Last night Koke was getting his lunch ready for school. He wanted to use his soup thermos but he couldn't get the lid off of it. He handed it to me and I started to try to turn it.
As I slowly worked the lid loose I was thinking "how long has it been since Koke used this last?" He has eaten the school lunch everyday this week, so it's been at least 5 days. I was starting to get worried about what I would find (and smell) once I got it open.
Just about that time I heard a huge POP! And suddenly my kitchen was a Three's Company rerun. The lid shot off and hit the ceiling. It ricocheted off the counter and hit Toni's glass. The glass rolled off the bar and shattered on the floor. I was frozen watching it all happen. When everything stopped moving there was sauce all over me, sauce on the ceiling, and shattered glass everywhere. It was a mess.
Somehow the change in temperature or the natural fermentation of Chef Boyardee had built up enough pressure that it turned our Wednesday night into a ravioli-fueled New Year's Eve. It was all because Koke hadn't cleaned out his thermos when he should have.
The truth is, that's how it is with our lives, too. The longer we wait to clean out the neglected areas of our lives, the more likely it is that there will be a mess to clean up down the line. Old grudges, bad habits, secret sins can all seem harmless tucked away in our lunch box, but at sometime the lid blows off and we have to deal with the mess.
It's better to do it now, before the pressure puts your whole kitchen at risk!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Arrow & Bumper Truck
I travel 35 minutes on the Interstate every day for my commute. Because I live in Illinois, I see plenty of construction. But I've noticed a new truck on construction this year. It has an arrow on top and on the back is a long trailer made of plastic. It looks something like this...
I looked up what it was called and the technical term is an "Impact Attenuator." This truck doesn't carry equipment. It doesn't transport workers. It doesn't have sophisticated machines that repairs the road. It doesn't pain the lines.
The entire purpose of this truck is to protect the road construction workers. The arrow alerts motorists to move over and the bumper is designed to absorb the impact if a car is heading for the construction area. Essentially, this truck is designed to be sacrificed to protect those working up the road.
It reminded me of the commitment that we make when we become leaders. We will do everything we can to keep danger away from our kids. We will flash our lights and point our arrows, but ultimately we must place ourselves between dangers and those we lead. Leaders are never insulated from danger. Instead, the best leaders intentionally seek out how to protect those we lead.
The entire purpose of this truck is to protect the road construction workers. The arrow alerts motorists to move over and the bumper is designed to absorb the impact if a car is heading for the construction area. Essentially, this truck is designed to be sacrificed to protect those working up the road.
It reminded me of the commitment that we make when we become leaders. We will do everything we can to keep danger away from our kids. We will flash our lights and point our arrows, but ultimately we must place ourselves between dangers and those we lead. Leaders are never insulated from danger. Instead, the best leaders intentionally seek out how to protect those we lead.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Tolerably Broken
Do you ever notice that there are things in our lives that are broken, but not so much that we actually fix it? It's that toilet you have to jiggle the handle on...or the car you have to pump the gas just right for it to start...or the furnace that makes that noise that isn't normal.
We tolerate these inconveniences because we don't want to go to the trouble to fix them. It's only when a stranger encounters them that we realize how broken they really are.
The brokenness we tolerate isn't just confined to DIY projects around the house. There is brokenness in our spiritual lives that, sadly, we tolerate. Fixing these areas of sin, temptation and guilt may take hard work. But we will never be whole without doing it.
We tolerate these inconveniences because we don't want to go to the trouble to fix them. It's only when a stranger encounters them that we realize how broken they really are.
The brokenness we tolerate isn't just confined to DIY projects around the house. There is brokenness in our spiritual lives that, sadly, we tolerate. Fixing these areas of sin, temptation and guilt may take hard work. But we will never be whole without doing it.
Monday, December 26, 2011
If its already broke...
Our kitchen sink was leaking. We first noticed drips coming from the basement ceiling. I found that the faucet was leaking and would have to be replaced.
We got the replacement and I started disconnecting the old faucet to replace it. I was struggling to get the old faucet off. Because if the rust and gunk it just didn't want to budge. But the real reason was I wasn't committed to it fully. I was trying to disassemble it in a way that I could still put it all back together.
Eventually I took out a saw and just started cutting the faucet into pieces. After a few cuts I got everything off. I was able to install the new one and everything is working again. Now I'm wondering why I was being so gentle with a broken faucet.
But it was a reminder to me that even when something is already broken, it still takes an initial act of courage to fix it. Sometimes you have to commit to the change fully before you can make the progress you need to truly change.
We got the replacement and I started disconnecting the old faucet to replace it. I was struggling to get the old faucet off. Because if the rust and gunk it just didn't want to budge. But the real reason was I wasn't committed to it fully. I was trying to disassemble it in a way that I could still put it all back together.
Eventually I took out a saw and just started cutting the faucet into pieces. After a few cuts I got everything off. I was able to install the new one and everything is working again. Now I'm wondering why I was being so gentle with a broken faucet.
But it was a reminder to me that even when something is already broken, it still takes an initial act of courage to fix it. Sometimes you have to commit to the change fully before you can make the progress you need to truly change.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Good King Wenceslas
This Sunday our preacher mentioned this Carol in passing in the sermon on Sunday. But I looked it up and was amazed by the words to the hymn.
Most people know the first verse (or at least half of it). In it the good king looks out from the castle over a wintry night landscape. Through the blowing snow he sees a poor man gathering fire wood.
In the second verse the king asks his servant where the poor man lives. In the third verse the king tells his servant to gather up meat, wine and firewood and tells him they are going to take them to the poor man’s house. So they set out together into the blizzard to bring to this poor man everything he needs for a holiday barbeque. In the fourth verse the servant starts to complain about how cold it is and how strong the wind is blowing. The servant is afraid that he can’t go on and will freeze before they reach their destination. But the king tells the servant to walk in his footsteps and he won’t be so cold. In the last verse the servant finds that when he steps in the footprints of the king he could move thru the snow much easier. The servant also seems to feel actual warmth when walking in the king’s steps.
I’m sure you’re already making the application. The king calls his servant into a cruel and bitter world to do good for someone who needs it. However the way is so hard the servant despairs. But if the servant walks in the footsteps of the king he can continue in the journey and fulfill his mission of mercy.
When the Kingdom of Jesus comes into our broken world, He calls his people to acts of mercy confronting injustice, rescuing the oppressed, caring for the marginalized, and healing the brokenness. When we follow, often we find that the journey is hard and fulfilling our mission stretches us beyond what we think we can bear. But if we stay close to our master and follow diligently after him we will find encouragement for the journey and the strength to join our King in his mission.
That’s such an awesome story being told in that old carol!!! I love the last line: “Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing, Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.”
Most people know the first verse (or at least half of it). In it the good king looks out from the castle over a wintry night landscape. Through the blowing snow he sees a poor man gathering fire wood.
In the second verse the king asks his servant where the poor man lives. In the third verse the king tells his servant to gather up meat, wine and firewood and tells him they are going to take them to the poor man’s house. So they set out together into the blizzard to bring to this poor man everything he needs for a holiday barbeque. In the fourth verse the servant starts to complain about how cold it is and how strong the wind is blowing. The servant is afraid that he can’t go on and will freeze before they reach their destination. But the king tells the servant to walk in his footsteps and he won’t be so cold. In the last verse the servant finds that when he steps in the footprints of the king he could move thru the snow much easier. The servant also seems to feel actual warmth when walking in the king’s steps.
I’m sure you’re already making the application. The king calls his servant into a cruel and bitter world to do good for someone who needs it. However the way is so hard the servant despairs. But if the servant walks in the footsteps of the king he can continue in the journey and fulfill his mission of mercy.
When the Kingdom of Jesus comes into our broken world, He calls his people to acts of mercy confronting injustice, rescuing the oppressed, caring for the marginalized, and healing the brokenness. When we follow, often we find that the journey is hard and fulfilling our mission stretches us beyond what we think we can bear. But if we stay close to our master and follow diligently after him we will find encouragement for the journey and the strength to join our King in his mission.
That’s such an awesome story being told in that old carol!!! I love the last line: “Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing, Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.”
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