More Hugs Please

I am a big fan of hugs. I like to be on the receiving end of a good hug and a love to extend a hug to others. Have been reminded of this twice in the last few days. I will share one and then hope you will watch the other.

I ran to Costco Sunday afternoon to grab a few things. May have been the busiest I have ever seen Costco.  I waited in line, seizing this moment as a gift from God to work on patience. I spotted Dave Lewis, one of my favorite guys in the world. He was two lanes over with his lovely wife Pam. I left my cart, weaved through a sea of people, reached over the counter and grabbed his arm. He looked up and I extended my hand and said hello. Dave would have none of that, he spread his arms leaned over the counter and gave me a big bear hug. It was great, right there in the middle of groceries, carts and people. We spoke briefly and I walked back to my cart.

I thought as I walked back, I want to be more like Dave. For him a handshake was not sufficient. When you see a friend you love you don't shake hands and it doesn't really matter where you are. You give each other a big hug. I decided I needed more hugs and I needed to give more hugs. 

This morning Stuart sent me a video about hugs. For me just a confirmation to be a committed participant in the hug revolution. You have to watch this video. It is beautiful and a sweet reminder of how important it is to reach out. To look for opportunities to be Jesus with skin on. I am confidant Jesus is a good hugger. So, I am saying "more hugs please", and I am inviting you to join me.

Peace, todd    http:/epicfeats.com/media/p/195.aspx

Amazing Grace How Sweet the Smell?

I received a thoughtful and practical gift today. You really need to try this stuff. It is call No.2 poo spray. Here is how it works. You spray the poo spray on the water in the stool before you go number 2 and this stuff absorbs the smell. You finish your business and magically leave the room smelling fresher than when you entered it. Only a true friend would give you this kind of gift, (thanks Christina).

Naturally my thoughts turned to God as I pondered this amazing product. I thought about the prophet Isaiah who said "All our righteous acts are like filthy rags before God". I am guessing filthy rags would have an unpleasant smell coming from them. 

Paul says "We are the aroma of Christ". Now if I put the two thoughts together; on my own I stink, but with Christ I emit not a stench but a sweet aroma. I am reminded that Christ really does cover my sin and the stench that sin produces. He then presents me holy to a righteous God. That's much better than poo spray.

So today I am encouraging you to first bathe in God's amazing grace. It will make you smell better. Then go find some No. 2 poo spray, and it will make your bathroom smell better.

Peace, todd

A Few Thoughts On Martin Luther King Jr

I am fascinated by Martin Luther King Jr. I wish I new more about this great man. I believe he was a prophet who answered the difficult call to be God's mouth piece for a nation. Historically being a prophet seldom goes well in this life

Dr. King spoke of freedom. I believe the freedom he spoke of had many facets but that it was rooted in the biblical teaching of freedom. I believe the freedom he spoke of flowed out of  the teaching of Christ who said "you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." He understood that freedom had to start with spiritual freedom if we were ever going to be a country and people who lived under the banner of freedom.

Dr. King understood that sin always separates. It separates families, couples, ethnic groups, cities, states and countries. That fear flows out of sin. That the fear of those who are different keeps both parties in bondage. Fear fosters oppression and abuse, hate and hostility. But that Christ offered something radically different.

The movement that this man lead was motivated by christian love. He did not just speak of this love as some theory or teaching but he demonstrated this love and called his followers to do the same. He understood the kind of love that was born out of the freedom Jesus taught about and modeled was unique. This love healed relationships, that it created reconciliation and respect for others.

As I reflect on his life today I am reminded how radical the teachings of Jesus Christ really are. Dr. King took those teachings very literal. He understood that freedom, true freedom flowed out of non-violence. That turning the other cheek was not a weak position but a position of power. I do not believe there has been anyone in modern times who has demonstrated love for humanity any better than Martin Luther King Jr. This man followed the way of Christ.

Our world is a better place today because of the message he spoke, suffered and ultimately died for. Not surprising as you look back over time. We have never been very fond of prophets because they speak the truth and yet,  "the truth will set you free."

Peace, todd

Oscar or Elmo

I find myself in a bad mood this morning. Not even sure why but grumpy and irritable. Kind of like Oscar the grouch. Now I am thinking Oscar being grouchy makes some sense. He lives in a trash can and people are always throwing junk in it. I would be grouchy too. Oscar seems to enjoy the trash but maybe he does not know anything different. 

I on the other hand do know something different. I am not enjoying being grumpy and pretty sure no one else is. I was pre Elmo days but he seems to be the opposite of Oscar. That guy seems to be eternally happy. Maybe even too happy, if that is possible but the guy is happy. So I am thinking I can choose. Do I want to be Oscar today or Elmo? 

Choice is one of the greatest gifts the Father has given us. It is very empowering. So I am reminded I can choose. I choose not to be Oscar any more today. Not sure I have Elmo in my DNA but I choose to be a little more like Elmo this afternoon.

Peace, todd

Hot, Cold and Adam

Natalie was sharing with me last night about a science training she had attended. They had discussed a lesson for students helping them understand that there is really no such thing as cold only the absence of heat. I guess the reality is cold does not exist only the absence of heat. The same idea would relate to darkness. No such thing as darkness only the absence of light. Light exist darkness does not.

These scientific realities make sense to me at some level, but when I walked out of my house at 5:15 this morning, my reality was it was very cold and dark. But maybe our reality is not always true. What about life and death?

We understand that when a heartbeat stops and there is no breath a person is dead. I have sat with families in a hospital and watched a monitor flat line and the nurse check the vitals and say he has passed. I have buried people who are dead, just a corpse in a casket lowered into the ground. 

But Jesus said he defeated death, it was no more. It is like hot and cold. No cold only the absence of hot and in Christ there is only life no death. It simply does not exist. But like my experience this morning with the cold and darkness, death does seem to exist.

Saturday morning 12 friends huddled in a circle on the Katy trail. Some were new friends some old. We thanked God for the life of Adam Langford. Each of us holding on to different memories. We gathered to complete a run for Adam. He wanted to run 30 miles on his 30th birthday. He could not do that so we did it for him. 

The absence of heat made the wind sting as it hit our skin. The absence of Adam made the tears sting in our eyes. Adam running 30 miles on his 30th birthday would have been a much better story and one he would of told to the delight of many. The reason for running and the absence of Adam reminds us of death. Death feels cold, but again I am told cold does not exists.

My reality that Saturday morning as friends hugged, cried, prayed, talked and ran was life. What I experienced that morning was life, in some ways life at it's best. Adam was with us but certainly in a different way and not the way each of us wanted.

Maybe death does not exist and maybe cold does not exist, but I wish Adam being gone did not feel so cold.

Peace, todd

Hope for the Hopeless

It would almost seem silly for me to say there are times that I feel hopeless. But it is true. If you look at my life you would say that seems a little goofy. You might say that I have nothing to feel hopeless about and everything to feel hopeful about. That is also true and yet I find myself feeling hopeless some times. How about you?

I share this, acknowledging that I  am a blessed man and yet sometimes I feel hopeless. Not even sure why sometimes. Some of it seems to come from this understanding that God has so much more for me and I can't seem to step into it or just simply refuse to receive it. Either way it seems to be about me and then I think it is not suppose to be about me it is suppose to be about him.

I have told Michael who is about to graduate that we would give him a computer for a graduation present. He shared with me this week a good friend is maybe going to sell his MacBook and wanted to know if we could buy it and he would pay for half of it. I told him we could discuss that if and when his friend decides to sell. But I am thinking, "why would you buy something used and pay half when I have told you we are going to buy you a new computer and pay for it ourselves." Seems silly to me and we will have that conversation at some point. 

But maybe I am the same way with God and hope. Maybe I try to get my own hope through my own power and end up being a little dissatisfied. I wonder if God is not saying to me "Todd I will give you what you need, I will give you more, transform you into the man you were created to be and the man you desire to be." Maybe it is there, right in front of me and I just continue to try and take care of it myself and end up feeling a little hopeless.

Today I felt the sun on a cool morning and felt some hope. Thanks God! Today I was reminded there are people pursuing God and loving people and doing it in the name of Jesus and not the name of some denomination. It gave me hope, thanks God. Today I was reminded what a gift my wife and children are and I felt hopeful. Thanks again. Today I was reminded that everyday is a new day to know God and make him know, and I felt hope.

Wow! I am feeling much more hopeful. Thanks God!

Peace, todd