Addressing Hard things... in a Soft Manner... Its a Contrast

Have you ever felt within your being that something is not right? Of course you have... you are a human being and you have thoughts, feelings, emotions, and opinions. We have all experienced this (at times) rather uncomfortable feeling.

Well how do we know something is RIGHT? Can things actually have "relativism"? Can one thing be right for one person and the same thing be wrong for another, and can both of those individual people be correct in their life-choices?

I think that it is funny, when speaking about Relativism, that the answer is "It depends"

I would suggest that there are different types of choices. The decisions that we make fall into categories.

Social Relativism.

Emotional Relativism.

Conceptual Relativism.

and my favorite one to say (because it is an paradox) Absolute Relativism.

A person may ask a question of themselves and they will need to filter that question through these categories.

What does Society say about this? Will my decision offend anyone around me?
How does this decision make me feel? Will I feel better about it one way or the other?
Is there anything in the basic thought process of this question that says if one solution is better than the other?

THEN they are faced with the hardest category. Absolute Relativism. Does this decision have any clear parameters from my basis of right and wrong (The Bible) that directly applies.

We honestly, at times at least, wish this category was non-existent. This is the hardest one! Why? Because things can pass with flying colors all three of the previous categories and then CRASH AND BURN when it comes to this one.

Somethings are just flat out wrong. There is no explaining around them. The hard thing is when something Feels... or Society says... or our Ideas lead us to believe... that it is ALL RIGHT! When in fact it is wrong and our sin nature simply is pulling us towards a choice of our OLD NATURE. We have been born again and we need to grasp on to and cling to (for dear life) the truths of our NEW NATURE.

The really hard part? That is when someone you love dearly is making a decision like this... they are living as if it is all "Good in the Hood" but in actuality it is all "Rotten in Denmark"
It is our responsibility, as Brothers and Sisters in Christ, to LOVINGLY point the person in the direction of truth, to hold them accountable to that truth, to embrace them when they fall (and they will), and to be Firm in the resolve of what is Right.

We were never told that this would be easy... but we are told (and it is true) that it is worth it. Relationships will grow deeper, trust will be stronger, and joy will last longer.

Our ABSOLUTE has to be Christ and His ways. He is our plumb line and He is our example. We will never get it all right... but out of Love and Reverence towards Him we will strive to bring Him glory in our decisions.


When it is hard to see Right vs. Wrong... when the lines become blurred... what should we do? Turn on the lights! We are the light of the world! We need to be the example of what is right and good in this world (even though we will fail miserably at times... and often)

Matthew 5:16 
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Passivity vs. Passion

Tonight we had dinner with some dear friends of ours from Church. A pastor, his wife, and their children. I was reminded of how much I love, yearn for, and need community. Life is better when you experience the ability to pour into other's lives and they can pour into yours.

Have you ever experienced a moment of knowing that you are exactly where you should be and doing what you were meant to do? It is powerful!

If you haven't experienced this blessing, it is my prayer for you that you, one day, know the true gift of this phenomenon.

Dinner was AMAZING... homemade bread, stuffed shells, salad, steamed veggies, and then a decadent dessert to top it all off. Oh! I almost forgot a crucial part of the blessing that was this dinner... MOUNTAIN DEW! I may or may not have heard the following, "In Heaven we will drink nothing but Mountain Dew... only without all the calories." My life was made.

Although these things were amazing and were a huge blessing in my day, they were not in fact the highlight of my evening... nor were they the upmost memorable take away from this time with friends and family.

I had a thought (during our enjoyable table conversation) "Am I living in a state of Passivity or Passion?"
Let me explain this...
One of the things that I notice in people is their motivation. Some people REALLY have it and some people REALLY DON'T. It got me thinking. We either live in a state of Passivity or Passion, it is either one or the other.

-PASSIVITY- if our goal in life is just to get through another day. To clock in, clock out... and collect the paycheck. Or to serve / be served in a manner of "eh, it does't really matter... whatever happens happens and as long as it doesn't change my life in a negative way... I could give to shakes of a lambs tail about it. This is a lifestyle of coasting from phase to phase or from stage to stage of life. We claim it is a "Don't worry, be happy" lifestyle... but in actuality it is one of shirking our responsibilities and pretending like it doesn't matter what we do say or think.

-PASSION- if our goal is to see excellence in all that we are in contact with... this is a lifestyle of Passion. If we get a new pep in our step when we see our hard efforts "pay off" or see a resolution come about that has been in the works for days, weeks, or even months. If we want our industry or our MINISTRY to be changed for the better because we worked in it... because we allowed God to work through us and to use that platform (Industry or Ministry) to bring glory to himself. This is a life of PASSION, this is what we are called to seek, to live in, and to bring to those around us.


This was a very convicting thought for me. Why? Because it is TRUE. Far to often I settle for a life of Passivity and leave all Passion by the wayside. I am committed to being a Passionate follower of Christ! I will bring light to those I meet and live in Joy no matter what the circumstance.

Who is with me?

Are You Fickle ... Or A Pickle?

Everyday we live in a simple reality, we as Christians are either FICKLE or a PICKLE.

Have no fear, I will explain...

Tonight (as I was Co-Leading a middle school men's small group) I asked the question, "What are you struggling with? What do you worry about?" I thought it was a simple question. Apparently it was the lid on a massive jar of thoughts... HOW GREAT IS THAT?

An eleven year old spoke up and answered my question. "Sometimes I worry that the end of the world is coming." (I thought to myself... okay, this is probably a situation of wanting to be able to complete a "bucket list" before dying. i.e. get married, graduate school, get a drivers license, go to London, etc. It was so much more than that.
     He went on to explain that he felt the need to accomplish more... in order to be ready to go to Heaven.
     The statement struck me. Not in a way of thinking that he was foolish for thinking this way, but rather that maybe he was confused on a few things but he is concerned with doing the will of God and seeing it accomplished in his lifetime. How often to we ourselves worry about the work of God in a way that if he were to come back right now that we would be concerned for not serving all the people we could, or sharing the Gospel with all those we come in contact with.

I was convicted.

The four of us (in our mini-prayer group) had a great continuing conversation about if we could ever EARN salvation... of course the answer to that was NO. Christ paid the cost, one price = one payment. He in His life, death, burial, and resurrection covered all our sin and presents us Holy to God because of HIS sacrifice. All we need to do? Accept the gift.

This whole course of events got me thinking.

Far too often the "Christians" are just as concerned with their careers, new cars, hobbies, school, or social life as those who live intentionally against the acknowledgement of God. We become so absorbed in the daily "fluff" of life that we miss the true purpose of our living... To love (glorify) God, Seek His will, and to make Him known.
We may have the change of spiritual life... from dead as a rock in sin to having Life coursing through us in the Love and Grace of Jesus Christ.

We are to be the light in the dark place. We are to be the salt of the earth. We are to be the city on the hill.

INSTEAD we SETTLE for wallowing in the shadows, being neither Hot or cold.. bland and pointless, and making camp in the valley of temptation.

WE ARE FICKLE!

So... Are you going to maintain living a FICKLE life... OR are you going to embrace the PICKLE life?

I love this illustration. (seriously it is one of my favorites and I use as often as I can while teaching the Kiddos at my church.)

Lets talk about Pickles.

Start of as a cucumber. Nothing super special. An ordinary cucumber.
Then they go through a change. They are consumed by a concoction of brine and vinegar.
The change starts immediately, and over time they become more and more like a pickle and less and less like a Cucumber. Their flavor becomes more strident and soon there will be no denying that it is a PICKLE.

We are to be a PICKLE.

We start off as a sinner. Nothing special, An ordinary sinner (completely and hopelessly separated from God)
Then we go through a change! We (upon acceptance of Christ and his gift of salvation) are consumed by His sacrifice. We are soaked in a concoction of Grace, Justice, Forgiveness, and Restoration. The change starts immediately, and over time we become more and more like Christ (in the form of a Christ follower) and we are less and less like the "Old Self" the sinner who is broken, helpless, and lost. Our evidence of Salvation becomes more strident and soon there will be no denying that we are a CHRIST FOLLOWER.


So... there you have it. My thoughts and reflections from today.

You have the information. You have the knowledge. You have the gift of Salvation.

What are YOU going to do with it? Are you going to be FICKLE or a PICKLE?

Step by Step

So... lets have some real talk here for a hot second. Obviously I haven't "blogged" in quite some time. Nothing serious... only like THREE YEARS!

My word... when you think about it... I mean really think about it, a person changes A LOT in even just one day. (For example, I spontaneously got my hair cut tonight... now I get not only a double take, but some times even a triple take... life is good.)

My life, my world really, has changed drastically in these past three years.

I am married to the most wonderful person in the world. My love, my passion, my laughter, and my daily window to joy... Emma Mount.
Don't worry... you are not the only one who can't believe someone actually married me, I am in as equal a state of shock... but as always God is GOOD... undeservedly so.

I have a puppy now, Remmi, she is just about the cutest thing you ever did see! Her full name is Redemption... (there is a lot that goes into the naming of the pup and perhaps we will get into that at a later time.) We just call her Remmi for short... and please don't ask me how I got Remmi from Redemption, because I really don't know.

I have a "normal" life... I guess... I work for a bank and love it... I truly feel that in my position I can help people, really help them in ways that they NEED.

There is so much that I want to talk about, but I am just warming up my typing fingers to start back into blogging.

So, stay tuned... because I have so much to share about what God has done and is doing in my life and all that I see Him doing in the world around me.

So, tonight I leave you with this thought, in everything we do it is in steps. Why is it that we so often are confused or worried when life and our spiritual growth happens in steps and not full long jumps? Christ is continually working in us to make us like Himself. We will never be perfect... but then again that is the point. WE DONT NEED TO BE PERFECT. Christ is sufficient for all things, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

So trust him with your every step and walk on a path that is solid and never shifting.

He alone should be our guide!

Circumstance or Calling?

Today has been a rather hard day for me...
Over the past couple of weeks (I guess it is closer to correct to say that for the past year... but even more so the past few weeks)  I have been "Burning the candle at both ends" and it has officially caught up to me.

Today my parents and I had a conversation about the next "STEP" for my life.

My goal for all of my life has been to become a missionary to small children. I have never known where exactly in the world I would go, but I always knew that I would and that I WILL one day be used in that way.

My Dad (the Wisest man I will ever know) asked me... "Caleb, Are you living for circumstance or for your calling?"

WOW

What an AMAZING question!
No... I'm not living for my calling 100% I wish I could say that I was.  My current circumstances are dictating my actions... NOT my calling or my passion for Christ and his LOVE!

You can imagine the moment that I experienced when I thought this through.... DEEP to say the least.

I should let my passion for Christ and what he has for my life dictate my actions, plans, goals, time, spending habits, EVERYTHING!
I have now "turned a new leaf in life!" I am going to live for my CALLING!
And you should too!

So... "Do you live for circumstances or for you calling?" If your not living for your calling, what are you going to do to change that?

We all need to take  a "STEP" in the right direction...
S- Stand back and observe your current location in terms with your calling.
T- Thank God for getting you where you are and for helping you get to where you are going.
E- Evaluate your next move towards your 100% Calling Life.
-and-
P- Push on to complete the task that God has given you in Christ Jesus.

I need accountability partners to keep me on track (as we all do, if you want them or not) YOU are my accountability partner! Keep me accountable to my calling! Ask me when you see me or send me a message here if you don't ever see me... Together, With YOUR help and JESUS as my Guide, Inspiration, Aide, and Strength I will live a 100% Calling oriented life!

LET IT BEGIN!

The Author of all stories...

God is SO cool! Did you know that?

Let me just tell you how God showed me just how cool he was today!

Well, after a long day of work I went home and talked to an AMAZING friend and was completely refreshed and encouraged by my loving friend and sibling in Christ.
Then, I went to a new restaurant near my home. Taco Mac. It was delicious. I enjoyed every bite of it.

While I was sitting there (by myself) enjoying my yummy soft taco and sweet potato fries (weird combo, i know... but AMAZING) I couldn't help but notice a pair of women who were sitting a few tables away from me.
It was a Grandmother and her Granddaughter. The Grandmother had enjoyed quite a few "adult drinks" and was quite enjoying her time on the patio with the rest of us.
She got up and spoke to a young family in the corner of the patio for a few minutes then made her way over to my table.

This was MY opportunity to be CHRIST to a stranger. Bring it on...

"My name is Myra!" She said. "And you are?" as she leaned over my table extending her hand to shake.
"I'm Caleb... It is very nice to meet you Myra!"
"I was just tellin' my granddaughter, over there, that you should have been sitting with us... instead of eating all alone!" she said smiling.
"I agree... you both seem like you would be amazing company!" I said

throughout our conversation I learned that she was an Author and had published several books (Myra, if you are reading this... don't hate me)

I told her that I enjoyed writing and was working on three books at this moment. She asked what they were about so I gave her a brief synopsis and she gave me her publishers information (PRAISE THE LORD!!!)

Our conversation carried on and we got to the topic of Theatre. We both share a love for this.
She asked if I was working on anything at the moment and I told her about an idea I had for a play.

     -Young girl who gets pregnant and is un-married.
     - The hardship of breaking the news to parents and friends
     - the hardship of going to school and facing the peers she has
     - The difficulty of choosing life or abortion
     - The joy of finding the love for her unborn child and deciding to keep the child
     - Breaking the news to the father
     - Being excited for the child
     - Losing the baby during the final stages of the pregnancy
                    BUT
     -Finding the true value in every life. (Because of Christ!)

This is where we finally get to the whole point of this blog.

By the time I had finished telling the outline for my play... Myra was crying... and I don't mean small tears... full on sobs from this wonderful woman.
When she finished crying she told apologized and told me that... "That is HER story"

The granddaughter that was with her is the daughter of her second child (after she married the first baby's father)

We were both extremely touched by this.


At this I came to a VERY cool thought.

Everyone has a story...
God is the Author...
We all play a part in each person's story...
We never know how we may be used to touch another person's life...

Myra and I shared a connection for a love of creative writing. THROUGH that God was able to use me to touch her life and to help her with the grief and guilt she had been carrying for YEARS.

How is GOD using YOU in HIS story today?

Are you the Protagonist or the Antagonist?

Will you be a hero or a villain?

What Chapter are you in for your life?

Christ will author a story better than you could ever imagine! He is the Author of the BEST love story... Christ's LOVE for us.

Be CHRISTS LIGHT!

... and Thanks Myra, for touching my life and adding a beautiful chapter to the pages of my memory!


My song for today?

"CHRISTIAN"  (I have no clue why this is stuck in my head)

"I am a C
I am a CH
I am a CHRISTIAN
and I have CHRIST
in my HEART
and I wil LIVE ETERNALLY"

Sirens of LIFE... Check YOUR vital signs!

The thought occurred to me today, as I was being passed by a whizzing Ambulance on my way to work, that the siren and the flashing lights are one of the most important features about this vehicle.

The Lights pull your eyes (focus) away from whatever else you may be focusing on. So that you can see the oncoming emergency vehicle and react accordingly.
The Siren draws your conscience mind to the fact that something either happened or is happening that you need to be aware of.

With out these things (sirens and lights) we would be ignorant of the emergency or we could even get into one ourselves.
The Ambulance (as you know) carries the injured or person in danger to safety. It is a forceful method of getting to safety and correcting a dangerous issue.


I applied the concept of the Ambulance and it's siren and lights to our spiritual lives.

Spiritual danger is all around us... each and every day.

The BIBLE acts as our Ambulance. It is our flashing lights that tell us to get out of the way of danger. It is our blaring siren that draws our conscience to a harmful situation.
in these ways the BIBLE helps us to be aware of dangerous things and alerts us of their vicinity.

The BIBLE is our Ambulance in another way as well... If (and when) we are in danger and/or are harmed. The BIBLE is one of the many methods that God uses to get us out of it.
A little time in God's word can get us right back on track. It helps us to check our "Spiritual Vital Signs" and it points out our areas that need immediate attention.
GOD is our Master EMT and he is our Master Ambulance Driver. He mends us and he directs our paths in the ways that we need to go.



In what ways do you need a Spiritual Ambulance today?
Don't be afraid to go before God with your request for Emergency help... A prayer can be much easier than a call to 911.

Check your Spiritual Vital Signs everyday and keep in HIS word. He will transport you from weak and wounded sinner to strong and whole child in HIS word.



My song for the day:

OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART:

"Open the eyes of my heart, Lord

Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You

I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up
Shinin' in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up
Shinin' in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy

Holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
You are holy, holy, holy
I want to see you

Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
You are holy, holy, holy
I want to see you

Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy,
I want to see you"