Most Simpsons television episodes begin with an opening sequence of several short clips including Bart Simpson satisfying a consequence by writing a phrase on the classroom chalkboard.

Known as the chalkboard gag, “the chalkboard gag is a running visual joke that occurs during the opening credits of many episodes. In this gag, Bart Simpson is writing a unique phrase on the chalkboard repeatedly; when the school bell rings, he immediately stops writing and runs out of the classroom.” 1

This week we’ll look at a few chalkboards and how they may or may not be written on the chalkboard of our lives.

To paraphrase a great quote: “Good people inspire themselves; great people inspire others.” 

I love that my life is filled with people like my friend Bianca. Her courage, determination and resolve inspires me to be better at what I do.

Thanks to Bianca, and all the rest of you who don’t settle and want more

You can read more about Bianca’s courage and TreeHouse’s contribution to her life here.

I have a friend who read the Bible and his conclusions broke his heart. He read about a God who didn’t fit his paradigm. He read about a God who didn’t do what he thought best. He read about a God who seemed to sit silent through tragedy. His crumbling faith and doubts rippled through him like an earthquake. The chasm led him to abandon his previous love for God.

When people face tragedy, they usually have one of three reactions. They blame God, they turn to God for help or they abandon God.

Note: This is part 3 of the series, By The Numbers. Catch up if you need to:
1. Paint By Numbers.
2. By The Numbers.

It’s 2:38 A.M.

Few people who know me well would be surprised that I’m awake. Almost everyone would be surprised that it’s 2:38 A.M. and I just woke up.

Huh?

I’m a night owl, but last night I had to go to bed early for a 4:15 A.M. wake up.

Predictably I didn’t need an alarm. Predictably, I didn’t want to startle Amy awake at 4:15 A.M. Predictably, I woke up early enough not to need an alarm.

Recently I led our TreeHouse trip to northern Minnesota. On the way to our destination we stopped in Duluth. After some fun at Adventure Zone we were hungry for dinner.

My friend and co-worker Ash SanFilippo is a fan of the Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” One of the cheapest meals in the Duluth area belongs to the “world famous” Anchor Bar in Superior, WI.

Enthusiastically I led the caravan to the Anchor Bar. As we drove over Tower Bridge I envisioned Ash’s excitement. As we maneuvered through the streets the taste of the delicious Anchor Bar burgers and fries made my hungry mouth water.

There I sat at the gray laminate kitchen table. It’s the only color I could envision looking good atop that table.

That was not good news.

I sat there perplexed with my Paint-by-Number painting in-complete, well actually it was un-started.

I didn’t know where to begin. This was not my work of art, it was someone else’s. I was just trying to mimic her work.

When you paint by numbers you try to create someone else’s pretty picture. Hopefully it looks good. It might even fool some people that the painting was created by a real artist.

Today is Independence Day.

Could This Be Your Independence Day?

Excursus: This day is special for another reason, it’s Amy & Phil Hatcher’s wedding anniversary.  Congrats you two!

Independence is on my mind.

Independence for you.  Independence for me.

True independence

True independence.  As my friend Jenny Dwyer said, is “Nothing missing.  Nothing broken.”

My prayers are for you who, like me, need some more independence from our baggage:

- My friends who are trapped in their time-wasters.

- My friends who are caught in the trap of coping by cutting.

Freedom is on my mind. In my opinion, freedom is one of our highest values.

And yet, true freedom includes understanding that we do not have the ultimate say, the ultimate choice or the supreme will.

“Responsibility means obligation, and obligation must mean a curtailing of freedom.” 1

Motives

“Humans love freedom like fish love water. They pretty much have to have it. Now, of course, what humans also love is having decent, clean, productive, emotionally rewarding lives. And that (curse that Adam and Eve!) means work. And work (curse that Adam and Eve!) means responsibility.” 

Freedom is on my mind. In my opinion, freedom is one of our highest values.

It’s intriguing to think about our Creator-God’s first plan: “I have one rule. Enjoy your freedom, but do things my way.” Which  included, “Don’t eat fruit from that tree.” 1

The first people-problem: People chose their own way.

God’s second plan: You want life your way? My way was easy. You’re way is harder ever-after.

In order to make the harder ever-after easier God gave people ten rules to make life easier.

1.  I am God. I am the authority. Avoid confusion, you are not God.

I was seven years old the summer I read my first comic book.

It was a hot, sunny day as I sat on the concrete porch of my parents’ house. For the first time I opened a used and somewhat worn copy of a comic book. It was Amazing Spider-Man issue 41.

Not knowing the story, the cover picturing a giant man in a rhinoceros costume charging out of the cover fascinated me.

Opponents

Aleksei-somebody (Sytsevich) was a Russian criminal who underwent treatments to transform him into a man with superhuman strength bonded to a huge, intimidating, rhino costume.