It's Clear to Me!!

I hope you have had a chance to watch some of the Olympics. We have watched some during prime time. I have really enjoyed the swimming events and I love to watch the track and field events. I have even gotten into the volleyball matches. What I do not enjoy is the gymnastics. It is not that I don’t appreciate the athleticism of the competitors. They are definitely some of the most athletic and strongest participants in the Olympics. What I don’t care for is the way their sport is judged. It is to ambiguous. There is not enough black and white there is only grey matter. In swimming and track and field either you or first or your not. There is not an arbitrator who is looking to see if you have perfect form in the backstroke or if your knees are coming up high enough when you run. They start the race and everyone waits to see who reaches the finish line first. Sometimes there is a close finish, but they have cameras to look frame by frame if need to so they can make the right call. It is the same if volleyball. A referee is watching to see that the game is played correctly and there is one to see if the ball is in or out, but there is not a judge to see if when diving to dig a ball you landed on the wrong knee before you hit it. In gymnastics they have rules, but they are not cut and dried. One judge sees it one way another sees it differently. It is so up in the air. Even the commentators don’t agree with the judging. In gymnastics they now even have video replay, but they still discuss and disagree with the correct score. As many of you may have seen their is so much frustration over who wins and who loses. Some say it is sour grapes when their favorite competitor doesn’t make the medal stand, some say it is fixed. I don’t know. I just wish the decisions were clear.
I do know that the subjective way in which the sport is judged got me to Just Thinking! I am glad that there is only one criteria for eternal life. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.” Now I don’t know about you, but that is pretty clear. That is not up for debate. There is no way that can be seen in any other light. Yet the world tries to make us believe that there are many ways obtain eternal life. They try to convince us that if we are good to our fellow man that we have an upper hand in receiving God’s reward. I will admit that servant hood is a by product of knowing God, but it is not the way to heaven. They also try to persuade us that there are other great people who have lived that can lead us to eternal life. The key for me is that they are talking about people who once lived and I am talking about someone who still lives. As we compete in our world everyday let’s not make the mistake of believing what we hear so often, “There are many ways to eternal life.” Let us not forget there is only one and His name is JESUS! I'm just thinking and wondering what you are thinking!!!
David

Beating the Heat

Last week Peggy and I went riding the Harley up the beautiful mountain roads of South Carolina. The weather finally took a break from the heat and we decided to just joy ride. We basically had no plan, just ride. We found ourselves going up towards Jones Gap State Park. We saw picturesque scenes and loved the surrounding country side as we slowly navigated the slopes and turns of our journey. Once we were looking up and remarked how beautiful the side of a mountain was. A few minutes later we were up on top of that very mountain. Riding gives me such as sense of peace and contentment. Its as if the cares of the world go away and there is nothing to think about but God's beautiful painting. Sometimes we ride in silence and at other times we are speaking of our day and sharing new found scenes along the way. We will embark on a road that we have no idea how the journey will end. Sometimes we have to turn around and retrace our tracks. At other times we find ourselves at a spot that we are familiar with and then recalculate our journey. I cannot express how much joy we receive from just riding.
Now I will admit to you that as many times as I have just ridden, this last ride got me to Just Thinking! It is amazing to me how often the temperature changes as you are riding along a road. I never recognized this is a car or truck. The temperature inside of our vehicles is most often constant. I will agree with the premise that the outside temperature does effect how we keep the climate inside our vehicles, but the outside temperature doesn't readily change the temperature inside. When you are riding a motorcycle the temperature changes accordingly whether you are riding in a very sunny area or a shady area. It changes whether you are down in a valley or up on a level plain. It can become very chilly if you are riding next or or near a body of water. I don't want you to think that this happens in several miles. This happens in tenths of a mile. One second you are warm and the next you are cold. I have learned to make sure we carry Peggy a light jacket. Friday night when we were riding after a day when the high temperature hit 90, Peggy rode home in the evening with her jacket on. I would guess on the ride home that we hit pockets where the temp was in the 60's.
This changing temperature got me to thinking about life. There are days when the stress factor in my life is very high. There are decisions to make, people to see, family matters to tend to, bills to pay, and fires to put out. There are days when the stress factor is not so high. No decisions, pleasant conversation, family happy, bills paid, and no fires. There are some days when the temperature goes from very low to very high or very high to very low in a matter of seconds. Tragedy strikes or tensions can be eased in a moment. The temp often depends on me the recipient. Many times I have heard people say that they wish the temperature on the outside would stay constant. They wished they lived somewhere that the temperature was pleasant all the time. I have decided that in life that depends on my relationship with God. The scripture is very plain and simple. It says, "This is the day the Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad in it." I find that when I am rejoicing and being glad that no matter if tragedy strikes or there are no fires I can remain constant, because Jesus is in charge of the thermostat. My internal thermometer doesn't have to go up and down like a yo-yo if I put Jesus in charge. I am Just Thinking and wondering what you are thinking!
David

The Greatest Generation

Several years ago my son, Joshua, was taking a history class in high school. He brought home a book titled, "The Greatest Generation," written by Tom Brokaw. The book was written in 1998 after the 50th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. It cronicles many individuals whose lives were shaped by World War II and then returned to America to help shape our nation. Joshua read it and remarked how much he liked it. I started reading it and read several pages and then as I do sometimes I put it down and let it slip through my memory. About two weeks ago I picked it back up. As I read the stories of the lives of these men and women, I again was impressed with how they lived their lives as young fighting men and women and then returned to families and careers and rebuilding America. I have always been impressed how they didn't use their military careers to hinder their progress back in the states, but used it to promote healthy lifestyles. I have had the privilege of meeting and talking with several WWII veterans. I can remember walking the grounds of "The Mighty Eighth Army Museum" in Savannah, GA. with Harry Whitlock. I watched with awe as this man then in his seventies walked around and pointed out several places he had seen from the sky of his B-29 bomber. As we walked into the room where they had the replica of the bomber he walked me up to the bottom gun turret and told me a riviting story of having a german pilot in his sights and then the gun jamming. As soon as the pilot moved away the gun began to fire. He looked at me and said. "I'm kinda glad the gun didn't shoot, that man may be enjoying his grandchildren like I do." I watched as he and Olin Powell another Eighth Army veteran walked around the museum and we found their names on the tablets of honor displayed in the museum. They were both mesmerised at the fact because from both of their lips came the acknowledgement that they were both just doing their job. They both came home to successful careers and rasied great families. I also have been the reciepent of the friendship of Robert A. (Bob) Carter. Bob lives in the Dallas, TX. area. I got to know Bob through his father-in-law that I helped take care of for several years. Bob is a very distinguished gentlemen in his eighties. He is still a dear friend and we talk several times a year. As I got to know Bob I would have never guess what he went through in WWII. Bob was a young Navy man stationed in Hawaii and his ship was docked next to the Arizona when the attack of Pearl Harbor took place. I had know Bob for several years before I found out about this information. One Christmas when he and his father-in-law were eating Christmas dinner with us he gave me and my family the details. He would not talk about it easily. He spoke of daylight turning to dark and going about his duties for hours on end almost as if a robot. It was not until late in the evening that he discovered that he had been wounded with shell fragments all up and down his legs. I did not get much more information until one day we were together driving and he spoke of being in the water after a ship he was on was sunk. He returned home and made the Navy a career. He was married and had four children and was a very successful person in making America great. Since moving to Greenville I have had the privilege of meeting several men who served our country in WWII. I am amazed at the courage and status of these men and the lives they have lived fighting for our country and making our country great. It has been my privilege to talk to Howard Addis and J. B. Burns and here of some of their exploits on foreign soil.
As I have talked to these men and read about the experiences in the book I am forever grateful for my freedom as an American. It got me to Just Thinking! The very fact that many men and women didn't return from the war but gave the ultimate sacrifice for my freedom is sometimes overwhelming. It makes me Think a great deal. I cannot help but to be compare their sacrifices with the sacrifice of my spiritual freedom. As many fought and died for my countries freedom, one died and lived for my spiritual freedom. His exploits can be found by reading the Bible. I recommend both of these books very highly. Also, I am interested in hearing from veterans of WWII who would share their story. Also from family members of veterans who have a story to share. As the last of this Greatest Generation live we must never allow their memories to fade away. We must always remember their contributions to a life well lived.
David