A story we heard from some dear friends keeps weighing on my mind. This couple had left Valentine gifts for their grandchild at his home. When asked after Valentines how he liked his gift my friend got a blank look from the grandchild. He said he had not received a gift. Hoping that he had forgotten or misunderstood the couple contacted the boy’s parents. “Did you receive the gifts?”“Yes.”“Did you give them to Billy?”“No, he has not been good enough to get any gifts.” My friend’s hearts were broken. The gift to their grandchild was given in love with no behavioral strings attached. They did not care if he had been good or bad. The gift was given simply because they loved him. The message sent to this boy is damaging both emotionally and spiritually. You must earn good gifts. If you don’t do right things you will not get good gifts. My heart hurt for my friends and for this
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It was six years ago this month that my father died. I miss him and I find myself loading up the iPod with the music he loved. Listening to the songs I grew up with makes me smile and remember him with great fondness. One of those songs was an old hymn sung by the Man in Black, Johnny Cash. It is a song that covers a lot of theology and provides a lot of comfort for me as I miss my dad. There was a time on Earth when in the books of HeavenThat an Old Account was standin’ for sins yet unforgivenMy name was at the top there was many things belowBut I went unto the keeper and I settled it long ago Long ago,yes long ago I said the Old Account was settled long agoAnd my record’s clear today ’cause he washed my sins awayAnd the Old Account was settled long ago And that, in simple iPod theology,
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Every Valentine’s Day for the past five years has been different. Oh, I have the same Valentine but having her as my Valentine means a little more each year. In just five weeks we will celebrate four years as a cancer survivor for my bride. Walking with Joni through eleven long months of chemotherapy and radiation made my love and appreciation for her grow even deeper. I was listening to the old iPod and a song by the Turtles summed up the current state of the marital union. Cue booming announcer voice… Let’s take you back forty years to the spring of 1967 when a California rock group hit number one with this song…Happy Together. I think about you day and night, it’s only rightTo think about the girl you love and hold her tightSo happy together I can’t see me lovin’ nobody but youFor all my lifeWhen you’re with me, baby the skies’ll be blueFor all my life We are so happy to be together. More than ever. Solomon wrote
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A song by Rascal Flatts made me ponder a larger question today. The song is called “My Wish” and the lyrics are really nice. My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to, Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small, You never need to carry more than you can hold, And while you’re out there getting where you’re getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too, Yeah, this, is my wish. We wish a lot of things that good. We wish good health for those we like and love. We wish that friends and family will prosper. But if I could have one wish for you what would it be? I think I would wish that every one would be able to experience the safety and acceptance of a community of grace. And if that wish is too big then I would wish for a room
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They woke up Punxsutawney Phil Tuesday morning long enough for the prognosticating rodent to let us know whether six more weeks of winter must be endured. According to Phil you should plan on bundling up for next month and a half. Phil looks about as happy as I do when when I am disturbed in the morning. Seventeen years ago a funny and underappreciated  movie came on the scene. Groundhog Day told the story of a self-absorbed news reporter (redundancy alert?) that finds himself stuck in an endless repeat of the same day. Bill Murray is perfect in the role of reporter Phil Connors. Since I live in the odd world of broadcast television I can relate to the cynical personality of Murray’s character. Reporter Phil is less than thrilled that he has been assigned to cover Punxsutawney Phil’s annual peek outside to predict winter’s duration. He feels he is “above” such an inane assignment. Connor’s looks into the camera and cynically reports:
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(I received a little e-note from Robert today. “Thanks for the insightful discussion of Bev Shea’s signature song. As today is his 101st birthday, I’ve posted an article about him, plus a video clip of the song, on my daily blog on hymn history, Wordwise Hymns. I invite you to take a look. God bless.”  Check out his site if you are interested in some of the stories behind the great hymns of our faith. Here is the article about Mr.Shea and his signature song.) I have been doing this church thing for a lot of years. I have sung hundreds of songs over the four decades or so that I have been darkening the church door. Some songs have great meaning to me. Some lyrics moved me to deep worship of God. Some times I really meant what I was singing. Other times I was singing through the motions while thinking about lunch and when the kick-off was going to happen. Gotta think
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The Wall Street Journal reported that more and more employers are enlisting happiness coaches. Love that image. “Line-up for smile drills. Jones, why are you frowning? Give me 25 guffaws pronto!” The actual concept is a trainer or speaker who will teach you how to practice new behaviors, cheer up and stop stressing out. The Journal notes that the methods these trainers teach differ from the skills coaches usually promote, such as advancing your career or learning teamwork. Instead, they draw on psychological research and ancient religious traditions to teach inner peace, gratitude, kindness and resiliency in the face of adversity – of which there is plenty in today’s workplace. Employees are urged to meditate, send daily e-mails thanking their co-workers for things, write in a journal about things they’re grateful for or help someone without expecting anything in return. It seems I have read a lot of those ideas in a text once…what is called…oh yeah…the Gospels. Okay, the e-mails weren’t mentioned by Jesus but I
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