Good Morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
It is a beautiful sunny morning in the upper left of the country today.
When people ask me where I live I tell them, "I live in the upper left part of the country."
For many years I lived in Oregon.
I was your typical Oregonian. I was proud of being an Oregonian. For me Oregon is one of the most beautiful states to live in. I lived an hour from the Pacific Ocean. An hour from Timberline Lodge on the top of Mt. Hood. I lived in the Willamette valley, wine country.
Your typical Oregonian is rather snobbish about being an Oregonian. They may not admit it, but they kind of look down their noses at other states.
I was your typical Oregonian. I would ask out of town people when I met them, "Where are you from?"
They would tell me which state they lived in and I would respond, "That is a good state to be from. I was originally from Kansas, that is a good state to be from too."
Ten years ago (or there about) I moved to Washington (the state) and found a house in the Cascades in the Gorge. I quickly realized how snobbish I had been.
I had been shortsighted with limited thinking. When I had decided that Oregon was so awesome I stopped looking for the awesomeness in other areas. Now don't get me wrong, Oregon is awesome. Oregon is a very beautiful state, but so is Washington.
I realized I was limiting myself.
Now I consider myself on a more regional level, Upper left.
I am part of many different teams with-in our YMCA (the "Y").
Before Covid-19, and the havoc it has raised, we where very proud of our "Y".
People would ask me, "Where is your 'Y'?"
I would respond, "Our Association is in Portland, Oregon. I am housed out of the Clark County Family YMCA in Vancouver, Washington across the river."
We seemed to be particularly adept at patting ourselves on our backs and saying how wonderful we were.
As we look to emerge from the shutdown we are realizing that we overlooked a number of things.
Now don't get me wrong, the "Y" is an awesome place and does do amazing things, but we are realizing we can do so much more. We are even able to provide services and community support at a much bigger level.
We had been limiting ourselves.
We had been thinking to small.
Now when people ask me where my "Y" is I say, "We are right where you live. We are here with you."
If you do not have a YMCA in your town (and I don't care where it is) we will be your "Y".
Just go to this link and be part of our family.
https://www.ymcacw.org/
We have changed the way we see ourselves.
Funny thing, A life with Jesus had already changed the way I had seen myself and the world around me.
From my vantage point Jesus helped us change the way the "Y" saw itself.
Come join us, it will be a fun ride.
Blessings,
Roger
My Book
Friday, May 29, 2020
Thursday, May 28, 2020
It's a Brother Lawrence thing
Good Morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
(Romans 12:15)
I opened up my daily verse and Romans 12:15 was it, this verse is the lifeblood of chaplaincy. So often I sit with people who are going through a tough time.
They would tell me their troubles.
They would tell me their pain.
I spent most my time listening and sitting with them in the midst of their grief.
I would do a lot of listening.
I would do a lot of sitting with people.
I have been doing a lot of practicing the presence of God, it is a Brother Lawrence thing.
We hit a pandemic milestone yesterday, over 100,000 people had died to this virus.
I received a lot of calls, mostly do to anxiety, over this mile-mark. I would sit and listen to people's concerns and worries; there really wasn't anything I could do for them, just sit and listen, be with them. I took a call from one of our readers. She lives in a group home, has cancer and no money. The cancer treatments took all her money.
The virus has reached her group home. She is frightened.
I sat with her, not really saying anything, just listening and being.
She recounted her life, she is at the end stage. She mourned over her life as she did not expect it to turn out this way.
I mourned with her.
Every so often I would pick up on something she said and tell a funny story of something that happened to me in my life. This would make her laugh.
We would laugh together.
At the end of our time together I told her that I was only a call away.
After our time together had ended God reminded me that He is only a call away.
He reminded me that He practices the presence too.
Often times He just sits and listens; sitting with people in their grief.
I was reminded that God was a chaplain a long time before I was.
While there wasn't any real rejoicing going on with the lady on the phone, a little laughter maybe, no real rejoicing though. I pray that I was a blessing to her.
We hit a pandemic milestone yesterday, over 100,000 people had died to this virus.
We are going to need a lot more people willing to sit with those that mourn. I know that someday we will be able to rejoice, but for now it seems as if listening and being is what they need.
I know our "Y" is working on this issue. Will you help us help others?
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
I was done watching the news
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
I was done watching the news, then our CEO Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor was on it!
With all this Pandemic disruption, confusion and anxiety families have been wondering what this summer will bring. Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor talked about how the "Y" is here to help.
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor talked about summer camps.
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor talked about tutoring programs.
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor talked about educational programming such as STEM camps and classes.
Basically Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor told the reporter that the "Y" is here for our community.
I have said for a long time that the "Y" is really good at loving on people. We follow something Jesus said over 2000 years ago.
35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’
When Jesus was asked
‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’
Jesus answered
‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[g] you did it to me.’
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor was saying the same thing.
Well done my friend.
You mentioned that you hadn't seen your name in a bread for a while. How did I do?
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
I was done watching the news, then our CEO Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor was on it!
With all this Pandemic disruption, confusion and anxiety families have been wondering what this summer will bring. Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor talked about how the "Y" is here to help.
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor talked about summer camps.
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor talked about tutoring programs.
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor talked about educational programming such as STEM camps and classes.
Basically Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor told the reporter that the "Y" is here for our community.
I have said for a long time that the "Y" is really good at loving on people. We follow something Jesus said over 2000 years ago.
35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’
When Jesus was asked
‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’
Jesus answered
‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[g] you did it to me.’
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor was saying the same thing.
Well done my friend.
You mentioned that you hadn't seen your name in a bread for a while. How did I do?
Blessings,
Roger
Friday, May 22, 2020
I think I will stop watching the news people and their rash words.
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
Rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
It seems that I have a lot of screen time lately. Between ZOOM meetings, work and catching up on the news I spend a lot of time in front of a screen. The funny, well not funny ha ha but funny in the totally duh sort of way, is when I am in front of my screen someone else is in front of their screen looking at me. or at least into their screen.
ZOOM meetings for the most part are necessary and good. I also understand the work thing that involves a screen, in fact I am having that kind of screen time now.
The one piece of screen time that I am finding less and less attractive is the catching up on the news screen time.
Solomon, the son of David, once said, "Rash words are like sword thrusts."
When I watch the news it seems as if all I hear are rash words. When I watch the news, am I really getting news or am I just listening to people vent.
I do not need to turn on the news to just listen to people vent.
I do that all day every day.
Solomon also said, "but the tongue of the wise brings healing."
This is something that I have found to be true.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people."
I like that quote.
The "Y" has a similar quote we like to say, "Storm the problem, not the person."
I think I will stop watching the news people and their rash words.
I think I will spend more time listening to people who want to heal not hurt.
I think I will spend more time looking for wise instruction. It seems to be the prudent thing to do.
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
Rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
It seems that I have a lot of screen time lately. Between ZOOM meetings, work and catching up on the news I spend a lot of time in front of a screen. The funny, well not funny ha ha but funny in the totally duh sort of way, is when I am in front of my screen someone else is in front of their screen looking at me. or at least into their screen.
ZOOM meetings for the most part are necessary and good. I also understand the work thing that involves a screen, in fact I am having that kind of screen time now.
The one piece of screen time that I am finding less and less attractive is the catching up on the news screen time.
Solomon, the son of David, once said, "Rash words are like sword thrusts."
When I watch the news it seems as if all I hear are rash words. When I watch the news, am I really getting news or am I just listening to people vent.
I do not need to turn on the news to just listen to people vent.
I do that all day every day.
Solomon also said, "but the tongue of the wise brings healing."
This is something that I have found to be true.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people."
I like that quote.
The "Y" has a similar quote we like to say, "Storm the problem, not the person."
I think I will stop watching the news people and their rash words.
I think I will spend more time listening to people who want to heal not hurt.
I think I will spend more time looking for wise instruction. It seems to be the prudent thing to do.
Blessings,
Roger
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Don't be that guy.
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
Yesterday I was a guest on "Coffee with Jonna".
Being a guest on "Coffee with Jonna" is a lot (at least I imagine because I have never been) like being interrogated. Jonna had spent time with the District Attorneys office as a victims advocate; now I see why.
Actually, being on "Coffee with Jonna" wasn't bad at all. Although I have never been comfortable with the spotlight on me. I am a good listener and although I have the ability to converse I would much rather listen than talk, especially about myself. I found myself asking Laurie if dates where correct and other things that for whatever reason I just do not find important about myself, I left it to her, as an active studio audience member, to fill in the blanks.
Enough about me.
During the interro-interview Jonna said, "It seems like you have this special connection with God and He talks with you. Can you write about that in your bread?"
I said, "Ok, but I already have been writing about listening to God".
A short reminder of how to listen, Use all your senses. If you are just relying on your ears you will miss a lot if not the entire conversation with God.
Also, Prayer is not some magical saying or set of words that if said just right your wishes come true.
God does not live in Aladdin's lamp.
Prayer is nothing more than a conversation with God, and a good conversation is a two-way street. We all have those friends that won't let you get a word in edgewise, Don't be that friend. God is a great listener. He won't talk until you are done talking. He won't talk until you are ready to listen.
Don't be that friend that calls and does all the talking and then hangs up when they are finished.
Don't pray to God and say "amen" when you are done talking, then telling people that God won't talk to you.
Don't be that guy.
I have found that if I want God to talk with me I have to be very quiet. I have to be able to see and feel. Only then will I hear God.
I also have to be ready to hear what God has to say.
Remember God is not like your earthly parents. He is much better than they are at this parenting thing, after-all He invented it.
God wants to talk with you, will you talk with Him?
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
Yesterday I was a guest on "Coffee with Jonna".
Being a guest on "Coffee with Jonna" is a lot (at least I imagine because I have never been) like being interrogated. Jonna had spent time with the District Attorneys office as a victims advocate; now I see why.
Actually, being on "Coffee with Jonna" wasn't bad at all. Although I have never been comfortable with the spotlight on me. I am a good listener and although I have the ability to converse I would much rather listen than talk, especially about myself. I found myself asking Laurie if dates where correct and other things that for whatever reason I just do not find important about myself, I left it to her, as an active studio audience member, to fill in the blanks.
Enough about me.
During the interro-interview Jonna said, "It seems like you have this special connection with God and He talks with you. Can you write about that in your bread?"
I said, "Ok, but I already have been writing about listening to God".
A short reminder of how to listen, Use all your senses. If you are just relying on your ears you will miss a lot if not the entire conversation with God.
Also, Prayer is not some magical saying or set of words that if said just right your wishes come true.
God does not live in Aladdin's lamp.
Prayer is nothing more than a conversation with God, and a good conversation is a two-way street. We all have those friends that won't let you get a word in edgewise, Don't be that friend. God is a great listener. He won't talk until you are done talking. He won't talk until you are ready to listen.
Don't be that friend that calls and does all the talking and then hangs up when they are finished.
Don't pray to God and say "amen" when you are done talking, then telling people that God won't talk to you.
Don't be that guy.
I have found that if I want God to talk with me I have to be very quiet. I have to be able to see and feel. Only then will I hear God.
I also have to be ready to hear what God has to say.
Remember God is not like your earthly parents. He is much better than they are at this parenting thing, after-all He invented it.
God wants to talk with you, will you talk with Him?
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Sittin' in the mornin' sun
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes
Watchin' the ships roll in
Then I watch 'em roll away again
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide, roll away
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time
Wastin' time.
My wife is a corporate travel agent. So it isn't a stretch to figure out that she sets up travel all over the world for corporations and their peeps. It is also not a stretch to realize that people/corporations are not traveling right now.
My wife says she is on a forced sabbatical.
People ask us, "What have you been doing all day?"
Our reply is, "Wasting time with God."
We spend our days putsin' around the house and yard, sometimes just sitting in our chairs quietly listening to what God has to say.
Sittin' in the mornin' sun is something we now do on a regular basis. Just sittin' listening for, and to God.
There is a good chance that I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes.
Laurie (my wife) and I live near the Columbia River, sometimes we go down to the docks Watchin' the ships roll in.
We may spend enough time there to actually say, "Then I watch 'em roll away again."
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay, or the river.
Watchin' the tide, roll away, or not.
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time, with God.
Wastin' time with God is not time wasted, just sayin',
Have you wasted time with God lately? I would love to hear your stories.
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes
Watchin' the ships roll in
Then I watch 'em roll away again
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide, roll away
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time
Wastin' time.
My wife is a corporate travel agent. So it isn't a stretch to figure out that she sets up travel all over the world for corporations and their peeps. It is also not a stretch to realize that people/corporations are not traveling right now.
My wife says she is on a forced sabbatical.
People ask us, "What have you been doing all day?"
Our reply is, "Wasting time with God."
We spend our days putsin' around the house and yard, sometimes just sitting in our chairs quietly listening to what God has to say.
Sittin' in the mornin' sun is something we now do on a regular basis. Just sittin' listening for, and to God.
There is a good chance that I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes.
Laurie (my wife) and I live near the Columbia River, sometimes we go down to the docks Watchin' the ships roll in.
We may spend enough time there to actually say, "Then I watch 'em roll away again."
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay, or the river.
Watchin' the tide, roll away, or not.
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time, with God.
Wastin' time with God is not time wasted, just sayin',
Have you wasted time with God lately? I would love to hear your stories.
Blessings,
Roger
Monday, May 18, 2020
Tune in today and watch D.A's interview.
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
This Covid-19 thing has really changed things. We are currently still in a stay at home order, but things might be opening up soon. Our "Y" now has many virtual classes and meetings, things like, "Coffee with Jonna". "Coffee with Jonna" is a one-hour afternoon show (Kind of like the ones on T.V. that has a special guest and Jonna interviews them. The cool part of the show is that because it is on the "ZOOM" platform the audience can interact with Jonna and her guest.
Today Jonna is interviewing Norm (remember the not his real name thing). Norm has a stage name, it is D.A. and while it could be short for "Don't Ask" it isn't, just don't ask.
D.A. will be talking about many things; like the time a freak wind storm took out all the trees in the parking lot, or Ohio State (He really likes Ohio State. I think D.A. is a poisonous nut, just say-in) he might even talk about helping the chaplain split wood.
Nobody really knows what will come out of D.A.'s mouth, he is a bit unpredictable, kind of like Covid-19.
This brings me to my point.
People may be a bit unpredictable, but God is not. Oh, sure He may do something you might not expect, but that isn't because He is unpredictable, it is because you had your focus in the wrong direction.
Andrew Coumo, you know the Governor of New York that has his own talk show. He comes on every morning and talks, and talks, and talks, said something yesterday (yes, he is even on Sunday mornings). He said there are two things you can always count on:
1. God's eye
2. A mother's love
God's eye is an interesting way of saying that God will never leave you nor forsake you. This is a very comforting thought, at least it is to me.
Especially during these times.
Especially during D.A.'s interview.
God will be with me always and until the end and beyond. I have that comfort.
Tune in today and watch Norm's interview.
https://www.ymcacw.org/y-at-home/live-workouts
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
This Covid-19 thing has really changed things. We are currently still in a stay at home order, but things might be opening up soon. Our "Y" now has many virtual classes and meetings, things like, "Coffee with Jonna". "Coffee with Jonna" is a one-hour afternoon show (Kind of like the ones on T.V. that has a special guest and Jonna interviews them. The cool part of the show is that because it is on the "ZOOM" platform the audience can interact with Jonna and her guest.
Today Jonna is interviewing Norm (remember the not his real name thing). Norm has a stage name, it is D.A. and while it could be short for "Don't Ask" it isn't, just don't ask.
D.A. will be talking about many things; like the time a freak wind storm took out all the trees in the parking lot, or Ohio State (He really likes Ohio State. I think D.A. is a poisonous nut, just say-in) he might even talk about helping the chaplain split wood.
Nobody really knows what will come out of D.A.'s mouth, he is a bit unpredictable, kind of like Covid-19.
This brings me to my point.
People may be a bit unpredictable, but God is not. Oh, sure He may do something you might not expect, but that isn't because He is unpredictable, it is because you had your focus in the wrong direction.
Andrew Coumo, you know the Governor of New York that has his own talk show. He comes on every morning and talks, and talks, and talks, said something yesterday (yes, he is even on Sunday mornings). He said there are two things you can always count on:
1. God's eye
2. A mother's love
God's eye is an interesting way of saying that God will never leave you nor forsake you. This is a very comforting thought, at least it is to me.
Especially during these times.
Especially during D.A.'s interview.
God will be with me always and until the end and beyond. I have that comfort.
Tune in today and watch Norm's interview.
https://www.ymcacw.org/y-at-home/live-workouts
Blessings,
Roger
Friday, May 15, 2020
I thought I heard something
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
I thought I heard something.
I thought I heard my brakes going out the other day. I called my buddy Blair (He owns the auto shop that I go to) and said, "I can hear the squealers on the brakes. Time to get them fixed." So Blair fit me right in the next day. Blair is really good at getting me right in, much the same way a dentist isn't.
Anyway, I drove my Jeep, it is a twenty-three year old Jeep (at this point it is just part of the family) to the auto shop and had my wife Laurie pick me up in my fancy Dodge Grand Caravan, it is a twenty-one year old Dodge Grand Caravan (at this point it too is part of the family).
As we drove away Laurie asked, "How much is this going to cost? Brakes are expensive." Now you know why we have cars that have become part of the family. Laurie says she is frugal, I think she is just cheap. Just say-in.
I replied, "It will cost us around $200."
Laurie responded, "Ugg, that hurts."
I said, "One of the benefits of getting older is wisdom. When we are young and we hear the squealers on the brakes we say 'Oh heck (well maybe not heck, but you get the point.) the brakes are going out. I will get them fixed eventually." and we wait too long and then there are really brake troubles that require turning of drums or drum replacement...and the cost is $1,000".
Getting older and gaining wisdom is good.
Laurie agreed. She said, "We need to do it anyway and it is better to do it now before it really costs us money."
I was feeling pretty smart!
The next day I get a call from Blair.
He said, "Hey Rog, (He calls me Rog) It wasn't the squealers you were hearing. It was the calipers welded to the drum. I have to replace both front brakes and rear brakes and turn the drums. It will cost over $800."
So much for being Wise. Being Wise doesn't do you much good when you are too deaf to hear the squealers.
This got me to thinking.
Gaining Wisdom also requires good hearing. It is not enough to have wisdom of God, you also have to be able to hear what he is telling you.
Faith without works is dead (I read that somewhere).
Wisdom without hearing God speak isn't wise at all. It is just doing what you think you should do.
In the book of Revelation God says over and over again, "Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
It is good that God can speak in a variety of ways and I don't have to really on old ears alone.
If you have been trying to hear God's voice and only using your ears, and you haven't heard anything, try using another method. Maybe your ears are broken too.
God can speak to you in many ways. He can even use a homeless person.
Listen for God. Listen using your whole self, not just your ears and you will hear Him because He is talking to you.
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
I thought I heard something.
I thought I heard my brakes going out the other day. I called my buddy Blair (He owns the auto shop that I go to) and said, "I can hear the squealers on the brakes. Time to get them fixed." So Blair fit me right in the next day. Blair is really good at getting me right in, much the same way a dentist isn't.
Anyway, I drove my Jeep, it is a twenty-three year old Jeep (at this point it is just part of the family) to the auto shop and had my wife Laurie pick me up in my fancy Dodge Grand Caravan, it is a twenty-one year old Dodge Grand Caravan (at this point it too is part of the family).
As we drove away Laurie asked, "How much is this going to cost? Brakes are expensive." Now you know why we have cars that have become part of the family. Laurie says she is frugal, I think she is just cheap. Just say-in.
I replied, "It will cost us around $200."
Laurie responded, "Ugg, that hurts."
I said, "One of the benefits of getting older is wisdom. When we are young and we hear the squealers on the brakes we say 'Oh heck (well maybe not heck, but you get the point.) the brakes are going out. I will get them fixed eventually." and we wait too long and then there are really brake troubles that require turning of drums or drum replacement...and the cost is $1,000".
Getting older and gaining wisdom is good.
Laurie agreed. She said, "We need to do it anyway and it is better to do it now before it really costs us money."
I was feeling pretty smart!
The next day I get a call from Blair.
He said, "Hey Rog, (He calls me Rog) It wasn't the squealers you were hearing. It was the calipers welded to the drum. I have to replace both front brakes and rear brakes and turn the drums. It will cost over $800."
So much for being Wise. Being Wise doesn't do you much good when you are too deaf to hear the squealers.
This got me to thinking.
Gaining Wisdom also requires good hearing. It is not enough to have wisdom of God, you also have to be able to hear what he is telling you.
Faith without works is dead (I read that somewhere).
Wisdom without hearing God speak isn't wise at all. It is just doing what you think you should do.
In the book of Revelation God says over and over again, "Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
It is good that God can speak in a variety of ways and I don't have to really on old ears alone.
If you have been trying to hear God's voice and only using your ears, and you haven't heard anything, try using another method. Maybe your ears are broken too.
God can speak to you in many ways. He can even use a homeless person.
Listen for God. Listen using your whole self, not just your ears and you will hear Him because He is talking to you.
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
Thursday, May 14, 2020
And there I find you in the mystery
Good morning,
I pray the day has found you well.
I wrote this over 6-years ago, I thought I would share it again.
As a chaplain, I get this a lot, “I don’t see God. I want to see Him, but I don’t.” When confronted with this statement I ask the question, “Where have you been looking for Him?”
As a kid growing up there were many things that I did not understand.
One day the thought came to me as to why I would assume that just because I was breathing in one room just fine, why would I think that I would be able to breathe just fine if I walked into the next room?
I had not learned about atmospheric pressure, how air moves for points of high pressure to points of lower pressure in a never-ending attempt to even out the pressure. Thus, air moving from one room to the other room.
I could not see the air that I was breathing. Obviously, I did not grow up in Los Angeles.
I had always just known that when I walked from one room to the next that I would not just keel over and die from lack of oxygen.
I never thought about it, that is, until that one day when I asked the question.
I could not feel the air. I could not smell the air, well most of the time I could not smell the air. Sometimes I could smell the air and I liked what I smelled, like when mom was making dinner. Other times I could smell the air, and I did not like what I smelled, like when we would be driving down the road and dad would say, “Roll up the windows, there is an oil well.” We would all roll up our windows, but we never got them rolled up in time. An awful stench would always envelop us inside the car. We never did see the oil well that was causing the stench, just imagine how bad it would have been if we hadn’t rolled the windows up. I never could figure out why dad always smiled as we all howled in nasal pain and disgust. I guess he liked the smell.
As I thought about why there was always air and that I would just assume it was there. As I went through school, I learned about air. I learned about how air moved from place to place as the atmosphere tried to stabilize its pressure. I learned that the air that we breathe is made up of many things. I learned that what we breathe in is good, and what we breathe out is not. I learned how plants take this used up air and like to breathe it and what plants breathe out is good for us to breathe.
I learned about symbiotic relationships.
I don’t think about whether or not there will be air in different rooms as I walk from place to place anymore. No, I tend to look at the back of cars and wonder what else is mixed with this air.
Now that I am all grown up, there are many things that still baffle me.
Most of the things that baffle me are why people treat each other the way they do and why we have to bring someone else down to make ourselves feel better.
And there I find you in the mystery.
When people say to me, “I don’t see God. I want to see Him, but I don’t.” And I ask them, “Where have you been looking for Him?”
People usually respond, “What do you mean?”
One of the things that still baffles me is why we are so consumed with waiting for the “Big” miracle, which can be different for different people. Why are we waiting for the big deal to see God?
I had a person sitting in the chair the other day posing this very question to me, “Why don’t I see God?”
I asked her where she had been looking?
I suggested that she stop looking for big things and start looking for little things. She said she would try.
She came back to me the next day all excited. She said that was driving home praying that God would show up. She was sitting at a stoplight when her eyes caught something on the back of the car in front of her. It was a bumper sticker with a cross on it.
The bumper sticker read, “God loves you very much.”
Now you can say, “that was just a coincidence, or that bumper sticker is everywhere I have seen one of those myself.”
I would respond, “Coincidence is the word that we like to use to discount the miracles of God. The fact that the bumper sticker is everywhere and you have seen it yourself. Have you ever asked yourself, “Is God talking to me?”
I am of the mind that God is talking to you. Just like God, made air and plants and us to all live in relationship with each other.
And there I find you in the mystery.
I have lived most of my life in the mystery of God. I like to put it this way, “It is awfully hard to see what God is up to as we look through the windshield of the car of life. It is when we take a look in the rearview mirror that we get to see a glimpse of what He is up to. The problem is we cannot spend all our time looking in the rearview mirror without risking running into a tree. We are forced to live in the mystery, as we trust in Him.
It is called Faith.
Lord, as I go through my day I will try to have faith. When my faith falls short or begins to ask questions. I know that you will be right there with me. Help me lord see the little things. Help me see the many little things. In them is the big thing. Amen.
Something to ponder
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day has found you well.
I wrote this over 6-years ago, I thought I would share it again.
As a chaplain, I get this a lot, “I don’t see God. I want to see Him, but I don’t.” When confronted with this statement I ask the question, “Where have you been looking for Him?”
As a kid growing up there were many things that I did not understand.
One day the thought came to me as to why I would assume that just because I was breathing in one room just fine, why would I think that I would be able to breathe just fine if I walked into the next room?
I had not learned about atmospheric pressure, how air moves for points of high pressure to points of lower pressure in a never-ending attempt to even out the pressure. Thus, air moving from one room to the other room.
I could not see the air that I was breathing. Obviously, I did not grow up in Los Angeles.
I had always just known that when I walked from one room to the next that I would not just keel over and die from lack of oxygen.
I never thought about it, that is, until that one day when I asked the question.
I could not feel the air. I could not smell the air, well most of the time I could not smell the air. Sometimes I could smell the air and I liked what I smelled, like when mom was making dinner. Other times I could smell the air, and I did not like what I smelled, like when we would be driving down the road and dad would say, “Roll up the windows, there is an oil well.” We would all roll up our windows, but we never got them rolled up in time. An awful stench would always envelop us inside the car. We never did see the oil well that was causing the stench, just imagine how bad it would have been if we hadn’t rolled the windows up. I never could figure out why dad always smiled as we all howled in nasal pain and disgust. I guess he liked the smell.
As I thought about why there was always air and that I would just assume it was there. As I went through school, I learned about air. I learned about how air moved from place to place as the atmosphere tried to stabilize its pressure. I learned that the air that we breathe is made up of many things. I learned that what we breathe in is good, and what we breathe out is not. I learned how plants take this used up air and like to breathe it and what plants breathe out is good for us to breathe.
I learned about symbiotic relationships.
I don’t think about whether or not there will be air in different rooms as I walk from place to place anymore. No, I tend to look at the back of cars and wonder what else is mixed with this air.
Now that I am all grown up, there are many things that still baffle me.
Most of the things that baffle me are why people treat each other the way they do and why we have to bring someone else down to make ourselves feel better.
And there I find you in the mystery.
When people say to me, “I don’t see God. I want to see Him, but I don’t.” And I ask them, “Where have you been looking for Him?”
People usually respond, “What do you mean?”
One of the things that still baffles me is why we are so consumed with waiting for the “Big” miracle, which can be different for different people. Why are we waiting for the big deal to see God?
I had a person sitting in the chair the other day posing this very question to me, “Why don’t I see God?”
I asked her where she had been looking?
I suggested that she stop looking for big things and start looking for little things. She said she would try.
She came back to me the next day all excited. She said that was driving home praying that God would show up. She was sitting at a stoplight when her eyes caught something on the back of the car in front of her. It was a bumper sticker with a cross on it.
The bumper sticker read, “God loves you very much.”
Now you can say, “that was just a coincidence, or that bumper sticker is everywhere I have seen one of those myself.”
I would respond, “Coincidence is the word that we like to use to discount the miracles of God. The fact that the bumper sticker is everywhere and you have seen it yourself. Have you ever asked yourself, “Is God talking to me?”
I am of the mind that God is talking to you. Just like God, made air and plants and us to all live in relationship with each other.
And there I find you in the mystery.
I have lived most of my life in the mystery of God. I like to put it this way, “It is awfully hard to see what God is up to as we look through the windshield of the car of life. It is when we take a look in the rearview mirror that we get to see a glimpse of what He is up to. The problem is we cannot spend all our time looking in the rearview mirror without risking running into a tree. We are forced to live in the mystery, as we trust in Him.
It is called Faith.
Lord, as I go through my day I will try to have faith. When my faith falls short or begins to ask questions. I know that you will be right there with me. Help me lord see the little things. Help me see the many little things. In them is the big thing. Amen.
Something to ponder
Blessings,
Roger
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
We are Better together
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
I was watching the news this morning and they had the question of the day. They asked, "What habit did not become popular until 1945?"
The answer was brushing your teeth.
I pondered that for a moment.
I got to thinking, "While brushing one's teeth has been around for a very long time, archeologists and anthropologists have found evidence of people brushing their teeth for over 1000 years, why has it only been for the last 75 years that it has been deemed popular?"
Of course popular is a funny word, it denotes that many people like it, or do it.
Kind of like reading and writing. We pretty much take for granted that people can read and write.
Archeologists and anthropologists have found evidence of writing (which also denotes reading, only an idiot would write something that no-one could read), yet we also know that until the turn of the twentieth century most people could not read or write.
In other words reading and writing did not become popular until the turn of the twentieth century.
We take brushing our teeth almost for granted these days. It has become a societal norm.
Yet it hasn't been a norm for very long. Long enough however, to become a trivia question on the morning news.
We are in the midst of a pandemic.
Things are achangin. I wish I could remember the movie I heard that phrase in; I am sure it was a western though.
We no longer shake hands; we bump elbows. I wonder if that will actually catch on, or go the way of the Dodo bird after awhile?
We do a lot of virtual meetings.
I can see getting up 50 years from now turning on the news and seeing the question, "What year did Virtual Meetings become popular?"
Answer 2020.
Actually, I can't see myself getting up 50 years from now, just sayin. Oh by the way to all the grammar police out there, I do know that "sayin" is not a real word, at least not yet. remember when "Ain't" wasn't a real word? Now there is a trivia question.
Things are achangin.
The question I keep asking myself is, "Are we changing for the better?"
I was in a meeting yesterday and our CEO I, will call him Mr. T. (Basically because I am getting tired of counting to 15 every time I spell his name) said, "Give me an audacious statement, one that will turn my head."
I said, "Solve world wars. Love one another."
Wouldn't it be cool if 75 years from now someone wakes up, turns on the news and hears the trivia question of the day, "When did loving one another become popular?
Answer 2020.
This would denote that loving one another had become so popular, long enough that people would have thought it was just normal and always there.
Kind of like brushing your teeth
A societal norm.
Let's work on loving one another.
Give each other grace.
Let give one another a helping hand (I guess the elbow thing would make that difficult).
We are better together.
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
I was watching the news this morning and they had the question of the day. They asked, "What habit did not become popular until 1945?"
The answer was brushing your teeth.
I pondered that for a moment.
I got to thinking, "While brushing one's teeth has been around for a very long time, archeologists and anthropologists have found evidence of people brushing their teeth for over 1000 years, why has it only been for the last 75 years that it has been deemed popular?"
Of course popular is a funny word, it denotes that many people like it, or do it.
Kind of like reading and writing. We pretty much take for granted that people can read and write.
Archeologists and anthropologists have found evidence of writing (which also denotes reading, only an idiot would write something that no-one could read), yet we also know that until the turn of the twentieth century most people could not read or write.
In other words reading and writing did not become popular until the turn of the twentieth century.
We take brushing our teeth almost for granted these days. It has become a societal norm.
Yet it hasn't been a norm for very long. Long enough however, to become a trivia question on the morning news.
We are in the midst of a pandemic.
Things are achangin. I wish I could remember the movie I heard that phrase in; I am sure it was a western though.
We no longer shake hands; we bump elbows. I wonder if that will actually catch on, or go the way of the Dodo bird after awhile?
We do a lot of virtual meetings.
I can see getting up 50 years from now turning on the news and seeing the question, "What year did Virtual Meetings become popular?"
Answer 2020.
Actually, I can't see myself getting up 50 years from now, just sayin. Oh by the way to all the grammar police out there, I do know that "sayin" is not a real word, at least not yet. remember when "Ain't" wasn't a real word? Now there is a trivia question.
Things are achangin.
The question I keep asking myself is, "Are we changing for the better?"
I was in a meeting yesterday and our CEO I, will call him Mr. T. (Basically because I am getting tired of counting to 15 every time I spell his name) said, "Give me an audacious statement, one that will turn my head."
I said, "Solve world wars. Love one another."
Wouldn't it be cool if 75 years from now someone wakes up, turns on the news and hears the trivia question of the day, "When did loving one another become popular?
Answer 2020.
This would denote that loving one another had become so popular, long enough that people would have thought it was just normal and always there.
Kind of like brushing your teeth
A societal norm.
Let's work on loving one another.
Give each other grace.
Let give one another a helping hand (I guess the elbow thing would make that difficult).
We are better together.
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Don't talk to homeless people
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
Sometimes I just need to share a great story. This is a story that our CEO shared and it is impactful.
I’m sorry to disturb your Saturday evening and I felt compelled to share this…
Tonight I chose to take a walk around downtown Portland. I’m assuming that you all know Portland’s homeless crisis rivals that of New York, LA, San Fran, etc. On this particular walk I challenged myself to unplug and be aware of my surroundings.
Somewhere on this walk, an individual…let’s say a white male somewhere between 20-30…walked up to me and said “please…can you help me?” Now in most cases, I disgracefully admit. I would have put my head down and walked away in fear. And because I’ve been buoyed by our recent conversations, I chose to engage and offered this “I would love to help yet I have no cash on me. Can I still help?”. There was this awkward moment of silence (readily believing I was gonna die) and then this occurred:
Person 1: Would you just talk with me?
WOW! We then sat on a curb and for what seemed like minutes, which truly equated to over 60 minutes, I sat and listened and learned. I heard this story of a man who thought at one time he had it all and then for some reason lost it; lost his money, lost his wife and family, lost his self-worth, lost his reason to live. And because no one answered his cry for help, he felt his only option was to either live on the street and beg for money or kill himself! And I just cried.
When we finally stood and hugged, I shared who I was and the title I carried. His eyes lit up and he then said this;
I grew up in the Y!
And it was like someone punched me in the gut! I truly had no answer other than the obligatory response of “that’s great”. And yet when we parted and I walked towards home I wanted to turn and scream “I’m sorry we failed you.”
That’s a true story. That’s a story I think that deserves our air time! That’s a story I never ever ever want to hear again. So I now shout to all of you as we are figuring out who we are…do we really want to fail another human spirit?
So I invite you all of you, dear friends if you have not, to take a walk to listen, to learn. And let’s talk about that.
Or I can just shut up.
Happy Mother’s Day.
T
So don't talk to homeless people unless you want your world rocked and have Jesus stare you in the eye.
Thank you Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor for sharing.
You make Christ smile.
BTW-Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor updated his LinkedIn photo.
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
Sometimes I just need to share a great story. This is a story that our CEO shared and it is impactful.
I’m sorry to disturb your Saturday evening and I felt compelled to share this…
Tonight I chose to take a walk around downtown Portland. I’m assuming that you all know Portland’s homeless crisis rivals that of New York, LA, San Fran, etc. On this particular walk I challenged myself to unplug and be aware of my surroundings.
Somewhere on this walk, an individual…let’s say a white male somewhere between 20-30…walked up to me and said “please…can you help me?” Now in most cases, I disgracefully admit. I would have put my head down and walked away in fear. And because I’ve been buoyed by our recent conversations, I chose to engage and offered this “I would love to help yet I have no cash on me. Can I still help?”. There was this awkward moment of silence (readily believing I was gonna die) and then this occurred:
Person 1: Would you just talk with me?
WOW! We then sat on a curb and for what seemed like minutes, which truly equated to over 60 minutes, I sat and listened and learned. I heard this story of a man who thought at one time he had it all and then for some reason lost it; lost his money, lost his wife and family, lost his self-worth, lost his reason to live. And because no one answered his cry for help, he felt his only option was to either live on the street and beg for money or kill himself! And I just cried.
When we finally stood and hugged, I shared who I was and the title I carried. His eyes lit up and he then said this;
I grew up in the Y!
And it was like someone punched me in the gut! I truly had no answer other than the obligatory response of “that’s great”. And yet when we parted and I walked towards home I wanted to turn and scream “I’m sorry we failed you.”
That’s a true story. That’s a story I think that deserves our air time! That’s a story I never ever ever want to hear again. So I now shout to all of you as we are figuring out who we are…do we really want to fail another human spirit?
So I invite you all of you, dear friends if you have not, to take a walk to listen, to learn. And let’s talk about that.
Or I can just shut up.
Happy Mother’s Day.
T
So don't talk to homeless people unless you want your world rocked and have Jesus stare you in the eye.
Thank you Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor for sharing.
You make Christ smile.
BTW-Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor updated his LinkedIn photo.
Blessings,
Roger
Monday, May 11, 2020
Paint on a road
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
Yesterday was Mother's Day, and what a day it was.
Our kids all surprised us with a Covid-19 social distancing visit.
Our neighbor set the whole thing up for us to see each other in her field. We had a picnic.
My family growing up was a loving family, but we just didn't say the "L" word to each other. I learned to say the "L" word from my grandfather. If you want to know more on how that took place you will have to read, "things my grandfather taught me". You can find it two places:
1. In the book "Dancing with God"
2. Somewhere in this blog site
I say the "L" word a lot.
Now my kids and grandkids do too.
Over the years I have done more than my fair share of funerals and memorials. One thing that has always bothered me when I did them was how people gushed over the dead. Many times it was the first time that they had said anything.
I would hear, " I never, or he/she never...
And they would go on to say how much this person has impacted them or meant to them even though they never told them.
Another thing I would hear is, "My one regret is that I never told them that I loved them and I wish I had."
Why is it we tend to wait until it is too late to say these words?
I know all the pseudo-psychological mumbo jumbo on the why's and why-not's of not saying these words.
I also know that people are perfectly fine driving down a road at 60-miles per hour with traffic coming in the other direction at the same speed. They feel perfectly safe because there is a double yellow line and people cannot pass.
I am also very aware that the double yellow line is nothing more than paint on a road and doesn't stop anyone from coming into my lane.
Perception is a funny thing.
We perceive we are safe and so we are.
Why don't we all live just a bit more dangerously and risk not getting the answer we think we need to hear and just tell people the "L" word. Tell them the "L" word before they are gone.
My parents know I love them.
My wife knows I love her.
My kids know I love them.
My grandkids know I love them.
My "Y" Family knows I love them.
The list just kind of goes on and on...
These people know I love them because:
1. I tell them.
2. I show them.
3. I brag about them when I meet others.
Paint on a road.
Words unspoken.
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
I pray the day finds you well.
Yesterday was Mother's Day, and what a day it was.
Our kids all surprised us with a Covid-19 social distancing visit.
Our neighbor set the whole thing up for us to see each other in her field. We had a picnic.
My family growing up was a loving family, but we just didn't say the "L" word to each other. I learned to say the "L" word from my grandfather. If you want to know more on how that took place you will have to read, "things my grandfather taught me". You can find it two places:
1. In the book "Dancing with God"
2. Somewhere in this blog site
I say the "L" word a lot.
Now my kids and grandkids do too.
Over the years I have done more than my fair share of funerals and memorials. One thing that has always bothered me when I did them was how people gushed over the dead. Many times it was the first time that they had said anything.
I would hear, " I never, or he/she never...
And they would go on to say how much this person has impacted them or meant to them even though they never told them.
Another thing I would hear is, "My one regret is that I never told them that I loved them and I wish I had."
Why is it we tend to wait until it is too late to say these words?
I know all the pseudo-psychological mumbo jumbo on the why's and why-not's of not saying these words.
I also know that people are perfectly fine driving down a road at 60-miles per hour with traffic coming in the other direction at the same speed. They feel perfectly safe because there is a double yellow line and people cannot pass.
I am also very aware that the double yellow line is nothing more than paint on a road and doesn't stop anyone from coming into my lane.
Perception is a funny thing.
We perceive we are safe and so we are.
Why don't we all live just a bit more dangerously and risk not getting the answer we think we need to hear and just tell people the "L" word. Tell them the "L" word before they are gone.
My parents know I love them.
My wife knows I love her.
My kids know I love them.
My grandkids know I love them.
My "Y" Family knows I love them.
The list just kind of goes on and on...
These people know I love them because:
1. I tell them.
2. I show them.
3. I brag about them when I meet others.
Paint on a road.
Words unspoken.
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Friday, May 8, 2020
My name is Daryl
Good morning,
I Pray the day finds you well.
My brain hurts.
I can't stop thinking about the butterfly I saw the other day.
I feel as if our whole country has been in this process of transformation and moving from our former selves to what will be our new and improved selves. Much the same way a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly.
In my minds eye I see us in the cocoon waiting to emerge.
Speaking of transformation; My Executive Director has been in quite a process of transformation himself. He has been working very hard. He has been doing his very best to get the word our about our "Y". He has been working so hard that the one thing he hasn't had time to do is shave.
My executive Director Daryl (again, not his real name but every good story...) has even been on T.V. you may recognize him.
Here is his LinkedIn photo I found.
Here is his T.V. debut!
https://youtu.be/AeavqyDYQtQ
Daryl has been very busy talking about the "Y"; in fact in his T.V. debut he talks about how people don't seem to notice us anymore. How even though we are busy doing the right thing and doing the right thing doesn't mean that we have to be acknowledged, there is a little part of him that misses the fact that people used to talk about the "Y" and now it makes him feel invisible.
Maybe one of the good things that will come out of this pandemic; when we come out of our societal cocoon, will be the fact that we truly see each other. Not just look though us, or past us, but truly look at us. to say, "How are you doing?" and mean it.
One of the things that really bothers Daryl is that people don't even bother to get to know him well enough to find out his real name.
If you really want to hurt Daryl's feelings just call him Bigfoot. Oh, he won't correct you, but his heart will crack a bit when you do.
My prayer is that we start to truly see one another; to ask, "How are you doing?" and really mean it. To start to see that person down the street as our neighbor and not just some person down the street.
When we come out of this societal cocoon may we love one another as Jesus commands us to do.
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
I Pray the day finds you well.
My brain hurts.
I can't stop thinking about the butterfly I saw the other day.
I feel as if our whole country has been in this process of transformation and moving from our former selves to what will be our new and improved selves. Much the same way a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly.
In my minds eye I see us in the cocoon waiting to emerge.
Speaking of transformation; My Executive Director has been in quite a process of transformation himself. He has been working very hard. He has been doing his very best to get the word our about our "Y". He has been working so hard that the one thing he hasn't had time to do is shave.
My executive Director Daryl (again, not his real name but every good story...) has even been on T.V. you may recognize him.
Here is his LinkedIn photo I found.
Here is his T.V. debut!
https://youtu.be/AeavqyDYQtQ
Daryl has been very busy talking about the "Y"; in fact in his T.V. debut he talks about how people don't seem to notice us anymore. How even though we are busy doing the right thing and doing the right thing doesn't mean that we have to be acknowledged, there is a little part of him that misses the fact that people used to talk about the "Y" and now it makes him feel invisible.
Maybe one of the good things that will come out of this pandemic; when we come out of our societal cocoon, will be the fact that we truly see each other. Not just look though us, or past us, but truly look at us. to say, "How are you doing?" and mean it.
One of the things that really bothers Daryl is that people don't even bother to get to know him well enough to find out his real name.
If you really want to hurt Daryl's feelings just call him Bigfoot. Oh, he won't correct you, but his heart will crack a bit when you do.
My prayer is that we start to truly see one another; to ask, "How are you doing?" and really mean it. To start to see that person down the street as our neighbor and not just some person down the street.
When we come out of this societal cocoon may we love one another as Jesus commands us to do.
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Did you see the moon?
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
Did you notice the moon last night? It was huge!!
I was actually in my house, working on something, can't really remember what it was at the moment, I can't seem to remember a lot of things. I can remember that I should remember them but the actual remembering part seems to escape me. My wife says that I can be forgetful, she tells me that often, I guess that I forget that too.
Anyway, I was in my house when my neighbor called and said, "Look at the moon!"
So I did.
It was amazing, the moon that is. It (the moon) was clear, crisp, full, bright, and big.
I watched the moon for quite a while.
It is fun to watch the moon, you can see it move.
I have watched the moon in its various phases over the many years, I can remember that. So much for me being forgetful!!
I remember something God said. He said, "I will place a brighter Light and a lesser light in the sky. The brighter light I will call day, and the lesser light I will call night.
I was entranced by the moon. I was entranced as I watched it move across the sky.
Then a still small voice said, "The moon is always moving, you just have to sit still long enough to see it."
How often are we so busy running that we fail to see the things moving around us? How often do we say, "I don't see them doing anything, or why does it have to be this way, why doesn't it change?"
The funny thing about the moon moving is the only way you can see it move is by putting it against a stationary object (like a tree, or a building) sit very still and look at both the moon and the stationary object. Only then can you see it move. Looking at the moon solely against the expanse of the night sky you can't see it move, or sure you can see it moved, but not moving.
This is also true for the, ""I don't see them doing anything, or why does it have to be this way, why doesn't it change?" questions.
If we don't sit very still and intentionally watch it (whatever the "it" is at the moment) you won't see it change. Or sure you can see it changed over a long period of time, but not changing.
Then I forget that I asked the question in the first place. I forget that I was wondering why that thing didn't change and I am off to the next, "Why is that, that way? why doesn't it change?" question again.
I will remember what that still soft voice said, "The moon is always moving, you just have to sit still long enough to see it."
I will work on being more intentional.
About having eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to accept.
Did you see the moon?
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
Did you notice the moon last night? It was huge!!
I was actually in my house, working on something, can't really remember what it was at the moment, I can't seem to remember a lot of things. I can remember that I should remember them but the actual remembering part seems to escape me. My wife says that I can be forgetful, she tells me that often, I guess that I forget that too.
Anyway, I was in my house when my neighbor called and said, "Look at the moon!"
So I did.
It was amazing, the moon that is. It (the moon) was clear, crisp, full, bright, and big.
I watched the moon for quite a while.
It is fun to watch the moon, you can see it move.
I have watched the moon in its various phases over the many years, I can remember that. So much for me being forgetful!!
I remember something God said. He said, "I will place a brighter Light and a lesser light in the sky. The brighter light I will call day, and the lesser light I will call night.
I was entranced by the moon. I was entranced as I watched it move across the sky.
Then a still small voice said, "The moon is always moving, you just have to sit still long enough to see it."
How often are we so busy running that we fail to see the things moving around us? How often do we say, "I don't see them doing anything, or why does it have to be this way, why doesn't it change?"
The funny thing about the moon moving is the only way you can see it move is by putting it against a stationary object (like a tree, or a building) sit very still and look at both the moon and the stationary object. Only then can you see it move. Looking at the moon solely against the expanse of the night sky you can't see it move, or sure you can see it moved, but not moving.
This is also true for the, ""I don't see them doing anything, or why does it have to be this way, why doesn't it change?" questions.
If we don't sit very still and intentionally watch it (whatever the "it" is at the moment) you won't see it change. Or sure you can see it changed over a long period of time, but not changing.
Then I forget that I asked the question in the first place. I forget that I was wondering why that thing didn't change and I am off to the next, "Why is that, that way? why doesn't it change?" question again.
I will remember what that still soft voice said, "The moon is always moving, you just have to sit still long enough to see it."
I will work on being more intentional.
About having eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to accept.
Did you see the moon?
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
I save lives
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
One of the things that people will know almost immediately when they meet Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor our CEO is:
1. He has a really long name.
2. His LinkedIn photo looks like Thomas the Train.
3. His mission in life is to save lives.
In fact if you were to ask him what he does he would say, "I save lives."
If a person's interest gets peaked by his response and says, "Really, how?"
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor would say:
I teach kids safety around water.
I help with spiritual wellbeing.
I help with healthy aging.
I inspire kids through camp.
All this I get to do as the CEO of the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette.
That is what Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor would say.
And, it is true.
For the longest time people have known that the YMCA or the "Y" as we have been called for the last umpteen years, has been in the business of saving lives.
For the past umpteen years we have done this through programs that resided in buildings and we got very good at it.
Now things have changed.
Now there are lives that still need to be saved, but people are distancing right now, buildings are basically empty. so the question becomes, "How do we save lives now?"
We have been asking this question a lot.
We still have people that need our help, we have:
Shut-ins (those that cannot leave their house.)
Kids that need help with math, science, English, math
Kids that need a P.E. class
Moms and dads at their wits end trying to either work from home or find a new job all the while being a teacher too.
We have people that need a little connection
We have people struggling with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem...
We still have a need for safety around water.
The list goes on and on and on...
Do you know what is really cool about the YMCA, the "Y" for the last umpteen years?
We fill niches, we are niche fillers.
We identify a societal need and fill it.
Lets take:
Shut-ins (those that cannot leave their house.)
We are in the midst of developing the "Y"-Cares team. This team will help shut-ins. The "Y"-Cares team will:
Do yard work
Pick up groceries
Help get seniors connected with Telehealth and virtual senior classes.
the "Y"-Cares team will do this and more as it develops, the important thing is that shut-ins will know that the "Y" cares. It will save their lives.
How about:
Moms and dads at their wits end trying to either work from home, or find a new job all the while being a teacher too.
We have a select group of Chaplains that will come alongside these families virtually,and provide emotional and spiritual support so these stressed out moms and dads can be their best selves for their kids. It will save families.
How about:
We have people struggling with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem...
We have Virtual Journey to Freedom classes that have a proven history of helping those that need just a helping hand up.
These are just a couple of examples of how the YMCA, the "Y" for the last umpteen years has morphed and changed in this new climate to fill a niche, more importantly to fill a need!
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor saves lives.
I for one am right there with him.
Will you help us help others?
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
One of the things that people will know almost immediately when they meet Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor our CEO is:
1. He has a really long name.
2. His LinkedIn photo looks like Thomas the Train.
3. His mission in life is to save lives.
In fact if you were to ask him what he does he would say, "I save lives."
If a person's interest gets peaked by his response and says, "Really, how?"
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor would say:
I teach kids safety around water.
I help with spiritual wellbeing.
I help with healthy aging.
I inspire kids through camp.
All this I get to do as the CEO of the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette.
That is what Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor would say.
And, it is true.
For the longest time people have known that the YMCA or the "Y" as we have been called for the last umpteen years, has been in the business of saving lives.
For the past umpteen years we have done this through programs that resided in buildings and we got very good at it.
Now things have changed.
Now there are lives that still need to be saved, but people are distancing right now, buildings are basically empty. so the question becomes, "How do we save lives now?"
We have been asking this question a lot.
We still have people that need our help, we have:
Shut-ins (those that cannot leave their house.)
Kids that need help with math, science, English, math
Kids that need a P.E. class
Moms and dads at their wits end trying to either work from home or find a new job all the while being a teacher too.
We have people that need a little connection
We have people struggling with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem...
We still have a need for safety around water.
The list goes on and on and on...
Do you know what is really cool about the YMCA, the "Y" for the last umpteen years?
We fill niches, we are niche fillers.
We identify a societal need and fill it.
Lets take:
Shut-ins (those that cannot leave their house.)
We are in the midst of developing the "Y"-Cares team. This team will help shut-ins. The "Y"-Cares team will:
Do yard work
Pick up groceries
Help get seniors connected with Telehealth and virtual senior classes.
the "Y"-Cares team will do this and more as it develops, the important thing is that shut-ins will know that the "Y" cares. It will save their lives.
How about:
Moms and dads at their wits end trying to either work from home, or find a new job all the while being a teacher too.
We have a select group of Chaplains that will come alongside these families virtually,and provide emotional and spiritual support so these stressed out moms and dads can be their best selves for their kids. It will save families.
How about:
We have people struggling with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem...
We have Virtual Journey to Freedom classes that have a proven history of helping those that need just a helping hand up.
These are just a couple of examples of how the YMCA, the "Y" for the last umpteen years has morphed and changed in this new climate to fill a niche, more importantly to fill a need!
Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor saves lives.
I for one am right there with him.
Will you help us help others?
Blessings,
Roger
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
It's Giving Tuesday! What is that?
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
Today is "Giving Tuesday". I am not really sure what "Giving Tuesday" is, but that isn't surprising, these days I am not really sure about anything.
Evidently, "Giving Tuesday" is a Facebook driven event. This means that it lives in the Twitterfields, or Googlelands, or the internets universe.
Remember I am the guy that had kids because he could not figure our the new VHS Tape machine for his T.V. and knew that the next generation would be able to figure this stuff out.
Yes, by the time I had thought about having kids to figure out the VHS tapey thing-a-ma-bob, got married (I am the guy that thinks having a wife to have the kids is the way to go, otherwise I would get stuck with diapers.) had the kids and they grew big enough to figure out the VHS tapey thing, we had moved on to DVR's. As a matter of fact we had almost moved on from the Huge old tube T.V.'s to the giant flat screen T.V.s without the need for DVR's.
Anyway, I had kids because I am not a technology guy. Oh by the way, the whole having a wife to have the kids and not leave me with dirty diapers didn't work either. I had to do those too; in fact, I got so good at changing diapers that I used to pretend I was a rodeo star and did calf roping. I could grapple a toddler, throw him to the ground, change his diapers and have him back up and running through the house in under 8-seconds! Pretty proud of that, just say-in.
Back to "Giving Tuesday".
I am going to have to ask Norm (Remember not his real name but a story always goes better with a name attached). Norm is an expert in the Twiiterlands, Googlefields, and internetswastelands. He is also a wiz at Emoji's. Norm is a savant!
According to Norm our "Giving Tuesday" is going to be a facebook live event that goes from 10am to 11am PST (Pacific Standard time) I did that not because I didn't think you knew what PST stood for, but because if you haven't notice I like open and closed parentheticals, just being open and transparent.
Here is the link https://www.ymcacw.org/giving-tuesday-now
"Giving Tuesday" is a global day of Unity, I like Unity. It is also a day and a way in which you can participate in all the things our "Y" does to positively impact our community. I am inviting you to join us.
Please be my guest in this "Global day of Unity", have some fun, hear a story or two, fall asleep to a boring old bald, fat chaplain, and partner with us as we do our very best to "Teach a community to love its neighbor.
See you soon.
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
Today is "Giving Tuesday". I am not really sure what "Giving Tuesday" is, but that isn't surprising, these days I am not really sure about anything.
Evidently, "Giving Tuesday" is a Facebook driven event. This means that it lives in the Twitterfields, or Googlelands, or the internets universe.
Remember I am the guy that had kids because he could not figure our the new VHS Tape machine for his T.V. and knew that the next generation would be able to figure this stuff out.
Yes, by the time I had thought about having kids to figure out the VHS tapey thing-a-ma-bob, got married (I am the guy that thinks having a wife to have the kids is the way to go, otherwise I would get stuck with diapers.) had the kids and they grew big enough to figure out the VHS tapey thing, we had moved on to DVR's. As a matter of fact we had almost moved on from the Huge old tube T.V.'s to the giant flat screen T.V.s without the need for DVR's.
Anyway, I had kids because I am not a technology guy. Oh by the way, the whole having a wife to have the kids and not leave me with dirty diapers didn't work either. I had to do those too; in fact, I got so good at changing diapers that I used to pretend I was a rodeo star and did calf roping. I could grapple a toddler, throw him to the ground, change his diapers and have him back up and running through the house in under 8-seconds! Pretty proud of that, just say-in.
Back to "Giving Tuesday".
I am going to have to ask Norm (Remember not his real name but a story always goes better with a name attached). Norm is an expert in the Twiiterlands, Googlefields, and internetswastelands. He is also a wiz at Emoji's. Norm is a savant!
According to Norm our "Giving Tuesday" is going to be a facebook live event that goes from 10am to 11am PST (Pacific Standard time) I did that not because I didn't think you knew what PST stood for, but because if you haven't notice I like open and closed parentheticals, just being open and transparent.
Here is the link https://www.ymcacw.org/giving-tuesday-now
"Giving Tuesday" is a global day of Unity, I like Unity. It is also a day and a way in which you can participate in all the things our "Y" does to positively impact our community. I am inviting you to join us.
Please be my guest in this "Global day of Unity", have some fun, hear a story or two, fall asleep to a boring old bald, fat chaplain, and partner with us as we do our very best to "Teach a community to love its neighbor.
See you soon.
Blessings,
Roger
Monday, May 4, 2020
Am I asking the right questions?
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
Life is different now. Work is different now.
We spend most of our time staying home, wherever home is right now. Whatever home is right now.
We do most of our communication with others either on the computer, our phones, or yelling from a distance (which if you remember is my CEO's preferred method of communication).
At our "Y", the team is diligently trying to figure out how to best serve the community that we are part of.
The process is as follows:
1. Ideation
2. Narrowing to a need
3. Strategic
4. Execute
In these "Ideation" meetings we popcorn things, (and when I say "things" I mean ideas), around. All ideas are considered valid until we get to the "Narrowing" phase.
In the "Narrowing" phase we condense to one, or two, or a few things we can do, depending on what they are, for the community that we are part of. The "Community that we are part of" is vitally important. We may be able to do something for a community we are not part of, and we may, but strengthening the community we are part of is our mission.
Let's stick with our mission.
After the "Narrowing" phase we move into what the best way to accomplish the goal (or program however you want to look at it) is. This is the Strategic phase.
Strategy, strategy, strategy, everyone gets tired of strategy. This is the phase where people get grumpy. Terms like, "Why are we talking about this? Why don't we just do something?" comes up quite often. Do you remember the movie "Thelma and Loise"? Well they just did something and ended up driving their car off a cliff.
I don't like driving cars off cliffs. It isn't good for their alignment, just sayin.
After Strategy comes Execution.
The execution phase is were we actually do something. We do the goal, (or program however you want to look at it). This is where you find out if you did a good job on the first 3-phases.
Did I mention that I teach at a local university?
When I say this, the first thing that comes to mind is, "Well it obviously isn't English!" Duh.
No, I teach a variety of classes, some of which are business classes.
Oh great, now I have to read about how wonderful you are as a teacher, Ok Norm (not his real name...) no you don't have to sit and hear how wonderful I am, although I am pretty darn wonderful if I say so myself!
Can you tell I have been taking the John Handy school of self worth, "Because people just like me darn-it".
One of the questions that I ask the students is, "Are we asking the right questions" when it comes to solving the problem or filling a need, a niche, a Blue Ocean?
Back to the "Y".
In our meetings the question comes up, "What does our community need?" good question, but is it the right one?
The next question that gets asked, "What does our community want?" another great question, but is it the right one?
Then the team really starts to dig in, "Can we even provide this?" (whatever "this" is) Another awesome question, but is it the right question?
Then the homerun question, "Will we get paid to do this?" ding, ding, ding. The crux of the problem!!!!!
Remember we started out wanting to serve our community during a trying time.
We wanted to help.
Now we ended up with a business proposition.
I have said this before and I will say it again,
"These are tough times to be a shrubbier!"
You see the fear. The fear that leads to an agenda.
I never mind agendas. No, Agendas in themselves are good things.
Everyone has an agenda. Jesus Christ had, has and will have (the whole omnipresent, omnipotent thing plays in here) an agenda.
It is the hidden agenda that gets scary. Judas had the hidden agenda (we all know how that worked out).
Now I am not saying that because somebody raised the, "let's get paid" question that they are Judas.
No, what I am saying is, "Jesus is the pure love (serve our community) agenda, and Judas is the fear-based (if we don't get paid we are at risk) agenda.
So, to some up this diatribe.
Regor Nottub once said, "If you do something good for someone and expect something in return you are not doing good, your doing business. Do Good!"
The question is, "Are we doing good or merely doing business?"
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
I pray the day finds you well.
Life is different now. Work is different now.
We spend most of our time staying home, wherever home is right now. Whatever home is right now.
We do most of our communication with others either on the computer, our phones, or yelling from a distance (which if you remember is my CEO's preferred method of communication).
At our "Y", the team is diligently trying to figure out how to best serve the community that we are part of.
The process is as follows:
1. Ideation
2. Narrowing to a need
3. Strategic
4. Execute
In these "Ideation" meetings we popcorn things, (and when I say "things" I mean ideas), around. All ideas are considered valid until we get to the "Narrowing" phase.
In the "Narrowing" phase we condense to one, or two, or a few things we can do, depending on what they are, for the community that we are part of. The "Community that we are part of" is vitally important. We may be able to do something for a community we are not part of, and we may, but strengthening the community we are part of is our mission.
Let's stick with our mission.
After the "Narrowing" phase we move into what the best way to accomplish the goal (or program however you want to look at it) is. This is the Strategic phase.
Strategy, strategy, strategy, everyone gets tired of strategy. This is the phase where people get grumpy. Terms like, "Why are we talking about this? Why don't we just do something?" comes up quite often. Do you remember the movie "Thelma and Loise"? Well they just did something and ended up driving their car off a cliff.
I don't like driving cars off cliffs. It isn't good for their alignment, just sayin.
After Strategy comes Execution.
The execution phase is were we actually do something. We do the goal, (or program however you want to look at it). This is where you find out if you did a good job on the first 3-phases.
Did I mention that I teach at a local university?
When I say this, the first thing that comes to mind is, "Well it obviously isn't English!" Duh.
No, I teach a variety of classes, some of which are business classes.
Oh great, now I have to read about how wonderful you are as a teacher, Ok Norm (not his real name...) no you don't have to sit and hear how wonderful I am, although I am pretty darn wonderful if I say so myself!
Can you tell I have been taking the John Handy school of self worth, "Because people just like me darn-it".
One of the questions that I ask the students is, "Are we asking the right questions" when it comes to solving the problem or filling a need, a niche, a Blue Ocean?
Back to the "Y".
In our meetings the question comes up, "What does our community need?" good question, but is it the right one?
The next question that gets asked, "What does our community want?" another great question, but is it the right one?
Then the team really starts to dig in, "Can we even provide this?" (whatever "this" is) Another awesome question, but is it the right question?
Then the homerun question, "Will we get paid to do this?" ding, ding, ding. The crux of the problem!!!!!
Remember we started out wanting to serve our community during a trying time.
We wanted to help.
Now we ended up with a business proposition.
I have said this before and I will say it again,
"These are tough times to be a shrubbier!"
You see the fear. The fear that leads to an agenda.
I never mind agendas. No, Agendas in themselves are good things.
Everyone has an agenda. Jesus Christ had, has and will have (the whole omnipresent, omnipotent thing plays in here) an agenda.
It is the hidden agenda that gets scary. Judas had the hidden agenda (we all know how that worked out).
Now I am not saying that because somebody raised the, "let's get paid" question that they are Judas.
No, what I am saying is, "Jesus is the pure love (serve our community) agenda, and Judas is the fear-based (if we don't get paid we are at risk) agenda.
So, to some up this diatribe.
Regor Nottub once said, "If you do something good for someone and expect something in return you are not doing good, your doing business. Do Good!"
The question is, "Are we doing good or merely doing business?"
Something to ponder.
Blessings,
Roger
Friday, May 1, 2020
Floating Butterflies
Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.
What a day, what a day.
The sun is shining. The birds are singing, and butterflies are flying.
I was sitting on my porch this morning (Yes, I am an old guy who sits on the porch). I was listening to the birds sing and watching the butterflies float and flutter by. Other little flying creatures flit around as they fly as if they are in a panic, not butterflies, they flutter and float in a relaxed fashion. It is quite soothing to watch actually, a butterfly flying.
As I watched the butterflies my mind journeyed to a place of transformation, a place of cocoons and silk. I remembered watching a time-lapse of a caterpillar making its cocoon and emerging some time later as a beautiful butterfly.
As I relaxed allowing God to take me on this journey of transformation I was filled with awe and wonderment. I was also not afraid.
A still soft voice said, "I have you in a process of transformation. I also have you in the palm of my hand."
I asked, "Will the world be different when we come out of this transformation?"
The still soft voice replied, "Will it be the world that is different, or will it be you?"
It went on to say, "Will the world be different, or will it be the way you see it?"
Transformation is a funny thing.
We tend to want others to change while we remain the same, "Don't make me change."
Yet, every book on change (including the Bible) talks in terms of personal change, personal transformation.
Transformation, I am along for the ride.
Oh by the way:
Everyone is asking what Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor (Remember not his real name) our CEO looks like. I have placed his LinkedIn picture here so everyone can see him. Of course, it looks like he used a picture of a much younger Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor, typical.
Transformation, I will contemplate this some more.
Blessings,
I pray the day finds you well.
What a day, what a day.
The sun is shining. The birds are singing, and butterflies are flying.
I was sitting on my porch this morning (Yes, I am an old guy who sits on the porch). I was listening to the birds sing and watching the butterflies float and flutter by. Other little flying creatures flit around as they fly as if they are in a panic, not butterflies, they flutter and float in a relaxed fashion. It is quite soothing to watch actually, a butterfly flying.
As I watched the butterflies my mind journeyed to a place of transformation, a place of cocoons and silk. I remembered watching a time-lapse of a caterpillar making its cocoon and emerging some time later as a beautiful butterfly.
As I relaxed allowing God to take me on this journey of transformation I was filled with awe and wonderment. I was also not afraid.
A still soft voice said, "I have you in a process of transformation. I also have you in the palm of my hand."
I asked, "Will the world be different when we come out of this transformation?"
The still soft voice replied, "Will it be the world that is different, or will it be you?"
It went on to say, "Will the world be different, or will it be the way you see it?"
Transformation is a funny thing.
We tend to want others to change while we remain the same, "Don't make me change."
Yet, every book on change (including the Bible) talks in terms of personal change, personal transformation.
Transformation, I am along for the ride.
Oh by the way:
Everyone is asking what Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor (Remember not his real name) our CEO looks like. I have placed his LinkedIn picture here so everyone can see him. Of course, it looks like he used a picture of a much younger Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor, typical.
Transformation, I will contemplate this some more.
Blessings,
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