Finishing Well

This week has been difficult I must confess, but it has been good.  In preparing for service, soldiers endure 'boot camp'.  I'm not even sure if they call it that any more; but you know what I mean, they are ran, sleep deprived, exercised, disciplined, drained of what they thought they could endure and then they continue.  I have a great deal of respect for all of our service men and women.  I have the same respect for our police and firemen as they all train to serve and protect.

Are you ready for this?

I believe that most Americans are under-exercised, under-disciplined, and under-performing.  When storms hit, we are not prepared for the impact it has in our lives.  These storms can be health, financial, deaths, any number of 'storms' that come our way.  All of us have heard the stories of Gold Metal winners at the Olympics and how they pushed for that extra that took them to win.  Most of us want to be winners, but we don't want to pay the price.


There is a cost that must be paid.  I said I was having a difficult week, but every day, millions are going through much worse.  They are starving to death, death in a very agonizing way... every day.  I am one of many in our city that belong to one of a dozen or more churches that has chosen to fast for a week in January and in doing so, to seek the Lord God Almighty.  I have one more day to go and the smell of pizza permeates the house.  Let me be clear on a couple of things; this is not a private fast where it remains private and is only between God and me, this is a corporate fast with my fellow Christ followers.  Fasting is not for any praise for me, but God alone; I want to fast that I may more clearly hear God's voice; that I may be stripped of the physical to embrace the spiritual; and it is not a hunger strike to prove a point or make me special.  It is part of 'boot camp' that I might be better disciplined and ready for what lies ahead.


Special caveat:  There is no shame for those that do not or cannot fast or do not fast for a week, or fast like I do.  God isn't causing you guilt, it is probably the prince of darkness of this world.


Let's get back on track.  I think when we pray, our prayers contain to much asking.  We don't seek God in silence enough so we can hear Him.  We have it all backwards about what praying is really all about with God.  Our lack of continuing 'boot camp' only increases our desire for the things we don't have.  Think about your prayers, how much is asking God for something,  how much is in adoring God, in thanking Him, in submission and surrender, in humility and confession so that we can have a right relationship with the God of the Universe?  


The world is not getting better; just look at CNN, FOX News, read what is happening in the streets from the U.S. to Egypt to North Korea.  There are times ahead that we all must face and much of it comes into our homes through the Internet and the television.  As I was a marketer for years I can say this; the companies' goal is to make you want what you don't have and most all of it isn't necessarily good for you in the end.


The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, who had been through a great deal with Paul, he encourages him to endure, to train up, to practice, to exercise, etc. HARD.  Read what Paul wrote: "Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. This is true, and everyone should accept it. We work hard and suffer much in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and particularly of those who believe." 1 Tim 4:7-10 NLT

 I would like to hear Paul speak in front of us today of what he would say of Christians in 2011.  I am hungry and my desires are strong to yield to the smell, the look, the memory of the taste; but my body is OK and my heart is being renewed in Christ and my fortitude is holding in a way that is only a fragment of what millions of people have endured to follow Christ down through the ages.  

What the Eiffel Tower would have looked like if it hadn't been finished well.

 My goal (not my god) is to finish well in life following after Christ.  I am an undisciplined athlete, a casual farmer, an unprepared soldier in Paul's examples to Timothy and I know I can do better before I cross the finish line.

A Calming Balm Over You

I'm going through a week of personal testing so I'm going to dive into a common question.

When things happen in our life that are tragic or difficult, our usual cry is "why?".  The loss of a job; the break in one's health, the death of a friend or loved one; the list is endless.  Somehow we have the idea that this world owes us something; our life should be free from difficulty, pain and hurt.... but it isn't.  When it isn't, we start laying blame; if we can't put it on someone or on the anonymous government, we blame God.  "How could God allow this to happen?"  "How can a loving God let me/her/him suffer?"  


We were married only for about 6 months when my wife miscarried a beautiful child-to-be.  There were tears and grief and there still is even 30 years later.  Within the year, we would experience another miscarriage; our hopes dashed, but two years later, God blessed us with twin girls.  Even in all of our blessing as my wife was in the hospital with two 6-week premature infants, my father, who had experienced a major stroke a week before their birth, fought for his life.

My dad, 1944

Blessings continued as all of them came home from the hospital and my dad lived four more years, loving his grand-daughters.  My dad died in 1986 and I experienced death again when my sister, Gloria, died; she was ten years older than me and yet, we were very close.  She made me smile and the room lit up when she entered. She, like so many others, was a victim of cancer in 1998.  I felt loss and sadness, but not the question "why".  

I realized that my dad had looked at death many times over in the South Pacific during WWII.  During one surge, the fighting was fierce and at the end, he and two other soldiers were the only ones alive out of his entire company.   He came home, had a family, including grandchildren, and accomplished many things in his life.  My sister, too, although dying young, had a family, friends, and accomplishments.  It is natural for us to feel sorrow at these times, so if you are going through a loss, let it out.  These experiences will either draw us  to God, or they will cause bitterness to separate us from Him.  But we must understand that we are created beings and God reminds us in this way:

""For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways ," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."" Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV

I find when I'm faced with the difficulties that come and they will continue to come, I draw closer in my personal relationship with God and catch a glimpse of the other kingdom that I am in.  I'm sure some will say, "just wait until xxxxxxxxxxxxxx."  Fair enough; I can't know how I will respond to every situation, but my experience shows me how I responded in the past.  


The Apostle Paul had a "thorn in his flesh"; what that was we are not exactly sure, but it was something that he found difficult to deal with.  This is what he wrote with the Spirit of God's inspiration:
" Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness ." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV

When you are saddled with difficulties too heavy to bear, please think of this specific testimony in the Word of God; it will bring a calming balm over you and an understanding that we live in a fallen world that is corrupt and difficult.  But there is a way that is right and changes sadness to gladness.



 

Character vs. Reputation

My brother came to stay with us for a couple of nights so he could attend the funeral of a dear friend who is now in Heaven.  It is always good to be with him as he lives out of state and our visits are infrequent.  This particular time was special as we are older, wiser and deeper with each passing year.  We talked about our respective families and friends and the paths that God seems to be leading us.  We also reminisced about our earlier years.  

My brother in his band uniform, years ago!

 I am not alone in that I have done things that negatively impacted my character and at times, even my reputation.  Isn't that why going back to your 10-year and 20-year high school reunion is often the last thing you want to do?  What you were back then, before you finished growing up, reflected more of your reputation and for many, reputation was more important then their character.  How you turned out in those years after high school may or may not have been what you envisioned.  Your job, your marriage, your kids....  are different than you thought they would be; for me, my life has been blessed beyond what I ever dreamed of or imagined.  I attribute that to two things: my relationship with Christ and my wonderful wife.

Her innocence just before she met me.

Character is not what people think of you; that's your reputation.  Character is what you think, do, and say when no body is looking.  What you do when you are in front of people may show your character, but because we are guarding our reputation or our image; we are on a stage and our actions are a performance.  Our character affects our decisions; our character affects our actions in private; our character may have a 'blind spot' to us and our character may have real problems that is evident to the world.  We may want to change those problems, work at them, get counseling for them, or even prayed, but it still hasn't changed.  Andy Stanley once said, "Prayer is not the solution to problems in your character"; a renewed mind is, utilizing the specific truths in God's Word and your effort to apply them every day.  [later my paraphrase]

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness ; and to brotherly kindness , love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-9 NIV [emphasis mine]

BUT, at the end of the day, being 'good' isn't what gets us into Heaven, (that discussion is for another day).  My brother quoted a friend of his, Kip, and I will try and be as accurate as I can.  "Even a worthless man is useful; it shows me what not to be."  [forgive me Kip if I've butchered that]  Each of us have value, but just take a moment and think about right here, right now... think about if you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and follow Him daily... why?  (is it for knowing Him here and know and following His modeling and teaching with great passion or is it for what lies ahead after you die here on earth?)  (If you don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ, let's discuss that).


Our character, which includes that relationship, determines everything.  The relationship with Christ is not an add on like a new case for your phone or iPad, it lies at the core of who and what we are.  I'm so very glad that I am not the judge of people; I have enough trouble just walking the straight and narrow for myself.

At Least There Is Hope

For many years, I worked in greenhouses and there was nothing quite like gardening inside where the rain didn't make me wet or cold and the smell of the plants and soil in the warm environment was almost intoxicating.  My favorite part was the propagation of plants either from seeds, cuttings, grafting or division.  The new birth of seeds breaking the ground or the callus forming before the roots, or the bud breaking on the scion wood of a grafted tree was wonderful.  Raising those plants from then on was work to me.


That may be the best picture of my personality, however, with age I have been more patient with the watering, feeding, pruning of plants and people.  Even in my career I knew I was less of a maintainer than an initiator; a pioneer rather than a manufacturer.  And yet I find myself continuing to cultivate the relationships that are meaningful over years and decades.

When I write, I ask God what I should write and where I should go with it.  I rarely have a plan of my own, but He is faithful to show up with the thought for the moment. He understands that throughout generations, man has been dependent on plants for food; even though we may get our food at the grocery store, those plants still are grown and produce a crop from which we eat.


He had Isaiah pen these words:
"For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations."  Isaiah 61:11 NIV

As creator of not only the world we live in, but also Another Kingdom, the Sovereign LORD causes all nature to sing and cry out praise of His magnificence.  Unfortunately, some people worship creation and the things in it rather than worshiping the Creator.  They have somewhat effectively denied in their minds that there is a God of Creation because they don't want to be subject to Him.  (That is until they are hit with disaster and pray to God for help.)  

I have seen those hypocrites and that reminds me I recently read an article about the Paris Underground that talks of the cataphiles, who venture to the catacombs to escape the surface.  There in the depths below Paris, there are no rules (except to be down there is illegal if caught), no expectations, no work; so drugs, parties, "freedom" exists in the tunnels of sewage, human remains, rats, graffiti painted walls and discarded needles.  Here is just one article you can dial into complete with great pictures:  http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/02/paris-underground/shea-text

"At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant. But man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last and is no more."  Job 14:7-10 NIV

I have watched my share of trees being cut down only to see it sprout again and seeds die only to sprout; and plants wither away only to be refreshed by water and the roots sprout again.  Job, one of the earliest authors in the Book (the Bible), understood this about plants, and about mortal man, himself included.  We humans are still only created beings with our very breath a gift for God, Who Created man to begin with.  We exist at His pleasure. We only live once on this earth and where our soul spends the rest of eternity awaits our decision.

Able to lift my hands

A decade ago I woke up one morning, after having a significant back problem, with the loss of nerves in my right foot.  The nerve(s) that would pull my toes up was dead or dying and others caused weakness in my foot.  Through surgery and therapy and my own personal will, it never came back.  The loss caused a number of changes including sports; I loved to play racquetball and it was over.  After trying several times, the rolled ankles, trips, crashing into the wall, made me re-think the future.


This morning, standing in church with my hands raised to the only living God, I realized how blessed I was to be able to do that.  The longer I sang, the more my heart was pulled heavenward and my arms began to ache, but they remained lifted and aching, as I even called for an angle to support them.


What struck me was the fact that I was able to lift hands and keep them lifted for a very long time; but what if you never used those muscles to lift your arms?  My mom will be 87 this year and she has difficulty moving her hand to her ear; the muscles just don't work any more.

provided by freefoto.com

King David, whose heart was God's, felt the need to lift up his hands when he wrote this:
"O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands . My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you." Psalm 63:1-5 NIV

Anyone who has every exercised knows the pain that comes the next few days when starting back into an activity; stretching, running, basketball, anything not done for a while, will cause pain when we start doing it. Read David's words again; at what ever place you find yourself in life on this planet, God still wants to have a relationship with you... with you.


David says:  "earnestly I seek you"; "my soul thirsts for you"; "my body longs for you", "in a dry and weary land where there is no water."  That is so where I find myself at times, in a desert land of life; hot and thirsty, wasting away.  


I raise my hands and arms up to the Lord who made everything and keeps everything held together, because I can and because I long for His embrace.  David's words are what I desire to express with major gratitude to the ONE who has given it all.  I do not regret the loss that I experience in this life, but enjoy what is around me and that which I see; for I am a man rich by what my heavenly Father is.

The missing ingredient

I dream of the day that I might visit places like Darjeeling and look at the Himalayas in the background.  A friend of mine was there last year and I requested he bring back some tea and that he did.  I have been enjoying it since, but yesterday I added something to it that took it to a whole new level.  

I ordered a large quantity of dried osmanthus blossoms from Malaysia and blended just the right amount with the the delicate tea; the result is a fragrant, light, tea that, with a small amount of sweetener, takes me to the mental vistas of the Himalayas.

The beauty of these majestic mountains is breathtaking from the photos I've seen, but this place like others has its normality, its everyday life that is often less attractive and can be breathtaking in the opposite way.  Tea can be like that, taste differing greatly from the smell or appearance; life can be as well.

Our dress, our car(s), our home(s), our grooming, can make our outward appearance possibly 'breathtaking', but down under, our life may be more like the ghetto than Park Avenue.  Day in and day out, we work hard to live a lie; the chasm being what is verses what we want people to believe or think of us.  We mortgage our life away buying cars, homes, boats, etc. so our appearance and pleasure is taken care of while we struggle behind the doors to pay what is on credit which requires us to then place our dependence on our employment. 


We have seen the devastation in our country with loss of value in homes, loss of jobs, and loss of position.  I don't wish this on anyone and for those that were living within their means it is like being hit by a hurricane that you have no control over.  For others, their houses and lives were built on sand.

Jesus gave a sermon on a hill or mount overlooking the Sea of Galilee that taught the world many things, but as He closed his talk He ended this way:  ""Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand . The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.""  Matthew 7:24-27 NIV

In this passage of Matthew's gospel, chapters 5-7, a life that is full, honest, and valuable is taught.  Like any lesson, it sometimes means we will fail when attempting the first time and as for our life lessons, we will most certainly fail without supernatural help to overcome the nature that we have been cursed with as human ("to err is human...")

The tea was good before and with the blossoms, it is great; the mountains in the background makes a nice place magnificent.  A life lived may appear good, but a life redeemed by the God of the universe through Christ is the most beautiful transformed thing of beauty that you will ever experience.

What does that mean?

If you have not noticed, I do love to cook and eat.  But terminology has changed in recipes over the years to the point that if we did what we thought the measurement, tool or ingredient was, we would be disappointed in the outcome. So if you were to use an iron dish cloth, a fist brush, or the electro lolicon would you understand?  How about if I told you to dredge the salmon; blanch the peaches or use an old ham.  How about this, 'put it in a hot oven'?  Do words mean anything anymore?  

Prague Food

There was a time that a gentleman meant that the man owned extensive land and did not need to work (for wages) other than the management of his own property or he was of noble birth.  Today, most men are not sure about how to be a gentleman even though it has changed dropping the property owning or nobility and now refers to conduct of behaving properly and with respect.


A few years ago, my son and I were talking about where the term "Christianity" has gone wrong.  Wikipedia states, "The majority of Americans (78.5%) identify themselves as Christians."  My son, with his mathematical mind looked at me and said, "Dad, Christianity is the default; people think they are not Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, atheist, etc, so they must be Christian."  I had never though of it that way, but I so agree with him.  The whole definition of "being a Christian" has been tainted, reduced to a common label.  In Rome under Nero, to be known as a Christian was to be tarred and used as torches or used in the arena for sport against wild beasts.  Today, many expect them to be right-winged Republicans, conservatives, Tea-party members.


Is it too late to reverse the damage/change to the meaning of the term?  'Back in the day' a Christian was one who followed the teaching and modeling of Jesus Christ and lived out their complete and undivided life surrendered to Him every day of the week.  We are talking about being subjects of the King; of knowing the Creator of the universe; of being a child of God and understanding that our sinful life is dead and we need to focus on the goal of finishing well.

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and  being made in the likeness of men.  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:5-11 NASU
 
These days, so many people call themselves Christians and yet go on living a life of this world; i.e., they don't change from who/what they were into new creations through Christ's redeeming power.  So what America ends up with is a diluted understanding of what a "Christian" is.  What the rest of the world sees is politics, wars, deception, dishonesty, and immorality.  

When President Obama delivered a speech, June 28, 2006, it was slightly different than his prepared speech,  "Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation – at least, not just. We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers."

 As unfortunate as it is to hear our leader say it, I believe he is accurate.  However, no amount of changing our textbooks to say differently, the United States was a government that was based on and ran with Christian ethics, values and belief; from the top down and bottom up.


Here are a few questions:
1) Are you ready to die rather than recant your faith in Christ?  Think Columbine...
2) If Heaven were not part of the package, would you still be a Christian?  What's in it for me...
3) Do you think the Christian life is a one time event or a daily walk in the footsteps of Jesus; doing all that He commanded and commands today?  Instant gratification or a life of challenge...
4) If believing in Christ meant that you must give up everything (family, friends, possessions) would you still do it?  What is it worth to you....


Actions (our very lives) have changed this wonderful word, Christian, to be less than it started out to be.  For me, call me a follower of Christ, a disciple of Christ, a person of the Book, but only call me a Christian if it refers to the original meaning of the word. (and how will people know what you mean?)

Never Go Hungry

Few of us in America go hungry for long, but in the world we must realize that hunger is common and yet with the amount of food produced world-wide, hunger is unnecessary.  If you have been reading the last few blogs you will know that I have been in process with making sourdough bread.  Last night we ate the bread of my labor and it was goooooood. 

Hunger is not new to the world; most people have heard of Jesus, by miracle, feeding the 5000 from five loaves of bread in Matthew 14:21, a crowd of people who gathered to hear Jesus teach.  In another area we see Jesus addressing their hunger, but He was speaking of their spiritual emptiness.

"Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life . He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."  John 6:35


As it is today, many did not understand the fullness that Jesus was talking about when He said this.  These are the people who see only things of this world rather than the Kingdom of God that is all around them.  Picture right now what it would be like to sit down with the Creator of the Universe to warm bread and wine and have Him speak into your life.

Look how many times Jesus uses "bread" in this passage: 
"I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread , he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."" John 6:48-51


The next time you have a sandwich, burger, toast, bread or for that matter anything else to eat, think about the Kingdom of Heaven and the offer that Jesus gives out to everyone.  Though He has a gift prepared for each person on the face of the planet; some have not heard yet; some have heard and not accepted; others take the Bread of life and shall never go hungry.

Hands of the Baker

It has been an interesting process of concentrating the yeast/bacteria in the sourdough starter.  Throwing out 75% of the sponge and adding more flour and water every four hours or so was fun and challenging.  At one point, my wife watched Pet (the name of the starter) for a day and was really worried that she had killed it.  But, it rebounded and it finished well.  

Today, is bread making day.  There were many life pictures of this process:  "death before we can rise", "emptied before we can be filled up", "punched down to rise again".  I think because food, and bread specifically, is so central to our earthly existance that it has fueled thoughts of the process.  The 'Good News' reminds me that, "Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matt 4:4, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3.


Now that I've finished multiplying the yeast/bacteria, the starter is in a jar in the refrigerator waiting for the next recipe.  It is such a picture of people sitting in pews, dormant, but waiting to be warmed by the Son and called into action.  The pans are ready for the dough and finish the rise.  Soon the smell of fresh baked bread will fill the house.  

Now, the dough is in the hands of the baker.  I'll choose two different pans, one loaf, one round; fresh San Francisco sourdough.  God does not call us to all be the same; we are to be as the baker see it; as the need is, so the bread is made.  I can use it for pancakes, muffins, baggette, rounds, loafs, ......  God uses postmen, plumbers, pastors, doctors, ditch-diggers, door-persons; pick a position and God can use those that are dough, clay, or whatever substance to make us into and for specific uses.


God so desires to go through a similar process with us.  To pour us out and concentrate Himself in us; He kneads us, pushing us with His own hands until the dough is just right.  He loves us so much that He punches us down when we get puffed up with His intent that we would rise again toward a perfected or finished product.


In the hands of the chief Baker, we are perfected and can be used to feed the world.  Jesus do so much with bread in feeding thousands and thousands from small beginnings.  I praise God that I am in His hands and not left in my own.

Pet comes to our home

We have a new pet in our home; we call it Pet.  One of the interests that our whole family has is cooking; much of it because we love the taste of good food.  Pet is a fledgling sourdough starter.  Pet was resurrected from a small amount of crumbs in an envelope that has slowly started to grow and grow and grow, faster and faster and faster with each feeding.  Pet eats a cup of flour and a cup of water every four hours or so.  Some of the saddest moments are that with each feeding, I have to pour most of Pet down the drain and save only a 1/2 cup (which concentrates the bacteria).  The interesting thing with this resurrection of Pet is it takes 72 hours... 3 days.


Jesus was recorded saying:

"He [Jesus] told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.""  Matt 13:33 [bracket mine]

Sourdough Starter, AKA, Pet

Pet is really like this, it not only works through the flour, but soon through the dough.  Today, we had pancakes from some of the starter that was to be thrown away.  It was good and sour and the smell filled the house of the yeast/bread fragrance, so much so that it stimulated memories of 30 years ago of growing up in the Ukraine for a friend who came to the house.  Smells often times bring back strong associated memories. 


Jesus was comparing the kingdom of heaven and yeast and again I can testify that though it starts small, the yeast is a mighty worker.  No, Jesus isn't as ordinary as an Iron Chef, but He is the Creator of bacteria and everything else.  He knew that the people listening to Him understood yeast and His effort was to show that from a little start, the kingdom of heaven, like yeast, shall grow until all the earth has been influenced by it.  

Everyday, advertising pounds into our minds that we need something else to make us happy; a new car, a new phone, a faster computer, a better bike, whiter teeth...... I have to admit, it might make us happy for a moment but then we forget "it" and want something else.  Often times we like our idea of  "it"or our dream of what "it" should be or do; but "it" often fails to reach our expectation, whatever "it" is.  But with God, "it" will be exceeded way beyond our dreams or expectations, when "it" comes to Heaven.  It is a real place that God has been and continues to prepare for those that truly love Him. 


There are people that do not understand the kingdom of heaven because they are not part of it; as with making sourdough starter, you do not want to add anything that isn't suppose to be in there (flour and water).  The kingdom of heaven is the same, don't try and make it what YOU think it should be or how you become part of it..  


So, to close, we might like OUR IDEA of being some one else or buying some object, but the reality is "it" never stacks up to reality, we are almost always disappointed.  We might like OUR IDEA of what the path looks like to enter the kingdom of heaven, but the reality is Jesus Christ made it really clear. 
"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth , and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me".  John 14:6

In a couple of days, Pet will be officially ready to use.  I'll put a little into the bread ingredients and let it rise, punch it down, put it in a pan and let it rise again, then to the oven for the last rise or spring.  When finished, I'll know that the path to make our own San Francisco Sourdough Bread was long and rewarding.  Just follow the directions.

Good Fish - Bad Fish

Once again we come to a new year, 1/1/11; to that end everyone, Happy and Blessed New Year.  I am fond of fish for dinner and even a lunch, and as we traveled we saw some very inventive ways of fishing.  We like to catch fish and eat what we catch; but not all fish, some are "bad fish" and we throw them out.  This year we tried several fish; of note the Elephant Ear Fish of Vietnam and the Squirrel Fish of China. 

Squirrel fish chosen for dinner in Beijing

Our fish prepared

Elephant Ear Fish for our salad rolls in MeKong Delta

Fishing is a very patient sport, one that I often times don't have the patience for.  But as we have seen, net fishing, as with poles, catches both good and bad fish.  At times, the net is so full it may break.  In the final metaphor of the passage that I have been quoting the last few days I'm sure it really hit home with His disciples who many were fisherman on the Sea of Galilee.

""Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked." Matt 13:47-51

The parable is very pointed and clear that there will be a "sifting" of those that go to heaven.  Andy Stanley wrote a excellent book since nobody's perfect How Good Is Good Enough?  Even though there are those that want to be inclusive in the world and make sure that nobody's feelings are hurt so there must be multiple ways to get to Heaven; Stanley spells out how good you need to be.  

So the next time you are at the market to get some fish or setting out to wet a worm at your favorite river, lake, or ocean, think about Jesus' sorting process of the "good" and "bad" fish and make sure that you and everyone you know is prepared when the time comes.