Don't Miss

Macaroni & cheese day at the elementary. Excitement. Hot lunch sales were up. One of those was me. Got the special invite from Seth the exceptional second grader.

Showed up early. Anxious. Can't miss this taste of glory. Looked down at my laces. Principal said I was a good Daddy to come today. Gave some fives to children parading by. And then, Seth. Ran to me ahead of his teacher. Full body hug & pulled me toward lunch.

Line didn't move at second grader speed. Anticipation. Utensils, straw, napkin, milk, tray. And, finally, shaped plate filling portions of noodley gooeyness. With green beans, of course. Fruit cup, yes. And, what? Past the slidey rail part. At the end. Almost out of the ubiquitous lunch lady's view. Hiding in the serving racks. Little cups. Cups of cookie dough. Chocolate chip cookie dough.

Sat down with five kids. Hungry. One lanky like his Dad. One red-headed like her Mom. One rounder than the rest. One smiling new over sized teeth. One just plain average. One thing in common. All ate the chocolate chip cookie dough FIRST.

Laughed. Not too loud. Talked. Not too much. Ate. As if Moms were watching. We were a good table. Then an aside. Seth spoke quietly. Just to me. Almost secret.

Daddy, they always have cookie dough with macaroni & cheese. Last time I missed it. At the end of the line. Hiding in those trays... Don't miss it.

Yes, my Son, don't miss the little things.

Ach Nee

Afrikaans: pronounced, "ahk nee-uh." Choke out an "ach" furball. Then mutter, spit, holler or cry the "nee" depending on emphasis.

English: translated, "alas, no." A phrase foreign to our tongues even in our language. Alas, we rarely intone such interjections.

How well do we express our true feelings? How deeply do we truly feel? Our unhappiness goes unuttered. Our sorrow is shallow. Our pity is petty. Our concern is less than.

Ach nee, People. Be honest. Have courage. Be real. Risk. Love. Talk to one another & not about one another.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love...

Be kind and compassionate to one another,

forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:2 & 32, NIV.

Now that you've cleaned up your lives by following the truth,

love one another as if your lives depended on it.

1 Peter 1:22, The Message.

Correction

Seen it in the newspaper. "The above photo was mislabeled in yesterday's edition. The correct... "

Accept it in life? "The previous action was inappropriate. The correct... "

He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.

He who ignores discipline despises himself,

but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.

Proverbs 15:31&31

Correction, as biblical rebuke or reproof, is the exposure of a sin or a shortcoming.

It is a call to repentance & change as well.

Am I humble under correction?

Do I respond in repentance?

The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom,

and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 15:33

No Trouble

(Disclaimers: first, this is an outdoor only activity; second, is an athlete to carry a box of tissues?)

Had a college buddy with an old heather-gray t-shirt picturing a right index finger depressed right nostril football player. Not like Santa "laying his finger aside his nose" gently, but a nose hole pressed shut. One clamped down so the other can inflate a monstrous balloon of... snot. Yes, snot.

The shirt read, "Snot bubble. No trouble." Guy humor.

I'm an exceptionally nasaled fella. I know. Given the need a sufficient clamp & a stout blow makes the method work as advertised on my buddy's tee.

Snot bubble. No trouble. Press & blow.

So here I go... Another morning. Another run. Another nasal need. Another press & blow. A new revelation.

"If we confess our sins he is faithful & just & will forgive our sins & purify us from all unrighteousness," 1 John 1:9 states. An old truth.

Sin stumble. No trouble. Pray & ask.

Want To

Had my annual physical last week. My doctor is questioning. I'm answering. We get to my recent neck injury. Got it training for my first marathon. (Yes, I said "neck." It can happen. It just took a yeahoo like me to prove it. If you care, I'll tell you, but back to the story...)

"The human body just wasn't designed for that," he impassively states of marathoning & moves on to the next question. I restrain my urge to confront my dear doctor who I now worry may be a pessimistic heretic of the seemingly limitless capabilities of the human body. Shame.

His point I understand. It is not natural to run 26.2 miles. Many think it is not sane. Yet millions prove this wrong every year. We human-folk are astonishing. God designed us with amazing bodies capable of feats limited only by our incredible imaginations. It takes proper training. Lots of time. Self-discipline. Want to.

We human-folk can do. And me, I want to run. I love to run. I want to because I love to.

So I'm running this AM. Praying as I do. Sunrise soaked. Breeze cooled. The above comes to mind. The Lord speaks to my heart.

Aaron, is it natural for you to sin?

Sure, Lord. Hard not to. I was born with a sin nature. You know the drill.

What keeps you from sinning, Aaron?

I don't want to.

Why don't you want to? Duty? Obedience? Or something else?

Yes, Lord. You got me. I gotta confess. Sometimes it's sheer will power. Other times it's the duty. Externalized religion. I am a pastor. I'm supposed to have it together. But, Lord Jesus, would you continue to change that in me? Please. Would you, Lord Jesus, help me fall so much in love with you that I don't want to sin because... because I love you that much... because I don't won't to hurt you... because my relationship with you is of greater value than all else of life. Give me want to because I love you, Lord.

"Whoever has my commands & obeys them,

he is the one who loves me.

He who loves me will be loved by my Father,

& I too will love him & show myself to him."

Jesus in John 14:21.