, at a lake party for a friend who was getting married, I was given a name and phone number. It was Phil Richardson of Alfa Insurance.

I gave Mr. Richardson a call, and over the next two weeks I interviewed with four different people at Alfa. After much prayer and thought, on July 9, 1987, I began my career as an actuary.

Mr .Richardson passed away this last Thursday morning, and we will be saying goodbye at a service tomorrow. As I look back over my career, I can't express how much this man did for me. He got the process started for me to begin my career as an actuary. His leadership created a successful company that God has used to bless me over and over. About two years into my career, he made the decision that the future of the actuarial function should be in the hands of this kid and supported me in every step of my growth. He gave me advice countless times (some would say his "advice" could be harsh - I never saw it that way) and taught me principles that I still quote today. He was a true leader and I will always be thankful.

But the thing I will remember most about Mr. Richardson was when he pulled me aside one day in the fall of 1996. I had just come back to work after facing the aftermath of a pool accident that claimed the life of my sister and left my niece horribly injured. I was crushed and it was hard to see how to face each day. Well, he took me in his office and confided about the way that he had lost his son to an accident almost 20 years earlier. And he told me that when I needed to, I needed to find a room, close the door, and just cry. I knew he spoke from experience, and it was incredibly moving.

That is the Phil Richardson I knew and will miss. He will stay with me in so many ways. Goodbye, Mr. Richardson.

Missing the obvious

Yesterday I read with some sadness the story of a young lady who died at a Chicago Cubs baseball game. If you didn't hear about it, here is the story.

Maureen Oleskiewicz

It seems she died doing something she truly loved, as the article indicated she was a huge Cubs fan. And she was at the game with her brother. I can identify with that, because going to games with sisters has been a big part of my life. And it's probably also why the story really grabbed me.

One thing that shocked me was the way it all happened. It seems that when Ms. Oleskiewicz choked on a hot dog, she was so unable to breathe that she didn't make any noticeable choking sounds. Or screams. From what I can tell, she just passed out from the lack of oxygen and fell over. That was the first her brother knew anything was wrong. By the time they got medical help, it was too late.

It's hard for us to understand how that could happen. How could he not know anything was wrong?

But you know, I think I walk around like that every day. I try to care about people - love my neighbor as myself. But I sit next to people at work, at a restaurant, at a movie, and yes, at a ball game...and don't have a clue what trouble might be brewing in their lives. There's got to be some, because I know I've got my share. And so do you, right?

How great would it be if I were sensitive enough to know when someone was throwing out subtle hints that they want help? Instead, I cruise along in my own little world making sure my own needs are met. But that's not what we were made for. We were made to love each other - pray for each other, help each other, listen to each other. And whatever else might clear up some of one another's personal darkness.

Should the young lady's brother have been able to tell she was choking? Perhaps, but I understand how he missed it since she was able to cry out for help.

May I be willing to cry out when I need help with my life...and listen for others who might be wanting to.

One enduring echo

One enduring echo. This phrase has been echoing through my brain since this morning.

I had the privilege of worshipping in Tallahassee this morning at Element 3 Church. During the worship music, the lyrics of a song just jumped out at me. I got a glimpse of my purpose that has stayed with me all day.

The song was Great Is the Lord by Starfield. You can listen to it here:



The last verse is what is resonating with me. If you didn't notice while listening, here is what it says:

When death becomes 
The end of all my labors 
And Christ alone my rest and reward

May all I've done
Be one enduring echo
Resounding on to shout
Great is the Lord

Yes, one day I will face death. Maybe a long time from now, maybe not. So when that day comes, what do I want? Well, of course I am looking forward to my rest and reward. To being in the presence of Christ and one day to receive my resurrection body and reign with him. That's all fantastic! But if that's all I want, I'm pretty selfish. Is that why I've committed my life to Jesus? Just so I can get a reward at the end?

I think if that's the case, I've missed the point. I've been saved not just for me, but for the kingdom. This verse brought that home. My biggest prayer for that day should not be about my reward, but the glory of the One who made me and rescued me.

The echoes are all around me, shouting, Great is the Lord. My sister's life is echoing this, and has been for almost 17 years. My mother's life for over six years. Aunts. Uncles. Grandparents. Friends. I can hear the echoes all around me.

And so that's my prayer. May what I do tomorrow shout, Great is the Lord. So that it can echo long after I'm gone.

That is a legacy worth living for.

"Wax on, wax off"

Pain. Discouragement. Grief. Failure. Numbness.

Adversity.

We all face it, in one form or another. For some, it seems to be their entire life. For others, it hits them occasionally. For all of us, there are probably extended periods when we stare into the face of death, disease, losing a job, bankruptcy, or divorce.

Why isn't life easy? Why do we have to go through pain?

The more I think and read about this question (including study of the Scriptures), the more I believe that "why?" is the wrong question. The better question is, "How will God use it to shape us into what we were meant to be?"

There are lots of Bible passages where we see this. We see that Job, possibly the most afflicted man in history, never learns why; but, he does come through it with a better understanding of God's character. We see in Hebrews and James that adversity is used to shape us and produce godly character. We see in Romans that everything - everything - is designed to conform us into the image of Jesus.

And years ago I saw a great example in a classic movie: The Karate Kid (1984).

In this movie (the original, not the 2010 retelling), young Daniel is being picked on at his high school by some bullies. To defend himself, he begins to learn from an elderly man who knows the martial arts. He asks for lessons but gets something much different from Mr. Miyagi: task after task that makes him feel like he's being used as a personal handyman. Sand the floor. Wax the car. Paint the walls. The frustration builds until...



So, he learns that it all did have a point. As he went through hours and hours of manual labor - seemingly pointless except as a way for Miyagi to get his chores done - he was learning. His body was developing muscle memory that would help him defend himself.
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Whatever we are going through this very day, whatever struggles we have, may seem incredibly pointless. Why is work so hard? What doesn't she love me anymore? Why did she have to die? Why did I have to get sick? Why am I going through this?

I don't know why. I suspect I never will in this life, and neither will you. But I do know that God can use it to strengthen me, to build character, and to conform me to what he wants me to be. And if I let him, he will.

When pain comes next, I pray that I will have the strength to trust him and let it happen.

(For more on this topic, I recommend Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges.)

April 27: Life, Death, and Eternity

Just time for a few words before I head to the service. I am in South Carolina to remember and honor a wonderful woman, my aunt Gladys Owensby, whom we called Aunt Odell for my entire life. She lived to be 86 years old, and all those years were filled with love. She will be missed by so many people, but she is now in such joy that we cannot even imagine it.

I think it's fitting to honor and remember her on April 27. Because this is a date that will always represent the fine line between life and death, joy and tragedy, building and destruction. For one year ago today, an unprecedented number of tornados ripped through the South - and one hit very close to home. Thankfully, it basely missed the house and dorm where my nieces lived while attending the University of Alabama. But for hundreds of others, it didn't miss. and that community will never be the same. Yes, out of our scars come growth, so I think that it will be a better place than it was before. But the healing continues.

Part of that healing is a huge memorial service today in Coleman Coliseum. So on the same day, I will be in SC remembering my aunt. And I also remember the victims of April 27, 2011. In both cases, we can see the awesome hand of God as he moves to heal, restore, and love those who are hurting.

The last enemy

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. (John 11:32-33)

When Jesus arrived at Larazus' tomb, he already knew what he was going to do. He knew that he had power over death. He knew that he was about to call his friend forth from the grave, despite the fact that Lazarus had been dead for four days. He knew that before too long, he himself would rise from the dead, defeating the greatest enemy of humankind forever. And yet, he was "deeply moved in spirit and troubled". What does that mean?
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Today, I was face to face with the enemy - death - as well. It had claimed the life a friend, one much too young. It was hard - is hard - to understand why creation is like this. A vibrant, energetic young lady nearing there end of her college career, with her whole life ahead of her suddenly discovers a serious illness....and then is gone. In fact, this is the main reason I have not blogged for over a week. I told a friend Wednesday that I was not ready to write about this, and yet everything else seemed so trivial by comparison. Which left nothing.

It's not the first time death has punched me in the gut. My sister, my niece, my mother...as well as uncles, aunts, and grandparents. This enemy never seems to rest.
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So, back to the question. What does it mean that Jesus was "deeply moved and troubled in spirit"? Well, according to a commentary I just read, the Greek verb is ejnebrimhvsato, and it indicates a very strong emotion and is difficult to translate. In fact, here is what it says about the phrase:

Jesus displayed this reaction to the afflicted in Mark 1:43, Matt 9:30. Was he angry at the afflicted? No, but he was angry because he found himself face-to-face with the manifestations of Satan’s kingdom of evil. Here, the realm of Satan was represented by death.

 Angry. Furious. Beside himself with indignation because death is not the way things should be. It's not! How do we know? Because when the Creator of the universe visited our planet, it made him deeply angry.
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So as I sat in my pew today, and as I've prayed all week for my friend Addy's family, I have been troubled. Because this is not the way things are supposed to be - we should never lose sight of that. Jesus was angry about it and grieved in his spirit, even though he knew he was about to defeat it. We hurt. We grieve. And we are wounded.

But I was also comforted. Because the last enemy, death, has been defeated. Because as a follower of Jesus, Addy has taken her place with other saints beside the angels in heaven worshipping God. Because she is with her friend Holly rejoicing. Because Jesus' death was the death of death. It's over!

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

Amen. Take that, death...you lose.