Want To Go To Heaven? Watch The Hallmark Channel!

I was in lock down mode a couple of Saturdays ago while getting ready for Sunday’s responsibilities and the Hallmark channel was on in the background. The shows that cycled through as I sat there were the ones I had grown up with. A couple of them were in black and white and others were in color but not the quality color we experience today. The effects and acting were not as professional as we expect in our entertainment today and the story lines were pretty predictable. BUT, the values presented in the storylines were righteous. I don’t mean to over state but as I watched I had a sick feeling and I wondered where will children hear these values today? I had two of the greatest parents any kid has ever had and they both were wonderful examples of these same values. But I was also surrounded with a culture that was in the most part, supportive of those righteous values. Not only entertainment but also schools, neighborhood, political values, etc. were supportive and rarely hostile to the values of righteousness. When you compare that to our current conditions the contrast is stark. 

Christian parents and churches will continue to teach these values but the world in which we live will not provide much reinforcement. That’s bad enough but the cultural environment in which we live is often hostile to these same righteous values. 

It has always taken an investment of serious resources and energy to help children grow up to be people of righteous values and integrity. It will take much more today as we work to do the same with the limited reinforcement society and culture provide.

…what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives…
2 Peter 3:11

It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions,
and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age
Titus 2:12

What about it?

2011 New Years Resolutions:
        #1. Read through the bible!
        #2. Watch 12 hours of the Hallmark channel every week!

Couldn’t hurt!

ARE YOU ENVIOUS BECAUSE I AM GENEROUS?

What a question for Jesus to ask, “…are you envious because I am generous?” If you’ll bear with me for a few too many words I’ll share some thoughts which got my attention when I read the discussion that led up to this question.

First, let’s go to where the story telling begins (Matthew 19:13-15).

People are bringing children to Jesus so he can touch and pray for them. He rebuts the disciple’s irritation with the children’s interruption when He says, “the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” So Jesus sets the standard to entering the kingdom; the kingdom of heaven belongs to children of all ages.

The next discussion is prompted by a question Jesus received from a rich man (Matthew 19:16-22). “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

Jesus’ first response to this man’s question sets things in place for the possibility of a huge “aha moment” which the man misses completely! Jesus asks, “Why do you ask me about what is good? …there is only One who is good.” The standard for “good” is God and the only one who is good is God. “Now for you if you want to enter life, obey the commandments. But, you still will not be good. Only God is good. Here’s what God calls you to do, simply surrender your will to His and keep the commands of God and you’ll be saved.” But, don’t misunderstand; keeping the commands will not make you good. Even if you do good things, you are not going to be good and thereby heaven bound. Only God is good.

The man’s response reveals that he’s still not getting the point being made by Jesus. “All these I have kept… What do I still lack?” Jesus’ response seems to say, “Ok, if you want to play the going to heaven game that way, I’ll play it with you, “…go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” “So, if you want to play the game of being good and doing good gives you eternal life then let’s really go for it, sell everything and give it to the poor (Now that’s a GOOD thing!) and follow me.”

The man’s reaction reveals that he can’t handle the being good and doing good gives you eternal life thing after all. “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” Rather than getting the point, he holds on to the be good and do good and I’ll go to heaven way of getting eternal life and the result was and is always the same, he went away defeated and discouraged. Obviously, the point is not that, no one can be saved nor is the point that Christians are not to bother with obeying the commands. Jesus goes on to describe the rich man’s dilemma with the camel through the needle, illustrating the reality for a rich man (or anyone else for that matter) attempting the being good and doing good leads to eternal life way to heaven. .

The disciples who are listening to this and watching it unfold are shocked into a question of their own for Christ (Matthew 19:25-30).

“Who then can be saved?” “If this man who had obeyed God all of his life had to sell everything he had and give it to the poor in order to have eternal life then who will ever go to heaven?”  NO BODY! That is nobody who is depending on the, be good and do good and I’ll go to heaven way of eternal life, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Salvation is only possible with God!

That leads Peter to want to know where he stands. He (and the others) had left everything and followed Jesus (unlike the rich man who tucked tale and ran) so he now wants to know what he can expect from all of the sacrifice he’s made? Jesus is willing to answer him, “In your eternal future there awaits each of you a throne and a position of judging the twelve tribes of Israel. AND EVERYONE “…who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” Jesus tells the apostles and everyone else who has made these sacrifices that it will be well worth the effort because of the inheritance of “eternal life”. Jesus doesn’t ignore our obedience and sacrifice. In fact he rewards our efforts, as feeble and inadequate as they are but remember only God is good.

Then Jesus ties a bow around things with a statement and the parable that follows (Matthew 19:30-20:16).

“But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”

That statement introduces a story with a profound lesson attached.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard.“

The landowner in the parable went early in the morning and hired workers offering to pay them a denarius to work all day. He went back later in the day and hired more workers. He went back even later in the day and hired more workers. He went back even later in the day and hired even more workers. Then he went out even later in the day and hired more workers. When the day was over the landowner paid each of them a denarius.

Those who had worked longer and harder expected to be paid more so they grumbled against the land owner. “These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.”

The landowner’s response illustrates the folly of all attempts to gain control of the way to eternal life. “Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?”

Jesus saves those He wants to save because He wants to and chooses to. Childlike faith and obedience is our effort to please and praise God for all the right reasons and salvation is the result of God’s loving mercy, given fairly and generously.

PASSING THE TORCH

(Thanks John Dobbs for the encouragement to think of the preachers who have been a part of my life and the contributions they’ve made. There are many people who pour a little of themselves into everyone’s life so it just doesn’t seem right to start with the preachers so allow me to make a list of just a few of the “un-preachers” who quickly come to mind: Dad, Mom, Mrs. Mc, Mrs. Eva, Brother Paul, Norman, Norma Kay, Brother Roy and Brother Don. Thanks I feel better now).

Growing up I knew only one preacher week after week. Glendle Slate with his mild manner stood up and did what preachers do. Our family loved the Slates and we spent a lot of personal time with them (It didn’t hurt that Brother Slate and my Dad shared the same birth date).

Brother Slate was one of the least assuming men I have known. His preaching style was mild mannered and calm. I remember on our way home from church one Sunday morning my mom saying, “I just wish he would hit the pulpit with his bible or something every once in a while.” He had two obvious passions; evangelism and challenging young men to become preachers. I’m not sure how many preachers came from the Greenbrier Church of Christ during the time of his influence but I can quickly recall five. His habit of visitation every Sunday afternoon was his routine. I remember clearly the Sunday he came up to this 15 or 16 year old boy and asked, “Will you help me visit a few people this afternoon?” I’m not sure I was much help but this man opened my mind to consider the greatest calling for life.

From there I was steered toward preaching by my brother Lee who was preaching at the time. He had attended the Sunset Mission Forum and when he came home he told me, “You ought to go to Sunset and become a preacher.” Well, I was newly married and not real happy with my job so I said. “Why not?” Soon thereafter Vicki and I were on our way to Lubbock in our bright orange VW beetle (Named George. Not sure why we name our cars.), pulling a U-Haul trailer with everything we owned inside. Before we got to Memphis I met a very nice Tennessee State Trooper up close as he came up behind me with lights flashing and siren blaring. If you have ever tried to pull a U-Haul trailer with a VW beetle you know that you can’t go very fast UNLESS, you get real close to a passing 18 wheeler and draft behind them. You can go as fast as they go if you get close enough. Well, the trooper wasn’t impressed with my need for speed but had more interest in keeping me from being squished under the back of a semi so he gave me a little reminder (ticket).

Truth is there was no obvious divine calling or spiritual longing that led me to preach. I had a job I didn’t like and well, this looked like as good of an option as any so off we go. Well, we arrived and settled in and started school. HELP! Overwhelmed is not a big enough word so just multiply it by a few hundred or so. This less than greatly motivated young church boy from Tennessee was wondering what he had done! The load was huge, the environment was amazing and the challenge was to get busy and grow up! Surrounded by soon to be heroes, only one of which I had ever met and that was a strange Irishman named Jim McGuiggan who told me to come on down during a visit to Middle Tennessee a few months earlier. Lubbock, affectionately known as “the armpit of the US” was not quite like home and everyone wore funny hats and weird pointy boots (To church mind you!). The next three years were truly “the best of times and the worst of times.” That is what growth and challenge did to this 20 year old boy. This is when I learned to love and hate the most important men in my adult life. Their challenges were over the top and their love was absolute and complete. The load they brought was unbearable while the impact was priceless!

Richard Rogers brought the verses by verse study of scripture alive. Overwhelmed by the volume but so amazed at the crumbs I was able to pick up as he enthusiastically brought the text alive.

Ted Kell with that envious deep, clear base voice spoke of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in such a way that I knew I had to understand the heart of this text if I was ever going to comprehend “the rest of the story.”

Jim McGuiggan with fire in his words as he taught the prophets brought them alive. Alive, with grace and the longing of God for his people to understand Him and know the love he had for them and the good he was trying to do for them but they “were not willing.”

There was a moment when a lot of things changed for me. I was neck deep in classes and assignments on the books of Romans (taught by Ian Farr) and 1, 2, 3 John (taught by Gerald Paden) and they all collided in my head and left me with a broken heart. I remember crying but not out of the frustration that had motivated the tears of earlier days at Sunset. This time I cried out of relief. I had learned from a lot of going to church as a kid and as a young preaching student that I would never be very good at being a Christian. There was too much to do and I simply could not be good enough to be what I had to be. But, this was different. Not only had I finally learned how to define grace I had learned how to experience grace! The day changed me and the days to come continued to enlighten my relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Still with much to learn about His grace I still feel like crying from relief.

I owe so many more (Parker Henderson, Howard Winters, Dale Larsen, etc. etc. etc.) yet they have all taught me that the one I really owe is the one they taught me to love, Jesus!

That reminds me of a song I learned from Mrs. Eva and Mrs. Mc back in Bible class at the Greenbrier Church of Christ, “Jesus loves me this I know…”

Thank You All!

A NEW HOMILETIC FOR 2010

In an attempt to be more successful communicating and establishing the primary motivation for everything spiritual I have decided to work  with a homiletic that is specifically focused. This approach will enable us to be flexible in studying anything deemed important for the overall needs of our church family while emphasizing the greatest reason for studying and acting on these spiritual principles = LOVE OF GOD AND LOVE OF NEIGHBOR!

Approach In Brief:

LEARN:

Consider the things we as a church need to study/learn/know etc. and use our sermons and classes to communicate these things.

LOVE:

Then filter everything we learn through Loving God and/or Loving Neighbor. In every lesson/class we will ask and address questions like: How is this an expression of our love for God? How is this an expression of our love for others? How is this an expression of God’s love for us? How is this an expression of God’s love for others (saved, lost, struggling, weak, etc.)?  The primary purpose is to spend the year highlighting the motive/motivation of love in everything spiritual from God’s perspective and from ours.

LIVE:

Then apply these principles by discussing specific actions, life activities, practices, efforts, disciplines, decisions, etc. that manifest this same love motive in what we have learned.

 

I want the church family to participate with me. Lesson plans and PowerPoints will show these three elements in every sermon and class. We will work on using this same pattern in day-to-day life plans, decisions, etc. Together we will attempt to create a new and/or reinforce an existing paradigm that, SPIRITUAL LIFE IS A LIFE OF RECEIVED AND EXPRESSED LOVE FROM BEGINNING TO END!

“UNCOMMON” Is Way Too Uncommon

I finished Tony Dungy’s book, “Uncommon” last night. Since we lived in Tampa during the years Tony coached the Buccaneers I have been interested in him as a Bucs fan and also as a Christian.

First, as a fan I think the Glazer Family was “NUTS!” when they fired Tony Dungy and brought in Jon Gruden! Absolutely “NUTS!” I am one who believes that Super Bowl XXXVII was Dungy’s first Super Bowl win.

Second, as a Christian I recall my disappointment in the change in sideline antics. Every time the cameras showed Gruden throwing the “F” bomb I cringed. What an opportunity missed for children to see how a man of God deals with anger and disappointment without resorting to such juvenile and inappropriate actions!

Now The Book:

The book presents thirty-one chapters of the stuff God created the family to communicate, things that a dad and mom say and show as they live with their children in the everyday conversations and experiences of life. I thought over and over as I read, “This is a good book for every young person to read as they grow up.”

At the same time I felt a kind of sick feeling because we need this kind of book as badly as we do. This book is a discussion of one character trait after another, traits that are a part of a life of integrity and spiritual values.

I would encourage you moms and dads to read the book. You may be reminded as I was of how much the incessant droning of the world has dulled your awareness of the simple things a life of integrity is made of.

Jimmy, Tina, Eric, Stacy, Dannon and Ashley you can expect a copy of this book to be delivered to you in the next few days.

Love You!
Dad 

WHY NOT ANOTHER LEVITICUS

(Post 3 of 3)
“Is there something to be learned by Your choice to communicate Your new covenant in narrative, poetry, prophesy and epistle? Why not a list? Why not another Leviticus?”

Law is still doing its thing but through Christ…

• You have supplied an answer for our breaking of it.
• You have liberated us from its consequences.
• You have freed us from the law of sin and death.
• You have made us righteous in spite of our unrighteousness.
• Sin no longer separates the believer from You.
• The blood of the cross is perpetually cleansing us when we sin.
• Your judgment is turned away by His atoning sacrifice.

As we lovingly serve You our desire is to grow in our knowledge of You and what You want us to be and do. Our sincere yet incomplete efforts and knowledge are offered as a statement of our love for You but these efforts will always be imperfect and in need of growth. That’s the point! We will never be judged righteous by obedience! We will only be made righteous through the blood of Christ.

We were not able to keep the old covenant list and we couldn’t keep a new covenant list if we had one so why create another delineated list, a New Testament Leviticus, for us to disobey?

Instead You’ve given us narrative, poetry, prophesy and epistle containing Your will for us.

• You look for us to show our love for You and others as a result of knowing gospel’s story.
• You observe our motives more than our grasp of Your law of liberty.
• You patiently observe our sincere yet imperfect efforts through the sacrifice of Christ.
• You watch our hearts for the things that matter while we respond to you in love.
• You tell us to strive for perfection while also telling us to trust Jesus in our imperfections
• You tell us not to live in sin while forgiving the sin we commit
• You give us law to obey and examples to follow within the narrative while emphasizing that Jesus is the liberator of the disobedient.
• You tell us that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God while reminding us that God is love and perfect love cast out fear.

Our effort to obey Your will is not in vain, it’s simply and absolutely inadequate as a means of creating righteous.

As You have explained, You remain true to Your nature of righteousness and justice while at the same time being merciful to us through the atoning death of Christ.

²¹But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²²This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Rom 3:21-26

In Christ, the believer experiences a righteousness of God apart form law.
In Christ, the believer experiences a righteousness of God through faith in Him.
In Christ, the believer is freely justified by God’s grace.
In Christ, the believer is justified through the redemption that came by Him.
In Christ, the believer is justified by the atoning sacrifice of Christ through faith in His blood.
In Christ, God is just because of the atoning sacrifice of His blood.
In Christ, God is the justifier because of the atoning sacrifice of His blood

Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

The law of liberty is a unique law:

• Our breaking of it has been assumed and its judgments have been paid for those who believe in Christ.
• The law of liberty is law whose penalty has been paid
• The law of liberty is imperfectly obeyed while trusting the perfection of Christ
• Our attempts to obey the law of liberty are the expression of hearts of gratitude and love for what You have done in Your story.

I think there is something to be learned by Your choice to communicate Your new covenant in narrative, poetry, prophesy and epistle? Why not a list? Why not another Leviticus?”

Jesus is the star of the new covenant story, not us!

• In the new covenant the work of Jesus trumps our work
• In the new covenant, through Christ liberty trumps law
• In the new covenant, through Christ grace trumps guilt
• In the new covenant, through Christ love trumps imperfection

 ¹⁹ For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Gal 2:19-2

²³ Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. ²⁴ So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Gal 3:23-25

WHY NOT ANOTHER LEVITICUS?

(Post 2 of 3)
Is there something to be learned by Your choice to communicate Your new covenant in narrative, poetry, prophesy and epistle? Why not a list? Why not another Leviticus?

In the old covenant it appears that You’ve told “Law’s Story”. You’ve described life with a Leviticus or a list. The moral of that story is that “it doesn’t work because man will always disobey.” As I watch the rest of the story unfold in the new covenant it’s “Liberty’s Story” You tell. The moral of this story seems to be that “Christ makes it work.”

 Lord, that brings me to what I think is an anchoring point for the answer to the question I’ve asked. It’s something Jesus said in what we call the Sermon on the Mount:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
                                                                                              Matthew 5:17-20 

 So, Jesus didn’t come to destroy the list. In fact I’ve found nothing that leads me to the conclusion that You are adverse to law, or commands in any way. In fact the opposite is true. For example here is a list of things You said when you were here:

• Break least command = least in the kingdom (Matthew 5:19)
• Teach someone to break least command = least in the kingdom (Matthew 5:19)
• We are not to break Your command for the sake of our created tradition (Matthew 15:3ff; Mark 7:6ff)
• A person who wants to enter life is told to obey the commandments (Matthew 19:17ff; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20ff)
• The greatest commandments are the commands to totally love God and love neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36ff; Mark 12:28ff)
• The apostles were given a charge to teach others to obey the commands they had been commanded to obey (Matthew 28:20)
• Jesus obeyed the commands from His Father (John 1:31)
• Jesus spoke the commands of His Father which lead to eternal life (John 12:9-50)
• The charge of Jesus to love one another as He has love us is called a command (John 13:34; 15:12, 17)
• If you love Jesus you obey His commands (John 14:15-21)
• We obey Jesus’ commands and remain in His Love (John 15:10)
• Jesus obeys His Father’s commands and remain in His love (John 15:10)
• We are Jesus’ friend if we do what He commands (John 15:14)
• And much more of the same as the story of the church is told.

 In this I see that You have not abolished all commands to be obeyed and laws to be followed. So, why not a list so I can be sure not to miss or misunderstand anything.

 Lord, I’m thinking the answer might be found in the timing? From Christ’s death until now we’ve lived in a time where “Law’s Impact” on the believer has changed. When we hear the story of Your Son and what You sent Him here to do we hear about “Law’s Power To Condemn Us” being destroyed. In essence it appears that You sent Christ here to make law impotent in the life of those who love You.

 In Christ You have set the believer free of the only power law possesses:

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set
me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:1ff

 In Christ, the believer doesn’t die when he disobeys Your law or when he sins!

 Lord, I need to think about that a little more but I think I’m getting closer to an answer!

 (to be continued)

WHY NOT ANOTHER LEVITICUS?

(Post 1 of 3)
Lord, what am I to learn from Your choice to communicate Your new covenant in narrative, poetry, prophesy and epistle? Why not another Leviticus?

What do you have in mind? The new covenant arrangement You’ve set for mankind is obviously a profound and significant arrangement. Its importance is seen in its having been ushered in by the death of Your Son. It obviously must not be taken lightly. It offers to us the highly coveted relationship with You now as well as throughout all eternity. Therefore, there’s a lot riding on our understanding this covenant.

 So I look through your word for the specifics, details; a list if you will. Well, I must say that what I find hasn’t satisfied that search. Instead, what I find is a beautiful story of Your Son having come from heaven to be born of a young virgin. Then, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, He spends three years traveling, training, loving, forgiving, healing, amazing and teaching the masses that gather and especially the twelve. Everyone seems to have some real challenges understanding some of the things He says. This part of the story concludes with Your Son’s death burial and resurrection. The story continues with some amazing accounts of the efforts of the 12 and the dynamic new group of believers who explode onto the scene. Your work through them results in a movement of thousands of believers in Christ who are willing to die if necessary for that belief. But, there is still no list to be found. As I continue, I read the letters written to individuals and congregations where specific issues are discussed by your emissaries. These are letters which communicate some specifics along with a few lists of dos and don’ts but nothing close to a comprehensive list. Then there is the book of Revelation which presents a prophetic picture of the followers of Christ being victorious even though they experience the severest persecution. I must admit I find it a “little” overwhelming trying to get my mind around all of the imagery of this revelation. There is still no list.

I’m not finding what I’m really looking for so…

• What happens if I read the Bible and miss something?
• What if I don’t know the Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek well enough?
• What if the local customs of the first century confuse me?
• What if I add the passage from here to a passage over there and then bring them together with another passage over here and they add up to error?
• What if my major premise plus my minor premise add up to a false conclusion?
• What if I enter my Bible study with a false premise I’m unaware of?
• What if I’ve been taught by imperfect people who have come to some incorrect conclusions?
• What happens if I trip as I travel from the first century to the 21st with the most important message ever delivered?
• What happens if my clumsy, yet diligent, sincere search for the right leaves me unprepared for the most profound of consequences?

Is there something to be learned by Your choice to communicate Your new covenant in narrative, poetry, prophesy and epistle? Why not a list?

 (…to be continued)

The Son Came Out Today

The sun came out again today, still as bright as ever and still revealing the beautiful and hideous. All day there is the illumination of the awe inspiring splendor of nature as well as the disappointing results of decay. As the sun shines we will also identify the safe places to walk and we will recognize the dangerous places to avoid.

 

Then the sun will set and we will know only what we have seen in the light by the impressions left in our memories. The beauty we recall still remains, only hidden from our view by the darkness and the same is true of the decay. The safe places to walk are also still at our feet but the walk in hazardous because we can no longer distinguish the safe from the dangerous. Oh how I need the sun!

 

The Son came out again today, still as bright as ever and still revealing the beautiful and hideous. All day there is the illumination of the awe inspiring splendor of God’s glory as well as the disappointing results of evil. As the Son shines we will also identify the safe places to walk and we will recognize the dangerous places to avoid.

 

If the Son sets we will know only what we have seen in His light by the impressions left in our memories. The beauty we recall still remains, only hidden from our view by the darkness and the same is true of the decay. The safe places to walk are also still at our feet but the walk is hazardous because we can no longer distinguish the safe from the dangerous. Oh how I need the Son!

 

THE SWEET “PLANT LADY”

I’m currently in that quandary that occurs every year at this time. I’m envious of my neighbor’s lawns. When I see their newly planted trees reaching up to the sky all green and full I’m inspired to give it the ole college try, again. I love their colorful annuals and I really like the manicured lawns edged with tweezers and scissors and lined with red mulch as though everything had been set off with a redwood frame. It’s beautiful!

I want a yard like theirs! That brings me to the “Plant Lady.” She is a wonderful lady who has one of those yards I lust for. She is doing her annual cleaning out, adding new and trimming up which leaves her with extra plants she, “hates to throw away;” banana trees, iris plants, and some other things with big green leaves. So I fill the back of my SUV with her generosity and then off to Lowes I go. I buy top soil, “red” mulch and believe it or not I bought 300 pounds of cow poop. That’s right cow poop! Actually, this part was kind of fun. Guys, you know what I mean; isles and isles of saws, shovels, mowers, grills….( I’ve got to stop, I’m getting dizzy.) Now I have everything I’m going to need for the job. I don’t even mind unloading the hundreds of pounds of bagged stuff I’ve bought.

 But, this soon turns into work! It’s at this point that I feel the pains of “Spring Remorse.” That feeling that asks the question, “What have you done stupid?” I realize that I’ve gone too far to turn back. I can’t tell the sweet “Plant Lady” that I want to give her plants back. I can’t tell my sweet wife that I am too much of a sissy to dig a couple of holes and plant a few “little ole” plants. And by this time I have more of my manhood invested than I’m willing to walk away from.

 Well, I’ve made some progress. I spent a half a day digging up grass to make a flowerbed in the back yard. Then, I literally drag my filthy, sweaty, exhausted body into a hot bathtub and collapse into the soothing waters. But while I am lying there I am hearing the voices in my head saying over and over again, “All of this work and you haven’t planted the first plant. What have you done? What have you done? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE??????” (Well, that’s a little over the top but I hope it helps for effect.)

 Did I mention that I have planted three trees since I moved here over three years ago and all of them have died? That’s right! Not only is this more work than I ever intended to get into but my guess is that it’s all going to burn up in the hot Mississippi sun. I guess I could quit and forget the whole thing but it just doesn’t seem right.

 Lord, have you ever experienced a “Spiritual Remorse.” Are there times when You consider the incredible amount of hard work and sacrifice You’ve invested in me and asked Yourself, “What have I done?” Do you ever recall the millions and millions of blessings, thousands and thousands of restarts, unlimited sacrifice, endless love, out pouring of your Spirit, disciplining me, challenging, lifting me, reproving me, forgiving, etc. etc. etc. and ask, “What have I done? What have I done? WHAT HAVE I DONE??????” Especially when you recall that I often allow the potential of all of this generosity and love to die within me from neglect.

 I’m hoping that this year the “Plant Lady’s” faith in me will not be disappointed. I’m really going to work hard and keep looking for some blooms and green leaves to show You (Lord) for YOUR generosity.  I’ll keep working on the soil.

 Wow, this gardening thing is a lot of hard work isn’t it!