When God Surprises Us

My Little League experience this year hasn't been as rewarding. Part of it is the age group is so young (6-8), I seem to end up doing more baby-sitting than coaching. And I haven't felt like I've left any kind of impression or real connection with the boys, and they haven't really progressed with the sport.
So as I drove to the field, I was glad that it was the second-to-last game and I figured I'd gut through it and finish off next week.
Well, God surprised me.
Not only did the kids play their best game ever on the field - and without any dads standing over them in the field, which is allowed - they also connected with me big time throughout the night. They behaved on the bench, they asked me lots of great questions and I was even able to teach them about sportsmanship, using the example of a bad sport on the other team.
There even was a cooling rain on us for a while, almost as if God was showering down his blessings and reminding me to trust in Him as I try to set a Christian example whenever and wherever possible.
Thank you Lord for a great night.

Happy Faces

I haven't posted since Monday and wonder how much longer I will continue doing this blog.
It's been a busy week with our friends Mark and Iliana stopping by on Tuesday night, the Little League game Wednesday night, Shawn coming home Thursday night and the first Dubuque ... And All That Jazz last night.
It was during All That Jazz that I felt God's presence as one of my favorite live bands The Salsa Band performed.
At one point, three young women strolled to the edge of an open area for dancing. Most people nearby were standing or sitting and watching the band perform, but a few people and several children danced. The three women slowly began to sway to the music and had huge smiles on their faces. They were a bit self-conscious, but gave in to their urges and visibly enjoyed themselves.
After that, I began paying attention to the many other smiles in the large crowd and it made me think of heaven and good things.
With my back/leg problems slowly getting worse and my continued abnormal sleeping patterns, it was a welcome moment of happiness.

Christian Friends

I spent happy hour at Carlos O'Kelly's with a couple of longtime Christian friends, Mark and Iliana, tonight. We shared a couple drinks, appetizers, the US World Cup soccer win over Ghana and Christian fellowship.
They are the most openly comfortable Christian friends I have outside of my Bible study group.
In fact, Mark is perhaps the most fervent Christian I know - I admire his emotional ties to the Lord and his ways. He was one of the first people to tell me while I was depressed and searching for answers that this world is not our real home - heaven is - and that's why it can be tough living here at times for Christians.
And Iliana is one of the kindest people I've ever known, though she also can be quite the emotional spokesperson for God and his ways.
Kris missed this gathering as she was just getting back from her trip to Omaha. But Mark and Iliana are going to visit us tomorrow and it should be another nice get-together.
Praise the Lord for good friends!

Jim Job

As with most people, I go through stages of feeling sorry for myself. Sometimes, like with the loss of a loved one, it's understandable. Other times, when things don't seem to go my way, within my time frame, it's not.
Either way, I pride myself on snapping out of it - with the help of God, but also on my own. I believe He expects me to take charge of my life, too.
The past several months, it's been pretty challenging. From a long-lasting bout of insomnia to a herniated disk that has severely extended down my left leg to a general increase of stress at work ... I feel as though I'm being tested as a modern-day Job.
Immediately after typing that or thinking such a ridiculous thing, I realize that I am no way close to being as challenged as the Biblical figure. Yet, try as I might, I seem incapable of taking charge to improve my condition and God seems to be allowing it to exist.
Fortunately, I have Kris in my life to help me through it.
For now, I take it one day at a time and cling to the belief that eventually, I will be a better Christian because of my resoluteness.

Kill Them With Kindness

During tonight's Little League Baseball game, as I was coaching near the dugout - I said "during" - a mom came over and told me I wasn't playing her son enough in the positions that challenged him. Now, the dugout area in our league is quite congested, as other parents help out and the kids - ages 6-8 - mill around a lot.
But it still took a lot of guts to do such a thing.
She didn't make a scene, and I calmly explained to her how hard I try being fair to all 12 boys on the team when it comes to positions and batting order. Not sure if it got through or not.
As I drove home, it bothered me more and more. I truly DO try very hard to be fair. I made up my mind I was going to send out a general email to all parents reminding them of that.
But God spoke to me (at least to my conscious). Instead, I am going to send the mom a kind email, telling her I understand how much she cares about her son and that I will continue to try to be as fair as possible.
If she STILL doesn't get it, God help her.

Iva

Today there was a message on my phone at work from an elderly woman identifying herself as Iva.
She said she was at Mercy Hospital and was looking our her window on Saturday. She saw "the most beautiful rainbow" she has ever seen, and it was over the East Dubuque bridge. She wondered if anybody at the newspaper had gotten a photo of it.
Well, I called her later in the morning and told her that I didn't believe anybody had taken one because if they had, it would probably have been in the paper. She asked if I would check and told me about her injured back.
"I sure would like to have a photo of that rainbow," she said.
When I got off the phone, I asked around and photographer Jessica Reilly said she thought staffer Erik Hogstrom had taken a photo of it and put it on Facebook. I talked with Erik and his photo was from a different vantage point, but it did get the rainbow. He and Jessica helped work it out to where we produced a glossy photo for Iva.
After work, I dropped it off at the Mercy front desk, and the little old lady behind it smiled and said she'd make sure Iva got it. Just thinking about her reaction made me feel very good.
I thank God for inspiring me to make the extra effort on behalf of my fellow human being.

White Lies and Not-so-White

Riding my bike on Heritage Trail today, I was stopped by a DNR guy and asked for my trail pass. It's the first time since I've been buying passes the past three years that I've been stopped.
Of course, this year, I've procrastinated - partly because of my injured back when I couldn't ride for a few weeks - and haven't bought one yet.
When the DNR guy asked for mine, I lied and said I had paid cash in the box at the beginning of the trail. I felt bad about it the rest of my ride and vowed to be honest if he caught me on my return trip. He was gone by then, but I plan to buy a pass tomorrow.
I pride myself on being honest. But, being as sinful as the next person, I have and will lie at times. Some of them are of the white lie variety, where telling the truth would serve no purpose except for make another person feel bad. Maybe even God is OK with those, as they tend to fall under the Golden Rule umbrella.
Anyway, I asked for forgiveness for today's lie and will work to refrain from lying as much as humanly possible.

Disillusioned

I thought God had inspired me to start this blog, but I am having my doubts.
Does a blog exist if it's only read by its creator?
I guess I'm just kind of searching, seeking and craving guidance in my life right now.
But my faith will endure, and I'll soldier on ...

Beautiful Christian Song

I heard a song on our local Christian radio station called "How Many Times," by Plumb. Very beautiful tune and words. It could eventually move up my list of favorite Christian songs once I hear it more often. But probably won't get close to my favorite "I Can Only Imagine," by Mercy Me.

Am I Wasting My Time?

Throughout every day of my life, I communicate with God through the good and the bad. Almost every little thing that happens, I either thank Him, ask for forgiveness or ask for guidance.

But I'm beginning to think this modern day version of communication - this blog - is a waste of time.
Anybody reading it?

Column Comes to Fruition

As so often happens these days, I was having trouble coming up with a column idea.
Then I was inspired by the bad in the world to write about doing positive things closer to home. It's a lot of the Golden Rule and ends with a suggestion to pray for those near and far.
If anybody is reading this, you'll have to check out Sunday's paper for the rest of the story.

Not Just on My Time

Man, I was busy at work today. I can't remember the last time I had so much to do on a Monday.
Then it hit me - or should I say, God reminded me? There was a wake for the husband of a former employee of mine named Shelby. But it was set up for the middle of the afternoon.
In the past, I know I would have skipped it. After all, she wasn't a close friend, and I would have convinced myself that I could send her a card later that week - when I wasn't so busy.
But this daily blog is beginning to have an impact. I'm allowing God to lead me, slowly but surely.
I took the time to pay my condolences. I could tell how much it meant to her, even though it was a brief visit.
Please pray for her. She has had her share of faith-testing challenges the past several years. May God show her his wonder, if not soon, in His time and in heaven.

Child of God

When I think about my place in heaven, most often I envision myself as a child, a boy of perhaps 11 or 12.
It's hard to explain. Almost as much as I feel my real home is in heaven, not on earth ... I also feel as though I'm meant to be a kid.
As I road my bike out near Bergfeld Pond this morning, I really noticed the beautiful trees along the route. What a wonderful and crucial part of God's creation. (If you want to see a cool book, check out my friend Mark Hirsch's book "That Tree" which is made up of his daily photos for a year of a tree near his home.)
I loved to climb trees, even as I reached my 40s and early 50s. I still do it if it weren't for my back. The same goes for tight-roping fence posts, skipping rocks, snow sledding ... you get the idea.
As my boys grew up, I had more fun playing games inside and out with them than doing "adult" things. At family gatherings, I'd almost always end up straying from the adults to hang out and goof around with the kids.
Maybe that's why I've enjoyed coaching Little League for so long. The kid in me can come out again.
No one knows how we will be in heaven - will we automatically be the age that we were when we died? Or will God choose the age we were "meant" to be for eternity?
I will accept anything He chooses; he's perfect. But for some strange reason, I believe he'll have me be one of his children.

"Heaven" Excerpt I

I've mentioned in an earlier post that I'm reading Randy Alcorn's "Heaven" for the third time (the first time was about four years ago after a Christian friend and former Bible study member Alexandra Armstrong gifted it to me)
One of my favorite - if not THE favorite - lines in the book is: "He (God) fashions us to want exactly what he will give us, so what he gives us will be exactly what we want."
Think about that sentence a little bit. It's an amazing insight, one I fully embrace as being probable.
Often, I don't even know what I want. Even more often, I tend to want things that God knows I don't need.
To eventually get to heaven and to finally know what I want, but then to have it given to me from God will be indescribable. He has always provided me with what I need, even though I've never deserved it. But through Christ's death, I will be saved and my every want will be exactly what God gives me.
Awesome.

Guess Who and Where?

Our church, St. Luke's Methodist, occasionally organizes a fun event where couples are randomly placed with other couples, then sent to a secret destination for dinner. Kris and I took part in one about two years ago where the meals were held at private residences. Tonight, we were sent to restaurants.
The group we were in ended up at Tony Roma's and were paired with one other couple (a third couple was unable to make it). A second group of six also was sent to Tony Roma's and our two tables were close to each other. It was a great evening of fellowship and good food.
I like how our church thinks outside the box. Sometimes, I disagree with some of its viewpoints. But all in all, it's been a good fit.
I converted from Catholicism after I met Kris. Before that, I converted from Lutheranism for my first wife, Jane, who died of breast cancer 10 years ago. All three denominations have their pluses and minuses.
Ultimately, all three believe Jesus Christ is our savior.
And to me, that's all that matters.

From Envy to Bliss

For the most part, I've been aging with a pretty good attitude. I've already lived longer than many of my relatives and friends, and I'm looking forward to my retirement years (which could be as few as five years away or as many as 13). The only frustration has been my physical deterioration. I miss playing competitive basketball, running at a good pace, lifting heavy weights and even climbing trees or doing flips on the lawn.
So this morning as I drove to work, I felt a surge of envy when I saw a middle-aged man with no shirt and lots of muscles running quickly down Asbury Avenue. Almost immediately, however, God caught hold of this envy and I felt repentant.
He must have been pleased, as my eyes seemed to open and I had this feeling of bliss - as if I was given a small taste of heaven. Has this ever happened to you? It has for me, and each time is just as wonderful.
As I finished my drive, I was completely in the moment, not only noticing various people as they walked to school or to work, but yearning to get to know them, to share my blissful state of being.
That's how I believe part of heaven will be - getting to know and love every person who has ever lived and who has been saved by Christ. Every single one!
Now that makes eternity sound very intriguing to me.

Savoring the Sweets

My wife, Kris, is well-known in our family and at my office for her delicious desserts. Over the years, several people have asked for her recipes and suggested she open a bakery. Living under the same condo roof with her can be a challenge when it comes to keeping my dessert intake to a minimum.
Yet, as I savored a piece of her latest batch of brownies tonight following a crazy night of coaching young Little League ballplayers, I thanked God for his gift of taste, as well as his gift to me of Kris. I try not to take either for granted, though I know I often fall short.
I pray that God will help me to better appreciate everything on this earth for as long as I walk it.

Lasting Impact

About 12 years ago, I volunteered to coach a diverse group of preteen Boys Club kids who wanted to be on a team, but had nobody to coach them. It was a great experience for me, and I hope it was for them. We won some, lost some and I made sure they learned sportsmanship, discipline and accountability.
One of my black players, Marcus, and I have occasionally stayed in touch since then. I wrote him a letter when he was a freshman after I heard he was struggling with some of his coaches and team rules. He eventually went on to play four years of football and four years of basketball, where he really excelled. My son, Shawn, saw Marcus after he had graduated high school and he mentioned my letter.
Three weeks ago, Marcus emailed me to see if our newspaper could do a story on he and his brother's online urban clothing business. I told him I'd pass the request on to the business editor. The feature was published in Sunday's paper. I wanted to share the email exchange we had this morning:
"Hey Jim, I just wanna than you for allowing me the opportunity to voice my line. I work really hard and it's nice to get noticed and, honestly, it was a great way to get looked at. Hopefully it will bring new business and clientele. From my family to yours, we truly thank you and the editors at the entire Telegraph Herald." - Marcus
"I'm real glad I could get the ball rolling for the story, Marcus. It was so cool seeing my former Boys Club player becoming a success. You guys should be real proud of your business. I pray it continues to go well with God's blessing."
"Thanks Jim. It really means a lot, really it does. God bless you and your family." - Marcus

I hope we see more of each other as life moves on as well as some day in heaven.

Starting a Year of Sharing God's Wonders

As I start this second blog (I did one in 2011), I pray that God's blessing will be on it. I ask that He inspires me to witness to signs of His wonderment on Earth each day and that, if I don't, others might share theirs.
They could be subtle signs or knock-you-off-your feet occurrences; challenges that could enhance my faith; or weaknesses that test my devotion. My goal is to write something every day for the next 365 days - at least - so along with His blessing, I pray for strength and endurance.

Friday as I rode my bike along my favorite heaven-on-earth location - Heritage Trail in northeast Iowa - I glimpsed an eagle through the many tree branches flying parallel to me. It flew gracefully over a healthy late spring stream, wings spread wide. Perhaps it was looking for a fish; maybe it was just enjoying the perfect day as much as I was. We shared about 30 seconds of bliss, and it flew out of sight.
During a bike ride Sunday, I set my iPod on the Christian/Spiritual playlist, as I always do on a Sunday ride. About 20 minutes into the ride, as a song was nearing an end, I suddenly thought, "It seems about time for a Mercy Me song to pop in." Tears came to my eyes as "I Can Only Imagine" started up.
It was good to have God with me on those two bike rides.
Today, my grown sons, Jay and Shawn, left for their homes after a nice long weekend with my wife, Kris, and I. Both have good jobs and lead moral lives. I pray that God becomes a bigger part of their lives, but am also so thankful for their health and presence.
I wish peace on anyone who ever reads this.