More War Talk

13 Tuesday Sep 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Gandhi, love, peace, war

An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind.
Mahatma Gandhi

Some people are going to start to think I’m nuts. Maybe I am. I may be nuts but I’m also saddened by all the war/death references I see people putting on Facebook and other places who publicly call themselves Christians but want to take up arms against others. The most recent two were women. Now, I have to wonder if they are planning on enlisting and taking the battle to the enemy or if they want someone else to do it. I did see one post about using unmanned planes but if you are going to go kill someone, isn’t face-to-face the way to do it? Just asking…

It is only the dead who have seen the end of war.
Plato

I’m afraid Plato might have it right. I don’t know if the fighting and killing will ever stop. Sadly, it’s usually not the youngsters who are old enough to be sent into the battle that are rattling the sabers but older folks who will stay at home and bemoan the death toll.

What if we laid down our weapons? What if the “bad guys” won the battle?

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?
Gandhi

War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.
Jimmy Carter

Wars will come and it I’m quite confident this country will take up the battle. So be it. What I hate to see is those who say they follow Christ advocating war so staunchly. War is evil and if the first thing from a person’s mouth when dealing with someone who has hurt us is war, then evil has won. This applies in our churches, our marriages, our schools, our work and our countries. The day may come when I am placed in a position to defend myself and my children and I will have to make a call on that day. Until then, I hope I will put love first.

So many ascribe to the “kill ’em all and let God sort ’em out” mentality. Jesus’ last words on the cross were to forgive for the enemy didn’t know what it was doing. Jesus took God’s side and allowed God to have the final say. I hope I will be that strong.

Grace and peace to you.

9/11

12 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in 9/11, God's love, love

≈ 1 Comment

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As we remembered 9/11 yesterday, I was struck by the number of posts I read on Facebook about my friend’s hatred for President Obama, Muslims and a host of other people who don’t do things just the way my friends want them to do it and was reminded of a principle I learned reading The Shack and was reminded of yesterday as we studied Romans 15 and one of our Elders said, “remember when you are looking at someone you want to put your hands on and strangle, you are looking at someone that Jesus was willing to die for.”

I’ve too often been on the opposite side of God in my love for people. He loves them and I’m ticked off at them and hoping for a piano to fall on their head. If God loves Obama and I hate him, who’s side am I on? If God loves Muslims and I hate them, who’s side am I on? It doesn’t mean I approve of what Obama or Muslims do. It doesn’t mean I approve of what many people do who I sit in church with on Sundays who don’t act Christ-like the rest of the week either but God loves them and I want to be on God’s side so I’m going to love them also.

When those who would be my brothers and sisters in Christ want to bomb, kill and maim anyone who doesn’t agree with our way of life, I have to ask what way of life that is – the American way or God’s way and which one is most important, which one should be the priority?

I hope I will learn to love people even when I don’t condone their actions or motives. I hope I’ll do a better job of praying for those who persecute me and my fellow man instead of hoping for bombs to rain down on them. I hope I’ll always remember the kingdom of God is where my true citizenship exists and that I’m just passing through as an American.

I am thankful for those who protect us and keep us safe. I honor them and pray for their safety and protection from those who would do them harm. They have my support and I hope no one can doubt that or mis-hears how strongly I feel about those who serve our country in any capacity.

Even while I support those who protect me from harm, I will not wish harm on those who would hurt me but pray that one day love will rule and that God will be the victor over all.

Grace and peace to you.

Traveling Man

26 Friday Aug 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Aracaju

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I’m thankful for a safe and fairly uneventful trip. Our plane into Miami was delayed and we had to hustle to meet our connecting flight and wondered if our luggage was hustling as fast as we were and it all worked out. My hotel room in Aracaju may be the darkest room I have ever stayed in. It’s odd being in South America because being winter, it’s dark at 5:00. They have had a lot of rain and we just missed a big downpour today that was flash flooding some of the streets. Sleep has been elusive and I hope Thursday night’s rest is good and prolonged. It always surprises how I miss Texas and feel so far away from everyone when I make a trip like this. Maybe it’s because I can’t just pick up my phone and make a call or send a text.

I’m not like you. You are not me. I’ve been struck lately how some people often try to make someone else out to be like them. It’s a little perplexing why it happens when it happens and it’s a bit frustrating at times. I don’t like being treated as if my personality and thoughts and desires are the same as someone else.

Here’s hoping for some great days in Aracaju and 5 seemingly short sleeps until I’m back home in my bed and around people I know and love. In the meantime, I pray that God will do powerful things through me and in me while I’m here.

Grace and peace to you.

Hopefully, I Am In South America

25 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Brazil, joy

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I’m writing this on Tuesday night because I expect I’ll be a zombie by the time you are reading it and somewhere between Decatur, TX, Sau Paulo, Brazil and Aracaju, Brazil. I might be locked down in Miami because of a hurricane or so I hear. I might be lost in Sau Paulo because GOL! Airlines keeps changing the times of our flight but the new times are the same as the old times. Very confusing. I just hope my clean underwear and I wind up in the same place.

I solicit your prayers for my time in Aracaju. I’m speaking at a meeting Saturday night on a topic I’m qualified to speak about and one that scares me to death to talk about. I’m praying that God fills me up with wisdom and the words I speak are the words he is wanting to lay on people’s hearts.

The closer I am to leaving the more excited I am about seeing Gilvan and his little boy, Giovanni, my good friend Romeo who is always smiling, Victor and Bela, two of the strongest young Christians I know, Albert and Carol, another young couple with a desire to serve and Bruno and Ricardo, two young men who may have more fire and passion for sharing the Good News than anyone I’ve ever met. The joy of the Lord bleeds through there pores, through their smiles and actions and words. Their eyes are alive when they speak about God and they draw people to them.

Oh, the high is supposed to be in the low-80’s the first few days we are there. Yea! It stays in the low 70’s at night and it might even rain one day.

The weather will be nice but it’s the joy in knowing God exhibited in the lives of the people I will be spending time with that really excites me about what I’m doing. I’m ready to be infected again by their contagious zeal for the Lord.

Grace and peace to you.

Fly Like An Eagle

24 Wednesday Aug 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Brazil, relentless

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I’m headed to Aracaju, Brazil today. It’s a trip I never really enjoy as I start the travel process at 3:00p and will arrive in Aracaju around 3:00 tomorrow but I look forward to being with the people there so much. I’ve learned the concept of joy from my friends in Aracaju and the concept of living with much less and enjoying more freedom.

My baby started her senior year of high school this week. How did it get here so fast? Just yesterday, I was walking her into kindergarten holding her hand. Now she’s driving herself and doesn’t need Dad so much. I’m so very proud of her and the young woman she is becoming.

I stretch some analogies to fit my needs. To that end, while fishing last week I thought about how hard we were working to catch fish. Relentless is the word I would use when we were in an area with large redfish. I thought about how diligent we were about catching fish and tried to imagine how relentless God is in his desire to catch us. God is good and he is faithful and he never stops in his desire or effort to help his sheep remain safe and in the shepherd’s care.

Grace and peace to you.
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The Week That Is

23 Tuesday Aug 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Cowboys, Rangers

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It’s a crazy week. Here for a few days, gone for most. More on that tomorrow.

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Drew Pearson is going into the Ring of Honor. I’m disappointed Jerry didn’t do that a long time ago but he owns the team and I don’t. Still, I’m disappointed in Jerry.

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I’m not a Cowboys fan anymore.

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I am a Rangers fan and liked how they played against the Angels. If all goes well I’ll be drawing playoff tickets in a month or so.

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Rick Perry for President? Ewww. I just don’t believe he’s done a good job nor seems to have enough depth about him to deal with the issues a President has to deal with.

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I want to vote for a President who has actually created jobs without using taxpayer money to do it. Is that so much to ask for?

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OK, that’s all the fluff for one day. I’ll be packing tonight for a little trip with my twin brother (some of you will understand that reference, others will be shocked I have a twin brother and even more would only laugh when they see him standing next to me).

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Grace and peace to you.
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The Week That Was

22 Monday Aug 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in cheat, fishing, Justin, Miami, Rob Bell

≈ 1 Comment

A friend asked me how I was doing last week and I had a seemingly bizarre response, even for me. “Well, I’m physically and emotionally exhausted, I’m battling attacks almost daily that are trying to separate me from a focus on God, I’m separated from the people I love the most by a situation I hate, and it could get worse before it gets better. So, I praise God in this storm because it reminds me that I can do nothing without him and it’s easy for me to look around and see others who are living in situations that seem so much worse than my own.”

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That was before I hopped on a corporate plane owned by one of our vendors, flew to the coast to fish and flew back the next day after lots of fish and a great meal. It’s not all bad.

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The University of Miami got busted for some bad stuff and rumors of the death penalty but I don’t believe it will happen. Too much TV money is on the line and we all know that college sports are more and more about the money these days. Sad that SMU had to get hammered for the NCAA to figure out they didn’t have the guts to keep busting the bad guys.

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Walmart + Friday night = very bizarre clothing standards

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If you know me well, you know I can be a bit sarcastic and often at the most inopportune times. You might also know that Rob Bell wrote a book that many describe as his reasoning that there is not a literal hell. So, I couldn’t help but tweet last week the following; “I wonder if this summer is God’s response to Rob Bell.” You have to appreciate sordid humor to enjoy some of the things I say.

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I read a blog post by one of Bell’s biggest apologists last week attempting to explain why the Bible never truly condones homosexual activity unless it is used in some pagan, ritualistic way. My views on scripture have broadened and relaxed in many ways from how I was taught early in life but I just can’t get there with this guy.

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I’m finding that many people really don’t believe you can follow the Bible unless you understand Greek because they use how original words were used to explain why things don’t mean what we used to believe they meant. Maybe scripture really is for the mental elite. But, I don’t believe it.

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So, there are things that I don’t agree with but I take those comments and use them to re-examine what I believe, to study again what I read in scripture and what I believe the God I know with my heart wants me to know about him and his desire. If that’s not enough…

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I think it’s enough.

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Grace and peace to you.
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Read It While You Can

15 Monday Aug 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Chan, harsh, hell, tongue

≈ 1 Comment

There’s been some debate recently about hell being a literal or figurative place and some mud-slinging to go along with it. I’ve stated my position of ignorance in the past (March 22, 2011 Blog) and still want to be more in tune with what God would have me do today and live it out than argue with someone about hell. At any rate, with any book about anything controversial more books will come out with the other argument and I guess my good buddy (I don’t really know the guy but he makes me think) Frances Chan has responded to Rob Bell’s book and below is a link for an excerpt. I appreciate Chan for bringing out things that I overlook at times. For instance, I can get rolling with the argument that hell is for bad people who do bad things and Chan points out that the Bible says people who talk harshly about others are those very folks doing bad things. Now, I know for a fact that there is some gossiping going on at lots of church buildings because a) I’ve heard it and b) I’m pretty sure I’ve joined in before and a good bit of that gossip fits under the category of speaking harshly about others. Something to think about…

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Here’s the link to Chan’s excerpt. I’m not sure if I can legally borrow it or not but I’ll give it a whirl and hope it simply makes you think.

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Chan on hell

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Grace and peace to you.
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IANMO

12 Friday Aug 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in IANMO

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“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is
in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you
were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Grace and peace to you.
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The Pain of Yesterday

11 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Josh Hamilton, pain, Rangers

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I was watching the Rangers game the other night and saw a foul ball hit to left field. Josh Hamilton goes to pick it up and tosses it to the ballgirl instead of turning to throw it over the back fence. I can’t help but wonder if he doesn’t feel some pain every time that happens. If you don’t know the story, Hamilton picked up a foul ball a few weeks ago and tossed it to a fan in the stands behind the left field wall. The fan reached out to catch it, lost his balance, fell over the fence 20 feet below hitting his head and died soon after. His young son (6 years old I believe) was sitting next to his dad when it happened. Now, Hamilton did what we hope every pro player will do – toss us something we can hang onto. I don’t know Josh Hamilton but believe him to be a compassionate man and I can’t help but think he wishes he would have held onto the ball that Shannon Stone missed that fateful night. When I saw him toss a ball to the ballgirl the other night, I couldn’t help but think he still feels the pain of that one toss. And I wondered about that little boy and his family and whether they would attend more baseball games in the future. A father and son, a baseball game, hot dogs and Josh Hamilton standing in front of you. What’s better than that kind of night? Then it turns to pain.

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I assume that to be true because I’ve tossed a lot of balls in my past I wish I would have held onto. Not real balls, but something that I did that turned out bad, that turned out to bring pain in my life I didn’t expect, didn’t think about, certainly didn’t want. Then, each time a similar situation comes up or some trigger reminds me about that toss I made, I am revisited by the pain. There are times where I deserved the pain and there are times where the pain comes from something that was supposed to be good. Either way, I wish I could have held onto that ball.

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I trust Josh Hamilton’s faith will help him keep moving forward but my guess is he will never thrown another ball over that back fence because it’s pain he doesn’t want to revisit. I trust my faith will get me through the times I feel the pain and I trust that God will be at work to mend the wounds and help me know that the pain is nothing compared to the goodness and a life without pain that is waiting for me.