Every now and then, I have these scenes that re-play in my mind from various events in my life where I said something that was completely wrong. These words built barriers, caused trouble, hindered teaching, and washed out influence. But more than all those things, my careless words often hurt people that I love. 

Beyond being careless, sometimes my words have been mean and cutting. My tone has been fierce and my look searing. I regret all of this. I do not want in anyway to be the sort of person who does more harm than good by the things I say and the way I say them. This is not a flaw that I have conquered. In fact, I have struggled with it today. 

I think if we are the kind of people who don’t care that we slice people open with our words, then we don’t notice when it happens to us. I never used to notice that sort of thing. I’ve had people say, “Didn’t that hurt your feelings when they said…” I guess it didn’t because I had no feelings to hurt. But I must be gaining on it. 

Recently someone, whom I love and who loves me, said something that cut me to the heart. I was truly stunned to silence wondering if it had really happened – but it did. And you know, I didn’t deserve it. Like many victims of my verbal blitzkriegs, I was an innocent victim of a vaux bomb that left me sad. Not that it was said, but that I knew they didn’t mean it. It was fear, anger or frustration, but it wasn’t about me. I just happened to be handy. 

So it doesn’t count. The love between us deflected it and the shot landed harmlessly in the sea. Some people use the phrase “sea of forgetfulness.” This is not a biblical phrase, but there is an idea that when God forgives us, He forgives us permanently and He doesn’t call them back to memory. (See Hebrews 8:12)   

The Psalmist wrote, “Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him…” Psalm 32:2 Perhaps there have been offenses that you’ve suffered unjustly, maybe even from me (man I hope not.) Could you decide to “not count” them against the person? Could you pray that our hearts will soften and we will come to know the harm that careless words can do? Let me encourage you to allow those undeserved shots and wounds to pass into that place where God sends the things that he doesn’t count against us.  

telemicus out

On the second portion of Learning Journey, I drove from Wheaton, Illinois to my adopted hometown of Kirksville, Missouri. It was a nice drive on a perfect day. I stopped in Quincy, Illinois for a visual visit to a couple places we lived when I was a boy. I also wanted to see the church building that played a big role in my spiritual journey.

When I saw the two houses we had lived in, I was amazed at how small they looked. The size of the trees surprised me too. Perhaps it’s not the trees that surprised me, but rather how fast 40 years can happen. I snapped a couple of pictures, thought for a few minutes about friends, and wondered what ever happened to them. Then I drove on. 

The church looks the same. When I was a boy, there was a pig farm next door to the church. Now it’s a little league ball field. Upgrade. The church looks smaller too of course. It’s special to me because it’s where my dad baptized me, January 10, 1971. It’s also the place of my commitment to teach God’s word - I was 15. It was nice to see it again. 

I crossed over the Mississippi River and in a few miles came to Hiway 6. As I began my right turn, I noticed a sign that read TAYLOR. I liked that. So I stopped and took a picture of it. Then settling back into the driver’s seat, I put in a CD, rolled all the windows down and turned the music all the way up and drove in glorious sunshine and fresh air for over an hour. Most Excellent! 

For reasons that I can’t explain, I love Kirksville and I guess I always will. I have the New Testament on MP3 and I listen to selected chapters on my i-pod. Right now, I am listening to John 13. When the narrator read verse one it caught my ear because it sounds different from the NIV. It said, “He loved them to the end.” This is the only place that the scriptures express that Jesus loved the Apostles. 

We hear a lot these days about never ending love. What are those things that you will love to the end? Have you said so? We are doing better in our family about saying that we love each other. I don’t like it when it sounds like habit rather than a true expression, but I think we need to say more often, “l love you to the end.”

telemicus out

I spent most of last week in Wheaton, (Chicago) Illinois. I was attending the Write to Publish conference. It was a long week – not bad long, just long. I felt like I needed some car-time so I decided to fly to St. Louis and then drive up to the conference. It was a great plan. 

On the drive up, I met a parade of hot rod and classic automobiles that lasted for two hours. I exited the interstate to get a bite to eat at the place with the golden arches. Being unsure what the town was, I asked the teenage girl at the counter, “Can you please tell me where I am?” She looked puzzled and with a sideways roll of her eyes said, “McDonalds!”  

I laughed at the joke she didn’t know she made, and said, “I mean what city is this?” She perked up and said with a cheerleader’s glee, “Troy, Illinois!” I thought she might jump. “Ok thanks” I said, “I was sort of lost.” “Really, where are you from?” “Dallas” I said, wanting to get on with my order. The cloud descended once again and she said, “How did you end up here?” - “I’ll have a number 3 meal.” 

The conference was enlightening. We learned about publishing books and articles. The editors present gave answers to questions with kind candor. Their comments weren’t always what I wanted to hear, but it was good to know what they thought about my work and ideas. I found a number of opportunities to write that I didn’t know about previously. The nightly critique groups were helpful in recognizing bad habits and developing a stronger sense of style. Of course, the mechanics of writing received adjustment as well.

I met some interesting people. Two authors were in their 20s. I met a woman who was a therapist; we had a very interesting visit. I met a mechanical engineer - we had some common threads. My suite mate was a warm Asian fellow who asked me repeatedly if “my baby was born” (a metaphor for a book conceived – but not written.) It’s funny that in meeting so many people I didn’t meet anyone who was writing about the same things that I write. 

One of the most interesting things I found is that most people write out of their lives and mostly their pain. I do that some too. Pain is a common bond. People take comfort in the testimony of those who’ve been down those dark, lonely roads and come through. But the key is to write beyond pain and into joy; beyond struggle and into triumph. Jesus’ story would be compelling if it ended at the cross. Because it moves beyond the cross and creates sequels in the lives of every believer, it’s far beyond compelling.  

Before the conference, I decided to call my latest writing effort, Beyond – Peter’s Encounter with Jesus after the Cross. I am surer now that this is right. The Christian life is life that goes beyond. This week, go beyond in everything you do. Go beyond in righteousness, in showing love for your family, in showing kindness to others, in being led by the Spirit, in praying, in serving, in laughing and in living. 

telemicus out