A Trip to the Dentist

I went to the dentist yesterday.

I suppose I should be pretty excited to go there.  After all, I have never had to have a filling or any serious work done in my mouth.  All the same, when the hygienist got her instruments of torture stuck between my molars and started commenting on how tight my teeth were together, I wince more than a little on the inside.

Afterward, as I walked to my truck, a little traumatized, I could hear my mother's voice.  "But did it kill you?"

And of course, it didn't.  Kill me, that is.

In life there are many things that won't kill you, but are still no fun to go through.  A surprisingly high number of them revolve around medical tests and procedures.

There are all sorts of statements about painful situations that I don't believe.  From the silly "No pain, no gain!" to the simply not true "What does not kill me will only make me stronger," these statements are uniformly ridiculous and designed to try to make us feel good about pain.

There are plenty of reasons that we endure suffering.  One of the biggest reasons (and the reason I see the dentist routinely) is hopefully to avoid worse suffering in the future.  I'd rather have my teeth cleaned regularly than end up losing them.

This is the reason that most people go through medical tests.

Christians go through suffering for a different reason.  Paul said in the book of Romans "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."  In other words, heaven is worth more than anything we have to go through in this life.

I hope we can keep that glory in mind, even on days when things aren't going so well. 

I don't know that I will ever enjoy suffering, but by God's grace, I can endure anything I face.

Even a trip to the dentist.

I Want to Talk!

Our family was sitting around the table with General Hubbub reigning.  Everyone was in the process of saying something.  Our children were sharing something they'd read, or some odd trivia they'd found on a map of Virginia, or something that had happened to them (and not doing with library voices either).

In the midst of this Victoria's plaintive voice came wailing, "I want to talk!"

We were all silent for a few moments and then I asked her, in the stillness, "What do you want to say, Victoria?"

There was another pause, then she said, "I don't know."

I suppose the thing is not so much that Victoria wanted to talk as she wanted to have someone else listen to her and pay attention to her.

I think that all of our children have had similar moments.  These are times when they feel as though they have not had enough attention from their family and cry out for it in one way or another.

They come by this honestly, because I too have developed some attention seeking behaviors at certain immature moments.  While my job is listening to others, there are more than a few times that I have wanted someone to listen to me.

The blessing is that God is always listening.  He tells us in the book of Isaiah "Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear."

Many times that is all I need.  I don't need someone to solve every problem or part the Red Sea for me.  I just need a Heavenly Father who listen to how my day  was and tell me that He cares and just be there to hear me and love me.

And while my Father in heaven created the Universe, sometimes I think His willingness to listen to me is His most miraculous trait of all.

Tomatoes in Heaven?

"Dad, will there be tomatoes in heaven?"  My eight year old son asked me, as he poked at the garden salad in his plate.

"Probably so," I said, without thinking too much about the question.

"Oh," Elliot said, somewhat crestfallen.  "But I thought there would only be things we like in heaven."

To be clear, Elliot doesn't like tomatoes.  He can eat them, but seemingly only with a healthy dose of ranch dressing added to them.

There was a long pause as my children digested the fact that there might be food they wouldn't like in glory.  "Well, I just won't eat them!"  Elliot said with finality.

"Neither will I!"  Echoed Vince and Victoria.

Of course, I don't actually know about the tomato situation in heaven.  It just isn't mentioned in the Bible -- probably because it isn't particularly important.

At the same time, I think the mistake many (including my children) make is to think that we will want and like the same things in heaven that we do here on earth.  The Apostle John wrote in his first letter "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is." (I John 3:3)

Just as our tastes and desires change when we become a Christian, they will change again when we see Jesus in that day.  The blessing is that we will be like Him for all eternity.

Possibly that means that people who only like ketchup will like tomatoes too, but that is probably just the tiniest part of what it means to be like Jesus.

Heaven will be wonderful.  Even if there are tomatoes there.

A Box of Packing Peanuts

"Oh, wow!"  My (now eight year old) son, Elliot said. "What are you going to do with those?"

"I'm not sure," I said.  "I suppose just throw them away.  I'm not sure what you can do with packing peanuts if you don't have anything to pack."

I had just opened a box full of greenish colored packing peanuts with one small item wedged somewhere in the middle.  Elliot grabbed a couple out.  Then he popped one in his mouth.

"Elliot,"  I said, a little sharply I'm afraid.  "Don't eat that.  It isn't good for you."

Elliot quickly swallowed the packing peanut.  "But Dad," he said.  "They're so good -- just airy and chewy.  I've eaten them a lot before and they never hurt me."

"That doesn't mean that they are good for you," I said, a little at a loss for words.

I know that people eat food all of the time that has minimal nutritional value, but seldom does it contain quite as little as Styrofoam packing peanuts do.  I have often thought that cheese puffs were probably just fried packing peanuts with artificial cheddar dust sprinkled on them, but I'm not totally sure about that.  Still, I have never had a desire to pop one of those little squeezy items in my mouth either, even if they aren't going to kill me immediately.

I think there is a human tendency to pursue foods that taste good, regardless of their nutritional content.  We really don't much more excuse to eat them other than the simple fact that we enjoy them.

The goal should be to get to the place where we make wiser choices, to think about the food and activities we choose for ourselves with more regard than simply to whether we enjoy them.  God created us with minds that we can use to discern what is good for us.

Eating a box of packing peanuts certainly isn't.

Truth

"I noticed at men's prayer meeting this morning that Mr. Bowman had some blood on his pants," I told me children.  "I asked him about it and he told me that the man who owns the Citgo station at the corner of Gladys Road and Marysville Road buys goats from him."

The children sat up, interested in my story.  "Every so often the Bowmans sell him a sheep and they take it to the gas station and he will pray some prayers over it and then they hold the sheep down and he butchers it.  They did that this morning and Mr. Bowman got some blood on his pants from the sheep."

"You're just joking, Dad," Vince said.

"No, Vince," I replied.  "This really happened."

"Vincent,"  Anna said.  "Don't be so spectacle!"

I laughed.  "I think the word you mean is skeptical, Anna,"  I said.

My children are often skeptical of my stories.  I guess it comes from my tendency to joke with them a lot.  At the same time, it is wise to be careful who we believe. 

The other day, I got a call on my cell phone and computer voice told me that it was calling from "Visa and Mastercard Headquarters" about my account.  While I do have a credit card with one of those esteemed creditors, as far as I know, they do not have a joint headquarters.  I decided to politely hang up and wait for the next robo call.

While there are plenty of voices that I do not listen to, I do find that words from the Bible stand out in a world of deception as speaking truth.  It isn't always easy to hear or to understand.

It speaks to me of the darkness in my heart and my need for a Savior.  It does not speak of my best life now, but rather of a road of cross bearing and suffering.  It speaks of a need to love those who are not worthy of love.  Most of all, it speaks of a Father's love for me.

God's Word is truth.

That's why it has stood the test of time.

That's why I believe it.

Breaking Glass

"What are you doing, Elliot?"  I asked my seven-year old son, who was making very odd, high pitched noises, instead of eating his very tasty supper.

"I'm trying to sing a note high enough it breaks my glass,"  Elliot told me.  "I though maybe something happened a little bit ago, but I can't sing high enough all of the time."

"I think it is actually harder to break glass with your voice than it seems,"  I said.  "I've never seen it done and I've lived a lot longer than you.  Beyond which, your cup is made of plastic.  I guarantee that you won't break it with your voice."

I did some research and found out that it is possible to shatter a glass with your voice.  It requires a very delicate glass, the right pitch, and extremely loud volumes -- somewhere around 100 decibels should do it.

While most of us will never break any type of glass with our voices, there is no doubt that they are very powerful.  It isn't their loudness, but what we say with them that impacts others.

James knew this thousands of years ago when he wrote about the tongue, "...but no human being can tame the tongue.  It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."

I know that far too many times I have used my voice to wound others.  Even though I did no physical harm to them, the hurts are still very real.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but the scars from hurtful words take far longer to heal...

I need to give control of my words to God and speak with love in all situations.  For when my voice is uncontrolled, glass is the least important of the things that could be broken.

From Velcro to Shoelaces

"Why do I have to learn how to tie my shoes?"  My seven year old son asked in a somewhat disgruntled voice.  "Velcro is lots easier."

"Because only children and old men wear Velcro shoes,"  I said.  "And you are moving out of one group and it will be awhile before you hit the other one.  Beyond which, it is handy to be able to tie a knot that you might someday be able to also untie."


"But Velcro shoes are so much cooler than tie shoes,"  Elliot told me.  "And I'll waste so much time every day tying my shoes when I could just Velcro them on."

It is an odd conversation to have.  I probably have wasted years of my life tying my shoes, at the same time, I can't imagine wanting Velcro shoes before my hands get to arthritic to tie a regular shoe.  And don't get me started on Crocs!

At the same time, I think there is inside of us something that resists learning lessons that we don't think are important.  It isn't just tying shoes, but also things like state capitals, algebra, and all sorts of other things that school children complain are unimportant.

In a sense, God is our teacher as we get older.  Only the lessons He chooses for us aren't very easy and the answers can't be written neatly in a college ruled notebook.  His lessons for us are often titled things like "Faith," "Patience," and "Humility." 

I've not always been good at learning these challenging lessons and all too often I think to myself that I know enough about this one subject.  "God," I have prayed before.  "I know you know best and I think you are trying to teach me something, but could we move on to another lesson please?"

He gently keeps working with me.  His goal is for me to be like Jesus and truthfully that is my goal too, even if sometimes I struggle with what it takes to get there.

Lessons are seldom easy.  Even ones that involve moving from Velcro to shoe laces.

Apple Cider

"Dad, can I have some Apple Cider?"  Elliot asked me.

"I guess so," I said.  "But I didn't think we had any Apple Cider."

"Yes, we do," Elliot said.  "There's a jug of it over there on the counter."

"I don't think you'll like that kind of Apple Cider," I said.

"Oh, I do, I really like Apple Cider," he replied, confidently.

"I'll give you just a little bit," I said, pouring a tiny amount into a cup.

"It smells kin of funny,"  Elliot told me and then he tasted and made an awful face.  "That's terrible," he said.  "It doesn't taste like Apple Cider at all!"

"That's because it's Apple Cider Vinegar," I told him.  "And Vinegar is pretty sour, even if it is made from Apple Cider in the beginning."

Jesus once asked a couple of His disciples if they were able to drink from the cup which He was going to drink, by which He meant were they willing to go endure suffering for His sake.  They answered confidently that they could.  At the same time, we know that they weren't ready at all to drink from that cup.

If I am truthful, I'm not one who enjoys drinking vinegar -- not for health reasons or any other reason.  I would far rather drink Apple Cider and yet, I cannot order my life in such a way as to avoid all hardship.  There are times when the cup I am given has more than its share of sourness in it.

Into this, comes God's promise that He will not leave me.  When I need Him most, He will be there to help me through.

Even when life has given me a cup of Apple Cider Vinegar to drink.

The Fastest Way?

"What's the fastest way from school to the orthodontist's office?"  My son, Vince asked me.

"I don't really know," I answered.  "Mom is usually the one who takes you all.  I suppose you go up 501 to Brown's Mill Road and go up to Lynchburg from there."

"Yes, but that's only part of the way,"  Vince told me, sagely.  "Mom discovered awhile ago that taking Candler's Mountain Road is not the fastest way to get there."

And with this, he launched into a detailed explanation of the correct route.  Sometimes I wonder if my son is part GPS.  Certainly if you ever get lost in Campbell County, Vince is the person you should have on speed dial to set you back on the right track.

Vince is very much focused on the "best" way to get to different places.  By this, he means the fastest way to reach that place.

I have a bit of the same feeling.  When I am on a trip, much like a runner at the Olympics, I am always looking for ways to shave a few seconds of our time to reach our destination.  At the same time, my focus should not only be on the destination, but on the journey to get there.  So much of life is a journey -- a trip made with others at our sides.  Some day, those fellow travelers will not be there and will have moved on to travel their own paths.

A day in which I walk beside my children and make some memories is a good day, even if no great goal is achieved or destination is reached.  My goal is not to get anywhere as fast as possible, but rather to enjoy the journey, seeing the sights and taking time to be with my fellow travelers on the path our heavenly Father has for us.

"Keep Working Till Lunch!"

"I'm hungry, Mom," Vince said.

"Well, maybe you could have some peanut butter crackers while you are waiting for me to get lunch done," Elaine told him.

"But Mom, at school I would be on lunch break now," Vince said.  "It is 12:08 and my break usually starts at 12:00."

Our children had a work at home day, due to a death in our congregation and Vince was trying to keep to his school schedule. 

"Vince, I'm afraid it will be a bit after 12:30 before I will have lunch done,"  Elaine said.  "But we will eat eventually."

"But what am I supposed to do until then?"  Vince asked my beautiful wife.

"Keep doing your school work, Vince,"  Elaine said.  "Wouldn't it be nice to actually be done with it by the time we sit down for lunch?"

Of course, this is a simple question.  Wouldn't it be nice to have your work done?  Unfortunately, the answer is complex.  Most children would like to be done with their school work at the earliest possible time, but they don't necessarily want to focus themselves on their work in the way necessary to produce this early completion time.

God has given us tasks to do.  Jobs, people to minister to, and even, children to prepare lunch for.  I think our tendency is to ask for more breaks.  "I've been working for awhile," we tell Him.  "Can you give me just a bit of time off now?"

His answer is to gently tell us to keep working for a bit longer.  He will give us strength for the moment and just as surely, at the right time, He will give us a break.

Perhaps God's schedule is not what we think it should be.  Maybe we think he should have more built in break time, but in the end, like everything else about Him, His schedule is perfect.

We just have to keep working till lunch time.

A New Year

2019 has just arrived.  I guess I'm getting old, because I seldom stay up till midnight any more to see the new year in, I just greet it the next morning when I wake up and so far, each year has  been satisfied with that reception.

Of course, there is only one January 1st each year, but then again, there is only one April 6th and September 20th too -- same as most of us only have one birthday each year (one is plenty).  The point though is not on the year, but on the new aspect of it.  It is a blank sheet of paper, a notebook, as yet with nothing written in it.

Looking forward, the pessimist in me wants to say that there is no reason for optimism.  Surely 2019 will be the same as most years.  It will have good things and bad in it, but surely I will remember the bad more than the good.

I don't think the questions I should be asking are things like,  "How much will other people bless me this year?"  or even "Will 2019 be a good year for me and my family?"  If that's what I'm thinking about, certainly 2019 will be a mixed bag at best.

The real question is "How much can I show love to others this year?"  Because by God's grace, I can be successful there.

There will be times that I find myself discouraged with the behaviors of others.  There will be moments when my children don't behave well or break something that I wish they hadn't broken. There will be times (like last night) when my son gets the stomach flu and clean up duty is in order at 3 am.  All of those things are guaranteed (and a bit depressing).

What is just as guaranteed is that I will have ample opportunity to bless others, just as I will have multiple ways in which I can draw closer to God.

So much of how I feel about the new year will be related to what my expectations are of it going in.  I would rather have those expectations be oriented around my relationship with God and how I can minister to the needs of others and with that, I believe I can expect a wonderful year.

Maps at Christmas

“What are you doing, Vince?”  I asked.  Vince seemed to be drawing a map, which wasn’t unusual, but above it, he had written something that looked suspiciously like a letter.

“I’m writing a letter to the Virginia Department of Transportation,” Vince told me.

“Really?”  I asked him.  “How do you know their address?”

“It’s right here,” he said, indicating the back of a map of Virginia lying on the table beside him. 

“They put the address for people to send suggestions to them.  I’m writing them a letter suggesting that they send me a map of Campbell County.

“I guess that makes sense,” I said, hoping that Vince’s hopes weren’t dashed when he didn’t get an answer from the folks at VDOT.

In the following days, Vince waited anxiously for the mail, hoping for an answer to his suggestion.  Each day, his hopes went down just a little bit more until one day, about ten days after he sent his letter off to Richmond, a fat envelope arrived.

“Dear Vincent Waldron (not John or Elaine),” the accompanying letter read.  “Thank you for the lovely letter and the drawing.  I have included some maps and goodies that can help you learn more and more about Virginia!”

There in the envelope were a couple of maps of Campbell County, but there were other maps of Virginia, a multi color highlighter, and some antiseptic hand spray.  Vince was thrilled beyond words.

I was thrilled too.  I don’t know what nice woman opened Vince’s letter and sensed a boy with an interest in maps, but she couldn’t have known how pleased she would make him through those maps and odds and ends.  It truly made his day.

Christmas time is a time when we give things to other people.  We plan out in advance the stuff we are going to give and when all else fails, we fall back on the tried and true gift cards.

But many times, the things that make the biggest difference are the little thoughtful things we do for others -- a kind word, or a complement.  It only takes a little thought and effort and it lifts someone else's spirits, like maps in the mail to a ten year old budding cartographer.

Snow and Children

"I hope we get a bunch of snow!"  Anna said.

"I think there's only supposed to be three to six inches," I said, knowing that the way meteorology works that that could mean anything from a dusting of snow to a foot of the icy crystals.

A couple of days later, the snow began to fall.  It came down in thick showers with only occasional breaks.  All Sunday it came down and by the time it stopped, there was a full 14 inches on the ground.

Throughout the day, I worked to keep our driveway clear.  Three different times I went out to start my riding mower and push piles of the cold white stuff to the edges of our drive.

I like snow, but it seems as though fourteen inches is a bit much.

The next day our children went out sledding.  All of them from Victoria to Anna had an awesome time as they careened down our little sledding hill.

I know from experience that adults and children have very different reaction to snow.  For children it means snowmen (and women), sledding, and time off of school.  For adults it means anxiety filled drives, back breaking shoveling, and just generally feeling cold.

I suppose that both are right, it is just a matter of perspective.

Reading the Bible I find that Jesus said that we need to become as little children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.  I know that this means different things to different people.  It can mean growing in simple faith and honesty.  It can mean forgiving as children do and not holding grudges.  I think one of the things that stands out to me is having a childlike ability to see the beauty in the world around us.

I'm afraid that we adults tend to focus too much on inconvenience and messed up schedule and as a results can not see the loveliness of God's creation.  We need to stop, forget about our next appointment for just a moment and soak in the wonder of the sparkling snow.

There is beauty every day.  Even on days when the only thing we can do is try to build a snowman.