Wings

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.
Isaiah 40:31

The babies are gone. Over a couple of days we watched, with anticipation, from our bedroom window as each fledgling house finch climbed up to the edge of the nest, shook its wings, looked around precariously, then retreated back to safety, preferring to fly another day. We saw the mother land an inch or two further each feeding time in order to coax the four young ones to venture from their secure environment. Then father and mother would land on an adjoining hanging plant, trading chirps with the next recruit, as if to say, "Come on. You can do it!" We didn't have the same patience as the parent birds, however, because we never got to see even one of them actually leave the nest. In an instant they had taken wing.

In a few short weeks, we observed the miracle of nature --- making a home, giving birth, feeding, nurturing and maturing --- a miniature panorama of life. This was a story complete with caring and interaction (One day the father bird nudged the mother along an electric wire, saying, "Get down there. They're getting too close to the nest."). It was a tale of danger. We have several neighborhood cats who circled and lay in wait for days, and we intervened to ensure that they weren't successful in their hunt. Even on launch day the ground must have looked as if it was miles below, rather than only a few feet from nest to porch.

Life lessons come in many forms, and this was one of many that present themselves to us on a daily basis. The Bible says that if God cares for the single sparrow that falls to the ground, how much more he cares for us, the ones made in his image. We start life being extremely needy. If we're not careful or obedient, we move from being needy to being greedy. We have a tendency to want to stay in the comfort and safety of the nest, expecting life to be delivered to us. But God wants us to venture forth and experience life, with all of its peril and excitement.

Later on in the day we saw above us what appeared to be sky training. The recently promoted chick would flap its wings furiously in order to stay aloft, while parent would row and glide gently across the heavens. There was much more to learn --- where to find food and water, how to avoid harm and how to prepare the next generation of birdness. All of this unfolded with apparent perfection. And we look on with wonder, then give thanks and praise to our God.

Memories Of Mother

I can always remember Mother's Day because it falls on the first Sunday following my mother's birthday of May 11. Before her death in 1991 I remembered her birthday only in relationship to Mother's Day, which, sadly, was sometimes too late. I've written in this blog about my relationship with my Dad. Now it's Mom's turn.

When my mother died, I bawled like it was the end of the world. When my father died, I only experienced a brief weeping at the news. Yet the mother-son experience was far from perfect. Perhaps the only way to explain it is that, after she's gone, you suddenly realize, "I've lost my Momma!." In spite of all of our rough periods, she was still the person (next to my wife) who stood by me, loved me unconditionally, and was proud of anything that I had accomplished.

However, her history was shrouded in mystery --- including the begetting of me. As her medical condition worsened, I was made recipient to some soul-cleansing confessions, even though some of the facts didn't quite add up after further investigation. Why do people keep so much anger, hurt or shame pent up for so many years? I assured her on more than one occasion that there was nothing she could say to me that would lessen my love for her.

Still, she was my Mom. No matter how far away I lived, she would make contact with me on a regular basis. I could call her anytime, day or night, to share good news, bad news, joys or sorrows. I miss her.

As I look back, I see that much of our relationship was surface, similar to how my Dad and I related to one another. Countless games of Canasta were the backdrop for what conversations we had. (She trounced me soundly the night before she died.) Upon further reflection, I now realize that any meaningful talk was about me or my family. That is to say, I was foolishly focused on myself, rather than getting to know who she really was and developing a true dialogue with her.

My mother had difficulty in showing love and affection. Her best effort was to provide material things for me (She worked most of her life.), and, being an only child, I was more than ready to accept that arrangement. However, deep inside I needed more. While it was not an excuse for my lack of outward love for my own children, it does provide an explanation. We have the responsibility as adults to stop the cycle --- to form a bond with children and grandchildren, a bond that will affect generations to come.

My wife and I are watching with enjoyment the activity of new birth and growth of some house finches, whose nest is located precariously in a hanging spider plant on our front porch. Both mother and father bird are actively involved in caring for the young ones. God has designed in some species of nature a pattern that we "higher creatures" should take lessons from.

Caring for one another is paramount in our existence on this spinning ball and is an intricate part of a journey that extends far beyond our fleeting breath called life. God is both father and mother, the perfect parent. He birthed us, nurtured us and prepared a place for us. He sent his firstborn to teach us about himself.

We would do well to observe the lives of those close to us, then address our own lives in relation to theirs. This experience must begin at home, if it is to ever truly work with others. Also, don't be discouraged if the results are not quite what you expect. God is constantly working in all of his children, in areas that we often do not know about. I am responsible for me.

For many years after my marriage, my mother kept a room prepared for me, I guess in case the marriage didn't work out. But both my mother and my God had to eventually kick me out of the nest, so that I might spread my wings and learn to fly.

STEVE

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

Those well-known words were uttered by one Rodney King in 1991, following horrific riots, which themselves were prompted by the acquittal of the police officers who brutally subdued him after a traffic violation. The anger of the black community was fueled by the fact that the incident was caught on videotape. Mr. King, who was awarded a large sum of money in a subsequent civil suit, proved by multiple arrests before and after the incident that he himself was unable to "get along."

Yet, the words are profound and still stand. Because it's what God wants. It's what we were created for. The concept goes beyond mere tolerance of one another.

So, why can't we get along? The reasons are wide and varied. Racial and religious tensions are probably at the top, with political disagreements close behind. The root cause is simply bad behavior, which itself is based on pride, selfishness, frustration and anger. Overcoming those negatives takes work, and many simply don't have the determination to do it. So we can add apathy and laziness to the equation.

This post is too small to address the overall unrest in the world, so let's focus on religion. History has proven that some religions are tolerant, while others amass followers and resources with the purpose of eliminating or suppressing all who oppose them. Even within modern day Christianity there are countless denominations that are founded simply on tradition or various interpretations of the Bible --- even versions or translations of it. Individual groups will split over church policy or a division in leadership.

Why can't pure, accepting love be set as the cornerstone of every doctrine? The kind of love that says separation is not an option. The kind of system that says if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who was love incarnate, then we would be amazed to see over time how close we are to coming together over individual beliefs. That we are trusting the Father of lights to secure that unity that bonds us as true brothers and sisters. It has to happen some day; why not start now?

While this may seem Utopian and unachievable on the whole, it can most surely begin with one individual. Nine years before his tragic death in 1980 John Lennon wrote and recorded a song called Imagine. Many of the lyrics prompted outrage from the Christian community (Imagine there's no heaven ... no hell beneath ... no religion too), but they reflected an honest response to many "faiths" that were failing to bind a wounded world.

Peace, reconciliation and "living as one" are most assuredly the goals of the Father of all. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:18, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Too lofty a goal? I don't think so. Give peace a chance.

STEVE

The Business of Minding

"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
I Corinthians 2:16

Viruses of all sorts can be annoying. When what seems like a short-term bacterial infection doesn't go away, it can turn out to be a virus. It's a nasty bug that hangs on forever and must finish its course until the body's natural immune system gets rid of it.

A computer virus is equally annoying. I write from recent experience. What was particularly frustrating was that I was paying for a service that provided firewalls and security devices to protect from just such an invasion. In the process of getting my computer functional again, I had to wipe my hard drive --- that is, erase all of my files and reinstall the basic operating system. If you don't have a backup of your files, then you have lost everything. I did recently back up my files, but, thankfully, most of my thoughts and scribblings are safe on the worldwide web (?).

I've read that our minds are like super-powerful computers. That we record and catalog virtually everything over the course of our lives. Every thought, printed word, spoken word, sound, image and smell. I believe it because some of the oddest rememberings from my distant past can pop into my active thinking at any time.

The good memories are a blessing to relive. The bad ones? Well, you just wish they would go away. They can consist of hurt or ugliness that you have received or witnessed, or they can be reminders of ugly things that you have said or done. I believe that our mind is the seat of our soul and is the area in which God and his enemies do battle.

Sometimes we wish that he would just wipe the hard drive of our mind and reinstall his own operating system. Many faiths teach just that. When you "accept Christ," you are changed forever. But it would be difficult to find anyone who has miraculously shed all bad memories or temptations to behave badly.

Sanctification, however, is a process in which our minds are renewed over a period of time, in order to achieve a common goal --- that we emerge as pure, lovely children of the Father. The Bible confirms that God is abounding in forgiveness, but yet lets no sin go unpunished. He's not so much concerned with what we did, but rather what we are doing, and what we are going to do. A real problem that we Christians wrestle with is that we dwell in the shame of past sins/failures that have already been forgiven!

God wants us to accept his forgiveness and move on, looking ahead to the goodness that his son, Jesus, has taught us and is willing to help us to achieve. We have also been taught that good deeds are bad because they are "works." Rubbish! The Apostle Paul told King Agrippa that his message to the people was that they were to "repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds."

Paul also gave a wonderful formula for renewing our minds, in that we should, over time, replace the bad thoughts with good ones. In Philippians 4:8 he writes, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable --- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy --- think about such things."

I'm thinking, Lord.

STEVE