ToddTrek - September 3, 2018

ToddTrek in Barrie!

Here's something new I am going to try on this blog!

A video!

We had a bike ride on Labour Day in Barrie, Ontario!

Come along...

Fail!

Is God really disappointed?

So I messed up today on the air.  It happens.  Normally I can spin a bad moment into a fun one, but this time I couldn't.  What happened does not matter, it's what happened after.  Here's the pattern of events that I have noticed after a screw-up, maybe you can relate to it.

You mess up, then you get upset that you messed up and you mess up something else.  The pattern repeats until you have what we call a "bad day".  Then you find yourself eating an entire tub of ice cream in front of the TV.  You know the spot on the couch, you're picturing it right now and thinking about your favorite spoon.  (The big one.)

It all started with your reaction to the first incident.

What if we could stop the spiral before it happens?  What is the key?

It has to be linked to our reaction immediately following the initial event!

Mistakes are a given, our reactions are going to be the thing that will turn things around.

OK, so here's some things I try and do.

1.  Realize that the earth kept on turning!  Everyone has moved on to other things and it's OK.

2.  Let yourself feel bad, but only for a moment.  If you can write the whole thing on a paper and toss it away, do it.  It's over.

3.  Join the club!  Anyone you can think of who you admire has gone through something similar.

4.  Keep going.  Get back on the horse and ride!  Learn from that error and get stronger!

5.  Talk to someone about it.  (Be careful here!)

SIDE NOTE:  If you know there is someone who wants to make you feel bad because of that mistake, and use it against you, they are a jerk.  Walk away from them and find someone who believes in you and will help you through the pain and not bring up your mistakes or talk about you behind your back.  You're asking for trouble by opening up to that type of person.  (They have their own issues to deal with, but usually don't.)

"Bad days" can pile up.  Don't let them!

Each day is new, each HOUR is new! 

Live it!

Belly Laughs

At Ben's Kitchen and Bar in Brantford.

So I'm up for trying new things, and it usually works out for the good!

I was asked to come and perform as part of a comedy show in Brantford recently.

It's a two hour drive from, Barrie so I carefully considered why I would do it.

• It's a chance to practice a new bit.
• It's a different audience.
• It's a chance to have an adventure with my wife.
• It's a chance to meet new people.
• It's a chance to go out for dinner.
• It's a chance to enjoy giving the gift of laughter.
• It was a chance to learn from other comedians.

It was NOT a chance to make a lot of money, none in fact!  I was out of pocket for the night for gas money and spicy pad-thai. 

One fellow who performed shot toilet paper at an audience member with a leaf blower!

What is happening?

Ya, it was a wild night!

I had never performed in a restaurant before, so I was unsure what to expect. 

The people that were there had a great time and I think the night went well.

I guess if there is a lesson to learn, it would be this:

Do things for the sheer experience!

Cracked and Owned

Photo by Ali Abdul Rahman on Unsplash

I was driving down a street in my neighborhood and passed by what looked like a smartphone case lying in the road.  I turned the car around and went back to investigate and it was a full size smartphone, face down and screen shattered.  I pushed the power button and the screen lit up!  I had discovered a lost phone.

I pulled my car into a side street to figure out what to do.  The phone was not locked so I was able to call up some phone numbers and I sent a text to one called "Office Phone".

I figured that the owner would soon realize it was missing and check for messages.  The text read "I found your phone."  That's it!  I decided to wait till I got home to do anything else.  It wasn't but a few minutes before the phone rang!

Me:  Hello, I found your phone on the road.

Male Voice:  Where did I lose it?

(I told him)

Male voice:  Oh man!  I am on my way.

Me:  Sure, I'll wait.  Sorry, but the screen is really busted.  It landed face down.

Male Voice:  OK!

A few minutes later, the man pulled beside me and I gave him the phone back.  He was really thankful, we shook hands and said goodbye.

It felt really good to be able to help someone that day but it also got me thinking about something else.

Even though the phone glass was smashed and ugly, he was really glad to have it back.  The phone meant something to him, it was part of his life.  There were plans to be made on it and memories to share with it.

Isn't that like our lives?  We can get lost and broken to.  Through a series of unfortunate events, we can find ourselves laying in the middle of the road of life, getting run over and at the mercy of the elements.  Helpless.  Our purpose and future are in doubt.  We could find ourselves in the hands of someone with less than honorable intentions for us!  We're ugly because of the trauma we've gone through.

This is where Jesus finds us.  He says, "I can get you back to your owner."

We say, but I'm broken, damaged, ugly.

He says, "Let's take what's left and build the future.  Let's look back at your memories, even through a shattered screen, we'll do it together!"

It's one thing to be broken, another to be broken and back in the hands of your Owner.

God can take what's been cracked and abused and make something beautiful.

Luke 15:11-32

Why Do You Go To Church?

Photo by Carolina Jacomin on Unsplash

According to the research I link to below, here is why most people go to church.

It's probably the reason you assume, but think with me for a second.

Going to church on a Sunday can be a huge undertaking.  Young families have to pack up kids and their related accessories and get out the door in time and then try and get the tots to sit still for more than five minutes!  Busy schedules demand down time for professionals, and Sunday can be a well needed day to catch up on family time.  Seniors may feel physically drained and rather stay home.

So why do people still make all the effort and get out to a church service on a Sunday or even a week night?

To get closer to God!

Here's the interesting thing.  God is everywhere.  He's just as much at church as He is anywhere else.  When you enter the church doors, He's not there to greet you and find you a good seat, not too close to the speakers, cause those kids on the worship team play too loud! 

No! 

He's wherever YOU are right now!

We go to church to get closer to God because that's where other people who want to get closer to God are!  We gain a more intimate relationship with the Almighty through our shared experiences with other people who have the same goals!  We are comforted by the shared triumphs and failures we all encounter on the pathway to discovering all we can about life as a believer.  It takes other people to help us get closer to God!

Think about it!

https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/july/church-attendance-top-reasons-go-or-stay-home-pew.html

Interesting Stats

Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Here's an encouraging statistic from a big survey done recently about reading the Bible. 

85% of people surveyed said they believe the Bible has resulted in their willingness to engage in their faith more and show more loving behavior toward others!

Isn't that interesting, given the world we live in? 

Sometimes, maybe too often, you see the very opposite! 

Lots of fights and arguments are played out in social media and in government when it comes to things written in the bible.  Leading to confusion and a general distrust of the scriptures.

What do you think is going on there? 

We know the result of what Jesus said were always to direct us to love people, forgive them and to serve others.

That's what s SHOULD happen.  We need more of that.

It is encouraging to see that percentage number so high, maybe we just don't hear enough about the good results! 

When you read the bible, how does it affect YOUR life?

Here is the link to the study...

https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2018/07/the-state-of-the-bible-2018-most-americans-want-to-read-the-bible/

Christianity and Dinosaurs. We Live In A Jurassic World.

I recently saw the movie "Jurassic World-Fallen Kingdom" and I have been thinking a lot about the whole idea of mankind trying to bring back the dinosaurs.

I think the "fallen kingdom" in the title is OURS!  Our kingdom has fallen and I will explain as the blog rolls along, stay with me!

I also got this sweet tyrannosaurus pendant at a yard sale!  I like it because it reminds me of a very important truth that is reflected in the movie. One about the illusion of control and the freedom of the believer in Jesus.

Let's start with today.  At this point in history, dinosaurs are just a bunch of bones.  We found them buried in the dirt and we have been trying to figure out what happened to them and what they may have looked like with actual muscles, skin and internal organs.

We are guessing at a lot of things because we were not around to take selfies with the brachiosaurs of the Jurassic period, so not much evidence as to what they may have looked like on Instagram.

We just have the bones, scattered around and in a general state of disarray.  Something bad happened and  they are all gone.  It looks like it was quick, so they didn't suffer, that should bring comfort to ancient animal rights activists.

It's not good enough for us to just look at the bones. 

We want them back again, so we turn to science. 

Science needs money, money comes from rich people, rich people attach an agenda to their money and so research becomes corrupted and the next thing you know, you are running for your life with a patch of your skinny jeans ripped off your butt, wondering why you wanted to post a #dinoselfie in the first place!

It all went wrong, but why?  The illusion of control and vice of greed.

Let's connect this with the Bible, specifically to the New Testament, our time, our own Jurassic period you might say!

Christianity finds it's basis in the bible.  The scriptures, written over many years by various authors with diverse backgrounds, hang ups and perspectives.  All of the writing in the scriptures points to the Messiah, Jesus.  For thousands of years, the scriptures provided the "bones".  Bones are the structure on which the body is built.  Similar to the dinosaurs, none of us were around during the bible events like parting of the Red Sea, feeding the 5000 and the battle between David and Goliath.  All epic stories that have been preached about and put into movies with cheesy special effects.

On these "bones" we have built our beliefs and have a pretty good general outline of what it's all about.  Just like paleontology, the finer details can be fuzzy and just a guess.  Sometimes they can be the subject of all out division among dehydrated, dusty archaeologists.

Christian people fall into the same situation when we disagree over finer details that we are all just guessing on.  You can fill in your favorite controversy here, everyone has one.  As time marches on, more things written in the bible about future events become clearer and clearer, and truths that were penned in the years before TMZ prove themselves to be reliable again and again.

Here's my main point.

When we think we have a handle on spirituality, God, the Bible, Jesus, faith...etc, that's where we are in for a rude awakening.  When we want to take something that is wild and un-tameable and put in a box for OUR OWN purposes, get ready to run, cause it will eat you alive!

Remember the scene in Jurassic Park where the T-Rex was not showing up for the main characters?  They were all in two vehicles in front of the paddock but the Rex was a no show.  The park then put a goat in the paddock to coax it out of hiding.  At this point Dr. Grant says "T-Rex does not want to be fed, it wants to HUNT!"

Yummy!

It's such an important truth to remember!  The whole plan of God is meant to be wild and spread over all the earth!  It can't be contained and merchandised for entertainment!  It's way bigger and more awesome than anything we could dream up!  When we think we have God all sorted out, something huge will happen to blow our minds!  The Good News of the gospel is not the property of a select few.  It's for everybody.  It's wild.

Working in Christian radio, I see this a lot!  We broadcast songs and messages filled with God's word, it goes out and we don't know who's listening, we have NO CONTROL over who tunes in and when, all we know is what Jesus said, "The seed is The Word of God."  We get it out there, it runs wild and instead of causing chaos, like the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, it causes people to have hope and faith!

It's wild!

It breaks loose and chases down those who are on the run!

It's meant to be free!

We need that perspective in our churches, small groups, families and nation!

When we invest in organizations putting out God's Word, that's what's happening!

It's way bigger than us, it's not meant to be caged up, quantified or regulated and it will never be!