Month: August 2015

A Lesson From The Swan: Stick Your Neck Out

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swanI’ll have to admit that I’m more than just a little intrigued by drones and the cameras offered by GoPro.  I’ll admit something else: After watching the jerky footage and less than fluid movies they produce, I almost succumb to motion sickness.

Researchers at Stanford University think they’ve discovered a solution that will stabilize the cameras used in this frontier technology.  Surprisingly, the answer may be found in the smooth and graceful flight of the elegant swan.

In an article at Quartz, Mike Murphy has reported that, “A swan’s neck acts like a car’s suspension, compressing and expanding as the bird’s body bobs up and down with the flaps of its wings, and ensuring the head stays still.”

When the 20 vertebrae and more than 200 muscles on each side of the swan’s neck move in a fluid and coordinated motion, the bird’s head doesn’t bob up and down.  It remains steady, which leads to aerodynamic efficiency and enhanced and focused vision.

If you do a little research in the book of Proverbs, you’ll find how important your neck is to you:

  • In Proverbs 1:8-10, you are encouraged to wear the wisdom of your parents as “a badge of honor and maturity, and as fine jewelry around your neck.”
  • In Proverbs 3:3, Solomon said you should, “Stay focused; do not lose sight of mercy and truth; engrave them on a pendant, and hang it around your neck; meditate on them so they are written upon your heart.”
  • In Proverbs 3:22, Solomon encourages you to, “never lose sight of God’s wisdom and knowledge: make decisions out of true wisdom, guard your good sense, and they will be life to your soul and fine jewelry around your neck.”

Life is full of bumps and bruises and it has its ups and downs, but you might experience less turbulence if you stick your neck out for God.

Are We Drinking Ourselves Dry?

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Are you an average American?  If so, you are now using 270 plastic bottles to consume an average of 35 gallons of bottled water a year.  The Beverage Marketing Corporation believes that by 2017 that number will climb to 300 bottles each year.

I’ll ask the question again:  Are you an average American?  If so, you probably don’t know that it takes about 3 liters of water to produce 1 liter of bottled water—for the metrically challenged 1 liter equals a little over a quart.

According to the American Water Works Association, almost 2/3 of all bottled water sales are single 16.9 oz. bottles and are sold at a cost of about $7.50 per gallon. You might find that figure amazing, but it is staggering when compared to the cost of a gallon of tap water or the cost of a gallon of gasoline.

With the on-going droughts in California and other places around the world, and the inefficiency and high cost of bottled water, I have to ask:  Are we drinking ourselves dry?

I’ll ask the question one last time:  Are you an average American?  If so, you might be unaware of a wonderful life-giving source of water . . .

John 4:13-14

Jesus said:  Drink this water, and your thirst is quenched only for a moment. You must return to this well again and again.  I offer water that will become a wellspring within you that gives life throughout eternity. You will never be thirsty again.

The woman replied:  Please, Sir, give me some of this water, so I’ll never be thirsty and never again have to make the trip to this well.

R.I.P. #23: Death In The Line of Duty

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R.I.P. Deputy Goforth

R.I.P. Deputy Goforth

You shouldn’t have to worry when you stop to fill your tank that you’ll be shanked or shot.  Sadly though, Darren Goforth was ambushed and shot multiple times while pumping gas into his patrol car.

This violent and inhumane act has saddened the heart of law enforcement officers (LEO) across the nation, and it has left many in Harris County Texas stunned.  Goforth is the 23rd officer that has been shot and died as a result of his injuries in the first 8 months of this year.

Please pray for any LEO you know, and all of them in your community.  Also pray for Goforth’s family.  He is survived by his wife and two children, ages 5 and 12.

First of all, I encourage you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people, 2 for rulers, and for everyone who has authority over us. Pray for these people so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior. ~I Timothy 2:1-3

I encourage you to visit https://www.facebook.com/HCSOTexas, and leave a comment supporting them in their time of grief.

Kaden’s Cure: Spinal Muscular Atrophy

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3D DNA colorful“I’m not used to someone seeing Kaden just for who he is and not for his disability.”  These are the words of a mother who is as grateful as she is heartbroken.

Katie Myers is the proud mother of an 18-month-old son named Kaden.   Katie’s joy of motherhood was interrupted when she learned that Kaden was born with  (SMA).

If you are like me, you know very little about SMA.  According to information at Kaden’s website, his disease:

  • is the number 1 genetic killer of children under 2 years of age. More than half of babies diagnosed with SMA won’t see their second birthday.
  • destroys motor neurons controlling voluntary movement and can hinder the ability to walk, crawl, sit, roll over, or exhibit head & neck control.
  • has the statistical probability of afflicting 1 in every 6,000 live births

The gratitude of Katie Meyers and her appreciation for the manner in which another boy interacted with Kaden is easily seen in the note she posted on Facebook:  “To the little boy at the science museum, I don’t know who you are, but thank you for being amazing. You let my son play and engage with you. You helped him pick up balls from the floor when you saw that he could not. You didn’t ask what was wrong with him or why he couldn’t walk, you just saw him. Kaden is a lot like you, he is very curious and wildly smart. He wants to know how everything works. Thank you for helping him turn the lever when you noticed he was too weak to do it himself. You will probably never see this but just by being you, you make this world better.”

I don’t know Katie or Kaden, but I do know that we can learn a lesson from them:  We need to focus on the innate dignity of the people we meet.

We can do something else:  We can pray for them.

Is It Detrimental?

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Are 4 words so detrimental to the well-being of our nation that they should be banned?  The Freedom from Religion Foundation must think this is the case.   This organization recently contacted 17 sheriff’s offices and police departments across the nation demanding they remove the motto:  In God We Trust.

Read more at this link: http://goo.gl/8I2GAq

Run Baby Run

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cheetah-speed-2According to an African parable, when morning dawns in Africa the gazelle know that it must run faster than a cheetah or be killed.  The cheetah knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it is going to starve.  The moral of this story is that whether you are a gazelle or a cheetah, you had better be ready to run when the sun rises.

In Hebrews 12, Paul used the metaphor of a race, and he said that you should “lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith.”

How would your life be different if your life was characterized by the determination exhibited by the gazelle or a cheetah?  Keep your eyes on Jesus, and run the race He has set before you.

A Shelter For A Helter Skelter World

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birdTo say the world can be a mess is not an understatement.  Life is lived at such a fast pace, you may have gone to bed last night feeling overwhelmed and got up this morning still in a daze.

When you’re seeking a refuge of safety and rest, Psalm 91 is a wonderful passage of Scripture:

He who takes refuge in the shelter of the Most High
    will be safe in the shadow of the Almighty.
 He will say to the Eternal, “My shelter, my mighty fortress,
    my God, I place all my trust in You.”
Like a bird protecting its young, God will cover you with His feathers,   He will protect you under His great wings; His faithfulness will form a shield around you, a rock-solid wall to protect you.

You only have to look at the pages of Scripture to find examples of God intervening in the lives of His children.  Joseph, as an example,  lived through a series of hardships and trials.  At the end of his life he said people had planned things for evil, but God had planned them for good.

Like Joseph, you need to take an eternal perspective on life.  The weight of the present heartache or trial can skew your perspective on the future; however, when you look from the present back through history, you can often see how your life has been more than just the victim of circumstances.

Benefit from the opportunity that you have.  Don’t refuse the refuge–find comfort in the shelter of God.

Daring and Desperate Determination

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When you read the Old and New Testaments together, you will find some companion verses.  These Scriptures complement each other.  Even though there are hundreds of years between the times of their writing, they state the same timeless truths.

Notice the words of the Psalmist and the Savior:

  • Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
  • Matthew 6:33: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Do you “delight” yourself in the Lord as much as you delight yourself in your children and grandchildren?  Do you seek God’s kingdom and righteousness as much as you pursue your passions in life?

I think of these verses when I read the story of a woman in Matthew 15.   She cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is possessed by a demon. Have mercy, Lord!”

customoko-its-time-to-have-bold-faith-kids-tshirt-featured-imageThis woman was persistent and kept on seeking and asking and knocking until she got the attention of Jesus and His disciples.  This woman was daring, desperate, and determined in her quest to request divine intervention on behalf of her daughter.

Because of her faith, Jesus responded and blessed her with the desires of her heart.  How daring and determined are you in your life of faith?

The Single Wrapped Cursing and Blessing

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sweet_sourSweet and Sour or bitter and sweet, some polar opposites of life are single wrapped and served for your pleasure.  Too much of one ruins the other, but without the correct mix you are left with something that is bland and tasteless.

If a glass of lemonade was all lemon and no sugar, it would be much too sour.  If it was just a squeeze of lemon and two cups of sugar, it would be far too sweet.  The same is true with life in general:  You need to get the right blend or you’ll be mixed up but not balanced.

How balanced is your life when it comes to technology?  I’m a news-hound, so I watch it on TV, and read it on the internet, and I enjoy watching sports on TV.  I also have a Kindle Fire, and download books to it for reading.  But, it’s possible to spend too much time with technological gadgets and too little time with God.

A disciplined life is an essential.  Peter said that a person should “be disciplined and stay on guard. Your enemy the devil is prowling around outside like a roaring lion, just waiting and hoping for the chance to devour someone (I Peter 5).”

Is your life balanced or have you left the door open to roaring lion?  Are listening more to Hollywood or the Holy Word?  In your life, which of the two is the powerless microphone or a powerful megaphone?

While this is an important question for adults, it is even more serious when it comes to our children.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that there should be no screens in kids rooms, including televisions, video games, and mobile devices; and no screen time for children under 2 years of age.

  • The AAP has reported that the average 8 to 10 year old spends nearly 8 hours a day using media and teens spend more than 11 hours a day.
  • The Pew Research Internet Report reports that 78% of teens have a handheld device and 97% use the internet.

This can be good, but it can also be bad.  I think there is a correlation between some societal problems and the proliferation of technology.  Focus on the Family has reported that the average at which a child is introduced to pornography has dropped to 8 years old.caged_lion_1397649c

Sweet and sour or bitter and sweet—is your life full of the enticing, the entertaining, or the educational.  Who is controlling the gateway to the eyes and ears of your family?  Is the roaring lion in the cage or is he running loose?