In the Blink of an Eye

The fourth anniversary of Katrina has arrived with little fanfare. There is no doubt that this Hurricane left its indelible signature on the lives of many. Many, but not all. There are few events that instantaneously change us all. I got to thinking about events that occurred in my lifetime with immediate impact universally - or at least nationally. One second we are all one way - and the next second we are all dramatically different. For me, this is the "In the Blink of an Eye" category of life. You blink - and you're changed.

These events are important not just because of their universal impact, but also because of the lessons that accompany the reality that these events can - and do - occur. Lest we fall into trappings of white picket fences, surround sound stereos, towering litany of books or the blue flashing light of our TV screens we must remember that much of life is outside of our control - and the purpose of life is so much more than creature comforts.

In reflection, I have can think of three events that I think fit into this category of instantaneous impact. There are some peripheral events that, while major, did not get into this category. Some examples of those that didn't make it would be both Iraqi wars and the election of Barack Obama - although I admit that Obama's election carries so many implications that it was tempting to put him my "blink of an eye" category. My litmus test basically was if I had to think about it in a prolonged fashion then it didn't meet the criteria. Any split second event of immediate global ramifications should be abundantly obvious at the mere mention of its name.

"Blink of an Eye" level events occurring in my lifetime:

1. The Challenger Tragedy: Of my three, I think this one is the only one that may not fit into the category. However, the first thing I think when I consider this event is that everyone knows where they were when it happened. I was in fifth grade, in Mrs. Gaines class, watching Challenger take off with her teacher in tow.

2. The Berlin Wall: What more needs to be said? This iconic wall's destruction with the upheaval of communism in the USSR closely following is momentous.

3. 9/11: One second I'm in class trying to earn a degree, the next I'm on my phone with my parents across the ocean trying to figure it out.

Have I missed any? Did I get these wrong? Let me know...

College Football = SEC DOMINATION

Just Remember that 4 of the last 6 National Champions are SEC Baby! Oh, yeah and if Auburn got their shot in '04 it would be 5 of the last 6.

Date Opponent Time (CT)
Sat, Sep 5 @ Washington 9:30 PM
Sat, Sep 12 Vanderbilt 6:00 PM
Sat, Sep 19 Louisiana-Lafayette 6:00 PM
Sat, Sep 26 @ Mississippi State 12:00 Noon
Sat, Oct 3 @ (13) Georgia 11:00 AM
Sat, Oct 10 (1) Florida 7:00 PM
Sat, Oct 24 Auburn 7:00 PM
Sat, Oct 31 Tulane 7:00 PM
Sat, Nov 7 @ (6) Alabama 12:00 Noon
Sat, Nov 14 Louisiana Tech 7:00 PM
Sat, Nov 21 @ (14) Mississippi 12:00 Noon
Sat, Nov 28 Arkansas 7:00 PM

My Rankings for how the SEC will play out in 2009:
1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Florida
4. Mississippi State
5. Georgia
6. Tennessee
7. Arkansas
8. South Carolina
9. Auburn
10. Ol Miss
11. Vanderbuilt
12. Kentucky

For those who think they know

Missouri & Health Care Reform

For those of you in the show-me state this is a great resource. Show-Me Institute is a Think Tank that is focused on public policy from an economic perspective. This link below is an important place to check out as we all consider what reform needs to occur in health care. While this is written with Missouri in mind, its applications/implications are national in scope.

http://www.showmeinstitute.org/publication/id.205/pub_detail.asp

Faith and Inaction

Based on discussions I had with some after our last two weeks' sermons I wanted to send this link to y'all for a sermon I just listened to this morning that directly interacts with our discussions of faith and availability.

Click here to listen.

Save the Kittens!!

No wonder there is a shortage of Kittens!

A Chronology of Cars

Life markers are a wonderful tool to map out our personal journeys. Things such as a weddings, birth dates, graduation dates, and even Hurricane Katrina. We also have a chronology of cars. Our chronology is much like the Jews' chronology in that God says "Remember!" such as "Remember when you were slaves in the Land of Egypt and I delivered you." Unfortunately human nature, especially as it relates to God, is one of amnesia. It is hard to remember the blessings of bygone days as today's worries crowd and vie for your attention. This is part of our family's effort to remember.

Being burden to attend seminary, we acted in faith starting in 1999-2000 despite our pockets being empty. Since then and because of our incredible lack of monetary funds, it has pleased God to provide us five vehicles in a row to meet our needs (Matthew 6:25-34). All five vehicles given to us. Our disclaimer is that God does not owe it to us to provide our vehicles. This idea would be disingenuous to all those believers who are starving throughout the world today and in centuries past. We recognize it as God's pure mercy and grace and it amazes us as a family as much today as in days past.

All my statisticians out there do the math for me of the likelihood of one family being given five vehicles in a row - all running well. I think your equation will point to a supernatural agent.

Here is our chronology:

1. 1998 Mazda 626 - Date Given: August 2000; died in car crash .Given by a family leaving to do missionary work in Romania for a year. Even though they were coming back to the states they gave this car to me after hearing about my need of a vehicle in order to move to N'awlins to begin Seminary. I received the vehicle a few days before I had to leave.

2. 1988 Ford Escort - Date Given: 2002; given to charity. While in seminary, someone ran a red light and slammed into the Mazda leaving me without a car. After our marriage, Rachelle and I survived with one car for a while. However, being a pastor intern began to pose problems to our schedule of school and work along side ministry. I asked a wonderful couple at our church about the possibility of buying their Ford Escort. The following Sunday they gave it to us knowing we really didn't have the money to purchase it.

3. 1999 Pontiac Montana - Date Given: 2004; still with us! A few years and two children later we discovered a real problem as the Escort formed an oil leak. Our problem? Packing our children (with car seats) and other items every weekend to go an hour and half a way to do ministry in a small rural church in Louisiana. Some of our wonderful friends parted with this wonderful van; although, they had real use of it too with seven kids! This van continues to be an amazing blessing to us to this day. We're praying for another ten years from it.

4. 1990 Toyota Camry - Date Given: September 2005; going to a charity soon. After Katrina we thought we had lost our Cavalier (which Rachelle bought before we got married - it is the last car we bought and that was over a decade ago!). A wonderful family in Richmond heard about this and gave us their son's car (he got another one).

5. 1998 Honda Accord - Date Given: July 2009; still breaking in this speedster. Pray I won't get a ticket. :-) I admit that I've always wanted a Honda. We had our brothers and sisters advocating for us before God's throne room. A very dear family to us had an interesting conversation recently. One said she thought she would just donate her car this year instead of using it as a trade-in for a new car. Here we are driving in a car that provides more than we need. Thank you God!

6. HA! HA! You thought I was done! WRONG! 1998 Chevy S10 - Date Given: March 2009; returned in July 2009 to its joyful and gracious owners. This last time we were in desperate need for a vehicle as the Toyota finally conked out on us. With a penance to our name, and a job that requires a presentable, drivable vehicle a couple loaned us their practically brand new S10 for almost five months (it had less than 13,000 miles on it when we borrowed it). Did I mention I had a hit-n-run while driving this truck. Well - it was like new. :-(

Here is our chronology, meant to encourage and embolden you in your walk with the Lord. We look to it as a reminder as we walk in faith into a future where there are many questions concerning from where our provisions will come. God has already told you - the world is his and all that is in it. Like you, we stand on the edge of eternity looking forward. Little tastes such as this, while completely incomparable to the infinite joy we will experience and grow in days eternal, still give us a view to that which we exult in and desire.