Traces of Life

Have you heard this?  Leona Helmsley (real estate tycoon) left $12 million to her dog, ‘Trouble’ in a trust fund (see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20490933/?GT1=10252).  The white Maltese will also be buried in the Hemsley mausoleum next to Leona’s remains.  Unfortunately for a couple of the grandkids, they won’t see a penny.  Helmsley’s will states that they will not receive any inheritance because of “reasons that are known to them.”

As I talked to a co-worker about this, she suggested that the dog probably received $12 million because it was the only source of unconditional love in Helmsley’s life.  Obvisouly, the grandkids didn’t do it for her.  (Even the “good” grandkids got less than half of the dog’s inheritance.)

From what I understand, this was a typical Leona Helmsley move.  She had the nickname “The Queen of Mean” and was even referred to in public as “Queen” on occasions.  The thought of a last will – and grave – didn’t change her. 

Posted by John at 02:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I did something this past weekend that I had never done before.  I went into the woods not far from my home and shot paintballs at people.  I rented a BT-4 sniper rifle and shot ferociously at any exposed target.  It was not totally unfounded, though.  The guys I shot were wearing camouflage and were shooting back at me.  Today, I have round, paintball sized bruises on my shoulder and hand to prove it.  (I like to think that guys from the other team are much worse off.)

While I was running through the woods trying to capture the other team’s prized flag, I occasionally ran through a hail of paintballs before ducking behind some form of cover.  I got in shoot-outs with guys only ten yards away.  I even shot one guy without looking.

We had a lot of fun, but it inevitably made us think of the men and women exposed to this type of combat with real weapons.  I can’t imagine what it was like for the World War 1 soldiers in trench warfare.  As one writer has described it, they were truly “eye deep in hell.”  I can’t comprehend what it was like for soldiers in Vietnam to deal with guerilla warfare.  At the end of the day, our team of friends walked away laughing.  At the end of this day, there will be teams of friends in the Middle East who will forever be shattered by death.

Pray for those men and women.  They need us as much as we need them.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people.” ~ Paul

Posted by John at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A few days ago, I posted an entry entitled "Did Jesus Change God?"  There is an assumption made in that posting that I should probably clarify - the assumption that Jesus is God.

I realize that many people would debate that point.  Hindus would say that Jesus probably was a god - but he is just one of many gods.  Muslims would say that Jesus was a prophet, much as Muhammed was a prophet.  Buddhists would claim that Jesus was enlightened...a spiritual teacher.  Athiests would say...god...what god??? But the problem with these views is that Jesus did not say he was a good man, a prophet, or one of the gods.  He claimed to be God. 

In John 8, Jesus was talking to some Jewish leaders who knew that God revealed His name to Moses as "I AM."  With that backdrop, they had this conversation...(Jesus speaking) "Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad." 

"You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"  

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

The Jewish leaders wanted to stone Jesus because they knew exactly what he was saying.  He was claiming to be God.  Further, in passages like Mark 14:60-62, Jesus repeats this claim.  Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"  

"I am," said Jesus.

So, what do we make of a good man who claims to be the Most High God?  Some would say that the disciples misunderstood.  There seems to be no misunderstanding that when Jesus was rasied from the dead and appeared to his disciples (plus over 500 other witnesses), they believed He was truly God.  When one disciple saw Jesus after the resurrection, he proclaimed him, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28).  Wouldn't Jesus refute this claim if it was not true?

Some would say that these claims of Jesus' deity did not surface until hundreds of years later.  But if these claims really did not surface until years after Jesus' death, why was he crucified?  The remaining historical and Biblical evidence point to the fact that Jesus is, in fact, God.  So, based on the evidence and based on my personal experiences with God, I conclude that Jesus is more than a good man.  He is a Good God.

Posted by John at 08:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the Old Testament we have the Ten Commandments, books of Law and a God that destroys cities by dropping fire from heaven (Sodom and Gomorrah).  In Jesus, we find healing of the sick, a law based on love (Matthew 22:36-40), and "the fulfillment of the law."  So, did Jesus change God?  Is Jesus different from the God of the Old Testament...

Over the last few years there has been an emerging debate over global warming.  Former Vice President Al Gore has been a leading crusader for this topic.  He has championed the idea that human beings are responsible for increasing temperatures across the earth.  Gore warns that human beings are pumping green house gases into the atmosphere and warming the world as a result.  He's even made a movie to publicize this imminent threat to civilization.  However, there are other scientists and world leaders who criticize Gore for his position on global warming.  Lord Mockington wants to debate Gore over this issue on international TV.  Bill Gray, in the atmospheric science department of Colorado State University, believes the world will naturally begin to cool again within eight years.  Richard Lindzen, an MIT climate scientist, says the the atmosphere will naturally counteract the greenhouse gases.  And global warming  skeptics almost all point to the global temperature graph for the past century.  They point to the fact that the earth goes through natural warming and cooling cycles.

Two very different perspectives on one critical issue.  So, who is correct?  Being a news consumer and not a scientist, I don't have any credibility on the issue.  However, if you want my opinion, I tend to believe that there is some level of truth in each view.  The "players" on the global warming stage are just looking at this issue from different vantage points. 

Have you ever heard the story about the blind men feeling and describing an elephant?  One thought an elephant looked much like a tree - strong and rooted to the ground.  One thought it was similar to a rope.  While they were surrounding the same animal, one was feeling his leg and the other was feeling his tail.  It was a matter of perspective.

So, did Jesus change God?  Is the God of the Old Testament different from the God of the New Testament?  You probably know where I'm going...it depends on the lens you use to get your perspective.  The Old Testament is undeniably tied to the laws that God set up for our protection.  However, the same God, in the same Old Testament, is seen as a comforter (Isaiah 66:13), protector (Psalm 3:3), healer (2 Kings 20:4-6) and lover (Song of Solomon).  And Jesus, in the New Testament, quotes the book of Deuteronomy (a book of law) almost as often as any Old Testament book. 

Jesus did not change God.  He is God...and he opens our eyes to the bigger picture.

Posted by John at 08:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My two year old daughter has started using a new phrase.  For a while she has expressed her delight with something by saying "I like it."  She would point at her undersized chair and say, "I like it."  If she got mac and cheese for lunch, she would tell us "I like it."  But over the last couple of weeks, she has begun to use a new phrase - "That's cool."  When she got some new shoes the other day, she told us repeatedly that they were "cool." 

Young talkers reveal a lot about the people they imitate.  And because of my daughter, I am now terribly conscious about using the word "cool."  While that word has been rolling off my tongue, to hear my daughter say it makes me feel like a big ol' dork.  It's hard to accept the truth!  But more than that, her new phrase has made me very conscious that she is continually adopting my life patterns. 

Over the last few years of his life, Jesus was very deliberate about passing on his life patterns.  During his last hours of freedom, Jesus got together with some of his best friends and taught them about greatness.  He didn't give them a motivational speech or bolster their personal dreams.  Instead, he performed a menial task for them. He served them.  He washed their feet and told them that they would find great living if they did the same for others.

I doubt two year olds think of greatness very often, but I wonder what my daughter is learning about great living from me.  I don't know what she would say if she saw me "washing the feet" of someone else.  But I feel like if we saw God with wet hands and a towel around his waist, we would both say, "That's cool."

Posted by John at 09:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)