Show Us Your Man Cave

Here are a couple of shots of my man cave, where most of my study and all of my blogging occurs. Where is your fortress of solitude? Where do you retreat to get away from the pressures of the world?

I'd like to see yours. Put up a pic or two and let me know where they are.

What does your man cave say about you as a person? Mine says I let it dark and I am running out of space for books. Seminary is doing me in!

Pardon Meme - Or I was going to put a list of 25 interesting things about my life together but I kept falling asleep while I was compiling the list.

First things first. To everyone I have tagged in a meme, or a note or whatever, please accept my heartfelt apology.

Next, to all who have tagged me, thanks for thinking of me. No really, thanks. I mean it.

But here comes the next next. I am done, both tagging or responding to tags. Sorry, I do not want to play anymore. I have watched these roil through the blogosphere and Facebook pages like the Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. In my mind at least, it has been that bad. (Actually, this movie reference was just to get one of those odd bits of memory flotsam jutting out of my mind and onto a page in the hope I am freed from the torment of remembering anymore. The post could have done fine without it)

I have ignored several "tags" the past few days, I apologize, I still love you all. But like I said, I am done.

I just felt that the situation called for a futile and stupid gesture be done on someone's behalf, and I was just the guy to do it. (How about that, a second movie reference). And I learned something else. In Blogger you cannot make your title longer than the one I picked. Well maybe a space or two more but that is it. I know, I tried.

It seems that many are enjoying doing this, and I say more power to you. It is just not for me. And I feel others feel the same way.

Now give me 3 reasons why I am right or wrong.

Enter His Rest

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
Hebrews 4:1 (NASB)

Entering His rest. It hit me this week that it means listening to His voice. Following His will. Leaving my plans behind and following His. When I make my plans, plot out my life, that is when things do not work out. I am just not that good at figuring out the future.

After a few weeks of struggling within my own mind, I finally listened to His. And with it comes His rest, and the peace of mind of knowing that I am on the right path. Not that things are easier, just calmer and clearer to me. Life is still messy, but somehow I am cleaner, less clutter.

How long will this feeling last? I know the timing exactly. It will last until I start planning things on my own again and stop listening to His voice and staying in His rest.

Periodic Table Of Condiments

clipped from looku.com

I could have used this table over the weekend as we cleaned out the refrigerator and pantry.

A Living God

Several years ago I was president of a subsidiary of a major company. I had a very talented staff that was a challenge to manage on a day in, day out basis. They all had one thing in common. They all felt they could do a better job than me in running the company. The higher ups in the corporation must have felt differently since I was running it. Some of my decisions they were OK with, some made them less than happy. Those are the ones people seem to remember.

When I was reassigned someone else took over and a funny thing happened. All of a sudden my presidency was viewed as not that bad a situation. Some measure of the "good old days" were assigned the AndyC era. My take on it when I was tlod about it: presidents, like artists, seem to grow in popularity after they have been dead a while.

There are some things some people prefer dead. Like artists and presidents. And many prefer a dead god. One they can control, one that pretty much has to do what he or she is told, because after all, a dead god is really a figment of someone's wishful thinking or imagination.

The thought of a living God terrifies them. They will reject it out of hand.

I like the fact that I serve a living God. It is the thought of an angry One that terrifies me. I am thankful He is loving and gracious, merciful but just. The fact that He is just is going to cause a lot of people a lot of heartburn one day (and body and soul burn as well).

I serve a living God and He blesses me every day. What a gift He has given me.

Super Bowl Commercials

They do not make Super Bowl Commercials like they used to. If you were watching the game 25 years ago, you remember this one from the third quarter. It never aired on TV after that showing (although it did air once before and previewed in movies for a few weeks). This was one that you sat there and said "What is this?" or something to that effect. Classic.

Washing Feet

Some excerpts from The Daily Spurgeon of a few days ago tie in with a recent lecture at seminary:

If there be any deed of kindness or love that we can do for the very
meanest and most obscure of God’s people, we ought to be willing to do
it - to be servants to God’s servants — to feel like Abigail did, when
she said to David, “Let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of
the servants of my Lord.” Abigail became David’s wife, that is the true
position of every Christian; but yet she felt she was not worthy even
to wash his servants’ feet. That must be our spirit.

Especially let those who are highest among us seek to do the lowest offices.
“Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.”
Recollect that Christ’s way of rising is to go down...Try to
carry out every one of you to your utmost the teaching of your Lord,
that ye should wash one another’s feet.

From a sermon entitled "Jesus Washing His Disciples' Feet," delivered January 29, 1865.

My seminary professor called this attitude "taking up the towel". Being willing to be a servant, to assume a lowly position, the lowest in the room, in order to serve as Christ was willing to serve.

This is not an attitude or position I assume all that willingly. But to serve in a less than joyful manner is not to serve as Jesus would want us to.

I need to do better. Are you willingly and joyfully taking up the towel?