Written in 1971 just a month after I returned to Jesus as Savior and Lord, the piece “Clouds” formed the heart of this post. Fairly compliant, I used to go with the flow. Any ambition came from trying to show I had worth. Then Jesus overwhelmed me as I grasped his value of me. No greater than anyone else, but enough that Jesus would give his life for me. Something, someone, worth giving purpose beyond pleasure to my life. Transformation: Step One.
Read MoreBeen There, Done That
I enjoy talking about God stuff, with those who follow and who don’t. Among the latter, I’ve often heard, “Been there, done that. I tried Jesus, but it just didn’t work for me.” Sometimes they’d explain why, and a thought came to mind. Not for all, but I know some of them fairly well. Perhaps they hadn’t fully tried Jesus--they just got vaccinated against him.
Read MoreRoads Less Traveled
Those who follow my trips realize part of me loves to go fast, to cover a lot of miles in a day. That desire highlighted by an Iron Butt Ride, 1,080 miles in 16.3 hours, at 70 years. A trip like that maximizes the vastness and variety of the landscape in a short time. And yes, it’s a metaphor of destination, of accomplishment. But another part of me is…
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Our Meaning in Life?
Typically, as we enter college or the workforce, we begin to ask “Who am I? Why am I here?” A bit over a month ago I read the Sartre quote, “Without God, we are condemned to be free... Everything is indeed permitted if God does not exist, and man is in consequence forlorn, for he cannot find anything to depend upon either within or outside himself.” So, take a look at the chart above, and where we get meaning.
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image by Pixabay
Transforming Gratitude--Wednesday
Thanking God for a Purposeful World
In researching a book proposal I came across a quote by Jean Paul Sartre, “Without God, we are condemned to be free…Everything is indeed permitted if God does not exist, and man is in consequence forlorn, for he cannot find anything to depend upon either within or outside himself.” Or, we have no purpose beyond a relentless pursuit of personal pleasure and advancement.” Kind of describes our culture—a zero sum game where we compete for who gets the most. That’s life without God, but…
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image from Psychology Today
Why Are We Here?
We find hints of God everywhere, even in Parade magazine, and some tantalize us with their implications. Marilyn vos Savant, whom Guinness' records as having the highest recorded IQ score, responded in her column to a question from a fellow Mensa member (Mensa members must have an IQ in the top 2%). The question had been discussed in the reader's group, "Why are we here?" Savant replied, "I think it depends on ...
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image by wesaveland.org
Purpose and Productivity
Two months ago, Sheila and I enjoyed God's creativity in Park City UT, while exploring the history of my dad's family up there. One day we headed to the Olympic Park in hopes of riding a bobsled (no luck, we were in between the summer and winter seasons, but we did see the top 5 US luge drivers practicing!). Next to the road, the McPolin barn above entranced me. The largest I'd ever seen at 8969 sq. ft., it enclosed the milking operation, hay storage, and a lot more. But the largest impact came when...
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