If You're Happy and You Know IT

Do you remember the old children’s song with the line: “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands”? I’ve been thinking about it all week. Thinking about it, mind you. Not actually singing it out loud; at least not when someone was within earshot.



Wikipedia says there are several versions of this song, but I know the one that goes like this:


If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.


It’s that third line that’s been on my mind.


If you’re happy and you know it, then YOUR FACE WILL SURELY SHOW IT!


I think a great number of Christians should consider that line. After all that God has done, after all the ways that our lives are different than they would have been, after all the blessings that we have received,…


Someone needs to tell our face.


Smile!   :)


Smile, for crying out loud. Show some joy. We smile when our football team wins. We smile when someone puts a piece of apple pie ala mode in front of us. We smile when we get a raise at work. Shoot, I even smile when I get a new pair of socks. Maybe, perhaps, possibly, we should have a smile when we are praising our God for giving us new life.


Sometimes I look around at church during our worship times, and I wonder if folks are in pain.


Now, I don’t want to offend anyone. I know that different people show their joy in different ways. Just, the thing is, I’ve never known too many people that show joy with a drab expression, a scowl, or a frown.


If a stranger walked into our worship, would they know that we have the joy of our salvation in our hearts? Could they see it plastered on our faces?


Next Sunday, if this post has meant anything to you, then consider taking a moment and smile during your worship. Or, at least coddle me and give me a smile when you know I’m looking. If you see me with a goofy smile on my face, you’ll know that I’m just trying to live up to my own blog post.


Come on now! Show me those pearly whites!


Psalm 51:12 & 13—Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.



Psalm 100:1-3—Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.


I Thessalonians 5:16-18—Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Walkin' My Butt Off-Fitness Update Week Two

First, our "Tidbits of Americana."  Enjoy the photos.

I cross this creek on almost every walk.  I'll take "update" pictures from time to time to track the weather changes.

What would America be without red barns?

I might update this one too as the weather changes.

Do I look cold?

I've heard of Busch Beer, but...

This was a tougher week.  Besides the obvious cold weather, I had to travel for work for three days, and that played havoc on my walking.  On top of that, it is hard to eat right when you are on a business trip with a bunch of industrial sales guys.  Our first night in North Canton, Ohio, we ate dinner at the Fox and the Hound.  The only things on the menu that fit my eating plan were a large bowl of chili and a salad.  Sooooo, I ate a large bowl of chili and a salad while everyone else ate buffalo wings (I had three that they shared), and an assortment of other deep-fried delicacies.  Overall, I was okay with that.  I'm not really all that into fried stuff anymore.  The second night wasn't as tough.  We had better menu options, so I had piece of grilled scrod with some great vegetables.

Walking outside on the business trip wasn't very feasable either.  There was a great deal of snow on the ground, there weren't any available sidewalks, and the schedule was too busy.  As a result, I only walked two-tenths of a mile on the first (travel) day, and not at all on the next two days.

I got right back on it when I got home though.  Thursday: 1 mile.  Friday: 2.2 miles.  Today: 3.8 miles.

The 3.8 miles I walked today was the most I've walked since I tore my Achilles tendon over a year ago.  It still aches some here and there, but overall it's doing pretty well. 

Let me just say that I don't much enjoy walking in the cold.  I don't regret making the "no treadmill" rule, but I really don't enjoy the blowing north wind and the frozen cheeks.  Oh well, I guess it will make me a tougher guy...at least that's what I'm hoping for.

On to the stats for the week....keep in mind, it was a tough week for both food and walking:

Weight:  261.8 lbs

That is down, but not by much.  I lost less than a pound this week.  That said, I'm not discouraged.  After all, my real goal is the miles completed, and as long as I keep that in mind and keep working on it consistently, the rest will follow.  My goal this week is to walk every day, and get below 260.

Total miles completed overall: 25.1 
Percentage of goal completed: 1.25%
Miles left to be completed: 1985.9

Obviously, I still have a long way to go.  I will say this, I already feel better.  I feel healthier, and believe it or not, my clothes are already starting to feel more comfortable.  On top of that, I just feel better about myself.

Exercise is a good thing.

See you on the road.

Week One Fitness Update-Walkin' My Butt Off

I've established my personal motto for this fitness adventure this year: I am attempting to walk my butt off this year...literally.

As of this writing, here are the details of my performance so far:

Miles completed: 15.1 (12. 5 since my first day update.)  1995.9 to go.

Weight: 262.4 lbs (Down 7.6 lbs!!!!)

It has been stinkin' cold the last several days!  Today, it was 18 F with a windchill in the single digits.  I really considered not walking, but I haven't missed a day since the first of the year, and I didn't want to miss one today.  Consequently, I put on my coat, hat, and gloves, and went out into the partly sunny cold air.  It really wasn't that bad overall.  I had on my long underwear for extra insulation, and three layers over my upper body.  The only bad spot was my face, and especially my cheeks.  My face is all red from being in the cold this week.  I look like I either have a sunburn or a bad alcohol program.  My face has already seen more sun this January than it usually sees all winter.

It is pretty awesome to lose 7.6 pounds in the first week, but I really expected a large number the first week.  It usually works that way, and then I slow it down in the following weeks.  The discouraging thing is that losing that much only brought me down to my previous HIGH weight.  I've got a long way to go.  As I was walking, I was thinking about the weight thing, and I decided that I need to NOT think about how far I've got to go, but instead I'm going to set short-term goals.  My current short-term goal is to get under 260.  After that, I'll set my sights on 255.

Lastly, I'm contemplating some ways to make these reports more interesting as the year goes on.  One idea: photos of stuff I see along the road.  It would kind of be like 'pieces of Americana.'

Enough for now.  If you're working on your fitness too, keep going.  Don't let life get in the way, and keep going.

See you on the road.  

Do You Believe?

“Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised him from the dead on the third day?”


Do you?


I’ve heard this question asked hundreds, maybe thousands of times over the 34 ½ years that I’ve been a Christian. Usually, it was being asked of someone who was about to be baptized, as a means of publically confirming their faith. That makes sense, since it does encapsulate the basic tenets of Christianity.


I’ve never heard anyone answer this question by saying “no.”


I think if you walked into almost any Christianity-based church and asked the membership to answer that question, the overwhelming majority would quickly answer “yes!” After all, if you don’t believe the concepts contained in that question, why would you bother attending a Christian congregation at all? You might better spend your time at a movie, or working in the yard.


But, do we really think about what that question is asking? Have we really considered the ramifications? Let’s take a closer look. Here are the various factors of faith that the question is asking us to affirm:


1. Jesus is the Christ—He is the messiah. He is the anointed savior of the world.

2. Jesus is the Son of God—He is more than just an ordinary human citizen of the world, but rather He is a special offspring of the overriding Master, King, and Creator of all things.

3. Jesus IS the Son of God—It is not ‘WAS’ the Son of God, but rather He ‘IS’ the Son of God. He still is.

4. Jesus willingly placed himself in a position to die for YOU, and not just you, but all of humanity because He cared so much that He chose to sacrifice Himself.

5. Jesus DID die for you and me.

6. Jesus ROSE from the dead three days later.


The last one is the most amazing of all the concepts! Stop for a second and just consider it! As Christians, we commonly accept that Jesus was dead for three days, and then He came back to life! How simply far out and wild is that?!


Have you ever seen or heard any credible evidence of anyone else ever doing that in your lifetime or any other lifetime? Most of us have attended funerals or visitations at funeral homes. Has it ever occurred to you while you were standing around chatting with folks and the body is lying over there in the casket, that maybe he or she will just sit up and step out of the coffin?  Of course not.  It would be an obsurd thought.  If, however, that did happen, what do you think the reaction would be? What would be the reaction of the whole world if it could be documented as fact?


But, we believe that Jesus did it.


Or, do we?


It wouldn’t be too unusual if perhaps we doubted a bit. We would be in pretty good company. Consider the Apostle Thomas:


So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” John 20:25


One week later, he got his wish. Jesus told him to do exactly what he said it would take for him to believe.


Thomas’ reaction? “My Lord and my God!”


Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29


None of us have the luxury of having “seen,” and yet we claim to believe.


But, let me ask you these questions:


If you really believe, what DIFFERENCE is that belief making in how you are living your life?  How are you different than you would be otherwise?


The belief in that resurrection made all the difference in the world to those who first believed. Did you know that all but one of the twelve apostles were murdered for that faith, including Thomas? They gave up their very lives. How often do we fuss about sacrificing enough time to go to worship, or to bible class? “Oh, I want to sleep in.” “The service is too long!” With our human complaints, we disrespect the gift of mercy we have been given, and disregard the example of our forefathers in the faith.


Another time when the Apostles Peter and John had been arrested for sharing their faith in Jesus, they were ordered by the authorities of the time to “speak no longer to anyone in this name,” meaning Jesus. What was Peter and John’s reaction?


“Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:19


They couldn’t help it. They couldn’t contain it. It wasn’t socially acceptable. They were running opposed to popular culture. It didn’t matter because what they believed DROVE them to share it. There’s a common phrase today: “I don’t wear my faith on my sleeve.” Folks, the early Christians did. They couldn’t help it.


I look at myself and my fellow Christians, and I have to wonder if we really do believe in the power of God and in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If we did, would we not be so blown away by all that God has done that we would be scared to death of His power, overwhelmed by His love, and compelled by the faith spawned in us by His resurrection to share it with everyone that crossed our path?


I’m asking myself this question, so I’ll ask you too…


Do you really believe?

In the words of a distraught father speaking to Jesus:  "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"  Mark 9:24

Grand Canyon Rafting-2005

I thought I'd share with you about an adventure that my oldest daughter, Angela and I took in 2005.  We spent a week rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.  What an AWESOME trip!  I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the outdoors, and enjoys some physical challenge.  We joined an excursion led by Arizona Raft Adventures, or AZRA for short.  You can check out their website:  http://www.azraft.com/




Loading the boats at Lee's Ferry

 

These guys have this thing down to a science!  Hot breakfasts, hot dinners, fun side trips, and great stories and histories of the Canyon.  You won't go wrong by letting these folks be your guides.




This was the view from the ledge I slept on the first night.


We slept on the riverbank at night.  The first night, I was wondering what in the world I'd gotten myself into.  It was pouring down rain, and we were sleeping on a rock ledge under an overhang just feet from falling into the river!  In a couple of days, I was totally comfortable with sleeping under the stars, bathing in the river, and not having the slightest interest in shaving.




Lazy floating; followed by crazy rapids; followed by silly water horseplay.


We spent the mornings and afternoons moving down the river.  We'd stop at mid-day and have a cold-cut and fresh fruit lunch.  There were several rapids everyday, which always raised the excitement level.  It was kind of like climbing the big hill on a rollercoaster as the anticipation would build.




A cool view from one of the side hikes.


Side hikes were a daily occurance also.  The guides were very knowledgeable about cool sights that you couldn't see from the river.  This hike took us through a cool little forest and back into a spot where a waterfall dropped into a small pool.  I stayed dry, but Angela waded right in.




We hiked out!  Follow that little white line all the way down and you still can't see the starting point at the river.

  We took a half-canyon trip which meant that they let us off the boats in the middle of the canyon, and we had to hike out carrying all of our personal gear...about 40 lbs worth.  It was an all-day, 7-mile hike!  I had prepared, but not enough.  It was a tough, tough day, but well worth it.  I would do it again without a doubt.



Probably my favorite picture from the trip! 


The day after we hiked out, we had to make our way back to Flagstaff, Arizona.  This part of the trip I had not totally worked out.  First, we had planned to ride the Grand Canyon Railway back to Williams, Arizona.  This was a great first step.  It takes about an hour, and you get to experience a fun little train robbery on the way.  After the train ride came the problem...I wasn't sure how to get from Williams to Flagstaff.  There was another couple on the train ride that was going through Flagstaff and offered us a ride.  We took them up on it, but I must admit that I was a little bit nervous about it.  It worked out well though.  They dropped us at our hotel.

The next day, we attempted to fly home.  That was another adventure, but not nearly as much fun.  We got to spend a night in a hotel in a city that was not anywhere in our plans.  We got home a day late, and Angela was stressed. 

All in all, it was a fantastic experience.  One day, I plan to go back and raft the full canyon.  I hope you get to try it too.

DAY ONE-2011 Fitness Challenge

Today is the day. I’ve been anticipating this day for over a month. It is the start of my 2011 fitness challenge. If you are new to my blog, then let me explain. I’m planning to complete 2011 miles in the year 2011 by either walking, running, or cycling. All miles have to be completed outdoors, so treadmills and exercise bikes don’t count. If you do the math, that’s about 5.5 miles a day on average. I won’t be able to keep up with that pace by walking or running, but I plan to make up any deficit and get ahead of the goal by cycling in the late spring, summer, and early fall.  I can't afford to rely on the bike alone, however, so consistency is vital.



Since today is January 1, 2011, it is the beginning of the challenge.


I am planning to update my readers on my progress throughout the year. That being the case, I find it important to give you some starting details, and some of my personal goals that I hope to attain along the way.


Right now, I can say that I am quite uncomfortable. My clothes don’t fit very well, and my potential selection in my closet has shrunk. I’m pushing a new waist size that I’ve never been to before, and I definitely don’t want to go there. Also, I am beginning to feel the squeeze on my chest when I bend to tie my shoes. I can’t say that I get winded by climbing stairs, and I’m not feeling all that unwell overall, but I don’t really want to get to that point either.


Time to get busy.


I’m going to give you the following information on a weekly basis: Mileage completed, mileage left, percentage completed, current weight, and my feelings and attitudes that I experience along the way. I’ll probably also comment on problems and obstacles that I face, and how I deal with them. I also have a food aspect to this plan, which you can see in my previous “Guidelines” post, if you care to look. I’ll likely talk about how that’s going too.


Here we go:


WEIGHT: 270 lbs.


This is the absolute highest weight that I have ever seen from myself on the scales. I’ve been on a weight rollercoaster for years, and this is a new peak. I do have a weight goal, but I am considering it a side goal, and not something that I am going to focus too much energy on trying to nail. I figure that if I focus on the mileage goal, and do the food plan as I’ve laid it out, I should be able to hit the weight I want to see.  I am tracking it, though, and I may use it as motivation to tweak by program if I think it's needed. My weight goal is 210 lbs. I need to lose 60 pounds to accomplish that target.  Based on past experience, I feel really good at about 210.


MILEAGE

Goal: 2011

Completed: 2.6 miles

Percentage Completed: .1%  (Yes, that's one tenth of one percent.  Long way to go.)

Miles Left: 2008.4


Yeah, I’ve actually already had my first walk. I didn’t start cold at 2.6 miles, though. I’ve been walking all the last week of December; five out of the last six days. My legs ache, and I’m definitely ready for sleep by bedtime, but it feels good being outside in the cool air.


If you want to follow my progress, I’ll attempt to update the details and comment on the process once per week, on the weekends.


Wish me luck in staying injury-free. Feel free to ask me how it’s going.

Maybe I’ll see you on the road.

Playing Whac-A-Mole? - A discussion of Personal Demons

Have you ever played Whac-A-Mole? For those less refined, I’ll describe it. You hold a padded mallet in your hand…there is a board in front of you with several holes in the top…randomly, and with increasing speed, a little mole sticks his head out of one of the holes…it is your job to whack it before it drops back into the darkness of the machine. If you are looking to expand your human experience, you can find this troublesome game at amusement parks and traveling carnivals.

I think that game is a pretty good illustration of what it is like for a person to battle his or her personal demons…all alone.


We all have them. Generally, we do our best to hide them; these personal demons. But, sometimes they pop out of no where and play havoc with our self-esteem, our spiritual self-worth, and sometimes with our public reputation, our professional careers, and our relationships. There are plenty of illustrations in the news these days.


What are they?


They are those sinful things that we are prone to do, despite our better intellectual and spiritual judgment, and of which we are too embarrassed to admit to others that they still exist in our lives.  We don't want to do them.  We hate them.  We still fall prey to their sneak attacks.


They can appear as a dichotomy against our public, spiritual persona. When revealed against our will they cause others to cry “Hypocrite!” However, does this dichotomy really equal hypocrisy? Probably, sometimes yes. Often, and perhaps usually, NO.


Hypocrisy on one level is simply saying one thing and doing the opposite, but in a deeper sense, it is INTENTIONALLY doing WITHOUT REMORSE those things that are in opposition to your publicly stated beliefs and convictions. Generally, when one falls prey to the hidden personal demons, they are in fact racked with remorse. Intellectually, they know it is wrong, but they are carried away by a temptation, and hate the fact that it has any power in their life. Eventually, they feel powerless and trapped.


The Apostle Paul stated it this way:


“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate…I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:14-20


“…the evil I do NOT want to do—this I keep on doing.”


The personal demon!


As I said, we ALL have them. Don’t try to tell me that you don’t. I won’t believe you. It doesn’t make you less of a person to admit they are there. If you are willing to admit them though, it will make you wiser than the foolish person who continues to deny their existence.


We have two problems in “whacking” these demons: 1. we are self-deceived into believing we are the only ones with the problem, 2. we place our leaders on insulated pedestals where they feel so obligated to present a perfect example that they feel like they cannot disclose any personal flaw.


Are you the only one? 1 Corinthians 10:13

"No tempation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear."

Paul…the man who kept doing what he didn’t want to do…says that “no temptation has seized you except what is COMMON TO MAN.”


You are NOT the only one…regardless the problem. Drink too much? So do others. Does pornography snag you? There are plenty of others. Got a mean temper? Lots of company. You name it, and you can find others with a similar issue.


What about the leaders on the pedestal?


First off, they need to come off the pedestal. They are just men and women like you and I. Worship God, and Him alone. Secondly, they need to have a safe place to be open with their lives…because they have the demons too. Look at King David. Look at Abraham. Paul had his “thorn in the side.” (It is my opinion at the moment that Paul’s “thorn in the side” was a spiritual weakness or sin that he could not beat. God left it as a struggle for him so that he would not become spiritually conceited.)


So, you may ask, how do we deal with these personal demons? Well, I don’t have all the answers. If I did, I wouldn’t have my own to battle anymore. However, I do offer the following suggestions:


A. There’s safety in numbers. Join with one or two other people in the struggle to beat these things. I’m calling this a “Micro” ministry. (I wish I could claim this description, but I borrowed it from a ministry in Chicago called Godgrown. See http://www.godgrown.org/ ). I was able to experience this as a young Christian, and there is something truly special about being able to be completely honest with someone else. It lifts the burden and frees the soul.

B. Flip on the light. Don’t hide it in the darkness. It will only fester there, and in the mean time you are giving off a false impression that can lead to the claim of hypocrisy. Cockroaches breed in the darkness. Sin committed in secrecy will breed a lifestyle that spirals into destruction. You can break that cycle by simply turning the light of honesty on in your life.


In short, be honest about the fact that you have weaknesses (personal demons), and find one or two people with whom you can be brutally truthful. Don’t play Whac-a-demon all alone in the corner, but hand a couple of mallets to your friends and get some help!


There is hope after all. Romans 8:1-2


“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”


Now, where’s that light switch?

http://www.godgrown.org/

A New Year-Resolutions and Plans

Has it happened to you yet? Has someone asked you the question? You know. The question that everyone asks, and the question that everyone gets asked on a yearly basis…

“Have you thought about any New Years resolutions for next year?”

I was driving along with my wife yesterday, and we were just chatting about various things when she suddenly popped that question. Other than my 2011 Fitness Challenge, I realized my answer was: Nope….I guess not.

It’s one of those things that make you scratch your chin and think.

I’m not a smoker, so I can’t quit that. I don’t drink much or very often, so that’s not an issue. I’m already set to work on the weight and fitness. So, what else should I be “resolved” about?

I guess I’m still thinking about it. What about you?

Here are some of my possibilities:

1. Spend less time on Facebook
2. Watch less TV
3. Go to bed earlier
4. Make more sales calls
5. First organize, and then keep my office organized
6. Read more books
7. Read more of my Bible
8. Spend more time in prayer

I’ll probably pick a couple out of that list and try to focus on them. I could also work on some personal character traits like being more thoughtful, or being a better listener to my wife. It’s always a good idea to work on things that will make you a better spouse. Based on the US divorce rate, people must not be putting much energy into those.

I could work on avoiding procrastination, but I think I’ll wait and do that next year.

I do have some sketchy plans for this blog. Here are some of the ideas that I’m contemplating for Caaamper’s Thoughts for 2011. Let me know what you like, or what you’d like to see more of.

A. More posts on spiritual issues
B. More posts on societal issues
C. Pictures that I’ve taken and that I find interesting
D. Stories from growing up in the 60’s and 70’s in Muncie, Indiana
E. A series of posts based on a class I’ll be teaching at church in the spring called “Christianity 101”
F. An occasional “Henry the Preacher” cartoon
G. An occasional short story

Unless I get really motivated, I probably won’t spend much creative energy on politics. I suppose that might change as 2012 nears.

I do have a potential post rolling around in my head on the subject of "Personal Demons."  Look for that in upcoming weeks.

I guess that’s it for now. There’s not much else on my mind at the moment.

Happy New Year!

Seasonal Reasoning-Merry Christmas!

Tonight is my 49th Christmas Eve. (Wow, I guess I’ll have a milestone Christmas next year.) I’ve been thinking about the DeCamp Christmas Eves today, so I thought I’d share some memories with you.

For as long as I can remember, it was all about the presents! Christmas Eve at my house was the one time of the year when the whole family came over for the evening. We would share a meal together, and then gather around the tree and everyone opened presents. They would be handed out one by one with each person opening one at a time until finally the little white cover around the base of the tree was bare.

As kids, we didn’t care if we ate anything on Christmas. I do remember that Mom usually made her fruit jello salad. Good stuff. We generally had some sort of ham; typically in sliced form for sandwiches, and homemade macaroni and cheese. I couldn’t have cared less about the ham, but the macaroni and cheese was AWESOME! Thankfully, my wife now makes it just as well, if not better.

It seemed like the meal took forever.

“Can we open the presents now?” we kids would all beg.

“Not yet,” was the reply. “We’ve gotta smoke one more cigarette.”

(Another reason for me to hate cigarettes!)

So, off I’d go with my niece and nephew in tow to either my bedroom or the basement so we could breathe for a few minutes until they were done fumigating the living room. We’d do our best to distract ourselves while we awaited the wonderful words to cut their way through the fog to our eager ears.

“Time to open the presents!”

You didn’t have to tell us twice! We made a beeline to the tree.

Of course, it didn’t always flow quite that easily.

First of all, we ALWAYS had to wait for my sister to arrive. It didn’t matter what time Mom had told her to come, she was always at least an hour late.

Then, there was the fussing.

“You didn’t bring anything!”
“That’s not what I said I wanted!”
“Give one to Krista!”
“Don’t let anyone have my chair!”
“Get up!”
“Slow down!”
“Shut up!”
“You shut up!”


Awww, the sounds of CHRISTmas!  And, of course, I cleaned up the language.


These days, folks are all talking about how we need to KEEP Christ in Christmas. At my house, we needed to put Him in there in the first place. It wasn’t that we were intentionally anti-religious. It was just not something that was part of our family culture. We didn’t take Him out. He hadn’t yet become a part of it. Either that or He’d been gone so long that no one really ever recalled that He’d been a part of it in the first place.

Santa. Decorated trees. Colored lights. Frosty. Rudolph. Charlie Brown. Shopping.  Presents.  Arguments.

There’s plenty to keep the faithless busy at Christmas without Jesus being an integral part of it all. Sort of sad. But, don’t get mad about it. Most don’t know any better. Perhaps we who know the reason for the season should spend more time sharing that knowledge, and less time complaining. I think that’s what the message of Christ really is anyway…right?  Maybe less public demonstrations, and more personal demonstrating of how Jesus has made a difference to us.  Give the reason for the season to someone who needs it.

Let us mimic the angels:

“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

So, the next time you’re tempted to get upset because someone wrote “Merry X-mas,” just turn the X sideways and make it Merry +mas….or Merry Cross-mas.

Merry Christmas to you all! Thank you for reading my blogs this year. Your taking the time to read my ramblings is a gift to me.

Bannack, MT

I've decided to occassionally share some pictures I've taken (or will take) from time to time.  In this post, I'm pleased to present a cool state park in Montana.  It is a preserved ghost town.  At one time, it was the capital of Montana.  The plan is not to restore it, but to not let it deteriorate any further either.  There is a nice little campground nestled next to a stream as part of the park.  The first photo is taken from atop a large hill that also holds the town cemetery.  Most of the buildings are open for your exploration.  If you are in the southwestern part of Montana, it is a worthwhile stop. 

Bannack, MT-A Preserved Old West Town



The Jail-This would be tough in January!




The Hotel




Schoolhouse/Masonic Lodge



Main Street

A "Little Stream of Smoke"

Last week, I was sitting in a hotel room probably doing something on this laptop, and half listening to an HBO documentary on Fran Lebowitz, the writer. It was sort of interesting, and I would stop from time to time to pay closer attention. It was during one of those interludes with the TV that I heard Ms. Lebowitz comment on the subject of second-hand smoke.

Basically, she doesn’t believe that it is nearly as harmful as it is made out to be. I don’t have a quote, but she was commenting on the “little stream of smoke” that comes from a cigarette being too little to cause any issue.


My thought: Spoken like a true nicotine addict.


I should know. I lived with them my whole childhood and into my early adulthood.

I have always detested cigarette smoke. (Let me clarify, I don’t detest smokers.) I detest the smoke, the mess, and the cigarette industry. I detest the stink. I detest the illnesses. Ultimately, I detest the dishonesty that the nicotine industry has brought so many of us; from the companies who produce the cigarettes lying about their dangers to the addicts who consume them lying to themselves about their addition.


I grew up in a smoking home, in a smoking city, in a time when EVERY adult (and many kids) smoked. Everyone I knew smoked: mom, dad, siblings, aunts, uncles, neighbors. There were a few exceptions, but the key word is few.

The smoke infiltrated every nook and cranny of our home. The tar coated the walls and the windows. The smoke got sucked up by the furnace intake and was shot out all over the house. There was no where that I could truly escape from it except to go outside, and doing that in the winter was not a long-term option.

I used to spend a great deal of time in the basement…to avoid the smoke. When watching TV, I would often do so on the floor…to be under the cloud of smoke in the room. I spent a good deal of my young life coughing, hacking, and getting over colds.

So, from an early age, I was always anti-smoking. Sometimes, I would border on the militant as an anti-smoking advocate. I would harp and nag at my folks to quit. I would beg. I would plead. As I grew older, I became belligerent about it. As a teen, I became my mom’s driver….for my own comfort (I felt safer when I drove); and when she would light up, I’d either crank up the radio to irritate her, or I’d pull to the side of the road and get out and wait for her to finish. Not all that respectful….I know. What can I say? I was a teenager.

She would always say: “I’ll quit if I ever find out it’s hurting me.”


She was true to her word.


When she was diagnosed with throat cancer, she quit.


She beat the cancer, but died anyway a few months later due to complications created by the treatment, and a really weakened body. In our family, she is a sandwiched loss due to cancer from smoking between her brother (lung cancer) and my brother (throat cancer). Then, there are the other losses in our family due to heart conditions likely finding a root in the smoking addiction; my dad, uncles, others.


A few months after my mom’s death I took a phone call from a woman who asked for my mom by name. As is my custom, before I told her that Marge DeCamp had passed away, I asked who was calling. She replied that she was x(don’t recall the name)x from some national smoker’s rights advocacy group.


I replied: “My mom died a few months ago from cancer caused by years of smoking.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” she said. And then: “I really apologize. This is just a job.”

Oh, really. You might want to get a different one. That’s what I thought, but I don’t think I actually said it.


My sister recently quit smoking too. She was lying in the hospital, and a doctor told her that she was a sixty-five year old woman with an eighty year old’s body.


Some young people seem to find smoking “fashionable.” Really? When my smoke-addicted mother used to burn her own hair with her cigarettes, I didn’t think that was very fashionable. When she lived with us and I had to force her to smoke in the garage in the winter to keep her from burning her bed and our carpet (putting all our lives at risk), I doubt she thought that was very fashionable.


Burn holes in clothes, stinky hair, yellow teeth, nasty ash trays, cancer, heart disease, and self-deceit. What’s not to love?


So, does that “little stream of smoke” really hurt other people second-handedly? Maybe not too much all by its self, but combined with dozens of other little streams, I think so. At the very least, I don’t want to be breathing it in against my will.


Ms. Lebowitz can lie to herself all day long, as can so many other smokers, but please do it in the privacy of your own home. Let the rest of us have the fresh air.

2011 Fitness Challenge-Guidelines

Here they are!  My guidelines for my 2011 Personal Fitness Challenge.  Join me if you dare!

Let me know if you're interested, and I'll send you the mileage tracking sheet that I built in Excel.

2011 Fitness Challenge

GOAL: To complete 2011 miles in the year 2011 by either walking, running, or cycling leading to a significantly more fit body by the end of the year.

ACTIVITY GUIDELINES:


1. Only miles completed outdoors count*

2. Exercise bikes and treadmills do not count*

3. All miles must be completed between the beginning of the day on 1/1/2011 and the end of day on 12/31/2011

4. Track miles daily

5. Add other activities to your personal preference and interests—these activities do not contribute to the miles total, but they will, however, contribute to the goal of a more fit body
* An exception to these guidelines can be made for medical conditions that inhibit physical activity under very cold, very hot, or wet weather conditions.


FOOD/NUTRITION GUIDELINES:


1. Focus on curbing starch/complex carbohydrate intake

     a. Whole grains only

     b. Whole grain cereal okay for breakfast only

     c. Greatly limit bread, potatoes, pasta, and rice intake

2. Eat fish or chicken before beef or pork

     a. Grilled or baked preferred

     b. No breading whenever possible

3. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables

4. Be sure to have a protein element in every meal

5. Maintain the regimen Monday through Friday—Weekends are free

6. Drink 64 ounces of water per day

7. Take multi-vitamin and fish oil supplements nightly

8. One snack allowed mid-afternoon

9. No food after 9pm

10. Extra food intake permitted during high-intensity, long-duration periods of physical activity—walking or running more than 5 miles, or cycling more than 20 miles

11. Limit soda intake to 2 per day—1 or less preferred

KICKOFF: A 48-hour fast on January 2nd & 3rd to exert control over eating habits and set the stage for a new direction following the Holidays.

Are you game?

Embrace the Pain

Everyone has a different level of tolerance for physical pain. As for me, I’d say that my ability to handle it is lower than I’d like it to be, but better than it used to be. At least I’m not a crybaby anymore. When I was a kid, the threat of pain caused me to miss out on all sorts of things, and created complications for me that could have been avoided.

For example, I didn’t play football beyond 7th grade. Why not? Fear. I didn’t like the pain of the physical training. I didn’t like the pain of the running. I didn’t like getting hit. I was fearful of the pain of the sport.



As another example, I avoided defending myself as a young person in a number of situations where I was being bullied. Now, I didn’t avoid fighting out of some misguided sense of right and wrong. No. I avoided it because I was afraid of being hurt. I was afraid of the pain. As a result, I was often picked on, and I just put up with the verbal abuse. (I wouldn’t suggest that you test me with that these days.)



As I have aged a bit though, I’ve grown to appreciate some positive aspects of enduring pain. Have you ever considered that?



There is a saying: “No pain, no gain.” The phrase stems from the sports world where you have to endure physical pain in training in order to grow stronger and gain endurance. I remember one time, a number of years ago, when I was doing a good deal of running, and as I was running along my legs began to hurt. They were aching something awful. I was tempted to quit. Then, it hit me….no one has ever died from a “leg attack.” So what if the legs were hurting? It was making me a stronger, healthier person. I learned to put up with and ignore that pain.



Cycling has done a great deal for me in learning to deal with pain. A few years ago, I was on the last leg of about a 40-mile ride, and I had about ten miles to go, when all at once I began to have a terrible, sharp pain shoot into my right knee with every pedal stroke. Can you imagine riding another ten miles with that happening every time you pushed the pedal down? I wanted to quit, but ten miles is a long distance to walk pushing your bike. A couple of years ago, I did a 108-mile ride. About 80 miles into it, I hit a stretch in the ride where as long as I kept my feet going around everything was okay, but if I stopped, it felt like there was a grinder in my knees when it was time to get going again. Once again, I felt like quitting, but I had a goal….and no one ever died from some knee pain….so I kept going and the pain eased.



This brings me to one of my favorite quotes, and I’m thinking about it a bit as I prepare for my 2011 Fitness Challenge. This quote comes from Lance Armstrong in his book “It’s Not About the Bike.”



“Pain is temporary, but quitting lasts forever.”



Pain is a passing thing. It comes. It goes. Sometimes it stays longer than we want, but it still goes. But,….if we quit….if we let the pain stop us from doing great things for ourselves or others….then, the failure is forever.



A little over a year ago, I tore my Achilles tendon. It was a painful injury. Recovery from surgery was actually even a bit more painful. Losing all of my fitness and much of my leg strength was quite discouraging. Gaining a bunch of weight between then and now has been a real set back. This next year will include a great deal of physical and mental pain as I begin to beat my body back into some semblance of healthfulness, but to quit is not an option.



Time to embrace the pain.



About 93 miles into a 108-mile ride.





The Brrum Brrum Song

It’s that time of year again. The time of strings of multi-colored lights hanging from just about anything from which a guy can hang them. The time of chubby fellas in red suits with white beards; some real, some not so real. The time of endless Christmas TV shows, movies, and musical specials. A time that only comes once per year…thank goodness!

Don’t get me wrong. I truly enjoy the season. I like all of those things.

For some reason, there was a time when I didn’t really enjoy the holidays. When my wife and I first got married, I was a real Scrooge; grumpy and disinterested. That has pretty well changed now, and my wife greatly appreciates that fact.

My favorite things at Christmas are the movies “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Story,” the food, the extra time spent with family and close friends, the food, the way that people take time to give, the food, and the Christmas songs. Did I mention the food?

I really like the songs. I like to sing them (those around me may not like that so much), and I like to listen to them on the radio….with one major exception. I detest that Wham/George Michael song “Last Christmas.”

“Last Christmas, I gave her my heart. The very next day she gave it away.” Blah, blah, blah. Over and over again. I’d rather go have my teeth cleaned than listen to that song.

I learned this week that my daughter has her own name for one of my favorite songs. She calls it the “Brrum Brrum Song.” Most of us know it as “The Little Drummer Boy.” I don’t care much for the Rankin/Bass clay-mation TV special, but I really like the song written by Katherine K. Davis. It gets me everytime, and tugs my emotional heart strings.

Why? Oh, okay. I’ll tell you….if you insist.

It’s all in the last few lines. The little boy comes before the newly born Jesus. All those around him have expensive gifts; gold, spices, etc. He apparently has nothing.

“I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum.”

Nothing, that is, but his drum.

“Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum? On my drum?”

That’s all he had to give. Just a simple talent. But, the unwritten thing is what makes it really resonate with me. It wasn’t just that he played the drum. It was that he had a HEART that WANTED to GIVE.

Again, it wasn’t just that he had a drum that he was willing to play.

He was playing with more than his drum. He was playing with his heart. He gave Jesus what he had…with his heart.

“I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum.”

He didn’t just give him a little tune. He gave his best.  He gave his heart.

“Then, He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum. Me and my drum.”

Isn’t that what we all really want? Let’s just cut it all down to the simple things. Don’t we really just want Jesus to smile at us?

Then, go ahead. You can do it….

Pick up your drum and play with all your heart.

Caaamper's Fitness Challenge

I recently had a new idea for expanding my blog some. I’ve been thinking about carrying around my camera and taking occasional photos to post. I like photography, and despite being an amateur, I think I take a good shot now and again. You can look for some of those in the coming weeks and months. However, an interesting thing happened today when I finally got around to firing up my little Sony Cybershot…I found some shots from my personal fitness challenge in 2009; the SFP Challenge.

I had forgotten that I had those pictures. In fact, in the blur of my last year recovering from a torn Achilles Tendon suffered in a softball game about a month after “The Challenge,” I had almost forgotten about the big bike ride altogether. However, looking at the pics, it all came flooding back.

That was a tough day.

The deal was that in 2008, I had gained a bunch of weight. I tend to do that from time to time.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve gone through this weight gain/weight loss roller coaster. One year, I go up. The next year, I go down. Each time I go down, the effort to do so gets harder and harder. So, as 2009 rolled around, I was looking for a challenge that would push me to work on my health and fitness, and be something I would actually enjoy doing. After a little bit of thought, it occurred to me that I had never ridden a century ride.

For those of you who aren’t into cycling, a century ride is to ride your bicycle 100 miles in one day.

As with photography, I fancy myself as a pretty good amateur cyclist. Not a great cyclist by any means, but not bad when I’m in shape. That said, I’d never done the century. I’d done 75-milers, but not a 100-miler. It was one of those milestones that I hadn’t done, but that I did just want to do. It was something I liked, but would be a definite challenge that I would have to work to get ready for.

To make the challenge even harder to back out of, I made it a big public thing. I started telling everyone I was going to do it. I even announced it in front of the whole church where I worship and serve. I wanted it to be so embarrassing to quit that I’d be sure to suffer through whatever physical pain was necessary to complete the task.



All done



Ultimately, I didn’t find an organized century ride that fit my training plan and schedule well enough, so I opted to ride the 100 miles alone, but on the Cardinal Greenway near Muncie, Indiana. The completed portion of the Greenway at the time was 27 miles long running from Losantville on the southeast side of Muncie up to Gaston on the northwest side of Muncie. To do 100 miles, I would need to ride the full length up and back…twice. The total mileage of the journey was 108 miles.



I completed the challenge on September 19, 2009. I started at about 8am, and got off my bike at the end at about 6:45pm. 108 miles done. It was a long, HARD day. A special thank you goes to my wife who spent the day driving our car ahead to each rest stop to meet me, encourage me, refill my water bottles, and make sure that I ate something. It had to be a boring day for her, but her help was a tremendous factor in my completing the event.





Then, one month later, I tore the Achilles Tendon. Surgery. Cast. Walking Boot. Months of recovery. Regained weight. Now, I’m back at the top of the roller coaster.

 Time for a new challenge.


It was a wild-haired idea!



Introducing the Mike DeCamp 2011 Challenge. I’m going to complete 2011 miles in the year 2011 by either walking, running, or biking. If you do the math, that would be almost 6 miles every day of the year! Obviously, there will be days when I am sick, traveling, or otherwise cannot complete the necessary miles, so I added the biking to help me catch up during the cycling season. I haven’t worked out all the details and rules for myself yet. You can look for those in the coming few weeks leading up to January 1st. However, there will be both an activity aspect and a nutrition aspect. I’m going to cover both bases.

Wish me luck, and if you want to join me in the challenge, let me know.  I'll be blogging on my progress.

(You can see more pictures from the 2009 SFP Challenge on my Facebook page.)



Thanksgiving Thoughts

Another holiday season is upon us.  Turkeys and mistletoe, cranberry sauce and fruitcakes, pilgrims and Santa Claus.  Ahhhh, the sights and sounds of the season.  The day after tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I'm looking forward to a feast!  I know many of you are too, plus football and long naps.

But, you know, it isn't called THANKSgiving for nothing.  Besides the pecan pies and pigskins, it is a time to reflect on how we've been blessed.  Sooooo, here's my feeble attempt.  But, before I go too far, I have to make a deal with you.  If you read my list, I want you to do me a favor and post ONE comment... (okay more if you really want)... one comment about something YOU are thankful for.  You can leave it anonomously if you prefer, but I like comments and I want to read what you have to say.

Before the list, a story:

A few years ago, I tried to establish a tradition in our home where we would go around the table and share about one thing each of us was thankful for before we ate our Thanksgiving feast.  I think I'm the only one who had much enthusiasm for the idea.  It could be because when we're trying to do that there's a hot, delicious, crispy bird with all the fixin's sitting right under our noses. 

I will tell you one story though.  It was funny to us...maybe it could be for you too.  We were all gathered in our living room, my family and my nephew's family.  We were going around the circle sharing what we were each thankful for, and when the turn came for my nephew's oldest boy to share (he was in about sixth grade or so), I could have sworn that he said:  "I'm thankful for violence."

Huh!  What?!  We all turned and looked at him like he was some sort of giant fruitcake.

"What did you say?" I asked as calmly as I could.

"I said I was thankful for violins."

Giant sigh of relief.  He's not a psychopath...he just appreciates classical music.  Well, when you grew up on the south side of Muncie, that could seem pretty crazy too, but we were all feeling much better about his thoughts anyway.

Enough with the stories, and on with my list:

I am thankful for...

1.  Nancy Elaine DeCamp--A wonderful wife, an amazing mother, and a close friend.
2.  Angela DeCamp--A beautiful young woman with a brilliant mind and an even more brilliant talent  for art.
3.  Andrea DeCamp--Another beautiful young woman with a heart that knows no bounds in its love and loyalty.
4.  My employer--It keeps us under a roof, clothed, fed, warm, and is a company with integrity.
5.  My church family--They have embraced my family, given me new depth, and put me to work.
6.  God--His patience with my faults, His Grace in forgiving me, His willingness to make me useful.
7.  My fellow elders at Southeastern--They are all very different from one another, but seem to complement one another nicely.  I think our Father has assembled us for a very good reason.  They sometimes frustrate me, but mostly they humble me and support me,...and sometimes give me a good-natured hard time.
8.  Dale Robinson--We became fast friends about five years ago, and I always enjoy spending time with him.
9.  Greg York--This friendship was slower to develop, but has recently been a real joy to me.  (Thanks for the long talks after our meetings!)
10.  Physical Health--Last year, I tore my Achilles Tendon and at Thanksgiving I was in a cast and on crutches.  Over the last few years, I've herniated a disc in my neck, had a stress fracture in my foot, and torn the Achilles.  Each of those events has made it more and more clear to me just how precious physical ability is.  I am way out of shape right now, but I'm on the mend and will soon be back in the action.

I could go on and on...my boss, other friends, folks I work on committees with.  I have much to be thankful for.  I guess I should also say that I'm thankful for Google Blogger.  It's given me a nice outlet.

How about you?  Share one for me please.

Mike's Bucket List

I’m sure that thousands of folks have done this, and some will say I’m too young myself, but I’m sitting here watching The Bucket List on TV, and I’m thinking that you can never be too young to recognize the primary things that you’d really like to get done while you can get things done. After all, no one is promised tomorrow. Should I wait until I retire or get a terminal illness to start? I think not. Time slips by so fast, and the older you get, the more you know that that fact is true.

So, here goes…my “bucket list” as it stands today…in no particular order.

1. Spend at least one night on each continent.

2. Hike to the lowest Everest base camp.

3. Bungee jump in New Zealand.

4. Become a published author of a novel.

5. Spend a week hiking the Appalachian Trail.

6. Circumnavigate the United States by car.

7. Preach a sermon at a major church conference.

8. Drive to Alaska, all the way to the north coast.

9. Witness the finish to the Tour de France in Paris.

10. Ride in the team car at a mountain stage of the Tour de France.

11. Explore the ruins of Machu Picchu.

12. Take a week long horseback adventure into the Rockies.

13. Take an African Safari.

14. See Hudson Bay.

15. Ride a boat on the Sea of Galilee.

16. Raft the entire length of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

17. Spend a week at a fly-in cabin in the Canadian Boundary Waters.

18. Take a bicycle tour of Scotland.

19. Visit each country in Europe.

20. Take my grandchildren hiking in the Grand Canyon.

That’s enough for now. I’m sure I can come up with more as I consider it further.

A couple of things have occurred to me as I’ve written this list. The first is that it is likely a pipe dream to think that I could actually accomplish all of the items on the list, but just attempting it would be a huge adventure in itself. The second is that the list is made up of a large number of items that are largely selfish. There are other things that are really more important in the big picture.

For example:

A. Building a life-long relationship with God.

B. Grow a family to be proud of—DONE!

C. Use my life to help others.

D. Be an influence for good in all of my interactions and relationships.

E. Be true to myself and act with integrity with others.

I could go on, but you get the point. The two lists aren’t mutually exclusive, but to me the second takes precedence over the first. What good would my life be if I accomplished everything on the first, but failed in any significance on the second?

I’m going to chase the first, but no compromise on the second! Now, which drop do I plop into the bucket first?

Treasures on a Speck of Dust

Treasures on a Speck of Dust

Mike DeCamp

 

I have spent much of my life

Wallowing in the depths of self-pity,

Wishing for riches I did not have

And yearning for the roads I did not take.

How amazing it is to awaken,

And step out from among the oblivious

To see the true blessings of life.

To love and be loved,

And to have a life worth living

Are the purest of treasures.

These enrich my life,

Though I am only a speck of dust

Residing upon a speck of dust

In God’s great universe.

Salvation-All About the Relationship

It’s been an uncomfortable week. I’m not sure which is worse…trying to sleep on a bed of broken glass, or trying to sleep with a chest full of congestion. I’ve experienced the second this week. Last night, I fell asleep in my chair until around 2am. When I got up out of the chair to go to bed, my chest was full of….well….stuff. I think I woke up the whole neighborhood trying to clear it out. Nasty is the only word that I feel comfortable using to describe the experience. Here’s to hoping that I’m finally on the downside of this thing! If this post seems a little “out of sorts,” you can blame it on the cold.

Wednesday night, I taught a class at church on the topic of Salvation. Ten minutes before the class was due to start, I had zero voice. Then, just as we are ready to begin…there it was…back in my throat where it belongs. I made it though the class, and then was worn out. I don’t know if the class was any good, but it seemed to go okay despite my ailment.

One aspect of “Salvation” that we discussed on Wednesday is how we so often focus on the negative in order to try to convince someone to follow Christ. Like the billboards say: REPENT or PERISH! So many times, people become Christians in order to avoid Hell rather than to embrace the relationship with the Father that so wants to be in their lives. Other times, they appear to choose God, when in fact the appearance is all there is. Other factors, like family or social pressures drive them to make a commitment that isn’t true to their inner choices.

The bottom line to the whole salvation thing is: God is all about the relationship!

You don’t enter into a relationship to avoid something. You don’t develop lasting friendships by focusing on what you can get out of them. Has anyone really every felt close to someone that they were pressured into spending time with?

If we use those motivations to try to convince someone to come to God, we are only creating a façade that won’t last. Negative motivators usually become de-motivators. You can only scare me into doing something for so long before I will have had enough of it.

The LORD is my shepherd. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23 is one of the most beautiful examples of how God wants to be there to bring us peace, restoration, and fulfillment. Take a look at verse 6: Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.


Isn’t that the fulfillment that we all desire. That’s what a relationship with God brings…and, He’s all about the relationship.

Saying of the Day

Be the person today that will lead you to be the person you want to be tomorrow.

Waters of Encouragement!

I had one of those days yesterday. It was one of those days when you just feel like a rain cloud is hanging over you…even inside the house…, and you feel like hanging up your cleats and retiring from participation in this mutual game of ours called life. I felt like just going inactive; like maybe just starting to let life happen instead of trying to have some impact on it. I had joined the major leagues of discouragement!

Why?

It had been a rough week that was capped off by a bumpy Saturday morning. I mean, I’ve got my hands in a lot of activities, and I had begun to feel like I was wasting my time. I just didn’t see much “return on the investment” so to speak. I wasn’t sensing much impact from my efforts. Thus, I began to feel empty, useless, and weary.

I wish I could say that I handled that feeling perfectly. I wish I could say that I didn’t get too introspective; that I didn’t withdraw into a mini bout of depression. If I said it, it wouldn’t be true.

So, what did I do? Well, I took a long shower and poured my pain out in prayer while the water poured over my shoulders. I couldn’t really explain my feelings, so I just asked God to read my heart and make it clear what I needed to do, and where I really stood.

Then, I took a walk, and as I walked down the street, praying, thinking, moping, and pouting, I crossed a small creek. I glanced down its length through the brush and noticed that it had no water flowing. The creek was dry. It occurred to me that it was a good metaphor for how I was feeling. My creek was dry. My spirit had evaporated.

I asked myself some questions while walking. Am I not relying on God enough? Am I trying too hard? Should I just stop trying so hard, and let things flow the way that they will? Should I back out of my responsibilities and quit?

Other than the first question, I really didn’t have any answers. I definitely haven’t been relying on God enough…a personal weakness. But, remember, when I was in the shower, I asked God to show me where I stood and what I should do.

I think that’s what He did.

First, I went to a 1st birthday party for a son of some of our friends, and made a new friend of a young person with a mutual interest in writing. It lifted my spirits to sit and talk about something that I really enjoy doing with someone who is so obviously full of enthusiasm for the same craft (Thanks, Andrea).

When I got home, I had a message from a friend who had started his own blog. He told me that I had inspired him (Thanks, Scott).

Later, we had the Young Adults over from our church, and I sat until late at night talking with some of the guys. I had taken it as a personal project to get this group off the ground, and it has been slow to really get going. It was weighing on me that it wasn’t as successful as I had hoped. Some of my spiritual water had flowed into this program and seemingly had dried up. However, while talking with the guys, one of them told me that his spiritual life had changed 180 degrees from last spring, and he attributed it to the establishment and activities of the group (Thanks, Logan).

After they left, I went to bed. In one of my dreams, I was in a worship service at church and it was obviously a rousing, enthusiastic experience. I looked over, and there was a guy who is a regular attendee, but is not a member, and who is usually stoic in our meetings. He was standing, and worshipping with all his heart, and inspiring and encouraging everyone around him to give praise to God. Here’s the interesting thing about that…our worship is another area that I have been laboring in to try to spur more heartfelt and genuine, enthusiastic, overflowing praise. It has felt a fruitless endeavor. Was God telling me to keep going; that I was affecting people in good ways that I just could not see? I don’t know, but that’s how it felt.

Finally, I went to church this morning, and had two more reinforcements.

First, I was sharing with a friend who is a former elder that I had been feeling useless and that my efforts were wasted. I have a great deal of respect for this man, and I consider him a mentor. He just looked at me and said, “You know better than that. You’re doing a lot of good.” (Thank you, Keith.)

Secondly, I had a guy who has been helping me with the Sports Ministry, which I had established as a means of building fellowship and as an outreach tool, stop me to let me know that we “have a success story” from our ministry! He shared that one of the guys in our football league, who has some troubles, as many young guys often do, was showing some real interest in coming to our church. My spiritual co-worker was excited that we were making an impact. (Thank you, Greg)

Inside, without really forming the words in my mind, I think I finally turned my mind to God and said: "Okay! I get it! I’ll keep going!"

(Thank you, God!)

The Bible says to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. It says to encourage one another daily. Thank you to those of you who have encouraged me. I have needed it the last couple of days. I can’t say the water is rushing down my spiritual creek yet, but it is flowing again. I appreciate you all.

Where Did We Put Our Awe?

I didn’t intend to make this blog all about spiritual things. In concept, I was going to speak my mind on all sorts of controversial subjects; religion, politics, societal change, and any other topic that crossed my path. But, I guess faith seems to have become the dominant source of my inspiration because here comes another one.

Last Wednesday night, I was teaching a class at church…about church…when I came across a line in scripture that resonated with me. Acts 2:43a It says: “Everyone was filled with awe,…”

AWE

Interesting word. I imagine standing with my mouth open; speechless. I imagine feeling small and insignificant. I imagine being overwhelmed by marvel and wonder; sort of how you might feel when standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon.

In the context of the verse, we have a brand new thing. It had just come into existence. It was a new brand of faith that did not yet have a name. There were no Catholics or Baptists; no Methodists or Churches of Christ, and no Lutherans, Episcopalians, or Greek Orthodox. It was just a saving Lord and a group of His followers. No creeds. No divisions. Just people gathered around a new hope. On this particular day, the group had suddenly surged from 120 members to an astounding 3120…all at once…and, they were in awe.

So, here’s my question for you: Where have we put our awe?

On Sunday…in church…our congregation sang the song “I Stand Amazed*.”

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.

Chorus:

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior's love for me!

I sometimes wonder just how much we think about the words of the songs we sing. Do I really stand amazed? Do I really feel like I’m in the presence of Jesus? Do I feel the wonder? Do I marvel at the Savior’s love for me?

Maybe I’m just suffering from a touch of negativity, but it seems that we Christians have lost our awe. If we have it, why does it not overflow into our voices as we sing? We should be struggling to contain our zeal! If we are marveling at the wonders of God, why do we struggle to share it with others? How can we NOT talk about Him?

Do you believe that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth? Do you believe that He parted the Red Sea? Do you believe that He brought Daniel out of the lion’s den? How about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Did He stand in the fiery furnace with them? And, even more importantly, did God recognize our hopeless, merciless existence and orchestrate all of history to bring us back into a relationship with Him? Do you believe it? Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God…that He died on the cross…that He was buried in a tomb for three days…and ultimately…astoundingly…He ROSE FROM THE DEAD? Do you believe it?

If you do, you must be filled with awe! You must stand amazed!

Where did you and I put our awe?

*I Stand Amazed was written by Charles H. Gabriel