Tuesday, February 3, 2009

REJECTED!!

Have you ever had something happen that should really make you angry, but it is just so bizarre that it is funny? I had one of those moments at ..................................................THE



That's right, sing it with me, "Working at the car wash, .......whoa, whoa, whoa..............
My car wash story goes like this. We were going to Plano last Saturday, so Chris could pick out her desk for her office at the new Honey Grove High School. We were going through McKinney and we decided to pull through the car wash, for a quick $4.95, exterior wash. We live on some "rustic" roads, so our black car was brown at this point. The car wash line was long on this beautiful day, as many patrons were waiting for their chance to be clean. I waited patiently with my five dollar bill in hand, and even planned on telling the lucky worker to keep the change. After about 20 minutes, the car wash employee finally walked toward our car and said, "Sorry, man, we can't wash your car today. It's too dirty."
I quickly looked around because I knew there were two options. We were either on Candid Camera, or one of my coaching buddies was sitting inside the car wash building and had paid this young man more than a nickel tip to tell me my car was too dirty for the car wash. Well, I didn't see any cameras and the young man seemed quite solemn. You see, at this car wash, it is automatic. There's really not much manual labor involved for the wash I was asking for. I just pull through and sit in my car while machines do all the washing. Here is a picture of the car. Let me add, we had not been 4-wheeling, and our car has been dirtier.
Thinking I had possibly mis-heard this young man, I replied, "You are kidding, aren't you?" The employee answered, "I wish I was." Chris was outraged and my daughter, Kati, was livid. We continued to sit there with my mouths open and waiting for the punch line. It occurred to me that we were melded into the line of hopeful, and somewhat impatient, drivers, so I asked the employee, "So how are we were going to get out of this line of cars?" The young, master -judger of filth, said he would ask people to back up and he would help us. So he felt very sure it would be an easier task to move 15 cars out of the way with hardly a 3-foot lee-way than to allow our car to go through the wash! I then asked why they didn't tell us about the "too dirty" problem when we entered this line appoximately 25 minutes ago. He answered, "That probably would have been a better way to do this." Wow! Rejected at a car wash.
I am so glad that this is a story that is strange & humorous, but doesn't match the other places I could have been rejected in my life's journey.
  1. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for not making the choice of saying, "That oldest boy of ours just requires too much time and effort." "He's just too needy!"
  2. I appreciate Mrs. Tuttle, my 1st grade teacher, who continued to check the box on report cards.......*Talks too much.........but never stopped teaching me.
  3. I never thought I would say this, "Thank you, Coach Jones, for believing in me and whipping my hind-end when I needed it." You never said I was "too mischievious."
  4. Ever since I was diagnosed with cancer, my friend and principal, Jeff Clark, has shown grace to a teacher/coach, by allowing him to try to do his job, even though he is dealing with disease and treatment. Not once have I been told that I was too sick.
  5. Do you know that the most beautiful woman in the world married me? Why, you ask. I truly do not know. I have never been too poor, ugly, immature, etc.... Thank you, Chris. You are truly my best friend, and I adore you.
  6. But the thing that I will never comprehend is that the son of God, Jesus Christ, died for me. I was not too dirty! I did not have to clean up, straighten up, or fix-up. While I was covered in dirt, Christ died for me.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NKJV)



Sunday, February 1, 2009

It Is Good!





The word "Christian" is a great noun, but it can cause problems when we use it as an adjective. I am not an English teacher, nor a son of an English teacher, but my best friend, Chris, is an English major and she proofs all of my ramblings. I think I remember that a noun is a person, place, or thing. And an adjective describes. But, since Chris corrects for me, you will never know if I was right or wrong! Anyway...a Christian is a believer or a disciple (learning follower) of Jesus Christ. The word Christian is a type of person, thus a noun.


An adjective is a term used to show a quality of a noun or the quantity of something that it might possess. In other words, if we attach "Christian" as an adjective to a noun, then we are a labeling this person, place, or thing as possessing Christian qualities. Rob Bell, an author and pastor, while I do not agree with everything he believes, writes about this in his book, Velvet Elvis. So who decides if music is "Christian?" Wal-Mart employees, as they stock CD's? Who decides if a television show is "Christian?" Direct TV or perhaps the networks? I am a Christian, and God does speak to me and teach me through some bizarre circumstances and unusual avenues, that others might not label as Christian. All of this foreward is to begin to explain a recent "Amen" experience.


Chris and I love to watch the television show, The Dog Whisperer.


I do not know if Cesar Millan is a Christian. I know his show would not be considered a "Christian" show, but it is entertaining and many times educational. As Cesar likes to say, he trains people and rehabilitates dogs. I think that Chris, with her counseling background, is intrigued with the way that the dogs usually display the problems and shortcomings of the owners. I just enjoy watching the dogs try to bite him!

Last week, Cesar was at a monestary in Washington D.C., that is in a bad part of town. The priests had obtained a German Shepherd to help them protect their property, but the dog, Jerry, was out of control and violent. Cesar was called to the scene. He then began to teach a lesson of balance to the priests. He described the spiritual world and the earthly world. Cesar said that his grandfather taught him two important lessons. First, do not go against nature. Do not try to humanize a dog. A dog is a part of the "earth world." And the second lesson was that activities require balance. A dog becomes a reflection of you and the balance that you have in your life.

One priest then asked, "Why did we end up with a dog that requires so much?" Cesar Millan answered the priests by saying, "God does not give us what we want. He always will give us what we need to help us grow." Yes, Cesar, I agree! Isn't it awesome to hear God speak through a venue that we don't expect? A scripture that was shared today in worship agrees with the Dog Whisperer.

19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Phil 4:19-20 (NKJV)

Why do I have cancer? Why not? C.S. Lewis says, "Do not ask why the righteous suffer, ask why not? We are the ones who should be able to handle it." Thank you, Cesar, for reminding me (even through a show that is not labeled "Christian") that God is more worried about my character than my comfort. The praise be to God!