The Journey Is As Important As the Destination

Traveling through the Twin Cities today has been anything but easy.
– Lengthy delays
– Slippery streets
– Stressed drivers
– Exhausted snowplow drivers
– Anxious bus drivers
– Fed up commuters
– Snow-day praying students who got a “no” answer

Our Destination

Our destination is just a tiny slice of our journey.
– We worry about approval
– We strain toward goals
– We stretch for benchmarks
– We dream about the future
– And too often we miss the present

When we’re fixated on the next, we miss the now.

As I was approaching fifty years old I sought the wisdom of my elders. I sought out men and women older than I was to learn lessons on life that they had been learning.

Monday I began a series entitled A Treasure Chest Of Wisdom, including:

1. Don’t Hold Grudges
2. Take Care Of Your Health.
3. Compassion Makes Sense and Giving Is Better Than Taking
4. Greed Gains Momentum
5. Gratitude Leads To Contentment

Contentment Leads To Generosity

Note: This post in NOT intended to brag or boast.

As I was approaching fifty years old I sought the wisdom of my elders. I sought out men and women older than I was to learn lessons on life that they had been learning.

Monday I began a series entitled A Treasure Chest Of Wisdom, including:

1. Don’t Hold Grudges
2. Take Care Of Your Health.
3. Compassion Makes Sense and Giving Is Better Than Taking
4. Greed Gains Momentum

Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, it’s important to be grateful for the amazing gifts we already have.

Loving family
Faithful friends
Good health

As I was approaching fifty years old I sought the wisdom of my elders. I sought out men and women older than I was to learn lessons on life that they had been learning.

Monday I began a series entitled A Treasure Chest Of Wisdom, including:

1.  Don’t Hold Grudges 
2.  Take Care Of Your Health.
3.  Compassion Makes Sense and Giving Is Better Than Taking

Today is the day after Thanksgiving known as Black Friday.  A nationwide marketing “holiday” to trigger sales in anticipation of holiday gift-giving and gatherings.

The text of Wild Grace was adapted from Max Lucado’s book Grace. Gray boxes behind the text indicate places where new words and stories were added by James Lund specifically for our teen readers. 

If you read my review of Grace you know I enjoyed it.  I was interested in finding out how Lund adapted Lucado’s book for teens.

I Liked

Lund expands on Lucado adding, “One dictionary definition of “grace” is “unmerited divine assistance.” Sounds simple enough— God giving us something we don’t deserve. But do we really get grace? And even if we do, does it have anything to do with our lives?”

I follow Max Lucado on Twitter. 

When I read tweets like these I began to be excited to read his most recent book Grace.

“To discover grace is to discover God’s utter devotion to you, his stubborn resolve to give you a cleansing, healing love”

“Your identity is not in possessions, talents or accomplishments. Nor are you defined by divorce, debt or dumb choices.”

“Mercy pardons us. Grace empowers us.”

I love what I read in the tweets.
I assumed that they were quotes.
I assumed wrong.

Despite that, I love the book.

I’m turning 50 this week. 

I’m not yet fifty — it’s just one day away — but I thought I’d lead you through my journey, and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two that will help you on your journey.

Alone, But Not

You know how it is when you feel less alone when someone else can understand your pain?

There are days when I live like a practical atheist. 

Not that I don’t care about God, but that I don’t even think about God.

I’m turning 50 this week. 

I’m not yet fifty — it’s just two days away — but I thought I’d lead you through my journey, and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two that will help you on your journey.

Hurts < = > Heartache < = > Hope.
Fights < = > Frustrations < = > Faith.

Love Wins!

While all of the above are part of relationships, which way the flow flows is dependent on love.

Will love overcome the hurt?
Will love overcome the fights?

“If you support _____ immediately delete me.”

That was posted on Facebook, tweeted and repeated passionately in the last few weeks leading up to our national election.

It’s interesting how much anger and vitriol arises during election years.

I see it everywhere.

Even among comic book readers.

At the risk of alienating fans of other fans I’m only going to refer to two set of loyalists, the Batman and the Superman fans.

Recently I read a graphic novel called Trinity by Matt Wagner featuring Wonder Woman, Superman and Batman. In the Trinity there is a conversation between Wonder Woman and Superman about Batman.

If you feel like a mess today.
If you know someone who feels like a mess today. 
It’s not the end of the world.

She’s not alone.
He’s not alone.
You’re not alone.

We ask questions about life, death, and the meaning and purpose of life. Together we ask, “What’s going on?“

“We all have a hunger for certitude, and the problem is that the Gospel is not about certitude, it’s about fidelity.”

Our struggle with faith is somewhat universal.  God doesn’t make it super-easy to believe, but believe is what God wants.  True belief, not based on guarantees that are indisputable, but belief based on a relationship.