ThrOugH yOUr EyEs

Margaret Wolfe Hungerford coined the phrase, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

William Shakespeare once said, "The eyes are the windows to the soul."

It's all in the eyes. What do you see when you look at me? What do you see when you look at you? What do you see when you look at others around you? What do you see when you look at the world?

I am not content with closing my eyes while I listen to the screams of nations crying out for aid.

I am not cool with closing my eyes while underprivileged families go four and half years without clean water.

I am not comfortable with labeling little children terrorists or refugees. At the end of the day, they are just children. At the end of the day, are we screw-ups simply because our parents were?

I am not thrilled about a systemic, structural, and social condition that allows the face of racism to morph into one less overt but still just as evil.

It's nearly impossible for me, in my old age, to buy that silence, particularly on important issues, does not equal consent, or at the very least, a weak endorsement.

I can't honestly say I am the greatest champion of world causes but if you pillage villages, forcibly unseat kings and emperors, rape their women and children, enslave their people, hunt endangered species into extinction, and steal every valuable natural resource you can find, you don't get to mock the condition of the said country. That's the truth, the *hole truth and nothing but the truth.

I am hopeful that my grandson's classmates have been allowed to play with "brown children" now at his elementary school. He's been pretty lonely at recess.

I am not willing to accept that charitable giving can still somehow make the rich richer and keeps the poor and less fortunate very much poor and less fortunate.

I can love watching old mysteries like "Perry Mason" and "Peter Gunn" and still clearly see what that era's view of beauty looks like. It's still a struggle to understand in 2018.

I am still incredulous that my favorite sport (which I try to quit but I can't let go) is still often run like a dictatorship at times. (I used 'dictatorship' for lack of a more suitable, more PC word.)

I don't believe we can be found blameless when we restrict or forbid ourselves from using our voice and our resources to help others. (Pick a social issue. They all probably apply.)

I live in a place where often southern hospitality is reserved for those who talk like, have similar back stories with, or have a physical resemblance with the ones being "hospitable". Your top ten lists are a sham!

I am not able to resign myself to see an impressionable African American boy with a "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle" T-shirt on as being cute or acceptable.

I am not okay with friends only offering "thoughts and prayers" when a helping hand is required and available. And that's from someone who firmly and adamantly believes "prayer changes things."

I am very guarded against "reacting to the headlines" but "ignoring the content". That is an ever present danger for all of us.

I am gravely concerned how easy it is for so many to callously attach themselves to a legitimate movement that is decades overdue. If one's not careful, we could forget what this is supposed to be about.

Is there a proposed date on the calendar when we will start thinking generationally and not just about the fleeting moment we're in? Just asking for a friend...

So what does your world look like? Do you see hope? Can you see humanity beneath a hue or a tint? How do things look through your eyes? Sometimes even the simplest of things can become pretty blurry.

Thank you so much for reading, sharing, and subscribing to "Mirror Time With Mistayu". Hope this was worth your time.

KinGS aNd KinGdOMs

Honestly..
Sincerely..
I am in a quandary.

I don't think the world is ready. But then I believe the world is anxiously waiting.

What is the impact on a house and all its inhabitants when the foundation is undone without ample time to prepare? What does the fallout look like? What does the plan for recovery look like? Is there actually avoidable recovery that can be made?

Read your bibles and you have access to the blueprint of kings and kingdoms. Empires and nations. Rising and falling. It's almost as old as time itself. Like Solomon scribed, "There's nothing new under the sun!"

If one doesn't want a family secret to be told or seen by future generations, they have multiple options. They can burn the books that tell the story. Our they can burn the storyteller so they can't tell the story. They can tear down every symbol that represents that truth and build something else in its place. They can use trickery and deceit to cut off the strength of their enemy and pluck out his eyes. They can feed an emperor a royal feast of meat and wine and when he is merry, fall upon him with a sword. They can procure a nation through back door politics, bribes, and conspiracy. Dressing up a King in the garments of a slave and taking his crown doesn't make him less of a King. Ask the Romans about that. That comes from a place far deeper than royal garments, a crown, and a scepter could ever truly provide.

I know you can hear but are you able to listen. I won't demand that you spend your ten dollars or dictate how you spend it but I do have a suggestion. Do what, in the minds of many, is unthinkable. Momentarily put aside what you think you know and understand about Black culture and African Americans in general. I know it's difficult to blot out the images you've been given your whole life but just this once, walk through those double doors without reading reviews or asking your friends what they think. Take your friends and your family out for movie night and go see Marvel's Black Panther.

Why? Hear me and hear me well. This could be a moment that changes everything. Maybe not the world you currently find yourself living in but it could enhance your vision. That's the key to changing everything. Who would've thought that enlightenment could come through a comic book movie? You're going to be pleasantly surprised and amazed. It's so much more than that. It's a door into a world many never wanted you to see. I'm awestruck that even in 2018, you're even being given the opportunity. This is once in a lifetime stuff! This is eye opening, mind changing stuff!

Black Panther. Not the connotation from the Civil rights movement or anything that has been painted as negative, divisive, and anti-American. What you may be witnessing predates all that and speaks to something much more profound. This is the one movie that got the whole world shook. Communities...shook. Ideologies...shook. Your sense of normal...shook. This might be THAT moment where you find out who your true friends are and I mean that with all seriousness! Your circle of friends may dramatically change and you may find this movie will either enhance or mess up your life. This movie possesses that kind of impact. It's the truth shovel for centuries worth of buried lies. Can't cut the nose off of this one. Can't burn the pages and pretend it doesn't exist. The bell has been rung and it can't be undone. People treat you the way they see you and often because of how you see you. What if everything you've been taught left out some very important details? What would change about your right now if you possessed that knowledge? How do you proceed if you found out your whole life was founded upon a lie? Your name. Your family. Your heritage. Your affinity for a specific vocation and subsequent career goals. Everything you thought you knew was all wrong. This movie, if you can hear the distinctive sound it is guaranteed to make, could be game changing to say the least. 

This movie is the one even non comic book lovers and non Marvel Universe fans MUST see. It bears an clear and emphatic message history books have conveniently omitted. If truth (even draped in a fictional piece of cinematic ambiance) matters to you, you may find this refreshing and unsettling at the same time. I can sit here and tell you about how this isn't about pimps, hoes, slaves, black on black crime, and uprisings against "the man". I can opine about how this will give insights into a world untouched by a need for that uprising in the first place. I can give you bullet points like Strength. Vitality. Civilized. Ingenious. Innovative. Dominant. Kingdom. I can go all day on this but I won't. History has proven that a mind that refuses to be changed is a powerful monster. It will lie, cheat, steal, and destroy to maintain what it has and even gain more. It is an immovable object. If it can't be changed then it has to be broken. Consider breaking pattern for one day. Go see it with people whose opinions you value. Go see it with those who have never been to a movie like this and never wanted to. Pay for their ticket. Go see it with the entire family. Go see it with the naysayers of comic book movies. If you have no other choice, go see it alone. Just go witness it for yourself.

I won't ask you to share this or like this or agree with any of this. I know it's scary. It's big and imposing. It makes some uncomfortable. I honestly understand and I don't blame you. But I believe it's time for this story to be told by this storyteller for the collective ear to hear.

ChaNGe iS gOOd......EveNtuALLy!

How many times have you heard those three words? They're probably voiced by someone who isn't currently enduring a fresh hell like you are. Even millennials say "I don't like change." I wonder what those that have successfully endured the trials of life think about this cliche. Will they attest to the idea that change is good? Hmm, I wonder.

As I type these words on my keyboard, I am going through a change that has completely rocked my entire world. It's hard for me to look at you and tell you that it's good. It doesn't feel good. It doesn't help me produce good thoughts. And it doesn't sound, smell, or taste good. And still, in some weird dichotomous mix, it could actually be good for me. And thus, the struggle comes in. The struggle is indeed real. I am enduring a trial.

Almost everything inside of me screams "Quit", "Give up", and "Run, Forrest, Run!" The isolation is unbearable. The loneliness is unthinkable. The people that are closest to you, in some attempt to give you space, or just to avoid catching what you have, tend to leave you to your own thoughts and devices. They leave you alone. One thing I learned from the last 21 years is that being in isolation makes you an easy target for your enemies. 

If you ever watched an episode of "Wild Kingdom", the lion, who is dubbed the King of the jungle, is arguably the jungle's apex predator. He's fast, cunning, determined, and rarely backs down from a fight. What he wants, he normally gets. The lion will maul his way through difficult challenges to achieve his primary goal: his next meal. Even this terrorizing and imposing wildlife figure understands timing and opportunity. He will lie in wait in a nearby bush and will watch an entire herd of buffalo moving through the plain. And true to form, there will always be a smaller or weaker buffalo languishing behind the rest of the herd or perhaps hobbled in some way that makes them appear vulnerable. The King of the Jungle leans forward, sets himself, and pounces on his unsuspecting prey. The same pattern. The same result. Every single time.

Your adversaries don't work any different. Your being in isolation just makes the kill that much easier.

I asked the question in one of my previous pieces "Going Through Something" how do you go through something standing still and never changing or evolving or growing? Repeating the same useless patterns and expecting all the other factors to change but we don't is ridiculous and unrealistic. But we do that, don't we? It's near miraculous to get in a torrential downpour and not get a little wet. In everything we go through in life, we are affected. The questions are how much and if we grow while in the process.  

What do you do when everything in your world is going topsy-turvy? What do you reach for? How do you implement an adjustment? From my own limited experience, God is the only source that does not change based on circumstance.

Hebrews 13:8 says "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." 

Short passage but so profound. In the midst of life's storms, it's wise to hold onto a stable source that does not change or is not influenced by people's opinions and can't be bought off for power and status.

Are you GOING THROUGH or have you stopped to take lay down and never got back up?

I feel like I've been through a series of consecutive gut-punches but I can't stay where I am. The changes you go through are designed to make you strong, not to destroy you.

"Because he knows the road on which I travel, when he had tested me, I'll come out like gold." (Job 23:10 ISV)

Fire burns but it also refines.

• Even if they lie about you....
• Even if they discuss you in unfavorable light and mock you among their friends....
• Even if they make it their life's work to destroy you....
• Even if they leave landmines where they know you have to daily walk....
• Even if it seems like you're all alone and no one cares about your pain....
• Even if you just don't feel like you can take anymore and you want to give up....

"...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28 NKJV in part)

ConVICteD

Good morning, family and friends.

Got a question for you before you start downing your cup of coffee and before your work day becomes the chaotic mess we all have come to love and expect.

What would it take to make you give up on your convictions?

Conviction, according to Dictionary.com, is defined as "A fixed or firm belief, the state of being convinced."

The English major can't help but notice that the word "convict" is neatly placed in the word conviction. Whether it be in the legal sense and in a court of law or public opinion or in personal application, it's all about being convinced. What would make you change your mind? What would make you move from your position?

I had a friend of mines that I knew for several years. We weren't best friends but we worked closely together and spent probably every break together. My friend had a couple pet peeves but was a HUGE advocate against smoking. Not many days went by when I didn't hear a rant about the subject. My friend thought it one of the most disgusting and loathsome habits a person could have. They would readily and routinely avoid anyone who dared have such a habit. My friend met someone and fell in love with them almost instantly. The person my friend met, dated, and fell in love with, was and is an avid smoker. They'll soon be married. Hmm. You see that, right?

I thought this particularly profound for those who hold any moral standard, religious or political belief, or that consider themselves "good" people in a "bad" world. In today's climate, it behooved me to step back and look at the drama and ALL the proponents of it. Even what part we play in it all. It takes a combination of actors, electricians, stage hands, producers, sound techs, directors, writers, and set designers to make a stage production.

In the political world, we are witnessing epic battles where people refuse to budge or let up from their convictions initially but decide based on the right impetus. Religious leaders are lashing out at each other and refusing to be inclusive of others based on a denominational standard. Businesses and corporations have a code of conduct but it's often circumvented depending on certain factors like managerial discretion and fear of turnover or bad morale. Different strokes for different folks the way I see it.

At any time, we could all be victim to our own desires and our circumstances but what will make you move out of position? Change is coming whether we like it or not. The question is will we change with it or will we remain "convicted" on the important issues.

Imagine (if it doesn't totally freak you out) being in the middle of a hurricane that you didn't expect. You are in the middle of a street and this torrent comes down upon you. What is your first instinct? Do you run for cover? Do you just lay down on the ground and wait it out? Or do you reach for something stable that will not move?

I want something stable to hold onto. I don't want to "go with the flow" in this case, because you will be blown away with the "flow". I want to be grounded. I don't want to be like this....

"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. A person who has doubts shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about anything." (James 1:6-8 GWT)

Or this....

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (Ephesians 4:14 KJV)

Think really long and hard about what will make you shift your position. Re-evaluate the position and your place within it. Ensure that is it something you want to do and not something others obligate you to do. Popular opinion may beckon you to join their club or group but at the end of the day, you must live with your decision. Determine beforehand if the stance you choose is worth the price you may be asked to pay because there is indeed a cost.

"For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36 NIV)

Thanks for reading Mirror Time. Have a great day!

TakE uP YouR CroSS aNd FoLLoW hIM

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

Matthew 16:24-26 speaks to this better than I can ever hope to in all my eloquence and prose. My whole life was speckled with people who openly professed how much they loved Jesus Christ and how faithfully they served the Lord. They were not just in the churches I attended. They were administrators in my private school. They were teachers and cafeteria workers in my public school. They were the neighbor down the street that frowned upon my horseplay and our friends being loud in front of their brownstone. They were the cashier at my local supermarket. They were everywhere it seems. They said all the right things in front of company. Actually they still do. Their public persona is nearly spotless and not a wrinkle is detected by the untrained eye. But when the only one that is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient looks at his creation in that person, what does He see? Does he sees spots? Does he detect wrinkles? Does he sees something that the outside person cannot?

We're in the midst of a process in our ministry where discipleship is being emphasized in a big way. That should be the normal in today's church but it is sadly at a premium and not at all common nowadays. People don't really want to know what Jesus would do. They just want all the benefits that go with being associated with him but not make the necessary sacrifices. Romans 12:1-2 does an excellent job of speaking to this as Paul asks his brothers and friends, "I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

1. Be a living sacrifice. That terminology might be lost on some of us especially since the word "sacrifice" has been cast in a negative light in cinematic and literary circles. It is defined as "an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure."

That doesn't sound good and I understand that but in the terms and context the scriptural passage is detailing, it is meant "an official offering prescribed by God that is acceptable because it is offered on His terms."

That implies there are many kinds of sacrifices that are offered to God but not all of them are acceptable? Why? Because they are not given on His terms or they don't meet His specific standards. The sacrifice must be living and it must be holy, or without spot or blemish -- it must be our best and it must be for lack of a better word, sacrificial. Essentially, it needs to cost us something. If a man has a thousand dollars and he gives a homeless man a penny, it didn't truly cost him. If a man has a million dollars and he donates five, it didn't truly cost him. If a man gives away his only automobile to someone who has none, he has given something that costs him. If a woman pawns her most precious and valuable piece of jewelry in order to help a friend with a heavy medical cost, she has given something that costs her greatly.

We have to daily and willingly lay ourselves on the altar and allow the Lord to do His work, no matter how painful, uncomfortable, and inconvenient. The dead sacrifices don't get a choice. The live ones give glory to God because they have decided to choose God. That's how you worship God.


2. Take up your cross. This is not a pleasant visual for anyone that understood the Roman tradition of crucifixion in earlier Biblical times. The understanding was that if someone was taking their cross, they were taking it to their eventual death. It was, in effect, a one way trip. They would not return. What does it sound like Jesus is asking us to do? It could appear He is asking us to pick up our proverbial crosses and die with Him. Maybe some of you are hearing that we should follow His example in every facet of our lives. Perhaps a few of you are understanding this to mean that we should be executing that aspect of our selves that is carnal, fleshly, and in stark opposition to God. Maybe you have gathered that all three are appropriate determinations to come to.

I am going through one of the fiercest trials I have ever been through. That is a clear indicator for me that there is something even greater at the end of it but I still have to go through. I can't go around. I can't circumvent or slide under. I have to go through and I fully intend to. For me, in the light of all that God has done in my life and the mercy he has shown this crazy Brooklyn kid, standing and following His example is the least I can do. I hope today you will do the same.

Thanks for reading Mirror Time and for subscribing with us. We appreciate you.

LaboR iN vAIn

Sure, the New Year is the preferred time to evaluate your life. This blog isn't called "Mirror Time" because I enjoy gazing at myself in the mirror. It's because, in my humble view, those kind of evaluations are few and far between.

Like I said previously, last year and perhaps even this year, "we misjudged people. We put our own wants above those that we say we loved. We were selfish. We were vindictive. We pointed fingers. We joined figurative lynch mobs and condemned people on social media. We made decisions without regard for its impact on others. We showed contempt and disrespect for authority. We lied to others and we lied to ourselves. We have compromised our beliefs and our faith." 

The level of profanity and hypocrisy that comes out of our mouths or is typed into the comment section of an inflammatory or polarizing news piece is epic and I can only wonder what how much we are trolling people or do we really buy into the vitriol that we spew out.

But everyone is not focusing on being the next big troll. Many people are hard working, morally conscious, humane, and wise enough to know that finger pointing only delays the inevitable need for accountability and personal responsibility. I am sure you imagined what the world would look like if these two nuggets were trending. Hmm. 

So I speak today to those of you that want more out of this life than you are currently seeing. I don't mean a better car or a better house or anything like that. I am referring to wanting to fully exercise the fullness of the purpose inside of you. I am talking about living this life out loud and squeezing out every ounce of potential, purpose, and vision that is in you. When the time comes, you leave this world behind with no regrets, knowing that you gave all of you and did your best. Hmmph. Maybe nobody else thinks like that but you. Perhaps you are in a vast minority that think generationally and not just in the present moment. Could be that words like legacy and inheritance are not important to your circle of friends.

If that is you, I wanted to give you one thought to ponder. 

Ingenuity. Guts. Heart. Grind. Determination. Work. Genius. Innovation. Consistency. All words that symbolize the standard for the hard working person. They, however, are not guarantees for the kind of success that matters. 

In this life, there is a lesson that has prevailed. I'm not saying it is widely known or adhered to. I am just saying the lesson is still being taught daily. If you don't build a house with a strong foundation, adding it to only helps to hasten a momentous fall. It's not theory. It's going to happen. 

I bought a new home for my wife that was built hastily to say the least. There were many shortcuts taken but the house survived three storms during our time living there and structurally it proved itself to be sound. That limited some of the stress that we were dealing with but it was a great reminder. The winds and waves and storms came crashing down on the house but it stood. Because it had a strong foundation. I used practical examples to make an analogy here so even if you don't know about building a foundation naturally, hopefully, you'll get the point theoretically. 

What kind of foundation are you building? (home, career, work, church)

Did you pick a location that had good "soil conditions"? (If there are any foreign elements in your soil that conflict with what you are trying to develop)

Did you survey the land to make sure there was enough room for what you intended to build there? (Taking care to evaluate your whole life, your time, and counting the cost before you start any building process)

Did you have deep enough trenches before pouring the concrete? (If you have enough of a relationship with your Heavenly Father that will stand the test of time as you build your faith)

Did you allow the concrete adequate time to dry before you begin to add to or build upon it? (Were you open to waiting and trusting God or did you hurry forward in haste to achieve your own goal and not the best plan of action?)

Did you properly seal the walls so no moisture can get in? (Did you provide adequate protection so that dangerous elements can't penetrate your building and erode it?)

Were the "builders" that you allowed into your life qualified and professional and were careful with all the details? (The people that you trust to join you and help you achieve your goals)

You don't have to know how to build a house to understand that you probably don't want to work hard for years and have nothing to show for it. Who walks around with a bag full of money knowing that there are holes in the bag? No one ever. If there is no other takeaway in this, please remember that you can work hard for years and do all you think is best, but without the guidance of the "master builder", our work won't be of true value. I was in the same place until I decided to trust the Lord with the whole process. This blog site is full of articles that highlight just how that looked if you're interested in reading them. 

Work smart, not hard. Who better to trust with the framework of your life than the one who fashioned you and molded you in the first place? Just a little something to think about.

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Psalms 127:1 ESV)

HappY NeW yOU

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Thank you very much for your support of Mirror Time with Mista Yu and we really appreciate your subscribing with us. That means you don't mind opening up your emails and seeing a new blog piece from us. That speaks volumes and I wanted to say thank you. Please keep sharing us with your friends and family. THANK YOU for being a big reason why Mirror Time is growing and reaching into the lives and hearts of more people than ever before.

Only a few days into the brand new year, we had ourselves an unprecedented winter storm event. Unprecedented because it rarely ever happens in the Holy City but it certainly did and in a big way. More than 7 inches of snow, ice, hail, sleet, and more than 1,000 accidents on the roads and highways locally. In a place like Charleston, because this kind of event is...well, an event and not the normal for January, it rocks the city to its foundations and causes a ripple effect of change that shakes up everything. Where I'm from, you just put some rock salt down and you keep going, you keep working but here it's different. 

Most people revel in the fact that they don't have to go to work and still get paid for it. Many are just glad they don't have to go to school that day. Some would just like to catch up on sleep. This massive amount of snow brought the entire city to a grinding halt. We were not prepared for it and we didn't have the know-how to handle it. We are just in the midst of an epic event. For me, this event brought my life to a grinding halt too. Just in a different way.

These kind of "events" don't announce themselves. They don't come with much warning. They just happen. As much havoc and chaos as this storm has caused this city and the lives that were affected by this tragedy, this storm made me totally stop and reflect. I couldn't drive anywhere. I didn't make many phone calls. I didn't scour social media much. No distractions from work or business. Just me and my thoughts. For some throughout the U.S., this is normal and happens every winter like clockwork but for some, this was life-changing.

Going into the new year is often met with resolutions and big, bold proclamations. How many people really took the time to evaluate where they are in this life and where they really want to be? These "events" happen in life periodically but most times they are misread. We don't look at what we should be looking at. We just look at the external factors that seem to speak louder. But, in that, we tend to miss the little things. We need to look in the mirror!

How do you want to start this year? The way you start it is likely to be a factor in how it ends. Last year, we probably made huge mistakes. We misjudged people. We put our own wants above those that we say we loved. We were selfish. We were vindictive. We pointed fingers. We joined figurative lynch mobs and condemned people on social media. We made decisions without regard for its impact on others. We showed contempt and disrespect for authority. We lied to others and we lied to ourselves. We have compromised our beliefs and our faith. But here we are. Going into a brand new year. Hoping for a restart in 2018. Or just hoping to forget 2017.


Allow me to encourage you. Going into the new year ignoring what is the "elephant in the room" of your life is only going to make this year an extension of the one you want to leave behind so desperately. Face that mammoth beast. Look into the eyes of that elephant. Resist the temptation to make the same mistakes and react the same way. Take that step towards better. These life "events" have a peculiar ability of exposing what's wrong or deficient in our lives. These events have a way of revealing us. Now the question is do we want to see what is revealed.

You never know when you'll face another "event" in life. Take advantage of the opportunity to reflect.   Who knows? It could change everything. Eventually, the snow or ice will melt and the seasons will change but the consequences of our decisions are much harder to get rid of. Choose well. Live better. Have a prosperous and blessed New Year.

ResT iN pEAce, MiCHaEL

This young man was what I would call an "old soul". 

It was extremely astounding to watch someone who could have easily been another statistic in a neighborhood that is known to swallow hopes and dreams whole come out alive but he did.

There was nothing fair about his life but I don't recall him complaining all the years that I have known him.

He said hello to people in a city that was notorious for being grumpy, closed off, and not at all friendly. He kept smiling and kept offering the biggest hugs to anyone who wanted one. He was trusting when there was no outward reason to be. He was eager to please and very motivated to receive affection and approval from others. The best description I can use for Michael is that he was "everybody's best friend". It wasn't until now that I asked myself why.

It was the one thing I never truly understood about him. I grew up with him in some of the roughest parts of the old neighborhood. Wherever I was, he was. We were as close as two people could be and that afforded me the opportunity to see some things I never noticed before. In some significant way hidden from the view of the onlooker, he was broken. I didn't know how or where it happened at the time but he was. He was literally taking his broken pieces with him everywhere he went. He covered contempt, anger, rage, low self esteem, and doubt with a smile and a hug. I don't want to speak for him but I think he tried to love all the ugliness in the world away with a hug. I think he hoped that would make him feel better in the process. 

Then the news came that his father died suddenly alone in his home. His daughter found him. It was a pity that Michael didn't know him well no matter how hard he tried. But Michael loved him and chased after him with a reckless abandon. Guess they call that in poetic circles "unrequited love". But that's when I saw it. The sole reason why Michael did everything he did and acted the way that he did that defied logic and reasoning. There it was, all laid out on a silver platter for all the world to see. There was a huge hole in his heart and he was trying feverishly and desperately to fill it. When his father died, not even three days later, Michael expired too. There was nothing to rally for or against. He ceased to exist because his whole life up to that point was merely a game of chasing shadows. He died chasing someone who either didn't love him or, at least, was unable to express that love in any tangible way. That was the legacy of his life. A sad and incomplete ending to what could have been an incredible comeback story.

But Michael is gone. Perhaps he never found the right "world" for what he had inside him. The world he lived in just didn't understand his way and his level of affection. It was too much, deemed unnecessary, or met with skepticism in the world he lived in. I am going to miss a lot of things about him but I am glad he's at peace. If I can be honest, the only reason he was here at all was to shine a light on a larger problem myself and others might not have seen: what it looks like when a father's love is missing from a son's life.

A lot of people, that didn't appreciate your hugs, your encouraging words, your poems, your songs, that big laugh, how freely you gave to others, and that big infectious smile then, will probably miss it now. You were living in an era totally unprepared for your special gift. Rest in peace, Michael. The world is full of sons just like you. Unfortunately.

ExTRa, EXtrA, ReAD aLL abOUt It

Well, the online world has done it again..........scratch that.....the online world is capitalizing on and growing due to what is already inside of us. Yeah, maybe the problem isn't everyone else after all. I don't know about you but it becomes increasingly difficult to read friends' posts and hear what seeps out of their hearts on the daily. I, for one, have been forced to re-evaluate my life choices.

If we are consistently passing blame onto others, we leave little time for self evaluation. We are distracted by the perceived attacks against us that we don't realize we could use some good old-fashioned crop failure in some areas of our own "gardens".

"When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce......" ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

The online world is reactive, judgmental, and headline oriented. Very few dig deep for the real story. We like what appears to be sensational and over-reaching and even explosive. That tantalizes us, draws us in, and makes us crave even more. It's an insatiable hunger that cannot be satisfied. And in all the melee, we don't even realize that we have become what we have claimed to detest. We are the judges. We are the antagonists. We are the hypocrites. We are just like the "them" we vowed never to become. Luke 18:9-14 gives us a great example of what that looks like and what the only real Judge thinks about it.

"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: God, I thank you that I am not like other people - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

Two men, both blessed enough to carry the breath of God in their bodies. Both in different stations in life and one with quite more advantage and opportunity than the other. The difference that matters to the Lord is the one that is not always seen with the naked eye. God is after the hearts of men, unconcerned with the attempts to self-elevate and make grand gestures to garner favor. Despite popular belief, we are not on the same page as the God we claim to follow if we forget this memorable passage.

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (I Samuel 16:7)

We claim to have, or people that we like, have "good hearts". There's a passage that dispels that thinking too.

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

Just when you think we got it all figured out, we realize we don't know as much as we thought.

This piece is not written with the intent to get you to spend less time on the web and less time on your Facebook and Twitter pages. You can take all the selfies you like on Instagram. And you can give yourself reindeer eyes to your heart's content on Snapchat. The overriding point is that while we are entering into this world that seemingly has little rules and a low standard of decorum, perhaps we can consider holding fast to the profession we so often say we have.

I can tell you that we are wasting time and we could at some moment, find ourselves unprepared and on the other side of eternity. I could say that you could have years of training and education and degrees in divinity and the one moment you decide you will not help someone you deem undeserving could be the deal breaker. I could say that before we press "Send", maybe we should take twelve hours, or 24 hours or whatever it takes to be sure that these words we release into the "always" is what we want attached to us for our kids and grand-kids to see.


I'll leave this to your consideration. To those that try to espouse positive messages and promote things that edify and encourage, I say "Thank you." You are probably feeling lonely and unappreciated and you might be wondering why you should keep doing what you are doing. Someday, somewhere, in some part of the world we live in, someone will look past the scathing headline and actually read the content. Someone will scroll past the clickbait and thirst traps and look for something that feeds the need they have and presents itself as a salve for the wounded hearts. Someone might even respond with a "Thank you" themselves. Some may not have the heart to respond in any form. Keep the momentum and don't quit. The world is inundated with so called "news".

I fully intend to take my own advice. So you are not at all alone. Godspeed!

ThrOUGh ThEse sTOrmS

A common phrase that, like so many others of its kind, loses it value and relevance because it is so irresponsibly tossed around and often misunderstood.

You know what a storm is and you have been in many natural storms, especially if you live anywhere in the USA. You know the rain, wind, hail, lightning, thunder, and snow are all elements of what you have experienced. The kind of storms I am talking about are similar except that they can't be avoided with an umbrella or finding your way under some kind of shelter. These kinds have to be endured until they pass over.

Through these storms...........you are going to get wet.

Through these storms...........your vision may be impaired.

Through these storms...........you may need more time to get to your destination safely than what you planned.

Through these storms...........the "clothes" you enjoy wearing may get damaged and you'll need new ones.

Through these storms..........you may become better evaluators of true value when you find it. What was lost might not be as valuable as you originally thought.

Through these storms...........the foundation of every relationship you're in will be revealed.

Through these storms...........it will be really difficult to see the Sun (Son) and blue skies.

Through these storms...........you will discover greater opportunities for "alone" time.

Through these storms...........you may lose your balance and fall down but you can't stay there.

Through these storms...........the temptation to make a permanent decision based on a temporary situation is greater.

Through these storms...........you will hear many voices but you're not insane, just at a critical life-stage.

Through these storms...........the sounds of the storm might be louder than the storm's actual impact.

Through these storms...........you will find out just how strong you are and still you won't be able to take full credit. All the glory belongs to God.

ChaSIng ThE wINd

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Ecclesiastes 2:11 (NLT) says "But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless--like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere."

This is a very common phrase usage in the Bible. Wonder why? Maybe because if we're not chasing God, we are "chasing the wind". A circular path that has no definite destination, a string of meaningless tasks, a point that adds no virtue or value.

Have you ever tried to catch the wind in your hands?

It is literally the most time consuming, fruitless, ineffective, wasting of energy and effort there is on the planet. You can gain nothing from this futile exercise. Why? Because one, it is not possible to achieve this feat. And two, there is nothing to be gained that holds value or merit even if you could accomplish this task. In the magical whimsy in the mind of a child, they may think this is worth the effort and they may even find it challenging to try to do it, even though all the adults in their life watch them, knowing it will not happen. They probably view the wind as a convenient but unseen babysitter that gives them a spell from their arduous every day. But honestly, most recognize that this is just not time well spent. Still so many adults that I know personally waste their efforts, traipsing down the same unproductive path they have in the past, and still expect a varied result. Basically, they make the same mistakes, thinking the outcome will change each time.

King Solomon spoke often about the fruitlessness of life and wasted energy. What do you value in this life and/or the next life? What do you see as precious? What do you see as worthless? People throw hundreds of dollars into the stock market daily because they believe that a company has the propensity to produce profitability and their product is worth purchasing and using so they invest. They want to capitalize on the boom that's taking place. Where do you place your valuable insights? What value do you place on your time? What energy do you put into relationships? What conversations, in person and online, do you invest time in listening to? How do you spend your free time? I think King Solomon is onto something. He encourages us to fear God, which is the starting path to attaining wisdom. If you can live in peace with the little that you have, (which I guess could be considered a minimalist lifestyle) then it is perceived to be better than chasing after things that are not worthy of attaining and missing out on what is important and valuable.

"Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 4:6 NIV)

I watch friends, family, and church mates buck against the authority they are under, clamoring and chasing after things that tantalize their flesh. All the while, they are being drawn away from what matters the most. Not much different than the thinking in that eighteenth verse of the opening passage.

"...For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

The stuff that we waste our time going after is not worthy of achieving if it doesn't better us spiritually. We can have all the frills of the "good life" and all the popularity and all the accolades, but if we retain a soul that is still out of alignment with the "manufacturer's" purpose and plans, then we as the "product", are ineffective, of little use, and carrying diminishing value. Our value comes from not only our proximity to Him who has forged us into existence but also in the functionality of the purpose we are called into. A life without purpose is a life wasted.

We all want lasting happiness and we all want value but either we don't know where to find it or we don't know what true value looks like when we see it. Bigger paycheck. Multiple intimate relationships. Fuller bank accounts. An abundance of hobbies. A larger family. A bigger house. The list goes on.

What are you chasing? What are the priorities in your life? How much time do you invest in those priorities? Are you able to detect a tangible result for all of your works and energies? Or are you running into a wall at every turn?

If nothing else, I just want to encourage all of you that despite all the bad theology out there and the horrible role teachers in our social and spiritual circles giving us the wrong advice, we have hope. Wisdom seems hidden at times but it is easily locate-able. When I was at my wit's end, and the only options I could see were dark and pretty permanent. I called out to God (despite limited knowledge and no relationship with Him to speak of) and he gave me answers that led me to a peace I hadn't experienced in ever.

You are not as far away from those answers as you think you are. Please don't give up hope and please don't think you have no other way out. It is a lie and not the truth. Just like the initial passage in 2 Corinthians teaches us, we are not to focus on things around us, meaning current circumstances, people issues, etc. They won't always last and they will eventually fade. They are, in effect, temporary. What is permanent and forever? What makes your life worthwhile? What adds to yours and the lives of others? What challenges you to step out beyond your limitations and previous foul ups? What enriches you and takes you beyond what you think or imagine? What brings you true joy?

You can answer in your own way but my answer is God. Instead of chasing what He has made, I simply chose to chase the Source instead. Maybe someday you can see that as worth your time and energy. Please let us know if this blog has inspired and touched you personally. Thank you for reading.

"Your diamonds are not in far distant mountains or in yonder seas; they are in your own backyard, if you but dig for them." ~ Russell H. Conwell