In Memory

There are events that you hope to burn into memory.

I watched one of those moments this weekend. I was with my father-in-law when we went to pick up his mom from the nursing home with his father. Grandma doesn't remember much anymore and Grandpa lives at home alone now. It hasn't been many years since Grandpa could easily out work me stacking hay bales or Grandma would be making lemonade for us as we worked on their roof. But, not this day.

This day Grandma is sitting in a chair staring at the TV in the Alzheimers ward at the home. I don't know if she is watching or just looking. And this day I walk slowly with Grandpa as he shuffles along the hot sidewalk and then up the stairs to go visit.

Her son leans down to ask her if she wants to go with us to visit the graveyards this Memorial Day weekend. It takes a couple times for him to get Grandma to look him in the eye before she quietly says yes. As she answers, her voice sounds a lot like my daughter, her first great-grandchild. Though it is a little more timid and quiet than my daughter talks today. Grandpa scolds us a bit about going to fast and talking to much. He says that it scares her when we do that. Grandpa takes off his hat and bends down with difficulty to look her in the eye. He asks her if she recognizes him. She says yes, but also says "you look different".

Ever so slowly her son and husband get her to stand and start walking with us. It takes about twenty feet before we realize we didn't get her shoes on yet. Not a good start for walking across a hot sidewalk on a calm and sunny day. I grab a chair for her and we have Grandma sit back down so the nurse can put on her sandels for us. As we wait for the nurse to come back from her room with the sandels I get to just stand and watch.

Grandma looks over and sees Grandpas hand. He is leaning against the wall and waiting with his arm loose at his side. Shakily she reaches out and grabs his hand and pulls it to her. Holding his hand now she brings it to her lips for a gentle kiss.

I smile and look up at Grandpa. He has an amazing look on his face as he watches her and then looks to me. In his eyes and in his smile I can see true love.

Day 68

As You Rise ... Psalms 119

Chapter 119 in mp3

My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly.

LORD ... give me a heart for your Word.

To listen with my heart and soul. To burn them upon my mind. To know what you are saying to me and to understand.

To bring them forth during the day as I work. To think about them when I'm angry with others. To memorize them for when I fear anything in my life.

Help me to understand and to love your testimony.

As You Walk By The Way ...Psalms 120-122

Chapter 120 in mp3
Chapter 121 in mp3
Chapter 122 in mp3

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

"Oh ... can't we stay home this Sunday? It was such a long week! And, I'd rather be watching football anyway."

One day of rest.

I would rather think that for the church family it is one day of focus. A focus on God. Not on the 'me stuff'. To focus purely on God for once in our week.

To give up the running and doing.

To just focus on loving God and loving each other.

When You Lie Down ... 1 Corinthians 8-9

Chapter 8 in mp3
Chapter 9 in mp3

I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

I ran cross country in college for one season. I thought it would kill me. I was a 400 meter sprint type of guy. Not a 5 mile type of guy.

But, it made me stronger.

When you train for a race you never just run that distance anyway. You want to train to race a mile? You do anything from half-mile sprints and 6 miles endurance runs. And you don't do it halfway. You train hard to improve.

The same can be said for taking control of your body spiritually.

To can't just go about this halfway. You train hard. You think hard on the Word. You train with others. You let the difficulties in life strengthen you. You refresh yourself with God's Word and prayer.

Train hard and live well.

Day 62

As You Rise ... Psalms 68-71

Chapter 68 in mp3
Chapter 69 in mp3
Chapter 70 in mp3
Chapter 71 in mp3

More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies.

When things go wrong it feels as if I'm isolated and against the whole world. That the things lined up on the other side far outnumber my side. The problems are so big and I'm so small.

But isn't that to my advantage?

I never ran faster in track when I didn't run harder. I never got stronger when I didn't lift more than I did before. I might have complained to the coach about doing a second set of 400meter sprints. But, I wouldn't get to finals without them.

So as we look out at our enemies.

They may seem numerous. The sky darker than you have ever seen. The wind stronger. And the air colder.

Look at your eternal Coach.

He wouldn't ask you to face this if He didn't know you could handle it. He will be beside you with what you need to finish. Encouragement. Nourishment. Comfort.

And a good solid yell for you to get moving at times.

As You Walk By The Way ...Psalms 72-76

Chapter 72 in mp3
Chapter 73 in mp3
Chapter 74 in mp3
Chapter 75 in mp3
Chapter 76 in mp3

Give the king your justice, O God.

LORD, give us your justice.

Give us a heart of love for those whom everyone else hates.

Bring prosperity to the hills so we can give freely to those without.

Keep our table full of people who have nothing to eat ... and no one to eat with.

Let us live as fathers to those with no father.

Let us be the loving child to those alone in the nursing homes.

Let us be the righteous judge for those who justice fails.

Help us to break the teeth of the wicked who devour the weak.

Raise up men who will burn for Your Truth and Your Justice.

Amen. And Amen.

When You Lie Down ... Romans 8-9

Chapter 8 in mp3
Chapter 9 in mp3

"Daddy! Look at me!"

Those four words from my youngest son taught me so much about the LORD. We were in the kitchen with him sitting on the counter top and me standing beside him making the snack. He was talking and I was doing the typical head nods and grunts of acknowledgment. But, I wasn't looking at him as he talked to me.

He reached up and grabbed my face with both hands. And turning my head to him he told me: "Daddy! Look at me!". I will remember that until the day I die.

And what an amazing God we have.

Where we can reach out, grab Him, and cry out: Daddy!

Day 60

As You Rise ... Psalms 49-53

Chapter 49 in mp3
Chapter 50 in mp3
Chapter 51 in mp3
Chapter 52 in mp3
Chapter 53 in mp3

But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.

“You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son."

As I listen to the chapters for each day I usually write down a small note on what comes to mind in a particular chapter. This is what I had for this section ...

Ps 50 - My Nation

So many just give lip service and then deny the LORD's truth.

Our current financial situation exposes us as a nation of thieves. As a nation that takes from its children to pay for the pleasures of the adults.

We hate discipline rather than understand that we need to be corrected from doing wrong.

I pray that God will give Christians the strength of will to stand up and say enough. Or that He will rise up and humble us.

As You Walk By The Way ...Psalms 54-59

Chapter 54 in mp3
Chapter 55 in mp3
Chapter 56 in mp3
Chapter 57 in mp3
Chapter 58 in mp3
Chapter 59 in mp3

For it is not an enemy who taunts me — then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me — then I could hide from him.

But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng.

Choose your friends wisely. Something I worry a lot about for my kids? Who they will grow up with.

Once our children are in school their days will have them asleep for about 10 hours, with you for about 6 hours, and with their friends for about 8 hours. And as they grow the hours will strongly shift to their friends and away from you.

And peer pressure can be applied for evil or good.

So apply a little bit of positive pressure as well. Not just on your kids, but on their friends. How? Just be involved in their lives. Teach in Sunday school. Help coach the sports team. Show them and their friends that you love them as Christ loves them. Model what is right and true.

When You Lie Down ... Romans 1-4

Chapter 1 in mp3
Chapter 2 in mp3
Chapter 3 in mp3
Chapter 4 in mp3

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.

Isn't that the truth.

Take some time today to go outside to walk, watch, and listen. Find a quiet spot to just meditate on God and what He has made for you to enjoy.

Day 34

As You Rise ... 1 Kings 16-19
Chapter 16 in mp3
Chapter 17 in mp3
Chapter 18 in mp3
Chapter 19 in mp3

And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”

I like the way the band Disciple covers this in "God Of Elijah" ( use youtube to find it online ).

Bring on the show down
How long will you waver between two opinions
If the Lord is God then follow Him
But if Baal is god then follow him
There are 450 prophets of Baal and just one of me
So it should be no problem to get his attention
And show everyone here today
That if he's the real god
He'll have to send fire down
So they began to shout, run around, cut themselves
Baal made no reply, so Elijah cried
Maybe he's sleeping, or busy or traveling
Or using the bathroom, or deeply thinking

I can just see the prophets running around cutting themselves and screaming to rouse a god who happens be busy sitting on the toilet.

Today we are trying to replace God with the idea of a perfect man. That we are all that there is. We only need to look in the mirror, understand science, and find inner meaning to find "god". What foolishness.

We run around cutting ourselves, bleeding all over, screaming, and crying out to a false god. Look at how much money and flesh we sacrifice in the temples of pleasure at Vagas. Look at how much blood of our children we spill for the image of selfishness. For the right of not being burdened with them.

In the end men will be lying in the dirt looking up at the fire of God. Their sacrifice sits, blood spilt out for nothing and to no one. Their lost hope mingling with the blood and dirt inside the wounds on their cut backs.

As You Walk By The Way ... 1 Kings 20-22

Chapter 20 in mp3
Chapter 21 in mp3
Chapter 22 in mp3

It is rather easy to find the people who rely only upon their own strength. Look at Ahab ... and he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food. All because he didn't get what he wanted he ran away and pouted like an young child. And soon that lead to a great evil and his own death.

If you are your own god ... If you sacrifice only to yourself ... How great the fall when any trial comes upon you! You stand alone and see nothing outside of your own pleasures. And when the pleasure stops, like it does for all people, how great the pain.

Lean on God. He is a rock. You are not.

When You Lie Down ... Luke 23

Chapter 23 in mp3

Jesus, remember me ...


O My Lord,

In the great sins of my life ... forgive me

In the anger and hate and frustration ... forgive and comfort

In the joys and smiles ... share in my joy

In the devotion of family ... be our leader

In the dark hours ... walk with me

In the light hours ... burden me

O Lord ... You are my LORD.

- Amen

Day 6

As You Rise ... Exodus 12-17

Chapter 12 in mp3
Chapter 13 in mp3
Chapter 14 in mp3
Chapter 15 in mp3
Chapter 16 in mp3
Chapter 17 in mp3

And here we see what happens when God softens your heart the hard way. You can continue your life with the illusion that you are in charge. Surrounding yourself with people and ideas that give some semblance of control.

I pray that we understand that we are just men. Before God has to show us that He is in charge.

As You Walk By The Way ... Exodus 18-22

Chapter 18 in mp3
Chapter 19 in mp3
Chapter 20 in mp3
Chapter 21 in mp3
Chapter 22 in mp3

Pride. It can kill you.

We landscaped our house with stones from a friend's field out in the Flint Hills. Every now and then I would get a 200+ lb stone into the back of the pickup just to prove I could do it alone. My father-in-law would offer to help, but I would just have to do it myself. Pride.

I never did blow out my back. But, after moving one or two of those ... I was pretty much worthless for awhile. Getting help is not weakness. Together we accomplish so much more. You just need to swallow your pride, smile, shake your friend's hand, and say thank you.

When You Lie Down ... Matthew 16-19

Chapter 16 in mp3
Chapter 17 in mp3
Chapter 18 in mp3
Chapter 19 in mp3

Chapter 16 verse 17 Jesus blesses Peter and then by verse 23 it is ... get behind me Satan. Don't know if that was the record for quickest turn around, but I'm sure it was pretty close.

All my life I've gone hot and cold. Do what is right and then follow up with sin. It is comforting to know that Christ is right beside me the entire time. Praising the good and correcting the bad. Even if Peter was flawed, Christ still worked with him for good. I pray that He will continue to work with one more flawed man for good.

Day 4

As You Rise ... Genesis 39-44

Chapter 39 in mp3
Chapter 40 in mp3
Chapter 41 in mp3
Chapter 42 in mp3
Chapter 43 in mp3
Chapter 44 in mp3

Run, Run, and Run. The easiest solution to situations that can lead to sin ... don't be there. Joseph was a good example. Get out, even if you have to leave something important behind.

Don't ever think that you can handle temptation while you play around with it. You WILL be burned if you continue. Leave the party. Stop flirting with your co-worker. Get a new job if you have to. Turn off the TV. Turn off the computer.

As You Walk By The Way ... Genesis 45-50

Chapter 45 in mp3
Chapter 46 in mp3
Chapter 47 in mp3
Chapter 48 in mp3
Chapter 49 in mp3
Chapter 50 in mp3

"Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them."

It isn't very often that we get in a position to control others lives like Joseph. And Joseph forgave those who sold him as a slave and cared for them and their children. God gave his only son to be beaten beyond recognition and to death upon a cross. We were the ones who wronged God ... and yet He gives us salvation.

What a little thing for us to speak kindly to those that have harmed us.

When You Lie Down ... Matthew 11-13

Chapter 11 in mp3
Chapter 12 in mp3
Chapter 13 in mp3

There is a trust game that many people go through at retreats. You close your eyes and fall backwards ... trusting the person behind to catch you. I once went to a church father-n-son meeting with my dad when I was little. They did a trust game where you would hold a nail and your dad took a whack at it. Which was fine and all if your dad could swing a hammer.

Actually, my Grandpa Nilson was splitting logs at our house one summer and had me hold the wedge while he swung the sledge. I would quickly let go of the wedge right as he would swing ... "Mark, hold it still. I won't miss!" So I held still.

He nailed my hand on the first swing after that.

God calls on us to commit everything to him. Don't hold anything back from Him by trusting yourself. Like my Grandpa, I'm just a man. Flawed, weak, and prone to mistakes. So why trust in my strength? Lean on God.

Day 3

As You Rise ... Genesis 29-32

Chapter 29 in mp3
Chapter 30 in mp3
Chapter 31 in mp3
Chapter 32 in mp3

Determination is amazing to watch.

Luke was at wrestling practice and they were doing king of the mat. From smallest to largest they would wrestle down/up. The new comer to the mat would start down, the one who stayed on the mat would start up. It wasn't for pins ... just escapes. The king wasn't the largest or the fastest. He was the one who just wouldn't let go. Even with a larger boy's knee on his head while working to free his foot. He never let go.

When you talk with God do you never let go? Do you wrestle with Him from night until morning until He answers?

As You Walk By The Way ... Genesis 33-38

Chapter 33 in mp3
Chapter 34 in mp3
Chapter 35 in mp3
Chapter 36 in mp3
Chapter 37 in mp3
Chapter 38 in mp3

You know there are two ways to make yourself look bigger and better than the Jones. One: actually do something good. Or Two: kick your neighbor to the ground so he is below you. Often we sin in our lives and fall upon the latter rather than strive for the first. When Jesus asked who would throw the first stone ... like Jacob, everyone knew they were in the wrong. They knew they were sinners. So they held their hand.

Maybe, rather then kick a neighbor down we should help them up.

When You Lie Down ... Matthew 9-10

Chapter 9 in mp3
Chapter 10 in mp3

At Christmas we sing about peace on earth. But Christ says he has not come to bring peace, but a sword. The peace promised to us is not for all people, but for those with whom God is pleased.

A Christian should not expect wealth or happiness within the world. Our wealth, our happiness, and our peace is only with the LORD. Not within our families. Only within the LORD. If God has blessed you with happiness within your family ... be thankful. Be eternally grateful for it is a gift. But remember to continue to focus on the giver of that gift, God, not only upon the gift.