"Decide what to be, and go be it..."

The joy of Christmas is a sharp reminder of how joy-less we can be during the other 364 days...

Sure, there are births, marriages, graduations and a number of exciting moments in our year that bring a moment of joy followed by the reality of living with the blessing.  My uncle used to say, "It's not what it costs in the store, but what it costs 5-10 years down the road."  Frankly, my uncle was very cheap and this quote was usually met with the painful reality whatever I was asking for was going to stay on the shelf. (still want a Stretch Armstrong!)

As my age gets closer to where my uncle was at that time, these quotes actually make some sense and when I really think about it, what he was saying was will the purchase retain its value long after the purchase?  He could have just said that and I would have understood, but where is the drama in that quote walking out the door and waving his hand to hurry me up to the truck.  A truck he drove until he died, by the way.

He was full of quotes about money.  Simple and to the point, but now such a part of me.  Another related to how the cost of an item related to how long you should maintain it.  "If something costs more than $100, there's a part that will fix it, you don't need a new one!"  This too was a part of that long-lasting value we had to consider if we were going to buy something.  And when we bought something, we paid cash.  "If it's something you really need, you'll have the cash to buy it.  Credit means you want it, not need it."

Back to Christmas...

That joyless 364 may relate to the fact we miss the value of the price paid "in cash" for us.  Yes, God paid in the most valuable commodity He had...His Son.  The value of that purchase is just as valuable today as it was the day He was nailed to the cross.  Just like my uncle said, anything that costs that much can be fixed to retain the value.  Each of us is a working part of the Body of Christ.  Each of us needs a "tweak" now and then.  Sometimes we need to be rebuilt, but we are never discarded.  The value God has placed upon us is the life of His Son.  While the value of the dollar, yen, ruble, etc. may move, the value of salvation has remained constant.  I have 220,000 miles on a 1995 Chevy pick-up right now and that is a drop in the bucket compared to eternity.  That truck is special to me, and I will do/spend whatever it takes to keep it running.  It makes me upset at times, it gives me joy to think about its history and how long it has taken care of members of my family and there are times when I use others to get it back up and running.  Never do I think of letting it go.

The truck has no feelings, so there is no chance for it to thank me, or say, "Wow, you really care about me!", but I do.  That truck has a value I cannot measure...not the level I have for my family, but you know what I mean.  I would like to believe if my truck could talk, it would be happy there is someone looking out for it.  Taking care of it even when it doesn't realize it needs help.  Telling other vehicles how happy it is knowing there is nothing that could break I would not fix.

My uncle gave me my first Bible.  He was a grump and did not spend a lot of time "sugar-coating" things. He told me what I needed to know, what I should know, and how to find out what I should know.  That Bible was with him for almost his entire life, except the part he trusted me to take care of it.  When he gave it to me, there were notes scribbled, names of people that needed prayer, birthdays of kids, adults and people I never knew.  There were dates of funerals for family and friends.  His life was in that Bible.  He understood the value of his purchase.  I gave his Bible back when I purchased my own because his had done the job.  The moment I realized the purchase had been made for me, I knew it was time to start my life in my own book.  When I gave his back, he left me with what is my favorite lesson...

"Now that you have your own book to fill, remember this: you will make mistakes, some small and some big.  You will have success and joy in your life. In all of this, you will be loved and forgiven.  You were bought by the Blood."

I have truly made mistakes, big and small.  I have truly had joy in my life.  My uncle remembered that joy daily...I still need some tweaking.

I miss him

Blessings

Really hard to believe I have lived nearly half a century and have been married nearly a quarter of a century.  Ask my wife and she will probably say it feels exactly like a quarter of a century...might have received the same response at a tenth of a century...

The winter air and Texas sun I have been living under for so long, along with the thoughtful lyrics from the Avett Brothers have me wondering how thankful I really am for the blessings I have received.

During the construction of a building, the most intimidating portion of the project is rarely the heavy work; clearing, foundation, framing, masonry, plumbing, electric.  The scariest part of a project is the finishing touches.  Sure, you can install a breaker panel with 500amps to provide as much, or more power as you will ever need, but put the outlet in the wrong place and that power is rendered useless.  (ask any man with a wife that needs her plugs for the "getting ready" equipment)  Put up wall after wall of sheet rock, tape and bed, float and texture, but paint those walls the wrong color and it's the difference between an easy sell or no sale.  You can play this little game with every aspect of a big project; windows/drapes, kitchen/counter-space, living room/cable connection, and on and on, never to be perfect.  Each project is a future renovation long before the final touches are complete.

We were born with a renovation already in progress.  Whether you believe it or not, we are under a constant "improvement" process that can be fine detail touches, or major tear out remodels.  Constantly improving, but never being satisfied until the project is complete, though like most renovations, the clutter and frustration can slow the speed with which we would like to see results.  At those times, it always seems we find something to be excited about.  "Look at how much room we have now!", "The garden looks so colorful!", "Now everyone can sit down for dinner!"  Shortly after any of these wonderful moments will come the complaints..."All this room, and no furniture to fill it!", "Is that a weed?!", "Everyone's coming here for the holiday, now I have to cook and clean!"

Blessings/improvements are a funny thing.  With each blessing comes an added (here it comes) responsibility.  And here is the really tough part, we are blessed EVERY DAY!  You know that feeling you get when you go to the beach and look out to the ocean?  "Man, I am really small in the big picture of things", "I am insignificant, so why try?", "What value can I really add?" Well, my friend, you are one of the "details" in the big scope of things.  Sure, I'm a light switch, great...but what if that light switch allows the parents of a small child to check-in on them at night?  Great, I'm a door knob, but what if that door knob is on the door of a church?  Awesome, I am a vaulted ceiling, but what if that ceiling is in a hall where music resonates for everyone to enjoy?

Overblown? A little, maybe, but here are a few more that may hit home.  I'm just a fisherman, what value do I add?  I'm a dishwasher, an accountant, a carpenter.  Each is a finishing touch on a wonderful work being created in love.  Each of us plays a part, and while a sprinkler head only works for about 7-20 minutes 2-3 times a week, look at the results that can be produced.  Even better, the sprinkler head does that work without even realizing it is happening.  It's automatic.  We are the details and we impact people every day, whether we know it, or not.  Sure, the sprinkler head needs adjustments, as do we, but we have the ability to move freely and be moved to do the right things.  Who better to place the sprinkler, than the person who designed the garden?

Back to wondering if I am thankful enough for the blessings I have received.  I wonder if I am thankful for the opportunity to be a blessing when needed.  Whether I am a road flare, only to be used once to help others, or a light house that others look to for comfort and direction every day, I am thankful that I am a detail in a set of plans much bigger than I can comprehend.

Merry Christmas!