Hug Your Cactus

Most Unconventional posts begin with a story or question, but let’s open with an extended quote by Robert Downey from a recent American Cinemateque ceremony. While receiving an award, Downey, well-known not just as Iron Man but for his previous struggles with substance abuse, gave some wisdom we can all use, in speaking about Mel Gibson:

“When I couldn’t get sober, he told me not to give up hope, and he urged me to find my faith. It didn’t have to be his faith or anyone else’s, as long as it was rooted in forgiveness…

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Imperfect People and a Perfect God

Recently, a good FB friend, Bart, shared that he and his wife are leaving their church. Too many hypocrites, gossips, people who don’t live like Jesus. I get that; many have left churches for similar reasons. But we face a tension. None of us are perfect, as these words written to followers of Jesus affirm, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23). So, if we proclaim we follow Jesus and sin, are we hypocrites? If only perfect people are allowed in church, how many of us would qualify? But…

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Call Me Onesimus

In a recent conversation with God about some significant health issues I said, “You’re God, I’m not. I’d love to live long enough to take care of Sheila (my wife), and to write the family historical novel. I’m basically asking, keep me here as long as I’m useful to you and others for your purposes. Just do what you know is best.”…That prompted another thought. If God kept us alive as long as we’re useful to him, how long would we live? That led to another: what does it mean to…

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Trusting God’s Character

This time of year is my “Ebenezer stone:” a reminder of God’s care and goodness in my life. You see, three years ago I was fighting for my life. In the spring and summer of that year I experienced bizarre symptoms. Doctors had no answers, and as the months passed, I grew devastatingly ill. Sadly, the decline in my health meant leaving my profession because I was in constant pain, was bedridden, and could not eat. In my mind I was useless, and in my misery, I wished for death. I never once questioned my Heavenly Father’s goodness, although…

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Working Backward

When we moved back to our Temecula house that had been rented out for six years, we discovered that neglect had left much of it overgrown or dead. One of the many tasks: remove the back lawn and replace it with a brick pavers to create a backyard oasis with a waterfall and firepit. Then, semi-miraculously for SoCal in June, over 1" of rain fell over one weekend, which softened the turf enough to remove easily. Well, easier than if it were hard and dry, typical for SoCal summers. So I eagerly started in with a shovel and old muscles and fairly quickly excavated 3/4 of the 600 sq.ft., only to realize…

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Seek the Light

Last May, while I was away on a bike trip, my wife and her sister did play. Spell that shopping, and they each bought a small succulent plant, Northern Lights, or sempervivum for any xerophile enthusiasts out there (the rest will have to look it up, like I did). It loves light, so Sheila placed it behind our kitchen sink, with windows on both sides. Soon came her concern, “Something is wrong with this plant, it’s not growing right. Small “chicks” had grown out from the center “hen,” but only on one side. The poor plant lost its balance. Fortunately…

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Aspen Lessons

On a hillside in the Fishlake National Forest in Utah sits Pando, a massive, single aspen tree that spreads its roots and grows, covering over 100 acres, typical for aspen trees (Populus Tremuloides), which primarily propagate not by dropping seeds, but by spreading out their root structures to send new saplings skyward. Allow me to suggest that this grove gives a delightful lesson for all of who follow Jesus. Here’s how…

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Reaching Unbelievers

Call this a coincidence, call it a divine hint. Frankly, I’m not sure which, although I lean to the latter. But this topic arose twice in one day, both hitting me hard, and the repetition seemed to multiply the impact. At our North Coast Men’s Conference last Saturday, Rickie Jenkins, pastor of Southwest Community Church in Indian Wells, spoke on “The Missing Fruit,” referring to two facets of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 that we often ignore. We focus on love and joy, but our energy seems to run out by the time we get to kindness and gentleness. They’re important because they…

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